Long live Spring Break, the time to take a deep breath and recoup in whatever form that may be.
Spring semester always seems like the harder of the two semesters. The upcoming weather enticingly invites us to leave our responsibilities behind to lay out in the sun. Dreams of summertime and relaxation fuel our desires to stay in bed and relax. And impatient seniors struggle to stay focused while holding on to their remaining college memories. Insert Spring Break.
Sometimes it can feel like everyone goes away on vacation for Spring Break. Pictures of foreign delicacies, far-away beaches, and sunny skies flood Instagram feeds. It can be upsetting and frustrating, especially for someone like me who loves to be outside exploring new things.
But staying home or on campus doesn’t have to be bad thing. It’s a time to relax and get away from the stress of work and college life, and if that means to party for some and sleep for others then so be it. Whatever works for you.
During the semester, I don’t typically get stressed out, but my workload can become very overwhelming and draining no matter what kind of coping methods I try to implement. I find spring break the perfect time to catch up on all those missed moments that I typically wouldn’t have time for during my regular schedule.
Below are some ideas on how to enjoy a stay-cation based off of my experience this past Spring Break.
GET MOVING
Depending on the weather, Spring Break is a great time to go out and get moving. I love biking and when it starts getting warmer outside after a long and cold winter, I try to take every chance I get. There are tons of great trails near my campus (even one that leads all the way down to Manhattan!). My biggest regret is definitely not biking more, so this break I went out and explored the surrounding towns a bit. Unfortunately, it was still a bit chilly and super windy so there was only so much that I could handle before my cheeks felt frozen, but I still had a great time anyways.
Regardless of your preferences, though, it's always a good idea to get out of the house or your dorm room. Sometimes staying inside for too long can make you feel cooped up and frustrated that your not doing something more exciting. Get out and get moving, even if that means going to the mall. Whatever the case, just make sure to get outside a bit.
ENJOY NATURE
Much like tip #1, this will also depend on the weather since the beginning of spring can be so unpredictable. Luckily, I had a few days where it was still very sunny outside and the temperature was the warmest it has been in awhile. During break, I decided to visit the High Line in Chelsea, a neighborhood in New York City. It's an elevated park that runs along a former railroad track. It snakes in between high rises, displaying amazing architecture and colorful murals. I even saw cute little flowers that were beginning to blossom.
But even if you are not the type to typically go outside, taking a light stroll to get some fresh air is still a great idea! You will be surprised by the things you can come across when taking things slow and observing life around you.
EXPLORING THE LOCAL
Another great idea when staying local for Spring Break is exploring the surrounding area. Even if you grew up there all your life or have been going to school there for the past three years, I can assure you that there will always be new things to discover.
Since Pace University- Pleasantville campus is relatively close to Manhattan, I just had to use the day to visit the city. Ever since college has started, another one of my regrets is not spending more time in New York City. Granted it is expensive to constantly buy train tickets, but there are other means to get down there as well that don't break the bank. On this day, I decide to focus my trip in Chelsea, since it is a neighborhood that I typically don't visit. There are a lot of really cool things to do that cost me little to nothing, like visiting Chelsea Market and roaming the streets looking for beautiful murals like the one above.
A great tip is to check out a community calendar if your area has one. I discovered on Eventbrite a free panel for students about the Food Media industry and got to meet the judges from Top Chef. Now how cool is that! You will never know what you will discover until you put yourself out there.
Food Adventure
Always wanted to try that one food trend that everyone is talking about but never had time to? Always dreamed of eating at that one restaurant but it's usually too expensive? Spring Break is the perfect time to splurge a little. Just think, if you went on vacation you would definitely have spent waaayyy more money just to travel to the destination, let alone pay for the hotel and all the activities while you're there. So why not treat yourself to a nice brunch or a fancy dinner?
At one point in my life, going to a restaurant alone was a bit intimidating, but now I love it. It gives me the chance to really savor the food and do some people watching. In the picture above, I went out for brunch at Jack Wife's Freda, a restaurant I have always wanted to try but was always to intimidated by the prices. I splurged a little and gave myself a reward for working hard during the semester and enjoyed a delicious meal of poached eggs with red quinoa, spaghetti squash, roasted tomato, radishes, and avocado. Yum.
Kick Back and Catch up on Work
Another great thing about break is the fact that you're not technically required to do any work, but sometimes impending deadlines right after break might stress you out. This is a great time to catch up on homework, apply to jobs or internships, or even get ahead.
I used some of my free time when the weather wasn't too great to get ahead on some work so I wouldn't be stressed out before classes started again. I also finally had a chance to work on some personal writing, something I have been slacking on since my schedule is usually so crazy.
So by all means, kick some booty and get productive. But don't forget to kick back and relax too. It is break after all.
Spring Break should be a great time for all college students, no matter if you go away on vacation or not. There are plenty of things you can do if you stay at home or on campus. If it wasn't for staying local, I wouldn't have been able to explore all these amazing places and even land a new internship for the summer.
So, if you take anything away from this, just remember that break is what you make of it and never feel the need to compare your life to others. There is always something fun to do and new opportunities that arise if you stop holding yourself back.
