Spring Break 2021 Plans? (The Covid Years)

[clean]

In another thread 'Will you have a Spring Break?' I reported that my university had either cancelled spring break, or moved it to January as we started a week later than planned. We still get March 17 off.  So I get one day off teaching.  I dont know that I will do anything special, but I wont have to be online that day.

My state has just lifted mask requirements, coincidentally as my state welcomes the travelers from places that still are having spring break.  The news shows reports of spring break destinations in my are and in Florida with crowds of the maskless. 

I never venture to the beach areas of the state this time of year anyway, as the traffic is a crawl and it takes forever to get anywhere and once you get there, it is packed with people. 

As I am allowed only one day off, plus that weekend if I wanted, there is not enough time to travel. I wont be fully vaccinated by then, so no reason to try to get out and about anyway.

I stocked up on $200 of groceries the days after the governor announced the mask order would be lifted as I am sure that the stores are not going to enforce their mask requirements (they were not good at it when there was a state requirement, so I have no reason to believe that they will enforce it more now!).  IF i need groceries over the next month, i will get delivery or curbside pickup.  I hate that I have to pay extra (for the fee plus the store hikes the prices on the products ordered online) because idiots dont care about anyone else's health!  (Sometimes you want to root for the CoVID!!)

Anyway....
What are you planning to do with your spring break (such as it is?)

OH, and another interthread alert... Are gas prices encouraging you to stay home as well?

[wellfleet]

We are road-tripping a bit during wellkid's spring break to drive through some regional college campuses he hasn't seen before and grab a day or two of higher-altitude hiking (I found us a well-situated hotel room with a kitchenette, so we can just bring our own food for that bit). 4 1/2 days, maybe? I'm looking forward to it. Yesterday, I left my county for the first time in a year to get a Pfizer dose and even driving on the highway for more than a mile or two felt pretty strange.

[the_geneticist]

I am escaping to the wilderness for a few nights of solo backpacking.  It's been my tradition for the past few years and the ability to rest and reset was very, very needed.  I love the simplicity of just being able to walk, enjoy the nature, wear the same thing every day, and fall off the grid for a while.

[sinenomine]

No Spring Break at my institution this year, but I do plan to block some time on my calendar on upcoming warmer days to hang out outdoors and recharge.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I'll be having outpatient surgery. Yay me! I'm a little nervous about all of this, due to the pandemic and the procedure. Fingers crossed.

[Vkw10]

The university is having spring break, but we also lot seven instructional days to TexasWinterStorm. Faculty were told to provide asynchronous options to make up the time if possible. I am not commenting on that directive. Not.

I offered my students opportunities for tutorials and make up work during spring break, thinking two or three might take me up on it. Instead, almost 60% have signed up for a tutorial session and 85% signed up for makeup tests and presentations and such. So I'll be sitting on patio in shorts, interacting with my desperate students online, as we all try to salvage this semester.

I'm grateful that my students are eager to makeup some of the lost time. I was worried that even generous grading would result in a high failure rate in a course that's a prerequisite for every other course in major. But I hope I can sneak in a few long walks, too.

[Puget]

What is this "spring break" you speak of?

We have no spring break this year. When people complained this would lead to burn out for students and faculty alike, they designated a few random days "mental health days" with no classes. One of those was today-- I don't teach today anyway and spent it finishing a grant due tomorrow, then grading and prepping class for tomorrow. Some mental health day that. I'm sure students also just used it to get homework done.

I did build in a paper work week with no class later in April, but part of the deal is that I meet individually with every student to consult on their term paper, so although it is sort of a break for them it isn't at all for me. Sigh.

[Caracal]

My school apparently heard a lot of feedback about how everyone wanted spring break, but they were worried about  it, so they decided to schedule it in early February two weeks after the beginning of classes and before they they did their delayed reopening of the dorms. Apparently they missed the part about how the point of a "break" is to allow everyone to recharge and regroup. Now, we just go with no break at all till April...good work everyone!

That said, we will be fully vaccinated by mid April and I'm planning to visit my also vaccinated parents with kid since the CDC has told me that isn't reckless. The good news about Zoom teaching is that it doesn't really matter where I am.