What are your plans for spring break? Going to Cabo? How about Florida? One of my friends is even going to Venezuela. It boggles my mind to see the kinds of advertisements out there about spring break aimed at college students. Most of them include the best-looking men and women in the least amount of clothing and swimsuits.

I don’t have a problem with college students going on a family vacation to Puerto Rico or spending the week in San Juan with a significant other. But when people head south with the objective of getting plastered every night, that’s when I draw the line.

I would like someone to explain to me why college students want to go to a foreign place and spend money they don’t have on forgetful nights. If you’re not going to remember your trip, why waste money going?

As an out-of-state student, I’m aware of the costs my parents and I are paying for me to be at Iowa State. If you look up while you’re riding the bus to class, you’ll see an advertisement from the Government of the Student Body saying that the average debt of an ISU student is $31,501. Now add the cost of four week-long trips to Mexico.

I know a lot of you might be saying that drunken spring breaks are part of college, and that you’re only here for a short period of time — but is getting wasted and having sex with a stranger really what college is all about?

Maybe for some, but certainly not for all.

I’m not the only one who has heard the spring-break horror stories.

From getting food poisoning to getting something slipped in your drink, or worse — getting sexually assaulted.

Your judgments are going to be impaired once you have a lick of alcohol in your system, and if you have a buddy tagging along, I wouldn’t rely on them much, since the chances of them not drinking in Cancun are slim to none.

Then there’s the cost of everything. From airfare or gas to hotel costs to food and of course all the alcohol you’re going to consume — bust out the credit card and start adding on to your debt.

I, myself, am going to remember my spring break. I’ll be road tripping it 1,800 miles home to introduce my family to my girlfriend of nine months.

For all of you already on spring break, bon voyage! I hope everyone stays safe and when your parents ask what you did for this year’s spring break, you don’t have to reply with “I can’t remember.”

 — Emma Reed is a junior in journalism and communication from Alberton, Mont.