A Not So Ideal Spring Break

The all-American spring break is probably one of the most long awaited short holidays for hundreds of college students. Usually taking place in March, the week long holiday is characterised by thousands of overly excited college students flooding the beaches by day and overcrowding the clubs by night.

Some of the top Spring Break destinations include Miami, Panama City, Daytona Beach and the Bahamas; so pretty much anywhere with sun, sea and a whole lot of alcohol. One of the most popular and crowded spring break destinations is the infamous Cancun. Located in south-eastern Mexico, Cancun is a renowned tourist destination, with sun, sand, clear blue sea, delicious food and lovely resorts. Whilst it may sound perfect in writing, in reality Cancun is not the ideal spring break destination it may seem.

The nightlife in Cancun is wild, lively and never ending. The city never sleeps and neither do the students. Many of the clubs and bars, especially the smaller ones, tend to have an open bar once entry fee is paid. With bright lights, loud music, the alcohol flowing and lots of dancing it is no wonder these clubs stay open till the early hours of the morning. However, students wrongly assume that Cancun is very cheap. In reality the clubs are overpriced, have ridiculously long lines to get in and are genuinely overcrowded inside. Cancun’s biggest club Coco Bongos tends to ask $70-$80 for entry, and if you’re lucky you may get a few free drinks with that! Drinks tend to be overpriced and are not worth the pain of sipping ridiculously cheap brands of alcohol (no Smirnoff Vodka here!).

In terms of safety, Cancun looks sketchy. The streets are very dirty with a lot of litter and an unpleasant smell, as well as a lot of scammers. Many parts are guarded by heavily armed police holding huge guns who are not to be messed with. Tourists are very vulnerable and can be easy targets for theft, especially at night and when intoxicated. Always stay with friends, never go anywhere alone, keep an eye on your drinks and always have a mobile phone and emergency cash with you.

With regards to the weather, Cancun is almost perfect for spring break due to its tropical climate. In March the weather in Cancun is usually very hot and humid which is ideal for the spring break atmosphere. Sun block is essential and a hat and sunglasses will help too. However, Cancun has the tendency to rain a fair bit so be prepared for some dark clouds and showers especially in the afternoons. There is very little to do on a wet day in Cancun, so take advantage of the sun while it’s there.

If you’re tired of all the drinking then why not spend a day exploring ancient Mayan history at Chichen Itza. Built by the Mayan people, Chichen Itza is filled with ancient ruins, archaeological pyramids, temples and a whole lot of history. There are many tour companies which provide a full day excursion to Chichen Itza including a coach, food and stop offs at markets and landmarks. It’s a nice way to see somewhere outside Cancun and get a top up on your history. However, it’s understandable that viewing historical landmarks may not be a student’s ideal way to spend spring break.

Overall, Cancun really is not what it’s cracked up to be. Although the weather is lovely and the beaches are beautiful, the overpriced nightlife, the scamming of tourists and the genuine look of the place are off putting. Cancun really is no different from one of the Greek party islands, except it’s pricier! With places like Panama City, Miami and California being known to host some of the best spring breaks, Cancun should definitely not be a number one pick.

Drug Culture in American Colleges: Have you seen Molly?

As a gateway to Latin America, Miami is at a geographical disadvantage in terms of the transportation of drugs into the city. Consequently this has led to the growth of Miami’s drug culture. Besides from the problems of drug cartels and trafficking, drugs are a prominent feature within tahe Miami college scene. With the drinking age being twenty one, many students unable to obtain alcohol seek other ways to achieve a similar intoxication. Although marijuana, cocaine and even methamphetamine are widely used among the young people of Miami, the newest drug phenomenon in this city has to be MDMA.

Also addressed by its street name ‘Molly’, MDMA has grown to become the choice of drug used within the Miami club scene. Molly comes in the form of a pill or a white powder. It can usually be mixed with bath salts, aspirin or caffeine, leaving a lot of users oblivious to what they are actually putting into their bodies. Deriving from ecstasy, its short term effects are known to give a sense of euphoria, hyperactivity, and insomnia.

Within the club scene, people using Molly are more alert and have the ability to party into the early hours of the morning. The long term effects of it can be more serious and can include high blood pressure, brain injury, depression and in worst cases, heart attacks.

Despite the dangers of it, Molly is probably the most commercialised drug. Along South beach there are plenty of shops selling merchandise ranging from t-shirts to hats with the words ‘Have you seen Molly?’ written on them. These are commonly worn or promoted at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival. As one of the world’s largest music festivals, Ultra is a three-day weekend packed with some of the biggest DJs and live acts from all over the world. With over 160,000 people in attendance, many young people struggle to keep up with the excitement and want to get the most fun they can get out of Ultra. As a result, they turn to Molly.

Some celebrities have even promoted use of this dangerous drug. At Ultra 2012, Madonna took to the stage to introduce an artist, and the pop star asked the audience: “How many people in this crowd have seen Molly?” Although Madonna claimed to be referring to a song, it caused a lot of controversy in the press and she was slammed for her apparent encouragement of the drug.

However, the dangerous side effects of the drug were brought to attention at Ultra 2013 when two people died from overdosing on Molly. As a result, for this year’s Ultra, police have insisted that security will be extra tight and any drug substance will be confiscated immediately.

It is easy to get sucked into the Miami drug culture. With its availability, commercialisation and the genuine curiosity of its effects, it is no surprise that Molly has become the new craze among young people. Rather than “finding Molly”, the solution is to bring awareness to the dangerous consequences of the drug and remove the “luxury” brand associations attached to it.