As the first half of the semester comes to a close, students are excited for spring break and the activities they plan to take part in.

Kelli Slagel, a junior elementary education major, plans to spend her break at home with family and friends.

“I know my mom is planning to do a lot of activities with our family,” Slagel said. “We might go to the movie theater to see ‘Black Panther’, and I will probably play in a volleyball league that my family is involved in.”

Slagel also plans to spend part of her break with her friends from Eastern.

“We are actually planning to go to St. Louis for a couple of days,” Slagel said. “Our plan is to go to the city museum and the arch, maybe Six Flags for a day and then we want to go eat at a restaurant called Twisted Ranch that has around 800 different ranch flavors.”

Slagel wants to get more observational hours for her major as well, so she plans to go help out in one of her family friends’ classrooms for a day.

Aisha Mutesi, a sophomore family and consumer sciences major, is excited to go home and see her family during break, seeing as how this is her first time at a university and away from her family.

“I am looking forward to spring break this year more than any other spring break that I have had in my school life,” Mutesi said. “This is the first spring semester that I have been away from home, and from my three-year-old brother for such a long time.”

Mutesi wants to spend quality time with her young brother, whom she is very close to, while at home.

“My main plan is to take him to the park, the pet store and watch his favorite cartoons with him,” Mutesi said. “I am also planning to hang out with my best friend at her house, and it will be a great time because her dad makes some of the best Indian food that I have ever had.”

Mutesi plans on working on some school work as well.

“I have to observe an adolescent for my lifespan development class paper, so that should be fun,” Mutesi added.

Austin Bucholz, a sophomore communications studies major, is planning on traveling, aside from spending time with family, while he goes home for break.

“I am going to go to Pigeon Forge, Tenn. for four days with my friends from Eastern, ISU and Bradley University,” Bucholz said. “After that, I plan to go back home near Chicago and see my family.”

While in Pigeon Forge, Bucholz and his friends have a lot of activities planned.

“We are going to be staying in cabins, hiking and singing karaoke,” Bucholz said. “We also want to check out all the mountains in the area and visit all the shops and see other sights.”

Once he arrives home, Bucholz plans to take it easy with family and friends.

“My friends and I will probably hit up a few local bars,” Bucholz added. “I really cannot wait to see them, as well as my family, since I do not get to see them very often.”

Andrew Paisley can be reached at 581-2812 or at abpaisley@eiu.edu.