With holiday travel fast approaching, gas prices are once again playing a major role in how far people can afford to go. Currently, the national average for a gallon of unleaded gas is sitting around $3, and those shifting prices are shaping the travel decisions of many University of Mississippi students heading home for the holiday break.
For some students, the cost of gas is enough to make them reconsider their plans. Brittney Moore, who works at a local gas station, says prices tend to change quite a bit this time of year.
“They fluctuate a lot as students come and go. During the holidays, they tend to inflate,” Moore said.
However, the prices do not seem to be inflating this Christmas, according to GasBuddy.com. The site is predicting the national average will fall solidly below $3 per gallon.
The falling prices explain why students choose driving home, even when that home is hours away.
Dominic Decker, a senior general business student at UM, says flying simply was not realistic this season.
“I’m driving to Indiana. Flying was just too expensive for me,” he said.
Others, like freshman general business major Graycen Jordan, are keeping a close eye on the pump as they prepare for long road trips.
“I’m driving to Georgia, and I’m really watching how much I spend on gas,” Jordan said.
AAA reports that holiday travel remains high nationwide, but fluctuating gas prices mean travelers are planning more carefully than they did in previous years. Students say starting to budget early, from estimating gas mileage to splitting costs with friends, is becoming a necessary part of getting home.
