Over winter break, when I watched Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," I found myself in utter awe and panic about global warming. That is, until I experienced the beginning of second semester. It was then that I often found myself with my grande black coffee in a quivering hand, peering helplessly into the shops on State Street, desiring warm temperatures and the comfort of a sundress.
Where was the hyped-up, warmer-than-usual climate? Evidently, it got buried in those back-to-back blizzards we had a couple of weekends ago. My life has now become a scene out of the '60s film "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Yet, instead of peering into a window at Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue, I am here in the freezing tundra of Wisconsin, silently having anxiety attacks about approaching midterms and developing a growing disgust for eating generic macaroni and cheese for the past three nights.
Well, I guess we all can't have high-luxury lifestyles. It is March already, and although the temperatures have had a delightfully staggering 30-degree increase from last month, the atmosphere is sometimes still as depressing as sitting in a cage in the stacks.
However, there is one spot of relief in the near future — one glimpse of splendor that comes in the form of two words: spring break. It's considered to be the prime opportunity for college kids to live up their age, shout obscenities and spread their drunken stupor to numerous areas of the world other than just a Badger football game.
Whether you're going to a hotspot to soak up some sunshine and take advantage of all-inclusive drinks, venturing off to Colorado to hit the slopes or even staying around the area, spring break is the time to live any way you like. Surely, if you're going somewhere, there's a good chance that the trip has already put a rather large dent in your wallet. It's really not necessary to spend even more money in preparation for it. With a nice, long week to look forward to, learn how to get and take everything you need without breaking the bank or the suitcase.
Ranging from stripping contests, shooters at 9 a.m., clubbing and too much illegal substance abuse to count, spring break in Mexico makes up for any previous partying occasion that may have went sour. With the heat of the sun being strong enough to knock you unconscious in a lounge chair all afternoon, it's really important to bring a lot of sunscreen, ranging in various SPFs to suit your needs. When traveling out of the country, products that are cheap and plentiful here are often marked up to double, even sometimes triple their original price. For most people, buying Banana Boat products isn't how they'd like to spend their extra cash.
Those preferring the snow over the sand usually don't think sunscreen applies, but in reality, it's essential. Even though it may not be warm, sunlight reflected off of the snow on the ground can easily leave the face scorched after enough exposure.
As for clothing, while for the most part I am all about fashion, when it comes down to winter activities, being warmer is so much more fulfilling than dressing up. For the most part, conditions determine ski clothes, so fashion statements should be saved for off the slopes. For apparel, there are always the respectable brands of The North Face and Mountain Hardware that combine flexibility, quality and warmth to allow for good movement while skiing or snowboarding. When you're not hitting up the snowy terrain, feel free to slip on your frame-fitting trench and a tailored sweater and jeans to enjoy the alternatives.
Whether you're opting for a cooler destination or the beaches of some tropical front, packing always seems to be an issue no matter where you're going. Well, at least for most girls, it's difficult to figure out how on earth they're going to fit their entire closet into that itty-bitty suitcase. An easy way to automatically fit more into your luggage is to pick pieces that can be worn more than once or worn entirely through the day in a variety of ways.
Personally, I am a fan of planning out my outfits before I leave, so throwing in a few pieces that you can wear with almost anything is really helpful. For example, that top you wore all day may be plain, but if paired with a sleek pair of jeans and some jewelry, it can be easily dressed up.
Everyone almost always wants a few little purchases to spice up a vacation, so here's where the magic of being fashionably cheap comes in. With various stores accommodating the frugal or trendy shopper, it's not hard to pick up a few items that can make any look for any location.
Look at the store Forever 21, for example; you can find some really amazing seasonal pieces here. When I say "seasonal," I mean, "Don't plan on it holding up for too long," because the quality is often a result of the price, and with this store, the items aren't made for the wear-and-tear of numerous years. This store and stores similar to it are good for a week's replacement of those designer sunglasses you may own or even some bold jewelry that you may only wear with one particular outfit.
Another way to stay affordable and save some space is to divide up some of the necessities when traveling with friends. Everything ranging from shaving cream and shampoo to sunscreens and blow dryers has the ability to accumulate and take up far too much space, and really, why should there be five curling irons in one room? If you designate some "community products," you're more likely to save some money and be able to bring any extra items that didn't seem to fit before.
Most people also choose to bring a camera to document their every move and proudly display it in a range of Facebook albums titled, "I'm like, so wasted, No. 12." Really now, who wants to let the Wisconsin network world down by either forgetting their charger, or heaven forbid, filling a memory card mid-vacation? So, set your reminders to bring all the little things, because not only could this be detrimental to you, but to your entire networking community.
With less than two weeks before the beginning of vacation and a new month, the time has come to make yourself a list and get a little organized. Spring break is a time to loosen up, so pick up everything that you need, and then a little some, and stretch out because a break of relaxation is well deserved.
Lauran Sloan is a sophomore majoring in journalism. Need help lightening your spring break luggage? Send any questions or comments to [email protected].
