This Spring Break, I decided to adventure out of my comfort zone and go to Miami with a group of my friends. Along the way, I learned a lot about myself and this new environment I was put in. There are things I will take with me for the rest of my life that I learned.
Most Guys Are NOT Looking For Long Term
There was not one night in Miami where one of my friends did not get hit on. My personal experience with meeting guys were that they were clearly looking for sex. I was oversexualized and expected to put out. Most men didn’t even remember my name (which pissed me off). So long-term was not ideal for any guy I met. I knew if I wanted to meet prince charming, I would have to wait until I came home.
The Food is EXPENSIVE
The food is very costly but there are ways to avoid buying expensive food. If you have a room with a kitchen, utilize it. Buy little snacks or items that you could eat throughout the week. This will help your pockets once the trip is over. What I personally saw on South Beach was, during certain hours, there would be 50% off of the entire menu and that is when I would eat. If I could get 50% off of my meal for lunch then I didn’t mind spending as much for dinner. Beware of the overall price because tips are already included.
Play Nice with the Natives
Make sure to distinguish who is from Miami and who is not. Those who are from Miami will have all of the connections. I met one guy who was able to get my friends and I into a club for free (their cover charge was $20-$30). He knew the promoter and after meeting the promoter he loved us so much that we were able to get into this same club the next day – no charge! This is all because I got to know the natives and made meaningful connections.
Sunscreen is your FRIEND
When going to the beach, use sunscreen.You may not go in the hottest month but the sun is no joke. It was barely 70 degrees when I went but I still got sunburn on my forehead. If you are spending time at the beach, you need to protect your skin.
Never Travel at Night Alone
Along with the men who will oversexualize you, there will be men who are overly aggressive. These men target girl groups but they will also target women who are by themselves. Never go into the night alone. A group of guys grabbed me and my friends. We had to fight them off as others walked passed us laughing or ignoring us. Luckily, we got away but it could’ve been worse if one of us were alone. Always rethink going out by yourself.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Miami can be a dangerous place and I am guilty of not being aware of my surroundings at all times. Most of the time I was drunk because I could not deal with other drunk people while sober. This impaired my vision a lot of the time and I was lucky that nothing bad happened to me. If I could go back in time, I would have been more aware of what was happening around me.
Have Fun
It’s spring break and your main goal should be to have fun. Now that you have my experiences, use them to your advantage. Spring break in Miami can be a fun time if done the right way. If I could do it all over again, I would.