Britney Spears Is The Patron Saint Of Spring Break

Spring break isn’t just an annual vacay; it’s a whole state of mind. It immediately conjures up visions of beach days, road trips, day-drinking, and most importantly, a carefree, unscheduled vibe of doing whatever you feel like in the moment. If the essence of spring break could manifest into a person, she’d be your fun-loving bestie who’s always up for a dance party — whether you’re at a club or just chilling at home. She’d be that silly friend who always makes you laugh at the most random things. She’d be Britney Spears.

It’s my deeply held belief that Britney Spears is the physical embodiment of spring break. No matter what season it is, Spears has never wavered when it comes to emanating all-rules-are-off, no-effs-given party vibes. It could be the middle of winter, but Spears’ commitment to bikinis and eagerness to dance through any situation will transport you to a sunny beach party every time. Each new emoji-filled selfie embodies the fun-loving chaos that is spring break.

It’s not just the pop star’s attitude that makes her the Spearit of the season. Though she’s mostly partying in her living room these days, Spears was once the face of the biggest vacation celebration around. Back in 1999, when MTV Spring Break was at its peak, Spears was prominently featured throughout the weekslong party coverage. It was the first sign that her music had become mandatory for any partier’s spring break soundtrack.

It’s impossible to imagine a beach trip with your best friends without blaring at least one of Spears’ songs. Whether you’re scream-singing “... Baby One More Time” with your girls in the car or learning the “Toxic” dance routine in your Airbnb while you pregame before your night out, no spring break trip is complete without Spears.

But as true fans know, Spears’ most evident odes to the spring break lifestyle are actually her deeper cuts. Her “Sometimes” music video epitomizes a beachy love affair, as Spears dances on a pier and muses about her fickle tendencies around her crush. Later in her career, Spears experimented with spicier Latin pop sounds perfectly suited to blasting at beach parties, including “Ooh Ooh Baby” and “Mmm Papi.”

And even though her 2002 movie Crossroads was technically set in the summer, it’s become the ultimate spring break movie. After all, there’s nothing as free-spirited as a road trip, so watching Spears, Zoe Saldaña, and Taryn Manning bond while crossing the country on their adventure to California is just the right vibe to inspire your own long drive with your besties.

Finally, we come to Spears’ most salient contribution to spring break culture: “Everytime.” When Spears’ breakup ballad surprisingly played in full in the climactic scene of 2013’s Spring Breakers, it took on a whole new life as the undisputed anthem of the season. Now, even if your spring break doesn’t involve armed robbery in hot-pink ski masks, it’s still a requirement to have an “Everytime” moment with your girls.

I guess spring Break needs you, Britney.