One of the coolest things about Williams College is that the students get two weeks of Spring Break. For the first five days of break, I participated in an alternative spring breakout trip focused on community service projects in the Berkshires area while I spent the rest of my break in Washington DC. This break honestly changed me as a person and my perspective on so many things. Here are the top 10 things I learned during these two weeks:

1. Community service is the best way to do good, meet new people, and learn about yourself.

Working alongside an amazing group of people on projects like Berkshire Immigrant Center, Berkshire Food Project, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and teaching kids about science at Lanesborough Elementary School taught me so much about the area and about my own passion for community service.

2. Staying in touch with your friends is SO IMPORTANT!

In DC, I met up with people from my American high school, my exchange student alumni network in Pakistan, and even current exchange students! I realized how awesome Facebook is to keep people connected and how important it is to reach out to people!

3. HOME FOOD IS THE BEST FOOD!

During the last two weeks, I got to cook and eat so much great food! Literally everyday was a f**king feast!

This.

And this.

And this beautiful spicy chicken pasta (recipe here).

I MEAN LOOK AT THAT APPLE-PEAR-RASPBERRY PIE! WHY COLLEGE FOOD, WHY!!!

4. Relationships are hard but worth it

Through various experiences and conversations, I got to learn that relationships require a lot of work. They require trust and involve plenty of power struggles. Sometimes it feels like the end but if you really care about someone, you make it work. Striking the balance between not losing yourself and yet caring for someone unconditionally is hard but that’s what makes being in a relationship so meaningful!

5. DC is BEAUTIFUL!

I mean just look at the Cherry Blossoms! I wore shorts almost every day! But the number of tourists in DC during this time is… let’s just call it awful.

6. Being nice to your hosts is key!

I was hosted by an awesome couple who let me live in their super well-organized apartment for almost nine days. One of the days that they were away, I cleaned up the whole place and got them flowers. Not because I felt obligated to do something nice but because I wanted to!

7. Having a flexible BIG PICTURE is important.

Many of the people I talked to during the break stressed the importance of enjoying college but also said that I should start thinking about a bigger picture for my life ahead. Being flexible is, of course, essential to success in life but having a general outline for the future will provide context for various decisions that I will soon make regarding my major, internships, travel, and even extra-curricular activities.

8. DC has AMAZING art.

I visited the Renwick Gallery and the exhibits were mind-blowing!

9. ME TIME IS SO IMPORTANT!

Sometimes, even during break, you feel like you are not relaxing enough. I made a point of taking a few break days where I did nothing but relax, read, and cook

10. KINDNESS IS POWERFUL!

Last week, I started the #7DaysOfKindness Challenge and it totally changed my perspective on kindness! Doing small acts of kindness really makes a huge difference in how you interact with people and how happy you feel every day.

11. There’s no place like home!

While I am dreading the cold weather in Williamstown after the DC sunshine and the stress of homework, being back at Williams does feel really good. I only have a few weeks left the end of the semester and I want to make them the best I have had at Williams so far! Let’s get to work!

Here's a bonus faceswap photo - I also learned that no one does like Snapchat:

Now I can't wait for the summer!