CL Presents Stocking Stuffers Under $5

The excitement has sprung as the holidays are around the corner.  While many people probably began and finished their christmas shopping on Black Friday there is still time to buy the little things.  Stocking stuffers can be playful, fun, goofy, and loud.  I know personally I love pint sized things so stocking stuffers are a huge hit for me.

This year College Lifestyles is bringing you some of the top stocking stuffers under $5.  Pair a few together and you can make the perfect stockings for friends, family, and loved ones.

Hand Sanitizer/Hand Lotion: Every year I find myself at Bath & Body Works picking up half a dozen hand sanitizers or hand lotions.  Every girl knows you can never have to many of these.  You need one for every purse!  Don’t forget, a girl also needs all the different scents!

Burt’s Bees:  My personal favorite chapstick on the planet!  Remember though, Burt’s Bees doesn’t only sell chapstick.  They have lotions, soaps, face washes, and foot cream.  Think about buying a travel size of any of these and using it as a stocking stuffer this year.

Candy: Let’s be serious, everyone wants to dig inside their stocking in the morning and find candy amongst other things.  Be thoughtful when picking out candy and try and get everyone’s favorite candies.  Perfect christmas candies are m&m’s, hershey kisses, peanut butter cup santa’s, and snickers.

Coffee: Who doesn’t like a jolt of coffee in the morning?  Maybe some hot chocolate?  Purchase a small $5 gift card to your loved one’s favorite coffee place like Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts.

Makeup:  My new favorite site, E.L.F.  Eyes lips face has amazing products for great prices!  Purchase lip gloss, eye shadow, brushes, lotions, and so much more for under $5.  This is a one stop deal for the greatest stocking stuffers for beauty products.

Don’t hesitate and go out now to buy this years favorite stocking stuffers.  Don’t forget the basics of every year’s stocking stuffers as well.  We may say we hate it every year but parents, we really do love the toothbrush, shaving cream, gum, and little note pads you always throw in there!  Enjoy the little things and have a great holiday!

Stephanie Coppola is an intern at College Lifestyles ™.  She recently graduated from Quinnipiac University with a major in Print Journalism and a minor in Sports Studies.  She’s thinking of creative stocking stuffers for her family this year!

Brighten Your Day the CL Way in 10 Easy Steps!

Having a case of the Monday blues? Look no further; CL is here to help! Follow these easy steps to instantly brighten your day.

1. Write a positive message or quote in your agenda. “You are beautiful!”

2. Pick a theme song and play it. Singing and dancing along is encouraged!

3. Indulge in a guilty pleasure.

4. Create your own wish list and add an item each day. Remember these are wishes so feel free to add all the things you want and love no matter how unrealistic they may seem. “I wish I had a closet that looked like one of these and didn’t have to pay for anything.”

5. Smile–so simple, yet so effective.

6. Exercise to look and feel good. Think of it as an all-in-one fitness session and stress reliever.

7. Meet a friend for coffee, lunch, or dinner. Positive social interactions are a great way to put yourself in a good mood.

8. Watch a laugh-inducing YouTube video. Replay your favorites or discover new ones.

9. Call a loved one and share stories about your day. Hearing them talk and laugh will make you feel connected.

10. Look at old photos from a fun time (b-day party, vacation, night out, etc.).

Erica Avesian is an intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is a sophomore communications major at the University of Michigan. You can find her at the local Starbucks reading Glamour with a coffee in hand.

Benefits of Coffee

Did you know that there have been 19,000 studies done looking at the impact of coffee on your health? Studies show that 2 cups of coffee daily (compared to not drinking coffee) can:

• Lower risk for Parkinson’s disease by 80%
• Reduce risk of colon cancer by 25%
• Reduce liver cirrhosis risk by 80%
• Lower risk of gallstones by 50%
• Enhance exercise performance
• Lower risk for diabetes

• Coffee also has a ton of antioxidants
• Coffee helps things, er, “move along” in your digestive tract.

Wait, what? Are you telling me that coffee is good for me? Well, yes and no. If you are talking about a cup o’ black joe (with a little sweetener or milk), then yes. The benefits listed above refer to that kind of coffee. However, if you are drinking the whole milk version of your drink, have extra syrups, or are drinking the full-sugar version, then no (but something tells me you probably knew this already!).

One of the controversies with coffee is the amount of caffeine it contains. Caffeine is a stimulant, so it has been shown to increase your alertness and can improve mental performance. Sometimes this can be unwanted, especially in the later hours of the day. Side effects of coffee include decreased reaction time and improved information processing. Most of us would rather not develop a twitch or get on a caffeine high, so do not drink massive amounts daily (more than 5cups) or drink it all at night. How well your body handles your “dose” of coffee varies individually.

As always, more research is needed to re-confirm all of the above. Until then, drink up, but do so in moderation (4-5 cups a day).

For more info, check out WebMD’s info on coffee or Positively Coffee’s site

Christine is a Nutrition Science student at Baylor University. She loves black beans, the elliptical machine, and a little kick of caffeine.

What Cinnamon Can Do for You

Who knew that such a great tasting spice could be so good for you?  The health benefits of cinnamon have been known for centuries, some of which are:
•    Lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
•    Increases the body’s resistance to Candida, the genus of yeast that causes infections
•    Helps regulate blood sugar
•    Studies have shown that just smelling cinnamon increases brain function (including memory!)
•    Fights E. coli and other bacterium as a natural food preserver
•    Great source of essential nutrients, such as calcium and iron

With all of these amazing health benefits, a sprinkling of cinnamon is a quick and tasty way of improving overall health.  Here are a few ways to add some cinnamon to your diet:
•    Sprinkle some in your coffee in the morning (or afternoon, or evening).  It reminds me of pumpkin spice coffee year round and perks up an otherwise boring cup of caffeine.
•    Put on sliced apples or cottage cheese for an afternoon blood sugar booster, something I need nearly every day.
•    Dust your morning oatmeal with a teaspoon and squeeze in some honey.  If you’re in a hurry, pour it all into a travel mug and grab a spoon!
•    Add it to your bag of microwave popcorn for a sweet and salty treat.
While cinnamon is obviously a healthy spice to add to your diet, it has also been shown to be toxic in high levels, so please do not pour an entire bottle in your morning coffee and oatmeal.

These websites, from which this list is compiled, show more benefits as well as the sources citing these claims:
http://www.monumentalmassage.com/articles/benefits_of_cinnamon.html
http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html
http://www.thehealthysnacksblog.com/10/the-top-5-health-benefits-of-cinnamon/

Enjoy!

Brynne is a senior at the University of Connecticut, a College Lifestyles™ intern, and a Kappa Alpha Theta.  Her interests include reading, identifying nail polish color by name, and trying every Larabar that exists.

“Espress” Yourself … Helpful Tips For My Coffee Lovers!

Coffee is by far one of my favorite things in the world, and being that the warm weather has now been graced upon us – that can only mean one thing in the Java World …. ICED COFFEE!

We all love Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks is pretty amazing too… and until I figured out these helpful hints on how to make good iced coffee, I was going broke to get my caffeine fix…

So, for those of you who LOVE your coffee but think you don’t have the funds to pay for it… I’m here to make your summer a little bit better and share my secrets.

Helpful Hint # 1

Strength Is Everything!

The key to a good iced coffee is brewing it a little stronger then you usually would. (EX. – If you were making 6 cups of coffee, usually you would use 3 tablespoons of coffee grinds – for iced coffee, use 4!)

Helpful Hint # 2 (Thanks Mom!!)

Coffee Ice Cubes

Don’t Waste A Drop!! Take That leftover coffee from this morning and pour it in an ice cube tray, stick it in the freezer and WAALAHHH - No More Watered Down Iced Coffeee!

Helpful Hint # 3

Spice It Up!

Before you brew your coffee, add a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg to the grinds (or whatever spice you like), then brew away! Before you know it, you’ve got cinnamon coffee (and the coffee ice cubes to ice it down with!)

LASTLY…..

Helpful Hint # 4

Add A Little Flavor

Flavored Coffee Syrups can help add to the delightfulness of a summer iced coffee. But, be careful with this one, because if it isn’t done right you can end up spending too much! My personal favorite (found in A&P and Acme Markets all over the U.S) is Torani . Torani Syrups are about $4.99 a bottle (cheaper if you order online!) and last forever! My personal favorite is the Sugar Free French Vanilla!

And just to throw it out here, my favorite brand of coffee is Folger’s, I totally agree with them, it is “the best part of waking up!”

Hope this helps you all find your favorite tasty, cheap, caffeinated beverage!

xOx

Kristin Marie