The Epidemic: Spring Fever
By: Jess Gill
A snow storm to remember: one that broke records and left many longing for warmer weather.
Can’t wait for the snow to melt? Well you’re not alone; cases of spring fever are breaking out everywhere and the only cure is spring break. By the time spring break rolls around the semester is half way over and mid-terms have kicked your butt. No better time to take a mental break. Travel to beaches, make some extra cash, but no matter what your plans are remember to take a break.
According to Ph.D. Susan Krauss Whitbourne, here are four ways stress can affect your life.
1. “Chronic stress takes its toll in part on our body’s ability to resist infection, maintain vital functions and even ability to avoid injury.”
2. “Your sleep will suffer, you won’t digest your food as well, and even the genetic material in the cells of your body may start to become altered in a bad way.”
3. “Mentally, not only do you become more irritable, depressed and anxious, but your memory will become worse and you’ll make poorer decisions.”
4. “You’ll also be less fun to be with, causing you to become more isolated, lonely and depressed.”
Taking a vacation from college is a great way to break the non-stop cycle of stress and overwhelming workloads. Coming back from a successful vacation can help you conquer the world. Well at least conquer the rest of the semester.
When asked why spring break was important to her, Fallon Finnegan, a fellow student, said that it’s incredibly important to take a break from the mentally draining semester. Finnegan adds that “it’s a really cheap time for students to travel because of all the deals and excitement surrounding the idea.”
She plans to spend this spring break in Panama City, where she can “let loose and soak in the sunshine.” Panama City is a popular destination for college students on break, but Finnegan said that “if I could go anywhere for spring break it would be Italy without a doubt.” While this might be out of the cards for her, she still plans to make the most of her time at Panama City.
So start thinking about spring break and your plans to relax, like Finnegan is. Get ready to put the books down and put your feet up. Even if you plan on working over break, it’s a great way to take your mind of off school work. Do what you need to reset and rejuvenate yourself for the rest of the semester.