For many students, the holidays are already in full swing.
With snow falling outside, Penn students and faculty gathered in Houston Hall Friday to take part in Winterfest, a holiday celebration with activities and live music.
"It would be such a shame if these holidays were celebrated only during break," College junior Rebecca Moses said. "Then Penn students would not be able to enjoy them together."
The event offered a variety of different holiday booths, as well as stations sponsored by student organizations.
Students who crowded the stations said the event relieved a little of the pre-finals academic stress.
"I think it's nice to see a festive atmosphere during finals time," College senior Kavita Ramakrishnan said.
The event was hosted by the Social Planning and Events Committee. Its director, College senior Nina Kleaveland, said she was excited by the good turnout.
"It's definitely a kind of study break," she said. "Something to get people excited about."
SPEC's booths focused on the holiday season. For the more traditional, there were greeting card-designing and gingerbread men-making stations. And for those looking for something more unique, foam snowmen contruction and holiday wreath weaving were also available.
At each of these tables, SPEC members and other volunteers helped students with their holiday creations.
Moses and other Hillel members served potato latkes and handed out dreidels at their Hanukkah booth.
Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health was also present at the event spreading their winter theme: "Make sure your gift is wrapped." FLASH members distributed ribboned condoms and FLASH flyers to students.
Live music added to the festivities. Among the groups present was Atma, Penn's female South Asian a cappella group.
College senior Francesca de la Torre was excited to hear the group perform. "I like hearing a cappella," she said. "You get to see a bunch of different groups here at Winterfest."
Atma performed several songs, including Vande Mataram and Alicia Keys' Gangsta Lovin'.
The continual snowfall outside only added to the holiday atmosphere, especially for students from warmer climates.
"I just wandered in," College freshman Amy Foxman said while making a foam snowman. "I'm from Texas -- we don't get a lot of snow there."
Charlie Preston, a School of Medicine student, said he enjoyed the diversity of students at Winterfest.
"I like the fact that you don't have to be a member of any specific club to come participate in these activities."
Fellow Med student Shana Crystal shared Preston's enthusiasm.
"It's great for holiday cheer," she said. "It made me feel like more of a part of the University."
