Let’s be real here, nobody wants to stay home over spring break. It’s no fun to scroll through Instagram and see your peer’s crazy fun spring break pictures while you sit on the couch binge-watching The Bachelor and petting your dog. Even though it isn’t sunny Florida or a tropical island, you can still make the most out of spending spring break in your hometown. Here are a few suggestions for enjoying the upcoming break if you find yourself stuck at home:
1. Get cozy with a book that you actually want to read.
Forget the boring, hour-long, dry readings that we all have to suffer through for our classes. Spring break is an entire week to give yourself a break from academic readings and indulge in some girly books. Seize this opportunity to park yourself on the couch with a blanket, a cup of tea, and a fun book that’s been on your to-read list. I would recommend taking a trip to your local library and picking up Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen for a romantic, intense read with a great ending. Sarah Dessen books are my guilty pleasure for relaxing days spent reading on the couch; I recommend checking out her novels!
2. Show your parents some love.
Your parents miss you while you’re at college! While your home for break, show them that you haven’t forgotten about them by spending some quality bonding time. Why not go shopping with your mom like you did when you were little or have a movie night with your dad? It’s a win-win: you’ll have fun catching up with your parents, and they’ll be reminded that you still love and appreciate them even though you spend the majority of your time away from home.
3. Explore new spots in your hometown.
Even though I’ve lived in Greenwich since the day I was born, there are still local restaurants I haven’t eaten at and parks I have yet to check out. Even though your hometown may seem like old news, there are definitely new places to explore. Take advantage of the unfamiliar places your hometown has to offer by having breakfast at a diner you’ve never been to before or by walking your dog through a park that you’ve never explored.
4. Have a movie marathon.
How many times at Trinity do you find yourself having enough free time to spend the entire day curled up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn watching movies? If your schedule is anything like mine, the answer is probably never. If there happens to be a cloudy, rainy day over spring break, I can’t think of a better way to spend it than on the couch watching some good movies. My personal favorite would be a Harry Potter movie marathon; Hogwarts never gets old!
5. Take a bath.
Forget the gross Trinity bathrooms and shower-shoes. If you don’t take advantage of your bathtub at home over spring break, you’re just not doing it right. Why not go all out and pamper yourself a little bit as if you were relaxing in the Caribbean on a spring break trip? Take a trip to Lush and spoil yourself with some bath bombs, bubble bath, and maybe a new yummy-smelling soap. My favorites are Lush’s “Intergalactic” bath bomb (available for $7.75), and their “Dreamwash” shower smoothie (available for $25.95).
6. Take a day trip.
Even though you’d probably much rather be on a plane to Bermuda, you can still hop on a bus, in a car, or on a train and take a fun day trip. Get some friends together and split the cost for gas or buy tickets to Boston, NYC, or Providence if you live close enough. Even if you don’t live close to a major city, you can do some online research to find exciting places that you can daytrip to. Personally, my hometown is close to Mystic, Connecticut, and I’ve always wanted to explore the Mystic Aquarium. Even though day trips aren’t glamorous vacations, you can still have a blast and create new memories with friends, even if it’s just blasting music and singing in the car on the ride there.