Spring break is a time to party hard and possibly win a trip.

The Interrobang is holding a contest for students at Fanshawe to win a trip for four to Panama City, Florida on spring break, courtesy of Breakaway Tours.

One student from Fanshawe will be selected in a draw held on February 9 at noon and the winner will be able to bring three friends on a trip, which includes accommodations and transportation.

Ballots are available in the current issue of The Interrobang and can be dropped off in The Interrobang office in SC 1012, or at the Biz Booth, across from the Out Back Shack.

Many options are available to students who plan on traveling south or anywhere on the globe for a spring break excursion. Breakaway Tours and Travel CUTS are two options among many for student travelers to choose their ideal spring break destination.

Hainsley Guthrie, the Marketing and Promotions Manager for the South Western Ontario division of Travel CUTS, who is a full service retail agency and supports tour companies including Breakaway Tours, said taking-off on a trip for spring break has become a cultural phenomenon for Canadian students.

“It is a part of popular culture now,” Guthrie said. “It started in the United States and we are now following their trend. It is really a time to get away and party.”

In terms of narrowing down the most popular hot spots for students, Guthrie said that there is a vast array of options pending on the students taste.

“There is a huge variance,” Guthrie said. “Some students that go in larger groups like to go to the beach, drink, and relax. The smaller groups tend to do the more culturally fulfilling trips or ecotourism tours.”

Guthrie said that the trend is changing for many students as they are choosing shorter trips to places like Niagara Falls or backpacking to take advantage of the hostel network available across Canada.

“Places like Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach are starting to get a bit old for some people and they are starting to realize that there are a lot of different options,” Guthrie said. “A lot of Canadian students have not even seen any of our country.”

Offering some advice to partying students Guthrie said that he suggested students do not do anything that they would not do at home.

“People have to be careful and be cautious,” Guthrie said. “Over-consumption (of alcohol) often occurs so people just cannot get caught up in the moment.”