Throughout the month of March, thousands of schools across the country, and, I imagine, across the world, are let out for one glorious week to give the students, bitter and cold from the long winters, a much-deserved break. Spring break usually means the halfway mark in the semester, the top of the mountain students have been climbing since the end of winter break; during this week, we can see summer waiting for us at the bottom of the mountain, and we get a taste of that freedom--but it's still a long way back down the mountain, and sometimes, the trek is not an easy one.

For me, leaving Florida--the spring break destination I was lucky enough to visit--was among the most painful experiences I had during my first year of college. By the time the U's designated spring break rolled around, I had torn apart my little dorm room, lost nearly every homework assignment I was given, and pulled out close to half of my hair. I needed this week off. I longed to leave campus, to not have to attend class, to be back in comfort. So when it ended, I was heartbroken.

Of course, my week in paradise had been uber relaxing and everything I needed to take my stress away, but parting ways with the beach and the warmth and the sun brought tears to my eyes, and my stress quickly returned as soon as my arriving flight touched down in Minneapolis. The 40 degree difference in temperatures from Florida to Minnesota didn't help my mood, either.

Everything seemed dull and bleak, compared to New Smyrna Beach, FL, and my schedule for the rest of the week matched it: classes starting at 9 a.m., working late in the afternoons, homework and papers and studying to do already. Perhaps the only light at the end of the tunnel was seeing my roommate again after a week apart, and my other friends. Plans were made immediately to go out and have fun, all of us desperately clinging to the last shreds of carefree freedom we had before another half of a semester drowned us in work. The weekend couldn't come sooner.

But like spring break, that came and went faster than I would've liked. Half of it was dedicated to catching up on missed work or reviewing what I had learned before break. Now having endured my second week back at school, I've fallen back into the routine of things. My stress has plateaued, but God knows that it will spike up with finals looming ahead in the distance. But in order to prevent me from getting in over my head, I remembered what got me through the last few days before spring break, when I was toeing the line of insanity: I had something good to look forward to, 7 days in paradise, so I needed something good to look forward to post-7 days in paradise.

I have an array of events and people lined up I'm more than thrilled for: a Chance the Rapper concert, friends and loved ones coming home, working with my best friend, and long days on my boat or at my cabin. Rewards are waiting for me, but only if I can make it through this post-spring break sadness. School is almost over, everyone, we're rounding third and on our way home. We can do this. Think of everything summer has to offer while you're taking a midterm or writing an 8 page paper. I bet it puts a smile on your face.