With only 1 week left of classes for winter quarter, it is easy to forget that we still have to go through finals before Spring Break. With days getting longer and warmer, it becomes harder to stay that extra hour in the library instead of going out to the lakefill with some friends.

Because of Northwestern’s location, the end of winter quarter marks the start of what is probably the best time of the year for students — spring break followed by spring quarter. Many students will spend their breaks with friends, family or fellow students. Northwestern offers many options for students that want to do something meaningful during their spring break through an organization called Alternative Student Breaks. The student-run group plans trips to different parts of the country in order to do volunteer work with other students.

In my case, my spring break will be a little bit less about actually doing something productive and more about laying on a beach. I will be traveling with my roommate back to his hometown in Dominican Republic to spend some days in the island. It’s my first time traveling to the DR, so I am excited for the opportunity to get to know a completely new location.

Spring quarter is an amazing time to be in the Chicago area, specially on our campus in Evanston. The warmer days set the stage for many outdoor events, including our student-run festival, Dillo Day. There are few things that will get Northwestern students as excited for something as Dillo Day. The festival brings really good artist each year and it is the perfect opportunity for hanging out with your friends on a sunny day on the lakefill.

Overall, the combination of Spring break and Spring quarter is something that every Northwestern student looks forward to every year. The many outdoor activities both on campus and off campus is definitely something that we look forward to throughout the winter. However it’s week 9, so enough with the spring days day-dreaming, it’s time to get back to the books.

Photo credit: Justin Barbin