Therapy for Black Girls University – Spring Break

Podcast: Therapy for Black Girls
Host: Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D.
Date: March 31, 2026
Guests: Fatima (Tufts University, Senior), Jaya Renee Bacon (Albany State University, Sophomore), Mikayla (Dillard University, Recent Graduate)

Episode Overview

This episode of Therapy for Black Girls University features a lively roundtable conversation with the TBGU Advisory Council—Fatima, Jaya, and Mikayla—exploring what spring break really means across different college journeys. The discussion addresses the evolving social and cultural expectations of spring break, the influence of social media, financial realities, pressure to “do it big,” and how Black college students are redefining rest, fun, and community during this time. The guests offer insights on resisting comparison, prioritizing mental health, and building personal traditions both in college and into adulthood.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Meaning of Spring Break

[04:44]

• Fatima (Senior): Used spring break mainly to recharge and process graduation stress rather than focus on travel.
  • “For me personally, especially because I'm about to graduate, there's just a lot going on… spring break was a time for me to just reset, recharge, and just catch a break.”
• Jaya (Sophomore): Echoed the focus on rest rather than socializing or partying, due to academic pressures (e.g., preparing for nursing exams).
  • “I just take that time to rest. I don’t do much... I just sleep all the time.”
• Mikayla (Recent Grad): Noted the adjustment to not having structured breaks post-college, missing the sense of leisure spring break used to bring.
  • “It's definitely taking some getting used to… I miss it definitely…But yeah, it's different.”

Navigating FOMO & Social Pressure

[06:45]

• Jaya: No sense of missing out because crowds and parties aren’t appealing; focused on the necessity of rest.
  • “I got a break that I didn’t know I needed… I was actually always working. So I needed this break.”
• Fatima: Admitted to experiencing some FOMO, but decided to focus on personal wellness and deferred bigger plans for graduation and her birthday.
  • “What was really important was stepping back and looking at the bigger picture... This is really just about my mental well being.”

Social Media’s Impact

[08:35]

• Mikayla: Social media has escalated expectations, promoting an image of spring break as non-stop partying, despite many students craving low-key rest and recovery.
  • "Social media has definitely created an image of what spring break should look like... but the reality might be something more closer to, 'I'm going to recharge... do something fun and small.'"
• Fatima: Social media amplifies pressure to have extravagant group trips; can skew perceptions of what spring break “should” be.
  • “It can ruin your perception… is this supposed to be a time for rest or a picture-perfect trip?”
• Jaya: Social media feeds student FOMO, pushing the notion that everyone should be partying or at the beach.
  • “They feel like they have to be at the parties, they have to be at the beaches, they have to take the pictures…”

Changes in Spring Break Culture Post-COVID

[11:49]

• Fatima: Pre-COVID, spring break trips were more low-key and not so production-focused for social media; now, it's more of a performative event.
  • “Spring break before COVID was a lot more chill. Post-COVID… something shifted where it's all so social-media centered.”
• Mikayla: Her college experience began post-COVID; notices the increased scale and performativity now compared to what older students describe.

Popular Destinations and the ‘Black Spring Break’ Phenomenon

[19:01]

• Host: Notes emergence of Houston as a spring break hotspot, particularly for Black college students, with reference to "Black Spring Break."
• Fatima: Miami moved students away due to restrictions; Houston offered a substitute with its club scene, major events (like rodeo and Ghana Independence parties).
  • “Miami placing a lot of restrictions... pushed a lot of people out. Houston… has a lot of club culture… overlapping with rodeo.”
• Jaya: Many at her school still go to Daytona; notes politics in Miami nightlife (fatphobia/size bias at clubs), and the pull of beaches as cleansing spaces.
  • “Say you were a plus size girl, you probably wouldn't be able to get into the clubs in Miami.”
• Mikayla: Houston promoted group-friendly, event-heavy packages, helping students plan and share expenses with ease.

Financing the Spring Break Experience

[24:19]

• Fatima: Refund checks and work-study jobs are major funding sources; students get strict with budgets leading up to spring break.
  • "Top answer… those refund checks... work study jobs… Everyone I knew did not have their hair done. No nails were done. Everybody was on a… tight budget."
• Jaya: Peer crowd-funding is common—strangers pooling funds to afford Airbnbs and flights.
  • “Complete random students that they never spoke to before… just getting together to get Airbnbs and take the trips.”
• Mikayla: Students get creative—selling baked goods or using skills to earn extra cash.
  • “Selling brownies… do hair, sell rotel. People were getting really creative on campus…”

The Group Travel Dilemma & Friendship Fallout

[26:38]

• Jaya: Travel with strangers increases trip tensions; stories of “group chats not making it out of Miami together.”
  • “I've seen… girls get left on beaches and stuff. Girls get left back in the Airbnbs…”
• Fatima: Sometimes even friend groups fall out due to underlying tensions amplified by travel.
  • “You went with your friends but there were pre-existing divides in the friend group that just got amplified on the trip…”

Dream Destinations for the Future

[29:20]

• Fatima: South of France, Mykonos, St. Vincent—outside the usual U.S. spring break circuit.
• Mikayla: Excited to explore New York City as part of her grad school move, noting a shift toward city-based breaks.
  • "Spring break is going from like more of like a tropical by the water vibe to like city vibes..."
• Jaya: Hopes to visit Haiti to connect with heritage, despite stigma.
  • “If I can get over there, I'm going.”

Lessons & Advice — Maximizing Spring Break

[31:46]

• Mikayla: Wishes she’d focused less on social expectations and more on archiving memories for herself (Polaroids, physical mementos).
  • “I would definitely take more Polaroids… just so I can hold the memories in my hand…”
• Jaya: Would have taken spring break more seriously as a chance for travel and new experiences, especially as structured breaks disappear in adulthood.
  • “I wish I took it more serious because now this is the only time in my life where this break is really built in.”
• Fatima: Advises underclassmen not to compare themselves to others, especially regarding financial ability; emphasizes taking opportunities while breaks are “built in.”
  • “Spring break is one of the first times you really see, I guess, the financial gaps… The first thing is to not compare yourself or to not feel bad.”

Building Traditions and Self-Care Beyond College

[39:30]

• Fatima: Plans to follow family’s example—scheduling intentional time for rest and fun as an adult.
  • “Choosing a specific time of the year to just always tell myself that this is when I'm taking my PTO… seeing [my family] make the conscious effort to take a break…”
• Jaya: Focus is on post-grad goals and breaking generational curses, but is learning to carve out ‘self' days (e.g., phone-free Sundays) for sanity.
• Mikayla: Stresses self-advocacy in the workplace; encourages Gen Z to make breaks a priority despite workplace pressures.
  • "When you're used to having four consistent years of a break... it's a hard transition to go into a place where you have to prove you need a break. But everybody needs one."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Fatima: “Spring break is about my mental well being and my physical well being.” [07:19]
• Jaya: “When I really got time to sit down, I was like, I was actually always working. So I needed this break for myself.” [06:45]
• Mikayla: “Social media has definitely created an image of what spring break should look like... But the reality might be something more closer to, ‘I'm going to recharge… do something fun and small.’” [08:35]
• Fatima: "Social media definitely amplifies the expectations... rather than it being a time for rest, it's depicted to be more of a time of partying." [09:54]
• Jaya: “If I can get over [to Haiti], I’m going.” [30:54]
• Host/Dr. Joy: “If I could give a piece of advice… think about, how do I protect time even if it’s not a full week, right?... so you don’t burn out.” [37:19]
• Mikayla: "You have to be an advocate for yourself and make sure that [taking a break] happens." [43:25]

Key Timestamps

• [04:44] – Meaning of spring break at different academic stages
• [06:45] – Navigating FOMO and social vs solo breaks
• [08:35] – Social media’s influence on spring break culture
• [11:49] – Pre- vs post-pandemic changes
• [19:01] – Rise of Houston and other destinations for Black Spring Break
• [24:19] – Financing trips: refund checks, side hustles, and cost-sharing
• [26:38] – Group travel challenges and friendship fallouts
• [29:20] – Dream destinations for future travel
• [31:53] – Advice: what they wish they’d known about spring break
• [39:30] – Building traditions and ensuring self-care beyond college

Conclusion

Spring break, for these students and graduates, is as much about intentional rest and community as it is about fun. Social media and post-pandemic shifts have made spring break feel more performative, but the guests stress creating authentic, meaningful breaks—resisting comparison, honoring mental health, and prioritizing purposeful downtime, both in college and well beyond.

To connect with today’s guests:

• Jaya: @Jirene (Instagram, TikTok), LinkedIn: Jaya Bacon, upcoming site: The Sunday Spread
• Mikayla: LinkedIn: Mikayla Weary, Instagram: @VTVMOV
• Fatima: LinkedIn: Fatima Zara Kassim, Instagram: @zahra.kassim, Site: koidazara.com

For more resources:
Visit therapyforblackgirls.com/tvgu & share your thoughts using #tbginsession