When you think of the words "Spring Break," you think of beaches, parties, friends and pretty much anything else fun. What you don't think about is that one day (at least) that you have to spend finishing up assignments that are due the Monday you get back from your week of vacation. Every student's specific reaction to Spring Break homework is different, but there seems to be a general framework that outlines the types of feelings we all go through when dealing with this phenomenon.

1. Denial

You know going into Spring Break week that there will be homework due, but the reality of the situation disappears as soon as the week officially starts. You know the first Saturday would be a great day to get your stuff done while you're fresh off of school and haven't gotten too hopelessly relaxed yet. On the other hand, it's also a great day to kick the week off by hanging out with your buddies. Soon, you fail to face the fact that you have homework at all. While that ideal time frame to be productive gets shorter and shorter, the fact that work has to get done gets pushed further and further down your mental list of things to do.

2. Anger

As you get about halfway through the week something happens. You're lying on a beach in the Keys with your friends and you think to yourself, "this is perfect." And then what happens is you panic a little bit because you're in college — you're not supposed to be this relaxed. That's when you start to rack your brain for any reason why your break might not be going as perfectly as you fooled yourself into thinking it was.That's when it hits you again that you have Spring Break homework. You're mad that some professor ruined your break with such an inconvenient deadline.  It's completely frustrating that you couldn't have just one perfect relaxing moment.  

3. Bargaining

But not all hope is lost. You start thinking about the worst case scenario if you just blow it off.  Maybe your grade only goes down two points? But maybe that two points is the difference between two letter grades. Then you can't help but wonder, "what if I had scored higher on that last exam? Maybe I could've gotten away with being a little late on this next paper ..." 

4. Depression

By the second half of the week, the thought of school starts looming over you again. Every beautiful sunset on the beach is another step closer to having to come back to the real world. And as that happens, the reality that you have to start taking school seriously again sets in. It's sad in the wake of what very well could have been the greatest week of your life. But eventually …

5. Acceptance

… you realize it's time to get back to it. You've had your fun. You're refreshed and able to focus. You accept your responsibility to get your business done. And then you sit  down at the very end of your Spring Break and you get that homework done.