Four goals for winter break
Winter break means no homework, no deadlines, no supplemental readings, and more time on your hands. I know, for myself, when winter break finally comes around I spend my time catching up on all the sleep I lost over the semester and only leaving my couch and pausing reruns of “Grey’s Anatomy,” with the exception of going to work. However, this break I’m striving to be a bit more productive and make time for things I otherwise have no time for during the semester. I’ve compiled a short list what I’ll be watching, reading and doing over break.
- Issa Rae’s HBO series “Insecure.” All of my friends and the people I follow on Twitter will not stop raving about this show, which I purposely put off to watch over break. The show follows Issa and her friend Molly as they uncomfortably navigate the world. The show strives to break the mold of the “strong, black woman” portrayed regularly in television, and instead depict two awkward and relatable black girls and their regular lives. I’ll post a review of this show once I finish the season.
- Some Like It Black Café. This creative arts bar on the South Side is all organic, black owned, and all about the arts. They even host regular events like their Herban Soul Radio Open Mic Night from 7 to 11 p.m. Dec. 9. I’ll be popping in regularly over break to attend events, work on grad school applications and personal writing projects.
- I made a promise to myself to read 10 novels over break. I picked them up over the semester from my favorite bookstore in Pilsen, Pilsen Community Books, and couldn’t start because of the other readings I needed to focus on for class. A few on my list include: Zami by Audre Lorde, White Teeth by Zadie Smith, The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Beloved and Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison.
- Museums! I had a night class Tuesdays and never made it to the free Art Institute days. Even though I hate making trips in the cold, I’m making my friends come with me to an assortment of museums of break — many of which have free days or are free to the public. A few we’re planning to check out already are: the National Museum of Mexican Art, the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Adler Planetarium and the Chicago History Museum.
Bernie Williams is a senior majoring in English with a concentration in media, cultural and rhetoric studies. She hopes to practice and master an assortment of mediums, including screenwriting, writing for the New York Times, lifestyle blogging, fiction and radio broadcasting. Bernie has a passion for creating and sharing stories. The heightened diversity of the city atmosphere surrounding UIC is perfect for her. Bernie’s side hobbies are indulging in TV shows (specifically Scandal, Girls and Law and Order: SVU), interior design and Instagram.
