vacation

Tips For Planning An Affordable Spring Break

Posted on by Genna Gincel

If you’re planning a spring break trip with your friends, now is the time to crack down on your planning.  Finding an affordable trip is easier than you might think.  Here are a few tips to help you get started!

1. Do your research.

1-14 Research

Look into every deal you can find for the places you’re thinking about going.  Check Groupon, Airbnb, Expedia, Priceline, etc.  Make sure you find the best deal for the kind of trip you want.  Really explore your options so you can find the trip that’s right for you.

2. Set a budget and stick to it.

1-14 Budget

Make sure you know how much you have to spend and plan accordingly.  Include any potential spending money you’ll need while you’re there.  If you’re not going to an all-inclusive resort, factor in your food and beverage expenses.  If you’re doing any non-free activities, make sure you’re prepared for the costs.

3. Read the fine print.

1-14 Fine Print

Some hotels and getaway deals have extra and hidden fees.  Read everything before you book your stay/trip to make sure there are no surprises.  Be certain of the costs before you agree to anything.

4. Be open-minded.

1-14 Dart Map

Don’t be too set on a specific place.  Just know the type of vacation you want to have (i.e. warm weather, beach resort, city, ski/snowboard trip, etc.)  Depending on the popularity of the place, the dates you’re going, and the amount of people you’re travelling with, some places/hotels will be more expensive.  Being open to different places can help you find a more affordable trip.

5. Split costs where you can.

1-14 Split Costs

Find rooms that sleep more people.  Split the cost of the rental car or gas if one of you has your own car that you can take.  Go in as a group on snacks and/or groceries.  Anything that can be a shared cost, share it.

Savoring Summer

Posted on by Kela Lester

Summer

Now that I’ll be a senior in college this year, I look back and realize exactly how precious this time of the year really was. Instead of really taking the time to enjoy my summers, I complained about how hot it was and shut myself in the house indefinitely. Now, I’m here trying to make up for all those squandered days and nights by doing this list of things I’ve found to be effective when trying to savor summer.

Grab a bunch of friends and do something out of your comfort zone.

                     Do something different! If everyone in the group is out of their comfort zone, you’ll all have to rely on each other to make the experience what it is. I’m currently planning a picnic, and looking up cabin rentals and laser tag specials as possible activities for my friends and I!

Grab lunch from different places around town.

Try not to eat at fast food places. You’ll never know what your local town offers if you don’t step out and try. My best friend and I are currently doing this and have been opened to a world of healthy, cheap foodie gems.

GO OUT.

A lot of us can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of “summer jobs”, but when you look back on your summers when you’re older, you’ll be wishing you did a little more of this and a little more of that on the dance floor when you had the chance.

Pool, pool, pool.

It’s hot. Why not? Grab a bunch of friends, tap into your younger days with pool noodles and goggles, and head down Splishy Splashy Way.

Gym.

  I know, I know. You’re like whaaat? While this may seem like an unconventional summer idea, this the only time you’re away from the stress of school that’s usually the cause of added weight gain. Why not try to get your body right before the school year? From personal experience, working out this summer has helped me gain a new sense of confidence… AND I can walk longer distances without sweating out of my shirt which is a total plus.

Stack that paper.

  Now’s the time to really get those hours in (or build up your resume), so you can ball out during the school year without worry!

Listen: I could give you all the ideas in the world, but it’s up to YOU to make your summer! For some of us (like myself) this is the last summer until true adulthood. This may even be your last summer away from your high school friends. It’s time to own the summer before school, or responsibility, snatches it away!

Quick Shape Up in Time for Vacation!

Posted on by Kristin Rogers

Vacation is approaching fast and you want to look your best. Here’s how to shape up quickly and healthily before you depart.

Try cutting a few simple things out of your diet the week before you go for a quick slim down. Things to cut could include: sweets, soda, condiments, and chips. Sweets, chips and soda are obviously bad for you. Especially if you are a loyal soda drinker or candy lover, you will notice a difference right away by cutting them out. I cut condiments a lot of times because they are just extra calories. Eating dry food saves some calories. Mustard is okay because it doesn’t have any calories but if you can manage to cut mayo, jams and jellies, cream cheese, or sour cream, you’ll be saving a lot of extra calories.

Try adding fruits, veggies, and water. By adding a lot of fruits and veggies you’ll still be able to eat a lot and feel full, but they won’t stick on your stomach. Drinking a lot of water will help you to feel full and hydrated faster and it will save the calories from other beverages. I have heard that if you drink a glass of water before you eat, you are likely to eat less and feel full quicker.

Do a lot of cardio. Try running for short amounts of time or even walking. Sometimes even lightweight lifting can be considered cardio if you use light enough weight and do a lot of reps. Many people enjoy biking or swimming laps as well. Find something you enjoy that can get your heart rate up and do it every day for 30 minutes. Cardio combined with a slight altering of your diet will instantly shape you up.

Finally, work those abs! YouTube has a million ab videos to help you get started. A lot of times it’s easier to have someone telling you what to do and counting for you to keep you from moving too fast or rushing. One of my favorite videos is called “thin q fitness ten minute abs.” This video is literally just ten minutes and it always makes my abs feel awesome. I encourage you to try this one or find another video you enjoy with an instructor you like. Doing abs every other day is an important part of shaping up quickly.

I hope these tips will help you to feel great in time for vacation. You’ll be sure to look amazing in you swim suit after applying each of them. Remember, you can’t just do one. A combination of diet, cardio, and muscle work is what it takes to really shape up quick. You can do it!

 

10 Best Places to Go Skiing & Snowboarding

Posted on by Elizabeth Lovejoy

I don’t know about you guys, but I LOVE skiing. LOVE IT. There is something about speeding down a hill at 50 miles per hour that makes me feel like I’m on top of the world. It’s the danger, the exhilaration, and the pure adrenaline that makes skiing one of my favorite things to do. I’ve tried snowboarding before, but lets just say it’s not my cup of tea. I spent the entire day on my back side. However, many of my friends think snowboarding is the ultimate thrill, so I’ll do them the honor of looking into some snowboarding destinations. What do I look for in a skiing/snowboarding trip? Big mountains, trails that are easy to navigate through, trails that aren’t too crowded and little to no wait for the lifts. At one point I took a trip to Beech Mountain in North Carolina with my family and it was a nightmare. Everything seemed way overpriced, the rental equipment looked 20 years old, it was overcrowded, the food was sub-par and it was nearly a 30 minute wait to get up the lift. So I wanted to look at places that would be the exact opposite of that trip. You know, like places that don’t suck as bad as getting hit in the face with a 9 iron. I have done some research for both skiing and snowboarding destinations and I came up with these two lists that represent some the coolest places to go skiing/snowboarding in the United States.

Skiing Spots

Wolf Creek, Colorado
Wolf Creek is a really cool place to go skiing. I like this place because it has slopes for everyone. 55% of it’s slopes are for beginners and intermediate skiers, and 45% of it’s slopes are for advanced skiers and experts. It has “the most snow in Colorado” according to it’s official website. You can rent skis here for $15 per day for adults, and lift tickets are $54 per day for adults.

Mammoth Mountain, California
Just the name is enough for me. Enormous mountains, beautiful resorts and special events are a few things that make Mammoth Mountain sound very appealing to me. You can rent skis here for $29 per day for adults, and purchase a lift ticket for $69 per day for adults.

Snowbird, Utah
Snowbird has everything: massive mountains, a good range of lodging packages, places for weddings and conferences, an elegant spa, as well as $72 for an all-day chairlift pass for adults. Ski’s can be rented at several local stores, with prices around $40 per set for adults.

Mt. Hood, Oregon
Mount Hood has 240 acres specifically meant for night skiing, 85 total trails, several restaurants and bars, and they even offer daycare. Lift tickets will run $74 per day for adults, and ski rental packages at $39 for adults.

Bridger Bowl, Montana
Bridger Bowl has a fair amount of trails for each skill set, 50% are for beginners and intermediate skiers, and 50% are for advanced and extreme users. Single day lift tickets are $48 and $25 for rental skis.

Snowboarding Spots

Mt. Bachelor, Oregon
Mount Bachelor is great for free-riders. It contains crowd-free slopes which are sure to please any boarder. They also allow night riding, and snowmobiles can be rented here. A one-day lift-pass costs $52 and boards cost $36 to rent.

Mt. Baker, Washington
Mount Baker has 38 trails, with over 1000 acres of total riding area. It may not be the most convenient place (there is no lodging in the ski area), however it’s a pretty well-known spot for snowboarders. Lift tickets cost $51 during weekends or holidays, and they don’t display rental costs online.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Jackson Hole is an interesting resort, containing virtually everything a snowboarder would want, including cowboys and saloon bars. There are 111 trails and 2,500 acres of total ride area, making this a pretty large area perfect for boarding. Lift tickets will cost you $70 for a day and $37.50 to rent a board.

Heavenly, California and Nevada
Heavenly is located along the border of California and Nevada near Lake Tahoe, offering 4 resorts. It’s massive snowboarding areas span 4,800 acres and they boast a 5.5 mile long single trail. Lift passes go for $44 per day.

Beaver Creek, Colorado
This is the luxury resort that can only be afforded with the help of your parents. It is a very elegant and updated, and the only thing steeper than it’s mountains are it’s prices. It will run you $83.20 to rent a board here and an additional $85 for a lift pass.

 

Alabaster

I’m reading Macroeconomics