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For devoted football attendees like myself, the spring semester is a bit of an uphill climb. Weekends feel different. Breaks are few and far between. The weather is inconsistent with winter one day and spring the next. Thus, spring break is a much-needed and widely-anticipated getaway.

Of course, there are the usual locations that students flock to annually: Fort Lauderdale is a typical destination for first-years and Europe for juniors with friends studying abroad. While the joys of domestic travel appease everyone’s parents and don’t provide significant food or water-drinking concerns, Florida in March is still somewhat of a gamble.

I’ll see your basic trips and raise you one better: a four-night, all-inclusive trip to Mexico with as many friends as possible. There’s safety in numbers, right?

My name is Tess Reinhart, and this is the story of the time I went to Cancún for spring break, and why I think you should, too.

To start: weather. Top locations like Cancún promise consistent sun, a UV of 10+ and humid air that is guaranteed to make the thinnest hair look voluptuous.

Secondly: the all-inclusive approach. Although I scoffed at first, there is something to be said about the all-you-can-eat model with college-aged kids. Is that not the exact concept of our dining halls? With so many options, you are bound to find something edible. Note from experience: Avoid anything disinfected in local water and bring some vitamins to supplement the fruit or vegetable deficiency. Instead, opt for carbs and protein — aren’t fries and bread the same everywhere?

In case you have trouble convincing your parents: At these types of tourist spots, there is no need to leave the resort. It has every amenity you could need, and its entire profitability is based on the guests’ safety and convenience. Although I seem to have “forgotten” my parents' first rule of not leaving the resort anytime past dark, large groups are hard to pickpocket, and there is a risk of danger even in our dear South Bend at night. A smart traveler is diligent and alert both here and abroad — don’t prove the “stupid American” stereotype!

Lastly: I would be remiss not to mention a driving factor in an international spring break trip. The drinking age is 18. Your motivations are your prerogative, but even the most sober soldier can enjoy the luxury of a virgin piña colada poolside.

It may not be plausible every year, and by no means am I blindly recommending dropping exorbitant amounts of money for a sunburn and mysterious ocean-related rash, but if your group has an eager planner and a desire to break the spring break stereotypes, well, ¡Bienvenido a México!