Gosh, it's been cold outside lately, hasn't it? On the positive side, it gets me geared up just thinking about spring. And just so you know, '06s, the snow usually stays on the ground until May. On any given chilly night, I wonder how many souls in Hanover are, like me, already thinking about spring break.
I spent part of my winter break in Cancun. It was a nice place -- just a tad too touristy and Americanized (think Rainforest Caf) -- but venturing deeper into the town itself was a refreshing change from the trendy and culturally bland tourist belt. In the hotel zone itself there was the usual mix of bars and clubs that accompanies the restaurants and hole-in-the-wall eateries. It wasn't too crowded, and the weather was excellent.
While it obviously wasn't spring break, there were definitely a lot of revelers around. After a while, I got used to seeing them late at night -- going around in their little groups, caught up in conversation on their sleek new cell phones while loitering outside a club. What struck me, however, was the almost methodical way in which they spent their time -- wake up late, pre-game, get trashed, and then crash. This wasn't just a one-time occurrence. Rather, it was a cycle that manifested itself in vicious repetitions -- I witnessed the same girl puking at the very same spot outside our hotel for at least four nights in a row. The hotel manager assured me that this was nothing compared to spring break when local tourist agents stage such dubious events as "booze-cruises."
I certainly don't intend to preach. I'm fine with drinking, though in the course of my past and ongoing military service I've seen my fair share of drinking problems. For some it's nothing more than an occasional indulgence -- others embrace it as a way of life. Simply put, it's a choice that individuals make and they certainly have the right to do just that. However, this seemed somehow different to me -- it almost seemed as though drinking had morphed into a mindless substitute for fun. How else can one explain the amount of time, effort and money spent simply to come to Cancun. Surely they hadn't come all the way to add to their collection of uniquely Mexican seashells?
So, for spring break -- and this is directed especially, though not exclusively, at the new '06s on campus -- why not eschew the traditional paths of either partying until your liver cries out for help or going home, and instead consider something different -- like an Alternative Spring Break trip?
Dartmouth offers tremendous opportunities for students to help out those in need -- all while having a great time with fellow Dartmouth students in a place you may never have been before. I recently signed up for the Jacksonville ASB group that's going to lend a hand at the I.M. Sulzbacher center in Jacksonville, Fla. There are plenty of other such trips -- Aquinas House runs annual ASB retreats and trips, the Navigators have one, and so on. All you have to do, my intrepid friends, is seek them out and sign yourself up.
Journeying to Trinidad on an International Habitat ASB last year was an out-of-this-world experience for me. The exposure that I got to the local culture (and the workout I got from manually mixing cement) was simply a one-of-a-kind experience. The friendships I forged with local youths and the cooks that volunteered to make our meals still bring a smile to my face. I really believe that these trips give a person a unique chance to contribute in both a physical, tangible way as well as to provide a rare opportunity for self-discovery and reflection -- both are too often neglected in the rush of the quarter system.
So, why not give it some thought? Even if things don't work out the way you intend, why not lend a hand by supporting the rest of your friends who are going places this spring break? And, before I forget, word on the street is that the Jacksonville ASB is cooking breakfasts for three bucks in the Hyphen this term. Stop by, have a bite to eat, and help out those who are helping out others.
