SF State experiences a severe drop in population during the winter when everyone goes home for winter break. But if you’ve got job obligations, decided to take winter classes, or don’t celebrate Christmas, you might be among the group of students who are looking for ways to engage the holiday spirit away from home. For freshman, this can be especially intimidating, as the city is cold, bustling with holiday shoppers, and their friends may have all gone to visit family.

All of these options are affordable and just a brief trip on Muni away- if you live around campus, the M is your best friend during the break. Everyone knows that Union Square has holiday lights and a giant tree, but what else is happening in the city? Here’s a brief list of things to do in the next few weeks to get you started.