Although Chicagoans might have experienced the winter blues, spring break is right around the corner! With the spring sports underway, the upcoming ACT, and the looming threat of AP exams, sleep-deprived students are looking forward to a much-deserved rest. In a recent poll, students had many different responses that described how they would be spending their spring break.

The most popular spring break plan involves traveling, with 59% of students responding that they would be vacationing over break. 40% of students will be getting some extra sleep and staying home over break, and 26% will be taking advantage of the week off to visit family and friends. Despite being away from school, many students plan on productively using their time off, with 18% of students responding that they will be preparing for AP exams and several others saying that they would be completing their homework, preparing for standardized tests such as the ACT, or visiting colleges. Another popular response was spring cleaning, with 11.4% of the responses. Sports will be in full swing over break: several students said they plan on attending practices for various sports such as softball, horseback riding, and water polo, and many student athletes said they will be traveling with lacrosse and baseball on their spring break trips.

Along with giving their plans for the week, many responded with what their ideal spring break would look like. Hoping to escape the seemingly never-ending Chicago winter, a large amount of students said that they would like to travel to destinations such as Hawaii, the Mediterranean, Australia, and Switzerland. Another popular response was being able to recharge from the demands of school while staying at home and taking time away from daily responsibilities. In most responses, students mentioned wanting to spend more time with their friends and families before going back to school.

For many, the ideal break of traveling with friends will soon become a reality–thanks to the band and choir programs, who will be joining forces to travel to New York City this March. The past several trips, which take place every other year, have been to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. However, with this year’s new location comes new opportunities for the students, who will have the opportunity to grow in their musicianship while exploring a city different from their own.

“New York presents an opportunity to perform and learn more about both music and the city itself,” said Band Director Vince Genualdi. He said this year’s spring break trip will allow students to expand their horizons both musically and geographically.

Both groups will have the opportunity to participate in workshops and clinics with professionals in music and theatre. They will also have the opportunity to perform for an audience: band is performing at the USS Intrepid Air & Space Museum, choir is performing at St. John the Divine, and both are performing at the Madison Avenue Atrium. Their audience will hear a variety of pieces, with several selections from well-known Broadway musicals such as Wicked, Mamma Mia!, and Dear Evan Hansen. Being able to perform will be both an enjoyable experience and a chance to learn about what making music is like at the professional level.

“The opportunity to perform outside of our school gives you a perspective of what a traveling professional musician goes through,” said Mr. Genualdi.

When they are not showcasing their musical abilities, students will experience all that New York has to offer by seeing the Broadway musicals Come From Away and Jersey Boys, visiting locations, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, and the Statue of Liberty, and attending a concert by the New York Philharmonic.

Senior Emma Abrahamian said she is excited for all the opportunities and fun to be had on the trip.

“I’m looking forward to learning from the workshop and getting to work from Broadway stars,” said Abrahamian.

Whether staying at home or traveling far, students said they are looking forward to taking some time off and will have many experiences to share when they return to school in April.