From New York to…Amsterdam

June 27th, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

Taken by Jainita Patel

Taken by Jainita Patel

 

Roads and Rivers.

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

 

Neighborhoods.

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

 

Public Transport.

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

 

Embrace It.

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

 

http://brokelyn.com/

http://brokelyn.com/

Taken by Jainita Patel

Taken by Jainita Patel

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

Stay rad,
Jainita

__________________________________________________________________________________

By Jainita Patel

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

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

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Posted in Budget Traveler, onFun, onTravel, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan, Uniqueness in NYC | No Comments »

My Mom, The Survivor

June 25th, 2017
Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

 

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

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

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

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

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

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

My Photo

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

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

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

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

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

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

 

By Caroline Flynn

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

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

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

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Posted in Family, Friendship, onHealth, onLove, Relationships | No Comments »

From New York to…Stockholm

June 21st, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

https://c1.staticflickr.com/

https://c1.staticflickr.com/

 

Be Productive.

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

 

Treat Yourself.

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

 

Scenic Self-Reflection.

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

.

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

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

 

The archipelago. Taken by Jainita Patel.

The archipelago.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

Do that One Thing You’ve Been Putting Off.

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

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

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

 

Gamla Stan. Taken by Jainita Patel.

Gamla Stan.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

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

__________________________________________________________________________________

By Jainita Patel

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

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

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Posted in Budget Traveler, Cheap Eats, onFun, onLife, onTravel, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan, Uniqueness in NYC | No Comments »

Finding a Meditative Practice that Works for You

June 17th, 2017

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

https://brunch.co.kr

https://brunch.co.kr

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

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

http://www.ayurvedaplusworld.com/

http://www.ayurvedaplusworld.com/

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

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

ww.gauraastro.com

ww.gauraastro.com

By Sofia Lerner

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

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

 

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From New York to….Dublin

June 14th, 2017

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

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

http://www.activebackpacker.com

http://www.activebackpacker.com

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

https://lonelyplanetimages.imgix.net/

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

Bars and Pubs

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

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

Keybar
http://keybar.com/

Temple Bar Taken by Jainita Patel

Temple Bar
Taken by Jainita Patel

Clubs

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

Food

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

Music and Comedy Venues

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

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

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

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

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

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

__________________________________________________________________________________

By Jainita Patel

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

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

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Posted in Budget Traveler, NYC Student Guide, onFun, onTravel, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan, Uniqueness in NYC | No Comments »

How To Make Friends

June 13th, 2017

 

Image Credit: www.instagram.com/thecarolineflynn/

Image Credit: www.instagram.com/thecarolineflynn/

 

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

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

 

1. Choose Your Victim

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

 

2. The Millennial Step

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

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

 

3. Make Plans

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

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

 

4. Sunlight & Water

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

 

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

Image Credit: campusclipper.com

Image Credit: campusclipper.com

 

 

By Caroline Flynn

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

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

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

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Posted in Friendship, NYC Student Guide, onCollege, onLove, Relationships | No Comments »

How to Eat Well and Plan Meals on a Budget

June 10th, 2017

When it comes to NYC living, one of the trickiest things for many students to figure out is food. If you’re not on a meal plan, it can be challenging to feed yourself without eating out all the time and bleeding your wallet dry. It’s also hard to make consistently healthy choices about food when you’re surrounded by convenient temptations. My first year at NYU, I fluctuated between forgetting to eat for 19 hours while buried in books, and stuffing my face with junk food. Now, in my senior year, I still have friends who make pasta every night because it’s easy and affordable. Pasta is delicious. I could easily eat my weight in farfelle or linguine, especially slathered in pesto, and the way to my heart is By CHLOE’s mac and cheese. But pasta is also not a balanced meal for every night, and there are a million affordable eats you can make to supplement your college-student-pasta-diet. Here are some of the quick and dirty tips I’ve learned for eating healthy and affordably as a student in New York:

Artist Marta Spendowska, https://www.behance.net

Artist Marta Spendowska, https://www.behance.net

Prep Your Meals

Planning for the week ahead is the single best thing you can do to manage what goes into your body and prevent over-spending. Pick a day for meal prep; I like to do this on Saturday so I can spend all of Sunday focusing on assignments. Decide what you’re going to make for that week, or at least the next few days, and then: 1. pre-chop all veggies and proteins 2. cook a whole lot of food and store it in the fridge. I usually make a huge batch of salad for the week and store it in plastic produce bags. I also chop vegetables and tofu (and in the past, chicken) in advance for things to make later in the week like stir-fry, which is super easy and healthy. Then, when it’s midweek and you’re exhausted, all you have to do is transfer from tupperware to pan and have a hot meal in moments. And if you make a big batch, which I recommend, you’ll have leftovers to microwave. Future you will thank you.

Trader Joe’s is Your Friend

No place in this city seems to have it all, but Trader Joe’s does have some of the best prices compared to other grocery stores. I’m a big fan of their trail mixes, name brand Greek yogurt, and New Mexico Piñon coffee. For leafy greens and other veggies, Whole Foods tends to have better quality produce. As for fruit, don’t be afraid to stop at one of the street vendor carts! They’re well-priced, and usually very good quality. I’ll often grab a banana for about 60 cents on my way to class in the morning, and one of the best peaches I ever had came from a sidewalk fruit vendor.

Affordable Proteins

Meat is usually the most expensive part of a meal. A 2014 article from http://health.usnews.com/ states that in 2014 pork averaged $3.90 per pound, while ground beef averaged $3.27 and choice steak cost about $6.86 per pound. Boneless chicken breasts were an average of $3.27 per pound nationwide. Meanwhile tofu averaged $2 to $2.50 per pound, and beans are even cheaper. Bean salads and tofu have become staples of my diet, and recently I’ve been learning how to cook tempeh. Experiment with tofu marinades, and try some of these recipes!

http://www.myrecipes.com/

http://www.myrecipes.com/

Baked Garlic Tofu

Crispy Tofu & Broccoli

Tofu Scramble

I’m also all about protein-packed shakes and smoothies. Stock up on cocoa powder, peanut butter, frozen fruits, and protein powder! Click here for smoothie inspiration.

http://naturalchow.com/

http://naturalchow.com/

Frozen Foods

Speaking of frozen fruit, if you have the joy that is freezer space, use the heck out of it! Frozen veggies are often cheaper than fresh produce. I love adding green beans, carrots, corn, and peas into brown rice or quinoa to squeeze a few more vegetables into a meal, and Trader Joe’s frozen succotash is a great mix in. For breakfast, try frozen waffles (toasted) with peanut butter, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. TJ’s also has some lifesaver frozen meals if you need something instant during finals. Stock up on Amy’s Chili for microwavable salvation. You won’t even notice it’s vegan.

Snack Packs

If, like me, you need something to much on while studying, try plain unbuttered popcorn or carrots and hummus. For when you’re on the move, keep snacks on hand to avoid binging or spending when hunger strikes. Fill sandwich bags with almonds and apricots or popcorn sprinkled with curry powder. Grab one of these to put in your bag before leaving home. Babybel cheeses are also great to keep in your bag. So are bananas!  Goofy as it is, consider a Banana Saver: http://bit.ly/2r4Jdhw. Best gift I’ve ever received (thanks, Mom & Dad).

Happy munching, everyone!

By Sofia Lerner

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

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

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Posted in Eating Healthy, onHealth | No Comments »

From New York to…Edinburgh

June 8th, 2017

It’s a big change, moving from a small town to a big city. It feels too vast, too claustrophobic, too many people in too many streets that twist and turn into each other like streams in never-ending deltas.

It’s not just a specific city, though. Anywhere from New York to Paris to Mumbai can feel like that when you’ve never experienced it before. Sure, moving to a city can be exciting, but even that doesn’t completely erase the other feelings.

But there’s some comfort. Every big city can feel like a small town once you recognize the spots that feel a little cozier, the neighborhoods that feel more like lakes than constant oceans. In New York, that means avoiding midtown at all times and in Edinburgh, it means fleeing tourists on the Royal Mile, especially during the summer months.

Why compare New York to Edinburgh when talking about a small town feeling? Well, both cities hold a relatively large percent of their country’s population in a very compact space for the number. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by either when you’re not from the area, but they each have unique spots that make you feel like you never left the small place you grew up in.

https://www.favrify.com/

https://www.favrify.com/

https://edinburgh-chamber-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/

https://edinburgh-chamber-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/

Avoid tourist destinations

New York and Edinburgh both have a large tourism industry concentrated in a highly dense area, and if you spend a lot of time there you will feel overwhelmed by your new city life. For Edinburgh, this is a lot less important since the Royal Mile has a lot of less crowded spots where there are virtually no people such as the Writer’s Museum. However for New York, any street you visit in Midtown during the middle of the day is pretty much guaranteed to be crowded.

Try new neighborhoods

Instead of tourist areas, try opting for new neighborhoods in both cities. Both Hamilton and Washington Heights in New York are great places to feel like you’re in the suburbs again. With the lack of the ever-present crowd, the water on both sides, and the plethora of parks like Fort Washington and Highbridge, it’s a great area with a casual, residential feel. Coffee shops like The Chipped Cup give a cozy, warm feeling without escaping the novelty of New York. For Edinburgh, nothing gets away from big city life and screams small town like nature. Calton Hill is smack in the center of the city and a great place to hang out if you want to avoid the crowds at Arthur’s Seat. Or if a hike isn’t your cup of tea, try the area around Dean’s Garden and Cemetery— it’s super cozy and beautiful.

Chipped Cup Coffee http://www.chippedcupcoffee.com

Chipped Cup Coffee
http://www.chippedcupcoffee.com

 

View from Calton Hill Taken by Jainita Patel

View from Calton Hill
Taken by Jainita Patel

Take a day trip

One of the best parts about living in a small town is being able to drive and see another place. In both New York City and Edinburgh, you can still access new places even without a car. For New York, if you’re an experienced hiker and need to get out for a day, take a train from Grand Central to Fishkill, NY ($25-$30 one way, about 2 a hour journey) and hike Breakneck Ridge. If that seems a little too intense, try a day tour with Vertically Inclined ($35, about an hour’s journey) to Anthony’s Nose in the Bronx. In Edinburgh, if the breathtaking view from atop Calton Hill wasn’t enough, maybe try a trip into a Highland with Rabbies (tours range from £28 to £42).

View from the Breakneck Ridge Trail. https://cdn-files.apstatic.com/hike/

View from the Breakneck Ridge Trail.
https://cdn-files.apstatic.com/hike/

View from Loch Lomand (Peaking into the Scottish Highlands) Taken by Jainita Patel

View from Loch Lomand (Peaking into the Scottish Highlands) and me.
Taken by Jainita Patel

 

Talk to your neighbors.

Yup, it’s as simple (or as difficult) as that. The ease of living in a small town is that you know a lot of people. Without that social cushion, cities can seem cold and awkward. In Edinburgh, most people tend to be friendly and generous with their conversation and advice if you can muster the courage to ask them. In New York, people can be a bit tougher to crack, but frequenting a local coffee shop or other nearby venue is guaranteed to have the barista or another frequent patron notice you and that could be a good way into a friendship that can make the big city seem a little smaller.

These few tips can help you feel a little less alone and scared in a big city. Both places require quite the adjustment period, but trust me, soon it will start to feel like home again and you’ll get a lot more comfortable. And who knows? If you like how New York or Edinburgh can start to feel like a small town, hopefully you’ll get a chance to visit the other city someday and find the same feeling there as well.

By Jainita Patel

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

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

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Posted in Budget Traveler, NYC Student Guide, onFun, onTravel, Out On The Town, Outside Manhattan, Uniqueness in NYC | No Comments »

Finding Time to Exercise as a College Student—and Actually Enjoy It

June 5th, 2017

College would be hard even if you had a feeding tube, a body and muscles that never atrophied, and you never had to sleep. But we exist in physical bodies that need time and attention, and exercise is one of the most difficult pieces of that necessary upkeep and maintenance. We’ve been told over and over again, “eat right, exercise, get enough sleep,” and sometimes those components of wellness can feel like additional obligations, on top of assignments and other responsibilities. Plus, an alarming amount of information and resources ostensibly concerned with “health” actually focus more appearances, and there’s a lot of controversy around fitness and exercise. I could go on about how flawed the fitness industry is, but that would require another blog post or 20. Suffice to say, I’m not here to push #bodygoals and #fitspo, which tend to emphasize appearance more than the real health benefits of working out.

But on a mental, physical, and emotional level, there are other, better reasons to pull on your spandex and get sweaty. According to the American Intercontinental University, exercise stimulates brain cell development, increases memory retention, and improves focus and concentration—hello, GPA boost! It’s also great for fighting homework fatigue. I’ll often take 20 minutes out of essay writing, get in some High Intensity Intervals at the gym, and come back with my brain refreshed and ready to get back in essay-mode. The University of Michigan also notes that exercise can increase energy and reduce psychiatric symptoms. And as I explained in my last blog post, exercise improves your sleep. It’s also a huge factor in relieving stress and boosting your mood, since endorphins—chemicals released during exercise—have a naturally calming effect on the body.

8f14ffc1ea8f3c41afafd5f8f724eee8

https://www.pinterest.com

You’re probably thinking, “Okay, we get it—we definitely ought to exercise. But when? And how?!” Fear not, Padawans, help is on the way!

1. Choose activities you actually enjoy

If you dread exercise, of course you won’t be inclined to make time for it. You live in one of the most happening cities on the planet—go explore! There are so many locations, groups, and types of movement to get into, from Capoeira to rock climbing, running, dance, yoga & more yoga, The Rise NYC, pole classes, and so much more. Exercise is a treat. It can be a great way to engage with other people, and it’s also showing yourself you care. It’s an opportunity to take time out of your day to shut off your brain from everything else.

2. Think of exercise not as “working out,” but “moving and sweating”

The term “work out” is laden with all the pressures of our flawed fitness industry. Instead, focus on the actual activity you’re doing, not how many calories it burns or whether you have buns of steel yet. When I was training to be a professional ballet dancer, I didn’t care about having visible abs. I cared about how high I could jump, how many turns I could do, and how long I could balance for; the abs were just a side effect. Your “work outs” will be way more rewarding if you’re focused on climbing harder routes at the rock gym, nailing that dance sequence, holding that yoga pose longer, getting faster or going farther in your runs, and generally just enjoying your chosen form of moving and sweating.

https://www.pinterest.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/

3. You don’t actually need as much as you think you do

Exercise can seem like a burden if you’re under the impression that you need to do it for hours on end. If you want to subject yourself to the torture of training like a VS angel, that’s your prerogative. For the rest of us lay people, 150 minutes a week will give you enough to reap the health benefits—that’s the same amount of time as a 2 and a half hour movie. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say you can even do just 10 minutes at a time. Small things like taking the stairs add up! When I hit a wall studying, it helps to plank for 30 seconds, go for a walk, or do some yoga poses. Check out CDC’s site for a great list of how much exercise (and what types) you need for different fitness goals.

4. Consider High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

dailyburn.com defines HIIT as “a training technique in which you give all-out, one hundred percent effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short, sometimes active, recovery periods.” Some of the best advantages for students are that it increases metabolism, you can do it anytime, anyplace, and you don’t need any equipment! Check out these quick HIIT workouts for beginners. If you find you enjoy this type of exercise, look into getting a heart rate monitor to get the most out of your HIIT.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself

Your main job right now is being a student, not training for the Olympics! If you end up having to skip the gym/run/dance class to finish up an assignment now and then, it’s not slacking; it’s prioritizing.

So if you’re reading this… close your laptop, pull on some gym shorts, and go get sweaty!

http://www.pinsdaddy.com/

http://www.pinsdaddy.com

By Sofia Lerner

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

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

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A Place Called Home

June 5th, 2017
IMG_9056

Image Credit: Caroline Flynn

Somewhere north of Boston, a middle class suburb sits quiet and unchanged by the weathering of time. Those of us that grew up there call it Home. When I lived there, Home seemed like the best and worst place to be. The heart of Home is a decent school system that prides itself in its lack of public funding. Us kids rally around our outdated school building and its outdated policies and make it our mission to be great anyways. The sports and arts programs thrive because of it. A lot of students did great things when I was in school and Home made sure they felt celebrated and successful. A lot of students did not-so-great things and Home tried its best to sweep them under the rug.

Home is not special in any of these ways. What makes it special is that the people I love are there. When I’m with them I feel like it would be easy to fall back into the habits that I developed for 18 years before I left. Habits like mowing the lawn on Saturdays with my Dad, banging on the bathroom door until my sister got out of the shower, and watching the news in the morning with my Mom in the kitchen. At night, I call my friends and we drive off on some adventure to the edge of a lake or new empty parking lot that is a prime spot for playing music too loudly while we talk about the future. Home has a sense of measured steps. Everything is even and safe as we quietly live out another day, month, year of our lives. So when I came to NYC I was ready for a shift.

New York University. A huge school in an even bigger city. Home seems distant in memory, size, and existence. In fact, it’s difficult to believe they inhabit the same planet. No one takes measured steps here. Most people walk at a pace that suburbians couldn’t ever imagine. I had gotten the shift I wanted. My life was constantly shifting. New people, new places, new education, new food, new, new, new. And so I began to plug away at my new life.

I spent most of my freshman year in my bottom bunk, squeezed between two desks and two dressers in a Tetris-like fashion. Though the room was barely big enough for the two people it housed, I happily claimed half of it as my own. My desk quickly gained an appropriate amount of clutter. Even from 4 hours away, my mom would roll her eyes over FaceTime and urge me to straighten up my things. The rectangle of open wall next to my bed was littered with photographs of friends and family from Home. They were a constant reminder of who I’d left behind.

You learn a lot about yourself when you’re thrust into a new environment. As the year drew on, I realized that the thing that made Home so special were the people. Here, I didn’t have any relationships to keep me afloat. I loved being in the city and taking classes that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I felt myself balancing on a fine line between independence and loneliness. Today, I no longer worry about slipping into loneliness because I’ve built some strong friendships in New York City. And I’ve strengthened the bonds with people at Home in a way that gives me the confidence to be independent. It took a while, but I was lucky enough to meet people that will change my life forever. This summer, I’ll be talking about how I got to this point and what I’ve learned about relationships since I left home. Hopefully you learn from my mistakes and fall in love with my friends and family just like I have.

By Caroline Flynn

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

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

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

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Posted in Family, Friendship, onLove, Relationships | No Comments »

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