Student Apartments Community Newsletter

2013

Student Apartments Community Newsletter, November Issue

Featuring several topics such as:

Fashion, Art, Food, Lifestyle,

Sports, Health, Fitness, News,

and Miscellaneous Info.

FASHION

Fall is now officially upon us, and with that comes a change in wardrobe. Fall fashion, otherwise known

as “translucent leggings and Uggs season” for a lot of women. By no means am I here to dictate to you

how you should dress; wear what YOU like, and what fits YOU. I’m just here help you realize that it’s ok

step outside of the box and try something different. Don’t strive to be cool or maintain the status quo,

but strive to be yourself. You can express that in more ways than one, and of the best ways to do so is

through your style and the clothes you wear. Ladies, I understand that Fall on the eastern shore is cold,

and that tends to make us lazy and not want to dress up (trust me, I feel you), but what you all should

understand is that in the midst of your laziness, you might also be portraying in a way that you don’t

necessarily wish to be perceived. Understand that those sheer leggings you wear are translucent in

normal lighting, and when the sun, or some other light source hits them, you might as well not even be

wearing pants because they become almost completely see through. To many, it makes you look

trashy/promiscuous, and I doubt many of you want people to think that of you. If you insist on wearing

those then throw a coat or shirt on that covers your butt, or wrap a flannel button up around your waist.

ART To any artists out there, here’s a powerful, yet simple tool to use that will enhance your work. The rule

of thirds states that a rectangle can be divided equally into thirds by drawing two horizontal lines and

two vertical lines across the rectangle, and that at the intersection of these points, is where our eyes are

naturally drawn to.

Placing the subject/focus of your picture on these points helps guide the viewer to where you want

them to look. You also don’t have to put the focus of the painting directly on the intersecting point

(power points), you can place the focus on either one third across or one third up or down the picture.

Human eyes naturally focus on the points of interesting while ignoring the rest of the image. Here’s an

example.

See how the left vertical like runs almost directly through the center of mass of both people in the

picture. This is no accident; the photographer did this purposefully in order to highlight those two focal

points.

Here’s a non-photography example.

Remember that although dubbed “The Rule of Thirds”, this isn’t a concrete rule that one must always

follow, its more-so a guideline. If you wish to put your subject dead center in the middle of the picture

because that’s your artistic vision, then by all means go ahead. This rule is just meant to guide you, not

control you.

LOCAL NEWS This here is an article on the issue of Obama Care. If you would like to read more into this issue

or read the article in-depth, go to

http://www.delmarvanow.com/viewart/20131022/NEWS/310220056/President-concedes-

frustration-his-own-health-care-plan

President concedes frustration with his own health care plan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday said there was “no excuse” for the

cascade of computer problems that have marred the rollout of a key element in his health care

law, but declared he was confident the administration would be able to fix the issues.

“There’s no sugarcoating it,” Obama said. “Nobody is more frustrated than I am.”

The president said his administration was doing “everything we can possibly do” to get the

federally run websites where people are supposed to apply for insurance up and running. That

includes bringing in additional technology experts from inside and outside the government to

work on the issues.

People have until March 31 to sign up for coverage. The non-partisan Congressional Budget

Office had projected that about 7 million people would gain coverage through the exchanges

during the first year.

The president on Monday guaranteed that everyone who wants to get insurance through the new

health care exchanges will be able to, even if they have to enroll over the phone or fill out a

paper application. The White House also appeared to open the door to the possibility that people

trying to purchase insurance who were confounded by website problems might be exempted

from the law’s penalty for remaining uninsured after March 31.

Obama’s event in the White House Rose Garden had the feeling of a health care pep rally, with

guests in the Rose Garden applauding as Obama ticked through what the White House sees as

benefits of the law.

The rollout failures have been embarrassing for the White House. The issues have called into

question whether the administration is capable of implementing the complex policy and why

senior White House officials — including the president — appear to have been unaware of the

scope of the problems when the exchange sites opened on Oct. 1.

Obama, in his most extensive remarks about the health care problems, insisted Monday that the

health care law is about more than just a website.

HBCU vs PWI’s

Chosen what college to attend may be a hard decision but students make the choices everyday. Going to a college or university has become the new must do for students. Highschool graduates have many choices to choose from and among these choices are two different forms of schools; Historically Black colleges or universities and Predominantly White Institutions. Any race can attend these schools but they are majority of what they were made to house. Students have their own opinions on which schools are better and why they chose the schools they did but there is a ongoing debate on which produces better students overall. I asked Austin Grier, a African American senior at a PWI “The Citadel” how he felt about his school and other HBCU’s. His response:

” As a young black woman attending The University Of Maryland Eastern Shore I have always been a strong believer in HBCU’s. My mother attended Delaware State University and my father attended Lincoln University. These two postive parent figures showed me in my life how much success can come from HBCU’s. I feel as though a HBCU has the same chances of producing the worlds next leaders but they were not for me. Not only does HBCU’s helps student understand African American culture but also identifies cultures of minorities in America.

I have come to a conclusion that schools have a deeper effect on students than what has been seen. It really depends on the type of student and environment they are placed in but the schools have equal opprotunities at producing top students.

How to Adapt to College Life

Going to college is the first real major life transition for many people, and adapting to college life isn't always easy. While you might have been excited about the idea of starting your classes and making new friends, it might be more difficult than you expected. It's not unusual to feel lonely, homesick, stressed, anxious or even depressed while trying to adjust to your new life. If you're feeling down or overwhelmed, take a few steps to help make the adjustment process a bit easier.

Manage Your Time

Without a solid time management system, new college students can feel overwhelmed. Unlike high school, where your classes were probably neatly mapped out, college course schedules vary widely. For example, you might have three classes on one day and none the next, or your classes might be in the evening or even on the weekend. Attending to social responsibilities and engaging in extracurricular activities can make it feel like there's not enough time in the day. Writing out a concrete schedule that includes adequate time for study, sleep and socialization can help you feel more organized and in control of your life.

Cope with Homesickness

If you're living away from home for the first time, it can be difficult to deal with feelings of homesickness. Don't try to push your feelings aside -- almost all college students feel homesick from time to time, especially in the beginning. It's OK to feel sad and to cry about it, but don't let your feelings take over your life. Keep in touch with family and friends from back home regularly, invite loved ones to visit you, display pictures and other memorabilia that remind you of home and stay active to help minimize your feelings of homesickness, according to Columbia University's "Go Ask Alice."

Practice Stress Management

Adapting to college can be pretty stressful at times, especially while you try to find your new rhythm. Practicing stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, yoga or exercise, can help reduce your levels of stress and help you feel more relaxed, according to UC San Diego's Student Health Services. Many college and university health and wellness centers offer free stress management workshops and yoga or exercise classes to students.

Sleep

It's easier to deal with stress, handle responsibilities and adapt to college life if you're healthy and well-rested. You're not doing yourself any favors if you don't get enough sleep -- and most college students are severely sleep-deprived, according to the University Health Center at the University of Georgia. While everyone slacks on sleep from time to time, regular sleep loss can result in persistent feelings of fatigue and increase your risk of developing serious health problems such as depression, anxiety and obesity. Everyone's sleep needs are different, but you should try to get at least seven or eight hours of sleep each night.

HEALTH

“Fat-burning” Supplement Linked

to Liver Failure

Health officials are advising consumers to stop using a dietary supplement product labeled as

OxyElite Pro because of a cluster of hepatitis cases in Hawaii among people who used the

weight-loss supplement. They are also investigating whether it is linked to other cases

nationwide.

Hawaii's Department of Health is investigating 29 cases of hepatitis that have led to two liver

transplants and one death. Eleven patients were hospitalized.

The first case was reported May 10 and the most recent Oct. 3, the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention said in the alert send to health-care providers on Tuesday. More than 80% of the

patients reported using OxyElite Pro during the 60 days before they became ill.

"We're calling for stores to voluntary remove this product from their shelves," said Janice

Okubo, a public information officer with Hawaii's state health department.

Several individuals from states outside Hawaii have been identified with acute hepatitis after

taking OxyElite Pro or other weight-loss or muscle-building dietary supplements, the alert said.

CDC is working with state health departments to collect more information about the cases.

OxyElite Pro is a dietary supplement sold as a weight-loss aid.

It is distributed by USPlabs LLC of Dallas and sold

nationwide. The company told FDA it believes counterfeit

versions of OxyElite Pro are being marketed in the United

States, FDA said in a release Tuesday.

In a statement e-mailed Tuesday, the company said the cluster

of liver issues "is a complete mystery and nothing like this has

ever been associated with OxyElite Pro."

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by

either viral diseases or medications that can damage the liver.

The symptoms of hepatitis can include fever, fatigue, loss of

appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay or

gray-colored bowel movements, joint pain, yellow eyes and

jaundice.

Health officials tested all the patients for the viral forms of hepatitis and none of them had it, said

Pieter Cohen, an expert on dietary supplements with the Cambridge Health Alliance in

Cambridge, Mass.

With viral hepatitis ruled out, "physicians must look carefully at medications and herbal

ingredients that might be linked to the liver failure," Cohen said. Some ingredients, in rare

instances, can cause liver failure.

How such ingredients might have made their way into the supplement isn't known. One

possibility is that the label was not accurate.

Consumers should know that there is no such thing as a fat-burning pill, Cohen said. "The idea

that there is a natural weight-loss pill out there is hogwash. Either the pills don't work or they do

work because they contain substances which are not natural and are pharmaceuticals," he said.

FOOD & LIFESTYLE

It’s almost November which means Thanksgiving right around the corner! YUM! I always love to help out

in the kitchen, all the great smells, laughing family, and great memories. Here are some helpful recipes

that can help you get involved in the Thanksgiving hustle and bustle.

Sweet Potato Casserole 3 ½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE TOPPING

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash the sweet potatoes, prick them

with a fork and place on baking sheet. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes or until they

are cooked through. Allow potatoes to cool slightly until they are comfortable to touch.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 9 inch casserole dish, set aside.

3. Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop the insides into a large mixing bowl, discard skins.

4. Add sugar, eggs, salt, cinnamon, butter, milk, and vanilla to the sweet potatoes. Use an electric mixer

and combine until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated and smooth.

5. Scoop mixture into prepared casserole dish, smoothing the top into an even layer.

6. In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in

the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans 12 oz green beans, trimmed (make sure they are dry)

2 tsp olive oil

kosher salt + fresh cracked pepper to taste

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tbsp shredded parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum for easy clean-up. Lay green beans out on

the baking sheet and drizzle oil over them. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder and toss to

evenly coat.

Spread them out on the sheet so that they all lay flat and place on the lower third section of your oven.

Bake 10 minutes, shake the pan to turn; bake 5 additional minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle

with grated cheese.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

3 medium baking potatoes peeled and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1 tablespoon (or more) whole milk, at room temperature or warmed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the

potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

Add the butter, sour cream and garlic. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or the back of a fork

until the ingredients are blended.

Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt

and pepper, if needed.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake 1 1/2 cups butter, softened

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Use an electric mixer to mix both butter and cream cheese until creamy.

Gradually add sugar and beat for 5 minutes, then add eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate

before adding more. Stir in vanilla.

Sift flour and salt and add gradually to the mixer, beating until well blended.

Pour batter into a well greased and floured bundt pan or tube cake pan.

Place 2 cups water in an ovenproof container on the rack in the oven next to the cake.

Bake cake at 300 for an hour and 45 minutes, or until a toothpick can be removed cleanly.

Place pan on a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and complete

cooling on the wire rack.

FITNESS WAKE UP AND TARGET YOUR ABS,

BUTT/HIPS WITH NO GYM!

Side Plank with Bent Knee

Step 1

Starting Position: Lie on your right side on an exercise mat with your knees bent and legs stacked

one upon the other in a comfortable position. Engage your abdominal/core muscles as you raise

your torso coming to support yourself on your right forearm. Your right elbow is bent and should be

directly under your shoulder. Your head should be aligned with your spine. Your hips and bottom leg

are in contact with the exercise mat.

Step 2

Upward Phase: Exhale, keep the abdominals engaged to brace the spine. Your head should be

aligned with your spine.

Step 3

Lowering Phase: Inhale and gently return yourself to your starting position. After a prescribed

number of repetitions, repeat on the other side.

Step 4

Exercise Variation: You can increase the exercise intensity by increasing the length of time you are

in the raised position.

3. Wendy Mills Became Fit by Fifty

Weight before: 225 lbs

Weight now: 124 lbs

Age: 50

Height: 5′ 5″

Location: Aurora, Ontario

Occupation: Chartered Accountant

Proudest moment: “When I started to see muscle definition!”

When she was 46 years old, Wendy Mills set a goal: to be her absolute fittest by her 50th birthday. “I

knew I would have to lose about 100 pounds!” she says. “So I started setting smaller goals, like giving up

fast food or going for a walk.” Taking it slowly, she lost the first 55 pounds.At 170 pounds, the scale

became stuck. She signed up with a personal trainer and started weigh training. “I was terrified,” she

admits. But once she started, Wendy found that her mission changed. No longer focusing on losing

weight by the time she turned 50, she transformed her mindset: “My goals became strength-related,”

explains Wendy, who now includes home training sessions in her routine. Equipped with weights, a

bench, resistance bands and medicine balls, Wendy replicates gym exercises. And when it comes to

getting results, home reps count as much as gym reps. Weighing in at 124 pounds, Wendy reached her

goal two years early. She turned 50 this year and happily reported that she has maintained her fit

lifestyle. “I am now aiming for fit at 60!” she says. “I have not lost my motivation.”

Get Wendy’s Willpower

What advice does Wendy have for fitness newbies? She says it all comes down to three little rules. Find someone you can be accountable to, such as a workout partner. Track your progress. Set a monthly fat loss goal. Do not weight yourself every day.

SPORTS

The complete schedule for the 2013-14 NBA season has been released (via NBA.com), finally giving fans

insight into how the upcoming campaign will play out.

Top 10 Games Of The Year

Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat (October 29)

Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (October 31)

Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets (November 7)

Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (November 20)

Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers (November 27)

New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets (December 5)

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers (December 10)

Houston Rockets at Oklahoma City Thunder (December 29)

San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat (January 26)

Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics (January 26)