Fall Break – Vandy Style
On October 10, a magical thing happened: fall break began. As the only holiday weekend of first semester, these much-anticipated few days gave undergrads across campus a brief break from midterm stress, labs (for us science people), and the struggles of college life in general. Many students took advantage of this break to go to exotic locations, such as the mountains and the beach. I, however, for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to two impending midterms, decided to stay on campus.
Living on campus during the break was, well…odd. Being used to the constant energy and bustle of regular Vandy life, seeing the closed student centers, walking through a nearly deserted Greek row, and hearing nothing but the sounds of nature were strange. However, all this strangeness gave me a ready-made opportunity to break out of the Vanderbubble.
As a busy sophomore, I hadn’t had time to visit Hillsboro Village this year, the trendy neighborhood down the street from the medical center. Home to new and old establishments alike, Hillsboro is a fun place to spend an afternoon shopping and getting a bite to eat (still hoping to see T-Swift at Pancake Pantry). Fall break gave me a great opportunity to go and experience this unique section of Nashville.
The break also gave me a perfect excuse to experience some of the Taste of Nashville restaurants, due to the limited campus dining options available over the break. Taste of Nashville is a program included with VU meal plans that allows students to use their Commodore Cards as debit cards at participating locations.
Though it may seem anticlimactic, one of the things I most appreciated about being on campus during the break was the stress-free studying I was able to accomplish. The absence of my usual strict study schedule allowed me to fully immerse myself in the material, taking time to appreciate what I was learning more than I usual can.
Takeaway: Though it would have been fun to go somewhere a little more exciting over the break, staying on campus provided adventures of its own and gave me a much-needed recharge.