VALLEY

Want in on a secret? Those Special K and Quaker Chewy bars you love so much aren’t as healthy as they seem. The truth is, not all protein and granola bars are created equal – some even contain as much fat and sugar as their candy-bar cousins.

“Going green” seems to be a growing trend in the college community. I keep seeing articles about the student government pushing for more action to be taken to make Penn State a more sustainable university, and signs in the residence halls encouraging students to recycle in the proper way. There are also many clubs on campus fully dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues.

“I like to get dressed up for class, but I have some days when I’m not getting out of my sweatpants.”

Well, finals week has arrived! It’s no secret that under the stress of pulling all-nighters and suffering cabin (read: library) fever across State College, we gorge on way too many greasy delivery orders, whether it’s General Tso’s or Wings Over.

We’ve all heard the many ways to lose weight and stay fit – eat less carbohydrates, snack on grapefruit and cucumbers, drink eight glasses of water a day. But let’s be honest, how many of these are truly going to make a difference in your life? Do you want to know the secret to living a healthy life? It’s simple – eat breakfast.

How many people are on your list this year? If it’s more than five, listen up. Searching for the perfect gift for each one of my friends and family is one of my favorite holiday activities.

Fashion Hunting Tips: “Look around at all different kinds of stores because you
will find pieces that are so different and so interesting and find a way to work them
out into your outfit just by looking at racks, discounts, stuff like that. It works.”

Sure, it’s easy to run down to McDonald’s for chicken tenders with a side of honey mustard, but have you ever thought about making your own?

We’ve solved winter’s chilliest equation and yep, there’s definitely a positive correlation between the temperature outside and the number of exercise junkies suddenly inhabiting the gym. It happens every year – as soon as we can see our breath we flock to the gym faster than birds flock to the south.

Black Friday has never interested me very much. Save for when I was 13 and my dad said he would buy my sister and I a Wii if we got up at 5 a.m. and went to Wal-mart with him. What I was expecting to be a dramatic adventure turned out to be around 30 people waiting in line, and then awkwardly speed walking and nudging past each other to get to the electronics section. We managed to snag a Wii in the midst of the pseudo-chaos, and took it home for a reasonable price, woo-hoo.

When we happened upon some ripe baby eggplants (thanks to Thanksgiving leftovers!), my immediate thought was to make eggplant parm. It’s easy, delicious, and certainly a staple in any Italian household. However, after weighing my options, I decided to turn a creative leaf and utilize the eggplant in a scrumptious chicken and ricotta layered lasagna with a spicy, zesty kick!

After spending five minutes on an indoor stationary bike for the first time, sweat was rolling off my body and accumulating in a puddle on the floor. I was huffing, puffing and gasping for air. It took every ounce of energy left in my body to respond to my trainer, who was wondering if I had Asthma.

Well, you’ve had a whole week to kick back, chill with family and friends and eat some delicious, homemade food (hallelujah). Because I was too busy with eating and sleeping and eating some more, I didn’t get the chance to actually visit a thrift store this week. I know, so sad.

“I would say that I’m someone that is comfortable with her own style. I don’t really have a set style because I can wear sweatpants and look like I rolled out of bed one day, and today I look decent. It’s whatever I’m comfortable with. If you’re comfortable in it, it doesn’t matter how people perceive you… so if you think you look good, then wear it!”

At Valley, we’re big believers that the holidays are not a time to worry about calories. In fact, we encourage you to enjoy that delicious spread of turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie – YOLO, right?