Whether you spent time catching rays on the beach, exploring an unknown city or chilling at home, spring break is an important time to separate yourself from the pressures of the semester.
We reached out to NKU students to find out how they spent their well-deserved time off.
Sophomore Rachel Longbrake escaped the dull Kentucky scene and fled to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. She made the most of her trip exploring all the magical places in Disney.
“My favorite park was Epcot. It is always my favorite, and they had a Festival of Flowers, so they had a whole bunch of flower fields and characters made out of floral arrangements. They even had my favorite, “Beauty and the Beast,” with my favorite characters Lumiere and Cogsworth. It was very beautiful,” said Longbrake.
Longbrake spoke on the positive effects she feels spring break has on students’ mental health.
“It is easier to push through midterms when you know you have a break the next week,” she said. “It’s easy to get really congested in your head with material and just a whole bunch of assignments you need to do. So knowing you have a break is a nice way to refresh before you come back.”
Senior Scott Sollberger spent his time on the beaches of Destin, Fla. He expressed his love for the warm weather and the liberating feelings of ditching the stuffy, winter clothes.
Sollberger said he needed the break to “not have to worry about school or work for a week.”
He highlighted the relief the trip brought as he was able to kick back and relax on the beach.
In anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day, senior Abby Fessler spent her time in Chicago, Ill witnessing the long-held tradition of dyeing the Chicago River green to kick off the holiday weekend.
“There’s no place quite like Chicago when it comes to celebrating this iconic holiday and I was lucky enough to experience it firsthand,” she said.
Despite the lively streets of Chicago, Fessler found her trip relaxing and rewarding.
“It helped with stress and burnout. I get to come back for the second half of the semester rested and energized for one last push until summer break,” she said.
Excited to take a break from her responsibilities, AOII President Alyssa McCrystal enjoyed time with family in her hometown of Frankfort, Ky before heading off to Hilton Head Beach, S.C., with some hometown friends.
“For the first week of spring break, I stayed home in Frankfort and did absolutely nothing. I just caught up with my friends, my family and my boyfriend,” McCrystal said.
A much-needed family time turned into another week of laying out on the beach with friends, enjoying a break from Kentucky’s unpredictable weather.
“We were on the beach all day and it was very lovely. It was cooler and it wasn’t too hot, but the water was freezing, so we did not indulge in the ocean,” she said
Sophomore Maya Reis spent her time away from school visiting family in New Fairfield, Conn. and exploring New York City.
“My favorite part of my break was shopping in the city and spending time with my grandma,” Reis said.
Many students chose to experience a relaxing getaway, while others utilized their time differently.
Senior Colton Phillips chose spring break as an opportunity to pick up more hours at his job at a bar. With the refreshing spring weather and fast-approaching holiday weekend, he knew the week would bring good business.
“I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to make as much money as possible,” Phillips said.
NKU students returned on Monday from the week-long break to finish out the rest of the semester. The semester officially ends on May 9.