Spring Break is so close you can smell the finals in the air. The much needed break can’t come soon enough. It’s been a tough year, and a break is needed to recharge ourselves for one more go at it.
Ashley Marie Hampton, a Business Management major, says she has plans like many other students. “I will be mostly working during the break; I might go to the beach.” For students who will have free time and want to avoid spending it on the couch, spring break is a chance to let loose and relieve some built up stress before taking on that one last term of the year.
For students wanting to head outdoors, there is still plenty of snow left on the mountains. Right now Willamette Pass is reporting around 60 inches of snow still on the ground. A day at Willy will cost around $50 per person for the lift ticket; that doesn’t include travel, rental, or other accommodations which can quickly add up.
Closer to home, Diamond Lake Resort hosts Friday Night Cosmic Tubing with S’mores and Hot Cocoa from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. The event costs $25 per person; that includes use of tubes, unlimited uphill tows and a music and laser lights show. With your S’mores kit you also get a camp fire. For more info, call 541-793-3333.
If freezing in the snow isn’t your thing, you could head to the beach. Now is the time to catch the spring migration of the gray whale. Spring break is spring whale watch week (March 19 to 26); You can catch the festivities at the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center. When Hampton found about the whale migration, she exclaimed, “Whale watching? OMG! I’m so going to go do that.”
For anyone into taking care of the environment who wants to spend a day at the beach, SOLVE is leading a beach cleanup March 26 at all Oregon beaches. To get involved, join SOLVE by meeting them at North Spit Boat Ramp in North Bend, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 26. Thousands of volunteers will likely participate to clean up litter and other debris from the entire Oregon Coast. For more info, visit Solve at their website.
Locally, spring break will begin with a rodeo. The Hell on Hooves Tour is bringing the Rough Stock Rodeo to the fairgrounds March 19. The event will include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing, and mutton busting. The cost to attend is $12 in advance or it will be $15 at the door. Kids five and under get in for free. See Hell on Hooves Tour.
Remember to stay safe during the break. The Fight Back on Spring Break website has a lot of tips on how to stay safe during spring break. There are safety tips on things such as traveling, drinking, leaving the country, and safe sex. Fight Back on Spring Break is a Spring Break/travel safety program brought to you by the team of badass ladies at Girls Fight Back. One caution to all; remember the Zika virus can be sexually transmitted. Until next term . . . .