My dearest pack of wolves, spring break is slowly springing upon us. After spinning and sliding through the eternal winter brought down from a Disney ice queen, you now have the chance to escape to a sunny southern shore with not a snowman in sight. You are one of the lucky ones if you are able to embody the drunken frivolities of sunbed-tanned bodies and concerts featured on MTV when it still showed music.
But if you do not have access to a private jet to whisk you away from the freezing rain and snow to Atlantis, or if you do not have the guts to rob a local restaurant in a desperate attempt for cash, you may be finding yourself stuck at home or in Raleigh for what is supposed to be the best week of each college year. Fear not ye broke ramen eaters, ye who forgot to ask off work, ye who do not care and can get drunk elsewhere. I am here to give you the Proverbs of having a great spring break without springing to break away.
Fear not the endless hours of mindless boredom. Netflix has added the fifth season of Breaking Bad and the second season of House of Cards. This is your time to understand the appeal of a chemistry teacher turned meth maker and how Kevin Spacey traded in his lust of an American Beauty for power. Binging on Netflix is a perfect way to spend Spring Break, but be warned of the “Random Picks” and endless C-grade sequels of childhood favorites doomed to immediate DVD release.
With the absence of 8 a.m. classes and single-spaced papers, you have the abundant time needed to watch the entire series of Scrubs or find the classics your parents talk about. Plus, you can watch Christian Bale play the villain before he was the Masked Crusader or finally understand the appeal of Marilyn Monroe as an actress with her entire catalogue at your fingertips. And be relieved of your stress if you do not have a Netflix account, precious latecomer. Sign up for the free month trial and cancel it before you are charged the $7.99. Here is your warning of addiction that comes with an account to endless searching and zero decisions.
If you do not know which Harry Potter character you are, what city you should actually live in, what food you are most like, or who your fashion icon is, your new job for spring break is to catch up on BuzzFeed and Zimbio quizzes. No classwork is important enough for you not to know which Disney sidekick would be your best friend.
Those all-nighters have unpacked their dark luggage under your eyes. Here is your prime opportunity to catch up on your forgone REM cycles. Sleeping past noon is fully acceptable, if not expected, on your lazy week.
For the ice cream fanatics, the amazing super-sweet heroes Benjamin and Jerrald herald in new flavors. If fudge or caramel cores do not entice your curiosity and excitement, I am not sure what will. Do not walk to that Harris Teeter, run to it.
Raleigh is a hip hopping spot in the daytime, and while many collegiates frequent the haunts of Fayetteville and Wilmington Street after hours, these streets have much to offer during daylight. Try completing the Downtown Raleigh Bucket List over break. Be sure to stop by Deco to feel some Wolfpack and Oak City pride and make your professors proud by visiting the museums that are within the college budget of free.
Being that we are now becoming the Beer Capital of North Carolina, test your buds with various porters and ales at the local microbreweries.
After all the fantastic activity ideas listed above, your spring break in a non-exotic location should be fulfilling and relaxing. Yet if you are still wishing for the warmth of sun and tropical paradise, take a personal heater to the nearest park with a sandbox and anchor down your tailgating chair. Armed with a pack of Bud Light Lime or virgin margaritas and a trashy magazine, you can imagine your toes are in the water as you listen to the Zac Brown Band croon a song sympathetic to your current state of mind. Classes will resume in a week, and there is always St. Patty’s Day fun.
