Holiday Tips and Recommendations

A very good day everyone!

The Christmas Holidays are coming closer and closer, so to those of you who are new, bear in mind - almost all of the stores will be closed for several days straight!

Starting from noon of 24th of December and until 26.12.21 we will have a Christmas break. After that we will have the New Years break which will commence from noon of 31.12 up until 02.01.22.

Hence - it's time to do some planning!  

Do not forget that all official bodies will be closed so if you need to send some parcels via Polish Post or to visit some Goverment offices make sure to do it before noon of 24.12.21. All drug stores - Apteka - will be closed as well so have a look if you have everything at home. If not - there are some 24/7 stores available that you will be able to reach in case of emergencies but have them planned out upfront. Żabkas (which have all the basic necessities) will work but do keep track of their opening hours as they might differ from store to store.

If you need any document from University please make sure to let us know about it at least two days prior so our staff could prepare everything accordingly otherwise the University will be closed as per the mentioned working days.

As Covid is still with us make sure to follow all regulations currently imposed. Keep your distance, make sure that you have your mask on when needed and do not forget to disinfect and wash your hands regularly. 
Planning on going for a New Years party? Go for it! But prepare accordingly. 
Remember, even if you are vaccinated, to keep your distance from others, to have your mask on and to be careful with everyday utensils (sharing drinks is fun but maybe we can wait for a bit more to do that safely).
All drug stores have Covid self testing kits. They are not expensive so if you can, get one or two for yourself. If you will feel sick test yourself first before calling for the ambulance. This will help you to keep others safe and to self isolate on time.
Tested positive? Let the people who you were with know about this and then self isolate and call the Covid info center 22 25 00 115. There's an English option available there so you will have no language barriers. 

If you feel sick even in the slightest - stay home. Your friends will be here for you and its better to keep them safe until your next party.  

Stocking up on food is always fun (and most of the time cheaper!) but during the holidays it is not just fun it's necessary. 
In order not to waste anything, and be more sustainable altogether, you can use various different techniques and applications to keep track of everything that's going on in your kitchen.
One good website (and application as well) is FoodKeeper it shows how long each profuct can be stored in either fridge or a freezer which will then help you avoid potential stomack sickness and an unnecesary trip to the ER. Other planners or even common everyday food blogs will also help you to keep track of already prepared dishes. You choose what's more convenient for you.
Another thing that can help tremendously is planning you meals upfront, creating lists of necessary products and then following through with it all. Various studies showed that this is not just the best way to save your money (which means more gifts for your loved ones!) but also a good way to organise and save your time. Time which you can then spend with your friends and family. Meal prep applications are available for all devices and finding a good one for you would definitely require less than a minute! 
Remember - everyone will go food preping the last days before Christmas and it is more than possible that you might find yoursef missing some products or not getting to the store at all due to some lines so make sure to get everything beforehand.

Enjoy activities that are cheap or free.
There are many good holiday-related activities in both Katowice and Krakow that will add to your enjoyment and which are either free or low-cost and most importantly - safe: such as walking around to look at Christmas fairs (keep your distance), decorating your home together, baking Christmas cookies, going window-shopping, or even playing in the snow.

But most importantly - use this time to properly rest and recuperate your strength for the year ahead. Student life is sometimes hard but the good memories we get from it are forever! So have fun!

Take care and stay safe!
WSB University