Wintersession Activities for the Upcoming January Break

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Freshly fallen show exacerbated the existing large mounds of ice and winter mix peppering the icy, frigid ground on Cambridge roads and outside Boylston gate.
Freshly fallen show exacerbated the existing large mounds of ice and winter mix peppering the icy, frigid ground on Cambridge roads and outside Boylston gate.

You could spend J-term lounging at home, pretending to enjoy the gaudy sweater Aunt Gertrude made you for Christmas, or you could spend it skiing, playing music with Yo-Yo Ma, and setting world records. Students returning to campus between Jan. 13 - 22 will have a chance to do all this and more during Wintersession, the third session of Winter Break.

For those 10 days, all Harvard undergrads are welcome to come back to Cambridge to participate in programs sponsored by faculty, student groups, and individuals. Students can expect quite a variety of options—the Undergraduate Council spent $20,000 this year on more than 30 proposed programs, according to UC Finance Committee Chair Ivet A. Bell '13.

"I think people tried to find projects that constituted new, exciting learning experiences outside the classroom," said Bell, who mentioned that last year's programs focused more on pure fun. That said, Bell added that this year's lineup is hardly dull: proposed activities include laser tag, beer tasting, and two ski trips that will cost only about $30 per person thanks to UC funding.

The UC has posted its sponsored events online, so check the UC website for information on dates and applications to programs with limited space.

Not every activity this year is sponsored by the UC. Tthe Freshman Dean's Office, the Harvard Wellness Project, the Office of the Arts, and other organizations also offer J-term programming. One notable Arts program allows about a dozen lucky Harvard students to practice composing, arranging, and performing music with Yo-Yo Ma's "Silk Road Ensemble." The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.

All planned activities can be found online on the "Wintersession/Winterbreak" tab of the college events calendar.

Finally, if you have a clever activity in mind, it's not too late make it happen—program proposals can be submitted via the Wintersession website until Dec. 9.

This post has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: November 29, 2011.

An earlier version of the Nov. 28 post "OWAW Activities for the Upcoming Winter Break" mistook the name of the third session of Winter Break. In fact, that period is called Wintersession and occurs between Jan. 13 - 22.

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