During the spring semester, students may feel stressed. The time seems to go by faster, midterms pop up out of nowhere and, suddenly, there is less than two months until finals week. Because of this, students look forward to spring break so they can take a moment to slow down.
From Northwestern State University of Louisiana students to faculty, plans for spring break vary. However, they all do have one thing in common: they are ready to spend time away from classes.
“I work almost 10 hours a day and whenever I get home, I have to do my grad school,” Noah Frederick, graduate assistant and the strength and conditioning coach for football, volleyball and soccer, said. “I’m really excited to get a full week off from being here so I’m not at work, and it’s good to focus on my own self.”
Like many others on campus, Frederick stays extremely busy throughout the weeks. With a break coming up and more time to himself, he plans to visit home.
“Mostly, I’ll hang out with my family, work on some schoolwork and hopefully eat some crawfish,” Frederick said. “I’m most excited to see my mom and my friends.”
Spending time back home is a common activity for students over the break. They take the time to visit family, but also the places they only find at home.
“Me and my friends go downtown to hit this sushi restaurant my friend works at, go to some bars and have some fun,” Frederick said.
While Frederick has a loosely planned break, some have more of a schedule.
“I usually don’t have spring break plans, but this will be my first time going to Italy,” Jordan Bevels, a junior at NSU with a major in music business, said.
Bevels most enjoys traveling, and spring break is the perfect opportunity to pursue journeys he has been wanting to go on.
“I plan on visiting the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Catacombs; I also plan on trying all of the Italian food I can,” Bevels said.
Spring break is the perfect opportunity for people to reconnect with one another. In addition to sightseeing and eating, Bevels will be meeting a friend who used to live in the same town as him.
Hanna Walton and Kam Landry, both students at NSU with majors in psychology, have been going to school together since middle school and have been dating since their junior year of high school. With this, the breaks from classes give them a chance to spend more time together.
“For the beginning of spring break, we plan on working extra hours while there are no classes, but on Easter weekend, we plan on traveling home together,” Walton said. “I am most excited to eat the food from further south because it feels homier than the food here, but also to see my family–especially my nieces and nephew.”
Although students enjoy their time at NSU, some things are just better at home. Unlike when one is on campus or in a class, being home lets people celebrate festivities with family.
“We will be a part of two-family dinners, play a couple board games with the middle aged family members and, depending on the weather, we may have an egg hunt for the younger kids in our families.”
For some students, the Easter holiday is the main event of their spring break; some students even refer to spring break as Easter break. Especially as families get together after time away from classes allows for unity and growth within relationships,
“It will be nice to not have to focus on homework,” Walton said.
Spring break unites everyone on campus for a moment of fresh air. Whether it’s visiting families, going on vacations or simply taking a moment to relax, this period of stillness gives all students the opportunity to breathe before the end of the semester.
