Ah! The notorious spring break: the holiday that has spawned classrooms of excited adolescents, and justified the drive of many worried parents…and inspired handfuls of laughable, cringe-worthy movies (Spring Breakers, From Justin to Kelly, and Spring Break Shark Attack, just to name a few – my advice: don’t watch them!). This two-week-long break is often known as the “Easter Holiday”. However, this does not mean that it cannot be productive, or full of fun and function.
Students, especially, see the holidays as a time to lay off work and catch up on some, usually well-deserved R&R. Although that may not be wrong, there are things one can do during those two weeks that they can be proud of, or even things that can benefit them in the not-too-distant future. Any break should not be seen as a get-out-of-jail-free card for neglecting schoolwork and studies, especially if you’re like me and are enrolled in a system that compiles the curriculum of two academic years. Reallocating at least an hour a day away from Keeping Up With The Kardashians to keeping up with your studies is worth the sacrifice in the long run. Besides you can always record the episode and watch Kourtney and Lord Disick some other time.
Not only should you dedicate some time to your schoolwork, but you should also invest in your health. The great thing about spring break in the UAE is that the weather is as close to perfect for just about anything as it can get in a city in the middle of the Middle Eastern desert; not too hot like UAE’s scorching summer holidays or too cold (for us desert folk anyway) like its winter wonderland. This is the best time for outdoor activities. Go out, be active, go swimming, play tennis, or jog! Compared to the rest of the year, spring break should be a break from the air-conditioned indoor setting we are so accustomed to and a chance to take some risks and try new outdoorsy experiences.
Finally, some of the most rewarding things about the spring break, especially for high school and university students are the opportunities for volunteering, jobs, and internships. Seeing as the timing of this particular holiday is not set in stone, with the only criteria being that it is around the time of Easter, many companies are still open during spring break, with many of their employees working. This means that the chance to do your part to help your community, spruce up your university applications, or meet your independent study requirements, is abundant.
So don’t just sit there surfing the web all break! Stay in and do some work, get out and be active, or get a job! You’ve got nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain.
By Nisma Hamid
