Winter

Winter is just around the corner!! You know what that means...

1. The nasty flu bug.
You must know by now, but there is some bug flying around Pacific's campus. It's in the dorms, the classrooms, and even just in the air. Once you catch the flu bug, you may be feeling sick for a little while. If you've already caught it, I'm sorry. Here are some ways to treat your symptoms when you find yourself under the weather without any over the counter drugs:
http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/9-tips-to-treat-colds-and-flu-the-natural-way

2. The Holidays
The holidays during an economic crunch may not be the most pleasant things. But we can all find ways to work.
a) Shop early. When times are tough stores are less likely to buy in bulk, which means once they're sold out, they're really sold out.
b) Shop smart. Look for coupon codes online when ordering. Look for community events. Stockton has one! Magical Night of Giving where for a $5 entrance fee you are open to exclusive savings, door prizes and even giveaways. This is going on at the Weberstown Mall on Sunday, November 22 from 6:30-9 PM. If not, there is always Black Friday Shopping. Plan to stand in line early in the morning after waking up from the Thanksgiving dinner food coma to save!
c) Party creatively. If you're throwing a holiday party or a get together, be creative with your party planning. Don't focus on decorations or matching china. People are going to be in a good mood anyway just by enjoying good company. Have a fire going or go for the minimalist look. Try mixing cocktails with cheaper alcohol to avoid spending big on that juicy juice.

3) Travel
If you haven't started buying your airplane, bus, or train tickets, DO THEM NOW!! Airplane ticket prices just sky rocket upwards over the holiday season. Also, look at their weekly schedules to see the difference in price per day. Tickets tend to be cheaper for travel on Tuesdays-Thursdays. Buses love people who book early. I know the Greyhound has a 21-day advanced savings which will save you close to $20! They also have a 7-day advance, and an online discount. If you're taking the train, you call and see if your route tends to have snow or ice near the season. Trains do not go if there is snow or ice. Good thing for safety; bad thing for convenience.

I hope you guys have a great time planning for the holidays--whatever you celebrate this season. There's so much diversity and love during that time, I hope thinking about winter early will help figure out some ways to make things work for you. Until then, happy midterm-ing!

Best,
Joanne