Published: March 31, 2008 12:12 am      

A break

Spring break is just that

FAIRMONT — Waves, sand and skimpy bathing suits. Fruity cocktails and sunglasses. These are the images that come to mind to many college students when they think about their spring break plans.

Then there are those who think of snowy mountains, hiking trails or construction sites. As those head for sunny beaches at exotic destinations, many college students choose to spend their break from books and teachers in non-traditional ways.

For groups such as the Lutheran Disaster Response Collegiate Corps and WVU Habitat for Humanity, spring break provides the perfect opportunity to do volunteer work and accomplish goals. Both groups consist of students from West Virginia University who will be traveling to areas in need to provide assistance to existing projects.

According to Zach Kochy, the director of operations, the LDRCC is a part of the Campus Lutheran Ministry with the mission to create a standing disaster response team of college students who are trained, equipped, and ready to respond to disasters.

Kochy and other members of the LDRCC will be traveling to New Orleans to assist with the Hurricane Katrina rebuilding effort. This is the fourth spring break trip that the group has organized, but the previous three trips were focused in Biloxi, Miss, area.

WVU Habitat for Humanity will also be journeying south to Jacksonville, Fla., to work with the affiliate group located there. A total of 25 WVU students will be spending eight hours a day working on construction sites to help eliminate poverty housing and homelessness.

John Armour, a member of WVU Habitat for Humanity, realizes how beneficial giving time to others can be.

“Volunteer work is important and beneficial to everyone involved. Not only do we get an opportunity to be contributing members of society, but we also learn useful skills and foster a greater sense of self- worth through sacrifice and a good beach tan,” said Armour.

“Volunteering provides an opportunity to learn skills, have fun, and make a positive difference in another person's life,” said Kochy.

Armour feels that volunteering is a much more rewarding activity than going on a more traditional spring break.

“I find this type of non-traditional spring break to be more fulfilling. It’s great for a resume. It’s ridiculously inexpensive, and I get a chance to meet different people from all walks of life,” said Armour.

Encountering new people also is why Kochy enjoys organized group trips.

“This program provides a great way to meet other students at WVU, travel for a minimal cost, and serve others in need,” said Kochy.

Other WVU students find ways to break away from the more traditional trips to experience something new. For sophomore Nathan Dietrich, spring break is a last chance to enjoy winter activities. Instead of going somewhere warm, Dietrich is snowboarding for five days at Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah.

“I have all summer to be warm,” said Dietrich. “I want to enjoy the snow.”

Ashley Stuck, a junior psychology major, feels the same about saving the beach for summer break. Stuck will be traveling with three close friends to Washington, D.C., to do sightseeing.

“When I get out of school for the summer, I am going to the beach with family, so I thought we could do something closer and maybe learn something. It will be a change of pace from my normal vacations,” said Stuck.

Change of pace is why freshman Alex Murray, who is also a senior airman in the United States Air Force, wants to have a more extreme spring break than laying on the beach. Murray is planning a hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail from West Virginia to Pennsylvania.

According to Murray, spring break is the first opportunity for him to start hiking after the snowy winter season.

“It’ll be great to get away from school and people for awhile,” said Murray.

Stuck is just happy to not have to worry about classes.

“Spring break is just that, a break. No matter where you are, its going to be better than sitting in a classroom,” said Stuck.