Meet Katherine McClain – A ‘Classy’ CL Intern!

It’s another fabulous College Lifestyles Intern – Miss Kat McClain!

What Shelly says about Kat:  Kit-Kat!  Such an amazing person, amazing attitude, and yes, she loves the ‘twitter!’

Name: Katherine (Kat) McClain

School: University of Missouri- Columbia (Mizzou!)

Major: Psycholgy and Political Science (Pre-law)

Home Town: San Diego, California

I have been an intern with College Lifestyles since: August 2010

My friends say I am: Outgoing and fun

One word to describe me: Confident

Nick name(s): Kat, Kit-Kat

Greek Affiliation: Alpha Chi Omega

Organization Involvement: Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity, True Tiger Student Alumni Association

My dream job is: to make horror movies (but I suppose I’ll settle for my second choice: being a lawyer)

My favorite movie is: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

I enjoy: dancing, listening to music, spending time with my sisters and friends, and shopping

On my I-Pod is: a very bizarre mix of pop, country, alternative, and just about anything else

I have 0 pets.  Names:

My fashion style is: preppy and classic with the occasional twist

My favorite quote is: “I would rather regret the things I have done than the things I haven’t done.” Lucille Ball

My favorite class is/was: I am such a nerd and love school that I have way too many great classes to pick just one favorite

My favorite candy is: Butterfingers J

My favorite book(s) is/are: anything by Jane Austen, the Harry Potter series, Sarah Dessen books, and many, many, many more

On my desk, you will find: I don’t have a desk lol

In my refrigerator, you will find: leftovers from my favorite restaurants and Coke zero

I can’t live without: my cell phone

I love it when: the sun is out, but it’s still cool enough to wear a light sweater

I dislike OR I dislike it when: snow (I absolutely loathe everything about snow)

I am slightly obsessed with: Twitter

I study the best at (location): the Alpha Chi Omega house

On rainy days, you can find me: at Starbucks

On sunny days, you can find me: relaxing on the columns on the quad or on the deck at Alpha Chi

A great date is: fun and original J

Coffee vs Tea: Tea (but only iced, if we’re talking about the hot stuff, always coffee)

Coke vs Pepsi: Coke

Flip flops vs Stilettos: stilettos

MAC vs PC: MAC

Something interesting many folks don’t know about me: I was born in San Diego, California.

Favorite college memory: too many to name. I go to the best school in the world with the best people in the world J

Favorite sorority/sisterhood memory (if Greek): talking about why we all love Alpha Chi Omega during sisterhood week

I love being an intern for College Lifestyles because: I love reaching out to other college students

Winter Dates for Classy Co-Eds

I find winter a little dreary personally and I absolutely loathe snow, but there’s something wonderfully fun about dating in the winter. Nothing like a little love to warm up this season, so here are a few of my favorite date ideas for winter (and cute outfit suggestions to match!).

1. Ice skating- Even though I really don’t like being cold and I’m not typically super-coordinated, I’ve had some really wonderful times on the ice. It’s a good date idea because it gets you guys moving around, possibly competing a little, and it might even give some of you a chance to show off or learn something new. I don’t know about you, but circa 7^th grade, it was the thing to do to couples skate at the skating rink, and this is kind of like an upgraded throwback. Being cold gives you guys a good excuse to break the awkward touch barrier on early dates and challenging each other (maybe doing a quick race around the rink to decide who picks up the tab for coffee after) can help you forge closer bonds faster.

What to wear: Warm winter boots or cute closed toed (not too dressy!) heels, cable knit sweater tights, knee length or higher denim skirt, a girly cardigan, and a camisole. Depending on how cold it is (or if you have an indoor or an outdoor ice skating rink), you could also add in a scarf, gloves, and a cute hat.

2. Baking and decorating holiday cookies- I’m obsessed with Christmas, so I always have a lot of fun inviting over a group of people, or just my current paramour, over to make the sweet stuff everyone loves. As a date, teaming up to make yummy treats to share (possibly during a fun Christmas movie like Four Christmases) or competing to see who’s the better decorator lends a festive air and can also become a fun tradition if you guys are still going strong next holiday season. Just google a good recipe and make a nice mug of hot chocolate (with whole milk, whipped cream, mini marshmallows, and sprinkles! It’s worth the calorie splurge, because it’s totally delicious and every girl knows the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach ) .

What to wear: Since you’re staying in, go for cute and comfy in warm fuzzy socks, distressed jeans, and a cute thermal. If you head over to his place instead of inviting him to yours, opt for leggings under the jeans, a cute fur lined hoodie, and your scarf/hat/gloves of choice, if necessary.

3. Go to a lighting ceremony- There is something so magical about watching the city get all lit up for the holiday season and oftentimes there’s music and performances during the ceremony. You can get coffee or hot chocolate and huddle together in the cold to enjoy the show. Then you can grab dinner somewhere local and enjoy all the culture and holiday spirit around you.

What to wear: Since you’ll be outside most of the time, it’s important to have a cute outer layer with a fitted pea coat or trench. For the cute factor when you take off the coat, pair a sweater dress with some killer boots (and opaque tights, of course, so you don’t freeze).

Kat McClain is an intern at College Lifestyles, a student at the University of Missouri, and very disappointed that Pumpkin Spice Lattes are gone until next fall. She loves movies, music, and the lovely all boy Warblers from Glee.

Fall in Love with Fall

Autumn is probably my favorite season of the year. As much as I love summer with it’s bikinis, shorts, and flip flops, and spring’s florals and pretty colors, autumn is the best because it’s just cool enough for sweaters, boots, jeans, and nice hot coffee. So this post is dedicated to all the fun fall things I just can’t wait to get my hands on.

1. Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, and Caramel Apple Spice- I love Starbucks year round, but the autumn flavors are without a doubt the best. To keep it green, pick up one of the super cute tumblers and get a small discount on every coffee (it’ll pay for itself if you, like me, get your Starbucks fix quite a bit).

2. Cardigans!!!!- I am obsessed with cute cardigans, especially ones with stripes or unexpected pops of color. I like to wear them long and with skinny jeans tucked into boots (perhaps even with my flirty summer camisoles underneath).

3. Messenger bags- Ok, so I’ve been carrying my messenger bag since school started, but it’s fall semester so I say it counts. I love the awesome paisley and floral prints that Vera Bradley uses. I carry my books in a pretty Simply Violet patterned one.

4. Jeans, jeans, jeans!- I am very hardcore about my denim. I own approximately 20 pairs of jeans, plus quite a few denim skirts (super cute with tights and boots). They dress up, they dress down, and they’re just so comfy. They work with any style from girly to preppy. My favorites are from Miss Me.

5. Boots- Every classy co-ed on a campus with snow owns at least one pair of boots, because they make it so much easier to get around without having soaking wet and frozen feet. However, there are a lot of options that are a little more fun than the standard Uggs. Even though I love mine as much as the next girl, I’ve got a new obsession with Ralph Lauren Leather riding boots and a pair of flat purple suede boots I got on sale last summer.

Kat McClain is an intern for College Lifestyles(TM), a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She is so excited for autumn, homecoming, Halloween, and, of course, all the lovely fall fashions.

Eat Your Way to Better Grades

Well, maybe not entirely, but I’ve been doing a lot of reading about foods that can boost brain function and improve performance on memory tasks (like exams), and I’ve been testing out some healthy study time snacks and other healthy habits that might give you an edge on your next big exam, paper, or project (and can help keep your skin, hair, and body healthy too so when you’re not too busy studying you look and feel great too).

Smart food: Chocolate- yes, ladies, you read that right, chocolate (the ultimate comfort food) is actually good for your brain. However, dark chocolate is best because it has less sugar, milk, and ingredients other than cacao (the healthy stuff). And since it’s not so easy on the waistline, I would recommend eating it in moderation.

Study snack idea: Dark Chocolate dipped pretzel sticks- It’s easy, and you can keep it really healthy by picking out low fat or whole grain pretzels. I like Rold Gold Honey Wheat Braided Twists (they’re slightly sweet already and they don’t have a ton of salt on them). I also like to use organic dark chocolate (but it’s a little bit more expensive and any brand will work). Basically, just melt the chocolate in a saucepan (or very carefully in the microwave in a pinch) and dip the pretzels into the chocolate dip. You can eat them warm or you can pop them in the fridge for a little bit to cool them off if you prefer.

Smart food: Blueberries- these yummy little guys are packed with vitamins that help keep your whole body healthy, not just your brain. They’re also really great because there are tons of ways to eat them. Plain, dipped in dark chocolate , in smoothies, in salads, in juices, the possibilities are endless.

Study snack idea: Blueberry smoothie- this one is really simple: just toss a cup of frozen blueberries, a cup of milk (or soy milk or almond milk if you want a few added health benefits or a lactose aversion like me), and half a cup of another fruit (I really like bananas, but strawberries are always wonderful too) into a blender and liquify. You can also add sugar to taste if you’re looking for a little pick me up or just like it a little sweeter.

Healthy habit- Exercise! I know that people say this all the time, but studies show that elevating your heart rate can help clear your mind so you can push through those late night study sessions. Plus, exercise helps keep you in good shape, letting you feel and look better all the time, not just in class or in the library. So pull an Elle Woods (I love Legally Blonde!) and take your books to the gym: work out while you read and kill two birds with one stone.

Healthy habit- Drink water! Again, this is cliche, but staying hydrated helps keep you alert and focused as well as helping keep your skin clear and your body healthy.

Healthy habit- Sleep! I’m really bad about this one and I know that many of you classy co-eds must be as busy as I am, if not more so, but not getting enough sleep can impair your performance up to as much as if you had shown up drunk! And since I know that none of you classy ladies would ever do that, why would you want to deprive yourself of sleep? You can easily improve your grades, your mood, your health and your appearance just by adding in a few more hours of sleep.

I only have one tidbit left for you ladies and then I have some hard core studying to do myself (I’m going to have an apple with some organic almond butter to snack on, since nuts are a good brain food too!): I am an avid coffee drinker and I was pleased to find that coffee is not as bad for you as some would lead you to believe. It helps keep you alert and is actually pretty healthy in moderation. Just try to stop drinking caffeine in general before dinnertime so you can still get you beauty (and brain) rest. Good luck with your classes this semester ladies!

Kat Mcclain is an intern for College Lifestyles (TM), a pre-law student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a member of Alpha Chi Omega. She is currently putting her time management skills to the ultimate test, looking forward to homecoming, and loving her sisters more and more every day.

X’s and O’s: Football Basics for the Classy Co-Ed

I personally love football and I think that the only thing that makes Monday bearable in the fall is Monday night football. But it’s something I’ve always had to share with my guy friends, since most girls can’t make head or tails of the game after the coin flip. There are lots of reasons to figure out football, including enjoying your school’s games that much more (and impressing that cute football fanatic in your class . I’m going to try to stick to the bare bones essentials for all you beginners out there for now.

Scoring:

• It seems obvious, but the field is 100 yards long plus the two ten yard long end-zones on either side (where touchdowns are scored). It is divided in half, and each team is designated a half. Touchdowns (worth six points each) occur when one team gets the ball into the other team’s endzone.
• There are a couple of other ways to score in football: field goals, safeties, and extra point attempts after touchdowns.
• A field goal is worth three points and happens when the kicker kicks the ball between the uprights behind the opponent’s end-zone. A safety is worth two points and happens when a player on one team tackles the opposing team in their end-zone.
• Extra point attempts after a touchdown are usually like field goals from the 5-yard-line (right in front of the opposing team’s end zone) which are worth one point. However, the team can also attempt a two point conversion, in which, they have to either run or pass the ball into the end zone again from the 2 or 3 yard-line (2 in the NFL and 3 in the NCAA).

Flow of the Game

• Details of the coin toss: the visiting team’s captain calls the toss and the winner of the toss gets to choose to kick-off, receive the kickoff, or defend a certain end zone (usually only during severe weather conditions; wind can be very important in a football game).
• After the coin toss, the designated kick-off team’s kicker will kick the ball from their 35 yard line. The team that kicks off then tries to tackle the receiver (whoever caught the ball) or force him out of bounds. Officials mark the point where the ball was last in play (where the receiver was tackled or forced out of bounds) and the team on the offensive (the receiving team/the team currently in possession of the ball) runs their first play from there.
• Plays start with the center snapping (that between the legs backwards pass is called a snap) to the quarterback. The quarterback then throws a pass, runs the ball, or hands the ball off to another teammate. The offense gets four downs (or tries) to move the ball ten yards closer to the defense’s end zone to eventually score. If they don’t get that far, the ball is turned over to the defense (which then becomes the offense). The sequence of plays between the start of the initial possession and the turnover to the other team is called a drive.
• Other Turnovers: interceptions (when the ball is caught by a defensive player instead of a teammate) and fumbles (when the ball is dropped by the offensive team and the defense takes possession).
• Punting: a punt is when the ball is kicked before it hits the ground and is either used when, due to game circumstances, the offense is far enough away from the first down marker that it warrants the risk of losing possession or to maximize the distance the other team has to go before the change of possession.

Timing:

• Football is broken up into four quarters. After the first quarter, the teams switch end zones. After the second quarter, there is a break for half-time.
• Teams are given 40 seconds between the end of each play and the snap of the next one. This time is recorded on the play clock.
• Each team gets three timeouts, which are up to one minute long. Teams use timeouts to adjust their team (switch players, etc.) and strategy.

Penalties:

• Penalties are basically punishments for breaking the rules of the game which typically result in loss of yardage (5, 10, 0r 15 yards depending on the severity of the penalty).
• Penalties are capped at half the distance between the offense and the end zone.
• Common penalties include false starts (which is when players move illegally before the snap has occurred, usually in a way the stimulates the start of play), holding (when a player illegally holds a player other than the ball carrier in an attempt to prevent a block or cover a receiver), face mask (when a player illegally grabs the face mask of another player), and personal fouls (conduct and safety violations, including unnecessary roughness).

Now that you know the basics, have fun actually understanding the game when your guy friends or boyfriend is forcing you to watch a game, impressing some cuties with your newfound knowledge (and hopefully love!) of football, or cheering on your school’s team from the student section.

Kat McClain is an intern with College Lifestyles(TM), a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, a Chargers (and of course Tigers!) fan, and a sports lover. She’s currently obsessed with sparkly make-up and lotion, the Fox Sports iPhone app, and the return of Glee.

Classy Co-Ed’s Guide to Awesome Advising Appointments

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably trying to figure out what exactly you’re going to have to do to graduate on time (although I don’t know why anyone wants to leave college), get a good job or into graduate school, and all that good stuff. And if you’re even more like me, you probably need a little help. That’s where advisors come in: they’re a great resource for every classy co-ed if you know how to ask the right questions. I asked my advisor a few questions about how to have more productive advising appointments and now I’m passing that advice on to you.

• Do a little research- it helps to have a general idea of what you want to know. If you’re going to your advisor for advice on how to get into grad school for example, do some online searching to see what kinds of schools you think you want to go to. If there’s a class you desperately want to get into that’s full, go prepared to tell him or her exactly why you would be an asset to the class and why the class would be an asset to you
• Ask specific questions to get specific answers- I once went into my advisor and literally asked if I could switch from pre-med to pre-law and that was the only question I’d come prepared with. The answer? “Yes” and that was all. Which didn’t help me with what I actually wanted to know: what should I do to make the switch happen and still be successful? Make a list beforehand of what exactly you want to know. Write down any answers you don’t think you’ll remember later.
• Make sure you’re going to the best advisor for your questions- At Mizzou, I have two advisors specifically assigned to me (one in each of my majors), plus an Honors College advisor and the pre-law advisor. I didn’t even know there was a pre-law advisor until I was considering a double major, and found some things about law school on the Political Science website. Sometimes it helps to just dig around and send some e-mails to feel out the resources your school offers.
• Bring any important documents with you- If you want to discuss your chances of getting into a major program, internship, or graduate school, you’ll probably need copies of your transcripts, recommendation letters, test scores, etc so your advisor doesn’t have to waste time looking things up and he or she has all the information.
• Try to get to know your advisor and maintain a relationship with him/her- the more you get to know your advisor, the more he or she will know (and care) about you too. Your advisor sees lots of students who just pass through, asking requisite questions and never pausing to learn his or her name. Some advisors are really cool people, and if they know you, when opportunities come across their desks that would be perfect for you, they’ll let you know and maybe even write you a recommendation letter.

Kat McClain is an intern at College Lifestyles ™. She attends the University of Missouri-Columbia, is a member of Alpha Chi Omega, and is extremely excited about the start of football season. Go Tigers! She also enjoys reading magazines, watching trashy TV, and listening to the new Katy Perry cd.

A Few of My Favorite Things

As a new intern here at College Lifestyles, I thought it might be nice to kind of introduce myself to everyone with the short list of the things that I love the most (because the long list would never be finished).

1. My mom- I have the most wonderful relationship with my mom, and I’m so glad to have such a strong, positive, graceful, and classy woman to look up to. If you’ve ever seen the show Gilmore Girls (another one of my favorite things), we’re actually not unlike Lorelai and Rory.2. Music- I love all kinds of music. On a bad day, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, or the music from Glee can almost always cheer me up. On the flip side, when I’m in a good mood, there’s nothing better than an upbeat tune to keep me pumped up. I love to dance and to sing along to all my favorite songs (especially during impromtu dance parties with my sisters and on the car ride home from school to do laundry).
3. TV on DVD and on the internet- I love tons of TV shows, but because I’m extremely busy (double major, Greek life, early graduation, June LSAT, other campus activities, social life, etc.), I almost never get the chance to watch them on TV. Therefore, I have become a Hulu.com addict. I can watch current shows on my own time, anywhere I can get an internet connection. Also, I can watch shows that are off the air now (Will and Grace, Gilmore Girls, Friends, and Sex and the City mostly) and shows that come on cable channels that I don’t get at school (True Blood and Dexter) whenever I want to and over and over again.

4. My best friends- In addition to some of the best sisters in the world, I have the most incredible group of best friends back home and from living in the dorms last year. While sisterhood is a friendship unlike any other, having best friends outside of my letters isn’t something I would ever give up.

5. Wild Cherry Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Soy White Chocolate Mochas, and Pumpkin spice lattes- As much as I love to sleep, I find it happens a lot less often than I’d like, so I am also pretty heavily caffiennated most of the time. I love Starbucks coffee (and my new RED tumbler that donates a percentage of my coffee purchase to charity) and around lunch, I usually choose one of my guilty pleasure sodas.
6. My planner, dry erase calendars, and other organizational type stuff- I love, love, love the feeling I get when all of my stuff is in the right place and easy to find when I need it to study, write papers, take notes, or whatever. My planner and dry erase calendars (one weekly and one monthly) help me keep track of due dates, fun sorority events, meetings, and plans with friends. With a schedule as busy as mine, writing every little thing down is one of the only ways to stay sane.

7. My wonderful sorority sisters- Here at Mizzou, home of the Tigers, we just finished formal recruitment, and I’m so excited to welcome our new members into our fantastic sisterhood. My sisters are always there for me when I need a laugh or a hug or a shoulder to cry on. Going through sisterhood week and recruitment week with them since I moved in to our lovely house in early August has been an absolute blast.

8. Jewelry- I love to dress up my preppy (think Sperry boat shoes, Miss Me jeans, and Hollister graphic tees and polos) style with fun, romantic, and vintage-y jewelry whenever possible.

9. Magazines- I love to just curl up listening to Lady Antebellum or Justin Beiber (yes, I have the fever) reading Cosmopolitan or Glamour from cover to cover. It’s a nice way to relax and unwind from a stressful day or recover from a big test. I love reading the style, hair, and make-up tips (although I’m usually too timid to try most of them).

10. Flowers and butterflies- I am allergic to pollen, but I absolutely adore receiving flowers. I love red carnations (my sorority’s flower), peonies, roses, lilies, orchids, and Gerber daisies especially. Butterflies remind me that things really do change, since all butterflies start out as caterpillars and then transform into something beautiful with just a little bit of hard work. Flowers and butterflies remind me that there really is so much beauty in the world even on my worst days.

I hope that was a fun little insight into my personality and I’m so excited to be writing for College Lifestyles. Hopefully you’re excited to read more too.

XOXO,

Kat =)

Kat McClain is an intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is also a junior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, studying psychology and communications. She is currently obsessed with the song “Teenage Dream” and the new student center on Mizzou’s campus.