This reporter approached a few teenagers along Micro Beach and asked them what they had planned to do before the start of the break.
Angelo Babauta, 17, wanted to go to Guam but was short on cash. So he decided to hit the beach after completing his household chores.
John Ada, 18, planned to fix up the family farm and has kept to his word. He helps his uncle tend to their farm every morning but says he has not much else to do after that so he, too, heads to the beach with his friends.
As the teens in the states are hitting the snow slopes, transforming into mallrats at the arcades, some of our local teens are off to the beach, drinking and sometimes causing all sorts of mayhem.
This is not surprising.
A flight off-island is too expensive, given the state of the economy. There is no mall and the Thursday market has grown into a weekly routine to be a part of the “Spring Break plan.”
Babauta says fun does not have to come in an expensive package like a flight to Guam. He says he only needs friends and family by his side. “While a flight out to Guam would be fun, it’s not a necessity,” he says.
“Drinking and smoking are fun for others but are dangerous. If you ask any one older than you who still drinks and smokes, they’ll tell you the effects they are experiencing from years of drinking and smoking. It’s not a recommended recreational activity for people our age, anyway,” Babauta adds.
Ada says they may come across as “goody-two-shoes” but they know that if they wait until an appropriate age to try drinking and smoking it would save them a lot of trouble — and illnesses.
So the two have concocted a few ways to have a fun, worry-free Saipan-style Spring Break without breaking the bank, your privileges — and the law.
Tell the parents
If you plan to spend the break with friends and away from home, always inform your parents before they send off a friendly neighborhood cop your way. It’s a small island. You won’t get too far. This way, you’ll have twice the fun without having to worry about your mom or dad looking for you.
Save
At this time, your parents are trying to train you to be a responsible, productive adult who can handle money and learn the value of a penny.
Prove this to them by saving up money for emergencies. Of course, indulgences like Spring Break only come a few times a year. A hard-working student needs time to unwind so inform your parents that you will be using a portion of your money on food or something for spring break.
Whether you are having spring break with friends or family, you are entitled to indulge yourself in the allowance you earn or the pay from work.
Having a party or gathering? Invite only your closest friends and family.
A dude invites everyone he knows to a party, some he may have only met in a restroom. Some of those he invited do not get along with a select few who are also present. A fight breaks out, the house is trashed, and the dude is grounded for life, end of story.
His mistake? He barely knew half of the people he invited so he had no opportunity to stop or recognize an impending brawl.
So, invite your closest friends and family only. That way, you know everyone there, they know you and the fun heightens. Everyone wins.
Let yourself go
People define as “letting oneself go” to be the lack of care for their appearances or weight. But Babauta and Ada say it just means letting your spirit run free throughout the break.
“This is a great way to let all your worries go even if for a day. It’s also a great way to find yourself in an identity crisis or in a family crisis. But for spring break, it’s all about finding fun before we start another grueling month of school to study for tests and exams,” Ada tells Variety.
He says hitting the beach is one way to let go of worries, stress and negativity.
“This is why we are here today, to relieve stress, which is the point of ‘letting go,’ ” adds Ada who then stared out into the bright blue water shimmering under the afternoon sun.
“I can’t wait for school now,” he says.
