With Spring Break nearly upon us, I think it's time that we all take a good second look and enjoy the second half of that glorious phrase Break. Mmm, drink it in.
As college students, we get caught up in all we have going on, stress about it, then stress about stressed we are. Thankfully, the University gives us a break midway through the semester, and we all need to take advantage.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have great respect for everyone performing service this break with programs like Appalachia. That is an admirable way to spend your free time. For those choosing to spend this holiday in sunnier locations with an abundance of delicious beverages, let me just say to you that I am jealous.
I'm headed home to take a break. While I may do the obligatory visit to friends at local state schools, hang out with friends from high school, and maybe take a day to enjoy my hometown the way I once did in high school, I plan on ridding my body of as much stress as possible. Eat, sleep, read, sleep, travel at my convenience, and, oh yeah, sleep.
I'm not pretending to be a stress relief expert, but I definitely believe it's healthy for all of to just sit down and relax. Don't even let yourself think about school unless absolutely necessary.
I realize that many students here are overachievers by nature, and there is an element of our over-scheduled, overworked lives that we enjoy. But for this week, let's put all that aside and recognize that we are in college. We have only a few years, or months for some of us, before we have actual responsibility: full-time employment, families, houses, cars, the whole lot. Many of us have dreamed about "starting our lives" for a long time. The truth is, life has already begun for all of us, so enjoy it while you can. Spring Break is the perfect opportunity to do so.
Unless there are pressing issues that keep you from doing so, I suggest we all take at least one day during break to sleep without setting an alarm clock, take a walk without about rushing to class while worrying about if the teacher is going to give a quiz on last night's reading, or watch TV without trying to pound out a paper at the same time.
Although I'm only a freshman and have not experienced the stress that comes with higher level courses, job interviews, GREs, MCATs and LSATs, I know one thing: stress is contagious.
So for your own sake and for the sake of the people you are around, Spring Break is almost here, enjoy it.
