TCNJ Student Health Services
Spring Break Travel: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
By Marilyn Majaro, Nurse Practitioner – Student Health Services
It’s that time of year again that most college students look forward to — spring break! As we say goodbye to the cold weather and welcome warmer temperatures, college students are planning their reprieve from midterms and looking forward to socializing with their friends and/or family during spring break.
For many college students, spring break is a time where new travel experiences create lasting memories. In the wake of covid-19 and other infectious diseases that have left lasting marks in our society, some parents wish that their college students would forego endless days of fun that are sometimes associated with spring break travel. While most students on spring break avoid the extreme activities that were depicted in the hit film The Hangover, it is important that students know how to be safe while traveling. Planning ahead and implementing safe travel measures can mean all the difference between good memories and not-so good memories. If your student has their eyes set on traveling overseas, make sure they create a sensible back-up plan in the event that there is any disruption to their travel. The recent covid-19 pandemic has shown us that travel guidelines and conditions can change quickly within a county at any given time. Similarly, if there are any travel disruptions due to severe weather, the back-up plan will come in handy. The back-up plan should include the local phone number and website of the U.S. embassy and consulate of your student’s travel destination. Family members and students can stay up to speed with current travel notices by accessing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Travel Notices located on the CDC website in their travelers’ health section (https://www.nc.cdc.gov/travel/). The webpage also lists and explains different risk assessment
levels as well as recommended vaccines/medicines upon selecting the travel destination.
Parents/Guardians should discuss communication expectations prior to the student’s travel. There should be a clear understanding on how and when the student will contact parents or guardians and vice versa. It is also important for the student to notify their parents/guardians of the friend(s) who will be accompanying them on their trip. Sharing the names and phone numbers of at least one or all friends traveling within the group increases the chances of successfully contacting a student or parent/guardian in the event of an emergency. To that point, most college students opt to travel for spring break with a friend or group of friends. Whatever, the number of travelers with your student, the buddy system is very important. Whether your student is laying beachside, sightseeing, or going to the local club/bar, staying with the friend or group they traveled with is helpful in deterring thieves or individuals with bad intentions. As a rule of thumb, airport and hotel bus/van shuttles are generally safer when traveling. However, if your student decides on using a taxi or rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft, make sure the student brings their friend(s) along and stays alert. Students are encouraged to use a navigation service on their own device if possible, and follow along while in the car to verify that the driver is taking them in the correct direction. Establishing a code word with friends is another safe travel measure. The code word should indicate to your student’s friend(s) that a situation is unsafe and it is time to leave as soon as it is possible and safe.
Students should travel with an adequate supply of any medications that they take routinely. Packing fever-reducing medicines like acetaminophen or ibuprofen, upset stomach/diarrhea medicines such as Pepto-Bismol or Imodium respectively, and antihistamines like loratadine (Claritin) or fexofenadine (Allegra) are highly recommended. It is good for any traveler to have a general understanding of the local laws of their travel destination(s). For example, some over-the counter and prescription medications in the U.S. may be considered a controlled substance or illegal in other countries. Students should check with their destination’s embassy and the embassies of countries that the student has any layovers in to ensure that their medications are permitted. If your student plans on traveling to a different time zone, it is important that the student speaks with their health care provider about whether or not there will be any adjustments to taking their medicines. In addition, students who plan on consuming alcohol should discuss potential side effects/interactions if any, that drinking alcohol may have on their medications. The CDC has a checklist to help your student plan what to pack for a healthy trip. The checklist can be accessed by clicking this link: https://www.nc.cdc.gov/travel/page/pack-smart.
While in flight, the change in altitude occurs rapidly preventing one’s ears from adjusting to the air pressure outside. Wearing ear plugs during the flight or chewing gum during takeoff and landing may be helpful if your student is prone to earaches and/or popping when traveling via airplanes. The repetitive motion of the jaw while chewing stimulates swallowing thus helping the air pressure both inside and outside the ears to equalize.
Most travelers are familiar with the term jet lag, which is a common unpleasant side effect of traveling long flights across time zones. Other risks associated with prolonged flights include dehydration and blood clots (Deep Vein Thrombosis or DVT). Fortunately, the risk of developing a DVT is relatively low while flying. Risk factors that contribute to an increased risk of DVT include but are not limited to obesity, recent surgery or injury (within 3 months), use of estrogen-containing contraceptives, and a previous blood clot or a family history of blood clots. So, what are some exercises your student can do during the flight to promote mobility? Performing foot pumps 10 times by lifting your heels off the floor as though you are tip-toeing and then bringing your heels back down, followed by rotating each ankle 10 times every hour that your student is in flight is a good start. If foot pumps and rotating the ankles are not feasible, then bending and straightening both legs frequently, walking up and down the aisles (if possible), or massaging your calf muscles will also help to promote circulation of their blood.
Most tropical destinations and beach vacations expose people to intense radiation from the sun. Wearing clothing that protects the skin such as cover-ups or loose-fitting long sleeve shirts helps to provide some shade to the skin. Be sure that your student packs a pair of UV-blocking sunglasses and applies a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.
There are plenty of college students who enjoy their spring break without alcohol. However, there are also many college students who choose to consume alcohol while on spring break. Unfortunately, alcohol is dehydrating. Combine the diuretic effects of alcohol with the fact that flying typically dries out one’s airways, and the result is a myriad of uncomfortable dehydration symptoms such as headache, light-headedness, or a dry, sore throat. Luckily, the simplest solution to dehydration is an easy one while flying. Drinking at least 8 ounces of water for every one hour that your student is in flight will help to prevent dehydration. For those students who opt to drink alcohol, moderation is key. Two ways to help lessen the effects of alcohol are to stay hydrated by drinking a glass of water after any alcoholic beverage and secondly, eating a meal before drinking alcohol.
Whether your student chooses to spend their spring break strolling the diverse boardwalks along stateside beaches or relaxing on blissful beaches overseas, it is important that they remember the rays of the sun may also amplify the diuretic effect of alcohol. Therefore, students should take extra caution about how much alcohol they consume while lounging poolside or strolling the beach. REMEMBER TO HYDRATE WITH PLENTY OF WATER AND APPLY SUNSCREEN!