issue 27 // volume 43 life & style // no. ‘Wi

National Parks offer a much-
needed summer escape

> Admission is free this year, so grab a break while you still can

Greg Waldock
Staff Writer

 

I: been a long school year for
everyone. | can’t name a single

person who hasn't been dragged right
down by a combination of politics,
finances, schoolwork, social drama, and
employment. But now, the school year is
finally over. The papers are handed in,
the exams are nearly finished, and there’s
no more of that daily struggle with
Blackboard. All that’s left is a proper
retreat, to move yourself away from the
craziness of the past few months with

a nice return to nature. We're in luck
with that, because Canada is celebrating
its 150th year of Confederation with

free entrance into any National

Park across the entire country.

British Columbia is home to some
amazing parks. While they're all a pretty
good distance away, a nice long road
trip is never a bad idea The important
thing is to go with people. This is partly
for safety, as National Parks are huge
expanses of real, actual wilderness. It’s
also to let you appreciate the natural
beauty of the province with someone.
The specific park you go to is actually
the least important decision you'll make
on the trip. They’re all fantastic, so
just go with whatever appeals to you.

One of the most unique parks in the
province is Gwaii Haanas National Park,
on Haida Gwaii. It features incredible

red cedar forests, deep rivers, and a
historic Haida village—all watched
over by the “Haida Watchmen,” who
work with the government to keep all
visitors educated and respectful.

Glacier National Park is another
great choice. It’s near the Alberta border,
and is a common destination, so the
road there will be pretty straightforward
and easy-going, and the park itself
has more than enough space in its

campgrounds to set up on your own.
Alberta, of course, is also famous
for its National Parks. Banff and Jasper
are both internationally renowned and
thus will be pretty crowded, especially
during the summer. However, both
are so large that it'll be decently
easy to find a good camping spot
away from the rest of the tourists.
The ability to visit such vast,
well-maintained, and (relatively) easy

Thrifting tips and tricks

> Get the most out of your thrift store experience

Jessica Berget
Staff Writer

 

love thrifting. I’ve been buying clothes
second-hand ever since | couldn't afford
to shop at retail stores. At this point, I
rarely buy clothes regular price, and why
would I? Buying clothes second-hand is
cheaper and better for the environment,
the clothes are actually better quality than
at some retail stores, and sometimes you
really luck out and find the perfect outfit.
After thrifting for so many years, I’ve
learned some helpful tricks to make your
thrifting expeditions the best they can be.
Come prepared: Thrift stores can
be overwhelming sometimes, and its
super frustrating when you don’t know
what youre shopping for. Make a list of
things you want and check those things
first. It will keep you from having 20
different things to try on, and perhaps
also stop you from buying those 20
things, saving money and time.
Dress light: Trying things on can
be annoying at times, but when you're
thrifting you're going to be doing a lot
of it. Not wearing too many layers of
clothes is helpful because sometimes
you can just throw what youre trying
on over top of your clothes, making
it easier and faster to figure out if it’s
what you want. Plus, the people in the

changing room line will appreciate it.
Always try it on: Some clothes
may look your size but might not fit
quite like you thought it would. Too
many times I have bought something
on a whim without trying it on, only
to immediately regret it once I tried it
on at home. This can become a serious
waste of money. Trust me, try it on.
Also, inspect your clothes before you
buy them. There may be a stain or a rip
in the clothing that you may not have
noticed unless you really looked over it.
Take the price tags off: This is a trick

I just recently learned. If you like a certain

item but you're iffy on the price of it, take
the tag off and tell the cashier at the front
you found it without a tag. Nine times
out of ten, they will charge you less than
what the original tag said. I advise only
doing this in places with a high profit
margin, like consignment stores or Value
Village. Doing this in a charity-based
thrift store is a lot harder to justify.

Don’t buy it if you don’t love it: It’s not

hard to overspend in a thrift store. Five

T-shirts for $10 seems like a great deal, but

chances are you don’t need five T-shirts,
nor will you love every single shirt. Be

realistic about what you will actually wear

and what looks good in the store. If you
can imagine leaving the store without
it, it’s probably best left on the rack.

>

J

re

 

to access parks is something that
we shouldn't take for granted. Being
able to turn off the phone and take
a week off work to de-stress in the
trees and mountains is a privilege
that most people—even within British
Columbia—don't have. If you can
make it happen over the summer,
then you owe it to yourself to seize
the opportunity and enjoy what the
country around you has to offer.

 

Photo courtesy of thecanadianencyclopedia.ca

Photo via thechive.com