I actually caught myself doing this yesterday:

I was posted up in my cozy bed, leisurely reading a politically focused novel, my pillows stacked high behind my neck, while drinking chamomile tea with extra honey and a mini-spoon. And, as you can imagine, it was effing amazing. The next morning, I woke up naturally before my alarm (my favorite and most annoying thing ever). Then, I sipped coffee and read the headlines in the first page of the newspaper.

Amidst all of this old lady talk, I got to thinking…and not just about how simple my life has become. Actually, I’ve been so busy talking about how stressful and crazy my life has become since graduating from college all of this time, I haven’t even stopped to think about the serene course my life has taken as well.

I will compare my life from then until now with one word: extreme. EVERYTHING was extreme while I was in college. Read More »

How to relax when you’re stressed

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Ommmmm.

According to our friends at AOL Health, we are ruining our lives. They’ve compiled a list of dangerous ways to relax – and unfortunately for me (and probably a lot of you) this list could pretty much make my “interests” section on Facebook.

For college students, things like zoning out in front of the TV, pigging out on greasy pizza, and binge drinking are simply facts of life: we don’t see their inherent potential to harm us, we simply perpetuate these behaviors because they’re easy or convenient or fun.

But this AOL Health article really rings true. Yeah, we do a lot of these things because in the moment, at this point in our lives, we can usually come out of these behaviors completely unscathed. Sure, it’s fine to indulge in Gossip Girl marathons once in a while, or to wake up in the middle of the night and reach for that stick of cookie dough after a hard breakup, but replacing these unhealthy, sometimes-unsafe practices with healthier ones could make a huge difference in the long run. Stress can have really serious implications, so why engage in behaviors that only do more to ruin our bodies?

Here are five awesome, easy ways to deal with stress in a healthy way:

Read More »

Even though summer should be all about relaxing and enjoying the sun, many of us are so busy with our own internships and work that we often forget to take care of ourselves. And even when we do, pampering on a budget seems almost impossible. (Um, hello $65, one-time facial). Pretty soon we’re pasty, tired and moody to boot.

But what’s an over-worked, underpaid and grumpy girl to do (besides wallow in self-pity and take out her frustration on her poor parents)?

Have no fear. The ladies here at CollegeCandy know how you feel (because we’re feeling it right now) and we want to share our tried and true pick-me-up tricks that won’t burn a hole in that pretty wallet of yours. It’s summer time and you deserve a little love.

Dive in, pamper yourself and thank us later:

Jump into a hot bubble bath.
Since it’s nearly impossible to get a good bubble bath in in college (like you’re gonna lay down in that nasty tub), we often forget what a good bubble bath can do for a girl. It’s luxurious and relaxing, and it won’t cost you a dime. Toss a little Epsom salt in there, light up some candles, turn off the cell phone and turn up the Guster, and you’ve got the whole afternoon to unwind.

Turn off the cell phone and prop open a book.
Yes, the mere thought of going off the cellphone grid for an hour may leave you shaking, but sometimes you just gotta disconnect. And there’s no better way to do that than with a book.  Reading a book will give your mind a rest, free from all that mundane work and life stuff that bogs you down daily. Need a book suggestion? We’ve got plenty. Read More »

I’ve been attending a yoga class at the gym. I joined it so I could learn to get in touch with myself and relax and destress after a long day. I’m not really sure when I got out of touch with myself, but it sounds very zen and enlightened to say things like, “I just want to back in touch with myself.” And when people ask me if I like it, I just nod and tell them it’s nice to get back in touch with myself.

They look at me with jealousy because everyone would like to be in touch with themselves.

I’ve learned a lot since getting in touch with myself. Like I’ve learned that I lack flexibility. So instead of becoming destressed and relaxed I’ve become very stressed and unrelaxed. If I had never signed up for Yoga, I never would have learned that I’m incapable of doing a simple Downward Dog, nor would I know that my body refuses to do an appropriate Serpent.

I can’t even think about the failure that was Praying Possum.

My yoga teacher often comes up behind me, presses on various parts of my body, and says things like, “tell your calf muscle it’s safe and it’s ok to relax,” as if talking to my calf muscle will suddenly let me place it behind my ear. I mean, I definitely tried while the whole class looked on waiting to see how well I could communicate safety to my calf muscle. I haven’t been that embarrassed in front of a class since I confused organism with orgasm in 6th grade. Read More »

It’s Wednesday, it’s lunchtime, and I bet you’re either getting back from a hellish morning of classes or trying to come up with a good excuse why not to go to your 2:20 lecture. Either way, College Candy firmly believes you should take a minute and de-stress before your afternoon push.

What better way to do that than cute animals?!

Here’s hoping that the next 5 minutes and 10 seconds will give you a much needed boost you need to get through your day!

Happy Hump Day!