Surviving spring break

Spring break is here and no one is more excited than students with plans to travel and enjoy the week away from school and work. No matter where those over spring break decide to travel, there are certain things to keep in mind when packing. 

When it comes to packing, it is extremely easy to over-pack, though it is also easy to forget a single important item. With that in mind, it is best to be prepared for all weather and all instances when packing, especially over spring break. With the varying weather of not only Kansas and the Midwest but also the entire country it is important to pack warm clothes even if your destination is warm and pack cooler clothes even if travelling to somewhere cold. 

This spring break, remember to pack these few specific items and follow these few items of advice: 

1. Always pack one sweatshirt, even if you don’t see yourself wearing it. Sweatshirts are nice for lounging in the hotel or for those unexpectedly chilly mornings. Even if travelling to a southern beach, remember mornings and evenings will often get rather chilly, especially with the spray from the ocean/sea/gulf. 

1. Pack at least one pair of long pants—this is primarily for those traveling to warm locations—either jeans, leggings, joggers, or sweat pants. Packing a pair of comfortable pants like leggings, joggers, or sweat pants are great for lounging in the hotel for any time of day, but also if paired right, such as with a crop top, it can become part of the making of a cute day outfit. On the other hand, packing one pair of jeans is sure to fair well, such as for a day that is somehow both warm and chilly; simply pair the jeans with a short sleeve shirt or tank top. 

1. Pack one pair of shorts, preferably comfortable walking or lounge shorts—this is more for those who travel to cooler areas. An example of this would entail breathable running shorts or lightweight cotton shorts. These work great as sleep shorts as well as any time you did not foresee needing something cooler than long pants. 

1. Always pack an extra of essential items, such as underwear and socks. No one wants to have to potentially wear dirty underwear or socks, and with that in mind you want to be prepared if something happens and you either have to stay on your trip longer than expected or an incident occurs. Also, packing an extra pair of underwear and socks will not take up much space in your luggage. 

1. To cut back on the amount of clothing items packed, wear the same outfit for both travelling to your destination and travelling back. This cuts back on stress and opens up space in your luggage. 

1. For women, cut back on the amount of bras your pack because these often can take up unnecessary space. A piece of advice for this is to wear one while travelling and pack one extra, as this should be all you need. 

1. Often, many travellers (namely girls) like to wear a completely different outfit each day, which is completely fine, but that entails having to pick out each outfit before leaving so as to pack all the items. With that in mind, having a different outfit for each day is doable, but try to at least limit the amount of pants packed by packing only two or three pair of pants and re-wear about two of them. The same goes with shirts; packing one for each day is fine, though if you need to save room follow the same advice given about pants. Oftentimes, if you do end up needing to stay an extra day on your trip, at least one of your shirts and pair of pants should be clean enough. 

By following these seven tips for your seven-day spring break—or for any of your future trips—this will greatly de-stress the packing process and ensure you have all you need while away from your home. Take this week as a time to enjoy friends and new adventures, don’t letting the stress of packing keep you from that fun!