Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Spring Break Debate

T-minus 28 hours and I'm off to sunny Florida with some of my closest college friends. That's right, for the second year in a row, I'll spend part of my spring break enjoying the warmth and relaxation of white sandy beaches. A recent post on Ms. Career Girl made me reconsider the practicality of this tradition among college students and soon-to-be professionals.


On the site, guest blogger and fellow college senior Rob Pitingolo writes about his decision to spend the week using his time more wisely to stay home and continue the job search, while also saving money that would've been used on travel expenses. 

That's a wise decision in my mind, but I am not afraid to encourage students to travel if they have the means to do it. Because I've already accepted my full-time job, I am more certain about the future. That leaves me more open to making the trip as long as we keep it on a limited budget!
That leaves one last question: What do employers think?

Like Rob, I've also had several of my professional mentors encourage me to take this one last adventure as a college student. My biggest desire for hitting the highway for a 14 hour road trip is the chance to get even closer to friends I truly cherish. After graduation, our group will start relocating to other parts of the state and country for careers, families, and other stuff. Sure we'll reunite as alumni at football games and weekends at the lake, but this is one last hurrah before life as a big kid starts.

Big kid life. That's why this post is important.

We've all heard the horror stories of irresponsible, disrespectful, out-of-control partiers ending up in dangerous, unbecoming and stupid situations. The worst part is that nice people and students with great potential aren't immune to this threat when beaches and beverages are thrown into the equation. (Yes Mom, I hear you saying that as I type this.)

My folks are certainly no exception to the rule when it comes to worrying about my safety and decision-making for the upcoming week. Judging from most spring break stereotypes, I totally understand my parents' concern. However, by choosing to spend vacay in a less populated Florida town, we're avoiding the typical scene from "MTV Spring Break," and the types of activities that make all good parents cringe. In our eyes, the chance to relax doesn't have to come in forms of profain irresponsibility. I don't have a source, but I'd say that's something employers AND parents can appreciate! See you when we get back!

2 comments:

  1. Whitney, good post. However, I don't think my spring break decisions were affected by saving money or financial responsibility in principal. Rather, they were affected by the uncertainty of my future. Without any job offers on the table, I have no guarantee of income come June 1st, and then there is also the prospect that I might have to travel to more job interviews in other parts of the country out of my own pocket. Lastly, a week spent on vacation is a weak I wouldn’t be spending looking for a career. If I knew what I would be doing post-graduation, spring break would be a different story entirely.

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  2. Thanks for reading! That was a good point, and I made a change to ensure the statement was more clear. Enjoyed reading your thoughts!

    -Whitney

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