While most Staples students traveled to a warm destination over spring break, or enjoyed time at home with their family and friends, many students especially from the junior class visited colleges of their choice.

This prime time for college visits may seem like a stressful time, but if you see the fun in these visits, maybe it can be more of something to look forward to rather than something that many dread.

Don’t Stress
One of the most important parts of these trips is to remember not to stress. If you are panicking and only worrying about the grades and how you will get into the school, then you will most likely not enjoy the visit. This is supposed to be a fun time and an exciting trip to a place you could possibly be spending the next four years of your life at.

Ask Questions
The best way to learn about the school you’re looking at, and to find out more about the specific things you were wondering, is to ask questions. Ther tour guide you are with is going to know a lot about the school and is trained to know what you are wondering. Even if you think it will be a silly question, still ask; it’s always better to know more about the school you are visiting.

Talk to Strangers
Tour guides are great and all, but they are there and trained to make the school look and sound like the best. They will focus on the best parts of the school, and will usually stray away from what they think isn’t so great about the school. So one way to find out what students truly feel about the college is to ask strangers you see walking around. If they look like a friendly student, go up to them and ask them the questions you want, “I asked this nice guy what he thought of the sports at the school, because I really want this ra-ra type of school. I found out through him that a lot of the students like to go to the hockey games and it’s a big tradition,” said Sara Zurmuehle ‘17. This way, you get a better and more real feel for what the students truly like and dislike.

Try the Food
If food isn’t one of the top priorities to cover, definitely make it one. The last thing you want is to go off to college and be miserable with the food situation. So go and check out the cafeterias and the restaurants or shops they have on campus or around the school. “Since I am a vegetarian, I wanted there to be options for me. So I asked them what they have for students like me and I was pleased to see how many choices and types of foods I can eat,” said Sophie Epstein ‘17.

Have fun!
The most important tip is to just have fun. Enjoy your time exploring the schools that you are visiting and get excited. It may seem like a scary and stressful time, but everyone has a school for them and maybe yours will be one you are going to over break.