The reality of spring break isn’t always all that the movies make it out to be because, frankly, sometimes we fit perfecting into the category of the stereotypical broke a** college student who considers chips and salsa a meal and definitely can’t afford a plane ticket. So while everyone is packing up for their Cabo ragers and their Dominican Republic getaways, take a deep breath because aside from the terrible case of FOMO you might experience as you stay in your sh*tty college apartment or head back to your hometown for the week, there are definitely some pros to the break ahead of you.
It’s an incredible thing how spring break always seems to be carefully placed about a week too late after the average college student’s first breaking point of the semester. The stress of the semester work we procrastinated on has piled up and midterms suddenly hit us in the face before we could even process that we were back at school for a new semester. Although you may envy your friends running off to Fort Lauderdale to drink away their problems and have some wild nights, you have a wonderful opportunity to practice self-care, which may be the only free time you have to think consciously about self-care for the rest of the school year.
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Catching up with family and old friends can fill your heart with so much love, there will be no more room for FOMO! Especially friends who have different spring breaks than you and go to school around your area, make some time to get lunch or take a tour of their school life.
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For most college students, spring break also means a break from your part-time job. Aka your income that supplies your chips and salsa. Try to make some extra money during your week off by listing old clothes and items you don’t use online. I’ve used Poshmark to sell clothes before and I definitely recommend it & even Amazon has a whole list of items anyone can sell!
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I know it helps me a lot when I am feeling left out to dive into self care and bettering myself, then it’s a personal experience for me that I know I’m benefitting from. During the break, begin a new habit of focusing on being intentional. Some work best picking something to focus on each day, or you can choose a weekly or monthly intention that you really want to bring attention to and weave into your everyday life and thoughts.
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Remember to treat yourself. This week most college students are running off to drink their weight in alcohol, so allow yourself to eat some great hometown cheat meals you’ve missed so much.
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Reflect on your semester thus far. This can feel silly at times but it is hard to recognize our habits day by day when we are in the midst of our crazy college schedules. Reflect on what you have loved and hated about the first part of your semester, and think about what factors influence these things and how you can incorporate more of the positive parts into the rest of your semester.
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Don’t do schoolwork, but maybe think about it. What has been working for your classes and what hasn’t been? Although the last thing we want to think about during spring break is school, but just take some time to think about which classes you need to prioritize and take the time to mark important due dates and exams into your schedule for the rest of the semester. But, steer clear of actually doing school work. You deserve a break from it.