Spring break can be a great chance to take a step away from school and relax. However, the question comes up of what the best way to spend the break is. Is it better to travel and get away, or is it better to stay in town and enjoy the time away from school? Of course, everyone will have something different to say to that question, but I have to say I would rather go on vacation.
I love to explore, and vacation can be a great way to do that. I find vacations to be relaxing, as well as exhilarating, and they give me a new setting after staying in Park for the whole school year. Vacations during the spring also help the summer feel very close by, and that can be a hopeful feeling especially with finals and standardized tests around the corner. Vacations help me feel refreshed and relaxed, but despite all the advantages to vacations over spring break, there are also many disadvantages.
Something I’ve realized about taking vacations during the school year is that, in my experience, I feel less motivated when I return to school. The getaway trip causes me to get mentally checked out from school, and I always find myself being super unproductive both on the trip and when I get home. I tell myself that I’m going to get lots of school work done, but always end up getting distracted. Going back to school can be rough too, as it can be hard to adjust back to everyday life and hard to get back into your routines.
On the other hand, I can’t say I’m ever very productive when I’m at home over a break either. The way I see it, whether this is a good mindset or not, is that a break is a break, and I can do my school work at school rather than at home. Traveling helps me fill my days with fun, worthwhile memories, which make me feel less guilty about getting stuff done, whereas at home, I feel like I don’t have any excuses for not being productive.
Another reason why traveling is a great way to spend spring break is because you get to experience new or different places, and that gives you ideas of where you want to live in the future. Over the last year or so, anytime I travel somewhere, I usually try to check out a college or two and record the things I like about the location. This definitely will help me decide what to look for when I’m deciding where I want to live or attend school.
However, vacations can also be time consuming, not to mention expensive, and not everyone finds them relaxing. Despite my love of traveling, I have to admit that it is very relaxing and refreshing to just spend the break in the comfort of my home. I can sleep in, spend time with my family and really just enjoy my down time. Another thing I like about staying home is that it gives me a chance to get things done that I’ve been wanting to do, but just haven’t had time for. It’s also a great time to make plans with friends without having to worry about large amounts of schoolwork or being worn out.
While there are many reasons that both vacations and “staycations” are fun ways to spend spring break, I personally like to travel. I love exploring new places, or visiting places that are special to me. Although vacations can be relaxing, it can also be really nice to just spend time at home. There is really no wrong way to go, as both can be a great escape from the pressure of school and the approaching standardized tests and finals.
