Every year, Buena Vista University (BVU) students look forward to March because while the stress of midterm week sets in, their one true focus is, of course: spring break.

BVU students plan trips to go home and work, or take part in community service trips, and while many students try to figure out what they want to do for spring break, others aren’t sure what to expect during spring break plans.

Spring break in college is new to some, especially first-year students here at BVU. While spring break is right around the corner, students planned trips with their friends, classmates, and peers, and others plan on taking it easy back home.

First-year Digital Media and Human Performance major Guy Tannenbaum, is traveling back home to Las Vegas to relax for his spring break.

“My plans for my first spring break at BVU are to go home, see my family, and my girlfriend, and just have a nice relaxing week to recharge before the last stretch of school before summer,” said Tannenbaum.

Another first-year student majoring in social work and psychology, Annika Kopf,  has minimal plans for spring break, but is excited to see what opportunities the week will bring her.

“I will be spending it with my family at home. My parents barely let me drive to Des Moines without them. But, I’m excited to be back home and see my friends,” said Kopf.

With spring break in the middle of the semester, Kopf says she’s nervous about a memory gap in material.

“I’m afraid of forgetting important information that I learned during the first half of the semester,” Kopf said.

Sometimes missing classes can get overwhelming, and wanting to spend spring break away is what many college students expect. Senior Mathematics and Computer Science major Sarah Mackey, has personal recommendations for first year students looking forward to following spring break weeks in the next three years of college.

“Definitely make the most of your spring break, even if it’s the first. You only get four, and there is so much you can go out and do while you’re young and still living so close to all of your best friends,” said Mackey. “It’s totally okay to spend a little bit of time at home, you really just want to make sure that whatever you do with your break refreshes enough to power through the rest of the semester.”

Mackey shares experiences and advice that first year students should truly think about moving forward.

“If you’re taking a community service trip, it’s so important to keep an open mind. If you’re traveling, safety is always the number one concern when it comes to spring break. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself and try not to put yourself in bad situations,” said Mackey. “Always have a safe ride home or wherever you’re staying and be sure to look out for the other people on the trip with you. My best advice is to just hit the road with your best friends and figure it out as you go.”

If you are interested in doing community service during spring break, AWOL (Alternative Week of Off-Site Learning) has yearly applications for participants and leaders, be sure to look out for next year’s application in the fall, or reach out to Ashley Farmer-Hanson via email at [email protected] for more information.