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Spring break is almost here! Whether you’re planning on traveling to a fantastic tropical destination or hitting the slopes with your friends, some much-needed R&R and a break from studying can’t come soon enough! Before you jump on a plane, however, there are some basic steps you need to take to make sure you’ve properly planned for your vacay. Check out our tips!
1. Make sure you have all the documents you need.
In your excitement, it can be easy to forget that there are logistical steps you need to take before spring break can commence. If you’re traveling outside of the United States, for instance, it’s necessary to have your passport up to date and valid for six months after your return to the USA.
In addition, some resorts require a fair amount of paperwork to be completed before check-in. Make sure that you’ve thoroughly read every e-mail from your resort or travel company to ensure you’re fully prepared for your trip!
2. Make a packing list.
If you’re anything like us, the chances of you forgetting something crucial for your trip are pretty high if you don’t take stock of what you have and what you need. Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking tool that can help. You can download the special-edition travel notebook for OneNote here and use it to make lists and check things off as you pack them. OneNote will also let you scan your ID or passport in case you lose it, and it can be used to keep track of your hotel information and happy hours as well. You can use it on your smartphone, tablet or laptop, so all of your lists are accessible virtually anywhere!
3. Research the local area before you go.
Do your research and look up great restaurants, bars and other attractions in the area you’re traveling to. Instead of relying on the concierge at your hotel, or even worse, wandering around aimlessly, having a plan for your nights out is the best (and safest!) way to go. Since you’ve already put your packing list in OneNote, you can also put your restaurant picks in there, too! The “Send to OneNote” tool lets you clip and save information from the web, so as you make reservations, you can clip screenshots and send web pages or entire documents directly to sections of your notebook, no printer needed!
4. Double-check the weather at your destination.
This may seem kind of obvious, but make sure you know what the weather is going to be like the week that you go on spring break. Just because Vail has snow doesn’t mean it’s not going to rain! Even if you go to a warmer location, like Florida or California, the temperatures will still drop at night, so packing a light jacket or a pair of jeans will go a long way when you’re walking around after the sun goes down.
5. Plan a buddy system.
We get it; you’re not in middle school anymore. You may think that you don’t need to be attached at the hip to one of your friends while you’re on vacation, but keeping tabs on your friends is always the safest way to travel. Handcuffs aren’t necessary, but pairing up with one other person when you’re out at night can keep both of you safer and provide the other with a built-in wing-woman!
Have an amazing spring break, collegiettes!