Spring break

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For an article concerning the euphemism for Easter break, see Spring Holiday.

For an article concerning the video game Spring Break, see Spring Break (game).

Spring break, also March break in Canada, is a week-long recess from studying in early spring at universities and K-12 schools in the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, China and other countries. The act of vacationing on spring break is known as spring breaking.

[edit] Background

In the U.S., spring break ranges from the end of February to mid-April, but most schools are out for one of the first two weeks of March. In Canadian universities, it is known as reading week and is in late February or early March.

In Japan, the spring break starts with the end of the academic year in March and ends on April 1 with the beginning of a new academic year.

Spring break is also celebrated by K-12 institutions, and is also known as March break. March break is invariably one or both of the middle two weeks of March. Most K-12 institutions in the US coincide their spring break with Easter and Passover.

From the end of World War II until the 1980s, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was a notorious spring break destination in the United States. On March 19, 2006, the New York Times reported that Fort Lauderdale's reputation as a Spring break destination for college students started when the Colgate University men's swimming team came to practice there over break in 1935. [1] Fort Lauderdale became even more popular due to the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, in which college co-eds met boys while on spring break there.

Spring break's notorieties include increased drinking and sexuality, including public nudity (such as bikini contests and wet T-shirt contests). Residents of the area became so upset at the damage done by vacationers, that the local government passed laws restricting parties in 1985. By 1989, the number of college vacationers fell to 20,000, a far cry from the 350,000 who went to Fort Lauderdale four years prior. [2]

Spring break partygoers responded by moving to the much more liberal Daytona Beach area (over 200,000 students traveled there each spring at its peak), but after Daytona's local government undertook similar measures, the crowds of the mid-1990s and early 2000s had fallen to a point where "a few students still come, but officials don't even estimate their numbers." [3] Fort Lauderdale suffered a recession as a result of the self-imposed boycott, but the local hotel industry survived by catering to the retirement population. Panama City Beach, Florida remains a spring break mecca.

The most popular spring break spots in 2006 were Acapulco, Mexico; Cancún, Mexico; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Negril, Jamaica; and Rosarito, Mexico. [4] Most students purchase specialized packaged tours. There are several logistics companies that charter airplanes and buy large blocks of hotel rooms to offer the deep discounts most college students need. Prices range from about $600 to $1400, which includes airfare and hotel; open bars or "party packages" are usually available for purchase at additional cost. [5]

South Padre Island is a very popular hot spot allowing travelers a two nation vacation. Party on the beach during the day and party in Mexico at night is a common theme. The drinking age in Mexico is only 18 and is a major selling point to many college students. Drive down trips to South Padre are by far the most economical spring break packages for most beach bound college students. [6]

Alternative spring break trips are becoming more popular. For more charity oriented students, package trips are available to help people in poor countries, experience nature, and other activities outside the typical party scene. There are many Universities now offering such trips to their students, many campus organizations have themed trips such as the outdoors program hosting a camping and nature clean-up trip and the local Habitat for Humanity featuring a building trip for students. This past year (2006) many students poured into New Orleans to help with the re-building and restoration of the city.

A similar type of vacation is known as senior week in the United States. Senior week follows high school graduation, where graduating seniors will go on a similar week-long vacation to a beach location.

[edit] See also

Schoolies week, Australian tradition of high-school graduates having week-long holidays following the end of their final exams
The Real Cancun (2003 film)
Beach Life, a 2002 videogame released as 'Spring Break' in America