Spring break 2021

As ICCSD prepares to head into spring break week on March 15th through the 19th, it is hard to forget what happened during last year’s spring break week.

With Coronavirus entering the US right before spring break last year, many students had to cancel their travel plans. This year with the production and distribution of vaccines, students will have the opportunity to do the traveling that they were deprived of last year.

¨I am going down to Nashville, Tennessee,¨ said Nolan Stern, senior. ¨We looked at some places and saw how low the Covid cases are and Tennessee’s cases have dropped a lot in the last couple of months.¨ 

Many other students are echoing Stern’s sentiments about how the number of cases dropping allows for a decrease in the precautionary measures with travel.

¨I have no concerns about traveling with COVID,¨ said Paitynn VanderPol, freshman. ¨We have been living with it for a while and now know more about it. And I will be following the precautions like wearing masks, washing my hands, and using hand sanitizer to try and stay safe. 

While some students are making plans to travel, others are still not convinced it is safe yet. Covid-19 is still impacting decisions for many during this time. For other students, Covid-19 still impacted their decisions to travel for spring break.

¨Between family and going on vacation, Covid has made it very risky to take those trips this year,¨ said Ethan Dueker, sophomore. 

Another student, Gradie Nzenga, senior, doesn’t feel that travel is worth it right now.

¨With the way things are going right now, it’d be ridiculous to just let go of everyone go where to want and undermine the country’s progress. But at the end of the day, I can’t stop anyone from doing anything, My hope is that the people traveling stay safe and protect themselves and others.¨

While Liberty students are making decisions to decide whether or not to stay at home, the students at the University of Iowa don’t have that opportunity. With the high number of cases and starting the spring semester a year late, The University canceled spring break for all students this year. 

“I don’t think canceling spring break is fair to the students,¨ said Ben Ross, senior. ¨I think that the students deserve a break in between the year;  they should be able to have spring break and then extend the school year to make up for it.¨

While students may not agree with the decision to cancel, many colleges chose to cancel spring break like the U of I. To help prevent the spread of COVID to students and faculty on campus.

One alternative to canceling spring break all together is the implementation of¨wellness days¨. Wellness days are when colleges and universities hold days without any classes while keeping academic offices open and available for students according to USA Today. This provides students with a break from classes for rest and recovery without the risk of increasing COVID infections.

¨I think this is a good alternative to spring break, since some colleges won’t have spring break, this still gets them a little break and time to cool down and relax. Although I would much rather have a week off, this is still a good alternative,¨ said Dueker.

But plenty of students simply stay home during spring break. Oftentimes working hours that they could work in school, or hanging out with friends longer than usual.

¨I don’t plan on going anywhere for spring break,¨ said Nzenga. ¨I’ll be working…Covid 19 is real, information about it is literally a Google search away, if people still continue to travel in these times that’s on them.¨

No matter what type of spring break students have this year, it is important to stay safe and healthy. The CDC still recommends social distancing, wearing masks and, trying to reduce the spread of Covid and to keep people safe over the spring season.