Graphic by Noemi Gonzalez.I spent the better portion of my spring break slouched in my swivel chair at work, daydreaming about sandy beaches and bright blue waves. For so many students, this was their exciting and fantastic spring break reality.
Scratch that. Maybe your spring break was a road trip with your best friend to a new place. You took pictures with eclectic monuments and ate the local grub. You spent a week taking your friendly intimacy to new heights after spending hours in a small car together.
Perhaps you took a life-changing adventure. Each year, many students participate in spring break trips sponsored by the school, where they travel to other countries to help the population and to learn more about cultures and customs. Even more likely, you may have been taking pictures of things that make you happy, for the 100 Happy Days project.
Now that we're back to school, and back to reality, there may be that little pang in our heart. I enjoy working, but I miss spring break. Don't you?
Well, never fear. If you are also of the bibliophilic influence, here are a few books to get over the post-break blues:
"Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter
"Beautiful Ruins" by Jess WalterIf you spent spring break lounging on the beach and waking up to a sea-salted breeze, this book is for you. It is the type of book you carry in your beach bag, as the plot seems much more plausible and realistic while you're laying in the sand. It's the story of decadence on an Italian beach in the 1960s. This novel is sure to quench any thirst for beach-y, spring break experiences. "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin
"The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin Photo credit: Marie RabusaIf you aren't participating yourself, you may have seen friends using the hashtag #100happydays across social media. Spring break was filled with many happy moments to document. Gretchen Rubin wrote this book as a window into her personal happiness project. I hope this book brings inspiration to those searching for happiness and is relatable for those who have found it. "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
"Divergent" by Veronica Roth Photo credit: Marie RabusaIf you were the adventuring spring breaker, I urge you to read this Veronica Roth novel and the two following books in the series. Relive adventure in the plot lines of this epic tale, one of the most popular series today. In fact, the movie version of "Divergent" will be released March 20.
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
"An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green Photo credit: Marie RabusaMy personal favorite is "An Abundance of Katherines." While I didn't take a road trip over the break, it is exciting to read about the new things learned by the main protagonist of the book. He learned about himself, and others, while experiencing a new culture in a different state. If your spring break thirst was for another road trip, this book may be for you.
There are only 51 days until summer break, friends! Work hard, and stay strong.
You can reach the writer at arabusa@asu.edu or on Twitter @marie_eo.
