BOSTON — Class is no longer in session, the beaches are packed, and a week of rest and relaxation is in order. It’s Spring Break time again, one of the most anticipated holidays of the year.
This year, however, the focus shifts from pleasure to safety. Since the turn of the century, safety measures have become noticeably more ineffective than in the past, and changes must occur.
Whether due to the terror attacks of September 11th, the insurgency in foreign countries, political instability, or the disappearance of Natalie Holloway, parents have more than just a few drinks to worry about this Spring Break. The biggest concern about Spring Break this year is safety.
After the deadly September 11th attacks on the United States and the growing insurgencies around the world, the fear of terror has been maximized to a large scale.
When asked if terrorism affected her travel plans, Allison Hannson, 20-year-old junior at Georgia Tech, replied, “Honestly, yeah it did. Our very first plan was a possible week trip to Spain, but we got freaked out because of all the political turmoil going on around the world. I think that international travel just isn’t as safe as it used to be.”
Students obviously determine Spring Break plans based on different factors than parents. John Aprile, 20, plans to go on a cruise with his family to the Caribbean.“My parents decided on the Caribbean because it’s warm, beautiful, and far away from the snow in Boston. I decided on the Caribbean because the drinking age is 18,” Aprile explained.
For college students like Aprile, one of the biggest advantages of Spring Break travels is the opportunity to take advantage of foreign drinking ages. This mindset is a common theme among teenagers and it is affecting their safety.
The disappearance and resulting death of Natalie Holloway in May of 2005 forced parents to re-evaluate their children’s safety on Spring Break.
“That situation was totally alcohol related, you make stupid choices when intoxicated, and that worries me,” Shirlee Brewer, 45-year-old mother of two, said.
Brewer has two children: Justine, 20, sophomore at Georgia Perimiter and John, 17, junior at Blessed Trinity Catholic High School. She avidly expresses her apprehensiveness about the upcoming holiday.
“My biggest concern is that they make good choices,” Brewer says.
In the end, it is clear that safety is more important than pleasure. Spring Break can still be one big party, but a few common sense tips can make it a safe one: stay close with friends, manage alcohol consumption, and avoid suspicious people and places.
“One of the most important things is to stay close with friends. Never be alone in a foreign country, avoid isolated areas, and just use common sense,” Wendy Garay, Study Abroad Director at Suffolk University, advises.