April 15, 2006
In the 1960’s, the term “Spring Break” meant a “wild” week in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where college students traveled to experience adventure and romance.
In my world in the 60’s, spring break meant going to the movies.
I have searched my memory and I do not recall one single soul who ever took a spring break trip in my high school and college years during the 60’s.
I am certain someone did, but I must have missed it.
The closest any of my crowd ever came to taking a spring break vacation was to watch the trendy movie, “Where the Boys Are”.
Remember the plot: four college girls, each with a completely different personality and each with her own set of troubles, set out for the beach to find the guy of her dreams. Granted, some went just to have a mindless, out-of-control week-long party, but it was mild indeed by today’s standards.
“Where the Boys Are” featured Connie Francis singing the title song and starred entertainment greats--George Hamilton, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Hutton, Frank Gorshin, and Paula Prentiss.
The movie, released in 1960, became an instant hit. It was considered irreverent, naughty and raucous, yet today, it probably would get a mere PG-13 rating.
Subsequently, in 1983, along came a movie entitled none other than “Spring Break.” Once again, this movie’s plot had to do with college students. This time it featured guys spending spring break in Ft. Lauderdale searching for girls.
I did not see this movie, nor do I remember it. “Spring Break” featured a cast of actors and actresses whose names and possibly careers must have been forgettable.
In 1983, unlike in the 60’s, I did not get to experience spring break vicariously through a movie. I was too busy with a pregnancy, the birth of a son, and graduate school. Certainly, 1983 was a year full of activity for me. There was no time or money for such an indulgence as spring break.
Come to think of it, there was not much time for movies either.
No matter that my college years were in the past, I continued to long for a spring break trip.
When this spring rolled around many, many years later, one can imagine my chagrin when I found myself dreaming of a spring break trip with no viable travel prospects in store.
One does not have to be a college student to want a spring break on a beach somewhere.
The need for sun and fun is universal.
Truth is I was jealous of the students who were packing their bags and setting out on exotic journeys. My own college-age children were no exception.
Everywhere I looked, high school students were traveling to Aruba or Jamaica on senior trips, presumably accompanied by adult sponsors. College kids were flying to Mexico, Florida, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Some were embarking on cruises to the Bahamas, the Caymans, Tahiti, and plenty of other island destinations I have never known except in my daydreams.
No longer a rare and unusual occurrence, spring break trips are becoming the norm.
The only problem is that offspring are taking better spring break trips than their parents.
I needed to get moving-- somewhere, anywhere.
With no expectation of a true spring break clearly in mind, I took to the highways for a little “get out of Dodge” sightseeing. I learned all too soon that television commentator Charles Kuralt was absolutely correct. Kuralt, author of On the Road with Charles Kuralt, once quipped, “Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything.”
No worries though because I also learned that Robert Louis Stevenson was just as accurate with his observation about travel. He once said “I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
For the record, my bag is packed, and I am ready to go on a “real” spring break trip—perhaps, next year.
