Alternative Spring Break

No Comments | April 3rd, 2007 | Trackback

It’s that time of year again – when students around the globe…or in much of North America at least…take a break from studying and jaunt off to all sorts of exotic locations for fun or relaxation or a combination of both. In many ways Spring Break has become associated with drinking, partying and other forms of merry-making and debauchery, but in the last ten years or so, something else has emerged: alternative spring break.

Students who decide to participate in alternative spring break generally commit to some volunteer cause and, instead of partying for a week, do something in connection with that cause, often as part of a trip. Some universities (for example Arizona State University and Indiana University) run alternative spring break programs, and Break Away is one well-known website devoted to this phenomenon with information about and links to specific programs.

The Onion takes a satirical look at alternative spring break here, but raises an interesting point: is alternative spring break the new “in” thing to do, merely providing a different venue for spring break parties?

These are two distinct questions of course, and while I don’t think there is any debate that using a charity trip to get drunk is just plain wrong, does the fact that alternative spring break has become trendy lessen it somehow?

My personal opinion is that both intentions and outcomes matter, as does how it is perceived. Attempting to volunteer instead of spending the money on a drinking binge is more or less a good thing, though it is of course a bit premature to be handing out badges of merit for a one-week trip. Dealt with properly, students participating in alternative spring break more because its cool and less because they care about the cause can still be a good thing: the experience may provide exposure to a perspective or issue they’d never given much thought to before.