This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Illinois chapter.

Stuck at home this spring break? No need to have vacation FOMO or spend the week stalking your friends’ Instagram stories- you can take this time to be productive, creative and take care of yourself so you start the semester fresher than ever! Here are just a few of the things you can do instead of moping around this spring break.

1. DIY Spa Day

Grab a few of your hometown friends, some facemasks, candles, nail polish, and relaxing music and spend the day pampering yourself for the perfect way to relax and reward yourself for a semester of hard work.

Woman Lying on White Textile With Sliced Cucumbers on Her Eyes — Breakingpic from Pexels

2. Do a Job Shadow

Reach out to people with jobs you’re interested in doing in your hometown and ask if you can shadow them for a day or a few days. This is a great chance to explore different jobs and even start the process of looking into summer internships/careers after graduation. Video chat with them or see if you can schedule a job shadow for a later date!

business women working together with coffee — Pexels / Tirachard Kumtanom

3. Take a Day Trip

Got a local city or scenic spot you’ve always been meaning to check out but never had the chance to? Round up a few friends and drive there yourself! Just because you aren’t spending the whole week somewhere tropical doesn’t mean you can’t still have an awesome vacation somewhere new.

The way to the cabin — Photo by averie woodard on Unsplash

4. Do Some Crafts

Whether it be finally checking out out that knitting pattern you saw online, taking a stab at your novel idea, baking something delicious or trying the newest art challenge on TikTok, spring break is such a great time to get creative and try out new things! You could even end up with a bunch of cute handmade gifts to give your friends when you go back.

5. Get a Head Start on Next Semester

Although studying might not sound like the ideal way to spend spring break, doing even a little bit of next week’s readings or reviewing a few old lectures can go a long way in making sure you aren’t left feeling stressed out and behind after spring break.

group of people reading and studying together at a table — Photo by Alexis Brown from Unsplash

6. Do Some Leisure Reading

The school year is often so busy that it’s difficult to make time to read for fun or even to remember how fun a good book can be. Go down to your local library, pick up that book you’ve been procrastinating on reading, and get lost in it!

person sitting at the edge of a bed with an open book in their lap and a cup of coffee in hand — Anthony Tran | Unsplash

7. Revamp Your Workout

Spring break is a great time to add onto your fitness routine, try new fitness routines, or even start doing one if you’ve been meaning to get around to it but haven’t had the chance yet! With the vast amount of tutorials and workouts online, you probably won’t even need access to the gym, but many gyms offer student discounts that might make a week of membership locally worth it!

8. Meet Up With Old Friends

Have you been meaning to catch up with old high school friends, teachers or classmates but just haven’t had the time for it? Now is the perfect opportunity to reach out and see if they’ll be in town, arrange a meet-up at a local coffee shop, and reconnect with them!

girls in skirts — Photo by Photographe EVJF GREG on Unsplash

9. Catch Up on Netflix

While it might sound lame to spend break watching TV when you can do that in school, now is such a great time to catch up on the latest episodes of your favorite shows and try the new ones you’ve always been meaning to get around to so that you can spend the school year being extra productive!

Nine Ways to Have a Great Spring Break at Home