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OP, wouldn't it depend a lot on where your college is located? In California, popular summer destinations for those who don't need to work, are Tahoe, Yosemite, any beach almost anywhere in the state. Students from high-end families don't necessarily spend the summers any different from anyone else; they may work to build up a resume, they may work to make spending money because their parents don't give them money. Some work for the Forest Service, some work as summer camp counselors. A few may spend a summer in Europe. But generally, there's nothing exotic going on. It's not like Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous.
Not just the 'privileged white kids'. College is the time to get out and do new things and see what you can see before you get saddled with a bunch of responsibilities. Plenty of international students and non-white students doing the same thing.
Plenty of college students, whether they're white or not doesn't matter, are "saddled with responsibilities," thus, traveling overseas isn't an option. There are a lot of students who do this, however, they are in the minority.
You should absolutely spend a couple summers (better to do semester abroad) traveling to places where you can learn a lot and will be difficult to travel to alone later on. If you're in the U.S, go to Europe or Asia. Don't travel locally... you can always do that later. College years are a time to learn. A lot of responsibility (along with culture, art, and science) is learned while traveling abroad.
Plenty of college students, whether they're white or not doesn't matter, are "saddled with responsibilities," thus, traveling overseas isn't an option. There are a lot of students who do this, however, they are in the minority.
Even the students traveling overseas maybe studying or working overseas for the summer.
The summer after completing freshman year my son had a grant paid internship in his field at his college and took two summer school class to get ge’s out of the way. His "summer travel" after completing the internship was to fly back east and drive back to CA with his girlfriend, stopping at campsites and the Grand Canyon along the way. This summer he’s doing another paid internship for 2 months in the midwest. His “travel” will be flying from California to the mid-west to work! His girlfriend will be doing a paid internship in Alaska for 2 months. My D was commissioned to do 2 large wall murals this summer and will be taking 1 or 2 classes.
I don't know too many kids that have a lot of time to travel. It's usually work or an internship.
The most popular summer destinations for me and my college friends was a job site. There was no such thing as traveling.
Yeah, my popular summer destination was a factory that manufactured farming implements, unloading plates of steel off flatbed semis with an overhead crane. From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., anyway. My other summer destination was a community college where I took night classes from 6-8 p.m. to transfer the credits to my school, and cut my tuition bill. Working factory shift work in the summer ensured that I'd be able to sock away enough money to buy my textbooks and sundries during the school year, and not have to work a second job in addition to my federal work study position during the year.
And I'm a "privileged white girl" (Depending on your definition of privilege). Who attended a private college full of predominantly "privileged white kids."
I was able to "get out and see the world." I just didn't do it in the summers. I did three terms abroad, where I went to other countries and studied. Working my ass off over my summers significantly enabled me to do so.
I would argue that hanging out poolside at a resort in Cancun isn't exactly the most stirring example of "experiencing other cultures."
You should absolutely spend a couple summers (better to do semester abroad) traveling to places where you can learn a lot and will be difficult to travel to alone later on. If you're in the U.S, go to Europe or Asia. Don't travel locally... you can always do that later. College years are a time to learn. A lot of responsibility (along with culture, art, and science) is learned while traveling abroad.
Unless the school offers study abroad options that charge the exact same tuition as you would pay at home, you're able to work overseas, and the only other cost you have is a plane ticket, this is still not an option for most students. The poor college student represents most college students.
Unless the school offers study abroad options that charge the exact same tuition as you would pay at home, you're able to work overseas, and the only other cost you have is a plane ticket, this is still not an option for most students. The poor college student represents most college students.
My daughter's semester abroad in Paris (the college classes were all in French) cost about $15,000 more than if she would have stayed at her University in the US for that semester. Luckily, she was able to get a scholarship that saved her/us $5,000 but it was still pretty darn expensive. The high cost was primarily due to the high cost of living (housing, food, utilities) plus "embracing the experience" (extra travel & sightseeing).
She did have a few friends who did semesters abroad in third world countries, in South America or Africa, and the costs were very low, however, in some cases the quality of the college courses were also very low.
My terms abroad were all the same cost as if they had been on campus, with the addition of airfare and, in some cases, part of my board (some meals were provided for, others were on my own). At any rate, much less costly than to spend the same time span abroad as a nonstudent, now.
YMMV.
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