While some revel, other Penn State students hope to ‘relax’ at home in Pennsylvania
While some Penn State students have planned beach getaways or grand escapades with friends or relatives in anticipation of this year’s spring break, others are taking some time to ‘relax’ back home in the Keystone State.
Often a time for travel and celebration, spring break fell through last year for most students in State College as the university did not schedule one in the scholastic calendar in light of the severe state of the coronavirus pandemic.
Back on the books for 2022, Owen Markoski said he is headed home to see his family and friends, who he has not seen in two months.
Though he was originally planning on heading to Florida, Markoski (sophomore-cybersecurity) said his hometown in eastern Pennsylvania still has things to offer.
“I want to go hiking and just have fun,” he said.
Hoping to potentially hit some trails in upstate New York as well, Markoski said he hopes to plan bigger trips in the future outside of his hometown.
Before heading to south Florida to see friends, Adam Maman said he’ll return to his home in Montgomery County near Philadelphia to spend time with his family.
He said he hopes to see the new Batman movie with his relatives and visit his brother at Drexel University in the Powelton Village neighborhood of Philadelphia.
While in the city, Maman (sophomore-industrial engineering) said he’d like to visit a newer spot with his family called Cira Green, a rooftop green area with a garden in downtown Philadelphia.
Heading to the other half of the state, Olivia Estright said she’ll be going back to Pittsburgh for most of her spring break.
“Pittsburgh is one of those cities that you go back to, and it just feels like home,” she said.
While home, Estright (sophomore-digital and print journalism) said she’ll be celebrating her birthday as well as her sister’s before taking a few days in Naples, Florida with her father and uncle.
She said she’s looking forward to returning to her native city and visiting areas like Market Square in downtown Pittsburgh and shopping in the Strip District, a long stretch of shops and restaurants near the Allegheny River.
Jonathan Reahl, on the other hand, said he’ll be staying put over spring break. In his final semester, he said he’ll be taking some time for himself and working in State College at UPS.
“Time I would otherwise be spending in classes, I’ll have to myself,” he said.
Hoping to take a brief step away from Happy Valley, Reahl (senior-prelaw) said he will take a few days to visit his family in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about 170 miles east of State College, before resuming his brown-shirted shifts.
Sixty miles southwest of Bethlehem, Danika Boltz will be shadowing a veterinarian in her native Myerstown, Pennsylvania.
Hoping to learn on the job, Boltz (junior-veterinary and biomedical sciences and immunology and infectious disease) also said she wants to catch up with family.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with my sister,” she said. “She’s my best friend, and I can’t wait.”
Boltz also said she will make several trips to a local ice cream shop with her sister and friends to retrieve frozen desserts unavailable at Penn State.
Emily Yost calls Berks County home, and she too is looking forward to a simple and relaxing break in a familiar place.
“I’m [looking forward] to my mom making me food and just being able to see my friends and family,” she said.
Given the chance next year, Yost (junior-actuarial science) said she would like to see about a larger-scale trip with friends or family.
A native of Paoli, Pennsylvania in Chester County near Philadelphia, Jack Cross said he hopes to have some down time at home and play some golf with his father.
Although the break may offer him some respite, Cross (sophomore-computer science) said he’s not entirely off the hook.
“I’ll be trying to relax, but at the same time, I need to catch up on some work that’s assigned over break,” he said.
Another Pittsburgh native, Noah Eakin said he will also spend the break doing work, both for school and for a check.
Otherwise, he said he will drive around the famous Squirrel Hill and Oakland neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, near the University of Pittsburgh, and see his beloved cats.
Eakin (sophomore-international politics) listed the Pennsylvania spring break staples he hoped to achieve during the 9-day period.
“Make some money, see some friends, see some family, do some work, relax,” he said.
