Spring Break Options
By Jenn Christ, senior media communications major

With Spring Break right around the corner, your son or daughter may be making some traveling plans. Getting away from the university setting is a great way to break away from the stress of midterms, while re-energizing for the last eight weeks of the academic year.

Choosing what kind of spring break destination may be the hardest decision. As the days countdown to March 5th (the last day of the Spring I term) students find several different options available. Some may go home, while others stay at school. Some may visit friends at other colleges, or visit the home of a friend from school. While some students want to partake in a traditional spring break, others may prefer alternative spring breaks that have an educational purpose or to help out people in need.

This year many different kinds of spring break trips are offered through the University. The foreign language department is hosting a spring break trip to Vienna to learn about the Austrian culture and developing German phonetics of the area. The softball team is traveling to Fort Myers, Florida, while the baseball team is traveling to Port Charlotte, Florida—each will be playing in tournaments while enjoying the warm weather.

Also in high demand are spring break trips emphasizing community service. Several different service trip options are offered through student activities, church groups, or service organizations. In fact, Heather G'Sell, Webster University’s Habitat for Humanity president, will be traveling to New Orleans with a group from Washington University to participate in Collegiate Challenge: five days of volunteering in the construction of houses for those in need. Next year, Webster's group is anticipating forming a larger delegation to attend the Collegiate Challenge. This year’s experience will help prepare Webster's group for next year.

Some students want to fly away from the Midwest’s cold and snowy weather and soak up the sun for a more traditional spring break. According to GoFox.com, the top ten hot spots for a leisure and recreation-focused spring break are:

1. Cancun, Mexico


2. Daytona Beach, Florida


3. Mazatlan, Mexico


4. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico


5. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic


6. Nassau, Bahamas


7. Fort Lauderdale, Florida


8. Las Vegas, Nevada


9. Cozumel, Mexico


10. Key West, Florida

Whatever your son or daughter’s plans for this spring break, it is important to realize the necessity for this break in the aid of their academic success. By getting away from the stress of classes, students are able to rejuvenate for the final 8-week leg of the semester and to seriously begin thinking about their summer plans.