VALLEY

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?

I’m all too familiar with that slightly disgusted face someone gets when you tell them a piece of your clothing is from Goodwill. Though hopefully they don’t say it (unless they’re extremely blunt), they’re probably thinking, “eww.”

Name: Meredith Moore
Age: 20
Major: Biology
Year: Junior
Hometown: Doylestown, PA
What She’s Wearing: Shirt, H&M; Sweater, Forever 21; Jeggings, Pac Sun; Scarf, H&M; Shoes, DSW. (Everything is under $30!)

Making it Work: “A lot of people say it’s out there, only I can ‘pull it off,’ I don’t
know. People always tell me ‘if I put that on I would look stupid but somehow you
do it’ so that’s always nice to hear.”

Like many of us, Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite meal of the year. My mother makes the most delicious food– everything from sweet potatoes, to mounds of homemade stuffing, to baked apples. It’s so good that I always make my parents host the family because I refuse to let anyone else cook the meal besides my own momma.

Do you want to gobble down delicious turkey, savory pie and mom’s casserole next week without guilt? Participating in a 5K race on Thanksgiving morning can boost your metabolism for the rest of the day, meaning that the turkey thighs on your plate won’t put meat your own legs.

Chelsea Burka won us over with her upbeat attitude, go-getter business style and fashionable poise that led to her success from Wall Street to the…

It’s no secret that thrift stores are packed with weird, fantastically fun clothing and accessories. Although walking into one and browsing the awesome treasures is certainly reason enough to make the trip, there are other reasons to feel good when you buy something from a thrift store. Especially the State College Woman’s Club Thrift Shop.