CL Presents: Big/Little Basket Must-Haves!

Each chapter within the Greek community celebrates Big/Little Week differently, but one key theme that remains a constant across the Greek alphabet is baskets! Typically lasting three days, Big/Little Week is like getting a second birthday – only better! After bonding and connecting with a member in your sorority, a matchmaking process commences and you’re given a mentor, aide, friend, and confidante. And presents. The best part of the week is watching girls struggling to balance the fishbowls, hula hoops, and giant inflatable palm trees all the way back to their dorms. It isn’t easy though for us Bigs. Stumped for ideas? College Lifestyles has got you covered!

Alpha Beta Gamma: Most devote a basket to showering their newest addition with letters, t-shirts, sweatpants, bags, the whole shebang. To be honest, it’s what a Little looks forward to the most; girls, I know you remember the first pair of letters you received! Some ways to get creative with this theme and color outside the lines are:

-Funky letters [Think Glow in the Dark, The Simpsons, or Camouflage.]

-DIY Blanket

-Bumper Stickers

-Umbrellas

Thursday, Friday, Saturday – Happy Days: During Big/Little week you’ll find the entire Greek community raiding costume and party stores like it’s their job – and it might as well be! Taking a Little under your wing means preparing them for the thrill of the weekend. Rather than buy another lei, invest your money and don’t forget to write a few dates down on your calendar:

-Concert tickets

-Tutu’s [Every color. The more glitter, the better.]

-Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream [It smells like Cotton Candy!]

-Disposable camera

A night spent in: Not every night is spent listening to local music or putting that princess tiara to use. Everyone needs a break sometimes, but that doesn’t mean you have to hit the sack at the strike of midnight. A few of these essentials will have you calling your Little to make plans to stay in:

-Onesie pajamas

-Cheesy 90s flick [Drive Me Crazy? Basically anything with Melissa Joan Hart.]

-Disco Ball [Hey, you never know!]

-Jack Sparrow Cardboard Cutout [Mine is now fashioned with all my feather boas.]

Must Haves

Who knows, your basket themes might take you elsewhere, but if there are two items I absolutely, positively, firmly believe in gifting, it’s:

Family traditions: One thing I will always take with me from my Delta Gamma experience is a red wagon. A red wagon covered in D’s and G’s. Why? Because it has been passed down in my family every year. Don’t have a family tradition? Fear not – start your own!

Inflatable flamingos: No Little should go through college without one. Period.

What’s your favorite gift from Big/Little week? If it’s not on the list, scroll on up and leave a comment for your fellow College Lifestyle Greeks!

Kaitlyn Monteiro is a junior at Syracuse University studying English & Textual Studies and Psychology.  With a Starbucks in hand, you can find her at the local Barnes & Noble updating her Tumblr, buying the latest Glamour, and checking on the Pittsburgh Steeler’s score!

Back to School Bash #1: Slip ‘n Slide Party!

In about a month, most universities will resume classes for fall semester.  Although the thought of a full load of courses ahead doesn’t sound too appealing, being reunited with friends brings about a positive vibe for resuming school.  Kick off the year with a bang and throw a get-together that no one will forget!  In this four part series, you’ll be sure to take away some great ideas for your very own “Back to School Bash.”

Back to School Bash #1: Slip ‘n Slide Party!

Last year upon our return to school, my sorority sisters and I spent a sunny Saturday afternoon getting “wet ‘n wild” on a giant “slip ‘n slide.”  We spent the entire afternoon going time after time down our creation, and at the end of the day were all in dire need of showers.  We had a fabulous time with each other, and had nice suntans to show for it!  This was one of my favorite hangouts all year, and I hope it’s something we get a chance to do again this year.

Steps to having your own “Slip ‘n Slide Party”:

1. Find a location. Our sorority slip ‘n slide party was held out at some of our sisters’ house (the front yard has a huge hill – perfect for slip ‘n sliding).  A grassy yard with any type of incline will work just fine.  Make sure that there is a hose and water available at the location of your choice.
   

   My ΣΑΩ sister, Gracie, taking the plunge down our slip 'n slide

2. Invite your friends. Call them, send out a mass text message, or create a Facebook event.  Invite as many, or as few, friends as you desire, but keep in mind, the more the merrier!
   

   Facebook Event

3. Buy a roll of “painter’s plastic.” Sadly we have all outgrown the premade slip ‘n slides, so a few transitions are necessary.  Painter’s plastic works perfectly, and you can purchase rolls of it in many different measurements.  Prices range from $13- $25 per roll.
   

   Roll of painter's plastic

4. Buy landscape stakes. You don’t want your slip ‘n slide to take the plunge with you, so make sure to purchase some stakes to hold it down.  Four- eight stakes should do the trick, depending on the length of your slip ‘n slide.  Each stake will cost around $3.
   

   Landscape Stake

5. Buy liquid dish soap. Squirt this all over your slip ‘n slide, and you’re sure to go flying down.  Use sparingly, because a little will go a long way.  Each bottle will cost approximately $3 per bottle.  Plan on using one bottle every hour, so buy accordingly.
   

   Palmolive liquid dish soap

6. Speakers. Music is a must for this event; just make sure to keep your speakers dry!  For the perfect playlist, check out CL’s Ultimate Summer Road Trip Playlist.
   

   Apple® iHome

Follow these 6 steps, and you should be all set.  Be sure to take pictures so that you can savor your fun day for years to come!

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University® and is the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She is looking forward to being reunited with her sorority sisters in less than a month and hopes to have another slip ‘n slide party to kick off the year.

“5 Penny-Pinching Ps” – A Savvy Co-ed’s Guide to an Adventure Filled, Yet Affordable Summer

Summer is a fabulous chance to spend time with friends.  It is the perfect opportunity to strengthen existing friendships, as well as create new ones.  Be creative with the way you chose to spend your time together; hanging out doesn’t have to empty your wallet.  When looking for fun, affordable ideas, be sure to remember the “5 Penny-Pinching Ps.”

1-Photos. Go find pretty spots on your University or go to a local park, and snap away.  Not only will this serve as a fun way to occupy your time, but it will also supply you with memories that will last forever (who doesn’t love pictures?).

2-Picnic. Let’s face it, hanging out with friends rarely occurs without involving some type of food consumption.  Meeting for lunch or mid-afternoon ice cream serves as an easy solution for finding something to do.  Although this is nice on occasion, it can really make a dent in your wallet.  Try being creative with your meal options; plan a picnic.  Ask each friend to bring something to contribute to your meal and voila!  Not only have you saved money, but you have also found something exciting and out of the ordinary to do.

3-Pool. What better way to spend a hot day than beside the pool with your favorite pals?  Fill your pool bag with magazines, water, sunscreen, and don’t forget your radio!  A pool day will be a great way to spend a chill day with your friends, and you’ll even have a suntan to show for it!

4-Park. So it has already been suggested as a location for a photo shoot, but now make the park itself your main point of interest.  Parks can offer a variety of entertainment.  In my hometown we have parks with hiking trails, walking paths, ponds, gardens and even one with shoals and a small waterfall.  Going to the park is one of my favorite ways to spend a summer day with friends.  It offers exercise, quality bonding, and is always a guaranteed adventure!

5-Party. Throw a party!  You don’t need an excuse.  Turn something out of the ordinary into an excuse for a party.  No, this doesn’t have to be anything extravagant.  Have a themed movie night or reminisce from your younger days and throw a cliché slumber party.  For all of you FIFA World Cup™ fans, ask all of your friends to come watch the game dressed in their team of choice’s colors.  Just as suggested with the picnic, ask everyone to bring something!  For my friend Sarah’s 21st birthday, we celebrated with a “21″ themed party.  We asked everyone who came to bring their favorite party food in a quantity of 21 (i.e.: 21 cupcakes, 21 mini-sandwiches, etc).  Who doesn’t like “get-togethers,” especially when they are with a big group of friends?

As college co-eds, we are all looking for ways to have fun while saving our money.  Next time you and your friends are ready for a fun adventure, remember “The 5 Penny-Pinching Ps” for a guaranteed good time.

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University and the president of her sorority Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She loves finding new ways to have fun with her friends, especially during the summer.

Take a Trip to the College Lifestyles Spa!

Have fun relaxing and pampering yourself with an “at home spa!”  Dedicate an entire day to your College Lifestyles Spa so you can veg out after a rough week, or so you can get ready for that big date, simply just follow a few tips here and there so you can always be beautiful and relaxed.  I was inspired to write this blog after reading CL Intern Audrey’s article “Your Classy, Fun CL Summer…FOR LESS!”  (http://collegelifestyles.org/2010/06/cl-summer-sips-refreshing-drinks-to-keep-cool/) Following these steps at home, instead of going to a real spa, will save you LOTS of money!  Enjoy some time by yourself, or invite your sisters and friends to join you in your “spa!”

Step 1:  Meditate

This is a great way to relieve any stress from your life.  I try to do this whenever I am stressed, even if I am not having a spa day!  Find a quiet, exclusive area, and find a comfortable area on the floor to sit.  Add some scented candles to make the room have a more relaxing vibe.  Close your eyes, and deeply breathe.  Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Try to make your chest go out as much as possible as you breathe in, and feel your belly expand as you breathe out.  Think of images and sounds that relax you.  I always envision crashing waves at the beach, and think of the sound that they make.  It is amazing how this simple technique can make you feel so much better!

Step 2:  Cleanse your Body with Spa Food!

As you enjoy your day of relaxation, you do not want to be bloated, irritated, or uncomfortable.  So, avoid eating any carbonated beverages (even if they are diet!), fried foods, or foods high in refined sugars, which all will leave you feeling sluggish and puffy.  Drinking plenty of water will keep you feeling hydrated, and will contribute to your relaxed feelings.  But, since you are having a “spa” day, keep it exciting, and ditch the plain bottles of Poland Spring, and enjoy a glass of pretty spa water!

To make spa water, fill a pretty quart-sized pitcher with ice and water.  Thinly slice one cucumber and one lemon into circle shaped pieces, and add them to the water.  Next, finely chop ten fresh mint leaves and add them as well.  Give it a good stir, and enjoy!  This will keep you hydrated, relaxed, and it will help to keep your skin clear!  Also, it is just more fun to drink!!!

To continue with the theme of pretty, energizing, hydrating foods, enjoy 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt, topped with slices of orange, mint leaves, and a small drizzle of honey!  (I always try to cut the oranges into circles rather than wedges because it just looks prettier!)

For more spa food ideas, check out CL Intern Samantha’s article “CL Summer Sips: Refreshing Drinks to Keep Cool” (http://collegelifestyles.org/2010/06/cl-summer-sips-refreshing-drinks-to-keep-cool/) for healthy frozen drink ideas!  Her recipes look delicious and fun!

Step 3:  Take a Dip in a Colorful, Fragrant Bath!

Filling your tub with bath salts is a great way to relax and to just have more fun!  Buying them in the store can get expensive, but making them at home is sooo easy!  To make the salts, you will need 1 cup of Epsom salts, and ½ cup of Kosher salts.  You can leave them white and unscented, if you wish, and it will help to make your skin smooth, and will keep the bath water warm, or you can add coloring and fragrance.  Simply add a few drops of food coloring to make it colorful.  Be careful not to make the color too strong, as you can stain the tub, but if you accidentally add too much coloring, simply add more salt!  To make the salt scented, you can buy extracts at the grocery store, and add half of a capful to your salts.  Some great scent ideas are to add peppermint extract, which will make you feel energized, vanilla extract, which will make you smell delicious, or coconut extract, which will give your spa a tropical twist.  Add half of your salts to your warm bath water and enjoy!  Soak up in the tub and your skin will become soft and fragrant.  These homemade bath salts also make a great, inexpensive present for a friend or family member!

Step 4:  Exfoliate Your Skin

As you wash yourself in the salt-filled tub, use this homemade exfoliator to make your skin smooth!  The exfoiliator will take off any dry, bumpy parts of your skin and will moisturize your entire body, no matter what your skin type is.  To make it, pour a quarter cup of sugar into a plastic container, and pour canola oil over it until the sugar is wet.  Mix it to form a thick paste, and gently rub it over your skin.  Then, rinse and wash it off with your favorite soap.

*This may be too harsh for your face, so just use it on your body.  It is great for elbows and legs!

Step 5:  Make a Face Mask

This homemade face mask will help to keep your skin smooth, and will help to get rid of any acne and oiliness that you may have!  Mix ¼ cup of un-cooked old-fashioned oatmeal with ½ cup of cold green tea.  Add two teaspoons of honey and mix well.  Before applying it to your face, wet your face with a wash cloth, and then massage the mixture onto your face, avoiding your eyes.  The best part about this face mask?  You have to keep it on for 15 minutes, so in the meantime, you can sit and relax, or do whatever you want!!!  Wash the mask off with your favorite facial cleanser and enjoy your beautiful skin!  The oatmeal will make your skin smooth, while the green tea acts as an astringent.  The honey will help to pull out any dirt or bacteria from your skin.

Follow these steps so you can stay relaxed, beautiful, and classy!  How do you pamper yourself at home for cheap?

Christine Palaski is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is a proud sister of Delta Delta Delta at Adelphi University.

It’s Summer!!!….Now What? Have fun the College Lifestyles Way!!!

SUMMER!!!  Admit it, you have been counting down the days starting with the first chilly day this winter and since that first paper was assigned in your psychology class.  Don’t let this one be boring where you fall into the same routine!  More importantly, don’t loose the friendships you have between your sorority sisters and your college friends that live far away during the summer months.  Here are some ideas to keep this summer awesome:

1. Tour your home town

So you have lived there your whole life, but have you seen all of it?  Do you know everything there is to know?  My friend Sarah and I toured our town once, and it was so much fun!  We live in a very small town (2 square miles!), and we just starting walking around the down-town area, pretending we were tourists in a foreign city.  Even tough we have lived there our entire lives, there was so much there that we did not even know about, including an art gallery and amazing Thai food!  Start exploring and see what you can find!

2. Take a day trip to someplace exciting

Give the beach a break and visit someplace new!  Great ideas are museums and state parks.  Visiting those places you went to for class trips in elementary school is surprisingly a lot more fun when you are older!

3. Become a Domestic Diva

Host a dinner party for you and your friends!  Cook based on your ability, for example, if you are new, make something easy (we won’t tell anyone if you bought it frozen!) or, if you feel more comfortable try an entire five course meal!  Experiment with recipes and share them with your friends! Create a theme (18^th century colonial for the fourth of July, Hawaiian Luau, or a Greece theme for your sorority sisters) and decorate accordingly!  Get creative and maybe even dress the part!  This is also a great time to teach and practice ettiquitee.  Review these awesome dining guidelines (http://collegelifestyles.org/?p=4827)!

4. Embrace your silliness!

Try stand up comedy!  Most local comedy clubs offer one night a week for ammeters, and no auditioning is necessary!  Give it a try!  You can enjoy your five seconds of fame, or maybe create a new profession.

5.  Change up your exercise routine

Its beautiful out!  So ditch the boring gym and enjoy the weather while you can!  Running, jogging, and walking (or a combination of all three!) are excellent forms of cardio.  When the weather is nice out, just start running/jogging/walking wherever your feet take you…assuming this place is safe!  Who knows what interesting and new things you can find!  All the nice scenery will motivate you to want to do it more, and you will save money by not having to pay gym memberships!  Be sure to follow up on these fitness tips before you start (http://collegelifestyles.org/?p=929).  The summer is a great time to get in shape, and with this plan you will be looking and feeling great!

6. Keep in touch with those far away

Don’t let miles separate your bonds with friends and sisters!  A great idea is to create a private facebook group with your sisters, focusing on staying in touch.  Everyone can post fun group activity ideas.  For example “Seeing the Sex in the City 2 on premiere day!  Meet me there!!!”  This is also a great way to jump-start recruitment for the fall!  Girls will see you having so much fun together with your sisters, and want to join in!  Also, it will create great stories to tell potential new members!

This summer, I want to really enjoy the nice weather while I can before I have to lock myself in the library once the falls starts!  I am going to try canoeing and hiking.  I was also going to practice making creative dinners!

Be adventurous!  Do something you always wanted to do, but never got around to.  You have 3+ months to do whatever, without school restraining you!

What are you doing to keep your summer exciting?

Christine Palaski is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is a student at Adelphi University and is a proud sister of Delta Delta Delta.

Shape Up! Workout serires: Warning, Curves ahead!

Alright ladies, I’ll admit to liking my workout time with my fabulous sorority sisters, but as promised, it was time to move on to something new (which was okay, because I really only need to know so much about the Kardashian girls…at least there was TV to keep us going!).

The next step was to take College Lifestyles off campus and out to the real world!  After writing letters to different fitness and wellness centers, Curves (R) gave me a call that they would love to help out, so I went investigating to see what they were all about!

The great thing about Curves (R) is that when you walk in the door, you don’t have the awkward feeling that the gym rats who have spent their whole lives bench pressing will be looking down their noses at your belly fat. In fact, what I really loved from the beginning is that you will walk in, and there will be women of all ages and all fitness levels working out on the same machines, all they all seem to be enjoying their workout.

Every good journalist does her homework before the interview, right? Some fun things I learned about Curves (R) while snooping around their website:

• They are the largest fitness franchise world wide (c’mon, that is impressive)
• They have a far more comprehensive approach to well-being, not just fitness
• Recipes are available online
• They invest an astounding amount of money into research for healthy lifestyles

All these were fun facts to know, but nothing could have prepared me for the chat I had with Curves (R) trainer, Kelly Waggoner. She was spunky, enthusiastic, and authentically interested in women’s health and well-being.  She gave an overview of the process: three 30-minute circuit training work outs a week, and healthy eating can land members health benefits. She explained that every Curves is set up the same way, and with the machines being a near equal to water aerobics for your body (minus the water!) so unlike most gyms, there are no adjustments, no extra effort, just jump on and get moving.  You begin each work out on a “recovery board” which is a plank where you get your heart rate going, or after a machine, maintain your heart rate while giving your muscles some time to relax before their next round.

The work out and weigh in

More confessions: I was beyond nervous about circuit training. I have friends who had experience with that, and none of them had anything great to say (maybe it is because they were all football players? hmm…). Even so, my endurance isn’t the greatest yet (it is improving!), and having trained women there watching me wasn’t something I was looking forward to.

Not expecting to go full swing the first day, I arrived to the interview in my business attire (which includes a skirt) and Kelly wanted to show me how some of the machines worked. Really? I was in a skirt.  In reality, I was able to do a couple, wake up some muscles I haven’t used since Tree Climbing 101 in first grade, and had become quite curious about the rest. She invited me to bring a friend along for the first “official” workout, where we would get measured, learn how to use each machine correctly, and get moving.

Getting measured wasn’t as uncomfortable as I had thought either. Wow, this place was really full of some surprises! Kelly explained that they keep track of both inches and pounds because your body can build muscle, leaving the scales tipping in the opposite direction of what most hope for when they join a fitness center.  She also pointed to kites that lined the walls of the facility, which had strings of varying lengths with names. She said that every in on the kite represented an inch lost for the woman whose name was on it. What a nice way to find motivation through physical representation!

Starting on the recovery board, Missy and I ran in place for 30 seconds until we were prompted to “change stations,” where we moved to a machine. The machines alternate what muscle groups they work, from lower body, middle body, to upper body. There are recovery board between each machine. After our first visit, there was a woman behind me who was older than us, and she would dance on the recovery boards! This brought a smile to my face and motivation to my feet. And arms. And before I knew it, I wanted to dance too!

The thirty minutes equals two laps around the circuit, followed by stretching on the stretching machine (say good bye to old fashion stretches! They mean business!).

The Environment

From the first step into the building, you can tell it is a woman-friendly environment. Painted purple, with feminine decorations, a small table for Avon products, breast cancer detection posters, and motivational posters where the message is being rewritten from negative thoughts turned positive thoughts–it is clear I belonged there. I wasn’t afraid of not working out hard enough, or of other members staring when I left before the 45 minute mark. In fact, everyone was very encouraging and they even pay attention to whether or not I am using the machine how I should, because these women want the full benefits of their work out!

More than women-friendly, Curves can be noted as motivational zone, as women in their 70′s can show up, hop on, and still manage to smile the whole time. When I see an older woman, a fit woman, or even a lesser fit woman who is doing this for herself, for her own health, now that is motivational.

The Cost

Curves runs many deals, but the one I settled down with was the student membership. That’s right. There is no typo. I am officially a member. Weird.

Students can receive a discount, making the fee around $99 a semester or three month term.

-Worried about breaks? Get a pass to travel to your hometown Curves while spending time away from school.

-Think it is out of your budget? It averages to around $1 a day per month for better health for life…I found room in my budget for that.

-Dangerous confidence, no chance for boredom, free weight loss classes, and better habits for you, for life!

What other women are saying about Curves

I asked others what they loved as they entered, and this is what they are saying:

“Don’t ask me! I come because I like the friends I have made here and have fun!”

“I just like being able to go in before work or on my lunch break.”

“It is so easy, and there isn’t anyone staring when your belly jiggles a little.”

“The trainers are there to help with any questions, they watch out for all of us to make sure we are doing it right.”

What are we here at College Lifestyles saying about Curves? Check back next week to find out!