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This year's spring break will look different for many students than
from years past. As interest rates continue to rise, soon-to-be graduates
are starting their exit interviews and realizing the seriousness of
their rising debt payments. And for some, if not most, that reality
is but one sobering reminder of the real and vastly unpredictable world
that lies beyond the ivory towers.
As seen on a residence hall bulletin board: Always travel with a
buddy or in a group.
The embroiled tragedy of Natalee Holloway is the most media-prevalent
example of spring break gone wrong, although there are countless others.
We in our interactions with students have all heard stories about drugged
drinks and students being pricked with needles in clubs; we have heard
enough to know that these tales aren't all urban legends. Threats to
our students' safety, whether intentional or accidental, are ever-present.
In casual conversations with students about their plans for spring break,
a gentle reminder about safety and traveling together can go a long
way. This is particularly the case in learning centers, where a wide
variety of students can be reached via your paraprofessional staff.
Car trips aren't the same in electric cars.
$3 is the new $2. At least that's what they keep telling me whenever
I fill up at the tank. The cost of gasoline might be prohibitive for
some this semester, making that road trip to Florida into a trip to
the local lake instead. Did anybody ever imagine that flying would be
cheaper than driving, when the cost of a discounted one-way ticket is
as much as two or three full tanks? Expect a greater percentage of students
to stay home this spring break and spend their time working rather than
traveling.
The power of Mother Nature.
Clean-up in the areas of the Gulf of Mexico has just begun; reconstruction
of the area is an on-going process. Commonly visited places like Cancun,
the Florida Keys, and many cruise ship destinations between the Yucatan
and the Caribbean are trying to rebuild their economies and accommodations
to pre-hurricane levels. The work has been arduous, work which began
the academic year and will continue. Many colleges and universities
are sponsoring trips to help operations in the South for spring break,
as they have for months. No doubt there has or will be students in your
area, perhaps in your institution, that will be participating in such
an event. Meanwhile, landslides, wildfires, and now an early and destructive
tornado season continue to create pockets of need in our own country,
as earthquakes, ferry accidents, and cyclones threaten other areas of
the world. In welcoming students back, remember to be cognizant of these
experiences. Students may have sudden or surprising reactions to being
witness to the trauma, even weeks after the event. Anxiety and depression,
for instance, may all appear to be finals-related but may have had their
start in a far more emotional experience.
Not all spring break experiences will be fire and brimstone. And when
the students come back to you finally, you all have great positive things
to look forward to: more hours of daylight, greener grass and flowers
blooming, and the long-awaited end to the semester.
Questions or comments? Contact the author at j.scibet@usip.edu.
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