It’s that time of year again. The time when it’s too warm too pull out the fleece-lined winter jacket and too cold to go without a scarf. Inevitably, this time of year leads to a desire for warm drinks. Smoothies and iced coffee are OUT this time of year and warm drinks are IN. When the temperature drops, warm up with a winter drink that won’t pack on the calories.
Green Tea
If you are not a tea lover, keep reading…what you find may change your mind. Green tea is not only free of whipped cream that so many other winter drinks include, but it also contains high amounts of antioxidants which promote fat burning and reduce the risk of several forms of cancer. You don’t have to drink it five times a day, once or twice will do the trick, and it will warm you right up.
Spiced Apple Cider
For a more fragrant flavor then tea, you may want to try spiced apple cider. This tangy beverage has many options, which includes adding cinnamon sticks or lemon wedges. You can buy fat-free versions of this beverage and the best part is it controls blood sugar. Enjoy it in the morning, afternoon or evening.
Hot Cocoa
Don’t buy any hot chocolate. Buy mixes that specifically state “dark chocolate.” Flavanols, a key ingredient in dark chocolate, increase blood flow to cognitive areas of the brain. Just be careful not to pack on the marshmallows. The effect of the dark chocolate will be somewhat diminished if you add on these calorie-filled toppings.
Lemon Water with Honey
This is not simply cold water with lemons. Unlike coffee and tea, which contain caffeine, hot water serves as the perfect morning drink if you are trying to increase your water intake. How easy is it to boil water and add honey or lemons? The warm lemon water promotes immune system health and it’s cheap.
Stir with Intention
Whatever your choice for a winter drink, know that what you choose matters. You’ll feel better staring off your morning with less caramel sauces and whipped cream. And, nutrition wise, you can drink these on a long-term basis and improve your health.
What’s your winter beverage choice? How do you spice up the taste while staying healthy?
After a long and hard semester the last thing on the minds of students is next semester. You wait for midterms to be over, you wait for Thanksgiving break and then you wait for Christmas break. When finals are officially over, we all pack up and ship out. It’s inevitable to want to rest and catch up on sleep. But, before the semester is over, you should register for classes AND think about spring internships.
Life Beyond the Degree
With the economy being less than ideal for recent graduates, the competition for entry-level jobs is higher than ever before. What does this mean for you? Well, this is the one time in your life when it’s okay to be a show off. In fact, it’s essential if you expect to land a job. Don’t pass up any opportunity to showcase your skills whether it’s through an online, on-campus or off-campus internship.
Making the Right Choice
Students often think that internships cost more than they’re worth. But, you should know that you have options. Websites like internships.com and idealist.org are great resources. Before you jump on those websites though, realize that you don’t have to leave campus to find an internship. Certain offices on campus, like the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, offer internships.
A Digital Future
Are you in love with a certain company, but can’t travel to their location? See if they offer online internships. Don’t eliminate any company based on their proximity. First, go to the company’s website, and do a little research. If there are options to work from home then you should apply. Online internships work the same way as college classes. You need to have motivation to wake up and do your work. Your internship coordinator isn’t going to stalk you to get your assignments in.
College to Career
The point of internships is to prepare you for the “real world,” regardless of how cliché that sounds. Employers don’t just want a paper saying that you graduated. They want a portfolio and resume with relevant experience. This spring, you should make an attempt to find an internship. It’s never too early to start. And, who knows where it may lead.
Next year will be completely different for me, instead of writing, I will be filming. I will be completely in my element. I love film, and everything about it. I am majoring in Communications Media Studies and really focusing on the film aspect. Hopefully when I graduate I will be able to work on some cool movies and instead of reading my blog posts, you can watch them!
As most of you know Campus Moviefest wrapped up with the big finale last week! It was such a fun event as it always is. This year around 500 people attended the finale in the RCC Ballroom. Last year I entered the movie A Loss Refound. The movie made the top 16 and I was beyond excited. But knowing the competition here at Bridgewater State University I knew if I was to ever win I would have to step up my game to the next level. So over the last year me and my friends have been planning a comedy. This was my first time to dabble into comedy, and I had no idea how to go about this. But sure enough when that week came, we were ready and Interquenchin was born. I accomplished my goal and we won Best Comedy of 2011! It was unbelievable. It is my life goal to be a filmmaker, and to win this competition, especially here at BSU has just solidified my goals. We are going to be traveling out to Los Angeles in June to attend the international Grand Finale. BSU has some great movies going out there; Sacrifice and Bliss won Best Picture made by Jim Sass, and Kevin Eam’s Best Drama Unattainable. I think I can speak on behalf of all of us going to the West Coast by saying it is going to be a great learning experience for all of us. We get to attend a ton of great seminars and workshops throughout the whole trip. This whole thing has been a great experience and it keeps getting better!
My next year is going to be a busy one. I am taking 19 credits, I am the President of the Bridgewater Video & Film Association, I am working on the RCC Video Team, I am working as an Edit Lab Tech, and I will probably be doing some side projects. Hopefully I will be able to do a guest blog post and update you on how I’ve become the master of balancing. With all three of my positions I will be fully enveloped in video stuff. Don’t get me wrong though, I can’t wait!
Thank you all for reading! Its been fun! Be sure to watch for the RCC Video Squad in the Fall! Good luck with finals, and have a safe and fun Summer.
