As spring break quickly approaches come the end of the week, campus is buzzing with students excited for a stress-free time to unwind. No matter where you’re going and what you’re doing, one thing everyone has in common is the fact that they’ll be school-work free until the Sunday we return. I know I speak for many when I say this is a much needed break.
However, despite the universal actions of relaxation and venturing off campus for a week, one thing I feel that I’ve encountered is the “Oh, that’s it?” reaction I get when I share with people that my break plans simply include going home. Instead of spending the time off campus on the beach, I’ll be curled up on the couch watching endless hours of Chopped and other Food Network classics.
While I personally am extremely excited to get home to see my family and whatever friends are home, I feel that there are times I share my break plans with people and almost feel the need to defend myself. The responses they give are never intentionally judgemental or rude, it’s just obvious to me that hearing someone say they’re simply going home for the week is a little uncommon at Denison. This is a trend that reigns true for other colleges and universities also, as social media becomes bombarded with pictures of groups of college students lounging in the sun in Cabo or some other tropical get away. Trust me, those snapshots are not fun to receive while cramming for exams and grinding out papers in the library. Ohio’s cold and overall grey forcast doesn’t exactly help either.
At first I myself was a little hesitant about going home, but once I started to think more about what I’ll be doing I get more excited with each passing day. I think about all the fun things I’ll get to bake with my sisters, lunch dates I’ll go on with my Mom and Dad when they get a break from work, stopping by my grandparent’s house for coffee in the mornings and afternoons, plus our family just got a puppy so she’ll be keeping me very busy. At the end of the day what I was finally able to discover was that it’s not where you go for break, but what you do with the time off and who you do it with. Being from Connecticut, I don’t get to see a lot of my family second semester due to all of our busy schedules and the fact that this week off is our only break. By using this time to go home and really dedicate quality time to my family members in the comfort of my own home, I’m confident that I’ll return to campus refreshed, revived, and ready to finish the semester strong.
So whatever you’re doing for break, whether you are one of the lucky ones who will actually get to feel the warmth of the sun for the first time in months, or if you’re like me and are blessed to be spending a week with loved ones, be sure to take time for yourself. The week is called a break for a reason- unplug, destress, and really let go of anything that busies your mind while on the hill. That way when we all return, we’ll be ready and excited to hit the ground running once again. With only a few days remaining before break, be sure to grind out those last few midterm exams and papers in order to finish strong and head into a smooth, deserved break.
Brooke Holland ‘21 is a HESS major from New Canaan, Connecticut.