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Join Air Force ROTC at the University of South Carolina Great careers Pilot Nurse Engineer Lawyer Navigator More Great benefits Travel Full Medical & Dental Care Build Leadership & Management Skills Starting Salary & Allowances: $35,000 30 Days Vacation with Pay Tuition Assistance for Graduate Degrees Job Security ... and you may be eligible for one of our scholarships! For more information, call 777-3450 or visit the Air Force ROTC web site www.afrotc.com Students use Internet for vacation planning BY JON TURNER NEWS EDITOR Students are turning to the Internet to make spring-break travel plans this year as local travel agents slowly fade from the scene. Mike Palyok, Pal Travel president, said the few trips his company had booked for college students mainly in volved cruises and hotels in Florida and Mexico, but that he hadn’t seen a lot of seasonal business this year. “It hasn’t been an in flux,” he said. “I think most of the time college students don’t have the kind of money to take the trips tney want to take, so they do it on their own. They don’t go to a travel agent.” Palyok said he did more business with high school than college students. “I do a lot of senior trips,” he said, “but college stu dents usually aren’t as organized.” Betsi Jordan, owner of Prestige Travel, said plen “I think most of the time college students don’t have the kind of money to take the trips they want to take, so they do it on their own.” MIKE PALYOK PAL TRAVEL PRESIDENT ty of students had visited her Devine Street business, but very few ended up spending any money. Most left to look for alternate means of travel, Jordan said. “I dtink a lot of people go online and get an idea of what they think they can get a package for, but a lot jf times those prices aren’t realistic or from reputable rompanies,” she said. Second-year education student Nicole Colson said she had planned a tour with an online agent, Spring Break Travel, Inc., at http:/ / springbreaktravel.com. The price seemed attrac tive, Colson said, but when she called to inquire about the trip’s “VIP meal plan” customer service represen tatives had been unable to give her any specifics on the trip’s accommodations. “They were helpful,” Colson said, “but it was just kind of vague.” She said she and her friends had even ♦ Please see TRAVEL, page 7 $99 FOR ONE VERR No Membership Fees! No Contracts! i SUPER TAN 1 * . i ' One Week ! ! Free Tanning ] I 1 i i Keui customers only I | 400-1957 i 5 Points, Next to Food Lion ( Check out the newest HOT spot in Columbia to get a beautiful tan. Get your first week free with coupon.