Spring break is on the way, and according to my friends, this is a time for relaxing, partying, or sightseeing. Most are going out of town to St. Simons, Jekyll, Tybee, Fernandina or St. Augustine. Some are going hiking; one’s reserved a cabin somewhere. Wherever they end up, they’re going to be getting drunk or doing nothing. There’s nothing wrong with this. We all work hard throughout the semester at our classes, jobs, student organizations and whatnot. We all need some time to wind down and relieve stress, and spring break is as good a time as any to do so, and if you don’t think so then you’re wrong, apparently.

I have nothing against people that want to enjoy their spring break away from home and doing something that’s not working, but that doesn’t mean we all need to. I have a seasonal job that I maintain in Savannah. I work there every break I have, whether it is summer, winter, spring break or a three-day weekend. I’ve been doing it since I started high school. I don’t call others irresponsible because they want to goof off on their breaks, but apparently it’s perfectly fine to call me such things as boring or a busy-body. I don’t normally mind being insulted, but it seems odd to receive insults when I haven’t done anything but decide not to blow money on a week-long trip when I could just as easily earn a not-insubstantial wage working my seasonal job.

More than once I’ve been told that I’m not living my life. That I’m not getting the college experience, or that I’m wasting the best years of my life. I’ve heard a wide range of things that could be described as “the college experience,” and none of them appeal to me. I don’t want to get the college experience if that entails being intoxicated on a regular basis or allowing my grades to suffer. Personally, I hate being drunk. The only thing I enjoy less than being drunk is having a poison ivy rash. If I need to be drunk to get the entire experience, then I’ll pass on it.

So please, if someone you know isn’t “making the most of their time in college,” leave them be. If I wanted to go to Panama City Beach, I would go to Panama City Beach. If I wanted to be drunk, you’d see me at the plaza. There are those of us that have different ideas of what fun is. We don’t judge you on your definition; don’t judge us on ours.

Cooper is a senior journalism major from Rincon. He is the Copy Chief.