Archive for the ‘on Exercise’ Category

Fit in to Fitness

Monday, July 11th, 2022

I’ve been in some sort of sport for as long as I can remember. When I was little, it was tennis, soccer, and softball. As I got older, basketball and volleyball were added to the mix. I’ve also been doing all forms of dance my entire life – from ballet and tap at the age of five to hip hop and musical theater at the age of twenty-one with plenty of jazz and swing dancing in between. Being active has always been a huge part of my life and I’m planning on keeping it that way. On top of sports, I started working out and getting into fitness in my junior year of high school. I originally started to try to help my mental health but soon found out that I enjoyed working out just for the fun of it as well!I started with home workouts and gradually built until I was lifting almost every day my freshman year of college.

My fitness was at an all time high when COVID-19 started. I had to move back home and suddenly, I went from having 24/7 access to a full gym to competing with my family for the few free weights we had in the basement. I wish I could say that being home got me even more motivated and that I kept up with working out and dancing. That was not the case. 

I fell off my workout schedule very quickly, causing me to lose a lot of my progress. I lost most of my strength, flexibility, and even some mobility from weight gain. The worst part of it all, though, was that my mental health took a serious hit. While lockdown was enough to raise my anxiety on its own, the lack of activity that I suddenly experienced only made it worse. It became even easier to fall into a depressive episode. 

It’s no surprise that failing to be active had a negative impact on my mental health. According to an article written by BetterHealth, exercise can improve energy levels, feelings of control and self esteem, sleep, and distract from negative thoughts. It also helps the brain produce chemicals such as serotonin and endorphins, which can boost mood. In my experience, exercise helps me feel accomplished, confident, and clears my head so I can focus better. Activity has several mental health benefits and, for me, approaching it from that perspective allows me to remove it from negative thoughts about my body. By focusing on the way exercise shifts my brain chemistry, I find it easier to avoid dangerous mindsets around my health. 

For all that fitness does for peoples’ health, the fitness industry itself does not always promote the ideal standard of living. The fitness industry often promotes an unobtainable body standard, pushing people into an unhealthy mindset. On one hand, big fitness brands rarely show people outside of the ideal body type wearing their workout gear. This sends a message that only a certain type of person is “fit” or “healthy,” and causes people to perceive those without that body type as “unhealthy.” In an example in an article by Rejuvage, Gymshark posted a picture of someone outside this unobtainable standard in their gear, prompting many people to criticize them for promoting an “unhealthy lifestyle”. Another byproduct of the fitness industry, is the unhealthy example some fitness influencers set for the general public. Many fitness influencers are praised for having a very slim, muscly figure – few people stop to think about whether or not that figure is obtained by healthy means. Between this, the countless products meant to help people slim down as fast as possible, and diets that restrict calories to obscenely low amounts, the health and fitness industry has become somewhat dangerous to people who are just starting on their fitness journey. It can also be damaging to the self esteem of industry veterans, even though they know that certain standards may be unobtainable. 

Over the past year, I have slowly started to become active again. Dancing in person again with my team has helped a lot. It has allowed me to ease back into activity in a way that I enjoy and with people I enjoy being around. I have also taken time to assess my mental health this past year, which has allowed me to listen to my body and what it needs. I am learning how to work around my own mental barriers by focusing on moving how and when I want to. On days where I have more energy, I can get up and go to the gym. However, on days where I am struggling to get out of bed, I focus on low energy activities like going on a walk. No matter how I feel, I make sure to give myself space, time, and forgiveness for how I’m feeling and what I’m able to accomplish. Fitness isn’t just about how much activity you do but how you treat yourself while you’re working out.

Takeaway: Fitness is important but taking care of yourself in the best way you can is a bigger priority.

One of my favorite snacks after a hard workout is a smoothie. Use this coupon to save 20% off at Serotonin Smoothies with your student ID!

Nothing is better than a smoothie after the gym…or anytime!

By Callie Hedtke

Callie is going to be a senior at DePaul University in Chicago and is studying Graphic Design. She loves dancing and can usually be found at her school’s gym rehearsing for her next dance show. If she’s not there, she can be found at her computer playing video or out exploring.


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 Three: Exercise & Mental Health in the Big Picture

Sunday, August 29th, 2021

I have had a complicated relationship with exercise since I was a child. I began swimming when I was six years old at the behest of my mother. I am not a competitive person, and being forced to competitively swim through elementary, middle, and high school wore significantly on my mental health, past even the point of depression. My mother had no sympathy for me when I explained to her how horrible competitive swimming made me feel, and accused me of “laziness” among other things. I quit the day I turned 18 and now, at age 23, I still have not stepped in a pool since.

Seeing Simone Biles’ journey during the Tokyo 2021 Olympics has been incredibly validating because she respects the seriousness of mental health and recognizes how difficult it is to maintain as a serious athlete. Simone withdrew from part of it because of the physical danger her mental health posed toward her ability to complete her routine without becoming injured. When the (potential) injury is physical, it is often easier for others (not speaking for Piers Morgan) to understand the implications of poor mental health. When there are simply ambiguous ideas of depression or anxiety, one’s mother or coach can thoughtlessly reply: “Stop being so negative.” This gaslighting is incredibly infuriating, but mostly hurtful. 

These days, I crave a routine, when I used to detest it. The book Nausea by John Paul Sartre gave me the words to describe how I had previously felt in a creative writing piece: “I felt disgust and disappointment toward myself and toward everyone. Why can’t everyone just do what they want? Why must we play roles and condemn ourselves to routine? I need routine; my need for the right way to live is despicable.” 


My well-used and cherished copy of Nausea.

But now I’m not so weirdy resentful: routine helps me feel more in control of my daily life rather than suffocated by it. In your daily life, as long as you feel, and you are affected by the consequences of your own and others’ actions, everything you do matters. I love that notion because, while it used to make me anxious (since how I exercised was dictated by others), it now bolsters my individual agency. I am not telling you what I think you should do to make your body feel better or stronger or more yours. There is no “secret” to total self-acceptance. All I know is that only you know how you feel; even your therapist does not live in your mind. Neither do your parents, coaches, or teachers. Although ideally these figures should want to help you, sometimes they can’t because they don’t think the same way, and their lives have been informed by different circumstances. 

It’s okay to take your time and experiment with a routine. Mine still changes year to year. With COVID-19, it has been a particularly difficult year of coping, especially after my routine was entirely upended from one day to the next. I had been going to the gym for three days a week consistently over the prior year. I felt confident in my strength and endurance, and I was proud of myself. 


They usually draw a funny comic on the whiteboard at 404 (to get your workout started with a smile?): “Hey, dude, when I said ‘curls might help’ that’s not what I meant.”

Without a gym, I have no desire to exercise. During my year in isolation I lost all of the aforementioned progress and now have to start over. It’s okay, though: day by day. 

If you’re like me, and prefer to work out independently without instruction, colleges usually have a free gym you can attend as a student. My go-to gym at NYU is 404 Fitness, near which you can also find a Rumble boxing studio, and SoulCycle. If you want to be part of a club team in college, you can join intramural sports. If you want to do something more competitive you can look for sports within college divisions. If you don’t feel quite ready to take a class or go to the gym, or you just need a break from building your intensity, taking walks offers a more casual, but effective form of movement. 

 It’s okay to not “seamlessly” transition your lifestyle into going to the gym three times a week instead of none, or toward becoming a vegetarian, for example. Sometimes you will step outside of those goals simply because the world is not currently allowing for it, or you want to do something more, or maybe the transition doesn’t feel good anymore, which is okay. When you cannot control things, that is when it’s fun to simply be along for the ride (a passenger, as I like to say). In the big picture, your mental health should have a mutualistically symbiotic relationship with when and how you exercise. 

A brief summary of advice:

  • During college, take advantage of free gym memberships/ collegiate club sports
  • I am not telling you what I think you should do to make your body feel better or stronger or more yours. There is no “secret” to total self-acceptance; it occurs on a rolling basis throughout your life. 
    • Being a “passenger” is my way of describing my most reliable mode of self-preservation; you are not at fault for what you can’t control
  • Check out Jameela Jamil’s social media (Twitter/Instagram) and her podcast “iWeigh” through both of which she deeply and personally discusses a multitude of topics with individuals with personal experiences/experts regarding mental health, eating disorders, working out, feminism, etc. 
    • This has grown to largely inform a lot of my mindset regarding the language I use to discuss exercise, physicality, and nutrition


By: Anna Matefy

Anna Matefy recently graduated from NYU with a Bachelor’s in Media, Culture, and Communication. She has been working in politics for the past few years, and wants to transition into a career in media entertainment/comedy. She will be attending NYU as a graduate student in Media beginning in 2021.


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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Sunnyside

Monday, August 9th, 2021

It’s about time I share my weekend habit. Every weekend, I like to explore a new neighborhood of New York City. Besides being an excuse for exercise, I do it because in a city with hundreds of years of history and cultures, walking through each neighborhood provides unique stories to learn from. The buildings, people on the street, street art, the food, parks, places of interest, heck even the placement of trash cans on the sidewalk can share what life was and is in each neighborhood. All walks of life can be found in New York City and I’m fascinated by which places can say what about them займ онлайн всем без отказа.

The neighborhood I visited last weekend was Sunnyside in Queens, a ten minute ride on the 7 train from Grand Central. It’s a diverse spot in an already diverse borough. Here, tall apartment buildings exist alongside homes with garages and a Turkish mosque could be found right next to a Korean preschool. Industry has been pushed next to the railyards, being replaced with playgrounds and bars and restaurants. Tall trees line the sidewalks and children ride on bikes or are pushed in strollers by their parents. It gives a suburban feel to an area not too far away from the urban boom in neighboring Long Island City.

Speaking of suburbs, an interesting spot in this neighborhood is the Sunnyside Gardens Historic District, one of the first planned communities in the nation. It was built in 1928 inspired by an English idea of urban planning called the garden city. With rows of flat bricked brown buildings distinguished by the hedges and shrubbery in front of them or the ivy creeping up the walls, it feels more like walking through the Shire than America. It also has one of two private parks in the entire city which is a big boo but at least the people in the tennis courts there looked like they were having fun. 

When I walk, I get hungry, so I like to stop by a well known spot in the neighborhood to eat. In Sunnyside, a well-known spot was Donovan’s Pub, an Irish themed pub that looked like a medieval cottage inside and had apparently one of the best burgers in Queens. Its reputation did not disappoint as the burger itself tasted good and the bun was crisp. Not too costly on the money side, but if you’re looking to find a cheap place to eat, there are options. Right after leaving the pub, I spotted a place where I could get tacos for two dollars each. Too bad I was full. In the springtime, there is a food festival called Taste of Sunnyside which plays to the neighborhood’s strength in diversity, providing food from Colombian to Italian. Covid threw a wrench into it as it did to everything, so I’m hopeful that it will start again in 2022. 

Overall, Sunnyside was an enjoyable place. It’s a neighborhood full of life and renewal. It had its loud parts from the rumbling of the 7 Train and the Long Island Rail Road and it had its quiet parts in-between where the city would vanish and you could be left to think for yourself. It’s definitely a neighborhood I recommend to walk through and I’ll definitely come back. In the larger context, it’s been another neighborhood down in the many more I have yet to see. Hopefully, I’ll get to them all one weekend at a time.



By: Jared Skoro

Jared Skoro is a junior at NYU Gallatin studying a mix of English, Political Science, and Psychology. In his free time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring a new neighborhood of the city every weekend.

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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Plugging in with Good Intentions — Chapter 4: Music Mix

Monday, August 2nd, 2021

There’s no denying that music influences our mood and form of expression. Whether you’re a composer, performer, or a mere listener, music can be the perfect outlet to express creativity and let out emotions.

With technological advancements, we can listen to any song our heart desires with just a few clicks of a button. 

Sometimes we need a distraction or boost to our everyday lives. For me, I think of music as an abstract companion. As long as I have a device that can connect to music, I know that I can depend on it to be there for me. I never go about my day without listening to some form of music. Even if it’s a busy day, I’m sure my ears will end up hearing a tune from a commercial or the radio playing from my neighbor.  


Back in third grade, my school required us to learn how to play the recorder. I became so fond of it that I made my parents purchase my own recorder instead of renting it out from school. It also helped that we were told that we would be rewarded with colored ribbons each time we mastered a song. This incentive definitely pushed me into trying my best and advancing my skills. I would say this was the point where music became a bigger part of my life. 

Once I reached fourth grade, middle school band teachers were brought in to introduce us to the other instruments that we could learn to play. At this point, it wasn’t mandatory to learn another instrument nor play the recorder. Still, I chose to learn how to play the flute and went on to perform in numerous school concerts. Along with playing in the middle school band, I played for the all-city band that was made up of students from different middle schools in Quincy, MA. From making new friends to developing music skills, I owe it to my younger self for sparking my appreciation and enjoyment of music.


Maybe you’re not a big fan of music. Yet, let’s look at the wide range of benefits that music brings to our lives. 

1. Mood Matcher

  • Music platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music are perfect for discovering new music and creating playlists tailored to your mood. From songs to sing while in the shower to crying in the rain, the search for new music never has to end. 

2. Mental Health

3. Social Connections

  • Music can easily be shared with others via the Internet. From individual songs to packed playlists, you can find people who have similar music tastes. 

4. Cognitive Boost

  • Listening to music can block outside noises and improve your concentration.

5. Increase workout endurance

  • High tempo tracks can help boost physical activities. By blocking out distractions, you can focus on building strength and endurance.

These are just a few of the many benefits that music can bring into our lives. From meeting new people to keeping calm under stressful activities, listening to music stimulates our ears and brain activity. It doesn’t matter if you are musically inclined or a fan of a certain artist. Remember it’s all about having fun, encouraging good vibes, and plugging in with good intentions


If you’re in need of some tech to help foster your music career or some new headphones to listen to some tunes, check out Adorama!


By: Sydney Ly

Sydney Ly studies Communication with dual minors in Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She is currently working in retail and has experience as a tutor. Her passions include but are not limited to reading, listening to music, and watching The Office.

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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Physical Wellness

Wednesday, November 11th, 2020

Listening to our mind, body, and soul promotes wellness. It means becoming aware of the choices we make to ensure a healthy lifestyle that will bring happiness and allow us to achieve our goals. Wellness is a life cycle that involves our emotions. It allows us to establish spiritual harmony and maintain a positive physical, mental, and emotional state. 

Wellness consists of eight dimensions of well being which include: physical, emotional, financial, social, occupational, purpose, intellectual, and environmental, (Lexi Slator, 4 Sep 2017. “Physical Wellness”). Chances are that you focus on all eight except for physical.

Ironically, our physical well-being is the element of wellness that we must listen to in order for other areas to be sufficient. Think about yourself like a flower you must water in order to flourish. Think of self-love as when you love a flower, you water it daily. Physical wellness makes a significant impact by encouraging self-growth and increasing the quality of your lifestyle. A couple of things you can do to achieve physical wellness is listening to your body, motivating yourself to be more active, managing your stress, and inspiring yourself to eat healthier.

It is important to push ourselves to be more active, when you don’t pursue an active lifestyle it can potentially affect your motivation, delay your goals, and it can hurt your self-esteem. Yoga is great for being active as it creates mental tranquility, helps with concentration, increases body awareness, and helps relieve stress. A Yoga professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Stephanie Bird, implements yoga in her day to day life to help build a strong bond between her physical and mental health. She defines yoga as “cultivating aliveness”, as yoga focuses on crucial areas that make a human being. Such as the body, mind, and emotions. Bird stresses one must start exploring themselves and start doing things differently especially during the year 2020. It is about thinking outside the box, and asking yourself, “what am I doing to keep these areas alive?”. 

The beauty of yoga is that it’s a physical exercise that embodies spiritual relaxation through self-discipline, strengthening your breathing, and restoring balance. Professor Bird conveys yoga as “a new way of life”, it means “to temporarily step back from the busyness of our lives, our activities, and obligations, it is very helpful to maintaining a balance, and calm”. Yoga has many benefits, it helps relieve stress, strengthen your muscles, and it is an experience that allows you to clear your mind, connect, and listen to your soul. This form of exercise is composed of various poses, each pose serves its purpose. 

The child pose is a calming pose that focuses on stretching your neck, spine, and hips. It helps release any tension in your body, also relieving any anxiety.

Henderson, Katy. “Yoganatomy: Find Your Inner Child’s Pose” 27 Nov 2017, https://www.thehealthjournals.com/yoga-childs-pose/. Accessed 9 Nov 2020.

The cobra pose helps increase flexibility amongst the chest, shoulders, and abdomen, it also helps with strengthening your back. It is a combination of meditation as well because it targets the mind and body.

TINT, “WHY DOES MY COBRA POSE CAUSE BACK PAIN?” 27 August 2019, https://tintyoga.com/magazine/why-does-my-cobra-pose-cause-back-pain/. Accessed 9 Nov 2020.

Pranayama is about having control of your breathing, breathing is essential to living. However, pranayama instills a variety of breathing techniques that helps reduce stress, encourage better sleep, and also decrease the risk of any illnesses. Bhastrika breath is a breathing exercise that entails forceful breathing through inhaling and exhaling, it is about carefully listening to your body during this practice.

Nectar, Tantra. “Tantra Breathing & Pranayama” https://tantranectar.com/tag/bhastrika-pranayama/. Accessed 9 Nov 2020.

Not to mention, it helps to transmit positive energy, and boost the metabolism system encouraging weight loss. The power of yoga is the pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and a longer life. 

Better yet for a healthy meal, Campus Clipper offers a 10% discount if you’re in the NYC area for students with NYU ID’s. Remember to have good nutrition! And what a better way than to do it with a delicious Just Salad.

You can find all of our active coupons at this link. Redeem them here:


By: Yadira Tellez

Yadira is currently enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology, majoring in Fashion Business Management and minoring in English literature. She’s worked in retail and has had the opportunity to work behind the scenes during NYFW. Her dream is to be a Fashion Stylist, but enjoys creative writing to relieve stress and express her mind.

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 Suffer Healthily – Guidelines to Surviving NYC Campus

Tuesday, June 18th, 2019

Chapter 1: A Healthful Reality

 

Anyone who moves to New York City has a goal. They have dreams and expectations and a vision of what their dazzling life in the city. Media has shown us so many encouraging stories about the struggle of making your way in New York. There are parties and fashion, runways and bankers, agents and food and artists and culture; all of these things are banded together in such a small place, it’s a wonder you get to somehow experience it all.

 

Yet, NYC college students ultimately end up asking themselves is how do you manage to stay healthy on a student budget while still trying to conquer New York?

 

To help out fellow peers, I’ve compiled a list of a few challenging realities that students should know to expect.

  1. Most Students are Still Growing Up

 

It’s not a shocking truth, but it’s one that hits home for many struggling students. It’s strange enough becoming an adult in a place that demands your attention full time, but students often move astounding distances to live in New York, leaving their family and most of their support system behind. These students must construct new routines and learn the ins and outs of solidarity. At the beginning, no one is making sure that you’re staying fit or eating healthy or eating at all for that matter. It may take a while to become adjusted to getting by on your own.

 

  1.  School is Important

 

Not only do college courses require an immense amount of focus, but now you’re paying for that focus. If you miss too many classes or your grades start to slip, it’s likely you may have to retake a class. What does this have to do with health? The human brain requires a nutritious balance of Magnesium, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and all of the B Vitamins. Without these elements in your diet the brain loses a significant amount of stamina, making it harder to do well in school. Of course, ramen and dollar pizza slices are staple foods for the regular student, but after a week of MSG and no vitamins, it gets hard to keep up with the fast pace of NYC.

 

  1. Movement is Key

Maybe this one is implied, but people in New York City are constantly moving from place to place and they are always hard-pressed to get there on time. With so much happening at once and with so much to do, it’s a wonder how students find time to stay fit. And while fitness is unique to the individual, it’s sometimes difficult to discern what exactly your body needs. It’s not essential to have a gym membership or to be a part of a sports team, sometimes it’s as simple as investing in a bicycle or scooter to get around town. Just be sure to remember, there’s a difference between being active and staying healthy. Walking around all day and running from one train to the next can be quite the workout; it’s beneficial to find time to relax and get plenty of sleep.

 

Despite all of those chilling realities, it is also extremely important to have fun. Staying healthy in school can be a breeze with the right resources, knowledge and motivation. In this book, I will explain a few tips on how to turn college survival into simply living.

 

Olivia L. Brummett

Rising Senior at The New School – B.F.A. Writing 

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Why It’s Okay to Miss Out

Tuesday, April 16th, 2019

It’s a classic tale, isn’t it? Saturday night, almost 10 PM. The party started an hour ago, but no one shows up on time, right? Your legs are already tired and your contacts are drying up in your eyes after a long day staring at your computer. It’s not even a real friends birthday you plan to attend. You knew the guy in high school, or maybe had one class with him over J-term, and now…

You know you might have a good time. There’s a decent conversation to be had with strangers, maybe a cute girl chats you up while you’re both a bit tipsy and too tired to worry about smiling at each other too much. Maybe it’s a night to remember, and by not going, you deprive yourself of that memory, of that pleasure, of that chance.

At a certain point, FOMA, or the fear-of-missing-out, is the only reason you even want to go in the first place. Because you know the chance is there for a good time. But you also know that probably, most likely, almost definitely, you will drag yourself home at three in the morning, dehydrated and sweaty, buzzed or drunk, alone, having spilled beer on your favorite white shirt, or having sweated too much into your best leather jacket to feel like wearing it again any time soon. You fall asleep without taking a shower, and wake up way later than you expected the next day, on a weekend you were already hard-pressed to be productive in. To top it all off? It’s finals week next week. Another mistake.

Next time you’re in this position, just stay home. Watch a movie on your laptop, eat some of your favorite snacks, or work on a creative project or hobby. The parties rage on almost every night, and if you’re constantly going to them, if you’re constantly bustling from event to event, too scared to turn down an invitation to one, or to stay home and enjoy your own company every now and then, the anxiety to go will overcome the pleasure you get from actually going.

Take care of yourself. Trust your instincts. Don’t miss out on you.


By Victor Galov

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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The Importance of a Brain Roadmap

Tuesday, April 9th, 2019

Everyone even vaguely interested in anything from self-improvement, procrastination, and healthy living has come across some metaphor mentioning how the mind and body are like cars that run on gas and need to be refueled from time to time. Whether that be fuel or sleep, or healthy dieting, or smart organizational strategies to prevent you from falling into a cycle of avoiding responsibilities until they pile up to extraordinary quantities, you know the drill. But fuel isn’t the only thing a car needs to run properly.

It needs a good driver. It needs someone that knows the rules of the road, that knows the machine and how to operate it, and most importantly, someone that knows where they are going. It’s fine and dandy to be going 60 miles per hour down the highway, until you realized you missed your exit two hours ago. Your brain, body, life, goals, need a compass.

Which is where good introspective time can benefit. Not just as a student, in providing your brain with some rest and clarity, but also as a human, trying to make it in a human world.

Personally? I meditate.  Not necessarily in the old Buddhist monk or American hippie way, but in a more convenient one. I’ll meditate while walking. Actively think while I step, let the rhythms of everyday life hit me in a way that is conducive to good thinking. I’ll stand in the shower sometimes, and just look at the wall, and think for five, or ten minutes. More importantly, I journal. One page, every day. I’ve kept it up, pretty regularly, for almost 3 months now, and I see the progress I am making towards my goals. I’ve finished two full notebooks of dense writing, and at the very least my handwriting has gotten really, really good. But also, I have a creative, and meditative outlet for any emotions I might be holding in, any worries that might be resting on my shoulders. There have been times where I sit down angry and get up calm, or start writing with frustrations and despair creeping in behind my shoulders, only to walk away calm and collected, ready to tackle my day.

My own experiences might not be the most convincing, but the proof is there. Mindfulness and meditation improve not only your physical health, like decreasing your risk of heart disease over time, but also your mental stability by decreasing cortisol levels in both short term and long term practitioners. In fact, mindfulness is one of the key treatment options for patients with depression or anxiety. It is often the first strategy used to try and combat both illnesses. Obviously, it’s not a cure-all, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

As for the journals I keep? The University of Rochester has done extensive studies showing that journals help you prioritize your problems, fears, and objectives, and thus manage your anxiety, or stress levels. They help you focus on what you want, whether that be your life’s ambition, or something as simple as sticking to a healthier diet.

You may already be taking every step you can think of to make your brain and body operate at a higher level. You may be going faster, and stronger than ever before. But if you still feel directionless, lost in the wind? Spend some time mapping out your brain. It could work, you never know.

Sources:

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/benefits-of-mindfulness/


By Victor Galov

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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Why You Should Exercise More

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019

Despite the stress of city life, it is surprisingly difficult to work up a sweat in New York. Exercise is something we often have to schedule time for, and whether hitting the gym, or running laps around Central Park. It isn’t always the most enjoyable part of our day.

But daily exercise is one of the most important habits in your daily routine, both for your physical and mental health. After all, even 15-30 minutes of moderate exercise per day can have drastic effects on your body, and mind, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercising regularly can also introduce you to interesting new people in a city that is otherwise quite lonely at times. One of my best friends right now actually started off as my gym buddy. Though our schedules don’t match up enough for us to exercise together very often, we still compare statistics every now and then. (In case you were wondering, he can lift more than me.)

But it isn’t about how much weight you can carry or how far you can run. Good cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times a week decreases your risk of heart problems and extends your life expectancy drastically as a result. Furthermore, exercise is one of the best ways to cope with many mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and ADHD.

The rhythm of running, for example, is cited by many living with anxiety disorders as soothing. Meanwhile, whenever my ADHD kicks in, I go to my local gym and pump iron. Your brain releases dopamine and serotonin when you exercise, neurotransmitters responsible for feelings of pleasure, satisfaction, and joy. These not only improve focus, but also mood, and general life happiness. The Harvard Medical School has conducted studies that even practicing heavy breathing regimens can decrease your stress, though obviously with proper exercise, these results are more pronounced.

Finally, if those weren’t reasons enough for you to sign up at a nearby spin cycle class or challenge one of your buddies to a push-up contest, fitness affects a person’s body positivity and general attractiveness. The elevated mood, better sleep and focus, and increased physical prowess make you a better partner, friend, and person. Perhaps even more importantly though, the most attractive selection of people I have seen during my time in New York thus far have not been at clubs or bars in the middle of the night, nor Starbucks and diners at lunchtime. The hottest New Yorkers can be found in the gym at 6 AM.


By Victor Galov

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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Out of the Library and into the Fire: A College Student’s Arrival into Bedlam

Wednesday, April 11th, 2018

I can attest to the struggle of finding one’s footing upon entering the anxiety-filled halls of freshman year. I remember very clearly being incredibly excited to set out upon an adventure that I had imagined thousands of times through in my mind. However, that didn’t mean that I wouldn’t encounter trials and tribulations that I would learn from. This era was the time in my life when I began to see the most physical change my body had ever undergone. In many ways, were my choices both good and bad, healthy and unhealthy, mature and immature, etc. Sophomore year of college made me aware of how important it is to spend one’s time wisely, in taking action that will propel your entire life in a positive direction, because the time so quickly escapes you.

(Photo Credit: http://www.free-management-ebooks.com/news/bains-rapid-framework/)

So what does it mean to wisely spend one’s time as a new college student, fresh blood upon the quads and campuses of universities that are dominated by more intelligent, more attractive, less awkward individuals, and push one’s life in a “healthy direction”? Well, having experienced my sophomore year living in a dorm over one hundred years old with one roommate and six other suite mates…and two bathrooms, I can attest that there is a necessity to be ever aware of three important aspects of one’s life: hygiene/healthy eating, time management, and prioritization of long-term goals. If these things are kept in mind, then it is much less likely that someone will arrive into a bedlam of their own. There will be difficult times, but one has to remember to always be maintaining your happiness and the sources of that for you. For me, being “happy”, or in a good mood, was always very influenced by the things I had recently eaten. And, if you are or ever have been a college student, you will understand that diet, what you are eating everyday, is one of, if not the, greatest influences on your overall well being and must be well maintained.

Saving money, snatching the best promos, having fun, or discovering one’s passions is always going to be on the mind of new college students. However, I found that this focus tends to detriment the decisions made about dieting, hygiene, and the general effort that is

directed toward one’s academics. Let me assure you, if not enough value is endowed to hygiene/health, time management, and prioritization of long-term goals, than a path to bedlam will surely be paved.

(Photo Credit: https://chefman.com/healthy-living/)

In terms of being healthy, of feeling energized, of feeling ready for obstacles,, and to face life with a level headed mind the upkeep of the mind and body holds the greatest import. The vegetables, fruits, balanced meals, non-sodas are much healthier options than the typical fast food that college students flock to,  and I know first hand that what I am saying is a difficult thing to put into practice.

(Photo Credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/healthy-food-vector-diet-for-life-nutrition-modern-balanced-diet-isolated-flat-gm875565078-244425912)

Sometimes, at 3:00 AM, a cheeseburger, or some greasy tacos, or a breakfast burrito just sounds like an absolute necessity, but the will can remain steadfast! I have seen snacking, sodas, excess alcohol, drugs, and fast food deal irreversible damage on college students who showed promising potential. When there is academic material to be appreciated and learned from, or when there is an exam looming that requires heavy preparation, whatever the task may be, it is always disadvantageous to perform those tasks while not at one’s full capacity in both mind and body.

I understand the desire to live out the college life depicted across pop-culture. However, the University and the system of higher education exists first and foremost to satiate the desire to learn. To progress the intellectual and deliberative processes of the human mind, and propel an individual, who has sought such training, positively forward in their life. The Bedlam that I once knew came upon me quickly and without remorse, because I turned a blind eye to this understanding and allowed my momentary happiness to overshadow my long-term life goals. I write, now removed from my Bedlam of Sophomore year of college, with greatest hope that these words can better prepare new college entries to pave a path away from Bedlam and toward jubilant amelioration.

By James Rodriguez


James Rodriguez is a recent college graduate from New York University, who, after experiencing a diverse range of trials and tribulations in undergrad, is seeking to share his lessons learned with those who can capitalize on them today. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, he found living in New York City drastically different from what he was accustomed to. From this time of transformation, readjustment and reevaluation James now seeks to utilize the lessons and understandings that he gained to better the experiences of those who face similar experiences. Working in tandem with the Campus Clipper, James now has the platform to share his words and experiences with greatest hopes that the difficulties he faced will be ameliorated for others.

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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