Product Review! Vaseline Total Moisture Lotion

I have dry skin. Winter is the most depressing time of year for me not because of the cold weather, lack of cute clothes, or absence of the sun. No, winter is the most depressing time of the year for my because it turns my skin into a scaly, itchy mess.

Vaseline Total Moisture
Photo Credit: www.drugstore.com

Normally, my skin won't return to its normal silky radiance until well into the warm spring months. At least, it didn't until I discovered Vaseline Total Moisture Aloe Fresh lotion.

I discovered this a few months ago when I was perusing Walmart's shelves searching for something, anything to make my skin feel better. I noticed the cute green bottle on the shelf, smelled it, and bought it solely based on the fact that it smells delicious and light, and the tiny bit I tried on my hand left me feeling smooth but not sticky.

Later that night, after showering, I decided to try it all over. The lotion is great. The smell is light enough that you can wear perfume over it and not feel like you're overpoweringly smelly. It sinks right in, leaving your skin feeling smooth and moisturized but not sticky.

Now we're well into spring and I still use this lotion every day to keep my skin moisturized. It's light enough to use in the warmer months, and the aloe is perfect for when you spend a little too much time out in the sun.

So, if you're looking for a new moisturizer, try this one next! I highly recommend it.

Thanks, seniors

I just finished my last final. That's it, I'm done with junior year.

The past couple weeks have been hard, because I've been coming to terms with the fact that I'm almost done with my tenure here at HPU. 

The other day, I was sitting at lunch with a bunch of my senior friends when I realized that next year, I'd be the only person sitting at the table. My senior friends will be graduated, off and living their fabulous real world lives on their own while my peers and I sit through papers and presentations and lectures and exams.

I'm selfish because I want all of them to stay with me for my final year, but I know that it's time for them to move on with their lives. So, I thank the seniors.

Me and my best friend Emily, who is a senior at HPU.
Photo Credit: Dillon Seng

Thank you for showing me what it means to be a well-rounded college student.

Thank you for encouraging me to join clubs and activities that I probably wouln't have joined otherwise.

Thank you for showing me how important it is to do well in my classes

Thank you for forcing me to take a break every once in a while.

Thank you for bringing me out of my shell.

Thank you for helping me through endless tests, projects, and papers.

Thank you for helping me through the rough nights of celebrating that followed said tests, projects, and papers.

Thank you for being my leaders, mentors, and best friends.

Most of all, thank you for helping make the past three years some of the best years of my life. I'm going to miss you. 

10 Fun (and Cheap!) Spring and Summer Date Ideas

Going out as a college student is hard. Between classes and clubs and the ever-allusive hookup culture, it's pretty rare that people of the ages 18-25 actually go on honest to goodness dates. If you find yourself lucky enough to go on a real date, here are some fun and cheap ideas that aren't dinner and a movie.


Go to the zoo

Zoos are relatively cheap, and walking around in the sunshine looking at animals is a fun way to spend an afternoon!

Go bowling

Especially if you go in the early afternoon, bowling lane and shoe rentals are dirt cheap. Challenge your date to a round or two and practice your form while having fun!

Go hiking (bonus points if you pack a picnic!)

Hiking is a great way to bond and get some exercise in the process! Go on a scenic hike and pack a picnic lunch to eat at the top. 

Host a good old fashioned game night

Invite your friends over for a night of charades, Candy Land, or Monopoly! Grab some snacks and put on some music to really liven up the night. 

Visit a local museum 

Museum entrance fees are usually very cheap, so spend a day looking at paintings or historical artifacts. You could even have some fun pretending to be art critics and critiquing every piece you see.  

Have a movie marathon

Snuggle up with some blankets, a big bowl of popcorn, and a series or two for a rainy afternoon full of cinematic magic. Harry Potter is my personal favorite series, but any movies will do!

Go to an amateur sports game

Tickets to amateur sports games are so cheap, you and your date will  be singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" all summer long. Get season tickets (like to the Greensboro Grasshoppers) or just grab tickets for one night. 

Go on a bike ride

Explore your neighborhood in a new way... Via bike! Pedaling is not only good exercise, but it's relaxing and easy enough for anyone to do. 

People watch downtown on a Friday or Saturday night (this is WAY more fun than it sounds, trust me)

When I first did this, I was suspicious, because I didn't think it would be fun at all. However, after an hour of just sitting on a bench outside in the warm weather watching drunk people stumble from bar to bar, I was holding my sides from laughing so hard. It's also a great conversation sparker!

If it's nice out, grab some ice cream and go for a walk

Just wandering around provides a casual, pressure-free outlet for easy conversation. Grab a cone and walk through the park, or even just window shop downtown for a stress-free and cheap date.

Happy dating :)

Me and my boyfriend after one of our dates... Dinner (part of our meal plan) at our school's on campus steakhouse!
Photo Credit: Rebecca Woodley-Oliver

The Semester in Review

So, in case you couldn't tell, this blog was part of my Feature Writing class this semester. We had to chose a blog theme, and write posts as we went along, in addition to our normal stories (which you can find in my separate pages up at the top of the page!)

For our final, we are presenting our blogs to the class, and my professor sent us some questions to keep in mind while we present. I thought, what better way to keep my answers in mind than to make a blog post including them?!

So, enjoy, and happy reading!

The most important or surprising or useful thing I learned this semester was... and why.

The most surprising thing I learned by far is how interesting my classmates are! I loved having the blogger-style setup with access to everyone else's blogs because I was able to see what my classmates are interested in. We have very talented writers in our class, and I enjoyed being able to read everyone else's work and learn and grow from them. 

The story I'm proudest of is ... and why.

I think that I am most proud of is my review of Southern Roots. I really love writing reviews, because I like sharing my own opinions in a not unbiased way, which is how you have to write most other journalistic pieces. 

The story form I liked best was ... and why.

The form that I liked best was either the review or the sights and sounds story. I liked the sights and sounds in particular because it really let me be creative with my writing, and work in a ton of detail about the event that I attended. It also made me realize just how important good observation skills are!

The story form I struggled most with ... and why.

I really, really struggled with writing the anniversary piece. I don't know if it was because I wasn't terribly interested in my subject, or if I just wasn't sure of what direction to take with it, but it was the only piece that I didn't particularly enjoy writing for this class. 

The way in which I think I grew most as a writer was ... and why.

I definitely grew as a writer by taking this class. I think that it really helped me to see exactly what feature writing is, and I learned valuable skills and story formats that I'm sure I'll use for the rest of my journalistic career. 

This experience definitely had me thinking about ... as a career path or something to strive for ... and why.

I came into this class knowing that I wanted to work as an editor at a magazine someday, and this class has only reinforced my decision. Magazines are more feature-style than newspapers are, and I definitely like this format a lot better than straight-style news. I am also an English- Writing minor, and I love that in this class I was able to be a little more flexible and creative with my writing. 

Achoo! Getting Rid of Those Allergies

Question: If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?

Answer: Allergies.

Though it's not quite May yet, my allergies have been KILLING me! I don't know if it's the fact that my Jersey genes aren't quite used to the North Carolina plants or what, but I have been absolutely miserable for the past week with a runny nose, watery eyes, and an itchy throat. Here's how I've been dealing with it though.

Finding a good allergy medicine

I used to use Claritin, until I realized two things: 1. I was a miserable cranky over-tired beast whenever I used it and 2. It wasn't working! So I switched to another medicine. And another. And another. Finally, I found Zyrtec-D. It didn't make me tired, and got rid of most of my symptoms, which made me a very happy camper. I also discovered this gem of an eye drop called Zaditor, which relieves itching on contact and stays working for up to 12 whole hours.

Tissues, tissues, and more tissues

I've been sneezing and sniffling up a storm, so I thought it would be a good idea to get some tissues. WRONG. I used the generic brand at first and it made my nose a sore, red mess. So I switched to these fancy cooling ones, and let me tell you, they are a godsend. They're like little cool pillows for your nose, and they soothe as you use them, making your nose feel both clean and refreshed!

Limiting time outside

This one was hard, because the weather is absolutely beautiful down here this time of the year. But I've come to realize that I can take all of the medicine, use all of the eyedrops, and blow my nose into all of the fancy tissues in the entire world, but if I spend all day outside, it will all be for naught because my body simply can't handle the pollen. Though I'd like to lay out at the pool or swing in the hammocks underneath the trees in between my finals, I can't. At least, until the pollen goes away :) 

Finals Study Tips

As the end of the year comes up, it brings with it the one thing that can inspire more dread in a college student than a pregnancy scare: finals. As you prepare for your end-of-semester exams, here are some study tips to help you out.

Go somewhere you won't be distracted
You won't be able to get any work done if you're somewhere that you aren't able to focus. As appealing as your living room, the cafeteria or the local coffee shop seem, if you're constantly being interrupted by your friends, or distracting sights and sounds. Go to the library, lock yourself in your room, or find that one special place that you can completely focus in and go there every time you need to study or get work done.

Turn off your phone
You won't be able to finish that 20 page paper if you're writing text messages instead! Put it on airplane mode, stick it in your bag, and only let yourself check it at set times or once you've accomplished certain goals, such as reading a set amount of pages or memorizing a certain number of flash cards.

Eat!
Though all you might need is caffeine to get your study grind on, make sure that you don't skip meals during crunch time! Being hungry can make you irritable, unable to focus, and can hurt your memory, so make sure you pack some study snacks for the library. Also be sure to drink lots of water, as caffeine can dehydrate you.

Plan ahead
You can save yourself a lot of stress if you plan ahead at the beginning of the semester. When you get your syllabus for each class, add the due dates to your calendar and set up a study plan, where you break the work into manageable chunks throughout the semester. Stick to the plan and you won't have to pull any dreaded all nighters!

3 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Roommates

As we approach the end of the year, housing assignments are beginning to take shape. Here are some tips to keep in mind when deciding where and with whom you want to room with next year.

Best friends aren't always the best roommates
When choosing a roommate, it's important to keep in mind not only who you want to live with, but how you want to live. Take it from me: just because you do not live with your best friend does not mean that you won't be friends anymore. I went from having my BFF right there, 24/7 to living across campus from me. I was devastated. I thought that it meant no more late night snack runs, cuddle/ gossip sessions, and that our friendship would be over before the end of the year. I was so, so wrong. Even though we don't live together anymore, we still hang out more than is probably healthy, and we have separate places to go when we want to kill each other (which isn't often, but, you know, it's always good to have some private time).

Look for compatible living styles
Are you an early bird neat-freak that likes to blast loud music while you study? Then you probably won't live well with a messy night owl that needs silence to do her work. It sounds  completely obvious, but it really is important to look at compatibility when choosing roommates. Some variety is good, but it's always good to have roommates that understand — and respect — you and your living needs.

Establish boundaries at the beginning
When you find someone you may want to room with, sit down over coffee or lunch with them and have an open and honest discussion about needs and expectations for the upcoming year. By setting rules and expectations at the beginning, you are ensuring that you'll have the best year and roommates yet!

Hope these rules help! Happy roommate shopping!

Spring Fever

Happy Spring! As the weather warms up, wardrobes start to change. Sundresses, sandals and swimsuits become more than just distant memories from summers past, but start to make their way out of the closet and back onto your body once more as the temperature rises from Arctic to balmy.

But how do you deal with the awkward end of winter, beginning of spring time when the weather isn't quite warm enough for spring clothes but your winter clothes feel too blah? Here are some tips for working a springy look into your still-warm-for-winter wardrobe.

Focus on color
Color is a great way to work some spring into your outfits. Look for  warm sweaters, jeans and tops in the pastels and brights that you'd normally wear in your spring outfits. Even simple accessories like a bright statement necklace can transform a would-be-winter outfit into something that looks ready for the long warm days of spring. Look for shades of orange, neons and icy pastels — the hot new shades for the spring — to make your clothing pop.

Pastels are all the rage for this spring season.
Photo credit: www.thekissters.com

Scarves!
Scarves are fantastic for keeping you warm while still looking stylishly ready for spring. Since they come in a multitude of colors, patterns and sizes, you're sure to find a few that fit your style! Plus, they tend to be super cheap (and still good looking), especially at places like Target.

Scarves will keep you warm while still being stylish!
Photo Credit: www.initialoutfitters.com

Layers, layers, layers
The biggest problem with dressing for spring when it still feels like winter out is dressing for the varying temperatures. Layer tee shirts, sweaters and scarves on top, and top it all off with skinny jeans tucked into boots and you'll be ready for the day, even if it's 30 degrees in the morning and 70 in the afternoon. Cover it all off with a versatile military jacket like this one from J. Crew and you'll be the most fashionable girl at school.

Layers (like the sweater pictured above) will help you transition your clothes into spring!
Photo Credit: www.thesweetestoccassion.com

Use these tips and you'll be on your way to looking great yet weather appropriate in no time!

Reviews

I love to eat. I mean, who doesn't? My dad worked as a professional chef in restaurants and hotels when I was growing up, so from a very young age I knew a lot about the ups and downs of the restaurant world. Going out to dinner with him was like going out to dinner with our own personal food critic. He'd examine everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food itself, making comments to my brothers and I along the way.

Now, I have taken the expertise that I've picked up from him over the years and applied it to my own dining experiences.

Lately, I've been eating out a lot — thanks to those mid-semester blues that make every student crave a home-cooked meal instead of the same old cafeteria food — and so I've been trying out a whole bunch of different places around High Point. I'm always on the lookout for somewhere new to try with my friends, so I read a lot of restaurant reviews, both at school and at home, and then go out and make my own opinions.

Before I decide on a new place though, I am always sure to read at least a few reviews to make sure that I will have an enjoyable experience. Normally, I just type in "restaurants in High Point, N.C." (or whatever town I'm in) and then see what Google brings up. However, I've started to learn which sites are the best for restaurant reviews so I can go directly there, rather than trusting my friend Google to do all of the work for me.

My favorite site is Yelp. In the site, you can search by food type, location, or both. If one of the search suggestions sounds good to you, you can then click on the name to find information, menus, photos and you guessed it: reviews.

What I like about these reviews is that they're submitted by average people. Not a fancy New York Times writer that has been eating caviar since before he could say "fish eggs."

Every review has the option to say where the author is from, what they'd give it out of five stars, and how many other reviews they've given on the site. There is then an area where the reviewer can write out their experiences, both good and bad.

Though sometimes they're not the most well-written, the reviews are genuine. They are written mostly by locals the frequent the locations that they review, so the reader is able to say things with confidence because they have been to the restaurants enough to know the consistencies. They are also great for figuring out what to order once you get to the restaurant, because most reviewers are not hesitant to suggest their favorite menu items for others to try.

Though it is not full of typical reviews that one would find in a newspaper or other "credible" place, I think that Yelp has the most genuine reviews that you'll find. The writers aren't writing flowery, descriptive pieces that make you feel as if you were enjoying the meal with them. Instead, they are merely providing their own opinions and letting you decide whether or not you want to have the dining experience yourself. They aren't afraid to be harsh and completely truthful with their reviews, and because everything is published — unlike in a newspaper, which has limited space — you are able to see both the good and the bad.

Because of its ease of use and honest reviews, I will definitely continue to use Yelp for a long time to come when I'm looking for new places to eat.

30 Things to do on a College Snow Day

What's better than getting a snow day in elementary school? Getting one in college!

This week, North Carolina was hit with the crazy winter storm that's been sweeping the nation, and classes were canceled after 2:00 pm Wednesday, all day Thursday and all day Friday. 

High Point University students either bundled up and braved the icy snow mix or stayed cuddled up inside, but there's one thing that everyone could agree on: the unexpected four-day weekend was a happy surprise. 

If you're stranded from the storm and need some inspiration for things to do with your free time, check out this list of college snow day activities:

1. Grab anything that'll help you slide--trash bags, trash can lids, inflatable pool rafts and the like-- find the biggest hill you can find and go sledding!
2. If you're lucky enough to have a dorm room with an oven, bake cookies. 
3. If you don't have an oven, just eat the cookie dough raw (no one will tell mom!)
4. Actually catch up on all that reading you have to do for your literature class that you've been putting off all semester.
5. Host a movie marathon with your friends.
6. If there's enough snow on the ground, build a snowman!
7. Learn all the words to the "Frozen" soundtrack. Go outside, sing as loud as you can and see how many people join in.
8. Break out the nail polish, face masks and hair conditioner and treat yourself to a spa day.
9. Clean your room, your bathroom, your closet... Everything. Who says it needs to be spring to do some spring cleaning?
10. Do some of these at-home exercises to work off the copious amounts of food you'll inevitably eat while trapped inside. 
11. Mix food coloring and water in spray bottles and paint the snow!
12. Try to beat your high score in Flappy Bird.
13. Get frustrated and throw your phone across the room.
14. Organize your agenda.
15. Call your mom.
16. Make a new Spotify playlist.
17. Blast the playlist until your roommates beg you to stop.
18. Take a nap.
19. Cook dinner for your significant other. Homemade dinner? Check. Candles? Check. Snow falling softly outside? Check. Romance? Check. 
20. Spend all day in your favorite pajamas.
21. Use the snow to chill your favorite beverage.
22. Host a party and drink said chilled beverage.
23. Take up a new hobby. Painting? Knitting? Whatever seems to be calling your name!
24. Just watch the snow and think.
25. Wonder why you've never before realized just how beautiful snow is. 
26. Crank up the heat and pretend you're on a beach in Hawaii.
27. Realize it's still freezing outside.
28. Figure out how many days there are until summer break.
29. Make snow ice cream.
30. Build a blanket fort. Who says college students can't act like little kids every once in a while?

Happy snow day! 

Keep it in Perspective

Classes and clubs and a social life, oh my! College life can be a little overwhelming when you first get on campus as a freshman, but I'm feeling the pressure even as a junior.

One of the blessings that college has is that you are free to do any and every thing that you want. So you want to go to bed at 5 a.m.? Totally fine. Want to eat raw cookie dough for breakfast? Honestly, you haven't lived until you have. Going to the gym instead of doing homework? Mom isn't here to tell you no!

However, it is important to remember to balance everything. Going to bed super late is great until spend the whole next day walking around like a zombie, or worse, sleep through all of your classes. That cookie dough tastes great only the first time around, and your homework won't do itself, no matter how many pushups you do instead!

When I first came to school, I was stoked to become involved. I went to the activities fair and put my name on the email list for about two-thirds of the clubs I saw. You know that saying "Good grades, a social life, and enough sleep, in college you can only pick two"? Well, I didn't think that that applied to me.

Now though, I'm starting to see that while it's not 100 percent true, it does have some meaning to it. I am so glad that I am a part of everything that I am. I've been given some great opportunities, taken classes with amazing professors, and met some awesome people, but at some point, it is okay to say no.

It's taken me two and a half years to realize this, but nobody is perfect. No one can do everything. And that's fine.

College is a time to get a degree and learn skills that will help you in careers for the rest of your life, but it is also a time to learn about yourself. How to live, how to interact in adult relationships with other people, how to effectively manage your time... It's a lot, and it takes time to learn these skills.

Start by thinking about what is truly important to you. Life is short, and it's not worth your time to do things that will not better you as a person, or that you don't enjoy. As important as it is to be involved, your sanity and well-being are more important.

So take a deep breath, step back, and remember: it's okay to take a break every once in a while.

My Secret Mentor: Aimee Bender

Aimee Bender is not your average fiction writer. Often described as "surreal" or "bizarre," Bender's stories manage to captivate and disturb readers all at once. She is able to take the impossible to imagine and not only present the ideas in easy to understand and picture ways, but connect to the readers on a very personal level. Her use of metaphors and imagery make her writing flow in a calm yet effective manner.

Her short stories and novels all focus on plots that deal with the fantastical: a girl that can taste emotions, a boy with an iron for a head who is born into a family of pumpkin heads, and a boy with keys for fingers, to name a few.

I first read her novel "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake" a few years ago, and I was instantly hooked not only on the weird and addicting plot, but also on Bender's beautifully written prose. She is able to describe emotions and human nature in clear and deeply detailed ways.

"I'd stopped waving to passengers in cars by then- I'd grown suspicious of people and all the complications of interior lives- so I sat and watched and rode and thought, and as soon as the bus doors opened, we all rolled out the door and split apart like billiard balls,” (Bender, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake).

Her down-to-earth yet fantastical prose is a versatile and intriguing model that every writer can learn from.

If you'd like to learn more about Aimee, you can visit her website here.

My Favorite Sites

The Huffington Post
This online news source contains a good mix of hard news, politics, and feature stories. Founded by Arianna Huffington in 2005, The HuffPost began as a blogging outlet but has since become a credible news source, with writer David Wood winning the site a Pulitzer Prize in 2012 and international editions being published in Canada, Great Britain, France and Spain.

Thought Catalog
Thought Catalog is a digital magazine that was created in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2010. Anyone can submit pieces to be published, but they must be entertaining, journalistic and literary. According to the site, "the more worldviews and rhetorical styles on the site, the better. We want to tell all sides of the story."

The Daily Muse
A relatively new site, The Daily Muse was launched in September 2011. The site focuses mainly on career advice, and features job listings for those that are in search of a new job. It also features lifestyle articles on topics such as fashion and cooking,  and advice for management and workers in general.

CNN
The Cable News Network site is full of both hard news and feature stories focusing on the U.S. and international news. I am partial to the opinion pieces on this site, and I find them snappy and informative.

Pink & Black
As a staff writer for this site, I'm a little biased, but I thought that Pink & Black was a great site before I even applied to be a writer for them. Aimed at teenage to young-adult women, this site features advice, feature columns, and some news stories.