By Melanie Thomas, Melissa Domsic, and Cori Devries
The State News

With the relaxed party atmosphere that tends to go along with spring break, officials want to make sure students don't leave their common sense back home.

"A lot of times on vacation (students) want to get away; they want to relax," said Jodi Roberto Hancock, educational program coordinator for the MSU Women's Resource Center. "We don't want them to relax their judgment and common sense."

Use your head

Roberto Hancock joined representatives from Olin Health Center, MSU police and other campus groups to provide safe spring break advice to students in cafeterias throughout the past week.

Some of the top tips:

Be aware of your surroundings.

Use the buddy system — don't leave with someone you just met.

Have a plan in case you get separated from friends.

Lock hotel doors and don't leave valuable items in the room.

Avoid carrying a lot of cash.

Know where local hospitals and police stations are located.

Report assaults, rapes or any other problems immediately.

If drinking:

Have a sober friend in the group.

Don't leave drinks unattended; look out for date rape drugs.

Know local laws on drinking age and penalties for using fake IDs. According to information provided by MSU police, possessing a fake, stolen or borrowed ID in Florida can lead to a $5,000 fine and/or five years in prison.

Stay healthy

Before students lather themselves in tanning lotion, MSU Travel Clinic recommends reading country information about spring break destinations to prevent an unhappy trip.

If traveling to Mexico, students should be most concerned about food and water, said Mary Ellen O'Doherty, a registered nurse in the Travel Clinic.

"If the food is not prepared fresh in front of you, don't eat it," O'Doherty said. "If it has been sitting around all day and isn't hot, like buffets, you can get sick from it."

O'Doherty recommends not eating salads and fruit that have been washed with contaminated water — which can lead to typhoid and traveler's diarrhea.

Drinking only bottled or boiled water will reduce the chance of becoming exposed to water-born illnesses, she said.

Typhoid is more common where hand washing is less frequent and water is likely to be contaminated with sewage. Traveler's diarrhea, which affects 10 million people annually, is increased frequency and volume of stool, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Boil it, cook it, peel it or forget it is something I tell students," O'Doherty said.

While walking on the beaches, prevent fungal and parasitic infections by keeping feet clean and dry and wear protection, O'Doherty said.

Hot spots

While many students will be partying in spring break hot spots, Eva Weihl will be in Los Angeles, strolling along the Walk of Fame and spending a day at The Beverly Hills Hotel with her family.

"It sounds kinda lame, but I really want to see a celebrity, and my aunt and uncle said it's one of the best places to go," Weihl said.

For STA Travel, 207 E. Grand River Ave., Acapulco and Jamaica are the most popular destinations this year, said travel adviser Monica Olivett. The trips are about $1,000, but are all inclusive.

"The trip to Jamaica is definitely becoming one of the more popular (trips) because of the beaches and the laid back scenario," Olivett said.

Olivett said spring break trips through STA Travel increased by 20 percent compared to last year's spring break.

Last year's hurricanes have changed where students are flying, with many heading to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, said Bill McCullough, manager of Lansing's AAA branch.

"In years past, they used to go to Cancun or Cozumel, but because of the hurricane, both resorts were quite damaged last year," McCullough said.

Since South Padre Island and New Orleans were also damaged with last fall's hurricanes, McCullough said many trips are shifting to Florida.

"They're loading up four students to a car and sharing a room to cut expenses," McCullough said. "Orlando is probably the number one location."

Kelly Wagner, a journalism sophomore, will be partying in Orlando and visiting Disney World's Pleasure Island at night.

"I'm mostly looking forward to going out and partying and not having to worry about school for a week," Wagner said.