“Two weeks until spring break!” That’s what many University students are probably saying to themselves as they study for midterms, write papers and work on group projects.

But very soon, students will be rewarded for all their hard work with a week off of school. And many will be traveling to warm, tropical places to relax and to have fun in the sun with their friends.

L & L Travel, Inc. Travel Agent Julie Halberstadt said Daytona Beach, Fla. and South Padre Island, Texas have been two of the most popular spring break destinations for students. It’s because of their reputations, she said. They are friendlier toward spring breakers than other destinations are, she added.

“South Padre and Florida have been the top spring break locations for as long as I can remember,” Halberstadt said.

Erik Golden, senior in Business, plans to go to South Padre with a group of about 10 people. Golden said this year’s spring break will be his first spring break experience and he wanted to do it because he feels that as a senior, this is his last chance.

He said he is looking forward to the trip but isn’t too thrilled about what he described as a “brutal” 22-hour long car ride. Though the drive will be quite long, Golden has something to look forward to as soon as he arrives in South Padre.

“We’re probably going to get a case or something and go to the beach,” he said.

Another popular spring break destination is Panama City, Fla.

Senior in business Jake Koors will be driving there for spring break, along with a bunch of guys from his fraternity.

Koors said he and his friends have already been there, but decided to go there again this year to save money for after graduation. He said he looks forward to spending time on the beach with his friends.

“During the day, you just party on the beach all day,” he said.

Other popular spring break destinations include various places in Florida; Acapulco, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Riviera Maya, Mexico, Halberstadt said. Cancun, Mexico was really popular in the past, but since the hurricane hit, it has not been as popular. L & L Travel, Inc. has even had a few inquiries about spring break in Europe, she added.

While many University students will travel to these popular spring break destinations, other students have unique, more unconventional spring break plans.

Lara Jensen, senior in LAS, is going to Memphis and Nashville, Tenn., where she, her two roommates and a French exchange student friend will visit Graceland, visit the Country Music Cafe and do other southern activities.

Jensen said they still plan to go out and have fun, but they are not beach people, and they are looking forward to seeing different places and doing “American things” with the exchange student.

“I think it’s going to be fun, quirky and weird,” she said.

In the past, spring breakers have usually traveled to places within the United States, Halberstadt said. Over the years, people have branched out more and are traveling to the Caribbean and to Mexico, she said.

Halberstadt said she tends to think it is safest to travel within the United States, in case there are any problems. Things can happen anywhere, she said, but if spring breakers stay in the country, they will be closer to home, and they will not have to deal with other countries’ governments or authorities if they have problems.

The majority of spring breakers will not have problems, but if they are traveling within the states, there will not be as many obstacles, she said.

Traveling within the states is also cheaper than venturing out.

The least expensive spring break locations are South Padre and Florida because spring breakers can drive there, and the airfare costs less than places further away, Halberstadt said.

Going further south and into the Caribbean and even staying at more expensive resorts will make spring break more expensive, she said. Basically, the further the destination, the more expensive the trip will be, she said.