Friday, March 12, 2010
Maybe the spring break trip to South Padre Island, Cancun or Panama City didn’t pan out this year. It’s possible you could find yourself retreating to your hometown or staying in Lawrence for break. If you don’t want to spend your time attending mom’s craft festivals or Town X’s home and garden show, that’s where I come in. Rather than lamenting through your friend’s hourly photo album updates from Florida this break, the third week of March has several quality activities that anyone without a vacation can enjoy (besides, everyone knows that Panama City is the Nickelback of spring break destinations: Overdone and overrated). In no particular order:
NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, first and second rounds (Thursday-Sunday): In high school, I used to bring a tiny black-and-white television to school to catch the afternoon slate of games. That’s no longer needed, as CBS shows most of the games from late morning until well into the night. The top seed Jayhawks will be getting a guaranteed game on either Thursday or Friday; before we can enjoy another “Mario’s Miracle,” we’ll have to start here. Also, fill out a money bracket before the games begin so that the “Southeastern Virginia Academy of Sciences A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman-Jackson-Rodriguez Institute of Technology” game becomes a little more intriguing.
Read a book not named “Twilight” or “Dear John”: Yes, it turns out there are books out there that aren’t written by Stephanie Meyer and Nicholas Sparks. Now that I’ve effectively angered 98 percent of my female readers, let me say that I know reading is probably the last thing students want to do during spring break. However, it’s different when Ernest Hemingway or Cormac McCarthy tell the story. If there’s been a book that someone has been recommending for a long time, use the break to at least start it. Take this time to pick up a classic novel and forget about that research paper. Just a few books to consider are McCarthy’s “The Road” or “Blood Meridian,” Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five,” or Jack Keroauc’s “On the Road.” Finally, if a full novel seems too daunting for only a week’s break, consider “The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway,” which is a nice alternative to hundreds of pages.
Do something outside- I used to dread these words when I was a fat little kid, but now they are a relief to hear after a snowy winter. If it’s possible, take a bike ride through some familiar country or a nearby city, reconnect with old friends with a golf outing or simply relax on a patio. And while physical relaxation is a nice benefit from the week, perhaps the more important area of concern is resting the mind. Although many students do this activity in the balcony of Budig 120, it’s still something everyone should try to do during break. After all, finals and exit projects will be here soon upon the return to school.
— Boultinghouse is a sophomore from Girard in history and journalism.
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