The arrival of Spring is no small celebration. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans recognized the end of winter as a time for a little self-indulgence. The tradition trickled down and now the changing seasons mean a week dedicated to enjoying some well-deserved time off.
Spring Break will take some to white-sand beaches while others simply look forward to a break from the daily grind. Regardless of your destination, it’s a perfect pause to recharge your creative batteries. It gives you the much-needed jolt of energy to finish out the year with vigor.
But what might make a Spring Break even better than a week somewhere tropical?
Here are some hidden secrets behind a great Spring Break:
Know The History
As mentioned, the Greeks and Romans had a clue that it was time to paint the town. The tradition we know as Spring Break in the United States began in 1928 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, the nation’s first Olympic sized pool was constructed for college athletes to train during the off-season. By the 1960s, droves of college students joining in on the “training” fun had taken on the trend. Then in 1986, MTV launched its inaugural Spring Break special from Daytona Beach, Florida. This gave rise to all the sun-tanned and over-served stereotypes.
Boring Is The New Cool
Yup, that’s right. To be on point this week, don’t do a darn thing. Your plan should be to be bored and boring to others. This will allow you to do whatever sounds good to you without trying. Give yourself permission to twiddle your thumbs as you hear about all your students’ and colleagues’ plans to jet set. Have a bad case of Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)? Relish in the thought that you do not have Fear Of Being Bored (FOBB).
Go Ahead And Plan
At first impulse, you might want to run away from your classroom as if your life depended on it. While this is understandable, you may actually benefit by using this time to plan. Go ahead and plan a new project, lay out the calendar for the rest of the year, or go into your classroom and show that out-of-control supply closet who’s boss. As a result, you will feel accomplished and organized when the week is over.
Self-Indulge
There are lots of ways to “Treat Yo’ Self” without leaving town. Stay put if that sounds good to you or if it’s what you can afford. You can still have a week filled with self-indulgence, just maybe minus the sand. Here are some ideas:
Sit Still and Be
We are always “on” when we are with students. Sure, we get a lunch break and a planning period. But it is never enough. Try one of these made for teachers meditations. You’ll be feeling zen in no time.
Take A Nap
Taking a nap in the middle of the day when you would normally have the mid-afternoon energy slump is an absolute must.
Read A Book
After a long teaching day, it is hard to have the attention span to sit and read before dozing off. Check out this list of 5 Books Every Art Teacher Needs To Read. Or combine your love of art history and fiction with one of these.
Listen To A Podcast
Chances are you have time this week to not only listen to but also be entertained by an exceptional podcast. Be inspired by this list of podcasts perfect for art lovers and check out Art Ed Radio or Everyday Art Room.
Binge Watch Something
We all have our guilty pleasures of binge-worthy shows. During the break, you can spend a whole day plowing through episodes without compromising your list of to-dos. See some great art inspired shows here. Or if you’re interested in earning PD hours while you watch, browse the Art Ed PRO Library.
Reconnect With Others
Art teachers can be in the unhealthy habit of living in a vacuum. During the school year, we focus so much on our classroom, our students, and our own learning we rarely come up for air. Take some time to reconnect with yourself by doing things you love as well as those with whom you lose touch during the school year. Call the friend you miss and catch up. Take your dog for a mid-morning jog. Make cookies for your sweet neighbor who is always home. You won’t regret it.
It’s no earth-shattering secret—Spring Break is something to enjoy and celebrate. You deserve a break spent either on an adventure or with intention. No matter how you pass your week, enjoy it!
What are your Spring Break plans this year?
What else would you add to this list of Spring Break “secrets”?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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