In just a few days, college students from countries all over the world will be jetting off and road-tripping with friends to exotic locations. Why? For a week of drinking and relaxing in the sun! Does anybody need a better reason than that? Winter will soon be coming to an end and before we know it, the home stretch of the semester will be in sight. Spring break is a crucial time in any college student’s year when recharging and kicking back is a must.
Whether you’ve had your spring break getaway planned for months or you’re just now trying to decide where you’re headed, these tips will help make your vacation more fun and enjoyable than you could have ever thought possible.
15. When putting together a group, think quality over quantity.
You and 20 of your closest friends taking Cabo sounds awesome, right? Maybe not. There’s no doubt that taking a big group of friends with you on your spring break vacation is the recipe for a wild party, but you might be better off keeping the group pared down to include only people you actually enjoy spending a lot of time around. A few close friends and people who are always down to have a good time beats a massive group of acquaintances you barely know, your ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend, and that weird guy from biology who’s dad might have a beach house for you to rent.
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14. Pack as light as you can.
For the next few days, you’re going to exist in a swimsuit and a pair of sandals, so there’s no reason to pack like you’re off for a month-long trip to Europe. Of course, pack enough essentials to ensure that you’ll be comfortable no matter what the weather does, and bring an outfit or two for nights at the club, but you don’t need much more than that. No one wants to be lugging a gigantic suitcase through the airport, especially on your trip home when you’re going to be exhausted anyway.
13. Have an “emergency pack” ready, just in case.
Keep a folder tucked in your luggage (and a smaller one in your purse or backpack) with important phone numbers, the information for your primary care physician, copies of your passport, emergency contacts, extra cash, maybe an emergency credit card, and important medical information. If you’re going to a foreign country, this is even more of a necessity. If anything goes wrong and you’re sick, injured, you lose your passport, or you lose your wallet, you’ll have what you need to rectify the situation.
12. Don’t plan a bunch of activities for your first day.
Depending on how far you travel, you may be tired and jetlagged. Or, your flight might be delayed and when you arrive later than expected it’ll throw a wrench in your plans. Even if you’re a person who likes to plan a lot, you’ll be glad you left the first day mostly blank.
11. Don’t plan a whole bunch of activities…period.
Hiking, scuba diving, parasailing, deep sea fishing – of course you want to squeeze in as much fun as possible, but you might want to avoid overscheduling your break with too many activities. Not only are they going to really jack up the price of your trip, but you’re going to miss out on the relaxation, casual drinking, and general loafing around that spring break is made for.
10. Remember, location is everything.
When choosing your exotic locale, keep a few things in mind. Popular spring break spots like Panama City Beach and Cancun thrive on college tourists, so there are going to be plenty of cheap accomodations and places to party. You get what you pay for though, and what you’re going to pay for is a lot of crowds, and a lot of cheap, commercialized fun. If that’s what you’re looking for, by all means, go for it! However, if you go somewhere less-traveled by the spring break crowd, prices will probably be higher, but the experience will be totally different. Fewer crowds of drunk fools and less touristy kitsch. The choice is yours.
9. Know your limits.
It’s spring break, so of course you’re going to stay up all night and drink, but do not make the mistake of thinking that just because you’re in a cool new location, your tolerance for such behavior has magically increased. You’re not going to be having any fun – and neither will your friends who have to babysit you – if you overdo it and wind up getting dangerously sick. Alcohol poisoning can kill. So enjoy those margaritas and shots but do pay attention to how many you’re drinking.
