It's that time of the year again when we college students finally get a break from what seemed like the longest weeks of midterms, on top of midterms, on top of midterms. The time has arrived, our cravings have finally been met and we are happy to dive into our spring break plans and not look back (or at least until we have to).
Many students have loaded up their cars, grabbed their long road trip snacks, bumped up their music and are well on their way out of Arizona. However, some students have boarded buses, trains and planes to escape to their destinations. Or maybe, you fall into the category of students who are taking the relaxation route and staying home for the break; either way, you are enjoying your own "sweet escape."
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So, yes, it is spring break, but the real question is: How are the students of Arizona State spending their time off? Are they living it up on the beaches of far away islands, dancing the night away in sin city, setting up camp somewhere under the stars or volunteering in a foreign country? Well, maybe all of the above and maybe so much more.
I wanted to find out what students were up to this spring break, so I went back to the basics, and I simply asked people what their plans were, and the results were incredible. Not only did I learn how interesting, adventurous, giving and fun some ASU students are, but I also gathered the information that shows how diverse this campus is. Further, how this campus is made up of unique people who live such different lives and have such different personalities, but that somehow, we all coexist here in our ASU world, and it works. Maybe it's reaching a little, but it reminds me no matter how different you think you are, or you do this versus everyone who does that, you still belong.
Now, back to the ways in which students are spending their time off. One of the biggest travel destinations over spring break is Mexico, AKA Rocky Point. I can't even begin to explain how many people I know who are going there because I have simply lost track, and this number includes my friends and myself. Another popular travel spot is California; basically, any place with a pretty sunset and a beach. After talking to students, I learned the places to visit are: Palm Springs, Orange County, Disneyland (the happiest place on earth), Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, La Jolla Beach, Coronado Beach, San Francisco and LA (to be a total tourist and maybe spot a celeb). Other students, however, are taking more of the scenic route with backpacking trips to Zion National Park, Grand Canyon and camping in Flagstaff and Pinetop.
Still, there are some ASU students who aren't going out of town for the fun of it and just for their own sake. A group of sophomores is traveling to San Jose, Costa Rica with International Volunteer Headquarters (IVHQ) on a healthcare trip to work in clinics to give medical access to people who usually live without any. Further, these few students are then giving educational workshops on basic healthcare measures, so the people of San Jose can continue to care for themselves after the volunteer group is gone.
So, as you can see, the students of Arizona State are a lot of things; they are fearless, selfless and they also know how to treat themselves after the hard work they have put into school these past couple of months. No matter what you're doing with your time off, whether it's a grand adventure filled with countless lazy days, I hope you enjoy every second of it.
