Spring Breaking My Heart
graphic by bailey kretschmer
We got the infamous email condemning spring break on September 23rd in the mid-afternoon, and it was buried in the middle of some dense calendar information nobody reads. There wasn’t a lot of fanfare: A few articles in the local papers, a sassy “Friends” meme from The Tab, and then it was gone. Poof. But the reason we aren’t rioting is not what you think...
While the decision to cancel spring break certainly wasn’t a popular one, there wasn’t an outpouring of rage. On October 6th, SU announced at least 45 new cases of Covid-19 in connection to a party where travel outside of the Central New York area played some role. As Syracuse.com noted in their article about the cancellation, with no small amount of condescension might we add, spring break is a well known tradition “often associated with wild partying in warm weather [sic] destinations.” Travel is inherent in the stereotypical description of spring break. But right now, that’s a non-starter.
It’s perfectly valid to be frustrated beyond comprehension or just plain emo by this decision. Not to mention, it’s hella problematic. Binches may say it’s a red fucking herring that allows colleges and universities to shout, “Look how much we’re doing to prevent outbreaks!” and distract attention from their distinctly shitty distancing strategies. Like, have you seen those stupid circles on the quad? (It’s us. We’re binches.)
The U.S. travel industry, already crippled by international travel restrictions, is going to remain knee-capped because domestic travel for spring break is a major source of income. For students already facing heightened tuition (!) and accelerated course loads, the promise of a week with no responsibilities was a beacon of hope. So why do we have to be punished for the hypothetical actions of others?
The sole reason we haven’t been absolutely losing our s h i t is because we’re all numb.
Some of us have lost family members, friends, jobs, and life-changing opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the grand scheme of things, spring break is like a drop in the bucket. We are becoming inured to these petty announcements because every day there’s a new tragedy. It feels awful to protest the cancellation of spring break while the rampant violence against the Black community in America escalates further. It has been an unprecedented but not unpredictable year. Let’s face it. 2020 is the product of the attitudes that have increasingly been denying global warming, racial inequality, and basic human rights like health care.
This is not going to be easy. The isolation many of us have been struggling with is going to rear its ugly head yet again. For a lot of us, spring break was the chance to catch up on sleep and maybe a few readings. But more importantly, to have the opportunity to spend time with our loved ones away from the dumpster fire we call campus. There is certainly a sense of resignation among the student population. It’s like the John Mulaney bit from “New in Town”: “This might as well happen. Adult life is already so goddamn weird.”
Stay weird, guys. We’ll get through this together.