If your Instagram is anything like mine, you spent the last month being flooded with pictures of palm trees, sandy resorts and pool-side lounging. And while I’m glad to have my feed shifting back to normal, I know that summer break will bring endless beach photos.
Heading down to Panama City Beach with your roommates (and all the other college students in the country) is a classic vacation—some may even consider it a must-have experience for your time at school.
But the beach isn’t for everyone. With painful sunburns, sand in every crevice, creepy strangers and tourists galore, I’ll pass. But even if your yearly road trip to Fort Lauderdale is usually the only thing getting you through your genes to proteins class, by the time you reach your senior year, you may be ready for something new.
So, if you’re not basking in the sunshine, what should you do with your four glorious days of fall break, 10 perfect days of spring break and the entire 2022 summer ahead of you?
Clemson Outdoor Recreation and Education (CORE) may have an answer. After not running trips for two years due to COVID-19, fall and spring break trips are back. This past fall, CORE ran a French Broad Canoe Packing trip and over break, I went on a backpacking trip in Arizona with the program. These trips are accessible for all students, whether you are a beginner or have been exploring the outdoors for years. Compared to a trip you would plan yourself, CORE aims to make the trips affordable for all students. They plan the whole trip, have great leaders and include all the equipment and food. All you do is show up and enjoy the great outdoors.
Don’t want to get your hands dirty? You don’t have to spend your savings on a cross-country road trip. Clemson is surrounded by beautiful southern cities and cute small towns that you can tour with your friends. From Savannah to New Orleans, you can enjoy the architecture, food and culture of the southeast without breaking the bank.
So, whether you’re wanting to hit the trail or the road, there’s a lot more out there than the burning sand and kids screaming for popsicles. Next time it’s your turn to plan your roommates break, ditch the beach — you won’t regret it.