Your college years are best spent busy. So where does that leave room for keeping up with your personal fitness? It’s hard work staying healthy with all of the unlimited junk food, parties, and lazy weekends that the college experience provides. That’s why in my series, Shape U, we’re gearing up for a semester of fitness 101, featuring tips and tricks to maintaining your shape this season.

If you think it’s impossible to watch what you eat as a college student, well, you just might be right. Aren’t we the group best known for its ability to single-handedly fund pizza joints and ramen noodle companies around the world? But—as much as I hesitate to admit that it’s true—you actually can maintain a healthy diet as an on-the-go student. Even campus dwellers can make the cut with just their microwaves.

This update of Shape U is all about food. So if you’re looking for fast food and campus cafeteria alternatives, you’re in the right place. Below are several tips that I’ve discovered over the years. Some are quick meals that don’t come with all the fat of fast food; some are homemade dinner ideas that’ll fill you up (but are good for you, too).

Veggie Pasta: I go nuts for noodles, but pastas with heavy cream sauces are not only unhealthy, but expensive. For a few bucks you can bag your favorite produce, a box of whole wheat linguine, and you’ll have a belly filling classic. What makes this pasta such a quick and healthy alternative is the sauce replacement: olive oil. You won’t waste time waiting for cream sauce to thicken, and you can feel good about nixing all the butter and fat. I like to sauté zucchini, yellow squash, tomato chunks, and roasted red peppers in olive oil until warm, then add cooked pasta and a sprinkle of garlic powder. Use any combination of the above veggies, or prepare you own favorites; remember to add softer vegetables to the saucepan last.

Oscar Mayer Deli Creations: The greatest thing since sliced bologna, Deli Creations are hot sandwiches ready in just a minute. If you’ve got access to a microwave, you have access to over ten unique flavors that won’t break your calorie bank. Choose your bread type—focaccia, flatbread, or roll—and dress it up with finger-licking sauces, reduced fat cheese, and deli meats that are available in both slices and chunks. The calories and fat content vary per sandwich, but whenever included, items like mayonnaise and cheese are always low fat. When surrounded by a good-sized bread roll, you hardly notice the healthier sandwich components. Plus, you microwave the creation to give it that fresh made taste; who can beat a one minute meal?

Snack and a Spoon: Need a snack before class? Portable snacks are essential for us students, but chips and sodas won’t cut it on a diet. Any low fat, individually portioned snack that you can eat with a spoon are safe bets; if you’ve got plastic spoons, you’ve got a tasty on-the-go snack. Some of my favorites to keep around include cottage cheese (with fruit if you prefer), apple sauce, yogurt, low fat pudding, and more! You can have a serving of any of these for less than 100 calories per spooning session.

Diet Friendly Drinks: When you’re trying to eat healthier, cutting soda helps. So what do you drink instead? Instead of whole or 2% milk, try soy milk. Soy milk has fewer calories than regular milk and can have up to have the fat! Plus, you can experiment with delicious flavors, such as vanilla and chocolate, over granola cereal for a simple morning meal.

If you’re not happy about cutting fruit juice or soda at lunch time, shake a fat-free flavored powder into water and you’ll have a 0 calorie concoction. You can try virtually any flavor, such as grape, cranberry, and limeade.

Oh, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, low fat hot chocolate is only 25 calories a cup! Microwave with sink water for an easy indulgence.

One Pan Omelet: A lot of dorm rooms have kitchens that the residents can share. So if you’ve got one down the hall, don’t haul a box of cookware with you. This one pan omelet is perfect for moving between your room and the stove. All you’ll need is a medium to large-sized frying pan, at least three eggs, and any of your breakfast favorites. For a really health-conscious creation, add mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, and peppers to pan of whisked egg whites. Cut up pieces of Canadian bacon, a lean, flavorful meat which you can buy pre-cooked. Finally, add low fat cheese and fold over when solid. Another variation: spinach and Swiss go great together with any combo of veggies!

Photos courtesy of Google Images.

I imagine most people, at one point in their lives, have wondered about basic philosophical questions.  I hope to reflect on some of the most important philosophical questions concerning college students today.  I will draw these questions from famous philosophers, but also from my own life experiences.  While I may not provide many concrete answers, I will certainly provide a lot to think about.

With more and more youth attending college in today’s floundering economy, one of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is, What am I going to do after college?  The options are seemingly endless, but instead of granting opportunity this can be overwhelming.

The trend now is to specialize and focus, making it difficult to try out various different career paths.  Another struggle is how to match your major to a job.  Many people say it isn’t necessary to choose a career within your major, but chances are your major matches up with your interests.  Even if we ignore America’s incredibly competitive environment and current lack of jobs, the question remains: How do we decide which job is right for us?

When choosing a job, there are a few factors to take into consideration.  How much money one makes, how passionate one is about the job, and the people you will work with are just a few.  These three factors are not mutually exclusive, but any combination can have an effect on a person’s happiness.  It is important to decide which of these factors means the most to you.

The way that a job search relates to philosophy depends on what you hope to get out of it.  Money and security are nice to have, but they don’t necessarily satisfy our spiritual needs. Should a job just be work, something that pays the bills?  Or should a job be a fulfilling passion that gives meaning to our everyday lives?

Many people believe that humans are on this earth for a purpose. People search many different places for this fulfillment, including their working lives, even if their job may just seem like another stepping stone on the career path. If all you wanted was to make a lot of money, then you could probably handle a mediocre job with people you didn’t love.  On the other hand, if you were incredibly passionate about service work, you might join the Peace Corps, make almost no money, and not really have many fellow employees to speak of.  Someone may be happy in either of these career tracks, or not at all.

This leaves us with a couple of choices.  The first choice is this: you pick a job that pays the bills, and in your free time you pursue what is truly meaningful to you. Maybe during the day you write up legal briefs or conduct trade meetings at your chamber of commerce.  You don’t really love your work.  But maybe at night you become a writer, or an actress, or a piano performer.  Maybe you spend your weekends volunteering at your nearest homeless shelter.  Or perhaps in your free time you simply find a good book and read it at the beach.  In this way, a person would be able to find meaning and fulfillment in their lives without relying upon their jobs to provide this.

Then there is the second choice: you follow your undying passion into a profession and follow it through no matter the costs. This could mean you travel the world performing as a musician in the hopes that you will make it big.  Or you could be a starving artist who spends his only money on more paint supplies.  This comes with a greater risk, but contains the promise of a far greater reward. You could fail and never become a musician or a painter, and your lack of money would lead you to starvation.  On the flip side, you could succeed and live out your dreams.  Either way, you would feel alive every single day because you would be actually living, instead of just trying to make it through each day.

These are two extreme options, obviously.  Many people fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum.  The main question is how to decide where on the spectrum you would be the most happy.  Many people want to make some sort of impact on the world.  They want to find meaning and purpose in their lives.  Should we look to a job to fulfill that, or should we accept the fact that work is inevitable?

I think that you should find the best balance possible.  A job should relate to something you truly care about because that will fuel your motivation.  A job should provide enough money to live reasonably, without fear of not being able to afford basic needs.  Finally, a job should provide an environment that you are comfortable working in.  If a job can meet these minimum requirements, then you are well on your way to finding work that may actually inspire you, instead of making you dread your alarm every morning.  Such a job could help contribute to your overall happiness.

That leaves the question: is being happy a worthy goal to strive for?

Images courtesy of Google Images

Hey, my name’s Sam and I love scouring the web for interesting sites and useful applications. In this blog series, I will show you how to do things on your computer that you did not even know were possible.

This past summer was my first summer back from college and naturally I wanted a way to keep in touch with all of my friends from school. I, being the lover of Google that I am, searched for an application whose sole purpose was video chatting. There are many programs out there, and I’ve used a portion of them, but the winners are: Skype, Tokbox, Google Voice and Video, and ooVoo.

With Skype, you can video-chat with one other person, or if you buy credit (or a plan) you can call any land line in the world! And that’s not all! You also get voicemail and call-forwarding if you’re not online. Useful? Definitely! You can also use it from your computer, iPod Touch, iPhone, PSP, mobile phone, or any of the Skype phones listed on their website. One is their video phone, which allows you to video chat without a computer! Of course, like most services online, if you’re willing to pay, you can also get a Skype number and calling time. But, one thing I find really frustrating about Skype is that you can only talk to one person at a time, unlike Tokbox and ooVoo.

With Tokbox, you can video-chat with up to 20 people at a time and there’s nothing to download because all you have to is create an account and sign-in or have someone send you their Tokbox link, which is how I found out about it. I was video-chatting with a couple of my friends and only my friend who had sent me the link to his room could hear me, whereas my other friend could see me, but not hear me. I’m not sure why this happened, but it was frustrating (and not a feature I suggest using too often). Tokbox has many great features beyond the video-chatting, such as connecting to your AIM buddy list so you can chat with your friends who aren’t using Tokbox. And finally, you can Tweet your chat sessions on Twitter if you want other people to join.

If simplicity is your thing, then look into Google Voice and Video! Google Voice and Video can be used either online through GMail or on your desktop if you choose to download it. You can video chat with one other person and IM them at the same. Like most Google Applications, it gets to the point. You want a way to hear and see someone? Well, there’s Google Video and Voice, but if you’re looking into something with more flair in the design, perhaps you should consider ooVoo.

ooVoo also allows you to video-chat with one other person for free, like Skype. It used to allow up to three participants, but now you have to pay $7.95 to use that feature, which isn’t too bad if you split that price between your friends! It’s great for keeping in touch with family while you’re at school, and friends while you’re back home! It has a very sleep and stylish interface, but is not as feature-rich as Skype and Tokbox or as straight to the point as Google Video and Voice, You also can’t download it onto your mobile phone. But it does it’s job with great video and sound quality with the option to add more participants for a monthly fee.

This is only an overview of the programs, to learn about more features, I suggest you visit the individual sites of the applications that caught your eye.

If you have any questions or comments, please write them below! Thanks!

Image courtesy of makeuseof.com.

The true definition of networking – according to one of my close companions, dictionary.com – reads: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest.  Networking varies from a Facebook friend request to establishing a connection on LinkedIn.  My series will explore the abundant ways to network.

Today’s the day.  You open your eyes feeling refreshed and accomplished.  Your arms and legs extend and tighten as you stretch, slowly getting out of your almost too comfortable bed.  You cannot help but have a glorious smile on your face as you walk from your bed to your curtain covered window.  The curtains are drawn back and the delicate, warm sun greets your face.  *Smile.*  You plunge into your morning rituals, eager to get going.

30 minutes after the commencement of your morning rituals, your hair is commendable, your face is soft, you are sharply dressed, and your smile is still gleaming just as it was when you first woke up.  You are too excited to eat, you are too nervous to eat, and you are too giddy to sit in one place.  Don’t forget your camera!

You have been pondering the last three years of your college career.  This reminiscence is overwhelming, but this feeling of being overwhelmed is just the right amount to not make you cry, but to make you still wear that unforgettable, gleaming smile.  This day, is your Aggie Ring Day.

Each university in the United States has its own special characteristic.  This unique characteristic allows the students – both current and former – to have a special connection. This connection cannot be experienced by strangers who did not attend the university, but only by people who have experienced this characteristic connection.  As an Aggie would say, “From the outside looking in, you can’t understand it…and from the inside looking out, you can’t explain it.”

Texas A&M University is known for its traditions.  Some may say that if something is done two times by an Aggie, Aggies name it a tradition; of course, this is exaggerating.  One of Texas A&M’s most honored, futuristic tradition is the tradition of the Aggie Ring.  Receiving one’s Aggie Ring is labeled “one of the greatest moments in the life of any Aggie” and began with the Class of 1889.

As time elapsed, the Aggie Ring became more sophisticated and flashy.  The ring itself is exceptionally attractive as it smiles with golden sparkles in brilliant light.  What makes the Aggie Ring even better are the requirements students must meet to purchase their Aggie Ring.  Students must have 90 completed undergraduate cumulative hours (45 of those hours must be resident hours), a 2.0 GPR, and one must not be on any type of academic probation, suspension, dismissal, expulsion, or on any honor violation probation from the university.  An honor violation refers to the Aggie Code of Honor (which is also on the tip-top of A&M’s priority list): An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do. The Aggie Ring is a representation of a student excelling through 90 tough, demanding, rigorous hours at Texas A&M University.

When former students wear their Aggie Ring, they wear it with pride.  When a human being that wears an Aggie Ring notices that another human being is wearing an Aggie Ring, the first question that flies from that person’s mouth is: “What year did you graduate!?”  BAM!  There is an automatic, ignited connection and association. This situation is unbelievable when you see in reality.  So many questions are jolted by one simple piece of jewelry: a class ring.  What was your major?  What was your favorite library? What dorm did you live in?  What was your favorite place to eat?  These two strangers are connected by the university they attended many years prior to the moment they met.  Before you know it, these strangers become friends, business cards are exchanged, and one person receives a new doctor and the other person receives a new dentist!  Amazing; networking at its best, which was all procured by a simple ring, an Aggie Ring.

Universities all over the nation have firm, resourceful networks.  Each university has its unique brand or mark visible to where current and former students recognize.  Aside from class rings, all universities have a “Former Student Association” or a directory of former students.  This is a valuable resource for your toolbox in a sense that you may contact an individual as a potential mentor.  Use these unique, university associations to your advantage. Always strive to achieve what you envision – figuratively fight for that Aggie Ring!…or class ring – in certainty that your vision is simply your future.

Image courtesy of fotofogg.wordpress.com.

Your college years are best spent busy. So where does that leave room for keeping up with your personal fitness? It’s hard work staying healthy with all of the unlimited junk food, parties, and lazy weekends that the college experience

Need an extra kick in the pants when it comes to staying in shape? Too many of us get bored with everyday routines and restrictive diets, and need a change of pace. I recently discussed how your natural surroundings are a great place to re-invigorate your fitness regiment and improve the overall quality of your experience. Now, for an even greater change, spend some time planning a “greener” way to get going again. Giving back to the planet could be the motivation you need to stay on track!

Almost any practice can be modified to be more conservative. And any small effort you make to conserve during your exercise routine contributes to the effort. So what can you actually do to get going, greener?

I’ve got a few suggestions of my own to help you get started, but there is no limit to what you can do to conserve. Besides, if you’ve adopted any of the at-home alternatives I’ve proposed, you’re already contributing to the effort by cutting out the gym. Already that’s saved the gas needed to drive there. Why not try a few more simple changes?

1. Run with a purpose. A classic way to conserve while working your body is to run or walk to destinations that you would normally drive to. You save on gas, stop harmful emissions, and get your heart beating like nothing else! For instance, you might try walking to the recycling center with bagfuls of bottles. Your arms will feel the burn from carrying the added resistance, and you’ll be paying the planet a favor. You could also offer to run messages or items for your friends across town. If you can prevent yet another person from spending the fuel to go back and forth from a destination, you’ve done something good.

2. Go on an eco-date. Eco-friendly living can spice up more than just your fitness routine. Suggest an eco-date with your significant other. This means instead of a wasteful evening filled with appetizers and ice cream, get to know your guy or girl with a nice jog or stroll. Do your part to avoid giant movie theaters that are kept chilled and booming with expensive effects. Instead, you could get in shape with a friend or your date and enjoy the romantic, natural scenery. Have light snacks afterward or circle campus to cool down together.

3. Get green gear. Organic products are a little pricier, but are incredibly healthy for the planet. Clothing made of organic materials doesn’t have synthetic add-ins, meaning they are completely natural. If organic isn’t an option, do some research and find out which fitness gear companies have sustainable production practices. This would mean that they try to minimize further harm by reducing excess waste, and making sure it is not hazardous. Among other things, they also have fair business practices that care for both the people and the resources they need to be successful. Support the effort in other ways by buying from second-hand shops, or use your own old shirts as exercise tops.

4. Need less, take less. Be aware of the waste you generate when you cook. If you are pretty good about eating leftovers and storing your perishables, then you’re probably less wasteful than a restaurant already. Know your own limits so you purchase and prepare less food every time. I know, some meals are so delicious that we just can’t stop, so regulate portion size by buying only what you need. Also, buy fresher, naturally-produced foods like fruits and vegetables. Some college-town marketplaces support local growers, so your area’s economy benefits from its fresh produce. And, when you buy fresh greenery, you don’t have to pay for the cost of packaging your product, and you don’t support the environmentally-harmful manner in which it was assembled.

5. Support natural sites. Be a part of the green movement by visiting a nearby nature center. This could be any park, preserve, or other natural attraction, many of which are overlooked in favor a more exciting attractions in town. Take jogs, walks, or quiet yoga sessions in a public place of nature. Encourage your friends, classmates, and professors to get in on the movement. Not only will you get a good workout, but you’ll make others more aware of how important our local habitats are. Just observing some of the nearby wildlife can be both stress-relieving and humbling.

6. Reuse, reuse, reuse! Avoid disposable beverage bottles, and exercise supplements with excessive packaging. Why waste your money on a new plastic container every time? Water fountains found across campus are free, so just buy one durable bottle and fill up. Another great strategy to combat wasteful drinking practices is to buy powder mixes of your favorite drinks and mix them with water yourself. That way you can avoid buying many individual plastic bottles. Plus, this way you can choose no-sugar and no-calorie sweeteners that you stir into water, without the consequences of calorie-rich protein drinks or soda.

Got the idea yet? It is easy to incorporate your love for the planet into your body’s daily regiment, as long as you find ways to save resources, time, and energy. What are your favorite ways to maintain yourself and your environment at the same time?

Photos courtesy of Google Images.

Well, Fall has officially arrived. Some of us will be singing “Wake Me Up When September Ends” for the next thirty days, but the rest will be looking forward to a change of pace from those lazy summer days. I’ve already covered the back to school wardrobe (see The Rebel Fashionista), but what about a new ’do?

Your hair can be a very strong expression of your style and personality. Plus, a little change (or perhaps a drastic change) in color or cut can help enhance your features and give you that little confidence boost that’s always welcome. Maybe you want an asymmetrical cut with dark blue streaks. Maybe you want to darken your blonde with a couple of jet black streaks. Or maybe you’ll just settle for the classic mohawk. Either way, rock your new style with confidence and meet the new year head on.

If you always wanted to change your style, but your parents or grandparents just didn’t get your desire for some new, purple hair, now is your chance. Just remind them that hair can always be dyed back, and can always grow back. Or, maybe you can compromise with streaks or a less drastic cut.

But before you run for the scissors and dye, make sure you follow a couple of tips:

1. Find the look. Make sure you know what look you’re going for. Go online and print out pictures of people who have the color or cut you’re aiming for. If you’re styling your own hair, then it’s good to have those pictures in front of you for reference. If you’re going to a salon, then you will definitely need those pictures. It doesn’t matter how detailed you are in your instructions; sometimes it’s just difficult for two people to be on the same page without some visual aids. Besides, better safe than sorry, right?

2. Spend some reflection time. No, I don’t mean meditation. Sit yourself in front of the mirror and imagine the hairstyle you want. Pull your hair back and take a good look at your complexion, the shape of your face, your eye color, and your facial features. All of these factors affect how well your new style will look on you. Think about the features you want to accentuate, or the ones you want to draw attention away from. Consider the strength and health of your hair. Cuts will usually help hair to grow faster because the damaged hair is trimmed away. Dyeing hair can be damaging depending on the amount of heat and chemicals regularly applied, and depending on how drastic a change the dyed color is from the natural.

3. Talk it up. Ask your hairdresser, friends, and family for their honest opinions. Even if you are planning to do it yourself, I would still suggest talking to someone who specializes in hair care so you can get a professional opinion. Hairstyles are far from permanent, but you still don’t want to be stuck with something you hate for 3 or 4 months. Make sure you have a good idea of what your new style will look like and how it will be maintained.

4. Time to try it out. Unless you or someone you know is absolutely sure of how to treat and style hair, then I strongly suggest you go to a salon and get it done professionally. It is more expensive, but if you experiment at home, your red hair might turn orange, and that cut may turn out to be more asymmetrical than you wanted. A proper stylist should know how to avoid any follicle tragedies.

Voice of Reason: Just like your clothes, your hair is an expression of you. Think about the image you want your hair to reflect. Bright colors and bold cuts will draw attention, but may also cause problems if you’re looking for an internship or a job. Other colors and cuts may age you or draw attention to problem areas.

Don’t like your cut? Perhaps you styled your hair at home or even went to the salon and it didn’t turn out like you wanted it to. Don’t worry about it. If it’s a problem with color, then you can just dye it again. If it’s a problem with the cut, then you can either chop off some more and settle for a shorter style, or just wait for it to grow out. And I’m also a big advocate for hats on those bad hair days/weeks/months.

Images courtesy of www.adviceby.com, www.hairstylebob.com, www.trendyhaircuts.blogspot.com, www.emohairstylefashion.blogspot.com, www.photobucket.com

Hey, my name’s Sam and I love scouring the web for interesting sites and useful applications so in this blog series, I will show you how to do things on your computer that you did not even know were possible.

Don’t lose your files! You’ve pulled an all-nighter to write that term paper and you’re almost done… Isn’t it great?! But, then… OH NO! The power surges, your computer fries, and you’re stuck staring at a blank screen that, moments ago, glowed with your hours upon hours of work. What can I do now?! Your options include finding a computer wizard OR preventing the loss of your genius by back back backing it up!

BUT O-M-G! I COULD NEVER DO THAT! Yes you can! And, here’s how…

The easiest way to back up your files is online or on a drive. If you want to back up your files online, you have to either sign up for a web service that automatically backs up your drive, but those services are not free, or with a little effort, you can save your stuff for free.

That’s nice, right?

You can email it to yourself as an attachment to have a readily available copy at all times. Or you could use Google Documents, or another such online document application suite, where you can write your paper and have it saved periodically ONLINE! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Google Docs, it’s an online word processor (think Microsoft Word) where you can write papers and have essentially the same capabilities of Word, Word Perfect, and OpenOffice.org’s Writer.

But I don’t always have internet access!! Okay, okay, I have a suggestion for you too! And it’s much easier in my opinion. Here’s what you’ll need: an external hard drive and some time. Plug the external hard drive into your computer and download a free program, such as SyncBack Freeware, onto your computer and follow the easy instructions to set up back up times. I really like SyncBack it’s a free program that backs up your files nightly, weekly, and monthly onto an external hard drive. It’s not hard to set-up and it’ll be more than worth it if anything happens to your computer.

Another option, which makes use of either an external hard drive or a flash drive, is saving the file initially on the external or flash drive where a simple saving will make it so your files are not on your computer, but on something that can be plugged into any computer in the event that your computer crashes. See? Protecting your files from destruction isn’t that hard!

After writing this, I realized I should probably go back up my files! Thanks for reading and please comment and ask questions!

In the ’80s, TV critic Neil Postman claimed that the invention of television had zapped the national print culture –– that our generation had stopped reading, that we couldn’t write for beans, and that to top it off, this made us “lousy citizens.” Harsh. I may be all for TV, but I am also all for books, and I believe many people are. In particular, I am for the books that show up in this blog –– and you should be too! So let’s prove the Postman wrong, eh?

Full confession: this post is influenced by a class I’m taking this semester –– on Indian film adaptations, and so far it’s really awesome –– we just read the inspiration for Slumdog Millionaire, the “underdog” multi-culti phenomenon film that won all the Oscars it was nominated for last year. Also known as the film that put Dev Patel and Freida Pinto on the map. And as I was reading the novel it’s based on –– which we’ll get to in a second –– I thought about how rare, and how almost surprising, Slumdog’s mass success was. But why? Why’ is  it so rare, I ask you, for something centered on non-American culture to become popular in America? There’s no reason we should be so insular. (Because it can’t just be me, right? I can’t be the only sheltered American, am I?)

So here are some novels that take you to a different place.

Q&A, Vikas Swarup. The aforementioned basis for a little film called Slumdog Millionaire. But don’t go into this novel expecting a transcription of Jamal Malik and Latika; you won’t get it, not really. Ram Mohammad Thomas is the name of the protagonist here, and while his primary dilemma –– being arrested and interrogated for winning a quiz show –– is the same as the movie, the flashbacks of his life that make up the story’s backbone are pretty different than what you see onscreen. There’s Ram’s stint at the Taj Mahal and the orphan-exploitation by Maman, but those are really the only chapters that remained largely intact in the film.

The rest is almost all new to Slumdog fans: two episodes where Ram works as a servant (first to an Australian colonel and family, then to a retired Bollywood actress), a love story (but not the one you might expect), and a character named Salim who’s as far from movie-Salim as you can get. Because of these differences, the story of Ram becomes easier and easier to separate from the story of Slumdog’s Jamal; even if you’ve seen the film, like I have, a sense of suspense keeps you turning pages (even without M.I.A. and A.R. Rahman’s crazy-awesome score). It reads like a movie, actually –– Swarup’s prose is very visual, prone to describing outward things like faces and gestures rather than inner monologue or emotions, and as such, he has the ability to shock you whenever he finally reveals a character’s intentions. A twist at the very end literally made my jaw drop.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz. Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer, this one’s gotten a lot of buzz as well. As it should, because it’s freaking awesome. The book’s story is more like four stories. Ostensibly the book centers on Oscar himself, a lonely Dominican nerd obsessed with sci-fi/fantasy and girls as he goes through elementary school to college and postgrad life.

Other parts of the book focus on different members of Oscar’s family. The narrator (Oscar’s ex-roommate/sister’s boyfriend) tells the individual stories of Oscar’s sister, mother and grandfather in between chapters of Oscar’s own life in an attempt to explain Oscar’s life and fate. Why did what happened to Oscar, happen to Oscar? What actually happens to Oscar in the end, you won’t know until the end –– but the shocks, sadnesses, humor, and small triumphs in the narrative will hook you until then. A bit like Q&A, now I think about it.

Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi. All right, so this is a graphic novel in two volumes! But don’t you try and tell me that it’s not “real” literature. The first part of this memoir recounts Satrapi’s childhood growing up in war-torn Iran, ending when her parents decide to send her away to a Viennese high school in order to spare her from the extremes of the new regime. The second volume tells of high school, college and her first marriage.

In between building a complex, scary portrait of the war and militant developing regime in Iran, you get to see details of how daily life goes on in such an environment: like having to buy American records (e.g. Michael Jackson, AC/DC) from black-market sellers in trenchcoats and sunglasses, for example.  Despite the political background, Persepolis is as much a coming-of-age story as it is a historical account.  You see Satrapi grow up, grow independent, fall in love, fall out of it and eventually return home to where she began.  It’s a cliche, but reading this really does feel like you’re on a journey.  And isn’t that what reading’s all about?

What do you think?  Got any favorite books?  Hit me up!

(Photos courtesy of Threadless, Christy Bharath, audiobooksonline, and trcs.wikispaces.com. Thanks, dudes and dudettes!)

However, its clear that many undergrads must work full or part time in addition to attending classes, due to financial necessity. This is a less than desirable situation which, due to rising enrollment rates and tuition costs, many of us find ourselves in.

If due to the unfortunate inevitable, you find yourself among those that do need to work while in school, ignore the temptation to wait tables or bartend, and find a job on campus instead. Not that there is anything wrong with working in a restaurant—in fact you can meet some very interesting people that way. But the advantages of on-campus jobs greatly outweigh running burgers and beer to your fellow scholars for dollars at a time.

Maybe it’s only for minimum or work-study wage, but working on campus means you are connected to the university in yet one more way. Let’s say you work in a professor’s office part-time, helping him keep track of his tirelessly unorganized research, papers, and student tests. Someday that professor will be able to write you a beautiful letter of recommendation. So what if you never took a class with him? He’ll still be able to commend your initiative, organization and professionalism, things future employers and grad school reps look for in potential candidates.

Along the same lines, try to get a job manning the front-desk of an academic department, information desk, or library at your school. This is a way to get recognition while also providing an opportunity for superb study habits. Yes, although these on-campus positions demand attentiveness on the one hand, they also allow for homework time when traffic past your desk is low.

Desk-sitting and office work not your cup-o-tea? Don’t limit yourself in you on-campus job search. The possibilities are endless, especially at bigger schools whose departments are large or numerous. Tailor your search to your interests or academic major. If you’re a sports management major, try to work for your school’s best varsity team (as a support specialist, a.k.a. water boy). Try fund-raising for your school yearbook if you’re a business or advertising major. If you’re a music or writing major, try writing a column for your school newspaper (these positions usually pay per-column or per-commission).

Not convinced this is the way to go? If you don’t need to work to finance school but could still use some extra pocket-cash, there are other options. Try being a lab rat. If you go to a large, research-oriented university like mine, chances are there are many opportunities to lend yourself as a research subject.

Most of the research experiments you will sign up for are harmless, performance oriented experiments held by PhD students in the psychology department, who will do almost anything to get people to participate as subjects. They will ask you to do things like play video games, learn physics and mimic the Swahili language, while they test your responses and pay you dollars and hour plus cents for good performance.

Other, more clinical experiments provide different benefits. These research studies, advertised by the local hospital or laboratory, will ask you to provide blood work, slap on a medicated patch and run physical tests. In exchange, they compensate you with money (usually upwards of a couple hundred dollars) and a physical checkup. Some of these clinical trials are sponsored by drug companies who are in the final stages of testing their new birth control or asthma medicine. Don’t worry, these drugs are usually extremely safe; this last stage of testing (on real humans) is simply a formality needed before acquiring FDA approval.

These jobs may not be as lucrative as bartending on Saturday nights. But more importantly, these opportunities connect you to others at your university who may someday help you in your career search, while allowing you to work according to your schedule, between classes, or for a deadline on your own time.

Your college years are best spent busy. So where does that leave room for keeping up with your personal fitness? It’s hard work staying healthy with all of the unlimited junk food, parties, and lazy weekends that the college experience provides. That’s why in my series, Shape U, we’re gearing up for a semester of fitness 101, featuring tips and tricks to maintaining your shape this season.

Routine in a rut? Consider how big a role your environment plays in your overall happiness. You wouldn’t want to take a test in a cold, loud room would you? And you wouldn’t want to take a nap on a busy street corner. Your body, too, can tire of unhappy spaces, which may result in weaker performance. Even the dullness of a confined, weekly routine, for instance, will do for your body what an uncomfortable classroom does for your grades.

One of the simplest ways to liven up any body is to retreat into nature. Often depicted as a place of “clear thinking” and a hangout for modern Thoreau-wannabes, our natural surroundings live up to their hype of serenity, but can be experienced by anyone—not just tree huggers. And though it is getting colder in many places, fall can be the perfect outdoor season with simply the right amount of smart layering.

Reasons why you should get back to nature:

1. You’ve probably noticed that watching TV, talking with a friend, or listening to a really good album makes a tiring workout go by fast. So why not make time fly with a little on-the-go bird watching or a sunset stroll through the local park? If you’re bored of staring at the wall in front of the treadmill, the ever-changing environment found, basically anywhere, can be the answer.  Taking in the mix of sights, sounds, and smells of nature will intrigue you far more than the clank of dumbbells.

2. If you’re stressed out, breaking away from crowds can have the effect of a fresh start on a tough day. Surprisingly, one of the easiest ways to uncloud your thoughts is to clear your brain with gulps of fresh air. That’s right—just taking a second to breathe, stretch, and listen to nothing but background buzz can put you in a better place. And many natural sites are quieter than public places, and have plenty of fresh air and space to spare.

3. Natural sites have features that are closer to those that you’d experience in everyday life, whereas gyms can often trick you into non-useful workouts. For instance, if you exercise on and become used to walking on sloped paths, then you’ll be faster and less breathless on campus walks; this is because you are mimicking moves that you use in real life. But if you rely on dumbbells and machines, you are only able to isolate certain muscles and build them sets at a time. While gym equipment is certainly a vital component to many healthy exercise routines, I’d suggest at least one of these “natural movement” exercises per week.

4. Nature is free! Need I say more?

And now, where can you actually go to find it?

To find it—nature, I mean—you probably don’t have to go far. If your school has a big campus, there’s a start. It may be that you walk along a certain path every day to get to your classrooms, thus not even noticing the odd woodland patch just past your chem lab that’d be a perfect spot for a secluded stretch routine. There might even be some sidewalks less traveled that you can scope out for a brisk jog.

When crowds on campus cramp your style, think about taking an off-site hike. Hikes don’t have to be up steep mountains and besides raging waterfalls, like you see on TV. Hikes can be medium to fast-paced walks along any path outside.

Hikes are considered all-body workouts because they activate muscles in your arms, midsections, thighs, back, hips, and more. The terrain will really work your legs, even if it is relatively flat. The contours of nature you experience on a hike as opposed to a monotonous treadmill run will always be more beneficial to your body than not.

By the beach? Those of you attending coastal schools may be able to escape to the beach for a change of scenery. Others can seek out local lakes or rivers that are accessible to joggers or bikers. Again, the terrain (like dry, hilly sand and steep seaward slopes) will give you a hardcore workout, and the moist, breezy air can keep you cool.

Warning!

Don’t forget to bring plenty of fluids when venturing outside. You won’t be able access conveniences such as water fountains, which is perhaps one of the few flaws about doing it outdoors. Other things to remember: a layer of bug spray, sturdy socks, proper cold/hot-weather attire if necessary, and of course, your house key.

Photos courtesy of Google Images, and Goodhousekeeping.com.