U4U College Magazine - Fall 2011 by Liz Reitman

2011

FALL

WWW.U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

An Interview with

glee’s

Jane Lynch “The Best Joke Always Wins” Hackers & How to Protect Yourself I Lost

100 Pounds

A Guy’s Secret to Scoring a First Date W R I T T E N

F O R

S T U D E N T S,

B Y

S T U D E N T S

Letter from the Editor FEATURES / FALL 2011 This is the fall edition of U4U, the magazine written for students, by students. How is it different from other magazines? Students develop

2 What I’m Passionate About

their own story ideas, write from their point of view, argue about our

On a mission to meet new people

edits. The result: articles that are

5 Are You Safe?

more personal to the writers—and more interesting to you.

How to protect yourself from hackers

In college, your social life is just as

6 From Obese to Buff

Losing 100 pounds: one student’s journey

10 Glee’s Jane Lynch

And when it comes to campus socializing, dating can be easier than you think. Read this pair of

for Your Buck How to buy more for less

14 He Said

he said/she said articles: A Guy’s Secret to Scoring a First Date and Control Fate: How to Land That Second Date, pages 14–15. College can also be the time to

Scoring a first date with confidence

on Facebook

Students share the strangest, funniest, scariest, weirdest posts they’ve seen

Do you have what it takes to be the next YouTube sensation?

college? You’ll think again when you read Jason Martuscello’s fascinating

can’t lose weight and eat healthy in

MOR E BA

become a better you. Think you

16 What You Learn 17 Can You YouTube?

Hear about one student’s unique in Lunch with a Stranger, page 2.

12 More Bang

Landing that second date: seven easy tips

and for some, it takes priority! approach to meeting and greeting

Her new book, new projects, and life on the set

15 She Said

important to you as your studies—

YOU R BU

story: I Lost 100 Pounds, page 6. And without parents paying the

bills, learn how to save, budget, and spend wisely with Get More Bang for Your Buck, page 12. And the Glee-ful queen of mean, Jane Lynch, has just written a book, Happy Accidents. It’s a must-read! As is our interview with the actress, The Best Joke Always Wins, page 10. Congratulations to our student writers. Nancy Rotenier Editor

Jane Lynch Cover Photo: Starla Fortunato Book Jacket Cover Photo: Adam Bouska Design & Layout: reitdesign, inc.

FALL 2011

Lunch with a Stranger The lunchroom is alive with chatter this particular afternoon. It seems like the entire Bronx Community College student body is packed into this small space as the smell of chicken fingers and pizza wafts from one table to the next. As I carefully unwrap my sandwich from its sticky plastic and reach for a napkin for the mayo that’s now smeared on my fingertips, I smile and ask: “So, how are your classes this semester?” The person I’m having lunch with shoots me a blank look. “Mine aren’t that difficult,” I say, taking the burden of making conversation on my shoulders for a bit. “It’s all just a ton of work with due dates.” My lunch-buddy just blinks at me and asks, “Do I know you?” So I have a quirky sense of humor. So I actually pay money to see bad movies. So I enjoy having lunch with complete strangers. At least I’m trying here. The truth is that college life is generally defined by the classes you take and the relationships you make. Most of the students at my school, Bronx Community College, understand that. But we tend to interact primarily with students from our classes or groups. After two semesters here, every warm face, every familiar name I’ve managed to get acquainted with, always comes with the tag: “… from <insert meeting place>“. As in, “Hi, I’m Tanya. From your bio class?”

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Everyone I’ve met at BCC, I already had something in common with. Course workloads, majors, school groups. I yearned for the truly random encounter. And so, at the start of last year’s fall semester, I devised my “Lunch Buddy Initiative.” As you can imagine, the lunchroom scene that I first related played itself out almost every time I slid into an alreadyoccupied orange booth. I tried opening with the “class” question, because I thought that establishing our common bond would nurture communication. More often than not, I was asked to leave or was left behind—just me and my sandwich. Time for a new tactic. I came up with the three-pronged opening: my name, my major, and something completely ridiculous about me. The first time I tried it, I took a seat, put my hand over my heart, and said, “My name is Alcy. I’m an English major. I once bit a dog that bit me.” The woman’s eyebrows danced a bit. She looked around to see if she had accidentally wandered into the Twilight Zone. I stayed quiet for a second to allow her to respond, but it turned into dull silence. Just as I was about to consider a hasty retreat, she put her hand over her heart and said: “Emilia. Nursing major. I, uh, don’t like dogs.” Since then, I’ve met a lot of people in that lunch room. I’ve found that both sexes react to me positively and with equal

frequency, although it takes longer for women to warm up to the fact that I’m not there to steal their purses. I’ve also found that the friendliest people on campus are those born in other countries. On a campus as diverse as BCC, I found myself spinning in and out of conversations about Haitian cuisine and Vietnamese poetry, Iranian pop music and Russian martial arts. In some instances, I never see my lunch buddy again, and our brief exchange of odd conversational topics is all I have to hang on to. Most of the time, I do get to see and talk to these folks while traversing campus. One even followed me home (not in an “inform my precinct” kind of way, I assure you; we both happened to live in the same area). But, as with most people I’ve met in my life, they have a really hard time remembering my name. A gentleman I got to know fall semester of last year calls me Alex, and I don’t have the heart to tell him that after four long months, he only has 50 percent of my first name correct. Then again, most people don’t even try, they just smile and wave. I’ve honestly enjoyed every single conversation I’ve had, and I’m looking forward to many more. Isn’t that what college is really about? The way I look at it: the more people getting my name wrong, the better.

English major. I once bit a dog

”

that bit me.

When Alcy graduates this spring with an Associate’s Degree from Bronx Community College, it will be the completion of the first of many steps toward his pursuit of a Ph.D. in English with a focus on creative writing. Starting back when he could barely hold a pencil, creating has been his passion. In addition to serving as vice-president and assistant editor of his school’s newspaper, he writes poetry, short stories, novels, flash fiction, and short plays. If he had to describe his writing style, he would say that it is a perfect reflection of his personality: pensive, musically mused, and tongue securely buried within cheek.

/what i’m passionate about

Alcy. I’m an

WRITTEN BY Alcy Leyva Bronx Community College

“My name is

FALL 2011

Jomar Mabborang

Oakland University

WRITTEN BY

ho would have ever thought that a gaming And, you probably use the same one or two passwords for network would get hacked? But it happened in everything, because that makes it easier for you to remember. May. Sony and its Playstation 3 gaming system Well, it also makes it easier for hackers. For all of your were infiltrated by hackers, who stole billing addresses and important accounts, make changing your passwords a part of credit card information. Once the company discovered the your weekly or monthly routine. Pay your bills, change your TIPS security breach, the Playstation Network (or PSN) was shut passwords! down while the company tried to Another tip: Always go with restore security. Some gamers https. I recently discovered that thought that once the system’s SECURITY TIPS you can make your Facebook vulnerability had been found and Twitter pages an https and fixed, the problem would be website rather than http. What resolved. But no. The company is it, you ask. An https turns the software was hacked two more times. website you are viewing into Invest in security software that After more than a month, Sony a secure channel, while being protects you from harmful content reopened the network with on an unsecured http network on and off the web. even more security measures to means that those who use Wi-Fi protect its PSN, and everyone at public cafés or even at your browser privacy settings with an account had to change own college can gain access to their passwords in order to log Personalize your browser’s settings your information. Hackers can back into the system. The hackers for the highest level of privacy. use public Wi-Fi to access your have not been caught. information just by tapping into There are many ways that you what you are surfing on the net. change your passwords can protect yourself from hackers. Using https will make sure that For your important accounts, make Start with software. Software no others can view or eavesdrop changing your passwords part of such as Norton 360 will protect on what you are doing. your monthly routine, or try using your computer from harmful password manager software. Bank websites and most email viruses. And the new Norton servers are https. But, there Safe Web for Facebook will warn are several ways to determine https you about unsafe websites and if a particular website you are Https turns the website you are Facebook posts. You can share visiting is secure. You can look viewing into a secure channel, links without worrying that you for a closed padlock symbol which blocks anyone from trying might be passing on or receiving next to the address bar or in the to access your information on the threats that could compromise corner of the Internet browser, same network. your computer or online privacy or just look to see if the website and information. With so many starts with https. links posted by so many people, Thanks to hackers, nothing, from from songs to videos of cats gaming consoles to websites, is playing piano, you may not be able to tell the difference between the ones you want from the 100 percent safe. But use these simple and readily available ways to protect yourself, and you can breathe easier knowing fakes trying to get at your information. This program can sniff your personal information is safe and you’ve done your part in out potential problems and tell you what is going on. the war on Internet crime. Your privacy settings can protect you, too. Personalize your browser’s settings for the highest level of privacy—each Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Jomar is very busy with clubs, including serving as president browser uses different language to describe privacy levels and how to set them. So, search the help function if you don’t know of the Asian American Association and treasurer of the Street Dance Association. He uses the rest of his free time to blog and vlog for several websites, write stories for the college where to find the settings or what the different options mean. newspaper, and sketch in his notebook. Anything creative that appeals to him, he tries.

/technology

Hackers. Every day, they find ways of taking our personal information from credit cards, Internet accounts such as Facebook, and most recently gaming consoles.

FALL 2011

100 I LOST

POUNDS

Growing up in Amsterdam, New York, a community embroidered with a passion for sports, I had been active since childhood. I participated in numerous team sports and played pick-up games of baseball and basketball outside with friends—I was constantly on the move. Activities plus going to school, my life was typical of most kids.

McDonald’s had a rewards card, I would have accumulated enough points to acquire free meals for an entire city. School lunches were another nutritional pitfall. Lacking knowledge about a healthy diet and faced with a limited selection, I perfected “extreme snacking”, as opposed to eating a balanced meal. Chips, pretzels and cheese, fries, all allowed me to save some money.

I was addicted to fast food.

Or so I thought. I became obese. Time constraints—or as I look at it now, poor time management—meant frequent fast-food meals. It was rare for us to eat sit-down meals individually, let alone as a family, due to conflicting schedules. Fast food became the quick solution. But, to be honest, I was addicted to fast food. Some days, I made numerous visits to good old Ronald McDonald. If

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Emotional trauma was piled onto poor eating habits. I was a freshman in high school when my brother Matthew died suddenly of bacterial meningitis. Only one year older than me, we had shared a bedroom my entire life, and losing him was very difficult. He had helped me transition to high school, but since he died during my first year, I didn’t adapt as well as I might have.

my parents bought me the food. But the harsh reality was that I caused the problem. It was my obligation to fix it.

/health

Set long- and shortterm goals that are measurable, achievable, and communicable. Write them down, tell your friends/family, and keep them accessible to keep you focused. Once you reach a goal, set a new one.

Jason Martuscello

I had to learn how to make better food choices and how to exercise efficiently. I created balance in my life by concentrating on my studies and learning to exercise and eat well, while staying involved in the social scene. Using free services offered by the university’s fitness center, I learned

Tips for College Students

WRITTEN BY

I perfected “extreme snacking”.

My family didn’t have the financial resources to hire a personal trainer or nutritionist. And I was starting my undergraduate degree at SUNY Plattsburgh, facing the typical college lifestyle: partying, latenight pizza runs, lack of sleep, and unlimited cafeteria food.

GET FIT & STAY THAT WAY

University of South Florida

Throughout high school, despite playing defensive tackle on the varsity football team and winning the NYS Class A Championship, being obese hindered my social relationships, provided ammunition for jokes, and placed a burden on my parents’ food bill. At basketball practice, I had to ask my coach to be “shirts” instead of “skins”—I was too embarrassed to go shirtless with the girls’ team practicing across the court. I provided comic relief for anyone within earshot when another student, for whom English was a second language, pronounced my last name “Marshmallow” instead of Martuscello. And by 11th grade, my friends were starting romantic relationships. The

Utilize the exercise services at your school’s fitness facilities. Many schools provide free fitness education through consultation/assessment, personal training, and workout classes. Look for free nutritional education services such as seminars or lectures and meetings with a nutritionist or dietician. To make healthy food choices, be sure you learn about portion sizes, meal frequency, macronutrients, and micronutrients.

closest thing I had to a relationship was with my Nintendo or Xbox. By age 16, the turmoil created by my weight hit an all-time high. I blew out my knee during football season, requiring 6 hours of surgery over 2 operations, 8 months in a brace, and another 12 months of rehab. And sadly, my growth spurt—3 inches in 2 years— was not only in height. At 6 feet 2 inches, I was a staggering 280 pounds (up from 200 in 8th grade)—I should have weighed 190 pounds. Instead, I had become just another statistic in the nation’s obesity epidemic. I could have blamed genetics (my mother has always been overweight), or whined

how to exercise correctly, which helped me stay motivated. I attended free nutrition lectures for students, gradually eliminating foods and beverages I knew were bad for me. I constantly set goals. I shed in excess of 100 pounds. My interest became a passion. Instead of taking grade-boosting electives, I took anatomy, physiology, and biology courses to supplement my knowledge of health, fitness, and nutrition. Not satisfied, I am now at the University of South Florida in the exercise science master’s program. Using my education, will power, passion, hard work, and constant desire to learn, I am determined to help others develop a healthier lifestyle.

Jason, who received his B.A. from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, is finishing his M.S. in exercise science and serves as the assistant director of academic relations for the National Posture Institute. He is writing two books, one about fitness and exercise, the other about developing a healthy lifestyle and understanding weight management. In his spare time, he volunteers on a research study targeting exercises to prevent back injuries in firefighters. For Jason’s information on health, fitness, and wellness, check out his website at www.FueltheMovement.net.

Don’t sweat the small things. Focus on limiting foods and beverages that regularly impact your diet, such as soda, fast food, fried foods, trans-fats, and baked goods. If you don’t buy it, you won’t eat it! And remember to focus on integrating changes over time rather than making dramatic alterations. Learn to cook. You can satisfy your personal taste, avoid unhealthy food runs, save money, and be more independent! Remember, everything takes time. With dedication, hard work, and constantly striving to learn, you can achieve anything!

FALL 2011

• Search, highlight, annotate, tag, take notes, and more! • Consolidate texts, lecture notes, and slides in one place.

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The FREE, must-have eTextbook application for PC and Mac . Try eTextbooks FREE* for 7 days. Save up to 60% with eTextbooks!

Snap to download NOOK Study or text** “STUDY” to 30241

Download FREE at NOOKSTUDY.COM/COLLEGE *7-day free trials of eTextbooks are available for selected titles. **You’ll receive up to two messages, standard data and message rates may apply.

ADVERTORIAL

Max Traylor Gives NOOK Study an A+ During his senior year at Babson College, Max Traylor‘s marketing professor segmented the class into teams to compete in the nation-wide NOOK Study Marketing Contest as their capstone project. Max’s team won, earning him a trip to New York and a NOOK Color. Here, he shares how the eTextbook application makes studying so much easier. B&N: What did you discover about NOOK Study while working on this project? Max Traylor: Classes are very textbook driven and pretty intense, and managing your work load is a huge part of keeping your sanity at school. One of the best things about NOOK Study is that it saves you time. B&N: What specific applications are geared toward saving time? MT: The search feature. We write a lot of papers in school, and the most time-intensive part is the research. With a textbook, you read something a month ago, you marked a page, you have notes in your textbook, but it takes half an hour to find one thing and figure out what to use it for. With NOOK Study “Search”, you type in your topic and get a hundred instances in the book. It refreshes your memory, and it’s very good for organization.

B&N: Anything you might miss about a print copy of the textbook? MT: The exercise? Bringing it back and forth from class everyday in the snow, getting it wet, drying it off? B&N: Did you compare NOOK Study to other study applications? MT: I had used eTextbook applications in the past, but they don’t compare to NOOK Study. Its features are so far ahead of every other application, such as searching and highlighting, inputting links, and print to NOOK Study, where you can bring in any file that your professor provides. It’s really in a league of its own.

“It’s really in a league of its own.”

B&N: What other features were really appealing? MT: Being able to insert links into the text itself. If a professor said something would be on the midterm, you would flag it, put in a note, and then insert the professor’s 4 or 5 PowerPoint slides, which are the key points. In the end, professors make tests, so you really want to be able to reference what they said about a specific topic and back it up with the text. B&N: Was there anything it didn’t do? MT: I don’t think it’s missing anything. It’s very intuitive. B&N: What device were you using NOOK Study on? MT: My laptop. That’s where students write papers, look things up, study, live our lives.

B&N: Had you been using NOOK Study before the contest? MT: I hadn’t heard of NOOK Study at all. It was interesting to research the product, because we found out that the main issue we wanted to address was the lack of awareness.

B&N: Why do you think some students aren’t aware of NOOK Study? MT: It’s hard to get students to think about studying in a productive way. We just want to get it out of the way and move on to something more social or relaxing.

Five Things Max Wants You to Know about Him 1

I graduated from Babson College in 2011 with a concentration in marketing.

My favorite classes were Marketing Management, Brand Management, and Negotiations.

I spend my spare time working on a comedy video contests site, HighlyHumorous.com, with my college buddies.

I love writing and recording parody songs and filming outrageous videos.

I like to create things, and I have fun doing it.

The Winning Entry Watch Max Traylor and the Babson College team’s winning promotional video for Nook Study.

B&N: What was involved in the NOOK Study Marketing Contest? MT: We were asked to create a full marketing campaign, like raising awareness, driving downloads, things like that. After we were selected as finalists, we came to Barnes & Noble in New York to present our report, 40 slides and a 30-page paper. It was a substantial project, but it was a lot of fun to work on.

Look for NOOKstudy eTextbooks at your campus bookstore *Not for use on the NOOK or mobile devices

An Inter vie w with

glee’s

WRITTEN BY

College of William & Mary

Emily Gilfillan

Jane Lynch

“

/celebrity interview

Find the thing YOU LOVE TO DO and let that inspire WHAT YOU DO for a living.

”

Photo: Ad

am Bouska

EMILY GILFILLAN: You play Sue Sylvester on the TV show Glee. In the recent funeral episode, viewers saw a real human side to Sue. Do you hope she continues to show her emotions, and how do you hope to see the character develop?

The Best Joke Always Wins 10

U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

JANE LYNCH: I’m always very happy to have those scenes with my sister, and they humanize Sue so she’s not just your garden-variety tyrant. And, I do think it has opened up a new path for the character to develop that I know the writers are very interested in taking. I mean, Sue’s not going to change her stripes. She’s still going to be the mean, shaming, humiliating person she is. But we’re going to see her maybe not direct it to the Glee Club so much but maybe to the American Medical Association. EG: She’s going to run for Congress, so it will be interesting to see how that turns out. Do you get any say in what Sue does for any of the storylines? JL: No, I don’t. But they will tell me, like Ryan [Murphy, creator of Glee] asked me what I thought about the storyline with my sister and where that goes. He said, “I want you to want to do it.” I said I loved to. So, I definitely give my input. EG: Do you enjoy working with your cast mates and being a part of an ensemble? JL: It’s my favorite thing in the world, and I write about that in my book. I’ve been searching for that ensemble experience I had when I was in high school doing Godspell, and that was something I chased for the rest of my life. I love being a part

of a group that is “all for one and one for all” and having people who have your back. What I love about the work that I do now and all the ensembles I get to be in is that the best joke always wins. Whether it’s Will Ferrell or Steve Carell [her co-stars in Talladega Nights and The 40-Year-Old Virgin respectively], we really support each other because we’re an ensemble and everyone is important to me. EG: Do you have any memorable moments from the set? JL: Not really [laughs]. You know, I just love hanging out with Matt Morrison. He’s basically who I work with, and we have a really good time. And nothing remarkable happens. There’s no drama or anything else. There’s just a really great work environment. EG: Do you have any movie projects coming up? JL: I’m doing The Three Stooges in Atlanta this summer with the Farrelly brothers. EG: You’re also in talks to be the host of the Emmys this year. Do you have any experience hosting awards shows? JL: I did this show called the Do Something Awards on VH1 last year, and I had a really good time. So, I would love to be doing show hosting. EG: People do love you. How does that make you feel? JL: Aww. Well it’s better than hating me, I guess [laughs]. It’s really nice, it’s pretty gratifying. I was thrilled to hear that I was considered for [the Emmys], and I would love to do it. EG: You also won the Emmy last year for Outstanding Supporting Actress. Where do you keep it? JL: I keep it on the mantel, where I guess most people keep their stuff, in my living room. I get to look at it every day. EG: Your memoir, Happy Accidents, comes out in September. What do you hope people take away after reading it? JL: I was one of those people, especially when I was your age, who had a lot of anxiety and was very afraid that my dreams wouldn’t come true. And one of the things I want to pass on, especially

to kids your age, is that emotional suffering over everything is really optional, and it doesn’t help you get closer to your goals. One of my favorite television shows growing up was The Brady Bunch, and at the very end of my book are the words of Carol Brady: find what you do best and do your best with it. It’s always a good idea to find where your talents lie. We waste a lot of time wanting to be a doctor, and we’re not good at math and science. Find the thing you love to do and let that inspire what you do for a living.

Photo

: Dan

Stein

berg

EG: Sometimes, you just have to realize whatever will happen will happen, and you just can’t stress. JL: No, you can’t. You just have to enjoy what you’re doing and do your best with it. I know that sometimes things aren’t enjoyable and then you have to make sure you’re doing your best. You always give it your best shot. And say yes to everything. EG: Have you always been interested in writing, and do you have any plans to do more writing in the future, maybe even an episode of Glee? JL: No, I wouldn’t write on Glee, but I like writing monologues for myself and doing a character. I’m not really good at sitting down and saying “let’s write something.” The process of writing the book was kind of laborious for me. I probably didn’t need to suffer as much as I did, but my wife was very helpful. She basically co-wrote the book with me. So, that was wonderful. I counted on her a lot throughout the book. But I started out writing just out of necessity, because I had these characters that I was performing, and I needed to have them say something. EG: Did you enjoy your time in college? JL: I did, especially once I started doing theater. I went to college as a mass communications major, because my mother didn’t want me to major in theater. She wanted me to do mass communications and theater adjacent. So, I wasn’t very happy with my college career academically the first year. Then, by my sophomore year, I was totally into theater, and I got a scholarship and I started doing plays. For the first time in my life, I was getting A’s—I was very

Photo

: Just

in Ja

much a C student before that—because I found what I love. That’s when you do your best. EG: Do you have any advice for college students? JL: Find what you do best, celebrate it, and if you love it, then good luck to you.

Emily grew up in Longwood in Central Florida. She enjoys reading and writing, and her friends will tell you she’s a bit obsessed with her TV shows, especially the canceled ones. She believes that the best music is from the 1980s and that the Great Depression is the most fascinating period in American history. She spends a lot of time defending these opinions. Majoring in American Studies, she is a proud member of the W&M branch of Circle K and the Spotswood Society, which gives tours of the historic Sir Christopher Wren Building. She hopes to continue to write and ultimately work for the U.S. Government.

FALL 2011

GET MORE

FOR YOUR

As college students, what do we have a lot of? Schoolwork, fun, independence. What don’t we have a lot of? Money. So it’s important to stretch the dollars we have to their breaking point. How? Paper coupons and sales ads in newspapers only go so far. And, searching the Internet for hot deals is hit or miss. For all of you budget-challenged college students, there are other convenient and tech friendly ways of stretching your funds. Here are some hot tips to save money and time.

U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

stay local

MOR E BA

Local businesses, such as your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, retail store, or evening hot spot, often have special deals—buy 10, get the 11th free; all main dishes half price on Tuesdays; 10% off your next purchase for registered customers. For the places you frequent, ask about what deals they offer. Planning ahead helps you to stretch your dollars and avoid budget-killing impulse purchases. And, you still get to go out and have fun!

YOU R BU

/money

YOU R BU

Suggestions: Cook your own meals; host potluck parties; chose generic products over brand names; use coupons and sales ads to compare prices; shop at farmer’s markets and ﬂ ea markets; buy in bulk with friends; opt for used before new; car pool; plan your outings; and sign up for rewards programs anywhere you spend money, including your credit cards and airlines.

JoVonna Rodriguez

MOR E BA

Mercer University

It’s great to indulge once in awhile, but to save money day to day, create a budget and stick to it. Record your income, estimate your expenses, and track your spending to ensure that you are not living beyond your means. A great budget-planning resource is Mint.com. You can link your accounts and graph your expenses to see how you spend your money. Also, try to avoid impulse spending, and limit driving, shopping, and eating out to within your budgeted amount.

WRITTEN BY

monitor your funds and your activities

Suggestions: Compare prices on the lunch and dinner menus at restaurants; look for happy hour, $1 sushi, and drink deals; ask about game night specials, holiday sales, and student discounts, which are not always advertised; check with your school or job for discounts available through them; and consult the bulletin boards in your dorm, gym, doctor’s offi ce, and more.

surf the web

MOR E BA

The Internet is home to a broad spectrum of savings options, including promo codes, websites that post discounts, and coupons for specific products and deals on great escapes. Internet deals are best for those items you don’t need immediately, since you need to wait for your product to ship. But if you stick to your budget, you can save by shopping online. And register for free shipping, deals, and rewards programs for frequent shoppers.

YOU R BU

Suggestions: Follow your favorite brands and online shopping sites on Twitter and Facebook for the most up-to-date deals. Before making a trip to the store, shop online. Prices are often lower, and sites often have coupon sections and promotional codes (or promo codes) to get deals on pricing or shipping. Coupon Cabin is a great resource for fi nding promo codes to use on other websites. You can also fi nd promo codes for most products or websites by using your search engine. Just be aware that the promo codes may have minimum purchase amounts, and you may need to try more than one code to fi nd one that works successfully. Other good sites include: Groupon, Living Social, Dealfi nd, Half Off Depot, Juice in the City, and Scoutmob. And many of their deals can be used online or in person.

make time for savings

MOR E BA

With as much time as students devote to studying, partying, texting friends, posting on Facebook, and more, devoting even a small amount of time and effort toward budgeting and saving can pay off. Some of my best deal finds have been on Living Social: 50% off a weekend trip to a resort in the Georgia Mountains; bookstore deals that cost $10 for a $20 merchandise credit; and $10 for a $50 credit at Vista Print, a great resource for business cards, t-shirts, and other promotional items.

YOU R BU

In addition, coupons on grocery store websites such as Coupon Mom, Grocery Coupons, and Smart Source are great for savings. Using coupons from these sites plus $40 in cash, I purchased almost $100 worth of groceries. Budgeting keeps my spending in line with my income; and careful shopping, deals, and coupons probably save me at least $75 each month. Now, that is time well spent!

Mercer University student JoVonna describes herself as a vessel for words and emotions. She is originally from Rochester, N.Y., but resides in Atlanta, Georgia, since her graduation from Emory University. She is an AmeriCorps alum and continues her commitment to service as a middle school teacher, where she incorporates creative and innovative ways of encouraging her students to love reading and writing. Pronouns is JoVonna’s first book of poetry and prose. For more on JoVonna and Pronouns, check her out at: www.joskidiesel.com, Twitter: JoskiDiesel, or joskidiesel@yahoo.com.

FALL 2011

WRITTEN BY

Pennsylvania State University

Brian Nuckols

/social

A Guy’s Secret to Scoring a First Date The campus consensus may be that if a man is not born with the talent to get women to like him, then it is a talent he will never have. However, this is simply not the case. Why? Because as mysterious and unobtainable as they may seem, females are as thirsty for male companionship as males are for females. My extensive research has produced a tried and true technique that will improve your success in getting a girl to go out on a first date—the pickup line. We’re not talking, “Hey baby, come here often?” Just try being yourself. Believe me, it works. I read numerous “seduction” articles, browsed thousands of forums, and researched female biology. And, I agree with the experts. The quality women find most attractive in men? Confidence. As I was browsing in the graphic novel section of the public library, a very attractive young lady caught my eye. She was reading Anna Karenina at a nearby table, and I quickly realized two things. First, I had to talk to her. Second, if her reading material was any indication, she was clearly much smarter than I. If I wanted a shot at getting her number, I needed to be on top of my game. Needing an angle, I went with funny. I told her that my cat was having trouble dating, and since reading Anna Karenina made her an authority on romance, I thought I would ask her advice. My “cat” opened the door, and the very attractive young lady and I still date casually. Am I suggesting you copy me? Not at all. Trust me, it will seem pretty lame. You have to create rapport with a pickup line that shows your own unique personality. Take the example of a close friend, whose own line matches his more direct personality. He was in a coffee shop and a beautiful supermodel type had just ordered an espresso.

While she waited for her order, he said, “Not to pry into a stranger’s personal life, but I would feel terrible about myself if I didn’t warn you about those espressos.” Be aware, without his easygoing body language and calm, confident smile, he might have come across as judgmental. However, he had this beauty smiling. “Go on,” she urged. He replied, “It’s just that I know you have the potential to grow so much taller. I would hate to see that stuff stunt your growth.” Result: they are two years into a long-distance relationship. Where to try out the personalized pickup line? When it comes to meeting women, men tend to limit themselves to comfort zones such as school or work. Is it likely that you will meet a girl who is intellectually, physically, and emotionally compatible with you and also happens to be your lab partner? No. You need to stack the odds. The good news is that those of us worthy of getting the girl—or at least getting the girl to go on a first date— can feel confident, because it’s our personality behind that pickup line, not an act. With Anna Karenina girl, I created a rapport with her. My original and at least moderately funny pickup line showed her that I was probably not some weirdo. Maybe next time, I’ll try the one about my dog.

Brian is a 19-year-old writer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, working toward degrees in elementary education and political science. After graduation, he hopes to secure a teaching position and spend the first 10 to 15 years of his career molding the futures of this nation’s young ones. After gaining experience in public education, he hopes to get involved in public administration and single handedly fix what he believes is a broken system.

U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

“If I wanted a shot at getting her number, I needed to be on top of my game.”

C O N T R O L FAT E :

WRITTEN BY

University of South Florida

How to Land That Second Date

Ashley Ritter

“Girls don’t have to be a bro, but it is mind-blowingly cool when a girl is optimistic and fun to be around.”

Stay positive. Nobody wants to spend time with someone who complains constantly or is cynical. “If you sent your appetizer, entrée, and dessert back because they weren’t ‘what you expected,’ you better expect to be sitting alone next Friday night,” explains Brennan, 20, who goes to Tulane University. “Girls don’t have to be a bro, but it is mind-blowingly cool when a girl is optimistic and fun to be around.”

interest goes up when your life seems busy. Leave them wanting more.

DO NOT bombard with calls or texts. Express genuine interest by following up your first date with a “thank you” text or phone call. You may even have posted on their wall and tweeted about your great date. No return contact? Stop! Coming on too strong screams not-second-date material.

Express interest. If you are having fun, show it! Crossed arms and lack of eye contact say “back off”, while leaning in, nodding, and smiling indicate interest. And ask open-ended questions. Just when you think the first date isn’t going the way you expected, your date may surprise you and share your Wedding Crashers obsession.

Do not jump into bed with them. As the first date ends, he invites you over for a movie, to get to know each other better, or whatever lame excuse he’ll use to lure you to his bedroom. Don’t fall for it! “That’s not the kind of girl I want to have a long-standing relationship with, more like one that I want to call up at 2:00 a.m. on my way home from the bar,” explains Chris, 22, University of Notre Dame. Maintain a sense of mystery. Don’t share every thought or intimate detail about yourself. When you hold some things back, you create an immediate challenge: to find out what’s behind the mystery. And, make it seem like you’re not waiting around for the phone to ring (even if you are!)—

/social

You finally get asked out by that cutie you’ve been eyeing. The first date is slightly awkward (most usually are!), but you’re sure you connected. Hope that they felt that bond, too? Follow these seven tips, and you’ll land that coveted second date, and maybe even a third!

Do not bring up past relationships. You don’t want your date to think you change your mind as often as you change your clothes. “When a girl can’t stop talking about her exes, it makes me wonder if I’ll just end up just like all those other guys,” says Ashton, 21, University of Tampa.

Be yourself. Be honest with who you are and what you are looking for. If everyone were compatible, more people would marry their prom dates. “The main qualities I look for in a girl: if she’s down to earth, isn’t overbearing, down to have a good time, and is real and true to herself,” says Kevin, 21, Richard Stockton College. If your date doesn’t appreciate who you are, someone out there will. Dating should be fun and stress-free. Not every date is going to lead to something more, but you should make the most of every new opportunity. It’s possible to control your fate. You just have to make the right moves to get there.

Ashley is majoring in advertising and minoring in creative writing. She spends most of her free time hanging out with friends, family, and her Delta Gamma sorority sisters. She has a passion for writing, journalism, and proper grammar, and she prides herself on her ability to quote Judd Apatow movies and the lyrics to every Lil’ Wayne verse. Upon graduation, Ashley hopes to be a part of a successful advertising firm while continuing to pursue her love of writing. For more about Ashley, follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ashley_ritter. FALL 2011

The number 1 website among college students? Facebook. Here, college students share some of their favorite updates, from breaking international news to very personal information. To catch the latest from Barnes & Noble College, like www.facebook.com/bncollege.

If you post a status update and nobody comments, do you really exist? Jason Gardner Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA

Status

Photo

Link

Video

Question

What Do You Like on Facebook? :(

Amy Coward, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge I just found out someone I know died.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Alice Chong, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore I found out through Facebook that my brother got engaged. Even better is that when it happened, we were living in the same apartment.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share David Bressler, University of Central Florida, Orlando The biggest news I heard was when Osama Bin Laden was killed. I wasn’t watching the news at the time and happened to be on Facebook (as usual!). I saw all of my friends posting that Bin Laden had been killed. Quoted in one post: “God Bless America.”

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Rubina Kandiah, University of Central Florida, Orlando I heard the news that everyone was NOT dead on May 21st.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Tehilia James, Monroe College, New Rochelle, NY Candwich: a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich in a can with a one-year shelf life.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Ryan Stone-Cruz, Cumberland County College, Vineland, NJ I found out via Facebook that my last grandmother passed away. My sister had time to put it on Facebook but not to call me.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Gerardo Mora, University of North Carolina at Charlotte The Situation getting beat up by Ronnie.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Amber Schultz, Pennsylvania State University, University Park Michael Jackson died.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share Steven Marshall, Robert Morris University, Moon Township, PA That they are actually going to make a Jurassic Park 4.

about an hour ago ∙ Like ∙ Comment ∙ Share

U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

The Latest

Sensation:

WRITTEN BY

Mount Wachusett Community College

The Beauty Guru

Shauna Connelly

/beauty

You’ve witnessed babies eating lemons, sleeping overweight collections from high-end cosmetics favorites, such as MAC cats, Justin Bieber, and Shay Carl. Thank you, YouTube. But and Urban Decay; but drugstore brands, such as Revlon, NYC, did you know that beauty how-to’s are among the most Cover Girl, and the like are NOT excluded. popular videos currently heating up computers? SelfGurus such as “temptalia” and “pinkiecharm” produce proclaimed beauty gurus—fashionsome of the most helpful videos—comprehensive reviews and makeup-savvy girls, and of products, complete with swatches (when gurus yes, guys too, who seem apply a sample of a product on their arm or to have an infinite hand to show its color against skin tone) knowledge of all and detailed descriptions about the things beauty and product’s color, packaging, and a burning desire to purpose. spread the gospel— What do The award for most loved beauty upload their videos to video category would probably YouTube, and some the more go to hauls. Hauls are videos of gurus become popular successful gurus showing off purchases from their enough to earn a latest shopping adventures. Hauls living. Could have in common? allow viewers to see makeup and you? They’re honest. clothes in action as opposed to A simple a still image. See something YouTube you like? It’s usually available search of a at the local mall, and if not, online. makeup brand, Many gurus even hold contests for collection, or words subscribers (often referred to as such as “makeup “subbies”), a great chance to win some tutorial” or “haul” will bring high-end makeup that might be beyond up pages of videos. These beauty videos offer up gurus’ their budget. takes on the latest beauty trends, makeup collections, and These videos can be really entertaining, what is and isn’t worth buying. Watch and learn how to especially when mishaps occur during filming. apply makeup or get a celebrity look, like that of Madonna, I once saw a video where an aspiring beauty guru which was copied courtesy of a beauty guru who goes by took her brand new lipstick, rolled it all the way “meganheartsmakeup”. Other videos might showcase new

FALL 2011

out of its tube to show the color, only for the entire lipstick to break off once she “swatched” it on her arm. What do the more successful gurus have in common? They’re honest. If they don’t like a product, they aren’t afraid to trash it. They are dedicated to making good videos, being thorough in their tutorials and reviews. And, viewers can relate to them. One benefit of YouTube success—getting free products from major cosmetics brands to demonstrate and review. Some gurus even develop such a large viewership that they are invited to join YouTube’s partnership program. YouTube places ads at the bottom of partners’ videos and gives them a percentage of the ad revenue. While partners aren’t allowed to disclose how much they earn in commissions, many have revealed that YouTube is their primary, and sometimes only, source of income.

BEAUTY GURU FLEUR DE FORCE ON HER YOUTUBE SUCCESS Wondering if you have what it takes to be the next YouTube sensation? I recently chatted with savvy beauty guru Fleur (FleurDeForce on YouTube), a beautiful, friendly 22-year-old from the U.K., to find out what life is like on the other side of the camera. Shauna Connelly How did you get started on YouTube? Fleur De Force I’d been watching other beauty channels on YouTube for about a year and had always wanted to make my own, but I was really worried about what people would think. One day, I showed my mum a video review of something, and she thought the whole online community was great! She was certain I’d be good at making my own videos and convinced me to start a channel, and it went from there! Shauna Connelly How long have you been on YouTube? Fleur De Force Almost two years now, but it still seems like five minutes. . . . Time flies! Shauna Connelly What are your favorite types of videos to make? Fleur De Force I like making hauls the best, as I think they are just a lot more natural. You don’t really have to plan what you’re going to do beforehand or what information you need to include. It’s kind of like sitting down to chat to your friends! I think haul videos tend to be a lot more relaxed and give the viewers the chance to get to know you a little better. Shauna Connelly What is the funniest thing that has happened to you while filming? Fleur De Force I film a lot with my dog Woof in the room, and quite often she’s misbehaving. Sometimes I’ll film a whole video only to import the footage onto my laptop to find that she’s lying on her back on the bed behind me “exposing herself”, shall we say! How embarrassing! Shauna Connelly What makeup in the U.K. do you love but can’t get in the States and vice versa? Fleur De Force Barry M and Sleek Makeup are the two brands that I think the U.S. market is really missing—both sell such great quality products very affordably. As for the U.K.? I wish we had Cover Girl and EOS lip balm! Shauna Connelly Which videos get the most views? Fleur De Force Haul videos tend to be very popular, and make-up tutorials get lots of views. Overall, I think it depends on the content of the video and even the time that you post it! Shauna Connelly Where would you like your hard work with YouTube to take you? Fleur De Force YouTube has already given me so many great opportunities, and I’ve met so many lovely people through making videos. I couldn’t really have hoped for much more! All I can ask for is that people keep watching and subscribing!

How can you become a guru? It doesn’t take a professional set or professional equipment. Many gurus start out on their MacBook’s iSight, while some even use the video feature on their digital camera. Regardless of your equipment, make sure to have good lighting. Filming near a window or even outside for natural light is best. And upload videos regularly—you need to produce a constant stream of new content so that viewers come looking for you frequently. Most important, be yourself. Follow these tips, and you’re on your way!

Shauna, who grew up in Massachusetts, is focused on English and political science and hopes to become a writer when she graduates. She enjoys going to the movies and sporting events and taking her tortoise, Sheldon, for walks. When a parade, carnival, art festival or the like is nearby, she always brings a camera. Recently, she and a friend saw a silent film at an old theater and stumbled upon a museum full of “strange” art, where she sat for a photo under the sign marked “recycle please” with an arrow pointing down. Her philosophy: you just never know when a “Kodak moment” will arise.

U4UCOLLEGEMAGAZINE.COM

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