Why travel for spring break, when you can relax close to home? Spring break doesn’t have to be spending a week in Panama City Beach or Cancun. Although many students may wish it was an option, realistically it might not be for everyone. Spending spring break close to home can be just as relaxing as going to a far-away destination.

Junior pre-pharmacy major Emily Reever has plans to go home and avoid the Canvas page while on spring break, allowing herself to spend time with friends back home.

“You don’t have to have a lot of money to make connections with people,” Reever said.

There are countless places around the Cape Girardeau region that can help put the “break” in spring break. If nature sounds appealing, then there is a wide variety in the surrounding areas. These being, Student Recreation Center, Inspiration Point Trail or Trail of Tears State Park.

Senior computer multimedia graphics major Sophie Bollinger plans to spend her spring break foraging mushrooms and deer antlers, and taking hikes with her fiancé and siblings.

“My fiancé owns some land that we really liked to go on hikes there. We do mushroom hunting and shed hunting for deer antlers. It’s probably one of my favorite things to do in the springtime,” Bollinger said.

According to an article by the American Psychological Association, spending time in nature or simply in the outdoors has been linked to lower stress, improved attention and can reduce risk of psychiatric disorders.

Cameron Johnston, a naturalist at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Center, gave advice on ways to spend spring break close to home. Johnston suggested trails such as Pickle Springs, Trail of Tears, Perry County Shoreline Trail and Blue Spring Branch in Perry County.

“I think no matter what you’re doing in nature, whether you’re going hiking or going fishing, or just sitting outside and enjoying the sounds of birds, it’s a really good way to kind of ground yourself and experience what’s around you,” Johnston said.

Johnston went into detail about how if students are not into hiking, that there are opportunities to go camping, fishing and kayaking too.