Let it Snow, Let it Shine, Let it Rain.

Contrary to what our pseudonym suggests, we are but college students. Thus we spent all of this past fall hoping and praying for a single miracle: Caltech’s Three Week Winter Break. This break is a time of rest, a time of relaxation, and a time of rejuvenation. During these three weeks, we slowly gather back up the energy needed for the upcoming winter term, whether that be through spending time with friends and family, going out and having fun, or simply just doing nothing. For this reason, we wanted to share with you how our respective winter breaks went.

Where were you during winter break?:

Papa Snow: I was in Chicago for winter break. It did not snow until my last day in town before I went back to Caltech for second term. So really my name should really be Papa No Snow.

Daddy Shine: I was in the Bay Area for break, and as always, the sun was out. We did get a bit of rain, but that’s pretty normal for December-time. I would like to thank seasonless California for allowing me to avoid dealing with more difficult weather.

Father Rain: I was in Baton Rouge, LA for most of my winter break, but I did take a four-day excursion to Houston and a 1-day one in New Orleans. It wasn’t really rainy for most of the time, but on the way to Houston and on the way back, we drove through a tornado. That was some insane rain.

What did you do for fun?:

Papa Snow: I hung out with my best friends from elementary school and high school. One day we went to the movie theater and watched “Wicked” (yes it is the movie with Ariana Grande and her new boo with the red hair) and another day we had one of our iconic sleepovers which involved a lot of tea being dropped which was eventful. On my second to last day in Chicago we went out for a car ride and just drove and decided to go with the flow to the point where every hour our plans changed. Nothing productive happened which was amazing.

Daddy Shine: My goal for this break was to enjoy plenty of good food, which I did. My friends and I went to a ton of different restaurants serving all sorts of cuisines, including Mexican, Japanese, Indian, and Korean. I also had fun catching up with some of my other friends whom I haven’t seen since high school. And although I unfortunately did not watch “Wicked,” I did binge watch a variety of movies and shows, including The Boys, all of the Harry Potter movies, and both seasons of Squid Game. And to top it off, I was averaging 10 hours sleep a night. Caltech could never.

Father Rain: I hung out with my family and my best friend a good amount. We cafe hopped and went to a good amount of boba places and new restaurants that opened up since I left. My best friend and I both went to see “Wicked” (and we were constantly promoting Elphaba/Glinda endgame propaganda). I also had a picnic with my larger high school friend group, and I made a charcuterie board + we ate King Cake. I also hung out occasionally with some Gen Alphas courtesy of my younger sister and observed cultural changes, explored different places in Houston and the French Quarter, and read a lot (like probably 30+ books my entire winter break). I also started and never finished like 3 K-dramas (we are going to keep going with Dr. Romantic S2) and I almost finished Arcane S1.

What did you do that wasn’t fun?:

Papa Snow: Babysitting. I love children. They are cute, small, warm, and fluffy but they are a lot of work. This time around when I was back in town they were acting like demon spawns. Tantrums, throwing toys, saying “no”, I was in shock on what a year can do to children and their behaviors. In the end, I was just grateful that they weren’t mine so I can leave and go home peacefully.

Daddy Shine: I completed my jury duty this break. Except I didn’t get to do anything cool because they never called me in. All I did was check the jury duty online portal twice a day, only to be told repeatedly that they did not need me at this time.

Father Rain: I rotted so much to the point that I got really sad. I also procrastinated applying to internships and got a bit panicked over that.

Favorite thing to do during this time:

Papa Snow: SLEEP. My bed and I were besties for the whole break to the point where my mother thought I was dead because I slept in till 3 pm.

Daddy Shine: My favorite part of every day was getting my daily hit of caffeine and sugar. My local boba shop was doing special $4 drinks as a holiday promotion, so of course I had to go. (Can you believe that price!? In the Bay Area!? We’re up.)

Father Rain: I like driving around neighborhoods with my family and looking at what Christmas lights people put up in front of their houses. The most creative one was a Santa Llama in one of my sister’s friend’s neighborhood. (Also, I affirm Papa Snow’s point about sleeping. I got the BEST SLEEP of my year).

Least favorite thing to do during this time:

Papa Snow: I disliked having to go back to doing chores during the break. I love how the house looks clean afterwards but having to wash dishes and take out the trash is not for me.

Daddy Shine: I didn’t enjoy how much time I spent rotting in my bed. Similar to Father Rain, I spent way too much time doing absolutely nothing important or fun.

Father Rain: I dislike applying to internships or anything that has to do with locking in during this time. Alas, I had to, but it was panic inducing.

What do you suggest people should do in your state/country during this time?:

Papa Snow: Definitely visit Millennium Park. There are so many things to do including:

• Ice Skating
• Visit Crown Fountain (the water will not spit out of their mouths because it is too cold)\
• Maggie Daley Park
• Walk on the BP Pedestrian Bridge (beautiful work of architecture)
• Visit Cloud Gate (what Chicagoans call The Bean)
• Lurie Garden (if not allergic to pollen)

Daddy Shine: There are plenty of things to do in San Francisco, including ice skating in Union Square, watching the Nutcracker performed by the SF Ballet, and exploring the Fairmont Hotel’s giant gingerbread house. My family and I also went to see Holidays at the Filoli, which is when the Filoli Estate adorns their massive and well-maintained gardens with all sorts of lights.

Father Rain: Definitely go and see Central Park in NOLA’s toy train. It’s really cute. Also, the Baton Rouge General Hospital has these adorable light displays that are up every year and there’s a little maze. I used to volunteer for the setup in high school, which is a continued tradition. Finally, I would definitely hit up some good Cajun food (i.e., Chimes or Parrains) for the holidays. BRBT also puts on a fantastic production of the Nutcracker + my old violin teacher told me to put up promo for the Winter concerts of the Baton Rouge Symphony (he’s the conductor!).