Spring Break 2023 Hot Spots

Maddie Schieder Staff Writer

February. Only one month into our spring semester at Villanova, and students are already planning their spring break adventures. This week’s chilling temperatures and sights of snow have pushed Villanovans to venture to new locations for their weeklong break this March. The Villanovan asked students how they plan to spend their time away from the hustle and bustle of life on campus. First up, sophomore Antonio Crescente is planning a trip to the Cayman Islands to visit his dad with a friend.

“I’m going to the Cayman Islands with my friend Ben to visit my dad who lives there and relax on the 7-mile beach,” Crescente said. “I am so excited to visit beach bars for their Full Moon beach bashes and discover Caribbean nightlife. There is a good amount of college students there during breaks from not just the United States but the United Kingdom and Canada as well. There are also plenty of fun activities like parasailing, jet-skiing, visiting sting-ray city and snorkeling which makes the daytime feel as fun as the night. I am really looking forward to this trip and would recommend it as a hotspot to any future Villanovan.”

Crescente is not the only Villanovan traveling outside of the United States. Junior Lauren McLaughlin stated she will be traveling to Italy. Along with McLaughlin, junior Nina Mahajan is also ad- venturing overseas to Barcelona and Amsterdam to visit her friends traveling abroad this semester.

“I’m really excited to go to Europe over spring break to see my friends who are studying abroad,” Mahajan said. “I’m going to Barcelona and Amsterdam, which are both cities I’ve never been to before.

I’m planning to spend my days exploring and wandering through the cities seeing where I wind up with my friends.”

Traveling abroad has a lot of different opportunities compared to vacationing in the U.S. Mahajan expressed what she is most excited to experience on her trip.

“I think I’m most excited to try the food in both cities and see my friends,” Mahajan said.

“I’ve heard such great things about both places, and I’m really looking forward to meeting new people and seeing new places.”

Other students have booked trips down south to Florida to soak up the sunshine. Graduate student Charlie Gilroy and Senior Caitlin van Goeverden are both going to Fort Lauderdale.

“For spring break, I am taking a golf trip with my best friend,” Gilroy said. “I also look forward to seeing my girlfriend and our friends while we are down there to get the best of both worlds.”

In recent years students have more recently been spending their break abroad rather than embracing the typical spring break vacation. However, there are plenty of students who plan to stay in the U.S. to either visit family and friends or take a much-needed vacation with other Villanovans. Sophomore Elizabeth Feczko is one of those students laying low this break.

“I am going to Dayton to visit my boyfriend,” Feczko said. “Afterwards, I will be going home to spend time with my family. I can’t wait.”

Another sophomore, Noah George, also plans on embracing some well-deserved at-home time with his family for the week.

“I am going home,” George for a long time can be difficult. In fact, just petting an animal can play a powerful role in a student’s well-being because it releases an automatic relaxation response.

“Humans interacting with animals have found that petting the animal promotes the release of serotonin, and oxytocin- all hormones that can play a part in elevating moods,” McCarthy said. “Pet therapy lowers anxiety, provides comfort, reduces loneliness and simply can provide an escape or happy distraction.”

Many local Villanova and Main Line residents bring their pets to Villanova’s pet therapy sessions. Community members interested in registering their pet for Where is the Love? Wednesdays with Pals for Life Pet Therapy are encouraged to apply and get approved through Pals for Life.

Pet therapy has become popular at Villanova and it is a great way for students to learn about the Office of Health Promotion and all the events that it hosts. Usually, Pet Therapy is held in Room 200 of the Health Service Building. However, the Office of Health Promotion works with another campus partner to host the first Pet Therapy for each month, and it is usually held in different locations. Follow the Office of Health Promotion on Instagram @villanovahealth or visit the events page, www. villanova.edu/healthpromotion, to learn more about the dates and times of pet therapy, as well as other upcoming events.

“My brother and I have spring break at the same time so I will be primarily spending time with him. I also plan on hanging out with all of my high school friends who are also on break and to follow will visit other friends at their respective colleges. Lastly, I plan on sleeping a lot.”

Whether students are getting stamps on their passports or enjoying what the U.S. has to offer, Villanovans will be kept busy this break and have already begun to plan their upcoming adventures.