Not All UMD Students Will Get Tanned After Spring Break

Spring break is considered one of the few school holidays that most college students look forward to during the year. During that week, campuses will be closed and a lot of students will be traveling away to escape the cold or to visit their loved ones.

A news release published on February 2, 2015 on Orbitz Worldwide stated that “55 percent of college students are planning to travel for Spring Break this year, with Las Vegas, Cancun and Punta Cana topping the list of the hottest destinations, according to the latest booking and survey data from CheapTickets.com.” Other famous traveling spots include Puerto Rico, San Diego, and some cities in Florida like Miami, Fort Myers, Daytona Beach etc.

Spending Spring Break Studying Abroad Broadens One’s Perspective and Worldview

Heading to the South to enjoy some breathtaking white sand beaches while having some fresh coconuts would be nice. But this is not the case for Tong Wu.

Wu, a Junior at the University of Maryland, is excited for the trip because she believes that the experience will broaden her horizon and teach her how to become a more caring and empathetic person.

Moreover, not only because of her personal interest in traveling and Japanese culture, Wu decides to join the "Terps to Tohoku" program because it helps to fulfill one of her major requirements.

Location Doesn’t Matter, But What Matters the Most is Being Able to Spend Some Quality Time with Friends 

Like Wu, Victoria Taroudaki, a doctoral candidate enrolled in the Applied Mathematics & Statistics, and Scientific Computation PHD Program at the University of Maryland, decides to stay in the Northeast and have some fun time with her friends over the break.

“Family is good, but I’m going to see someone else that I admire who helps me throughout the process of my school,” Taroudaki added.

As a devout Orthodox Christian, another to-do list for Taroudaki is to go to the church to join the Sunday services.

“I meet other Greek people there and we socialize, it’s more like a cultural thing.” For her, it’s worth it to join the services consistently as she feels more comfortable when she can be around with people who have the same background as her.

While having some relaxing time is a reward to herself for coping with the tough schoolwork, Taroudaki never forgets about the need to focus on her studies.  After visiting Pittsburg, Taroudaki will spend the rest of the break studying at home and exploring the nearby Washington D.C.  March is an ideal time of the year to celebrate the National Cherry Blossom Festival by the Tidal Basin, visit numerous museums and watch performances at the Kennedy Center.

Students Use Spring Break to Start Job Hunting 

However, some students might utilize the week to plan for their future.

“I need a job before I graduate in May. I don’t have money and I don’t have the time to waste,” said Wenjin Chung, an Economics student from the University of Maryland.

Besides giving herself two days off to visit the National Harbor in Baltimore, Md., Chung said she is going to spend the rest of her break searching and applying for a full-time job.

Though a week might seem short, students still get to take some breath from the stressful semester and do something that they deem is meaningful.