As American students, in recent years we’ve all heard about the dangers of Mexico due to wars between rival drug cartels. Major news networks have advised Americans to avoid traveling to Mexico at all costs. However, our southern neighbor is definitely not as dangerous as the media makes it seem. Here are some travel tips to those of you who plan to take a trip to Mexico during Spring Break or anytime during the near future.

In the interest of safety, travelers who choose to drive should stay on the main highways instead of side roads. While the side roads may be free, they are not as well kept and patrolled as the main ones. Students headed to resort towns should never go anywhere alone. Resort towns have been traditionally safe, but a single student is an easy target for a thief, con-artist, or any other malevolent individual.

Sadly, the major centers of violent drug cartel activity are the border towns of Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Nuevo Laredo, formerly prime destinations of college students across the nation. The State Department urges Americans to avoid traveling through these cities at night due to the extremely high risk of getting abducted or being caught in between a battle between the cartels.

As for almost every other Mexican city, Americans headed there shouldn’t worry so much. Like anywhere else in the world, crime is present. As long as you exercise caution and don’t attract excess attention to yourself, you’ll be good to go!