I haven't written in over a week because I've been away on spring break. I went to Las Vegas with my girlfriend for the first half of the week and now I'm home in Connecticut until I head back to University of South Carolina on Sunday. So, here's a few thoughts on the "sin city" of Las Vegas.

I like Las Vegas, it's a lot of fun, but don't believe all the "what happens in vegas" hype. It's not THAT crazy. Maybe it is for older adults who have been overwhelmed with their job and raising their children and forgot what it means to have fun, but for me, the scene at Las Vegas wasn't any crazier than what I've seen in a good college bar.

It's all in the marketing, very smart marketing. First there's the TV commercials that I'm sure you've seen. But also once you get to Vegas, you should see the billboards they have for clubs. For example, I remember one billboard that showed a man hooking up with a beautiful woman in an elevator. So, what are you trying to say? If I go to this club, I will hook up with a beautiful woman in an elevator? I've been to a couple of the clubs or 'ultra lounges' as they call them in Vegas, and although they're much nicer and visually stunning than any club I've been to, I don't see why anyone is more likely to get laid by going there compared to anywhere else. There are luxurious couches, stunning lighting effects, and great views of the strip ... But sometimes there's not even a dance floor. Half of the area in the ultra lounges are roped off for VIP who pay big bucks for their 'bottle service' and their reserved seating.

Good looking girls in Vegas will probably have a much better time than guys, unless the guys have a ton of money to blow on reserving a table & bottle service. Here's how it works at the ultra lounges ... There's usually a long line that begins before the club opens. While guys wait in line, the bouncers will pick hot girls out of the line and bring them to the front where they are let in for free. Guys, however, will wait and wait, and if they do get in, they'll pay $20 to $30 for the cover. Once inside, a beer will cost you about $7 and a mixed drink will be $10-12. Good looking girls, however, will usually be asked by the waitresses if they would like to join the guys who have reserved a table where the guys will buy them all of their drinks.

Even if you don't gamble, Las Vegas still manages to rape you. The shows cost between $50 to $120 per person, the cover charges at clubs are between $10 and $30, and drinks cost 2x to 3x as much as you would pay anywhere else. It's sick how much money these casinos are making. What I do like about gambling in Las Vegas is the abundance of tables, the low minimum bets, and the waitresses. There's two huge casinos near me in Connecticut, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, and the tables there are usually too packed to find a seat, the bets start at $25, and the waitresses will only serve you a few small drinks an hour. In Las Vegas, however, you can usually find empty tables, minimum bets as low as $3, and as soon as you finish your drink, the waitress will usually be there to give you another one, for free of course. Not little drinks either, full beer bottles that you can walk onto the street with. Great deal unless you lose, which you probably will, especially in roulette, and then you realize you've really paid $50 a beer.

So, in conclusion, Las Vegas is a fun city - there's tons of bars and clubs, great restaurants, plenty of great shows to see, strip clubs with hundreds of girls, thrill rides, and of course the warm weather. But I wouldn't suggest Las Vegas to college guys for a spring break vacation. Even if you manage to get a good deal on flight and hotel, everything costs so much there. Guys need to have, at the very least, $100 a night to spend if they plan on going to bars and clubs. I don't think it's worth it for guys to go to the ultra lounges unless they buy a table. For girls, if you've got the looks, you might only spend money on shopping, so go for it. I'm sure you'll have a blast!