After an equally rewarding and challenging semester, unexpectedly interrupted by a hurricane that many in our communities are still suffering from, we hope you’ll find some downtime for yourselves over the winter break. Whether you’re traveling or staying local, check out the resources below if you’re looking for the perfect, lowkey escape to unwind and relax.  

hands with mittens holding coffee
  1. If you are a coffee enthusiast and haven’t tried Little River Roasting Co.’s coffee, swing by a Pharmacy Coffee location in Spartanburg. In addition to having amazing coffee, they value sustainability and ethical sourcing. Their coffee comes from Royal New York, which is Bird Friendly and Rainforest Certified and they aspire to a zero-waste future by using compostable packaging.

2. Did you know that South Carolina is covered with incredible walking and hiking trails? Locally, the Mary H. Wright Greenway is a 1.3 mile trail with a difficulty level of 1 out of 4. It is open to walkers, bikers, and strollers. If you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge, head out to Peters Creek Heritage Preserve for a 3.6 mile hike through rolling hills. This trail earns a difficulty level of 2 out of 4 and is better for hikes than walks. Or if you’re hoping to travel some new paths this holiday season beyond Spartanburg, check out SCtrails.net, find the perfect spot, and lace up your boots!  

3. If you love books but don’t have room for one more in your home, Libby is the one you’ve been waiting for. With a local library card, you can access Libby and enjoy all the digital content you need to warm your heart this winter. Digital books, audiobooks, graphic novels, comics, self-development, magazines – Libby has it all. Whether you’re curled up by a roaring fire with friends and family or enjoying a quiet winter at home, Libby is a budget-friendly way to check out new releases, catch up on your reader’s wish list, and travel to new worlds with just one click.

winter bon fire

4. If it’s too chilly to visit an art gallery or museum, consider checking out the wealth of inspiring creator content online. Instagram hosts incredible artists’ work from around the country and across the globe. Some of my recent favorites include matthewricewatercolours, stephs_woolly_life, devonrodriguezart, and light.on.the.sea. Who are your faves? 

5. No matter how hard we try to take a break, many faculty members love to keep learning. Udemy and Coursera often have fantastic deals around the holidays, including some very well-reviewed courses for $4.99 or less. There are also several free courses like Uncommon Sense Teaching and Laurie Santos’ Yale course, The science of well-being, which has been completed by 4.7 million people with a 4.9 star rating from 38k reviewers. Or if you have a grouchy teenager at home like I do, see if they’ll try Santos’ science of well-being for teens.  

hands holding sparklers

However you plan to wrap up 2024, we hope you find some time to relax and recharge over the winter break. Take naps and take it easy. You deserve it all.