As the weeks pass by, there is nothing that can come any quicker than spring break. With all of the cold wind and weather that has been hitting our faces these past couple of days, there isn’t anything in the world that I want more than spring break. What could possibly sound better than the hot sun on our faces, our toes in the sand and the beautiful scenery of open water? So, in honor of spring break approaching rather quickly, here are the four stages every college student goes through to prepare for one of the best weeks of the year.
1. The idea
By far one of the biggest steps on the journey to spring break is the initial planning stage. It all starts with the simple idea of “I need to get out of here in order to actually make it to May.” This may be a completely different story if you go to school in places such as Florida or California, but with those of us stuck in the cold and snow, something has got to get us through the last couple months of school.
2. Coordination
Getting as many people to go along with your little scheme in order to knock the price down as low as possible is a necessity. As a college student, living life on your own is enough of a problem--let alone adding in a nice little trip along the way. So in light of that, one of the most important parts in getting a group together is finding the cheapest flight (or convincing your parents to let you use their car), hotel, and saving as much money as possible in order. After all, we have to still be able to afford our lives after the week in paradise is over.
3. Shopping
There is no doubt that one of the best stages when getting ready for spring break is the shopping process. Even before the flight is booked and you have a place to stay, there is nothing stopping us from going to the mall. After scavenging through our entire closet, most of us find that everything we bought last year just isn’t going to cut it for our new vacation. With this in mind, it works out perfectly when you find that a new swimsuit or wardrobe is just what you need to begin your travels.
4. Reality
When the real world sets in during this whole process, spring break can either be a marvelous thing or a deflated dream. On one hand, everything could have fallen right into place, and you will soon be traveling with all of your friends on a spectacular vacation. This means you can all finally switch your Sorel Boots and North Face parkas for flip flops and swimming suits. On the other hand, if all falls through, what was once a fantasy will turn into a nightmare when you find out that all your spring break will consist of is staying home and scrolling through pictures of everyone else on vacation.
