Spring break. The vacation of vacations, the epitome of college freedom, the climax of spring semester entropy. (The only semi-acceptable excuse to stay drunk for a week without having to justify your own alcohol intake.) For college students, spring break is an opportunity to escape deadlines, responsibilities, and reality for a whole seven days, and as a self-indulgent nineteen-year-old, I originally planned on taking full advantage of the week.

However, as the semester progressed, I began to grow uncomfortable with the idea of filling my break with nothing but temporary gratification (essentially simulating an extended weekend in Athens.) I wanted to do something different, and I wanted to challenge myself in the process. I had heard through friends that there was a service organization on campus that offered alternative spring breaks focused on community service, and remembering that, I knew exactly what I was about to do. Acting on impulse (that's how I roll), I opened my laptop and went to the organization's website. I typed in my name, selected a trip, hit submit and paid the dues without a second thought.

There. I had done it.

Productive spring break? Check. But as I stared at the confirmation screen, I slowly came to terms with the fact that I had just committed myself to seven days of service in rural Southwest Virginia. Not exactly what most would consider "paradise." Furthermore, I had no idea what service I would be performing, but I knew that it was going to be tough. Half of me already regretted my blind optimism while the other half knew that I was about to experience something special.

As the trip date grew closer, the spring break FOMO was real. I heard people talking about their plans - trips to Fort Lauderdale, Destin, Italy, Nashville - and felt a tinge of jealousy. The night before my group departed, I almost decided to bail and go home. I was scared of what the trip would entail. More than that, I was scared of being uncomfortable during a time when most people would be treating themselves.

Nevertheless, at the bleak, cold break of dawn (like six o'clock in the morning) I hauled my luggage down the street, packed it in the van, and prepared for the adventure ahead. The week that followed was probably the best one of the semester. I spent seven days with my group focusing on resource shelter and access in rural areas, working at food banks and community gardens, and interacting with the surrounding community. It sounds cheesy, but through that experience, I truly learned so much about myself, loving others, and the importance of being active in serving one's community. I could go on for pages, but rather than doing that, I'll give you a cute little list of five overused phrases that have become a little more meaningful to me since embarking on this service trip: