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Last November, when my roommates began talking about Spring Break, squealing excitedly as they added to their growing list of people who were going to Acapulco, Mexico, with them, I conjured up the sad image of my bank statement in my head. Try as I might, I could not think of a single way to augment the lone $75 that I knew resided there, especially with the way my parents had been regarding my spending lately.

Jealously, I watched my friends plan and shop, adding bikinis and corkscrews to their lists of essentials. I shoved my own red bathing suit to the back of my closet, forlornly, reaching instead for the battered brown snow boots.

Salvation came in the form of a neon green flier that was blown into my face by a blustery wind. The flier advertised a meeting for my college's Alternative Spring Break program, and it was like a beacon of sunlight on my chilled skin.

My alternative spring break trip was amazing. From the moment all sixteen of us piled into three vans rented from the university to make the 14 hour drive to New Orleans, Louisiana, to the moment we pulled back onto campus, tired, dirty, more than a little bruised, and bonded for life with sixteen amazing individuals, I did not wish I was with my friends in Acapulco a single time.

Alternative Spring Break solved my money problems. The trip itself only cost $50, which included transportation, lodging, and activities, because the student group fundraised the money with events and from the university itself. It also solved the problem of location; I ended up in New Orleans, where the sun was shining and the atmosphere was fresh, eclectic, and a much needed break from my own hometown.

As for the work itself, it was both heartbreaking and eye-opening to be face to face with the devastation left behind by Hurricane Katrina, even almost a year after the storm had hit. My groups assisted with rebuilding homes that had been damaged or destroyed in the catastrophe, an area in which I had no expertise but was eager to learn. While I'm not sure I quite mastered the art of hammering without going through the dry wall, painting without getting my friend's hair in the process, or waking up at 8:30 AM on a vacation day, I definitely enjoyed trying.

Each day, we would work until about four, and then proceed to spend the rest of the day eating on Bourbon street, shopping for souvenirs, or doing what sight-seeing we could. It was exhausting and yet very rewarding.

I would definitely recommend going the Alternative Spring Break route to any students who figure they can indulge in the party scene once back on campus and who are looking to meet new people and see new places on a limited budget. Most colleges have multiple programs that make these kinds of trips, or can put you in touch with other programs that do.

Not to mention, of course, that Alternative Spring Break is a great way to get to know a sensitive guy or girl that will actually return to the same college as you when spring break ends. But then, that is another story.

Learn more about this author, Anjali Modi.
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