Spring break is typically only a week long, yet so much or so little can happen during it, depending on how you plan it. Back in elementary school and middle school, I remember how everyone used to look forward to spring break. Everyone would compare their wild plans – one kid was going on a cruise to Mexico, but did that beat the kid who was going all the way to Australia?

My family and I would travel to, whether it be somewhere local, or Disneyland, or sometimes, even India. Spring break was a week filled with fun and excitement. Even if we didn’t travel to some exotic location, I would spend time with my friends, with no worries of homework or anything to study for.

As high school came along, it became harder to coordinate schedules, but spring break was still a time to relax. We would still go on day trips and visit the same sights we did over and over again. But it was still fun.

So here I am, finishing spring break as a sophomore in college, and the excitement is so much different than what it used to be. Yes, I was looking forward to spring break because I just wanted to be done with finals, but I was too tired and burnt out from the quarter to travel anywhere. I just wanted to sleep in, eat amazing home-cooked food, and not worry about school. And just spend time with family and maybe some old friends.

Basically, I was looking forward to spending the whole week in my bed at home. I didn’t need to go anywhere or be productive. I mean, it’s called spring break for a reason, right? But the stress of your grades coming in, prepping for the next quarter, and realizing the week is super short creeps up on you. Super fast.

Anyway, my family had planned a vacation for spring break, unbeknownst to me so all my plans to sleep in were put on hold. We visited Los Angeles, something we did often when we were younger, but this time, I had a new appreciation for it. I was finally old enough to remember what I did this time.

My parents both knew Universal Studios by heart, able to recite every single detail of the Studio Tour from memory. I realized the last time I visited Universal was when I was 8 years old, so it was almost like I was visiting the place for the first time, and I loved it. LA is busy, filled with people and bad traffic, as well as pretty stable weather, which is similar to the Bay Area, yet it is so different at the same time. I felt like such a tourist, taking pictures of the sights and roads I have been on numerous times before, but I was truly enjoying myself.

However, like any vacation, it must come to an end. Spring break was short, and much needed. Now back to the craziness and hustle that is called Spring Quarter…