Winter break is one of the many perks of college life. The time off gives several students time to travel, spend time with family and friends – and even kidnap chickens. At least that is what engineering sophomore Philip Powell decided to do. Powell spent his winter break playing a joke on his friend who lives on a farm in Houma. Powell “kidnapped” many of the chickens from the farm and held them “hostage” in his apartment for several days. He said the chickens were well-taken care of, but his friend still panicked. He brought them back several days ago and has started cleaning his apartment. “It was hilarious and totally worth the planning and time it took,” Powell said. “He was freaking out. He was like ‘Where the hell are my chickens?’ And I let him sweat for a bit. Like Powell, many students at the University found creative places and off-the-wall ways to spend the holidays. Krissy Viator, psychology freshman, took a trip to South America during winter break to visit a llama and alpaca farm with her family. Braiding blankets from their fur is an important tradition in her family and helps her celebrate her Guatemalan heritage. She said the trip has brought her relatives closer together for many generations. “Llamas are beautiful animals, and this was a great experience,” Viator said. “And the blankets are awesome.” Greg Keller, business freshman, traveled to Canada to practice his photography skills. He said the Canadian wilderness offers a plethora of animals, plants and landscapes to take pictures of or just to observe. He said that a serious major like business rarely allows him time to practice his hobbies. “I think winter break is a time for fun and some people have fun in ways that are probably really weird to others,” said Greg Keller, business freshman. “I really like photography, and I wish I could work on it more.” Winter break, much longer than the two week vacation given by most high schools, is slightly more than four weeks long. “The trip would not have been possible if we had only had two weeks off from school,” Viator said. “I like college, but everyone needs a little time off or in this case four weeks off.” Although traveling around the holidays can be very hectic, a few students made the sacrifice to fully enjoy their break. “I can’t imagine just sitting still over break,” Keller said. “I want to get things done or enjoy myself. Being bored is the worst.” Traveling was not the only option for students over winter break; many students were able to have their own adventures here in Louisiana. “I don’t need to leave to have fun, but I do need time off school,” Powell said. “And winter break made my year.”