Spring break is the time to be free of care and get that much needed vacation. If you haven't started thinking about where your next road trip, vacation or pit stop will be, now is the time! Here are just a few ways to plan for an awesome Spring Break:

Plan months in advance.

As college students our favorite thing to do is “procrastinate” but when planning any trip, it is important to have the details such as hotel, travel, and daily commute figured out before moving forward. When planning for trips during popular spring break months (March) prices are usually higher. It is best to plan months in advance and even in December in order to get the best early bird rates! Always plan out where you will stay, how you are getting there and back, and how you will get around to the city/country you are traveling to. You can not know one without the other or your trip may not go as planned. And if you would like to go out of the country but not on a cruise there are many affordable all-inclusive trips online, but passports are a must!

Hotel.

Before choosing a hotel, DO YOUR RESEARCH! Many condos (especially in Panama City Beach) do not rent to spring breakers or there has to be a certain amount of adults 25 and older that will be present the whole time. Always read the fine print when choosing a hotel or condo. Many companies will rent to you and if you do not meet the age requirements you will be unable to stay there. Also, don’t get stuck on the opposite sides of the attractions. It’s best to find a hotel that is in the middle of the fun, that way you don’t have to get caught up in traffic (or avoid getting a DUI for being an intoxicated DD). If you are the type that loves to host parties, do research to see the policies that your condo sets during spring breaks. Many of the nicer condominiums require arm bands for people that stay there and they check to see if you are wearing them. So if your room only allows eight people to sleep there and you have ten people going, research whether or not your hotel requires its guests to wear wristbands or those extra people may not be able to sleep there.

Plan Outings.

Spontaneous ideas are always fun but for budgeting reasons it is best to plan at least a couple of fun events. Research the different attractions in the area and out of your budget plan for at least two. Visit a theme park, go shopping, do something memorable! Spring break isn’t only about partying.

Budget.

Many people lose money during spring break because they spend a lot on food. A very important tip to budgeting your money is to buy groceries instead of eating out every day during your trip. Plan a dinner where you can go out to eat but also pitch in and buy groceries or bring groceries if you are planning to stay for a long time. Always remember to have emergency money. You may have car complications during the trip, your friend may get too “turnt” and end up in jail, there may be a huge concert that you didn’t know about until that night. You never know what could happen, so always be prepared! Plus, you don’t want to spend all of your money and not have gas money to get back home after the trip!

Remember there is life after spring break.

During spring break, many students act out of character because they may be in a city where they don’t know anyone or simply because it is a vacation. As students we must understand that everything comes back to haunt us especially things posted on social media. Spring break is the time for hot flings, spontaneous drunk tattoos, and breaking the law so we think until something serious happens. Everything that we do will follow us eventually. We are scholars, future doctors, lawyers, media professionals, and government officials. College days are our days to have fun and experiment but always be mindful of your future. She is not cute enough to risk receiving an incurable STD. Underage drinking is not important enough for you to risk getting arrested for, you can wait another year or two. Drugs are not worth you risking your life or your record if you are caught. And an embarrassing drunk tattoo is not worth your career. Always be mindful of your future plans.