Spring break is only days away. This is the relaxation I feel like we all need after all of the tests and quizzes the teachers pile on us right before we go on vacation. Although Netflix and sleeping are on everyone’s agenda, it can get a little boring at times, here are a few things that can make your vacation a little memorable:

• Get your homework done before the break starts.                                              Let’s be real, we have a half-day before break starts. That’s giving you half of a full day to finish all of your work. I can’t speak for every school but even on those half days, there’s not much work assigned in class. You can finish it before you even leave school! The sooner you get it done, the more time you have left to waste! 

• Visit your family.                                                                                                                         I never see my family other than my siblings. Even then, I don’t spend a lot of time with them because I’m always being productive with my school work. Take a day to just go to the movies with your cousins or watch Netflix with your grandma (they won’t be around forever).

• Dress Like Gatsby and Visit the West Egg.                                                                      I found out that the classic novel of the roaring 20’s: The Great Gatsby is a part of the school curriculum. For those of you who haven’t read it or watched the movie, the story is based in New York in the 1920’s. The places in the book don’t actually exist in real life, but they are based on real places in the city. [See picture below]. Get your friends, dress up like your favorite characters from the novel, and visit the Eggs.

• Go on a Road Trip.                                                                                                                  We live in the perfect area in my opinion. We have New York just a train away. The White House is a drive away. If you’re really craving a steak sandwich, go to Philly. We have all of these beautiful historical places not too far from us, so why not take a drive down there with your friends and maybe get a hotel room for a night or two?

• Get yourself ready for prom or apply for summer jobs.                                       It’s just one of those things where if you do them now, you won’t have to worry about them later. Go shopping with your friends for a prom dress, or clean up your resume and start applying to places in person.

• Have a picnic.                                                                                                                       Corny but sweet. I feel like this is becoming as extinct as flip phones. It’s something sweet and different. If you don’t have a “picnic basket,” just get a lunch bag and fill it with what you’d normally have for dinner or lunch. The only thing that’s required is a blanket to sit on and some company.  

• I triple-dog-dare you to read a book.                                                                            One thing that is becoming extinct is the generation’s love for reading. I feel like since all of the good books are becoming movies, there’s no point in picking up the book anymore. Unless you’d wanna know the Harry Potter was supposed to have green eyes, not brown. There’s a lot of fun in just sitting and exploring your mind’s imagination just through words. I can’t recommend a book to start with but the author of Paper Towns and The Fault in Our Stars, John Green, makes books that just keeps you turning the pages. Give it a try.

• Write your own sequel.                                                                                                     Have you ever read a good book or watched a movie and hated the ending, or felt like there needs to be more to the story? Write a sequel to how you think it should happen.
• Have a photo shoot with your friends.                                                                          Put on your favorite jeans and sneakers and take some pictures with your friends. There are a billion places in Jersey City where you could have a perfect photo shoot. Not just Newport, but also NJCU, the Waterfront, West Side, Exchange Place. The list can never end. You also don’t need an expensive camera. With the right angles, it’ll look like a professional photo shoot.

• Go a day without your phone.                                                                                         This one is going to be the hardest. I know it is for me, but get a sense of claim away from checking your followers or sending streaks. While you’re away from your phone, plant flowers in your lawn or learn how to change a tire with your dad.
• Do your friend’s makeup.                                                                                      Something cute to do with your friend while they’re at your house. Instead of going out to Newport, just chill with your best friend and try and follow a makeup tutorial. Worst case scenario: you make her look like a monster and you both have something to laugh about for the rest of your lives.  

Your teen years are short and also stressful. It’s important to make cute and sweet. Don’t forget to take a lot of pictures so you can smile back at them later!