Tag Archives: spring break

Keeping up with QUEST: Spring Break Edition

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With exams and assignments piling up as the semester progresses, students welcome the opportunity to escape and relax during spring break. Though this year’s break may not have included the typical tropical getaways of other years, many students still made the best of their time off with new hobbies, events, and activities. I was lucky enough to catch up with a few QUESTees about how they spent their break! 

Some students found unique and creative ways to continue celebrating events. Cohort 36 student Nakisa Rafiee was able to spend time with family to celebrate one of her favorite holidays, Persian New Year! Emma Pastor, a member of Cohort 35, cheered on her sister in a gymnastics meet. Cohort 31 student Christina Giovanazi celebrated her puppy’s 13th birthday over Spring Break… “She may be a teenager now, but she’s still a puppy at heart!”

Nakisa’s Persian New Year set up!

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QUEST’s Top 7 Quality Spring Break Plans

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Two weeks ago, we were attempting to stay warm indoors with a hot cup of cocoa on a chilly snow day. It’s hard to believe that we have already reached 60-degree weather, which can only mean one thing – spring break is coming!! And with midterms and the pressure of QUEST projects upon us, we are definitely ready for it. Take a mental break to read about seven of your fellow QUESTees’ *quality* spring break destinations:

1. Outdoor excursion in Arizona

Andrew Jones, an Aerospace Engineering major from Q26, is taking a class through the Science and Global Change Scholars Program. The GEOL288A course, called “Field Geology: The Natural History and Astronomy of Arizona,” is a ten-day hands-on excursion exploring the diverse geology, zoology, botany, astronomy, and archaeology of the breathtaking state. Some highlights include visiting the Grand Canyon, Chiricahua National Monument, and the Sunset Crater.

2. Road trip to Myrtle Beach

Some are opting for a more “traditional spring break” and heading to the beach. Q22 seniors Ben Hsieh, Dan Levine, Sarah Niezelski, Brogan Sheehey, and Chris Yeager (formerly known as 390H Team Sync) are taking a fun road trip to Myrtle Beach. Although Ben wanted to go the extra mile and drive down to Florida, Myrtle Beach sounds like a fierce competitor to the beaches of the Sunshine State. In addition to soaking up the rays, the 390H dream team will also be stopping by Charleston, Greenville, and the Great Smoky Mountains bordering North Carolina and Tennessee.

3. Spontaneous getaway to Iceland

If you thought spring break was all about warm weather, you thought wrong – Dominick Montero (Q24) will be flying all the way to Iceland. “My friends and I had been joking about going to colder places for the spring, and I brought up that we could try to go see the Northern Lights,” Dominick remarked. In addition to gazing at the Aurora Borealis, Dominick and his two friends will be driving along the coastline, hiking on glaciers and volcanoes, riding ATVs, and taking in the spectacular raw landscapes of the country.

4. Environmental conservation service in the Chesapeake Bay

Uva Dayalan, a junior majoring in Bioengineering also from Q24, will be staying a bit closer to home this spring break, but not to catch up on her Netflix shows. Uva is an Experience Leader for Alternative Breaks, a University-sponsored service-learning program that offers students the opportunity to engage in community service during school breaks. She is leading the Chesapeake Bay team in a service experience focused on environmental conservation. In collaboration with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), Uva and her team will be helping out with tree plantings in Clagett Farm and a CBF oyster restoration center.

5. Chilly vacation in Montreal

Jacqueline Kwan (Q21) is going up north to Canada. She is visiting a friend of hers who attends McGill University in Montreal and some other friends she met on a study abroad trip and through her internship at Ernst & Young. Although she’ll be bundled up to avoid the frostbite, Jacqueline is excited to check out the main tourist attractions like Parc du Mont-Royal and the Old Port of Montreal.

6. Terp Pride in Indianapolis

For the die-hard Maryland basketball fans out there, Sydney Tommins from Q24 is going all out during her spring break. Sydney and her dad will be traveling to Indianapolis for the 2016 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. “I’m going because I love Maryland basketball and my dad and I wanted a nice father-daughter trip since I don’t get to see him as much during the school year,” Sydney explained. The tournament will take place from March 9th-13th.

7. QUEST in Silicon Valley

And finally, some QUESTees are so committed to the program that they devote even their spring break to all things QUEST. Michael George (Q23) is one of them. As a Computer Science major, Michael has always been particularly interested in QUEST’s Silicon Valley course (BMGT438G/ENES489Q: Design and Innovation in Silicon Valley) because it is “an opportunity to go to a place where technology and innovation thrives.” Michael especially looks forward to visiting Google, Twitter, and Facebook and is also hoping to stop by the California-native In-N-Out Burger.