LOS ALAMITOS, CA– Los Al has successfully completed the first semester, and the two-week winter break is now over. School is officially back in session for the last semester of the 22-23 school year.

Many students around campus celebrated the winter holidays in their own way. Some students traveled to other countries while others stayed in the state.

Whether it was visiting family, traveling for fun or with friends, or just relaxing at home, Los Al students made the most of it. Students celebrated the new year over break, and they were able to celebrate several religious and cultural holidays like Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Christmas.

Others used their two weeks off to go on a trip with their family or friends.

“Over break, I traveled to visit family in Utah for my cousin’s wedding,” Grace DeJongh, a senior, said. “It was super fun because it snowed and was so different than California winter which I loved.”

Utah can be a destination to consider if you like to spend the winter in a snowy location rather than somewhere warm like Los Alamitos.

Sydney Chait-Walter, a sophomore, traveled to the state of Kansas for winter break. Visiting a well-known attraction named Evil Knievel Museum, the museum hosted engaging exhibits with unique artifacts.

“The plaza is beautiful during the holiday season,” Chait-Walter said.

Think of taking a trip to Kansas to experience the attractions of this museum.

Want to stay in state? San Francisco is one of the most common trips to take for a break. The most popular spot for sightseeing in San Fransisco is the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sydney Forsyte, another sophomore, traveled to San Francisco in place of Chicago due to the flight traffic that occurred in December. Forsyte celebrated her birthday with her family there and had an amazing time ice skating in union square during the wintertime. It is a beautiful place, and even though it gets quite crowded, it is worth it.

“It was really fun!” said Sydney Forsyte, a 10th grader at Los Al. “I’ve been before, and I would go again.”

Katie Arnoult, a freshman, stayed in state as well and went camping with her family during the break.

Arnoult hung out with her family outside of Los Alamitos in Ocotillo Wells, located in the desert. She rode dirt bikes and went offroading as well.

“We go every year and we make a huge bonfire out of old Christmas trees and fireworks on New Year’s Eve night,” Arnoult said. “It’s always super fun and it’s a huge beautiful explosion with all the fireworks going off at once up into the sky.”

How about staying local instead?

Aleina Tu’ufuli, a senior, stayed and hosted Christmas for her family.

“I got to spend lots of time catching up with my family,” Tu’ufuli said. “We played a lot of games and watched a lot of movies, I really enjoyed it!”

She enjoyed relaxing and spending time with her family while hosting and celebrating Christmas together.

While some students spent the break with family, others took time off for themselves.

“Not only was I able to have some time for myself but it was a real stress-relief time for me,” said Adalie Landa, a senior. “I was able to hang out with friends and get a lot of work for college applications done!”

Some people find that this is the ideal way to spend their winter break since it allows them to unwind and catch up on whatever work they may have fallen behind on throughout the school year.

Winter break travel is always a great way to see new places and spend time with family. Hopefully, during spring break, students have a chance to experience some of these exciting things to do on their week off.