Spring has sprung at the University of Rochester! After a surprising cold turn late in the fall semester which followed us into the new year, the sky is blue, the days are longer, and the student body has returned to its favorite warm-weather hangout spot: Eastman Quad. But before Rochester spring, there was Spring Break: a whole week, smack-dab in the middle of the semester to rest, relax, and rejuvenate. Since I’m a graduating senior, I thought I’d give all of you figuring out your college decisions a sneak peek into the beautiful land of collegiate spring break, and share the various choices and trips I’ve made over my four years. But I’m still in break mode, so we’re going to make it fun with a game of Would You Rather?
- Returning Home… or New Adventures?
If you’re close to your family and haven’t seen them since your last holiday break, home is the natural destination for your week of freedom. Sleep in your childhood bedroom again, pet your dog, eat dinner with your parents and siblings: it’s all very tempting. On the other hand, if you’re an upstate NY local and make regular trips home, you might be feeling antsy to see the world beyond our little corner of the States. What’s more, somehow our break never lines up with the other schools my friends are at, so getting your hometown crew back together for the usual malarkey might have to wait for summer. If you have the will and the resources, you could truly go anywhere! (Although I would recommend trying to keep your travel time no longer than eight hours, you only get a week after all..)
- Traveling far… or Staying Close?
Despite being kind of in the middle of nowhere, Rochester has great options nearby. Ok, Syracuse and Buffalo are right there, but when you’ve grown up in a big city like me, Rochester is (very affectionately) a smaller ecosystem than I’m used to. With that being said, it’s been an ideal college environment, but sometimes you want to travel! If driving is your preferred mode of transportation, hop on I-90 in either direction to get to Albany, Buffalo or New York City. Toronto is also just around the lake, and scenic Niagara Falls is on your way! My junior year spring break, I took the train from Rochester straight to Toronto and spent a few days walking around the city and seeing the sights. The architecture is beautiful, there’s so much to do, and it’s very walkable! For a shorter day trip, I recently visited Niagara-on-the-Lake, a picturesque little town just past the falls, which also boasts the Shaw Repertory Theatre Festival for arts enthusiasts, and a bunch of wineries. Canada is also a popular destination for underclassmen, since the legal drinking age is 19 in most provinces. By all means, DO NOT go crazy in a foreign city, but enjoy the experiences you find! If you’re looking to stay in the states, I have friends who’ve rented out a cabin together in the Adirondacks and had a wonderful time :))
- Late Nights… or Long Naps?
Let’s be real: by March, you’re either really tired or really busy, or both. A week of no morning classes is the ideal time to catch up on sleep. But I can also understand the urge to let loose and party a little! However, to be fully realistic, we have to acknowledge that you may have homework and exams shortly after spring break: I want to say that two out of my four breaks have involved studying for midterms, and all have involved reading scientific papers. One of the biggest life lessons that you’ll learn in college is to prioritize your health, so if staying in your dorm and sleeping for most of the week makes the most sense, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Sophomore year, I stayed on campus and worked full time in the Admissions office: I got to make money AND sleep ten hours a night! It may not be the break you dreamed of, but your body (and your wallet) will thank you later. And there’s still the two weekends immediately preceding and following to party a little…
- Big City… or Scenic Views?
With Rochester being an intermediate point between city and nature, you can escape in either direction! If you’re of the beach persuasion, head to Miami and relish the nightlife. Tropical islands are another popular undergraduate destination—just make sure you book your flights before the prices get too crazy. New York City is also just a (long) train ride away if you want to experience the hustle and bustle of the biggest metropolis in the States! Do student rush to get discounted tickets at a Broadway show, visit the Museum of Natural History or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or just frolic down the avenues and explore little eateries. Protip: make a friend who grew up in the city and crash at their place to avoid crazy hotel costs. Looking for nature? Letchworth, the ‘Grand Canyon of the East’ is only an hour’s drive away, and the Finger Lakes are in our backyard!
- Big Group… or Close Friends Only?
Assuming you want to plan a trip, the question now becomes who to plan it with. In some regards, you are limited by practicality: do you want to have to call two cars every time you need to go anywhere as a group? How big and complicated do you want the planning group chat to be? Personally, crowds larger than six people tend to tire me out after a bit. For the two spring break trips that I’ve taken (which were during my last two years), I went to Toronto with one person and Daytona Beach, FL, with three other people. It really depends on the friends you have, and your collective ability to organize anything: coordinating eight different flight schedules sounds like my personal hell. Think about your friendships: who do you trust to have your back abroad? Who do you want to keep in your life forever? The beloved friends with whom I went to Florida all had the same spring break idea as me: pool, beach, read, tan, and sleep, and that is exactly what we did. And now, we’re already planning for yearly get-together trips after we graduate!
Best of luck with your college decisions! No matter where you end up, you will have four years of friendship, discovery, and spring breaks to live life to the fullest <3