Minnesota Educators Academy, also known as MEA, is a way for students to get a break from school and teachers to grow in their profession. The weekend starts on Thursday, Oct. 20 and ends Sunday, Oct. 23. With the extra free time on their hands, students participate in fun activities to make the most of their MEA break.

Some students use MEA as an opportunity to visit colleges. Considering MEA only takes place in Minnesota, BSM students are able to see firsthand what it’s. This makes touring less chaotic since there aren’t other highschoolers touring as well. Popular places that students are visiting for college tours include Colorado and the East Coast area. “I’m going out to Boston, Massachusetts to visit my brother who is currently attending college at Babson University. I’m also going to be doing some touring around colleges in that metro area as well including Northeastern and Boston University”, junior Shale Hornig said.

Other than going out of town to just look at colleges, others will be going to see family or friends. With school starting back up, time to see those people have been limited. This long weekend is seen as a way to reconnect with people. It is common for students to visit their older siblings at college, “I’m going to New York to visit my brother in Columbia and see family,” junior Sienna Duffy said.

MEA can also be a way for people to just relax and enjoy their time off at home. Students hope to have little to no homework so they have more time on their hands. To spend their time wisely, both students and teachers have come up with different ways to keep themselves busy. This can include anything from watching their favorite show nonstop, or indulging in hobbies such as knitting, baking, or reading. One hobby that’s popular considering it’s in season is hunting, ”I’m going to Grand Rapids to hunt white tailed deer with my family,” junior Gavin Reed said.

Eager to get away from school, teachers and students have already made exciting plans. Some are still deciding on what to do. Either way, it’s a weekend that is very needed and favored by the students.