Author Archives: Briana

This Holiday and in 2011, Eat So They Can!

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It’s Christmastime in the city, and everywhere. During this time, you’re probably hanging out with your best friends, especially friends from high school and enjoying good food. How about instead of going out with your friends, you host a dinner party for charity?

Eat So They Can is an amazing organization through the Global Volunteer Network. It is still brand new and in 2007, the first ever Eat So They Can dinner occurred in conjunction with the UN’s World Food Day.

I sat down with Emily Hamsher, former CL intern, Eat So They Can Ambassador, Volunteer, and all-around fabulous lady to talk more about the organization and how you can get involved!

CL: In your words, what is Eat So They Can?

Emily: Eat So They Can (ESTC) is an international fundraiser that raises money for four main causes: 1) orphaned and vulnerable children, 2) women’s empowerment, 3) anti-trafficking and 4) emergency relief for third world countries, specifically Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Peru, Haiti, and Thailand. The basic idea is that people all around the world can host dinner parties to raise money for these causes!

CL: How did you get involved in ESTC?

Emily: Well, ESTC is a co-initiative of the Global Volunteer Network, an organization that connects those who want to volunteer around the world with different opportunities. In 2007, a friend of mine went to Uganda and taught and traveled and whenever I saw her pictures, I knew it was something that I wanted to get involved with. I made the decision to go to Mukono, Uganda, and volunteer at a school where many of the children were orphaned as a result of HIV?AIDS. I raised money from friends and family, and in June, 2008, I traveled to Uganda as part of a program called “The Real Uganda,” which the Global Volunteer Network supports.

The experience was truly life changing for me. I have always done a lot of traveling, but being in a country so drastically different from my own, completely by myself really forced me to open my eyes and truly experience the culture of the people around me. I fell in love with the students I taught and the places I traveled during my time in Uganda, and when I returned home, it was all I could think about. I knew I wanted to do more. Whenever I received information about the Eat So They Can campaign in a Global Volunteer Network newsletter, I saw it as a great opportunity to stay involved with the causes that were now dear to my heart.

Emily and one of her students in 2008!

CL: You’re an ambassador this year, congratulations! How did that come to be?

Emily: I applied for the position and I got selected. As an ambassador, I oversee other events and act as a kind of spokesperson for Eat So They Can to help spread the word!

CL: So, how can a college student get involved?

Emily: Well, it’s great because it can be as big or as small as you want.It can be five girlfriends getting together for wine and all making a small donation to a larger scale event like what I did on campus. No donation is too small and the main point is to help raise awareness. Regardless of how little we may have to give, I think it is important to have that reminder that someone has even less than you.

CL: What did you do on campus?

Emily: Having the amazing sorority sisters that I have, I pitched the idea to them to hold a campus-wide event that we could sponsor to help spread the word. They all jumped on board, and last year we held the first ever Eat So They Can dinner at Duquesne University. The dinner had a Mystery Theater theme and students from different organizations on campus helped out to put on a Whodunit? play during the dinner. The campus was really supportive and we raised about $600.00 for the cause. This year, I passed on the torch to a younger member and we raised around $1000.00 for ESTC!

CL: That’s fantastic! On campus, you sold jewlery at ESTC, can you tell us more about that?

Emily: That’s not directly connected to ESTC, but it’s equally as fantastic! It is part of the Grassroots Uganda Initiative, but the funds are more in line with Grassroots Uganda – Empowering African Women. The goal is to help Ugandan women help themselves. The jewelery we sold is made by Ugandan women and 100% of the profits go back to those women. To find out more, and to look at the jewelery, check out their website: http://www.meaningfulshop.org/craftgroup/craftgroup.aspx?ID=1

CL: Anything else you wanna tell our readers, Emily?

Emily: It’s not too late to host an event for this year! People have until the end of December to host a party and, like I said, it can be big or small. They can just visit www.eatsotheycan.org to sign up, and they will be sent a packet with all the resources they need and information on how to submit the funds they raise. Again, no amount is too small!! Five dollars is a lot of meals for a child living in one of these countries.

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Like Emily said, it’s getting close to the new year, but it’s not too late. While hanging out with your girlfriends, collect like ten or fifteen dollars and send it in. This is a really great cause and it’s so easy to do. It’s one of my favorite things that happens on campus and it’s just leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy. Emily’s one statement stands to be repeated again, especially at the holidays: “Regardless of how little we may have to give, I think it is important to have that reminder that someone has even less than you.”

Happy Holidays!!! For more information, check out the Eat So They Can website!

Briana Simko is senior English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She is in LOVE with the concept of Eat So They Can and thinks it’s a really great thing to get involved in. She loves all kinds of giving at the holidays and thinks it’s really underrated.


What to Watch THIS Fall: ABC/Fox Edition

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I hope you watched all the goodies that the CW had to offer this past week. The season premiere of Gossip Girl was phenomenal! I’m so emotional about it, even still and I cannot wait for tonight’s new episode!

Now, ABC and Fox have the channels that most bind my chapter for an hour. Their premiere week starts tonight and it’s phenomenal.

Where there are all things Fox, the main three shows that I’m personally looking forward to aren’t NEW series, but new seasons!  First and most importantly, in my opinion:

FINALLY, Glee is back with an all-new season, with all-new songs and all-new characters! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. Where we left off (SPOILER ALERT) was with New Directions losing Regionals (unrealistically and unfairly). Quinn had her baby and her mom came back into her life, offering her a home again. Finn told Rachel that he loves her (!!!!!) and Sue Sylvester donated money to keep New Directions at McKinley. YAY! Songs we have to look forward to? “An Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, “What I Did for Love” from A Chorus Line, “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy, “Telephone” by Lady Gaga and Beyonce, and entire episodes devoted to Britney Spears and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Glee airs of Fox Tuesdays at 8 EST.

My favorite cartoon is back! I love Family Guy, I know it’s a pretty mixed bag, but the fact that it was one of the first shows (if not the first) to get canceled and make a comeback based on syndication and DVD sales speaks volumes. It really is hilarious and I cannot get enough of it, especially the episodes that center around Stewie and Brian. The first episode of the show’s ninth season premieres Sunday, September 26th at 9pm EST on Fox. It’s a murder mystery ala Clue and it’s bound to be HILARIOUS.

ABC, for the most part has shows that I’m looking forward to the return of, however there is one new show that I’m dying to see:

This is a show new to ABC and in general this fall. It’s a mockumentary (which I love) and it’s about a group of people who were taped right before their high school graduation in 2000 and then are revisited now in 2010 to see where their lives ended up and how things worked in terms of their dreams and careers. They were all linked somehow, so it seems, so it’s bound to be really interesting. It’s labeled as a comedy-drama, so it’ll make you laugh and make you cry, but I think this has the potential to be a really great show. I’m holding out a lot of hope for this one. Plus, it’s on right before Grey’s Anatomy. ABC, Thursdays, 8 EST – it premieres the 23rd!

SPEAKING OF GREY’S ANATOMY, I’m DEFINITELY looking forward to the season premiere after that explosive season finale. In case you forgot, but how could you (SPOILER ALERT): Grey’s Anatomy finished up last year with a shooter in the hospital. The majority of the cast coming from Mercy West ended up dead. Derek was shot. Alex was shot. Meredith had a miscarriage. Bailey cried a lot and deserved an Emmy for her performance. Mandy Moore (love of my life) was there. It was emotional. I felt emotionally drained after that finale and it was reminiscent of the entire second season (which remains the best, in my opinion). So now, we have to deal with the aftermath of this shooting and how it affects everyone. It’s bound to be interesting! Shonda Rimes, show creator, has said that the shooting served as a way to start fresh. Grey’s also premieres this Thursday, right after My Generation at 9p EST!

AND LASTLY! The Emmy love (which shocked Glee fans), winner of Best Comedy: Modern Family. I talked about this last year and I’m so happy that both Eric Stonestreet (who plays Cam) and the show overall won MUCH-DESERVED Emmys. I love Glee, but shows like this are TRULY a dime a dozen. This show is HILARIOUS and even though I have favorites in the cast, I think this is a true ensemble cast. I couldn’t imagine this show without any of them, adults and kids alike. The writing is quick and sarcastic and hilarious. It’s just all around a great show. It starts Wednesday, September 22nd at 9p EST on ABC.

Are there shows on any of these channels that I didn’t mention? What shows bring you and your friends or sisters (or both!) together? Let us know!

Briana Simko is a senior English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She misses watching all of these great shows on the couch with all of her sisters and has to watch the bulk of these shows online because of night class.


What to Watch THIS Fall: CW Edition

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Hi friends! So, last year I wrote a series about series to watch in the fall. This year, I’m amending it in order to get more shows in in the same amount of posts! Each week, I’ll post a new channel and when their most popular or newest or most anticipated shows come out, what they’re about or where we left off! So if I list something you didn’t manage to watch last season, beware of spoilers.

First up, we have what the CW will be bringing us this fall.The good thing is that the shows they’re bringing to us start as soon as TONIGHT!

ANTM - Wednesdays at 8p EST

There’s a new season of: America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) on the horizon! It premieres 9/8/10 at 8p EST. This is cycle FIFTEEN! Can you believe how far this show has come? Tyra is back with new girls and some new challenges. They are down to three judges once again, Tyra Banks, Nigel Barker, and Andre Leon Talley and the competition is between fourteen tall wannabe models.

Hellcats - Wednesdays at 9p EST

Also premiering tonight, 9/8/10, following America’s Next Top Model is the new show Hellcats. The CW has done a lot of advertising for this show, I feel like I’m seeing commercials for this everywhere. It follows Marti, who is interested in going to law school. Unfortunately, Marti loses her scholarship and the only way to stay in school is to get on the cheerleading squad, in hopes of picking up the cheering scholarship. As much as it goes against her character, as much as she doesn’t want to, she does it for the money. From what I’ve read, this reminds me a lot of Bring It On, made for TV. Check it out at 9pm EST, right after ANTM!

The Vampire Diaries - Thursdays at 8p EST

The Vampire Diaries exploded on the scene last year, hot on the heels of Twilight becoming an epic cultural phenomenon. Interestingly, the books that inspired this series came before Twilight was probably even a thought. It follows Elena, who falls in love with Stefan, an old vampire. Sounds familiar, right? Well, Stefan’s brother Damon comes into the picture and begins eying Elena also, who happens to look like Katherine, a vampire both Stefan and Damon loved, who was also their maker. As the season comes to a close, Katherine’s presence gets more and more intense climaxing in the season finale when Katherine pretends to be Elena and Elena entering about to confront Katherine. The Vampire Diaries starts on Thursday 9/9/10 at 8pm EST.

90210 - Mondays at 8p EST

90210 ended in such a scandalous way last season! So much happened in such a small amount of time, it left me stunned that you could just end a season that way. There were lies and heartbreak throughout the season it was almost hard to keep up. Mr. Matthews probably has a problem with alcohol to contend with, Naomi gets sexually assaulted by the teacher she falsely accused of propositioning her before. Her life is worse by the reappearance of her sister. Lots of rumors have been surrounding this season, including a death and one of the main characters coming out of the closet. It’s the gang’s senior year, and things are bound to be crazy at West Beverly.  Plus, the Kardashians make an appearance!  90210 starts Monday, 9/13/10 at 8pm!

Gossip Girl - Mondays at 9p EST

And now, what I’m anticipating the most this year. A new season of Gossip Girl is FINALLY upon us. The season ended in the most epic way where everything happened that I couldn’t believe. It was the ultimate end of Blair and Chuck, and all because of Little J. Then poor Chuck Bass got shot abroad. Then, in the biggest twist, Georgina Sparks came back, surprising Dan Humphrey with daddyhood. It was unbelievable and I remember waking up the day after the finale, feeling as though someone had dumped me. It was such a  great episode. Now the Gossip gang is headed to Paris for the first few episodes of the season. Chuck has a new beau and a new accessory, Blair is trying to forge on and Serena is being her flirtatious self. Dan is trying to adjust to his new life.  In Paris, Chuck and Blair run into each other, which is bound to be crazy. Lots of cameos to come, plus the anticipated return of Little J, who Blair banished from the city.
Some of these start very soon, so lay back and relax. Take a break from studying to get reacquainted with new characters or old friends. Make it an event on your floor. I’m an RA and you can bet that there will probably be a floor program that involves watching Gossip Girl!
Briana Simko is a senior English and Theater Arts major from Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She loves TV more than anything and wishes to create a graduate program that involves watching TV and writing movies…perhaps one day she’ll even be writing for Modern Family!

CL Reviews “Inception”: Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

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So, there’s been a lot of hype. It’s been a non-sponsored trending topic on Twitter for nearly two weeks. It has EXCELLENT reviews. I even mentioned in my post about July movies: Inception is a movie to look out for. I meant to write this earlier, having seen the movie Monday, but it’s taken me this long to collect my thoughts on the movie. First impression: OMIGOD THIS MOVIE IS EPIC!

The cast was PERFECTION. I don’t think I could’ve asked for a better one. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Cobb, who has the very special talent of being able to dip into your subconscious and extract a thought (called “extraction”). Joseph Gordon-Levitt (love of my life) is his partner, Arthur. They seek the help of Ariadne (portrayed by the amazing Ellen Page), Yusuf (Dileep Rao), and Eames (Tom Hardy) when Saito (Ken Watanabe), a very powerful businessman, asks Cobb and Arthur to perform the nearly impossible act of “inception,” planting a thought.

Arthur thinks it’s impossible, but Cobb admits he’s done it before, you just need a dream within a dream within a dream and Saito offers to allow Cobb back in the States (won’t tell you why he isn’t!) if he manages this inception on a business tycoon’s son (played by Cillian Murphy). Marion Cotillard also stars, who is perfect in every movie I’ve ever seen her in.

The plot is really not as complex as I thought, but I wouldn’t recommend dozing off or running to the bathroom. There’s a lot of subtle nuances and remarks that need to be remembered from beginning to end. I was a little to see this movie, because in some ways the preview reminded me of a film called Stay, which wasn’t the best. I was also nervous because I don’t usually care for Christopher Nolan films (yes, I’m the one person on this planet that wasn’t blown away by The Dark Knight, with the exception of Heath Ledger’s performance). However, hearing friends and cast members talk about it really upped my expectations and the actual film blew those high expectations out of the water.

This movie is also visually stunning. I really like Christopher Nolan’s direction of a movie. They’re all beautiful in unique, sometimes unconventional ways. Inception is no exception. I gained a bigger appreciation for the way this film looked after watching an interview with Joseph Gordon-Levitt where he explained that one scene took place in a rotating box, not a two dimensional green screen and most sets moved. Since this does take place in a dream, the boundaries and opportunities are endless. Aside from the scene that took place in a rotating box, I also enjoyed the way that time was represented, especially in the end. There’s some kind of equation to figure out how much time passes in a dream within a dream within a dream and all three dreamlands are represented in a unique way.

This is one of those movies that has you thinking and debating as you leave the theater (not unlike Shutter Island, good work DiCaprio), which I really enjoy. There are so many things to think about throughout the film and it honestly does take a few days (and perhaps a few viewings) to sort everything out that you just witnessed. I’m definitely planning on seeing this movie again and I absolutely cannot wait. It’s killing me. It’s complex, yet simple, and truly wonderful. I give it an A, definitely. Go see it right now! :)

I hope if you go see it that you like it as much as I do. I tried to keep this as general as I could as to not spoil anything. Definitely go check it out ASAP. THIS is truly a summer blockbuster. THIS is what we’ve been waiting for this summer (better late than never, right?). It’s worth your money, each time you see it.

Did you see Inception yet? Did you love it? Hate it? Don’t get it? Talk about it below in the comments!

P.S. “Sweet Dreams are Made of These” is a song by Eurythmics.

Briana Simko is a senior English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She loves movies and was so pleasantly surprised that this was the summer blockbuster that kept her talking the longest. She isn’t afraid to pay for a movie she truly loves twice and she sometimes wishes that she was Ellen Page (or dating Joseph Gordon-Levitt) :)


CL Reviews “Toy Story 3″: The Toys Definitely are Back in Town

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Well, the toys are back in town, as the tag line proclaims. As I mentioned in my post about June movies, I have been dying to see this movie…pretty much since Toy Story 2 came out in 1999. Toy Story 3 certainly did not disappoint me, nor did it disappoint my friends from what I’ve been told.

(Fun fact: Toy Story almost became the first trilogy on Rotten Tomatoes to gain a 100% Fresh rating for each film, something that so many fans and critics think it deserves that petitions are sprouting up against the three (JUST THREE) critics who spoke ill of the film. These three critics bumped the rating to 98% Fresh, which is still outstanding!)

In general, Toy Story 3 was an absolute treat. It was hilarious and emotional and very touching, just as its predecessors. The basic plot goes like this: It’s been eleven years since Toy Story 2 and Andy is now all grown up and headed to college. Faced with moving to school at the end of the week, Andy’s mom insists that it’s time to start packing up his room.

Andy’s room has changed in time, growing older with him, and his toys (including Woody and Buzz) are trapped in the toy box, unused for years. Even Andy’s younger sister, Molly has outgrown her toys, much more interested in her MP3 player. This leaves the gang with three options: garbage, donation, college.

Simply put, a mixup happens and the toys end up at the ironically named Sunnyside Daycare Center, which introduces a new slew of characters, some just as charming as Hamm and Slink. Speaking of the more minor characters, Mrs. Potatohead completely steals the movie and is absolutely hilarious, missing an eye for almost the entire film.

It does need to be said and acknowledged that tissues should be brought to this film or grab some extra napkins at the concession stand. Besides the fact that I’ve noticed every Disney/Pixar film has made me cry since Toy Story 2 (with few exceptions), almost everyone I know that has seen the movie, college-aged men included, have shed a few tears. The end is very gripping and you are on the edge of your seat, wondering what’s ultimately to become of the toys we’ve all come to love.

Do I think Toy Story 3 was as good as its predecessors? ABSOLUTELY. If I had to rank them, how would I? 1) Toy Story 2) Toy Story 3 3)  Toy Story 2, however I would say that they’re all in the 98th-99th percentile of great movies. It was very, very smart. Some of the humor was very witty and as one of the people waiting over a decade for this movie, I appreciated it. On that note, it was great to see such a wide range of people in the theater. There were parents with their kids, who were seeing Buzz and Woody for the first time ever on the big screen, but then there were people in their twenties who were young kids when the first Toy Story was released, reuniting with old friends, both on-screen and off.

That’s honestly how this movie made me feel, like I was  catching up with old friends. Truthfully, Toy Story 3 was everything that I could’ve asked for and more. It was just lovely. I loved it. The short at the beginning (on a sidenote), called Day & Night was AMAZING. Very beautiful, very cool, very sweet. It was awesome. It amazes me what these people can create and how intricate and perfect each detail is. Here is the trailer for Day & Night.

If you can see the movie in 3D, definitely go for it, but it didn’t seem like something I really had to see in 3D to appreciate. It’s offered in RealD 3D, so it wasn’t so much “EXPLOSIONS IN YOUR FACE,” but almost like watching it live action, which I think I prefer. I highly recommend Toy Story 3 for everyone and anyone. No matter who you are, you are bound to enjoy this movie :) If I had to grade this movie, I’d give it an A!

Did you see Toy Story 3? How do you think it stands against its predecessors? How do you think it stands against other Pixar films – on that note, what’s your FAVORITE Pixar film (Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, Toy Story 3)? Let us know!!

Briana Simko is a senior English/Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She’ll always be a kid at heart and never outgrow the magic of Disney or Disney/Pixar and Toy Story 3 made her want to bust out her old Barbies a little. She also has decided she wants to write for Disney or Disney/Pixar when done with school.


What About Your Friends? – Balancing Dating and Friends

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yellow-rosessmall1 Hi friends! First, yep, I got the title from this post from a TLC song :) Second, yellow roses symbolize friendship, in case you were wondering. Lastly and to the point, following up on my post about dating etiquette, there are some things about how to treat your friends while you’re in a relationship!

Significant others come and go, but true friends are forever :) I’m writing this after an unfortunate situation happened between a former friend and myself over his girlfriend, which made it kind of hard to write. Also, on another tangent, in honor of Sex and the City 2 coming out at the end of the month, all of the pictures are from the series/movie!

OMG! My boyfriend...

"OMG! My boyfriend..."

DON’T only talk about your significant other! Not only can it be annoying, it’s also kind of inconsiderate to your friends! These are your friends! You have volumes to talk about. However, make sure you find a nice balance because it’s also not fair to you if they don’t tolerate any talk of your beau whatsoever. Friendships are all about a give and take and make sure it’s an even give and take.

Poor Carrie!

Poor Carrie!

DON’T make your friend a third wheel! This kind of ties in with the aforementioned don’t. It’s one thing if you’re all friends, but if your friend and your significant other are barely acquaintances, it’s not fair to either parties. There is a difference between introducing your friends to your beau, but when you are overwhelmingly affectionate and (like Charlotte above) retelling the story of how you met for the ninth time, it’s a little rude and makes your friend feel unwanted!

Oh, what a great time!

Oh, what a great time!

DO listen to what your friends have to say! Like I said before, you love your friends, you love your beau, and naturally you want them to be friends. Sometimes, this doesn’t happen and it’s really unfortunate when it doesn’t, but it shouldn’t rip apart your friendship. There’s a line in a Rent song that goes, “Friendship is thicker than blood,” and I never forget it. However, if your friend has a really bad gut feeling or sees something, don’t just blow it off. Don’t let it destroy your budding romance, but your friend has a more objective opinion of the situation. Trust your friends, but also trust yourself and your significant other!

Acting silly :)

Acting silly :)

DON’T forget about your friends! No one likes that person that drops everything  for a relationship! Don’t be that person. Make sure to keep up with the friends, even if you just make regularly scheduled dates to Chipotle for lunch. The girls in Sex and the City always have their date at the coffee shop/diner/place and very rarely does one of them not show up. As you get into college and beyond, it is really important to not forget where you came from and the people that knew you from the start. “Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few  you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young” are the truest words I’ve ever heard (the whole Sunscreen Speech is good, definitely check it out!)

Is there anything else you can think of that adds to this list? Anything you would change? Let us know what you think! Have a blast this summer and be safe :)

Briana Simko is a senior (how’d that happen?!) English and Theatre Arts major at Duquesne University and a very, very proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She loves her friends and sisters so much and can’t believe she’s so lucky to have them and cannot wait to spend the summer acting silly with them.


Twenty-one! …What am I going to do?!

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happy-21st-birthday-betallic-lgsmallSo, while in college, you’re going to turn 21 (unless you’re a child prodigy), and of course that begs the question: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!

A lot of my friends are steadily turning 21, so of course my whole birthday is already planned out. Living in Pittsburgh, it has become a sort of cultural norm to go on a bar crawl, since we have a long stretch with an obscene amount of bars. However, never a big party person, I knew I didn’t want that included in my plans, but I still wanted to do something fun and classy and fabulous.

First, you have to think about what to wear! You want to look nice, because it is a very special occasion, but you also want to be comfortable! If you can wear four-inch heels and be comfortable, then go for it! If not, but you still want height, wear wedges! If you don’t care, wear flats! Here are some styles for a classy birthday celebration:

Garden Party Dress from American Eagle! Currently $29.50

Garden Party Dress from American Eagle! Currently $29.95

Double Knit Shift Dress from Forever 21 - $11.50

Double Knit Shift Dress from Forever 21 - $11.50

Silk Flower Tunic, Forever 21 - $32.80

Silk Flower Tunic from Forever 21 - $32.80

Draped Bead Back Top from Forever 21 - $19.80

Draped Bead Back Top from Forever 21 - $19.80

Make sure you check to see if where you’re going has a dress code, because you might not be able to wear jeans! :)

Now where to go?! Well depending on how much you want to spend, there are a ton of places to see.

The Melting Pot

The Melting Pot

The Melting Pot is a great place to go if you have a high budget. It is very expensive, but it is a lot of fun (and maybe where I’m begging my mom to go to for my family birthday dinner).  It is a fondue restaurant, so you order the plate that sounds most appealing and they bring it to you raw. You select a cooking style – broth, burgundy wine, or cholesterol-free oil – and you pick a piece of say lobster and stick it in the boiling hot pot and it cooks! Your waiter or waitress will tell you cooking times for everything you order so you’re not like “Uhm…I guess this is done?”

They also have specials called “Big Night Out” that’s usually better for bigger parties. It’s four courses – cheese fondue, salad, entree, and chocolate fondue – and it’s easy and delicious! All entrees come with a veggie medley that goes in the pot, as well. It’s also a nice place to be in. The ambiance is very nice and the tables are tables and burners, to keep your fondue nice and warm. They also have a bar with unique and  traditional  drinks.

Sing Sing Dueling Pianos

Sing Sing Dueling Pianos

Okay, so the next place you could go is to a dueling pianos/karaoke bar. Sing Sing is a dueling pianos bar in Pittsburgh and Denver, but many places have variations on the concept. They serve food and the show starts at seven. Make sure you check with the location, because the Pittsburgh Sing Sing accepts birthday parties (and even offers chilled champagne, decorations, and no cover for the guest of honor for $25.00!), but you have to get there at six (seven on Friday and Saturday) to get situated and ordered.

They serve simple food, such as burgers and fries for an affordable price and they also hire pianists with an expansive repertoire. Sing Sing boasts that the show is entirely driven by requests, something that is not unique to just Sing Sing. Even in middle school, they would bring in Dueling Pianos for Fun Day and they had a wide range of knowledge. They don’t have as many drink options as The Melting Pot (based on their online menu), but they have a wide variety of beer and regardless, friends and songs on request make for a great and silly time!

The Improv

The Improv

The Improv or a comedy club in general could be a great time! The good thing about the Improv is, depending on when you plan on going, friend that aren’t yet twenty-one can come. Sunday-Thursday, the Improve is eighteen and over, leaving Friday and Saturday shows to those twenty-one and over. You get dinner and a show, which is a lot of fun and while huge names typically play the larger venues, there are some great people that go to the Improv – I saw Hal Sparks last summer and he was hilarious.

I had told my mom that I was upset that no one I knew would be in for my birthday and she said to even make sure to give people you don’t know a chance. Not only are they more affordable (tickets tend to be about $20.00 and if you sign up for updates sometimes you’ll get discounts and group rates), you also sometimes discover some real talent. They have really good food and they also have a variety of drinks, not unlike the Melting Pot, but more affordable than the Melting Pot. Make sure to arrive early, because seating is first come first serve and people (depending on who is there) start lining up about forty-five minutes before doors open to make sure that they get a seat. It is (at least the one in Pittsburgh) is very intimate and you are very close to the stage if you get there early, just so you know if you don’t want to be picked out and teased a bit. It is a really enjoyable evening and a ton of fun.

from bluecorncomics.com

from bluecorncomics.com

You’re turning twenty-one! Go gambling! Be smart. Be safe. And have a limit. My mother told me, when I told her that I was planning my birthday, to have a “maid of honor.” Essentially, that friend who will watch your back, make sure people don’t get out of hand, and make sure that you don’t go broke. It’s your birthday, you don’t really want to worry about any of this too much!

If you’re located in one of the states that gambling is legal, live close to one, or have the money to splurge and go to Vegas – definitely do it! You can get all dolled up, grab a cocktail, and play Blackjack or even just sit at the slots. Just please, please, PLEASE be smart about it. Make sure you’re spending what you mean to spend and what you can afford to spend. Some slot machines may say “penny slots,” but have the quarter slot playing limit on, so instead of playing pennies, you’re actually playing quarters (this happened to my mom). Make sure you cash out and get your money. Know that it is illegal to take someone else’s winnings, you’re supposed to turn them in. Most importantly, HAVE FUN. Hopefully you’ll go home with big money! :)

Dave and Busters

Dave and Buster's

Lastly, the place where a grown-up kid can be a kid!  Dave and Buster’s is an awesome time whether you’re ten or thirty. The great thing about D&B is that again, friends that are not yet twenty-one can come. I am definitely doing this for my birthday and I’m honestly more excited for this than anything else.

There is a wide variety of games, a wide (and delicious!) variety of food and a wide variety of drinks. It is probably the one thing that I know people who are twenty-two and twenty-three still enjoy and have a blast doing. It’s also great if a lot of people plan on attending because, while as the hostess you want to please everyone, at the same time everyone has something to do! They do have birthday packages, just contact your local D&B to set it up. They do have a minimum of at least ten guests, so if you plan on having a huge blow-out, D&B might be your best bet. It isn’t too expensive and their deals are pretty reasonable. Even if it’s just a couple of you, they have Eat and Play packages for about  $15.99 to start (in Pittsburgh). You definitely want to dress comfortably here. :)

If your birthday happens to fall on a Wednesday (like mine does) don’t expect all of your friends to be able to come out if you want to do something in the middle of the week. Plan an awesome celebration that weekend. If you plan on going some place that has packages, make sure people RSVP in advance and make sure to give the location enough notice to set it up.

Most importantly, HAVE FUN AND BE SAFE! Make sure you have designated drivers. Make sure they stay designated drivers. Have the number for a cab company. Keep it classy and fabulous :)

What are you doing for your 21st Birthday? What did you do for your 21st Birthday? Did you go anywhere awesome that wasn’t mentioned? Let us know!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She is anxiously awaiting May 12th for her birthday extravaganza, which includes Sing Sing and Dave and Buster’s.


When is My Show Coming Back?!

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lcdtvcombosmallIf you’re anything like me, you’ve been counting down and impatiently waiting for this idea of a hiatus to go away in the TV world. Most channels do have a hiatus during the holidays, but it seems like every show I watch decided to just wait until the Olympics were over, which is smart and that way there is no competition, but it has made for a boring two and a half months.

Well, in my excitement, I have compiled some shows that are coming back! I can’t wait :)   Here is where they left off, when they come back, and some generic ideas about where the season is going to go.

Cast of Gossip Girl from vidiot.com

Cast of Gossip Girl from vidiot.com

Show: Gossip Girl
Return date and time: Monday, March 8th at 9pm on the CW.
Where we left off: Serena and Tripp got into a car crash on the anniversary of Bart Bass’ death – an anniversary that is haunting Chuck and making him crabby, even though he’s trying to not let it affect him. However, Bart’s ghost is “haunting” him of sorts and Blair eventually makes Chuck visit his father’s grave, where he sees a mysterious woman crying and laying yellow roses on his grave – his mother’s favorite flower. Nate steps up and punches Tripp for what he’s done to Serena and is by her bedside. Rufus (with interference of Tripp’s wife, Maureen) discovers Lily stayed with her ex-husband while she was allegedly taking care of her mother. Jenny also ends up wrapped up in the world of drug dealer rich kid, Damien. Dan also confessed to Vanessa that he was in love with her.
What’s in store?: Rumor has it that the mystery woman is Chuck’s mother, who was said to be dead. So, Chuck will be spending a lot of time investigating this, no doubt with Blair by his side. Serena realizes Nate was the one who stood by her, not Tripp (who goes back to Maureen after the crash) and doesn’t let that (or Nate) go. Dan and Vanessa undoubtedly figure out where to go from there. Jenny falls even more for Damien and his world and Lily and Rufus also try to figure out where to go. We also get to meet the father of Serena and Eric van der Woodsen. Jack Bass and Georgina Sparks, the infamous troublemakers, are said to make reappearances at the end of this season as well.

Cast of 90210 from fanpop.com

Cast of 90210 from fanpop.com

Show: 90210
Return date and time: Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 8pm on the CW.
Where we left off: Annie finds out Jasper (who is so a modern day Christian Slater from Heathers) is a drug dealer and is responsible for pushing Navid down the stairs, who replies with the admission that he knows she was the driver in the hit-and-run that killed his uncle. Silver and Teddy’s on and off flirtation seems to be off when she sees him hugging his sister and assumes it’s just another girl and Dixon kisses Silver – an encounter which Teddy sees. Dixon also decides it’s time to find his birth mother. Naomi and Liam FINALLY kiss, thanks to Ivy, who tells Naomi to go meet Liam.
What’s in store: Everyone’s back from Christmas vacation! Expect a lot of Naomi and Liam loveliness (I love them together!), a Teddy-Silver-Dixon love triangle, and more drama with Annie and Jasper, especially now that Annie has kind of driven herself into a corner. Also, there may be a little rekindling of the Navid/Adrianna flame now that she has come clean about using again and buying from Jasper. Also, Kelly is said to be leaving 90210, after spending time with the original and remake of the series.

Cast of FlashForward from screenrant.com

Cast of FlashForward from screenrant.com

Show: FlashForward
Return date and time: Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 8pm on ABC.
Where we left off: Well, Demetri and Mark find the woman that tells Demetri he gets murdered and it turns out that Mark kills his partner on March 15, 2010. Mark, however, gets fired for going to Hong Kong in first place and for reacting badly to this news. The mystery woman that calls Demetri is helping the one man awake during the black out. Lloyd admits to causing the blackout, but others aren’t too convinced. Zoey realizes her flash forward wasn’t from her wedding, but Demetri’s funeral. Bryce, while battling cancer, is searching for Keiko, the woman from his vision who goes to LA to find Bryce. Aaron realizes that his daughter is using alcohol to cope with coming home from war – just like he did – and becomes concerned that she’s following exactly in his footsteps. At the end, Lloyd is abducted by two men posing as EMTs, pretty exciting.
What’s in store: Well, well, well, I’m sure we are going to find out who these men are that took Lloyd, also the start of something more between Olivia and Lloyd – perhaps fulfilling their flash forwards. Mark will more than likely continue trying to figure out the cause of the blackouts, despite no longer being with the FBI. Zoey and Demetri will discuss her flash forward and figure it out. Hopefully (I hope so much), Bryce and Keiko finally meet! :) Simon will continue working with the FBI to find the real reason behind the blackouts. Aaron and his daughter will discuss his concerns.

Cast of V from wordpress.com

Cast of V from wordpress.com

Show: V
Return date and time: Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 at 10p on ABC.
Where we left off: Erica, Ryan, Jack, and George are trying to find more people to join their resistance against the V’s. We know Ryan is a rogue V, part of a group called the Fifth Column – V’s going against Anna and her plans. Erica, Ryan, and Jack discover that Anna intends to put a chemical in the flu shot and Ryan blows up the warehouse that it’s being stored. We also find out that Ryan’s girlfriend is pregnant and Ryan is obviously worried about it. Jack has been stabbed by a V from the warehouse. Erica starts to find out Tyler’s relationship with the V’s. The last shot is thousands of V ships headed towards Earth.
What’s in store: Well, ABC is doing a good job of keeping what’s next very hush hush. Anna will become more evil, is my prediction, and we’ll learn more about the Visitors and what they intend to do with humanity. Tyler will become a major pawn in everything and cause huge conflict with his mother. I also predict things will progress with Tyler and Lisa – I’m feeling kind of Romeo and Juliet from them. Erica, Jack, George, and Ryan will keep trying to ruin the V’s plans and find more people and V’s to join in the resistance. Surprising people will come up as sleeper cell V’s. Also, we’ll learn more about Valerie and her pregnancy – Ryan IS a V, who knows what his child will look like with a human! There have been rumors about casting for John Mays, the famous leader of the Fifth Column that has been referenced in all four episodes, which ABC has on their website to catch up.

Cast of Glee from midt.com

Cast of Glee from midt.com

Show: Glee
Return date and time: Tuesday April 13th, 2010 at 9pm on Fox.
Where we left off: The gang won sectionals, despite Sue’s attempts at ruining the club! Will leaves his wife and FINALLY kisses Emma, who has resigned after ending things with Ken and admitting her feelings for Will. Sue is punished and no longer in charge of the Cheerios and suspended after sending the New Directions set list to their competition. She tells Will he better be ready for her. Finn found out Puck was the father of Quinn’s baby and is done with both of them.
What’s in store: New Directions is prepping for Regionals! A ton of great songs will probably come out of the last half of this season. Now that Finn is done with Quinn, some sparks may fly between him and Rachel. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen the end of Terri either, who will probably try and ruin Will and Emma. There’s a great list of celebrities making cameos, including Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff (Lea Michele’s Spring Awakening co-star), Olivia Newton-John, Molly Shannon, and Neil Patrick Harris. Also, Sue Sylvester will be seeking revenge, which is bound to be frustrating and hilarious.

Lots of good shows will be making reappearances this March (and April) and it’s sure to be a great couple of months! I know I cannot wait, especially for Glee and Gossip Girl to return! What are you excited to see come back? What have you heard about these shows or others?

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She has had a countdown for the return of “Chair” on her TV since the last Gossip Girl episode in December. She is also slightly obsessed with TV and has spent Spring Break watching TV she’s missed.


Home for Christmas — Now What?

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christmas-tree-lights1small “I’ll be home for Christmas, you can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents by the tree.”

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is one of my favorite Christmas songs (the top spot belongs to “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” in case you were wondering) and it is constantly on repeat and my away message on AIM during finals. It is always a  constant countdown to break and once I’m on it, there is nothing better.

All of the free time (unless you work in retail), Christmas cheer, feverishly checking for final grades, the smell of Cinnamon Roasted Almonds in the mall, and reuniting with your friends from high school. I love coming home for the holidays and seeing my girlfriends from school. Though the weather outside is frightful, there are ways to beat the cold winter weather. The question is: what to do?

Well, thankfully, there are multiple things to do!

If you’re in the northern part of the country, it’s probably snowing. Play in the snow!  My friends and I had a snowball fight and made snow angels and…attempted to make an igloo one year. This year, we’re talking of going sledding down the hill since the snow came early enough. If you have enough snow, go crazy! Build a snowman, sled, make angels all over, make a snow-fort and have an epic snowball fight. You’re never too old to play in the snow!

Have a Christmas shopping power hour. So, Christmas is Friday. Why not grab last minute gifts/stocking stuffers with friends? Brave the last-minute shoppers together and the crazy mall traffic together. Sure, it may be a little crowded, but there are a ton of good deals happening so close to Christmas, and why not visit Santa while you’re there! You’re never too old to make sure Santa knows what you want this year :)

Have a holiday movie night with some friends! Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Love Actually, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Claus, just to name a few! There’s definitely plenty to choose from. Pick a friend’s house. Get some yummy snacks! Each of you bring over your holiday favorite and just enjoy being together again at the holidays. Make some hot cocoa and revel in the season.

Check out a “festival of lights.” If you’re from the southwestern Pennsylvania tri-state area, you probably see commercials for Oglebay Resort in West Virginia and their Winter Festival of Lights all the time. It is pretty much just what it sounds like. Along a path that you can drive down, there are a ton of festive, holiday light displays. It is truly beautiful and there just might be one near you! If not the same thing, something similar. Grab some of your friends, make a good playlist, buy some yummy snacks, and drive down to see the lights!

n1473810007_30085076_5560

My friends and I at Amy's Annual Potluck...posing and playing Apples to Apples

Have a potluck! This is what my friends and I do. Our first Christmas home from college, my friend Amy decided to host a potluck at her house after the holidays, but before school started again, as a chance for all of us to get together and catch up. Since then, it has become an annual shindig and it is honestly one of the highlights of my break! We all bring something, varying from cookies and taco dip to pepperoni rolls, and she pretty much provides the pop and plates and games. We play Apples to Apples and Taboo and it’s honestly one of the best times I have all year! I definitely recommend this route. It’s simple, it’s easy, and it’s fun.

Go to the ballet/a concert! Almost every city has a production of The Nutcracker for the holidays! Trans-Siberian Orchestra is touring and their concerts are amazing spectacles that everyone should definitely see at least once. Your local symphony is probably preparing for a holiday show, too. These are great things to do and the symphony and the ballet probably offer cheaper tickets with a student ID! Definitely check them out and look up Trans-Siberian Orchestra tour dates to find out when they’re coming near you!

Volunteer at an animal shelter! It’s cold and the animals without homes at Christmastime need love, too. Most shelters have an orientation program, but if you just go to your local humane society’s website, there should be a list of times. I’m a cat cuddler at the WPA Humane Society, which is just as simple as it sounds. I get to spend time doing something I love to do and the animals benefit from it, too. Why not grab a few friends, get “oriented,” and play with animals for a few hours?

See a movie! A ton of movies come out during the holiday season and a lot that are coming this year look pretty good! Now that it’s break, you can also take advantage of $5 Mondays or the discounted matinee price. Most movie theaters also have discounts when you show them your student ID. Check out your local movie theater for discount days and movies and times.

Have an ugly Christmas sweater party! There are a ton at Goodwill for not very much. Buy some and get together with your friends! It is a funny and great time. You can take silly “family portrait” pictures in front of the tree, eat Christmas cookies, play some games, watch some movies. This is almost like a festive, fun combination of the potluck and  a holiday movie marathon. It is bound to result in a fun time and hilarious pictures.

Sweater from uglychristmassweaterparty.com

Sweater from uglychristmassweaterparty.com

On the topic of ugly Christmas sweaters and munching on cookies, have a cookie baking party! There’s plenty of recipes and it’s another calm, fun way to spend time with your friends. Grab some aprons and baking sheets and just bake until you can’t anymore, or until you’re sick of it. Also, the best part is that if you make enough, you can put them in decorative cello-wrap and baskets and gift them! It’s a delicious gift idea and a fun, different way to spend time with your friends. Turn up the Christmas music, grab some lactose-free eggnog, and have fun!

No matter what you decide to do, that is the most important thing to remember: have FUN this holiday season! Dress warmly and be sure to drive carefully. Are you doing anything different? Are you going to try something suggested? Share your ideas and thoughts in the comment section or e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org!

Happy Holidays!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She lives for the holiday season and LOVES Randy from A Christmas Story – “Daddy’s gonna kill Ralphie!” “No, he’s not.” “Yes, he is, too!”


Midnight Madness! How to Behave at a Midnight Premiere

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new-moonsmallSo. I know it’s been a while, but: If you’re anything like me you have had a countdown for the next film in the Twilight franchise since…gee, I don’t know…LAST December.  If you’re anything like me, you also have tickets to see the movie at midnight (or 12:13am) and you know it’s going to be super awesome and super packed and that you will fall in love with Taylor Lautner!

Well, my friends: THE TIME IS HERE! New Moon is so close we can taste it.

Needless to say, I’ve been thinking a lot about the necessary preparations. They resemble the preparations that one about to run a marathon consider: make sure I eat a protein-rich diet (chicken tenders from the movies!), hydrate often (cherry slushies, anyone?), dress appropriately (an “I Run With Werewolves” tee) , and make sure to preserve energy so I don’t get too tired too fast (healthy napping). Oh yeah, I’m in it for the long haul.

But fun aside, there are some serious things to think about when getting all dressed up and heading to a highly anticipated movie opening at midnight. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to midnight madness!

DO be excited! You’re surrounded by a bunch of people that are just as pumped as you are to see this movie! DON’T be the Debbie Downer sulking in the corner! :)

DON’T be obnoxious. Yes, we’re all excited, but no one likes the screaming person that’s running around the

Theatrical Poster from theinsider.com

Theatrical Poster from theinsider.com

movies in costume interrupting everyone’s evening.

DO bring friends! Let’s be honest, you’re going to be waiting in line. You must be prepared for that! However, DON’T be discouraged while waiting in line! It’ll go by fast.

DO get there early! Picking up tickets, getting snacks, and waiting in line outside of your designated theater is going to take some time. For example, my sisters and I are leaving at ten and our show starts at 12:13am.

DON’T be afraid to dress up, but DO be mindful of the other fans. T-shirts are fun, sparkly make-up, too! However, if you want to show up in a big, furry werewolf costume that will probably block the view of the person behind you, it’s probably best to leave that costume at home and trade it in for something a little less large.

On that note, DO dress comfortably! It’s going to be late. Costumes for movies like New Moon or even Harry Potter can get pretty intensive and pretty intricate. If you can handle being dressed up like Jane for two hours, by all means go ahead! Wear your costume with pride! But make sure you’re comfy. Nordstrom and Hot Topic carry official New Moon merchandise! It’s not too late to grab a shirt. :)

DO nap and DO get yummy snacks! It’s the movies and it’s going to be late. You don’t want to pay eleven dollars to see this movie you’ve been waiting for and then fall asleep do you? Prepare and take care!

DO drive safely! It’s going to be late and not many people will be on the road, but everyone should still be careful – especially because it’ll be so late!

DON’T talk through the movie. Yes, there’s going to be a lot of attractive guys walking on and off, and it’s fun to go “Ooooh, Jacob Black is so cute!” the minute he walks on, because everyone else will gasp or sigh at the same time. However, don’t talk about all the differences and what didn’t happen in the book during the movie. That can be saved for the ride home!

DO have fun! Midnight premieres are such a good time and the energy is incomparable to many other things. Have fun and take pictures! It’s something you won’t want to forget.

Are you seeing New Moon at midnight? Are you Team Jacob or Team Edward? Let us know and send us pictures of you and your friends at a midnight showing at intern@collegelifestyles.org or in the comments section!

Have a blast and be safe!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She has a soft spot for sweet romances and is a loud and proud member of Team Jacob!


Looking for Some Halloween Fun?

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halloween_pumpkinsmall Hi guys! Well, the fall is here! Halloween is in just barely over a week! I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe how fast October just flew by. In DAYS, it’ll be November, however, in the meantime – Halloween is rapidly approaching. Costumes are flying off of shelves at rapid pace. Pumpkins are being carved all over and candy is being purchased in massive quantities.

As a college student, it can be hard to celebrate Halloween in full force, especially if you love to carve pumpkins and stick a candle in them like I do. Luckily, there are a few things that can fill you with a Halloween spirit, even if you are far from home!

1.) Some schools host trick-or-treating through their dorms for nearby children, usually prior to Halloween. In my building, the floors get really into it and decorate the entire floor to look spooky and abandoned – complete with strobe lights on some floors. The kids really enjoy it and it’s early in the evening.

trick or treat from ehow!

trick or treat from ehow!

2.) Do something HAUNTED! ‘Tis the season for haunted hayrides, haunted houses, and maybe your local amusement parks transform for fright nights. The three nearest to me (Kennywood, Idlewild, and Cedar Point) completely transform come September and become hauntingly fun times. As a wuss, I can safely say that they are not that bad, but I have a strict rule of not going anywhere that I can’t run away and therefore avoid haunted houses. Also a plus, these fright nights are usually a discounted admission price!

Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood

Phantom Fright Nights at Kennywood

3.) Scary movie marathon!!  Make some yummy snacks, like s’mores and popcorn, get something good to drink like hot cocoa and get close with your best friends. Whether it’s a movie only one of you have seen, all of you have seen, or none of you have seen, it’s bound to be a great and scary time! And don’t spoil it for a friend who’s never seen it before (for example, I just watched Scream for the first time over a long weekend in September).

Scream poster from truthoncinema.com

Scream poster from truthoncinema.com

4.) Carve pumpkins! Just because you can’t stick a candle in the center, doesn’t mean you can’t still do it. Pumpkins are all over grocery stores and even some campuses may have a night where you can carve (or paint) pumpkins to decorate your room! Take a look at the list of activities happening on your campus within the next week to see if pumpkin carving will be offered at your school! Plus, you can invest in some battery-operated candles to give it an eerie feel.

from gadgetgrid.com

from gadgetgrid.com

5.) Lastly, in the spirit of helping out others, Goodwill will sometimes host Halloween parties for children with disabilities or elderly people. A few of my sisters go to the one near my campus every year and they have so much fun doing it. It really makes their day and you can even go in costume. I know around here, it’s usually in the afternoon a day or two before Halloween, so ask your local Goodwill if they’re doing something like that and if they need volunteers! On this topic, also check Salvation Army stores, hospitals, and other places near you that might do something.

Goodwill Halloween Ad from prlog.org

Goodwill Halloween Ad from prlog.org

Have fun and be safe this Halloween! Buy some Halloween-themed candles (Yankee Candle has a ton!) and eat some yummy candy. Are you doing anything special or different?

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She loves a cool autumn breeze, candy corn, and Chainsaw Bob at Phantom Fright Nights.


What to Watch?! The Fifth and Final Part in a Series About Series!

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sonymultisystemplasma42v1small1We have made it! It’s mid-October. The weather’s changing (snow?!), midterms are (hopefully) over, pumpkin spice has invaded Yankee Candle and Starbucks, and the amount of new things coming on television is slowing down.

However, the good news is that mid-season premieres will start to pop up. As someone who pretty much only watches ABC, I’ve seen a lot of promos for this new show called V. That’s it, V. Not the Roman numeral for five or the name of the guy from V for Vendetta, but simply the letter: V.

The promo is very intriguing – a mysterious UFO stops over a city and suddenly a woman’s face appears, offering assistance. My mother then got really excited and told me that it was a miniseries that she used to watch in the 80s and explained that the world was having problems and these “Visitors” were coming to help out the human race.

Well, after going onto Wikipedia to read the summary of the 2009 remake, that is still the basic gist.

promotional picture from tvguide.com

promotional picture from tvguide.com

Everything that is wrong with the world, the Visitors can cure whether it be diseases or economic disasters, which quickly gains the trust of most humans. However, one woman is an FBI agent and investigates further, discovering that everything is just a plan to take over the world and that these Visitors are actually carnivorous. They manage to convince some of the humans to act as their spies to make sure that their secrets stay that way.

The original mini-series, from what I could gather, seemed to spark a great buzz and it seems well thought out. The Visitors in the original appeared to be more focused on keeping scientists quiet  because to the Visitor, only scientists could potentially foil their plans. From the very little information I can gather from Google about the newer V (I’m avoiding spoilers), the plot seems to be a lot more intricate than the initial one.

Critics that have seen the first episode are already singing the praises of V. E! Online gave the show a glowing review. In fact, it was practically ecstatic, as they stated, “We’ve seen the pilot, and on a scale of 1 to 10, we give it an 11. V is the best pilot we’ve seen in, well, forever. Elizabeth Mitchell (Lost) is amazing. Scott Wolf (Party of Five) is adorable and charming. And you simply won’t be able to take your eyes off Morena Baccarin (Firefly). It goes above and beyond expectations!”

Based on the five shows I’ve talked about, if one is going to be able to thrive during a mid-season premiere, it’ll definitely be V. The show premieres on November 3rd, 2009 and (while I’ll miss parts of it due to chapter meetings – Hulu, anyone?), it’s definitely not something I recommend missing at all.  As was the case with FlashForward, I was a little skeptical at first with the sci-fi feeling, but my curiosity is getting the better of me as November 3rd creeps closer. Despite being a remake, the idea seems so original and so much deeper than the typical “Aliens land. Aliens make contact with the leaders. Aliens blow things up. Humanity fights back. Humanity wins. Go Earth!” storyline of other movies/television series.

This is one to keep an eye on, especially since it is coming at a time where it appears that a lot of shows (at least the ones I watch) go on a few week hiatus. ABC.com has more information about the mysterious show that seemed to appear out of thin air, including the time V will air in your timezone on November 3rd.

I hope I helped you pick out some pretty awesome shows to watch and, while I’ve told you what I’m watching this fall, the question remains: what have you gotten hooked on this season that I haven’t talked about? What are your favorite parts about the things I have?

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a sister of Alpha Sigma Tau and enjoys sitting in front of the television with  a yummy cup of tea, especially in October.


What to Watch?! Part Four in a Series About Series!

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sonymultisystemplasma42v1small Hey everybody! I know it’s been a while, I’m sorry. It has been very busy around here with Carnival and Homecoming, but I managed to find time to watch some great television!

This time, I’m going to talk about a sitcom that has already started called Modern Family! It comes on ABC, Wednesdays at 9pm.

Now, it has taken me a while to get into this show, because it comes on the same time as Glee. However, if musical comedies are not for you and you’re still looking for a good laugh, you should DEFINITELY tune into Modern Family.  The first three episodes are available on ABC.com and Hulu.com, if you want to catch up. If you don’t have the time or just want to start off Wednesday night, here’s my crash course on what you need to know:

The episode follows three families, which are interrelated. The first is the Delgado-Pritchett family. Jay Pritchett (played be Ed O’Neill of Married with Children fame) is a much older man married to Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, a beautiful (and much younger) woman. In marrying Gloria, Jay also has adopted Gloria’s son from a previous marriage, Manny, a ten year-old who proves to have wisdom beyond his years.

Jay has two biological children himself, from a previous marriage; Claire and Mitchell. Claire is the stereotypical

cast of Modern Family from tvovermind.com

cast of Modern Family from tvovermind.com

soccer mom and married to Phil Dunphy – a self-proclaimed “cool” dad. It’s safe to say that Claire is the disciplinarian when it comes to their three children; Haley, the eldest daughter who is starting high school and dating boys, Alex, the less cool, but “smart daughter”, and Luke, their irresponsible son.

Jay’s son Mitchell is gay and in a serious relationship with Cameron Tucker, who is flamboyant but extremely sweet and endearing. In the first episode, Mitchell and Cameron are on their way back from Vietnam, where they adopted a baby girl, named Lily. Mitchell is uptight and Cameron even calls him a snob, whereas Cameron exudes love and wants there to be peace.

At first, I was a bit skeptical, especially after my beloved Samantha Who? got canceled last season, but Modern Family is something completely different. It IS a sitcom, but the humor isn’t as hokey as sitcoms have the reputation of being. It’s quite smart humor and it is laugh out loud hilarious. In fact, there were many times that I had to pause it so that I could laugh.

There are many misadventures that the families go through, the Dunphys in particular. Phil seems to have the worst luck in the world, despite being the cool dad, luck that includes shooting his son, his daughter’s date, and himself with a BB gun, accidentally stealing an innocent kid’s bike, and getting hit in the nose by a model airplane.

However, there are times where Cameron completely steals the show. After inviting Mitchell’s family to their house to introduce baby Lily, for example, he turns on the song “Circle of Life” from the Disney film The Lion King and comes in carrying Lily in the air the same way that Rafiki presents Simba to the animal kingdom in the film. Safe to say, that was one of the parts that I had to pause to laugh hysterically.

There are some sentimental parts to the show, but there is no live studio audience providing the “Awwww” for viewers at home. They are subtle and they are not often, but it’s obvious that this great big family deeply cares for one another and they would do anything for each other.

Modern Family is truly a treat and definitely something not to be missed! It is definitely a highlight of the fall season and, while advertised, still seemingly under the radar – especially among my sisters and other college friends. It is worth watching, whether you manage to see it Wednesday nights at 9/8c or whether you watch it the next day online like I do! This is not something you want to miss, trust me!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau and enjoys sitting in front of the television with a hot cup of tea, especially with her family.


What to Watch?! Part Three in a Series About Series!

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sonymultisystemplasma42v1small Hi everyone! I hope that everyone is enjoying Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl as much as I am!

This week, I’m talking about a brand new show that premieres tomorrow, 9/24, on ABC called FlashForward.

So, what I gather from ABC’s website (which isn’t much, besides the first twenty minutes of the pilot episode) is that the catalyst that starts FlashForward is a planet-wide blackout that lasts for exactly two minutes and seventeen seconds. Only, the catch is that while everyone is blacked out, they get glimpses into their futures. After this happens, the world is in complete disarray because all human operated machines (i.e. cars, planes, helicopters) wrecked during these two minutes and seventeen seconds and people doing every day things (i.e. surfing, doctors performing surgery) were out of it and unable to protect themselves. Los Angeles (where it is set) looks like the victim of an apocalypse film.

The protagonist is FBI agent, Mark Benford and it’s obvious that he’s trying to figure out why the planet blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds – a fact that is alluded to in his black out, the only one that is witnessed in the first twenty minutes online. His young daughter, when asked if she’s okay, is eerily prophetic in what she saw.

promotional poster from scifiscoop.com

promotional poster from scifiscoop.com

FlashForward has a very wide range of characters and there is such depth to them. None of the characters are one-dimensional, and the fact that the writers have the ability to display that in the first few minutes of the show speaks volumes. With such strong writing from the beginning, this show is bound to take off and keep people watching week after week.

The show is actually based on a science-fiction novel of the same name written by Robert J. Sawyer. I read the brief summary that is on Amazon’s website and it seems that only the general plot is the same. The novel follows physicists, rather than everyday people, and it turns out they tried to do an experiment, which resulted in the “flashforward” that caused panic and destruction. The summary on Amazon.com is very interesting and I even want to check out the book now.

This is one show that I have been dying to watch. At first, I’ll admit, I was a little apprehensive because the hype reminded me of the hype that surrounded Lost, a show that I could never get into no matter how many times I tried. I just thought that it wasn’t my cup of tea and that that type of entertainment was wasted on me. So, to everyone that’s concerned about it being comparable to Lost, someone  who doesn’t like Lost, I can safely say, this is completely different. I was HOOKED on FlashForward within the first three minutes and found myself really upset that today wasn’t Thursday after the first twenty. I want more! I’m  more excited for the premiere of FlashForward than I am for Grey’s Anatomy (which also premieres tomorrow on ABC, right after FlashForward, in case anyone was wondering); something I never thought could happen. FlashForward is definitely an experience that I won’t be missing and I hope that you won’t either!

I know that I’ll be parked in front of my television for three hours watching ABC tomorrow night, texting my sorority sisters during the premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, and taking in the return of new television. The series premiere of FlashForward airs tomorrow night on ABC at 8/7c followed by the two-hour season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy.

Happy Fall!!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau. She enjoys sitting in front of the television with a hot cup of tea and has a secret soft spot for science-fiction/apocalyptic/puzzling-type entertainment.


What to Watch?! Part Two in a Series About Series!

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Hi guys! So, hopefully you watched Glee Wednesday night and really enjoyed it. I certainly did.

This time, I’m going to talk about a returning show, one that is my personal favorite: Gossip Girl.

from gossipgirlinsider.com

from gossipgirlinsider.com

Gossip Girl is back for its third season starting September 14th, 2009 at a new time, 9pm, on the CW. The show is (rather loosely) based on the novels by Cecily von Ziegesar, which are also worth your time between reading things for class.

The question is: With the third season starting tonight, what do you need to know about Gossip Girl?

Well, here’s a crash course! It circles around students that attend elite Upper East Side private schools, the fictional Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude’s School for Boys and seven primary characters specifically; Blair Waldorf – Queen Bee and mean girl extraordinaire, Serena van der Woodsen – beautiful and reformed wild girl, Nate Archibald – sweet and not just living out his parents’ expectations, Chuck Bass – an ultimate bad boy, Dan Humphrey – a boy from Brooklyn who attempted to mind his own business, Jenny Humphrey – Dan’s little sister who dreams of being a fashion designer, and the mysterious Gossip Girl – owner of the website GossipGirl.net, a website that chronicles the lives of these Upper East Siders and plasters it on the internet. No one knows who Gossip Girl is, despite attempts to figure it out.

It is a great adaptation of the books, granted a good bit different. To sum up the first two seasons for those that missed it (without ruining it): Serena returns from boarding school very suddenly, no one knows why, but the viewer finds out it’s because of her younger brother, Eric. Nate and Blair had been dating since kindergarten – a fact his parents like to remind him of oftentimes – and Blair is much more involved in the relationship than Nate. Chuck is a misogynist who only cares about the finer things in life. It is revealed that Nate and Serena had a fleeting affair behind Blair’s back and Blair seeks to destroy Serena. After lots of “frenemy” moments (that actually span the two seasons), they reconcile and start fresh as best friends. Amongst all of this, Dan falls for Serena, Serena falls for Dan. Dan’s sister, Jenny wants to be the next Blair Waldorf. Blair and Chuck blur the boundaries of their friendship and a relationship. Serena and Dan break up and get back together dozens of times over the two seasons because lots of things test their relationship – including Dan’s best friend/ex-love-of-his-life Vanessa, who ends up dating Nate on and off.

Jenny decides she doesn’t want to be the next Blair and gets an internship with Blair’s mother, Eleanor who is a fashion designer. Jenny also gets very punk rock in appearance. Blair and Chuck are on and off in the second season, ending up together. Serena and Dan’s parents get together because they had a tumultuous history (Dan’s dad is an ex-rocker and Serena’s mom is an ex-groupie), which is the end of Serena and Dan. The seniors apply to college and get in. Blair ruins her chances at Yale, which was the only college she ever dreamed of. Blair, Dan, and Vanessa end up at NYU. Nate’s at Columbia. Serena gets into Brown, but goes off to search for her father during the summer (we assume). Chuck takes over his late father’s company and becomes a teen billionaire business tycoon. Jenny becomes the new Queen Bee at Constance Billard with Blair’s support. The seniors graduate and prepare for college and a few surprises are set up for season three.

Cast of Gossip Girl from GossipGirlInsider.com

Cast of Gossip Girl from GossipGirlInsider.com

That’s as bare as my description gets in hopes to not ruin the first two seasons entirely. They are both available on DVD on Amazon.com for reasonable prices. They are certainly worth the purchase.

Also, Gossip Girl has been deemed controversial. They cover topics such as eating disorders, gossip, drug use, and sex in very mature ways – especially since these kids are far more grown up than they should be. I’ve watched this show many times with my mom (she’s even admitted that she liked it) and it’s nothing that I’m embarrassed to watch with her. They handle it all very tactfully.

I have been dying for this show to start for a while and the day is finally here! It’s certainly an emotional investment – you genuinely get attached to these characters and hope for the best when they’re involved. My description is just the tip of the iceberg and there’s so much more to be uncovered. This next season should bring lots of surprises and fun times and sweet moments if the past two seasons are any indication.

The third season starts September 14th, 2009 on the CW at 9pm, definitely be sure to tune in!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau and enjoys sitting in front of the television with a hot cup of tea.


What to Watch?! The First in a Series about Series

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Hello all! With the change in weather and the piling on of schoolwork, tons of new shows are starting, or good old ones are starting once again! With conflicting times and busy schedules, we’re all going to be faced with the question: What to watch?

Well, thankfully, I’ve been watching all types of entertainment shows and doing research to find out the top five things to watch this fall. Okay…and they’re partially the things that I cannot wait to see and would like to share with all of you!

The first show in this series is Glee. Of course, I like musical theater, no wonder I like Glee, but it has been getting a lot of attention. I just re-watched the first episode on Fox.com and I’m excited all over again. It is honestly something that has never been done before in the way that it’s being done. Here’s what you need to know:

The show revolves around William McKinley High School Spanish teacher and former Glee Club star, Will Schuester.

Cast of Glee from wordpress.com

Cast of Glee from wordpress.com

He’s very optimistic and wants to change the lives of children, that type of teacher. He decides to take over glee club (despite resistance from his wife, the principal, and the cheerleading coach), and manages to gather a lot of endearing and talented students, including the sweet musical theater nerd, Rachel Barry (portrayed by Broadway veteran, Lea Michele of Spring Awakening), and the football jock with a heart of gold and a voice like silk, Finn Hudson.

Will’s wife, Terri wants Will to become an accountant to provide for the family that they both want to have, but, as he says in the pilot episode, he is passionate about teaching and glee club. Sue Sylvester is the coach of the cheerleading squad (called the Cheerios) and is determined to keep the stereotypical high school hierarchy, with the help of  Quinn Fabray, Finn’s head cheerleader girlfriend, who inexplicably despises Rachel.

The show has such a great soundtrack. In the first episode, several popular songs get the show choir makeover, including “Don’t Stop Believin’” (made famous by Journey) and “Rehab” (made famous by Amy Winehouse). Clips from future episodes have been made available on iTunes, and one includes Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.” However, great Broadway songs are not forgotten; Rachel auditions with “On My Own” from Les Misérables and once Finn joins the glee club, they are singing “You’re the One That I Want” from Grease.

Critics are also impressed with Glee! In the New York Times, Alessandra Stanley says, “Glee manages the balance well;

A promotional poster from thepostgameshow.com

A promotional poster from thepostgameshow.com

it has a strong satiric pulse that doesn’t diminish the characters’ identities or dim the showmanship of a talented cast.” Rob Owen of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says, “It’s the music that makes Glee a gleeful delight.”

This is definitely a show not to miss! My best, best friend, who isn’t a huge fan of musicals absolutely adored the first episode of Glee, which I requested she watch just a few hours ago. In fact, she instant messaged me when it was over, in all capitals, exclaiming, “I NEED MORE GLEE!”

The first episode premiered after the American Idol finale last May and I definitely stared at the television for an hour reveling in the glory that a show such as this finally exists. I can honestly say that I had never been so excited for a series premiere.  I had pretty high expectations going in and every one was met. I laughed, I cried (okay, from laughing), I got goosebumps from watching performances, I sang along, I reminisced, I decided to audition for musicals again. It’s such a great show and it just makes viewers happy. Not just viewers like me, but my mom and my best friend, people who are not as much like Rachel Barry as I am.

The rest of the season premieres September 9th, 2009 at 9pm on Fox. The director’s cut of the pilot episode is available online and is definitely worth watching, especially if you haven’t seen the first episode yet!  This is definitely a breath of fresh air amongst all the renditions of things we’re used to seeing on television. Glee just makes you want to smile.

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau and enjoys singing along to good music (and musicals), watching TV, and drinking tea.


Addicted to Entertainment? Cool, me too!!

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Hello, hello!  I’m Briana and I’ve been in a serious relationship with my television for about fifteen years. Safe to say, my blogs are going to be about all types of fun things; shows you should be watching, guilty pleasures, good music, musicals, movies – all types of entertainment forms.

Babs and Buster Bunny from wikipedia.org

Babs and Buster Bunny from wikipedia.org

My first memory of watching a television show is being probably about five and staring at Tiny Toon Adventures on Nickelodeon. As I got older, I realized that people write these things that I love and that I wanted to do just that. Like most, throughout high school and the beginning of college I forgot about that idea and toyed with law school, architecture, even engineering until as of about four months ago when I decided to go after this again. While my tastes have grown up from staying glued to Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, I could never forget about my love for Disney (especially the princesses) and how I could spend hours watching the “good old” Nicktoons (i.e. Hey Arnold!, Doug, Aaah! Real Monsters, As Told By Ginger, and Rugrats).

I also have a really wide range of things that appeal to me, so no genre will go uncovered (even if I am the only person on the planet that didn’t the The Dark Knight was the greatest movie of 2008).  Most people are surprised to discover that I’m a Theater major and that I have approximately one thousand songs from shows on my iPod…and that I’ve seen Rent about five times (and would see it again)…and that I count down to the Tony Awards, not the Oscars or the VMAs.

My mantra, so to speak, is that musicals are not bad! They are no longer cheesy “OH! The farmer and the cowman should be friends!” (even though I love Oklahoma!) skips around the stage. Some are gritty, like Rent, and a lot (especially now) have newer rock music and the Tony winning Best Musical in 2008, In the Heights, has a heavy Latin flavor and includes rapping and salsa dancing. My mom started taking me to musicals when I was around seven just to expand my horizons and she enjoyed them, too. Honestly, thank God she did, otherwise who knows if I would’ve ever discovered my serious love of them. I even stage door after productions, which basically means you’re hardcore. But really, after the show you stand by the stage door of the theater and wait for the cast to come out for autographs and pictures.

Senior year, at the Rent stage door in Pittsburgh with Bryce Ryness who played Roger

Senior year, at the Benedum Center stage door after seeing Rent in Pittsburgh with Bryce Ryness who played Roger Davis.

In terms of my iTunes, I’ve named it “The Most Eclectic iTunes Ever” because it has showtunes, Rufus Wainwright, acoustic rock, bubble gum pop circa 1999, everything Mandy Moore has ever touched, Disney rap, hip hop, punk, and classical. It’s not often you see Hello, Dolly! next to “…Baby One More Time,” “Make It Rain,” “Linus and Lucy,” “A Whole New World,” and Reel Big Fish, especially all in the same music library.

I also have no problem revisiting my childhood to see all of the great things that we might have forgotten about. For example, last weekend Cartoon Network had a Powerpuff Girls marathon and I spent the whole afternoon reminiscing about this awesome show I loved when I was twelve. I have no shame in admitting that it was just as good at twenty as it was at twelve. Maybe even better. I also have a hefty collection of Disney movies, which are always a good time.

With the approaching fall comes the return of television shows that I’ve been addicted to and new ones and good movies (that were not affected by the writer’s strike last year). There’s going to be tons of fun things to do (and to watch) to avoid the impending cold weather. I personally cannot wait and have already started to compile a “What to Watch” guide, which I’m definitely planning to share, so stay tuned!

Briana Simko is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM). She is an English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau and enjoys sitting in front of the television with  a yummy cup of tea.