ICE, ICE, BABY

During my time abroad, I was blown away by the concept of “nightlife” in Europe. I thought I had experienced some pretty crazy nightlife in the United States, but I was far from prepared for a night out “European style.”

In particular, the nightlife in Barcelona was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. A typical night out in Barcelona begins around midnight and ends around 7:00am for most locals. In the United States, most bars and clubs shut down around 2:00am, however, Barcelona is a city that never sleeps with bars and clubs staying open till the wee hours of the morning. And even after the bars and clubs shut down for the night, most locals hit the beach to watch the sunrise before throwing in the towel and heading home. For me, it was unrealistic to stay out that late every night, but I made it my goal to stay out at least one night until the sunrise. Although, I spent most of the next day in bed sleeping, the experience of hanging out on the beach waiting for the sun to rise was unforgettable.

The number of nightclubs lining the beach was overwhelming because I wanted to make sure I could experience each and every one. I quickly realized this was nearly impossible to accomplish, but I was able to visit a variety of unique nightclubs and bars.

Of all the nightclubs and bars I visited while in Barcelona, my favorite was Ice Barcelona. Before going abroad, I was amazed by the concept of an ice bar and knew I wanted to experience one before returning to the States. For those of you who don’t know, an ice bar is exactly what it sounds like: a bar made entirely out of ice. Before entering, each person is given a heavy-duty coat and gloves to wear as the bar typically remains around negative thirty degrees. You are also given a cup made out of ice to drink out of while at the bar.

Inside the ice bar, there are numerous ice sculptures scattered around including chairs and tables made completely out of ice. Below is a picture of my friends and I at Ice Barcelona posing with one of the many ice sculptures!

The ice bar was honestly one of the coolest experiences I had during my time abroad and I would encourage each of you to visit an ice bar during your upcoming travels! There are ice bars all around the world in various countries, not just Barcelona, so make sure to do your research! 

Battling FOMO

FOMO. Fear of Missing Out. Urbandictionary.com defines FOMO as “The fear that if you miss a party or event you will miss out on something great”. It manifests itself in the anxiety you get when your body wants to fall into bed but there is some social event happening that you can’t bring yourself to miss. FOMO occurs where ever you are. In another country, however, it amplifies.

During my study abroad there were people who went out every night with no shame and intense FOMO.  In a group of excited Americans anything becomes a party or an adventure. A small mojito bar becomes a happening spot. Missing Tuesday night at the salsa club is a sin. The town fountain becomes the occasional swimming pool. And even if no one across Europe goes out on Sunday night, you can at least grab a nightcap before going to sleep.

Eventually you have to choose: sleep, drink coffee or die. I started drinking coffee to balance out the nights when I gave into my FOMO and hit the town. Setting curfews and drink limits were the next steps for my roommate and I to maintain our sanity. Lastly, we decided to forget about our FOMO. We allowed ourselves a couple nights to stay home to be with our host family and be with each other. Having a partner to weigh the options of whether we needed to force ourselves out of the house, or to leave the party early, or to breathe for the night and enjoy the culture under our own roof, will make decisions for your nightly game plan easier.

Each night there is 100% chance that something exotic is happening where you are. Most of the time you should take advantage of everything! However, when you stop functioning, you have to face the facts that some nights are better spent working on your health. The presence of FOMO will always be there, but considering the options and allowing yourself to take a break will give you more energy when faced with the next adventure.

Tips on defeating FOMO

1.      Find a battle buddy. The person to pump you up and help you out.

2.      Examine your options. Is it worth going out? What day of the week is it? What is your plan for the next day? Will you be able to do this again? Can/ would you do this at home? Have you slept recently?

3     Suck it up and just drink coffee tomorrow

Being Cautious of Nightlife

With the dramatic increase in students studying and traveling abroad, the safety factor continues to play a role in their experience. The problem with so many American students traveling to foreign countries is their often lack of awareness. The overwhelming culture shock between the food, language and environment reduces college students false sense of security while they are surrounded by their fellow young travelers. There have been many accidents and even deaths abroad from a variety of nightlife causes. American college students believe they are safe while partying in nightlife clubs and think there will be no problems. Since the legal drinking age is 18 or sometimes younger, American students take advantage of the new drinking age while in their travel destinations. They should learn more about the country they are traveling to and increase their attentiveness and realize the potential risks of partying abroad.

There are many potential risks and precautions that student travelers should consider. When drinking alcohol, do so safely and responsibly. Students should watch their alcohol intake and make sure they are constantly aware of their surroundings. Be highly aware of drink spiking and do not accept drinks from strangers or leave a drink unattended. 

They should make an organized plan before going out and have transportation options. Also, travelers must always stay in a group and not stray alone. Keeping your group's cell phone numbers and having a place to meet in the case of getting seperated is crucial. 

Also, in foreign countries the laws are completely different and the police officers may be more strict against tourists. If the event you are arrested on any charge, you may face charges and conditions that are much more different than those at home. 

I believe that college professors should highly educate their students of the potential risks that could happen during the late hours of partying. Students studying and traveling abroad need to remember that they are not immune and invincible to dangers not only abroad, but also in their home countries. 

New York State of Mind

Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Alicia Keys and Jay-z are just a few of the many artists to sing out on their love for the big apple. A city that truly never sleeps, lives like a dream, and allows one an escape from reality.  

For Spring Break 2014, I spent my week in New York City with my boyfriend Brandon. It was my first visit to the city, and it certainly won't be my last. 

We saw as many sites as we could in our time constraint of about 4 days. New York has a lot to offer and no where near enough time. We saw the Statue of Liberty, rode the ferry, paid tribute at the National Memorial for 9/11, strolled the American Museum of Natural History, rode on a horse drawn carriage through Central Park, got weird at Ripley's, gamed out at Dave and Busters, shopped at Rockefeller Center, wondered Times Square, explored the city and ate a LOT of food. 

Food and culture are what make the city.  Chinatown is a must see. We went to a more whole in the wall establishment, but it was some of the best Chinese I've tasted. Everyone has to get a giant slice of pizza in the city or stop by a food vendor cart. The Nuts 4 Nuts carts are such a tasty quick dessert, and I always love a good hot dog. Times Square is fun if you want over the top, themed restaurants. We visited an Irish pub, went into the movie world at Planet Hollywood, and dined with Forrest Gump at Bubba Gump's Shrimp Company. 

New York offers so many great experiences, and is lively and action packed whether it be spring, summer, fall or winter. So if you are looking for an idea for next years break, and love that city atmosphere...start spreading the news. New York, New York!