Meet the Latest and Greatest CL Intern: Carrie Westman

Name: Carrie Westman
Position: Health and Living Writer
University: Junior at Michigan State University! Go Green!

Major: Dietetics

Organizational Involvement: Food and Nutrition Association, Nutritional Sciences Club

Pets: 2 cats, Tiger and Mufasa
Nickname: Care
Dream Job: Sports Dietitian for a big university or college

Favorite color: Turquoise. Even more so if coral is paired with it!
Favorite candy: Twix! They’re my guilty pleasure
Favorite movie: Animated movie=Megamind, real people movie=Bridesmaids
Favorite cuisine: Chinese food
Favorite season: Summer

Coffee vs Tea = Tea (Cranberry Apple Tea is my favorite!)
PC vs Mac = Mac. I LOVE my Mac!
Coke vs Pepsi = I don’t really drink pop but if I had to pick I’d pick Coke
Stripes vs Polka Dots = Polka Dots

3 words to describe me: outgoing, sweet, caring
3 words to describe my style: laid back, casual, athletic

You will find on my desk: mints, pictures of my friends and family, and my Ipod speakers
You will find on my DVR/Tivo: How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, The Bachelorette
You will find on my Ipod: Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, and a lot of hip-hop/rap
You will find in my refrigerator: Apples, Yoplait yogurt, and cheese sticks (Can you tell I’m a health nut?)

I am have a slight obsession with: Coral colored outfits for the summer, pillows, and my boyfriend, Reed.

I dislike: Negative people, being cold, overhead lights, and bees

My friends would say I am: cheerful, sympathetic, and fun to be with

I am most happy when: I’m lying on the beach in sunny weather with my family and with a caramel frappuccino from Starbucks!

Most people are surprised to know I: Am shy and I absolutely love my ‘me time’

A classy co-ed is: An individual who is trying to survive the rollercoaster ride we call ‘college’ by just having fun and trying to figure out what our purpose in life is. They always keep an open mind when it comes to learning more about dating, professionalism, and etiquette to be more of a classy person.

Carrie Westman is a Health and Living Writer for College Lifestyles ™ and a junior at Michigan State University with a major in dietetics. She enjoys a good run and baking yummy new treats!

Meet CL Intern: Kate Citron

Meet CL Intern: Kate Citron

Name: Kate Citron
Position: Health and Fitness Writer
University: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Major: Marketing and Dance
Organizational Involvement: UMass Dance Department, Women in Business Society
Pets: 2 dogs (Chesapeake Bay retrievers) and 4 cats
Nickname: None
Dream Job: Working at a marketing firm or a well-known magazine

Favorite color: Pink
Favorite candy: Anything chocolate
Favorite movie: Breakfast at Tiffanys
Favorite cuisine: Indian and Japanese
Favorite season: Fall

Coffee vs Tea: Coffee
PC vs Mac: PC
Coke vs Pepsi: Pepsi max
Stripes vs Polka Dots: Stripes

3 words to describe me: Outgoing, driven, and ambitious.
3 words to describe my style: Simple, classic, and a little preppy

You will find on my desk: Lots of post-its
You will find on my DVR/Tivo: Sex and the City
You will find on my Ipod: Beyonce
You will find in my refrigerator: Apples, baby carrots, greek yogurt, and iced coffee

I have a slight obsession with: Coffee, working out, and making to-do lists

I dislike: Being unorganized

My friends would say I am: Hardworking

I am most happy when: Relaxing after a long day

Most people are surprised to know I: Am a vegetarian.

A classy co-ed is: Someone who knows how to balance work and play!

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Fun Facts About a Classy Co-ed: Kristen Gaudet

 

25 Facts About CL Intern Jessica Fecteau

Name: Jessica Fecteau

Position: Senior Writer Intern/Intern Diaries Contributor

University: Central Michigan University

Major: Journalism

Organizational Involvement:  Central Michigan Life (independently student-run newspaper), Grand Central Magazine, Intramural Volleyball team captain, University Tutor, Fashion Association of Merchandising and Design and Threads Fashion Show

 

 

Pets: A dog named Jake

Nickname: Jess, Jfect, jessfect

Dream Job: Glamour Magazine Editor

 

Favorite color: purple

Favorite candy: M&Ms

Favorite movie: 500 Days of Summer / One Day

Favorite cuisine: Peanut butter & Jelly

Favorite season: Fall

 

Coffee vs Tea: Coffee

PC vs Mac: PC

Coke vs Pepsi: Diet Coke

Stripes vs Polka Dots: Love both!

 

3 words to describe me: silly, sassy, hardworking

3 words to describe my style: cross body bag, slip-on tennies, big sweaters

 

You will find on my desk: coffee cups, my laptop, my planner and magazines

You will find on my DVR/Tivo: Gossip Girl, the Today Show, HIMYM, One Tree Hill, TLC

You will find on my iPod: mostly indie rock, some country, some radio jams

You will find in my refrigerator: a lot of fruit, veggies, hummus, and milk

I have a slight obsession with: constantly listening to music and shoes

I dislike: when people talk with their mouths full, bugs, heights

My friends would say I am: outgoing, happy and that I laugh a lot

I am most happy when: I’m  by a lake relaxing with friends

Most people are surprised to know I: have never seen Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter (but I am constantly told I’m missing out)

A classy co-ed is: smart, friendly and chic

 

 

 

 

Jessica Fecteau is a junior at Central Michigan University and is in her third semester with College Lifestyles. She has contributed to the fashion, dating and apartment/dorm life sections and is interning at Brava Magazine in Madison, Wisconsin this summer.

25 Things to know about CL Intern Amber

Name: Amber Ferguson

Position: Senior Editor/Features Writer

University: The University of Maryland College Park

Major: History and U.S. Latino/a Studies Minor

Organizational Involvement: I just transferred but I plan on being a busy bee on campus

Pets: Sasha aka the best feline sister ever

Nickname: Ambicakes

Dream Job: Press Secretary and the Best Blogger in the DMV

Favorite color: Purple

Favorite candy: Gummy Bears :)

Favorite movie: “Pretty Woman”

Favorite cuisine: Spaghetti

Favorite season: Summer Summer Summer Time

Coffee vs Tea: Chai Tea

PC vs Mac: Mac

Coke vs Pepsi: I don’t drink soda anymore but I used to love Pepsi

Stripes vs Polka Dots: Polka Dots!

3 words to describe me: Inquisititive, Funny, Go-getter

3 words to describe my style:Modern, Sophisticated, Trendy

You will find on my desk: My Macbook, thank you cards, and a bunch of school supplies

You will find on my DVR/Tivo: Almost every reality T.V. show

You will find on my Ipod: Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” (it’s a realy good song)

You will find in my refrigerator: Fiji Water (I love it)

I am have a slight obsession with: Learning historical facts (Do you know why Abraham Lincoln had a beard?…I do!)

I dislike: Rude people and when technology fails at the worst possible moment.

My friends would say I am: The life of the party and very focused.

I am most happy when: I’m laying out on the beach on vacation.

Most people are surprised to know I: know the Pledge of Allegiance better in Spanish than in English.

A classy co-ed is: A confident, independent, and ambitious young female. She knows what she wants and is friendly to others. This co-ed helps others and is a role-model for others.

 

Amber Ferguson is a Senior Editor/Features Writer at College Lifestyles (TM). She is Junior at the University of Maryland College Park and is a graduate of Prince George’s Community College. She’s obsessed with reality TV & loves traveling. Follow her on Twitter @Ms_AmberDawn!

25 Facts About Senior Editor, Tiana Blue

Name: Tiana Blue

Position: Senior Editor/Features Writer

University: Rising junior at Penn State University

 

Organizational involvement: Currently none now that I am transitioning up to Penn State’s main campus, University Park, after two years at our Altoona campus. I’m looking to start fresh my junior year and possibly go Greek!

Pets: How sad is it (literally) that I’ve never had one?

Nicknames: Someone once told me they’d call me “spider” because of how long my legs looked and how high I jumped when doing a jete in dance class several years ago. Throughout the years, though, it seems nickname’s for me become anything involving the color blue. Or, people will simply call me by my last name, which really is Blue. Awesome, right?!

Dream job: Working for a major men’s lifestyle magazine (which I am technically doing at the moment, just as an intern).

Favorite color: I have a tough time deciding and have even gone as far as taking online quizzes to figure it out. I’ve narrowed it down to blue (go figure) and pink. I always denied that blue could potentially be my favorite color because I’ve gotten the question “Is blue your favorite color?” countless times since childhood. Pink just makes me happy.

Favorite candy: Sweet Tarts and Starburst: rotting my teeth since I was a pre-teen. I don’t want to just choose one!

Favorite movie: Animated–The Little Mermaid. With real people–Clueless.

Favorite cuisine: Anything edible.

Favorite season: The end of summer heading into fall. The weather is perfect and everyone’s happy!

Coffee vs. Tea: Tea is definitely gross. Coffee wins!

PC vs. Mac: I’m looking to join the Mac side of life, but I have a PC for now. I’m indifferent on this question.

Coke vs. Pepsi: Coke, for sure.

Stripes vs. polka dots: I didn’t notice this until my roommate pointed it out, but I’m actually a little obsessed with striped things.

 

3 words to describe me: Tall, stylish, dedicated.

3 words to describe my style: Stilettos, tucked-in (see shirt in left photo), and city.

You will find on my desk: Fashion magazines, my giant book of graffiti (I love graffiti art), a cup full of coins I’ve saved throughout the year… The last interesting thing would be my “Manila Envelope of Memories,” containing tons of items I’d collected during sophomore year that I connect to, of course, special memories. 

You will find on my DVR/Tivo: Nothing, since I don’t have either.

You will find on my iPod: I primarily listen to Pandora. I don’t have enough motivation to get my own music after having to wipe-out all my songs due to a virus a while back. But I have Mark Rose’s cd “Wonderful Trouble” and the soundtrack from an event I went to along with variations of techno, house, and dubstep songs I stole from my brother about a year after having to delete all my music. I’ve been scarred ever since! 

You will find in my refrigerator: (According to my dorm fridge) Chinese food, yogurt, chocolate, and variations of to-go boxes from dinners. 

I have a slight obsession with: See aforementioned discussion about stripes. That, and shoes.

 

I dislike: When people don’t have goals or do have goals, but don’t strive for them.

My friends would say I am: Motivated, laid back, and easy to talk to.

I am most happy when: I’m around people who fully accept me and when I’m in New York all while simultaneously writing, because writing is my biggest passion.

Most people are surprised to know I am: 5’9

A classy co-ed is: A respectable woman, one who is tolerant of all kinds of people, stylish in her own rite, undoubtedly confident, and goes after what she desires. She sets her eyes on many prizes and works hard to obtain all of them. If this is you, welcome to the team.

Tiana Blue is a senior editor and features writer  for College Lifestyles. She enjoys bargains, a good empanada, being New York-bred, and taking off her stilettos after a long day’s work. 

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The Intern Dish: My Marathon Story

At the beginning of this year, I had set the goal for myself to run a marathon. I had already raced in several 5Ks, a 10K, and trained for (but was too injured to race) a half marathon. So, naturally, the next step was to jump into the great big pool that is the marathon. 26.2 miles of mental and physical toughness and hours on your feet. January 2 was my starting date and for the next 16 weeks I dedicated myself heart and soul to my training schedule, which was a combination of plans from Runner’s World magazine, running blogs, and a name that is synonymous with running, Hal Higdon. Throughout my nearly 4 months of training, I never missed one workout or run, and I came to learn a lot about running, life, nutrition, and fitness:

- Choosing the right race can be just as important as choosing the right training plan. I chose the Lansing Marathon because it’s local (literally right down the street from Michigan State University), and fairly small. Some people like the excitement of running with 15,000 other runners and spectators along every square inch of the route, but it’s all up to you! Also, this was an inaugural race, which can make some people worry, so you may want to look into a more established race like Chicago, Detroit Free Press, or any of the Rock n’ Roll marathons held around the country.

- Do more than just run. Yes, it is important to get all of those miles under your belt/feet, but cross-training and strength training are equally important. I did full-body lifting 2-3 times a week and rode a bike 2 times a week in addition to running 5 days a week.

- If you’re just hoping to finish, then focus more on the time spent on your feet than on the total mileage. I went in with a specific finishing time in mind (which I met!) and so incorporated speed workouts and interval runs into my plan. I also did easy runs twice a week and one long run each week to build endurance.

- Chances are, you won’t be running a full 26.2 miles at once before your race… and that’s OK. The longest training run I had was 21 miles and that’s proof positive that you can do it even if you have never run that distance before. That’s not to say that it won’t be hard, but half of endurance running is the battle going on in your mind. By that time, your mind will have to be stronger than your body to keep you motivated and moving forward.

- Don’t be afraid to walk. I intentionally went into the race with a run/walk plan that I had been following on every training run. Even with walking, I still met my goal time, which just goes to show that you do not have to run the entire way in order to race. Your running muscles will thank and reward you for giving them a little break and letting your walking muscles take over.

- NOTHING new on race day. Clothes, fuel, shoes, water timing, should all ideally by the same on race day as it was in your training. I wore shoes that had a couple hundred miles on them, but still far from needing to be retired and clothes that kept me warm and had been worn before with no problems. I also carried a handheld water bottle with me and brought my own Gatorade G2 mix with me so that I was getting carbs while I run. You will have to ingest calories in some form for a race this long. I have a sensitive stomach, but many other use gels, beans, and chews for energy while running.

- If you can, get family members to come and stand along the 17-20 mile mark. This is when many runners experience what is called “hitting the wall”. The glycogen stores in your body are depleted and muscles are starting to ache. Having a cheerleading team right when you need them will help motivate you to finish up the last few miles. I brought a cell phone with me and sent my family text messages with my mileage so that they knew where I was and when to expect me to cross the finish line.

- Expect the unexpected. No matter what you do or how much you plan, know that there are things that you cannot plan for. Number one being Mother Nature in all her glory. There was intense wind blowing all of the runners back for my race and there’s just nothing you can do to prevent that, so try and train in all conditions: rain, snow, heat, cold.

- It is worth it. I cannot adequately express the emotions that came over me when I finally sprinted across the finish line and received my medal. When you finish, I can only compare it to feeling like you belong to something bigger than yourself, and having both of my parents there to see me finish was the icing on the cake.

If you have ever thought that you can’t complete a marathon, stop thinking that. Start with a 5K, then a 10K, then a half marathon, and then a full marathon. You don’t have to run the entire thing and you don’t have to do it alone. Find a friend or a group of friends and train together. Just remember, don’t ever compare yourself to anyone but yourself. Fast for you may not be fast for someone else, and that’s OK! Only 1% of Americans can say that they are a marathoner, and now so can I.

You can read my race recap on my blog here and check out my training plan with weekly updates.

Run classy.

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Ellen Ratliff is a Senior Health Writer at College Lifestyles ™. She is a junior at Michigan State University, majoring in Dietetics with a specialization in Health Promotions. She completed her first marathon in 4:05 and plans on running in several half marathons later this year.

 

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Vlogging 101: 5 Simple Rules to Become A Successful Video Blogger

Platforms like YouTube and the ever growing and never-ending transformation of the World Wide Web have created so many different opportunities for both the young and old to share their thoughts, memories, talents, and a recently erupting phenomenon tutorials with the globe at the click of a couple buttons. Since sharing talents is so simple, what makes a vlogger successful? Although, I wouldn’t call myself a vlogger (though I have dabbled a bit) here are some quick rules or tips on making sure your vlogging path goes unmatched.

1. Pretend Like You’re Talking to a Friend: It’s easy to get intimidated by the camera, even when it’s the PhotoBooth on your Mac that you love, oh so much. As soon as you hear the sound of the camera starting, your body tenses up and you see everyone in the world with their eyes on you (even if you’re recording alone). To get over this mini-fear, first mute the sound on your computer or hand-held camera, and more importantly, just pretend like you are having a conversation with a friend and showing them how to do something. Trust me, it helps!

 

2. Practice Makes Perfect: As cliché as this saying might sound, it is 110% true. Before every segment of my video blogs, I did at least 10 tries before I got it right. Practice is the key to perfection. An amazing way to practice is to type out a script pre-shooting. Just as you woud write out and spend time on an article on your blog, you should also write out your script for the vlog.  The same amount of work and thought should go into it, so when you practice it’ll be perfect.

3. Be Yourself: There are so many video bloggers out there now, and many have bigger fan bases than one can fathom, but that doesn’t mean you should try to be them. Look at them for inspiration, but avoid imitation. Don’t try to be funny if you’re not, don’t try to act ditzy if it isn’t you… just be you and the rest will fall into place.

 4. Get Creative: With the power of technology, and wonderful gadgets like iPhones, you can make a video within seconds and upload it to your blog or YouTube. However, what makes a vlogger succesful is the creative guts behind the scenes. Make the video fancy, and that does not mean being an expert videographer. All you need are some simple and easy-to-use applications like iMovie, and you are well on your way to getting creative!

5. Be Confident: You create your own destiny. If you’re not confident in yourself, how can anyone else be confident in you? Own it, work it, make it happen.

Sunny’s Sanctuary: May Flowers– Floral Prints for Spring and Summer

Happy May CL fashionistas! There is so much to be celebrating: graduations, internships, moving out, moving away which means there is a lot going on in everybody’s closets. In Sunny’s Sanctuary, May’s weather patterns happen to be taking a life of their own. As the saying goes April showers, bring May flowers, and the flowers have sprung in Sunny’s Sanctuary. My closet is filled with a variety of floral prints, especially amongst blouses. Check out how I mixed three different floral printed tops for a sunny spring stroll, or a summer night out!

Spices and Tulips:

This colorful blouse is not a typical floral pattern; rather than yellow dandelions or over-sized pink flowers, the top is covered with a mix of fragile tulips. The design of the floral pattern is unique in the sense that you have to look closely to notice that they are flowers, and the mix of colors may turn people off at first, but once it’s on it just works. The colors remind me of jars filled with a beautiful mix of exotic spices! I snatched this from the local Francesca’s at Partridge Creek.

Top: Francesca’s

Mid-rise Jeans: Love Culture

Necklace: Forever 21

Wedges: Charlotte Russe

Belt: ALDO

Pastels XL:

A little about me: I was born in Dallas, Texas, and although I consider myself a native Michigander I can’t let go of one innate part of the south. The large, bold prints! They say everything is bigger in Texas, and the XL flowers on this H&M blouse is sufficient evidence for the little bit of Texan I still have left. The reason that this blouse is one of my favorite florals is because of the lovely combo between the subtle pastel colors with the large bold prints. Now if this top had the spicy bright colors that the other top had, it simply could not work. But this top was a match made in pattern heaven. I paired the top with ankle-length, high-waisted dress pants and black patent leather stilettos from Zara. The blouse’s print is easy to mix and match; dress it daytime down with white or light pink pants, and dress it up with a hot pink or black skirt/pants.

Top: H&M

High-waisted Pants: H&M

Shoes: Zara

Necklace: Forever 21

Navy and Nudes

I styled this outfit around the pants, instead of the top. I am obsessed with high-waisted pants, and these H&M dress pants fit perfectly so I really wanted to find a nice top for the spring and summer. JC Penny’s has some great finds, and this navy floral top is one of the many you can scoop up for the upcoming season. The short-sleeve top is light and breezy, and the nude flowers along with a few peachy ones gave the outfit enough color, and the peach especially seemed to work well with my skin tone. I paired the navy and nudes ensemble with peach stilettos (also from Zara) and accessorized with gold jewelry!

Top: JC Penny’s

High-waisted Pants: H&M

Shoes: Zara

Bag: Forever 21

Sunglasses: H&M

Watch: Michael Kors

Necklace: Forever 21

Belt: ALDO

What did you think of these floral prints? What florals are springing up in your closet this season? Hope you had a great time peeking into Sunny’s Sanctuary this week! Come back for some more spring and summer fashion finds next week.

Sana Ashraf is a fashion writer and fashion show intern and is a junior at the University of Michigan. Sana loves reading fashion magazines, shopping sprees, city lights, color coordinated closets, and all four seasons.

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Intern Kitchen: Speedy Chicken Stir-fry

As an intern who is always on-the-go, I prefer my meals that are quick, easy and filling. After getting bored with my grilled chicken salad routine, I decided to spice things up and add a different sort of veggies with my meat choice.

I created my own healthy version of chicken stir-fry with rice. It’s the perfect meal for in between classes as lunch or dinner.  If you’re a lover of Chinese cuisine, check out how to make it below in less than 15 minutes.

 

 

 

You will need:

1 chicken breast

1 c. instant brown rice

bag of frozen stir-fry veggies

salt & pepper

basil

grated parmesan cheese

italian dressing

 

Directions: 

Cook the chicken breast on medium heat. Sprinkle salt, pepper and basil on it while it is cooking. While the chicken is cooking, microwave a bowl of instant brown rice. When the chicken is near being done, pour the bag of stir-fry veggies in the pan and cook it around the chicken. After the chicken is fully cooked, and the veggies are tender, add them to the brown rice. Top with a little bit of italian dressing and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. You’re ready to eat! This meal is also perfect for creating the night before work or a long day at school.

 

What is your favorite on-the-go meal? Check out more of our Intern Kitchen favorites for time-saving and healthy recipes!  

 

 

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.

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