After eight long weeks of class and endless amounts of snow, Spring Break has finally arrived. While some UW-Eau Claire students use the time to return home and relax with their families, others are taking the opportunity to fit in a short vacation.

Steve Fruehauf, Copy Editor, and Nick Erickson, Staff Writer, caught up with students to find out what exactly they are doing and how many miles they plan to rack up during the one-week getaway.

Name: Robby Riley, Sophomore

Where: Dublin, Ireland

For What: Riley will be going to Ireland to meet up with her sister who is currently studying abroad in Spain. They will be meeting there over St. Patrick’s Day.

Excitement: “My sister is studying abroad in Spain so I was going to meet up with her somewhere over Spring Break. We saw that St. Patrick’s Day was over Spring Break so naturally we had to go there.”

How Far: 3,669 miles

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Name: Paige Johnson, Junior

Where: New York City

For What: Johnson and her mother will be taking their first trip to New York City for her
21st birthday.

Excitement: “I’m really excited. I’ve always seen New York City in TV shows and all of that. I’m an advertising major, so I’m excited to see where a lot of the creativity and that kind of stuff comes from. I’m also a photographer and designer, so it’s probably the best place to go. I’m really, really excited to go and experience New York City.”

How Far: 1,110 miles

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Name: Tyler Richardson, Junior

Where:  Phoenix, Ariz.

For What:  Richardson will be traveling solo to visit his grandparents.  Not only will he be reuniting with family, but he will also be attending Major League Baseball Spring Training games as well as touring a traveling Leonardo da Vinci exhibit at the
Arizona Science Center.

Excitement: “I’m excited to see (my grandparents) in Arizona for the first time in like, five or six years.  And, I’m really excited to get out of the
cold weather.”

How Far: 1,772.16 miles

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Name: Slade Tranel, Junior

Where: Chicago, Ill.

For What: Tranel will be traveling with friends to cheer on his favorite college basketball team, the Wisconsin Badgers, as they play at the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.  He also plans to partake in the famous Chicago St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.

Excitement: “We plan to go to a few tournament games then hit up a few of the St. Patty’s Day festivities downtown. (It’s) tough to beat that for a weekend.  I’m very excited.”

How Far: 318.12 miles

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Name: Rylan Page, Sophomore

Where: Eau Claire, Wis.

For What: Page will be staying in Eau Claire just to hang out. He will also be able to attend some track and field practices.

Excitement: “It’ll be a nice, relaxing time to be out of school and hang out in Eau Claire. I’m most excited to take in the greater area of the city without worries of homework
or a job.”

How Far: 0 miles

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Name: Eric Martin, Sophomore

Where: Quintana Roo, Mexico

For What: Martin will be spending his Spring Break vacation with his family. They have taken the trip to Mexico in the past, but they have never stayed at the Barcelo
Tropical Resort before.

Excitement: “Wake up and the sun’s already shining, like 70 plus. Then we’ll probably go and get some free drinks, all you want all day. It’s a great hang out in the pool bar by the ocean.”

How Far: 2,262 miles

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Name: Alex Adkinson, Senior

Where: Santa Rosa Island, Fla.

For What:  Adkinson and some of his friends will be spending their Spring Break camping beach-side on Santa Rosa Island in Florida.

Excitement:“We’re all super pumped. Basically, we are just going to hang out on the island and enjoy the bench, I don’t know, and enjoy a few refreshing
beverages probably.”

How Far: 1,237 miles

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Name:  Monica Weltzien,
Freshman

Where: Panama City Beach, Fla.

For What: Weltzien will head to one of the ultimate Spring Break hotspots, but not for the reason that many college kids go to what has become simply known as PCB.  She will be traveling with other members of Cru to help spread their message and promote what they stand for to people on vacation.  However, she does plan on having some fun during her free time, as she will bring her lacrosse equipment to play on the beach.

Excitement: “We’re going to be doing a lot of beach evangelism, but we’ll have plenty of time to do whatever we want.  There’s time to get know people from our campus.”

How Far: 1,251.84 miles

Graphics by Tyler Tronson