For some students, spring break means sleeping in, catching up on homework, and perhaps – as TikTok would call it – “bed rotting.” For others, however, it means grabbing a passport, hopping on a plane, and exploring places worlds away. And while not every trip means having a life-changing experience, sometimes those getaways leave you with something other than just souvenirs.
That’s what happened for Sania Alikhan (‘28), who traded the long hallways of Cherry Hill East for the bustling streets of Dubai on April 11. It was her first time back since she was five, and after nearly a decade, she was finally reuniting with family she hadn’t seen in person since 2015.
“ It was nice to see them again and just be with them,” Alikhan said. “ Dubai is an amazing place and…I just love to see my family there.”
But it wasn’t just the family reunions that made the trip memorable. Alikhan spent the ten days exploring the lively city – from the towering Burj Khalifa to the endless shops at the Dubai Mall – immersing herself in the culture and especially appreciating the diversity of people and traditions around her.
“I liked seeing the… different cultures that were around in Dubai as compared to in the U.S,” Khalifa said. “I was able to learn more about Middle Eastern lifestyle and… [after observing] the different cultures that were there, I’m curious to know more about other countries and I…want to go to other places now.”
Over 4400 miles away on April 12th, Jessie Atlas (‘27) arrived in the historic city of Paris, the first stop of her long-awaited trip to see her sister, who has been studying abroad in Barcelona for the past four months. This spring break trip was more than a vacation to Atlas; it was a chance to reconnect and experience the European life she has heard so much about.
“We usually wouldn’t travel to Europe during spring break, but because my sister’s studying abroad there and we really wanted to see the lifestyle she’s been living, and she really wanted to show us around, we decided to visit her over spring break,” Atlas said.
Though the plan was to visit Barcelona first, a last-minute soccer game switched their itinerary, placing Paris at the start of their journey. There, Atlas reunited with her sister and relished in the city’s sights from a scenic cruise along the Seine, passing landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and several other museums.
Then came Barcelona, where Atlas visited her sister’s apartment and the FC Barça Museum – a delightful experience for a FC Barcelona fan like Atlas. But, more than its landmarks, it was the warmth and friendliness that stuck with Atlas the most.
“Everyone in both Barcelona and Paris [was] very nice [and] very easy to talk to, and this…made me realize that I really do want to get a lot better at Spanish, especially in school,” Atlas said. “I want to, hopefully, follow in [my sister’s] footsteps after seeing how amazing her experience was abroad and seeing all the different countries. I really hope that I’m going to be able to do the same thing when I go to college.”
Just two days before Atlas left for Paris, Shana Foley (‘28) and her family were already in the air to Europe, marking the start of their spring break getaway. These ten days would be spread across three distinctly different yet geographically close cities: London, Paris, and Amsterdam.
The trip, planned as Foley’s much-delayed celebratory trip for Bat Mitzvah the year before, was initially reserved for Paris only. However, with a special online package deal promising better deals to multiple cities, Foley’s family ultimately altered their plans.
In the ten days, Foley engrossed herself in European history and culture. She checked off sights like the Tower of London, calling it a “whole little village,” admired the art gallery of the Musee d’Orsay, and experienced Amsterdam’s memorable “nightlife” atmosphere.
“ I remember the night I got home, I sat down for a second [and] was like, I just went to Europe,” Foley recalled. “ I’ve been pretty interested in European history and culture already, but actually getting to experience it and seeing some of the historical places like the Tower of London has definitely added [to] my interest.” She added that the experience even made her consider European history and art as career paths she would be willing to explore later.
Foley also noticed meaningful differences in daily life abroad, especially in the way people balance work and social life in Paris. Observing these cultural contrasts sparked her curiosity about other European countries and the unique lifestyles they offer compared to her own experiences in the U.S.
“I think it would also be nice to just see how people live in different countries. Compared to the US, I think every country has a very different and unique way of living,” Foley mentioned. “Like, I saw [how] in Paris, people have so much time to relax there, and here, it’s just like so many people are stressed about so many things.”
At the end of the day, whether it’s ink-stained notes on a desk, quietly comforting home-cooked meals, a week of guilt-free bed rotting, or stories collected across oceans, spring break means something different for everyone. And while not everyone has the chance to pass over continents, those who do often return with more than passport stamps – they come with fresh perspectives, deepened connections, and memories to look back on.