By Olivia Fleming
While some students see spring break as a time to rest and relax, most college students choose to spend the week off of classes partying. South Beach, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale are historically known for being where college students spend their spring break. Still, with the city of Miami enforcing regulations this year, a lot of negative attention has been paid to Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale is enticing to college students since it is affordable, surrounded by beautiful beaches, and hosts some of Florida’s hottest nightlife. College students have been spending spring break in the city for years, but in recent years, social media has uncovered the horror stories of these spring breakers. What starts as a relaxing trip with your friends doesn’t always seem to go as planned when in Fort Lauderdale.
This season, TikTok has been the platform where college kids share their ‘Laudy’ experiences, ranging from stolen phones and wallets to overpriced drinks and bar covers. The true madness of spring break in Fort Lauderdale is being uncovered.
For University of Tampa students, Fort Lauderdale is always a popular spot to spend their vacation. Being close enough for students to drive makes the spot so desirable.
“I would never go back to Fort Lauderdale—it was crowded and disgusting,” said Sophomore student Ava Mcloughlin. It was an absolutely chaotic place, and I will never go there again for spring break.”
Fort Lauderdale is known for being party-central. Everyone in the city is there for a good time. What attracts the younger college crowds is its affordability; there are a variety of bars and clubs, and you can find cheap flights. What was already known as an overcrowded city during spring break is now filled with twice as many people since Miami announced they would enforce strict regulations during the weekends for March.
To protect public safety during spring break 2024, South Beach Miami released a social media campaign on March 8 stating that they are ‘breaking up’ with spring break. The ad is told from the perspective of Miami locals trying to call out spring breakers who have historically spent their vacation getting rowdy in South Beach. The campaign covers the regulations that the city has enforced following last year’s tragedy. Miami Beach declared a state of emergency after two fatal shootings during spring break of 2023.
An article published by NBC Chicago on March 11 described some of the safety measures, including curfews, security checkpoints at beach access points, early beach entrance closures, and road restrictions.
This year, Fort Lauderdale is the hot spot since Miami is closed down this spring break. As a result, there is more chaos than ever. Overpacked bars, expensive cover fees, no parking, and beaches filled with drunk college kids have led people to voice their opinions and confirm that they will not return to the city.
“The experience was one to remember. It was a lot of fun, but I felt beyond drained after the week,” said freshman student Lexi Peck. “I thought I would come off spring break feeling refreshed and relaxed, but instead, I felt like I needed another week to recover.”
TikTok users have referred to the destination as extremely overstimulating. The streets are constantly packed with people all day drinking, and students have said that they don’t feel safe. There have been many cases of phones and wallets being pickpocketed. In one TikTok user’s video, the girl stated that one night, her phone was stolen right out of her purse, and the next night, her wallet was gone.
“Fort Lauderdale was my cheapest option, so I ended up there. I went with a group of friends, so it was super fun, but the covers for getting into bars were absurd,” said junior student Genevieve Malick.
Another TikTok user reported an instance where she had to pay a cover of $100 for one of the most well-known bars, Rock Bar, and when she ordered a cup of water, the staff charged her $4.
Fort Lauderdale is known to be a beautiful city, but spring break is not the right time to visit during college. Everyone should get to experience spring break in Fort Lauderdale at least once during their college years, but it is only for some. It’s like another world down there.