Community Speaks: What’s your favorite memory from spring break?
“I went to college at a time when spring break wasn’t quite as glamorous as what it is today, but because I was part of the Central College wrestling team, we would go south someplace warm, Florida, and wrestle. It was a typical bunch of guys in a mini bus, just going from gas station to gas station, and then when we got down there we did a wrestling tournament and spent the week on the beach.” —Craig Cooper
March 7, 2019
These days, spring break has taken on an almost mythic status. A trip to Miami Beach, complete with plenty of sunscreen and cheap beer, is seen as a rite of passage for many college students. But has that always been the case? Just a week from Grinnell’s own spring break — and in the midst of a snowstorm — The S&B’s Keli Vitaioli ’19 and photographer Liz Paik ’22 took some time to talk to community members about their favorite memories of spring break.
“I was working as a school counselor … and a group of us educators all went to Moab, [Utah] and we mountain biked and we camped and hung out in the desert and it was hot even in March, and it was great. I’m gonna guess it was 2008, like ten or eleven years ago.” —Belinda Backous“My cousin had a wedding on a yacht in California, and it was the best. It was a “Great Gatsby”-themed wedding, and it was amazing.” —Colleen Zadoo“When I got out of high school I made a trip with friends out to California. We spent time with my aunt and went to all the attractions. Being from Iowa and not going anywhere, that was exciting, and I’ll always remember.” —David McDowell“I went to college at a time when spring break wasn’t quite as glamorous as what it is today, but because I was part of the Central College wrestling team, we would go south someplace warm, Florida, and wrestle. It was a typical bunch of guys in a mini bus, just going from gas station to gas station, and then when we got down there we did a wrestling tournament and spent the week on the beach.” —Craig Cooper“When I was ten or twelve, we lived in Lexington, Ky., and my dad bought … this station wagon, and it was the smallest station wagon ever made. It was tiny, and there were five boys and parents, and we drove to Florida for spring break from Kentucky. And my dad, what he did was he put this mattress, this small size mattress, in the back with the back seats down, and we were just all sitting around. It had no seat belts — totally unsafe — but it was so much fun that trip. … By the time we got home my dad said, ‘Man, I don’t think this is the right car for this family.’ We ended up getting a big Chrysler van.” —Will Freeman, Grinnell College Track Coach“Ten years ago, I took our family to South Padre Island, Texas for vacation. It was wonderful. It was absolutely wonderful to get away from this. Went down there and it was 70 degree-weather on the ocean. Rent[ed] dune buggies [and] had a ball. Ate fresh fish; highly recommend it. Highly.” —Billy Gillbreaith
