The last rounds of midterms are winding to a close. Unused text books are being dusted off in preparation for buyback days. The sun is even making a guest appearance on campus — sometimes. This can only mean one thing: spring break is coming.
For students who have yet to plan where they’re going the last week of March, there is still hope.
While this weeklong break from studies between winter and spring terms is notorious for parties in tropical getaways, not all students are headed for the sun.
Freshman Kelly Carpenter and her family are heading abroad to meet up with her sister studying in Italy. Even with booking the reservations in December, her family still had to foot a bill of between $700 and $800. This is not uncommon.
“Most students bought their tickets in November or December because the airline space sells so soon,” Eugene Tour and Travel agent Cheri Smith said. While her office is not offering any special student rates, they are working with the Student Travel Network, a private travel wholesaler that provides students age 25 and younger international trips at a fraction of the cost they would normally pay.
Smith’s office has seen more patronage from older students who are looking to step out and try something new.
“This year, I see the younger students are tending to stick around or go home,” she said.
For students who are taking trips, however, distance is no object. Many of Smith’s student customers are hitting Cancun and Europe — especially France and Italy — this year.
Online travel service Expedia.com recently listed spring hot spots as Hawaii, Miami, Las Vegas, New York, Mexico and ski resorts across the map. Although travel costs rise the closer it gets to departures, the site still listed hotels in Las Vegas starting at $29 and Hawaiian hideaways starting at $62.
Other popular destinations, such as Daytona Beach, Fla., had airfares from Portland ranging from $700 to $2,000-plus, depending on the airline and the number of seats available.
As the bills for tuition, living expenses and coffee from late-night study sessions come pouring in, not all students have an extra $2,000 in their back pocket. There are cheaper alternatives for those looking to get away without paying an arm and a leg.
Smith recommended road trips as an affordable last-minute alternative. All you need is a vehicle, gas and some willing passengers. Once out on the open highway, the travel possibilities stretch as far as the driver’s imagination, or at least as far as you can get before April 1, when spring classes start.
Visiting friends and relatives, camping or driving to the coast are all affordable options.
The top place for sun seekers, Smith noted, was California — namely Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs. Not only are they reasonably close, but if students can get a spot, plane tickets from Eugene to Los Angeles start at $198 plus tax. The only catch is availability.
“Tickets usually sell out by mid-November at that price,” she said. “Book early.”
According to Smith, seats are priced based on open slots, and there are only a certain amount of seats sold in each price bracket.
Sophomore David Rossi is venturing to his third choice destination, Costa Rica, for his break to get a glimpse of life in the jungle. Although he began the ticket search in November for flights to the Bahamas and Jamaica, his number one and number two choices, nothing was open.
The shortage of flights is due in part to airlines’ forced cutbacks after Sept. 11. Smith reported many flight schedules being cut as much as 25 percent to compensate for budgets being slashed.
Current events are also causing airports to step up security measures. Smith advised anyone traveling to arrive at the airport at least 90 minutes before flight departures and to be prepared for long lines and thorough inspections. She has even heard of instances where travelers were not allowed to board their flights because they had not arrived early enough to go through the safety measures.
For students stuck on campus because of school activities or lack of time and funds, there is hope. University Housing is offering rooms at $83 for the week, although no food is being served.