After a strong start to the spring semester, we all deserve a bit of a break! Luckily, spring break is coming up soon for most college students. What comes to mind for the typical college students going into spring break is relaxing and maybe even partying on the beach, somewhere far away and preferably tropical. However, spring break looks different for everyone. That could be a vacation not partying on the beach, but exploring a new city. It could also be as simple as a staycation. Taking advantage of the opportunity to relax and catch up is still a valid use of spring break.
Depending on your perspective and preferences, a staycation can be just as fun as a vacation. There are a few ways to have a successful and stress-relieving staycation. Planning an itinerary ahead of time overall helps to reduce stress for me personally, but it can also make for a smoother transition into activities. Or even a lack of activities if doing nothing is your ideal vacation. Inviting some friends can make the staycation into a fun activity for everyone to enjoy! Communicating the ideas and plan for the staycation can lead to less friction and miscommunication, in my personal experience. Finally, enjoying it, having fun, and letting everything happen as it may is the key part of a stress-relieving staycation.
After deciding to spend a couple of breaks from college at home, I’d like to consider myself well-informed on the topic of having a successful staycation. Over the years I’ve gathered knowledge and ideas for those new to the beauty of a simple staycation.
The first and probably most cozy staycation requires not even leaving your house. Have a movie night sleepover, with or without friends. Furry friends and other pets are more than welcome to join, the more the merrier! Stock up on snacks and your favorite comfort food. My personal favorite is pizza or ramen for food. For snacks, I would go for chips and ice cream. As for the movie, you can’t go wrong with a chick flick. The beauty of this is it’s as simple as your favorite movie, food, friends, pajamas, and a cozy setup of blankets and pillows.
Another staycation idea is exploring your town or the cities nearby. Personally, I live not too far from Washington, D.C., so that’s always a good exploring spot for my friends and me. Regardless of location, look up fun things to do in your area. There are always activities to find online, with tickets for cheap or even free. I like to plan a day of museums, botanical gardens, some shopping, and ending with dinner at my favorite restaurant. Find out what your town has to offer, and spend the day exploring it with friends or even on a solo date. If your town is smaller, even something as simple as going to the library and a coffee shop can be a fun day out in the town.
Finally, this one requires a bit of traveling and planning. My last staycation idea is traveling to your nearest bigger city in the area, booking a hotel, and acting like a tourist! I did this one time with my family when I was very little. We went to Washington, D.C. for the day, stayed in a hotel for the night, and explored the city. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has the funds and time! Invite a few friends or do a solo date around the city or town. If you live near a beach, it could be a beach town, or even a hiking staycation.
Personally, I do have a bit of a spring break planned this year. I usually end up going on whatever vacation my family has previously planned. This year it’s my first vacation without family that I planned on my own. My boyfriend and I are going to New York City for a couple of days to start spring break. We plan on staying in the city and exploring as many places as we can. I am hoping to see my friend who lives there. I want to take him around to all of my favorite places since it’s his first time visiting. However, after that adventure, I plan on staying home and having my staycation. I’m going with the cozy option of movies and furry friends at home, with my two puppies and family movie night. If there’s time and I have the energy, I might spend a day in Washington, D.C.
There is no right way to spend spring break. I believe that the whole point of a break is to do whatever you need to do to come back refreshed and ready to go. It’s a chance to take a pause and come back with more energy, ready to do even more towards your goals by the time break ends and school starts again.