Between barely making it through your mid-terms and finals being around the corner, the pressure is simmering on high this semester. Fortunately, you’ve mentally started crafting your pre-planned answers when your relatives swarm around you this Thanksgiving asking the status of your classes. Well, don’t fret and slowly walk away from the energy drinks. There’s hope around the corner!  We chatted with Dr. Lindsey Elmore, pharmacist and wellness expert, to share tips and healthy hacks to get you through your semester in one piece.

(Giphy.com)

Balancing a full schedule and a part-time job as a college student can have your stress level at its all-time high, how can students manage stress or anxiety on a daily basis?

While it may be tempting to pull all-night study sessions amped up on caffeine, or partying until dawn drinking, lack of sleep, caffeine, and alcohol are a terrible combination that can lead to anxiety and excessive stress.

Be sure to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night, because sleep deprivation can reduce brain function, and lead to fatigue, headaches, and weight loss or gain. As often as possible, head to bed at the same time and get up in the same time in the morning. Caffeine can lead to dehydration. When the body doesn’t have enough water, it can lead to confusion, dizziness, and tiredness. To reduce the risk of anxiety, instead of caffeinated beverages, drink plenty of water.

Alcohol has been shown to increase the risk of anxiety, and bad decisions made while drinking can lead to excessive stress. Limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men. I love the old school match maker advice to always limit drinks to two while on dates to avoid risky behaviors that you may regret.

Overall though, that’s important to focus on and be aware of is your “self-care,” which in this case, is both taking care of yourself and supporting recovery. An important aspect of self-care though is to be conscious about who you are and your needs, as everyone is different.

(Giphy.com)

All-nighter study sessions + tight deadlines can cause intense pressure in college, what oils would you suggest when it comes to relaxing + unwinding to combat a stressful environment?

All-nighters are never ideal – but I’ve had to pull them myself, back when I was in school, and even sometimes now with work! Life can never be perfect, but obviously lack of sleep isn’t ideal but to minimize the effect – when I head to bed late (or even if at a normal time), I love to diffuse oils. There are some essential oils if diffused properly that can help and making a personal choice about which one to use will depend on how you deal with sleep etc. Some that I would suggest include lavender, which contains the chemical constituent linalool and has been shown to have sedative effects and improve sleep. Roman chamomile has been shown to improve sleep quality. Ylang ylang and valerian increase sleep duration1. Others include valerian, rue, or vetiver. Don’t have a diffuser? Make a bed mist by combining one part witch hazel and one part water with a few drops of your favorite bedtime oils. Shake well and spray sheets before heading to bed.

College life can include increased snacking and stress eating, how can students pull back on the midnight cravings + intense sugar intake?

The easiest way to avoid eating late at night is to head to bed early. But if that is not possible, be proactive to cut down on sugar. Bring nutrient-dense snacks like nuts or dried fruits with you to class. Snacks like hummus and vegetables, granola, and fruit are high in fiber and can help you feel full all day long. Water too can help you stay fuller, longer, and help you avoid binge eating. College is the perfect time to learn your way around the kitchen. Try cooking your favorite foods, learn family recipes, and be creative.

(Giphy.com)

What supplements are helpful to incorporate into a student’s fast-paced lifestyle?

DIgestive enzymes are a great way to supplement, especially when the diet gets off track for a few days. Digestive enzymes help unlock nutrition from food and ensures that you have what you need for the body to function effectively. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a master antioxidant, and can help detoxify, especially after a night of drinking. Lastly, a multivitamin is a baseline supplement that provides the vitamins and minerals you need for body processes to work with ease.

Instagram:@lindseyelmore 
Lindsey Elmore, PharmD, BCPS
www.lindseyelmore.com

1 S. Kasper, M. Gastpar, W. E. Müller et al., “Efficacy and safety of silexan, a new, orally administered
lavender oil preparation, in subthreshold anxiety disorder—evidence from clinical trials,” Wiener
Medizinische Wochenschrift, vol. 160, no. 21-22, pp. 547–556, 2010. View at Publisher · View at Google
Scholar · View at Scopus

S. Kasper, M. Gastpar, W. E. Müller et al., “Silexan, an orally administered Lavandula oil preparation, is
effective in the treatment of 'subsyndromal' anxiety disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial,” International Clinical Psychopharmacology, vol. 25, no. 5, pp. 277–287, 2010. View atPublisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus

Abdullahzadeh M, Matourypour P, Naji SA. Investigation effect of oral chamomilla on sleep quality in
elderly people in Isfahan: A randomized control trial. Journal of Education and Health Promotion.
2017;6:53. doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_109_15.
Komori T, Matsumoto T, Motomura E , Shiroyama T . The sleep-enhancing effect of valerian inhalation
and sleep-shortening effect of lemon inhalation. Chem Senses. 2006 Oct;31(8):731-7. Epub 2006 Jul 20.

Scroll through the STYLE diary of  Vancouver based teen blogger, Stella! 

What’s your name + the city you’re from?
Stella-Jane, Vancouver

Style is showing who you are without having to speak! Name your top 3 trends you’re feeling this season?
I’m honestly so bad at keeping up with trends because I wear whatever I am confident in. If I really had to choose, some trends that I am honestly in love with right now, are the dad sneaker trend, the statement belt trend and the plaid trend that is slowly making its way back. I think these trends could even be worn throughout the year and that makes it even more appealing to me, especially since I know I’m not investing in pieces that would only last me three months.

If you had 30 seconds to grab your 3 favorite style pieces, what would they be?
If I had 30 seconds to grab my favourite style pieces, I would definitely grab my black fur purse, my oversized denim jacket, and my vans old skools shoes.

Style inspo is everything! Who’s your ultimate fashion icon + why?
It is definitely hard for me to pick one specific person as my fashion Icon but two of my favourites currently are Ryan destiny and Alani Figueroa (@wuzg00d on Instagram ). Ryan Destiny’s style is so comfortable but still looks so amazingly thought out and versatile. Alani Figueroa has been my all time street style queen ever since I stumbled upon her Instagram. The way she styles extravagant colours, layers her jewelery and manages her Instagram, makes her the ultimate Fashion Icon for me.

Getting ready in the morning can be fun but stressful if you’re in a time crunch, what’s your go-to look if you’re in a rush?
If I was in a complete time crunch, my go-to outfit is to grab a hoodie and a pair of my favourite track pants but to spice it up I’ll wear my oversized black fur coat to give it a bit of a girly look!

What’s your number 1 rule when it comes to style?
This may come off as cliche but honestly, if you want to look good, no matter what you are wearing as long as you feel comfortable and confident in it, you are going to look amazing. I have seen some girls look so awkward in outfits because they just wanted to “fit in”. Following others takes so much away from your personal style and creativity, plus you aren’t as happy whiles you are wearing it. So, take my advice, be confident in what you were because that is where your style shines through!

Follow more style inspo from Stella!
Blog: xostellajane.com
Instagam: stellajanexo

(Giphy.com)

Don’t you absolutely hate when your parents get on you about little things?! It’s like they’re trying to prevent you from living your best life! You feel like they are breathing down your neck and don’t give you any room to enjoy your youth. Well we’re here to give you some tips on how to deal with overly strict parents.

(Giphy.com)

Keep it 100| Show your parents that you are serious about having more freedom. Sit down with them and discuss the rules that are in place and why you feel like they are unrealistic. Along with that, give them suggestions for appropriate punishments and reward system.

Relax| When your parents come down hard on you, don’t use your energy to yell and argue back. It will make them see you as immature and further their decision to remain as strict as possible.

Help me, help me! | Sometimes you may need to lean on other family members for help. For example, your aunts and uncles are great people to talk to about your parents’ strict ways since they grew up with them.

(Giphy.com)

Tia Banks, Content Editor

(Giphy.com)

We all have that one friend who does the absolute most! We love them to death but sometimes their personality is EXTRA. You ever find yourself rolling your eyes whenever they’re around? Yeah, it’s time to check this diva.

(Giphy.com)

Remain Unbothered -When your friend is having a diva moment don’t exhaust your energy by feeding into it. They’re probably telling you a story with lots of embellishments in order to get more attention.

No More Drama -We love hanging out a spilling tea with friends. However, we are going to have to cut this friend off from tea spillage. Drama only adds to our diva friend’s over the top personality. This is a fire you don’t want to add fuel to.

Keep Calm and Carry On –Everyone has their issues where they need a friend to vent to. When your diva friend contacts you for support, make sure you remain calm. No need to add in any “Oh no she didn’t” and “Girl! Are you serious?!”. Just give her the advice she’s looking for.

Small Doses- You may need to cut back on some of the time you spend with her all together. It’s easier to handle personalities like that in small doses. You care for her the same, but you do so from a distance.

(Giphy.com)

-Tia Banks, Content Editor

Turning daily inspiration into dope + vibrant art, Alexandra Yasmine Togba has the magic touch of creating captivating characters that you wish were apart of your girl squad! Originally, born in the Ivory Coast of West Africa, she grew up in Montreal and continues to flourish in Toronto, Canada.

Alexandra unleasehes her artistic energy + creativity as a Freelance Illustrator and Comic Book Artist. Not only does she express herself through art but gives her audience a “slice of life” by making each character relatable. Every illustration creates a sense of connection with a glimpse of reality. Representing and developing diverse characters of color allows each girl to find herself in her expressive art.

Let’s get to know Alexandra a little better…

Your illustrations are vibrant, eye catching and tell such an authentic story, what made you want to express yourself through art?
I’ve always gravitated towards creative and artistic outlets: whether it’s painting, drawing, writing, (even piano at some point) I’ve always needed a way to express myself in other ways than to just speak out. Art gives me a break from life, a moment to myself to relax and focus on an alternate universe I’ve created in my head. I need this disconnection from life’s anxieties from time to time.

Life is filled with ups and downs and we all experience such an array of emotions, why is it important for you to showcase genuine illustrations of girls expressing real life emotions?
I feel like women of color, we don’t get the representation we deserve. We are often misrepresented, overlooked and/or shown expressing negative emotions only. Especially in the art world. If I can uplift and offer a better representation of WOCs, why not do it? I want to change the narrative a little to not have us feeling bad for existing, I want to show that we fit in this world just as much as everybody else.

As a comic book artist, what’s your all-time fave comic book?
Weirdly enough, I don’t read comic books that much anymore. In the past years my faves were ‘Aya from Yop city’ , ‘Blacksad’, ‘Inuyasha’ and ‘Saga’. I grew up reading ‘Nathalie’ a comic book by Belgian author Sergio Salma. I’d say this is my favorite comic book from my childhood, but for my adul I can’t choose.

Your illustrations also celebrate the LGBTQ community in such a beautiful way, why is it significant that young women of color are represented in your characters within the community?
I enjoy having people relate to my characters. I want them to feel safe expressing themselves without feeling judged. As I said earlier, representation of WOCs is something I want to push forward. We don’t have that much characters that look like us to relate to. Being part of the LGBTQ+ community myself, I feel like WOC representation is needed in the community as well. You can see that just by how people enjoy my characters Jennifer and Cassandra.

What advice would you give girls who want to follow their dreams and passions but are nervous or intimidated?
You can either be miserable because you didn’t follow your dreams and you’re living the life of someone else, or be miserable because of the challenges that are thrown your way during the process of following your dreams. In the end, only one outcome will be beneficial to you. It is a risk that you have to be willing to take. Leap and the net will appear.

Being young, juggling responsibilities while walking towards your dreams can sometimes get to be a bit overwhelming, how do you regroup and motivate yourself when you’re feeling a little defeated?
I love printing motivational quotes and sticking them to the walls in my room. So that these quotes are the first things I see when I open my eyes in the morning. It helps motivate me out of bed and reminds me of my potential. Sure, there are days where I ignore them and decide to stay in bed all day, but I try not be too hard on myself when it happens. Allow yourself to rest. You can’t be as productive as you want to if you don’t take a break from everything from time to time.

We are all about empowerment, what does EMPOWERMENT mean to you?
Empowerment to me is giving someone the confidence to live their best life. Make them know their worth and potential to accomplish what they desire. That is what I want my drawings and stories to convey.

Fun Faves! Fave Food? Artist? Song? Celeb Crush?
-My favorite food is a meal from Ivory Coast named ‘Attieke’ we usually eat it with some fried plantains, braised chicken and/or Tilapia fish. I love it!
-Fave artist: I have too many fave artists to choose!! But my top 3 would be Beyoncé, Kehlani and Jay Park.
-Fave song: these days is Body count by Jessie Reyes ft Normani and Kehlani.
-Celeb crush: I love a lot of different people, Kehlani, Amara La Negra,Park Jimin, G-dragon, Idris Elba, Trevante Rhodes ect. #PansexualProblems

Follow more of Alexandra’s DOPE art here:

Tumblr

Instagram

(Giphy.com)

You know how easy it is to turn into an FBI agent when you’re trying to gather info on your crush. You end up on their sister’s husband’s bestfriend’s cousin’s mother’s page. Well depending on how much information you gather and how often you search, you’re borderline cyberstalking.

Here are 3 ways to know if you have crossed the line:

(Giphy.com)

Catfish– Like many perpetrators on the show, you yourself have developed a fake profile. This is so you can hide behind another identity in order to get more info on your crush without seeming crazy.

Excessive Messaging– Opposite of catfishing, you are not hiding behind a fake identity but you are sending lots of DMs. Even when he doesn’t answer, you continue to send messages in hopes of getting the response you wanted.

You search and search…and search– Not only do you search their Instagram page, but you also look for their Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Youtube, and probably their Myspace too.

(giphy.com)

-Content Editor, Tia Banks

From social media influencers to getting an inside peek of celeb lifestyles, it’s easy to start playing the comparison game.  Being a teen oftentimes invites social pressures that can have you feeling out of place, isolated + constantly battling with body image. It can be difficult not to compare yourself to others when perfection is portrayed every time you scroll on Instagram. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five teens ages 13-18, have or will have, a serious mental illness.

(Giphy.com)

Knowledge is power + it’s important to learn more about yourself and how you perceive your body. We spoke with Jamie Manwaring, PhD, Primary Therapist from the Eating Recovery Center in Denver to give us additional insight on the impact of eating disorders and self-esteem.

Come join us for body talk!

With social media being so prevalent throughout teenage years, how has that affected the rate of eating disorders + depression of teens?

Many studies have recently shown strong correlations among the amount of social media used by teenagers, and their resulting body image dissatisfaction, internalization of the thin ideal, and symptoms of depression. We do not yet know if this has impacted the prevalence of eating or depressive disorders in teenagers, but social media can certainly provide unhelpful messages and triggers to teenagers at risk for these disorders, including a greater ability to compare to peers.

An eating disorder can lead to suicide or suicidal thoughts, how does struggling with body image create a sense of hopelessness?

We don’t know the exact mechanisms by which poor body image can lead to hopelessness, but we do know that body dissatisfaction predicts depression for girls, but not for boys (Bearman & Stice, 2008), although the relationship between poor body image and low self-esteem is similar for both genders (Davison & McCabe, 2006). For those who are unhappy with their bodies, this can create hopelessness due to being in your body all the time, and thus struggling to separate themselves from this component of their unhappiness.

Davison TE, McCabe MP.J Soc Psychol. 2006 Feb; 146(1):15-30. Adolescent body image and psychosocial functioning.
Bearman SK, Stice E. J Abnorm Child Psychol. 2008 Nov; 36(8):1251-63. Testing a gender additive model: the role of body image in adolescent depression.

(Giphy.com)

Being a teen and discovering your personality can be an intense emotional roller coaster, how can friends + family detect between teen moods and a potential mental illness?

It is normal and natural that teenagers want to gain their independence and often react harshly to their parents to achieve this outcome. This, in addition to their hormonal changes, can make it difficult to distinguish what is normal versus what deserves intervention. Given that teenagers typically want to spend time with friends and engage in extracurricular activities outside of the home, a change in this desire for a teenager may signal something more is going on for them than just a bad day. In general, look for the severity of their symptoms, the duration of their symptoms (a deterioration in mood that lasts two weeks or longer may indicate depression versus a bad mood), and how many domains their symptoms impact (e.g., at home, in school, and with friends). Finally, parents should always trust their intuition and talk to their teenager’s medical providers and teachers to obtain a better understanding of how the teenager is functioning.

(Giphy.com)

Struggling with an eating disorder? Never be ashamed to reach out for help within a supportive community. Learn more here:

Eating Recovery Center

Ramen has become the staple meal for any broke college student. It’s cheap and easy too make, which is why it’s the go-to meal option. Now lets mix it up! Here are three ways to enhance your bowl of ramen and take it to a gourmet level!

(Giphy.com)

Tis the Seasoning! | Try adding some extra seasoning to your bowl of ramen. Sautee some garlic in a pan and add it in along with a little garlic powder and onions.

Breakfast Ramen | Add an egg (whatever style) along with some crumbled bacon. Now there’s no excuse for skipping breakfast anymore!

Spice it up! | If you like a little spice, add in some sriracha. Try a few drops for a little kick and a couple squirts for the spicy lover in you!

Giphy.com

-Tia Banks, Content Editor

Ever caught yourself drifting away to the sweetest daydream starring the one guy who makes your entire heart light up? Yep, we’ve all been there and Kären McCormick has the perfect song to be the background to your love-filled daydreams!

Country/pop singer-songwriter Kären McCormick recently released her sophomore single, “We Were on Fire” on August 31st and we cannot stop pressing repeat! The sweet melody matched with cool but captivating lyrics will take you on a  journey from summer into fall. It simply unlocks the magic of beautiful memories of falling for your one true love.

Produced and mixed by Lucas Hathaway, the single was recorded at the famous Treasure Isle studio in Nashville, TN. The track was written solely by McCormick and encompasses a contemporary country/pop sound similar to Kelsea Ballerini and Danielle Bradbery, among others.

McCormick explains, “I wanted to write a song that embodied a relationship that is so happy and so good, everyone wishes they could have it. It’s one of the happiest songs I’ve ever written, and that in itself makes me so happy as a writer.”

Listen NOW: Soundcloud

Download HERE on iTunes: “We Were On Fire”

Follow more of Kären McCormick’s music here!

YouTube

Instagram

Facebook

Have you ever just want to go after your passion no matter the sacrifices? Singer-songwriter TAMISH not only quit her job in advertising but she decided to pursue her passion for music full-time!

TAMISH has opened up for major artists including Babyface, Kelly Price, Slick Rick and MC Lyte. She has also provided back up vocals for Mariah Carey, Slick Rick, Charlie Wilson and T.I. on Showtime at the Apollo and Andra Day on BET’s Black Girls Rock. TAMISH is living passionately to inspire others and to make her songs have meaning.

You were born and raised in Chicago, what was it like growing up?

I grew up on the west side of Chicago, K – Town, so that’s in the hood. Chicago has some segregated parts of the neighborhoods. Being from K – Town, I was in the community but I was never influenced by it or it’s lifestyle from people who were in gangs, on drugs, etc. It made me want to do something more. Girls use to love the gangsters but that was not for me. I was never attracted to the bad boy type.
My mom and dad are both college graduates so I was exposed to a different lifestyle. My mom was trying to make it clear that I would see two different aspects of the black experiences: viewing people on drugs in my neighborhood and the college educated in my household.

For your debut, “Met You”, what inspired you to create that song?

Once I graduated from college, I moved to New York City and worked in advertising. Then I quit my job and focused on music full time because I felt lead to do so by the Lord. I moved to Los Angeles and I had an opportunity to work in a studio in LA. While working there I was able to record my music.
I wrote “Met You” in New York, but I didn’t have anyone here to help me put it all together. I recorded “Met You” out in LA and we literally created it from the ground up. And was able to add all of the musical elements that I wanted. Then I recorded a rough version of it. I wasn’t sure what kind of sound I wanted to go for when I was ready to release my first project. Once I recorded it and when I first heard it, I was like “this is something I will release and share to the world”.

You have opened for many major artists and have sang backup for many artists, how have those experiences affected your career?

I think it was life – changing because I knew I felt like I needed to do it and I went for it. The opportunities just reassured me that I made the right decision because from quitting my job to pursue a singing career, I felt like I was a little crazy. However, it made it clear that what God gave to me was true. I didn’t apply for these opportunities that came to me so I can’t take credit for anything. People who heard and believed in me recommended me to others. It made me feel validated. Once I released my debut and I had my single release show, that’s when I got connected with an opportunity to open for Babyface, and then Mariah Carey. I didn’t apply for any of these opportunities. Because of this, it helps keep me in check.

What was the biggest challenges you have faced as a singer?

I think the first one was finding my sound like what I want to talk about. If you’re not clear on what you want to talk about, you will write crazy stuff that you don’t believe in. Even in the beginning, we were writing songs or writing stuff with crazy topics I wouldn’t even say. It made me really clear on what I want to talk about and what I wanted to stand for as a creative person. I wanted to make sure that I talk about something that means something and worth releasing.

We are all about empowerment, what does it mean to you?
Educating, liberating and activating a person or group of people to take charge of their lives, and choices, and make a change, if needed, for the better.

Tune in + follow Tamish’s beautiful voice here!

Website: www.Tamishonline.com
Get social here! @tamishonline

Interview by: A’yanna Rouse, Teen Writer + C.O.R.E Intern