Some Cal State Long Beach students are being forced to re-evaluate their spring break plans as well as their normal driving habits due to increased gas prices.
The United States Energy Information Administration reported Monday that the price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas on the West Coast was $4.19, up 40 cents from the national average.
This startling reality has forced many students to cut back on excessive driving, ensuring that they go to the pump less often.
Students, like Jakob Brouwer, a freshman mechanical engineering major, are dreading the day they need to fill up.
“I come to school five days a week and I drive roughly 125 miles each week,” Brouwer said. “It just seems like I run out of gas faster now, since gas prices have gone up so much.”
As for spring break plans, Brouwer has none.
“I don’t fill up unless I absolutely have to,” Brouwer said. “I don’t plan on taking any excessive trips during spring break now because of these insanely high gas prices.”
This recent spike in gas prices has also affected Kaitlin Patten, a freshman kinesiology major.
“I won’t be doing any excessive trips this spring break,” Patten said. “I would only plan a vacation if my friends pitched in for gas.”
Darwin Hall, an economics professor, said he believes that gas prices will continue to rise, at least for the next few months. He cites the threat of war between Iran and Israel as one reason prices are increasing.
Hall believes that, if gas prices continue to stay high, the overall U.S. economy could be adversely impacted.
Some experts believe that if Iran and Israel were to declare war, U.S. gas prices could double because almost 20 percent of the world’s oil is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz, which is controlled by Iran.
Another major reason gas prices are high is because oil refiners are paying more for crude oil, making the total cost of refined gas higher.
World demand for gasoline has also increased. The International Energy Agency “expects worldwide consumption of oil to grow 3.3 percent, or 800,000 barrels a day this year.”
High gas prices are also affecting students who do not even own cars.
Bruno Brito, an international computer engineering major, is thinking twice about his spring break plans.
“I want to see Las Vegas so badly, but because of gas prices, I cannot afford to go,” Brito said. “I can only afford to go to Los Angeles over break since it is much closer.”