The Gulf War has had little effect on NIU students’ Spring Break plans.

NIU’s Spring Break is scheduled for March 9 through March 17 and is a popular time for college students to take vacations.

According to local travel agencies, the South Padre Islands, Florida and Cancun are popular vacation spots for students.

Donna Prapher, a travel agent for Country Travel, Inc. in Sycamore, said low air fares are bringing many students in for information. She also said it seems “like it (the Gulf War) never happened.”

Alene Holmes, manager for Carder-Hamlin Travel Agency, Ltd., 1828 Sycamore Rd., said “some students couldn’t make a decision because their roommate or friend was in (the) ROTC or the National Guard.”

This would affect how many people might be going on the trip if one of them were to be sent, she said.

“The Gulf situation is on everyone’s mind,” said Mike Groak, group manager for Royal Travel and Tours, Inc., 121 N. First St.

Tammy Klassen, manager for Advantage Travel, Inc., 444 E. Hillcrest Dr., said that students are not concerned with travel like “the older people going to London. (Students) have no worries.”

The Campus Activities Board and the Office of Campus Recreation are sponsoring Spring Break trips for students. The Gulf situation has not affected the students’ or NIU’s plans said CAB office manager Dianne Gautcher.

CAB is sponsoring two trips, one to Daytona Beach, Fla., for $275 and one to Panama City Beach, Fla., for $255.

The rec center also is sponsoring two trips. Students can go backpacking and camping in Big Ben, Texas, for $170, or kayaking in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Joe Duffy, of the rec center, said the students driving to their destinations have not expressed any concerns.

The only thing determining what accounting major Bill Witkowski, 20, does during Spring Break is the amount of money he has. Because of this, his choices include Cancun, Arizona and home.

Cheryl Merkel’s trip to Panama City Beach, Fla., has not been affected by the Gulf war at all. Neither has Mark Uram’s trip to Cambridge, Mass., to visit a friend at Harvard, they said.

Merkel is a 22-year-old finance major and Uram is a 21-year-old biology major.