I need to begin with a confession. The most productive part of my spring break is going to be my semi-annual visit to the dentist for a cleaning, so writing this article makes me a hypocrite. That being said, there is no reason that I can't have higher hopes for the rest of you. So here goes, why you should be productive over spring break:
Just to quickly address what I mean by "productive," I concede that tanning, reading, sleeping and grinding up against sweaty strangers in Mexico can all be construed as "productive" to some degree, and I absolutely believe that they have value. However, for the duration of this argument, I'll be referencing more objectively "productive" activities -- service trips, job hunting, studying for the MCATs, GMATs or LSATs, and all those other activities that even your parents would endorse.
Believe me, it's not that I am an opponent of fun, relaxation and leisure -- I'm actually quite a fan. I just believe that spring break is a great way to get a concentrated dose of productivity. What a great way to justify all the un-productivity that would otherwise plague you with guilt during your "scholastic" time at Dartmouth. Being productive over spring break is like staying in on a Saturday night. It feels like a big sacrifice, and stings a little bit when Facebook albums go up Sunday afternoon, but afterwards you feel like a dedicated enough student to justify going out Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. All because of that one little sacrifice on Saturday.
According to the results of a survey of '09s I took, "The pursuit of inactivity and sunshine" is the theme of 09S. With three months of lying, sleeping, eating and having sex on the Green (if you're behind on your Dartmouth seven) just weeks away, make the spring a well-earned term of relaxation.
Speaking of parental endorsement, being on your parents' good side has innumerable advantages. Given the tuition they pay, the Greek house dues you can conveniently bill home and the other unexpected costs your parents would otherwise question ("Why are we being billed for an overnight stay at Dick's House?") you're already a big enough burden on their pocketbooks, so asking for a flight to Aruba isn't exactly going to be received warmly.
If they see your dedication to legitimate pursuits over spring break, however, they'll be that much more likely to fund the Miniversity Wine-Tasting class you'll be taking this spring. Furthermore, if sub-zero temperatures left you skipping your 11 for the sake of avoiding hypothermia and your GPA joined the recession this term, a spring break dedication to scholarliness or service will alleviate any parental concerns before they lead to a call to the Academic Skills Center on your behalf.
Productivity need not be painful, or the antithesis of fun. Job interviewing and standardized-test studying are necessary evils, but look on the bright side: maybe you'll meet your next great love or make out in LSAT class, and job interviewing justifies the purchase of an entire new "real person" wardrobe.
Service trips, whether to West Virginia or the Dominican Republic, can actually combine fun, new friends and that warm fuzzy feeling that is usually reserved for watching puppies on webcams -- as long as no one in your minivan indulged in Gusanoz pre-departure. Plus, construction-esque work provides a welcome contrast to the intellectual fatigue of finals, and interacting with children and other community members is a much-needed break from exposure to the exclusively 18 to 22 year-old demographic.
What it comes down to is that almost any Dartmouth student will concur that Spring term -- jam-packed with Green Key, Bates and daylight after 5 p.m. -- trumps the rest, with the possible exception of Sophomore Summer Camp. With all the goodness to look forward to, it's just not necessary to spend spring break in pursuit of nothing but sunshine.
