From streaking the Lawn to earning the first Bodo’s ticket, the University has its fair share of fourth-year traditions right here in Charlottesville. But when mid-October rolls around, one unofficial custom brings the fun beyond Grounds. Each year, soon-to-be University graduates have the opportunity to spend fall break in Las Vegas with hundreds of their classmates, making memories in one of the country’s liveliest cities before wrapping up their undergraduate careers.
The trip is organized by JusCollege, a vacation planning service for university students. With a $769 bundle package including a hotel stay, three pool parties, three nightlife events and more, Las Vegas is a compelling and convenient option for many fourth-year students. However, not all are convinced to book their ticket to Sin City. From high costs to long flights, various drawbacks push students toward other destinations for their final fall break, raising the question of whether the University’s Vegas tradition is worth the gamble.
Sam Martin, Club 128 fraternity pledge class representative for the Vegas trip and third-year College student, believes that yes, the trip is worth it. Though the trip is available to all students at the University to sign up for, it tends to mostly attract those in Greek life, with dozens of members of sororities and fraternities going.
Martin’s role as his fraternity’s representative means that he is involved in the planning process and acts as the middle-man for communicating the trip’s details to his fraternity brothers, in addition to encouraging them to purchase the JusCollege bundle. Even before he was accepted into University, Martin was hopeful to become a part of the Vegas tradition.
“Year in and year out, Greek life makes it a priority to go to Vegas,” Martin said. “I remember touring [the University] in the fall of my senior year of high school and talking to somebody who had just come back from Vegas. That got me really excited about the community at U.Va. and the prospect that trips like that happen here.”
Fourth-year Nursing student Alison Quigley, on the other hand, offered a different perspective on the best way to spend break. She decided that her personality would be better cut-out for a somewhat slower-paced, albeit still lively, trip. Instead of visiting Vegas, she opted to plan a getaway to Nashville, Tenn. — a destination Quigley and her friends are happy they can reach by car.
“I'm just not a Vegas girl, to be honest,” Quigley said. “I'm not someone who can stay up super late, and I'm not really into EDM music. I feel like that's kind of the vibe [of Vegas]. I’m way more of a ‘country music in the bar’ kind of girl, so I'm excited for that.”
Affordability was a key factor for Quigley. The Vegas bundle does not include flights or food and drink costs, she was pushed away by the price tag.
“I just didn't think it was worth it to fly across the country for three and a half days,” Quigley said. “I know some people are really excited for it, but I just couldn't rationalize that for my life.”
Easing the cost a little bit, students who purchase the Vegas bundle before the “early bird” deadline of Sept. 24 can cut the price down to $669. This discounted rate also includes a “bonus” of three open bars. The catch? Students who do not purchase prior to the early bird deadline are automatically charged for the three open bar events, adding a minimum of $150 to the total. With Vegas’ high cost of food and drinks tacked on, the bill can climb pretty steep regardless of whether students participate in the deal.
“My roommate from last year was a fourth-year, and she told me she spent $70 on one drink [in Vegas],” Quigley said. “That was kind of what turned me off. You’re already paying so much to be there, but then being in Vegas also comes with a huge cost as well.”
Meanwhile, a nice perk of Martin’s role in the planning process is that he receives discounts for increasing attendance. As pledge class representative, his primary task is motivating his fellow fraternity brothers to purchase the Vegas bundle. By getting over 15 people to sign up, Martin earned a spot on the trip completely free of charge.
“For me, [being pledge class representative] was just a matter of motivating my friends to sign up for the trip,” Martin said. “I think everybody is excited about the prospect of going to Vegas, and it's already on everyone's mind, so it didn't take much convincing to get my friends to go.”
Although Quigley is excited to experience the live music and nightlife scene of Nashville, she admits that this buzz around Vegas induces a little FOMO — fear of missing out. With friends going to both locations, Quigley anticipates a bit of Vegas-envy in her future.
“I live in a house with 11 other girls right now, and we’re pretty split on who’s going where,” Quigley said. “The girl I share a room with is going to Vegas. I am definitely going to miss her a lot and feel left out seeing her pictures … It sucks that we won’t be together, but it will be fun to come back, tell our stories after the trip and have our little debrief.”
As to whether other vacation spots should be thrown into the mix for fourth-year Reading Days, Quigley said Vegas and Nashville are two “totally sufficient options.” Her decision to opt out of the former was simply due to personal preference, not disapproval.
“There is nothing inherently wrong with the Vegas trip,” Quigley said. “I just didn't think that I would be a good fit for it.”
As evidenced by Quigley and others who joined her in choosing Nashville or another location, Vegas may not be for everyone. The expenses, flights and constant high-energy environment of Sin City are simply not a deal worth betting their final fall break experience on for some students. For others, though, the Vegas trip is a time-honored, once in a lifetime University tradition. The action-packed weekend of pool parties, nightclubs, casinos and priceless memories with classmates is just what some fourth-years are looking for — the last “Hoo”-rah.
“I mean, it's Vegas, right?” Martin said. “You're only 21 once, and I don't think there's a better time to go do that. Growing up in America, there's this awesome kind of ‘envy’ of Vegas, and this is all of our first times to experience that.”
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