Making the Most of Your Spring Break
While rites and rituals surrounding the arrival of spring go back to ancient days, our collective concept of “epic” vacations away from it all are relatively modern. But not everyone can swing an epic spring break every year.
Some years it’s a bliss-filled week spent on a beach, some years it’s a “staycation.” But it doesn’t have to mean boring. There are many ways to spend your week away from the stress and expectation. Read below to see a few suggestion for spring time fun that is closer to home and easier to afford.
Beach umbrellas. Photo: dlewis33/Getty Images
Be a Tourist in Your Own City
Think of the kinds of places you would visit if you were in another city – landmarks, museums, historical sites, state parks, amusement parks, sporting events, or a live performance. Choose an activity that you either haven’t experienced or haven’t visited since you were a child. Try to view it through fresh eyes, paying close attention to any new features or programming.
Visit your city’s Chamber of Commerce for ideas. Sign up for a walking tour and learn some history. Find the tallest building and see if there is an observation floor and take a good look around. Or change it up, dig a little deeper and find some “hidden gems” around town.
Lend a Hand
There are many organizations that schedule special volunteering opportunities around spring break. Volunteers can help rebuild communities destroyed by natural disaster, work in communities combating poverty, or help to beautify our country. Habitat for Humanity offers a Collegiate Challenge program where groups of five help build homes in one of the 90 countries where Habitat works. The United Way sponsors a conference in our nation’s capital focuses on STEM education, combating human trafficking and woman leadership. The Sierra Club offers work in improving national parks. There are hundreds of opportunities available. Search the United Way Web site, the Break A Difference organization, or the Projects Abroad or Global Citizens Web sites (if you can afford to go overseas) to get inspired.
Relax to the Max
You’ve worked hard, reward your yourself. Go to a spa and get a massage, book a night in a hotel with a pool or Jacuzzi, or hit the road and get yourself lost on some backroads. Take a yoga class, or learn to meditate. On a budget? Go online and find some DIY ways to pamper yourself at home. String up a hammock in your back yard and dream the day away. Or use your time to get fully immersed in a epic story or movie.