Happiness Tag

Food is honestly one of my closest companions. It is there for me in the day and in the night, and when I call, it always answers. I love food more than I love people. I like to think that others think the same. Here are a few phrases that I put together that hold true when it comes to comparing food and guys: 1.”I still feel so satisfied…” (3 hours later) 2.”Chocolate will always understand.” 3. “Cheese is never late.” 4. “Fried chicken never argues.” 5. “Pizza answers whenRead More
Distance will forever be the main problem in my life. I’m a searcher. By distancing myself from the familiar, the tsunami of transition leaves me with a flood of new opportunities. By driving away from the city, I can finally breathe. The stars are visible now that I’m away from the smog. When making a college decision, I chose one halfway across the country—a convenient 750 miles away. When the walls of my perfect suburban hometown became too small for my liking, I bolted for what I called a “biggerRead More
Guilt, shame, sadness, anger, resentment, loneliness, heartbreak, confusion.. The list of uncomfortable feelings unforuntately goes on and on. Let’s face it – nobody likes feeling any of those feelings, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that these feelings are bad and that you shouldn’t be feeling them.  In order to grow from painful experiences, we need to experience the sadness and other uncomfortable feelings that come with it. If we feel sadness or loss, we need to let ourselves cry instead of holding it in and putting on a fake smile. If weRead More
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 May 25, 2014By Ashley KichtaIn Advice For Men, Advice For Women, Girlzone

Twenty-Something and Clueless

There is nothing wrong with being in your twenties and having absolutely no idea what you want to do with your life. It is not a race, and there is no time limit to decide on what you are going to do. This is the point in your life where you can experiment, chase your dreams, and try new things. You are young enough to try something, hate it, and start all over again. Sometimes the only way to know what it is that you like, is to determine whatRead More
When your neutral state has finally surpassed that flat-line contentedness and you find yourself surfing an unexplained wave of happiness–life is good!  You’re in love with breathing and being and even that barely-there whiff of lavender tinted B.O. wafting from your pits (thanks to your new all-natural deodorant) is the smell of heaven itself.  This could very well be how your lazy Sunday begins. And then, to the dismay of anyone who ever had a soul, Pharrell Williams’ song “Happy,” (the anthem to your Sunday,) which has been playing onRead More
We all have things that we try to hold on to. Sometimes we do it because we think it’s what we are supposed to do. Sometimes we do it out of habit. Sometimes we do it out of fear.  What we don’t realize however, is that holding onto something that we are not meant to hold on to can potentially guide us from the course we should actually be taking in life. Holding on to things that we need to let go of can attach us to our past likeRead 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

Posted On May 8, 2014By Ascher RobbinsIn Advice For Men, Advice For Women, Manzone

On Graduating from College

This one goes out to the Class of 2014. Whether you’re graduating this weekend, next weekend, or in June (yeah, I went to UCSB, I know all too well the pains of the quarter system and its late graduation dates), whether you attended a private school with 2,000 people or a public school with 20,000, whether you majored in dance or biochemistry, this article is for you.   I’m not exactly a perpetual optimist. A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece about some of the harsh realities of post-gradRead More

Posted On April 24, 2014By Allyson DarlingIn Dating For Women, Girlzone

How to Survive a Breakup

Getting dumped is something I have become well acquainted with during the past couple of years.  I like to blame it on my stint teaching English in Thailand, where an ex-pat lifestyle boasted an environment unsuitable for fostering skills to sustain a relationship and which resulted in a lot of strangers tongues in my mouth on island parties.  When I returned to the U.S. I went out with a lot of men that I was incompatible with, who I catered to, and who were only interesting after a whiskey sour or five.  I didn’t knowRead More
Don’t judge me for being on OKCupid because I know you’re probably thinking of how to describe yourself in three words at this very exact moment. I mean, I guess much like the “10 Internet Articles” article, if you begin to notice patterns in the online pickup lines you’re getting, maybe it’s time to go on a real date. Or maybe it’s just time to compile those pickup lines into a list that you then proceed to post on the internet. I don’t know. Do you, bbys. 1. The HolidayRead More
Last spring I got out of the Marine Corps and decided to go on a road trip to enjoy all the freedom I had been busy fighting over for the last five years.  I’m not sure what a country with no Air Force or Navy or any hostile Army at all has to do with American freedom, but that’s what I was told.  I was originally going to go solo, but I ended up taking my little sister along.  I initially said “hell no” when she asked, but I thoughtRead More
It seems the internet isn’t serving its function unless there’s something that everyone is foaming at the mouth about. Case and point: the recent upheaval surrounding a certain Duke underclassman that has sparked the largest feminist discussion this side of a Women’s Studies class. If for some reason you don’t know what I’m talking about, perhaps this will refresh your memory: This little story sent the blogs, forums, online publications and YouTube channels into a tailspin over the past week. It seems everyone from Huffington Post to The Daily BeastRead More
1. You’ll learn to erase the word “embarrassment” from your vocabulary. Greatness and embarrassment are closely connected. If you aren’t willing to be vulnerable and take risks, you’ll never meet your full potential.   2. You’ll discover your non-negotiables.  We’ve all grown up being told that acting selfishly is not okay, but when it comes to your personal and professional life, sometimes it is. Each of us will learn that there are certain things that we just aren’t willing to put up with. And that’s fine. Realizing your non-negotiables willRead More

Posted On February 21, 2014By Brian WrayIn Advice For Men, Manzone

Finding Your Favorite ‘Stick’

There was a point during Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak when somebody stole his lucky bat. Joe and his fans were devastated. How would he be able to continue? The magic was inevitably gone for Joe. Well, luckily the thief returned the bat the following day (not sure why, can you say eBay?), and Joe’s streak continued for a bit longer. But it makes you wonder, what was so magical about that bat? The answer? Everything, for Joe. They say a good tennis racquet should feel like an extensionRead More