No plans for the Holiday season? Short on cash? Well, worry no more because the makers of Global Connect are here to help you restore your Holiday Blues! If you’re a current college student at Texas A&M University—Kingsville, or a local resident of Kingsville looking for something fun and exciting to do during the holiday season, we have planned an eventful night that you won’t soon forget. Being from South Texas we all love and enjoy hay rides, right? Well, take a day off from all the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping and gift wrapping and make a short drive to the nearest city of Corpus Christi and take a hay ride through the most decorative neighborhoods in the area! The holiday season doesn't have to be filled with worries or unwanted stress. This event is a fun and affordable way to get out and experience the holiday cheer with family and friends. I understand that end of the year savings are tight for many people, so we wanted to make this an enjoyable and free event for anyone in the surrounding area. If you have don’t have a car or gas money to get to Corpus, simply car pool or take the Blue and Gold Bus for transportation. This two hour event will consist of a hay ride throughout the beautiful Corpus Christi Bay, and we will include refreshments such as warm delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows, (weather permitting), singing Christmas carols, eating candy canes, and having a night full of joy and laughter! There are so many neighborhoods that are brightly decorated with yard art ornaments and thousands of Christmas lights for all to see, so don't forget to bring your camera!  Anyone is welcome and there will be plenty of room on the hay ride for family and friends of all ages. Get in the spirit and wear your tackiest Christmas sweater and break out the reindeer antlers; sky’s the limit on how much fun you will have. International students especially are encouraged to come. I understand how difficult it must be to not have family nearby for the holiday season and what a better way to roll in the New Year than on our hay ride with your friends. Don’t let your finances or the distance get in the way of coming and enjoying the evening festivities. This event was planned and designed for anyone and everyone to attend. The holiday blues don’t have to get the best of you, so enjoy the time that you have off from either school or work and make the best of these last few weeks of 2012 stress free. 

Ever experienced the holiday blues? I know I have. Everyone’s ideal holiday expectation is supposed to be filled with joy, laughter, excitement, and family; when in reality, we all know that unrelated situations come up. The holiday season can be extremely draining and literally suck the life right out of you! There are so many worries and stresses that come with the Christmas season that people don’t realize. It can be filled with hard times whether it’s dealing with a broken family, financial issues, or just stressing out over who’s going to cook the Thanksgiving meal.  I know for me personally, last Christmas was a drag. Not only was my family indecisive about “having” to see family relatives that we hadn't seen in years, but also, the issue with exchanging gifts.  Majority of the time, you never know what to get that one cousin or what to get your long lost uncle who you never see. Personally, I think that gift exchanging is one of the most stressful parts about the holiday season. Now-a-days, people are so ungrateful for what they get or they are hurt by not getting anything at all. If it’s not one thing it’s another. Even picking out a Christmas tree and decorating the house can be a stressful factor. I know in my family we are constantly cleaning the house because my mom loves to throw Christmas parties for our family, friends, and neighbors. Talk about stressful. Then the issue of cooking and baking comes in; making sure you follow the secret family recipe to the perfect pinch of salt, heaven forbid Grandma tastes the difference in her signature cookies! With all the running around, mailing off packages and Christmas cards, and getting just the perfect gift for that special someone comes the holiday blues. It’s almost inevitable to avoid them. 

We all know about the Holiday blues and how it can really put a damper on your Christmas spirit. Well, I’m here to tell you it doesn't have to be that way. Although almost everyone has experienced them at one point in time, there are ways to make negative or awkward situations into something positive. I came up with five easy to do tips to help you deal with the stress and unwanted factors of the holiday blues. One of the most common stresses about the Christmas season is finances, which leads me too tip number one: Making a realistic budget. Many people plan out a budget but they never follow through with it. Sticking with a revised budget that you personally came up with will help you limit your spending on things that you don’t necessarily need. Like that flat screen TV you see on black Friday. Ask yourself, do I really need this? This will help your stay on a well thought out budge and you will end up saving money in the long run. My next tip is to stay close to home during the season.  Traveling can be stressful enough, but then you add all the flight delays, bad weather, and car troubles and you’re right back to feeling those holiday blues. So stay close to home with your family or have your family come to visit you in your surrounding area. Tip number three: Control your Christmas hunger. I know for me personally, I love the holiday season because of my mom’s home cooking, my grandmas one of a kind casseroles, and my all-time favorite holiday cookies. Serve yourself in moderate portions when you’re eating your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners. Don’t over serve yourself and stop eating when you’re full. Plus, there will be more for left overs when you’re done! Tip number four: Beat the holiday rush. Many people do so many last minute shopping and making quick trips to the grocery store just to find out there are no more green beans on the shelf. If you get all your holiday shopping done early and make sure your pantry is stocked for the season you won’t have the stress of traffic or having to buy a last minute gift that wasn't in your budget to begin with. Lastly, just enjoy the holiday season. It doesn't come about but once a year and it’s the time of season to spend with family and friends. Enjoy the short time you may have off and soak up all the Christmas cheer and joy. Holiday blues don’t have to be a negative aspect during the holiday season; you just have to know how to deal with them.

       

       
 

Traveling is one of the hottest trends on the market today, and people are soaking it up. Literally! From catching beautiful sun rays in the Bahamas, to setting sail on a Costa Mayan cruise.  So, if you want to experience new cultures and ways of life, traveling is for you! With tens of thousands of travel destinations, you too can have the opportunity to see the world.

One place in particular that I truly enjoyed traveling to was Alaska. This past August, I took an Alaskan cruise on the Disney Cruise Line. This cruise line in particular is a great high quality cruise that accommodates to passengers of all ages, not just young children and families. On this cruise, I was able to learn about diversity and cultures through the local natives in Alaska.  Not only was I able to see the White Capp Mountains and spectacular scenary, but I was able to go white water rafting in Ketchikan, and go zip lining through the Alaskan Rain Forest. Now, I know what you’re thinking. How was I able to make this trip for myself on an affordable budget? Well, according to USA TODAY, there are many ways. This travel website gives you seven easy steps to an affordable and fun vacation in the mountainous area of Alaska! Alaska is a flourishing state and has a high attraction rate for tourist and their families. The main cost you will find yourself spending money on is transportation to Alaska. According to one of my bus tour guides, Marcus, there are actually three ways you can enter the state of Alaska. This includes Plane, Ship, and his all-time favorite, the birth Canal.

When I traveled to Alaska, the weather was absolutely perfect with low 70°s during the day and mid to upper 50°s in the evenings. Many people think that there aren’t many activities to do in Alaska, when in reality there are many attractions, restaurants, shops, and venues to see. Whale watching is a “must do” attraction while visiting. Not only will you see a variety of sea life, which include whales of all types, sea lions, porpoises, and dolphins, but you also get the experience of sailing out miles into the Arctic Ocean near Auke Bay. One stop that we made while whale watching, and would highly recommend, is a quaint restaurant called Orca Point Lodge, located on a little island near Juneau. Its a family friendly mom and pop restaurant that serves homemade clam chowder and baked salmon. Allen Marine Tours is a great site that will give you more information on Orca Point Lodge and its background and history. On my Alaskan cruise, we went through a very narrow passage called Tracey’s Arm. This was spectacular scenery because there were large glacier mountains on both sides of the ship. At the end of the passage, we were able to get about half a mile distance from the glacier. It was definitley a picture worthy sight! This was something that I had never experienced before, and it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. So, if you want to experience the excitement and the different wonders of the world, start traveling today! Traveling is for all ages young and old. It’s never too late to start. Global Connect is just an easy way to start looking into something that you already love.