PRO

Waist-deep in cool, chlorinated water, pina coloda (virgin, of course) in hand, surrounded by close friends with their smiles shining brighter than the sun.

It is a right of passage that students earn after four years of high school and it is now just days away. The school buzzes with spring break excitement.

Even though spring break only lasts a week, the experience lasts students a lifetime. It is crucial that before all the stress of AP tests, graduation and transitions to college, students get a chance to decompress with friends for a week and really celebrate how far they’ve come.

Yes, it can cost a pretty penny. And yes, there are some spring break horror stories; but both of these can be minimized and avoided.

Spring break prices range significantly. If cost truly is a deciding factor, a Hilton Hotel in Florida will be much more practical than a four star all-inclusive Mexican resort. The plane ticket a deal breaker? An Amtrak ticket to Chicago is only $37. The Navy Pier is calling. No matter the budget, spring break can be epic with good friends and great attitudes.

Some students choose to make it a disaster. Don’t be one of them. Of course safety is always a major spring break opponent, but it’s not that hard to avoid trouble. Follow this tip and spring breakers will be set: don’t be stupid.

If traveling to a country where drinking is legal, don’t get intoxicated to the point where walking or talking is difficult. Don’t leave a resort and wander into a dangerous area. High school and parents have taught common sense, don’t forget to pack it.

Once safety and costs are out of the way, the week is destined to be one for the books. High school ends a lot quicker than anyone prepares students for.

One last hoorah under the sun with best friends and classmates is a necessity before everyone tosses their caps in the air. Soak up the sun, enjoy the company and have an amazing week.

CON

Partying the night away with friends, drinking irresponsibly until the sun comes up, relieving all the stress from school. This may sound like the perfect spring break, but it comes with consequences.

Most students focus on the partying and “fun” that comes with a spring break trip; they don’t even realize all the possible negative results.

The drinking and intense partying has gotten way out of control. Students abuse the lowered drinking age in foreign countries and put themselves in dangerous situations.

2,600 Americans are arrested on spring break overseas each year and every year at least one spring breaker dies from falling off a balcony, according to DoSomething.org.

Staying safe may not be a top priority for many students, but it sure is for parents. Foreign countries are just as the name suggests, foreign and unfamiliar. Sending a teenager off to a potentially dangerous area is very scary for parents. Staying safe and secure is much more important than drinking the night away in Mexico.

Money is another issue when it comes to a dream spring break trip. Students usually aren’t the ones paying for it, so $2,000 doesn’t seem too expensive. Trip costs could be saved and put towards a college education, which is more beneficial in the long run. A car or a new computer, both of which will last much longer than one week of partying in the Bahamas, could be purchased with the money spent on spring break.

Prom is also just around the corner and for parents, prom means money money, more money. Not spending money on a luxurious spring break trip could result in a fancier dress or a more handsome tuxedo.

Instead of wasting money, risking safety or partying in a potentially dangerous country, a better alternative would be traveling somewhere close, such as Kalahari or Cedar Point. Both of these alternatives are safer, much less expensive and just as fun.

Going to the movies with friends, taking a fun trip to a water park, spending time with family. It’s cheaper, just as fun and doesn’t come with as many consequences.