Suggestions for Holiday Break Abound
Virtual performances by Thomas Nelson choir are an entertaining way to spend time.
With nearly two weeks off for winter break, many people might have some down time. To help get you through the holidays, and maybe even out of the house, Thomas Nelson faculty and staff offer a few suggestions. The items are listed in no particular order. However, the first one closes Dec. 23.
1. Belly up to the exhibit. Visit the "Bay to Belly" exhibit at the Watermen's Museum in Yorktown. Put together by a group of Thomas Nelson professors and students, in conjunction with the museum, it is open only until Dec. 23. The project explores how the food sources of the Chesapeake Bay end up on our dinner tables. The museum is closed Dec. 21, but will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 22 and 23. There is no charge for the "Bay to Belly" exhibit. To explore the rest of the museum, however, admission is $5 for seniors (62 and older), and $4 for students and groups of 10 or more. Museum members, active duty military, first-responders, teachers and children under 6 are admitted free.
2. Cook and learn (In keeping with a food theme.) ChefsGo, Workforce Development's culinary certification program, produced a "12 Days of Christmas Menu" video series. Each video discusses holiday lore, activities, culinary traditions and recipes. Among the highlighted items are poached pears, "turtle" toffee candies, braised French hens, golden doughnut rings, and a swan napkin creation, all of which are parts of the ChefsGO curriculum. For a closer look, go to https://www.facebook.com/tnccwd.
3. Sign up without the lines. Online registration is open for the spring 2021 semester. It's not too late to get the classes you want or need. Go to tncc.edu to enroll. Plus, Thomas Nelson offers more than 70 scholarships to help with costs. See which scholarship best suits your needs at https://www.vpcc.edu/foundation/scholarships.html.
4. Take in a concert or two. Watch and listen to virtual performances by the Thomas Nelson choir. Michael Sundblad and the performing arts department recorded six pieces in the fall semester, and all are available on YouTube. Sundblad noted: "The selections are diverse and range from the English Renaissance to the 21st century, with half of the pieces by women or African American composers." To listen, go to www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqR7Z_5kBSiBQklTdzBvZLMV8pINUtJ1_
5. Listen up. Thomas Nelson's virtual studio, Press Play, has produced a number of podcast series, including ones dedicated to the military community (At Ease); the spoken word (Spout); the accomplishments of College faculty, staff and administrators (Peer to Peer); generational trends (Gen XYZ); and many more. To listen, go to https://www.vpcc.edu/virtual-studio/podcasts/index.html.
6. Chill out. The College helped create several videos by "Chill leaders," who are entrepreneurs making a living from anywhere, from the beach to the mountains. The videos range from five minutes to almost 20, and offer all sorts of advice. They are available at https://www.youtube.com/c/ThomasNelsonVideo/videos.
7. Shift into "OverDrive." The Thomas Nelson library has more to offer than the traditional books and magazines. One great service is called "OverDrive," which offers audiobooks, music and videos. Libraries all across the VCCS have a collection of titles in digital formats that are available anytime, anywhere. And it's free. Go to https://vccs.overdrive.com/.
Also, the College library has access to the New York Times and the Washington Post. For the New York Times (https://libguides.tncc.edu/newyorktimes) registration is required, but it's good for a year. There is no registration required for the Washington Post (https://libguides.tncc.edu/washingtonpost) but the Thomas Nelson link must be used every time to have access.
8. Shop and donate. There's still time for last-minute Christmas shopping. Anyone can support the Thomas Nelson Community College Educational Foundation through the AmazonSmile program. Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. By designating the Educational Foundation, you are supporting all the programs the College supports. Go to smile.amazon.com for more information.
9. Say "thank you." Send a note or email of gratitude to at least one faculty member, student, staff or classmate who made an impact on your life in the past year. 2020 has been tough on everybody, so a few words of thanks can go a long way. It can be for something big or small. If you want to be more creative, attach a poinsettia or snowflake cutout to a postcard with your message.
10. Come on and zooma, zooma, zooma, Zoom. Host a virtual holiday party on Zoom, and invite friends and co-workers. What an appropriate way to celebrate this year.