Tropical vacations, international travel, quality family time and fun with friends define a pre-COVID-19 spring break. Spring has sprung, yet students remain in Gainesville or glued to their laptops at home.
The University of Florida’s Faculty Senate voted to not observe Spring break in September. Concerns over students potentially gathering over Spring break and returning with COVID-19 influenced the change. As a trade-off, Winter break was extended by one week in January, and students were given two Recharge Days in February and March.
Students’ last Recharge Day fades into distant memory as a 24-hour break from Zoom amid a pandemic. For those who could experience them, the optional days to refresh permitted a chance to breathe but fail to equate to a week-long break.
“Not having a spring break has been pretty draining in regard to school feeling like I constantly have to work without a moment to stop,” Huntleigh Zhang, a 19-year-old telecommunications freshman, said. “I really appreciate the recharge days, even though they do not compare to a week-long break like spring break. My professors respected the day of rest though, and I think it was something they needed, too.”
Zhang is an out-of-state student from Washington D.C., so her only opportunity to see her family and hometown friends is during a break, which is nonexistent this semester. However, the flexibility of Zoom classes permits students to access their coursework from any location, sending Zhang on her travels home.
“I wanted to feel the direct support from my family around me and having the opportunity to see them in-person gave me that,” Zhang said. “Being so far away from home for such a long duration of time is challenging.”
Residing in the comfort of her own home and surrounded by her family granted Zhang the support needed to propel her through the rest of the semester. She also experienced another typical aspect of a spring break: a beach trip. Zhang and some of her close friends ventured to Miami, Florida, for three days to safely enjoy the beach and Design District while socially distanced.
“Even though I still had schoolwork to do, it felt like a breath of fresh air switching up the scenery of where I completed my work,” Zhang said. “Moving forward in the semester, I have a more positive attitude because of the traveling I was able to do, and the relaxing time I was given.”
Ava Rambo, an 18-year-old business freshman, also seized the opportunity to complete class from anywhere by traveling to Charleston, South Carolina, to visit her best friend.
“I have one in-person class, but my professor allows us to join on Zoom if we have something that comes up,” Rambo said. “It’s super helpful to be able to join from anywhere if you have your computer, so I was able to visit my best friend for six days.”
Rambo completed her assignments in the morning, freeing up her afternoons for city tours and local food accompanied by masks and a lot of hand sanitizer.
“I definitely felt like I had a break,” Rambo said. “It was definitely a change of pace from my normal routine.”
During the week that should have been spring break, Andrea McGee, a 19-year-old criminology and political science sophomore, drove home to Orlando, Florida.
“It was nice to go home, and I did feel like I had a small break, but not too much as I still had classes, homework and an exam to study for while I was there,” McGee said. “Being around my family definitely helped though, and it was nice to see them after so long.”
The lack of a spring break protects both students and faculty from potential COVID-19 outbreaks, but burnout for students exists, and they took matters into their own hands in a DIY type of spring break, while remaining safe.
“I did stay Covid safe by mostly spending my time at home but wearing masks and social distancing when we did happen to go out,” McGee said. “I did hang out with a couple of friends from home as well while I was there, and we also took all safety precautions necessary. Everyone I hung out with had a negative Covid test from at least two days before we hung out, including myself.”
Whether it be South Beach in between Zoom conferences, scenic tours of Charleston after a Canvas quiz or time with hometown friends before an exam study session, students adapted and provided themselves with their own much-needed break.