With vacation finally over, the weather cold again and finals looming, the first of Harvard's holiday pilgrims trickled back onto campus this week.

Taxis and cars were a common sight around the Yard as students returned to weeks of reading period and finals after sojourns in more relaxing climes.

The new arrivals found time to reacquaint themselves with other restored Harvard refugees and trade warm and fuzzy "How was your vacation's?".

"It was a little smaller than I hoped for, but it was great," said Mike J. Zacuto '98 of Los Angeles, walking back Tuesday from his first Union meal after break.

Skiing was the predominant winter theme among students interviewed, despite the abnormally warm temperatures in most parts of the country.

Still, Chris J. Bakel '96, a native of England, snubbed the slopes for Nigeria, which he toured with his family for two weeks.

Some vacationers were less ambitious.

"I went home and ate a lot," Kristina Hau '96 of Virginia said.

Not all students took a real holiday, however. Most brought books home.

Crew member Jonathan D. Kibera '98 of New York said he had to take time between hanging out with friends to do his pull ups.

But for many students, work went on the back burner--if it went anywhere at all.

Clifford M. Ginn '98 of Maine said he didn't crack a textbook during his break.

"I didn't even try, I knew it wouldn't work," he said.

Even if school work rarely interrupted their siestas, however, most students said they were not in the least tired of loafing around.

Ian F. Dunn '98, John P. Lanken '98 and Eric C. Liu '98 vehemently agreed that the vacation was "far too short."

"I came home and found other colleges got 40 days off more than us," Kibera said.

As usual, some grumbled about Harvard's archaic finals system.

"We should have exams before," says Lanken, a native of Pennsylvania. "The break chops [the semester] up. It's hard to get back and get started again."

Those now struggling to thaw their curdled noggins back into pre-holiday form should take heart and appreciate the time they did haye, after hearing Liu's holiday tale:

"I got a root canal," he said. "New Year's Day I woke up screaming...They didn't tell me they would give it to me."

"I had a good vacation, though," he added cheerfully.