Being a college student is all about new experiences: new people, new classes, new living situations – the list can often seem daunting and never-ending.  In the process of creating this exciting new life, it’s easy for us to get caught up in the whirlwind of it all, and even easier to lose track of the person who matters most when it comes to the state of our happiness – ourselves.

Friends, significant others, co-workers, parents, or any combination of the above are always competing for our attention.  Everyone wants a piece of us – who wouldn’t, right? We’re twenty-something and fabulous! – but there’s not always enough of us to go around, so the only solution can often seem to be spreading ourselves thin enough to reach a little bit of everyone.  However, bending over backwards, sideways and every other which way trying to please everybody else is exhausting, and it more often than not leaves us in a contorted mess while the rest of the world continues to breeze by us with their morning coffee.

If one day you wake up and suddenly realize that you have in fact become guilty of this crime, never fear!  It happens to the best of us from time to time.  According to a study entitled “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” out of 200,000 freshman students who were currently enrolled full-time at a four-year college, only 52 percent of them classified their mental health state as “above average” – a number that has fallen considerably from 64 percent in 1985.  Many factors contributed to this decline, including the economy, rising tuition prices, job prospects, and constant self-comparison to peers.

Luckily, there are lots of easy ways to combat these pesky stresses of everyday life.  Professionals at the Mayo Clinic encourage the practice of relaxation techniques to help rid your life of stress so you are always feeling at the top of your game.  Whether it’s yoga, visualization methods, or T’ai Chi, find something that works for you and keep at it!  These techniques are just like any other skill-set; they will take work and repetition, but eventually will pay off.

Whenever I am feeling bogged down by relationship drama, school, or life in general, I try to consciously remind myself to breathe – just breathe – for maybe 10 or 15 seconds at a time.  And then I do it again.  It may seem simple or trivial, but it works.  Get outside, take a walk through SoHo for some window shopping, sit in Washington Square Park and watch all of the tourists fawning over the pigeons, get coffee on the Upper West Side and walk around pretending like you’re part of the Gossip Girl crew – the specifics don’t matter as long as you are continuously reminding yourself to breathe.

As you’re walking and breathing, think about all of the things in your life that make you happy.  Then think about the things in your life that don’t make you happy.  Now make a promise to yourself that you will do more of those things that make you happy, and vow to do less of the things that don’t.  This is the time to take that kickboxing class you’ve wanted to take but just somehow haven’t found the time.  Or maybe make plans to put on some lipstick and that favorite dress that you never get to wear and go out with your friends for a night of feeling pretty and good about yourself.

After all, we live in New York City! Get out there and make use of the urban playground that is waiting right outside your door.  Just don’t forget to take a few seconds every day to remember who you are and what makes you happy, and, whatever you do during this time, don’t forget to breathe.

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Lesley Hennen, New York University. Check out my Twitter!

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This restaurant gets my honest-to-goodness best rating, and that’s not just because I’m a vegetarian. I’m very used to going out and ordering entrée salads and fru-fru veggie dishes as meager “sorry you don’t eat meat” alternatives to more appealing items on the menu. And that’s to be expected, really; it’s hard to get a salad that makes you go, “Whoa, you gotta try this.”

The restaurant has very clean look.

But here’s a place that really goes out of its way to make itself an exception to that rule. Last Wednesday I had lunch at Fresh & Co. on Broadway and Waverly, right by NYU. It’s a salad and sandwich place that caters to meat-lovers, vegans, health-nuts and indifferent people who just want to grab some quick good eats. Here’s how it works:

The counter is divided into stations that you line up for depending on what you feel like trying. There’s a Sandwich Station(they also do panini melts; the girl across from me had a grilled

Salad bar. Order a chef designed salad or create your own original one

steak panini and I’m telling you it smelled amazing), a Salad Station (these are not ho-hum salads; you can load ’em up with whatever toppings you want— artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, jumbo shrimp, or even jalapeños), and a Quinoa Bowl Station (this is good, trust me on this one). You order your meal and watch them prepare it right in front of you, which is actually a lot of fun. They hand you your food, then you pay at the register and dig in. Quick and easy, even when there’s a crowd. If you’re looking for something for grab-and-go, there are ready-made soups, salads and snacks, as well as organic coffee. Check out their menu.

I got the Smoked Tofu Edamame Quinoa Bowl (or as some call it, the “number six”). It’s not that I thought it was gonna be bad or anything, but it’s like I said— I’m used to being bored by my food. No joke, I was so surprised by how good this stuff was, by any standard: quinoa, kale, brussel sprouts and other fresh ingredients coated in sweet chili sauce and served up hot. Yum. It knocked my socks off and I really can’t wait to go back. For less than the cost of an entrée salad at one of those sit-down chain restaurants, this is a lunch that kept me full for the rest of the day and made me want to lick the bowl clean. I am officially a fan.

My lunch, about to be gobbled.

Are you a health-nut? Come for the all-natural ingredients and the huge variety of fresh options. Everything you order is prepared right in front of you so that you know just what you’re eating. There’s even an online nutrition calculator. This food may be fast, but it’s definitely healthy stuff.

Are you an eco-enthusiast? Come for the sustainable food sources and environmental conscientiousness. The poultry comes from small companies that treat their bird humanely. Read about them on their “philosophy of food” page. Every week, Fresh & Co. has what it calls “Farm Fresh Friday” when all the food is obtained from local farmers’ markets in NYC. Sometimes this even means getting produce from the rooftop garden of PS 41, a public school only blocks away. This is a green restaurant; even the salad bowls are made from recycled plastic.

Do you honestly not really give a damn what’s in your food or where it comes from as long as it tastes good? Then come for the taste! Come because you want to know what “Thai Turkey Bolognese” is and why it’s so good with soy ginger sauce. Or because Super Bowl season has buffalo chicken on your mind and a panini melt sounds like the perfect lunchtime medium for it. Or because these pictures have been making your mouth water just a little bit onto your computer’s keyboard. If you don’t think you’re really into “health food places,” then just think of think of this as an “awesome lunch place” and give it a shot. I promise you won’t be sorry.

It turns out that health food doesn’t have to be bland. In fact, it can be tangy, sweet and delicious. The proof is in the pudding . . . and in the quinoa, and in the sandwiches, and in the salads . . .

Give them a try! College students get 10% off with this Campus Clipper coupon:

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Laura DeFrancisci, Manhattan College. Check out my Blog!

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One of my favorite things about the holidays is visiting friends from my hometown and hearing what they have been working on for the past year since I last saw them.  Inevitably, the small talk about little things, the new job, the minor promotion, and the fabulous apartment always arrives at the big kahuna of girl talk: our relationships.  All of my friends from Milwaukee are in serious and very happy relationships.  Each time my girlfriends and I arrive at this topic, the group turns to me and says, “So, Betsy, are there any guys in your life right now?” to which I always respond, “I’m not seeing anyone special.”  My friends, being the sweethearts that they are, say, “Oh, well—you’ll find a great guy eventually,” with that ever-present edge of pity in their voices.  The topic officially shifts from my paid acting gig to how I can use college discounts to get a two for one deal on Ben and Jerry’s ice cream.

Image taken from Cafepress.com

I have noticed an influx of dating advice books and websites each touting their inspirational mantras, step-by-step instructions on how to win a partner, and lists upon lists of white flag warning signs and the best way to navigate the dating world.  Unfortunately, very few of these sources address self-esteem and self-love, or, when they do address it, their jargon sounds like: “In order to have satisfying and healthy relationships with other people, you must first have a satisfying and healthy relationship with yourself.”

While this statement is very true, it makes self-love feel like a key point en route to a desired destination when in reality, loving yourself is the destination.  Be careful of turning self-love into yet another step in finding a partner; I find that this can lead to missing out on an extremely valuable chance to get to know yourself.   A healthy relationship grows from mutual respect and the desire to grow and learn with another person.  You end up cheating yourself when you settle for something that is not right for you just because you want a partner.  Relationships should be optional detours on the road to self-love, not rest areas to cry at because you can’t properly experience the view.  Get back in the car.  Keep driving.  There will be other opportunities.

I have noticed that a few of my single peers have a fear of being alone forever.  I recently went out on a first date with a man who, within the first fifteen minutes, asked me why I was still single, when I was thinking about getting married and how many children I thought I wanted.  He then proceeded to talk about how he wanted children and was looking for a permanent partner.  My friends in relationships talk about how many children they think they want and stress over when their boyfriends will propose.  My single friends troll OkCupid and plan their fantasy weddings on Pinterest.  This is not how to gain self-love.  You will drive yourself crazy trying so hard to get something you do not have.  Be happy about what you have now.  And calm down—you have time.

Image taken from ehow.com

I love my single life.  I have all the time in the world to pursue my interests such as my yoga teacher certification, writing my full-length play, auditioning, doing community service and playing Nintendo Wii like a boss.  Self-love is all about accepting exactly where you are in the moment and embracing and celebrating it. I am still single because I want to be. I’m only twenty-four and marriage is not a concept even remotely close to my mind. And, if maternal instinct kicks in, I will happily buy a puppy.

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Betsy K. NYU.  Like me on Facebook!  Follow me on Twitter!

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College is a great time to reshape yourself and discover who you’ll grow to become as a person. We gain so much during these years— friendships, independence, knowledge . . . two or three inches around the waist . . .

Image taken from Reallyhealthynow.com

If you see yourself “reshaping” in a way that you didn’t exactly plan, you may have already met the “freshman fifteen.” A scary thought for many. Never fear, however, for this fate is preventable, and indeed reversible. You just need to recognize the pitfalls of campus health and learn to avoid them. If you’re living at school, and especially here in NYC, there are dozens of ways to avoid weight gain and even become fitter than you started out. In fact, this is the perfect time to experiment with different health-care techniques and establish a good tone for your new life as a young adult. Ready for some tips?

1. Make good choices in the dining hall!! This one seems obvious, but it’s by far the biggest reason first-year students tend to put on weight. Your dining hall (if it’s anything like mine) is well-stocked with greasy goodies, fried and battered, full of salt and sugar. You will find these foods everywhere. Of course this is where your meals are coming from, and you probably paid good money for your meal plan, so don’t let it go to waste. But it’s not mom’s cooking. Take this into account when you pick meals; you’re in charge of your own nutrition now, and the school’s not going to force broccoli onto your dinner plate. It’s up to you to choose the salmon over the pizza and the peas over the French fries. There’s a salad bar— use it. Go for something green over something beige, and take it easy at the ice cream station. Basically, use common sense here! We all know by now what a healthy diet looks like. I’m not saying that you should never indulge; just don’t underestimate the effect that it will have on your health if you’re eating nothing but junk food.

Image taken from TableHealth.com

2. What you can’t get in the dining hall, get at the grocery store.Not all dining halls are created equal, and you may have caught on that the food at yours is not exactly gourmet. Does your school’s spinach taste like mush? Don’t be shy about supplementing

   

   Image taken from Buy.com.

   your diet with your own creations. Recently I invested in a personal smoothie-maker for a little over ten dollars. When I have an early class and can’t grab breakfast, I throw in some fresh fruit and veggies for a meal to-go. This is a great trick for slipping some important nutrients into your diet that your dining hall might be ignoring. It’s also not a bad idea to sneak some vitamins and dietary supplements into your smoothies— whatever your diet may be lacking. Vitamin C and Biotin, for example, are great for healthy hair, skin and nails. You can find these in pill-form at most drug stores. Look for them at Metro Drugs and save with this coupon

Campus Clipper Deal- Save at Metro Drugs!

http://metrodrugs.com/

3. Make the most of your school’s gym. You’ll wish you still had it when you graduate and have to pay for your gym membership. Try to make it there even a couple times a week and you’ll feel yourself getting stronger. Regular exercise will give you more energy. Try bringing a buddy along. A friend can help to motivate you as well as make your workout a little more fun. Take advantage of your school’s gym equipment— a little goes a long way here!

4. Try new things! Fitness never has to be a chore. There are so many

   

   ways to have fun and exercise at the same time. If the treadmill isn’t your thing, try stepping off campus and going to a yoga place, or even a dance class! Consider something like this:

Campus Clipper Deal- Latin Dance lessons at Piel Canela!

So go ahead and reshape your life. You don’t have to let your freshman fifteen semester become a pattern for your next four years!

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Laura DeFrancisci, Manhattan College. Check out my Blog!

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

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

So I just finished up my last fall semester as an undergrad. It’s really shocking how quickly college has flown. Everyone told me that would happen; guess I never believed them. I’ve been through seven finals weeks now, only one more to go. You’d think I’d be a pro by now, right? Nope, this December was an agonizing test of my sanity— a grueling and unforgiving string of all-nighters fueled by caffeine and slowly-dwindling willpower.

At four-o’clock in the morning, eight pages into a paper that should be twice its length, I am less inspired by Micheal Ondaatje’s desert motif in The English Patient than by the mental pictures I have of what I’ll be doing when I get the hell out of this place. Big dreams, these are. They usually look something like:

• Sleep for ten hours every single night.
• Read all the books I’ve always meant to read— become an expert on the classics and a well-versed authority of the NY Times best-seller list.
• Get up at 8am everyday and do a three mile run “wake-up” run to replace this new dependence on stale, over-sweetened coffee.

In my visions of a post-finals life, I am well-rounded and happy, without stress. I like to believe that, left to my own devices, free of classes and deadlines, I’d be exactly the person I wanted to be (as if the only thing stopping me from reading War and Peace were my grammar final). These are not fantasies, but actual expectations— goals.

Picture from Giantbomb.com

I really don’t want to say that these thing could never happen, because that leaves me very little to hope for. I mean, they very well could happen if I gave it some effort. All I’m saying is that it just so happens that it hasn’t worked out the way I planned so far… ever. Once I take that last exam or hand in that final term paper, my mentality switches immediately to that of a brain-dead monkey. Sure, I’ve done some reading. But it’s so hard for poor Shakespeare to compete with Minecraft. And have I caught up on the sleep that only weeks ago I’d been craving for? Only if you count daylight hours. I’m just as zombie-like during the day as I was during finals, which is pretty disgraceful when I think about it. I think this is it: I need to binge on something. At school it’s work. Big chunks of unsurmountable work that I barely survive, mentally or physically. At home, it’s hours upon hours of internet vomit— anything to stimulate my brain momentarily, or to occupy my time which has apparently become worthless, suddenly. I’m still tired. I’m still unhealthy. So nothing’s changed.

Yet.

There are certainly fun and productive ways to make use of that off time! Personally, I’m psyched to try something like this:

Unlimited Yoga– $50 for One Month!

Photo from northerarizonayogacenter.com

That’s an awesome compromise between work and play, and it should definitely take care of my energy problem! (And can’t beat the price, right?)

I’m going to be positive about this one. It’s still early in the break. If I catch myself now, it’s still salvageable, so call it a New Year’s resolution. I’d better practice this whole “productive use of free time” thing, because after all, the next break I have could potentially be much, much longer than this one.

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Laura DeFrancisci, Manhattan College. Check out my Blog!

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

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