Most colleges and universities provide students with a week (or more)
off from classes, often called spring break. This vacation takes place
between the winter and spring quarters or during the second semester of
the school year. Not all schools keep the same spring break schedule,
so some students may be on break in mid-March while others don't get
their spring break until April.Many U.S. students use this break from classes to travel to the southern region of the country and enjoy the warm weather. Some of the most popular destinations are in the state of Florida, places such as Daytona Beach and Miami Beach. The popular television network MTV hosts parties and conducts live broadcasts from several Florida locations, and students flock to these events to socialize.
International students may choose to travel south during spring break, similar to their American counterparts. Vikas Tambde of India, a student at the University of Central Florida, has spent spring break in Daytona Beach with other international students. “I love spring break,” Tambde says.
Wherever large groups of college students gather, there is the possibility of trouble. Students may overindulge in alcohol, which can lead to arrests for public intoxication, underage drinking, and drunken driving. It's always best to obey the local laws to avoid trouble on a spring break trip.
Students who are more adventurous—or who have more money to spend on their spring break—may travel to Mexico and the Caribbean, or even Europe. Some schools offer special spring break trips overseas, such as Arcadia University's First Year Study Abroad Experience in London and Scotland.
Students who don't travel during spring break often visit with family and friends at home. If their school operates on semesters, students may have class work that needs to be completed before classes resume. Students who attend schools that operate on quarters are lucky in that their finals are finished before spring break, so they have no class work to worry about.Returning home for this short break isn't possible for many international students, whether due to time or cost; so many of them will choose to stay on campus for spring break. Be aware that most colleges close some of their residence halls during spring break; if your building will be closed, you can make arrangements to stay at another building on campus.
