How Auburn's students spend their break
As the fall semester drew to an end and classes began winding down, students eagerly awaited winter break for various reasons. Some looked forward to relaxing while others had their eyes on professional experiences, volunteer opportunities or traveling to see athletic events. On campus, the dorms began to lock entry access requiring students to locate elsewhere during the break. Winter break is roughly a month and encompasses many holidays, both religious and secular. Some students fed off the idea that “there’s no place like home for the holidays” so they traveled to see family and friends while others traveled back to their hometowns or to visit extended family. For many, the holidays can be a time to reconnect with extended family.
With their extra time, some students participated in volunteer work to gain valuable experiences and knowledge. Alternative Student Breaks (ASB) is a team of college students that come together to complete community-based service projects during breaks and days off from school. Over winter break, the organization took seven trips both domestically and abroad.
One student who participated in ASB was junior, biomedical sciences major Anna Paige Wilson who led fellow Auburn students on a six-day trip to Costa Rica. She and her team worked at a medical clinic with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) under the Project Alajuelita. FIMRC is a non-profit organization with the mission to provide medical care to disadvantaged families around the world. Although Wilson wished the trip was longer, she enjoyed getting to meet people at the clinic and work on her Spanish. “The most rewarding part for me was coming away with a better understanding of healthcare in a different country and being able to hopefully carry some of the things I learned into my future career,” said Wilson. She and her team left Costa Rica with friendships and a better understanding of what health care looks like in other countries.
ASB takes various trips covering many significant issues that cater to a variety of interests. If you are interested in getting involved, check their page on AUinvolve or head over to their Instagram @auburnasb.
Many students participating in work-study or shadowing to develop a better idea of what a career in their major might look like. For example, a sophomore, Pre-Med student named Alyssa Oglesbree worked as a scribe for the Baptist Health medical clinics in Montgomery, Alabama where she follows doctors to takes notes for them. “I get to learn about emergency medicine and how every doctor has different ways of doing things,” Oglesbee said. Her job taught her about illnesses and procedures she was not aware of. “My favorite part would be getting to see all the traumas that come in and see how the doctors handle them,” Oglesbree said.
In terms of athletics, multiple significant games and meets were participated in over the break. The men’s basketball team played six games both in Auburn and at Mississippi State over the break taking home all six wins. The women’s basketball team was also on a hot streak winning all of their games played at home. The football team also participated in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, which included the traveling marching band to play alongside the football team. Whether as athletes or fans, these games were well attended and kept the athletes motivated.
Whether during winter break students relaxed and baked holiday cookies, traveled to athletic games or got professional experience, they arrived back to Auburn University ready and eager for a semester of new course work and exciting experiences.