Give Me A Break

College students from across the country are chomping at the bit to put away the books and take a break from it all — Spring Break that is.

March and April are traditionally the months when things begin to heat up, in more ways than one. While it may have started out a lot tamer in the 1950s with scenes reminiscent of Beach Blanket Bingo, over the years Spring Break has become known for its debauchery. In fact, the partying became so wild that many cities across the country banned alcohol consumption on the sand.

Interestingly, Spring Break began in Greece and Rome and revolved around honoring Dionysus and Bacchus, the gods of wine. Now doesn’t all that drinking make sense?

Fort Lauderdale became synonymous with Spring Break in the ‘50s after professor Glendon Swarthout joined his English honors students from Michigan State University soaking up sun, sand, suds and sex on Fort Lauderdale beach and conducted research on the phenomenon. What he found during those two weeks became the basis of a novel — “Where the Boys Are” — and subsequently a movie.

It’s estimated 1.5 million students travel for Spring Break, although it’s also a time for families with younger children who are out of school to make memories.