Students plan for summer vacations

Put on your stunna shades, it’s summer time in the Geezy! With the spring semester coming to a close, many college students are looking for a well-deserved vacation.

“Vacations give you that extra push to finish strong during finals,” said Ali Cooper, a senior education major, from Kanab. “It’s pure motivation. Everyone looks forward to a little reward after a job well done.”

“I’m planning to go on a cruise,” said Jace Hager, a sophomore general education major from St. George. “I plan on soaking up some sun while enjoying the sweet ocean breeze.”

Several students are planning cruises for their summer vacations. Travel agencies state that cruises are the No. 1 request among college students. Though this might be the case, a majority of students find it easier to work through the cruise liner instead of an agency. Though, there are a few that say travel agencies provide great benefits.

“I used a travel agency to book my cruise to Mexico,” Cooper said. “It was nice to have the agency take care of all my needs. They even hooked me up with some discounts.”

During the spring semester, college students have overloaded their minds and are in need of a freeing experience. Even after finals students are finding that their schedules are still busy. Between summer school, work, and other time filling responsibilities, students are finding it difficult to plan extravagant vacations.

However, if you want to plan a good vacation, St. George is a prime location. St. George provides a low cost and easy way to plan exciting getaways. Dixie State College is surrounded by national parks and several other recreational hot spots.

A college student can swim in the pools of Zion National Park and the next day go horseback riding in Bryce Canyon. You want to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World? Head on over to the Grand Canyon; it’s only two hours away! Water sports are one of the biggest attractions here in St. George. This small town is surrounded by places where you can go boating, wakeboarding and tubing.

“St. George is by far the best location to have a vacation,” Hager said. “You have lakes, mountain biking, hiking and fun night venues where you can meet new friends.”

Many college students look to save money during the summer months, spending a majority of their time working.

“College tuition killed my pocket book this semester,” said Justin Moss, a junior business major from Beaver. “I usually work a lot during the summer, but when I get a chance to get away from work, I go camping.”

College students can enjoy camping and the outdoors as well. Pine Valley and Brian Head Mountains are both nearby, which make it easy to engage in hiking and ATV riding.

If money is an issue this summer, there are several tools that can be used to enjoy a vacation at a low cost.

“Go in groups; you can share the cost on gas,” said Nick Rhodes, a senior communication major from Bluffdale. “By traveling together you save money and besides, being in big groups make it a lot more fun and memorable.”

Students mentioned that it’s important to budget out your vacation and plan ahead.

“Vacation within your means but at the same time go all out,” Hager said. “Don’t go into debt on your vacation, but when you’re on your vacation party hard and make memories!”