Maintaining your hair can be a bit overwhelming, especially when you don’t know where to go and who to trust. After all, it’s your hair and you don’t want to ruin it. So here’s a quick guide to the best places to get your hair done near campus.

1. Acacia Aveda (1308 Vestal Pkwy E. in Vestal) is a prime spot if you have a full wallet and are willing to pay a little extra for those awesome locks. The establishment is a combination of spa and hair salon, offering a wide variety of services. The salon is chic with a natural and calming atmosphere. It’s known for being upscale for upstate without paying those crazy New York City prices.

2. A Cut Above (2917 North St. in Endwell) is a more affordable option. The salon stresses customer service and has a high customer return rate.

3. Colour Inspired Salon (4700 Vestal Pkwy E. in University Plaza) states its strongest asset in its name. The salon is well-versed in coloring techniques, so if you’re looking for some vibrant colors or glossy highlights, this is the place to go. The stylists have great taste and offer helpful suggestions to customers who are unsure of what they want. It received five stars from www.MerchantCircle.com for its outstanding services.

4. Cost Cutters (Giant Plaza at 50 Pennsylvania Ave. and University Plaza at 4700 Vestal Pkwy E., both in Vestal) is the best bet for all you penny pinchers. The establishment prides itself for reasonable prices and currently offers a coupon online for $2 off an adult hair cut.

5. Best Kept Secret Hair Salon (100 Rano Blvd. in Vestal) is run by an owner who is both competent and talented in hair dressing. This is a rare trait, for many owners merely view their role as a boss and not as a stylist, as well.

6. The Oakdale Mall in Johnson City offers a handful of salons. Check out Hot Cuts for a local experience or Trade Secret if you only trust the well-established chains. Trade Secret is very reliable and is a combination of retail store and hair salon. It offers a wide range of beauty products and is hosting a half-off, pre-holiday sale on their products. Regis Salon is a hidden gem across from Hot Topic that offers city-quality cuts for an upstate price. While all the stylists are top-notch, Tina is by far the best for cuts and color, though she only works on Saturdays.

7. For boys looking for a great barber shop haircut, head to Benza’s Barber Shop at 215 Main St. in Johnson City.

According to Dave Nagle, a junior majoring in history, they know what they’re doing with men’s hair.

‘In 20 years of my life, my hair has never looked as good as the day I went to the barber shop,’ Nagle said.

Broome County boasts 26 barber shops and more than 234 salons. There are a lot of places to mend those locks of hair, but be careful where you go or you’ll end up with a disastrous cut.

Try to avoid salons in major department stores, including JCPenney and Sears, for the stylists are often not the best. These stores offer goods and services in a wide variety of other areas, but do not focus on hair care.

Alli Ross, a junior majoring in English, thinks it’s important to have faith in your stylist.

‘Trusting you hair stylist is key,’ Ross said. ‘If the person isn’t competent, you could end up leaving the salon disappointed.’

So if you need to get those locks trimmed, these are your best options aside from just waiting for that next trip home.