Lifestyle Category

I have always felt really strongly that I know who I am. I’ve never cared what people thought of me; I wore what I wanted, I did what I wanted, I wasn’t afraid of letting my opinion be known, and I have always done what I felt was best for me. I was a bright high school student who has always fostered a love of books, and I still read voraciously. I used to draw, I painted, I constantly rearranged and redecorated my college dorm rooms and apartments into whatRead More

Borough to borough, couch to couch, this story is almost a rite of passage for any and all making the transition from small town to big city. I know, I know, it’s nothing new and you’ve heard it before. Upon my telling of the plans I had to become a sort of nomad to friends and family, I received a lot of concerned, confused, and utterly annoyed looks. “You’re not going to survive, you know that.” Here’s the deal: you can survive, 100% cardboard-box-house prototype-free with a little bit ofRead More

It’s our anniversary but I’m experiencing it without you. August 18th marks the day we parted ways; you for a destination that people consider to be a “better place,” and me to a place that I have not found yet. I hope your taste buds are delighting in a huge bowl of ice cream right now because that was our sacred ritual. Honestly, ice cream makes everything better; if only we could be savoring each bite with one another the way we used to do. Our separation was one ofRead More

…If you’re a girl.   1. Provided your roommates are home, you no longer have to kill your own cockroaches. And by “kill,” I mean “trap under a cup that you weigh down with a book and wait until the roach eventually dies.” Now you get instant bug murder, and who doesn’t love that? 2. Cooking utensils of all shapes, sizes, and–more importantly–materials, go in the dishwasher willy-nilly. Am I the only person whose mom told them a million times, you can’t put Teflon in the dishwasher or else it stripsRead More

If you’re like me, then you put on some serious “el-bees” between the months of November and January, respectively. The champagne was flowing, the sugar cookies were freshly sprinkled, every possible retelling of A Christmas Carol was playing around the clock, and then all of a sudden you realize that you’re looking a bit like a bowl full of jelly yourself. Hey, it happens, man. ‘Tis the season. If you’re also like me (once you came down from your sugar high), you realized that enough was enough and it wasRead More

The NYC rush hour commute is a test of patience, awareness, and morality; all of which, most commuters lack. That said, it is beyond my comprehension why anyone would think occupying city sidewalks as a human roadblock at this time is a good idea. And I’m not just referring to the thousands of city goers with no concept of their surroundings either. I mean those obnoxious, tactless, less-of-a-human individuals who have made it their purpose in life to stand between commuters and their destinations. Whether it’s a comedy show orRead More

I have been to Europe now a handful of times in my life and I have come to really enjoy myself whenever I go. Other than the nauseating flights to get there, the people, culture, and lifestyle in Europe is something special. There are the usual things that take getting used to, such as random traffic signs, different currency, and an altogether unique and pungent brand of body odor many seem to carry around with them. For those of you who haven’t been, let me offer some suggestions in order toRead More

Once school is all done with, most young adults believe that being a professional is all about nailing the job and title. The thing you come to realize is there’s more to it than just getting the job. The biggest thing I’ve learned is that your dream job doesn’t equal your dream workplace. Learning to deal with people, deal with situations, and how to correctly do your job all come with experience, but there are a few things that automatically are engrained in us when entering the work field.   CommunicationRead More

In February, I got a job at a locally-owned burger joint in Dallas, TX to earn some money for when I go back to school in the Fall.  Since working there, I have noticed that some people truly don’t know what it’s like to work in the service industry and treat us as such.  Here’s a list of reasons why everyone should either have at least one service job in their life, or should sympathize with those who do.   1. You understand how much tips mean. Tipping your waitressRead More

Alright, so I think I can speak for many people when I say that maintaining happiness in a job, especially if it’s entry level, is difficult to do. I speak as a recent graduate who has now been at her first “adult” job for about 8 months now. For the most part, I’ve been really lucky. I work at a small company, editing ads. Because I eventually want to edit books or magazines, or maybe help  manage a website like this one, it looks really great on my resume andRead More

Unless you’re a trust-fund babe living in a coked-out fantasyland, you have a job.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 15.7 percent of us work in wholesale or retail trade.  In other words, 15.7 percent of the workforce doesn’t remember what a weekend feels like.  For some people, it’s the job they hope to have for years.  For the rest of us, it’s simply a job we work while keeping our eyes wide open for bigger and better possibilities.  While it seems like most of my friends have movedRead More

So I live with two random dudes. I don’t know them (it’s a long story) and before you ask, no I’m not sleeping with either of them. Usually it’s totally cool and living with guys is better in some ways than living with girls (a topic I will cover soon, coming to an article near you). Except. Except this morning when one of my roommates (I don’t know which one) took a full 40 minutes in the bathroom. 40! It made me a half hour late to work all becauseRead More

I’m not going to dance around with this one. It is all going right out in front. Stop asking why – it scares people. The question “Why?” is accusatory, negative, and scary. I’m not talking about asking why yeast makes bread rise. This is about asking why someone did or did not text you back on Friday night. When someone asks why you did or did not do something, immediately the pressure is on. It is time to as quickly and neatly as possible think up a good answer thatRead More

Is it just me? Or has New York City turned into a breeding ground for fad dieters and soul-searching cyclists? Whether they’re a lifestyle, or just fads to blast all over social media, these trends have spread like wild fire in the metropolitan area. Must be something in their coconut waters.   Gluten-Free and Other Fad Diets  And I don’t mean the people who have been gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian for most of their life. I’m referring to those who hear of a new diet and throw it into a rotation ofRead More

Wake up and tell yourself that today is going to be a good day. I know this may sound somewhat simplistic in comparison to the sometimes harsh realities life and all its alliances can throw at us, but try it. Your outlook determines and shapes the way you feel about certain situations and then, in turn, will have either a negative or positive effect – depending on the outlook you choose to have – on the way you handle these matters. If you are coming from a negative mind set,Read More