Spring Break is fun on any budget

Spring break is the wee- long period that every collegiate drools about. Luckily for us at Hopkins, this magical week will soon be upon us. While there is always the select group of students that can't exactly remember this time, but can "vaguely" recall that it was lots of fun, this week promises to provide adventure and a desperately needed respite from work for the Hopkins student body.

The prototypical way to spend this sweet, short week is with friends, basking in the rays of Cancun (any other paradise-esque locale will suffice) in the afternoon and clubbing at night. This week-without-worries can drain students of approximately $700. With the economy in a recession, students may feel that they must stay at home in order to keep their wallets in check.

Spring break at home?!? Well yes, that actually can be a viable alternative. Grab some friends who are in a similar economic situation and convince them that coming home with you will be loads cheaper than flying to wherever they're from. Adding that they won't have to spend time at their own home may exponentially increase their desire to spend spring break with you and your loved ones. As a substantial chunk of the Hopkins population hails from the wonderful city of New York, consider asking your friends if you could go home with them. This is a unique opportunity to travel to Manhattan and avoid the hefty hotel fees. On top of that, you get a cool tour guide.

Your parents may at first object to opening up their home to several college students for the week, but remind them of the money that you (read: they) can save. Continue to bombard them with phrases such as, "At least you'll be able to keep an eye on me; wouldn't all of the mothers whose kids go on MTV's Spring Break love to be in your shoes?" and, "This is my only week off this semester and I do want to see my family for part of it, that's why I want to come home." Their hearts will positively melt and they will spontaneously open the door to the house.

While home, mom and dad will probably not bother you about doing your chores and your younger siblings will be on their best behavior. After all, there's company in the house. That will definitely stave off a great deal of embarrassment. Going home may seem like a punishment, but you can't forget that you're going with a group of your closest buddies. If these people can help make your life at Hopkins more interesting, then surely they can liven up your home town.

Hold a slumber party one night in the family room when the rest of the house is asleep. It's the perfect way to become closer to your friends and can provide a slew of inside jokes and legendary stories down the road. You can visit your local town (or city) the next day. It will look completely different through the eyes of your friends. Attend a sports game and work out at a gym. Take pictures to remember this time.

Another alternative to an awesome spring break is taking advantage of the fact that not all colleges have Spring Break at the same time. You can arrange to visit some friends at their college. This solution is particularly useful because it solves several problems with one shot. Not only will you save on money, but you will also get to spend Spring break with old friends whom you have not seen in a while (and probably won't see for some time, given that this is our only time off until the summer). You can meet their new friends, party, see a new city and just enjoy that feeling of being in a college environment without having to go to classes. Buy a postcard to hang in your dorm room!

Spring Break on a shoestring is not something to cringe at. Staying close to the hearth, or the hearth of your friends, can be a fun way to spend time off. Essentially, the only difference between Cancun and home is 20 degrees, unless you happen live in Miami, in which case the only problem that you have is fending off the friends who want to visit you during Spring break. Just remember that summer will come sooner than you think!