As Ascension students were let loose into the world for Christmas break, many students took their holiday cheer to destinations around the globe. From London to Costa Rica to Durango, Colorado, the Blue Gator community celebrated school being let out in perfect Ascension fashion: travel.

Senior Lillian Broussard and junior Jessica Matt spent part of their break partying it up in England’s capital. The pair journeyed across the pond to cheer in London’s New Year’s Day parade. They performed a Varsity Spirit dance along the parade route and visited some of the city’s most famous landmarks. Lillian said her favorite part of the trip was “seeing all the different attractions and getting to opportunity to represent Varsity Spirit and UCA as a cheerleader in the London New Years Day parade.”

Junior Jolie Arceneaux and her family ventured across The Tropic of Cancer all the way over to tropical Costa Rica to celebrate her sister Maggie’s twenty-third birthday. Jolie and her family enjoyed hikes and catching Mahi Mahi deep in the Pacific Ocean. When I asked Jolie about the highlight of her trip, Jolie said it she most enjoyed, “…going fishing and catching dolphin* and eating the dolphin that we caught on the boat.”

* “Dolphin” is another name for Mahi Mahi. No dolphins, or at least the ones you originally thought of, were harmed during this trip or in the writing of this article.

Then we turn to sophomore Grace Roy. Grace traveled to Durango, Colorado alongside her twin brother, sophomore Anthony Roy, and sophomore Blair Richard, and junior Luke Ortego. The group ventured to the mountains to enjoy some quality oxygen bars and all the snow a Southerner can dream of. Grace said she adores the mountains because “the views were beautiful and it made an unforgettable trip. Every year I look forward to this trip, but this year there was so much snow so the slopes were even more fun!”