Chinese New Year is right around the corner! If you are not getting into the thick of things ushering in the Year of the Snake, fret not – we have some suggestions as to how to spend the coming holidays.
1. Get organised
Schoolwork – and life, in general – has an uncanny way of overwhelming us all, as evidenced by the disbelieving utterances of it being “Week 4 already” and of how time passes “too fast” while you may still be queuing in the Central Library waiting to print readings from Week 1. We all start the new semesters with the best of intentions, and the timely holiday in early February gives you a good chance to review how you have been doing. Have you planned to organise your module notes in colour-coded files, but as of yet have them in a jumble of papers in your backpack? Or have you neglected to update your still-pristine 2013 calendar? Take this break to get into top form, catch up with past work or get ahead on work to come. Utilise the holidays as time to assess your work schedules and have your assignment deadlines fall into place, which could go a long way to helping you relieve the inevitable stress of weeks to come.
2. Get-away getaways
With the Chinese New Year holidays spanning four days, including the weekend, some may opt to leave our Lion City for greener pastures across the Causeway. You could make a short trip to Johor Baru in Malaysia for hearty yet affordable seafood buffets, and chewing gum, or to have a marathon of blockbuster movies at cheap ticket prices. Alternatively, you might be keen on trips to the Indonesian sights and sea sounds such as is proffered on islands like Bintan, and lounge by the beaches imagining for a while that your calendar was not filled with angry deadlines to meet. You do not have to leave the island to seek solace from the rat race! If you choose to stay in sunny Singapore, pack your wicker basket with snack treats and have a picnic, or visit the grounds of the Istana, which is open to the public on 11th February. You could even make a day trip of cycling within the hills and forestry of Pulau Ubin, a quick bumboat ride away.
3. Volunteer
Festive seasons are possibly the best times to spend with family, in both intimate and boisterous gatherings over a smorgasbord of food. Yet there are those who are not as fortunate to be spending this time with family, and the holidays are never a nice time to spend alone. A few hours of your time spent on charity efforts can go a long way to bringing joy to others. Starting from the heartlands, you could volunteer your time at Chinese New Year Celebrations arranged by organizations like MCYC Community Services, or look up volunteer opportunities such as those available on SGCares (sgcares.org) – a site that lists local events that would more than welcome a helping hand. Keep your mind open and you might just be inclined to volunteer at the next event, or the weekend after that, and subsequent weekends to come.
4. Get your dose of culture
You may not celebrate Chinese New Year with reunion dinners and assorted cultural merriment, but you could certainly immerse yourself in the excitement of the holiday season! Living in an ethnic melting pot like Singapore allows for opportunities to explore and engage in the celebratory mood of the holidays, beyond enjoying the days off school we get (as much appreciated as those reprieves may be). Besides taking in the bright lights along the streets of Chinatown loaded with pineapple tarts and prawn crackers, one festive attraction you should check out is the River Hongbao. Located at The Float at Marina Bay, visitors this year can expect to usher in the Year of the Snake with lantern displays, including twelve larger-than-life zodiac lanterns, amusement rides and carnival games, performing arts troupes and even a Local Talent Night on 13 February. With free admission, locals and foreigners alike can expect a spectacular display of Chinese New Year festivities. If anything, the promise of fireworks as the attraction opens on 8 February is bound to attract buzzing crowds of all ages.
5. Treat yourself
Ultimately, the holidays are a much-anticipated time to simply relax. Take your time getting out of bed, relishing the glorious – albeit temporal – feeling of not having to rush into packed trains or shuttle buses with hordes of other commuters. Make wholesome breakfasts – earn brownie points for making breakfast for your family, too – and park yourself in front of the television, watching anything that comes on. Catch up with friends you have not met in a while, do some recreational reading of the magazine or fictional book variety, or finish a DIY craft project that you watched on YouTube – which could come in handy with Valentine’s Day around the corner. When school kicks in again on Wednesday, greet the day refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the semester (at least, till Recess Week comes along). Happy holidays!