With school pressures up the wazoo paired with the changing of the seasons, it’s understandable that my peers and I might not be as happy as we could be.  So, the fact that my school is so demanding and does have such a high rate of suicide brings me to the topic of this article: how to obtain a whopping dose of happiness the natural way.

1)   Light in the morning and darkness in the evening is just the best for saying sayonara to the blues. Make sure to get some rays of sunshiny goodness in the morning (as close to dawn as possible) to prevent depression and to treat depression if you’ve got it.  It is now known that light therapy is wondrous for treating all types of mood disorders, not just Seasonal Affective Disorder.  A 2005 metanalysis (a study which combines the results of multiple independent studies) of bright light therapy for depression found that “bright light treatments are efficacious, with effects equivalent to those in most antidepressant pharmacotherapy trials.”  Woot! That means bright morning light works just as well as antidepressant medications, but with no side effects!

On the same note, don’t go all Edward Cullen on yourself  (sorry Twilight haters) and not get any sleep.  Staying up late or pulling an all-nighter is pretty much equivalent to just asking moodiness to come find you.   Not only this, but studies show that staying up late makes you more inclined to eat late at night, thus increasing the odds of gaining weight, thus making you more inclined to dislike the way you look, thus making you more likely to become unhappy.

2)   Socialize, socialize, socialize. Being around friends is so important for well-being (and maybe even your GPA!).  If you are feeling extra stressed, put down that textbook and take a coffee break with a friend.  You will be surprised how good it feels to have a therapeutic venting session with your girls (or guys) and you will be able to get back to studying in a good mood, which can improve concentration and might just increase your test score.

3)   Eat foods that are naturally bright and colorful. For your brain to adapt and respond to stress, you need to fuel it with foods high in antioxidants, like the always awesome vegetables and fruits.  Without enough antioxidants, our brains literally become “toxic or rancid.”  Ewwww. I am not kidding.  Our brains are made up of fat and lipid peroxidation is a chemical reaction that occurs as fats become rancid.  Free radicals are highly reactive particles that accumulate in the cells of our brain and when that happens, byproducts of peroxidation build up and our brains really do begin to decay.  These byproducts have been linked to depression, heart disease, asthma, Alzheimer’s and more. So, arm yourself with antioxidants and fight those free radical bitches.

4)   Move those limbs. Run. Walk. Climb a tree.  Put on some music and dance around your room in your underwear a la Cameron Diaz in Charlie’s Angels (a personal favorite). Just move. It is simply not healthy to study for hours on end in a chair.  When you exercise, your body releases feel good endorphins, which are opiate-like substances, secreted by the brain.  They have the same painkilling mechanism as morphine, so they can produce a sense of euphoria when the endorphins bind with the brain’s receptor sites.  Better yet, exercise with a friend and get a double dose of happiness.

5)  Ingest some fatty-acids.  Scientific research overwhelmingly supports the notion that fatty acid balance plays a role in mental well-being.  Scientists who study diet and its relationship to depression have consistently found that patients with mood disorders have reduced levels of omega-3 fatty acids.   Omega-3 fats are found in fish, but fish on the market can be highly polluted. Take a DHA supplement or purified fish oil to get a clean, non-polluted helping of those omega-3s.

6)   Put things in perspective! This one might be the most important thing you can do.  When you are old and your hair is a lovely shade of gray (gasp!), are you going to give a Twinkie what your score was on a silly little biology exam? Or even the GPA you graduated college with? I don’t know about you, but my answer to this question is hell no.  While I am an advocate of trying your hardest, don’t freak if your best isn’t the score you had hoped for.  And don’t judge yourself, attempt to analyze your overall intelligence level or compare your test scores to classmates. Just work hard, do your best, and say C’est la vie to that exam.

7)   If all else fails, just Google pictures of cute puppies and kittens. Works every time.

Need more tips health tips? We got you covered...and toned…and healthy.

It’s not something they’re proud of, but Cornell University has long been known for their high rate of student suicide. They experienced a bit of reprieve from the tragic trend between 2005 and 2008, but this school year hasn’t been quite as positive.

Since the beginning of the year, Cornell has reported six suicides, with three in the last month.  It’s gotten so dire that, as a temporary measure, they have even placed fencing on campus bridges.  The University is aware that the issue is much larger than physical blockades, and that a long-term solution needs to be implemented.  For the time being, security guards will be posted along the bridges as well.

Reading this tragic news disturbs me greatly and raises an array of questions on several tangents. 

The most obvious question that has always circulated, is why Cornell?  What about this particular school leads to such a trend? There are some theories relating to the “demands” of the school, and the physical isolation, but it is hard to believe that these reasons are explanatory enough.  Considering that there are certainly other demanding schools, and other schools that are in isolated locations, there must be something else.  So, what else is it?

It is also interesting to look at how it affects potential students.  Does it stop students from applying? Or do they ignore it and apply anyway because of the prestige of the school? If so, why or why not?  Furthermore, how do parents feel about their children applying to a school that is known for high suicide rates?

More specifically, I have to wonder how effective the fences will be.  Not that I am an expert by any means, but logic would lead me to believe that if a student was serious about taking their own life, they could probably find another means to do so.  Will the fences prevent suicide, or will students take alternate routes if they are honestly committed to doing so?  As tragic as it is, this could be a possibility.

These questions of suicide and elevated suicide rates may never be answered, but at least trying to find an answer may lead to some conclusions and preventative measures.

Lindsay Lohan was dating Heath Ledger!?

Tracy Morgan is raunchy. And some people are surprised?

Scandal at Cornell! (And this is JUICY.)

Nicole Richie brings her style to Bebe.

Some women will do anything for a new pair of boobs…

Glee is a giant success! (Duh. It’s awesome.)

That’s where College Candy comes in. We’re not going to debate whether or not the Theory of Relativity actually exists (a disappointment, I know, but I’m a communications major and stopped taking science classes after Baby Bio fresh year). However, we are here to thoroughly investigate the most widespread college knowledge (no, not rhyming): the myth.

Ah, the Freshman 15. This popular legend has spawned books on prevention, magazine articles in every Back-to-School issue of any teen magazine, and whispered reminders to your BFF as she’s eyeing that 3^rd helping of French toast in the dining hall.

But does this phenomenon really exist? We’ve all gone home for Thanksgiving Break and seen that one friend who unfortunately succumbed to the Freshman 15; but what about your ex who still looks exactly the same (dammit!)? And the girl who got seriously in- shape? (I know paying for my own food was the best diet I ever went on). The Freshman 15 can’t be this metabolic death sentence we’re all doomed to once we start our higher education, right?

Right. A recent study demonstrated that over a period of 7 months, a group of 125 freshmen gained an average of 2.7 lbs.—not 15. Even more good news? Only half the students surveyed gained weight at all; 1/3^rd maintained their starting weight and 15% lost weight.

Another study, done at Cornell, showed that Cornell freshmen gain only 4 lbs on average during their first year.

Thanks to a slight tendency to over exaggeration, this weight gain morphed into the mythical Freshman 15 we’ve all been warned about. While 2.7 or even 4 lbs sounds like nothin’ compared to a whopping extra 15 lbs. added, those pounds do add up, and if weight gain continues at the same rate, obesity could be a dangerous reality. And, compared to the rest of the population (aka those not playing beer pong and ordering pizza til 3 am on Tuesdays), freshmen gained 6 times more weight.

So while the Freshmen 15 may not be entirely true, the lifestyle changes that come with becoming a freshmen can definitely result in weight gain. So to avoid the Freshman 2.7 (4 if you go to Cornell, sorry!), pay attention to portion size, take advantage of your campus’s gym (or scenic jogging paths), stay away from late night snacking (put down the Jimmy John’s menu!) and remember, 12 fluid ounces of Natty Lite = 95 calories, so go easy on the keg stands.

OMG, we can’t wait for some more NeNe dramz.

The worst swimsuits of the summer.

Yay! Michael Cera is single.

We’re in love with chunky chain necklaces. LOVE.

Lady Gaga shows her nip nips.

Is Cornell the real-world Hogwarts?

There’s nothing better than possessing college pride. No matter where we go, from sporting events to keg parties to our grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, us college students revel in screaming out the names of our mascots, singing our alma maters, and making it known, loud and clear, exactly where we go to school, whether we’re shiny new freshmen or forty-year-old alumni.

Unfortunately for some students, there just aren’t enough bragging rights to go around.

Radaronline.com has compiled the nine worst accredited four-year colleges in the country. If you attend one of these colleges, we’re very sorry to do this to you. But for every college that’s known for its superior eliteness or exclusivity, or its hell-of-a-good time, or its drop-dead beautiful men and women, there has to be one that is….well….lack luster.

The list is based on “statistics on academic offerings, admissions, and student life from the Princeton Review, U.S. News and World Report, and the U.S. Department of Education, criteria like low SAT scores, incompetent professors, rock-bottom admissions standards, unbridled alcohol and drug consumption, rampant criminal activity, dubious alumni, and reviews from online outlets like Students Review, Campus Dirt, and College Prowler.” Whew. Pretty extensive.

From the most out-of-control school, California’s Chico, where a mere 15 percent graduate in four years and also where the family-friendly game, “pussy ring toss” was first established, to the worst Ivy Leage school, New York’s Cornell, where suicide rates are high and the girls are considered the most unattractive of the Ivy League bunch, this list provides disses, dirt and fun facts for everyone.

For those of you who call one of these nine campuses your home away from home, I’m sorry for outing you, and I’m also sorry you chose these schools. Haha!! Just kidding. You should be….proud? And for those of you who are lucky enough to go to a school that didn’t make the cut – this calls for a victory dance! WOOHOOOOO!!! Go FSU! IN YO FACE!