There’s a great many things to do and places to see in this world of ours.  As humans, our lives are pretty short (and if you party like I do, it’s probably going to be even shorter).  So we have to prioritize!  We have brains for a reason and that reason is…reasoning (well, at least some of us use them for that purpose: see comment about partying above).  Let me be your voice of reason as I show you all the things you should be doing right here, right now.

Let’s look at the facts – our economy is bad, everyone is cutting back, no one has money (maybe that’s just me), and even the weather is bad.   If there was ever a time that vacations were needed, it’s now.  Whatever happened to the glory days of the traditional random college backpacking trip or the “I need to find myself” adventure to who-knows-where?  Well, go find yourself!  Actually, I already found you – you’re in Japan. And you’re having the time of your life.

Here’s just a few of the reasons why you should go to Japan:

Hot Guys – Scoff if you must, but Japanese guys are very good looking.  High cheekbones, sweet lips, fabulous hair, impeccable style, etc.  They also tend to be edgy (underground music scene and such) and they know how to party (think long nights stomping around the different bars, clubs, and karaoke rooms of Tokyo).  But they’re not all play – these guys know how to put their pretty noses to the grindstone and they come out all sexy and intelligent on the other end (having a job doesn’t hurt, either).

Fashion – If you want new fashion and edgy style, then Tokyo is your city.  They are unafraid to try new things and you’ll see some things walking around that you’d never have thought of…until you saw it next year on a runway in Milan.  Luckily, most of the cool stuff is pretty cheap because they love a good deal in Japan.  Find your way to Harajuku or Shibuya (both parts of Tokyo) and you’ll come out with bags upon bags of happy.  Just expect some serious stares when you get back to the US. Read More »

There are a few normal things to do after you graduate:

1. Get a job.
2. Go to grad school.
3. Live at home and freak out about the future.

I don’t know about you, but none of these options sound very appealing to me. I prefer an option that is a bit outside the norm: travel.

That’s right. If you’re graduating, I’m here to convince you to put off getting a job and spend at least three weeks (and preferably more) in a new place or country. I went to India for five weeks right after I finished my post-grad fellowship, and it was one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever taken.

There are always reasons not to travel. It costs too much. It’s impossible to get that much time off. Your best friend won’t go with you. But those aren’t good reasons, and there are definitely ways around them all. If major post-grad travel is cost-prohibitive for you, consider doing a volunteer program in another country that will cover the costs of your airfare and lodging (surprisingly common).

If you already work a job and don’t have high hopes for getting time off, sit down and have an honest talk with your supervisor. If you seriously want to travel, your enthusiasm will come through, and as long as your supervisor isn’t a jerk, he or she should be willing to work with you to figure out how you can do it. Read More »

Let’s face it: we all make stupid decisions. Like choosing a fifth over a review session, or bringing that guy home…who stole our iPod in the morning. That’s part of college life… and a big part of what makes it so memorable. But there are some choices that have longer lasting repercussions; things we do now that will haunt us later. Coed Magazine covered the 10 things guys will regret when they’re 40 and it got us thinking. They hit on a lot of biggies, but there are some things that we ladies have to worry about that weren’t included.

So here are the 11 things from your 20’s you will most definitely regret when you’re 40. Read More »

Trying to plan a spring break trip to Europe that won’t leave you broke? Good luck; those things are expensive! When you add up airfare, hotels, daily transportation, meals and alcohol, you could be spending close to $1500!

What’s a girl to do?

A few years ago, I backpacked through Greece with a close friend. We spent eight days traveling throughout the country, taking ferries, visiting the islands, lounging on the beach and shopping. It was a fabulous vacation and we both managed to spend under $1000! How did we save so much money? We didn’t eat huge meals, took transportation during off-peak hours and stayed in hostels.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: hostels are gross! And to tell you the truth, they are. But, if you’re traveling in Europe and want to save a few bucks, you’re going to have to stay in them. Keeping that in mind, here are a few tips for hostel survival and general vacation budgeting from someone who’s been there:

1) Never travel alone- It’s always best to have a buddy with you, especially if you’re staying in large communal rooms. Although I traveled with a girl friend, having a boy around definitely couldn’t hurt. Read More »

Sometimes I indulge in this fantasy where I drop every responsibility I have (damn you, student loans!) and run away to a foreign land.

Then my dreams are dashed when I realize that I do, in fact, have responsibilities that need to be attended to…and even if I didn’t, I don’t have thousands to throw away on a trip around the world. So, what is this 20-something to do? Well, realistically…I go on Facebook and check out the pictures my friends took back in 2005 when they went abroad.

Then I stumbled on an application that looked a bit curious…Trip Up CouchSwap!

It’s perfect! It merges reality and fantasy and wraps them up into one attainable goal for us travel-loving college kids. Poor college kids sleeping on other poor college kid’s couches…for cheap (or free)? Sounds like a typical Saturday! What more could we need?

I’ll tell you: CouchSurfing.com

Here the idea branches out even further into it’s own little social network where people around the world document and rate the travel accommodation they’ve received by traveling backpacker-style.

Now, I’m the first to admit to a little too much trust in my fellow man (or woman, whatever) and the idea of getting murdered while taking a nap on some person’s futon doesn’t really cross my mind…while you may be thinking there’s no way you’ll ever allow some random to take you in. Well, I’m officially calling you out. Read More »