Moved the Blog!!

HEY ALL!

I've moved this blog over to Life, Unedited! Check it out and let me know what you think!

Check out my post on globalshift.org about green cleaning products- you'd be surprised how dirty cleaning products really are! http://ping.fm/HCu3S

need some ideas for entertaining in small spaces this holiday? check out these from TOH http://tinyurl.com/yl8ujdm

Ultimate Upgrades for the Guest Bath...for under $50...http://ping.fm/nZiLZ

Want to host a party but can't fit everyone in your apartment? Check out these small space tips from This Old House http://ping.fm/cYXVf

Want a cheap, and inventive, gift? Check out $1 homes for the holidays, that's right $1 http://ping.fm/lAPKV

Black Friday- My 2nd Favorite Holiday

Christmas Time. The Rockefeller Center tree, Radio City's Rocketts, Starbucks in while Ice Skating in the Park, and of course SALES SALES SALES. I have to say the best part of Christmas is the sales--particularly in an economy such as this!!

According to CNN Money there will be 57 million people "definitely" going shopping on Black Friday---and I plan to be in the middle of it all!! Am I crazy? I don't think so, but perhaps it will be even crazier than I can imagine.

Barefoot Student

Hello All!

Happy Monday!!

Just a quick post to let you know about this new college student job site- Barefootstudent.com- you can change your location, post a resume and find an internship, part-time, full-time, gig, and one time job opportunities. It's great! Try it today!!

xoxo Giornalista ;)

Gingerbread Contest!!

Home Improvement and Remodeling: This Old House

It's that time of year again-- Gingerbread House making time!! So So SO excited for christmas this year and I think you should be too!! Check out these awesome gingerbread houses created by everyday people like you, get inspired, make one and submit it to This Old House's contest- you could win a $200 Home Depot gift card...think of all the new years improvements you could make to your home with that!

Andddd if you don't win first place you could win a DREMEL!! They make gingerbread houses especially fantastic!

Save Time, Money—and Your Sanity | Smart Storage for Once-a-Year Entertaining | Photos | Storage | Living Spaces | This Old House

Save Time, Money—and Your Sanity | Smart Storage for Once-a-Year Entertaining | Photos | Storage | Living Spaces | This Old House

Need some interesting ways to save space this holiday season? Check out these solutions from TOH!!

Classes: Are they worth it?

As I sit here in my 8 am Sociology class listening to a male chauvinistic pig I ponder whether or not it's really all worth it.

Okay, perhaps he's not really a chauvinist, perhaps he is actually a nice man, but in his class lectures he often seems to be quite chauvinistic. He talks down to women, (myself included) doesn't respect our opinions and mainly just likes to hear himself talk.

This brings me to wonder whether or not these classes are actually worth it-- if I am going to be forced to listen to someone talk simply for the sake of hearing himself speak-- is it learning? Am I gaining anything? The answer in my mind-- NO NO NO!

I feel that certain classes have helped me; certain professors have educated me-- and as a Senior I can now see what has helped and what has not. Many things in my very high priced college career have not.

I'm tired, hungry, drinking burnt coffee and basically just want to have this man stop talking...Is it Thanksgiving yet?

Home Improvement and Remodeling: This Old House

Home Improvement and Remodeling: This Old House

Submit a pumpkin to This Old House's pumpkin carving contest!! Today is the LAST DAY to submit!! And, don't forget to vote for your favorites!!

Would You Live in Any of These? | World's Wildest Houses III | Photos | Home & Real Estate | This Old House

Would You Live in Any of These? | World's Wildest Houses III | Photos | Home & Real Estate | This Old House

Check out this awesome gallery from TOH!!

Haunted House Tours from This Old House!!

You are Cordially Invited… | Historical Halloween House Tours | Photos | Remodels | This Old House


Looking for a Haunted Tour this October? Check out one of these awesome Haunted Houses from This Old House!

SAVE THE ANIMALS!!

I believe that the most helpless creatures are animals, children and the elderly. Watching GMA this morning I was able to learn about a new organization called Rescue Ink that saves any and all abused and neglected animals. I donated via their Web site-- and think everyone should too!! It's a great cause- they don't simply take the animal away, they visit the abuser and "educate" him, as they said on GMA, so that the abuse stops.

PLEASE donate to this noble cause. AND try fostering/rescuing a pet of your own-- I've rescued my baby- Dee Dee- and couldn't be happier!!

Didn't we almost have it all?

My parents have been divorced my whole life-- well not my WHOLE life, but it sure seems like it. And as I approach the age of "pairing up" (colloquially known as Wedding Season)I can't help but wonder if I will ultimately be divorced and therefore questioning the whole pairing up process in general.

Is it worth it to fall so deeply in love with someone; to give so much of yourself and then to ultimately lose it all...in an instant? I've been in love, it is the best drug, the best makeup and the best weight maintenance system-- your whole body hums with the knowledge that you are someone's cherished "significant other" (even if you aren't cherished completely--which is a WHOLE other blog post) and you simply can't help but shine. And yet when you lose this, and sometimes you have to lose it because of outside factors, but most of the time you lose it because it (the relationship) wasn't right for YOU; when you lose this, you are lost amid a sea of hand-holders, paired people...people you don't seem to fit in with anymore.

I have been unpaired for quite some time, and I love the single life, but boy let me tell you...I miss the privilege of being part of something; taking care of someone...and I want someone to take care of me! It's nice to have someone cook for you (not that my ex ever did this, but in theory it sounds nice).

So basically I think what I'm trying to say is where is my knight in shining armor; where is the man that will make all the doubt, worry and fear of pain go away? Where is the man that will make me realize love does work, and isn't just a part of sappy love ballads by the diva Houston (and I mean diva is a good way)? Where is my Big? Where's my lobster? Am I destined to be single forever? I certainly hope not, because that's a waste of a good cook ;)

Perhaps it's like Carrie says in the movie- vow to love me, each and every day. That is all I want. A partner, a lover, a man to make me better, and man that makes me blissfully happy- and he has to be out there...right?

Vampire Diaries Review!!

University Chic

My first self-published post to UniversityChic.com!!

Read it! I love the new series-- even if it is slightly too similar for my taste ;)

Life...in general

As I grow up I realize more and more things are getting harder to obtain.

I graduate in 9 months...9 months-- the amount of time to create a new life, the amount of time to save for a pair of Manolos, the amount of time...in which I graduate to be a bit redundant =) but again it is a long period of time and yet it is quite a short period of time.

I'm nervous, afraid and yet so unbelievably excited.

I need my own apartment-- and I need a job-- any ideas are always greatly appreciated =)

Does Size Really Matter?

I work in a women's clothing store. We have a wide range of sizes- from 0-14- and I generally fit in the "average range" of that. Which is good, bad and ugly at times. But, little by little I'm learning that in terms of relationships and sexual attractions (basically in the view of MEN) doesn't make a difference.

As one of my good friends recently said "it's not like they ask to see your pant size before you take the pants off--they are simply happy you are taking them off."

This is so true!! And so evident in my job at the store. The other day a man came in and said I need an outfit for my wife. And i said okay, what's her size? His response? "Umm like you?" I, as many women I am sure, tend to fit into at least two sizes and depending on which one it is I leave the store elated or in a dismal mood after which I often skip dinner and add on a workout. But this man, who I'm assuming sleeps with his wife at least once in a while, had absolutely no idea which size she was, and which size put her in the dismal and/or pure euphoria!?! So from this I have decided several things--

--Men don't care (or know) about sizes

--Women obsess about sizes more than life itself

And my conclusion?

Be happy the way you are!! Because apparently men really do notice our personalities, smiles and eyes...and oh yea our boobs...but other than that-- they don't really seem to differentiate, or at least not on such a minute level. Which is GOOOD news for women ;)

So enjoy that cheeseburger once in a while, take a day off from the gym, and enjoy being you!! Because there is someone out there for you...it's finding them that's often the hard part!

Facebook Domination...

Facebook. It is a noun- to describe the Web site-a verb-to describe the action of "adding someone as your friend"-- and a way of life for thousands of College students, professionals and individuals around America and ultimately the world. Is it taking over?

According to Virginia Heffernan in Sunday's NYT Magazine it is. According to me, a 21 year old journalist-- it is not.

Why do I say this you may ask? I say this because as someone who lives, breaths and makes money via online journalism, I can tell you that Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg, and every other Web site devoted to social networking is essential to my career. For example, after I complete this post, I will "shrink" the URL, via a widget Digg has recently installed (thereby sharing it with that community) and then I will simultaneously post it to my Facebook and Twitter via either my iPhone applications and/or my desktop widget--Tweetdeck via Adobe Air. This, in the past month has increased my views from approximately 1-2 per day to 9-10 per day. Now these numbers are quite small, but I am writing on a small scale-- if I were a corporation, magazine, newspaper etc (or working for one as I previously did last year and this summer) it would be dramatic.

Facebook allows the generation of "gotta have it yesterday" to communicate with one another, attend events, share news, pictures and ideas and ultimately create a place where they feel save enough to be "them." However, this broad statement allows for a great variety of contradictions on the subject. Some facebook profiles are misleading; some users do indeed use it to stalk ex-boyfriends, girlfriends and "frenemies"; and still others do sometimes go to the extreme and create Facebook pages as a means to a ghastly end. These are, in my opinion, the exceptions to the rule. Facebook, as I said earlier, has become a verb, an action that we use in everyday life. These Web-isms, as I like to call them, allow us to create, share and develop a greater knowledge of the world around us through the confines of the World Wide Web.

From January 2008-May 2008 I lived in Rome, Italy. I learned to speak Italian and I learned to truly be Italian as opposed to simply being "New York Italian." Europeans have a great respect for culture, diversity and their way of life. Americans have a respect for these things as well, however, we constantly aim to improve, to change. It is the very core of our nature-- we are a nation of change; we are the FIRST nation of change and as such our people (our culture if you will) is devoted to being better, stronger, faster and just...more of everything. This is something that often encourages us to "go overboard." Facebook is used in Europe, but it is not as widely used. Cell phones are used in Europe, but again Europeans take a break every once in a while and learn to "smell the roses."

I believe that if, indeed you feel that Facebook is taking over your life, take a hint from our brothers and sisters "across the pond" and simply take a break. Spend time outside, with friends in real time...and to be quite frank, it's perfectly acceptable to use facebook to set up such an event =)

In the land of the Bobcats...

As I drove up the “one road in, one road out” entrance to QU on this first day of my last year of college, my mind was filled with memories. I remembered the first time I saw this exquisite campus; I remembered the first time I fell in love here; I remembered the hundreds of tears shed, hours spent in the library and of course the classes I’ve taken. But most of all I realized something essential today—this is and will forever be my second home. Quinnipiac University, the land of the bobcats, is where I learned to be me—an independent, 20-something who refuses to let ANYTHING stop her, and for that I will forever be in her debt.

I also noted, and not for the first time, the date below the green sign at the corner of Mount Carmel Ave and New Road. It reads “Quinnipiac University founded 1929.” 1929—a year that brings to mind many things. Firstly, I remembered that 1929 was the year of black Tuesday and the “greatest” stock market crash in history. I also remembered that 1929 was the end of an era of frivolity and prosperity. And finally I remembered that 1929 marked the 10 **check fact** year anniversary of a woman’s right to vote. Despite the fact that women did not walk these hallowed halls and well groomed lawns until at least thirty years later **check fact** I still feel that it is significant that this University opened in that year. Quinnipiac, formerly known as the TKTKTK, saw potential in a time when many could only think of despair and misfortune, and that gives me hope.

So many things are different here, and yet everything always remains the same. As I sit in the newly upgraded cafeteria, I think about how different it is from four years ago, and yet the same friendly (and sometimes unfriendly) cashiers ring us out; Java John, although no longer serving Java, is still serving up corny jokes and catchy phrases with every meal; Freshman still have that “deer in the headlights look” on their first day and ultimately students will continue to walk these halls long after I am married and ultimately send my children, and hopefully grandchildren, off to college. Everything changes and yet everything is the same. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

So in this year of change, I write to embrace and share my feelings and to gain more experience because as someone once said—in not as many words—life as a journey is constantly a learning experience. So learn, embrace and change—it isn’t as scary as it seems.

An End of an Era...

Think back to December 1999—where were you? If you’re a Senior in College like me, you were 11. Can you remember what mattered most? Try to re-connect with your younger self for the purpose of this article as I have been thinking a lot about that person—the person I was—and realized that this year is an end of everything that was, and yet it is the beginning of everything to come. Sound confusing? Read on…

Micheal Jackson died this year, so did Farrah Fawcett, Ted Kennedy and Walter Cronkite. And honestly, that’s only a small number of names of people—famous, infamous, and unknown—who will not see the ball drop as the first decade of Y2K ends this December. They all impacted our world in a different way. Michael Jackson made us love each other and realize that “it doesn’t matter if you are black or white.” Farrah Fawcett influenced years of hair styles and created one of the first images of “strong women.” Ted Kennedy, brother to John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, passed away; thereby ending a political dynasty. These massive generational shifts happen every so often; as one generation’s norm is taken over by the next’s.

Ten years ago I had a cell phone, but only for emergencies. Now I have an iPhone and without it I am lost. Ten years ago I used AOL and needed to find a dial up connection in order to get online. Now I simply turn my computer and have access to the World. Ten years ago the U.S. Dollar was worth more then it’s weight in gold, today we are lucky if is even worth the paper it is printed on. These changes all contribute to who you are, to who I am and to who, ultimately, we will all become.

What will the next ten years bring? Who will the next King of Pop be? Who will be the inspirational leaders; the movers and shakers of the new Millennium.

Here’s a hint- it could be your best friend, the guy who falls asleep in Math class, or maybe even you. It’s really all in your hands—so be ambitious, be courageous and most of all be proud of who you are and proud of what made you who you are; tragedy, happiness, relationships- they are all merely “rest stops” on the road of life so enjoy every minute of it and take a break every once and a while, believe they are worth it.

NYC Passes a "No Texting" while driving law...

Last week, New York City passed a law against text messaging while you are operating a vehicle. Okay that's great. I get it, honestly I do, however, as a 20-something (the most well known culprits of this disastrous habit) I feel that it should be COMMON SENSE not to drive while looking down at a (at it's biggest) 9 in screen and typing messages to other people!!

Utah, according to the New York Times, also passed the law. The Times also cited that the US Senate is trying to pass national legislation on the subject.

What do you think? I think it's rather ridiculous that we need to waste time passing these laws-- they are excellent laws to be passing as it is a dangerous situation, however, it should be self explanatory!!

I get it, I really do. I generally make most of my phone calls in my car, but I have a head set and I'm talking-- not texting, tweeting or writing an email!!

Come on America, stop the communication for the 10 minutes it takes to get from point a- point b, or at least do it at the lights...

Back to School...

Finally getting back into the groove of things and I've realized some things about myself.

1. I love my apartment and going out with my friends.

2. I hate HATE HATE laundry!

3. I don't really like doing dishes either

4. The gym is the only thing that keeps me sane

5. I'm addicted to shoes- and definitely have a lot of amazing ones that I forgot about...

6. I am totally stressing this year and need to do something to "zen" myself out

7. I wish there were more hours in the day....

And I plan to elaborate these topics in the days, weeks, wee hours of the morning to come =)

University Chic

My first post went up yesterday and I'm super excited!! It's all about the best tech tools for purchasing your textbooks this year. Check it out here.

Undead and Unwed

An awesome new Vampire series that I've recently started. The books are awesome- the writing is unique and the main character- a 20 something shoe loving chic girl named Betsy- says all the things I always want to say out loud but never do!

It's a great way to continue my current fetish- while waiting for every Sunday to come so I can watch True Blood. Hmmm wonder what I'll do when HBO finishes season 2- perhaps storm their offices and demand more, or maybe just be content with good old grey's...

Green Drinks!

When: Tues., Aug. 11th, 6-10pm
Where: Hudson Terrace
Cost: $15 in advance, $20 at door
Bonus: Enjoy a complimentary organic cocktail and 2-for-1 drinks from 6-8pm. Bid on a custom, single speed bike from Brooklyn Bike and Board in a silent auction.

Abby Phon, star and executive producer of the TV pilot, LIFE WITHOUT GREEN will be speaking about the show!

Through monthly networking events, Green Drinks NYC has united the environmental community in NYC since 2002. With a reach of over 542 chapters world wide, Green Drinks is a force for the good spreading around the world. Your contribution and attendance keep us and our non-profit partner organizations thriving.

Huge Lips and Skinny Hips by PURPLELABNYC

Happy Monday!!

I'm so excited for two reasons- 1) THIS IS THE LAST WEEK OF MY INTERNSHIP!!! and that means I get to go to CT soon and start my Senior year, and also because 2) I just got my Huge Lips and Skinny Hips lip gloss (in worship kate) and it's awesome!!

This brand new lipgloss from Purple Lab NYC contains HOODIA and therefore is supposed to control your cravings for food while you are wearing it. I started wearing it as of Saturday and I have to say, as a lip gloss it's pretty amazing. It really has a beautiful color, smells (and tastes!- because you know you ALWAYS taste at least a little bit of your lip gloss by accident) nice, and stays on for quite some time (it survived my iced starbucks double shot!!). The hoodia actually works as well. While I wasn't completely full the entire day(because I love food and I was at a BBQ on Saturday), I did notice that I only ate when I was hungry, instead of simply eating to eat.

Try it- even if the hoodia additive doesn't work for you, you'll have a gorgeous new lip gloss to start the semester off with, and who doesn't like that!

Huge Lips Skinny Hips

Ever wish you could just not be hungry? Well, the answer may lie in your beauty bag!! Opening my daily email from Skinny and the City this morning I was astonished to find that Purple Lab NYC has created a lip gloss that might actually accomplish this lofty goal!!

Huge Lips Skinny Hips (in Worship Kate, my current choice) is a lip gloss that contains hoodia and therefore limits your cravings. I ordered mine this morning and will definitely let you know if it works...

Follow @purplelabnyc, @skinnyandthecity, and @giornalista515 for more info!

University Chic.com

Finally back!! Paris was DIVINE, but unfortunately I got the Flu (not Swine or at least that's what the DR said) on the way back, so I was out of commission for a little longer then I'd hoped.

Anyway, I'm back at work and can't believe I only have until next Friday here! My internship for the summer was interesting and I'm sad to go, but I couldn't be more excited for Senior year to start. It's definitely going to be a good year- I can feel it!

I just checked out this awesome new Web site- UniversityChic- and it's so cool! It's a community, similar to Facebook/Ning and all the others that are popping up around the Web, but this one also lets you blog and read other college students' blogs. It's cool. Check it out.

I'm also reading the Southern Vamp Series books by Charlaine Harris- they are what the HBO show True Blood is based on- Both are amazing! I've read through 5 already and only started reading on Sunday.

OH and I'm totally obsessed with the new song by Boys Like Girls- Love Drunk- the best line is from the chorus- I used to be love drunk and now I'm hungover- how awesome is that (and how true!).

More later...

Paris here I come!!

Okay faithful readers,

I am about to go on vacation--and couldn't be happier!! I will be back (and blogging!) July 21.

xoxo

July 4th Weekend!!

YAYA!! Finally some time off from work! I cannot believe how quickly the summer of 09 is passing though! Next weekend and the weekend after that I'll be in France, then it's the last weekend in July and then it's my friends pool party the first weekend of August and then two more weekends in August and I'm done with work and then back to school!!

So basically (since that was highly confusing!) there are 8 weekends left of Summer 2009. I've had a pretty good summer so far- I've gotten into a great workout routine (5 times a week!), am in the process of ridding myself of all my "clutter," and have begun focusing on THE FUTURE (insert corny theme music here).

Last year this time I was still reveling in the fact that I had just survived 6 months in Europe and that I was going to be starting my Junior Year of college. Now, a year later I am completely different; independent, happy in my situation, more fit (always a plus!), and comfortably established in my connecticut apartment. A year from now I hopefully see myself in a job I enjoy, living in a beautiful studio in Manhattan and on my way to...something great!

It's amazing how time flies; I cannot believe it. Anyway I'm off to the Harbor this week for a little reliving of Summer 08 =) More Monday

Top Less Meetings?

According to a NYT article from June 21, 2009 companies have begun to issue the edict that all meetings be "top less," which means that they be without laptops, PDAs (regardless of what camp you are a part of), and other electronic devices that often distract the users from the actual task at hand- doing work.

What do you think of this out there in the World Wide Web? As an avid user (and sometimes mis-user) of my iPhone (3G s BABY!), I often find it hard to turn away when I feel that vibration, which often signals a new tweet, AIM message, text, email or --I shudder to think--phone call!! It used to be even more of a problem when I had a Blackberry- I absolutely could not let it blink red for more then a second.

Is this going to be the "norm" when I enter the working world? Will people, as the article says, place their devices on the table at a meeting in an attempt to arm themselves against boredum? I think, if this is true, giving a presentation must be quite difficult. I also think it's quite difficult to stay focused- I mean from personal experience I know my mind is generally on what's going on inside that tiny world on my phone, and really I do my best work when it's off or in another room of my house, or on silent in my bag as I sit typing this at my cubicle.

Think about it and try to limit the amount of times you check your phone today, tomorrow or maybe even for those of you brave enough, for the next month. I mean there was a time when emails went (gasp!) unanswered for hours at a time; but then again that was back in the old days when AOL used dial up and google was something I learned about in English class.

Shop It To Me!!

Hey all!!

Check out this awesome new Web Site- SHOP IT TO ME- it organizes all the sales for you and emails them to you every morning. Sales are organized by SIZE and style!! How awesome is that!!

"Do I look like a Sharon? What am I, a tacky blond who cracks her gum from Staten Island?"

Okay so that may not be the complete and true quote, but some variation of it was on Seinfeld last night on TBS. I love the re-runs of my old shows!! NickAtNight does a great job too, especially since they've added The Nanny!


Anyway, reading an article in the NYT today about the situation in Times Square reminded me of that quote from Elaine about something crazy Jerry said on the show.


NY is a cultured, glamorous city; not some stoop in one of the suburbs. I don't really like this lawn chair situation that's going on down the block (I work on 50th between 6th and 7th believe me, it's right down the block). Yea there's traffic in Times Square-- that's what makes it Times Square!! Hell, that's what makes it NYC! If you can't handle the traffic then you really weren't well prepared for a trip here, were you now?


Anyway, leave comments about your thoughts on the shoprite special lawn chairs, and gawking tourists.

Turf War?

According to the NYTIMES there's a turf war raging on the streets of New York City and it involves a food fight.

That's right- vendors of cupcakes, thai food, and all around sweet treats have been duking it out with the good old new york staple- hot dog vendors.

Anyone whose every been on a NYC street knows that the hardest part of navigating the city is carefully manuevering between the pedestrians, cabs and food vendors. Block after block is often covered- from corner to corner- with a wide variety of delicious smelling treats. I've had the halal carts, and the pretzel/knish carts, as well as the heated chestnuts at christmas time, and honestly I've never been sick.

This new wave of vendors,however, brings the couture food directly to you. Cupcakes are so in right now!! And the availability and accessibility of a cupcake truck is so awesome! It's exactly what the city that wants everything done yesterday needs.

How to balance these turf wars? Read the article, it might make sense it might not. As long as your not a vendor, does it really matter whose on what corner? No, it doesnt- just get out there and enjoy all the street treats this city has to offer!

Sales Sales Sales!!

On the subway this morning I decided to pick up a copy of AMNY and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that both Macys and Banana Republic will be having sales this weekend.

Fourth of July is always a big sale weekend, but I think this year it will definitely be more so!!

YAY for shoppers!!

Get a copy of AMNY today and you'll get a free 15% off Macy's coupon.

Also check out clothingline today for a Tocca sample sale- they have great smelling candles and body washes and perfumes-- my favorite is Stella.

Fall Internships...

I'm not sure how many people read this blog, but if you just happened to click over to it today (as I've been self-promoting a little more on facebook and twitter) here's the deal-

I'm a 21 year old female living and working in NYC at a magazine, and am currently entering my senior year of college. I have an apartment in Hamden, Connecticut and also have an adorable french bulldog named Dee Dee. She's definitely on this blog somewhere!! I love her to death!! I currently live in my mother's house, but am on the verge (hopefully after graduation) of buying my very own 400 sq. ft of heaven right here in the heart of the world in NYC.

I use this blog for a variety of things- it's a sounding board for my "issues" with current events and other things in my life, as well as a host for my class projects (although I dont think I'll be using it for school anymore...)

I am a student journalist who, after three internships in the magazine industry, has decided that new media or digital media publishing is the way I want to go. The World Wide Web is fascinating platform and allows so many different possibilities!!

I entitled this post Fall Internships because I am currently looking for fall paid internships in New York City or Connecticut. I am available Wed-Fri as of August 24, 2009. If anyone has any information, or would like to see my resume- email me at vreitano at gmail dot com, or leave a comment here, or DM my twitter (@giornalista515).

Thanks!!

-- I'd also love to do some freelance work on the side- again the same contact route applies

Afternoon D Lite...

Oh hush, I know what you're thinking, but that's not what I'm talking about...I'm talking about Tasti D Lite!! It's so yummy and super low in calories, which is a good thing for someone like me!! I've been dieting and exercising a lot lately, not for any particular reason, but mainly because it calms me down-- and me calm is a good thing!!

Anyway thanks to my iPhone, I am able to use an app for this!! It's called LoseIt and can be purchased in the App Store. It's awesome- it has almost all the foods I eat and whatever it doesnt have in the database (that can also be accessed offline), I can create. It also has a wide variety of exercises with their calorie counts andddd you can record your weight, tell it how much you want to lose per week and it determines how many calories you can eat per day in order to accomplish your goal!

It's definitely worth a shot.

It's that time of year...

again, when I have to apply for future internships. I'm trying to get something for the fall, in case what I think I might have doesn't pan out.

I love my job right now, I really do, but I'd hate to not have a job in the fall because I relied too much on one option.

Anyway- here's a new website for ya! Cub Reporters has a great database of internships- so check em out!

Whistling while you work...

Ahh the days when a good whistling tune could keep Americans entertained on the job...those were probably the days, as I wouldn't know since I'm only 21 and pretty much used to always having a computer and the Internet on the job, and as such am really never bored, or inclined to whistle to pass the time.

In addition to all the research I do at my job, I find that it is quite quite in my office. I have my own cubicle now and although I have the iPhone and it's many apps, I don't like to be seen using my phone all day, because that implies I'm not doing work, which is something (especially in this economy) I don't want people to assume.

So what do I do while I work you ask? I listen to PANDORA! This free Internet, interest based radio service is awesome because it allows you to listen to whatever type of song, artist, or really music era you want, without ever having to listen to commericals, songs you don't like, or click through songs. It's kind of like having a shuffle setting on all the music in the world. Set up a free account and they will personalize and save stations for you (I have 7 different stations). And if you do happen to have one of those handy-dandy iPhones, you can download the Pandora app and listen to pandora anywhere you have a service connection (so the subway would definitely be off limits, but walking the streets (or bus-ing it) would definitely enable this "easy" listening!

Another thing I typically do at work is update/read trade information on Twitter. One way to hide the fact that you are "tweeting" while you work, is to use Spreadtweet. It can be downloaded and reviewed here. There are also a bunch of other "apps" for your computer that hide/integrate Twitter into your every day activities/tasks. (Just what you need another excuse to be distracted!)

I also, being one who will soon enter the working world for real, tend to look at job hunting/surviving the real world sites. One of them is ChickSpeak. This awesome Web site is devoted to women my age; women who are surviving college and learning how to become productive members of society. It details everything you need to know!! It showed me how to combine my love of stilettos and my distaste for blisters via Band Aid blister block and this article.

Another adorable site is BizMe, it has a bunch of helpful hints for YP's (young professionals or yuppies as I always spelled it the way it sounds =) ).

And yea, that's it, of course you could also Blog your day away...=)

He/She's Just Not That Into You

Finally got around to seeing this over the weekend and you know what? It's 100% right!! Lately I've begun to realize that no matter how many "signs" there are between two people (whether it involves me or is more a subject of observation from which I am expected to provide inspirational feedback/advice) sometimes they just aren't into one another.

And!! after watching this movie, I learned it doesn't mean either of the parties is ugly, or unworthy other's amorous attentions, it simply means the one they originally aimed their flirtation at didn't get the vibe. And let me tell you the vibe is important.

You know what I'm talking about- that tingling in your toes, the sweaty palms, the "omg I'm gonna throw up if he comes any closer" feeling- the feeling love songs, sonnets and poems have been writing about for ages, the feeling that makes magic happen.

Love, no matter if you've been burned by it, are searching for it, or have already found it, is magical. And I know a bunch of people are groaning as they read this, because somewhere in my head my unpositive self is groaning as well. Love makes wonderful things happen, which is why no matter how many of them you aren't into, there's eventually going to be that one that you are head over heels, throw up on him, INTO- so keep looking because if the movie teaches you anything it's this- once you find yourself, your "love" will be able to as well. =)

FINALLY FOUND OUT WHAT TK STANDS FOR!!

Thanks to a very helpful fellow employee at my job, I am finally able to say I know more mag-jargon then ever!!

Having interned/worked (when you get paid its called working no matter what the actual title is!) in magazines for the past 10 months, I merely made assumptions and spelled things the way my editor did (even if I thought it was a little funky) and hoped I was doing everything right!

Now, however, thanks to my fellow intern and MediaBistro I know!

Check out these wide variety of terms for those mysterious words, letters or combinations thereof on your latest magazine deadline sheet.

Happy Interning!

Sample Sales

This seriously must be the best way to be a Recessionista!

Today I decided to shop a sample sale in NYC- they have them all over the place, but this one was between 7th and 8th on 36th St. It was a small hole in the wall, only noticeable by the long line and infamous Tory Burch logo on the paper (that's right fashion lovers they PRINTED OUT PAPERS) that was tacked to the door. Two burly security guards stood outside the entrance and handed tickets out to those of us waiting in line.

Unfortunately I did this on my lunch break so I only had an hour (during which I purchased a fabulous tote bag reduced to 125 from 395), but man! if i had a whole day!! They had EVERYTHING- dresses, coats, suits, t-shirts, terri cloth pants, shorts etc. AND IN all Sizes!! It went from a 2-12! I couldn't believe it!! Sample sales are definitely the way to go ladies- they are the key to looking fabulous without shedding a lot of cash.

For example at this particular sample sale, which is going on (at 261 W 36th) tomorrow from 11-6:45 and Friday from 10-6:45, blouses were $65, most bags were under 250, shoes ranged in price, and dresses were $95- a steal seeing as these were blanket prices (except for the bags) and everything but bags and shoes could be returned during the duration of the sale!!

I'm going to start posting when these occur- particularly the big time ones; ones that get us Fashionistas turned Recessionistas quite excited!!

Ciao for now!

The Good Old 9-5

I realized something today as I stood in the rain waiting for the SIRR that would take me to the SI-Manhattan Ferry that would ultimately take me to the 1 train to 50th street where I work, that our whole academic careers we work "7-3" which is rather similar to 9-5 and yet college (which is supposed to prepare us for the 9-5) is nothing like that 7-3 schedule at all.

I wonder why this is- and have been wondering since I was on the train this morning. It doesnt make sense to me- to be conditioned for so long and then to switch it up. College is like this huge bubble of time in your life where you are able to be free. Free from parents, free from worrying, free from just about everything you had to deal with in High School and yet I feel like so many of us rush through to get back to that nagging schedule.

I have one year left and let me tell you- I've decided to embrace it because heck there's nothing like a good friday night at college....

Create a cutting garden for Mom

This Mother's Day, create a great bouquet from right outside your front door! 

Help Mom Save Money This Mother's Day!!

With these new innovative solutions from This Old House!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas!

Great new, and affordable gifts for mom!

Basic Re-Training: Finally Coming Home

    When men and women are touched by war, they are changed. They are not the same men and women who come back, they have been forced to live in a society in which one is expected to fight to survive, and kill if necessary.            

            Twenty years ago a group of young men came back to a society, which shamed them into believing that they were baby killers and men not fit to live in our society, according to interviews with Rebecca Abbott, professor of communications and director, producer and videographer of the documentary “No Unwounded Soldiers.”

According to Mary Lou Lauricella, Drama Therapist at the Connecticut Veterans’ Administration Hospital located in West Haven, Conn., “being home is not the same as being back.” “Often these men and women are frozen in time; frozen in the traumatic experience. They come back and they don’t trust the government and don’t want to seek help from them. Many of them have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and back in the 70s, we didn’t know what it was. Many Veterans were simply placed in psychiatric wards and given drugs like Valium and told to get over it.”

PTSD, according to the National Center for PTSD “an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening.” It was not added to the Veteran’s Affairs diagnostic manuals nor the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 1980.

Ten years later, the Connecticut Veterans’ Administration Hospital created an in-patient Drama Therapy group to help Veterans retrain themselves and finally return home. Lauricella, although she has not been leading the group all that time, has been working with these Veterans for 14 years. The group is now an outpatient therapy group and is only one of the many ways in which Veterans are assisted in coping with their PTSD. Lauricella works with her Veterans--some of who have been there for as long as 8 years, others only attend two or three sessions--to help them recognize their symptoms and cope with it. She retrains them to live within relationships, within their families and ultimately within civilian society. “Returning Veterans compartmentalize their worlds. They put up cement walls around different parts of their lives. They tend to stray away from relationships because relationships and caring about someone means you run the risk of losing them,” Lauricella said. Her drama program allows these soldiers to talk about their problems, and then act out plays in which they play different roles. “The roles help them to rubberize these walls and step outside them to see these situations from other points of view.”

In 2001, professor of communications, Liam O'Brien of Quinnipiac University, did a production of “Antigone” with his media production students and Abbott assisted with the project. “It was just before Iraq and we interviewed Veterans from a variety of wars on the nature of war and they talked about things I’d never realized you would experience from a war; it made me realize how many untold stories there are,” Abbott said. Three years later, after Iraq and Afghanistan, Abbott connected with Lauricella to discuss the fact that Vietnam Veterans were having recurrent episodes of their PTSD symptoms based on the images of Iraq. “These Veterans had thought that the government had realized that going into a war like Iraq and Vietnam would always cause a high loss of life and really no clear winner. They thought the government had realized not to make that mistake again,” Abbott said. 

Abbott decided to create the documentary, “No Unwounded Soliders," to “help average people get a better understanding about what War is and wanted to help the Veterans [of Vietnam] help the new Veterans [from Iraq and Afghanistan] by telling their stories of how they dealt with PTSD through an original play.” Abbott decided to document the process and plans of this play. She spoke with Veterans from WWII, an army nurse and a Pearl Harbor survivor, Korea, and Vietnam and one Iraq Veteran.

Each Veteran told his own story and each had a different way of coping with and speaking about their PTSD. Lauricella commented on the fact that being drafted may have affected the Veterans of Vietnam in a way that differs from today’s Veterans. “I think a lot of Iraq Veterans are angry also with the system, but in a different way then the Vietnam Veterans,” she said.

Ultimately this documentary shows that by stepping into someone else’s shoes, the Veterans are able to evaluate situations and their lives in general in a way that shows themselves, and returning Vets that it’s okay to be vulnerable; it’s okay to have PTSD; and it’s okay to need to learn how to control it. It shows the Veterans returning from Iraq the difference between being back and being home and helped these soldiers, as Lauricella said, make the transition to ultimately be “welcomed” home. 

The First 100 Days

Ah, and the media bashing continues. Today officially marks the first 100 days Barack Obama has been in office, aka the first 100 days in 8 years we've had a competent, charismatic and intelligent man leading the nation- that is something you don't see very often.

Of course he has his faults (he is human you know) and of course not everyone is happy with the way our government is progressing, but that's what happens in this land we call America, the majority of people select a leader and then the minority and parts of the majority choose to complain about the choices he (or hopefully a "she" in the very near future) chooses to make. How can one man know and accomplish what will make each and every american happy- he can't! It is physically impossible.

I love him anyway, I am still proud to call him my President and very proud of myself for voting for him, and I don't really care if he's hip or not, he can speak english properly and that's really all that matters to me...

check out NBC's post - found via twitter, geez the way of the web these days...it's impressive!

The Women Left Behind

“Deployment is the scariest part of the whole situation. It’s hard not to think that there is that chance that he could die,” said Dana Schulz, a junior architecture major at New York University when reflecting upon the fact that her boyfriend Brian Errickson is a soldier, during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

            Women like Dana are left behind by their significant others in military service. Errickson has yet to serve a tour in Iraq or Afghanistan, and yet the very thought of him being scheduled to in September is what worries Schulz. “The distance and the times not being able to talk are tough, but they are doable. Having those scary thoughts of losing someone in the back of my head is what is the most scary and difficult part.”

            According to the Huffington Post, in an article from March 19, 2008 entitled “Iraq Casualities, Iraq Costs, and Iraq Numbers,” about 3,990 women, men, and family members have had to come to terms with the fact that they have lost someone.

            This war is quite different from other modern wars. For example, during Vietnam loved ones often had to wait weeks to hear from their men overseas and nowadays the soldiers have access to the Internet and can email their loved ones from wherever they are, be it Iraq or Kentucky. According to Mary Lou Lauricella, Drama Therapist at the West Haven VA Hospital, this has changed the way soldiers react to the war and ultimately how they come home. It is similar, although dramatically different at the same time, to how students still feel a part of their family and friends’ lives while studying abroad. They are participating but they are not. They are constantly living in two worlds at once, and that is exactly what these soldiers are now forced, by modern technology, to do. The real problem arises, according to Lauricella, when they are forced to separate one life from another. “One minute they are reading an email from their wives or husbands and looking at pictures of their children and the next they are back in the desert trying to survive. It is hard to compartmentalize that,” Lauricella said.

            Schulz and a friend, Emma, at New York University, have begun to try to help these soldiers stay connected with life at home in an attempt to ease their suffering while involved in their tours. The name of the organization is “NYU Supports the Troops,” and the University officially recognized it this year. According to Schulz, Emma’s cousin is in the Navy and has been deployed and her boyfriend is currently in the Naval Academy. “So far, we only have about 5 members aside from the 4 officers.  No one really attended the spring club fair, plus it's really hard to get liberal NYU-ers to join.  A lot of people think "support the troops" means you support the war, which is not true at all,” Schulz said. As of right now the organization has been able to send blankets oversees. These blankets had to be a specific size and also had to be red, white and blue, according to Schulz.

            Schulz also spoke of other events the organization plans to take part in, such as a bake sale where all the proceeds go to Manhattan’s Veteran’s hospital and also spoke of the Adopt a Veteran program.

            Adopt a Veteran is run through Angels N’ Camouflage and allows students and other civilians to adopt a veteran or a soldier. Schulz has decided to apply for the program and adopt a Veteran because “many of them are elderly and alone.” Another organization designed to help Veterans, particularly of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, is Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran Association. This organization, if you choose to sign up on their Web site, will send you information about their upcoming events and ways to help.

            Schulz has seen the horrors of war through her interactions with Errickson. “His cousin who's in the army has gone to Iraq, one of his best friends who was a Navy Seal has gone to Iraq and Afghanistan, and his other cousin who's in the army is in Iraq right now,” Schulz said. Although Errickson will talk about these friends, Schulz says some of them decline to speak about their experiences, all of which are varied. “Brian’s cousin who went into Somalia never really talks about it.  He is now a successful cop and is engaged.  Brian's cousin that is already back from Iraq has pretty bad PTSD, married a girl that he didn't know very well whom he now doesn't have a good relationship with, and has gotten distant from his family. It really varies based on the person, there is no clear pattern or way to determine how the solider will come back,” Schulz said.

            Schulz summed up the experiences perfectly, “Brian will talk about these friends, but it is usually about what they are up to now, not what they experienced oversees.” Lauricella said that this contributes to the compartmentalization of soldiers’ lives when they return, which ultimately results in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other issues such as alcoholism and drug addictions. “It was a bigger problem in the 70s after Vietnam, but it could still be a problem today.”

            An informed public, a public who realizes that “supporting the troops is not necessarily supporting the war,” as Schulz says, and a public that wishes to help those left behind and those who return is the only way to prevent the problems that ensued after Vietnam. Schulz and other University students are on their way to ensuring that this does not occur, but helping students feel connected to a war that is oceans away; a war many do not even realize is going on, but each and every day it is. Each and every day someone looses someone they love; each and every day someone is left behind. 

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Dude Where Can I Park my Car?

Quinnipiac University has about 5400 undergraduate students, 2000 of which, approximately, live off campus. This means each and every day about 2000 students need to get to campus to go to class, meetings and a variety of other activities. Quinnipiac’s North Lot parking lot, located off Mt. Carmel Avenue, is generally where these cars are expected to park. Once this lot, and the lot to the right, which is reserved for commuter carpools, is full students are expected to park down the road at the Hogan Road parking lot. 

View Larger Map

As you can see from this map, the Hogan Road commuter lot is a significant distance from the Mt. Carmel campus and ultimately from the University’s buildings where classes are held. The University has provided shuttles from Hogan Road Lot to North Lot, on Mt. Carmel’s campus, but often these shuttles take about 10 minutes to complete the trip. These 10 minutes can mean the difference between getting to class on time and being late.

Many seniors work and therefore cannot afford to come to campus all day for classes they have in the afternoon or stay in between morning and night classes. Each situation is different, but most times commuting students prefer to come for their classes and then leave. The parking situation often hinders this desire.

“The commuters get the short end of the deal no matter how you look at it. Why can’t York Hill students be required to take a shuttle just like other resident students from Whitney Village and other satellite parking lots?,” said Jaclyn Hirsch, a senior print journalism major.

Students from Whitney Village, according to Quinnipiac regulations, are not allowed to drive their cars onto campus until after 4 p.m., and before that are forced to take a shuttle that runs every half hour from Whitney Village to the Mt Carmel campus. The York Hill residents will also have an option of the shuttle, but will be allowed to park on campus whenever they like, as per an open forum with Ron Colavolpe that took place in April to discuss the changes at York Hill. The shuttles from York Hill will only run until 8 p.m. on weekdays and not at all on weekends. This means that in addition to commuters and students living off campus, students living at York Hill will also be placed in the North Lot parking lot next semester.

For some students the issue of number of spots is really not the issue at all, it’s safety.  Genna Kornweiser, a senior public relations major, feels that situation is really “not bad if only students would drive a little slower and adhere to directional signals.”

All in all these are kinks which will have to be worked out as the University continues to grow and expand in the coming year and in the future, and students will simply have to continue working their schedules around the ever expanding University. 

Dine Out Staten Island

I went home this weekend to participate in the Dine Out Against Hunger campaign that I have participated in every year since my freshman year of High School.

During Dine Out Night, restaurants all over Staten Island donate 20% of their proceeds from each bill to project hospitality to stop hunger on Staten Island.

Project Hospitality has been around for about 20-25 years and has been doing Dine Out for about the past 15. It began with a few restaurants and now it is becoming more and more popular.

High school students serve as ambassadors and also sell plates in order to raise additional funds for the cause. The plates are similar to the sneakers sold in the supermarkets for Junior Diabetes Fund. They cost a dollar and look like the dine out emblem.

This is a great cause and should be transported to other towns throughout the tristate area and perhaps even the nation. I was especially pleased to see that all the restaurants continued to donate despite the recession.

Information

is a powerful thing.

I feel that since Obama has taken office we hear more and more about the war in Iraq. Is that a coincidence? I am not sure. It is because I have simply taken more of an interest as I have gotten older? Again I am not sure, but what I am sure about is that each day on the cover of the New York Times I constantly see pictures and stories and other information that I don't remember seeing in the past.

This story is one which reminded me of this fact. I am and always have been an avid reader of the New York Times, since the age of 8, and believe that I don't remember the stories being written as much as they are nowadays.

I think it's great that students are now able to sympathize and understand what is going on with these soldiers and these current events.

Mod Cloth

Modcloth is an awesome new Web site/blog that I recently found. I love the forties, fifties and anything to do with what is often called the Golden Age of America (or at least that's what I've heard it called). The website offers clothes that remind one of a simpler time, before Twitter and the World Wide Web, before blackberries and iPhones, before the world was "on" 24/7. It is a time, that especially as of late, I long to return to, a time when things seem to have been a lot easier and calmer.

I am personally buying a bathing suit that looks like it belongs in Long Beach Island circa 1957, quite similar to a picture I have of my grandparents during their "dating days." Oh how I wish I could have been 20-something in New York City then, it seemed like it was a real party, but who knows maybe New York still is the party and I have simply yet to find it as I've been locked away in Connecticut these past few years, I'm hoping I'm right!

Twitter!

I love twitter! It's so much fun to read what your friends are doing and what "famous" people are doing. Okay maybe it's not that fun and maybe that was a little sarcastic but I love the fact that it helps people promote their blogs, web pages, etc. I think it is a great networking tool as well. It shows employers that you have an understanding of the internet and also that you have the ability to harness the web for whatever purpose you have chosen, be it blogging about your own thoughts or promoting content from fellow editors and writers on a school newspaper, it's cool and I think people often assume that it is simply another stupid way of telling people every minute detail about your life. Look beyond the surface people!! Think about all the possibilities and you'll be amazed at what you can do!

Finals, May Weekend and A Variety of Other Thoughts

So May Weekend is technically this weekend, but due to an unfortunate series of events, it is no longer called May Weekend and we no longer have the activities that we had my freshman year, such as funnel cake, and sausage and peppers and the other carnival like activities that were often housed in the gym.

It is a shame that we don't have it anymore, but what's even more of a shame is that people could not control themselves and drank to excess. I, like others do enjoy drinking, but I think there's a point where you need to stop.

I'll never forget my first may weekend when a friend drank wayyyy too much and had to go to the hospital. It was the scariest moment of my life, and has continued to remain in my mind throughout my college career.

Be safe this "may weekend" my friends...be smart and safe.

Naturally Thin

So I bought this book because I saw Bethenny Frankel on Good Morning America this morning and I have to say, that despite the fact that I haven't read it yet, I am quite impressed with the power of the news. GMA made the book look so good that I bought it. I went right online and ordered it from Barnes and Noble, oh the power of the media today let me tell you!!

Digg.Com

So Digg has this awesome new feature. If you type www.digg.com into your address bar, or click on the word Digg in this post, you can get to the homepage, but if you type www.digg.com/ and include a specific URL such as, oh I don't know a Quad News story, then you can create it's own Digg short URL for use on Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and a variety of other social networking sites.

Seattle Post Intelligencer

This happened a few weeks ago, but in thinking about it, I feel that this was a good move for the newspaper and will ultimately become the way of the future. In my journalism class two weeks ago, an editor from the New Haven Independent came and spoke with us about this hyperlocal paper. It is also an online only paper which deals with a variety of local issues. The Hamden Daily News also deals with local issues. I think if these newspapers can harness the power of the Internet and also create a local Web site directory, using Twitter, Digg and other social networking sites, then they will be able to become for profit models and ultimately survive through any and all economic shifts.

Of course "real" newspapers will never consider this model, or will they? I think NYTimes could take a page from these books, and they have in the form of The Locals which covers the same areas in New Jersey as patch.com. Maybe these hyperlocal papers or divisions of papers will save the paper industry? I hope so.

Wacky Kitchen Products

I just did this gallery for This Old House.com. It's really cool and has some products that I think are pretty neat!

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20268213,00.html

10 Steps to do before going away to college

The time between high school graduation and the day you leave for college may seem like a long period, but it is not! It is so short in fact that no sooner will you have packed away your cap and gown and yearbook, will you be packing your car and heading out for the "last night home." A million things will change in that period, but it is as they say the best and worst summer of your life. 

This 10 step checklist is a bunch of things you will probably forget to do in this short period of time. It ranges from ways to make your home away from home, or that 2 x 4 they call a dorm room, homey to how to save your parents money on phone calls. 

All in all these are valuable tips and tricks of the going away to college trade, so enjoy!

Okay so you may not think this is so important, but it is. Your dorm room is where you will be living- and so it needs to be as home-y as possible. Of course that is often quite hard to do when you have a 2 x 4 living space, but this 10 step article is going to show you exactly how to do that. First you need to learn where to shop and what to shop for. Then you need to be realistic about what your dorm can look like. Then you also need to remember to bring a lot of things that without reading this you would have forgotten, and also a little advice for helping your parents deal with the whole process. 

1. Bed Bath and Beyond

This can be your best resource, or it can be your worst. The checklist is filled with items that seem like something a first time college student would need, and yet many of these items move from your hometown, to your college dorm and back again. For example flannel sheets. Not everyone likes flannel sheets and to be perfectly honest unless you are going to school in Alaska you will most definitely not be cold in your dorm room. The things that should be on this list are:

a) two window fans- these will come in handy after you have moved in, and they will definitely be sold out in the school store in the first five minutes of move-in day. 

b) lofted bed shelf- particularly if you have a lofted bed, as many freshman at Quinnipiac University do, this will come in handy. You can put yet another fan on this and also a drink, glasses, and you know those textbooks you are supposed to be reading. 

2. Pottery Barn

Now according to Pottery Barn, this is how big a dorm room generally is. In any of your college visits did you see a full size bed in a dorm room? I didn't think so. 

 

Regardless, Pottery Barn Teen is a good resource as well. Organization is key in creating a comfortable dorm room and Pottery Barn has a lot of interesting options for organization. 

a) Curtains: These can mean the difference between making lifelong friends and lifelong enemies in the first few months away. College is an adjustment period, which also means you have to adjust to other people's habits. Everyone adjusts at different rates, so one of your roommates may not realize until the middle of the semester that it is rude to keep her desk light on until 3 a.m. These may help with the limited space, at least slightly. Hanging them around a desk area may give you the quiet you need to study and can also signify to your roommates that you are indeed studying and do not want to be bothered, no matter what. 

b) Locker Bins: These are an easy way to organize your books, extra paper, shower accessories and other small items that would otherwise take up too much space in your closet and/or your desk. Your desk should be as clutter free as possible to allow for a good study environment. This may sound ridiculous but you definitely will be happy when you can study in your room instead of braving the 20 degree weather to go to the library during finals in December. 

 

And now while your dorm may never look like the above picture or this:  it can definitely be comfortable for you!

3. Staples

Now Quinnipiac students have it quite easy- they have a staples within 10 minutes of campus. If you do not have one as close, it is important to remember to purchase the necessary supplies before hand. This does not only include notebooks and looseleaf pages, but it also includes pens, staples, a stapler, post-its, and batteries. It is also good to ensure that you have extra quantities of all these "office" supplies as you most likely will not have a car freshman year and ultimately will not be able to get off campus so easily. You also will need a chair or at least a cushion as many college chairs are quite uncomfortable. 

Directions to Staples from Quinnipiac University: 

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4. Communication

Although this is not a store, it is vital to your pre-college prep. How will you communicate with friends and family members while away? In the digital age, most people have cell phones, and facebook is also a great resource for keeping in touch with high school friends. Depending on how far away from home you are and your wireless service provider, these calls can be quite costly. A low-cost option, particularly for that semester you will hopefully spend abroad, is skype. Skype is a VOIP service- which stands for Voice Over Internet Provider- it is similar to vonage in that it carries phone calls through an internet connection for a minimal fee. Skype costs two cents per minute calling to anywhere in the world, but if you call from a computer it is free! The new Dell laptops, required by QU, and all Mac laptops, have a camera installed in the screen. All you need to do is purchase one for a home computer and viola! you can communicate with your family and family pets, for free. Depending on the quality of the webcam it can be quite expensive or inexpensive. You can also purchase one on ebay. This will ultimately score you major points with your parents because not only are you saving them money (which they will be grateful for after the six digit tuition bill they will receive after July 1st) you will also be teaching them something technical that they can brag about to their friends, because you know parents love that stuff!

5. Meal Plan

Again more a concept and thought process. How much food do you eat in a week? Do you want to have extra money on your meal plan for coffee or do you want to eat the two meals a day, six day a week plan that some schools suggest? If you choose to simply do the two meals a day another important thing to consider is how you will supplement your meals. Will you go food shopping or use peapod? One of the best things about peapod is that they deliver food from stop and shop straight to your dorm and your parents can order the food for you from home (which means they can also pay for it!)

6. Spending Money- Otherwise known as a Job

While adjusting to college many students find it quite difficult to keep up with class work and also a side job. An option for this is work study. Be sure to apply for this in APRIL when you submit your FAFSA. (Federal Application for Free Student Aid) Work study allows you to be granted a specific amount of money to be paid to you by the University you attend in exchange for work. So you can work at the Library, Admissions office, Bobcat Den, Polling Institute, and a variety of other places depending where you attend. 

7. Mac or PC- Which is better?

Ah the age old dilemma- which is better? Well according to Justin Long (and the Wall Street Journal) a Mac definitely has the upper hand, but here's a few easy ways to compare. 

If you are attending Quinnipiac in particular it might be easier for you to have a Dell, the school sponsored computer. The STARs will take care of any and all problems that you may have.  The Quinnipiac Dell can be viewed here.

If you do decide to get a Mac, you will be forced to go to West Farms Mall for any and all service problems. The West Farms Mall is about 45 minutes by car. This may be difficult if you are a freshman this will be quite difficult. 

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8. Clothes- Do not over pack!

When you first go away it will be hot, so you will want summer clothes. If you do not plan to go home until Thanksgiving break, then you may need to bring a warmer set of clothes. The important thing is to not bring too many winter clothes as it will be a lot easier to simply switch out your clothes during your breaks. Another important thing to remember is to bring a lot of clothes you like. For example if you plan to be going out a lot (and you will in the first few months) then you will need a few dresses, dress shirts (for boys) and whatever else you like to wear to go out. 

9. Facebook

Setting up a facebook is definitely a vital part of college prep. You need to determine which networks you will be joining (generally your college and your hometown), and it is a great way to communicate with roommates beforehand. This way you can meet them and coordinate who will bring the microwave, fridge and tv. It also helps you to stay in touch with people from your orientation group, which also means you will have a built in group of friends waiting for your arrival!

10. The Last Night

The last night home can be one in which you are quite torn. Your parents will want you to have dinner with them, your friends will want you to have drinks with them and your significant other (should you have one) will definitely want some quality time. How do you balance all this? There is no right or wrong answer, the best answer is simply to see who, when and where, makes you happy. It's YOUR last night, and things will honestly never really be the same again, so embrace it and be ready for the most amazing four years of your life--the four years where you learn what living truly is.