Beautiful Weather Makes Everyone Happy

Hi Everyone,

I hope you all had a relaxing winter break. Classes resumed and my eating schedule has certainly changed. I haven't written in this blog in a while, but I'm going to try to keep it going for as long as I can...until I run out of ideas.

I had the pleasure to fly out to Los Angeles, California for my winter break and enjoyed some great food places that I must share with you.

The first night we all went out for my cousin Vincent's birthday to a place called The Noodle House. The place seemed relatively busy at dinner time. They offered a wide range of soup and fried noodles as well as rice. I really enjoyed their shaved ice with vanilla ice cream with strawberries.

My cousins brought me to this wonderful all you can eat sushi bar in Buena Park, California called Joe's Sushi. It was like sitting in heaven. If you're a sushi enthusiast it's a must. They offer a high range of selections to choose from. I highly recommend their shrimp tempura, Superman roll, and the TNT roll.

In-N-Out Burger is an absolute stop if you're in Southern California. They have excellent customer service. I ordered "animal" style fries, which was topped off with their special sauce.

Half and Half is a wonderful place to get bubble tea. My cousins brought me there almost everyday. They're known for their large cups that resemble bowls. Tip: They rip you off with their small and large cups though. You're basically paying a higher price for a large cup even though it's equivalent to a small. It's a proven fact.

The ID Cha House located in San Gabriel, California had a lively atmosphere at midnight. I felt like I was in a nightclub drinking tea. It's a great place to talk to your friends and play cards. The staff is extremely. I think I'm being biased with this statement because my cousin knew the manager. We sat out on the lovely patio for 10 minutes before it got too chilly for us. I wish I had more time to try out their wide selection of flavors. I enjoyed the Rose Petal Black Milk Tea (hot). I highly recommend getting that if you're ever in that area.

Anyways, back to reality even though today felt like California weather.

I recently got hired on campus at the Journalism Department. I tend to get hungry. Feel free to bring me snacks if you're nice enough. On another note, investing in a well insulated lunch bag for everyday use is a necessity. I'm planning on purchasing one very soon so I can have a cold cut sandwich on hand whenever I get hungry during the day. Sandwiches are a staple in my diet. During the college months I don't pay attention to my nutritional intake as much compared to when I'm at home. I feel as though many college students living on/off campus suffer from malnourishment.

Peking Tokyo and iZone are my two guilty pleasures on campus. Best of both worlds even though they're both unhealthy alternatives. During my first week on campus I treated myself to some Peking Tokyo sushi. One can never go wrong with the succulent shrimp tempura roll. One can never go wrong with Chinese food. This will probably ring false for you if you don't like sushi, seafood, or chinese food. Growing up, my mom always encouraged me to try new things. I love delving my taste buds into unfamiliar flavors.

Well, I have to get back to a pile of homework that I've been neglecting.


Love,
The Starving College Kid xx

The World Isn't Going To End and I'm Never Going To Become A Vegetarian

I tried converting to vegetarianism multiple times (three times to be exact). I lacked consistency, motivation, and determination to become a full-on herbivore. To cut meat away from my life completely was something I wasn’t entirely ready for. My mind constantly craved meat and I couldn’t keep up with the regimen. The longest I lasted was two weeks. I found myself not doing it the right way because my face became pale and I felt weak most days. The only benefit I took away was learning how to integrate more fruit and vegetables into my diet. In the end, who was I trying to fool? I love bacon and chicken too much. Separation anxiety led to denial, which wasn’t healthy for the soul. Innumerable amount of credit goes out to all of the people that can successfully be herbivores.

One of my closest friends, Victoria, has been a vegetarian for 4 years. Even though our diet differs we can agree on most things when we go out to eat. One of the many things that we favor is the Spinach Quiche from Starbucks. We both feel as though they’re only available in Barnes and Noble bookstores.

Another favorite location is a restaurant located in Providence, Rhode Island called the Duck and Bunny. The first time I stepped foot in this place was the day I turned legal. I wasn’t excited to have the ability to buy porn, cigarettes, and other things that 18 year olds can buy. I was excited to spend time with my friends at a cute bistro style place. They have an array of delectable cupcakes and teas to choose from. Garden Grille is another nice place located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I’ve been there a couple of times, but I’ve only ordered the appetizers. It’s a great place to order healthy wholesome food.

Having friends to support you no matter who you are is one of the best things in life that I will cherish.


Love,
mtn

Finals Week

It's the week before finals week. I can hear the anxious heartbeats echoing across the quad and into the hallways. We're staring at the clock waiting for Christmas break. Some of us will be on vacation, some of us will we working strenuous hours at hour jobs, and the ones that are fortunate will be able to spend their days sleeping in, playing video games, and watching movies.
Everyone is getting hyped up on caffeine. The anxiety is getting to all of us. End of the semester projects, mounds of flashcards, highlighting notes. Memorizing and regurgitating information to get by. We're doing whatever it takes to get through the end of the semester. I have compiled a few tips on surviving finals week. We can do this together.

1. Make time for "renewing" activities: This isn't the time to stop doing what you love. Pace yourself. You will study more effectively if you do the things you love like exercising and reading to de-stress. Beware of 15 minutes of studying and ending up on Facebook for 6 hours. Treat your time accordingly. You want to do well and you have the power to.

2. Resist to party on "off" days: Instead of taking a complete day off in between your exam period, use the time you have to get ahead of your other exams. If you do party you need to recover. High risk of alcohol consumption will reduce your cognitive skills to know the things that are most important.

3. Arrive on time for the exam: Set your alarm accordingly. Save yourself the anxiety of showing up late to the exam. Bring the necessary materials: #2 pencils, sharpener, calculator, etc.

4. Bring snacks to the library: If you're going to be pulling all nighters bring snacks with you to fuel your energy. An apple, orange, or banana are good snacks to bring to the library. Stay hydrated with a bottle of water.

I leave you with this note:


Love,
The Starving College Kid

Healthy New Favorites for Winter

Hi everyone! It's nice to be back on campus after the Thanksgiving break. I needed breakfast this morning before going to my first class. I find that I'm less tired when I have a small breakfast. When I eat a large breakfast I often feel tired and less energized. I went to Ram's Den to scope out the selection of granola bars. I was aiming for something light and fast. I chose the Chocolate Peppermint Stick Luna bar. Nonetheless, this has become a new favorite that I will continue to purchase. They're 2 dollars each at Ram's Den, which is expensive considering I can get them for a cheaper price at Stop and Shop.


Purchasing bottled water is a habit that I've been trying break for a while. The number of empty Poland Spring water bottles in my car can be mistaken for an episode of Hoarders. It gets expensive and it's detrimental to the environment. I went to Best Buy on Black Friday and found the Bobble for 10 bucks. There's a built-in charcoal filter, which is convenient. It comes in a variety of colors that can match your personality.



I love soup! Winter is sneaking up on all of us. The rate of miserable faces prodding across the campus will increase. Don't fret, the Campbell's Select Harvest Chicken Noodle Soup is a great way to keep warm. Plus side is that it has less sodium than the original Campbell's.



Hot Chocolate will always be a winter favorite. It gets expensive if you're purchasing it everyday from a coffeeshop. Buying a thermos and filling it up with Swiss Miss is less expensive. I bought a box for $1.00 at Belmont's.


Love,
The Starving College Kid

Ramen Is Your Best Friend, I'm Not Lying

As the semester is coming to an end I'm running out of money. Being on campus without a meal plan is awfully difficult. I don't have the option to walk into Hope or Butterfield whenever I'm hungry. I've had the pleasure of meeting some generous people that swipe me in whenever they can. It's 8:48p.m., I'm in the basement floor of the computer lab suffering from famine. I've been on campus since 10:15a.m. It has been a long day, a very long day. I studied for History of Jazz, Chinese, Women Studies and Political Geography since I've been here. My concentration level is depleting at a fast rate without food. I can feel it. Flashcards, highlighters, and countless pages of reading. Academia is sucking the life out of me and taking my stomach along for the ride. I avoided making a cup of coffee today, which is working out well for the most part. I've kept a bottle of water handy to keep hydrated, which is a necessity everyone. Late nights in the library leave me wanting to drive back home to make a meal, but I know myself too well. I know I won't get any work accomplished when I'm there.

I frankly don't have all the money in the world to spend it at the restaurants in the Emporium or Rhody Market (Hope Commons). I think I need to pack a full course before coming here. But the semester is almost over and I can overcome this hurdle. I'm in it to win it (this is the mantra on repeat when I don't think I can make it through the day). It works!

I think I only had one meal today at 1:15p.m. at Memorial Union before heading off to writing class. Lately, I haven't had time to go to Stop and Shop to purchase my usual round of Nature Valley granola bars, Special K bars, and Cliff Bars. I get home too late and the place is closed.

I've been thinking a lot about Ramen and how I haven't had it once this semester. I think I need to keep some on hand due to the convenience. They say, "College is about experimenting." Well, I'm going to experiment different ways to eat Ramen. After scouring the internet on my study break for a few new ideas to eat Ramen here. I'm going to test try the recipes on the website and let you know what I think about them. My favorite way to eat Ramen is dropping an egg and letting it poach. I thought it was a weird concept at first, but it's actually pretty tasty and adds protein.

Well I have to get back to work now. I'm sorry I've been neglectful and not keeping my blog up-to-date. Academia is calling.

p.s. Thank goodness Thanksgiving is next week! I can't wait to dig into Asian cuisine and spend time with my family. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Love,
The Starving College Student

Easy Dinner

This is bit of a rush. I have a lot of writing to accomplish. Here you go:
-1/2 cup cooked minute rice
-1/4 cup of cooked frozen veggies
-3 slices of chicken strips
-1/2 tbsp italian dressing (any dressing of your desire)

Combine and mix up. Eat up. Only 265 Calories.

Love,
The Starving College Kid

Deep Fried Oreos: Food Porn

I turned a childhood favorite, Oreos, into a diabetics worst nightmare when I decided to deep fry them in pancake batter. My first experience with Deep Fried Oreos was during the summer at a carnival in my hometown. A close friend of mine encouraged me to try them. It's a strange concept for most people to grasp, "Fried oreos...what does that even entail?" It's definitely a treat that must be consumed sparingly. I thought I was going to have a heart attack after I consumed only three. Too much of these will kill you. I'm not kidding.

Here's the recipe:
Taste like cholesterol

Until next time
Love,
The Starving College Kid