Spring-break partying a victim of crisis as colleges scale back

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Goodbye, sunshine. Hello, study sessions.

Colleges around the U.S. are scaling back spring break or canceling it entirely to discourage partying that could spread the virus and raise infection rates on campus.

Texas A&M University opted for a three-day week- end instead of a whole week off. The University of Ala- bama and the University of Wisconsin-Madison also did away with spring break but are giving students a day off later in the semester.

Even some students who have the time to get away aren’t in the mood. Michi- gan Tech’s weeklong break began Friday, but 21-yearold Justin Martin decided to visit family in Michigan instead of making that senior- year trip to Florida he once envisioned.

“I don’t want to travel all that way, first of all, espe- cially with everything being shut down. It just doesn’t seem worth it, especially with COVID too,” he said.

To be sure, many college students looking to blow off steam or escape the cold and snowy North are still going to hit big party spots such as Florida, Mexico, California and Las Vegas to soak up the sun and go bar-hopping at night. Others will go skiing in the mountains or hit other tourist spots. But many others say they will be reluc- tantly skipping trips this year.

“Definitely, no planned trips. Definitely wearing masks this year,” said Brady Stone, a 21-year-old journal- ism major at Texas A&M. “We are kind of hunkering down and staying safe.” He added: “I think most of us, if we are going anywhere, it is back to their hometowns.”

Tourism is the Sunshine State’s No. 1 industry, generating over $91 billion in 2018, and last year spring break was one of the first big casualties of the pandemic as the U.S. went into strict lockdowns, shutting down beaches across Florida just as alarming scenes of college students heedlessly drinking, dancing and getting up close without masks were plastered across social media.

Miami tourism officials say they lost billions of dollars during those three months last year.

Now, those beach towns are hoping to make up for some of those losses, even as they take precautions to discourage reckless behavior and curb the spread of the virus. Miami tourism officials have spent $5 million on the city’s biggest national advertising campaign in 20 years.