Archive for the ‘onBeauty’ Category

Self-Care: How to Deal With Workplace Bullies

Monday, February 17th, 2025
Common Statistics of Workplace Bullying in America.

We like to think of bullying as something only kids go through when they’re learning about social hierarchies and how to approach people’s differences. Most of us are taught at a young age about the cycle of bullying and how to break the chain, however, as many as 45% of Americans say they have been bullied during adulthood. Often, adult bullies are more calculated than those we can recall from our childhood, as they tend to teeter the line between being domineering and unambiguously committing a form of harassment. This leaves workers questioning themselves, feeling uncomfortable, and struggling with their mental health.

According to the WBI U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey conducted in January 2021, “30% of Americans have experienced workplace bullying; another 19 percent have witnessed it; 49 percent are affected by it; and 66 percent are aware of its occurrence.”

It can be hard to tell just what constitutes workplace bullying, but a lot of the characteristics are the same as what we learned in grade school. The Workplace Bullying Institute defines bullying as “repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators that takes one or more of the following forms: verbal abuse, offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating; or work interference – sabotage – which prevents work from getting done.”

In a 2017 study, the Institute discovered that nearly 75% of workplace bullies are men, with 60 percent of that portion targeting women. Moreover, two-thirds of women workplace bullies (referred to as “mean girls”) target other working women.

When work issues get the best of me, I like to turn to my hobbies to bring me joy. Here’s a coconut lemon pie I made from scratch, which was sooooo delicious! Baking has become a very therapeutic pastime of mine.

 Aside from the more commonly known experiences like written or spoken personal insults, name-calling, or public shaming, workplace bullying also includes:

  • Intimidating or undermining employees by demeaning their work standards
  • Setting them up for failure and constantly reminding them of old mistakes
  • Threatening employees’ personal self-esteem and work status
  • Withholding Information that involves them
  • Making unreasonable demands, creating undue pressure and stress, and overworking employees
  • Giving constant and unfair criticism
  • Blaming without factual justification
  • Giving hostile glares and other intimidating gestures
  • Purposely excluding or isolating a coworker
  • Deliberately insulting others and taking part in behind-the-back putdowns
  • Monitoring another excessively
  • Ignoring personal boundaries

 A meta-analysis based on 140,000 participants showed an overwhelming amount of evidence that toxic work environments have an incredibly negative impact on mental health. This can even generate chronic stress and burnout, and it can lead to the worsening of any pre-existing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. Chronic stress has been linked to issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and a weakened immune system. After all, we spend about ⅓ of our lives working, so it’s no wonder how a negative work environment could impact us so tremendously. 

Another thing I do when the going gets tough is remind myself of how far I’ve come and where I’m headed. This is from December 2023 when I found out I was going to Emerson! Reminding myself of the small wins I’ve accomplished (like Emerson and being a part of Campus Clipper!) is a great way to stay positive and push through difficulties.

The most common tell-tale signs of toxic work environments that are often supplemented by frequent bullying include a lack of organization, high turnover rates, poor communication, gossip, a general absence of trust, micromanagement, and inappropriate work-life expectations. Often, we are unaware of just how toxic a work environment can be until we’re knee-deep in it, searching for a way out. Of course, many people are not in the privileged position to simply quit a job without having another one lined up immediately. What, then, do we do after we’ve found ourselves stuck? Surrounded by workplace bullies?

  1. Focus on the Positives, if Any 
    • Focusing our attention on the positive things about our work can help protect our mental health by shifting our mindset away from stress and frustration and toward moments of gratitude and personal growth. Finding small wins here and there can boost resilience, making it easier to maintain motivation and emotional balance, at least while you try to find a new job. 
  2. Keep Good Company
    • Having supportive colleagues can provide a sense of belonging, validation, and encouragement amid workplace stress. By building positive connections, we can also help counteract negativity, making it easier to navigate challenges and maintain our sanity.
  3. Leave Work at Work
    • Setting a boundary with yourself to leave work at work allows us to protect our personal time from stress and negativity that doesn’t belong there. Disconnecting helps us recharge, focus on self-care, and maintain a healthier work-life balance.
  4. Connect with HR
    • If your workplace has an HR, contacting them is incredibly important for your mental health and self-care because it ensures that acts of harassment and bullying are being documented and addressed, helping us create a safer and more respectful environment. Speaking up also reinforces the idea that we deserve to be treated with respect, and we won’t expect anything less. Most importantly, workplace laws protect employees from harassment and unfair treatment, and HR has a responsibility to uphold these standards to ensure a fair and lawful work environment. 
  5. Quit! 
    • Quitting a toxic job sometimes is the only way to protect our mental health. As we know, staying in a harmful environment can lead to overwhelming stress, anxiety, and burnout. It can cause us to lose self-esteem and feel like things won’t ever get better, and the consequences can be long-lasting, both mentally and physically. Prioritizing our well-being by leaving allows us to reclaim our peace, build confidence, and seek a healthier, more supportive workplace. Being upset every day you go to work is no way to be spending ⅓ of your life. Your future self will thank you.
Boston Students! Head to Cambridge Naturals and kickstart your health and wellness journey with 10% OFF using this coupon and your student ID!

Brenna Sheets is a graduate student in Emerson College’s Writing and Publishing M.A. program. Her hobbies include going on long walks, watching bad television, reading, and writing.

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Just Around the Corner: Kalye

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025

Aidann Gia, Pace University

I moved to the United States at eighteen months old from an urbanized, mountainous city named Baguio, located on the largest island in the Philippines. I’ve resided just north of Annapolis, Maryland since, attending mostly predominantly white institutions. I am currently a senior at Pace University, surrounded by peers with skin tones that do not resemble mine and cultural experiences that do not align with my own. To be surrounded by individuals that understand the same language, feel music that resonates with my collectivist values, and eat foods that resemble common suppers at grandma’s. Finding Filipino cuisine isn’t terribly difficult, as Little Manila in Queens flourishes and the Jollibee franchise grows throughout the city. These spots, however, lack the essence of fine dining and occurence of basking in all the senses a meal can offer. The elements I deemed necessary for an optimal dinner as a homesick first-gen college student were all found in Kalye, an Asian owned establishment within walking distance of my college campus. 

The dimly lit interior of Kalye, with projections of old Filipino films and small gilded table lamps.

Kimi, my close friend, ventured with me to try out their selection after our last class. She identifies as Chinese American, with some rudimentary knowledge and cultural appreciation for Filipino foods, but was ecstatic when I invited her to dinner.

“The space was very cozy and homey. The lighting was not harsh, which I loved. They were playing Filipino movies on a projector in the back which added a unique touch to the vibe of the restaurant,” Kimi noted. 

Although just a small touch, the restaurant presenting old films with movie stars of bronze complexion and jet black hair elicited an indescribable euphoria within my body. Modern gilded lamps illuminated the dining space, cascaded an ambient glow throughout the room. The walls exhibited drawings of caricatures and quotes written in Tagalog, strewn across the entire establishment. We settled in quickly and found the menu to immediately entice us. 

To start, we placed an order for two drinks. An ube-horchata mocktail was served with a smoking cinnamon stick, placed delicately between ice cubes. The drink was heavy on the ube and left a thin film covering my tongue in the sweetness of the ube yam. The Darna cocktail encapsulated a mix of tequila, mezcal, guava, agave, aperol, lime, thai chili, club soda, and glitter stars. Both had a gorgeous, vibrant-colored presentation. 

Our Darna cocktail and ube-horchata mocktail.

We selected two appetizers: a traditional platter of pork lumpia and bowl of laaing. Lumpia is essentially crispy spring rolls stuffed with minced garlic and a sweet pork filling. The six pieces and complementary sweet chili sauce served were the staples of the evening. This bowl of laaing was comprised of dried taro leaves and coconut milk to create a dip for the side of pita chips. 

”The laaing with chips was so addictive. I couldn’t stop eating it. The salty chips with savory dip and spicy chili is a great combo,” Kimi raved. “The lemon adds to its very unique flavor. The coconut taste was delicious.”

The laaing with chips (left) and pork lumpia (right).

For our main courses, Kimi ordered the mushroom sisig, a vegetarian take on the Filipino classic pork sisig. An assortment of diced mushrooms and a mix of chickpeas was placed on our table, alongside a large scoop of plain rice, as the intensity of onions and peppers did not subside quickly. 

Kimi took notes, “The mushrooms were well-cooked and not overly chewy. It’s a very savory fish.”

To my surprise, family-sized lechon was on the dinner menu. Of all Filipino dishes in existence, this was my favorite. It is served at every thanksgiving my family hosts, with elated cousins, aunts, uncles, and godparents devouring handfuls of rice and pork, with banana leaves replacing typical ceramic dinnerware. A wave of an unfamiliar emotion came over me as it was brought out on a woven plate. The incredibly fatty, tender, juicy chunks of pork melted in my mouth, perfected by the sweetness of mang tomas, a thick, brown sauce made especially for lechon. 

The beautiful displays of mushroom sisig and pork lechon.

Our last dishes were a portion of ube ice cream and a mango float. The smooth bright-purple ice cream was topped with little slivers of white jelly and a sea-salt taste. I preferred this dessert, while Kimi favored the mango float. Frozen mango slices, sandwiched between two layers of mango ice cream, sat on a base of graham crackers in this final dish. To the side was a dash of cherry compote, a pleasant surprise for my evening companion. 

A seemingly petite portion of Kalye’s mango float.

“Around 7:30 they started having live music which elevated my dining experience and made the space more fun. The waitress was very informed when asked questions on the menu and the service was quick,” she reviewed. “Overall my experience was very positive and I’d love to go back for one of their Sunday drag brunches.”

I had two major takeaways from the night: a.) this small hidden gem of a restaurant can be one of the safe havens that I can look to when I am in need of familiar language, food, and faces b.) the restaurant was filled with people of all ethnic backgrounds and was enjoyable for anyone who was willing to try new foods, music, and atmosphere. Thankfully, Kalye (Rivington St.) has partnered with Campus Clipper to give students 20% off when they show their valid student ID and the coupon below.

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How to Stay Somewhat Sane

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025
Another week of trying my best to not end up like Georgina Sparks

It’s 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday, and I’ve just had dinner—sausage and roasted asparagus. I head upstairs to fold the laundry and hang my dresses as reality TV plays in the background. When I finally crawl into bed, I shed a tear, and then a few more, and then a lot more. With blurry vision, I find myself clicking “pay” on a transaction for vintage Coach ballet flats I don’t need, and then I pour myself a tall glass of Prosecco. With a damp sleep mask over my eyes, I fall asleep to the sounds of 40-year-old narcissists screaming over Andy Cohen. I toss and turn throughout the night, and when I wake up, I’m puffy, nauseated, and a bit disoriented. 

This past weekend, I had brunch downtown with my two friends. We waited outside in 30° weather for gourmet omelets and signature lattes (they were luckily worth it). In between conversations about crispy tofu and men with anger issues, my friend Grace asked us if we’d been to Pressed, which is a popular cafe with a main location in Boston. My friend Amber and I thought Grace said, “Have you guys ever been depressed?”

 Slightly caught off guard by the apparent switch of topics, Amber responded with comedic elegance, “Yes, but it’s seasonal, and I have a happy lamp for that.” I followed, “I mean, hasn’t everyone from time to time?” The miscommunication was sidesplitting once we realized Grace was talking about hot paninis and not mental health issues, but it did get me wondering how many people might be feeling some variation of downcast lately, whether it be because of the season, politics, issues in their personal or work life, or just their biology. 

The signature latte in question

January was, in essence, the taking down of cheerful holiday lights, the drives back to work that grow drearier by the day, and the slow realization that the insolent Jack Frost is here to stay. Many Americans start falling into the rut of being low-energy, negative, and struggling mentally. With an election year on top of it, the levels of stress and anxiety around the country have only served as the cherry on top.

Some of us turn to escapism tactics like online shopping and celebrity drama. All in good fun, too much of anything is a bad thing. One Sunday night of wine and tears is excusable, but frequenting such activities is—say it all together now—self-destructive and detrimental to our well-being. I may not have all the answers or even relatively decent ones, but I’ve decided a list of ways to stay somewhat sane this winter is as good a start as any. Like Voltaire said, “Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.”

Immersing myself in art is always a great way to get out of my head and appreciate my surroundings
  1. Practice Daily Gratitude: 
    • Focusing on things we’re grateful for can help shift our perspectives and make us feel less overwhelmed, especially during challenging moments. Whether you write out a list or just say it to yourself as it comes, practicing gratitude can encourage you to remember what you have, no matter how small, and foster a sense of stability within you.
  2. Accept Your Emotions: 
    • Acknowledging our emotions instead of hiding or trying to change them can help us prevent emotional build-up. We shouldn’t judge ourselves for feeling upset but instead, accept our negative emotions for what they are and use them to navigate our life with more clarity. 
  3. Get Off Your Phone:
    • Taking a break from our phones can help reduce stress and anxiety by limiting our exposure to negative news and social media. It also allows us to be present and make deeper connections with what is right in front of us daily.
  4. Set Small, Achievable Goals:
    •  Setting small goals can lead to more celebrations that boost our confidence and make progress more satisfying. By breaking up our long-term goals into more manageable steps, we can make our dreams feel more attainable. 
  5. Laugh With Friends:
    • Getting together with friends provides us with a sense of belonging that can help offset the stressors in our lives. Additionally, our friends serve as a great support system that can lift our dopamine levels!
  6. Avoid Negative Language: 
    • Positive self-talk opens our minds up to the possibility of things going our way. If we are constantly looking for the bad in us and our surroundings, we’re more likely to find it in everything. This can cloud our perception and send us into a spiral. Oppositely, if we train our brains to look for the good first, we can actually lessen our anxieties.
  7. Get Yourself a Little Treat: 
    • Of course, rewarding ourselves with even something small provides a psychological boost and solidifies a method of self-care during tough times. It serves as a reminder that we deserve kindness and moments of joy, especially when we need it most.
  8. Ask For Help
    • If you’re feeling like your emotions are weighing heavier than you can handle, it’s important to reach out to a professional who can offer support. Talking to a therapist or counselor can help you navigate through any kind of tough time. We don’t have to go through it alone, and there’s no shame in asking for help when we need it.
Have yourself a warm Sunday brunch at Cafe Landwer! Boston Students can get $10 off their first mobile order when they use the code LANDWERSTUDENT

Brenna Sheets is a graduate student in Emerson College’s Writing and Publishing M.A. program. She is currently a teacher, specializing in middle school history. Her hobbies include going on long walks, watching bad television, reading, and writing.

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Just Around the Corner: ZaZu Mediterranean Street Food

Tuesday, February 4th, 2025

Aidann Gia, Pace University

With the ball starting to rapidly run off this semester, it’s difficult to find time in between class, work, and social hour to cook a meal that hits all of the major food groups. I visited Zazu with my friend Paolo after my last class of the day. We ordered an assortment of classic Mediterranean dishes and left with bloated stomachs, paper take-out bags, and plenty of time to spare. 

The classically clean and minimalist interior.

The two of us browsed the wide variety of ingredients we could add to our bowls and pita, then proceeded to sit at Zazu’s sleek light wood tables, complemented by their white brick walls. Around us were friends casually chatting and catching up, adding to the laid-back ambiance of the fast-food restaurant. The food took little to no time to make, and our orders were set out for us to pick up. First, we ate the appetizers.

”The falafel had a crunchy exterior, soft interior, and great flavor,” Paolo noted. “The loaded fries were crispy, with a perfect balance of meat, sauce, and garnish,” 

I enjoyed the moist, stuffed falafel. It was covered in toasted sesame seeds with pickled onions inside and perfectly toasted bottoms. I preferred it with tzatziki sauce. The crunchy pita chips were well-seasoned and tasted best as an additional textured food to the other sides. They were light and airy, compared to the dense and packed falafel. As for the loaded fries, the colorful mix of pickles, tomatoes, onions tied the flavors together and enhanced the beef shawarma topping. The beef gave the bowl a filling portion of meat, improving the taste of Zazu’s slightly salty and crispy french fries. My shawarma bowl was brimming in vegetables, rice, and marinated chicken. It stuffed me more than the appetizers had, making the affordable lunch worth its price. 

The loaded fries, shawarma bowl, drinks, and small sides laid out just before we devoured them!

”I thought the chicken shawarma pita had very filling and hearty portions. It was stuffed with chicken, pickles, lettuce, and sauce,” Paolo reviewed after his main course. 

For students seeking a quick bite, but laying off Chipotle prices and food, Zazu is a great, lesser known spot to visit. Portions match their prices, and take-out boxes may be necessary afterwards. I devoured their pita chips and loaded fries the most. None of the menu items we ate were unpleasant nor remotely close to it. I love the tangy, lingering flavors from the dressings and sauces from Mediterranean food, which is evident in the food served here, as well. 

My colorful dinner consisting of onions, mixed greens, tomatoes, hummus, rice, and chicken shawarma.

Paolo finalized his thoughts, “It is a great place if you’re looking for something quick and fresh to eat. They also have a big seating area for you to relax and eat peacefully.”

Zazu is offering students 20% off when they show their valid student ID and Campus Clipper coupon below.

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The Digital Detox: Taking a break from technology or each other?

Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025

At one time or another, we’ve all seen a dramatic announcement on someone’s Instagram story. Their vague text post reads a little something like this:

Deleting Insta. If you need me and you’re important enough, you have my number. To the rest of you, good luck finding me.

While I enjoy a casual cup of tea, these updates from random acquaintances always fall a little flat. There’s a notion to send a “Hope you’re okay!” DM, but they’re supposedly deleting their account any second now. Then there’s the passive-aggressive ‘Good luck’ that’s a bit off-putting. I can only envision myself responding to something like this if a close friend posted it, to which I would reply, “Lol, delete this.” 

Another kind of ‘logging off’ post I’ve seen an uptick of since New Year’s is the foreshadowing announcement, which says, “You may have inside access to my amazing life now, but one day I’ll disappear, and you’ll be left to wonder!” I’ve provided some examples:

Digital Detox posts about leaving social media eventually.

Is it… poetry? Is it… a Divergent aptitude test? Is it a rhetorical speech prompting us, who are tied at the hips of social media moguls, to revert to nature and solitude like the transcendentalists of the 19th century?

Even if we are leaving, we want people to hear our footsteps and notice our absence. It is human nature to want to be seen, to be known, and to want others to care; these desires are the origins of these posts. Even though it’s easy to see through the attention-seeking nature of it all, an interesting conversation is raised about the broader topic of digital detoxes and their effectiveness, or lack thereof.

A digital detox is ​​an active choice to disengage from social media, or even all media-related electronics, for a specific time. The forms of limitations depend on the person. Many people just delete social media off their phones and log back in at the end of the day, week, or month. Other people go as far as not using their laptop outside of work and choosing to read instead of watch TV.

In our chronically digital age, how far does a digital detox really go? And is it more performative than anything? One has to wonder if you couldn’t announce it to the world, and if no one even noticed your absence, would so many people really be preaching about temporarily deleting social media? 

Social media posts about digital detoxes.

People go on digital detoxes for various reasons, including to protect their mental health, be more active, live in the moment, and be more grateful. As more users struggle with social media addictions, taking a break from the apps can also help them regain control over their time. While I see the benefits of a digital detox, I feel that the true problem is something deeper. 

Perhaps what people need the biggest break from is the facade-filled algorithm, and there are two ends to this dilemma. Suppose you’re constantly seeing videos and pictures of people with their Mercedes, MiuMiu bags, marble kitchens, model boyfriends, and more. In that case, you’ll likely start to think everyone else has hit the jackpot in life, and you’ve been left in the dust. This, of course, can cloud your perception of reality, hurting your mental well-being.

I think Whitney from Momtok really sums up the whole deal.

The bold and the beautiful swarming your feed can do damage, but I’d argue what’s worse is the number of ordinary people closer to home who are constantly faking their realities on the internet, too. Truly, how many times do we have to see a millennial post their scrub partner and/or their feral children when we know, behind half-cracked doors, they’re having affairs and are on the brink–God willing–of a divorce that their friends would be most pleased about? I’m all for showing off your new set of acrylics or your latest winter read, but showing off a life you’re not even actually happy with? Unnecessary, and a bit sad. 

Whenever I see someone announce their digital detox, it is usually because someone else online has bothered them, and they want everyone else to know it. They are calling attention to the fact that we’re not our true selves when we’re behind a screen, and sometimes, we’re way worse. Though they may be annoying, they’re not totally wrong. We’re performing for each other, and it’s not the far-away influencers that get to us in the end, but the people we know personally who got the ‘social’ part all wrong. We should know by now not to share everything, but not to masquerade either. 

It’s time we start navigating social media with more authenticity and more autonomy (and possibly fewer pictures of babies? Thanks). Next time you’re feeling like taking a digital detox, don’t announce it, but do ask yourself: Is it too much MiuMiu, too many daddies hiding behind alcohol dependencies, or both? 

Take a break from your phone and treat yourself to a tech-free spa day at Best MG Spa in Allston! Students get 20% off with this coupon and student ID.

Brenna Sheets is a graduate student in Emerson College’s Writing and Publishing M.A. program. She is currently a teacher, specializing in middle school history. Her hobbies include going on long walks, watching bad television, reading, and writing.

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Just Around the Corner: Dim Sum Palace

Thursday, December 5th, 2024

By Aidann Gia

We found the place to be a modern Chinese restaurant with soft lighting and a warm ambience.

As an Asian American student, I often find myself feeling homesick and longing for the flavors that defined my childhood. Dishes with notes of chili sauce, sesame oil, or other familiar ingredients in a warm and comforting meal instantly take me back to the halcyon days of my youth. Now that I’ve moved to New York City, hundreds of miles from my grandmother’s kitchen, I’ve been on a quest to rediscover those nostalgic flavors in local restaurants. For those brisk, harsh-weather days when Pace University students would rather not trek to Chinatown, there’s a perfect spot nearby: Dim Sum Palace.

We perused the lengthy menu for a while before finally deciding on our evening meal.

Fellow student Kimi Debarger-Gestring and I spent our evening exploring the menu at Dim Sum Palace, selecting familiar comfort dishes and venturing into plates we’d never tried before. Conveniently located on Williams Street, just a short walk from our university dorms, the restaurant stands out with its glowing neon lights and warm interior. Inside, a modern arrangement of tables and fish tanks welcomes customers. The lighting is soft and soothing, creating a calming atmosphere. The baby-blue fish tanks, filled with eels, king crabs, and a variety of other sea creatures, added a unique touch. We even watched a staff member carefully retrieve a king crab from one of the tanks—talk about fresh food!

Kimi reflected on atmosphere, stating that the “overall aesthetic was very clean and put together, especially with the bright lighting.”

As we settled in, we couldn’t help but admire the ambiance. The gentle murmur of a diverse crowd and the soft clinking of teapots made the space feel lively yet relaxing. While the restaurant featured a modern vibe, it still felt authentically Chinese. It wasn’t overly formal—perfect for a hearty dinner after a long day of classes—though the waitstaff were impeccably groomed and uniformed, exuding professionalism. The menus offered a wide array of delectable options, leaving us both delightfully overwhelmed. 

Our drinks and first course!

To start, I ordered a hot chrysanthemum tea, served in a glass pot perched over a candle flame. It was perfectly brewed—neither bitter nor over-steeped—with a subtle sweetness and floral notes that made it irresistibly soothing. We enjoyed it so much that we ended up drinking three pots! Kimi opted for another drink, Mai Tai, which she described as perfectly balanced—not overly strong with alcohol and delightfully fruity. It was the ideal complement to the warm flavors of the meal to come.

Our first course featured two flavorful starters: cold sesame noodles and mini sliced cucumbers with spicy Szechuan sauce. Both dishes had us eagerly diving in, their bold flavors setting the tone for the evening. The refreshing crunch of the cucumbers paired perfectly with the rich, oily noodles—a great way to begin the meal. Our main courses arrived shortly after. Kimi chose the Buddha Delight dumpling and spicy fresh mushroom dumpling, both vegetarian-friendly options that suited her dietary needs. 

Our main course!

Meanwhile, I opted for a mix of shrimp dumplings, chicken dumplings, pork shumai, and shrimp shumai. The steamed traditional Chinese shrimp dim sum had a soft, delicate wrapping that allowed the seafood filling to shine. The shumai—both the shrimp and pork varieties—were hearty and flavorful, leaving me surprisingly full after just a few pieces. When paired with soy sauce and the cold sesame noodles, the dumplings made for a satisfying combination. My favorite dish of the night was the pork shumai, while Kimi’s top pick was her spicy mushroom dumplings.

“I think as someone who is Chinese and vegetarian, this was a great experience!” Kimi shared. “Oftentimes, I struggle to find Chinese restaurants with multiple options for me, but this place had four different vegetarian dumpling options—and that’s not counting the dishes we didn’t order. The interior of the restaurant felt modern and classy, and it reminded me of the Chinese restaurants I grew up visiting back home in California. I’d happily come back, especially to try more items!”

An array of sweet treats.

To end the night on a sweet note, we ordered taro buns and egg tarts, both of which were unforgettable. The taro buns were light purple, beautifully designed with swirls baked into their dough. They had a subtle taro flavor, incorporated into a soft, cakey, sweet dessert. The egg tarts, one of my personal favorites, had a flaky, crispy crust and a creamy, gooey filling. I may have eaten more than I care to admit!

The desserts alone—especially the egg tarts paired with tea—make Dim Sum Palace worth a visit. Overall, the meal was a delightful experience for both of us, especially as Asian American college students seeking flavors that connect us to our cultures.

Use this coupon to receive a discount the next time you visit!

Dim Sum Palace is offering students a 10% discount when they show their valid student ID and our Campus Clipper coupon!

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Connecting and Disconnecting

Thursday, October 17th, 2024

I’m the king of FOMO, so I’ve been told. I say yes to practically everything, and I do what I think people want me to do. I’ve been trying to work on being realistic about how well my social battery is doing and how I’ll feel after a long night out; my battery drains pretty quickly, after all. My girlfriend always uses this analogy called “spoon theory.” How many spoons are you able to fill with the feelings and thoughts of other people before you overflow? You can only hold so much at the same time, after all. 

Whether it’s for your social life, school, or your job, you’re expected to be on-call almost constantly. You’re expected to be accessible to the outside world, even in the safety of your home. That’s the downside to modernity. Well, one of them. Not to get deep here. I think about it a lot, though. How different these times are to any other time on Earth. In my bed I get email notifications on my phone, group chat messages on five different apps, and reminders and notifications clouding up my lockscreen. It can be overwhelming being expected to answer to so many people all the time. 

Being exposed to so many people’s lives and thoughts at the same time can be overwhelming. I mean think about it—we humans know so many people nowadays, and are able to keep up with the people we’ve known throughout our whole lives with the tap of a finger. People I haven’t spoken to in years, or ever, still like my instagram posts. I always think, “Is it meant to be like this? Is this good?” I guess there’s no point in asking this question, since it’s just how things are.

Time off my phone and social media helps me stay sane. But on the other side, being able to connect with people is a part of life that’s so utterly essential. My phone undeniably makes that easier. It’s easier for me to keep up with my friends who’ve moved away, my parents after I moved out, and my girlfriend when I studied abroad. Every so often I call my friends who are living in LA to catch up. Being able to keep that relationship despite how many miles are between us is something that’s new to modern times, and is wonderful. 

A picture I took on a solo stroll down Commonwealth Ave in Boston

There’s pressure to constantly socialize in college especially. In that first year, there were times where I wouldn’t leave a friend’s room all day, and to be totally honest it’s because I thought that I had to do that. I started feeling drained, like I was losing who I really was to who I was around other people. Constantly putting on a performance without any time to rest, I felt pressure to attend everything I was invited to, even if it felt like a huge hurdle to overcome. There’s this fear of falling behind socially that happens no matter what kind of relationship it is. You don’t want to miss out on important parts of your life, after all. That’s how I felt. I’d never again be right down the hall from my best friends, so I had to make the most of it.

Simply put, that was stupid. I was exhausted and lost myself that year. So here’s my advice to you: deal with the FOMO! It won’t kill you. Lately I’ve been telling myself that. I’ve been skipping parties I don’t feel mentally ready to go to, taking time to walk around the city, and enjoying life all by myself just because I can. A little walk to get a coffee can make or break a day.

Even when I desperately want to attend something because I think it might be fun, I have to be realistic about my expectations. Will I really enjoy it? Are my spoons overflowing? 

I’ve been trying to focus on what makes me happy and keeping my priorities straight, because I’ve realized that that is what helps me maintain my relationships. If other people know my limits and are okay with them—well, that’s important in a friend, isn’t it?


Drop by Blick to get a student discount on art materials!

By: Meg Carey

Meg Carey is studying creative writing and publishing at Emerson College in Boston. They love reading and writing sci-fi, horror, and romance (bonus points if it’s all three), as well as poetry. You can find them on instagram @megcareywrites, and substack @megcarey.


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 encourages 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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Intentionality as a Young Adult: Creative Ways to Make Food

Friday, October 11th, 2024

Moving onto campus this semester was extra stressful for me. My college has a Los Angeles campus, and I committed to coming out here for the fall. I had never been to the West Coast before, so I knew I was in for a culture shock. On top of that, I was living with a group of people I barely knew and was scared about being able to connect with them. However, the number one thing that eased all of my anxieties was bringing a classic familial tradition to the suite — a Labor Day barbeque! Each of us in the suite brought a dish, cooking together through the afternoon. In a semester where my meal plan mainly consists of gift cards to grocery stores, this was a great way to ease some of my fears about cooking for myself consistently. 


A picture one of my suitemates took of us all enjoying the cookout! 

Ultimately, making food is so personal from person to person. It can be very daunting to figure out just what type of cooking you enjoy — or if you even like cooking! For some people, that’s just really not their thing. That’s not necessarily an issue, but you should still be able to find ways to create a good relationship with food. With the rise of social media and a bigger focus than ever on bodies and self-image, it can be easy for food to become the enemy. So finding unique ways to engage with recipes and restaurants is important, especially for college students! You want to figure out sustainable solutions now because feeding yourself is a problem that is never going to go away. 

First, identify what specific types of food you are looking for. Are there cultural dishes you enjoy? Do you need to be eating healthy? What food feels good for your body? These are the first questions you have to ask yourself. Don’t be afraid to think critically about the food you’re eating. As I mentioned in my previous chapters, identify what you find valuable in your life. 

Once you know what you like, figure out what type of food is the most realistic to make with your schedule. If you have back-to-back classes most days, maybe prioritize meal-prepping things that can be easily grabbed during your breaks. If you work from home for long hours, find some fun recipes you can make during your lunch break to shake up the monotony. 

One of my favorite things to do to make food exciting has been to find food influencers that I enjoy. Particularly on TikTok and YouTube, where you can watch people cook — even cook along with them — has sparked ideas of my own. I’ve listed some of my favorites below. 

  • @porkypigeats on TikTok: This is a really cute account that remakes many recipes from Stardew Valley, one of my favorite video games. Not only are these recipes pretty easy overall, but if you ever find yourself getting hungry while playing the game, this is the perfect way to have a 4D experience!
  • @halfbakedharvest on TikTok: This is some of the most aesthetically pleasing food that has ever crossed my For You Page, so these are at least beautiful videos to watch. However, this creator also makes a ton of bowls, which tend to be one of my personal favorite types of meals. 
  • @kaelyngutierrez on TikTok: This is a more lighthearted account, but I love cooking along with Kaelyn! While she doesn’t usually give distinct recipes, her passion for cooking and expertise around all kinds of food makes me feel more comfortable too. Particularly her ease handling meat has made me a lot more confident in my own meat-handling abilities. 

Cookbooks can also be a really fun way to find recipes, especially because of the sheer amount out there. I know a lot of younger people can think of cookbooks as boring, associating them with the dusty ones hidden in the back of your parent’s’ kitchen. But there’s so many cookbooks out there, particularly ones related to different media. Pick your favorite mainstream movie or TV show, and chances are, there’s a cookbook to go along with it. Do you enjoy watching Emily’s adventures through Paris? Check out Emily in Paris: The Official Cookbook by Kim Laidlaw. More of a fantasy person? There’s a handful of Game of Thrones and Harry Potter cookbooks out there. Just associating your food with your favorite piece of media can make it so much more enjoyable. 

All this to say, there are plenty of ways to make food exciting for yourself. Even if you’re not that good of a chef, eating doesn’t have to be a chore. Figuring out how to make food creative can add so much value to your life in so many unexpected ways. 



On a lazier day, you can get some great food from The Maharaja for 20% off! Just use this coupon and bring your student ID for any takeout order. 

By Izzy Astuto

Izzy Astuto (he/they) is a writer currently majoring in Creative Writing at Emerson College, with a specific interest in screenwriting. His work has previously been published by Hearth and Coffin, Sage Cigarettes, and The Gorko Gazette, amongst others. He is currently a reader for journals such as PRISM international and Alien Magazine. You can find more of their work on their website, at https://izzyastuto.weebly.com/. Their Instagram is izzyastuto2.0 and Twitter is adivine_tragedy. 


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 encourages 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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Chapter 7: You Don’t Have to Stay Home

Monday, July 29th, 2024

Renowned relationship expert Paul C. Brunson while on the Diary of a CEO podcast said something along the lines of “Go where you’re scarce.” This resonated heavily with me when trying to figure out what reasons there were for me to stay home that it started to look like I wasn’t growing the way I wanted to; and I was never convinced it was a good idea in the first place. I ignored the longstanding struggle I had with connecting with my home city and neighborhood. There was a voice telling me that I would be abandoning the very place that essentially made me. And the people.

There was a clear mismatch between myself and my environment. I honestly felt more of a transplant than a true native New Yorker. I was never a fan of the hustle mentality, never favored the overcrowded streets, and never blended in beyond the racial diversity of my neighborhood in the Bronx. Paul C. Brunson pointed me to the concept of “environmental mastery,” which is one of the six dimensions of psychological well-being: self-acceptance, positive relationships, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose, and personal growth. I found environmental mastery to be the most difficult to fulfill right after positive relationships.

I found myself competing against strangers on the street for a couple seconds of quiet in a city and neighborhood that wasn’t built for that. I was even racing for space on narrow sidewalks, subway platforms, and other frantic spaces. This wasn’t the way I wanted to interact with the city; all I wanted was to sit and take it all in. Sadly, it seemed like speed was erasing a lot of the city from my memory, especially the positive memories I did have from childhood. The city got too big for me to feel seen. Not that I needed to be bigger than it, but I wanted to feel like there could be traces of me while I am still here. It looked more and more like the only way for me to reach environmental mastery was moving out of the city.

a group of people crossing a street in a city
A taste of the Big Apple.
Image Credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/a-group-of-people-crossing-a-street-in-a-city-F2m6TRfBwko

I’ve already given much credit to my college years for getting me out of the domesticity bubble when family was at the center of my identity, my life. But I have to give it much more for even getting me to consider moving out of the city as an option. That never looked like an option when I thought all I had was here in New York City–or at least what I thought I had was here. College awakened a desire in me for more than what I was used to for all my childhood and adolescence. New travels, new people, and a chance to discover my own tastes in everything there is to enjoy in life.

Making the decision to leave your hometown isn’t the kind of decision you can make on an impulse, but it is particularly beneficial for us 20-somethings. Moving out of your hometown can give you the chance to recreate your identity based on a newly discovered sense of self, a more expansive social circle, and more decision-making control over your immediate space—throw in more control over your time. It can feel so powerful to build a life of your own even if away from the influences of those you grew up with. For those who have a burning desire to start anew like myself but find it difficult to make those first moves (no pun intended), it might help to pay close attention to any strong emotions that come up when you think about your hometown because that could indicate a larger trend of lack of contentment. Sad to say I relate to this.

I always knew I wanted to leave New York City, even all throughout college. Fear managed to get the best of me, and I stayed put for years, even when I had multiple opportunities to study or work abroad. Sharing a two-bedroom apartment with 5 other family members, working extra hard to not afford the apartments I wanted, and not having the time for a social life was negatively impacting my mental and physical health, yet I ignored that for years. Now, I won’t pretend and say that your problems will magically disappear the moment you move out. But moving out of your hometown might free you from negative environments, make you more responsible for yourself, and perhaps reveal a you that always existed but struggled to be seen in the old environment. I think there is no greater reason than finally growing into yourself to create a new home.


You can still save money when you move out. Save 10% on any hardware essentials with this coupon!

By Daeli Vargas

Daeli is a recent graduate from the City College of New York with a BA in English and a publishing certificate. She is from the Bronx and is very passionate about all things literary. She hopes one day to publish many books of her own and share her passions worldwide.


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 encourages 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 Exercise When You Don’t Want to

Thursday, July 25th, 2024

One of the most challenging things I’ve faced as a working-class college student is sedentarism. Although my body is in constant motion between my five courses and thirty-two-hour work week, none is deliberate enough to constitute exercise—although the exhaustion my body feels every day would make one think otherwise. Additionally, with each passing semester, I have less free time to work out. As I ventured into my fitness journey last year during summer break, I learned that my mental health also affected my body on a physical level. On one hand, lacking the will to move my body was a sign of mental exhaustion, while on the other, not moving my body because of said mental state made me stiff and weak, affecting my physical health. It is a hard-to-break cycle I’ve been dealing with my whole life, but its effects have intensified since the start of my college journey. 

It doesn’t help that I really dislike exercising. Many say that it’s an enjoyable activity, and perhaps it is for them. For me, it is dreadful and annoying from beginning to end. Last year I worked out rigorously for four months and it never got better. Sure, I loved how my body felt after the fact but while I was doing it? I don’t think so. Again, this is just my experience because I know many people who love exercising. I really wish I was like them, but I am not, so we must work with what we have. Thus, for us lazy folks (and maybe a bit neuro-spicy folks), I have put together a guide to exercise when we don’t want to because, well—I’m sorry to break it to you—we need to move our bodies to maintain physical and mental health. So, here it goes:

Image Credit: https://www.thenortherner.com/news/2020/02/25/balancing-a-healthy-diet-as-a-college-student/
  1. When you wake up, before leaving your bed, stretch your muscles. There are plenty of stretches one can do in bed and it is important to develop flexibility to avoid muscle injury. The activity can last as much time as you have available, but it should be for a minimum of ten minutes. 
  2. When you are reading class materials, don’t sit down. Adults should take at least 10,000 steps each day. So, use your reading time to walk around your home, neighborhood, or campus to get them in without even thinking about it–audiobooks are also great for this. The activity is not exhaustive, and it is beneficial to boost your stamina. Even I, who hates exercise, enjoyed this one. 
  3. Similarly, when you are typing tirelessly on your computer, spend some time standing up. Find a place to put your laptop or monitor higher up so you can work while on your feet. This one is trickier because you may not have the space to do this, so if you don’t, try to do seated stretches to release shoulders and lower back tension. 
  4. Find an activity that requires you to move your body and that you enjoy. Here is where you must have slightly more discipline to try different things. Yoga, dancing, martial arts, hiking, biking, and many others are activities that do not necessarily feel like exercise, but they are. If you hate every single one of them, that’s okay. You can try the previous steps. 
  5. Lastly, surround yourself with people who love exercising. I hate to admit that it can work. They can be good motivators, and since they have your well-being at heart, they usually hold you accountable when you don’t move your body enough. And if you are a bit competitive, they might inspire you to train more! It is always nurturing to surround yourself with different perspectives.
As you can see, some days it is harder than others to just walk enough.

And there you have it: five simple steps to improve your energy and flexibility. Although moving your body is essential, the most important thing to practice during your college journey is compassion. We are often so hard on ourselves because college takes our time to do things we enjoy, but we need to accept that our careers are demanding and try our best anyway. There are weeks where I don’t follow any of the steps and my body surely pays the price, but I don’t beat myself too hard on it because I must also protect my mind. I hope you do as well.


Talking about surrounding yourself with motivating people, use this discount for training packages! Remember the importance of moving your body.

By Roxanna Cardenas

Roxanna is a Venezuelan writer living in New York City. Her works include essays, poetry, screenplays, and short stories. She explores fiction and non-fiction genres, with a special interest in horror and sci-fi. She has an A.A. in Writing and Literature and is working on her B.A. in English with a Creative Writing concentration.


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 encourages 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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