For college students Spring Break is the ultimate holiday. From Cancun to Daytona, Spring Breakers flock to beaches to tan, swim, and most importantly, socialize. This month beaches on both coasts and Mexico will be swamped with young collegiates partying for hours nonstop.

Some Lake students will retreat to nearby beaches in Corpus Christi and Galveston. In addition, many will wait on the Queen Isabella Causeway for hours to get to South Padre Island. While some may say that the time-involved, expense and “party” atmosphere is a waste of time, it is in its own right an all-American event.

Down the boulevard on South Padre Island, cars are seen for miles, showcasing license plates and decals from universities across the South, including Ole Miss, University of Alabama, LSU and Georgia Tech to name a few. Of course, there are also mini-flags that wave on cars antennas that represent a majority of Texas universities. For one week out of the year, burnt orange and maroon can stand side-by-side, without any Longhorn, Aggie rivalry.

Spring Break is also an opportunity to spread adventurous wings and try new activities. Some events that can be explored include snorkeling, scuba diving, bungee jumping, jet skiing and horseback riding on the beach.

In addition, Spring Break is not just about keg stands and clubs, some students choose to make use of a free week to serve a better cause. For example, some Lake students will travel to Baton Rouge to participate in Alternative Spring Break. Once there they will be working with Youth Oasis, a nonprofit agency that helps at-risk youth.

Whatever you make of Spring Break, it is definitely an event that is etched in the American heart. Coast-to-coast and everywhere in between students will create their own signature events. Whether it is snorkeling at Acapulco, horseback riding at South Padre Island or reaching out to youth at Alternative Spring Break, college life comes alive for one week in March.