THE DAILY ILLINITuesday, February 3, 2015

1. Everytime We Touch - Cascada“It is peppy and upbeat to keep you awake for a long road trip.”- Anna Fowlkessenior, LAS

2. Rip Tide - Vance Joy“It’s an upbeat and fun song. It reminds me of summer time, and spring break is close enough.”- Mariela Noyolajunior, Business

3. I’m A Cuckoo - Belle and Sebastian“(It) makes me feel like it’s summer after a long winter. The whole album is pretty comedic and light-hearted, a good song to listen to when having a silly day.”- Todd Nguyen

sophomore, Engineering4. Sober - Childish Gambino“My homie showed me this song, so whenever I miss chilling with him I play this. This song is great for long car rides.”- Brian Ohsenior, Business

5. Shake It Off - Taylor Swift“I’m always listening to the radio in my car and this song frequently comes on. It’s hilarious and so catchy.”- Tess Tucker senior, ACES

6. Kathleen - Catfish and The Bottlemen“Because it rocks, hard. You won’t get bored with it on your way to Padre.”- Evan Doran

I heard about the College of Media’s trip to Belgium during Mediapaloo-za, the college’s spring recruit-

ing event for admitted students. Last year, I was a high school senior, try-ing to make a final decision on where I wanted to go to college. The idea of going out of the country for my fresh-man year spring break was a major selling point for me.

The spring break trip, open to the college’s James Scholars, will take place during spring break, and is based on a trip to Belgium and Aus-tria organized by DGS, according to Heather Zike, Media advisor and chaperone for the trip.

Learning about the trip later on made it clear that exciting oppor-tunities would be available for me as a University student spending my spring break abroad. On the way home from Mediapalooza that year, I made my parents promise

that I would be able to go abroad if I enrolled.

This is the second year the trip has been available, with 10 students attending. I already know many of them from class, and we’ve been approaching the trip with increasing enthusiasm as March gets closer.

I attended an informational meet-ing with Zike, where students who had gone last year showed pictures of their travels and answered questions about their time abroad.

Their pictures of Michelangelo’s “Madonna of Bruges,” hot Belgian waffles and Tin-Tin, one of my favor-ite childhood comics, increased my eagerness for spring.

We will be flying to Leuven on March 21, and returning the night before classes start on March 29.

And, although the trip takes place during spring break, I know that it is not a vacation from work.

Instead, the week counts as an hon-ors project for James Scholar stu-dents. One of the requirements will be writing a blog covering what I experi-ence during the week. I think having a digital scrapbook of the trip will be a great souvenir, even if the entries

are written while I’m addled with jet lag.

Moreover, the actual classes, which I would normally stay far away from during a break, are irresistible. They will have an international perspec-tive on media which simply isn’t avail-able in a domestic class. It’s a taste of studying abroad without a semester-long commitment.

I’m also looking forward to see-ing the blend of French and German culture in Belgium. I’ve only been out of the country once before, but navigating cobblestone streets and foreign customs fills me with a sense of adventure, rather than anxiety. Another perk is, as my mother says, French food with German portions.

Most of my friends are either visit-ing each other or traveling to warm, sunny beaches for break. I’ll miss see-ing them, but I can visit with them over the summer, and I have three other spring breaks to hit the beach. This, however, is an opportunity I will never see again.

Lillian can be reached at lbarkle2@dailyillini.com.

Belgium beats the beachLILLIAN BARKLEY

Staff writer

SPRING BREAK PLAYLIST

Tuesday, February 3, 2015 The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com2

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BY VICTORIA SNELLSTAFF WRITER

Spring break is a time for fun and relax-ation. However, sometimes the fun over-shadows important precautions that, if ignored, can put a damper on a vacation. The U.S. Department of the State advises travelers to enroll in their Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which allows individ-uals to stay updated on safety conditions and travel alerts. In order to further avoid possible bumps in the road, consider the advice of experienced sources before tak-ing a spring break vacation:

PreparationTim Davis, president of Suzi Davis Trav-

el, a travel agency with several locations including Champaign and Bloomington, Illinois, offices, stressed the importance of preparing for the visit ahead of time.

“The Internet is a wonderful thing; (stu-dents) can review their resort online, get kind of an idea of what the restaurants are, what the pools are, and they can read a lit-tle bit about their destination and things like that,” he said.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of State advised in a media release from 2014 that it is important for tourists to research the destination prior to arriving.

“Here, you can find out about entry requirements, crime, health precautions and road conditions,” according to the release. The department also advised indi-viduals to pay attention to local laws and to

“remember they might be different from our own. Don’t carry or use drugs, as this can result in severe penalties.”

Have updated documentationWhile planning a spring break vaca-

tion, another aspect to consider is proper documentation.

“You have to make sure (to) check docu-mentation – they have to have a passport, and it needs to be valid,” Davis said. “Some-times if (students) got one maybe before they were 18, it might have expired and they might still need to have one.”

Take necessary medications/shotsWhile Annie Stasaitis, sophomore in

Business, said she is an experienced trav-eler, her parents are urging her to take precautions to avoid getting sick while on a College of Business spring break study abroad trip in India .

“My dad was definitely the one who pushed (me to get) the malaria pills,” she said.

Stasaitis said she has heard stories of students coming back from breaks with illnesses such as scarlet fever. As an addi-tional measure, Stasaitis also received pre-ventative shots during her winter break.

Stay within resort areasDavis noted that a common misconcep-

tion about unfamiliar places are that they are unsafe. However, Davis said that the

resort areas are generally secure. “The resort areas of Mexico are very,

very safe, and again, a little common sense goes a long way in ensuring that everyone is safe and having a good time,” he said.

During a previous spring break trip, Sta-saitis said she was warned not to drink water that was not already in a bottle or at the resort. She also said she has noticed unsafe roads outside the resort on a pre-vious trip.

Do not go overboardUpon arriving at the destination, be sure

to take a minute to take care of any pre-liminary actions before going straight to the fun. Davis explained that students ini-tially rush to the party before taking the time to do things like applying sunblock.

“You need to make sure that the first few days while you’re down there that you keep the sunblock on — nothing ruins a vacation much faster than getting burnt to a crisp on your first day,” he said.

Going overboard extends to alcohol con-sumption as well. The Department remind-ed that, “‘Overdoing it’ can lead to an arrest, accident, violent crime or death.”

Keep in touchWhile students may be busy having fun,

The Department stressed the importance of keeping parents in the loop, even if access to services will not be available.

“If you will be without Internet or phone service for a few days, let them know,”

the release states. Stasaitis said it is also important to give someone an itinerary of plans in case something happens to go wrong during the trip. Another valuable precaution, Davis explained, is the infa-mous “buddy system.”

“Travel with other people, too, that’s always smart — you never go out at night by yourself. Man or woman, you know, you’ve got to have the buddy system,” he said. “Never let (people) go off by them-selves — again, common sense things, but things that are sometimes lost in the atmosphere and the environment of spring break.”

While Davis said he believes that travel advisers have a local knowledge of spring break locations, he also said that doing research on the Internet is helpful. How-ever, Davis stressed that when surfing the Internet it can give out too much or incor-rect information.

Stasaitis also advises students to look on the University’s study abroad website for any other concerns that may come up while planning a trip.

She also added one last thing to consid-er when it comes to traveling over spring break:

“Don’t be afraid to study abroad or go out of the country and experience new things, but definitely be aware of surroundings and what you’re getting yourself into,” she said.

Victoria can be reached at vmsnell2@dailyillini.com.

Use caution while traveling on vacation

Make the most of the underrated ‘staycation’

I think that one of the last things that comes to the mind of every student when they think about the perfect vaca-

tion is staying home.Even though it’s hard to imagine stay-

ing put over spring break, a “staycation” can be just as rewarding as traveling, as it gives you a comfort like no other.

If you intend on staying home this spring break and hope to make the best of it, follow these five tips for the perfect staycation:

Enjoy the presence of familyEven if we don’t want to admit it, stu-

dents miss their families while they’re away at school. So one of the most impor-tant things to do on your staycation is

spend time with your family. Help make the homemade dinner that you so desper-ately crave while at school, play a board game with your younger siblings or watch a sports game with your parents. Enjoy finally being home and catch up on all that you have been missing for the past few months because, as always, there is some new family function going on. Appreciate finally being a part of the inside family jokes that you’ve felt disconnected from for a while.

RelaxAfter two-and-a-half stressful months

of going to classes, meetings and spending hours studying, it’s nice to finally be able to take time out for yourself. The week of spring break is the perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep, watch all the Netf-lix shows that you fell behind on and even read a good book or two. It makes it eas-ier to forget about all your stresses and responsibilities. Having one lazy week, I think, is healthy for your mind and body;

it gives you the necessary time to re-ener-gize for the next half of the semester.

Reacquaint with old friends Spending time with old high school

friends brings you back. You’ve been away from each other for what seems like years even though it’s only been a few months. But at the same time it feels like no time has passed at all, since you pick up right where you left off. You seem to fall into the same routine as before and enjoy each other’s company doing the most trivial of things. Personally, I can spend hours driv-ing around with the radio blasting with my best friends.

Utilize the resources in your community

If you’re feeling bummed about being home during the break, look up things in and around your community that could help pass the time. Spending a day at the park, a museum, water resort, etc. could help you to better enjoy your break and

help make the time until you get back on campus not feel as long.

Try to meet up with with college friends who live near you

Even though you’ve spent so much time together at school and will see each other again in only one short week, you start to miss your college friends. Planning to go out to lunch together or going to the mov-ies together might help pass the time.

You don’t have to go on vacation to have an enjoyable spring break. Your stayca-tion will keep you busy enough as you try to cram everything that you want to do into one short week. You figure out who you can see and when, and sooner than you expected, your break is already over and you’ll be back to finishing up the rest of spring semester. So enjoy every moment and make the best of it.

Hanadi is a freshman in LAS. She can be reached at habuna2 @dailyillini.com.

HANADI ABUNAIM

Staff writer

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015 The Daily Illini | www.DailyIllini.com4

BY ABBY GLICKMANSTAFF WRITER

Many students picture their breaks from school on a beach, where they can relax and feel the sun on their faces. Anwen Par-rott, an employee of Illini Media Company, public relations chair of the RSO Alternative Seasonal Breaks and junior in LAS, thought differently. Two years ago, she spent her freshman-year break in Athens, Ohio, volunteering for Good Works, an organization that works to help people struggling with homelessness and poverty. Her trip was made possible by the University’s Alternative Seasonal Breaks program, which has been sending students on service-ori-ented trips around the country during school breaks since 1989.

The program, which is run by the University YMCA, was started by a group of students who spent one of their breaks living among Central American refugees liv-ing under de facto martial law in Brownsville, Texas. Maria Som-ma, who was the program director of the University’s YMCA, orga-nized the trip and took 22 students.

Twenty-six years later, the pro-gram continues to expand, now offering several trips to places across the nation during each break.

According to the organiza-

tion’s website, ASB has a mis-sion to “educate students about social, political and environmen-tal issues through direct service, group reflections, student leader-ship, diversity and engagement beyond the local community.”

This spring break, ASB is offer-ing seven trips total, with four that focus on environmental issues,

according to Parrott. The deadline to apply to these trips was Dec. 19, 2014. Although there are now more environmentally-focused trips than in the past, Parrott said that the program tries to “appeal to a bunch of different interests.”

This break’s trips range from restoring caves in Kentucky to building a hiking trail in Arkan-sas. Additionally, groups will be traveling to New Orleans to help transform the city “into a green community that transcends his-torical barriers between race and class” and to Tennessee to work in the Appalachian Moun-tains, according to the program’s website.

Thomas Nguyen, co-director of ASB and senior in Social Work, said that one of the more popu-lar trips offered this spring break will be in Tellico Plains, Tennes-see, where students will work with an organization called Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards. Once there, students will have the opportunity to work within Cit-ico Creek Wilderness, the larg-est wilderness area in the state, learning about trail building and maintenance.

“Many people who go haven’t had a camping experience,” he said. “People come back and love camping and being outdoors.”

Additionally, two of the ASB trips this spring will be working with animals. For the first time, students have the option to work with the Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi in Jackson, Mississip-pi, caring for animals at a no-kill shelter. They also have the option to volunteer with Wild Spirit Wolf

Sanctuary in New Mexico, rescu-ing wolves and wolf-dogs and pro-viding them safe shelters.

Nguyen said he thinks the trip to the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary is one that is particularly exciting because it involves learning about Native American culture.

“A lot of people who run the sanctuary are Native American,”

he said. “In downtime, people will tell stories and teach you how to make bows and arrows. People unknowingly find a fascination for Native American culture (after this trip).”

Another new trip this year gives students the opportunity to work with Give Kids the World, a non-profit organization that works to “fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families,” in Kissim-mee, Florida.

Although the price varies for each trip, the average cost is approximately $300, all expenses covered, Parrott said.

According to Maggie Benson, site development chair for ASB and sophomore in ACES, students going on an alternative break trip will face a fair share of hard work and education.

“Before students depart for their destinations, they are required to do volunteering in the Champaign-Urbana area relating to the issue of their trip,” Benson wrote in an email.

She added that students are also required to meet with other

ASB groups to discuss how their trips’ issues relate.

Even though a lot of work is involved, many students have great volunteer experiences on ASB trips and usually come out of the trip with a new group of friends, said Parrott and Nguyen.

“So many things in college are not positive, but ASB is positive,” Parrott said. “It’s a great way to learn about prominent issues and become friends with the kindest, most giving people.”

Nguyen agreed that the friend-ships made on ASB trips are one of the best things about going on an alternative break.

“I like the camaraderie of going on a trip with people I wouldn’t have met before, all having a stance of learning and educating ourselves,” he said. He also said he likes discussing and reflecting on how he and his friends’ lives have been impacted by how they view the issue pertaining to their trips.

Parrott recommends students go on a future ASB trip for its edu-cational and volunteer aspects.

“Going on trips helps students get out of their comfort zone,

and helps the people who they volunteer for,” she said. “It’s a part of college you will always remember.”

Abby can be reached at glickmn2@dailyillini.com.

ASB sends student volunteers nationwide

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANWEN PARROTT Anwen Parrott, junior in LAS, on a trip to Catalina Island organized by ASB.

Service-oriented trips vary in type, location

“It’s a great way to learn about prominent issues and become friends with the kindest, most

giving people.”ANWEN PARROTT

PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIR OF ALTERNATIVE SEASONAL BREAKS

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College is seen as the time to escape families and be independent for the first time. But what does this mean

for the people who care the most about students’ well-being, but are oftentimes excluded from this new life? Parents and siblings are often left behind, and distance can disrupt strong, happy relationships.

However, family vacations are when bonds are strengthened and memories are made. They are an amazing time to rekindle the relationships that may have been thrown to the wayside during the hustle and bustle of a semester in school.

Vacations are also a chance to open the mind and get some peace and quiet. They are a chance to let go and be yourself com-pletely. There is no better way to do this than by being with your family, the peo-ple who have loved you and taken care of you the longest.

I love the freedom available on the open road. It’s a chance to be anyone and do anything, and there is no better group of people to share it with than your family.

I have traveled all across the United States with my family and have experi-enced unimaginably beautiful things. I have lived for only a short while, but because of the opportunities traveling pro-vides, I feel like I’ve lived for one hundred years. That’s the beautiful thing about

adventuring around the country with your family — you get to absorb all the wonder of the world and the people in it and make these trips a part of your family’s identity.

Through family vacations, I realized how much I truly like my brother and sis-ter. Away from the stress of school and chores, we became friends through our travels. It was OK that we were dorky dur-ing these trips, because there was no one to impress except the people who have to love you anyway. I don’t think I ever appreciated them fully until we took our road trips together. The same thing goes for my parents. I learned what it means to care about your family. My mom and dad make a lot of sacrifices every year to make sure they can take the family on a trip together. They save coins and extra dollars in a “vacation fund” in the kitch-en cabinet, and constantly dream about where they can take us.

And it makes our family strong. We understand each other because we’ve spent hours riding around the country in our minivan (aka “SmileVan”), and we lis-ten to ideas and thoughts and reflections while enjoying the countryside around us. But as we see the world, we are also able to see ourselves and learn things about each other that otherwise would have nev-er surfaced.

In New Orleans, for example, I learned that my dad is completely committed to making sure I don’t get kidnapped after 20 years of putting up with me.

My grandparents gathered enough courage to leave Champaign Coun-ty for the first time in 10 years to vis-

it my brother in Chicago to show him how proud they were.

I realized, in Los Angeles, how far my uncle will go for a good joke when he bor-rowed a Zac Efron pillow just to tease me about my awkward “High School Musi-cal” phase.

In Juneau, Alaska, my grandma and I realized how many things we have in common, and we’ve been really close ever since.

And lastly, when I was a bridesmaid in Marion, Indiana, my mom taught me about true love when she camped out in a hotel room for three days to soothe my anxiety.

When college is over, your family mem-bers are the ones who are going to be wait-ing for you on the other side. They are the ones who will buy expensive plane tick-ets to see you on holidays and when your children are born. They are the ones who will hold your hand when you’re sick. So please, pay some respect to the people who have put up with you for years and years.

Take a moment and think: These people know the worst and weirdest parts of you, and they still want to spend their precious vacation time with you. They could go any-where with anyone now that their children are in college, but you know what? For some reason, they want to be with you, and I think that should mean something.

Vacations provide an opportunity for people to show how much they care, so do your family a favor and spend your spring break on a trip with them.

Claire can be reached at hettngr2 @dailyillini.com.

Family vacations rekindle important relationships

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAIRE HETTINGERClaire Hettinger and her family viewed the Glacier Bay in Alaska during their vacation in 2012.

CLAIRE HETTINGER

Staff writer

Go green and spring clean on a budget

PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAIRE HETTINGERHettinger and her family stand near the Mendenhall Glacier and Waterfall near Juneau, Alaska, during their vacation in 2012.

FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINIVinegar, salt and toothpaste are a few examples of common household items that can be used for spring cleaning purposes.

BY BRIDGET HYNESSTAFF WRITER

As spring break approaches, there is no better time to plan a spring cleaning session than before leaving for break. Natural, homemade clean-ing supplies can be an environmen-tally friendly option for students on a college budget.

Heidi Wilcox, field specialist at the University of Massachusetts’ Lowell Toxics Use Reduction Institute, said the TURI Cleaning Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts offers an online database of homemade green-cleaning recipes.

Here are some ways to minimize exposure to chemicals by using com-mon household items for spring-clean-ing purposes:

All-purpose cleaner Use variations of vinegar, lemon

juice, water and baking soda for an all-purpose cleaner. Acids in the lem-on juice and vinegar will work togeth-

er, and the baking soda makes the scrub abrasive, according to Wilcox.

“It may take some elbow grease, but there will be less chemicals in your life,” she said.

To use as a scrubbing agent for bathtubs and sinks, add more baking soda. To use in a spray bottle, add more vinegar and water.

Microwave cleaner Microwave a bowl of water on

high for five minutes. The steam will loosen the food stuck to the sides of the microwave and make it easier to clean.

Oven cleaner Combine water, salt and vegetable

oil based liquid soap. Spread a thin layer of this mixture on the bottom of the inside of an oven. Add baking soda and allow to sit over night. Wipe off and rinse with soap and water.

Drain cleaner Use a combination of baking soda

and vinegar to break up drain scum. “The reaction between the acid

and the base can break up any build-up that you have in your pipes,” said Joy Scrogum, emerging technologies resource specialist at the ISTC.

Hand soap substitute

Mix small pieces of old soap bars with water, and put this mixture into an empty hand soap dispenser.

Silver cleaner

Apply toothpaste to a toothbrush and use to scrub silver faucets or oth-er types of silver.

Bridget can be reached at bhynes2@dailyillini.com.

* RECIPES COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS’ LOWELL TOXICS USE

REDUCTION INSTITUTE (TURI)

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6

On Campus

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menu online at kofusion.com/campus

BY JAINI SHAHSTAFF WRITER

Some students travel over spring break, while others volun-teer or work. Some stay at home, relaxing and watching TV or hanging out and catching up with family and friends. But for the nearly 10,000 international students at the University who may be thousands of miles from home, spring break offers a chance to explore the United States and destinations nearby.

Zhaoru Chen, a sophomore in Business who is originally from China, wrote in an email that she plans to travel to Los Angeles over spring break.

“I have been admiring the magnificence and prosperity of Los Angeles city ever since I was in middle school,” she said. “Not to mention the famous Hollywood landmarks, Santa Monica beach and the Getty Center.”

When asked what she thinks stands out in Los Angeles as opposed to other destinations, she said, “Los Angeles has . . . metropolitan areas and natural scenery. It is famous for numerous shopping centers and diversified restaurants.”

She also thought California’s warm weather made it a great destination in order to escape the frigid temperatures of Champaign.

“I’m looking forward to enjoying the sunshine on the beach,” she said.

Chen said she will be traveling with her friends and fellow international students. She has already visited New York City, Las Vegas and Chicago during her time here at the University. Last spring break, she went to Costa Rica through a program in the College of Business.

Lingqi Xie, also a sophomore in Business and originally from China, is planning a trip to a warm destination, but one that is outside the United States: Cancun, Mexico.

“Some of my friends went to Cancun (over) Thanksgiving break,” he wrote in an email. “The stories and pictures are fantastic, (and that’s what) attracted me.”

Like Chen, Xie said he will also be traveling with friends who are international students.

“The beaches (in Cancun) are really wonderful. The sky is blue, (the) sunshine is great. It is actually (the) ideal place for a vacation.”

Xie said he has also taken advantage of past breaks by vis-iting Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami. But by leaving the country this time, he hopes to “experience the life in Mexico and learn about (the) culture.”

Xie suggested student travelers use the technology com-pany StudentUniverse to book flights, Expedia to book hotels and Yelp to look for good food while traveling.

According to Jennifer S. Avery, an International Advising Specialist from the office of International Student and Schol-ar Services, the University also offers advising and phone appointments for international students who are thinking of traveling over breaks.

As for her own advice, she said, “If you’re leaving the coun-try, make sure that your immigration documents are in order, that they have an updated travel signature.”

She also stressed being careful, knowing the whereabouts and surroundings of where students will be visiting and noti-fying someone else of where they are going to be.

“Take phone numbers with, so that there is someone to contact in case there is an emergency. If (students) have any questions, they should feel free to call us before they leave,” she said.

Jaini can be reached at jgshah2@dailyillini.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZHAORU CHENZhaoru Chen (far left), a sophomore in Business, visited Costa Rica last spring break through a College of Business program.

International students use breaks for travel

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Guidelines for Spring Break

Pack these travel necessities for a better trip abroadBY CHRISTINA OEHLERSTAFF WRITER

Despite the winter weather, students will soon have a light at the end of the tunnel: spring break. With a week-long vacation just around the corner, students have just enough time to put together the perfect packing list for the ultimate spring break trip. Once the basics are packed — appropriate clothing, cosmetics, footwear — there’s still room for a few other handy and fun items to fi t into your suitcase. Whether the destination is the warm beaches of Mexico or the snowy slopes of Colorado, these apps, gadgets and books are some useful items every traveler needs this spring break:

AppsWith the growth of technology, travelers

can utilize their smartphones to fi nd conve-nient apps that will enhance their vacations.

Tripomatic: With a technology that covers over 400 different countries, this app allows travelers to ditch guidebooks and maps and quickly update their trip at the touch of a button.

“Tripomatic is an online travel planner that enables travelers to make their own personal travel guide,” said Barbora Nevosadova, co-founder of Tripomatic, in an email. “It recom-mends what to do in your destination and helps you fi nd your way in the city.” Tripomatic can be used online or through a smartphone app,

where users can select their destination, and then fi nd sights they are interested in visiting.

“People can change their plans according to the weather or their mood, and Tripomatic will always recommend the best options for them,” said Nevosadova.

GateGuru: Long layovers and waiting for fl ights can be uncomfortable and boring, but with GateGuru, users constantly have options for entertainment. This app enables users to fi nd interesting options for cuisine, shopping and activities, all within walking distance of their gate. Users can also fi nd coupons and maps for businesses within their airport, so waiting around for a fl ight won’t feel so long.

BooksAny avid reader knows that it’s not a vaca-

tion without a good book, but with the stress of reading textbooks all semester long, there is little time to sit down and actually enjoy a story. Spring break offers a week of free time to catch up on leisure reading that students may miss out on during the semester.

“American Sniper” by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice, a New York Times Bestseller for combined print and e-book non fi ction : The story follows U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle during his four tours overseas, and the PTSD he experiences during every return home. This book has been turned into

a best-selling movie, earning over 200 million in the box offi ce.

“The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins was called a “Hitchcockian thriller” by goodreads.com, and follows the story of a girl who fi nds herself in the middle of a crime she has witnessed. This book was ranked second on the New York Times Best Sellers list for hardcover fi ction, and is a good read for any-one with an interest in crime and mystery.

GadgetsWizcom Reading Pen: Often when travel-

ing, the biggest burden of becoming assimi-lated to a culture is overcoming the language barrier. However, the technology company Wizcomtech has created a solution for wary travelers. The ReadingPen 2 is a device that allows users an option to highlight a piece of text and listen to it translated into English.

“It’s mobile, and completely self-contained,” said Mark Lamendola, owner of Mindconnec-tion LLC, a Kansas-based company that sells the pens throughout North America.

“You can scan the text and listen to the translation whenever and wherever, because the pen does not require connection to the internet.”

With about 28 languages available for trans-lation, this pen is perfect to bring with when traveling abroad.

GripTight GorillaPod Stand: When visiting exotic lands, capturing the beautiful scen-ery is a must. This product allows users to take a picture from any angle, because the fl exible tripod can hook itself around almost anything. Using rubber pads and bending leg joints, users can wrap their iPhones around a surface and take pictures from a variety of angles.

Christina can be reached at oehler2@dailyillini.com.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK LAMENDOLA The Wizcom Reading pen translates text written in another language to English.

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