Spring break may seem like it’s a lifetime from now, but it is never to soon to start preparing for it.
Booking flights and hotels, making an itinerary, getting in shape and most importantly, figuring out the means to fund the trip, takes a lot of time and effort. So, it is best to start now! Here is a guide to a successful spring break!
Choosing A Destination
The most important aspect of planning a spring break getaway is figuring out where to actually go. Most people enjoy warm beach settings, but these can be really expensive.
Emily Ball, junior at UIUC, said that people should weigh all their options and give unconventional vacation destinations a shot. “I know a lot of people love going to PCB [Panama City Beach] or other stereotypical spring break locations, but maybe going to a big city or even on a road trip to somewhere random can be just as fun, and you would be saving money,” she said.
Booking Transportation and Hotel
After a destination is booked, the meticulous planning of how to get there and where to stay are the next essentials to figure out your trip. You can either book a plane ticket or pack into cars for a long drive.
“I would say buying a plane ticket is the best way to go,” Ball said. It is faster and safer. Getting a bunch of people together in cars to drive somewhere for spring break can get rowdy and dangerous.”
Traveling by car can be just as expensive as traveling by plane. The amount of money that goes into filling up the gas tank can equal the price of a plane ticket. So, booking a flight is probably the best way to go.
A lot of consideration goes into booking a hotel. Students need to consider location, price and what amenities are included.
“If you don’t have a rental car (you can’t rent one till you’re 25,) you are going to want to get a hotel close to wherever you plan on spending most of your time,” Ball said. “You also want to see if they offer things like a free breakfast, because if the hotel provides meals, then that’s a great way to save money.”
Getting in Shape
If you are going to a typical spring break getaway like to Mexico or PCB, starting a healthy work out regiment now is the best way to go.
“You don’t want to start working out a week before spring break, because you’re not going to see results and it can be unhealthy,” Chelsea Diaz, junior at UIUC, said.
Diaz recommends that students start now by going to the ARC or CRCE. “There are so many fun classes people can take that make getting into shape more fun, like Zumba and Yoga,” she said.
Aside from hitting the gym, maintaining healthy eating goals rather than dieting right before will show greater results. The Mayo Clinic website offers nutrition basics and provides healthy diet options.
Budgeting
A spring break getaway cannot happen without budgeting, I mean, we are college students. It can be expensive to afford plane tickets and hotel rooms, but don’t forget about other necessary costs, such as everyday essentials like food, drinks and access to different events and places. Also, who doesn’t want some extra cash to spend on some fun souvenirs?
“I think it is best to start planning now, because now, you have more time to save money,” Diaz said. Diaz usually saves money by taking money out of her paycheck every week and putting it in her savings account. “I think the best way is to calculate the amount that you plan on spending and then build up saving to that amount,” she advised.
Diaz and Ball both said that putting money aside at the end of every week is probably the easiest way to go. By cutting out non-essential purchases like extra snacks on campus or new clothes, students will be left with more money to contribute to spring break.
“It is always good to get a head start on anything, but with big things like vacations, a lot of planning goes into it,” Ball said. “So, now is the best time to start thinking ahead,” said Ball.
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