After the school year ended abruptly last spring break due to the pandemic, many students have been debating over the topic if people should travel over this spring break given how it has been over a year since the outbreak. Due to the conditions of the pandemic, I believe that traveling over this period is acceptable while adhering to the COVID guidelines and restrictions. 

Traveling to a new location can reduce stress, anxiety and depression, according to claimcompass. With the amount of times people have had to quarantine, all the time spent alone can cause one to feel isolated and disconnected from others. Many people during these quarantines have been walking in order to get out of the house, which is a very mild form of traveling. Traveling has been proven to boost one’s mood and their overall feeling of happiness, which can be quite beneficial during these unprecedented times.

As traveling can improve someone’s emotional state, it can also make one more fit. From Travelex, while going on vacation you become more active and therefore burn more calories. On an average trip to Europe, the average person can walk up to 30,000 steps a day. In addition to being more active, traveling can boost one’s sleeping patterns. The average person’s sleeping schedule can be hindered due to stress or a toxic environment. When on a trip, one is able to forget about their average day-to-day life and relax while enjoying a new setting.

In addition to the benefits it has mentally and physically, traveling to a new place can improve creativity. According to Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, the most important things about travel are adaptation, social engagement and immersion you get from their culture. Galinsky says that someone who lives abroad or in another city and does not engage with the local culture will likely get less of a creative boost than someone who travels abroad and really engages in the local environment. A lot of creative minds, like artists and producers, will take a trip in order to get away from their everyday lives and go to a place in which they are unfamiliar with. 

However, while traveling somewhere new does not excuse the fact that there is a pandemic, one can reduce their exposure to the virus by putting in the proper precautions. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), in order to take the most precautions, a two week isolation period is beneficial before embarking on a trip, but is not necessary. In addition to this, one needs to have a valid COVID-19 test 72 hours before flying and wear masks when on public transportation. If you have received a COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC calls for waiting at least two weeks after your second dose in order for your body to build up protection, just like any other vaccine. 

Although the pandemic is still impacting our daily lives, I believe it is also important to take care of our personal well beings while focusing on our physical health. Travel, as simple as it may be, is an excellent source of self betterment and reflection and therefore, with the proper precautionary measures in mind, travel over spring break should most definitely be allowed.