College Spring Break Tradition
Throughout our life we are exposed to many different traditions. Have you ever stopped to think where some of them have come from? Not many people do. We participate in events or do things a certain way because that is the way it was always done. This is interesting to me since in many ways we are a very curious people.
My oldest child is in his second year of college and my daughter is a senior in high school. They are both very active and seem to have many friends. As far as I know my son has not gotten involved in a great deal of partying on campus. He is quite serious about wanting to get into law enforcement. With this goal he needs to keep a clean record. Also he has always been interested in keeping fit and working out. He was the last person I thought would want to go on college spring break. This is one of those traditions that I am not sure how it got started, but through the years the stories of what goes on during college spring break has filled the news and tabloids.
I know that everyone that goes on college spring break is not going to do illegal things and be drunk the entire time. I recognize the importance of having a break from the routine of school and spreading your wings in traveling without your parents, however I also know that it only takes one person to get an entire group in trouble. Our son assured us that he was going to go with a group of students that he trusts. They were going to fly to Mexico and go deep sea fishing and parasailing. I was concerned about him being in Mexico because the legal age for drinking is eighteen but he assured me that now that he was entering the classes for his major he was not going to screw up. His father and I decided that we needed to let him make his own choices.
He went on the college spring break and returned without any major incidents. He said that some of the guys did party and drink, but he is just not into this and they respect that about him. He is able to have a good time and pick friends that share his interests. I am so glad that we did not stand in his way of going to Mexico. I realize now that you have to give your children a chance to test their wings and also to let them make mistakes. I am glad my son is home safe and I know that the next time he wants to do something I will have an easier time trusting his judgment.
Summary
Not everyone who goes on college spring break is going to get in trouble or party too much. Parents know their children very well. Trust your children are going to make the correct decisions with their lives. They have the right to make their own mistakes just like their parents did.
