Spring Break Dos and Don’ts

Recommendations for a college student on spring break from a college student on spring break

As I sat in my chilly Madison apartment building, searching for the will to live after coming back from Punta Cana last night, I thought I’d share some knowledge with all my readers about my experience. Need to keep the memories alive somehow, right? That being said, here are my dos and don’ts for a college spring break. 

DON’TS

1. DON’T get panicked about not being tan day one and scorch yourself. I promise you will get tan eventually, but that sunburn is not going to be pleasant when it hits. I made myself miserable the first day doing this, and every piece of clothing I put on my body for the next three days felt like they were made of hot needles. Apply that sunscreen and have faith. 
2. DON’T assume the local food and water will upset your stomach system so bad that you end up bringing three times the amount of clothes you need. I ended up wearing a swimsuit and a T-shirt for about 75% of the time I was there, and the rest of my clothes just rotted in my bag for days. This made my suitcase hella heavy and was really just not worth it. 
3. DON’T think people won’t find you attractive, even your friends! Everyone will be by the beach, in swimsuits, and drinking those pina coladas all day long. This may lead to some awkward conversations when the vacation is over, but understand you are rocking your look on the trip. Remember to always be vigilant when on vacation in this setting. As long as safety remains your top priority, this will be a funny memory to look back on.

DO’S

1. DO plan at least one excursion off the resort or wherever you are staying. I’m all for chilling out, but trust me, you’ll need a little something to break it up. One can only drink pina coladas and lay around for so long, right? My group did a boat trip, and it ended up being my favorite memory from the vacation. It might be a little tough to plan, but if my idiot friends and I could do it, so can you. 
2. DO barter with the people trying to sell you things. If you are in a different country especially, I promise that almost everything that people try to sell you is an attempted scam. It’s worth it to stand strong and ask some uncomfortable questions, because honestly, once they realize that you aren’t taking the bait, I have found that they’ll fold rather quickly. The money adds up, and your bank account will thank you for your extra effort. 
3. DO not be afraid to day drink. Sure, you’ll “feel like s*** later”, but also, live in the moment! SO much fun, and you want to be drunk when the sun is out and you can go swimming and play games and such. Energy gets sapped quickly when you spend all your time in the blazing heat, so you want to strike when the iron is hot, so to speak. Perhaps my friends and I are just trash bags (true), but man, I don’t regret a thing. 

I have more to say,of course, but those were my general takeaways from my first ever college spring break. Overall, I know everyone will have the best time ever, but I figured I could try and save you from some of my mistakes and help you with some of my successes. Enjoy yourself, and for goodness sake, get to the airport early.