Top Summer Hikes

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The weather has been just right in some of our favorite places in the U.S. making it the perfect time to "take a hike"! We really enjoy being outdoors (allergies and all!) and there is just something so liberating and freeing about climbing and walking some of the coolest trails. After all, we are not IN nature; we ARE nature! It's important to have moments of meditation and tranquility in addition to challenging yourself physically and hiking does just that. With all that being said, we started to ponder where some of the cool places to hike are and we jotted down some suggestions of cities and trails from TSS Reader and Alpha Chi Omega alumnae, Alyssa Conti, in conjunction with our faves. We then created  a list to share with you. Find our must-try places and/or cities to hike for the summer below and let us know which ones we are missing by leaving a comment below!

1. Twin Peaks in North Bend, WA
2. Grand Canyon in Arizona
3. Cascade Falls in Lake Tahoe
4. Waipio Valley, Hawaii
5. Rocky Mountain, Colorado
6. Durango, Colorado
7. Bryce Canyon, Utah 
8. Zion Canyon in Utah
9. Nounou Trail in Hawaii
10. Glacier National Park
11. Boulder Trail in Payson, AZ
12. Coal Creek Trail in Washington
13. Franklin Falls Trail in Washington

Things To Remember When Meeting the Parents For the First Time

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1. Dress appropriately. Here's a cute outfit we would wear!

2. Be respectful, but friendly.

3. Don't make yourself feel at home.

4. Don't wear too much make up.

5. Show how much you care about him.

6. Ask them questions; get to know them.

7. Sell yourself, but don't overpower conversations making it all about you.

8. Act interested (even if you're not).

9. Be confident.

10. Show your manners by thanking them for their hospitality!

Good luck!

Summer Travel Tips Every Traveler Should Read

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According to the U.S. Travel Association, there was $645 billion spent on leisure travel in 2014. Much of that is spent during the summer, when people take trips to visit family, explore new destinations, and hit the beach. Any time of the year there can be challenges when traveling, but especially in the summer, when the weather poses different types of things to consider. The good news is there are plenty of ways to help ensure travel this summer is safe and healthy for everyone involved.

“The first thing people think of when they are going to do some summer travel is having fun,” explains Tina Aldatz, chief executive officer of SAVVY TRAVELER. “But what they should put at the top of their list is staying safe and healthy. That’s the only way to actually be able to enjoy the trip to begin with.”

Here are some summer travel tips to keep in mind when planning a trip as shared by SAVVY TRAVELER over the next few months:

• Be a minimalist. Forget packing everything and anything you can, which will weigh you down and drag on your mind. This year, aim to be a minimalist by packing the least amount of items you can, while still making sure you have the essentials for your vacation. You will appreciate the benefits that come with being a minimalist when traveling.
• Get physical. It’s important to maintain an exercise routine of some sorts even while on vacation. This is a great time to mix up your usual workout by adding in some swimming, hiking, kayaking, or other traditional summer recreational opportunities.
• Keep hydrated. Summer months mean that it’s warmer across the country, so be sure to stay hydrated. This will help your body fight off any illnesses and keep you feeling better.
• Dress accordingly. Plan ahead to see what the weather is like where you are headed to, so you can include the appropriate clothing. Don’t overdress if it’s going to be warm, which can lead to becoming overheated during the summer months.
• Sanitize. Traveling exposes people to numerous germs that could lead them to become sick. One of the most effective ways to fight back against this is to sanitize using wipes for the hands, body and surfaces around you. SAVVY TRAVELER has made a line of eco-friendly convenient wipes, including sanitizing ones, designed for the health conscious traveler.
• Relax, too. Getting relaxation in while on your vacation is good for your health. It will clear your mind, and leave you refreshed and ready to take on the world when you get back home.

Staying healthy and taking the time to be aware of your surroundings can go a long way when traveling so we hope that you can take in all of this awesome summer travel advice!

Scavenger Hunts Made Easy With Eventzee

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Whether you're planning a fun sisterhood, 21st birthday, or bachelorette party, we've come across the best app to help you have a scavenger hunt worth participating in! The app is called Eventzee and it allows you to follow clues, snap photos, and keep track of your scavenger hunt status all through the app. TSS reader, Keley, shared that "When it was time to go to the next place, you can send a message to the group. And you can assign judges. It was fun!"  Not only can you host a private scavenger hunt, but you can also participate in worldwide scavenger hunts by submitting your photos. We really love that you can relive the moments of the scavenger hunt in a special photo gallery too. Best of all, the app is free! Download it here and gather your friends for some fun!

The Airfare Secret

 

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Traveling can be super expensive, especially over the summer. We have been crying over the hefty airfare prices we have come across and have been seconds away from begging a friend of a friend of a friend for a buddy pass (yeah, we know--desperate!). But, then we got put up on quite possibly the most genius site ever (well, besides ours).

Skiplagged is an airline fare loop hole. The model is designed off of the idea that it's often times cheaper to buy a flight with more stops. Here is how they explain it!

Skiplagged is the only airfare search engine to not only find tickets where your destination is the final stop, but also any stop leading up to some other destination.

Why the latter? As part of the pricing model of many airlines, they would sometimes charge less for tickets where your destination is a layover rather than the final destination. This is price discrimination that has to do with being competitive in the industry. At the end of the day, what you would be doing here is purchasing more of a service than you need for less. There are some caveats though:

(1) no checked bags because they'll end up at the final destination [carry-ons are okay]
(2) must book two one-ways for round-trips
(3) shouldn't associate with frequent flyer programs
(4) there is risk of airlines removing your actual destination from your itinerary during times of irregular activity such as really bad weather
(5) you may be violating the contract of carriage for some airlines. Keep in mind that as the consumer, you have all rights to partially use the services you are paying for, so these trips are completely legal.

The savings are sometimes substantial (e.g. 80%), but it's up to you to decide whether they're worth it.

In addition to providing this transparent service, Skiplagged provides features like:
(1) seeing the cheapest destinations for almost any combination of departing airports and dates
(2) showing the prices of tickets for dates near your searched date(s)
(3) monitoring how the price for any search fluctuates every hour
(4) receiving alerts when the price of a search is near your reservation price

All of this is completely free and always will be. Some of the features may only be available on our desktop website right now, so for the full experience, check out skiplagged.com.

You can also download it here for the Android or here for iTunes.

College Bucket List

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Be it that we have lived through college, we definitely have a pretty seasoned College Bucket List to share with our fellow college readers. Whether you're embarking on your college journey soon or midday into it, check these College Bucket List items off of your list:

1. Join a sorority (I mean, that's obvi, right?!)
2. Live in college housing
3. If you're a sorority girl, live in your chapter house
4. Take a college credit dance class
5. Do Race For the Cure with your friends/sisters
6. Attend Spring Break in Viva la Mexico!
7. Go to at least one college football game
8. Sit in the student section
9. Pull an "all-nighter"
10. Go to a frat party
11. Compete in a dance off
12. Eat Chick-fil-a like every single day (partially kidding)!
13. Attend at least two campus events
14. Have a Power Hour
15. Go to a date dash (with or without a date)
16. Decorate your grad cap (after all, you did earn your degree so show your accomplishments off)!

What does your College Bucket List look like? Share with us in the comments below some things you hope to achieve while in college?

4 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Live With Your New Boyfriend

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We know that many of you have embarked in new relationships and as we get older, having a boyfriend seems more serious to us. But, don't confuse your perception of serious with the idea that you have to make serious, life-changing decisions early on. One question posed in a lot of relationships is "Should we live together?". We do caution living with a brand new person you've just barely started a relationship with for four (4) reasons:

1. You will sacrifice solitude. Living with your new boyfriend means adopting a roommate. This means, no more privacy. You have to ask yourself if you're ready to share the same space with another person and sacrifice moments of peace and quiet.
2. You might feel trapped. Signing a lease puts you in a legal bind for a set amount of time. What if things don't work out in your new relationship? Then, you run the risk of living in misery since you're tied to a lease. Even if you found a way out, the headache in finding someone to take over your lease is enough to not sign one in the first place.
3. You will be playing house. Are you ready to potentially cook, clean, do your boyfriend's laundry, fold their clothes, and do every other thing that a wife might do for their husband? Expectations and standards may be set too high for you to handle.
4. You may lose sight of working on the relationship. Moving in together is often times perceived as a huge step in a relationship. A lot of the time it implies that the next step is marriage. Along the way, it isn't uncommon to get so comfortable living together that effective communication gets lost and there is no progression in the relationship. You run the risk of signals getting crossed, complacency, stagnancy, or lack of interest overall in the relationship. 

Of course, not all living situations are the same and ultimately it is your decision how you want to move forward in your relationship and your living situation. Overall, it's all about being smart about your choices and weighing the pros and cons. "Am I just trying to save money?" "Am I ready to live with someone of the opposite sex?" "What am I trying to gain from living together?" These are some questions to ask yourself as you evaluate whether it's for you.