Cherry blossoms bloom, daffodils sprout up from the ground, and pollen dusts your car’s windshield. The spring season is surely in the air, and with it comes spring break, which is just around the corner. At Etowah, students will spend the week of April 3rd through 7th in a variety of ways. 

“I am very excited to have time off. I would much rather hang out with friends outside school doing something instead of working on science problems,” Everett Johnson, junior, said.  

Possibly the most common spring break destination for those venturing away from home is the beach. Whether it be the shores in Florida, South Carolina, or Alabama, many students and their families will spend their week off from school enjoying the warm weather with their toes in the sand. Panama City Beach in Florida, particularly, has earned the reputation of being the staple spring break destination for those in Georgia; however, some students would rather stay away from its notoriously overcrowded seaside. 

“I am really excited to go [to Panama City Beach] because I usually go there every fall break, and I always have a really fun time with my friends and family,” Ashlyn Forrester, senior, said. 

When not spending time in the waves, other students look forward to visiting family or even simply enjoying a ‘staycation’ during their free days. The ideal way to spend time for many includes recovering from the exhausting second semester by relaxing at home or hanging out with friends and family. For those staying close to home, there are many things to do in the area, such as swimming at Lake Allatoona, driving in Atlanta, or even visiting local movie theaters.  

“I am looking forward to having a break from school, so I can spend time doing the things I enjoy,” Brooke Bresnan, freshman, said.  

Some, however, will not be spending their break relaxing, but instead preparing for the upcoming AP (Advanced Placement) exam season. The first two weeks in May are infamous amongst many students for holding AP exams that will decide whether or not students will receive college credit for the AP classes that they have been prepping for all year. Stress from the nearing tests will have many peers hitting the books during their time off.  

“Over spring break, I plan on studying for my AP Biology and AP Macroeconomics exam. Those are my two hardest APs, and I feel that the week off gives me valuable time to be able to review the content and prepare myself mentally for the exams so I do not blank the days of the tests,” Olivia Baudo, senior, said.  

Whether one is traveling outside of Woodstock or not, spring break undoubtedly provides many a much-needed breather before exam season stress begins. For others, though, that stress may have already commenced.