At the end of my summer internship two years ago, my boss offered a single piece of advice for the remainder of my college career: take an awesome senior-year spring break. Why? He said that once I graduated into the “career world” it would become nearly impossible to ever find one week during which all of my friends and I would be free to go anywhere and have fun.
I’m disappointed to report that I’ve let my former boss down. Instead of relaxing in sunny Florida, I’ll be spending my spring break in snowy Ohio, working hard to land an entry-level career. The frustrating part is, I already spent a big chunk of my spring break savings back in January traveling for an out-of-town job interview and now I feel like the responsible thing to do is save the rest for future non-reimbursable interviews.
There’s something else about spring break that just doesn’t feel right given today’s employment environment. Senior year spring break is supposed to be a celebration.. a last chance to commemorate the days before our careers become the focus of our lives. But right now many of us don’t have careers, or upcoming-careers; some don’t even have career-prospects. In two and a half months many seniors will graduate into unemployment and move back in with mom and dad.
On the other hand, maybe spring break can be a chance for seniors to cheer themselves up from the bleakness of the employment environment. Maybe some, if they play their cards right, will turn vacation into a networking opportunity.
If you’re a senior, did the employment environment alter your spring break plans this year?
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If anyone can relate to where you're at in your career, it's Nicole Crimaldi: Nicole spent 5 years in corporate America, switched career paths, worked at a start-up, survived a layoff and is now self-employed. Nicole believes that career satisfaction is a huge part of overall happiness. Therefore, she started Ms. Career Girl to help other women get off the treadmill and onto a more fulfilling path.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Rob,
Very good post. I am not a college senior, I graduated in 2008. I did however skip my senior spring break in order to go to very snowy Wisconsin, and work for my future employer. It was one of the best decisions I made that year. After the break I had a real sense for the environment I would be working in, and I was able to prepare more for the job.
On another note, the final semester/quarter of college is NOT that demanding. If you want to go out and have fun with your friends you definitely can… Often…
Thanks for your perspective, Dan. I agree with you on the question of how academically demanding the final semester is. Do you think you could tell that to some of my peers?
Rob,
Your timing on this post is ironic as my boyfriend asked me about this very topic last night. He asked what I thought about college spring break and what my policy on it would be for my future children. Here are my honest thoughts.
I never went on a college spring break. I, like you, was too concerned with saving money, finding a job and not accumulating debt. I didn’t want to live on the edge all year so I could go on one vacation, and I wasn’t willing to charge the trip on a credit card. Asking my parents was definitely not an option. They don’t “believe in” these types of spring break trips nor would I ever ask them for even $1 to finance it.
Although I came out of college with no credit card debt, I do regret not going to Mexico with my soroity pledge class my sophomore year. I was one of the only girls who did not go on the trip. Everyone came back with great stories and strengthened friendships. One of my sorority sisters even married the guy she met on that trip!
Life is so short, it’s all about finding a balance. Applying the 10-10-10 rule to these types of decisions always helps me: what will I think about it in 10 days, 10 months and 10 years.
Nicole
Nicole, I can’t even fathom the thought of bankrolling a vacation with a credit card. Travel is expensive enough as it is. Paying for the trip plus interest at a 20% rate just doesn’t seem worth it.
Rob, my story is almost identical to yours. I was interning at what ended up being the company that hired me after my 2008 graduation. I do not regret skipping senior spring break at all. I was able to graduate with a well paying job, more than many of my friends can say.
Because I ended up with a job, I was able to reward myself in other ways. I bought a new car two months after graduation, and that fun has lasted much more than a week
Spring break, what spring break? I always came home to family. However, I grew up going to a high school, then state university where everyone went to Myrtle Beach or the Outer Banks or somewhere close(I’m in NC), for that time period. However, at the time I thought I was missing out, now I’m thankful to not be in that debt. Also, with many companies offering more generous vacation if you are working, the original line of logic dies off. Oh and there are the out-of-town conferences.