Let’s be honest. There were times when you weren’t sure you’d make it. You were optimistic back in August, but less so as the months wore on. You started your countdown on Halloween, and were ready to tear your own hair out over Thanksgiving break. By the time finals week had rolled around you had already checked out. But somehow, somehow you’ve managed to make it through.

Well…almost.

Another few days and you’ll be free and clear. Done. Dunzo. Getting the hell out of Dodge. The fall 2010 semester will be over and you’ll be able to do whatever you like over the break. Want to know what I’m looking forward to the most? Read More »

It's all smiles when you communicate openly.

It’s back-to-school season and that should mean you’ve figured out your living situation for next year.  Regardless of where you’re living – be it in a 10X10 cell in the dorms or a dingy old apartment off campus – or who you’re living with, now’s the time to set ground rules and figure out how to make your living situation work for the school year.

I’ve had a lot of roommates – nine in four years to be exact.  I’ve also had varying degrees of success with roommates, and the common factor that determines whether things are good or bad in all situations is the level of communication.  If you communicate early on about what you want your living situation to look like, it will make things easier in the long run, guaranteed.

To help you start the conversation with your roommate, here is a list of questions you should be sure to ask. Will it be weird to bring these up with the stranger assigned to you by the school? Maybe, but 3 months from now, you’ll be glad you had the awkward convo.

1.  What’s your stance on overnight guests?
This question can refer to both friends visiting and people you are hooking up with.  Figuring out your policy on this question is probably one of the most important.  You’ll want to figure out how often people can stay, if it’s okay if anyone stays over on a school night, and, if you share a bedroom, what the roommate is supposed to do. I don’t think I need to tell you this, but it is NOT okay to hook up while the other person is sleeping in the same room, even if they’re passed out.

2. Do you smoke – cigarettes or otherwise?
Most residences try to keep smokers and non-smokers apart.  If you are a non-smoker living with a smoker, try and set up a designated smoke area outside, and have rules about cigarette butts.  Finding out if your roommates do drugs is also important, as you should make them aware if you are not comfortable having them use (or bring their shady lady friends over) in your place of residence. Read More »

Before you dismiss this as just another article about the master cleanse, please read on!

Studies have proven that liquid cleanses, like the juice cleanse, the infamous master cleanse, and even the water with lemon cleanse, are more harmful to the body than beneficial. Probably because girls tend to do them for weeks, even months at a time, to lose weight.

We forget that the purpose of a cleanse is to help rid the body of toxins from processed foods and from our environment, not to become anorexic for a week.

Every day our body is exposed to chemicals from car exhaust, pollution, and the very lotion we apply to our skin. We breathe in harmful particles floating in the air. We eat fruit that has been soaked in pesticides and meat that has been injected with antibiotics.

Our incredible bodies constantly filter out all of these toxins on an a daily basis — it is a self-healing, self-renewing and self-cleansing organism. However, all of this can be too much and we find ourselves feeling sluggish and unhealthy. This indicates that your body needs some help. A holistic detox is the best method.

Here’s how: Read More »

When I saw the headline on Lifehacker, I had to click on it: “Sleep Deprivation Isn’t a Badge of Honor.” Um, what? I have to admit, I’ve been known to brag about the lack of sleep I get. “Oh you know, I didn’t go to bed until 4 a.m. and then got up at 8 a.m. but I feel great!” Maybe that has something to do with the 8 cups of coffee I chugged. Or maybe I’m Super Woman, right?

Most of us have been there. Whether it’s in college or at our first high-stress job. Sometimes going to bed at a reasonable hour just doesn’t seem possible. And our society tends to value people who don’t need a lot of sleep, while those who require 8+ hours are seen as weak. I honestly don’t understand where people find 8 hours every day to sleep. I know they say it’s important, but I don’t need it, do I?

The article came from a blog called Signal vs. Noise and highlights some of the problems that can incur due to lack of sleep, including stubbornness, lack of creativity, diminished morale, and irritability. Yes, yes, yes, and yes. I get all of those things when I don’t sleep enough. But I also get them if I don’t get all my work done. So, what’s a girl to do?

Allegedly, we’ll be more productive if we get enough sleep, thus allowing us to kill two birds with one stone: Get enough sleep AND get all our work done. Who knew?

I guess it’s worth a shot. I think I’ll head off to bed right now. Just as soon as I finish up a few more things. Er, maybe they can wait until morning?

I wish I could say that my sobriety hasn’t made any difference at all in my productivity-but that would be a lie. And it’s a lot harder to lie when I’m sober.

I can’t even believe how much I have been getting done since taking a break from drinking. From my music to my work to running an extra mile every day…I just have so much more energy. Of course this is for a lot of reasons. Alcohol drains your body, yes, but it also makes for poor sleeping patterns. Usually, after a night of drinking, I wake up at least twice in the night to get water since I’m so dehydrated from the alcohol. And, of course, it’s a lot harder to get things done in the morning when I’m just trying to focus on anything other than my hang over.

So yesterday was another testament to my ability to get crap done when I actually have both hands free because I’m not wasting one of them on clasping a beverage. I got a lot of work done in the morning. Then I went running and felt strong through the whole work out. I had practice with a guitarist, made an amazing bacon/pepperoni/jalapeno pizza. Then I worked through the night-on both writing and music-and didn’t lose my energy until around 4 am. It amazed me, to be honest. Read More »

Ever find yourself awake at 4am reading Perez Hilton and unable to fall asleep? Between classes, extracurriculars, homework and those 5 trips to Starbucks, relaxing at the end of a long day can be next to impossible. Worse yet, if you study where you sleep (we’ve all tried to read a book in bed, and I personally have a duvet cover stained with pen ink!), your body may not be able to determine when it’s time to focus and when it’s time to pass out.

Yoga can be a great way to increase your energy and wake you up, but there are also a few simple poses you can try before bed that will (hopefully!) relax you and calm your mind. Read More »

I’m not all that affectionate with guys, even with boyfriends, and I think PDA’s are lame, but there’s nothing I like better than a good spoon.

Spooning makes me feel all warm inside, like a cozy cup of cocoa on a chilly winter’s eve. Too much?

One morning, I was in bed with a guy I had taken home the *very* drunken night before. We were just laying there, face-to-face and disgustingly dehydrated, and that’s always a very awkward thing when you haven’t brushed your teeth and don’t even remember where the hell he came from in the first place. Oh, I remember….the bar.

Anyway, I turned over on my side, my back facing him, in hopes it would alleviate the awkwardness, and that’s when I felt The Spoon take over. The warm embrace of two people who barely know each other, but somehow feel comfortable enough to wrap their unclothed bodies around one another like a cute little pretzel. I was instantly calm again. And then, as we laid there in the silent thick of Spoon, he said the most adorable thing:

“I wish they made beds that made it easier to do this. My arm f*cking hurts.”

A thought so eloquently put. But really, this guy was certainly on to something here. So on, in fact, that he will be happy to know, that there IS such a bed! Another frustrated spooner named Mehdi Mojtabvi has created The Love Mattress for all of our spooning needs. Read More »

I met his guy awhile ago, and we’ve hung out a couple of times with friends, but we just recently went on a “real” date. We slept together after that first date, but I like him, so now I’m afraid I’ve screwed up. Is it really that bad to have sex on the first date?

It’s not bad, but if you’re going to make some intentional decisions to get off on the right foot, then sleeping with someone on the first date isn’t one of them. Yes, even if the chemistry is that good. Flaubert (old French author) believed that anticipation is the purest form of pleasure – and the most reliable. Read More »