Ah, 21 –what a year. It is suppose to be the “best year of your life” because you can finally legally drink, go out to bars, dance you’re a** off and let loose until the wee hours of the morning. Most 21 and up college students are off to Vegas, Cancun, or Florida for their Spring Break adventures; but what about the under aged folk? Are you feeling some major FOMO?
Do you really have to sit at home and watch you’re “of aged” friends take body shots off a chiseled man’s abs on their Snapchat feed? Well yes, please do for the sake of the man’s killer abs. He obviously works hard on them, so it would be rude not to admire them. HOWEVER, don’t let your eyes turn green with envy my dear! There are SO many fun things you can do during Spring break if you aren’t 21 and older yet. And trust me… it involves a lot less projectile vomit, which we all can agree is always a major plus.
1) Go On a Road Trip To Disneyland
Okay, let’s get one thing straight. NO – Disneyland is NOT for babies. I don’t care how old you are, you can’t sit hear and tell me that you don’t enjoy one single thing about the “happiest place on Earth”. Hello?! It’s called the “happiest place on Earth” for a reason! You can’t make this stuff up people. Disneyland has something for everyone and it brings back so many nostalgic memories. Bring your best girlfriends, your significant other, your family, or whoever because Disneyland has a lot of attractions that suits everyone’s needs. They have a ton of different themed rides, and amazing musical parades at night. Plus, the whole park lights up at night. If rides aren’t for you, you can do some major damage on your credit card (not that I am condoning that…debt is bad. We know this.) at Downtown Disney because it is an amazing shopping and dining experience. Seriously – AMAZING. It’s huge, and they have a variety of stores and restaurants. It also comes to life at night with live music and entertainment.
2) Plan a Trip to Mexico
Mexico is a tropical beautiful paradise that just screams VACATION. From the sandy beaches to the historic landmarks, there are so many interesting things to do there. And guess what? The drinking age is 18. That’s right, 18! Woohoo! Bring on the tequila shots and mariachi band it’s about to get CRAZAY. No, but seriously please drink responsibly because even though Mexico is an amazing get away, it can also be dangerous (Google Mexico’s Drug War and you will understand why). But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t safe places to go, and that shouldn’t scare you away. Let’s face it traveling anywhere has its risks, just like driving has its risks. Stay in an all inclusive resort, plan smart, go with a group of friends, and stay in touristy places like Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, or Cancun and you will be just fine.
3) Spend the Weekend at the Russian River
Russian River is about an hour and a half from San Francisco and it is a popular weekend destination for many Bay Area natives. It isn’t too far, so you feel close to home, but it feels far enough that you don’t feel like you’re still in the Bay Area. I suggest camping because there are many campgrounds that are near the river itself. Some people like to tube down the river, but I recommend you rent a canoe or two at the start of the river and make you’re way down. You can bring a floating cooler and tie to your canoe. You can also bring a regular cooler and put it in your canoe as long as it can fit in the canoe. You’re also technically in the wine country area, so there are a lot of yummy restaurants and eateries out there.
4) Take a day trip to Muir Woods
Low on funds and can’t travel? No problem! Take a day trip to Muir woods. It only takes about 40 minutes from SF and it is a spectacular outdoorsy experience. The hiking trails take you through the beautiful redwood forest. You can just get lost in there – spiritually that is, not literally. Three miles from Muir Woods is Muir Beach. It is a quiet cove beach and lagoon that is filled with wild life. If you want to save some extra cash I suggest packing a cooler and bringing some food and drinks with you, but if you can afford to eat out do it because there are some great spots locals swear by.
5) Explore San Francisco
San Francisco seems bigger than it really is. It is pretty tiny compared to other major cities in the U.S. That means you can spend the whole day there and pretty much see 60 percent of the city – if you plan wisely. I suggest starting off with the touristy things, like walking down the Embarcadero and hitting up Fisherman’s Warf. Grab a clam chowder bowl and do some people watching. Jump on a cable car and let it take you around the city. Then hit up other hot spots, like China Town. I personally love China Town. It is filled with culture, and where else can you get pork buns the size of your head? Make your way to Golden Gate Park and have yourself a nice little stroll. You can even tackle a few museums in one day. I love the Asian Art Museum, it is one of my favorites. The California Academy of Science and the de Young are iconic and if you haven’t heard of them than where have you been hiding? Don’t forget about the San Francisco Zoo. It is pretty close by Ocean Beach, so you can always hit up the beach after, or before. Or not at all – the city is your oyster! Oh great, now I want oysters.
6) Stay at Home and Do Some Soul Searching
Okay this one is completely out of the norm from the other suggestions above, but honestly it is probably the most important one. And it’s FREE. Right now you’re still figuring yourself out and that’s okay. Most of us still are to be honest, and it is something we will continue to do throughout our lives. It isn’t a bad thing you didn’t go out and have a wild spring break. Sorcery you say? I wish – being a wizard would be pretty sick AF. No, in all seriousness it’s true. You may think the girls going out to the bars every night have it all going on, but honestly most of them don’t. Unfortunately, some of them haven’t taken the time to seriously think about where they want to be in a year, or two, or ten. Some of them haven’t finished college, or finished anything besides a gin and tonic. It is never too early, or too late, to do some soul searching. It’s healthy, it’s cleansing, and it’s something we all could work on. Don’t worry about what others are doing, worry about what you are doing. Do the things you want to do and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Let’s face it, you know what’s best for you, correct? So, take the time to figure out your major, minor, double major, or whatever you crazy kids are trying to accomplish because having goals is better than not having goals, and we all start somewhere. It’s okay to change your major – I changed mine three times and I don’t regret it. It taught me to have an open mind and learn from my mistakes. Honestly, big things happen if you do your best, make mistakes, and learn from them – trust me. Remember, education has no time limit, but don’t get lost along the way. You’re so much better than that.