My senior spring break is only days away and I can not wait to spend it at brunch with my mom.
Pop culture and social media have a specific image of a fun spring break, especially for students’ last free-for-all. It’s not ideal for a non-drinker.
While I’ve never felt drawn to “darty” in Daytona during any of my vacations, I’m certainly committed to the alternative this year. I’m about to spend my first full summer away from my mom. Then, in theory, I’ll be a full-time member of the workforce. This spring break feels like an important opportunity for wholesome mother-daughter time.
Making time for family can be difficult in college. With my mom living 1,000 miles away, it takes a concentrated effort to see her. I also have an advantage, what with her living less than 10 miles away from state parks and beaches. I’ll be warm, but I bet I’ll still be finishing my days on the couch by 9 p.m.
I have spent so much time in Dunedin, Florida the past few years, it certainly feels like I’m going home next week. Floridians my age drive to Ybor City in Tampa for the “best” bar experience. Some of my friends in the area enjoy places like Kava Culture for the “booze-free buzz” you can get from kava and kratom drinks. At only 21-years-old, I almost feel like I’ve had more than my fair share of fun late nights in the gulf.
If you gave me the option to pick between an all-expenses paid party night with other traveling 20-somethings or a morning to thrift and try new coffee with my mom, I’d choose the latter in a heartbeat.
I’ve taken every opportunity to go to Florida I possibly could since 2021. While I have grown to love the area, I know I would follow my mom anywhere. We have a bond that not everyone is lucky enough to understand. I never thought we’d end up so far away from each other.
I see pieces of my mom in everything I do, especially when my hair gets big and bright in the Florida air. Her voice is in nearly all of my editor’s columns and the cadence I use when I speak. Next week we’ll be able to share stories and clothes again, always picking up right where we left off.
For all my fellow seniors, this is one of our last chances to enjoy some of the free time that comes with being a student. Whether you will be spending your spring break in Michigan or Florida, with family or friends, I hope you’re able to slow down and enjoy it. There is no need for your break to look as cool or expensive as other people’s.