Spring Break is the time of year students look forward to most, besides the summer, of course. A time to cut loose, drink, do absolutely nothing and cause trouble in towns that you never again will grace with your presence.

As students, we look forward to the week of partying. Athletes have a different mindset: getting the job done to represent our school.

They are on a higher pedestal than many of us “common” students because they have their schooling taken care of.

That is why we, as students at large, have the luxury to go on vacation where we want to go. Athletes have to visit places where many students wouldn’t want to waste their time.

Take, for example, both basketball teams. They will be on the road for the MAC tournament. While many of you may be in Florida, Cancun or other destinations near the equator, many of our athletes will be in less desirable locations.

The men’s basketball team will be in Cleveland (if they can win a couple games), a place that is typically in the 30s during this time of year. The only way they’ll get a tan is via the tanning salon.

The women’s team also will stay in a hotel in Cleveland (they, too need to win a couple games). Cleveland is clearly a better place than DeKalb – solely for the slim chance of seeing LeBron walking the streets. While both teams will try to take home the MAC title and earn an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, many students will be sitting somewhere on a beach in Florida.

As both basketball teams will be getting screwed by the weather, softball and baseball take the cake for going to the best location. And to all of you who spent a couple hundred dollars on your vacation, they are going to the same places for free.

Baseball will be in New Orleans for the first part of the break before finishing up in Florida.

Baseball and softball have it nice because they both will be competing in tournaments that take place in tropic temperatures.

While many of us have to pay for our trips, these athletic trips are paid for by the school.

So remember, when we are sitting on the beach with a beer in hand, the athletes are going to be doing something that they love – competing.

Oh, and I’ll rub it in one more time. Their trips and schooling is paid for, while we spending our precious money.