For college students, March typically means midterms—a mid-semester benchmark made only slightly more bearable by the fact that spring break is soon to follow.
This year, University of Mary Washington students will go on spring break from March 3-13, while Northern Virginia Community College and Marymount University will take off March 6-12. George Mason and George Washington University students will have to hold out a little longer; their break isn’t until March 13-18.
But the dream vacation of sandy toes and a sun-kissed glow can seem out of reach for the stereotypical ramen-eating, hard-up college student.
For those hoping to get out of their college towns or parents’ houses without breaking the bank, most higher-ed institutions offer some sort of charitable alternative spring break that is far more affordable and rewarding.
University of Mary Washington’s service-minded students will travel to Alabama, Florida and Tennessee to work with Habitat for Humanity.
Marymount students will visit Philadelphia and Jamaica, where they will work with impoverished communities.
George Washington’s alternative spring breakers can pick from six different philanthropic trips, including a sustainable development program in Costa Rica, community development in Ecuador, urban restoration in New Orleans, a homelessness program in New York, animal advocacy in Utah or a sexual health and domestic violence project at home in D.C.
George Mason also leads service projects, including its indigenous culture, education and equity program in Guatemala; literacy, education and equality in Jamaica; ecosystem restoration in Stuart, Florida; community activism working toward ending homelessness in Camden, New Jersey; a human rights program in El Salvador; and a project combatting the HIV/AIDs epidemic in D.C.
These types of alternative spring breaks at Northern Virginia’s universities may not be the sit-back-and-relax escape that students are hoping for, but they offer a character-building experience that could even go on resumes down the line.
If by some March miracle students find themselves able to book a trip somewhere exciting, they may want to consider making use of these budget-friendly and occasionally student-specific services:
Groupon’s Spring Break Guide: While Groupon Getaways is a great resource for any frugal traveler, Groupon’s Spring Break Guide helps college students make the most of their week off by directing them toward experiences to try in new destinations, overlooked adventures in their own cities and mental rather than physical journeys like wellness retreats and thoughtful exercises.
STA Travel: Start the Adventure Travel is a 35-year-old company founded by two students who had recently returned from a life-changing trip of their own. Over 2 million travelers worldwide take advantage of the Experts in Student Travel’s affordable flights finder.
STS Travel: Student Travel Services, like STA, was also founded by college students, at Cornell. Since 1984, STS has offered affordable travel packages to students wishing to see the world, and it orchestrates tours with student organizations, travel agents and campus representatives at over 1,000 U.S. schools.
Airfarewatchdog: Determination can quickly dwindle when constantly comparing flight costs. Airfarewatchdog does the hard work for you, scouring sites to find the best deal and emailing alerts with its findings.
