Chances are, your Spring Break is shaping up to be something very different than what you had originally imagined. And, coming off of a busy Project Week, the thought of 3 weeks of free time for ourselves to relax and reset before finishing out the rest of the year may not only be welcomed but needed. However, once the novelty of “Netflix and chill” has worn off, what’s next? To stave off “spring break brain mush”, try to keep your wheels spinning through this break. Here are suggestions from fellow Huskies.
Read
Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman – “What a good dog you are. What a fine dog you are. Hachi, you are the best dog in all of Japan.” Professor Ueno speaks these words to his faithful dog before boarding the train to work every morning. And every afternoon just before three o’clock, Hachi is at the train station to greet his beloved master. One day, the train arrives at the station without the professor. Hachi waits. For ten years, Hachi waits for his master to return. Not even Yasuo, the young boy who takes care of Hachi, can persuade him to leave his post.” – Goodreads.com
Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman – “Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ cliff-side mansion on the Italian Riviera. Unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, at first, each feigns indifference. But during the restless summer weeks that follow, unrelenting buried currents of obsession and fear, fascination and desire, intensify their passion as they test the charged ground between them.” – Goodreads.com
Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins – “For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare — poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes. The only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller, he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him ‘The Fittest (Real) Man in America.’ In Can’t Hurt Me, he shares his astonishing life story and reveals that most of us tap into only 40% of our capabilities. Goggins calls this The 40% Rule, and his story illuminates a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential.” – Goodreads.com
When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin – “A boy’s chance encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family. Ben Coffin has never felt like he fits in. A former foster kid, he keeps his head down at school to avoid bullies and spends his afternoons reading sci-fi books at the library. But that all changes when he finds a scruffy abandoned dog named Flip and befriends the librarian’s daughter, Halley. For the first time, Ben starts to feel like he belongs in his own life. Then, everything changes, and suddenly, Ben is more alone than ever. But with a little help from Halley’s magician father, Ben discovers his place in the world and learns to see his own magic through others’ eyes.” – Goodreads.com
Verity by Colleen Hoover – “Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words.” – Goodreads.com
Alex in Wanderland is a travel blog through the eyes of Alex, a New York native who has committed her life to a nomadic lifestyle. The topics are well organized and segmented to provide travel inspiration to the adventurer in us all.
Watch
Echo in the Canyon – “A look at the music from Laurel Canyon in the mid-’60s as folk went electric and gave birth to the California Sound.” – Amazon.com
Free Solo – “Free solo climber Alex Honnold prepared to achieve his lifelong dream: scaling the 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope.” – Amazon.com
Jiro Dreams of Sushi – “A thoughtful and elegant meditation on work, family and the art of perfection, chronicling Jiro Ono’s life as both an unparalleled success in the culinary world and a loving yet complicated father.” – Amazon.com
Listen
The Joe Rogan Experience is an interview-style Podcast hosted by Boston-bred comedian/commentator Joe Rogan. It features a wide range of guest interviews from comedians to historians and scientists.
Pretty Basic is a weekly podcast hosted by best friends Alisha Marie and Remi Cruz, both in their twenties, who welcome listeners into their daily lives to discuss topics like dating, confidence, and social media.
Reveal is an investigational journalism Podcast hosted by Al Letson in collaboration with many mainstream media outlets to provide in-depth views on some of today’s most pressing issues from across the globe.
Throughline is an NPR podcast that takes a more in-depth look at historical events and the social, religious, political climate of the times.
