Archive for June, 2017

My Vegetarian Story

Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

Coming to university brings about changes in one’s character as well as in one’s way of thinking. For many, it is the first time we are living by ourselves, the first time we are in charge of every aspect of our everyday lives: from doing homework, to what we eat, to choosing to go to class, to deciding whether we brush our teeth. It is stressful to suddenly make this transition, but in my experience, it has made me all the more conscious of myself as a person, my needs and my desires. People tend to focus on different things, depending on who they are. When I came to university, I found that my focus was my relationship to food.

www.thepcrm.orga

www.thepcrm.orga

I had always enjoyed eating well. “Well” as in healthy and delicious, as my mother had taken up the task of teaching me about the effects of food on my health from a young age. Nonetheless, coming to university was the first time I became truly conscious of what I was putting into my body. I had always known that eating a salad was better than eating a cake, and I was aware of the benefits of each vegetable and food group, but the idea that what I was putting into my body impacted my being in such a strong way hadn’t settled in too much. You could say I was superficially aware of the importance of a good diet.

This all changed when I arrived in New York City and was forced to make all the choices myself. Perhaps this development sprung from having to cope with leaving my mother’s kitchen, where everything was cooked with the freshest Greek ingredients in a healthy way. To go from that to my school’s dining hall, whose salad bar was tasteless and whose prepared dishes all usually contained meat and ten times the amount of oil and/or butter necessary was a rude awakening.

www.oralanswers.com

www.oralanswers.com

I realized that since I was now in charge of myself, I soon had to be more conscious of what was in my disposition. Upon having this epiphany, I started watching documentaries and reading books on health. Soon enough, I realized that for who I am as a person, being healthy and aware of my nutrition meant giving up meat and a lot of dairy. I became convinced that a whole food, plant-based diet was the best thing I could do for myself. And surely enough, all the benefits people from the vegan community boast about became relevant for me too.

http://fattofitwwdiary.tumblr.com/post/71598319865/untitled-via-tumblr-on-we-heart-it

http://fattofitwwdiary.tumblr.com/post/71598319865/untitled-via-tumblr-on-we-heart-it

Most of the documentaries and books I read were targeted at people trying to make the switch to a vegan diet. Though I am not fully vegan, I am fully vegetarian and eat vegan about 70% of the time. I found that what resonated with me was not simply the health benefits of a whole foods diet, rather, the compassion the community argued for when it comes to animals. Adopting a whole food, plant-based diet was not only crucial for my health, as I felt my energy levels rise, my skin clear up, my hair get stronger and my mood improve, but it was also crucial for my sense of wellbeing and self-esteem.

After being exposed to the atrocity of what is the meat and dairy industry, I felt a lot of guilt when I engaged in activities which contributed to these disastrous causes. That’s when I realized that what I put into my body was not only important for my body’s health in regards to protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, nutrients and minerals but also to my mind for the person I wanted to be. So, I made the choice to try to do my part for our planet and the animals and try to do the least “bad” I could. For me, it meant giving up meat completely and minimizing my dairy intake to only a few times per week (usually weekends).

www.lolwot.com

www.lolwot.com

I struggled with the idea that I wasn’t doing the most good I could. I told myself that my ultimate goal was to be completely vegan and in that way, be “perfect”. However, I soon realized that these thoughts were holding me back, as I was not seeing that what I was doing was already a positive change. What I realized was that there was no one way to eat and that actually, what was needed were people who were aware and determined to make the right choices most of the time. My lifestyle and diet were my way of reacting to the information I was given. Chances are, you will have a different experience, and it will not be better or worse than someone else’s, as long as you remember to show compassion and strive to be aware of your body to make the right choices, whichever they may be.

www.pinterest.com

www.pinterest.com

Interesting reads:

  • Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
  • Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Helpful documentaries:

  • Forks Over Knives
  • Cowspiracy
  • Food Matters
  • Food Choices

 

By Marina Theophanopoulou

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Marina Theophanopoulou is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is studying Philosophy and Sociology as a junior at NYU. Passionate about healthy, food and wellness, Marina aspires to make others think of food in a more holistic way. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services. 

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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Winning Over Your Professors

Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

In college, we all realize that there is no one way to eat, work, learn, or live. This principle extends beyond just student life: there is also no one way to teach. Just like everyone else, professors come in all different shapes and sizes–and for this reason, so do college courses. If you want to find good personal study habits, you have to first understand as much as you can about the person who decides what you have to study. Here are some tips to help you choose the right professors, and, when the time comes, impress them!

Choosing a Professor
Have high expectations for what you can accomplish in a class. If you can handle being challenged (and I’ll bet you can), choose professors with a reputation for expecting a lot of their students. It isn’t hard to figure out which professors these will be–lots of us already know about sites like ratemyprofessors.com that give us students the opportunity to anonymously praise our professors or similarly take our anger out on our keyboards in a show of a semester’s worth of pent up frustration. When you read these reviews or even when you hear about a professor from a friend, take everything with a grain of salt. You are different from everyone else: don’t lose sight of the kind of student you are or the kind of student you aspire to be when you consider others’ opinions. If you want better study habits, a great way to get them is to choose a professor who has a reputation for encouraging learning in a way that works for you–and that means not taking the easy way out.

https://www.dreamstime.com/

Making the Impression
If you’ve already chosen the best professors for yourself, or at least tried to, then winning them over shouldn’t be hard! It will, however, take some planning and thoughtfulness. Like I said, all professors are different, but it generally takes a just little more than turning on the charm to show them you’re serious about their classes. I like to set small rules (small enough that I know I can keep them up all semester) that will help me show my professor my best self. For starters, if technology is allowed in class but not encouraged, I recommend you stay away from it. It will set you apart from everybody else in the class and, even if you don’t believe it, actually help you pay attention. And regardless when you actually start assignments (though you can read last week’s post for some tips on planning ahead), always read the handout explaining the assignment on the first day you get it. It only takes a few minutes and it spares you the dreaded possible fate of starting an assignment at the last minute and realizing you’re doomed by unclear instructions.

If you read all instructions as soon as possible, go out of your way to ask early questions! Nothing too obvious, but if you email your professor early on to ask advice about an idea for an assignment, they will notice your dedication and respect for their opinion. This also goes a long way to help you get your name recognized and get face time with your professor–don’t underestimate how important this can be. It’s the only way to avoid being just another face in a large class.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be ready to impress and finally kick the stress. Whether you’re enrolling in next semester’s classes soon or you’re drowning in midterms for classes you wish you’d never chosen, keep this advice in mind to boost your grade and your morale.


By Madeleine Fleming

Madeleine Fleming is a Campus Clipper publishing intern and a rising sophomore at NYU.  A lover of reading, writing, and learning in every way possible, Madeleine is excited to be writing about college study habits for the Campus Clipper. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services. 

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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From New York to…Amsterdam

Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

New York and Amsterdam. These two cities together have a context that brings to mind debauchery and nighttime revelry that you’re bound to regret the next morning. But that’s not what we’re talking about today. Today, we’re talking about confusion.

Any city is confusing if you’ve never lived there before. You don’t know the neighborhoods or the areas to avoid, and you’re bound to get lost the first few times you visit. Sometimes this is fun and you can find new places, but most of the time it’s just inconvenient.

So here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your time in both of these gorgeous cities:

http://wallup.net/wp-content/

http://wallup.net/wp-content/

Taken by Jainita Patel

Taken by Jainita Patel

 

Roads and Rivers.

Every place has a certain road or river that brings a level of comfort since you know that when you find it, you can find your way home. The best way to orient yourself in either city is to find that one road. In New York, for the first few years that road was Broadway. No matter where I was, if I could find Broadway, I could get home even if my phone was dead. As time moved on and I switched apartments, my main landmark became the East or Hudson River. In New York, we get lucky as we’re on an island and a grid system. Try going to Boston or Amsterdam and this becomes a little more complicated. In Amsterdam, I’d suggest making the Prins Hendrikkade road and s100 highway your main roads. These are a bit on the outskirts, but they encompass most of the Centrum or downtown. If you go past that, the Amstel Canal is your best bet.

 

Neighborhoods.

Familiarize yourself with the neighborhoods before you decide to go to visit them. I’m more comfortable downtown than uptown, but once a few of my friends moved to the Heights and Harlem, I decided to find my main roads up there just incase I couldn’t charge my phone at night. This might come in handy, especially out in the boroughs. In Amsterdam, the canals are beautiful, but they can seriously confuse you, especially if you decide to live outside of Centrum, so it might be good to familiarize yourself with the main roads ahead of time as well.

 

Public Transport.

You don’t have to know where you are if you can find the one train station that will take you anywhere—or at least home after a long night. In New York, Midtown is probably a good place to start. 42nd St. and 34th St. have most of the lines you’ll need to journey in Manhattan. If you get on the wrong train, don’t worry. Just climb abroad one going back to that central station and try again. NYC’s subways are tricky to get used to at first, but in a week you’ll get it down. The maps are pretty easy to read and are available in most subway carts and stations. At Amsterdam Central Station, you can find a metro, bus, or tram to wherever you need to go and can easily purchase a temporary OV-chipkaart at the station.

 

Embrace It.

If you have time to get lost, embrace it. You’ll find some of the coolest spots when you’re not looking for them or staring at your GPS trying to see where you missed that last turn. Amsterdam, especially is beautiful and relatively safe to wander at night. On the canals you’ll see some of the most beautiful sights a city has to offer. New York isn’t short on its beautiful spots either. East River Park is stunning and the sight of the Freedom Tower is something to marvel at when the sun is setting.

 

http://brokelyn.com/

http://brokelyn.com/

Taken by Jainita Patel

Taken by Jainita Patel

And of course, if you have a GPS app on your phone, you don’t even have to worry about this, so enjoy yourself! Get lost on purpose and let the freedom of it wash over you. And who knows? If you like getting lost in New York or Amsterdam, hopefully you’ll get a chance to visit the other some day.

Stay rad,
Jainita

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By Jainita Patel

Jainita is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies at NYU. Though writing fiction and painting are her two main passions, she also has a love of travel and adventure that has taken her across the globe.  Jainita writes under the pseudonym Jordan C. Rider. If you like her posts, you can find more of her work here or follow her on Twitter. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015. 

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My Mom, The Survivor

Sunday, June 25th, 2017
Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

 

“I don’t want to be pitied” she said, gazing at her reflection in the mirror. A few short months ago her hair was the shoulder-length layered and highlighted style that many of the Mom’s around town sported as they rushed to and from soccer practices, grocery stores, and jobs. Now there was nothing there but a feathery fuzz like the down of a baby bird gently hugging her bare scalp. She would say that she looked in the mirror and saw a cancer patient. But I could only see someone with a determination to look like anything but, and who was succeeding.

Decisively, she put the wig she was holding in one hand firmly onto her head and grabbed her car keys. “I don’t want to be pitied” she reaffirmed, mostly talking to my Dad who had reminded her that she was beautiful bald. “I think the wig looks good” I reassured her as I watched her march out the door to conquer her fear of being in public.

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

My Mom was diagnosed with Breast Cancer over a year ago in May, and even as I write this truth, it still feels like the words are void of meaning. For those of you who don’t know me, this story has a happy ending full of life lessons and strengthened bonds. But the beginning will always be hard. At first I didn’t know how to process the realization that something this drastic was out of my hands. Usually, when little crises affect my life I’m strong willed and quick witted, and the problem is gone almost as quickly as it began. I had no precedent for how to act as you watch your Mom get sick. And if I could go back to last summer, there are a million little things I would do differently.

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

My Mom on the other hand, figured it out pretty early on. And though chemo had its days and took its toll, the second she felt better she jumped at the chance to live as normal a life as possible. When you ask her how she did it, she always breaks into a grin and begins to tell story after story of how supportive all the people in her life have been. Her friends from all parts of her life came together to bring her post-chemo gifts every week. I did the grocery shopping and helped out with her business. My dad went to every doctor’s appointment he could and my sister accompanied her to chemo. My grandmother called her everyday and would drive her to treatments, her sisters checked in often. Even friends across the country managed to find ways to bring a smile to her face, sending random supportive texts or even fruit baskets from Colorado! And from this cocoon of support, as treatments piled up and her body began to fight back against her good spirits, she never gave up hope.

My Photo

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Then it was September and school started again. My life in New York did not reflect what I felt like the life of a daughter supporting her sick mom should look like. Over the summer we had learned as a family that our relationships were what supported us even more than we could have ever imagined. And suddenly, I could no longer be there every day to talk with my Mom and help around the house. I felt guilty that all those people who couldn’t love my Mom nearly as much as I did were going to be closer to her physically and emotionally as she continued her battle. And while she was spending most of her days getting poison pumped through her veins, I was in New York City, happy, healthy, and far from home. So I looked for little ways to support her.

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Freshman year, all my Mom had ever wanted was to know everything about my life every second of every day. Obviously this request to me seemed completely unreasonable and even when she tried to bargain it down to most things about my life most seconds of most days, I would claim my independence and retort that I’d talk to her when I had time. But now, with her sick at home, I realized that if that’s what she wanted – a little piece of me everyday – I would happily manage. 

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

My family wore these Hope rings everyday to remind us all that things were going to turn out okay, and it seemed like the perfect way to stay connected and supportive of my Mom. Though to the naked eye these pictures may look like nothing more than a diary of what I had for dinner and who I might have seen that day, to my Mom these pictures were a window into my world. Since her treatment ended in February, my Mom and I are closer than ever. To me this means that we fight just enough for it to feel like a mother-daughter relationship, and the rest of the time we’re friends. As adult life becomes an increasing part of my reality, her guidance and support is something I am thankful for everyday. And though her hair is getting longer and the clutter of breast-cancer-pink is slowly disappearing from the house, I can still look at her and remember how she looked with cancer: strong and always moving forward.

 


By Caroline Flynn

Caroline Flynn is a Sales and Publishing Intern at the Campus Clipper studying Theatre at NYU Tisch. Caroline is passionate about the arts and dedicated to using her voice to make other people smile. As she heads into her Junior year, she is excited to be writing about how relationships have shaped her life while she takes on summer in the city for the first time. Check out her Instagram for more witty and heartfelt content on her life. 

We have the most talented interns ever and we’re so proud of them! For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015. 

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5 Daily Ways to Check in with Yourself and Mentally Reset

Sunday, June 25th, 2017

Long days and frustrations at school or work can often leave us wishing we had a “reset” button in our brains. Whether we’re over-worked, stressed, annoyed, or just tired, a mental reboot is often much-needed, and while we don’t have an actual button for this, taking a few minutes to check in with yourself can go a long way. Here are a few things you can do to metaphorically hit your “reset” button.

https://be-nefit.co.uk/

https://be-nefit.co.uk/

1. Affect Labeling

Ask yourself how you’re feeling. Distracted? Anxious? Jittery? Insecure? The act of naming your emotions is called affect labeling, and it’s more powerful than you think. According to a 2007 study in the journal Psychological Science, “Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli.” That’s a mouthful. In normal-speak, here’s what researchers found: labeling emotions diminished the subjects’ responses to negative emotional images. Psychologists and wellness experts have long held that recognizing and naming our feelings diminishes their hold on us; this study simply provides the concrete evidence in the from neuroimaging—that is, images of brain activity.

Affect labeling reduces the passion and intensity of an emotion, returning us to a more rational state by allowing us to observe it instead of being overcome by it. So notice what you’re feeling. Maybe someone cut you off getting into the subway. Maybe you’re worried about a project. Are you over-caffeinated?Are you irritable because you’re hungry or didn’t sleep enough? Think beyond the basic categories of angry, sad, and happy, and try to label what you’re feeling as specifically as you can. I find this wheel of emotions very helpful:

http://inkwellideas.com/

http://inkwellideas.com/

2. Check in with your needs

When was the last time you ate? Washed your hair? Laughed? How’s your energy level? Last moment of physical contact with another human being? When you’re really deep into a project, an essay, or studying for an exam, it can be easy to forget your most basic needs. If you find yourself getting mentally fatigued, ask yourself if your baseline needs are in check. Maybe you need a walk around the block, a snack to boost glucose in your brain (i.e. fueling your study-power), or just a hug.

3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This technique is a winner for reducing anxiety and hitting the mental reset button. Using guided mental imagery, you methodically relax each muscle in your body. One of my teachers suggests visualizing a glowing light gliding along inside each part of your body. Follow these steps from The University of Rochester’s Medical Center to reset your mind with progressive muscle relaxation.

4. Come Back to Your Breath

For the duration of our stay here on Earth, the breath is always there. You don’t have to make an effort to breathe; it happens naturally. Take five minutes out of your day— especially if you’re having a tough one—and sit quietly with your breath. Notice your chest rising and falling, your belly expanding and deflating. The air entering your nostrils. Your tongue resting against the backs of your upper teeth. I like to imagine the shore of the ocean: The inhale is the sound of the water sliding back from the sand after each wave breaks, gathering and building up the next wave. The exhale is the wave breaking on the shore. Even just a few minutes of concentrated awareness of your breath will allow you to reset and return to your day refreshed. Try out this 5 minute guided breathing meditation from www.mindful.org.

http://www.betsymccallworks.com/

http://www.betsymccallworks.com/

5. Alone Time

There’s a difference between being alone due to circumstance, like when you’re walking to the subway, and actually scheduling alone time with yourself. It can be hard to get an accurate pulse on your mental state in the company of other people, so it’s highly valuable to spend some time alone every day. It provides a space to notice where your mind really is, and from there you can recenter it. Even the busiest student has ten minutes to tuck into their day for sitting and reflecting, taking a walk, writing in a journal, or engaging in any activity that allows your internal state to become a little clearer.

Use these tips to stay in tune with yourself and hit the mental reset button when you need to!


By Sofia Lerner

Sofia Lerner is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is studying English as a senior at NYU. Passionate about literature, dance, and wellness, Sofia aspires to help the arts thrive and help others pursue healthy lifestyles. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services. 

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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From New York to…Stockholm

Wednesday, June 21st, 2017

It’s hard not to feel fed up in a city. Your apartment has roaches the size of rats, you step in a mysterious liquid almost every day, and the F train is late again. Worst of all, people seem to be everywhere when you don’t want to be near them, but nowhere when you need them. The isolation is a lot to handle.

New York’s not the only city in the world that can make you feel isolated. Stockholm, in its cold, distant beauty is also like this in that it can be a fairly lonely city, even after you’ve lived there for a while.

But maybe isolation isn’t such a bad thing—think of it as solitude instead. For one, you have friends, but you just don’t want to be around them at the moment and that’s okay. Everyone feels this way at one point or another in New York and in Stockholm and here are a few ways to spend your time in solitude to get you loving your city again:

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/

https://c1.staticflickr.com/

https://c1.staticflickr.com/

 

Be Productive.

I’m not joking. Without the need to be around friends to distract you, you can get a lot of work done. Though the sight of people isn’t great when you want to be alone, a quiet coffee shop might help you stay focused. In Stockholm, a good place to do this might be in Gamla Stan’s Chokladkoppen, or if you’re not in the mood to deal with the tourists of Gamla Stan, maybe just go to your local Espresso House instead. In New York, finding a quiet coffee shop is can require quite the hike. If you’re up for it, the Little Chair in Two Bridges is worth the journey. Or maybe just stick to a Think Coffee in the Village. Either way, a coffee shop is a great way to be productive and get away from most people you know.

 

Treat Yourself.

Not in the mood to see anyone? Great! This is the perfect time to take a page out of Tom Haverford and Donna Meagle’s book: Treat yourself. New York and Stockholm are both great cities to do so. Need a new work outfit? Treat yourself. Want to dye your hair? Treat yourself. Want that thousand calorie dessert? No one’s there to judge you. Treat. Your. Self. Even so, sometimes you want to treat yourself without breaking the bank and the Campus Clipper has great deals for gelato places like Unico or relaxing spas like the Lilac Spa on 1st Ave. In NYC, when you want to go shopping, you go to 5th Ave. In Stockholm, you go to Södermalm where you can find anything from desserts at Casja Warg to unique clothes at Beyond Retro.

 

Scenic Self-Reflection.

So every time you want to go see something cool outside of Gamla Stan or Soho, your friends are always there to bog you down. Well, now’s the time for your vision journey. It’s time to leave your neighborhood and go see the sights of your beautiful city. In Stockholm, why not take an archipelago tour and see the breathtaking islands that surround Stockholm (bring a jacket) or go to the Moderna Museet and see that exhibition you’ve been wanting to check out? In New York, go up to Inwood and to view the Hudson from the Cloister’s Museum or head to the Brooklyn or Bronx Botanical Gardens. These places are great to take a step back and think while you’re alone.

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View from the Cloisters https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/

View from the Cloisters
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/

 

The archipelago. Taken by Jainita Patel.

The archipelago.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

Do that One Thing You’ve Been Putting Off.

What’s the one thing you’ve wanted to do or have been meaning to do and just never got around to it? Is it nerding out at Science Fiction Bokhandlen in Gamla Stan or wandering the Strand for hours? Is it going to a certain museum or to see a certain site? Is it taking an MMA Bootcamp class at Nimble Fitness (coupon in the Campus Clipper)? Well now’s your shot. Do it.

The Strand. https://i1.wp.com/

The Strand.
https://i1.wp.com/

 

Gamla Stan. Taken by Jainita Patel.

Gamla Stan.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

Cities can be a pain when you’re feeling a little alone, but there’s always a way to embrace it and make the most of the amazing place you live in. Whether it’s Stockholm or New York, being alone sometimes can be beneficial to your mental health and give you a moment to reflect. And who knows? If you like the idea of exploring NYC or Stockholm alone, maybe you’ll get to explore the other city some day as well.

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By Jainita Patel

Jainita is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies at NYU. Though writing fiction and painting are her two main passions, she also has a love of travel and adventure that has taken her across the globe.  Jainita writes under the pseudonym Jordan C. Rider. If you like her posts, you can find more of her work here or follow her on Twitter. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015. 

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Having Good Study Habits, Naturally

Tuesday, June 20th, 2017

Whether you’re just out of your freshman year or you’ve already been through a few years of college, school is nothing new to you. We’ve all been doing it for as long as we can remember, and that is both a blessing and a curse. With our deeply ingrained study habits comes the feeling that they can be impossible to improve this late in the game. Our habits define who we are as students: some of us do schoolwork the moment it’s assigned while some of us save it until the day of, some of us stress about retaining knowledge while some of us stress only about grades, and some of us don’t stress at all. Some of us–most of us–lie somewhere in the middle of each spectrum, pushing ourselves to work harder and smarter but falling just short of our goals. If you’re like me and you want to make working hard feel effortless, a few simple changes will make organizing your academic life seem infinitely more manageable.

https://depositphotos.com/

To improve your study habits, you need to first improve yourself. It’s hard to quickly churn out that essay or cram for that test if you aren’t accustomed to pushing your limits, and it’s even harder to plan your work in advance if you aren’t accustomed to planning your life. Here are some quick and easy improvements to your daily life that will make effective study habits come more easily.

Set weekly personal resolutions (realistic ones!) and actually stick to them. These improvements to your life can take on any form, from eating better to saving money to spending more time outside. Tell yourself that you can keep up anything for a week, and when you actually do, you’ll have much more confidence in your ability to adhere to your own principles. I recommend making some of the examples below into weekly resolutions to improve your ability to work hard and plan ahead.

https://www.edutopia.org/

Become the kind of person who plans fun things in advance. This is the best way to make planning everything, even your work schedule, feel more natural. If you have a calendar app on your phone, use it. If not, invest in a small planner that you update at the end of every day. If your friend asks you to lunch on Wednesday, write it down, and soon enough putting due dates of assignments on your calendar will feel just as normal. Not only will you have a scheduling system that you’re used to, but you’ll be able to visualize how much of your time is already planned and manage your studying accordingly.

Don’t be late to anything. Be that one friend who’s fifteen minutes early to meet up, and be proud of it! If you try to be on time, you’ll have a better understanding of how long it takes you to get ready in the morning and how long it takes to travel around in your college environment–which is likely different from that of your hometown. If you make punctuality a priority in every sphere of your life, your schedule will become sacred. It will be hard to start assignments later than planned if you make yourself the kind of person who is concerned with time and how you use it.

Make exercising your brain a fun and regular part of your day. There are so many little things that you can do to make yourself smarter, and when you do them for yourself you’ll feel a sense of personal accomplishment greater than any that can come from schoolwork. I recommend that you try to read for pleasure a little bit every day, tackle sudoku or a crossword puzzle, memorize lists, or even just watch “Jeopardy!” when you can. You’ll feel smarter, and feeling smarter is great motivation for working hard. If you can make yourself appreciate learning, your assignments will feel less boring and more personally valuable.

It’s easy to feel hopeless in school when you lose sight of the fact that it’s never too late to improve. Nothing is set in stone–these changes will make you a better person and a better student. Remember: you can do anything for a week! And if you can do anything for a week, maybe you can do anything for another week after that.


By Madeleine Fleming

Madeleine Fleming is a Campus Clipper publishing intern and a rising sophomore at NYU.  A lover of reading, writing, and learning in every way possible, Madeleine is excited to be writing about college study habits for the Campus Clipper. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services. 

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

 

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Finding a Meditative Practice that Works for You

Saturday, June 17th, 2017

Zillions of studies have been done on the benefits of mediation, from reducing stress and anxiety, to improving focus and mental performance, as well as decreasing the risk of some diseases and improving physical health. If you need a reason to try meditation, here’s a whopping list of 76 reasons. But… what if you hate meditating? For a lot of people, meditation is frustrating, difficult, or simply boring. If you’ve tried it and given up, or find the whole thing too “hippy dippy,” I have good news for you.

https://brunch.co.kr

https://brunch.co.kr

The heart of meditation is mindfulness, defined by https://www.mindful.org as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” Often a mindfulness meditation may focus on the breath, for example, creating a deepened awareness of each inhalation and exhalation. But you can be “fully present, aware of where [you] are and what [you’re] doing with just about any activity, whether that activity is sitting and breathing, or running a 10k, or even just washing the dishes.

Do you have an activity where you get so absorbed in the present moment that you forget about everything else? Time, stress, to-do lists and other thoughts melt away? When I was a ballet dancer, the time spent at the ballet barre was a form of meditation to me. For that hour or so, nothing else in the world existed—often not even the other people in the room. There was only my body, my breath, and the steps I was executing, an awareness of every fiber in my body. Mindfulness is all about intention and really noticing rather than going through the motions. I had a postmodern dance teacher at NYU who introduced me to walking meditation, which has become one of my favorite meditative practices. It consists of focusing all your attention deeply on the supposedly simple act of walking. With eyes cast downward, about where the wall meets the floor, feet bare, and hands clasped gently behind your lower back, you walk. You notice how the weight shifts from your heel to the outer edge of your foot, to the ball of your foot with each step. The shift in your hips. Your spine. How you are holding your hands. The same kind of awareness might be achieved while taking a shower; really notice the sensation of warm water running over you, the scents of soap or shampoo.

http://www.ayurvedaplusworld.com/

http://www.ayurvedaplusworld.com/

If you are open to traditional meditation, but in small doses, try 5 minutes a day. Like anything else, you will at get better with practice! Ph.D. Emma M. Seppälä points out, in an article from Psychology Today, that there is a range of types of meditation, and one may work better for you than another. Dr. Seppälä includes in this range: Mindfulness Meditation, Effortless Meditation, Breathing Exercises, and Loving-Kindness Meditation. Mindfulness Meditation is based on “paying attention to sensations, feelings and thoughts in a non-judgmental way.” More “Effortless” forms of meditation might involve repeating mantras or being more unfocused to relax the mind. Breathing Exercises as a form of meditation have a wonderful impact on the nervous system, and Loving-Kindness meditation “focuses on developing feelings of goodwill, kindness and warmth towards others,” according to Seppälä.

Finally, if meditation is daunting or challenging, you may prefer a guided meditation. There are some wonderful apps out there to help guide you through a meditative practice. Experiment with Sattva, Calm, Headspace, The Mindfulness App, and Buddify to make your way toward a calmer, happier, healthier you!

ww.gauraastro.com

ww.gauraastro.com


By Sofia Lerner

Sofia Lerner is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is studying English as a senior at NYU. Passionate about literature, dance, and wellness, Sofia aspires to help the arts thrive and help others pursue healthy lifestyles. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services. 

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.


 

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From New York to….Dublin

Wednesday, June 14th, 2017

When living in a big city, one of the best parts of the whole experience is the nightlife. Nightlife can in New York, with bars and venues to frequent and the never-ending flash of lights and promise.

Even so, it’s important to have fun and be safe while exploring the endless options New York has to offer. Just like New York, Dublin also has an air of fun that is accessible with an inexhaustible number of options.

http://www.activebackpacker.com

http://www.activebackpacker.com

stock-photo-temple-bar-district-in-dublin-at-night-100904953

https://lonelyplanetimages.imgix.net/

So what variety of activities can you do in New York and in Dublin after dark? Well in NYC after dark, the East Village is the place to be and in Dublin, the area around Temple Bar lives up to its name. Here a list of a few activities you can try in both cities that are sure to give you a night you’ll never forget:

Bars and Pubs

Drinking culture is very different in America and in Europe, but each definitely has its perks. In terms of bar culture, New York tends to be very loud and aggressive with tons of people and of course, tons of hard liquor. But if that’s your kind of scene, Keybar or Hair of the Dog might just be the place for you. If you happen to be in Dublin and are looking for something similar, try Temple Bar or the area around it. Though it’s a pub, with the amount of tourists and crowds there, it’ll feel just like an America bar. Pub culture, which is much more popular in Europe, tends to revolve around sitting and nursing a drink for a long time at a table of people. If this is more your speed, try the Mad Hatter on 3rd Ave in NYC. In Dublin, pubs are everywhere and Toners or Arthur’s Pub are great little places to drink and let loose on your night out. Themed pubs and bars are also big in New York. New York’s selection includes 60s beauty salons bars, Soviet Russia-themed bars, rooftop bars, and even one themed like a zombie hut!

Keybar http://keybar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2013-nov-102.jpg

Keybar
http://keybar.com/

Temple Bar Taken by Jainita Patel

Temple Bar
Taken by Jainita Patel

Clubs

Clubs are a good place if you don’t drink, but still want to have a crazy night out. The clubbing experience is not as popular or essential to a night out as going to bars or pubs in New York or Dublin, but it can certainly add a twist of fun to your night. If you’re avoiding Webster Hall in New York, Henrietta Hudson is a highly popular gay club in the West Village for good reason. Brooklyn also has some worthwhile clubs such as Bembe an exuberant Latin club in Williamsburg. In Dublin, Club Nassau is excellent if you want to dance the night away.

Food

If you want a more relaxed approach to a night out, food might be the way to go. Though Dublin doesn’t have many late-night venues open, Good World Chinese has great Dim Sum served until 3am. If you’re going from New York to Dublin and want some late night pizza, DiFontaine’s Pizza is open until 1am and apparently has pizza to rival NYC’s. In New York, you’ll find a ton of places that stay open way past a normal person’s bedtime—after all, it is the city that never sleeps—but once you get sick of dollar pizza, The Cheese Grille serves the best grilled cheese in the city and is open until 1am, but if you’re feeling fancy, Max Brenner on Broadway can be your midnight guilty pleasure.

Music and Comedy Venues

Music is a unique way to spend your night if you want to avoid the drinking scene. Arlene’s Grocery has different rock bands that perform every week. If you’re ever in Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Night Bazaar is also has popular artists that you can jam out to while playing games, eating local food, and shopping. In terms of comedy, Gotham Comedy Club is super popular in NYC and the Upright Citizens Brigade never fails to get some laughs. In Dublin, Whelan’s is a live music club that’s super casual and relaxed with deep Irish roots. Vicar Street holds events in both comedy and music. The Workman’s Club is a bar in Dublin, but it also hosts awesome artists that are crazy talented and most nights you can get in for less than €20.

Brooklyn Night Bazaar http://assets.nydailynews.com/

Brooklyn Night Bazaar
http://assets.nydailynews.com/

Vicar Street https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/

Vicar Street
https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/

So there it is, a nice compact list of things you can do when the sun goes down in both cities. Whether you’re out to forget the night the next morning or you’re getting dressed up just to go grab food and see a show, have fun and stay safe. And hey, maybe if you like the nightlife in NYC you’ll get a chance to experience it in Dublin one day or vice versa.

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By Jainita Patel

Jainita is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies at NYU. Though writing fiction and painting are her two main passions, she also has a love of travel and adventure that has taken her across the globe.  Jainita writes under the pseudonym Jordan C. Rider. If you like her posts, you can find more of her work here or follow her on Twitter. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015. 

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How To Make Friends

Tuesday, June 13th, 2017

 

Image Credit: www.instagram.com/thecarolineflynn/

Image Credit: www.instagram.com/thecarolineflynn/

 

You’ve done it. You’ve mastered eating at the dining hall alone, finding your way around without relying on other people, and taking your own notes in class and remembering all the homework. You don’t just walk through the city streets with a confident and independent air, you jaywalk out into the open road, fearlessly taking on whatever the taxicabs have coming. And now, it’s time. Time for the next step. Time to text the classmate you’ve been crushing on in Writing for College. Time to tell your roommates you actually hate their friends and this weekend you’ll make your own plans. Time to put down the high school group message and talk to your budding friends here face-to-face.

I know it’s not easy. Thankfully, most people show up to college for the first time in the same boat as you, knowing practically no one. If you can keep this in mind, then you are on your way to creating some of the best and longest lasting friendships you’ve ever had. Here are a few more tips to get you started.

 

1. Choose Your Victim

I know you know exactly who you’d be best friends with if you could. The dream friend. That person in class who says what you’re thinking. When they DJ at a party your playlists are specifically similar. And what’s that? They also plan their meals around which dining hall is offering the most carbs? Wow. A match made in heaven. Be careful, though. Sometimes you think your victim friend will be this one person and it turns out you just have a huge girl crush on them and you will never actually see yourself on their level. This will be fun but will not work out (totally not speaking from experience…). Or maybe you think your victim might as well be that kid you had lunch with a few times when no one else was free. NO. Go for gold. Friends are important people and you must be extremely picky when choosing a victim. (But remember, be extremely nice. To everyone. Regardless of their friend-level to you. And also be nice to yourself when choosing your friends.)

 

2. The Millennial Step

25 years ago when your parents were in school they would have to skip straight to Step 3. Luckily, we have more options. Once you have your victim, stalk them thoroughly on every social media account they own. Make careful note of your mutual friends on Facebook. If their Instagram is blocked, talk to them about something trivial in class for long enough so that when you request to follow them 3 hours and 41 minutes later it seems totally casual. During this same conversation, it’s vital that you also get their Snapchat and phone number. This way you can see who your competition is and when they are alone or have no plans. This is when you will strike.

(You can of course skip this step if you think social media, oversharing, and instant access to information are ruining our generation’s communication skills along with much of the world.)

 

3. Make Plans

Ok, so you’ve laid all the ground work. Now it’s time to make your move. Invite your Best-Friend-To-Be to a casual lunch or late night snack. And much like dating, be prepared to ask them about themselves! Get them talking and your conversation will run all night long. If you need some icebreakers, here are a few to get you started.

  • A time you got lost in NYC/the subway broke down/Uber failed you
  • Your recent Netflix Binge
  • Any story about a bad Ex
  • Any story about a bad roommate

 

4. Sunlight & Water

Congratulations! You put yourself out there! Call your Mom, give yourself a high five, and continue to cultivate this new connection. Try some cool restaurants in the area, go to a museum, treat yourself to the spa, and above all use your Campus Clipper coupons to save you and your new friend money. Suddenly, New York City won’t seem quite as big with someone who is equally as lost as you by your side. And you’ll find that as you begin to get one good friendship under your belt, others will fall into place too.

 

Where are you going to go with these new friends? Well you could try the Brazen Fox, a great restaurant right near Union Square serving delicious American Fare and cold drinks. This two story restaurant is charming and well-priced with some cool wall décor you’ll want to see for yourself.  And don’t forget to use your Campus Clipper Coupon and get 10% off of your meal!

Image Credit: campusclipper.com

Image Credit: campusclipper.com

 


 

By Caroline Flynn

Caroline Flynn is a Sales and Publishing Intern at the Campus Clipper studying Theatre at NYU Tisch. Caroline is passionate about the arts and dedicated to using her voice to make other people smile. As she heads into her Junior year, she is excited to be writing about how relationships have shaped her life while she takes on summer in the city for the first time. 

We have the most talented interns ever and we’re so proud of them! For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015. 

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