Destination: unknown. Cost: a lot.
Not only does the senior trip drain your wallet but so do many summer activities. Coachella, Outsidelands, senior trips in the Bahamas, and other similar festivities overwhelm Instagram and Snapchat stories throughout the entire summer. Once summer is over…. The Snapchat stories have disappeared, and your savings account has too. Without the homework and hours of school throughout summer, spending can increase when there's so much free time to fill with food and fun. Many students at Carlmont participate in these activities and spend hundreds of dollars to acquire these memories filled with cute outfits, music and food. Roz Soheili, a senior, attended Coachella, a music festival consisting of three days in April in Palm Springs with a series of good artists and memories, but costs in total around around $1000. Soheili said, “I think people choose to spend money on festivals and trips because they want to make memories, try new things and explore new places. I have always loved going to concerts and traveling, and it's really fun to be able to experience new adventures with your friends. I couldn't be happier paying [the price].” Students have also become involved in planning the senior trip that costs $1,479 for a six day and five night trip. Eleventh-grade student Nicole Eftimiou is already planning the senior trip for the class of 2018. Though it is expensive, the program offers one year for the kids to pay back the total of the trip. Efitmou said, “These trips are like once in a lifetime and people want to enjoy them with their friends now before high school ends. Many kids have paid off the senior trip themselves and have said it's an easy task because you have time to pay it off.” Although the senior trip does offer luxury with a chance for a nice tan, there are alternatives to having a fun yet cheaper summer. “There are great local alternatives to the big-named festivals like Outside Lands and Coachella, including some SF venues and the Catalyst in Santa Cruz, which can be really affordable if they're purchased right when they go on sale! Also, even though traveling can be really expensive, there are plenty of ways to meet a budget. Plus, with our proximity to beaches and local camp grounds, there's a way for people on a tighter budget to still do something fun with their friends,” said Soheili. Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, a writer for Money Magazine, also believes some summer adventures are worth the amount of money such as the Monterey Aquarium. O'Shea-Evans said, “There are aquariums, and then there’s the Monterey Bay Aquarium, among the best in the world. Watch rescued sea otters and African penguins feed and see leopard sharks and red octopus circle a 28-foot-tall kelp forest, purportedly the biggest aquarium exhibit in the world. Go on a weekday afternoon to avoid crowds for $50.” Some kids at Carlmont prefer to save money and go on summer excursions locally. Jason del Cardayre, an 11th-grader said, “Personally I do not think it's worth it to put large number of money into things when you can find things to do that are cheaper. I do think exploring different countries or trying something new that you're passionate about is worth it. But putting money into things that are short and temporary isn’t worth it. I surf and stay local for a lot of the summer.” Max Ladabaum, a junior, has a similar view and says that people spend money on concerts such as Coachella, when only a few of their favorite artists perform. “I think that's a very personal choice on how to spend your money, but I feel it's a rip off. I would go to an individual's artists concert performing but why go to a concert when I don't like all of the artists and spend all that money,” said Ladabaum No matter how someone chooses to spend their money over the summer, the Bay Area offers affordable opportunities for those who seek them. Soheili said, “With our proximity to beaches and local camp grounds, there's a way for people on a tighter budget to still do something fun with their friends.” |