With spring break fast approaching, some students are stressed about finding a warm place to stay or finding the money to even take a vacation. This, combined with school, can make for added feelings of anxiety during spring semester. However, it’s not necessary to travel to have a relaxing Spring Break. Here is a list of things you can do over spring break to recover from the beginning of the semester and have fun while staying at home.
Read a book
With the current popularity of ‘BookTok,’ there are thousands of book recommendations that will help you get back into reading during spring break. Reading is an easy way to let your imagination grow and rid your mind of the stress of the semester. Here are some books that think would be a great first read:
- Little Women
- Variety
- The way I used to be
- The Hate You Give
- The Song of Achilles
- Weathering Heights
- Jane Eyre
- Secret History
- Lovely War
- Break Your Glass Slippers
Start a new series
College is time consuming and you may not have time to fall in love with a new show. Watching shows can help occupy your mind and allow you to immerse yourself into the world of the characters during your week off.
Here’s a list of a fewome good shows to watch and where to find them:
- Game of Thrones: HBO Max
- New Girl: Netflix
- Vampire Diaries: Netflix
- The Great: Hulu
- Pam and Tommy: Hulu
- Shameless: Netflix
- Criminal Minds: Netflix
- Bridgerton: Netflix
- Sex and the City: HBO Max
Discover a new restaurant/coffee shop
I am guilty of going to Chick-Fil-A whenever I want lunch or to Dunkin’ whenever I want a morning coffe. This spring break, try to find local small businesses to support in your area. In most towns, there are usually coffee shops that are not Starbucks or Dunkin’ that can offer a lot of the same products and services. There is also this sense of friendliness and a cozy feeling with these new places you find when the employees treat you like family. You can try something unique to the small business, and who knows, you might find a place and make it a regular pit stop.
Take a class
During spring break, try to learn a new skill! Take a cooking or baking class and make things to take home with you. This isa fun way to spend some down time and would be even more entertaining if you brought a friend. You could also take a exercise class —Many gyms offer these with a membership or for a fee.
Explore nature
Exploring nature is a fun and free way to get rid of some stress. Seeing the beauty in natural elements and finding trails to explore can be freeing. In Maryland, there are hundreds of hiking trails that are fun and easily accessible. Some include; Patapsco State Park, Annapolis Rock, King and Queen Seat, Kilgore Falls, Sugarloaf Mountain and Northern Peaks Trail and Catoctin Mountain.
Clean out your closet
With the winter season slowly fading, you might have an overfilled wardrobe in desperate need of organizing. Summer is quickly becoming around the corner, some of your clothes may not be in style or fit anymore. You can get rid of what you don’t love by donating or selling them. Affordably reset your closet by shopping at thrift stores for cheap and sustainable outfits.
Watch ‘March Madness’
March Madness is quickly approaching. Spring break is the perfect time to become familiar with the teams. You can make March Madness fun by creating brackets with friends and predict the teams that will make it far. It’s an easy way to connect with people you wouldn’t normally talk to.
Don’t be upset if you can’t travel this spring break — You can still make the most of it without traveling somewhere warm. This is your time to relax and recoup from the beginning of the semester, so try not to think about school and use this week to experience something new at home.