{weekend essentials} the jersey shore...

Don't get too excited, I'm not off to Seaside to join the cast of a certain MTV reality TV show. Aren't those fools off to Italy this summer, anyway?

Actually, about 10 of us (roommates, friends, neighbors, et al) are off to Ocean City, New Jersey for the weekend. It's the same house, and nearly the exact same weekend I went last year, when I had only been in New York about five days. This year proves to be quite a different story, with many more friends and (insert immature excitement here) no parents.

I plan to adhere to a strict selection of activities while in Ocean City, which should help keep my packing list rather short:

1. Frolicking in the ocean
2. Laying around on the beach
3. Eating hoagie sandwiches and popsicles, exclusively
4. Drinking spiked Arnold Palmers
5. Playing lawn games

So what does one pack for such an occasion? Here's the gist of what I'm planning to tote with me on the Greyhound...

ocean city
I'll let you know right now that I am one of those unreasonable people who packs more pairs of sunglasses than days in the vacation. So clearly, each scenario I may find myself in will require a different pair. Aside from that, I think a couple of swim suits, a pair of jean shorts, a shirt dress and a romper are just about all I will need. Pepper those basics with a wide-brim sun hat, rubber flip flops, leather sandals and a beach bag and I'll still have room for my SPF 30.