Archive for August, 2013

Should I go Uptown, Downtown, Queens, Brooklyn, or Jersey?

Thursday, August 8th, 2013

 

  LITERALLY, the biggest issue in NYC we face  today is where to visit in our free time. We are jetties on the prowl, be seen to be seen, but be posh and chic, so that when our Facebook friends peruse our pictures they’ll be abysmally jealous. Forget that assignment due in the morning, your over withdrawn bank account, and the protests  about equality. It’s time to experience New York City.

   New York magazines and articles on Tripadvisor tell you to visit the Moma, the Natural Museum of Modern Art, and Central Park for an authentic, unforgettable New Yorker experience. Only issue is that New Yorkers tentatively avoid those locations because they’re tourist hives. We’re frustrated when tourists don’t automatically hypersonic to the turnstile because we know if we don’t hop on that train there is no other one arriving for at least another year.  Our fast paced, independent attitude makes us appear mean but the other alternative is for us to punch every tourist in the face, and no one wants that except perhaps Madonna who isn’t even a New Yorker.

  Most college newbies to the city stay within a 5 mile radius of their campuses. Why wouldn’t they? It’s relatively safe, there are average restaurants, and their own private library. After a while, however, it’s repetitive: you eat, drink, pray that yellow cab won’t run you over, and you’ll find love just as Sarah Jessica Parker’s character did in Sex and The City. Let’s face it that only happens in movies, commercials, and over serialized novels.

  Where then to visit with your new friends during your free time? Try planning trips to authentic places tourist rarely visit like Washington Heights, Inwood, Harlem, and Battery Park. You’ll hear diverse languages at every corner, try new foods, and practice your Spanish listening skills. Other locations to visit are Forest Hills and Flushing Queens where you’ll find bargains on every corner–they may not be Forever 21 or H&M brands, but you can certainly find  sleek styles that no one else in your school wears.

 Brooklyn is a popular destination for hipsters, those who claim they’re not hipsters, those who say they’re not hipsters and yet extrude hipster style and persona, and then regular real 1% folk. Visit the deeper Brooklyn to really experience the authentic culture and wide graffiti art everywhere. I have chosen to skip New Jersey, reader should know, since I have very deep biased perspectives as I am a native New Yorker and think Jersey is just Jersey.

  If you’re willing to travel, but don’t want an extensive trip, then head on over to the Upper West Side to Life In Motion for a $5 yoga class only available with the Campus Clipper coupon. Remember that you’re in a cultural hubbub; there’s never a dull moment unless you make it.

 

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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Send Sergio a Tweet Tweet only on Twitter

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Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblr and Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Other Pesky Issues: To gym it or Not and is that person checking me out?!

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

  Amanda Bynes famously Tweeted “twerk.” I am not sure if Bynes twerks  to burn off extra calories on the side (ignoring her musing, whimsical tweets) but she is in decent health. For those of you who don’t know the twerk it’s basically you shaking and tilting your derriere nonstop for approximately 30 seconds. It is a dance craze that has its origins from the deep south.  I’m not endorsing you twerk yourself skinny, but an active lifestyle is both beneficial to your body and mind.

   College can take a positive or negative toll on your body depending on your approach. If you sit around your comforter for hours until your classes begins wearing pajama pants and eating away Nutella you will gain weight–not 3 pounds but think more alongside Kirstie Alley pre and post Jenny Craig. On the other hand, if you’re running, cycling, swimming, or briskly walking you will keep off those freshman 15 pounds and will avoid awkward questions that are obviously meant to point out, as if you didn’t know yourself, that you’ve gained weight. Perfect example of this roundabout comment, “oh you look different. Did you get a haircut or is that new sweater?”

 Most specialist suggest you exercise in the morning because it makes you less likely to overeat throughout the day. The logic is that your body will be craving nutrients and you can’t get those from three slices of pizza or a whopper (you can but that’s another topic). College students who maintain an active life also score better on tests and assignments. Don’t lock yourself up in the school gym for hours; set aside 30 minutes to an hour to exercise during the week. Remember that you’re in the gym to improve your overall self so don’t worry if someone is running at 12 miles/hr on the treadmill or lifting your body weight over their head, which is super impressive and deserves some glances. I should also remind you that your tuition covers your gym membership while in school so why waste it?

  Perhaps you’ll see someone often enough at the gym that you’ll approach them next time and find your perfect gym buddy or your new significant other.  You probably, however, want to explore the city more than your school campus at this point, especially since you’re located in a cultural oasis named NYC. Try Moksha Yoga, they offer unlimited hot yoga with the Campus Clipper coupon. You can find other similar deals so know your options are limitless until you graduate and then are basically broke.  Till then keep healthy.

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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Send Sergio a Tweet Tweet only on Twitter

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Settling: The Art of Friending, Side Friends, Lunch & Dinner Friends

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

You’ve unpacked, bought your books, and attended a few courses, and missed one on account of  the screeching alarms being set off at 3 a.m. No worries, you’re just becoming a real New Yorker. You’re a competent adjuster but forming new friendships is another story. It would be much easier if this were kindergarten where anyone sharing their PB&J is your friend.

   Don’t panic. Here are useful tips to transverse that murky friend zone. How do you know a person is a friend? There should be a “talk” or verbal contract specifying you’re both friends as it would ease the friendship, unfortunately, it does not exist yet. I digress, people are your friends if they are willing to spend time outside class with you for more than 1 hour (this does not encompass study partners) and attends parties with you and other people, and has decency to say goodbye if they leave before you. People are in your friend circle, additionally, if they eat either lunch or dinner with you more than once a week. You shouldn’t force it but prop up naturally, spontaneous.  These scenarios also apply to you because people expect you to reciprocate the same efforts.

             

  We have finished the rules to being a friend. Now to find them. Arguably, New York City is treacherous for newcomers because of the fast paced, goal driven personas you often meet on the streets. Unless you’ve grown up in this jungle you can’t be expected to know every single nook and cranny. If you’re new on campus worried you won’t meet other newbies then join a campus club; you’ll meet tons of like minded people and enjoy your activity. Keep in mind you should try other clubs that spark your curiosity, and if you dislike them there’s nothing chaining you to them except guilt. Find clubs you think mesh well with your personal values and goals. If you’re searching for active, outdoor people then enrolling in an art club is unwise; the positive is you’ll learn tons about abstract color synchronization techniques. If you’re like me, then enroll to every single club you find interesting, attend their first meetings, and then decide whether to commit or scratch it off your plate.

     My school holds a club festival every beginning of the semester to enlist new members–then again my college is in upstate New York so choices are scarce during winter time, either you remain inside your dorm eating instant noodles or visit off-campus sites to gorge on the local food…and then regret it.

      One club stood out the most, the Men and Women’s Rowing club. My first thought was that this would really get me down to my ideal weight and body shape, and seeing as my friend was eager to join, we signed up. Our first meetings were just basic paperwork, insurance information, and minor details. However, practices were gruesome. For starters, I always thought they would be held during late afternoons; turns out we had to meet at 5:30 a.m–this our coach would later angrily explain meant we had to be on the dock at 5:30am. Therefore, for 3 times a week I woke up at 4:45 a.m to be driven down to the boathouse and arrive at 5:15 a.m. This was utter madness. yes! Why do it? Tremendous guilt would burden me for life if I left my friend suffering alone,  but the unforeseen occurred: I liked the sport and people.

     There are other outlets, of course, you can use these days to forge new friendships while in NYC. If sports are not your forte, then stick to your interest, slowly branching yourself into other groups. You don’t have to  join the local soccer, football, or rugby team. You can start small with Yoga classes at Moksha Yoga that offers a free class to first timers who bring the Campus Clipper coupon, if that’s your preference. There’s never a reason to not try new things–unless you’re highly allergic or you’re bedridden–so start small and end up winning big.

 

 

 

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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Send Sergio a Tweet Tweet only on Twitter

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Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblr and Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Family: Should call ASAP, now, later, laterish, or in 3 days?

Wednesday, August 7th, 2013

     Let’s face it, most of us start getting too preoccupied as semesters start every year.  Classes, assignments, sports, friendships, relationships, and those lazy weekend afternoons you inhale a zillion calories make it so we have no time for family. Is that really the case? Can we not take a few minutes of our lives, or stop eating that second serving of Chipotle to phone our family?

     Classes are arguably consuming depending on  your semester level. For one mathematics course, which will remain unnamed, I had to solve 6 problem sets. “Bring it,” I wanted to yell, but resisted the urge as it would be not only weird but disruptive too. It took 3 hours to solve one problem–mind you this was higher level calculus where numbers barely exist. I still had 5 more solutions to find. I would not leave this spot, I said to myself, not even for caffeine (Ok, I did for coffee but it was life or death, but not really).

     24 hours later (about 10 a.m to 8p.m actually) my thoughts were scattered, murmuring mathematical concepts, seeing distant white specs, and I was overall unfocused when leaving the library. The last thing I wanted was to call my parents that night. Arguably, the call would have helped me adjust my focus. It has been noted that discussing and thinking  about other subjects clears your mind so that when you return to an assignment you tackle it differently this time around.

   Professors suggest you shouldn’t fixate on one assignment for hours on end. Don’t leave it to the last minute either because that  is just unnecessary stress on you. Instead, take breaks, walk around,exercise, eat, or talk to someone to help clear your mind. You could get a drink from T-Magic, they offer a free bubble tea with the Campus Clipper coupon.

    When you start an assignment, you never see any fault in your approach because you’ve molded your brain to one perspective. Rest your mind by calling your parents during tough situations. Perhaps they’re not prodigious math professors, but they may help by giving you a much needed boost that you’re no failure and everyone else has identical ordeals in college. Your parents will, of course, feel loved and cherished that you trust them during such small scenarios. It lets them know you think of them foremost during your academic debacles.

    Don’t habitually phone them every time you suffer a school related mishap; trust them enough to talk about relationships, friends, food in NYC, and professors. You should not set your parents, or immediate family, aside because you’re now ‘busy’ or too ‘stressed.’ There’s no decree for the correct time to call family. It’s largely your choice whether you want your family incorporated in your college life or semi-integrated, but once those years end they’re the ones who are picking you up and whisking you off back home.

 

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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Send Sergio a Tweet Tweet only on Twitter

Follow the Campus Clipper on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!

Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblr and Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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Thirty Seconds to Fame

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

Our day at the ‘office’ started with a mission: to make an ad. With the energy at an ultimate high, we all sat around the glass table to brainstorm. The process resulted in three phases.

The first was the idea phase. No idea went unheard, and no idea was forgotten. Joey wrote it all down in his fancy book, which we later used as a prop. After throwing some thoughts around, we came up with the idea of showing the connection between students, the journey of the coupon booklet from student to student, until it reached the final destination: Papaya King.

With that idea in mind, we entered the actualization phase. Now that we knew what we wanted, we needed to strategize how we would bring it alive on camera and who would play what part. Miles grabbed a piece of paper, being the cameraman, and drew a series of boxes. That’s when we knew we were getting down to business. He outlined the scenes as we came up with the order and the scenery behind the coupon. We had about eight frames on paper when we were ready to hit the road.

The last phase was bringing it to life. We picked a corner on Saint Marks street where Ing gave out the Campus Clipper Coupon booklets. We acted as the people passing by, and a woman who wasn’t even asked to participate grabbed one! Then, the camera followed Anna as she ripped a coupon and passed it onto the writer on the bench, James. Then, with the scenery changing, James passed on the coupon book to the guy playing a guitar on the street, Joey. With his guitar all packed and the spare change in his pocket, he then traveled to the artist on the staircase drawing a tree. Saying “Hey Sofia,” he passed it onto me. The last transition was when I passed the coupon book to Christy and Jackie as they typed away on their laptops. Although the coupon book exchanged several hands in different backgrounds, we all ended up in the same place for the same great deal: Papaya King. The rest of the interns who opted out of the transition roles were included as extras eating the hot dogs in the last scene.

The process was fun and enlightening. Here is what I learned from this journey of the Campus Clipper Booklet:

1. Plan before you film; spending two hours planning beforehand actually saves time

2. Pick a leader to take charge when directing the filming process (to avoid giving too many directions)

3. Ask people for their ideas, and brainstorm together

4. Write everything down, even if you do not think it will work (ideas work off of each other and each idea helps inspire the next)

5. Be open to playing different roles

6. Try to include everyone as best as possible

7. To make a thirty second ad, it takes much more than thirty seconds!

8. Have fun!

 Grab the Campus Clipper coupon booklet for a discount and visit Papaya King with your friends!————————————————————————————————————————————-

Sofia Khiskiadze, Baruch College.

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Arrival: Freakout, panic attack, wait are those the Olsen Twins?

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

 

      You’ve just graduated high school, leaving prom night behind, and that comment you wish you took back but didn’t really because you felt it was rightly deserved, and are now ready to begin your new life in the city. You’re giddy because you hope you’ll be caught in a photo beside an A-star celebrity eating a light salad and sipping sparkling water at your favorite hole-in-the wall restaurant you read about. On arrival, however, you noticed no celebrities, chic restaurants:  just random people either playing music for money or those playing music but  being paid because others have assumed they’re only there for money.

          Hopefully, dorm life is the same as shown on brochures, campus tours, and other miscellaneous google image searches you did beforehand. Hurrah! Dorms are fantastic with enough space and lighting that makes you feel it’s not jail-cell B. You’ve traveled far, maybe crossed the Atlantic, and now you’ve arrived in the Big Apple. Parents are helping you unload bags, boxes filled with snacks, and then treating you to a rewarding feast for graduating high school and marking the next big chapter of your life, college. They leave. Now what? There is one scenario that pops in your head: people will start drinking, gorging on jello shots, and parading in the dorms until 6 a.m the next day. 

         Real scenario: you’re laying on your bed thinking how many calories did I just inhale and what to do next?  Should call parents, pops in your mind, but that will make them think you severely miss them and are ready to leave college to become the next pop musical sensation or viral Youtube star. Should call friends is another option you ponder. That decision also has its setbacks, you think, because friends will see it as you trying to live in the past and being overly clingy. Who else to phone then?  Former partner?  They’ll think you’re absurd. Only person/non-human near you are either your dog or that chubby cat meowing ferociously outside for food even though it clearly needs to stop eating.

        Have no fear. The worst things most new New Yorkers accomplish is to over analyze simple decisions. Moving away from home, leaving where you grew up, knocked that kid off his bike and then lied about it, is difficult for anyone. Call your parents immediately (well, wait until they’re on the freeway) to tell them you’ll miss them and promise to either call, video chat, face-talk, Facebook message, Line, etc, that night to update them on your new day.

        Don’t fear phoning friends because they’re in similar shoes as yourself, or worse, they’re hyperventilating and looking at graduation photos yelling “Why me?!!” Instead of staying in your dorm waiting for orientation, explore the local neighborhood; if you find a store you like, you can later discuss and recommend it to your new friends, it will make you seem knowledgeable like a native New Yorker; you even find a surprising discount for new students on the Campus Clipper, the local booklet that helps you save those extra bucks, on textbooks. Now you have both a new street-smart mentality and you can rent out a Chemistry textbook for a bargain at Shakespeare & Co Textbooks which up to today was only a dead guy who wrote amazing plays; but now he also offers stupendous offers to students.If you left the comfort of your hometown, city, or neighborhood, surely you can take those extra steps to acclimate to New York City. After all, no one is really a true New Yorker. Most of us fake it ‘til we make it.

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Sergio Hernandez, Skidmore College. Tweet Sergio on Twitter

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The Cheat Meal (featuring a sweet college discount!)

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

Oh, cheat meal.  Sweet, sweet cheat meal.  The cheat meal is a crucial part of anyone’s diet., and it’s my favorite time of the week.  If you don’t know what a cheat meal is, brace yourself.  One meal of the week, you eat WHATEVER YOU WANT!  I don’t mean a chocolate bar after dinner.  I mean a feast of fried food and sweets.  All of your guilty pleasure foods allowed in one meal.

www.jencomaskeck.com

I call it “the ultimate indulgence.”  The stricter your diet is during the week, the more you should treat yourself in this sitting.  Mike Mondo, a man who journeyed from a pudgy teenager to a ripped professional wrestler, told me about his cheat meal.  One portion of the meal includes 6 bowls of ice cream… with toppings.  He goes all out because his weekly diet is immaculate.

Dieting is hard.  The cheat meal serves as an inspiration.  It gives you the power and motivation to maintain your healthy diet during the week.  Think of it as a gift to yourself for working so hard, a light at the end of the tunnel.  Some sources state that a cheat meal should be reasonable: not 2 whole pizzas, but rather a few slices.  I disagree with these sources.  You have to figure out what works best for you.  Perhaps an over-indulgence leaves you feeling sick with a stomach ache.  Experiment with your cheat meal.

grantland.com

As a suggestion, the cheat meal should not take place on a day that you work out.  It should be on a rest day when your muscles don’t need the kind of replenishing that they do on a workout day.  Since healthy dieting poses challenges to many, perhaps one cheat meal per week is not enough for beginners.  Try 2 or 3 cheat meals, then cut it down.  You should schedule your cheat meal so it’s something you can look forward to.  Indulge at the 5 oz. Factory with milkshakes and frozen custard.  Check out the Campus Clipper for a delicious discount!

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Joey Silver, University of Delaware. Check out my Twitter!

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Interested in more deals for students? Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter to get the latest in student discounts and promotions  and follow our Tumblrand Pinterest. For savings on-the-go, download our printable coupon e-book!

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