Student blog: 4-step guide to a relaxing spring break

Spring break season is finally upon us. College students across America have been gearing up for this special week for a while. The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility and The BACCHUS Initiatives of NASPA have also been raising awareness on how to make sure these spring breakers are safe. We know media coverage tends to shine a negative light on spring break, but through the #LeadTheBreak Instagram Contest students all across the nation are showing that students across the nation are spending spring break constructively and responsibly. Below is a guest blog from Sarah Devitt, a student at  Saginaw Valley State University, in which she provides her peers with great tips on how to spend spring break this year!

Exams. Work. Homework. Extracurricular activities. The list goes on with what college students do on a day to day basis. We fill up our time with so many different things we forget to take a breather and some time for ourselves, which is why spring break is so highly anticipated by this point in the semester. The much needed time off allows us to recharge our batteries and get some much needed “me time.” It’s nice to have fun over spring break, but it’s even more important to be responsible while doing so. I have four unique things you can do over spring break that will only make you return to the semester feeling better than ever.

1. Volunteer. With the free time you have for the week dedicate a few hours to volunteer at a local animal shelter, homeless shelter, park, etc. You not only get to help the community you live in, but you also will get this enormous sense of gratification. It feels good to help people!
2. Read a book (for fun). During the semester we read a lot. Textbooks, study guides, notecards. But this break I encourage you to pick up that novel you’ve been hearing everyone talk about, but just haven’t had the time to read yet. Reading allows you to enter the world of the book and allows you to temporarily forget about all your worries because you’re so focused on the worries of the main character. Reading is a huge stress reliever and it feels awesome when you finish a good book.
3. Learn a new recipe. Find a meal you’ve been meaning to learn how to cook and do it! Cooking in itself is calming and learning that new recipe will help you later as well. When you come back from break you’ll already know how to make that recipe after a long day of class. You can also impress your roommates/friends with this newly learned skill.
4. Watch two movies in one day. It’s hard to get caught up on all the great movies that have come out recently so why not watch two while you have time? Call up a friend and dedicate the day to watching new movies, filling up on popcorn, and enjoying time with your friend. This will be even better to do during a rainy day (or snowy depending on where you live).  Bonus points if it’s a comedy. Laughing (in my opinion) is the best stress reducer there is.

There is so much more you can do with your break that will not only be productive to you, but fun too! You can visit museums, spend time with family, or practice your favorite sport. Explore and find ways you can have fun this break, but be mindful of your actions. Everything you do will have an effect so be sure it’s going to affect you in a positive way. Don’t do something over break that is going to come back with you this semester that’s going to cause even more stress than when you left for break. Remember, have fun, be safe, be productive, and lead the break!

*The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) or any Responsibility.org member.*