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It’s spring break. You walk through the door of your home and are met with a flurry of greetings and hugs.

The next couple of days are pleasant. You enjoy all of the comforts of home. But as the days roll on, you begin to feel empty. 

As you ruminate on your aimlessness, one of your little siblings darts into the room, shouting that they want to play their favorite game with you again. You get annoyed, feel guilty about it, and say yes with a smile. 

Daydreaming about breaks has gotten me through several midterm seasons. But even at home, life’s problems don’t take an intermission at the same time that you do. 

Spring break brings its own difficulties. Leave your school and interrupt your routine, and you will find a colorful batch of vices knocking at your door. 

But by shifting your expectations, a stagnant, harried break can become the hearty rest it’s meant to be. Entitlement likes to creep in over breaks. I often think that, surely, my weeks and months of hard work merit a few uninterrupted hours of lying on the couch. 

Negative thoughts and dormant habits reintroduce themselves when we lose our college environments and rhythms. Take time to rest in silence without distraction. Then, pay attention to the thoughts and emotions that come up when you’re alone.

We may be tempted to throw away our precious time on a dopamine flood of sugar and blue light. As negative emotions rise, so do the cries of our brains for a distraction. Anxiety or boredom may set in. Or, perhaps we come home with a touch of pride, expecting our families to treat us with more respect and grant us more space. But it is important to counter these tendencies rather than surrender to them.

We should respond to discomfort by identifying our anxiety and boredom and replacing them with healthier thoughts.

Our own families have hopes, fears, and memories that we have yet to learn about. We must not stop being curious about those we love. Though I know my family well, there are still so many things that I don’t know about them. They may be familiar, but in many ways, they are a delightful mystery.

Coming home expecting to be served is different from coming home with the heart of a servant. The heart of servanthood, of Christ, is available to all who call upon Him in truth. 

This spring break, let us serve faithfully and rest truly. 

Joseph Peshek is a junior studying philosophy.