By Alexa Goins, Contributing Writer
Stuck at home for #SB2K16? No worries. You aren’t alone. A spring break sans pricey, Insta-worthy vacation doesn’t have to be a bust. It’s easy to waste away your week at home wishing you were somewhere else. But before you start selecting which TV series you’ll binge watch first, consider some of these more productive options for how to spend your spring break. With a little intentionality and effort, this could be the best spring break of your life.
1. Finish your assignments for the rest of the semester
This is a bit ambitious but if you want to make productive use of your time, consider finishing the semester’s assignments early. Getting ahead on homework will allow you to focus on cherishing your friends and creating memories during the second half of the semester. Not to mention, that this is a much better use of your time than that week-long Netflix binge you were planning.
2. Spend a week without technology
Do you ever stop to think about how constantly connected we are? In our smartphone culture, it can feel impossible to really unplug from everything. Take this break to truly disconnect from technology. Spend a day, two or the entire week, if you’re feeling up for a challenge, away from phones, computers, social media and television. Turning off your phone for spring break might also keep you from wishing away your time at home and from lusting after other people’s spring break trips. When you aren’t wasting away your break through a phone or TV screen, you’ll hopefully learn to appreciate what’s right in front of you: your family and friends.
3. Explore your hometown
So you aren’t embarking on a grand adventure in a tropical climate or on a Chaco-filled hiking trip, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spend your spring break creating an adventure of your own. You don’t always need a foreign place to experience something new and exciting. Sometimes, the biggest adventures can be found in our own backyards: our hometowns. And for some of us (I’m looking at you, seniors), it could be one of the last times we get to come home. So take a day or two and explore your hometown. Visit your favorite spots, the parks you played at as a kid and the restaurants you frequented with high school friends. Be intentional about your time in the place you grew up and the precious time with family you don’t see every day.
4. Catch up on the resolutions you never got around to
A whole week of freedom means a whole week of free time. Use this week to work on those New Year’s resolutions that the busyness of the semester has caused you to neglect. If you feel discouraged about working on a resolution that fell by the wayside, remember that it’s never too late to start pursuing a goal. Aside from forgotten resolutions, you can also take this break as a time to enjoy those hobbies that you just don’t have time for during the semester. Bust out that dusty guitar, camera or bike. Catch up on the things you love to do that have absolutely nothing to do with your major or extracurricular activities.
So, however you’ll be spending your spring break, choose to make it a great one. Your perspective and attitude are ultimately what shape your experience. Be intentional with your time. Sleep in, take your mom out to eat, but most of all be present. Appreciate where you are, who you’re with and look for opportunities of fun, growth, relaxation and learning everywhere you go.
Photo credit: Martin Gommel viaFoter.com / CC BY-NC-SA