I have a suggestion for anyone who is planning on going home for fall break and spending every day sleeping and watching television.

Go on a service trip.

Last year I was fortunate to be a part of a well-honored tradition, the Sorin Hall fall break service trip. On the first Sunday of fall break, 50 residents from Sorin College, 1/3 of the dorm's population, embarked on a journey to Toronto, Ontario.

With the Canadians hilarious accents and casual attitude towards carousing, we were certainly excited about the prospects of spending a week in Canada. However, in the end we found a place that gave us a chance to learn more about each other and gain some perspective on our lives.

Eight hours later, when I saw the bright neon signs of the Labatt's Blue factory, I knew that we were home. We stayed at a Jesuit mission in Toronto that normally housed Jesuit retirees and other priests traveling through Canada. You can imagine the look on their faces when 50 American college students showed up at breakfast and ate all of the frosted flakes.

Like most people on vacation, my compatriots and I were hoping to catch up on some sleep. We thought the service part of the trip was just something to pass the time between sleeping and going out. However that was not the case. On the first morning we were awakened at 8 a.m. and warned to get ready to be at work at 9. So, at 9:15 the gentlemen of Sorin College arrived at the work site to begin their service project.

Our service project was to renovate halfway houses for troubled teens in the Toronto metropolitan area. The man who ran the organization was absolutely unforgettable. His name was David Baxter. He wore dangly, gold earrings, Nike warm-up suits, and enjoyed Maximum Ice. Despite his appearance and taste for strong Canadian beer, David Baxter was one of those people that can just blow you away with his complete selflessness. He got so much joy from helping others.

There were three houses owned by the group and they all needed work. Over the course of the week, we did everything from cleaning gutters to painting kitchens.

It was a vacation where not one man got any rest. Everyday we were up with the sun, not necessarily ready to work, but certainly present. During the day we worked hard, and at night we got an opportunity to enjoy the culture of Toronto. It was like we earned the right to party.

Going on a service trip over fall break can teach you a great many lessons. Doing service gave me the opportunity to put into perspective what I'm doing with my life. Grades, internships, and other junk just aren't that important. When you can help other people improve their daily lives, it becomes very easy to identify and weed out the unimportant tribulations in your own life.

Sorin Hall is going to Detroit this year. Hopefully we'll make the trek up to Canada and see our friend David Baxter.

• Alternative fall breaks