Category Archives: Lifestyle

A Fall Fest Fun for All!

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Cooler weather has arrived just in time for fall festivities. Oktoberfest, the first of the fall celebrations, is coming up in De Kalb, Texas. There will be activities galore and fun for all ages, so bring your family and prepare to have fun!

Saturday in the park kicked off the official festivities last Saturday September 29, 2018. Activities started at a fast pace as the Pumpkin Run 2018 registration opened at 6:45 am. Nearly all the runners completed the run, with nearly 150 participating this year. The co-ed softball tournament had an even greater turn out than the run with teams competing throughout the day. Aside from the competitions, other fun games included reality foosball, kick dart, gaga ball, nine square, and more were available from 9 am to 5 pm.

Some attendees were more interested in exercise of the mouth than a physical work outs. There was a doughnut eating contest, hotdog eating contest, and pie eating contest to win the De Kalb title of the year. For those who managed to pass by all of that without a full stomach a $5.00 supper was offered of all-you-can-eat chili. The chili was even homemade and provided by De Kalb area citizens.

The evening ended perfectly with a free concert and dance in the park featuring Deryl Dodd at 7 pm. Local entertainers set the stage for Dodd. Sweethearts and love seekers alike started cuffing season right by dancing the night away. The Trad ‘N Post provided a photo booth for friends and family to save their memories with.

Over all Saturday’s activities were a blast, but the real fun begins this Saturday, October 6th. If you missed the chance to play reality foosball, nine square, gaga ball, or kick darts they’ll all be back with a bang. Face-painting, pumpkin decorating, and an amusement carnival for the kids will be open all day as well. A number of drawings will happen throughout the day for all sorts of goodies.

Live performances will include a magic show and an SNL show put on by the De Kalb class of 2020. There’s even rumor that the city will surprise attendants with a returning street dance. And of course, if you’re needing a break from all the excitement Front Street Junction Grill & Cafe will be open all day to serve you any number of delicious meals.

All proceeds from Oktoberfest activities go towards supporting a number of non-profits in the De Kalb area, as well as others in the west-end of Bowie County. No matter your age, Oktoberfest will be a fun, family friendly option for anyone looking for a great fall day. You will not regret making your way to the tiny town of De Kalb to celebrate fall.

Store to Door Delivery Comes to TAMUT & TXK

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How many times have you been cramming for a test or not feeling your best, and wished groceries, medicine, or any everyday essential could be at your front door? Thanks to Instacart, this luxury is now a reality for the citizens of Texarkana and residents of TAMUT by the start of October.

In less than an hour, your items will be handpicked and delivered from reputable local stores like Albertson’s, Super 1 Foods, and CVS. To open an account, go to or use the Instacart app, select your city, store, and items then choose a delivery window within one hour up to five days. An Instacart shopper receives your information via the app, shops, and delivers the items at your convenience.

There is a delivery fee of $5.99 for orders of $35 or more, but if one signs up for the Instacart Express membership one can get unlimited, free, same-day deliveries for the monthly membership charge of $14.99 a month or $149 annually. Enter the code: HITEXAKANA (01/31/19 expiration) at checkout and get $20 off an order of $35 or more and the first delivery is on Instacart.

In addition to the convenience of store to door deliveries, Instacart plans to employ more than 100 local shoppers. Instacart General Manager David Holyoak says, the Austin-based firm’s website, “we can offer fun flexible income earning opportunities for our shoppers, who ultimately deliver this amazing service to the community.”

To set up an account, search for Instacart on your Google or Apple Play store or check out the Instacart FAQ page.

Natural Hair 101

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Photo Credit: AyeCiara

Natural hair is a beautiful thing. Without the right tools, it can be a frustrating, yet beautiful thing. Regardless of the frustration, natural hair does not require much for healthier lengths. With minimal work, it is quite simple. Minimal work does not mean neglecting your hair. It means the right strategies that work for your hair. Your hair needs your cooperation, not your help for healthier lengths.The following steps will help you personalize a successful hair care routine and surpass the stumbling blocks for healthier long locks.

Moisturize your hair daily

Photo Credit: Naptural85

Just as your body needs moisture, your hair needs moisture. Water is the moisturizing agent for natural hair. Without moisture, the hair dries, brittles, and results in breakage, single-stranded knots, or split-ends. Spritz your hair with a water bottle regularly. Lock in the moisture with water-based products (creams, leave-in conditioners, oils) for daily use. Water-based products should list water as the first ingredient. Based on your hair’s porosity, use the LCO (liquid, cream, oil) or LOC (liquid, oil, cream) method. Use the LCO method if you are low-porosity. Use the LOC method if you are high-porosity. If you do not know your hair porosity take a porosity test. Porosity is your hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. To determine your hair’s porosity, you will need a hair strand and a cup of water. Find a loose hair strand and place it in a cup of water. If the hair soaks, it is high-porosity. If it floats, it is low-porosity. High porosity hair quickly absorbs moisture. Low porosity hair slowly absorbs moisture. The moisturizing process becomes easier after your hair porosity results.

Deep condition your hair weekly

Photo Credit: ivycharlaine

Deep conditioners add extra moisture than regular moisturizers. You will need a hooded dryer, steamer, heating cap, plastic cap, or a plastic grocery bag with a warm towel. Heat is not the enemy. It is an essential tool for a successful deep conditioning routine. Heat opens your hair’s cuticle layers to receive the moisture your hair needs. Without heat, your hair cannot get the proper moisture you need, especially if you are low-porosity. Regular moisture will not retain moisture if you do not properly deep condition with heat. Depending how dry your hair is, deep condition for 20 minutes to an hour.  Your hair becomes softer and more manageable.

Wash your hair on a regular basis

Photo Credit: Jewellianna Palencia

Remove product build-up with a sulfate-free shampoo. It will not dry or strip the hair as rumored. Shampoos clarify and cleanse the scalp, but do not condition it. Co-wash cleansers do not equal a shampoo. They do not remove product build-up as a shampoo. After a few days, your scalp becomes itchy and dirty, resulting in hair loss. Of course, your hair is moisturized, but is still dirty from product build-up. Product build-up keeps the hair from retaining moisture. Regular shampooing keeps the hair moisturized, yet clean. Clarifying shampoos are available at Sallys, Target, Wal-Mart, and beauty supply stores. If a clarifying shampoo becomes too drying, use a moisturizing shampoo for a clean scalp instead. A clean scalp is a healthy scalp.

Trim your ends regularly

Photo Credit: Craving Curly Kinks

Length does not mean healthy hair. Do not be afraid to trim your ends. Health should be the primary focus of your hair. Your hair will still grow over time. Split-ends, see through ends, or single-strand knots should be cut immediately. Avoiding them will split the hair strand towards the top. Straighten the hair after a shampoo wash, deep conditioner, and a blow dry. Cut your ends evenly with a sharp pair of scissors. Even cuts prevents unevened layers unless you desire the layered look. A regular trim should be every three months.

Wear protective styles

Photo Credit:
Ambrosia Malbrough

According to CurlCentric, hair grows half an inch monthly. This means your hair grows six inches per year. Protective styles retains length throughout the year. They should be worn every 5-7 days. Braids, twists, wigs, or weaves should not surpass 4 weeks. Protective styles also prevent constant touching or styling the hair. Constant combing, styling, brushing causes breakage, hairloss, and split-ends. Your ends are the oldest part of your hair and require the most attention. Tuck them away and leave your hair alone. During protective styles, you are still accountable for your hair. Braids will not give you longer hair if you neglect it. Your hair will be more prone to dryness and breakage.

Find holy grain products

Photo Credit: PowerInYourCurl

Holy grain products are stable products that work best for your hair. They provide the best results and cater to your hair’s needs. Once you’ve found them, stick with them. Do not change them, unless they stop working. Holy grain products are called that for a reason. Your hair responds extremely well without issues. Do not switch products based on millions of YouTube product reviews. Through trial and error, you will find the right product. It takes time, but not forever. Products are reviewed through daily YouTube videos. Read the comment sections and remember similar pro’s and con’s. Google and read product reviews before purchasing it. Once you purchase the product, focus on your hair’s reaction. If the hair responds well, keep it. If the hair responds bad, return it.

Research

Photo Credit: NaturallyTemi

You will not know everything about natural hair. With daily research, you will learn certain methods regarding your hair type, curl pattern, texture, and porosity. YouTube and blogs are the perfect places for learning natural hair care. They provide specific instructions for each individual’s natural hair care needs. Each individual will also learn beyond the basics. YouTuber, GreenBeauty teaches natural hair visual learners scientific facts through 3D cartoons videos and regular photos. Viewers understand better concepts behind split-ends, natural hair myths, protective styles, and proper hair care.

Choose a successful hair twin

Photo Credit: Glamtwinz

A hair twin matches your hair type, texture, and curl pattern. You can easily spot them through YouTube and social media. If you have a 4a/4b hair curl pattern, follow someone with a 4a/4b hair curl pattern. It makes your hair journey easier to understand based on their experiences. Do not take advice from someone above a 4a hair type. Their hair journey will not be relatable as the 4a/4b hair guru. Millions of natural, curly-haired gurus post YouTube videos social media hashtags. This gives you plenty of choices to follow. Keep in mind, you cannot follow everyone with the same 4a/4b hair. You might have the same 4a/4b hair curl pattern, however, you might not have the same texture, or porosity level. Plus, you will not learn proper natural hair care with too many options. It becomes frustrating and confusing. Narrow down your choices and follow your top favorite. This person should be well-experienced, especially if they have successful healthy hair. Focus more on their health, than length. Their hair did not grow healthy overnight. They experienced set backs and failures like everyone else.  Keep in mind, your hair twin are not hair gods. No need to follow everything she says. She will change routines or products often. You do not have to purchase an item every time they review a product. Stick with what you know and apply what you have learned.

Listen to your hair

Photo Credit: NickyBNatural

No one knows your hair better than you. If something goes wrong, your hair will let you know first. For example, if your hair does not respond to a product your favorite YouTube guru raved about, do not force yourself to love it. Immediately, stop using it and return it. Do not compromise your hair based on another person’s opinion. It causes unhealthy, destructible results. Another example, if your hair seems drier than usual, re-moisturize your hair. Do not stress about a scheduled routine. It’s better to respond to your hair’s needs, than a set of rules. Never ignore what your hair tells you and consider better solutions to your problems.

The Return of the 19th Century

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Begone high waist shorts, belted swim suits and strappy sandals! Summer fashion has come to an end. It is now time to prepare for the return of the 19th century. The season of boots and scarves are about to take its rightful place among us.

Courtesy of Vogue

Fall officially begun September 22, 2018 and so much is in store for the fall fashion season. The new trends to be on the lookout for this Fall 2018, are going to be a sight to see.

Starting with both Checks and Plaid, a popular trend from the 1800s until the late 1890s. Plaid is perfect for the fall and extremely versatile. Plaid and checks can be styled as casual or upscale. Designer Christian Dior has already been seen with plaids on his runway!

Fashion Designers are beginning to add more Gloss and Leather to the market. Fashion is taking it back to the 40s and 50s with this style.

Courtesy of New Leather Jacket

Styles inspired by the Late Michael Jackson, dressed in his red leather jacket with the strappy bottom, are a LOOK.

Think big – very big.  Upgrade your denim. Go loud with your colors and remember real animal clothing isn’t as comfortable unless it’s on a heel or boot. Returning to the market this fall will be Animal print. Animal print has been around since the early 1920s. Models have been captured wearing animal print while being on the runway, for The New York fashion week.

Courtesy of Yoox

Celebrities have been spotted cheetah blazer coats, dresses, and shoes from designers across the globe like Dolce&Gabbana, Caroline Charles, M&Co., ASOS, and Missguided.

Remember 80s cocktail designs? Miniskirts, bandage dresses foil and big shoulders. Saint Laurent has designed a fashionable blazer with floral print and exaggerated shoulders to die for!

Cover your head all fall with a fashionable hat. Head fashion can be seen on citizens across the world. Oversized topper have been a thing since the 70s. Imagine this, an all red outfit with red shoes and a cheetah hat. The cheetah topper was so simple that it completed your whole outfit.

You can’t step into fall without that perfect shoe. Tis the season of boots, boots, and more boots. There are slouch boots, ankle boots, knee boots, booties, over the knee boots, thigh boots, lace-up lug, combat boots, and of course cowboy boots. Boots are available in all shapes, colors and prints to go right along with the Fall fashion trend that’s coming.
Mules and slides are also important and breathable. These two can be perfect for any business casual look.

Courtesy of Highsnobiety

Who doesn’t enjoy a great pair of Sneakers? Sneakers can also be key look to your fall fashion statement, especially when matched with a cute jumpsuit, sweat suit, wind breaker or sweatshirt. I know I’ll around campus in a few sporty chills looks myself. Brands like Nike released  Nike Air Span 2 Premium “Desert Camo” on September 6thand Skepta x Air Max Deluxe on September 8th. Adidas released their new line of Yeezy with Kayne West on September 15th.

When shopping for your fall clothing this season, never forget the words of The legendary Coco Chanel “The best things in life are free. The second best are very, very expensive.”

From City to Country

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City life is known as being fast paced and high-toned. With a variety of places to go and things to do in my experience, a major metropolis is anything but boring. A common theme throughout American literature and film is the small town boy or girl dreaming of a big city life, looking for change in both culture and pace. The Journey song “Don’t Stop Believing” can be recognized in any crowd by its opening words “Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world.” There is a common theme about this desire to leave the small pond to conquer the large. To many people, especially young people, it is foreign to switch those desires.

How would one know to adjust from growing up in the fast paced city to a small town with a population smaller than his or her graduating class? From places to go and things to see to being 30 miles away from even the nearest Walmart? To many, this concept would be foreign, but I have loved the change from Houston, Texas to the small town of Avery, Texas.

Here are some simple luxuries I occasionally miss from the city: Grocery stores are everywhere, and they’re open all hours of the night. The selection of stores and items in stores offers a larger variety of foods than small town grocery stores. It’s also true what they say: the city never sleeps. No matter your schedule, there is always something open for the restless. The late night coffee shops, the 24-hour restaurants, or the parks without hours are just a few available options. Living in a large city also offers endless amounts of sights to see and history to be seen. In Houston, for instance, the museum district always has a museum opening a new exhibit. There are multiple amusement attractions also such as Kemah Boardwalk and The Aquarium and more. The main difference between the city and the country is variety of life, of food, of people and culture, of sights to see, and things to do.

The country may not offer a list of luxuries but there is something too beautiful to sum up about a simpler life. Sure, things may not be as easily accessible with so long a list of options, but it doesn’t really make a load of difference. One advantage of the sparse amount of people is the higher speed limit. Though 30 miles seems quite the trek just for groceries, you can make it in about the same amount of time it takes to get 5 miles in the city. There are fewer stop lights and people to navigate around. The city cannot compete with the beauty of nature. Cities are like concrete jungles, with a beauty of their own to be sure, but no competition when it comes to mother nature. Many things to see and so much to do even in the small towns, especially if one is able to tap into a creative mindset. Not to mention the cost of living will never empty your wallet like a city lifestyle will. The air is clearer and the folks are friendlier. Friday Night Lights are exciting between rivaling towns and the traditions are endless.

From city to country or country to city, life is a beautiful gift. There are pros and cons no matter the road you travel, though having experienced this transition myself I found myself in love with the small town atmosphere and nearly every aspect of country living. I used to tell myself I would never adapt to this small town, but here I am three years later converted forever. Life is unexpected and change can be very obtrusive when unwelcome, but time works miracles for skeptical like myself. No matter which end of this transition you find yourself experiencing, the beautiful moments of life will always find you.

College Night Life in T-Town

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It’s 7 p.m. on Friday and you wonder, “What is there to do?” You text your friends and ask them if they want to go out and they agree. It’s now 7:30 p.m. and everyone is in the car ready for a night on the town. However, you guys sit in the car contemplating, “What is there to actually do in Texarkana?” Welcome to small-town college life.

Over the past 2 years, my friends and I have unfortunately discovered that Texarkana is not a college town. With the majority of restaurants closing by 11 p.m. and the town spanning two states, options seem limited. Texarkana seems like one of those retirement towns that is unfortunately placed 1 hour away from Shreveport and approximately 3 hours from DFW. So, what can you do? Welcome to a guide for college students in Texarkana.

Food. Texarkana has a lot of options for different foods. From nationwide businesses to local delicacies, you can find anything you want if you talk to the locals. If you’re looking for restaurants close to the campus that isn’t Sonic or Domino’s, you can try Bubble Tea or Mooyah. There are many options for food both fair priced and expensive. Check out the link to see the top 10 according to Trip Advisor.

Attractions. When it comes to attractions in Texarkana, options are limited. If you’re looking for something that is fun for you and a group of friends, bowling is always a wonderful fallback. There are two bowling alleys here in Texarkana: College Bowl and Holiday Bowl. If you’re on a typical broke college student budget, I suggest College Bowl. If you aren’t really into the bowling scene, there are two trampoline parks: G-Force and iJump. Trampoline parks can be pricey though since you typically pay per hour. There is also the Fun Country Park with attractions like an arcade and go-karts.

Shopping. There are many different opportunities for shopping in Texarkana. Whether it be local businesses or going to the mall, there are a number of options. It really depends on how much money you want to spend and how much you like shopping.

Texarkana has so much untapped potential. There are many hidden gems here that are waiting to be discovered by us. However, I wish you the best of luck in getting there before they close for the evening!

Beauty All Around Us

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OPINION

When did being a size zero, having long hair, or being “light skin” make you beautiful? We see it all the time on social media and television. I’m sure no one meant for it to be like that but no one has spoken up about it being wrong either. For the ones that don’t fit that description, they can be looked at as not pretty enough, not skinny enough or just not worth a glance. We as people have created stereotypes of what we accept as beautiful and sexy but we’ve forgotten that everyone was made beautifully in their own way.

We all come in different shapes, sizes, and skin tones but that is not what makes us. Social media portrays women as a trophies or sexual objects which makes the world have a need to create an image of what a woman needs to look and act like. The women that do not fit the description, like myself, can feel like less of woman, unattractive, too fat, bald headed, and so on. We compare ourselves to others and do things like exercising and starving ourselves to death to make sure that we fit the image the world expects us to be, but that is wrong, completely wrong.

We need to start loving ourselves the way we are. You don’t have to be a size zero to be cute. You can be petite or what i like to call “slim thick” and still get you a man girl. You can flaunt your pixie cuts and short bobs. You can be a dark skin female and parade your melanin around because YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. It is time out for letting the world make you think that you are not enough. You do not need to fix what God has already put his paint brush on. Instead, we are going to embrace ourselves and encourage the next female to do the same, and grab a Big Mac and a large fries to go along with it! It is time to love yourself.

Hot Springs Eternal

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Spring Break is here! So where do you go for a great vacation? Hot Springs, Arkansas is a beautiful place for a family vacation, a romantic getaway, or a fun place to learn some history. Hot Springs is a historic national park with plenty of museums, attractions, restaurants, and places to hike.

The historic Springs Street Inn Bed and Breakfast is within walking distance of the main strip and across from the National Park. Feeling adventurous? Try hiking one of the beautifully scenic national park trails. When you get hungry, eat at Rolando’s for exclusive Latin cuisine or try an old-fashioned country meal at the Colonial Pancake and Waffle House. When you are in the mood to relax, plenty of bath houses can give you a celestial spa treatment.

Hot Springs’ history is equally stimulating. Check out the Gangster Museum and the Josephine Wax Museum to learn about the era when Hot Springs was a haven and retreat for many famous gangsters like Owney Madden, Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, Bugs Moran, and Al Capone. They ran a lot of their operations from Hot Springs while hiding from the feds.

Major League Baseball players like Babe Ruth also visited Hot Springs for hot bath treatments and to gamble on horse racing. You can walk along the baseball trail in front of the Visitor’s Center to learn about all the famous baseball players who came to Hot Springs. Did you know Bill Clinton grew up in Hot Springs? His half-brother Roger Clinton III was born there.

Hot Springs has plenty of adventure, as well as lots of museums and art galleries to see. You will learn about the history of famous people who lived or visited there. Do not forget to try the spring water Hot Springs is famous for and bring some jugs to take some home for yourself!

A Game for the Ages

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Team Fortress 2 (TF2) is a team-based first-person-shooter game released by Valve in 2007. On Steam, a popular digital distribution platform, TF2 is still one of the most played games, despite lower player numbers. To what does it owe its longevity? As someone with over 2,200 hours clocked in the game, I hope to articulate what makes TF2 so enduring.

The first of two main factors is charm — TF2 is rich in personality. From the production design to the voice acting, the characters (or classes) are easy to become invested in. Take, for example, the Scout: a loud, obnoxious narcissist with a heavy Bostonian accent, or the soft-spoken, amiable Engineer from Texas. These personalities are augmented by not only the cartoonish style of the game, but by in-game taunts and customizable cosmetic loadouts, as well as miscellaneous lines of dialogue spoken throughout rounds.

Of course, personality couldn’t carry TF2 for ten years if the gameplay itself wasn’t solid. Each class has its own arsenal, but there is a common element throughout most of their primary weapons: they are powerful and single-fire, rather than automatic with each bullet doing little damage. This means that every shot fired is hit-or-miss, and consistently landing these shots rewards the player with high damage per shot. Coupled with the sound design, these weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and make players want to improve their aim so they can feel more of that satisfaction.

Since being hit by anything will most likely reduce a big chunk of your health, an important technique to abuse utilize is movement. The ability to dodge effectively is overpowered in TF2, despite the simplicity of the mechanics, using only the letter keys and Space Bar. If you stand still in TF2, you will be backstabbed, headshotted, or suffer any other number of quick deaths. Movement is key to survival in this game; strafing combined with careful mouse movement can result in unpredictable movements, making one a harder target to hit.

One class that benefits significantly from movement is the Spy. The Spy has low health and a decent primary weapon, but his distinguishing factor is a knife which, when attacking an enemy’s back, instantly kills him. As a Spy main myself, I cannot stress how crucial it is to properly move when playing the class. In a technique called the Matador, the player strafes in one direction when an enemy is approaching, then quickly switch directions and stab, fooling him into looking away and exposing his back to the knife. 

I hope this article helps you understand why a game so old is still enjoyed to this day.

Break Time? Decision Time.

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Spring Break is what you make of it. Whether it is spending time with family or going to the beach with friends, you enjoy it. Though most students coming into college think of the stereotypical Spring Break of beaches, alcohol, and partying, there are other options. Here are 5 steps on deciding what to do for Spring Break.

  1. Family or friends?
    This is the first decision you must make about your week-long vacation. What to consider: will I be able to spend time with my family? who are the friends I want to spend a week with, and how is this benefiting me? Students with family members that work in the public-school system may end up on Spring Break at the same time. However, if your parents are working, you may end up watching your siblings.
  2. Do you have the money?
    As a college student, money is tight most of the time. If you choose some type of trip for break, how are you going to pay for it? Do you have money saved and put aside for this? Will this put you behind for the rest of the semester? These are things to consider, whether with family or friends.
  3. Where do you want to go?
    Now that you have concluded that you have money to spare, where do you want to go? This depends on whom you are going with. If you are taking a Spring Break trip with friends, you will more than likely want to go to typical hot spots for college students like South Padre or Miami. On the other hand, if you are going on a trip with your family, it may be in your best interest to stay away from these hotspots and go to somewhere more family friendly.
  4. If pictures get out, would they impact your future?
    At this point, you have decided that you want to have as much fun as possible during Spring Break. Keep in mind, someone is always watching. In the case of going with friends, young adults are always using social media. If you have a friend that is constantly using platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, get ready for your break to be advertised. Your actions speak louder than your words, so be careful in what you do. If you are with family, the same policy applies.
  5. Will you look back and be happy about your decision?
    This is by far the most important question. If you believe that the trip you are going on is a lifetime opportunity, do it! Enjoy it! If you think that it is something you can pass on and do later, the decision is up to you.

Remember, this is your Spring Break. Enjoy it!