Out of State, Out of Mind

Lydia Cardona, 20, holds a map of Georgia.

By: Savannah Weeks
October 12, 2009

The economic downturn may have reduced discretionary travel, but out-of-state students say it has had minimal effect on their trips home, while some in-state students have not been able to go home as much as they would like.

“It’s still eight hours away,” said Rebecca Perez-Espejo, a junior sociology major from Winter Park, Fla. “Parking at the airport is a hassle. I only go home for holidays. I don’t even go home for a four-day weekend, because it’s not worth it.”
One in-state student; however, says her wandering has become more limited since the economic downturn.

“The economy has definitely kept me from going home as much as I used to,” said Lydia Cardona, a junior international affairs major from Lithia Springs. “I used to go home every other weekend, but now I have to plan it out, because gas prices are higher than when I first came to college, and I pay for my own gas. I even carpool to school now, even though I have a parking pass, just to save on gas. Times are just hard all-around now.”

Cardona studied abroad this summer in France. “I took out loans, so the economy wasn’t a factor,” she said. “I would have done it either way.”

This fall; however, Cardona has had to make even more sacrifices when it comes to traveling.

“It’s stopped me from going on random excursions with my friends,” she said. “When we would normally go to the Mall of Georgia or Atlanta, we now have to plan ahead,” Cardona added.

Another student said she has reduced the amount of trips she makes to Atlanta.

“Gas is more expensive in Atlanta, so I don’t go there very much,” said Christine Wong, a junior psychology and biology major from Warren, NJ. “But I fly everywhere when I take long trips. I’m going to Chicago for fall break. I’ve only ever gone home for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring break, so it’s no different now.”

Perez-Espejo said she has always been able to take day trips on the spur of the moment. “Last year I went to Atlanta a couple of times when gas was like, $6 a gallon. I just counted quarters and somehow, I made it work.”

Another Florida native says plane tickets have actually been cheaper since the economy has plummeted. “It just makes you get them earlier and plan your trips ahead, especially since ticket prices have gone down,” said Diane Hernandez, a women’s studies and Spanish major from Celebration, Fla.

A resident’s assistant said the dormitories offer no flexibility for American students who cannot make it home over a break.

“Reed Hall is open 24 hours a day all year for international students,” said Aniekan Akpaninyie, a junior social work major from Columbus, and R.A. at Reed Hall.

“You just have to leave over long breaks,” said Akpaninyie. “A lot of people from other states plan ahead when they’re going to go home. If they can’t get home, they just go home with a friend from Georgia or some other relatively close state.”

Regardless of the economic outlook, time seems to be the biggest determining factor for homeward travel. “My home is eight hours away,” said Kaley Meier, a junior advertising major from Oviedo, Fla. “It’s easier to drive. It’s more of a time constraint.”