If you’re a “girly-girl” and love manicures, but lately have been swamped with exams, homework and THON (while throwing sleep into the mix), it may seem impossible to take an hour from your busy schedule to paint your nails.

Well, that hour of painting and drying can now be condensed into just 20 minutes; the secret is nail strips. The best part about nail strips is there’s absolutely no drying time—which means no smudging!

The strips only require a few steps for easy application:

1.Take each nail strip and measure the best size for each finger, one nail at a time.

2. Peel the strip off carefully and firmly press it onto the nail.

3. Using the provided nail file and cuticle sculpture, file and form the strip to match the size and shape of your nail.

4. File the sticker for a smooth and natural look.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 for every other nail until you have a completed a gorgeous, simple manicure.

**Secret trick for a longer lasting look: stroke a layer of clear nail polish on top of your completed manicure!

Sally Hansen is a popular used brand for nail strips, however, other brands suffice as well. Strips can be found at CVS downtown (how convenient!) and with plenty of designs available, you can match your nails to your personality. From solid colors to bold prints and glittery shades, the choices are endless, so have fun with it!

Photo by Stefan Choquette

Spot them. Dodge them. Watch them whip bye.

Students on bikes: whether you absolutely hate them or barely even notice them, you might want to consider being one of them.

Ok, I know. Biking definitely isn’t the most common means of transportation around campus; pedestrians clearly rule these streets and catching a ride with @Hank_CATAbus is a close runner up.

Well, it makes sense. Overloaded bike racks, crowds of dawdling students and strict rules against riding on the sidewalks make biking to class more complicated than convenient, unless you live far off campus. All of these reasons not to bike only apply to the high-traffic times between classes, though.

What about early evening on a sunny day? Any time on the weekend? Hop on your bike for a leisurely ride around campus and the neighborhoods. You’ll be surprised at how beautiful Frat Row is during the day (football Saturdays don’t count) and all the nature State College has to offer.

Rolling hills in the area give you a nice push and the steeper inclines (think Shortlidge or Locust) assure you some cardio-action as well as an awesome leg workout. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try nearby mountain biking trails.

No bike? No problem! The Bicycle Shop, at 414 W. College Ave, offers low-priced daily or weekly rentals. For those who did lug a bike to State College but left it rusting under the awning of your residence hall all winter, you can pay for a nice tune up and be ready to go.

The health benefits of biking are obvious, and it’s a great way to have fun being active with friends. But for all of you fashionistas out there, I have to admit, biking also has a kind of chic, trendy feel, too. So before we turn to daylong season for a reason to get outside, let’s proclaim this spring semester bicycle season.

More than likely, the last time you were told to take the stairs was at your first-ever floor meeting freshman year. Your RA and eco-rep wanted to importune conserving electricity in East Halls.

Well, nothing against being green, but aside from all the living plants and trees that need your help, you’re a living, breathing, young and beautiful college student whose health and body could use some help, too.

In a typical residence hall, there are 11 steps from the ground to the first floor, and then seven between each level after that. Think about how many times you’re back and forth from your building in one day. If you live on the fourth floor, and come in and out of your room five times a day, that’s 160 steps just counting the way up — 320 if you take them down, too. If you opted for the elevator each of those trips, you took zero steps, helping none of the following parts of your body:

Your butt: Stairs are an excellent way to tone your behind. Think squats — without actually having to do squats.

Your quads: On the way up, the front of your thighs are doing a lot of work. Remember, dresses and short-shorts will be in season before you know it…

Your calves: Though walking down stairs isn’t much of a challenge, it definitely does work your calf muscle. Want knockout legs even without heals?

Your heart and lungs: There’s no shame in being short a little breath after trekking up to your destination. The speedier you are, the more help to your cardiovascular system.

Your mind: The elevator is there, and it’s tempting — there’s no doubt about that. Feel a sense of control and pride in resisting the easy way out.

Realistically, taking an elevator isn’t even that convenient; you can probably make it to your room in the same amount of time. So do yourself a favor and just skip it. Take the steps.

Photo by Rhiannon Hedrick

You’ve got the dress and you’ve primped your hair perfectly. You’ve accessorized, you’ve shaved — an exhilarating night awaits you! Something is missing, however. Most of the essentials are covered except for the deal breaker — time to dress up those eyes.

Eye makeup can be a tad tricky sometimes. Achieving red-carpet looks may seem impossible for anyone other than a professional makeup artist, so here’s a tip: Applying makeup is not about the technique, the brand or the right kind of brush. Makeup is about fun, creativity and most importantly, practice.

Take smoldering, smoky eye makeup. There are several steps to this look that any girl can pull off without even trying. So put down the brushes and pull out a pallet because it’s time to finger paint! An index finger does the job better than a brush, and it’s easier to clean.

1. With clean hands, prepare your eyes for shadow by applying a small amount of liquid foundation to each eyelid. This primer will enhance the pigment of the eye shadow and allow the color to stay on all day and night.

2. Separate your eye into four sections: inward, frontal, outward and brow. Begin applying a neutral, shimmery, base color in the inner corner of your eye. The more shine the better! Apply this in the crevice of your eye with your finger.

3. Apply another nude, but more of a matte color (light brownish), to the entire frontal part of your eyelid. Spread evenly and slightly blend into the first color. Don’t worry about being perfect.

4. Now this part gets a little intimidating: Use a shiny, black shadow. Apply lightly because you can always add more. Start on the outward tip of the eye and stroke your finger over this section several times. Once you reach the outward corner, take your finger and guide the shadow into the crease of your eyelid, where it meets the brow line. Blend until the colors look cohesive. Warning: DO NOT GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BROW LINE. Rinse your finger and repeat on the other eye.

5. Apply liquid eyeliner to the lash line of your eye. Liquid eyeliner stands out much better than pencil and creates a seductive, vintage look. The trick to using liquid is practice. Make a thin line on your lid with pencil and trace over with the liquid. Start thin; the bigger your eyes, the wider the line. If you find your hand is really shaky while applying, rest your palm on your cheek to gain more control. Steady your hand and you’ll go far!

All that’s left is to apply mascara, and voilà! With this simple five-step process, you’ll save time and energy, and realize even you can steal those red-carpet looks without really trying.

Photo by Yuting Zhang

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed tomboy or glamorous diva, every girl has at least one makeup item she just can’t seem to let go of. But how long is too long? A month? Two years? Don’t worry, we’re here to save the day — and, more importantly, your skin.

Jaded by the hustle and bustle of college life and love for her favorite products, every girl probably assumes makeup lasts a lifetime. And let’s be honest, new makeup is not something you put into your college budget.

But although it can be pricey, tossing old essentials is better than putting your skin and eyes in danger of infection.

Samantha Jeffery, a stylist at Looks Hair Design for almost six years now, gives us an expert opinion on the longevity of makeup.

“Keeping the same makeup for too long can cause germs and bacteria to grow, especially in foundation. Always use a new sponge so you are not rubbing dirt into your face. [It’s important to] start with a clean, fresh surface,” Jeffery says.

Jeffery explains how long each type of makeup usually lasts. Most are about a year, but mascara has a much shorter life span than the rest of the pack — only three months of use.

“Mascara can easily get chunky and each person has little bugs that live in their eyelashes,” Jeffery says. “The transferring of them can be bad, that’s why it’s important not to share makeup.”

Brushes should also not be neglected. These tools play a key role in applying powders and shadows to your face, and they require the most care. Since they are sitting out in the open, they are constantly exposed to germs in the air. It’s key to keep them clean.

“Shampoo and condition all your brushes every two weeks to be safe and so you are not building up bacteria,” Jeffery says. “Then let them air dry.”

If you haven’t already grabbed your makeup bag in the midst of reading this article, go take a look at your products now. Saying farewell to your favorites might be traumatic, but it’s time to move on. You’re on your way to cleaner skin.

How long it’s safe to keep your makeup
Mascara: 3 months
Foundation: 6 to 8 months
Eyeliner: 1 year
Eyeshadow: 1 year
Blush: 1 year
Lipsticks: 1 year or longer if they are not sludgy or loosing moisture

Photo by Sam Florio

 Ah, water: the basis of our existence and quench of our dehydration. But better yet, a recreational addition to our fitness routines!

No, this isn’t a lecture about drinking eight glasses of water a day (though you probably should). Instead, this is about utilizing water as a workout tool — whether it’s liquid, frozen or a little snowy. And all three states of matter are all accessible right here in Happy Valley.

Take a swim at one of the on-campus swimming pools. With a gym membership ($5 admission without), you can dive into the 82-degree water at the White Building and swim 25-yard laps. Race your friends or go at your own pace — either way, it’s a worthwhile cardio workout. With open hours of operation different times each day, taking a dip shouldn’t be difficult to fit into your busy schedule.

Next up: Penn State’s ice rink at the Greenberg Indoor Sports Complex on campus. Public sessions are available Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Passes are $5.75 and skates are only $2.00. This is a lower-intensity workout (unless you’re an intense figure skater or hockey player), but it still gets you moving. Go with friends or on a date!

As for the snow, we all know Tussey isn’t the biggest mountain out there, but it can definitely be a fun way to get some fresh air and make your muscles work. Lift tickets range from $20 to $40 depending on the day, so hop on the Cata Bus (B Route) and head on out. Never skied or snowboarded before? Tussey has group and private lessons (or you can even take a KINES course for credit). Since this is weather permitting, let’s hope to see a little more snow this season!

Use these recreational tools as an addition or replacement to a day’s workout — you’ll be glad you did. Who needs a treadmill or an elliptical when you have pools to swim in, ice rinks to skate on and a mountain to tear up?

Photo by Rhiannon Hedrick

Not only can the remnants of stress leave us feeling overwhelmed and fatigued, it can also display itself on the outside — on our skin!

As college students, how we treat our skin and health can sometimes take a back seat to our busy course load and other miscellaneous activities. With finals and last-minute papers around the corner, the semester is drawing to a much-anticipated close. Many of us have been left to waddle in our very own sleep deprivation, anxiety, hair pulling, forehead rubbing and nail-biting stress! In the midst of that, we may not always have the time to obey our normal skin-care regimen, let alone indulge in luxurious spa-like practices.

But keeping our skin healthy and refreshed is just as important — if not even more — in stressful periods. Not only can stress worsen acne and other skin problems, it can also leave the skin dry and with a collection of dead skin cells.

So relax! Take a load off, do some deep breathing and show your skin a little extra attention with a reviving avocado-and-honey facial mask.

Let’s look at the pros: Avocadoes and eggs are excellent moisturizers because of their high fat content. Baking soda has an interesting softening effect on the skin. And with most of the other ingredients found not too far from a kitchen or the nearest supermarket, you’ll be sure to dive into finals feeling refreshed, revived and ready to go!

What You’ll Need:
1 egg
1/2 avocado
1 tsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. baking soda
2 drops orange essential oil

Directions:
Puree the avocado, egg and mayonnaise in a blender, adding the honey and other ingredients as you go. These ingredients blend well together, so if you would like to beat them by hand instead that works just as well. Finish your mixture by adding the baking soda.

Note that this concoction does not have a very long shelf life and is best used all at once. Feel free to use the excess on your neck and chest area.

Whether you’d like to avocado-and-honey it up for before or after finals — or even both — you’ll be sure to leave your skin feeling healthy, soft and replenished!

Photo by Lindsay Lipovich

The nemesis of all diets. The ultimate “don’t” of all health advisories. The biggest no-no for weight loss and the adversary against falling asleep: late-night eating. But, hey, you’re in college. And you stay up really, really late.

Eating in the wee hours of the night (or morning, rather) is pretty much inevitable here. Whether studying endlessly, hanging out with friends or heading back home after a party, you’re bound to get hungry if you haven’t eaten since dinner. So, we say, don’t let your stomach rumble! Eat, for goodness’ sake. Just make the right choices.

It may seem like your only late-night options in downtown State College are cheesy, greasy and probably contain more calories than everything else you ate earlier that day combined. While that’s the truth for the overwhelming majority of options, have no fear; here are some guilt-free options open late and just waiting for you to find them.

Craving Chinese? Uncle Chen’s (430 E. Calder Way) has an entire “healthy food” section on the menu. Steamed chicken, shrimp and veggies are nothing to feel shameful about. And with a light sauce on the side, they’re quite the delicacy (and even edible during the day, too). Ask to substitute brown rice for white rice, and you’ve ordered yourself a healthier late-night indulgence.

Next up: “Fresh Thinking. Healthy Eating.” Well, that’s Pita Pit’s motto (218 E. Calder Way). And this gem is open until 3 a.m. and delivers until 2:30. The entire menu is comprised of fresh produce on your choice of wheat or white pita. If your sweet tooth is kicking in, try one of its fruit and fro-yo smoothies instead.

Even the chains in town have begun to hop on the healthy-food bandwagon. Taco Bell (310 E. College Ave.) offers its Drive-Thru Diet menu, featuring “fresco” items that skip the cheese and are made from healthier ingredients (including meats with 25 percent less fess fat).

And if you have an infatuation with Jimmy John’s subs, think about cutting out the extra carbs and ordering any of its sandwiches as a JJ Unwich — on a lettuce wrap instead of bread. You’ll still fill up on the protein and veggies without feeling the remorse of bread overload.

Above all, stock up your fridge and pantry with healthy foods. If you’re a late-night scavenger, you can’t mindlessly munch on junk if it’s simply not there. But do be sure to have something around for you to eat, so you don’t end up calling the only late-night, oil-packed place in town and ordering some fried food for delivery. You’ll feel better about those Wheat Thins and hummus or Greek yogurt (pictured) with berries that were already in your kitchen than most late-night delivery options. Plan ahead — you’ll never have to wake up thinking, “Why did I eat that?!” again.