Start Keeping Up With the Spring Trends

With the spring slowly but surely approaching, many people find that they are in need of outfits that are more appropriate for the warmer weather.  For some, this is a simple transition that they have been dying for. 

Others that are fans of the colder weather, the transition is upsetting and difficult.  No matter what side you’re on, it’s time to put away those bulky jackets and spring into the warm weather.

Henry Tran, a junior accounting student, spoke about some of his favorite outfits and ways to have more variety in the spring. “Some of my favorite outfits for the spring are flannels with basic tees underneath.  Long sleeves are always a staple,” he said.  He mainly addressed the fact that layering can still be utilized during the warm weather. 

After speaking about footwear for the spring, he said, “I find myself more in Stan Smith’s, Vans and even boat shoes.” Low-cut sneakers seem to become extremely popular when the warmer weather approaches. 

Finally, when asked if he had any advice for someone looking to update their wardrobe, he said, “Less is more.  You should really build an outfit up from the bottom.  Work with the shoes you pick and go from there.”  He also spoke on why choosing a simple outfit can be utilized more frequently.  “A solid tee provides more options than a tee with designs on it.  You can wear various flannels, jackets, and sweaters.”

Brendan Tedaldi, a junior business management student, gave his input on the topic. He stated that he is a fan of long sleeve shirts on, “Windy, but warm, spring days.”  Tedaldi explained how he is not the biggest advocate for wearing jeans and enjoys wearing shorts during the warmer weather. 

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How College Sports Can Help Your Future

Being a college athlete is one of the greatest feelings in the world. The thrill of winning a game is unlike anything and the bond with your fellow teammates you form is irreplaceable. By the time an athlete is in college, playing the game and the routine that comes with it is second nature. On campus, athletes are usually looked up to. They’re often the face of a school and seen as leaders and role models.

When these aspects of life are taken away, it’s easy to feel lost. Low self-esteem and confusion from lack of identity are emotions that are tied to this transition in life. Playing a sport gives you an identity that feels like it can never be taken away. However, this isn’t the case when graduating college; the transition of leaving a sport can be shocking.

Such a small amount of athletes get a chance to play their sport in college, and even fewer get to take their talents and play professionally. Finding a place in the real world can seem overwhelming if continuing your sport after college is not in the cards.

Although student athletes might feel confused when saying goodbye to playing competitively, the things learned by being a college athlete have prepared athletes for the real world in more ways than you might think.

Monmouth University’s women’s golf coach Sue DeKalb offered her input. She said that playing sports in college is a great thing to have because employers will know that “you are able to manage your time, work well with co-workers, and will be able to perform under pressure from the responsibilities and duties you had as a member of a team.”

Having to live life with a regimented schedule of balancing practice, workouts, meetings, games, and classes teaches time management skills that are unmatched. Being a college athlete also forms a person into being a team player with stellar communication skills.

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Enjoy a Fun-Filled Summer

Finals are approaching, but so is the start of the summer. There is a ton to do and to see both within the state of New Jersey and out. Besides the shore and catching a tan, you want to look back on your summer vacation and all of the amazing things you did!

With four months at your disposal, imagine how much binge watching you can accomplish on Netflix! Narcos, Black Mirror and Stranger Things have met their match! If maybe watching television shows in one sitting for 427 hours on end is not your thing, you can make a trip to Delsea Drive-In Theater in Vineland, New Jersey.

Movie night with friends? Make your way to a modern movie theater to some highly anticipated blockbusters such as Deadpool 2, Incredibles 2, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom, Avengers: Infinity War, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! For a different kind of movie watching experience, Aberdeen is the home of the live Rocky Horror Picture Show performance with a shadow cast as the film rolls on!

You may want to fill up your time that you have under sun doing more novelty or niche things. Maybe it is finally time to get a tattoo designed by a favorite artist? If having a needle stabbed into your skin or having a design permanent for eternity intimidates you, there are semi permanent options like from inkbox.com, where you can purchase a pen and have a tattoo for about two weeks.

You will be exposed to the sun a lot, so make sure to wear your sunscreen, but still take the time to appreciate this enormous burning ball of gas! Set aside a day, one day during break or once every month, where you wake up really early to watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day. Take a breath and notice how similar or different the colors are; think about everything you accomplished and ate that day, also known as a mindfulness practice. Four months can go by really quickly but it is enough time to learn a new language, train for a marathon, or learn to play ukulele.

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How to Shop Without Breaking the Bank

Most people can admit that they engage in retail therapy. Shopping can make you feel good and improve your mood. However, if you are a college student most of your money is probably being spent on things like housing, books, and tuition. This makes it that much more important to be a savvy shopper and stretch your cash a little further. There are ways to indulge in the fun of shopping without reeking havoc on your budget.

A smart way to start saving is by using apps and websites that automatically find you deals and apply coupons. Shop Savvy is a great barcode scanning app that searches local stores and websites for the best price on items you want. Using coupons is an obvious way to save, but old fashioned paper coupons aren’t totally practical. Apps like Snip Snap make using coupons easy. This application can search stores and retailers for coupons and then download them individually directly to the app. It automatically sorts them by expiration date so you don’t have to remember when to use them by.

Senior communication student Alexa DeTurris is a fan of this method of saving. “Whenever I’m shopping for a big ticket item I usually use my phone to make sure the store I’m at is giving me the best deal,” she said. 

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Combating Spring Fever

With the most recent winter storms and two snow days in the past week, it is difficult to see that the season of spring has begun. This past Tuesday, March 20, marked the first day of spring for 2018. This important date for lovers of warm weather indicates that soon clear skies and warm rays of sunshine will cast upon the Jersey Shore.

Going to school one mile from the coastline and for many Monmouth University students, living even closer to it, the beach is much more appealing on these spring weather days than the classroom. As the weather improves it becomes more difficult to keep grades rising with the temperatures. Allowing time to enjoy the weather and do homework, routine, and self-care can be essential to staying focused on school and avoiding spring fever.

The nearby town of Long Branch grants one of the nicest luxuries for exercise. The newly refinished boardwalk along the coast provides a long, flat strip for runners and walkers to take in springtime on the shore. Students within walking distance can gain access to the boardwalk in Long Branch between Brighton Avenue and Laird Street. Those that wish to drive to the path can find head- in parking on Brighton Avenue or street parking on any of the streets stretching North to Pier Village. Political science associate professor and faculty advisor to the Monmouth University Debate Hawks Joe Patten shares his experiences running outside in the springtime in his hometown of Howell, NJ. “Going for a run while listening to music is always the favorite part of my day. It is especially great when I run the loop in the wooded area of the Manasquan Reservoir in Howell. Sometimes I get a special treat of running up on a family of deer or an especially bright red cardinal. Running to music also chases away any toxic stressors that might come my way and keeps me energized and in a positive frame of mind,” he said.

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Take a Break and Go Off the Grid

As a society, we could sometimes use a complete disconnect with the digital world. We need to all take an unforeseen virtual hiatus from all methods of digital communication. It may be hard, but at the end of the day, disconnecting from the cyber universe we all depend on so much can be cleansing.

We always long for those text messages, phone calls, and ‘likes’ on our posts. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, are all things we spend hours on each day. We live in the generation of “If I didn’t snap it, did it even happen?”

However, by taking the time to really disconnect you will be alarmed by how connected you are to an inanimate object. Without a phone constantly in hand, people feel as though they are missing one of their extremities, like a hand or leg. Doesn’t that sound a little insane? We should not be so connected to an object in our life, but we should be connected to those around us.

People almost use their phones as a shield. A shield that acts as a barrier to forming new relationships. A barricade that protects us from awkward interactions. Think about it. In the first moment of awkward silence amongst our friends or strangers, we instantly glance down at our phones. It’s almost become a defense mechanism or involuntary reflex in our society.

Senior marketing student Shannon Christie shared her opinion on the subject. “I think people need to disconnect from their phones because it takes away from personal relationships. We should know about people’s lives and events happening in them through their own mouths rather than what is posted on social media. I think relationships would benefit from interpersonal communication rather than what we see through social media,” she said.

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Benefits of Implementing Yoga into Your Life

Yoga is one of the oldest forms of exercise dating back to what some describe to the dawn of civilization. The physical practice of yoga is called “asana.”  Yoga is so much more than a physical exercise, which makes it extremely beneficial to add to your life.

For example, when talking to junior communication student Caitie Link, she talked about the positive impact yoga has had on her physically. “I have muscle knots that are so tight that massage therapists can no longer fix my back and shoulder. I’ve been doing yoga weekly recently and my knots are finally starting to release and I’m feeling less pain. Plus, it’s a good relaxer from class!”

Yoga originated thousands of years ago in India, where its purpose was to prepare the body for a long meditation. It was also a practice that was only accessible to men. However, as time went on, yoga moved to the west and became a very popular form of exercise.

Professor of art history Rohini Iyengar shared her thoughts. “Yoga has been around for so long for many reasons. It is something that helps you have control over your body and also your mind. Besides the practice, Yoga is something that has been prominent in many different religions and cultures throughout history. Its idea of bringing you back to yourself and helping you avoid temptation is something at the core of many belief systems such as Buddhism.”

Today, there are many different types of yoga, the most popular being hatha yoga. Hatha yoga is what was practiced when it first originated in India. It is practiced in a neutral environment while going through the postures. Other types of yoga that have come about in our modern western world are Bikram yoga, aerial yoga, prenatal yoga, and many, many more.

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Beyond the Physical Benefits of Exercise

When people think about exercise, they always jump to the physical benefits it provides for you. The more you run, the more weight you will lose. The more weights you lift, the stronger you will be become. Although these points are true, it is also important to remember the mental benefits that come with exercise.

With midterm grades upon us, we find ourselves cramped in our dorms or the library writing papers and studying for seemingly never-ending tests. While doing this, we will usually eat easily accessible food, which is never super healthy. This lack of movement and gross intake of processed food leaves you feeling drained and unmotivated.

Although going out for a run or hitting the gym may be the last thing you feel like doing while drowning in work, it could be the best thing for you. With the weather being as crazy as it is, take advantage of those random warm days and get some fresh air!

Getting out of the stuffiness of a dorm and being able to stretch your legs after hours crammed at a desk is the best feeling. You’ll return feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on whatever the rest of the day holds.

Graduate Faculty and Department Chair of the English department Susan Goulding Ph.D. runs every day. “Most weeks, I run 30-60 minutes a day, longer on weekends… I almost always run in the morning after reading the paper, looking at my email and walking the dog. A morning run gives me a chance to organize my day, and sort of take a deep breath before going into work,” she said, “...[running] is a treat, and not a chore, and I feel more energized and focused after a good run.”

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Take Advantage Before Time Runs Out

“Adulting” is defined as trying to complete tasks in the real-world and being successful in achieving daily rituals of a person with responsibilities. For many seniors thinking about graduation, this concept is approaching quickly. However, there are still two months until graduation and two months to get the help in daily life that so many undergraduates are privileged to.

Being a student at Monmouth University comes with a plethora of on-campus resources to help students achieve while on campus and beyond. Upon graduation, some of the services may still be of access to alumni, but they come at a cost. Weekly events to ease the pressure of the everyday work life, assistance with written applications and engaging workout classes that add ease to any mundane gym routines, will soon come at a premium for seniors. During the final months at Monmouth, seniors should take advantage of these free resources that will soon expire.

Writing a personal statement for graduate school or a cover letter for a job application is unlike any assignment instilled in Monmouth’s courses.

Highlighting your strengths while discussing your goals and life story can be a challenging feat. Although many seniors have sought out the help of Writing Assistants for coursework, the resource is available for help beyond course content.

Director of Writing Services and supplemental instruction Neva Lozada encourages seniors to utilize the writing center for help prior to graduation. “Writing Services also serves as a resource for students as they prepare to enter the workforce or apply to graduate school. Writing Assistants are available to help seniors write personal statements, cover letters, and application essays,” she said. Regardless of whether one is pursuing a challenging career or continuing their education, some type of writing is typically incorporated in the hiring process. Lozada states, “It’s often helpful to have a second pair of eyes review these types of real-world assignments.” To take advantage of this resource, students can make an appointment on Accudemia or contact Writing Services directly.

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Making the Best of Your Aesthetic Requirement

One of the biggest arguments against the aesthetics requirement is that it won’t be necessary in a future career. However, aesthetics classes such as art, dance, music, and theatre teach us important things that can’t be taught in other general courses.

For instance, the sense of creativity that is learned from any aesthetic class can enhance our college experience while shaping us into well-rounded students. College is all about experiencing and learning new things, and taking at least one aesthetics class is the perfect opportunity to immerse oneself into a whole new aspect of life.

After all, art, music, dance and theatre are present in our lives in more ways than we realize. The songs you hear on the car radio, the poster hanging on the wall of your dorm, and the musical that comes on the television when channel surfing all share the same aesthetic nature.

What else do art, music, dance and theatre have in common? They all have the power to boost emotion, promote inspiration, and reduce stress.

Freshman English student Britney Fusic is currently fulfilling her aesthetics requirement this semester. Rather than dreading her art appreciation class twice a week, she realized that there is much more to art than most people realize.

“Art teaches you to look at things not only at the surface; it teaches you to think about it as well,” she shared. “With art, you can’t just look at it and assume it’s one thing, because it could mean something different to everybody, so you really have to look at it and try to interpret and analyze it.” Aesthetics isn’t just what is pleasing to the eye; every piece of artwork, musical composition, or dance routine holds its own unique value, which is one of the reasons why aesthetics and creativity is so vital to our everyday lives.

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