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Personally, my ideal spring break would be one in the style of “22 Jump Street.” A car chase, followed by shootouts, a good old-fashioned helicopter explosion and ending with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill both getting shot sounds like a fantastic day to me. I can only imagine what a whole week of that would be like, but I don’t think Mr. Tatum or Mr. Hill would care much for getting shot every day though I know it seems like it would be well worth the cost. Although I don’t find it being a very large possibility of being able to destroy a helicopter this year, and not only that, but I’m sure many of you would rather have a spring break that’s more traditional instead of destructive. So a lot of us at this university might hit up the beach, maybe the city, but most likely the beach. This brings me to the point of this opinion, how some beaches have excluded drinking on their beach and answer the question that’s been around as long as the human race: is it actually possible to enjoy spring break without alcohol?

At this point, I’ve probably got my readers in a cold sweat. The sheer idea of actually having to enjoy the company of fellow humans without any outside help is a difficult and dangerous question to ask. But hey, in some cases it’s either beach and no alcohol or no beach and alcohol.

According to the Pensacola News Journal, the bans they’ve got on alcohol are being considered to become permanent, so the fact that they’ve already got those bans in place means no fun is allowed there. Panama City Beach in Florida which according to internet culture is the “Spring Break Capital of the World,” has just lifted some of its alcohol bans for this year’s spring break, or at least that’s what the “official” Panama City Beach Spring Break website says. 

Now I’m not planning on going to the beach or anywhere like that, getting drunk, living off of cretin shakes and judging wet T-shirt contests this spring break. In fact I’ve got a pretty good, quiet spring break ready to go this coming week, and I’m really looking forward to that. So why is Nate writing an opinion on something he doesn’t seem to have any skin in the game for? Well, I’ll tell you..

Drinking in the United States is illegal until you’re 21. Now I was at high school just like the rest of you, so I know this law is not taken as seriously as it should be, but I mean, it’s still a law, and a fairly important one at that. So probably legally I’m supposed to say to all you underage kids something like, “No, don’t do that,” but I’d think that morally I shouldn’t tell you how to live your life. So have fun, don’t ruin your life with drinking, drugs and sex and do adequate research before heading down to Florida in April. But what I will do is encourage you to try something new this year, maybe go on a road trip, sleep or join the police force where you go undercover at college, get caught up in drug trades, go to the beach for spring break, shoot a couple of guys then get you and your best friend shot. But like I said, it’s up to you, bud.

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Editor's note: All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar. These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University.