Those dreadful finals and a quarter filled with academic strife are finally over. That only means one thing: Spring Break.
The long-awaited 7 days of break are just ahead. If you are looking for some ideas on how to make the most of your time away from school, here are a couple of ideas!
hit the road
Destinations like another country or cities across the country are extremely tempting. However, my wallet doesn’t often align with my ambitions.
So, if you enjoy traveling but are running on a lower budget than international travel, I suggest that you take a road trip, especially if accompanied by family and/or friends. Although gas isn’t the cheapest thing out there, it certainly beats airfare and is cheaper if you have a car full of people you love (and are willing to split gas costs with you).
Find a city that you’ve been wanting to go to, or perhaps a national park. My family loves going on road trips, exploring national parks, and oftentimes we’ll camp there and stay in destinations spanning several nights.
Certain campsites require booking months in advance, but you may consider booking an Airbnb nearby weeks in advance as a better alternative. On the other hand, day trips will save you the cost of having to book an overnight stay, so this also may be another viable option for you.
My favorite places that I’ve been to include Joshua Tree, Big Bear, Idyllwild Regional Park, and Bryce Canyon! Depending on where you live, I suggest searching for parks near you if you’re looking to do a day trip. The U.S. National Park website offers ample information on the locations of parks, calendars pertaining to each park in the case of special events, current conditions, and maps.
And for my girlies that haven’t gotten their drivers’ license yet, this may also be a good time to get started so you can try to get your license before summer rolls around!
Flowers, Finally
The best part of spring surely isn’t losing a precious hour of sleep, but rather that flowers are finally blooming.
If you’re a flower fanatic or need a pop of color on your Instagram feed, I would suggest going to your nearest flower field!
As an affordable outdoor activity, visiting flower fields is versatile in going solo, with friends, or on a cute date. Certain fields also offer other activities such as hayrides, festivals, or flower-picking!
There are a lot of local areas with flowers alongside larger, destination spots. In fact, a handful of flower fields can be found in some national parks!
Here is a comprehensive list of flower fields ranging all across California with a range of months of when to visit and which flowers they offer. Finding local spots can be just as easy as a quick Google search of “flower fields near me”.
The most important note is to not damage the flowers for the hopes of a good picture. It’s a privilege to visit these beautiful spectacles of nature. Please stay on the trails and don’t ruin it for others!
The Grind never stops
Personally, having a portion of time when I’m not convincing myself that I’m being productive combined with the impending doom of reaching summer without an internship after doom-scrolling on LinkedIn for hours often haunts me. These are certainly attitudes derived from being raised in a capitalistic society and chasing the elusive American Dream, but this is social commentary that will be saved for another day.
If you’re looking for ways to be productive this summer, I would suggest applying for summer roles. Whether it be a summer job or internship, experience goes a long way for jobs in the future.
Maybe you can start by freshening up your resume or building your LinkedIn. There are a lot of templates on the Internet and advice from just about everyone on every space of the Internet on how to land a job. The most important piece is to not get overwhelmed by the process.
For me, I am looking to get experience over the summer to help narrow down what I want to pursue in the future. If my laptop is open this Spring Break, chances are I’m stalking you on LinkedIn.
However, be sure to put the “break” in Spring Break. Take the time to enjoy being off of school, because before you know it, school will be back in full swing.
Hit the slopes
While the sun is out for some, it’s hidden behind heavy clouds for others: we’re still in season for the slopes.
While definitely on the more expensive side if you don’t have your own gear or a yearly pass, I still encourage people to go to the mountains to experience the snow. The lift tickets are egregious, I’ll admit, but financial worries tend to melt away once you’re throttling down the mountain.
In planning a ski/snowboard trip, be sure to look for locations based on skill level, budget, ability to drive to the slopes, or ski-in/ski-out resort.
If you’re considering lodging, ski-in/ski-out resorts are the most convenient but also expensive. Airbnbs, cabins, or hotels a short drive away can save money. And again, day trips will save you the cost of having to find a place to stay.
My favorite slopes include Big Bear, Mammoth, and Brian Head. But just a heads up, Big Bear and Mammoth often get incredibly crowded. And for those afraid of shredding down the snow, I propose that you go tubing or heed Anna’s voice and build a really big snowman.
rate it
My phone always eats first. True logical ambitions aside, my absolute dream job would be being a food critic. Being able to eat delicious food (for free sometimes) and getting paid to talk is truly everything I want in life. Requiring a car (or a beloved friend with one) and an appetite, you can imitate being a food critic over these seven days of break.
Are there restaurants that you’ve been wanting to try for a while? Now is the time to finally try them! I have friends that have started their own influencer account, and they get offered free food if they post about the restaurant. I find it hard to restrain my envy when they’re around, but you get the idea!
If you want to rate restaurants recreationally, there’s an app for you! I use Beli to track my own restaurants while being able to share where I’ve been with friends and family.
Ranging from being active in the fresh, spring air to sitting in restaurants for hours, there are many things to fill your days. Seven days off from school may not be that much in the grand scheme of things, but hopefully these ideas have given you some activities to make the most of your time off!