Before students begin their workout at the Student Wellness and Recreation Center this week, they can also get a head start on planning their spring-break vacation.

Area travel agencies and tanning boutiques will be at the rec center in the main lobby from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. all week. Most exhibitors will provide visitors with flyers and magazines focused on spring break destinations and travel deals. Some exhibitors are offering students the chance to enter to win prizes, while others are inviting students to get a tan before heading to the beach.

“We thought it would be a great idea to come to Kent State and reach the spring-break market,” said MaryJo Slabaugh, co-owner of Hudson Reserve Travel.

Slabaugh said she is willing to answer any questions students may have concerning travel plans. Her travel agency, she explained, concentrates on many different types of travel including cruises and vacation packages in and out of the United States.

“I’m very encouraged about the whole thing,” Slabaugh said.

While most students are certain they are going to participate in spring-break festivities, many are still unsure of where their respective parties will begin.

For Sara Shipman, senior nursing major, the decision was between the Bahamas and Jamaica. After choosing the Bahamas as her spring break destination, she searched online for hotels and travel arrangements.

“I had been looking for places, but I couldn’t find anything in my price level,” Shipman said.

Although Shipman did find adequate lodging for the week, she admitted the process was not easy.

The rec center wants to help with these improvements.

“It’s meant to be a service for the students,” said Paula Murray, assistant director at the rec center.

Murray hopes students will receive enough help at the expo that they will not have to rely on the Internet to learn about spring-break travel.

The expo will also have a booth featuring this year’s spring-break get-away planned by the rec center.

“It’s a little different from your normal spring-break trip,” Murray said. The trip includes a mixture of camping, hiking and lounging on the beach in Panama City. Students participating will also get the chance to visit parks in the Florida area.

“Last year, students went on a sailing trip in the Bahamas,” Murray said.

The rec center is planning to host more events in the future similar to the Spring Break Expo. Possible exhibits may include information about local, off-campus housing and buying a car after graduation.

Contact Student Recreation and Wellness Center reporter Erika Puch at [email protected].