Get Hooked

   

     I'll be the first to admit that sometimes life is boring. There are always those days when you try to tell someone what you did and all you can think of is, "My latte was pretty hot at Starbucks this morning." When days like these are more plentiful than you'd care to admit, it's time to forget your life for a couple of hours and become in engrossed in the life of someone else.
     No, I'm not condoning hours of Facebook stalking or mass texts. I'm talking about finding a television show that acts out everything you wish your life could be. Whether you secretly wish you were a princess of some mythical land (guilty!) or want to relive those college years, pick a show that you can enjoy. Sometimes, allowing yourself to escape the monotony of everyday life for an hour or two is just the thing you need to stay motivated. Who knows? Maybe your favorite show will inspire you to be a little more exciting.

Adapt to Survive

   
     It feels like I've lived in New York City for longer than two semesters. I hadn't realized how well I'd adapted to the fast-paced city life until I tried to come home. Greeted by a day of snowfall and horrible altitude sickness, I couldn't imagine why I'd ever missed Colorado in the first place. But after a few runs through the mountains and a couple hours in a car in which I didn't have to watch a meter, I realized how nice home felt.
     Especially when your surroundings change, it can be hard to adapt. For a creature of habit like me, it's exceptionally difficult to change my everyday routine. But there's always one sure-fire way to fix the situation: look at the things you've got that you didn't have before. I've got a queen-sized bed, two dogs, a fridge full of food, and an excuse to wear my Ugg boots again. Don't get bogged down with the change. Embrace it. When you do, you'll love the change of pace.

Make It Like Mommy Did

     As finals are drawing to a close, each and every student out there is surely craving a little piece of home. We can't wait to get back to our queen-sized beds in a room by ourselves, to wake up to the smell of a fresh pot of coffee, and not have to pay every time we want to do laundry. But for some who are drowning in papers or on their way to summer internship stress, don't wait until Mom can do it for you: treat yourself like Mom would treat you.

     Obviously, there's not much you can do when it comes to laundry or the roommate, but when you spend extra time on the small things, it can make you feel more at home. The other day, I made myself ants-on-a-log with pretzels, grapes, and a cup of juice, the snack that would always be awaiting me after a long day of school back in Evergreen. I don't need Mom to make a plate of delicious delectables. Incorporating small things like this, or actually ironing that shirt you found in the bottom of your drawer or shutting everyone out to do a face mask for 5 minutes, will ease the stress of being alone and away from home during this stressful time. Maybe Mom's not there to help you out, but you can show her what you've learned.

F*** Off.

     I pride myself on being the kind of person that gets along with a variety of people. But even for me, there are some days when I really just want to slap someone so hard, their grandchildren have 5-stars. But unfortunately, since I have some semblance of dignity, I refrain. But all day, my blood boils just thinking about them. How do you rid that devil from your mind? Write them a letter.
     I'll take this opportunity to clarify that writing a letter and sending a letter are two different things. Write said person a letter telling them exactly what you think. Use all those words that would make your mother wash your mouth out with soap. Tell them about those nightmares you've had about having to sit next to them on a plane or the time that you actually screamed out loud just thinking about the shit they said to you. Then tear it up and throw it away. Releasing all of these inner thoughts allows the stress this person causes to ease without actually hurting any feelings. Just make sure that the letter is discretely disposed of. You don't want to be the next "Dramatic Reading of a Break-up Letter."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBHOL1PcPR8

Eat Your Greens!

   
     Are finals freaking you out? If you said no, you're in denial. But when hours of studying and piles of flashcards feel like too much, don't drown your sorrows in the nearest Crumbs cupcake. Instead, make a salad. Maybe spinach and broccoli aren't what you're craving during a 2 a.m. cram session, but it will actually make your studying more efficient. The phytochemicals found in dark greens have been proven to help brain function, which will make information stick. The vegetables are also more efficiently digested than those carb-loaded snacks, requiring less blood for digestion and allowing more to your brain, helping keep you alert and awake. Maybe salad doesn't sound as tantalizing as an entire pack of double-stuffed Oreos, but it'll taste that much better when you see that A.

Running Rampant

 
     I don't know how many of you have ever run a long-distance race. No judgement if you haven't. When I ask people if they've ever run a half marathon, the most common answer is somewhere between a guffah and a pitiful whimper at the thought. I get it. Running far enough to make you either throw up or die isn't for everyone. But for me, it's the best way to relax, to take some time to yourself and just be.
     For those of you who haven't run a long distance race, it goes something like this: your brain and body somehow fit a lifetime of emotions and feelings into a span of around 2 hours. How do I mean? Here's a brief play-by-play of my half marathon inner-dialogue that happened this Sunday:

Starting Line: "Alright, Nicole. You can do this. This is what you've been training for."

Gun goes off: "Holy crap, I'm going to puke. Did I put N*ggas in Paris on this playlist? I need my pump-up jam STAT."

Mile 3: "Man, I'm feeling good. This isn't so bad. Only 10 more miles to go."

Mile 3.1: "Oh my god, there's 10 miles to go. I'm hyperventilating! It's freakin' hot out here! God save me!"

Mile 4: "Holy crap, I'm like a frickin SuperWoman. My legs are like jelly. This is so sweet!"

Mile 8:"Hey! I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe."

Mile 9: "Where the f*** did this hill come from? This hill definitely wasn't here on the first loop. Oh my god, I'm losing it. This is the end! Goodbye cruel world!"

Mile 11: "And all the other boys try and chase me, but here's my number, so call me maybe."

Mile 12: "Was everyone else always going this fast? What's the hurry, woman in the purple top? The finish line ain't going anywhere! Geeze, some people..."

Mile 13: "This is it, there's the finish line! I made it! I did it! I can't believe it!"

Finish Line: "This is amazing! I feel fantastic, I feel spectacular, I feel...nauseous. Oh great, NOW N*ggas in Paris plays."

Celebrate the Little Victories

     I don’t know about you, but I’m not one of those people who celebrate epic victories on a regular basis. I’m not a winner of gold medals or Academy Awards. My college essays aren’t earning me blue ribbons and my work at the newspaper isn’t gaining national recognition. But that doesn’t mean that we, as people, don’t crave at least a little special attention. We want to know that we’re important, that our hard work is going to pay off, that we have the ability to win at something.

     That’s why this weekend, at my school’s annual “Dorm Wars” (as I like to call them), I held nothing back. I wore purple war paint, plastered enough glitter in my hair that a shower still can’t get rid of it, and screamed so loud my peers questioned if it was actually possible to tear a vocal cord. My throat this morning seemed to tell me that yes, it felt pretty possible. At the end of the day, complete with tug-of-war, relays, and trivia, my dorm took home the victory. We screamed, chanted, hugged, and God only knows what. We ran around the gym like children, yelling no words in particular, seemingly unable to vocalize the happiness at this victory.

     What did we win? Just a trophy, one that sits in some back room that no one ever walks through. A quiet victory was won, one most people will never hear about. But for those few hours, we were victors. And you know what? It felt great.