The words “spring break” used to cause images of drunken girls in bikinis, wild beach parties, and other ludicrous moments.
While spring break may not be as wild as it used to be, students still use it to take a break from school and travel. Some students, such as senior Meghan Pickett ‘15, have planned vacations with their friends.
“I am going with three girlfriends to Destin, Fla.,” said Pickett. “My dad is stationed at the Air Force base down there so it’s free lodging and one of my good friends is coming back to visit. So I figured we would go somewhere warmer than here.”
However, many students have chosen to sign up for trips through North Central College, such as the Breakaway trips and the Verandah courses being offered over spring break.
Those going on the Sankofa Verandah will be traveling to Memphis and Nashville Tenn., and Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham, Ala. to visit historical sites pertaining to the civil rights movement.
“I’m excited because I get to learn new history that matters to our nation and history that can actually shape a world for a better tomorrow” said sophmore Luis Tello. “I’m happy to go.”
While the Verandah coures are more focused on learning about history and visiting historical sites, the Breakaway trips each have different purposes. For example the trip to Nashville, Tenn., will involve doing charity work.
“We will probably be going to different charity organizations, and helping out for a day,” said junior Adam Sehr ‘16. “I like seeing how diverse the Charites are, and the needs that you wouldn’t typically think are needs are actually being met without even realizing it.”
On another level, the trip to Panama City, Fla., will mainly focus on teaching students how to share their faith, although there will be elements of service throughout the trip.
“It really peaked my interest, this one in particular because for a long time I’ve been wanting to explore avenues of sharing my faith with others and I just didn’t know how.” said junior Ashely Brakenridge. “I had never come across the opportunity to learn how to do it in an acceptable non-pushy kind of manner.”
Even more different than either of those trips is the trip to Austin, TX, which is focused on promoting the Union at the South by Southwest festival.
“We teamed up with Audiotree, which is a music, video company in Chicago, and they’re giving us a stage to have bands and promote the Union,” said senior Kassandra Sandoval. “We’re going to have flyers, so we’re going to go around promoting what the Union stands for: social change.”
No matter where students are going, or why they are going, spring break is an excellent time to travel and see new places.
“I want to explore the city, because I think every state is like another world,” said Tello. “So California is one world, and going to Tennessee and Alabama is like going to another world. So my hope is to explore what makes it different than California.”
