It’s that time of year again when the ice gives way to the temporary lagoons that spring up across campus in the depressions in the sidewalks and the wet tracks of longboards again appear criss-crossing the salty streets — it’s spring break.

And in absence of Springfest this year, the upcoming week-off may have bigger “fun shoes” to fill than previous years.

Maybe I shouldn’t be giving the advice this time, since my plans are to stay in town, take it easy and catch up on a few class projects — not exactly the most exciting candidates for spring break plans. There are benefits to this relaxing (you may call it “lazy,” if you wish) approach, and after several weekends of driving all over the place, it’s just what I need.

But I’ll always advocate for something different — something that can only happen once. Because, truly, how many more weeks off do you think you’ll have? I’m T-minus 15 months from graduation. If, as it happens with most, I find myself in the adult workin’ world thereafter, I probably won’t know for certain that I’ll get a week and a half off anytime soon — especially not a whole summer to myself.

I’d assume most underclassmen are planning on driving home to the Cities or to the farm to hang with Mom and Dad next week, and that’s usually not a waste of time if you don’t get to see them often.

But if you’re planning on going home for Easter break too, or if “going home” for break means sitting in your old room alone and not spending much time with family anyway, you’re boxing yourself in by spending another spring break at home.

So what can you do instead?

We’ve all been to the Twin Cities; it’s an amazing place that can become a playground of adventure and self-identification if you go with the right group of friends.

But have you considered visiting those who call themselves the “True North?” I’m not talking about the Neche, N.D. North Border Eagles high school basketball team; I’m talking about Winnipeg.

If you’ve got a passport, there’s no reason you shouldn’t check it out.

First, it really is a pretty cool thing the drinking age is 18. If you’re under 21 and want to stroll into a chill bar for some poutine and a Caesar while you listen to some killer local music without being thrown in jail, you’re gonna need to leave the country, unfortunately.

Thankfully, “The Peg” is only two and a half hours away.

But isn’t everything super expensive?

I mean, not really. What extra you spend, you make up for in gas money if you were planning on going to the Cities. Plus, the U.S. dollar is worth 126 percent the amount the Canadian dollar is, so you can justify those extra purchases a little more easily.

There’s even a shuttle service called Northern Sparrow that’ll drive you there. I’ve never used it, so I can’t speak to how well it works, but I can say it leaves you with no excuse to sit around over break instead of hitting the road and doing something new.

Will Beaton is the editor-in-chief of The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].