Heidelberg Pa., "camaraderieship," a handful of dorm rooms across New York State and the phrase "tu est belle."
These are my favorite spring break memories.
Sure I've been to beaches and bars, I have even opted to go north when it seemed the entire population of UB was headed south. But from Montreal to Daytona Beach, I've learned an important lesson - it doesn't matter where you go, it matters who you go with, and if you don't make the most of these times you'll regret it forever.
Last year my roommates and I road tripped to Daytona, and the memories made along the way are what made the trip unforgettable (though the girls we met from Georgia Southern were pretty good too).
Right when we loaded up the truck the fun began, and when we passed Heidelberg, we really started laughing.
Why? Because trapped inside my SUV the four of us were already starting to go stir crazy, and well, because "Heidelberg" sounds pretty funny, especially when you say it in a crappy German accent. To this day we'll still mention the name and chuckle.
The week spent hanging out together without any responsibilities made us all closer, and for the rest of our lives we'll all fondly remember claiming to gas station attendants that we "hailed from Heidelberg." We won't remember what the beach looked like, the condo, or the spring break bars because when it comes down to it, those things weren't important, only the friendships mattered.
This bonding process I deemed as "camaraderieship" to my shotgun riding buddy Greg, while somewhere in the hills of West Virginia on the way home. He looked at me funny, saying that it wasn't a word. To which I calmly replied, "You're right it's not a word, it's a feeling."
This trip took some serious planning and we'd been looking forward to it for months, however if you find yourself without a plan there are plenty of other things that can be just as much fun.
Years ago a former roommate and I fell behind the power curve of planning a spring break. So instead of sitting around doing nothing or attempting to find a last minute hotel deal in Florida we chose to rebel.
While Montreal bound, my buddy (who apparently had paid attention for about 15 minutes during his high school French classes) taught me one phrase to wow the French- Canadian women. His idea of a suave line was "tu est belle," which means "you are beautiful."
I know, slick right? Eh, I was 19 years old having fun, but I'll remember the way those babes looked at me like I was a complete moron for the rest of my life.
It wasn't that we were in Montreal, (except for the fact that our dollars were worth more than their monopoly money) that made it great. It was because we were still young enough to live life to the fullest, and because we were able to go together.
Whether you go to Cancun or Cleveland, its not the place that matters it's the company along the way.
My freshman year I was on a lower budget but I still managed to have a blast. I went on a tour of college campuses visiting my high school friends. In all, I hit three campuses in five days. The fact that I didn't come back bronzed didn't matter, I got to see some of my best friends.
Getting a tan wasn't more important than seeing all my friends and talking about how much we loved this great this new world of "college."
A lot of people get caught up in the idea that spring breaks need to be extravagant, with travel to exotic places as an absolute must. I'm pretty sure my friends and I could find a way to have fun if we spent spring break in a dumpster, as long as we had a few wobbly pops and no homework.
The time will come for all of us when spending a week without responsibilities with a bunch of our friends is going to be downright impossible.
Like it or not, someday we will all be old, telling stories about our college days, and I don't know about you, but I don't plan on telling my grandchildren a story about me sitting home while all my friends were out making memories together.
Don't be afraid to get out and spend some money, laugh till you cry, or drink some beers over spring break, remember you're only young once, and if you have time, make sure to stop in Heidelberg along the way.
