Sometimes it can be challenging to have family stay thousands of miles away. With break coming up, I thought it was useful to reflect on how I may feel spending my first spring break without any relatives. As someone who spent most school vacations with family, it’s both exciting and intimidating to think about spending spring break without them. People always talk about all the cool things they did over spring break with their friends and I’m curious to see how it’ll be to experience that myself.
- Getting to know my friends better
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In college, it’s easy to get sucked into the endless void of work, stressing about work, or procrastinating work. With the stress of academic load, people may act differently than they would without that stress. This break I’ll be going to Montreal and we plan on driving around and exploring what the city has to offer. I’ve never had the chance to experience the clichéd girls’ trip over spring break, so I’m hyped to see what adventures await. Planning the trip with them has been amazing so far, so I wonder how it’ll feel to be on vacation with them.
- Finding alone time
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While I’m excited about having fun with my friends, I definitely value having some alone time and I want to be able to prioritize that even on vacation. In order to not feel completely drained, I believe that it’s important for me to balance my time socializing and my time with myself. Even if it’s something as simple as taking a walk around the block alone, I would love to be able to enjoy the feeling of exploring on your own. I’ve promised myself to do one thing every day alone and it can be anything as simple as trying out a coffee shop or something as extra as hiking up a mountain.
- Being homesick over break
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I know it’s only a week off, but I tend to miss my family fairly quickly and I fear I’ll get homesick over break because I’m so used to being with them at that time. However, I’m glad to be doing something new and breaking out of the comforts of the past. I tend to stick to a routine and enjoy predictability, but I appreciate that I finally have the chance to see how I’ll use the freedom of being around friends and an environment with far fewer restrictions.
- Letting myself enjoy the small things
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I tend to get so wrapped up in work that I neglect to take the time to enjoy the details around me. While visiting a new country, I think it’d be a shame to not take in every smell, every touch, and embrace every nook and corner that I possibly can. This break is both about having fun and about emotional wellness for me. With the limited time I’m there, I plan to explore everything I possibly can about Canada – the people, the culture, and the food. By enjoying the little things throughout the break, I hope that I’ll learn a little more about myself on the way too.