Don’t Miss Out! – L.I.V.E. It Up When You Travel Abroad!

Traveling abroad anytime soon, or considering it as a possibility in the future?   While making plans for your trip, keep in mind College Lifestyles’™ advice to help you make the most out of your travels.  I have had the opportunity to travel to seven different countries in the last four years.  Recently I returned from an 18 day study abroad trip to Europe.  It was a wonderful trip, and was almost unreal, thanks to lots of planning and having an open mind.  There are four specific things that I did before, and during, my trip to help me experience the countries I visited for all that they are worth.  The “L.I.V.E. It Up” method allowed me to come away from my trip with wonderful and positive memories that will last a lifetime.

Rick Steves' "London" (2010)

L-Learn About the Country. Before you set off on your excursion, dedicate some time to learning about your host country.  Two of my most useful Christmas gifts this year were Rick Steves’ London (2010) and Just Enough French by D.L. Ellis and F. Clark.  When reading these types of books, make sure to keep a set of sticky notes nearby.  This will be handy when you read about an interesting attraction that you want to visit, or when you come across a useful tip.  By reading up on your host country, you will learn a lot, both about the people, and the places.  It will help you be better prepared for your visit, as well as make the most out of your trip.

I-Invest Before You Go. From the time I confirmed my trip abroad, my financial focus was geared towards my “Europe Savings.”  I took any opportunity that I was given to earn money, and all of my decisions having to do with spending were accompanied by the question, “should I buy this, or save this money for Europe?”  Although practicing this form of self-control was not always the easiest, it was quickly dubbed well worth it once I was in Europe.  Make sure to take every opportunity you can to earn and save money.  Take advantage of babysitting jobs, sell old clothes to a consignment store, and try your luck selling various items you don’t use anymore on craigslist.com.  As for saving, try to cut back on eating out and other high-spending activities, and limit shopping trips.  No worries, there are still plenty of fun possibilities of things to do while pinching your pennies.

Standing on top of Cerro Negro, an active volcano in Nicaragua

V-Venture Out. As amazing as your trip will be, it is no secret that you will quickly become tired from all of your sightseeing.  My advice?  Do not let this stop you!  Take in all that you can while abroad, because in most cases, who knows when you will have the opportunity to return?  Make the most of your time and challenge yourself to do things you have never done before.  During my trip to Nicaragua last summer I zip-lined over a volcanic lagoon, and also hiked an active volcano.  It was fun to experience something new, and I made unforgettable memories.

E-Experience the Culture. Simply put, the best point saved for last.  Experience your host country’s culture as much as possible.  Try the food, adapt to the culture, and do your best to overcome any language barriers.  While in Nicaragua, I made the decision not to let the language difference stop me from communicating with the people.  Of course my Spanish was nowhere near perfect, but I was surprised at how willing the people were to attempt to communicate with me.  Through joint efforts I had plenty of meaningful conversations with wonderful people that I met.  One of my most enjoyable parts of visiting London was the conversations I had with the teachers at our host school (I spent several days observing in a local school).  It was easy to relate to the women that I spoke with, and was incredibly neat to hear their stories.  I realized how similar we were, and made several new friends.

Do not come away from your trip abroad wishing you had done more.  Experience your host country for all of its worth, and make sure to “L.I.V.E. It Up.”

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She loves to travel and hopes to make the most of every opportunity that comes her way, especially when abroad.

The Suitcase Saga – College Lifestyles’ Top 10 Tips for Packing Abroad

Packing.  It’s possibly my least favorite 7-letter word.  I LOVE traveling… I HATE packing!  Not only does it worry me that I will forget something important, but I also worry about fitting everything into my suitcase.  Not to mention, when flying, there are weight limits to worry about.   Recently I had the opportunity to study abroad in Europe, so I am sharing with you my top 10 tips to become a savvy packer.

1. Clothes for ALL Kinds of Weather. Most of my time spent abroad was in London.  Every time I told someone where I was going, the two most commonly responded words were “cold” and “rainy.”  While I did follow people’s advice and pack some warm clothes, I made sure to make most of my outfits ones that could be layered.  I also packed a pair of shorts and several sundresses.  That one pair of shorts got just as much use as did my jeans.  I was so glad that I packed them, as well as the dresses, because the first week we were there it was HOT!  As for the rain “myth,” I did make sure to carry around a light rain jacket in my purse each day, although it only rained one day and one night during the trip!  Despite what you think the weather will be like, make sure to pack an option for each kind of weather.

2. Re-Wear Clothes. While I am not a fan of re-wearing shirts, and definitely not underwear, only packing four pairs of pants was one of the wisest packing decisions that I made.  My trip lasted 18 days, so yes, I did have to wear my pants and not wash them for longer than I normally would.  However, this saved so much room in my suitcase, and honestly, who knew they weren’t clean?  Yes, by the end of the trip they were feeling a little stretched out, but looking back in pictures, you can’t tell whether I am wearing a clean pair or a “dirty” pair of pants.  Sweaters were also a fabulous article to re-wear.  Change your base top, and you have a whole new outfit!

3. Roll Your Clothes. I have found that more things fit in my suitcase when I roll my clothes.  I try fill the bottom layer of my suitcase with shoes, and then put rolled clothing articles on top of them.  I also strategically place bigger items (such as my toiletry bags, make-up bag, and hair electronics) in separate spots where I can “stuff” rolled clothes around them.  By doing this, clothes tend to fit in smaller spots, therefore, making the most use out of your suitcase space.  Rolling also helps provide padding for any breakables that you may pack.  And as an added bonus, rolling your clothes helps to prevent them from wrinkling.

4. Don’t Overstuff the First Time. Chances are you are going to buy a few (or many!) souvenirs on your trip.  Solve the problem of where to put these by leaving a little extra room in your suitcase, the first time around.  Trust me, trying to re-pack a bag in the middle of the airport, while trying to satisfy the weight limit, is not fun.  You end up having to throw things away, not to mention you are pushing the limits of your suitcase’s capacity.

5. Converters and Plug Adapters. Make sure that you have these when traveling abroad!   A converter is not always necessary, but I felt better using mine along with the plug adapter.  You can purchase a combo pack of these from Target® for around $45.  Before you pack electronics (such as hair dryers, hair straighteners, curling irons, etc), make sure that they are convertible.  Check the voltage capacity before you try using them abroad and better yet before you pack them.  Don’t learn the hard way by ruining your electronics.

6. A BIG Memory Card. You think you won’t need it, but you WILL.  For my 18 day trip to Europe I bought an 8G memory card.  Not only did I fill it up, but I filled up my spare 1G memory card as well.  Yes, I am a photo fanatic, but I wanted to remember every part of my trip.  Plus, having so much memory allowed me to take over 50 video clips, which compiled together make about an hour movie!  Go big or go home (with or without all of your memories)!

7. Comfortable Shoes. I cannot reiterate how many times my classmates and I were told, “you will only need 3 pairs of shoes: tennis shoes, an alternate pair of comfortable walking shoes, and shower shoes.”  As fashion-hungry college women, we all want to wear our cute sandals and sometimes even a sassy pair of heels.  I would not avoid packing these, because they are fun to wear for a short time, but DO NOT wear these during sightseeing.  I made the mistake of wearing sandals with no support for three days in a row.  By day 3 my legs were in so much pain, and my feet were swollen and blister-filled.  Wear shoes with plenty of support when you will be walking around all day; it doesn’t mean you have to be completely unfashionable, and it guarantees to keep your feet happy.

8. Travel-Sized Toiletries. Travel-sized toiletries may not be the most efficient when it comes to price, but for space saving they take the crown. Jacqui emphasizes on this topic,”Glamour on the Go,” in her recent post.  At most Walmart® stores there is an aisle with a huge variety of mini-toiletries.  They sell products in miniature sizes, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, deodorant, loofas, etc.  One of my personal favorite items that are offered in mini-size is “U by Kotex®,” a new line of travel-sized tampons.   You can even sign up for a free sample of these by simply visiting “U by Kotex®’s” website.

9. Hipster Purse. These are cute, fashionable, and best of all, handy.  Hipsters are offered in a variety of sizes, styles, shapes, colors, etc.  The purse that I carried around converted from a shoulder bag into a hipster.  The shoulder bag was great for night time excursions, while the hipster was fabulous for the day time.  My purse was a Christmas gift from my cousin Kelley, and is quite similar to this bag sold at Old Navy®.  Its size was perfect, too.  It had enough room to hold my everyday essentials (wallet, camera, lip gloss, etc.), as well as a small umbrella, my rain jacket, and a few other odd items.  However, it wasn’t so big that it got obnoxious or too heavy.  It was the perfect travel bag.

10. Snacks. Your trip may allow you plenty of time to snack throughout the day, or, as in my case, you may go non-stop all throughout the day.  I packed granola bars and cheese crackers in my suitcase, “just in case.”  These were great on days when I needed a little “pick me up,” and especially on days where I wasn’t too fond of what we had eaten during that particular meal time.  They were also handy on the late nights when I returned from seeing a show at the theater and was hungry.  Make sure not to over-do it, but do pack a couple of light snacks.

Guarantee a great trip by remembering the top 10 tips from “The Suitcase Saga.”  You will spend less time worrying about things you should have brought/done, and have more time to enjoy your trip.  Happy travels!

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She loves to travel, and recently returned from a study abroad trip to Europe.  While there she spent time in London, Paris, and Edinburgh.  She looks forward to more trips abroad in the future.

Calling All New Sorority Alumnae!

As a recently-inducted alumna of my sorority, there are times when you are going to want to jump in and be a part of the chapter again – especially if you are nearby and had a lot of input in it before!  Here are some general tips on how to transition into your new role as an alumna of your sorority.

Be the Chapter’s #1 Fan!

You are the supportive backbone and offer moderate advice when asked.  Now that you are an alumna, you only have national dues to pay each year, which means a lot more $$ for donations for recruitment, decorations, food & supplies for sisterhood retreats, the Convention pot, and much more for your home chapter!  Think about the philanthropic ideas everyone wanted to accomplish and what monetary needs the chapter had when you were there and take advantage of the opportunity by helping your fellow sisters!  If you don’t have the funds, come up with a few ideas yourself and mention to the current chapter Fundraising Coordinator, Philanthropy Chair, or come out for a scheduled fundraiser for encouragement. 

Time:

One of the top priorities you now have is giving your time to the chapter.  This also means having to understand where your boundaries lie.  Whether or not it was your choice to become an alumna of your sorority, you no longer have that power of “what to do” in the chapter.  This is a very touchy subject to most recently-inducted alumnae.  Take my side for example..  This is my first semester being an alumna and having so much input holding the position of Chapter President before I transferred schools definitely makes me take a step back and evaluate myself.  Just because I was the president for a year does not mean it is my place to give a freely expressed opinion.  I left my home chapter knowing everyone still had things to learn, accomplish, and improve on, but I have FAITH in my sisters.  I know no one is out to “destroy” any tradition or lead the chapter into shambles.  If someone needs help with a situation, I might give my input on “what I would do” with the facts given to me, but also add in “what is best for the chapter or sister, etc.?” because I have not been at close distance to know what’s appropriate or not. 

Take the Initiative:

Just because you are no longer on the chapter roster doesn’t mean your sisters don’t think about you!  You remember how busy each semester calendar is, along with everyone’s school, work and daily life.  If you haven’t heard from a certain sister in a while, she hasn’t cast you out- she is probably just running around like a chicken with her head cut off!  J  Don’t stop contact with your sisters.  A simple text or tweet will let them know you also have not fallen off the radar and still think about them, too! 

Little Things To Show You Care:

Look for an upcoming holiday or find out the next social event your home chapter is putting on and make little goodie bags focused around that theme.  Add some candy or bake a little treat (rice krispies are the best, quick and easy to make; you can create a fun and funky color with food dye matched around the theme, too!) and put a cute and short sisterhood quote or personalize it by telling each sister why you love her and/or are thankful for her in your life! 

Alpha Sigma Tau - Epsilon Gamma Chapter - Fall 2009 Bid Day

 

Find CL Executive Director – Shelly Marie    , CL Intern Emily R., and ME! (Hint: search front row).

Kayla Norris is an Intern at College Lifestyles(TM).  She is a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority and misses her busy life at Epsilon Gamma Chapter, but is excited to see her sisters at Alum Day at the end of the month! J

 

Life Lessons From a Chapter Advisor

Our Alpha Chi Omega Chapter Advisor, Judy, is responsible for making us one of the top 6 chapters in the Nation! She has been our chapter Advisor since 1993 and she has changed our chapter for the better! Like any great advisor she has a lot of really great advice. Last year, at the beginning of my freshman year she sent us all her “Life Lessons”, and looking back I probably should have taken more of them to heart! Anyway, when I came across them again last week, I thought who better to share this with than the lovely readers and fellow interns of College Lifestyles (TM)! No matter where you are in life, in college or not, I think these are great life lessons to take to heart! So, without further ado, her are Judy’s Life Lessons:

Always be one time.

If you want to cheer yourself up, try to cheer someone else up!

Control your attitude or it will control you.

You want to have class in victory and have class in defeat.

You can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

You can keep going after you can’t.

Success is a by-product of doing things well.

You have three choices in life – give up, give in, or give it your all.

You have one chance to make a first impression.

You can’t cross the finish line if you haven’t started.

Do a random act of kindness each day.

Do not protect yourself by a fence, but rather with your friends.

You do not lead by hitting people over the head – that’s assault, not

leadership.

Love has nothing to do with looks, but everything to do with time, trust,

and interest.

Bad things do happen to good people.

Most of the time what you are looking for is right in front of you.

Carelessness is the root of failure.

Being kind is more important than being right.

Money doesn’t buy class.

Ignoring the facts does not change the facts.

A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

Set your goals high.

That’s it! Hope you learned something from these, or were reminded of something you want to do more often. I know I did!

Patrice is an intern with College Lifestyles (TM). She is a journalism major at William Woods University and is a member of Alpha Chi Omega.

“True friends & true hearts that’s all that counts in life”-Uptown Girls

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