“I’ll have a great base tan for spring break, and I won’t burn when I’m out,” she said.

Webb is one of the many students on campus who utilize the tanning salons spotted across East Lansing and the Lansing area, especially during the weeks before spring break.

Doug Winkler, owner of two Tanzmania salons, 3340 Lake Lansing Road and 300 N. Clippert St., in Lansing, said business picks up significantly in the weeks before spring break.

“We have an awful lot (of students) who come in and get ready for their trip,” he said. “But there’s a number of students who might not be going away, so they stay and tan.”

After the students are done with their spring break vacations, Winkler said his business rises again later in the month.

“Workers and professionals get ready for their spring breaks in April and May, so there’s a whole other second wave,” he said.

Biochemistry senior Andrew Izzo said each year he and his friends start a serious pre-spring break regime to prepare them for the vacation, which includes working out and tanning once a week.

“It’s relaxing and warm,” he said. “It’s a preview of what it’s going to be like on spring break when you can sit out in the sun and relax.”

For Webb, she said her tanning schedule before spring break is just as intricate.

“I usually start tanning a few months before spring break, going once a week in the beginning and then two or three times a week the closer it gets,” she said. “I also start with the standard bed and work up to the higher strength ones.”

Webb said she enjoys the extended hours before spring break — 24 hours a day — so her tanning salon can meet students’ demands. Since Michigan usually lacks sun this time of year, Webb said she’s always been a fan of tanning.

“I like tanning, especially in the winter,” she said. “It gives me the Vitamin D I need, which keeps me in a happier mood.”

After students are back in East Lansing, and school is in session, Winkler said he notices a consistent amount of business.

“Even after spring break is done, we will get a lot of those people who want to feel good until the weather gets nice again,” he said. “We stay pretty busy right through.”