It happens every year. Just like Christmas and Thanksgiving, students everywhere look forward to Spring Break. A week-long break from school in the middle of the spring is a little taste of freedom for students before summertime comes. According to television and movies, this time should be filled with wild adventures and partying. The reality of Spring Break, for most, is very different.
How Spring Break is Portrayed in Media
Spring Break on television follows a very careful formula. Whether it’s a fictional Spring Break or a “real” one, there’s a certain pressure to be somewhere tropical. It’s as if television producers want you to believe that it can’t really be Spring Break if you aren’t at the beach. And with beaches come bikinis and the added pressure of having a beach bod. Then there’s the drinking, and the portrayal of crazy parties. However, what these depictions never seem to show are the aftereffects. In other words, you do not see people getting sick from drinking too much alcohol. You don’t see people traveling back home tired, worn out and hung over. You do not hear about the heartbreaking number of girls who are sexually assaulted while under the influence of alcohol in a strange city. You don’t hear about the costly travel expenses. These things aren’t shown because they subtract from the addictive, glamorized dream-like quality of the show. In truth, most of the people on these reality shows are college-aged, can travel alone and legally drink. And, a majority of the time, the parties shown on these streaming programs are fake—full of people who were paid to be present.
Then, there are the movies depicting Spring Break. These stories usually involve a group of attractive teenagers embarking on a crazy adventure. An apt example is the 1983 film Spring Break, which depicts four boys looking for fun and trouble in Florida. There’s drinking, wet t-shirt contests and other activities that aren’t worth mentioning. In these types of movies somehow everything goes totally wrong and then, just before school starts again, the situation is resolved and all is right in the world again. While these movies are typically funny and focused on friendship, the reality is that when everything goes wrong in real life, it seldom comes together so perfectly in the end. These movies can also negatively impact your view of Spring Break, and cause you to feel as though your Spring Break is lacking.
How Spring Break is Usually Spent
The other side of the spectrum, which is a lot more realistic and common, is the Spring Break spent binging on Netflix and chips. You know how easy it is to watch a whole season of your favorite TV series when you have the time. However, spending your whole Spring Break as a couch potato can leave you feeling like you wasted your holiday when school starts again. Spending all day inside, under your covers may sound like heaven after waking up and going to school at seven in the morning for months. But, living without a routine and purpose for a whole week can have a lot of consequences and be draining on your spirit.
The Reality: How To Have a Really Great Spring Break
The reality of Spring Break is that it’s supposed to be a break. It’s given to you so that you can recover from school, which can be pretty strenuous. Maybe you can’t afford to fly to Hawaii or the Bahamas. Or, for you going on a family vacation is less of an option and more of a requirement. Maybe you live in a climate that doesn’t allow for you to visit a beach. And all of your friends are out of town, so you can’t embark on a crazy movie-like adventure together. You don’t want to waste all of your time in front of the TV watching Netflix. So, what will you do with your Spring Break?
You could catch up on sleep, hang out with some friends, or do something you’ve wanted to do for a while but could never find the time before. And, there’s nothing wrong with spending time with your family! Enjoy quality time with your folks and take lots of pictures – especially if you’re embarking on a family vacation!
Regardless of where you live, the amount of money you have or what your friends are doing, know that Spring Break is a gift. In order to utilize this gift fully, it helps to make a plan. Planning your Spring Break may seem like it’s taking the fun out of taking a break, but it’s actually going to ensure you make the most out of your time. Create a list of everything you’d like to do, but be reasonable. Don’t write down things that will take a month to complete when you only have one week. During your Spring Break, try and cross off at least one thing from the list every day. This way, you know you’re being productive with your time, but you’re not trying to do too much. If there’s a friend you haven’t seen in a while and you’d like to catch up, add that to the list. If you want to paint your room a different color, add that to the list. If you just want to read more, add that to the list. Do you want to have a picnic with your family? Add it to the list and plan a picnic! Also, sticking to a regular sleep schedule can be really helpful. You can still sleep in late, but you don’t want to end up a vampire, sleeping during the day.
Spring Break can be a lot of things, but above all it should be fun. Television and media may make you feel like there’s an obligation to go wild, but there isn’t. You can have a ton of fun during your Spring Break just doing the things you love to do. As an added bonus, when you return to school you won’t be drained or exhausted. Instead you’ll feel rejuvenated, and ready to tackle that last bit of school before summer! Just as you should seek God’s guidance in all of your endeavors, ask for Him to lead you during Spring Break. Follow where He leads you and you’ll find that your Spring Break is more fulfilling than you could have ever hoped.
