Travel

By Luci Farrell

Now, my post last week spoke about Spring Break and homework. What I did not touch upon was the actual art of traveling. Yes, I said art. Packing, getting prepared, and finally leaving campus takes skill. You may think I am joking, but I have witnessed students panicking at the last second because of everything they had forgotten to do. So let me outline some steps.

1. Packing. Laugh all you want, but we all pack last minute. Depending on your break and where you are going, how you pack can be crucial. For example, when I go home for Thanksgiving I bring my smallest duffle bag available. After all, Thanksgiving break is short and since most of us spend that time at home you really only need to pack two days worth and you can wash them while home. Depending on where you live, however, some of you may decide to pack a bit more. Why? Well here at SXU we have a quick turnover from Thanksgiving break to Winter Break. The upside to this is that instead of bringing home everything you own over winter break you can use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to bring things home you know for a fact you’ll need during break, or will not need again until spring.
I am heading to Florida for my spring break this year. I travel light to begin with and plan on keeping with that theme. A backpack will accompany me with my trusty electronics, research materials (First Draft of Honors Senior Project? You shall be conquered!), and my trusty toothbrush. My medium sized duffle will also accompany me. I am a failure in the sense that I do not own real luggage. Honestly, I’m perfectly happy with my duffels. We did a lot of camping when I was a kid so a duffle bag was your best friend. Plus it also drilled the rule into my head that you should only pack what you can manage to carry yourself. Which makes packing for break even easier. Have you ever packed to go to a warm climate? Broomstick skirts, tank tops, and sundresses are without doubt the easiest things to pack. Roll them up, shove them in the bag, and TADA you are done! It should also be pointed out that I do not own a single piece of clothing that needs to be ironed…

2. Itinerary. Everyone leaves on break in a different way. Some take the bus, some take the train, some fly, and others drive. Regardless of your mode of transportation, you should keep track of your time. If you are driving off try not to get on the road late and if you’re leaving with someone, do not keep them waiting. When it comes to trains and buses you should get to your station early and double check your times to make sure everything is on schedule. The same goes for heading to the airport, but there are a few more steps. First of all, check in online. Even if you do not have the time to print your ticket at that exact time, checking in gets you a better boarding number. Aside from this you should also remember to wear comfortable travel clothing. This includes shoes you can easily slip off when passing through the security line and really anything that you can be comfortable in for hours on end. As someone who has spent over 9 hours in an airport you can trust me on that.

3. Check List. Yes, you probably are sick of hearing my obsession with lists, but I promise this is a must for every traveler. The night before make a list of the last minute things that you need to pack away. These include your phone charger, toothbrush, and wallet. Anything you use last minute should be on that list. If you live in the dorms you should double check to make sure you have emptied your trash, turned off unnecessary electronics, properly fixed your blinds, and you have locked your door. Do not forget your keys. Seriously.

I sincerely hope these little tips have helped you all. Most importantly remember to have fun. We all need our downtime and excuse to power down our brain, even if just for a day or two. So enjoy your break and hopefully you all rest up for the second leg of the semester!

Keep Calm and Pack On

Luci Farrell is a senior from New Haven, CT. She is an Organizational Communication major with a minor in Anthropology. Luci is a Resident Peer Minister on campus and chair of the Honors Program Advisory Council at Saint Xavier University.