Many college students look forward to spring break as a time for relaxing at home or traveling to tropical vacation spots.
But for 30 Boston University students, spring break was a chance to volunteer, whether they were teaching middle school students about finances and college in North Carolina, renovating an arts center in Maine or monitoring wildlife in a national forest in Illinois.
Having the freedom to do nothing for seven days is a luxury. Being able to live in peace for a week is a privilege that we shouldn't forget to acknowledge. With our hectic lives in college, we should allow ourselves grace with a chance to just catch our breath. And at the end of the week, when the question, "What did you do during spring break?" comes around, it's perfectly fine to shrug and say, "Nothing much."
For those who decide to go on vacations, it's exciting to travel with new friends and explore new destinations on a college student's budget.
This “budget” often includes cheap flights to affordable locations. Unfortunately, our itineraries have lasting effects that we as tourists often don’t take into consideration—ones that are not plain and simple.
During spring break, two Boston University students traveled to Tijuana, Mexico with Associate Professor of the Practice Shannon Dooling to report on the impacts of new immigration policies. The group focused specifically on how the change affected asylum-seeking processes among migrants in Tijuana.
I made it a mission to explore some of the best eats in the city. From scrumptious lobster rolls to fluffy pancakes, each eatery that I tried had something amazing to offer.
In your hometown, you can’t even go to the grocery store without running into someone who knows your mom. But on spring break? You’re just another face in the crowd of frat bros, beach bums and vacationers who will never cross your path again. What happens on the beach stays on the beach — or so they tell themselves.
Whether you're traveling somewhere warm, heading home or staying in Boston, I want to encourage everyone — no matter how busy you might still be — to take spring break as an opportunity to do the same as me and take some time for yourself. I’ve picked some relaxing songs with spring vibes to get into that fresh start and warmer weather mindset.
Maybe I’ll wake up without an alarm, make a good breakfast, take a relaxing bath and tick off things from my spring break bucket list. Of course, there will be moments where I’ll wish I was home, but I’ll remind myself that I’ll be okay. And above all, I’ll take it one day at a time.
There’s no way to adequately describe the pure bliss of sipping a Cuban coffee. You’ve just got to try it. My first sip was at this little mom and pop shop just around the corner from Enrique’s place. The sweet, old couple that ran it stood behind the counter catching up with Enrique in Spanish. The old man handed Enrique a styrofoam cup of liquid and four tiny, empty cups for sharing. Enrique thanked him, calling him “Campeón” as he walked to meet us at the table that my parents and I had grabbed in the corner.
After searching multiple Parisian fashion guides, including Conde Nast’s “What to Wear in Paris, According to French Fashion Designer Jeanne Damas,” I decided my best move would be to find a good pair of jeans or a pair of comfortable cargos with an oversized sweater. So, I decided to venture out into Boston to find a new pair of “go-to” traveling pants.
