The purpose of spring break is to get tan, right? Not necessarily. Many students who have returned from trips say that although they spent their weeks sunbathing, being tan back in Evanston is just a bonus that came with a relaxing vacation. As the Evanston cold gradually wears away their tans, five students reminisce on what once was a nice bronze.
Sam Kaufman, McCormick junior
Spring Break Destination: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Getting tan “just kind of happened” while Kaufman was soaking up the spring break sun in the Dominican Republic. When her friends got burnt after a couple of days, they actually decided to move into the shade. But Kaufman, who is not content just lying a la playa, got her glow unintentionally.
“I’m not the type of person that sits on a chair all day with the objective of getting tan,” Kaufman says. “I’d much rather be in the water.”
Kaufman has never been to a tanning salon, and she says that she has never felt pressure to be tan. But she says she is experiencing some of the side effects of her tan – or at least of the chance to catch up on sleep during break.
“I think that it makes me look less tired, and in turn I feel less tired and it makes me feel more energetic,” Kaufman says. “The external affects the internal in some way.”
Suzee Skwiot, Medill sophomore
Spring Break Destinations: Boca Raton, FL and Orlando, FL
While in Florida, Skwiot says she felt that part of her vacation should be dedicated solely to spending time on the beach, To her, a calming day by the water was worth the burn that, with time and aloe vera, faded to gold. Although she’s hiding the tan lines on her shoulders with sleeved shirts, she says she will not tan artificially to create a flawless look.
“I’ve always stayed true to the natural color that I am,” says Skwiot, who has only used a tanning bed before high school dances. “I don’t make a conscious effort to go out and tan while I’m at school.”
Skwiot believes tanning is important because of the significance our society places on body image – and specifically tan bodies.
“People think tanner people are more attractive,” she says. “And if you see yourself as a bronzed beauty, it’s more appealing.”
As a journalism student, Skwiot also reads fashion magazines and says she has discerned skin tone differences among models.
“If you’re looking at swimsuit models, they’re very tan, but if you’re looking at higher fashion, they’re more pale than the others.”
Camille Trangsrud, Weinberg Freshman
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Spring Break Destination: Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
“Whoa, where did you go?” That’s the reaction Camille Transgrud likes to hear from her friends when she returns from her annual spring break foray to some tropical location. Getting a tan in this year’s beachside vacation spot – the Cayman Islands – was inevitable.
“My family and I have done all the swimming with dolphins and parasailing that you can do,” she says. “So this time, we just decided to lie on the beach.”
Although this was a great way for Trangsrud to relax and spend time with her family, she was conscious of excessive exposure, as her mother has had skin cancer in the past.
“I know how SPF works, and most people don’t, they just put on a high number,” she says. “And drinking a lot of water helps.”
Trangsrud enjoys Vitamin D and the sound of ocean waves more than the stereotypical MTV “beach scene.” Either way, she got her desired healthy tan.
“Everyone just associates being tan with being orange,” she says. “They need to rearrange their priorities.”
Bryana Schoen, Communication freshman
Spring Break Destination: Captiva, FL
During her trip, Schoen stayed in the sun as much as possible. Whether it was lying by the resort pool or reading a book, Schoen spent every day taking in some rays.
“I was definitely trying to get tan,” Schoen says. “Throughout the winter I’d just gotten really pale.”
Schoen says that she has never experimented with artificial tanning, but that she tans as soon as it gets nice in the spring. She admits she has tried to show off her tan a little upon her return to campus, substituting tank tops for sweatshirts, but says she has not made a “conscious effort.”
“I feel a little bit better about my appearance than I did before I went on break,” she says. “I haven’t felt as much need to wear as much makeup.”
It is not only personal, either – Schoen believes that others tend to value bronze skin.
“At least among the people that I know, they generally want to be tan,” Schoen says. “For me, it’s more of a personal preference.”
Patrick Renken, Weinberg senior
Spring Break Destination: New Orleans, LA
While fellow classmates spent their week in the sun on lawn chairs, Renken was on a ladder, putting siding on a house and eating home-cooked jambalaya. He went on a service trip through Sheil Catholic Center – his third service trip to New Orleans.
Now that he’s back, he’s indifferent about his tinted appearance.
“If it was cloudy the whole week, I still would have done the work and I still would have enjoyed it,” Renken says.
Renken believes tanning is a different experience for girls. He says he does not feel better about himself when he is tan, and he does not actively try to achieve a darker complexion.
He recognizes that girls at Northwestern are less concerned with being tan than girls he knew in high school. He attributes this to either passing trends or to “Northwestern culture.”
Renken’s personal preference for female skin tone? “It can be a little unattractive if it’s too extreme, like the spray on tan. I don’t dig that,” he says. “A little bit of color is good.”