Soldiers put final touches on a giant “No More Weapons” billboard made with crushed firearms placed near the U.S. border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico Feb. 17, 2012. President Felipe Calderon unveiled the billboard Thursday and urged the United States to stop the flow of weapons into Mexico. (Associated Press)

Spring break is a time for college students to take their minds off school and enjoy a week of doing whatever they please.

During this break, students jet off to different vacation spots across to relax.

A big destination that is a spring break hot spot is Cabo San Lucas, where college students head south year after year.

During the day, visitors are only footsteps away from hotels, restaurants and bars lining the beach, while at night they can hit the dance floors at local clubs.

Although the U.S. State Department has issued a travel warning to U.S. citizens about the security situation in Mexico this year, SMU sophomore Amie Hazama plans to stay safe in the country by sticking with her friends.

“I have no concerns because many of my friends have been and say that there is nothing to be worried about,” Hazama said.

Cabo San Lucas is not the only city in Mexico that students are choosing for the ultimate getaway. Puerto Vallarta is attracting many college students with a music festival exclusively for spring break called Electro Beach. Multiple disc jockeys from around the world come to perform on the beach for massive amounts of vacationing students. With beautiful beaches and live music day and night, students are finding Puerto Vallarta fits their desires as the perfect spring break location.

In an email sent out Tuesday to SMU students and faculty, the Texas Department of Public Safety warns Spring Breakers wanting to travel to Mexico.

There has been a occurrence of continuing violence in the country. According to the U.S. Department of State, the number of U.S. citizens reported as murdered in Mexico increased from 35 in 2007 to 120 in 2011.

Also many U.S. citizens have fallen victim to homicide, gun battles, kidnapping and rape and sexual assault.

Another destination is the Bahamas, specifically Paradise Island.

According to TripAdvisor.com, Paradise Island offers beautiful beaches, pools and activities — ranging from swimming with dolphins to golfing — to keep visitors of all ages entertained.

Hotels in Paradise Island offer all-inclusive packages, allowing students to head to the Bahamas for spring break without completely emptying their pockets.

When looking to have some fun in the sun over the break, Destin, Fla. also offers plenty to visitors. Every year, Destin attracts college students looking for a safe beach destination because it’s located in the U.S. and boasts white beaches lined with rental homes and different hotel options.

SMU sophomore Billy Embody plans to make his way over to Destin for his spring break.

“It’s a great safe place to chill on the beach, and it’s also inexpensive,” Embody said. “Destin is more easy on the minds of my parents because of it being in the States as well as spring break friendly to students.”

Although most students head to warmer weather for the break, SMU sophomore Hillary Dunklin has chosen to ski the powdery slopes of Vail, Colo.

“I’m excited to go skiing while we are there, but I will also enjoy shopping, being in the snow and just being with my awesome family,” Dunklin said.

Vail is known for its premium ski resorts and slopes, naturally appealing to college students for spring break.

Visitors can hit the mountain for some daytime skiing, then spend time shopping, indulging at different restaurants or even just cozying up by the fire in the ski lodge with some hot cocoa.

Although many SMU students plan their weeklong getaways to different destinations, others opt to stay in Dallas.

With spring break trips carrying hefty prices, many students opt out on taking a trip in order to save cash or get ahead in work. SMU senior Danny Blackburn plans to stay in Dallas for this reason.

“Although I would love to spend my spring break in Cancun, Cabo, Florida or the Bahamas, my financial burden as a college student won’t allow me to do so this year. Instead, I’ll be staying in town, working at my internship and applying for other jobs for the summer,” Blackburn said. “It’ll be nice to get away from school for a while, even though it’ll only be by about 25 miles instead of 1,500.”

This year for spring break one thing is certain with SMU students.

Whether it is heading to the snowy mountains for some springtime skiing, vacationing on the beach to catch some rays of sunshine or staying in Dallas to work, SMU students plan to make the most of their week off by keeping their minds on anything but schoolwork.