When you hear the words “spring break,” chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the image of a week-long party in Mexico, Puerto Rico or another warm place. In the eyes of the average college student, Spring Break is undoubtedly associated with a trip to a remote location where students can “party it up” with their friends all week long.
But is this idea reality or purely a stereotype?
If you ask me, I believe that this mentality about what is considered to be the “typical” Spring Break is nothing but a stereotype that has settled in the minds of today’s younger generation, long before they ever set foot on a college campus. In our society today, the media has proved to be the greatest source of influence over the teenage population, which includes both high school and college students. Countless numbers of movies and television shows provide a depiction of Spring Break that falls right into the category of this stereotype.
Through the use of popular forms of entertainment, Hollywood has allowed false ideas about what the social norms in society should be to enter the minds of young people. As a result of what is shown on the television and movie screen, young children and pre-teens will instantly assume that what they are watching is the exact same experience that they will have in college in the future.
Reality check. Nothing in real life is ever the same as what it appears to be in the movies.
From the time I was younger, I have never been one to follow the crowd or to easily believe everything that I see on television. I have learned that these media-produced ideas are not a true example of how I should live my life, especially what it comes to how I plan to spend my Spring Break each year while in college. For me, an enjoyable and relaxing Spring Break consists of a simple week at home, including some time to catch up with family and friends. Call me boring if you want, but that’s just me.
In my opinion, Spring Break does not always have to be a wild party. If you are like me and that’s just not your thing, you may not realize that there are many alternative ways to have an awesome Spring Break.
Here are some of my own suggestions.
1) Go on a service trip. In our country alone, there are many people struggling to make ends meet who could use your help. An experience like this could be life-changing and the perfect way to give back or reach out to someone in need during your Spring Break. Campus Ministry right here at Fairfield is a great source of information for how to get involved with an upcoming service trip during any school vacation, not just Spring Break.
2) Visit a foreign country. If it is has always been your dream to travel the world, now could be your chance. A week off from school in March could be the perfect opportunity to visit Europe or another place of your choosing. If you are currently studying abroad this spring or plan to at this same time next year, then you are already ahead of the game.
3) See family. If Spring Break is the first time you will be home since the Winter Break, why not plan to spend some quality time with your family? A week of rest and relaxation at home with the people that care about you most may be just what you need to get you through the remainder of the semester.
4) Catch up with friends. Before Spring Break begins, get in touch with your friends from home and see when their vacations are. Chances are that you will not be only one of your high school friends who are off from school that week. This could also be your chance to plan a trip to one of your friend’s colleges that isn’t on vacation.
5) Take some extra classes. Fairfield University, like many other colleges, offers a Spring Intersession, which allows students to register for select classes on campus over Spring Break. For the ambitious student looking to pick up a few extra credits, this could just be the idea that you were looking for.
If these suggestions do not interest you and you are still looking for an alternative way to spend your Spring Break, do some research of your own. There just might be several options for you right here at Fairfield, and you may be very surprised about the exciting opportunities that you will find.
Leave a Reply