There are approximately 345,600 seconds until I leave campus for spring break. Which means there are approximately ten thousand more times I will utter the phrase, “I cannot wait for spring break” and an average of forty thousand times I will hear others utter the phrase, “I cannot wait for spring break.” What is it about spring break that conjures up such enthusiasm and anticipatory relief? Perhaps it is the full schedule of mid-term exams and projects that you are currently balancing. It might be the close quarters between friends that is proving to be too much for you. It could be the last few months’ relative nonexistence of sunshine. Or, possibly, the inconvenience of shaving your legs in a stall shower has you screaming cabin fever.
Most likely, however, spring break brings such excitement because it took about an entire semester to plan. The stress of picking a spring break destination can legitimately send people stir crazy. For instance, Mexico is always the automatic go-to spring break spot but then somebody is bound to remind you that you might get killed there. If it’s not a friend telling you of her friend whose friend got killed and then loaded with illicit drugs and carried over the border, then I can guarantee your parents will nonchalantly mention a recent headline. So then you might choose one of the obvious Caribbean destinations that cater to the under 25 crowd. One glance on Tripadvisor, however, will have you changing your mind over that one. Unless you’re into cockroaches and things.
Then there is the problem of budgeting. Certain friends have very lofty expectations (yeah Ritz Carlton yeah) while others have a maximum budget of $212. Someone is going to have to sacrifice either money or fine linens in order to agree on spring vacations plans. Chances are that you cannot find a direct route from Syracuse to wherever you might be going. This results in some sort of full-fledged road trip across country or a ridiculous flight pattern from Syracuse to DC to Atlanta back to DC and then to (insert Bahaman island here).
I for one will be on the sandy shores of Florida soaking up the sun and catching up on a semester’s worth of reading. I will try not to mupload any photos of ocean vistas because, let’s be honest, that’s really an annoying move – not everyone goes away for spring break. Yet, still, I would average an approximate three hundred fifty spring break photo album uploads by March 31.