At a hotel restaurant overlooking the beach, a group of students from the University of Georgia raised their cocktails to celebrate the start of the weekend. The University of Georgia is one of many colleges that decided to cancel or alter spring break — which typically happens in early or mid-March — to discourage students from travelling. But the students at the table told NPR they chose to make their own spring break. Several had online classes and exams earlier that day, which they attended from their hotel rooms. It’s a story NPR heard over and over again from spring breakers along Collins Avenue, Miami Beach’s main drag.
According to new research from the College Crisis Initiative at Davidson College, about 60% of colleges have done away with spring break this year. Many campuses are instead offering smaller, shorter breaks or wellness days. Of the more than 600 colleges offering alternative breaks, scheduling days off mid-week was the most common option, likely an attempt to curb travel away from campus, and ultimately keep coronavirus cases down.
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