College students are getting fit, tan and now financially responsible to prepare for their Spring-Break getaways.
More than two-thirds of students don’t rely on parents to finance their excursions and save to fund their own vacations, according to a CheapTickets.com survey of about 500 students, released Tuesday.
Students who pay their own way enjoy a unique sense of freedom, said company spokeswoman Marita Thomas.
“When you pay for something yourself, the decision is then yours about where you go and where you stay,” Thomas said. “That’s part of being adult.”
Heather Gibson, a professor in UF’s Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, said timing may be a factor when students choose to pay.
“You may only have four Spring Breaks to choose from through your college career, so at least one of them should be something fun,” she said.
Charles Bisbee, an 18-year-old UF biology freshman, is going to Aruba over Spring Break with a friend whose uncle lives there. He will save money by not having to pay for his hotel room.
“I don’t want to be broke,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 2/28/2014 under the headline "Study: Most students pay their way to vacay"]
