Turn off your TiVo and take a day to see your home in a new way.

You don’t have to go abroad to skydive. From Milwaukee to Kansas City and beyond,

http://www.skydiveorange.com/tandem4-300-400.jpg

companies offer skydiving excursions to see your city from a new level. Lightening your wallet around $200 a pop, tandem jumps in the good old US of A are a lot cheaper than the dive I took in the Swiss Alps.

Not just for Spring Break any more – try zip lining near you. Enjoy the outdoors while experiencing an adrenaline rush. This adventurous option has chances for you to participate in states like Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio – which is, in fact, the Midwest’s largest. Set aside around $75.

If you’re looking to save some time or even more money – or you just have a free afternoon on a rainy day – Google your local indoor rock climbing location, round up some friends for a round of bowling, find out if a local business offers horseback riding lessons, or even pick up some funny postcards from your hometown. I know my parents find it both funny and thoughtful when they get a corn-covered card from Iowa. It’s all about the Fields of Opportunity, baby.

And one way to keep the vacation going after getting home is photography. (There’s a reason no one makes photo albums of everyday events.)

To make the best of your snapshots, follow these three simple tips:

1.)  Make your pictures pop. Follow the rule of thirds – make the subject of your picture one third or two thirds of your picture — and put them right on the gridlines (see below). Or for a landscape, fill the photo with two thirds of the land you’re admiring.

Rule of Thirds Grid

2.)     Balance people pictures with those landscapes. If you look back on photos, you won’t necessarily remember what that pretty church is, but pictures of people make the best keepsakes.

Friends and I in Cinque Terre, Italy -- smiling with the beautiful background

3.)    Keep them forever – in a photobook. Save 20% on a Shutterfly photo book until April 14, 2010. (Promo code: APRIL20)
 Or head to Snapfish and get $10 off purchases of $30 or more. (http://birthday.snapfish.com/)

I hope these three simple tips can keep your pictures pretty and your memories preserved for years to come.

Do you have any tips to share?

And one of the most meaningful parts of life is travel.

So why travel? Why create experiences beyond the bounds of home?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

–Mark Twain

Find a tower to climb - survey an unfamiliar landscape.

Go to a local carnivale - enjoy unfamiliar cultural traditions.

And at the end of our lives, those experiences that enriched it are what we will reflect on – not how much money we made, how many houses we called home, how many shoes sat in our closet.

So what makes travel so meaningful?

Anna Bitman in Pomona’s The Student Life says it right:

“While traveling, the mundane aspects of everyday life become more noticeable—usually because they are different, but sometimes because they are curious or even alarming. Traveling gives you a new appreciation for the details of life at home that you usually take for granted…People view you in ways you never quite expect, and when you leave, you never return as quite the same person. Sure, the trip exposes you to new sights, but it will also lead to insights into yourself and the world around you.”

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and celebrate the journey.”

– Fitzhugh Mullan

http://nickpark.com/image/Australia/perth/perth_australia_map.jpg

When she returns to the United States, she will be a senior at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. But until then, she’s enjoying her adventures.

Take a look at her amazing photos and the stories that go along with them.

This is Fiji, on an island called Beachcomber.

“It was paradise! We took a boat there for day, and spent the day on the beach swimming in the clearest water I have ever seen. The waves played with us and the heat was unreal! You couldn’t stay in the sun for more than a half our without leaving to go get water to drink. We went snorkling there and met people from all over the world. You could stay the night there but we only paid for the day. In the middle of the island, there was a hut with loads of beds under one roof in one room. They gave us a buffet lunch, which was delicious, and provided us with the most beautiful scenery.

Karijini, in this picture, is in the bush of Australia.

We went there on our outback trip and hiked to this spot. It was a waterfall that I’m sitting over — just a gorgeous place. You could drink the running water from the fall, and the water was warm. We swam there and climbed the waterfall, and we would just sit there and let the water fall down our back and face. It rained, so we actually got stuck there because it was too hot to go back to our camp, so we slept on the rocks in the afternoon and waited to go back. We swam there the morning we left to go home. It was sad to leave!

This is the Ice Bar in Sydney, Australia.

It wasn’t all we expected it to be, but it was quite an experience. We put on these big coats that smelled horrible and Ugg boots that no one should put on unless they are wearing socks…I had flats on that I could slip in the boots. The bar was filled with sculptures: a car, chandelier, and i don’t remember the other thing . It was under construction, so there wasn’t much that was finished. We got in for $20 and got a free drink along with that. Drinks are $15 inside, so none of us purchased another drink. You can only stay in the ice bar for 30 minutes because it is obviously freezing, so after about 20 i was finished and left early … It just got a bit too cold.”

The interaction went like this:

Me: “Is this a line, or is that [points to other line] just the line?”
Miley: “I don’t know.”

Hollywood's Walk of Fame -- Where Miley Will Never Be.

Wow.

Another question: Is Miley really a celebrity? Or just someone famous with a catchy song, famous dad, and kind of strange speaking voice?

Either way, LA is glorious.

With new baggage restrictions and luggage fees heftier than the suitcases themselves, packing light is essential. Check out these tips inspired by onebag.com. And make that bag a carry-on.

Take a vacation from luggage stress.

Why?

Security: If you’re with your luggage at all times, it can’t get lost, and it’s much more likely not to get broken.

Price: Cut tons off your total bill by forgoing the luggage fees. (Air Tran makes you pay $15 for a suitcase. For Delta, it’s $23.)

Flexibility: Flight changes, delays, and complications are just made more complicated when your suitcase is aboard the plane that just took off – without you.

How?

Match: Select items of clothing that can be used in different ways. This weekend, I’m bringing a burgundy v-neck with jeans, but I also brought shorts that complemented it and a cardigan to dress it all up.

Re-purpose: Wrap delicate items in socks and cushion precarious toiletries in plastic bags between softer items of clothing.

Experiment: Try sample sizes of toiletry items. Those are never over 3 ounces.

Lastly, get yourself a suitcase like this one. Light, durable, and easily stowed under an airplane seat, a piece of luggage like this has traveled with me all over Europe and is currently packed up with five days’ worth of clothes to head to Georgia for three.

Done right, packing light can leave lots of options.

Light done right.

This week, I am featuring Lisa Myers. She is a Drake University sophomore spending her spring semester in Spain.

http://www.holiday-villa-spain.co.uk/images/map.jpg

“I am studying in Alicante, Spain.  With my program, we get to take a lot of trips to various places around Spain. This picture was taken in Granada, inside of a center where there used to be plays. I’ve had so much fun with my new friends exploring a new country!

In Barcelona, we visited a park that had a lot of awesome sculptures. It also had the longest bench in the world! It was made of tons of different colored broken tiles pieced together to make a bright and colorful mosaic. It overlooked the city and was a lot of fun to sit on. I wished I could have had all of my Alpha Phi sisters sitting there too!

My friends and I scraped together some money and got tickets to a Barcelona soccer game! It was so much fun, and the best 30 Euros I’ve spent yet. The energy in the stadium was incredible, and the fans were great. Fans in the United States at a baseball game, for example, will “boo” if something bad happens. Here, when the other team scored a goal, the crowd gave Barcelona an encouraging applause.  It was great. And of course, Barcelona won!

I definitely made a good choice when taking a wine and gastronomy class, because we got to take a free tapas course! I don’t

know why anyone trusted me with such a big knife, but I got to help prepare one of the tapas, which happened to be a tuna spread. I don’t normally like tuna, but it was delicious.”

Follow Lisa’s adventures on her blog, too.

As if you don’t have enough projects, planning and stressing to do.

Turn that vacation anxiety into excitement – -seriously, it’s spring break — and find the best way to utilize those nine days off.
Even if you have to stay in the snowy Midwest.

Your Destination?

Friends’ Colleges
With varying spring breaks, odds are you have a friend from home that’ll still be at school when your spring break freedom finally arrives.

Not that kind of greyhound...

If you don’t have a car, try the Greyhound – they offer 20% student discounts. (Ex: Chicago to Minneapolis would only lighten your wallet about $22 with discount.)
Amtrak offers limited stops but student discounts as well.

Out of State
Try Student Universe. Name says it all.
Also, STA Travel plays nice with students, offering travel help and decent fares. Both in the country and…

Out of the Country
This is definitely your most expensive option, but maybe your most exciting. Try EF College Break. They’ll plan your trip and arrange your lodging, guide and more — for an often-reasonable price.
And if you’re already in Europe, I can’t say enough about Bus2Alps‘ trips, especially Prague and Interlaken.
See above and try STA Travel, too.
As with most travel, looking at your options will find you the best price.

No Matter Where You Go…
Think about an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) – tons of American students had them abroad, but guess what: they’re just as useful in the USA.
Amtrak gives 15% off the lowest available fare, museums offer ISIC specials, and even Six Flags gives adults kids’ prices– if you’re lucky enough to be somewhere warm. There are hundreds of deals on the website.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, here are some tips to make a long distance relationship work –
or at least make it fun for now:

1.) Road Trippin’: People across the pond make weekend trips to other countries. Why not over here? Find a friend that wants to go where you’re going – no matter how far. Split the driving time and quit your excuses – just bring some homework to do along the way.

2.) Meet Me Halfway: Cut that distance in half and meet in between for a fun weekend just the two of you. If you’re with the right person, even a tiny Midwestern city can be an adventure.

3.) Leaving on a Jetplane: In case you didn’t realize it, lots of fares are down right now. Check out sites like priceline.com for domestic flights or skyscanner for international travels. Don’t book right away through those websites, but instead check the individual airline that’s cheapest to make sure it’s really the least expensive option. For example, book directly through Delta.com if Delta’s cheapest. Customer service is much easier and, really, it just feels more secure.
Book far in advance to secure low rates.

Better yet – accept the free travel vouchers offered on overbooked flights. Maybe it’ll cut your trip a few hours short, but a free trip next time will be worth it.

If you can’t make it there physically, send your love in a package of mementos that only you two understand, an envelope of funny pictures, or a cookie bouquet. (Technology creates tons of options, too, but we already know that.)

Add your own tips in the comments. And remember – long distance relationships might not always work, so make sure to have fun in the process!

Check back on Fridays for more informational posts.
Like how not to get tricked into travel plans. Or how to travel from your couch.

This Monday, I’ll start with Kelsie Sherman.
She’s a Drake University junior studying this year in Galway, Ireland. Yes, that’s right — all year.

“Studying abroad has been simply the most exhilarating time of my life.
The experience was so unbelievable that I had to extend my term abroad to a full academic year.

In the photo, I’m paddling off a fall on the River Bunduff
in County Donegal, Ireland. At the beginning of the semester, I joined
the National University’s of Ireland, Galway’s Kayak Club. After
learning skills every week, the club took a massive amount of people
on a kayak trip where we paddled a river and that waterfall. These
kayakers have become my good friends out here in Galway and are a huge
part or why I wanted to return so badly.

One of my favorite moments in Ireland so far was one of my first
nights being back for my second semester. I went to meet my Irish
friends at the usual pub where we knew the bartenders. I walked in and
up to the bar. The barman said, “Aw, she’s back. A Guinness then?”
That made me ridiculously excited. After getting my pint, I sat with
my friends where they all said “Welcome home!” It’s an extraordinary
feeling knowing that I have a home across seas, several thousands of
miles away from where I’ve always been.

The other photo is my favorite spot in Galway. There’s a row of
different colored houses right where the river enters the Galway Bay.
I can sit on the walls and let my feet dangle over the moving water.
The air is salty and brisk. There are people jogging, reading and
eating. It’s a colorful scene.”

Read more in Kelsie’s blog. I would definitely recommend it.