Spring Break has been a spring ritual since 1938. Spring break became really big in the 1960s

and continues today. But things are different this year because of COVID. So, what’s a body to do if you want to continue the ritual?

     First, be careful who you hang around with. Everyone in your group should be tested before you leave. That’s what Will Haggenmiller, a junior at Minnesota State University Mankato, did. “My roommates and I went down as a group of five to make sure we had a social group to hang out with.”

     Second, continue to wear your masks. Masks are for your protection and for the protection of

others.

     Third, bring your own hand sanitizer. Yes, it may seem bulky to walk around with your bottle of hand sanitizer. You can put it in a small bottle and leave the big bottle in your hotel room. Make sure to use it generously. Ericka, Will’s mother, said, “I bought the boys a one gallon bottle of hand sanitizer and five little refill bottles that fit in their pockets.”

     Fourth, wash, wash, wash your hands. Get rid of those nasty germs from your hands.

     Fifth and final, check the location that you have chosen for their current COVID restrictions, their vaccine rates and their current infection rates. Parent Ericka Haggenmiller said, “When our son Will said that he wanted to go on spring break, we sat down with him and his friends and reviewed different destination sites. Together we thought that Texas was a good choice for the group.”

Galveston Island, spring break.

     When the group returned, Will sat down with his parents to find out how things had gone on their vacation. “We had a great time. Sitting down and discussing the protocols that had to be taken to keep us safe really helped us have fun. We stayed together as a group, which is always fun. We wore our masks, which has become common at home as well as the hand washing. The hand sanitizer worked because we drove. I think if we had flown we would have had to buy those supplies when we got there.”

     Looking back, did the guys still think that their choice of Texas was a good one?  Will said, “That choice really worked out well. The place was beautiful, the people were very friendly and the food was great. It was really a good idea to plan ahead, because then we could just focus on having fun.”

     Will following these guidelines work for everyone? The answer would be “no.” With all the research that is being done to figure out the virus, all that can be said is follow the precautions the best that you can in order to avoid it.