Meet A CL Contributor and NYC Summer Intern, Meaghan O’Connor!

Name: Meaghan O’Connor

Position: Contributor (I’ll be writing about my experience as an NYC intern at Food Network Magazine this summer!)

University: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Major: Communication Studies

Organizational Involvement: Alpha Chi Omega

Pets: Maltese/Shih-Tzu Puppy (Addie)

Nickname: Meg Taylor

Dream Job: Editor-In-Chief of a Hearst Magazine or PR Professional for Hearst Corporation

Favorite color: Pale Purple

Favorite candy: Peanut Butter M & M’s

Favorite movie: No Strings Attached

Favorite cuisine: Any Breakfast Food (Oatmeal, Greek Yogurt, Muffins, Blueberry Pancakes)

Favorite season: Fall

Coffee vs Tea: Definitely coffee; I share an entire pot with my mom while I’m at home!

PC vs Mac: I don’t think I’d be a functional college student without my MacBook Pro.

Coke vs Pepsi: Diet Coke

Stripes vs Polka Dots: Polka Dots are my summer staple!

3 words to describe me: Organized, Conscientious and Focused

3 words to describe my style: Simple, Clean and Sophisticated

You will find on my desk: My computer, pens/pencils, my Lilly Pulitzer planner and lots of picture frames

You will find on my DVR/Tivo: Grey’s Anatomy, Gossip Girl and The Bachelorette

You will find on my iPod: Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift

You will find in my refrigerator: Yogurt, Apples and a Tub of Cookie Dough

I have a slight obsession with: My iPhone and Instagram

I dislike: When people break their promises.

My friends would say I am: Driven and passionate about achieving my dreams.

I am most happy when: I’m home with family for the holidays.

Most people are surprised to know I: Have never read the Harry Potter Series.

A classy co-ed is: A college student learning that it’s okay to be comfortable in your own unique skin…and also realizing that real life is just around the corner.

Meaghan O’Connor is a Communication Studies Major at the University of Michigan who would rather be at Starbucks or Barnes and Noble reading magazines than anywhere else. She’s excited to be spending the summer as a CL contributor and Intern at Food Network Magazine in NYC. You can follow my day to day adventures on my personal blog.

Talk Is Chic With Shaniece: Meet CL’s New Fashion and Living Writer!

Name: Shaniece Sanford

Position: Fashion and Living Writer

University: Old Dominion University

Major: Communications Major, Fashion Merchandising Minor

Organizational Involvement: President of D.E.S.T.I.N.E.D (Determined, Educated, Sisters, Taking, Initiative, N Encouraging, Dreams), Communications Club Member, Colleges Against Cancer: Relay Committee Member

Pets: I have a lovely dog by the name of Jewels, and she is a German shepherd mixed with child. Interesting fact, she only moves when guests say “Excuse me, Jewels.”

Nickname: My co-workers call me “Swoop” because I’m notorious for doing a hair flip and my bang always has a vintage curl to it. Little do they know I owe it all to a loyal relationship with my pastel pink rollers.

Dream Job: My dream job is to be the Vice President of global communications for Vivienne Westwood. Westwood’s work stands in a lane of its own and she continues to break barriers, stand strong, and speak on pertinent global concerns. To work side by side with her, well … [swoon]!

Favorite color: My favorite color since infancy has been purple.

Favorite candy: Sour patches are my all time favorite! Sour, sweet, gone!

Favorite movie: My favorite movie is hands down Pride and Prejudice.

Favorite cuisine: I would have to say chicken smothered in gravy over rice, served with a side of collard greens, homemade biscuits, and an Arnold Palmer (½ tea ½ lemonade). Can you tell I have country roots?

Favorite season: My favorite season is fall. There’s no better vision than the sun setting on a sycamore whose leaves are tinted red while cuddled in a oversized sweater, leggings, knee high socks, and combat boots. Did I accurately set the scene? Tehehe.

Coffee vs Tea: To ask me about my husband (being coffee) in front of my lover (Tea, Chai tea to be exact) is a cruel cruel deed.

PC vs Mac: I have a PC …  but I would trade it for a MAC for a pack of press-on’s.

Coke vs Pepsi:  I’m not really a fan of soda. I prefer juice, no pulp though. Pulp is gross.

Stripes vs Polka Dots: Stripes, definitely stripes.

3 words to describe me: Opinionated, bold, and witty.

3 words to describe my style: I think the best thing about my individual style is that it can’t be defined. Wait, I think that works “Cant. Be. Defined!”

 You will find on my desk: Tons of sticky notes, pens and highlighters in assorted colors, embarrassing pictures of my friends and family members, and my PC.

You will find on my DVR/Tivo: I don’t use DVR or Tivo, but I am addicted to Gossip Girl, Hart of Dixie, Scandal, Make it or Break it, Pretty Little Liars, and Fashion Police.

You will find on my Ipod: A lot of Beyonce and a rich culmination of old school hip hop and R&B. I’m talking Boys II Men, Keith Sweat, SWV, En Vogue, Bel Biv Devoe, and New Edition. I have an ear for the 90’s.

You will find in my refrigerator: A large amount of lettuce, fruit, and juice. My mom and I pretty much live off of salads, grapes, and apple juice.

I have a slight obsession with: Lookbook.nu, I check it every day, three times a day.

I dislike: I dislike it with an extreme passion when people burp without covering their mouth or saying pardon me. Hello? Manners, please!

My friends would say I am: A slight control freak, goofy, opinionated, loyal, and fashionably aware.

I am most happy when: I’m at my happiest when I am playing Just Dance or The Michael Jackson Experience with my sister Toya. We are both very competitive which makes it hilarious and entertaining.

 Most people are surprised to know: People act surprised when they hear that I have read all the books in the Harry Potter series and the Twilight Saga. All of which are  great reads by the way!

A classy co-ed is: A classy co-ed is an ambitious individual who is chic, goal oriented, and constantly striving to better themselves through every success and failure.

 

 

Shaniece Sanford is a Fashion and Living Writer for College Lifestyles. She is a junior Communications major at Old Dominion University who speaks fluent Starbucks, Chipotle, & Twitter banter.

Tips for Organizing Closet Space

For many college co-eds, going home for the summer means cramming a school wardrobe with a home wardrobe into a one wardrobe closet.

But, with the new season right around the corner, it is the best time to sort through clothes and clean out your closet. I spent the first week home from college sorting through old clothes. Along the way I laughed through old funny Tshirts I ran across and cringed at some fashion mishaps. Bags of clothes to donate and an organized closet later, I feel much better about picking out an outfit from a selection I am proud of and not one I am shuffling through to find the good stuff.

If you’re finding yourself hiding under a pile of clothes, I’m here to share my top tips for organizing, cleaning and throwing away that wardrobe you’re never going to wear.

 

1. Timely toss

If you haven’t worn an item once in the past year, it’s time to let go. Never hold on to something because you promise yourself it will fit when ten pounds melt off you. Clothes like this often just get pushed farther and farther to the back.

2. Make piles

Make a trash or donate pile and a “try-on” pile. Whatever doesn’t fit, immediately put in the giveaway pile. If it fits and you follow tip number one, hang it back up.

3. Store it

Combining all of my summer and winter clothes can be a struggle with the bulkiness of cold weather attire. In the summer, I take a big box and put all of my sweaters, big sweatshirts and winter accessories in it. I label it, usually as “don’t touch my clothes!”, and throw it in the basement.

4. Swap clothes

Everyone has heard the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” In this case, one girl’s too small of a dress is your skinny friend’s treasure. Swap clothes that don’t fit or you simply don’t like with clothes your friend equally does not like of her own. New wardrobe, no bills!

5. Keep five of everything

Over the years, it may seem like a collection of the same items builds up, just in different colors. If you find yourself fingering through the same shirt but in blue, pink, green and yellow, decide to keep only five. Same goes with jeans and sweatshirts.

6. Donate!

The options for getting rid of your clothes are endless. Goodwill and the Salvation Army are the two big guns for accepting used clothing, but don’t forget about your family members. My little cousins think I am a goddess when I give them clothes I don’t want. We will let them keep thinking that. There is also resale shops where they will PAY YOU for giving away clothes that would otherwise be trash.

Emptying and refilling your closet is a project. It is all about starting fresh, so have fun with it. Call a friend to help a la Sex and the City style and dance your way through tossing the old and ringing in the new. It’s also a great time to combine different pieces to make outfits you may have never thought of before.

 

Do you plan on cleaning out your closet soon? What have you found works best for you?

 

Jessica Fecteau is a senior fashion, etiquette and apartment/dorm life writer and is a sophomore at Central Michigan University. Jessica loves fashion magazines, listening to indie/folk music and traveling to big cities.

 

 

Calling All Co-Eds! Vote For Your Favorite Scotch Packaging Tape Sculpture

Have you ever thought of packaging tape as an art medium? Five young artists from across the country have put their artistic skills to the test and have been selected as finalists in the third annual Scotch Brand Off the Roll Packaging Tape Sculpture Contest, sponsored by 3M. From a skydiver to an octopus, these sculptures are super cool!

Vote now at OffTheRollContest.com through Wednesday, May 2 to help determine the top two sculptures made from Scotch Packaging Tape. Votes should be based on creativity (60 percent) and presentation (40 percent), and the limit is ten votes per person/email address per day.  The two sculptures with the most votes will go to a final round of judging determined by a panel of experts, and the Grand Prize winner will be awarded $5,000.

Be sure to check out OffTheRollContest.com to view this year’s finalists and vote for your favorite! If you’re interested in creating a tape sculpture yourself, the website also contains great tips, or watch this time-lapse video to see what noted artist and contest judge Mark Jenkins can create from packaging tape in just five hours.

Stay in touch with Scotch Products on the web:

• Scotch Brand Website
• Scotch Brand Facebook Page
• Scotch Brand on Twitter
• Scotch Brand YouTube page

 Disclosure:  We’d like to thank Scotch Brand for supplying us with this sponsored post.  We wish all good luck on the tape sculpture contest!  Who is your favorite?

 

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Sponsored Post: Savvy Shoppers Unite! We Review CouponCodes4u

As savvy shoppers, College Lifestyles prides itself in finding gorgeous and fashionable finds for less.  Whether shopping at vintage stores, Goodwill, or designer lines at our favorite department stores, we know how to spot a good deal.  Imagine our excitement when we were asked to review a site devoted to coupons, deals, and discounts at our favorite stores.  Welcome to CouponCodes4u.

CouponCodes4u is a website featuring over 200,000 coupons, deals, and discounts by various stores including The Body Shop and White House Black Market.

How does the site work?  Simply visit the CouponCodes4u website (click here).  Use the ‘search box‘ on the site and type in your favorite store, department store, or boutique to discover what discount codes are available.  You are then directed to the store site to print the code or coupon.  In addition, one can sign up for a free email newsletter delivered to your inbox giving you the latest scoop on deals and discounts.

Some codes to check out right now include:

•  Chicos Coupons.  Just in time for Mother’s Day, use the Chico’s discount to purchase mom a great necklace and earring set.
•  Puritans Pride Coupon Codes.  Stock up on your health and wellness needs/products for summer vacations and travel.
•  6pm.com Coupon Deals.  Stock up on your favorite fitness gear (workout clothes and shoes) for your summer workouts.

Since the site is updated regularly with codes, deals, and coupons; be sure to check the site each time you head out the door.  You never know, you may get a great discount!

Disclosure:  The review of CouponCodes4u is a sponsored post.  As always, reviews and opinions are all our own.

 

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Intern Kitchen: Chicken Flatbread – Just Like Olive Garden’s!

While I am not actually Italian, my stomach thinks it is. I absolutely love the Olive Garden. Currently, my favorite dish there is the chicken flatbread. So, improvising, I attempted to recreate it. The results were delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pillsbury pizza crust
• 1 container Alfredo sauce
• Grilled chicken, thinly sliced
• Basil, thinly chopped
• Red pepper, thinly sliced

Procedure:

1. Grill chicken, but not too crispy.
2. Heat Alfredo sauce until warm.
3. Pour over Pillsbury pizza crust.
4. Put chicken, basil and red pepper on top.
5. Heat in oven according to Pillsbury pizza crust instructions.
6. Enjoy!

Debra Schreiber is a senior journalism and Spanish major at Duquesne University, and a Senior Writing Intern for College Lifestyles. She loves to cook Italian food, and she loves to bake.

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Top 4 XY Board Accessories for Students.

Dorm, apartment, study group, library, coffee shop, sorority/organization meetings, car, class, gym.  let’s face it, college co-eds follow a very busy agenda.  With coffee in hand and phone/tablet in other, students are constantly on the move.  In between our agendas, we are skyping family, texting BFFs, and organizing emails using our phone/tablet.

The folks at Verizon Wireless asked us ‘What are wish list accessories for your Droid XY Board?’  As a proud Verizon ambassador, we have been testing great Verizon products, the Droid RAZR and Droid XY Board which you will read future reviews.

We in the College Lifestyles home office would be quite lost without our Droid RAZR and Droid XY Board.  Texting one another, checking our emails, developing AND delivering presentations and posting to our Facebook/Twitter are a part of our daily activities.  We are quite attached to our technology.

We thought about it and came up with our ‘Wish List:  Top 4 Droid XY Board Accessories for Students.’

 (1)  CAMERA CONNECTION KIT FOR MOTOROLA TABLETS ($19.99)

 The Camera Connection Kit for MOTOROLA Tablets lets you easily and quickly transfer photos from your digital camera using USB.  

 Pictures play such a role in the college experience and in the College Lifestyles office.  Transfer your pictures to your XY Board in minutes with the camera connection kit!

(2) VGA TRAVEL ADAPTER ($49.99)

 

Motorola’s High Speed 1080p Cable ensures a fast and accurate transfer of information from your device to an HD TV or monitor.

 Presentations are huge in our office and in the lives of a co-ed.  Instead of lugging around a lap top and worrying about misplacing a USB drive, you can rest assure your presentation will be intact the this adapter connecting your tablet to a projector.

 (3)  P833 TRAVEL CHARGER FOR TABLETS AND PHONES ($29.99)

 

Great for spring break, running to the library, and back and forth trips home.

 (4)  VEHICLE POWER ADAPTER FOR TABLETS AND PHONES ($29.99)

 

With driving back and forth from home or a road trip with your sisters, stay charged (and safe) with this vehicle adapter.  Our CEO has a vehicle charger in her car at all times.

To view more accessories and/or to purchase any listed, visit the following link.

Disclaimer:  We’d like to thank Verizon Wireless for allowing us to participate in the Verizon Ambassador program.

 

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Guess What’s In This Interns’ Closet

I will always have room in my heart (and closet) for warm, natural hues. I hardly noticed the obsession I have with browns, clay colors, and greens until glancing at my wardrobe and realizing most of it is an assortment of earthy tones–nothing wrong with that! Without further ado, take a look at some items I can’t do without.

Being 5’9, it took a lot of convincing for me to buy these leather stunners, even after parading around the store going on and on about how much I wanted them. This was my first time purchasing 5-inch heels! I feel so confident with them on, which is what fashion is all about They look fabulous with any wash of jean and look particularly vibrant with my white, ripped jeans, which you will see in the picture below.

There comes a time when you can’t pass up on a certain item because you’ll never see it again. This cropped jacket was one of those items! I was shopping with a friend at Goodwill when we came across this piece. I especially love the buttons, which are made of some sort of wooden material. It has a very Native American feel to it and there’s no label on it of any sort, so I’ve always assumed it to be handmade. Who knows, maybe it was crafted in a colony (which would be awesome!).

The jeans were really inexpensive ($20), so I was skeptical about the fit, but desperate for a pair of white jeans. I tried them on (which I hardly do), and my mind was instantly changed–they looked perfect! These are my miracle jeans, as every time anything spills on them, the stains magically wash out (even after letting the stain sit for two weeks–I don’t like laundry!).

I always wear this sheer blouse with a black bandeau underneath. It has drawstrings along either side, but I usually connect them to the back and tie a bow.

These Steve Madden sandals have lasted me the past two years. There are chains and really shiny imposter diamonds along the denim fabric they’re made out of. They’re always an attention-getter! Check out an up-close view of them below:

I take a dance class every semester. This semester, I took ballet, requiring me to buy these Bloch slippers at a quaint dance store in Pennsylvania called The Dance Shop. I didn’t take a beginner level course because I enjoy a challenge. I’ve loved every minute of it!  The studio is the only place I get to wear my white, thigh-high American Apparel socks which are always a class favorite. They look very feminine with tights and a leotard for all of my tall dancers! You can roll them down, or keep them at full-length.

Summer is soon approaching, so let’s end this list with my favorite bathing suit! I’m looking to buy a bandeau or halter style top in black which will give a ton of contrast to the very vibrant bottoms. I hardly go to the beach or pool (hopefully that changes this season), but I always throw this on when I do!

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

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4 Ways To Know If You’re Ready To Room With A Friend

Having friends as roommates is the ultimate college experience. It’s guaranteed fun, excitement, and laugh-so-hard-you-cry moments….right? Not always. In fact, living with a friend you’ve never roomed with could take a toll on your relationship. Before going apartment hunting, keep reading to find out if you’re roommate-ready or bound to pull each others’ hair out.

See All Sides

PMS, stress, depression, exhaustion. Sounds miserable, huh? Communicate with your friend on their worst days, and see how well you tolerate their change of moods. This way, once you’re living in close quarters, you’ll know what to expect and when–preventing arguments–and you won’t be surprised to find out your girlfriend enjoys cutting her bangs when she’s angry or cries a river when she’s hormonal.

Current Arrangements

Take a look at how your roommate-in-question already lives by examining their habits.  This may include taking note of if they like to play their music loudly, if they enjoy having lots of company over and throwing parties, or how often they clean their place. If you thrive with a bit of organized chaos but they maintain a serially-tidy space (or if your habits clash altogether), have a talk and decide how you both can meet somewhere in the middle.

Ask Some Questions

Clear the air before those moving boxes are packed and shipped away. Sit down and have a chat about the following issues so there is an understanding of what living together will be like:

• How early do you wake up? When do you typically head to bed?
• How much time do you spend in the shower?
• How do you study–in groups, solo, often, not often?
• Who’s bringing what kinds of furniture?
• Are sleepovers with boyfriends OK?
• Are there any TV shows you must-see or will possibly need to record?
• When will we grocery shop?

Choose Wisely

You may be friends, but that doesn’t mean you’ll make great roommates–some people just aren’t meant to live under the same roof! It takes a lot of trust to live with someone and feel safe and content. If you can only depend on your friend half the time, maybe moving in together isn’t worth the effort.

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

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Keep the Spring Break Feeling all Semester Long!

If you’re headed off for spring break this week, don’t be disappointed when you come back to finish the semester off! You can still enjoy the rest of the school year even while you’re hitting the books.

Put up photos. No, not on Facebook. Get prints of some of your best photos and put them into frames, especially beach pictures if you have to go back to a cold place.

Incorporate spring themes into your wardrobe. Check out Shanae’s Colorful Jeans article and Morgan’s NY Fashion Week Looks for Less.

 

 

Eat fruit. There’s no better way to keep a beachy feeling than biting into an orange or strawberry!

Exercise. Take some time to go to the gym or go for a walk – working out will leave you feeling less stressed.

Get a mani-pedi. Try the colors suggested by CL Intern Sasha.

Stay in touch with friends from home. Make plans to see each other over Easter break, and keep one another updated on your lives while you’re at school. This is also a great time to start planning a spring brunch.

Start planning your summer vacation. Check out a few locations and cruise lines. It will keep your vacation appetite at bay.

Buy a new book. There’s nothing better than reading at the beach, but a dorm room will have to suffice for now. Try some of these CL readers’ recommendations you may have missed last semester and the CL Book Club reading “The Violets of March.”

Take a nap. After a long week of vacation time, your sleep schedule is probably a little bit off, especially if you were in a different time some. So, get your Z’s!

But don’t slack off! Keep up with your work – SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!

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