Websites like TripAdvisor, Airbnb and Travelocity are all designed to make planning a vacation a bit easier. TripAdvisor has a wide variety of services, including but not limited to hotels, rental cars, flights and cruises.
   After choosing a hotel and booking flights, a lot of planning and packing is left to do. For most people, packing can be a daunting chore. For those who are quick to forget, it can be a great idea to write a list and check it off as you pack.
   Numerous videos are on YouTube that will walk you through the packing process and share interesting tips along the way. For example, Alexandra Beuter, a YouTuber with over 245,000 subscribers, suggests turning any delicate
clothing inside out when you are packing to avoid snags and tears.
​   Once you are packed and ready to go, there is still the matter of reaching your destination.
   LaTerria Washington, a Rose State interdisciplinary studies major, plans to spend spring break at a hotel and resort near Branson, Missouri.
   Washington had a few tips regarding longer travel times. 
   “Have a couple of your favorite movies downloaded to keep you busy while you travel,” she said. 
   “Make sure you have a pre charged battery pack, a compact blanket and neck pillow and some handy cash for any last minute buys.”
   Washington also suggested having an extra bag to accommodate for any last-minute purchases, along with an easily accessible water bottle and a few favorite snacks.
   Last but not least, Washington said to “just have fun and watch the clouds pass by.”

   Travel hygiene is a must if you want to be healthy and happy on your vacation.
   Health Sciences Professor Tiffany Herbert said it is pivotal to be aware of your surroundings.
   “You just have to be aware of the surfaces that you’re touching,” Herbert said. “You don’t realize how many surfaces you touch and how many people have also touched those surfaces.”
   She said even though her favorite piece of advice for staying healthy while traveling is not “mind-boggling,” it is effective.
   “Just keep hand sanitizer with you the majority of the time,” she said. “It sometimes works better than actually washing your hands, and it’s a lot easier and more applicable while you’re traveling.”
   Herbert suggested not using your hands to touch surfaces as often as possible.
   Hopefully, these few pieces of advice will make preparing for Spring Break a breeze. Just remember to
have fun, stay safe and enjoy the well-deserved break.

Story by Julie Archer • Photos by Michelle Rojano

Following a strict diet can be difficult and it requires a lot of dedication. This is about more than weight loss, it is about putting good things into your body. I am not a professional dietitian in any way, this is just my personal journey. If you would like more updates about my experience follow @ julie_archer on instagram. 


What is Keto?
   The Ketogenic Diet has become a popular lifestyle in the U.S. To explain what keto means in the simplest way, it is a diet that is high in fats and low in carbohydrates. The average person on a keto diet will have 70 percent of their calories come from fat, 25 percent come from protein and only 5 percent come from carbohydrates. The name for calculating these is called macros.
   The Ketogenic Diet gets its name because of the science behind the diet. Our bodies naturally burn their energy through carbohydrates. If a body is not receiving enough carbs, it goes into a state called “ketosis,” meaning that the body is burning fat as its main source of energy. This is why the diet is effective for weight loss. 
   Why I Chose This Diet
   I have been researching this diet for some time now, but I did not want to do it alone. There are people who are loving this lifestyle choice and they love the effectiveness of the diet. My parents decided they were going to do 60 days of keto, so I decided to join them. People who have been on this diet are satisfied with the results that they have. Kaylee Brogan has been on Keto for several months.
   “Keto has been an easy and effective eating style to follow. It’s the tastiest diet I’ve ever been on and I am seeing great results,” she said. My Body Struggles
   There are a lot of reasons I decided to go on this diet. My weight has been a constant struggle for me ever since I was young. I recently found out I have thyroid issues and a hormone imbalance, which can contribute to weight gain. These two main reasons are what pushed me over the edge to start taking my diet seriously and start making lifestyle changes.
My New Routine
   I am eating three meals a day and still learning about the amount of food I should be eating. During my first two days of eating keto, I was not getting enough food without even realizing it. I was always hungry. On my third day, I started adding more food to my meals, while still sticking to my proper calorie count and macros, and I felt so much better. My fullness lasts a lot longer and the diet is getting easier the longer I do it.
How I Keep Track
   I use the Keto app on my iPhone and it helps me keep track of what I am putting into my body. I can put in all of the food that I eat and it helps me keep track of my macros. I do not think I would be able to keep track of what I eat in a day without the app.
 A Learning Experience
   I know now I am going to learn something new every day. It has been a process of listening to my body and figuring out what it needs. I am not an expert. I catch myself looking up things about the diet several times a day, even though I did a lot of research prior to starting it.
Want to Try It?
   If anyone is interested in beginning  this diet, I recommend doing a lot of prior research. Be prepared; this is not easy. Be sure to meal prep because this diet requires more cooking and it gets tiring. 
   For more information, visit ketohq.com.