The end of the cold, dark winter has long been an occasion for celebration in many different cultures around the world. Purim, Passover, Mardi Gras, and Easter are all ancient celebrations that replaced even more ancient celebrations of the renewal of life, warmth , and growth that comes with spring. The week-long spring break from school has become a modern tradition, beloved by some, dreaded by others.

Spring vacation gives students a break from the tensions of schoolwork, but the warm weather also seems to bring with it an irresistible urge to party. For college students especially, spring break has become a sort of coming-of-age ritual. At the threshold of adulthood, but not quite there, hundreds of thousands of college students each year head to warm beaches or skiing hot spots for a week of fun—the wilder the better. Drunkenness, casual sex, and vandalism are all...