#57 – Nerdy Spring Break

In the 90s MTV started broadcasting spring break festivities from such exotic locales as Ft. Lauderdale and Lake Havasu. It was through those broadcasts that I began to learn about the rampant debauchery that often goes hand-in-hand with spring break. As a young nerd, though, and a fairly straight-laced Christian, I knew that I had no desire to let loose and debauch myself in the manner portrayed on MTV. Since it is spring break, though, here are some ways for nerds to let loose.

Talk to a Girl/Guy

The guys that I saw on MTV didn’t seem that concerned with talking to girls; they had more carnal intentions. For nerds, though, spring break is the perfect time to get a little crazy and actually talk to a girl or guy. Talking to girls was difficult for me as a young nerd. I didn’t know what to say. I was self-conscious about my appearance. But spring break is a perfect time to get beyond those fears, throw caution to the wind and strike up a conversation that would normally cause your palms to sweat and your heart to race. Stepping out in courage may lead to a torrid night of conversation which would stay where it belongs – spring break.

See the Sun

Yesterday was the official first day of spring. Where I live it was very cold and rainy. Ideally spring break is a time to soak in some sun and start to work on that base tan for the summer. On a list of nerds’ favorite activities, though, soaking up the sun falls in between hanging out with jocks and not eating Bagel Bites. But if spring break is a time to get a little crazy, why not spend some time out in the sun. It’s good to feel the warmth on your skin, even if it starts to burn after only three minutes. Maybe you’re secretly a Kryptonian and, instead of a sun burn, the sun will give you powers like Superman. It’s still probably best to bring the SPF 50, though, just in case.

Watch a Drama

I love science fiction movies and comic book movies and fantasy epic movies as much as the next nerd. Star Wars is my favorite movie, I regularly watch the newest Star Trek and I religiously follow updates for the upcoming Thor and Captain America movies. Even with that kind of nerd passion for nerd movies, there still needs to be some room for other genres. This spring break nerds can mix things up by watching a drama or a dark comedy. Get a little crazy and add Traffic, Moulin Rouge! or The Royal Tenenbaums to your Netflix cue. Sure, most dramas don’t have any aliens, swords or battles. But, what they lack in nerdclinations, they make up for with the human condition. And shockingly enough the best way to learn about the human condition from movies isn’t by watching aliens, but by watching well-crafted stories about human relationships. But I still can’t wait to see Thor.

Spring break isn’t really a time to let loose and go crazy. If we’re followers of Jesus, we don’t get to take a break from following Jesus just because everyone else is going nuts. Spring break can be a good time to rest and relax, though. It may also be a good time to break out of some patterns and experience something new. Spring is a time of newness, and that may not be entirely bad to incorporate into our lives.

How do you spend your spring break? Or how did you spend your spring break when you were younger?