Jaspers Get Ready for Spring Break
Kelly Bergin
Issue date: 3/8/06 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 2 next >
|
While Manhattan's break does not begin until Friday, many colleges' breaks started this week and tourism officials cite this week as the busiest for college travel. Resorts in the Bahamas are expecting more than 15,000 spring breakers over the next couple of months, and some Jaspers will be heading down for a week of relaxation, with perhaps a little partying thrown into the mix. The Bahamas and Mexico are popular destinations for college students, mostly because of its scenic location and lowered drinking age.
Many companies market package deals and all inclusive resorts cater to the growing trend for inexpensive deals that include hours of free drinks. Websites such as springbreaktravel.com decorate their sites with pictures of tropical locations and female students in bikinis, holding cups of the flowing liquor.
Despite the so-called good deals, trips, especially outside of the country, will run the average student around $1000-1200. While this may seem cheap, considering that this price usually includes airfare, ground travel, food, and drinks, that price is just a little too steep for some. Jenny Erasumus, a sophomore, sees the reason for the high price. "I think the price is ridiculous, but its also smart. Resorts know how to attract college kids and they do a great job of it. Some kids don't really care about the price, they just want to get away from books and parents for a week." Laura Marino, another sophomore, wishes to go away on Spring Break but the price is just a little too steep. "Money is definitely the main reason why I'm not going." Ashley Quinn, a freshman, also cites money as the reason she won't be going away. "It's not an upperclassman thing. Some of my friends and my roommate are going away. It doesn't depend on age, just financial means."
The appeal for Spring Break is obvious, even outside of the nonstop partying. Most school's break falls right after the insanely stressful week of midterms. Erasmus only wishes she had the funds to get away, especially after her week of tests, papers, and projects. "Everything is so stressful the two weeks before midterms. Even if we aren't going to the Caribbean, just getting the chance to sleep late and relax at home is something to look forward to." Erin Gregorek, another sophomore, agrees. "I plan to stay at home for the week and catch up on lots of sleep and family time. But St. Patrick's Day I will be back in the NYC to party with my friends." Paul Larocque, a junior engineer, knows the stress of school better than anyone. "I'll be resting from school for the first couple of days and then going skiing for the last four days in Vermont at Stratton with my family."