Today, the Friday before Fall Break, is the two-year anniversary of my stepping foot on Pomona’s campus. That fateful Friday, two years ago, I toured Pomona’s campus for the first time, taken aback by the sunny October weather and friendly, laid-back attitude. Friends whizzed by each other on longboards, quickly checking in about plans for the break. Some students carried stoves, tents, and other camping gear back to their dorms to prepare for the four-day weekend ahead. Others napped on the Quad, celebrating with some well-deserved rest. It seemed like everyone was in a good mood.
Perhaps it led to my impression of the school being a little too perfect, but the pre-fall break vibe certainly had me hooked on Pomona!
Upon arriving at Pomona, I realized that it’s not all smiles and naps on the Quad, high-fives and camping trips. Yeah, there’s work involved, and a lot of it. There are tests and papers and midterms, and that’s precisely why the advent of Fall Break puts everyone in such a good mood.
Today, too, there’s plenty of cheeriness and cancelled classes and well-deserved naps. The break is only four days long, but let’s be real: the possibilities are endless. (Especially now that the National Parks are no longer closed–thanks for that one, government shutdown.) Going anywhere is pretty easy with free gear from the Outdoor Education Center and pack-outs from the dining halls. Just out of my friends, some are going home, one is going to Seattle, one is driving to San Francisco, a few already left early this morning on a strenuous backpacking trip to Zion, some are doing day trips in the area, some are going beach camping, a couple are visiting friends at other colleges, some are staying around campus to sleep and catch up on work…the list goes on. But no matter what people are doing, it’s certainly a break from the usual routine. A break to keep us sane, to keep us from becoming sickly, sleep-deprived zombies. And if that’s not something to be thankful for and happy about, I don’t know what is.
As for me, I have tentative (I know, I know, tentative? At this point? But I really do have faith in my friends and my ability to pull off some pretty sweet last-minute shenanigans!) plans to visit hot springs, have a night picnic at Joshua Tree, and go beach camping for a night or two.
While I sit here at work in the student mailroom on a leisurely Friday afternoon, wishing people a happy Fall Break while handing them their packages, the smiles I receive in return are genuine. The pre-Fall Break vibe of relaxation, happiness, and anticipation pervades the air, reminding me of the first time I set foot on campus. Pomona isn’t the happiest place on earth (I always cringe when people suggest that…it’s a toxic narrative for a lot of reasons, but we can get into that another time), but right now, things are looking pretty good!
