Month: October 2021

Eating healthy in college can be a struggle, especially when you are expected to eat at the dining hall for most of your meals. Before I came to school it was very easy for me to eat healthy. Everyday before work I would pack my own lunch and make sure to keep it somewhat healthy because I was going to be working in the sun all day. I am a Lifeguard at my local beach for reference. I would make sure to pack some sort of protein whether it be chicken or chick pea salad, etc. Also fruit, veggies, and some sort of bar that I can eat after I workout. Eating healthy is something that I am very conscious of and it was very hard to adjust especially coming to college and not having enough room to store a ton of groceries. The first few weeks of school were tough, trying to find different healthy places to eat other than the dining hall. What is really nice about living in a dorm though is how there is a market at your local commons. Some people don’t know about this but this is where I can get different fruits and vegetables like strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, apples, avocado, etc. There are a few restaurants that I have tried downtown that are a great alternative for when you don’t want to go to the dining hall for your meals. Here are a few of my favorites and a quick description:

Roots Natural Kitchen-Located at  270 E Beaver Ave, State College, PA 16801

• Roots Kitchen is a restaurant located underneath the Edge Apartments. My second week being here at State College my friends and I went to try it out. Here you can create your own grain bowl and salad or choose from pre made recipes that they have on their website. First you choose your choice or rice and a lettuce whether it be Kale or spinach. Then you can add toppings and dressing like tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, sweet potatoes, beans, balsamic, etc. Lastly, you have a choice of protein which is chicken, tofu, or mushrooms. I highly recommend this restaurant for a good, healthy, filling meal.

Fiddlehead – 134 W College Ave, State College, PA 16801

• Fiddlehead is a restaurant that I just recently discovered while walking downtown with a few of my friends. I normally am downtown a lot just because my friends and I like being familiar with the area that we are living in next year. It is basically a salad and soup bar, very much like roots. The salads can be created to your liking and some of the dressings that you can choose from are actually made there directly! I definitely recommend this restaurant as well as a healthy alternative.

These are just two of the new restaurants I have tried around State College and I cannot wait to try some more in the future. I try to space out when I eat out because it tends to get very expensive after a while. If you have any restaurants that you think I should try feel free to comment them below!!!

Since I was little I lived near the ocean and was always a beach girl. Some people might think it is cliche to say that the beach/ocean is my happy place but to say the least it really is for me. Whenever I am at the beach I feel at home and it feels like a breathe of fresh air. I spend most of my time there (when I am home from school of course), whether it is cold or super hot day.  My family and I are what is known as a “beach family”, we live 4 blocks from the beach and basically call it our home. It is such an amazing place to de-stress and take a break from everything. During the fall and winter it is normally not that crowded so my favorite thing to do is to do yoga close to the shore break and listen to the waves as they crash. Though it is cold, it is the only place where I can fully forget about all my worries.

You might be thinking, I thought this blog was about surfing. It is, I just thought I would give a little background about what the ocean means to me. Surfing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. It is one of my hobbies that I definitely enjoy the most and take for granted in the summer and early fall. The water can get pretty cold in the winter even when you are wearing a wetsuit so I barely go out during that time. Some of you might be thinking, I don’t even know the basis of surfing or wondering what I am talking about. The first instances of surfing was found in Polynesia in the 12th century and eventually the Polynesians brought surfing to Hawaii. After this, surfing became a very popular sport and spread across the entire globe.

If you are ever traveling a place where there is surf, don’t be afraid! It is not as scary as it seems. You just have to get out there and try it out. Your re going to fall and fail many times, but that is part of the entire process of learning. Here are a list of steps I made up to help you if you are ever in a place where there is surf:

1. Spend 15-20 looking at the waves and how they break. It might sound dumb but it can really help you to notice what waves you should try and catch
2. Grab a board and get out there! Typically for starters you will start with a foam board. This is the easiest board to use as a beginner.
3. Paddle out where the waves aren’t breaking. Before going out make sure you realize where the waves aren’t crashing so it will be easier getting out.
4. Paddle past where the waves are breaking.
5. Once you get passed the waves turn your board around and face the shore. Once you see a wave starting to form paddle as fast as you can until you feel the wave pushing you with its force. Reminder: you may not catch the wave your first try, this takes practice.
6. If you feel the waves energy pushing the board, congrats!! You caught the wave!! Now for the hard part.
7. Pop up! Put your most comfortable foot first and ride the wave. Don’t look back!

Here is a visual for help: