This week's • issue: The Poconos vs. The Jersey Shore

Which is the better place to vacation?

Jennifer "The Mountaineer"

Devereaux tangles with Tracy "High Tide" Timson for vacation superiority in this week's Loquitur Dome.

Every summer you look for a release, a way to escape all the stresses of the past semester and even the past year. A way to forget that test you failed, the fight you had with your friend, and all the arguments with the business office about your college funding. There is a way to escape. Sun, sand and the ocean all in one place. This is a place well known to those of you who hate the winter. Forget about those skis and those winter sweaters. The mountains are not where you want to be. Pack up the swimsuits and shorts and head to the shore. Flip-Flops and suntan lotion will now become your favorite possessions.

Every summer many college students, including myself, hit the road and head on the summers adventure to the beloved shore. It is a place where everyone is your friend. There are a million things to do and yet you can still find time to relax by sitting on the beach and getting a tan. It is a chance to get away from the college campus. Every night is something new. I head to the beach every summer and still every summer brings new experiences. It seems as if every time we go to the shore there are more things to do. I have met more new people at the shore than any other place in my life.

There are stores lining the boardwalk and the side streets and outlets all over the place. From boardwalk fries to cotton candy; anything you could possibly want to eat is right at your fingertips. Not to mention the world famous salt-water taffy. Of course there are things like miniature golf and if your brave you can attempt surfing. Not to mention the boat rides and tours that are available for all the tourists. Instead of being couped up in a cabin while there is a snowstorm outside, you can be out~ide in the sun and on the water. If you're a person who likes nothing else that I have said in this article try biking or rollerblading. The list of stuff to do goes on and on.

The nightlife is just as fun. Imagine the flashing lights corning from the amusement parks and the arcades. People walking up and down the boardwalk. Laughter. The sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. The sounds of boats far away. These are all familiar sounds to me. It is a place I love. It is a place where I feel time does not exist. One day roles into another and before you know it is time to leave. I always feel like I am so relaxed when I leave our beach vacation. I could sit and just listen to these sounds and feel more at home that I do in my own house. These are sounds I have heard since I was little. I can remember when I was little and seeing the signs for the beach on the way there. I would count the different signs until we pulled into our spot. Even then it was our release. A release from the daily stresses of life in today's society. It was our perfect vacation spot.

I never could understand why people went towards cold weather for a vacation. It seems to me as if it is cold here all year long. A vacation to me is a getaway from the norm. I need a place where I can relax but not be bored at the same time. The shore has all this and more to offer. As a matter of fact I feel that sometimes it is overwhelming to see all there is to do at the beach. I think no matter what type of person you are you can find something to do. I feel as if the shore is a place for everyone, especially me. So if you're at the shore this summer, see you there.

Do you know of a heated debate that deserves attention? Write Mike '80s Butler and give him the beef. Visit the website at: www.theloquitur.com