2008 Woodie Awards
Spring break an overhyped week
Issue date: 3/9/07 Section: Opinion
It's that time of year again, when students put down their books, prepare for even higher credit card debt and leave frigid cold temperatures in search of warmer weather. Yes, Spring Break 2007 has arrived.
Spring break originated in ancient Greece. The Greeks allowed young people who grew tiresome with poor weather conditions and wanted to rejuvenate themselves by participating in multiple gatherings with friends. Thus, spring break was born. Today, students wishing to frolic on popular beaches, in areas such as Florida or Cancun, get to clear their minds for one week before heading back to the grindstone of college.
In 2004, 91 percent of parents said that it was time to stop marketing spring break. Maybe they were on to something. MTV has hyped up the week-long party each year.
Truth be told, the problem is that spring break has become a cliché. Many students feel that they must travel across the border, or seize that one last adventurous moment before entering the real world. But whatever happened to simply "hanging out" and taking it easy during this time off?
SRU demonstrates that it is a suitcase campus on most weekends. Students go home, recharge their batteries, and then come back to school for another typical Monday morning. What's any different about spring break other than the number of days that school will not be in session? One must question how big of a deal this week truly is. It's played up so much, both through media driven trends and by word-of-mouth, that it's nearly impossible to live up to the hype.
If more students took it easy during spring break, then maybe they wouldn't get into so much trouble. In many cases, students encounter a lot more than they bargained for during spring break.
The State Department reported that at least 2,500 Americans were arrested abroad last year during spring break-half for drugs. During spring break, several people may die, hundreds get arrested and, perhaps most importantly, make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives.
Not withstanding severe problems that occur, what about simple logistical issues? Waiting in long lines at airports, scrambling for cheap hotels on the way to your destination and exchanging currency while visiting other countries doesn't sound too exciting, either. All of these issues should make one wonder how important it really is to go "all out" for spring break.
But, if you still feel the need to enjoy that one last hurrah, look for student discounts and specials and consider your lodging options before committing. College students generally don't have deep pockets, so remaining conscious of how much trips cost is essential. All students must eventually return to the reality of everyday life, and doing so without any money is never a good thing.
An elaborate spring break excursion isn't always worth the hassle, time or money. Think carefully before deciding how you can most effectively spend yours. After all, it is only a cliche, isn't it?
Spring break originated in ancient Greece. The Greeks allowed young people who grew tiresome with poor weather conditions and wanted to rejuvenate themselves by participating in multiple gatherings with friends. Thus, spring break was born. Today, students wishing to frolic on popular beaches, in areas such as Florida or Cancun, get to clear their minds for one week before heading back to the grindstone of college.
In 2004, 91 percent of parents said that it was time to stop marketing spring break. Maybe they were on to something. MTV has hyped up the week-long party each year.
Truth be told, the problem is that spring break has become a cliché. Many students feel that they must travel across the border, or seize that one last adventurous moment before entering the real world. But whatever happened to simply "hanging out" and taking it easy during this time off?
SRU demonstrates that it is a suitcase campus on most weekends. Students go home, recharge their batteries, and then come back to school for another typical Monday morning. What's any different about spring break other than the number of days that school will not be in session? One must question how big of a deal this week truly is. It's played up so much, both through media driven trends and by word-of-mouth, that it's nearly impossible to live up to the hype.
If more students took it easy during spring break, then maybe they wouldn't get into so much trouble. In many cases, students encounter a lot more than they bargained for during spring break.
The State Department reported that at least 2,500 Americans were arrested abroad last year during spring break-half for drugs. During spring break, several people may die, hundreds get arrested and, perhaps most importantly, make mistakes that could affect them for the rest of their lives.
Not withstanding severe problems that occur, what about simple logistical issues? Waiting in long lines at airports, scrambling for cheap hotels on the way to your destination and exchanging currency while visiting other countries doesn't sound too exciting, either. All of these issues should make one wonder how important it really is to go "all out" for spring break.
But, if you still feel the need to enjoy that one last hurrah, look for student discounts and specials and consider your lodging options before committing. College students generally don't have deep pockets, so remaining conscious of how much trips cost is essential. All students must eventually return to the reality of everyday life, and doing so without any money is never a good thing.
An elaborate spring break excursion isn't always worth the hassle, time or money. Think carefully before deciding how you can most effectively spend yours. After all, it is only a cliche, isn't it?
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