Although Spring Break gives students time to go home or travel, many opt to stay on campus. Because of Swarthmore’s participation in the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s (SEPTA) Key Advantage UPass Program – which gives students up to 240 free rides on rail, subway, bus and trolley lines – students are able to travel to Philadelphia in a thirty-minute train ride. This has made it easier for students to try new things and have fun off campus.
Clover Park ’27, after watching a movie in Center City, encountered stormy weather when she arrived in Media for dinner with friends.
“During spring break, I watched ‘Dune: Part Two’ with my friends at the AMC theater in Jefferson Station! It was a great experience, and we later took the SEPTA to Media for dinner,” she said. “It was raining intensely so we were soaked by the time we got there, but the food tasted amazing that the walk in the rain was all worth it! [It is] definitely a core memory I’ll carry with me.”
The First-Generation Low-Income (FLI) Council organized some events for FLI students, providing them with fun activities to enjoy during the break. FLI students went on a day trip to New York City on Tuesday, March 12. They explored many parts of the city, including two museums – the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the American Museum of Natural History – and Bryant Park.
Renee Zhuang ’27 enjoyed how the event exposed her to New York City’s lively atmosphere.
“I probably only walked 5,000 steps a day at Swat, walking to and from classes and my dorm. Going to New York multiplied that number of steps by five. I didn’t feel tired. Just exhilarated. The cool air was a nice cherry on top. I don’t remember the food, but everything tastes so good after you just walked 25,000 steps. It encourages me to walk a little more when school resumes.”
Gia Kwon ’27 expressed her excitement about visiting MoMA.
“I really liked the art. We saw ‘The Starry Night’ by Van Gogh! And Picasso too!” she said. “I’m really grateful to the FLI council for putting this together.”
FLI students were also able to go bowling at Lucky Strike Bowling and go-karting at Lehigh Valley Grand Prix on March 13 and March 15, respectively.
Some people opted for a quieter and simpler break within the confines of their rooms. Kevin Dong ’24 chose to do just that.
“I just stayed in my room. I slept through the whole day and cooked myself some dinner in my dorm,” he said. “That’s all.”
The Dining Center was closed for the majority of the break. However, Essie Mae’s Cafe and the Science Center Cafe were open during the weekdays, so students still had on-campus food options. Students could also use Swat Points at participating Ville merchants, such as the Swarthmore Co-Op, Occasionally Yours, and Renato Pizza. If not, students typically ate out, ordered food delivery, or made their own food.
Many individuals in the campus community enjoyed the Scott Arboretum during Spring Break, taking leisurely walks and capturing photographs of the scenery.
Department Chair of Music and Associate Professor Lei Ouyang enjoyed the spring beauty, saying, “We have blue skies. We have nice sunny days and just as our campus was starting to bloom, I went down by the Benjamin West House to check out the magnolias – the early magnolias that are blooming – and some of the cherries are starting to blossom.”
Ouyang emphasized that breaks serve as crucial opportunities for students and faculty alike to recharge and maintain their overall well-being, allowing them to return to their academic and personal pursuits with renewed focus and energy. As opposed to the first semester, the second semester has long periods of time without rest.
“I’ve worked at four different college campuses, and there is a particular intensity to this culture at Swarthmore. I think that our breaks are so important. In the fall, we have Fall Break and it comes right when we need it, but then, we also have Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break,” she said. “But in the spring semester, we only have this one Spring Break, which is why I think it is so precious and it falls during such a wonderful time on campus.”
Oyuang added, “It’s really a special time on campus— it’s right when we need this break to rest and recover and get our energy so that we can finish off the second half of the semester,” she added.
