I know many of us have those days/weeks/months, maybe even years, when we do not even get out of bed. I know I have watched friends live life while I simply let it pass me by. For this reason, being chronically ill is one of the worst feelings in the world for a college student, and there is no worse time to be under the weather than “Spring Break”. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I live in constant fear of traveling. Unfortunately, my colitis comes with rather disgusting symptoms, and foreign food is the last thing I want to be eating. As a result, I will spend my Spring Break in the familiarity of San Diego, eating non-diary, non-beef, non-nut, and non-wheat foods, while the rest of my posse is living it up “foreign country” style. However, there are ways to enjoy Spring Break in the comfort of your own hometown. So forget your best friend who is spending Spring Break in Mexico, drowning in margaritas, and do one of the following:

Get a tan—no, I do not mean pack up and go to the beach. Some of you may have never seen the ocean. I’m talking about laying out in your own yard. If you are not big on tanning, go out fully clothed; warm sun can be therapeutic in ways. Trust me.
Rent a bunch of totally pointless movies—I have so many friends who do not appreciate the sick humor of Vince Vaughn and Seth Rogen, yet they seem to create their own rendition of their movies during Spring Break. Well, some of us do not have that luxury. Just pretend Vince Vaughn is crashing your wedding, and I promise you will laugh until you can’t breathe.
Make alcohol-free drinks—at least for me, I cannot drink excess amounts of hard alcohol. It just destroys my intestines. Plus drinking usually isn’t recommended with most medications. However, that does not mean that margaritas are suddenly disgusting with no tequila. Spoil yourself for once (trust me, you deserve it!) and make non-alcoholic beverages. They taste just as good, and they are not harsh on your insides.
Take pictures—my favorite season is spring because of the flowers, the green grass, and the perfect sunshine. There is no other season that creates picture perfect moments in nature. Go into your backyard and find an undiscovered beauty among the plants. Snap!
Call an old friend—so far this piece has been geared toward young college-aged people. I know not everyone goes out and parties all spring break, so call that other person you know is at home all week. Spring brings out the best mood in people. Go sit out in the sun and call up that old friend you have not spoken to in three years. Recreating an old friendship is a good counteraction to the downside of being chronically ill.
These seem like common sense. For me, however, it takes reassuring that those little things will make a difference in my demeanor. I would never wish a chronic illness on anyone, but knowing that someone else gets enjoyment out of these activities makes me feel like I am not alone in this. I hope you all can embrace one of these suggestions as your own, and get complete satisfaction out of your spring break.
By: Caitlyn Pilkington butyoudontlooksick.com