Spring Break
Before you say, 'Ole!'
Issue date: 3/4/09 Section: Editorial/Opinion
03/04/09 - Spring Break. It's the one week every year that gives students the excuse to collectively relax and enjoy each other's company under a tropical sun.
It's also one of the most dangerous times for college students, particularly young women.
It's easy to get carried away on vacation. It might feel safe when vacationers are surrounded by hundreds of college students, like themselves, occupied with beachfront properties and soaking in the carefree atmosphere.
But while Spring Break encompasses adventures that will no doubt live in the minds of students until their wrinkly old age, it can also be a short-lived experience for some.
There are some simple measures students can take before they hit the sand that will help curb almost every preventable Spring Break disaster - even down to the most trivial issue of avoiding a bad burn.
The first, and probably most important rule of settling into palm tree heaven, is learning about the destination before crashing the site. Contrary to popular belief (and Hollywood's belief,) "winging it" is usually a bad idea. There's still room for spontaneity as long as travelers are able to plot out key meeting points and stick to a general outline.
Showing up and not knowing much about the surroundings is also the No. 1 way to get into all kinds of trouble. Getting to know the destination also means knowing where local police stations are, and what numbers to call in an emergency.
The second rule is something you probably haven't heard since you were in kindergarten and you didn't know how to tie your shoes: use the buddy system. It sounds dumb but criminals and predators look for single, isolated students. In fact, the more people signed onto the trip, the better.
Bringing more people also means that there are more people who are aware of your presence on the trip. In the case of an emergency or some kind of trouble, there's more of a chance that someone will notice one member missing if there are more people involved.
The third and final rule is simple: take care of yourself and be aware of your surroundings.
In essence, don't go overboard with the tequila, pack a little sun protection (Banana Boat has fabulous tinted sunscreen,) and buy water bottles ahead of time to avoid dehydration. It'd be a waste of $1,200 to sit inside a hotel room because of a second-degree burn received on the first day in [enter exotic destination here.]
So before you say, "Ole!" make a plan and come prepared.
It's also one of the most dangerous times for college students, particularly young women.
It's easy to get carried away on vacation. It might feel safe when vacationers are surrounded by hundreds of college students, like themselves, occupied with beachfront properties and soaking in the carefree atmosphere.
But while Spring Break encompasses adventures that will no doubt live in the minds of students until their wrinkly old age, it can also be a short-lived experience for some.
There are some simple measures students can take before they hit the sand that will help curb almost every preventable Spring Break disaster - even down to the most trivial issue of avoiding a bad burn.
The first, and probably most important rule of settling into palm tree heaven, is learning about the destination before crashing the site. Contrary to popular belief (and Hollywood's belief,) "winging it" is usually a bad idea. There's still room for spontaneity as long as travelers are able to plot out key meeting points and stick to a general outline.
Showing up and not knowing much about the surroundings is also the No. 1 way to get into all kinds of trouble. Getting to know the destination also means knowing where local police stations are, and what numbers to call in an emergency.
The second rule is something you probably haven't heard since you were in kindergarten and you didn't know how to tie your shoes: use the buddy system. It sounds dumb but criminals and predators look for single, isolated students. In fact, the more people signed onto the trip, the better.
Bringing more people also means that there are more people who are aware of your presence on the trip. In the case of an emergency or some kind of trouble, there's more of a chance that someone will notice one member missing if there are more people involved.
The third and final rule is simple: take care of yourself and be aware of your surroundings.
In essence, don't go overboard with the tequila, pack a little sun protection (Banana Boat has fabulous tinted sunscreen,) and buy water bottles ahead of time to avoid dehydration. It'd be a waste of $1,200 to sit inside a hotel room because of a second-degree burn received on the first day in [enter exotic destination here.]
So before you say, "Ole!" make a plan and come prepared.
