Danius Anuzis photographed on a road trip to Champaign, Illinois on Feb. 13, 2020.
Ah, yes. Spring break. It’s the time of year when the rich kids go off to Boca, Florida or the Bahamas, and the "poors" stay back to go somewhere in state, at best. We at The State News are trying to represent all student demographics in our coverage, so we want to suggest some spring break options for hardworking members of the proletariat who are scrimping.
Hit up the Detroit Institute of Arts
This is a fail-safe for fooling yourself into thinking you’re part of high society. The Detroit Institute of Arts, or DIA, offers several educational art exhibitions right now, like large-scale photos of the Great Lakes and an exhibition of works by our goddess, Frida Kahlo.
The price for admission is a sweet, sweet $8. Explore the DIA with a group of your friends, snap some photos of each other looking brainy and post them to Instagram for the sick satisfaction of appearing more intelligent than the people who are posting thirst-traps of themselves on a beach in the Caribbean.
Museum Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday: Closed
Driving time from East Lansing: About 1 hour and 40 minutes
Volunteer
Your friends are going to soak up the sun in Mexico or Florida, and you’ll be alone, just moping about in your dorm or apartment eating cheese as you contemplate your sad financial situation.
Pull yourself together and volunteer at a local food bank, homeless shelter or the Capital Area Humane Society.
You’ll get the satisfaction of helping out humans and animals and contribute to making society a little less hellish for us all. When someone asks what you did over spring break, you can drop “Oh, I volunteered” and people will feel less inclined to rib you for not living up to society’s spring break norms.
Cost: A few hours out of your lonely existence.
Driving time from East Lansing: About 20 minutes
Visit Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse, a top-rated Michigan restaurant
Got friends who are going to New Orleans, but you can’t join? Visit Lula’s Louisiana Cookhouse to feel like you’re part of the experience. Other restaurants in Michigan? We don’t know them. This cookhouse blows past the rest of the competition for the state’s best fried chicken.
If you can get past the fact that you’ll have to drive to middle-of-nowhere Owosso to eat, then you’re set.
Lula’s has options – gumbo, shrimp platters, catfish, hushpuppies and jambalaya. The list goes on.
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They also have beignets, a literal pillow-like manna from God. You’re going to want to order three basketfuls and eat them all by yourself.
Price range: Medium. Food portions are "big bois."
Driving time from East Lansing: About 35 minutes.
Barbecue in a snowstorm
You’re probably thinking, “Wait, why would I grill in a snowstorm?” To be completely honest, we don’t really know why this is a Michigan thing, but we think more people should try it. If you can’t travel outside of East Lansing, invite your fellow destitute friends over and promise them a rad cookout. Buy some steak and a vegetarian-friendly substitute for your vegetarian friends and slap it on a grill to cook up while you’re outfitted in a parka and winter boots.
The point is to give yourself and your friends the illusion that you’re somewhere warm and tropical. Maybe you’re grilling on a beach in Costa Rica. Do your best to ignore the fact that you’re standing outdoors, tongs in hand, as Michigan’s sub-zero temperatures threaten to give you frostbite.
Costs:
$4.49 for ¾ lb. of top round steak from Meijer
About $3 for a 4-pack of veggie burgers from Meijer
A deductible if you get hypothermia
Driving time from East Lansing: None.
