LSU’s break this spring semester takes place from March 31 to April 4, but where do LSU students plan on traveling?

Spring break is a much-needed respite from classes that LSU students crave every year, making it the perfect time to unwind or travel before the chaos of finals season. Perhaps the most popular spring break vacation site is the beach. Junior Rylee Schexnayder certainly thinks so, as she and her friends plan to share a condo in Orange Beach, Alabama, looking forward to lying on the sand and having drinks.

“Last year, we had a picnic on the beach and ate pizza and got matching airbrush t-shirts,” Schexnayder said. “So we want to do something similar because we had so much fun last year.”

Another student with seaside plans is senior Ainsley Coleman, who intends to visit a family friend in California. Coleman said her group aims to go beach-hopping along the coast all week.

“I haven’t been to California since I was in eighth grade, so I’m definitely excited to go back,” she said.

Another common vacation site this year is Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. LSU Campus Life is sending students on the Disney Leadership Experience, which is a program with the Disney Institute to help attendees develop leadership skills. Students will also volunteer with the Mustard Seed Organization to assist those affected by natural disasters.

One student who signed up for this program is senior Corinne David, who is counting down the days until the trip. She is keen to volunteer and attend the leadership conference, but she also anticipates having plenty of fun on the trip.

“Mainly I am excited to go to all the parks and have fun with my friends,” David said.

Other students who are going to Disney World are going for leisure, like junior Hunter Nastasi. Nastasi is a Disney Vacation Club member who is excited to explore the parks with family and friends.

“I look forward to drinking around the world, since my 21st birthday just passed,” Nastasi said.

All this extensive traveling sounds exciting; however, some students are not going far from home. Freshmen Reese Meckfessel and Julia Simon plan to go to a family lake house in North Carolina. The pair intends to kayak and explore the small town, but most of all relax before the stress of exams.

“I’m excited to just have some peace and quiet with a friend,” Meckfessel said.

Other students plan to travel to faraway places. Those in LSU’s Global Ambassadors Program will be traveling to Senegal, West Africa, including junior Ricardo Mendoza. The itinerary for the trip is a lengthy one, with the group visiting sites like the Holy City of Touba and the Mangroves of Somone.

Mendoza was the only junior selected from the College of Music and Dramatic Arts to travel to Senegal and celebrate their Independence Day. He said this was an enormous honor for him, as he feels responsible for representing Latin America at LSU due to his Puerto Rican heritage.

“The idea of being recognized for my efforts in my time here with an opportunity like this makes having come to an institution like LSU so worth it,” Mendoza said.

No matter where students plan to spend their time over the next week, it is sure to be a breath of fresh air from the stress of the spring semester.