Time not wasted: Students stay productive during spring break

By Alyssa Vidales

Spring break is known as the time of year for college students to hit the beach, the bottle and on each other.

While some college students choose to spend their time drinking and working on their tans, some Texas State University students choose to work on their careers or bettering their communities.

Alex Scharton, political science junior, says his break parallels that of his partying peers, but with a professional pay off.

“The average college spring break is about getting wasted and making poor choices that will be photographed and displayed for all to see,” Scharton said. “Partying does come with what I do, but it’s for work.”

From March 11 -18, Scharton spent his spring break attending VIP events and rubbing elbows with recording artists and music industry professionals. But while others were working the dance floor during South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, Scharton was busy working as an image consultant.

Scharton, owner of creative directing firm Play Haus Productions, was contacted by promoters and music representatives in January to style musicians who were performing at SXSW in March. Scharton says he spent all semester researching the artists’ music and signature looks to help create an image that would best suit their performance.

Scharton says putting his art and fashion skills to work during spring break provides plenty of personal and professional perks.

“It’s an opportunity to work on something bigger than yourself. Its not often you get the opportunity to make an impact on a large group of people in a big way,” Scharton said. “You’re making memories and friends at SXSW that last a lifetime instead of doing stupid things you want to forget.”

Jared Kirk, psychology junior, spent his spring break at South Padre, Texas. While his toes may have been in the sand, Kirk was too busy volunteering his time to serve others to notice.

Kirk, along with about 30 other Texas State Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) members, joined approximately 600 Texas BSM students in South Padre for Beach Reach, a ministry initiative that aims to prevent spring breakers from driving under the influence and making destructive decisions.

“I felt called to go. I wanted to do something good for the community, even though it wasn’t in San Marcos,” Kirk said

From offering courtesy shuttle rides to serving free pancakes near bars from midnight to 3 a.m., Kirk says the experience reminded him of the ugly side of partying on spring break.

“I saw a lot of wasted people. It reminded me of my past and what the morning after is like,” Kirk said. “I used to be big in the spring break party scene, but not anymore. Now it’s sad to see people in that state.”

According to AlcoholPolicyMD.com, a 2006 poll conducted by the American Medical Association found that eighty-three percent of college students agree that heavy drinking occurs more on spring break trips than on college campuses.

Despite the party stigma that students have towards spring break, Scharton believes it is a time for personal growth.

“So many people go through spring break and their perspectives are completely different afterwards,” Scharton said. “They learn that there are more important things than being drunk and wasted that they wouldn’t have learned any other way. They’re better because of it.”

Scharton says the opportunity to party will come more often than the opportunity to advance his career.

“We [at Play Haus Productions] are very humbled by the experiences we get, me in particular being the boss,” Scharton said. “We understand that it can be gone tomorrow. We take the bull by the horns.”

Slated to graduate this December, Scharton says that while school breaks have offered a much-needed rest from class, he has not let an opportunity to work go to waste.

“I’m still a student. Eight out of ten of us working for Play Haus Productions are,” Scharton said. ”Times like spring break give us the ability to work more. Spring and summer breaks are the times we have to get down and dirty with it.”

Although spring break is over, Kirk says he already has plans to participate in Beach Reach again next year.

“A lot of people ask why I would sacrifice my spring break to do something like Beach Reach,” Kirk said. “I just tell them I want to serve people, make sure others don’t get in trouble and love on them."