spring slump

It's that time of the semester when I log on Facebook and every other post from my high school friends/acquaintances goes a little something like this:

"Squeeee! Only 4 more days until spring break!! :) :) :) :)""

Or like this:

"IT'S HERE! #noschoolfordays #chillinlikeavillian"

Or like this:

"<inserts exotic/warm/cultural/not Utahish place here> here I come! Spring Break 2014!!! HOLLA!!!"

And I'm all, "it's cool." And I kind of mean it, even though I'm just hanging out in sometimes warmish, sometimes sunny P-town, eating M&Ms like it's my job.

Side story: The other day in class, I ate a few M&Ms to keep myself awake, and all I could imagine was my professor throwing me in the Chokey or tossing me out the window a la Trunchbull. On second thought, both are unlikely seeing as class was in the dungeon basement, and my professor is a tiny little waif of a crotchety old man who I could take down without breaking a sweat.

But in all actuality, all those emoticons and excessive punctuation and chillin' on the beach Instagrams are slowly killing me inside. I'm dying for a break. I'd take one day. Just one when I don't have to go to school or do homework or work. I know what you're thinking: "That's what Saturdays are for!" But no. They're not. Saturdays are for doing those pesky things like laundry and cleaning that just don't fit into the rest of the week. Or for convincing yourself that you have all the time in the world to relax because there are twenty-four hours in the day and obviously you can get homework done after an hour or two (or three or four or...) of Netflix because you deserve a break, goshdarnit. And then you fly into a frenzied panic when you realize you've wasted way too much of your day and have to rush to get everything done before Monday morning due dates.

Rest assured that I'm aware that this is a first-rate first world problem. I know I shouldn't be complaining about wanting a break from my quality education at an affordable university that is also providing me with a job that I love that gives me practical experience for a future career. To a lot of people, this post makes me come across as a bitter, selfish, over-privileged whiner who doesn't know how good she's got it.

But I know. I do. I promise.

But I also know that I'm a human who gets stressed and tired and deals with hard things and who sometimes just needs a breather. Who just wants one day of relaxation. Just one.

Unfortunately, that's just not an option for me. Because despite the many wonderful things this university grants me, spring break just isn't one of them. But when I look at the bigger picture, I realize that I wouldn't trade all of the other blessings of Brigham Young University for a week of relaxation. I wouldn't trade the intelligent professors, the religion classes, the uplifting atmosphere. I wouldn't trade deeply rooted friendships with people who know and understand what I believe and why I believe it or the opportunities I have to serve and grow and learn. Not even for a week-long decompress.

But having a spring break in addition to all that? Yeah, I wouldn't mind that so much.