As students leave Pittsburgh in search of warmer weather and clearer skies during spring break, many found their academic pressures were harder to leave behind.

Unlike the month-long winter break that marks the end of the fall semester, the week-long spring break comes at a critical point in the semester with midterms ending and finals approaching. With pressure building and the end of the semester nearing, students are finding it difficult to think about anything else, even when they’re away from campus.

Ava Amato, a junior pharmaceutical sciences major, spoke of the consistent pressure she felt over break, even as she traveled to Florida with her sister. 

“Honestly, I don’t think there’s ever a time I’m not thinking about schoolwork,” Amato said. “It’s like a constant anxiety clock in the back of my head.”

Amato spent the first half of her trip in Vero Beach with family friends before heading to Daytona Beach to visit relatives. She said most of the trip was spent relaxing at the beach, making dinner reservations with family and taking small outings around the area.

Amato said even though the presence of her schoolwork loomed in the periphery, she was grateful for the opportunity to be surrounded by family and friends that had nothing to do with her life in Oakland. 

“It was a really good distraction — to know that it’s OK to just take a break and focus on your mental health,” Amato said.

Julia Ponticiello, a junior communication science major, shared a similar mentality. She spent the first half of her spring break in Clearwater, Florida, with her roommate and two friends. The trip was Ponticiello’s first time traveling for spring break — a decision that was influenced by seeing friends and family take similar trips in the past. 

“There’s definitely some FOMO,” Ponticiello said, referring to previous semesters when she stayed home to complete schoolwork. “My older sister goes to Pitt too, and she travels every year. So I was like, maybe I need to.” 

Ponticiello said she intentionally avoided thinking about school while away and used the trip as a chance to recharge. 

“For [the rest of spring break], I’m just going to relax and I’ll think about everything else when I come back,” Ponticiello said.

For students like Devon Michelli, a junior architecture major, school work during break was an unavoidable reality. Michelli said she spent most of her break at home in Wilmington, Delaware, working on assignments and catching up on schoolwork.

“I swear, I was doing work the whole time,” Michelli said. “I was able to catch up on some stuff, but it definitely didn’t feel like much of a break.”

For other students nearing graduation, spring break can represent a final chance to travel with friends before entering the workforce. Wynter Rohan, a senior media and professional communications major, traveled to Oahu, Hawaii, with three friends for a week-long getaway.

“Honestly, I feel like we all needed this,” Rohan said, reflecting on the trip as a last hurrah for her and her friends before graduation and future job commitments.

“I know it’s kind of common for college students to go to Florida and stuff,” Rohan said. “We kind of wanted to step out of that box and try something new.”

Rohan said the trip — which was her first spring break she spent traveling in college — helped her step away from the constant pressure of balancing schoolwork and internships.

“I’m a senior, and I’ve never really taken the time to step away from my computer and just relax for a couple days,” Rohan said. “It made me realize I probably do need a vacation.”

The group spent their days visiting beaches, hiking to waterfalls and exploring the island while staying together in a hostel in Waikiki.

Despite her time in the sun, Rohan said she was still “thinking about work 24/7.” But, ultimately, she said it “felt good not having a laptop near me or having to check Canvas or Photoshop every day.”

“For any senior, definitely step out of your comfort zone and go on a trip,” Rohan said. “And don’t take your laptop.