Winter break is meant to put students’ academic lives on hold until the spring, but while you were enjoying this pause at home, everything in Kent has been playing straight through. From earthquakes to the Esplanade expansion, you’ve missed a lot.

Here are the top five news stories:

The Kent State men’s basketball team wrapped up its non-conference schedule and finished 3-2 over break.

The Flashes’ final non-conference match-up was a 90-65 victory over Shawnee State on Jan. 2. The Mid-American Conference started Jan. 7 with a loss to Buffalo.

The Portage County coroner ruled James Barnes’ cause of death as pneumonia Jan. 3.

The acute pneumonia affected Barnes’ left lung. The Kent State Police found the Kent State graduate student during a wellness check in Leebrick Hall on Oct. 16.

A 4.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Youngstown area Jan. 1.

The U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center reported the epicenter of the earthquake was in the McDonald area, which is five miles from Youngstown and 11 miles from Warren. Kent residents noticed the quake when items fell off shelves.

The Kent State contractor in charge of the Esplanade expansion announced four houses will be torn down to complete construction.

Construction began Jan. 3 on East Erie and South Willow streets. The Esplanade Expansion will provide students a safe and direct path from Kent State’s campus to the downtown area.

The Jersey Shore has fist-pumped and Jersey-turnpiked its way to its fifth season, which began Jan. 5.

The main drama this season is Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino threatening to reveal the truth about an off-camera hook-up he shared with Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, which would then end her relationship with her boyfriend, Jionni. Who doesn’t love Seaside Heights, New Jersey, this time of year?

Contact Rachel Jones at [email protected].