It’s that time of year again for us collegiettes. Nope, not reading period, or when the Starbucks holiday cups come out, or the Christmas music plays on the radio, or the snow starts to drift down more steadily and sticking this time. It’s that time when college students are booking their spring break trips.
Now I will confess that I am a spring break newb. I have never participated in the MTV-style beach bum week of fun in the sun that is the stuff of dreams, negative stereotypes, and B-list movies. BUT, I am quite aware that the fabled concept of “spring break” is an occasion only possible for a few short years. Do you think the boss at your first big girl job post-graduation will buy the reasoning, “Well, it’s March and so I’m planning to take a week off in the middle of our biggest client operation to jet with my friends down to Barbados”? I’m not counting on it. Therefore, as a senior I have decided I have to take advantage of my last spring break opportunity. As a junior I was abroad in Europe (who needs Aruba when you have Berlin and Vienna?), and prior to that I was cash-strapped and typically so decimated after midterms that I would traipse on home to see my family. But now my friends and I are older, wiser, and a little more adept at navigating travel plans (after all, most of my crew spent a few months studying abroad). We are individually biting the cost bullet and collectively choosing to experience what I hope will be a vacation to remember!
Some are lucky enough growing up that their parents will allow a close bud to join on family vacations, cruises, or trips to the lake house. This was never allowed in my household, so in high school I would enviously listen to classmates boast of their fun getaways with pals and the shenanigans they would get up to in places far, far more exciting than my hometown. A few short years later I am excitedly awaiting the prospect of five days spent with the girls who know me better than anyone else. You’re not real BFFs until you’ve shared a hotel room together right?
Whether you’re heading on home to spend some quality time with the fam, choosing an “alternative” spring break filled with community service, or simply buying an all-inclusive package to Jamaica, it’s important to make the most of your week off from classes, responsibilities, and that gosh-darn snow that just won’t melt away here at UR. Good luck with snagging the cheap deals, and I’ll see you in the Caribbean!