As springtime nears, many students are preparing for spring break. With spring break being the last break of the year before summer break, many students are taking the opportunity to catch up with family and friends or just preparing for the last months of the 2024-2025 school year.
“Me and my family are actually going to Arizona to spend time with family and to just stay there for a little bit where it’s warm,” said junior Shawn Waters.
While many students spend their spring breaks traveling to see loved ones, some take the chance to enjoy new experiences away from home. This can allow students to have more time to help communities and explore new cultures.
“I’m planning on just staying home because it’s my birthday, but the second week I am going to Guatemala for a mission trip. This is my first mission trip and my first time to Guatemala. I’m most anticipating getting to help others by building houses for people less fortunate, and just getting to spend time with my friends,” said senior Jennifer Osborn.
Some are gearing up for trips offering opportunities for service and personal reflection, whereas others are excited to venture on trips blending education with exploration. Floyd Central’s theater department is embarking on an exploration of Greece this spring.
“I will be in Greece on the theater trip. There’s a bunch of us in the theater department that are going. We’re just going to go spend—I think it’s 10 days exploring Greece. We’re going to go to Athens and a whole bunch of other places and see some islands and learn more about theater. I’m most anticipating just getting to go. I’m so excited,” said junior Peyton Wyatt.
These upcoming trips range from immersive cultural experiences to long-awaited opportunities to explore new places and future possibilities.
“I’m going to Washington D.C. for like five days. I’m excited because my eighth-grade D.C. trip got canceled in middle school, so I’m excited to kind of do that trip instead. So going to see the monuments and I’m going to go look at some colleges while I’m there—George Washington University and Georgetown University,” said sophomore Zoe Reinhart.
Of course, while so many students get away and see new places, many take spring break as an opportunity to take a rest from the busy school schedule at home.
“Obviously, I like spring break. I get away from school for a little bit, but I feel like there’s nothing really special about it. I’m probably just going to stay home the whole time, just with family. Civil activities, nothing major,” said freshman Ava Koehler.
Spring break can be a time to relax with family. However, this year, the weather has reduced the break time to one week, causing mixed feelings amongst the student population.
“I’m sad [about spring break being shortened] because now I have to go to school on my birthday, but as a senior, I’m just happy that I get another week to spend with my friends at school,” said Osborn.
Still, while some are grateful for the opportunity to spend extra time with friends during school hours, a good few are saddened about the newly shortened break.
“I’m a little upset [about spring break being shortened]. I feel like we definitely could have taken those days and done it online instead of just straight-up snow days. But it is what it is,” said Waters.
The shortened break is not only frustrating due to extra time in school, but so many students now have to make up work as a result of already scheduled travel plans.
“Honestly, [the week taken off spring break] makes me anxious, because now it’s like, I’m going to have all this work to make up before, or even on the trip. It’s a little annoying, but it is what it is,” said Wyatt.
The return from spring break is oftentimes predicted to be the final stretch of the school year, which can be a motivating factor. Simultaneously, students explain how the last quarter of the year can be a stressful time academically, with classes gearing up for finals.
“I’m a little sad [about the break being shortened], not gonna lie, I wanted the two weeks. Usually, coming back after spring break is pretty easy, but that’s when I have to buckle down and study. You’re like waiting for the end of the year, you only have two months after spring break, just trying to get through it,” said Reinhardt.
Anticipating the fourth quarter is a time for students to focus on school and create more desire to finish out the school year academically. To other students, people are counting down the days until the year is over and can look back and reflect on who they are and the future that is ahead of them.
“I think the transition back is one of the easier ones because the final quarter is the shortest, and you’re in the final stretch, you just have to get through the last few weeks, so I think it’s the easiest,” said Koehler. I’m excited going into the fourth quarter. My first year of high school will be over once it’s finished, and it’ll just be a new year. A new everything.”