In my four years at Gannon University, spring break has normally turned into a “staycation.” This year is no different.
I never took the stereotypical trip to Myrtle Beach, Cancun, the Bahamas or any other warm/tropical paradise. I normally just go home and spend the week doing next to nothing, and quite honestly, I prefer it that way.
Now, you may be thinking, “Why the heck would you go home if you could go somewhere warm and fun?” At least I thought that for many years.
I say I prefer it mainly because being a college student oftentimes means juggling a lot of responsibilities at the same time. It’s exhausting.
Not that going somewhere else wouldn’t be a nice break, but planning the trip, traveling and completing a list of activities wears you out most days.
Not to mention traveling, lodging and having fun can be pretty expensive sometimes, but even without the money issue, I would be exhausted by the end of the week and then I’d have to come back to school.
With my staycation at home, aside from the days I have to work, I can usually just go home watch Netflix and try to entertain the puppy when he gets bored.
Sometimes, my family will make the extravagant excursion down to Pittsburgh to visit my brother, but apart from that, we usually don’t stray outside of Erie County.
Plus, staying home gives me a couple of benefits that I wouldn’t get at a beach in Maui. For one, my grandmother’s birthday usually falls in the week of spring break. I really don’t get to see her that much, so I’m sure she appreciates me coming by and eating most of her birthday cake.
That last part may just be what I like to tell myself.
Branching from that, I get to see family and friends that I normally don’t see during the school year. Though I joke about running up my mom’s grocery bill, I know she enjoys seeing me for a week every once in a while, and my brother tolerates me for the most part.
Most of my friends are functional adults, so they understand that I just get really busy, but I realize how much I miss them when I do get to spend some time with them.
Of course, I can’t forget everyone’s best friend, the puppy. Sammy is always so excited to see me whenever I come home because now, he’ll have someone to put up with his antics whenever my mom is at work. Lucky me.
Lastly, I get to have my hair done. Call me weird, but when I find one place in my price range that can cut and style my hair the way I like it, I stick with it. I don’t want to take the risk of getting my hair done somewhere else, not liking it and being overcharged.
So while some may say that just going home over break is incredibly boring, I say it’s one of the best ways to spend my spring break.
KHADIJA DJELLOULI
