Shannon KeoughWith spring just around the corner, every student is looking forward to spring break. A number of beach- goers, cruise-takers and airline trips are just a few things that come to mind when talking about spring break. But how much of this is truly feasible with the current state of our economy right now?
Sure, everyone wants to go somewhere nice for spring break, but the truth is the majority of students can’t afford it. I mean it’s hard enough to afford a cheese steak from Campus Corner let alone a round trip ticket to Florida. But there’s still many great ways to spend your break without spending all your money or running up that credit card.
One idea is you can keep your vacation local. For instance, if you want to go to the beach, but can’t afford Florida then go to the Jersey Shore or the Delaware beaches. Maryland. Although the weather will be different, there are many activities to do such as surfing, walking the boardwalk, laying on the beach and there are also has many great spots for nightlife, especially in Atlantic City.
Trust me, the sand is no different in Florida than it is in these two places. If anything, it’s more expensive.
As for those who would like to experience a morewintery spring break, maybe think about a road trip to the Poconos. With gas prices no longer at what seemed like $100 a gallon, it might be more affordable to take a car rather than a plane.
In the Poconos, you can ski, snowboard or spend some time at one of the many local spas.
The Poconos are also home to one of NASCAR’s best tracks. So if you’re a fan like me, you can catch a race or just visit the track for your very own one-on -one tour.
Another thing you can do is take all the money you would spend your trip and just use it right here in Philadelphia. There are many things to do in a big city like Philadelphia that you couldn’t necessarily do during school because of a job or homework such as going out somewhere nice for dinner with friends, Dave and Busters or taking a trip to Old City and just dancing the night away.
These are just a few things you can do without mentioning a trip to the art museum or going to see the Sixers or Flyers play.
A rather unique way of spending your spring break would be with family. Now I know that half of the student body would rather throw back beers in the sun and I’ll be the first to admit that does sound nice, but just think, it’s free and your family might not always be around so why not enjoy their love and company while you can. We also know that our families can be very fun sometimes, you know in their own unique and annoying way.
Some students may opt for hanging around the house rather than going through the extremes of traveling.
So you can enjoy a fun movie night or just a nice dinner table conversation that leads to laughs and smiles all for the price of $0. There are many different routes you can take this spring break that won’t make you completely broke.
However, if all else fails and you absolutely, positively, must go to that exotic island and spend money, then try your best to use South West Airlines, because nine times out of 10 they’re the cheapest.
