Gym Etiquette for the Savvy Co-Ed

Sometimes it’s easy to feel lost in the gym. Between all the people and the crowded machines, here are my tips to keep it classy in the gym and always feel in the know!

Unspoken Gym Rules

1. The Space Between

Whenever possible choose a machine that isn’t directly next to someone else unless you’re friends. Yes, the gym gets crowded and sometimes it’s unavoidable but most people like to have their space when working out. So forgo your favorite elliptical just this once and give yourself, and the other people there, a little space. You don’t have to choose the treadmill at the other end of the gym; one space between is enough. However, if you hate the treadmill and there’s only one elliptical available—take it.

2. Keep it Clean

Now, if you’re like me, you sweat. I do! And I’m proud of it. I also have a great respect for anyone who sweats. However, it really grosses me out when people don’t wipe down the machines after they sweat all over them. It’s also very unsanitary and a really good way to pass around disease. So, before and after your sweat-fest wipe down the machine with sanitary wipes; most gyms provide them by the bucketful. If your gym doesn’t have them, ask at the front desk or put in a suggestion. It’s both courteous and important for your health.

Remember: Make sure to take sanitary wipes to the trash can after use. Most people let them pile up on the machines. Treat the gym with respect to keep it nice.

3. Leave No Trace

This is a simple rule about free weights—if you use them, put them back where you found them. Return all plates to the rack, they might be too heavy for others to lift.

4. Mind the Time

We’ve all been there—standing in line waiting for the next available elliptical machine…waiting. And waiting. Although this is already a rule in most busy gyms, when the machines are full, limit yourself to 30 minutes.

5. The Gym is Not A Locker Room

I always bring a bag with me to the gym and I’m sure you do too—mp3 player, water bottle, cell phone. Try to keep it to the essentials that you can keep out of foot traffic. If you do have a large gym bag make sure to leave it in the locker room. Locks aren’t too expensive and they are there for a reason. You don’t want to have to lug your personals around the gym, nor do you want other tripping over them.

6. Report It

If a machine is broken, report it to gym staff. This way they can fix it ASAP and put up an “out of order” sign. This will ultimately benefit all gym goers and be a big help to the staff.

After your workout, try Hillary’s suggestions for some awesome sancking suggestions!

Emily Hacker is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Nutrition at the University of Southern California.  What’s in her gym bag?  Ipod, water, towel (very important), cell phone, and keys.  Simple

Learn from not quite perfect dating experiences

“Learn from not quite perfect dating experiences”

By Carly Bassen

carlybassen@yahoo.com

July 12, 2010

Hormones, hormones, hormones.  I blame them.  They are the reason we end up in the most awkward situations with the opposite sex, i.e. the date.  The buildup of hormones explains why we feel butterflies in our stomach as well as other feelings that may be too sexually inappropriate for a College Lifestyles blog.  Regardless to the chemical stimulation, we are in college and it is fun and natural for guys to want to be around girls and vise versa.

Pleased to meet you, I am a stuttering estrogen maxed out goof who has a dating experience to make your head spin.  My father is only sane because I inform him that I am joining the convent or going to play bingo every time I walk out the door with a different guy.  From the amateur moments where I learned how to kiss, to the serious and great relationships I have had, there are a few hysterical dates that stand out enough to either make me blush or to simply laugh to tears- but who are we kidding, that could be the progesterone.

 

Let’s start with the, “The Creepy Cuddler.”

The summer before going into college, my family and I lived on Fire Island.  Picture a small beach town with sidewalk roads made only for bicycles and a quaint row of restaurants and bars ready to fulfill ultimate partying and grooving.  It was in the beauty of Fire Island that I met an outgoing and fun blue-eyed guy who we will call, “Elvis,” due to his side burns.

Elvis and I played volleyball at the beach, boogie boarded in the ocean waves, and drank Snapple Apple from the endless supply in his mini fridge since his father worked for Snapple.  Perhaps because we were so active and usually hanging out with groups of friends, I was blind to his ultra- sensitive side.  Don’t get me wrong, emotions are perfectly normal.  But there is a fine line between honest feelings and nauseating behavior.  Nothing prepared me for Elvis’s little cherished hobby.

As he nestled his head on my shoulder to confess his bedtime secret, he shared that he most enjoys snuggling with his mother.  Take into account that Elvis was 19 years old when he confided this information.  This is when I made my speedy escape, and found something more entertaining to do than cuddling.  Even bingo won that time.

 

Next is, “The date heard around the world.”

Also a summer fling, I met this lumber jack-esque guy through friends.  For kicks, we shall refer to him as Paul Bunyan.  He had a very dry sense of humor and crunched his posture to fit in his too-small car.  The two of us were complete opposites.  When we went bowling he attentively kept score on the computer screen while I moon walked to the lane to inevitably toss the bowling ball into the gutter.  However my friends liked that he could balance my silly behavior.  It turned out that Mr. Bunyan could be even sillier than me.

Just as I had mentioned that hormones exist, so does flatulence.  Everyone has a different opinion of what one has the liberty to call, “farting.”  When Dr. Oz said on Oprah that it was “unhealthy” to hold in a fart, men around the world suddenly felt in style.  Since Oprah has not yet farted publicly on the show or among her many media outlets, I can assume that it is still not safe for women to openly fart.  Personally, I let it go with my brothers who will only laugh and then outdo me.  (Seriously, like on command powers.)  Besides not eating corn before a date, it is also unacceptable to fart on a date.  Poor Paul Bunyan was not informed.

As I was making us drinks in my kitchen, he farted.  Loudly.

The aftermath moment was silent and stunning.  But then I just burst into laughter.

He was stone cold and completely ignored his gas blowing stunt.

Rather than join me, he waited for me to contain myself and then proceeded on with, “How about them Yankee’s” conversation.  If he had laughed it off, everything would have been fine.  Instead, all I could hear was that fart when I looked at him and the fling could no longer go on.  Poof! (No pun intended.)

In college and out of college we will deal with weird secrets, farting, and hormones.  The bottom line is that nobody is perfect.  Within this realm of our youth, we are trying to figure out so much, let alone about the opposite sex.  Many of us are enrolled in summer courses to better advance our education to do the best we can upon completion of college.  Yet we still make minute decisions like whether or not we would like to continue dating someone.  Go with your gut instinct.  (But not necessarily his gut).  Realize that we are in the same shoes as classy college co-eds and are hoping to enjoy ourselves today.  Date or not, it is important to acknowledge people for what you like about them.  Standards are fine, but there is no point in focusing on them until truly knowing a person.  Have fun, smile big, and be yourself.

Upon entering her junior year at Indiana University, Carly Bassen is most looking forward to taking a Samba dancing class with much missed friends.  Currently she is an intern at College Lifestyles and would love to see the website become an actual magazine for great college co-eds everywhere to read and participate.

Tags: Dating, Etiquette, Learn, Laugh, College, Guys and Girls, Snapple, Flings

Something else that is more fun than bingo is going to concerts!  My fellow intern, Becky A, wrote, “CL’s Guide to Making the Most of Your Summer Concert.”  Not only did this article provide great tips about how to “HAVE FUN!!!” at a concert, but could this be applied to the world of dating.  Going to a concert with friends like Becky A. did is quite the adventure and can possibly be made more so if going with a date to a concert.  Throughout the summer, live music on a small or big scale is something to be a part of.  Use Becky A.’s advice of bringing accommodating gear for the weather and tunes to jam to and have a good time on a date.

http://collegelifestyles.org/2010/06/cl’s-guide-to-making-the-most-of-your-summer-concert-experience/

Top 3 College Life Workouts

Whether you are living at home, in a dorm, or an apartment, these workouts can be done just about anywhere and are my absolute favorites. Check out your local library and see if they have these DVD’s and give them a try, or they can be purchased online.

Turbo Jam- This workout combines kickboxing and dancing. The infomercial may be cheesy, but the workout really does make you drip sweat. It makes you feel sore muscles the next day that you never knew you had. If you do try out these DVD’s, make sure you do the section titled “Learn and Burn,” as the instructor goes over technique and breaks down her “Elite 11” moves. My favorite section, “20 minute workout” uses the “Elite 11” and puts it into a fun, aerobic workout. If you are looking for a great ab work out, then “Ab Jam” is right for you. The best thing about this work out is that 10 minutes of it are standing abs and the other 10 minutes are on the floor. I LOVE the standing part, it really works the love handles! There are two other workouts in the collection, “Cardio Party” and “Turbo Sculpt.” “Cardio Party” is a 45 minute long cardio work out, which is just an extended version of the “20 minute workout”. I wore a heart rate monitor and burned an estimated 575 calories in this workout. “Turbo Sculpt” is a 40 minute weight lifting and toning segment and really reaches all your muscles.

Get Ripped! With Jari Love- Lifting light weights, 3 times a week can really reshape your body. In addition, muscle requires more calorie burn to work, so the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn when you are not working out! With this DVD, you do not bulk up, but gain strength and definition in all parts of your body. Each chapter works on a different body part. If you do the DVD in its entirety, it ends up being about 45 minutes long. Short on time? I suggest doing upper body and lower on alternating days so it only takes about 20 minutes a day.

Couch-Potato to 5-K- I have never been a runner, but I would like to be. This program breaks down training for a 5-K in 8 weeks. In a sorority? Plan a 5-K for a philanthropy event 8-10 weeks from now and get all your sisters to follow the program. Not only is it a great way to get healthy, but it promotes sisterhood as well. For more information go to the Couch Potato to 5-K schedule.

Need to implement healthy snacking ideas to your workout life? Check out Hillary’s post!

Katy is an intern for CollegeLifestyles ™. She will be attending Benedictine University in the fall and will try to stay on top of her workout schedule made on iCal.

CL’s Guide to a True Healthy Salad Bar Experience

While standing in a salad bar line and one of my favorite restaurants, I overheard quite the conversation.

Person 1: Yeah, so today is the first day of my diet, I am so glad there is a salad bar.

Person 2: Me too. I love how everything here is so healthy so I don’t need to figure out what I should or shouldn’t eat. (Placing gigantic spoonfuls of shredded cheese on top of iceberg lettuce)

Person 1: I know. Yay for salads and diets! (I am not kidding here people, this happened. Oh and by the way this person said this statement as she covered her salad with ranch dressing to the point that the greens could not be seen)

This conversation just makes me a little sad inside because I suppose I just assume that people should know by now that just because you can put it on a salad does not mean it is healthy for you. Of course, everything in moderation. (I love me some cheese) Next time you hit up a salad bar, follow these tips to get the best for your body.

Get your greens: The darker the greens, the more nutrients they have. Not ready to give up the iceberg? Bump up to romaine lettuce and you will increase your fiber intake to 13 grams per serving!

Vary the veggies: Try and add at least three color variations to the top of your salad. Make it pretty. My favorite: carrots, radishes, cucumber.

Pump up the protein: Add turkey, grilled chicken, or ham. Remember, one serving is about the size of a deck of cards! Vegetarian? Add beans: black, garbanzo, kidney.

Clear condiments: If you can see through the dressing, then it is probably a better choice than anything creamy. If you do want ranch, Caesar, or thousand island, put it on the side, dip your fork into the dressing and then stab at your vegetation. You will still get the taste with fewer calories.

Pair a great salad with one of Samantha’s refreshing drinks to keep it light and tasty this summer!

Katy is an intern for CollegeLifestyles. She is spending her summer celebrating the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup victory!

Savvy Fitness Challenge #2: Get Some Shut Eye

For my last savvy fitness challenge, I suggested you get outside for your workouts.  So this week’s challenge may come as a surprise…

CHALLENGE:

Sleep More

I know, you’ve heard it a thousand times from your parents but sleep really is important.  Over the course of the semester you’ve probably accumulated quite a sleep debt balancing schoolwork and a social life.  Now, many of you may be headed into internships or jobs that don’t allow for flexibility in your sleep schedule.  Though you can never exactly “recover” or “pay back” the hours lost it’s still important to let your body recover from the strains of the semester.

Without sleep your body simply stops functioning properly—brain and immune function diminish, as does athletic performance.  When sleep deprived, the body reacts more slowly and the rate of recovery after exercise decreases.  Additionally, the body produces increased levels of the stress hormone.  It also decreases production of the hormone that makes you feel full so you’re more likely to overeat.  In short, sleep is essential to your health.

When you feel rested you can push yourself harder during workouts or even simply have the energy to workout at all.  So this week turn the alarm off, close the door, and turn out the lights—it’s time to get some shuteye.

Here are a few pointers to get a restful night and improve your health…

1. shoot for 7-9 hours every night

2. try to go to bed at the same time every night or at least have a routine before bed

3. if you have trouble sleeping, avoid reading or doing homework or watching tv in bed

4. limit caffeine intake late in the day

5. remember that sleep is as important to your health as eating well and exercising—make it a priority!

I love to drink honey vanilla chamomile tea to help relax me after a long day.  It always helps me get to sleep.  Or try creating your own spa at home to relax before bed! What do you do to sleep better?

Emily Hacker is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Nutrition at the University of Southern California.  She also loves a good midday nap every once in awhile!!

House Rules-Is moving into the sorority house the right choice? Part 1

During collge I have lived in just about every housing option. I spent a year and a half in the dorm, a year and a half in the sorority house, and am now in an off campus apartment. Of all of my housing choices living in the sorority house would have to be my favorite. However, before making the choice to move in with your sisters you have to consider a few things.

Here are a few things to consider before you sign up. Living in a sorority house is great, but it isn’t for everyone.

1. Do you like personal space? Are you annoyed when people use your things? In a sorority house borrowing is the norm. While sometimes people ask it doesn’t always happen. If you are not comfortable with your shampoo disappearing at an unreasonable rate or seeing your shirt on someone else walking to class then this may not be the best housing choice for you. One thing to consider is that this goes both ways. When I lived in the sorority house I practically had 23 closets. The problem of nothing to wear didn’t exist!

Don’t forget that recruitment usually happens in the sorority house too. This is my pledge class  getting ready for a “Getting to Know You” party at the house.

2. Do you need quiet time? With 23 or even more girls living under one roof, there is lots of laughter, loud music, and talking. During my time in the house I discovered the quietest time of the day was between noon and 2:00pm because everyone was in class. Aside from that there was something going on the other 20 hours a day. While dorms can be loud, sorority houses take it to a whole new level since there is so much common space. The benefit to this is that you can be part of the noise and not feel bad. Also, as long as you are willing to let yourself adjust you will soon become immune to all of the commotion.

3. How good is your time management? Are you organized? When living in the dorm you have to make an effort to find something to do. In a sorority house your friends and social activities are right there, maybe even in your room. If you are easily distracted or constantly stressed about getting school work done, this may not be the place for you.  I loved having 1,000 happening at once when I lived at the house. In fact, I find myself hanging out there now. To make it work you just have to prioritize and possibly find a place on campus to do your school work.

A few members of my pledge class gathering in our living room before a mixer.

I LOVED living the the sorority house! I would reccomend it to almost anyone. Just be sure you know what you are getting into before you commit. All houses are different so talk to your sisters.

SaraP is an intern at CollegeLifestyles that sometimes wishes she still lived in a house with 23 of her best friends.

Staying classy & competitive

I have always believed that competition keeps chapters strong. There is just something about working together to achieve a goal that brings the whole chapter together. However, a little competition can often result in complete madness within a chapter. I have seen it happen more than once, where the competitive edge is too much.

If you chapter is struggling to maintain an image here are a few tips to make you stand out in the competition without going too far.

1. Get the chapter to dress alike. When your chapter is attending an event, whether it’s a pageant or a “Greek Sing,” have all members wear the same shirt. I recommend ordering a shirt for the entire chapter at some point during the year. There is an intimidation factor behind everyone looking alike, at least your chapter will believe there is which is good for morale. This also will keep any members form dressing inappropriately for an event.

A sorority sister and I in our matching “Green Army” shirts.

2. You cheer for everyone. It is plain and simple, make it an expectation of your chapter to applaud and cheer for anyone competing. This will keep members busy so they can’t speak negatively of another organization, as well as, making your chapter look exceptionally gracious. You should by all means cheer louder for your organization, but under no circumstance should you not be “nice” to the others competing.

3. Have an official poster making committee. By having one person responsible for the creation of spirit materials you can ensure that they will be appropriate. It will also make sure no one gets left out. Nothing looks worse than a chapter having two women in a pagent and one member gets more support than the other. It is just bad PR.

4. Participate in everyone’s events. On many campuses every organization host a philanthropy event. This is one case where being picky and choosey will not help you out in the end. Even if you don’t approve of or like the activity, at least donate to the cause. In order to have participants in your event you must participate in other events. If budgets are tight donate what you can to the cause. If that is too much, at least have members attend the event to show support.

Good luck this semester and remember to keep it classy even when you are competing.

SaraP is a Kappa Delta and an intern at CollgeLifestyles TM.

How Do I Eat That? Series: Tofu

Due to a comment on the first edition of this series about greek yogurt, I decided to address Stephanie’s request about cooking tofu. Tofu is a vegetarian love and everyone else’s demise. If not cooked properly, tofu can be really chewy, spongy, and just an overall unpleasant texture. If you are feeling a little adventurous, try this recipe and I swear you will change your mind about tofu.

Tofu Parmesan

Ingredients:

14 ounce Extra-firm tofu block

1 cup Bread Crumbs

½ cup Parmesan Cheese

Pinch of Oregano

2 Eggs

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 Jar Tomato Sauce

½ up to 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Slice tofu into quarter inch thick slices.

Place between paper towels and pat dry (this is an extremely important step, if you do not do this, the tofu will be that texture we do not want)

Add olive oil to a pan and allow to heat to medium

Dip tofu into egg

Mix together bread crumbs, a few shakes of parmesan cheese, and pinch of oregano.

Dip egg-coated tofu into bread crumb mixture.

Place tofu into pan with the heated olive oil to brown

Turn over and allow the other side to brown

Pour a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of an 8 X 8 pan

Add your tofu pieces

Add more tomato sauce

Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese as desired.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese and sauce are bubbling.

Enjoy! I dare you!

Do you have a favorite tofu brand?

What do you do with tofu?

Katy is an intern at CollegeLifestyles ™. She is a senior at Illinois State University. She knows what bad tofu tastes like.

How Do I Eat That? Series: Greek Yogurt

Do you hear about foods or ingredients that are good for you, but not quite sure how to go about using them? I have decided to broaden my food horizon to provide you with the 4-1-1 on these “foreign” products. This week I bought Greek yogurt. Why? Because it seems to be a new craze and I wanted to know what the buzz was about. I did some research and found out that one cup provides 20 grams of protein. All you vegetarians (and meat eaters  ) out there take note! I now tried the brands, Oikos and Chobani in original and vanilla. Vanilla Oikos is my favorite so far. Now, I did not know what I was supposed to do with this stuff because I think it may be too tart to consume on its own. I have been adding it into my daily diet and I can honestly say that I have been missing out! Here are two of my favorite ways to eat Greek yogurt:

Pear Snack

Sliced pear, vanilla Greek Yogurt, sprinkle of splenda, sprinkle of cinnamon, tablespoon of almonds

Peanut Butter Mousse Dip

¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1-2 teaspoons of peanut butter. For dipping: sliced apples and bananas

Have you tried Greek yogurt? How do you use it?

Katy is an intern for CollegeLifestyles ™. She is a student at Illinois State University. She is excited to research new foods to incorporate into her new healthy life.

Spring is Here! Workout Outside!

With the weather finally changing to spring, it is time to quit being a couch potato. Winter months bring bodies to a sluggish stand still. What is better than getting outside and taking in the fresh air? It is time to get moving! You will feel more energized, rejuvenated, and relaxed if you take even 10 minutes of each day to soak up some sun. Tired of working out in a stuffy gym? Getting ready to bring out that sassy bathing suit for summer? Bring your workout outdoors for a change of pace, it may provide you with a new motivation!

Go for a walk/jog/run – Find a trail, track, or sidewalk and go for it! Make sure you have proper gym shoes!

Average calorie burn per 30 minutes: 150

Rollerblade – This is my favorite. I have the best toned legs from a summer of rollerblading to and from work and around my neighborhood. No squats or lunges necessary!

Average calorie burn per 30 minutes: 400

Bike Ride – Riding through forest preserve trails is great. There is a lot to look at and is extremely calming.

Average calorie burn per 30 minutes: 200

Basketball – Shooting hoops, playing HORSE, or a game on 2 on 2. Great for hand eye coordination and cardio (for me, chasing the ball in the street because I can never make a basket or get a rebound)

Average calorie burn per 30 minutes: 250

Tennis – Running after a tennis ball in short sprints is a great cardio workout!

Average calorie burn per 30 minutes: 300

Remember: When going outside make sure you wear your sunscreen, even on a cloudy day! Make it a point to put on moisturizer with SPF on your face to protect your skin!

How do you like to stay active outside?

Katy is an intern for CollegeLifestyles (TM). Sunshine makes her smile.

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