Spring break is the perfect place to fall in love. There are no rules and no consequences — a perfect combination when it comes to DFMO’s at Señor Frogs. The margaritas, tan lines, and shirtless boy muscles are a foolproof recipe for a hot hookup. Proving that alcohol and hormones may be held fully responsible for some of those “bad decisions” we college spring breakers tend to make.
But what happens when the week is over, and all you are left with is a splitting headache and a six-hour plane ride to contemplate your behavior? Are you supposed to forget about your spring break fling, and leave the love you shared behind (along with the bikini you destroyed doing body shots on the booze cruise)? Should what happened in Mexico really STAY in Mexico?
In my experience, there are three kinds of boys you hook up with on spring break, and different capacities with which to handle them once you snap back to reality.
1) The Stranger – At any big spring break destination, you can be sure that the all-inclusive resorts will be flooded with frat guys from all around the country, offering the potential for a nice break from your usual hookup pool. Because these boys often come in all-male groups, they tend to tip the guy/girl ratio very much in our favor. Should you meet one of these boys who you actually get along with, enjoy it while it lasts. Take advantage of every drinking contest he wants the two of you to enter together, and even let yourself hang out with his friends. But cut it off before you actually start to fall for him. Don’t give out your phone number, and only accept his friend request if you’re sure you want to know the details of his real life. People do, after all, tend to lie to their spring break hookups. If he is someone you really like, keep in touch — but do so minimally. The last thing you want is to be pining after a boy who is already planning his conquests for an Easter Break trip to Palm Beach.
2) The Random Guy from School – This is a tricky one. On some of the bigger group trips, you may not know everyone in your group. Tons of friend circles tend to come together, and new dynamics emerge. Suddenly, the guy whom you had Freshman Econ with is the new love of your life, and the two of you are spending every night together sneaking onto the beach. The problem is, though, you have never known each other in the context of real life. And you have to ask yourself: is there a reason for that? If you are into this boy, test things out the first few nights out at Rhino. But don’t be surprised if the chemistry fades with your tan.
3) The One You’ve Been Waiting For – This one is for the girls who walked onto spring break with a target in mind. When he took his shirt off on Day 1, you just about melted into the sand. And things only got worse as his tan got better. This is a boy you have been crushing on for a long time, and the low inhibitions on spring break made it the perfect moment for the two of you to finalllllly hook up. This boy is probably already in your group of friends, which may make shaking the post-vacation awkwardness a little more difficult. In these cases, try to make it work when you get back. If you already had a thing for this guy, you owe to yourself to see if it has the potential to be anything once you’re on dry land. But if it doesn’t, don’t beat yourself up– some romances are meant to be left on the beach. If you had a boy like this and things DIDN’T happen between the two of you, it’s time to let it go. If it didn’t happen in Mexico, it ain’t never gonna happen at all.
Upon returning home, give yourself a few days in bed to shake your hangover and your broken heart. After all, there’s always next year!