Cross it off your bucket list

Cross it off your bucket list

As the holidays approach, it’s natural to take stock and think about things that you accomplished, and things you still have left to do. We’re here to help.

We’ve looked at a variety of wish lists for things we always wanted to try, or places we always wanted to visit, and came up with affordable solutions to help make some of these dreams come true. Some you have to plan ahead, some you can do over the break.

If you have something on your bucket list that’s not on this list and want help coming up with a possible solution, write it down and drop it off at Room 1201. We’ll try our best to come up with an answer.

To Sail The Raging Seas

 


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Ever want adventure?, ever wanted to go to sea? sounds like an old black and white movie, But there is an organisation that does just that. It is known as the Sea Scouts. Now I know what you are all thinking now “Ugh is boy scouts just add water.” but in reality it is much more than that. Sea Scouts is meant to teach teenagers and youth seamanship and to educate them the maritime world. Best of all youth are allowed to actually sail the ships! Unlike Boy Scouts the organisation is Co-ed meaning that if you are girl you can join the action to. The closest “ship” is Ship 846 based in cypress. They ship meets every Tuesday at Cypress United Methodist Church at 7:00Pm. once you officially join the ship a fee of ten dollars a month is required, but that is to keep the ship running, and besides what else can you do do for ten dollars a month where you can sail a full sized ship.

  • By Jonathan Ryan Frank

Host a Bonfire Party

Everyone needs to have a little bit of time to hang out during the winter break. But as a kid, what can you do? Where can you go? Well, Sheldon Lake State Park is exactly 55 minutes from here, and you can have a bonfire there! What’s better than hanging out around a fire with your friends and roasting some marshmallows at the lake? So fun! So grab your s’mores items, a blanket, and head out of town to a hang-out spot that’s not too far away!

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  • By Jordan Benson

Learn How to Ride a Horse

Have you always wanted to try horseback riding but never had the chance? When you have time this break, visit Lone Star Horsemanship. (1819 Cherry Street, Tomball, Texas) Lessons at this stable are as cheap as $27 per hour.

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  • By Jordan Benson

See real snow for the first time

Snowing is a wonderful creation of nature. If I could see snow for the first time, I would be outside for hours. But more than ever, I want to see snow in my Christmas break.

I have seen shows like “life below 0” or “Alaska; the last survivors” and I have always wanted to know what it’s like to feel that way. To be able to provide from scratch, learning the woods, and living in the cold. I see movies, T.V. shows, and social media that show snow and people playing in it and having fun. But then I ask myself, what do I have to do to in order to go see snow for the first time during the Christmas break?  So I looked.

If you get airplane tickets, you could save money on your trip by not paying for gas so often. Flying a reasonable distance from Southeast Texas to an area with snow is a lot simpler than it sounds. In East New Mexico, in Capitan, it snows a lot. Families from all around go here for the snow and adventure. You can save a lot of money by getting into one of New Mexico’s motels, “Smokey bear motel”. It has free Wi-Fi and a reasonable price. You could see snow for the first time while not having to pay too much.

Christmas break would be great with snow around, and it would feel like a real Christmas. If you were to drive up north, to where snow falls, then you should try without having to pay much money. Christmas is all about family and being happy. Why not be happy with your family and be able to see snow for the first time?

I want to see snow for the first time. I want to go somewhere where is snows so heavy that you can hardly walk through it. I want to know what it feels like to hold snow without it melting too much. I want to see how fluffy it really is. I want to make snow angels and build castles with the snow. I want to have a snowy Christmas, and I can do just that without having to pay too much, and it’s not that far from home.

  • By Jenna Goodwin

Take a hot air balloon ride

What’s on your bucket list?  Skydiving?  Bungee jumping?  How about riding in a hot air balloon?!  Balloon Rides over Texas might be the place for you.

The flight itself typically lasts 45 minutes to an hour, and lets you see the breathtaking landscape below.  They have several different basket sizes to fit a group of two to a group of sixteen.  Balloon Rides over Texas not only offers this experience to adults, but kids 6+ too! If they can see over the basket they’re good to go.  During the flight you could be up to 3,000 ft. in the air!

They recommend wearing casual clothing; something for an outdoor adventure.  During the winter months the burners on the balloon will keep you fairly warm as well as the gorgeous Texas sunrise.  They have pilots all over the beautiful state of Texas so you have more options for your location.  Balloon Rides over Texas definitely recommends bringing a camera to capture every moment of this unforgettable this experience.

  • By Carly Sander

Make a living in the sports world

Everywhere around the world, in every country, state, province, or territory there are many cultures. Whether it be art, music, or religion but what about the sports? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet big name athletes that come from around the world to live out their dreams and do the thing they love the most?

Many young athletes and sports junkies could only dream of meeting names such as Usain Bolt, David Beckham, Ichiro Suzuki, and tons more.  If this is your dream, then you’re in luck. Not only is this possible for you to do but you can also make it your job

Sports writers, Sports videographers, Sports Psychology, Umpire/Referee, and even a Statistician get to meet big time names. Writers, and videographers get to interview the athletes and video or photograph them in action, Sports Psychologists sit down and help the athletes have a stable state of mind, and sports teams will hire statistic majors for their teams to ensure that they get the best up and coming athletes.

Your goal is not impossible. So don’t be intimidated, don’t back down. Get out there and live your dream.

  • By Kaitlyn Lutz

Travel the world on a budget

Traveling the world is a dream that many students have before going off to college and learning how to provide for themselves in a financial sense. Studying abroad is a great way to get hands on experience and immerse yourself while getting an education at the same time.

However, as it stands, studying abroad is not a realistic dream for many people due to the high cost. Running at about double the cost of most private colleges, a semester abroad is averaged to cost $31,270. So how can students get an authentic experience without going bankrupt?

One way to cut costs is to directly enroll in a foreign university as an international student. The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the only internationally accepted, UNESCO proof of student status. Anyone ages 12 and up that’s a full time student is eligible for this card. (https://www.isic.org/)

As well as having international student status, another way to get benefits is to apply for the many scholarships that are aimed specifically at students wishing to study abroad. Every year, thousands of dollars’ worth of scholarships go unclaimed because nobody applied for them. (http://www.gooverseas.com/blog/65-study-abroad-grants-and-scholarships)

One last tip to get international experience without breaking the bank is to go down the road less travelled by. While Western Europe if by far the most popular destination for students, but it is also by far the most expensive. Instead of doing this, think of travelling to cities in South America, Asia, and even Africa for a more cost efficient yet still unique learning experience. While not only being the center of many different research programs, destinations such as these have favorable exchange rates that can stretch the value of your dollar.

  • By Hannah Davis

Get out of town over break

Some students at Tomball High School have never even left the Houston area. Christmas break is a great time to travel and go to new places. Some cheap and quick places to visit over the holiday are easier than you think. Austin is just a two and a half hour drive from Tomball. It is a beautiful city with lots to do and see. San Antonio is a three hour drive from Tomball. SA has many great history artifacts including the Alamo and other historical events. For a longer trip, Denver Colorado is a beautiful place to go, epically during the winter. It is a 15 hour drive from Tomball, but the scenery on the drive is very beautiful. The trip is definitely worth the drive.

  • By Madison Henry

Skiing not out of reach

Have you ever wanted to go skiing if so then I think I might have just the right information for you? Just being able to see snow would be awesome being from Texas, but Skiing in New Mexico on Taos Mountains would be awesome. Just between 500-800 dollars just depending on how many people you are planning to bring, this would be one amazing trip to take with your family and or friends, or a great graduation gift or for a birthday. Why not be able to cross something off your bucket list ,that isn’t terrifying and maybe life threating , I think skiing would be the best idea that you bring to the table for what you all should do for Christmas this season. Don’t be afraid of taking risk and getting out there and trying different things you’ll never know how it turns out.

  • By Mykala Whitaker

Become a YouTube Sensation 

Have you ever wanted to become a YouTube sensation? The first thing you need to do is create a new email to manage your account and privacy.  Then purchase a good quality camera to have the best quality video possible and a good editing software. After purchasing the necessary utilities,  upload videos weekly to gain more followers and hopefully get paid to do what you love.

  • By Janet Grimaldo