“I’m going to Florida.” “I’m going to Hawaii.” “I’m going to Vegas.” Who is going to these hot vacation spots? NKU students, that’s who. That can only mean one thing, spring break is near.

Spring break is a great time to relax and forget about class for a week. Although, a lot of students just take the break for what it is, a break. While some work extra hours, others take the time off for an escape.

Bryan Ashcraft, 39, a senior journalism major, remembers what spring break used to be like in the 80’s. “Daytona Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. was where most people went,” Ashcraft said. A group of people would pile in a car and they would all stay in the same room. But, unlike now, there was no MTV and fewer cops around, he explained. “There was also less carding and more underage drinking. Nowadays, spring break cities are stricter and you can’t get away with as much as you used to,” Ashcraft said.

Today, with more options, students have drifted away from Florida. Yet some still find it very enticing.

“I’ve been to the Caribbean many times, but this year me and a friend are going to a secluded place in Florida,” Bodine said. “I want to get away from people my age.”

Bodine is staying with her friend’s and cool Grandma, where they will engage in shopping, partying, and navel piercing. “My dad is a pilot so all we need is spending money,” Bodine said.

Some students are traveling even farther south. Brett Stevie, a junior in Social Studies, is going to Punta Cana, in the Caribbean, with six of his friends. “We were going to go to Cancun, but our plans got screwed up and this was the other option, and it’s cheaper,” Stevie said.

He and his friends are spending around $800 on this inclusive package they planned in December through AAA Travel. “I’ve always went somewhere for spring break in the past. It gives you something to look forward to during the long semester,” Stevie said.

Sophomore Dan Noble, Sports Business major, is looking forward to going to Honolulu, Hawaii on his time off. He and his girlfriend are spending around $1200 to break in the Aloha state. “Its 80 degrees year round–I’m pumped,” Noble said.

While others are lying on the beach, senior Christa Hollingsworth will be trying her luck in Las Vegas. She’s spending three days with her boyfriend at the slots and card tables. “I’ve gone on a lot of spring breaks in the past, but I’ve never been to Vegas,” Hollingsworth said. She expects to spend around $400 on gambling and partying and maybe more…if she wins.