Spring break for college students is always eagerly awaited, but in tough economic times when not everyone can jet off to Colorado for a week in the snow, students are finding other options for this year's break.
Some students are staying local, like UF sophomore telecommunications major Andrew Suarez, who plans to spend Spring Break in his hometown, Tampa, relaxing and taking advantage of the nearby beaches.
"Not only living in Florida, but living in the Tampa area is amazing," he said.
Luckily for Suarez, he doesn't have to go far for a good time.
In addition to the beach, this year's Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament will be held in Tampa, and Suarez said his tax refund money will cover his tickets.
"That way, I can treat myself and not feel guilty because it's money that's coming back," he said.
Other spring break options available to students are service trips, where travelers sacrifice their downtime to help others.
UF organization Florida Alternative Breaks matches students with service trips based on what social issues interest them.
Andrew Perrone, staff adviser for the organization, said that more than 200 students are going on 15 spring break trips.
Perrone said the issues dealt with range from working with prison inmates in Tennessee to helping New Orleans continue its Hurricane Katrina recovery.
Florida Alternative Breaks, which began in the early '90s to help Hurricane Andrew victims, finds free or cheap housing at different destinations. Volunteers usually sleep at churches or community centers.
FAB also helps students raise money for their trips. The money is distributed evenly so that all domestic trips cost the same, regardless of destination.
"That way, someone doesn't pick a trip based on the cost," he said. "They choose based on what issue they want to work on or learn about."
Perrone said that the things students see when they travel abroad can make them aware of issues facing Gainesville, such as poverty.
"There are benefits you get out of this type of experience that you wouldn't get out of other types of spring break," he said.
Florida Alternative Breaks is not the only way to have a selfless spring break.
Jenna Harris, a freshman journalism major at UF, is going to Monterrey, Mexico with the Theta Alpha Christian sorority to work with Back to Back Ministries helping Mexican children.
Harris said she sent out letters asking for financial support from people in her community and local businesses, which helped her pay for the trip.
"If I didn't have the money, I wasn't going to be able to go," she said.
Despite a recent e-mail from the UF Division of Student Affairs warning students to be careful if traveling to Mexico during spring break, Harris said she isn't worried.
The e-mail said that there has been a recent increase in violent attacks.
Harris said she and her friends will stick together and use common sense to stay out of danger, and that they won't let the warning stop them from carrying out their plans of helping people and having fun.
"God said go," she said. "So that's what we're going to do."
