The typical spring break is usually spent drinking a Fishbowl on some beach in Cancun or Miami Beach and partying into the late hours of the night. However, as common as this is, it's not everyone's ideal week off. People stay home to work, watch TV, catch up on homework, or even or take trips to places that you wouldn't call "tropical." Even with enough money in my pockets to head to the Bahamas, I decided to pack my bags for Washington D.C. instead.
Spring break is seen as a vacation, a time to rest and prepare yourself for the next semester while still having fun in between. Yet, I sat squashed for four hours in the back of a car, woke up at 8 a.m. every morning, and walked miles around an unfamiliar city in the freezing cold, with the wind constantly smacking me in the face all hours of the day. I wouldn't exactly call this "relaxing." But, even in a complicated time for a visit, this trip ended up being a fun and interesting experience for us all. Was it the best idea to visit a city when it's still practically winter? Maybe not. But was it worth it? I would say so. And it's all because I got to:
Appreciate historical art in person
And have a little fun with it, of course. We explored the National Gallery of Art, seeing paintings, statues, photographs, and more. Not only was this an experience to look at the works of van Gogh, Monet, da Vinci, and more, but it was also a time to examine the paint up close and dive into the works (without getting too close, of course). Even if you're not one who appreciates art the same as, say, art majors, you're still able to look at the beauty of the paintings and statues in a pleasant setting. Plus, there are so many exhibits that you're bound to find something you love. From early 13th century Italian paintings and sculptures to the medieval renaissance, to modern and contemporary art, you'll find something that will make you stop in your tracks and take a deeper look. Which is exactly what I did... many times.
Look at plants I would've never seen before
Taking a step into a museum full of living plants is an interesting experience. Though way too warm inside, I was able to look at plants from Hawaii, the Mediterranean, the Tropics, and deserts from around the world. From blooming orchids and succulents both big and small, to ancient plants surviving over millions of years, you're captivated by not only the sight of the plants but the smells and sounds around you. I walked around in a world of plant life and took it all in, especially the endangered plants on display to remind us that they are important and completely irreplaceable.
Plus, I captured plenty of photos for my Instagram.
Explore history and beyond
The Museum of Natural History held everything from animals to dinosaurs to precious sparkling gems to amazing and beautiful photography. Over layers of exhibits, I was excited to see them all, even the bug exhibit. Butterflies, mummies, space, and beyond, the museum packed in so much in just a few hours. For someone who has always wanted to come here, it was kind of like a childhood dream come true. Being able to explore human origins, earthquakes, animals around the world, and see the Hope Diamond in real life was quite an experience.
See amazing (and cute) animals
Though many animals were kept away due to the cold, we were still able to take a look at some cool, cute, and also pretty ugly animals (but who are we to judge?) in National Zoological Park. There were plenty of animals: alpacas, lions, pandas, red pandas, frogs, otters, elephants, beavers, bears, sea lions, Komodo dragons, alligators, and hundreds more. It was such a huge zoo that we spent almost four hours there looking at the animals and circling our way back to look again at the pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. There was also a chance to see so many endangered, critically endangered, and even those who are extinct in the wild and only exist in zoos like this.
Watch a Shakespearean play
We just so happened to visit The Folger Shakespeare Library the second day of their production of The Winter's Tale, a "comedic" story of extreme jealousy, prophecy, and happy endings. As an English major, it was interesting to see a play I've studied before put to life in modern ways I wouldn't of thought of. Plus, it was overall enjoyable for my non-English major friends as well as they were able to follow the modern version of the story very well, laugh at the funniest parts of the play, be surprised by the drama throughout the play, and share experiences with the characters as they came close.
Plus, we all knew the famous line: exit pursued by a bear.
Take a look into space
Space is a vast something that we have limited knowledge on. Being able to take a look at planets up close through interactive screens, the Earth from space, the universe through digital technology, the makings of what goes into launching a shuttle, and how astronauts go about their lives in space, was not only interesting but very interactive. We were able to truly look at the science behind black holes, the space race, and what lies beyond our galaxy on screens right in front of us.
The National Air and Space Museum isn't just about space though. With planes over our heads, we got to see how things fly, aviation throughout War World II, the invention of the Aerial Age through the Wright brothers, and learned more about planes than I really needed to know.
See our capital in full
Apart from the museums, we were able to look at our nation's capital. Even though its a difficult time to be in, it was still amazing to see such a historical city surrounded by old yet buildings that held such beautiful architecture, hundreds of people at any given time touring, and even the cherry blossoms, who don't bloom until the end of March, trying to peak out. From Congres to The White House to the Washington Monument, we toured around the city in the freezing cold to see history in front of us.
On top of such historical buildings, we visiting memorials was another important part of this trip. From the Lincoln memorial, we visited the memorials of War World II, The Vietnam War, and The Korean War, which hit a personal note since my late grandfather served in this war.
And...
Spend time with friends
Even though it was extremely cold, a lot of walking, and the cramped car ride, I was able to hang out with some of the best friends. Whether it was walking through the city, taking plenty of photos, exploring museums, or figuring out how to get the mouse out of our hotel room, the point is we did it together. In a time where school and life gets in the way of everything, it's nice to slow down and spend a few days together exploring, eating good food, and catching up.
Even though it was cold and tiring, I would take these experiences over a day at the beach anytime.