Spring Break is one of the biggest events known to college students across the nation. During the spring semester, college students take a break from their studies to enjoy a week of relaxation and festivities. Spring Break is seemingly one of the biggest subcultures known to the college experience. Spring Break can be identified as a sub-culture because it represents a specific time for college students to break the social norms of acceptable collegiate behavior regardless of their individual differences.
In the reading “Subculture: The Meaning of Style,” Dick Hebdige states that “…despite these individual differences, the members of a subculture must share a common language” (Hebdige 1266). The common language that college students share is the collegiate experience and the 2-4 year matriculation that bonds them together within their environment. Every year, new students are inducted into the ritual of spring break activities as they release the tension of their workload and enjoy the “wild” and “fun” college experience. In popular culture, Spring Break ideologies are prominently expressed through the medium of television. Television networks such as, Music Television (MTV) and Black Entertainment Television (BET) display special programming of Spring Break festivities and experiences around the nation. In this programming, several overwhelming ideas about the culture of Spring Break are illustrated. In this programming, music concerts and fashion shows are depicted while displaying the revelry and behavior of excited Spring Breakers across the nation.
Some of the popular images and ideologies projected about Spring Break include excessive alcohol consumption, bikinis, wild parties, promiscuity, sexually explicit behavior, beach activities, and dancing. The images projected about spring break develop ideologies that are absorbed by new inductees into the Spring Break sub-culture. What is most interesting to examine is whether or not the image projected about Spring Break is accurate to the actual experiences among college students. After interviewing several college students about their interactions with
Spring Break the feedback varied regarding
individual experiences.
Shana Childs, Junior Sociology major at Spelman College reflected on her experiences during spring break in contrast to the images illustrated in popular culture. “For spring break I have gone to Miami, Florida twice but I have also heard of people going to places such as Puerto Rico, Myrtle Beach, and Panama City. I think the images perpetuated in popular culture about Spring Break are very accurate to the reality of Spring Break that I have experienced. Spring Break is a big party. People have fun on the beach; they go to parties, drink and eat great food, and relax. My experiences of Spring Break have been very similar to the ones I’ve seen portrayed on television.” This student’s response acknowledged that images depicted on networks MTV and BET as accurate to her own experiences. What is still unknown from her feedback was whether or not being pre-exposed to such images and behavioral expectations impacted her personal decisions while on break. When asked whether or not these images influenced her behavior or expectations regarding Spring Break she added, “To a degree because it gave me an idea of what is done on spring break and what I should do. It informed me not necessarily on all my individual behavior but what occurs and how to navigate myself in that environment.” While the images of Spring Break pervade the youth with ideologies about what image and behavior is required for Spring Break, many individuals still have the ability to discern what choices and behavior they want to participate in.
For senior Bryan Rogers, Business major at Morehouse College, images of Spring Break projected in popular culture have done little to influence his decisions and choices regarding Spring Break while at college. “Personally I am a senior and I have not participated in any traditional spring break activities. I usually work during that time and go out to different places in Atlanta. I don’t think that the images of spring break in popular culture give an accurate reflection of spring break. I’m sure some people have those experiences but some people may have other things to do or may not be interested in what happens during Spring Break. Images of spring break make people think they have to go to a tropical place and get drunk but that time can also be used taking a mental break, working, and planning ahead for future endeavors.” Bryan’s Spring Break reflection differs drastically from other student’s feedback. His reflection of Spring Break reveals that although the ideologies expressed on television can mirror the experiences of college students the narrow depiction excludes non-traditional experiences.
The ideological feedback loop of Spring Break perpetuates ideas, behaviors, and images that are consumed and reenacted by college students across the nation. In both students feedback it was evident that the images perpetuated can be overwhelming influencers of behavior and attitudes of students during spring break. However it was also evident that individual decisions and desires have the power to overshadow expectations developed in popular culture regarding Spring Break.
Hebdige, Dick. “Subculture: The Meaning of Style” Cultural Studies. 1258-1267.
Hebdige, Dick. “Subculture: The Meaning of Style” Cultural Studies. 1258-1267.
Spring Break Behavior Glorified in the
"Spring Break FN Rules" MTV Video:
I found this article very amusing because it is interesting to see how a break from school in the Spring has turned into such a big deal. The fact that Spring Break can be characterized as a subculture is very shocking. When we think of spring break our levels of thinking doesnt take us to the point where we would call it a subculture, but it can very well be characterized as one. This article was also intersting to me because I recently enjoyed my first Spring Break this year and I was able to experience this experiences first hand.
ReplyDeleteThe images and video that you choose truly caught my attention. I believe that most of the photos are from the popular television show MTV. The video depicts young adults during Spring Break having fun, under the influence. Reality television purpose is to engage their target audience (the consumers). However, as consumers we can come up with our own conclusion of Spring Break. American television usually contains unresolved conflicts over power and the contradiction of American life. MTV portrays Spring Break as its own subculture and a time where it is acceptable to make a complete fool of oneself. We as viewers engage in this unconscious/conscious behavior because we are told to believe this ideology or common knowledge that this type of behavior is acceptable.
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