Winter Break Blues
As I scroll through my Instagram feed, all I see is photo after photo of my friends in Paris, Greece, Spain, Mexico or Bali, soaking up the rays and drinking delicious cocktails. I sit on my bed, daydreaming about where I’d rather be.
I’ve been on uni break for a while now, and I think to myself, ‘what have I done with my time?’ I guess I have done a lot – a day working with Twitter AU, I filed my tax return, got on top of my washing and I even went to Canberra to visit my parents. Oh, and most importantly, I caught up on Game of Thrones. But I realise that there must be many people like me, fiddling their thumbs and waiting for something, anything fun to happen.
But then I had a brainwave. If I couldn’t travel to amazing cities like my friends, why not just make the most of where I am. I have just moved to one of the most interesting cities in the world and have hardly explored it. Why can’t I treat Sydney like a holiday? I consulted TripAdvisor and spoke to people who have lived in Sydney for a while and have put together a few affordable activities that will allow me to explore Sydney and keep me busy until the Spring semester commences. One thing’s for sure, I’m going to make the most of my time off, and you should too.
Bondi to Coogee
Moving out of home meant paying for bills, rent and food all by myself. It also meant that I had to cancel my gym membership to save money. So, I’m always on the lookout for free forms of exercise. For instance, the free gym equipment in Wentworth park – a mere five-minute walk from my house. But something I have been meaning to do for a long time is the Bondi to Coogee walk. Great views and exercise ... all I need now is to pick a sunny day and a walking buddy.
Hop-on-hop-off ferry
Coming from Canberra, where the only bodies of water consist of a dirty man-made lake and a few public swimming pools, I love that Sydney is so close to the ocean. I have caught the ferries before, but I want to spend a day going from place to place and exploring different parts of Sydney that way.
Some places that I would love to explore would be Balmain, Double Bay, Manly, Cockatoo Island, but my all time favourite would be to get off the ferry at Milson’s Point, and stroll to Lavender Bay. This is where Wendy Whitley’s Secret Garden is. It is a peaceful place for a picnic, a relaxing afternoon and of course a stunning photo opportunity with the Sydney Harbour Bridge (because if I’m acting like a tourist in my own city, then this is a must!).
Museums
Your friends may be overseas, and are probably having a blast checking La Louvre in Paris, the Vatican museum in Vatican City, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, perhaps even the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb (a must-see). But hey, Sydney has some great museums to see as well. Including, but not limited to, the Powerhouse Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australian Museum, Museum of Sydney, and one not too far away from me in Chippendale, White Rabbit Gallery. This small yet charming gallery is FREE and I’ve hear rumours that they have a Chinese tea room and sell dumplings (my FAVOURITE!). So why not spend a few days getting cultured and check out some of Australia's best.
Taronga Zoo Wild Ropes Course
Perhaps you feel like getting wild and releasing your inner Tarzan? Something I have wanted to do for a while is the Taronga Zoo ropes course above the enclosures of the zoo. Don’t worry, if you fall you won’t be eaten by the lions … I hope. But it’s fun, the views are great, and you never know … maybe Margot Robbie and Alexander Skarsgard will pop out of no where to show you how it’s done. I wish.
It’s not too expensive (between $35 and $60) and you don’t have to pay for zoo entry, though you get a good deal if you do that too!
Markets
Finally, my favourite thing to do on a weekend is check out markets, and Sydney has packs! From Paddy’s markets to the Glebe markets, the Bondi markets and the Kirribilli markets, there is no shortage. Maybe make an effort every weekend to check out a different market. You never know what goodies you’ll find or amazing food you will taste! Plus it’s an excuse to explore and meet new people.
What about rainy days though?
It being winter and all, there are miserable cold, rainy and windy days where you just don’t want to get out of bed, let alone leave the house. Perhaps you’ll even catch a cold and binge watch all seasons of Gilmore Girls because you’re feeling sorry for yourself. Instead, why not GET CREATIVE!?
Head to Pinterest and get inspired to DIY something to add to your home, room or garden! It’ll fill your time, make you feel productive, and it probably won’t cost too much money. And hey, at the end you get something new and unique!
I recently bought some fake flowers (they look real, don’t judge), peeled the sticker off a tall tomato paste jar and tied twine around the neck of it. I put some pretty pebbles in the bottom and voila, I ended up with an everlasting vase of flowers that adds a splash of colour to my share house living room.
There’s lot’s you could be doing to make the most of your time off. Relaxing is important, but so is having fun while you don’t have the stress of uni work. Find an adventure buddy and get to it.
Enjoy the rest of your break!
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