Category Archives: Self-Improvement

Everyone does it. Well, a lot of people do it.

Cursing is something we are taught from a very young age not to do, but so many of us do it in our older age anyway. For some of us, it just feels good. It feels good to release our emotions in the form of these words. For others, it’s just second nature. Some of us have been exposed to it for so long that we barely consider them choice words anymore. These words just become another part of our everyday vocabulary.

Many girls, despite valiant efforts to uphold a ladylike appearance, sometimes just have to let out a curse word. It’s human nature. But, does this (at times) uncontrollable urge to let loose turn off guys? Continue reading →

I was ecstatic when I received my first job offer from the company of my dreams. It’s not just any company – it’s a Fortune 500 car manufacturer. The position was more than any mechanical major could ask for. I was the happiest girl in the world until I talked to Kevin*.

I told my family and my close friends about the offer, including Kevin who, it turns out, also applied and got an offer for the exact same position at the same company. We chatted excitedly over lunch about our possible new job, about getting apartments and about going out on the night of our graduation ceremony.

Time seemed to freeze when Kevin mentioned how much he was being offered from the company. I found out that I was getting paid $4,000 less. I was offered less as my starting salary, not because I have a lower GPA than him (mine is higher than his), I have less work experience (we are about the same) or speak fewer languages than he does (I’m trilingual, are you kidding me?). On top of work experience and academic prowess, I competed in a car design contest in Germany one summer. Continue reading →

You’ve already heard the same thing from the Career Services office: have your resume and cover letter drafts ready so you can zip through job applications. But every once in a while, a curveballs that you didn’t expect to find during the job search hits you.

Curveballs can be anything from a pop test to a recorded video interview. All of them are just as scary and nausea-inducing. Jeff Garris, the director of Career Services, says the number one thing applicants may find surprising is how important patience is in the job search.

“Students are surprised by how slow the application process can be,” Garris says. “It can be a while before they hear anything. But the important thing is to follow up if you haven’t heard anything back in two weeks.” Continue reading →

They conquered the awkwardness of middle school with you. They held your hand while you cried endlessly over your first high school heartbreak. They will be standing up with you on your wedding day.

They’re your best friend.

Our best friends are absolutely irreplaceable people in our lives who have seen us through the ups and downs. They know all our secrets and quirks, and we know theirs. We can’t imagine spending long periods of time away from them, but for many best friends, college gets in the way of that.

When it comes time to select a college, the perfect school for you might not be the perfect school for your best friend, so you end up going your separate ways. At first, it seems sad and you worry you’ll grow apart, but sometimes time away can be the very best thing for your friendship. Continue reading →

No one should have to walk around in fear.  However, one in three women will.  According to the Women Organized Against Rape, that’s how many women will be sexually abused during their lifetime.

“We are groomed to say that women are at fault and that is our first problem,” says media studies professor Michelle Rodino-Colocino. “There is this preconceived notion that women are not trustworthy and that they are to blame.”

The first thing we must address is that if you are the victim of a sexual assault, you are not to blame. The only person that is to blame is the person who did to you, and for that we are truly sorry.

Unfortunately, sexual violence will never end. But we can start making steps today that will greatly decrease it in the future.

One major problem that contributes to sexual violence is the lack of education.

What is the number or rapes that occur every year? The truth is, there is not a clear answer as 85 percent of sexual violence indents go unreported.  Continue reading →

Amp up your typical lunchtime sandwich with a healthy and tasty veggie wrap. It’s easy to make and leaves you feeling full but not overstuffed. I used six different toppings that I enjoy but you can swap out or add in items as you please.

Ingredients:

½ Eggplant
½ Portabella Mushroom Cap
½ Cup Spinach Leaves
2 Tablespoons Pesto Sauce
½ Tomato
A few Slices of Mozzarella Cheese
1 Flatbread Wrap
Non-Stick Cooking Spray or Olive Oil For Pan-Frying
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Salt and Pepper to Taste

I used a toaster-oven to heat the wrap on the last step. If you don’t have access to a toaster-oven, preheat your real oven to 450 degrees before cooking your meal. Continue reading →

“Don’t worry, there are plenty of fish in the sea!”

This cliché is used every day by anyone who is trying to reassure their friend that there are boys who are better than the last. Of course, they respond to this phrase with an eye-roll and then continue sitting in their blob of sorrows watching Netflix and eating Nutella out of the jar with a spoon.

But ladies, this phrase might be stupid to you because you have never met a boy that made you think otherwise. You might be the type of girl that thinks every single boy in the world is a jerk, and every time you get out of another crappy relationship you just want to scream.

But, believe it or not, not all boys are bad. It’s a matter of finding the right boy for you. Continue reading →

Transitioning into a young adult is a constant process in college, one that typically occurs with the absence of parents in your everyday life.  So what happens when your parents finally see you as the young professional you’ve worked so hard to become?

“He texted me and said ‘Mom, I took the car to get the oil changed,’” says Karen Buda, mother of Penn State junior Alex Buda. “I thought ‘Wow, he really is becoming an adult.’”

Whether college students realize it or not, there comes a moment of realization for parents when their child has suddenly grown up. As students are quickly whirled into a space of diversity, freedom and immeasurable knowledge, they are also subconsciously thrust into a competitive environment of individual change. Continue reading →