Opinion: Students conform to the pressures of rich universities as they plan their spring breaks.
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With winter quarter coming to a close, college students finalize their spring break plans. For the University of Oregon, students are off from March 25 through April 2. Some students plan on international travel, while others head straight to Miami. But what about the majority of the student population who can’t afford such extravagant vacations?  

The college spring break experience plays a big part in American culture. Movies like “Spring Breakers,” “Dirty Grandpa” and “22 Jump Street” are perfect examples of that crazy, partying vacation. Many consider spring break to be a once in a lifetime experience.
It’s no secret that traveling for spring break requires a large budget. Airfare, hotels, food and activities all add up, making the dream unrealistic. In 2020 pre-Covid, the average cost of spring break in the U.S. was about $620. That’s assuming you booked early; airlines are notorious for raising their prices in March and April. For example, if I took a “city girl” trip to LA for the week, the cheapest round-trip flight from Eugene would be $750. Let that soak in. 

Despite these numbers, the spring break dream continues to have college students drop their wallets. In a survey of over 1,000 undergraduate students, 45% said they spent more than they could afford on a spring break trip. More than one in five borrowers took out extra student loans to cover spring break festivities.

I decided to ask 64 students around the University of Oregon about their spring break plans. 51.2% planned on staying in Eugene or going home, while 48.4% planned on traveling. Of the 48.4%, most students were traveling on the West Coast at locations such as Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, Los Angeles, Portland and Mount Hood. Only a few planned on traveling far to Mexico, Hawaii and Italy.

UO student Camryn Sutherlant is going home for spring break this year. When she does travel, it’s normally with just her parents. Traveling with friends is “expensive, and being a student is really expensive,” Sutherlant said.

If traveling for spring break comes with such a cost, why do so many college students participate? This is where the pressures of attending rich institutions come into play.

The influence thrives on campuses other than just UO, such as Harvard University. Harvard’s high tuition brings in a wealthier population, establishing the “Harvard Elite” student life. However, those on financial aid and scholarships struggle with blending in. Eating out in the square every weekend and taking expensive vacations aren’t sensible. “FGLI students are faced with a choice: conform to the Harvard elite, even at the risk of going into debt with reckless spending, or not participate, possibly isolating themselves from their friends.”

The University of Oregon follows suit: The median family income is $126,400, and 56% of the student population comes from the top 20%. Being a wealthy institution on paper, lower-class students struggle to keep up. This prompts the pressures of conforming to a rich student life. 

There are plenty of ways to have an exciting spring break as a UO student without dropping all of your savings. Take a trip to Portland; go skiing at Willamette Pass Resort; plan a road trip with friends; venture out in your hometown; or go camping.

Ultimately, the once in a lifetime spring break experience isn’t part of American culture. It’s part of the rich college campus culture. I too get FOMO, fear of missing out, when planning my spring break. Yet my mother keeps it real: “Monica, you’re only a college student.”