It has been a long and stressful semester for the incoming freshmen at the UA.

This winter break will give everyone the opportunity to relax and catch up on some much-needed rest.

Brianna Elliott, a freshman majoring in pre-physiology, is ready to go back home and spend time with her family.

“I plan to go to San Diego after finals and then to Colorado,” Elliot said.

She said her family has many traditions during the holiday season.

“We always have a Christmas dinner, and we like to spend lots of time together [with distant relatives],” Elliot said.

She said she is most excited to see her puppy and not eat campus food for a month.

“I miss the home-cooked meals,” Elliot said.

She said she has a better idea of how to prepare herself for next semester and of the importance of balancing school and work.

“I realize now how important it is to study,” Elliot said.

Canyon Smith, a freshman studying athletic and personal training, said he plans to have a productive winter break.

“I will be working at Highland Market most of my break,” Smith said.

Smith said he is ready to go back home to Buckeye and be united with people he has not seen in months.

“What I miss the most about home is being able to spend time with my friends,” Smith said.

Having divorced parents, Smith said that his family’s only tradition each year is figuring out what house he gets to spend Christmas at.

“My parents like to fight over who I get to spend my Christmas with,” Smith said.

He also said that this break will allow him to prepare himself mentally for next semester now that he has an idea of what to expect.

“This break will give me a mental break, because my brain is exhausted from this semester,” Smith said.

He said is ready to not have to worry about school for the next month.

 Joy Hutson, a pre-nursing freshman, said she is ready to go back to her home state of Connecticut.

“I am excited to see all my family and friends that I have not seen in months,” Hutson said.

She said she misses all the people she grew up with, and being away at college has changed her perspective of home.

“College has made me feel grateful for where I grew up, because I think I took it all for granted,” Hutson said.

Hutson added that she is looking forward to a long break, because it will help her catch up on sleep and get ready for next semester.

“Sleeping and spending time with my friends and family is what I am excited to do over break,” she said.

Julie Mattes, a pre-physiology freshman, is from Goodyear.

She said she is not sure what she plans to do this winter break, but will be cheering on the UA football team in this year’s VIZIO Fiesta Bowl.

Mattes added that she is ready to leave Tucson for a while and spend much-needed time with her family.

“[I’m ready] to be with my family and to get away from everything,” she said.

This semester has been a wake-up call for Mattes, since this was her first time away from home.

“College has changed my perception of home, because I have to do everything on my own now,” Mattes said.

Mattes said she hopes to find work over the break in an effort to help her parents pay tuition for next semester.

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