For the 2,500+ University of Dayton students who make the long journey to Daytona Beach, Fl., it can be the best week of their lives. The traditional trip was from May 4 – May 10 this year and did not fail to disappoint. The week-long party has been going strong since 1978 and is in the hearts of many as an important tradition and final send off for seniors.
Source: Ashley Laker
A room of five will run students $209 each, according to this year’s rates. Any additional information can be found here. This is a very competitive deal which averages to less than $30 a day for a beachfront apartment! The main hotel overlooks a large pool area where Budweiser provides free beer during a few precious hours of the day.
With all this free beer in mind, UD had to be concerned about student safety, especially after incidents at other schools that have been making national news. Because it is an unfamiliar city, students are highly encouraged to stay together at night, and to never go out alone. “You always need to have someone with you when walking to any other place in the area,” said UD student Ashley Laker. “I would never recommend walking alone.”
UD is well-known for having a feeling of togetherness among its students and it is one of the first things that visiting students and prospective students notice when they come to the campus. This feeling is emphasized during Daytona as a large part of the student population converges on Daytona Beach to have one last party and to be with their friends one last time before graduating to “the real world”.
Among the highlights of the trip (besides the free beer of course) are the live performances by popular bands and artists. With popular past performances by bands like Reel Big Fish, UD does not fail in bringing the bands we all like to Daytona. This year’s headliners were up-and-coming Hip-hop artist Mike Posner and Pop-punk band Boys Like Girls. A spirited 2009 performance from Mike Posner is here:
Hearing about all of this just makes me excited for my turn to join in and bask in the sun that is Dayton to Daytona. For all of you Dayton alumni, what were your favorite memories from Daytona? Please feel free to share them!
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