Spring Break 2020!! So where are you going? What?! You’re not going anywhere because of the coronavirus? Don’t tell me you’re one of those people…c’mon man it’s Spring Break! (Cue my best college age “bro” voice)
If you’ve been present for a conversation that goes anything like this, you are unique. Well, unique if you consider that every college student and family with kids in the United States has had the exact same discussion within the past week. It is a time-honored tradition for many of us to equate the middle of March with trips to massive beach parties and ski slope paradises. So what to do when a public health crisis spins up like a margarita ice crusher to stir up all those Spring Break travel dreams for all you college students out there?
The truth is, you can still do most of the actions you planned to do on your Spring Break trip without leaving your doorstep. Sitting in some form of transportation for a few hours to get to your destination? You can sit anywhere. See sites you’ve never seen before? Hi Travel Channel. Interact socially, meeting new people and learning cool things about travel? Facebook, check. Psychology of Travel, check.
I can already hear what you’re saying…gimme a break those examples aren’t really the same as going on a vacation! Well, of course you’re right. We tend to attribute different meaning to those same actions during our times of leisure travel. So, the action of sitting on some form of transportation for a few hours to get to your destination is not simply sitting, it’s traveling because our minds actively seek to value every single moment of holiday travel. Every new experience has your full attention because it’s outside the norm from your daily life, and can lead you to making changes in how you view your life upon your return.
Mental Tips for Spring Break 2020
But what advice do you have for dealing with broken Spring Break plans in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic? First, it’s still generally a good rule of thumb that all work and no play makes for poor stress management. So, if you’re fortunate enough to have Spring Break time off, you can still make the most of it.
Try this. Picture the travel plans you had in place for your Spring Break. Now, ask yourself, what was it that I was looking forward to the most? If you’re speed-reading here, actually take the time to pause. Again, what was it that I was looking forward to most? Was it actually having my toes in the sand or was it about the feeling of getting “out” from the daily grind and the anticipation of adventure or relaxation?
Picture who you were going to travel with. Now ask yourself, was I only looking forward to being physically close to them or did I enjoy other aspects of their company? Their humor, their sense of adventure, their ability to help me feel free to be me.
Last one now, and this is the most important. Ask yourself, when I got back from the trip I planned to take, how did I want things to be different? What did I want to change about my outlook on my daily life? How did I want to feel. This last part is critical, because it’s really getting at a deeper part of why Spring Break has been such an important social event and why disappointment about broken travel plans from coronavirus has been so significant. These questions hint at the needs you hope to fill by traveling.
Spring Break Benefits Can Still be Yours…
So, how can you still make the most of your Spring Break in light of the coronavirus travel disruptions? Embrace the travel that you feel comfortable and safe doing. But, if your Spring Break travel is just not gonna happen this year, go back to that question about what you pictured being different upon your return.
Was it a desire to feel rested? Go to bed 30 minutes early each night this week. Was it a desire to feel mentally refreshed? Take an online yoga class or apply your mental energy to a forgotten hobby. Was it simply a desire to have fun? That’s great, look back over the past 6 months and find the three most enjoyable moments and do similar things again. Use VR tools to check out some awesome scenery. Importantly, try to think of your adjusted Spring Break plans as a different experience rather than the all or nothing view like “No Spring Break for me this year…I had to cancel my travel plans.”
Bottom line…there may not be a way to stop coronavirus from halting your Spring Break travel, but there are most certainly ways to stop coronavirus from ending your Spring Break experience. Step up beyond the disappoint of missed travel, get creative, and you may find that you can still get the same refreshing, restful, attitude-adjusting experience you desired.
Happy Travels,
Dr. L
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