We’re only about a month away from one of the biggest events of the year – Spring Break. I’ve had it described to me as “like high school spring break, but on steroids.” MTV has built the idea up in my mind that college spring break is going to be more fun, be crazier, and be louder than I can even imagine.
The big question facing everyone every year is “where to?” Where can we all go to have a good time, meet new people, and guarantee ourselves a relaxing week away from the Rhodes College bubble? The beach is always a good go-to answer, but there are so many to choose from, that it’s hard to decide with a large group of people which would be best to go to to accommodate everyone. Some people dodge the Gulf Shores and Desting and set their sights on a big city somewhere. I’ve heard of a group hitting up Jackson, Mississippi, a few heading to New York City, and one aiming for Boston.
Spring Break doesn’t always have to mean sun, sand, and surf. Many Rhodes students opt for non-tropical locations. If you still haven’t made your plans, think about maybe buying a plane ticket or planning a road trip to a place you’ve always wanted to go. Maybe you don’t even want to bother planning what to do on your potential road trip. Be spontaneous and see where your heart leads you towards on the highways! Spring Break week is the time to be adventurous and courageous. It’s the time when we can completely forget about school and all it’s issues, and just go with the flow. Take the road less traveled and go see some cool art exhibits, go sky-diving, or bungee jumping. There’s nothing stopping you from doing what you want if you can save up the money to do so!
But what if you’re stuck in Memphis for the week? It doesn’t have to be the depressing experience you’re banking on having. If there is one thing that has shocked me the most since I arrived at Rhodes, it would be the amount of students that haven’t left this tiny campus and taken the opportunity to dive into the large and diverse city of Memphis, and immersed themselves in the culture brimming around them. Be sure to check out:
- The Brooks Museum
- The Dixon Museum
- The Belz Museum Of Art
The Brooks museum is right next to campus, near the zoo, so you have no excuse to not go and check that one out! Head to the National Civil Rights Museum to really get a sense of Memphis’s history, or Mud Island River Park for a relaxing day by the Mississippi River. Got a taste for music? You’d be crazy to not go and check out
- The Stax Museum of American Soul Music
- Sun Studios of course! (where, if somehow you weren’t already aware, is where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash worked on and recorded their famous tunes)
And though it may sound boring, I can say from personal experience listening to the Memphis Symphony Orchestra with their new and fabulous conductor, Mei Ann Chen, is an experience you just can’t miss. I listened to them rehearse not long ago, and Mei Ann Chen’s energetic, gracious, and positive attitude really shows in the symphony’s music. They’ll be performing March 12th and 13th, so definitely go see them if you can. Memphis also has spectacular theater, so go look up some plays you can go to. Google these places and look up some shows:
- The Orpheum Theater
- The Circuit Playhouse
- Theatre Memphis
- Chatterbox Audio Theatre (these guys just came to Rhodes, and did a wonderful performance of Argonautica)
And if you need to save up some money for the big week, and only have this month to do so, I guarantee these tips will help you out.
- Quit making late night T-Bell runs. Saving money for SB ’11 gives you an excuse to quit, or at least cut down, and keeping yourself away from those beefy 5 layers will make you feel healthier and wealthier.
- Wanna get rid of some random stuff you’ve been holding on to all year (but know you can’t possibly need it?.) Spread the word to your friends that you’re selling some gently used clothes, shoes, etc. I guarantee at least a couple of people will come calling with cash.
- Try to stay in for movies and dinners. Use the meal plan, and Mojo movies from other people, or look up some movies online. You can deal with average quality movies for a month!
You have endless options of what to do during Spring Break., and where to go, but the most important factor about the week is to remember to have fun and have a great time with whatever you choose to do, and live it up to the fullest! Make March 11th to March 20th a week to remember (at least most of it) and worthwhile. And, of course, be safe!