Spring Break, Pending

By: Ava Gravina ‘28

Spring break still feels distant, overshadowed by stress and out of reach, and for many, it’s a marker of survival. As it approaches and midterm season is in full swing, many students’ conversations revolve around upcoming exams, homework, and all the work that they have to complete. Yet, the idea of break lingers quietly in the back of many students’ minds, even during late-night study sessions where the anticipation – and the subtle pressure to have plans – lingers. Especially in a culture where spring break often looks effortless and perfect online, the reality is that spring break can be complicated.

As many students are accustomed to keeping busy, doing nothing during break feels strangely uncomfortable. Many feel like their week has to be memorable, productive, or at least interesting enough to share with others. 

Especially in a world shaped by social media, there is often a push to document your trip for others to see just how much “fun” you are having as you enjoy drinks (non-alcoholic, of course), tan on the beach, swim in the ocean, photograph the sunset, and get all dressed up for dinner. It’s hard not to feel jealous or as if you are missing out when your feed fills with ocean views and group photos that make the trip look perfect. Yet social media does not capture the budgeting debates, travel stress, or planning behind the scenes – especially the uncertainty involved long before the trip even happens. 

Photo courtesy of MTV.

It also takes a lot of coordination to get a trip into motion. It's one thing to casually talk about it, and another to actually make the trip happen. A destination has to be decided, parents need to give the go-ahead, and suddenly you are comparing flight prices, booking hotels or Airbnbs, and realizing just how quickly the cost of food and excursions adds up. Then comes packing, often last-minute if you are like me, and maybe even buying a new bathing suit or two, and some new summer clothes. I also remind myself not to forget sunscreen, especially since I burn easily.

There’s also the complexity of group travel. Planning with friends seems easy enough, but it often involves lots of compromises and negotiations. While one person envisions just lying on the beach and tanning all day, another wants to do some shopping, someone wants adventure, like hiking to a waterfall, and one is just excited for the local food. 

Ultimately, the planning is far less glamorous than the photos that will follow, but despite the chaos, it becomes a memorable part. Although this side of travel – the planning – is rarely talked about, it shapes the experience long before the trip even begins.  

This year, travel can be particularly complicated with all that’s going on in the world. What once seemed like a great tropical escape – a trip to Mexico – became more complicated as multiple headlines have reported that Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho” and leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was shot dead during a military raid in Tapalpa on Sunday, February 22. While Cancún is far from Jalisco, news of Mexico’s most wanted drug lord being killed sparked unrest, with vehicles and businesses being set on fire and reports of deaths.

For those considering travel to Mexico, safety becomes an important consideration. As of now, airports are running smoothly, security presence has increased, and Cancún seems mostly unaffected and is no longer under a shelter-in-place order. While it seems like it is safer now, I am no international security expert. Even seemingly carefree trips can involve real uncertainty behind the scenes. I, too, yearn for the sun, palm trees, crystal-clear water, snorkeling, and the local Mexican cuisine. As one article even notes: “If it was my family, I sure as heck wouldn’t want them in Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara in the near term. But I wouldn’t cancel a spring break trip to Cancún.” 

Clearly, many have an idea of what spring break is supposed to look like. It’s important to remember that behind every seemingly perfect getaway are uncertainties we cannot control, no matter how much we try. Even though travel feels like an escape, it cannot remove uncertainty or real-world problems.