5 Meaningful Alternative Spring Break Ideas

5 Meaningful Alternative Spring Break Ideas Image via Pexels 1, Give Back Through United Way: There are so many different ways to volunteer your time and give back through alternative spring break trips, and one meaningful way to do so is through United Way. The organization started “Storm Corps” in 2006 to give students an opportunity to help clean up and rebuild places affected by Hurricane Katrina. Now, United Way offers different spring break trips which focus on assisting and addressing issues in urban areas, like building affordable housing. You can visit the official United Way site for more information about their opportunities! 2. Get Your Hands Dirty with Habitat For Humanity: Habitat for Humanity is known for bringing communities together by building affordable homes for those in need. If you love carpentry, building, or just having a chance to offer your service for a greater cause, an alternative spring break trip with Habitat would be great for you. There are hundreds of locations across the country, so no matter where you’re located, there will be a chance for you. On what to expect, Habitat writes, “Students arrive on Day 1 and participate in activities that help them get to know the community, the family with whom they are building and each other. The next five days are spent working on the build site, with evenings free for activities, bonding with the team or just to relax.” 3. Explore Your Horizons and Volunteer Abroad: Alternative spring breaks aren’t exclusively reserved for domestic trips in the country, there are plenty of opportunities abroad as well! Some of the volunteer work you can do includes temple renovation efforts in Sri Lanka, organic farming in South America in places like Belize or Ecuador, or rescuing dogs and cats in Nepal. There are several different ways to be of service abroad, just be sure to do your research and be in touch with a counselor/advisor at your school to make sure everything looks legitimate and safe. 4. Reconnect with Nature: Reconnecting with nature is important on so many levels. For one, it helps us to get away from the stressors of daily life, and two, it humbles us to remember life is so much greater than what we think sometimes. An alternative spring break trip that focuses on nature can be both relaxing and rewarding for you! For instance, the American Hiking Society has volunteer vacations where you can help to clean and better different nature trails across the country through shoveling, trimming, and cleaning hiking trails. 5. Make a Difference with Disaster Relief Programs: Unfortunately, natural disasters are far too frequent. Whether it is devastating wildfires, catastrophic hurricanes, or deadly earthquakes, natural disasters are always occurring, which means there are always people who are in desperate need of help. For an alternative spring break, consider connecting with an organization that is dedicated to disaster relief of a cause you are connected to. Recently, there have been wildfires in Australia, earthquakes in Puerto Rico, and many more places where people need basic necessities like food, water, clothing or access to medical assistance. Image via Pexels There may be plenty of students are heading to tourist vacation spots this spring break, but that doesn’t mean that choosing to experience an alternative spring break trip is less significant. Not only can you give back to worthwhile causes, but you can also meet new people, make friends, have fun, and create lasting memories along the way!