"Spring Break"

Spring Break: How It Started (and Why We’re Still Obsessed)

Ah, Spring Break — that magical time of year when schools hit pause, flights get booked, and beaches everywhere brace themselves. Whether you’re planning to sleep in for a week straight or head somewhere sunny with friends, Spring Break has become a whole thing. But have you ever wondered where it actually came from?

Spoiler alert: it didn’t start with pool parties and packed beaches.

The roots of Spring Break go back to the 1930s, when a swim coach in Upstate New York brought his team down to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to train during the colder months. Word got out, and college students slowly started tagging along — not just for the training, but for the sun, the beach, and a break from school stress.

By the 1960s, thanks to a certain movie called Where the Boys Are (which, yes, was basically about college kids partying in Florida), Spring Break exploded into pop culture. Fort Lauderdale became the go-to destination for thousands of students looking for sun, fun, and a break from lectures and exams. Over the years, the tradition grew — spreading from Florida to spots like South Padre Island, Cancun, and even cruise ships and ski towns.

But here’s the thing: Spring Break doesn’t have to look one way. Sure, there are still the classic party destinations, but people now use it for all kinds of things — relaxing at home, visiting family, catching up on sleep, volunteering, or finally taking that trip that’s been sitting in your saved folder.

At its core, Spring Break is about the pause. A little window of time to reset, recharge, and remember there’s more to life than just checking boxes and submitting assignments. Whether you spend it traveling or just breathing a little deeper, it’s a reminder that rest and play matter too.

So whatever your Spring Break looks like this year — loud, quiet, far away, or right at home — lean into it. You earned this pause.