Visualize this: It’s spring break and you are sitting on a white, sandy beach. The sun is glistening off of your body while your feet are in the hot sand, and there’s a drink in one hand. The waves are crashing and in the distance you can hear tropical music playing in the background.

Sounds amazing doesn’t it?

This fantasy can become a reality with help from STA Travel, located on campus in the University Union.

STA Travel has been helping students travel around the world at discounted prices for 29 years.

“We are a one-stop shop,” Amanda Webb, public relations coordinator for STA North America said.

Not only does STA Travel help with planning your vacation, it also gives students options that may not be available to a student on a budget.

One of STA Travel’s main money-savers for students is on flights. Blue Ticket allows STA Travel to have special agreements with over 100 airlines so that it can be flexible with availability and pricing of airplane tickets. This way, students can customize their trips without worrying about breaking the bank.

STA Travel also provides the International Student Identity Card that is recognized all over the world.

“The ISIC card is not only a identity card, it also acts as a discount card that students can use to save money in other countries while on vacation,” Webb said.

According to STA Travel you can save money in 33,000 locations in 103 countries with discounts ranging from food to activities.

The card also comes with comprehensive travel insurance, an emergency help line and acts as a communication tool that allows students to use the card as a paid phone card and cell phone card. The card can also be used after the trip in stores like Target for discounts on purchases in the U.S.

So where are some of the hot-spots for spring break 2008?

According to Leah Ferree, senior travel adviser for STA Travel, students are mainly going to tropical destinations.

“Cancun, Mexico is the biggest destination for students during spring break. It’s warmer and has a lot of night life,” Ferree said.

Other popular tropical destinations include Hawaii and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

If lounging around on the beach does not appeal to you, STA also offers packages to Europe, skiing locations and the option of volunteering your time in another country.

“We help you so that you can save money on flights, hotel stay and car rentals no matter where you plan to go,” Webb said.

You also don’t necessarily have to be a Sacramento State student to receive all these discounts.

“If you are going to travel with someone who is not a student, it is OK,” Webb said.

STA Travel also has a website, statravel.com, where you can check out locations and hotels. With many of the hotels offering all-inclusive packages that include all meals, drinks and non-motorized water sports, you can have the vacation you always dreamed about.

Rudi Hoehn, junior music major, has used STA Travel services online before for traveling last spring break and liked it.

“It helped out and it was cheaper than any other service. I saved quite a bit of money. I would use them again,” said Hoehn.

While some students are leaving California for a warmer destination, many are keeping local and staying in California.

“Spring break isn’t long enough to travel far, so I’m just going to visit some friends,” Kelsey Iverson, junior music major, said.

If you are planning to use STA Travel for planning your spring break make sure you act quickly; with spring break approaching fast, STA Travel representatives are urging students to come in as soon as possible to get in their reservations.

Yet no matter what your plans are during spring break, make sure you actually take a break from school and put down those books to utilize what break is all about: taking a break!

Yasmine Bikul can be reached at [email protected]