Some have their sights set on the beaches for this upcoming spring break while others can only see their couch and Netflix on the horizon. While some may be going on a vacation to remember, a lot of students are probably doing the same as me — taking a much-needed and deserved staycation.

Taking a vacation for spring break is a hopeful option for most college students, yet many can’t afford it. If that is the case, there are several other ways one can enjoy their study-free week and some might even be better than actually going on a trip.

Though going somewhere new can be extremely fun, many things we do on vacation we could do around town. Cheney is conveniently located only 20 minutes from Spokane, and with our student ID cards the bus trip is free of cost.
Riverfront Park is a common tourist destination, and while enjoying it, one could venture over to the falls and gawk at the power of nature.

Like on vacation, after a day of sightseeing, food is a necessity, and like many popular tourist hot spots, Spokane is loaded with good, reasonably priced and possibly different than other places, food. Ranging from southern food at Chicken-N-More to Ethiopian food at Queen of Sheba, the pickings are good throughout the city. Spokane is a great day trip waiting to happen, and if you’re not going anywhere over break it could make for a perfect spot to make just as many memories as those who left town.

For people like me, however, who’ve been to Spokane, it feels like a been-there-done-that kind of city. For us, there is a different way to enjoy our staycation: we can just relax. Whether that means Netflix and chilling, or spending the whole break playing “League of Legends,” the week is ours to do nothing with, and to me that is the real pleasure of spring break.

You may work, but when you get home there is no homework riding over your head, no test to study for, no group project you have to meet up for, nothing school-related to worry about, and that’s the best part of any break.

Now, if you are going out of town for spring break — one: I’m envious — but also in a way I do feel bad for you. Of course I’d love to leave this hellhole called Cheney, but, really, by staying and doing little to nothing productive, one has fully embraced the essence of spring break: to forget about school for a week, to do whatever you want, whenever you want to.

So whether you’re planning on doing the touristy things around Spokane or just hanging out at home, remember that just because you didn’t go to Cancún over spring break doesn’t mean you wasted your time. There are more than enough activities in Spokane to keep you busy, or if you want to be a hermit the whole break but come out of it with a new ranking in “League,” you can do that too.

Spring break is about relaxing and relieving the stresses of school, so as long as you are doing those two things, there is no wrong way to spend your week of freedom.