Lifestyle Category

Every summer growing up, I escaped to camp in the woods, where my world transformed into a sky of glitter, aromas of marshmallows, and sun-kissed days of carefree fun. Camp was the one time I could forget about the stresses of “reality;” where I looked forward to waking up at 7AM, where I could belt silly songs and dress in costume every day with a community of others who did the same. Most of all, camp was where I met some of my lifelong friends, because truly, nothing bonds peopleRead More

Posted On June 1, 2014By Ashley MaderrIn Girlzone, Lifestyle

Why The Beginning of Summer Break Sucks

The last day of school is the day when social media explodes with pictures and articles about graduation. And don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy for those grads and totally not upset over the fact that I changed my concentration middle of my school year and delayed my own graduation. Not. Bitter. At. All. But in all seriousness, while the graduates are now stepping up to bigger and better things, those of us still in school are in a new realm of reality: summer break. Summer break is, overall,Read More

Posted On May 31, 2014By Basic BeccaIn Lifestyle, Miscellaneous

Goodbye 4L: My Craigslist Adventure

Every month ends and then a new month starts and soon enough it’s the month that ended starting all over again. Beginnings and ends mean moves and changes and hellos and goodbyes– some of them are accompanied by relief, some sadness, some panic, some sheer joy and others apathetic. The end of this month means I’ll be moving out of 4L – my Craigslist apartment. Over the past four months, this random gem of an apartment in Astoria has been graced by the presence of myself, the man who owns theRead More

Posted On May 28, 2014By Basic BeccaIn Girlzone, Lifestyle

Summertime Sadness

I have spent a majority of the past 8 months begging for summer to greet me with her sunshine and warm weather. I wanted needed shorts and sandals. I laid in bed beneath my down comforter in my fleece footie pajamas with my space heater cranked up wondering when the madness would end, wondering when I would enjoy walking outside again, wondering when it wouldn’t be necessary for me to have a parka accessible at all times. Alas, summer is here! But let’s not forget that every rose has its thorn,Read More
When I was 22 months old, something incredible happened.  My sister-friend was born.  Though my little nugget brain didn’t realize it at the time, that chunky baby sister of mine was my soul-mate in the making.  In fact, it took some years before we realized we were faster, better, stronger together.  While growing up in southern California, we struggled with the concept of sharing…okay, I did.  Our rock bottom?  I grabbed her feet while she was sleeping.  Maybe it was our mutual love of Wilson Philips or maybe I just gotRead More

Posted On May 25, 2014By Karen HuaIn Lifestyle, Miscellaneous

We All Have Amnesia

Today, my mum spontaneously called an old friend of hers from elementary school. When I was younger, our family and her’s would get together every summer. She had a daughter named Heather, who was my childhood penpal and faraway best friend. We used to call each other princesses when we discovered we could never become royalty. As we sat in mountains of strawberry bubbles while our mothers struggled to bathe us, we plotted ways to annoy them for the next day. We wore more matching outfits than typical twins probablyRead More

Posted On May 24, 2014By Karen HuaIn Girlzone, Lifestyle

Wait, So I Have to be an Adult Now?

The moment I turned 18, I threw myself a VIP-access, glitz and glamour, dance party extravaganza…because technically, I no longer had to call myself a teenager. I had finally emerged from adolescence alive. I felt like Batman because I had clawed my way out Bane’s inescapable pit. I wholeheartedly believed that the rest of my life was waiting with a bigger and better everything. I simply couldn’t wait to hop on a plane with my dream in my cardigan, and never look back. Simply being an adult empowers me toRead More

Posted On May 23, 2014By Shannon FolsomIn Girlzone, Lifestyle

Ex-Classmate Encounters: Questions to Avoid

Summer is here! For the college crew, that means a three month vacation at your parents’ house. For the post-college crew, that means a few visits to your hometown. For both groups, that means bumping into old classmates. And no matter how well you once knew your high school peers, that can be awkward. Let’s face it, small talk is inherently uncomfortable, but if you’re trying to avoid a little bit of pain, steer clear of these questions:   What are you doing after graduation? Talk about a conversation buzzkill.Read More
Thanks to Instagram and Facebook, we all have “friends” who we aren’t really friends with but who we think we know anyway.  We choose to frown upon or look up to someone based on photos and status-updates.  That girl who only posts pictures of mayonnaise and her cross-eyed cat?   Clearly she’s going to die alone.  We also think we know celebrities.  “Beyonce’s life must be perfect.”  Or, for The Bachelor critics: “Juan Pablo didn’t tell Nikki he loved her on national television so their relationship is doooooomed!”  We presume.Read More

Posted On May 20, 2014By Hilary FitzgeraldIn Advice For Women, Girlzone, Lifestyle

Are You Tired? You Look Tired

“You look tired.” “No, I just don’t have any make up on.” Never tell a woman she looks tired, because not only is she always tired, but 9 out of 10 times she probably doesn’t have all of her make-up on. This is what she normally looks like and now you’re making her feel bad about it. Men never have to look tired. They never have to explain why they look tired. They never have to answer the question, “Are you tired? You look tired.” Unless of course they areRead More
This morning, I left my beautiful, intelligent, Android (we’re in a committed relationship) on the counter of a public restroom. Just five minutes later, when I panicked at the emptiness of my pockets, I Usain Bolted back, only to find my phone no longer there. COMMENCE PHYSICAL SPASMS OF TERROR, PROFUSE BACK SWEAT, AND INTERNAL WATERFALL OF TEARS. For the rest of the day, I was forced to go about my daily schedule while feeling completely disconnected from the rest of the world. At one point, I probably convinced myselfRead More
Sitting still for an entire hour—it sounds easy enough. It’s simple to turn off your phone, power down the computer, find a quiet space, and sit. You don’t even do anything—the requirement is to literally do nothing! Almost seems like cheating, right? Right? Recently, I had the opportunity to see for myself just how “easy” it would be. One World Still  is an organization with a simple objective: meditate for an hour once a month. No dues or fees are necessary to be part of this event, and no registration isRead More
This is a period of time many “experts” like to classify as “emerging adulthood.” It sounds more glorious than it actually is. Unfortunately, “well adjusted” is a label we like to give ourselves for a few years of happy delusion. As young adults, we still feel everything (those teen hormones still need a Xanax), but now, we’re forcing ourselves to deal with situations in a “grown-up” manner. The Kübler-Ross model describes the 5 steps of loss and grief to be denial, anger, bargaining, depression, then acceptance. But we’re young adults, soRead More

Posted On May 14, 2014By Renée RapinIn Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Ramblings

Questions for Adulthood

I think I finally understand how the Trix Rabbit feels. Earlier today I was peeling a mandarin orange–otherwise known as a Cutie–and I noticed a little sticker that read, “Cuties are for kids!” So, is that a requirement? Are some angry children going to run after me demanding I hand over the Cuties? I find myself asking the same questions that poor rabbit asked regarding his colorful bowl of Trix. Why can’t I have a Cutie? Why do only kids get to indulge in their juicy deliciousness? Little a$$holes, nobodyRead More

Posted On May 11, 2014By Erika SternIn Advice For Women, Girlzone, Lifestyle

How to Always Go to Bed Happy

I write this as I’m falling asleep in bed, at midnight, on a Friday (I promise I lead an exciting life). Ever since I was younger, I was always trying out new ways to fall asleep faster, stay asleep, or ways to not wake up so much during my sleep. I have lavender lotions (lavender is a sleep aid), websites bookmarked on my computer with advice and dream catchers for those scary dreams. Despite my findings, I never really told people my secrets on how to go to bed happy…Read More