As a college student -- or an employee for that matter -- the holiday break is an important breather to get through the year.

Not that college students or employees are working any more or less than, say, a ditch digger or cashier at Home Depot, but it’s a luxury that we all tend to enjoy and it’d be a cotton-pickin’ shame should it pass in vain.

Here’s 10 ways to make yours worthwhile.

10. Read Three Books

Any length. Any subject. But just read three books. For many, sadly, it may be the most you read the entire year.

9. Try Three Different Concoctions at Starbucks

Chances are, you stick to the same ol’ drink you get year ‘round. This break, try at least three different new drinks. Cold or hot. Seasonal or not. Why live in a box?

8. Watch an Entire TV Series

Thank goodness for the DVD format. Now through any rental chain, a whole TV series is available for viewing. There is nothing wrong with seven seasons of the “Gilmore Girls” and their witty, fast-paced banter, indie rock allusions and whimsical plot lines. 

7. Record Yourself Laughing ...

... and loop it a hundredfold on your computer. And hit “Play.”

6. Register for the Spring Semester

Didn’t think we’d leave college completely out of the picture, did you?

5. Buy a Present For a Kid Who Needs One

It’s not PC to tout one holiday celebration over another, we know. But certain children subscribe to a certain celebration which includes a overly-happy obese man donning red clothing sliding down people’s chimneys, eating cookies and leaving presents. Unfortunately, not all children get that fantastic sensation on the morning of Dec. 25. No matter their (or your) beliefs, why shouldn’t they correlate this time of the year with joy and good will?   

4. Celebrate Your Culture and Someone Else’s

Over the holidays, some folks will probably embrace some cultural or religious rite or tradition. Others may not. Envelope yourself in your beliefs, and discover the different ways others celebrate or remember.

3. Take 10 Naps

It’s tougher than you think.

2. Taste Test Five New Cheeses

They must be cheeses that meet this criteria: A) you cannot pronounce its name; B) each are from France or any other European country; or C) are not necessarily from a cow. 

1. Go Ice Skating

And pretend it’s not a novelty and that it’s a casual part of winter like it is elsewhere in the country.