THE BLACK PLAGUE COLUMN: Don't let this spring break be a spring bust
By Dave Msseemmaa
Did you remember to save a shitload of money? Did you already buy the plane tickets? Did you find someone to take care of Fido and Kitty?
I hope so. Otherwise you’ll be stuck in the Illinois Valley during spring break (ironically placed in winter), too.
The thought of being with friends with gorgeous bodies laying on the warm sand of the sunny Gulf beaches does sound pretty nice, doesn’t it? It seems like there’s always a snowstorm in Northern Illinois in the beginning of March while the forecast for Daytona Beach is always a sunny 72 degrees.
But most of us will stay right where we started. In the cold. So we might as well make the best of it (or at least pretend to).
If you’ve got a few spare dollars, Chicago can make an awesome day-trip. If your appetite craves Chinese, try Chinatown; if you dig Indian cuisine, try Little India; if you’re looking for some gyros, try Greektown (duh!).
The experience is even better if you actually get out of your car. Take a train, walk, rollerblade, do whatever to get out of the traffic.
If you need to keep it local, try something new. Find a cafe or mom ’n’ pop restaurant in some tiny town nearby and get lunch. If you’re lucky, some farmer with a hillbilly accent sitting at the table next to you will ask, "uhh, you ‘bout got dat dere food ready. I’m ‘bout as hungry as a horny porcupine is prickly."
My favorite is the small-town restaurant is the Serena Cafe, located about 10 miles north of Ottawa. Don’t let the sign reading "Hippies Use Side Door" throw you off, there isn’t really a side door.
Hopefully, we’ll all have a blast during our week off from classes. But if you’re still not satisfied, start saving cash for next year’s break. I heard Mardi Gras is hardcore fun.