First-Year Student Journals : Katie : Journal 11

Top Five Things to Do Over Spring Break

Catch up on school work (this actually never happens).

Catch up on sleep (this will happen to the point that you’re ahead on sleep).

Take an interesting or not-so-interesting vacation (El Salvador, Big Bend, your house, whatever).

Talk about doing something constructive but spend more time coming up with creative excuses as to why you shouldn’t participate in said constructive activity (hey, at least you’re thinking, right?).

Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

What Spring Break Is Good For

At the beginning of the year, almost everyone has some grand scheme or plan for making their spring break the best ever! It usually involves a big group of people and a road trip or plane trip to some place that will be crowded with other college spring breakers. I, personally, have never seen the fascination behind crowded beaches with freely flowing alcohol and girls dressed in barely anything.

But that’s just me.

I attempted planning a short road trip in the Texas Hill Country. Kerrville, Fredericksburg, maybe San Antonio. That was highly unsuccessful, but only because it didn’t happen. But it was a good plan, anyway.

Instead, I went up to Wichita Falls with my boyfriend Lyn for the first half of spring break and then went home to Houston for the second half of spring break. (For those of you who don’t know where Wichita Falls is, it’s about an hour or so drive from the Oklahoma state line, slightly northwest of Austin.) That was a good time. I was able to meet some of his aunts and a cousin and his poodles.

Then, on Tuesday, Lyn drove me back to Austin so that I could drive to Houston, where I would spend the remainder of my spring break. That was busy! And, silly me, I actually thought that I might get some actual school work done. Really, what was I thinking? I was dead wrong.

Anyway, on Wednesday, my mom, sister, brother and his friend went to the zoo. We were initially thinking that it might rain and put the kabash on our plans, but it ended up being a really lovely afternoon. Thursday was Vatican exhibit day at the Museum of Natural Sciences (the Vatican is putting on this exhibit in only three cities in the United States: Houston, Cincinatti and one in Florida, although I cannot remember which one). That was really interesting. There are tons of interesting artifacts and items that are stored away in the Vatican and it’s really amazing how lush and rich everything is. There were ceremonial robes that were embroidered in gold! It was actually rather informative, as far as the history of the location on St. Peter’s burial site and its current construction as well as the history of certain rituals.

Friday I spent with my grandparents. My grandmother and I went shopping and then enjoyed a nice lunch with my grandfather at a little bistro. I learned all sorts of interesting facts about the family history. On Saturday, my mom had the family over for dinner and I got to see my aunts, uncles and cousins, which was nice. Then Sunday afternoon I headed back to Austin.

In a nutshell, that was my spring break. I didn’t come back with a tan or any really interesting stories to tell, but I did come back with home-cooked food, and that’s really the most important part.

I talked to several people about their spring breaks, and while, for the most part, everyone had an enjoyable break, I found that those who were happiest and most relaxed were those who essentially spent the break at home, lounging around and not doing much of anything. So while spring break is typically viewed as a scene from “Girls Gone Wild,” it really isn’t necessary to get a sunburn and do something crazy for that week off from school. Sometimes, the best break you will get is just going home and sleeping, either to catch up or get ahead.

And the most important thing to remember, you will NOT be doing any school work. You might think it will happen, and you might want it to happen, but unless you desperately need to do work to catch up in a class you’re doing poorly in, please please please leave the books at school! That way, you can relax and come back refreshed and better able to do your school work. It’s not like you’re going to want to do it anyway, so you might as well make the most of it and enjoy the week off.



	Katie \| Profile \| Reflections \| Journal 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Fall 2002 \| Home
	Top Five Things to Do Over Spring Break Catch up on school work (this actually never happens). Catch up on sleep (this will happen to the point that you’re ahead on sleep). Take an interesting or not-so-interesting vacation (El Salvador, Big Bend, your house, whatever). Talk about doing something constructive but spend more time coming up with creative excuses as to why you shouldn’t participate in said constructive activity (hey, at least you’re thinking, right?). Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. What Spring Break Is Good For At the beginning of the year, almost everyone has some grand scheme or plan for making their spring break the best ever! It usually involves a big group of people and a road trip or plane trip to some place that will be crowded with other college spring breakers. I, personally, have never seen the fascination behind crowded beaches with freely flowing alcohol and girls dressed in barely anything. But that’s just me. I attempted planning a short road trip in the Texas Hill Country. Kerrville, Fredericksburg, maybe San Antonio. That was highly unsuccessful, but only because it didn’t happen. But it was a good plan, anyway. Instead, I went up to Wichita Falls with my boyfriend Lyn for the first half of spring break and then went home to Houston for the second half of spring break. (For those of you who don’t know where Wichita Falls is, it’s about an hour or so drive from the Oklahoma state line, slightly northwest of Austin.) That was a good time. I was able to meet some of his aunts and a cousin and his poodles. Then, on Tuesday, Lyn drove me back to Austin so that I could drive to Houston, where I would spend the remainder of my spring break. That was busy! And, silly me, I actually thought that I might get some actual school work done. Really, what was I thinking? I was dead wrong. Anyway, on Wednesday, my mom, sister, brother and his friend went to the zoo. We were initially thinking that it might rain and put the kabash on our plans, but it ended up being a really lovely afternoon. Thursday was Vatican exhibit day at the Museum of Natural Sciences (the Vatican is putting on this exhibit in only three cities in the United States: Houston, Cincinatti and one in Florida, although I cannot remember which one). That was really interesting. There are tons of interesting artifacts and items that are stored away in the Vatican and it’s really amazing how lush and rich everything is. There were ceremonial robes that were embroidered in gold! It was actually rather informative, as far as the history of the location on St. Peter’s burial site and its current construction as well as the history of certain rituals. Friday I spent with my grandparents. My grandmother and I went shopping and then enjoyed a nice lunch with my grandfather at a little bistro. I learned all sorts of interesting facts about the family history. On Saturday, my mom had the family over for dinner and I got to see my aunts, uncles and cousins, which was nice. Then Sunday afternoon I headed back to Austin. In a nutshell, that was my spring break. I didn’t come back with a tan or any really interesting stories to tell, but I did come back with home-cooked food, and that’s really the most important part. I talked to several people about their spring breaks, and while, for the most part, everyone had an enjoyable break, I found that those who were happiest and most relaxed were those who essentially spent the break at home, lounging around and not doing much of anything. So while spring break is typically viewed as a scene from “Girls Gone Wild,” it really isn’t necessary to get a sunburn and do something crazy for that week off from school. Sometimes, the best break you will get is just going home and sleeping, either to catch up or get ahead. And the most important thing to remember, you will NOT be doing any school work. You might think it will happen, and you might want it to happen, but unless you desperately need to do work to catch up in a class you’re doing poorly in, please please please leave the books at school! That way, you can relax and come back refreshed and better able to do your school work. It’s not like you’re going to want to do it anyway, so you might as well make the most of it and enjoy the week off.