Lehman Students Don’t Get a Break this Spring
By Shivani Boodhoo
Tana Cambrelen gets ready for spring break 2017.
Mariah Dwyer enjoys break at Wave Hill Gardens.
In movies like “Spring Breakers,” “National Lampoon’s Spring Break,” and “22 Jump Street,” spring break is portrayed as a wild time when college students go on drinking binges and do lots of thrilling, and illegal, activities. However, in real life, many Lehman students have a much tamer experience due to a backlog of school work and lack of funds.
Edgenis Abreu, 22, an environmental science major, laments, “Having time to yourself without having to think about school is always great, but every year it seems like I have either a project or a final to worry about after the break is over.”
Mariah Dwyer, 21-year-old English major focusing on creative writing and minoring in professional communication, is also tied down by academic obligations. This year, she doesn’t have concrete plans, but said, “Normally if I’m not given an essay or reading to do for spring break, I try to do future assignments.” So, she keeps her break local, and plans to hang out with friends picnicking in Central Park. “If I’m not doing any of those things,” she added, “I’d be binge watching a TV show on Netflix.”
Tana Cambrelen, 20, another creative writing major and Netflix addict, agrees that “Spring break is a tease.” She isn’t that excited about it because she is not going on vacation---she too will be doing schoolwork. “I don’t get assigned any spring break homework, but I always end up getting ahead on work that’s due because I feel guilty just sitting around.” She appreciates the time off, but having to go back to school “is always the hardest because I got a little taste of freedom.” However, she decided not to pick up more shifts at her job during the break because she wanted time to relax.
Since she can’t legally drink, Cambrelen adds “I’ve never been on a spring break vacation since I’m not 21 yet. Next year should be exciting.”
For other students keeping their breaks local, the Bronx Zoo offers free admission for CUNY students. The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show is ongoing as well, and the Tribeca Film Festival will run from April 19-30 in Manhattan. Whatever you choose to do, you’d better enjoy it, because once April is over, finals seem to hit worse than a hurricane.
