One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is the ridiculous light displays. My family always puts up your traditional lights, a wreath, and some light-up reindeer, but there are some people in our neighborhood that go a bit overboard. And most of the girls in my sorority house (myself included) have decorated their rooms in the Christmas spirit even though we’re only here for a little while in December. Christmas decorations are super fun, but I can’t imagine running up my power bill to the point of no return for the sake of lights.

However, there are some people that take Christmas light displays very seriously. Check out these crazy displays… Read More »

Winter is one of my favorite seasons.  Even though I live in snowless California, I still love cozying up at home during the cold winter months.  The only downside to the winter wonderland lifestyle is the negative eco-side effects that are often associated with high thermostat levels and twinkle lights.  Here are a few ways to cut your carbon footprint while still enjoying your favorite wintertime traditions.

Ditch the wood-burning fireplace: Everybody loves to cozy up next to their beau in front of a cozy fire.  Unfortunately, burning all of that wood can end up leaving quite the carbon footprint.  But don’t worry, you don’t have to give up your fantasy of the perfect winter fire; just be sure that you’re using a natural gas fireplace.  According to the Sierra Club, burning natural gas instead of wood will reduce your carbon footprint and pollution contribution.

Cozy up in Patagonia: Patagonia is one of the best names out there when it comes to winter wear.  Not only do they make high quality stuff, but they make it with environmentally responsible materials such as recycled soda bottles and organic cotton.  Right now I am loving the Women’s R1Pullover.  It makes me wish I was freezing my a** off just so that I could curl up in one. Read More »

I’m going to level with you, here—I go to Stanford. It’s not snowing out here. I get pretty cold at night and in the morning, but that’s because I’m from SoCal, which makes me a big baby in the weather department, I know that.

So although it’s relatively warm here during the winter, there are definitely some changes that occur with the change of the “seasons,” and, as with everything in life, they come with their pros and cons:

Pros:

1. Cute scarves.

2. Better tea (Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride from Celestial Seasonings, anyone?)

3. Pumpkin and cinnamon flavored everything. Yesss.

4. I have an excuse for my Scandinavian chronic paleness.

5. Christmas lights in the palm trees.

6. Christina Aguilera’s “My Kind of Christmas” from 2001. I bust this out every year and it NEVER gets old.

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So, maybe I don’t actually know anything about Feng Shui, but that has never stopped me before.

It is closing in on the cold, depressing months of winter after all, so let’s take a few deep breaths and maybe we can get through this together.

After all, aren’t you a little embarrassed to bring men home to your unwashed tattered sheets, thong strewn floor (actually that’s pretty hot…keep those there)? You’re in school, use your brain.

Let’s begin with the bed (that’s what she said).

I’ve seen a few different beds in my day and while 300 thread count sheets are so silky smooth they are definitely a little pricey. Never fear! There are a few other options than your classic green and blue checked flannel.

Unless you moonlight as a porn star, please avoid red satin sheets, there’s steamy and there’s sketchy and satin crosses the line in leaps and bounds. Buy these Twister sheets at www.stylehive.com and memorize this line. “How would you like to play a game of Twister…in my bed.”

Now that’s class. Read More »