Lack of funds keeps
many at home
By
Kate Johann
Assistant Features Editor
America's down-turned economy is causing students
to do more than cut down on the energy bills. In fact, many Purdue
students aren't going on Spring Break vacations.
Missy Schroeder, a sophomore in the School of
Consumer and Family Sciences, said, "I'm going home mostly because
of money." Schroeder is going home to work in the pharmacy of a hospital
over Spring Break. She's hoping to save up money next week.
"I'm not all that ecstatic about working, but
I'm looking forward to the paycheck," Schroeder said.
David Williamson, the Midwest sales director
for Paradise Parties, a student-targeted travel agency, said, "A lot
of companies are doing 50 percent (of their projected business)."
Williamson said this could be because of the
slumping economy and that travel companies are losing first-time travelers
in the wake of Sept. 11.
Kelly Showalter, a freshman in the School of
Liberal Arts, said she decided to go home because her boyfriend is
a senior in high school and she would like to see him over the break.
However, she says if she and her boyfriend did
have the same breaks she probably wouldn't go anywhere for break because
she doesn't have enough money.
"Everyone's going home. Everyone's poor," she
said.
Schroeder agreed, "I noticed that a lot of people
aren't going anywhere." She said most of her friends were going home
for the week, but only a few are going to Florida.
Showalter said all of her close friends are going
home and those who vacation during Spring Break are "bumming rides."
She thought about going to visit her family in
Florida for break, but doesn't have the money for gas.
"A lot of it is, if you're going to someplace
like Cancun, you have to make arrangements early and do payments because
it's expensive. If you get a late start, you can't afford it," Williamson
said.
