CC&H’s Dead Week Dig

As Finals week looms over Cal Poly’s campus, CC&H decided to chat with students about dealing with end of the year stress, both healthily, and not so much… Watch our vlog below!

Fun Stuff:

• The Final Countdown (Rocky 4) – Europe (you’re about to get so pumped.)
• Foods that Feed your Brain!
• Final Exam Fun (seriously, just read this)
• 8 Surprising Ways to De-Stress

tehe ❤

Pumped Up Kicks: DIY Sequin Vans

CC&H’s sparkling new sneaks.

This week, CC&H decided it was time for a stylish, DIY tutorial. We perused various DIY blog sites, including P.S. I Made This, Studs & Pearls, and I Spy DIY. Eventually, we decided we loved this DIY idea from Honestly… WTF.

Almost everyone has an old pair of Vans, Converse, or Keds hiding in the back of your closet (or you can even purchase a cheap solid white sneaker from Rite Aid for $7)! We thought this tutorial would be a perfect way to renovate an old, seemingly useless pair of shoes and make them fun, new shoes for the season!

We decided to go with a glittery sequin shoe style, instead of the brass studs. Sequins and glitter are so in this season, as you can see with these showy shoe styles from brands like Sperry Top-Sider and TOMS.

We headed to Beverly’s to get our supplies and meet with an expert to figure out a game plan for our glitter shoes.

There, we found Store Manager of five years, Tam Bailie, who definitely knows a thing or two about crafting.

“The challenge of finding ways to help people with all their creative requests is what makes me want to come to work each day,” Bailie says. “I appreciate it when customers bring in their completed projects or their “still in the works” projects because we can see how we helped them meet their craft and fabric needs. It’s fun to be part of something that turns out beautiful.”

Though scrapbooking is her forte, she knew exactly where to direct us to begin our new shoe adventure.

We had originally planned on getting E-6000 glue (following the Honestly… WTF tutorial), but Bailie suggested we use Fabri-Tac glue instead, since we were working with canvas and sequins, instead of canvas and hardware (Good thinking, Tam).

We then headed for Aisle 3 to find our sequins. Luckily, the had a nice peacock, teal color that we liked (and only 69¢ a bag!).

Bailie also suggested we get a glittery base, to fill in the cracks between the sequins, so we added a bottle of 99¢ silver glitter glue to our shopping basket.

• Our total for Beverly’s: $8.95
• Sperry Top-Sider total for Bahama Style Sequin Shoes: $75.00

While we waited in line, we chatted with Katie Loitz, a sophomore Cal Poly student, who was buying tulle to make a DIY tutu for the Avila Beach Party concert this weekend.

“I love coming to Beverly’s because I know they’ll always have what I need to do a project,” Loitz said. “And the staff is so friendly, even if I don’t know what I need, they help me figure it out.

Loitz has come to Beverly’s to make her Halloween costumes for the past two years, including a mermaid costume and a superhero costume. So crafty.

We left Beverly’s with all the advice and supplies we needed, and we were ready to get crafting.

Supplies:

• Old pair of black vans
• Fabri-Tac
• Teal sequins (2 bags)
• glitter glue (silver)
• Paint brush (or you can use your finger)

Steps:

1. Clean off any dirt/debris from the shoes
2. Use the paint brush (or your finger) to apply the glitter glue to the area of the shoe that you will be applying the sequins to; wait for this to dry completely
3. Begin at the corner of the area of the shoe, and dab a circular, sequin size amount of glue onto the shoe
4. Outline sequins around the edge of the area
5. Fill in the remaining area with sequins, spacing them as evenly as possible
6. Wait at least a day before wear, allowing to dry and set completely

CC&H’s sparkling new sneaks.

Teal Sequins, 69¢

Fabri-Tac, a must-have craft supply

CC&H loves glitter.

My (shoe) soul has grown weary.

Let’s do this.

Start here!

Ta da!

Pumped up kicks.

Welcome to my new shoes.

We wore our sassy sequin shoes on Cal Poly’s campus the next day, and asked Jackie Campbell, a sophomore chemistry major who we caught leaving Starbucks, what she thought of our vamped up Vans.

“Oh my god, I love the teal! I see that color everywhere, it’s really in right now,” Campbell said. “The sequins change the whole style of the shoe. Black vans are usually kind of punk and drab. They really pop now. So cute!”

We’re pleased with how our DIY sequin shoes turned out, and can’t wait to wear them to the Avila Beach Party concert this weekend too! Maybe we should start looking up DIY tutu tutorials…

Fun Things:

• DIY tutu tutorial! (you’re welcome.)
• Shoes – Kelly (Oh my god, shoes! Shoes.)
• Pumped up Kicks – Foster the People
• How to remove glue from your skin. (just in case…)
• Campbell’s fave Starbucks drink: Venti Green Tea w/ no water and 1/2 the amount of sweetener (picky, picky…)

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end

Hello again world,

As we near the end of Spring Quarter at Cal Poly, I think it’s time to do a reflection of CC&H’s blogging progress. These past 8 weeks have flown by, but I think I’ve accomplished a lot with my blog. I’m proud of what I have published, and excited that I was able to explore this area of journalism. I enjoyed interviewing people and learning more about how to lead a healthy college lifestyle.

I think my blog is at about the same level as most of my peers in class, and I think we have all made great strides in our blogging skills. I’ve loved following along with their blogs, and they are always extremely helpful when coming up with ideas or troubleshooting.

So far, I have:

• Created the CC&H blog
• Created a CC&H Twitter
• Received over 300 views
• Live-tweeted
• Incorporated images, slideshows, surveys, & audio into my posts

After this course, I don’t know how much more I will incorporate into the CC&H blog. I haven’t had very much traffic, so I don’t think there is much chance for financial viability. While it did allow me to practice my blogging skills, I don’t think CC&H, specifically, will be very relevant to my future self.

That being said, I do want to continue blogging. I hope to do so more professionally, so that I can list my blog on my resume. Blogging skills are an impressive asset, especially in my desired field of public relations.

I am really happy with my CC&H blog, and I’ve enjoyed working on it this quarter. I hope my readers enjoyed reading CC&H as much as I enjoyed writing for it.

 

Closing Time – Semisonic

CC&H’s crash course on intercourse

This week, CC&H decided to delve into that voodoo blog post we’ve all been waiting for… Yep, we’re going all the way.

Let’s talk about sex.

Not to say everybody’s doing it, but… pretty much everybody’s doing it. This demographics report from Advocates for Youth states that 79.5% of college students have had sex, which is clearly the majority and quite substantial. But hey, that’s not necessarily bad thing.

What’s more ‘cheap, chic, and healthy’ than free, pastel packaged condoms? Only five, you little sex monkeys.

Sex is totally natural, and it’s actually good for you. This article from WebMD reports ten health benefits of sex, including reducing cancer risk and heart health (who knew? oh, right… how old is Hugh Hefner now, like a hundred?).

It’s common knowledge that sex is a hot (and steamy?) (just kidding.) topic for most college students, and with this blog being wholeheartedly dedicated to providing a guide to your most healthful, beneficial, and cost effective college experience, it seemed time for CC&H to get a bit naughty.

Now don’t expect this audio interview to be filled with juicy sex tips and polls on fave positions. This is no Cosmo. CC&H sought out the best on campus resources for college students to find simple and affordable sexual health care, products, and information.

Listen below for full interviews, but our moral to the story: practice safe sex, people! Ask any 40-something-year-old grad and they’ll tell you, college is the best years of your life. We’ve all seen Animal House. Enjoy them! But be safe, and protect your bod. Your 40-something-year-old self will thank you!

• Sexual Healing – Marvin Gaye
• The Bad Touch – Bloodhound Gang
• And of course, some Cosmo sex tips

CC&H ♥’s PULSE

Recently, CC&H has had several requests for a ‘sex’ post (cue slow jams). So we’re stepping out of our comfort zone a little bit here, and coming up this week: CC&H goes cheap, chic, and sexually healthy.

Today we wandered Cal Poly’s campus and “talked dirty” with some scandalous students (just kidding). When asked what on-campus sexual health resources they knew of, the answer was almost unanimous: PULSE.

Emily Krebs, a junior Parks and Rec major, said her best friend is a PULSE representative.

‘She’s a certified peer counselor,’ Krebs said. ‘You can go to PULSE and talk to her about everything from safe sex to relationship issues to healthy diets.’

Look forward to a completely mature, no ‘that’s what she said’ joke-filled audio interview with a PULSE rep coming up this week!

Cash for clicks?

In the ever-changing world of journalism, journalists must fight to stay ahead of the game, be the first to cover stories, and get the facts straight. Online journalists, especially, face great competition in posting a story that will be read instead of another news site’s coverage, or a blogger’s post, or a youtube video. One of the greatest features of the internet is the rate at which we can find and utilize information. Using various modes of communication, from word of mouth to twitter, journalists build stories for their readers as quickly as possible, to provide them with the most accurate and fulfilling stories possible.

However, this article from mashable.com points out that journalists may, in the soon future, be paid based on the number of clicks they receive on their stories. Though this could provide journalists with more motivation to cover stories faster and more accurately, it could also lead to sensational journalism, according to this New York times editorial.

The National Enquirer commonly uses sensational journalism to sell stories

Frank Luther Mott defined yellow journalism in terms of five characteristics:

1. scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
2. lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
3. use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudoscience, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
4. emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
5. dramatic sympathy with the “underdog” against the system

In the glory days of yellow journalism, stories were about selling papers; the content became of secondary importance. With online journalism being so easy to gather information without knowing it’s accuracy, paying journalists for number of clicks could become a dangerous practice very quickly. The spread of inaccurate information could skyrocket, in efforts to give the reader the juiciest story.

Journalists already have enough responsibility, incentive, and motivation to report the facts in a prompt, efficient fashion. Adding promotions based on number of clicks would create, I believe, room for error and a sense of rushed and desperate journalism.

What’s your opinion? Let CC&H know your thoughts on paying journalists cash for clicks.

Spring Into Style: CC&H shops local

Spring has sprung! What’s in this season?

We love Glamour’s Fashion Trends breakdown, but prepare to be appalled at the prices…

CC&H knows staying up to date on style trends in college can be rough. Like we have the time or money to keep our wardrobe on celeb-level. Seeing models in gorgeous, outrageously priced outfits in style magazines just depresses us… We know how you feel.

But this week, CC&H decided it was time to update our closets, on a budget. We researched the best, cheapest places to shop locally and noticed some trends appearing in our data (no pun intended).

CC&H did some lurking around Cal Poly’s campus and asked dozens of girls where they like to shop.

The top results:

1. Bella B
2. Forever 21
3. Lulu Luxe

Caroline Cerussi, a junior anthropology major, says that Bella B is a bang for your buck.

“Forever 21 might be a little less expensive, but I prefer Bella B,” Cerussi says. “The clothes I buy at Forever never last, like they’re made cheaply. Bella B sells quality clothes, and they always have really cute stuff!”

Other girls said they love the large selection at Forever 21, but hate having to sort through it all. Emily Krebs, a junior parks and rec major, says that Forever is a great place to shop if you are looking for something specific, but not if you just want to shop around.

“The selection is so overwhelming at Forever, I only shop there when I know I want something specific, because they’ll probably have it,” Krebs says. “I prefer smaller shops like Bella B and Lulu Luxe when I just feel like going shopping. I walk in and find something I love within the first few minutes, without having to hunt around for hours.”

Krebs also said that the girls working in the smaller stores, like Bella B, are friendly and helpful with style tips.

“They’re always so fashionable and willing to help me find just the right outfit for whatever occasion. I’ve never left Bella B without buying something I love. And their ‘Daily Deals’ are awesome!” Krebs says.

CC&H had heard all we needed, and headed to Bella B, ready to shop ’til we drop.

We were greeted with a warm smile and friendly welcome by Hope Hanselman, a junior journalism major, KSBY intern, Bella B employee, and total fashionista. We asked Hanselman to share her style secrets, and she agreed to give CC&H the inside scoop.

“Color blocking is very in right now! The 60’s ‘mob look’ is making a big comeback, so it’s a lot of bright primary colors and geometrical prints,” Hanselman says. “Colored jeans are a hot item, too. I have eight different pairs. They’re a must-have this season.”

So what to buy for this season? Check out Marie Claire’s Spring 2012 Trendlist. But to name a few styles…

• neons
• color block
• pastels
• bold prints
• art deco
• athletic chic
• black & white
• florals
• tangerine
• backless tops

Hanselman says styles come and go, but it’s important to wear what you like.

“Your wardrobe should have ‘statement pieces’ that are classic, go-to outfits that you love, for anytime of the year, regardless of what’s in,” Hanselman says. “Your style should reflect what you like to wear and what you look good in. You can add to it, based on the season or what’s hot then, but you’ll always have your essentials.”

Bella B has an amazing selection for Spring trends. Trust us, we shopped ’til we dropped… our whole paycheck. But hey, spending just under a hundred bucks, CC&H got a bold printed dress, two backless pastel tops, a pair of tangerine colored crop jeans (on sale), and a white skirt. So trendy! And on a budget. The CC&H Spring Collection.

Here’s some of what we saw at Bella B (prepare to fall in love). Happy Spring Shopping!

Fun Facts:

• Song on the radio when we walked into Bella B: Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jesperson (c’mon, seriously? it’s literally still stuck in our head…)
• The Daily Deal: 15% off your order! (how sweet is that… check out Bella B’s Facebook page for the latest deals!)
• Hanselman’s fave go-to style item: colored heels! (‘casual and fun for day wear with crop jeans, but dressy at night with a black dress and matching accessories!’ Check out Fergie rocking neon heels!)

42% of Americans obese by 2030, Duke University predicts

A recent study conducted at Duke University has predicted that 42% of the nation will be obese by the year 2030, with 11% of those Americans being severely obese, according to a CNN report.

By 2030, more than 1 in 10 Americans will be severely obese. Young adults, especially college students, can include themselves in those daunting statistics, according to research from the University of New Hampshire.

Though the nation’s obesity rates have been on the rise for decades, the Duke University report actually concludes that the rate is leveling off, and will remain fairly constant thereafter.

However, the results are discomforting, with an additional 30 million Americans obese in the next 18 years. According to the report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the medical expenditures for this rise in obesity rates will be $549.5 billion.

The cost will be great, but the most shocking finding from the study is the spike the severe obesity rates. A person is considered severely obese if their body mass index is over 40 or if they are 100 pounds overweight. Obese people have shorter life expectancies and greater lifetime medical costs, “suggesting that future healthcare costs may continue to increase even if obesity prevalence levels off,” wrote Eric Finkelstein, author of CDC’s Weight of the Nation, a documentary which will air on HBO next week.

“Those individuals have much greater risk of early mortality, diabetes, heart disease,” Finkelstein said. “They’re much, much more expensive and they’re on the rise, partly because 50 years ago, it was really, really hard to weigh that much. You’d have to eat all the time.”

It is now easy for Americans to eat unhealthily, and frequently. The modern world is all about convenience, and our bodies are taking a toll for the overabundance of cheap and easy calories.

The report did not include children, though recent studies have stated that 1 in 3 children are now obese. This could add even more bad news to an already disheartening projection.

However, there is hope in the rapidly-changing world we live in.

“We’re almost surely wrong in our forecast,” Finkelstein said. “That’s the thing about forecasts – they are guesses. This is our best guess. The world changes, if new drugs or technology comes out, if the government comes out and makes major changes, lots could happen. If in fact we’re wrong and obesity rates are less, I’d be happy.”

Take a Hike

CC&H knows that it’s easy for college students to get caught up in the wake of it all: midterms, projects, work, life. If you feel like you’ve been living in the library, we’re right there with you.

That’s why, for this week’s blog, CC&H decided it was time to get outdoors, in the sunshine and fresh air, and forget the worries for a little while. And what better way to do so than by taking a hike!

Hiking is a relaxing, healthy way to unwind while enjoying the outdoors. Check out this article for the top health benefits of hiking! Difficulty can range from leisurely strolls to steep treks, but whatever your level, it’s bound to be a great time. Grab a friend (especially a furry one, pups love hikes!) and go exploring.

Hiking wears this little guy out.

There are so many hiking opportunities around SLO, you could trek for a whole weekend and not make a dent. Trust us, we tried.

Luckily, CC&H caught up with Mitchell Goulette, a junior forestry major and environmental enthusiast, and asked for some local hiking advice. Goulette and some friends started an informal hiking club on Facebook their first year at Cal Poly, and still meet with club members to plan and take hikes, both around SLO and all over California.

“We were bummed when we found out Cal Poly didn’t have an official hiking club, so we decided to get some friends together and make our own,” Goulette says. “It’s pretty informal, but we’ve had a lot of people join over the years. It makes it easy to find someone to go with when you feel like hiking, or if you want to plan a weekend backpacking trip.”

Goulette says he’s been hiking with his family since he was young, and didn’t plan on quitting the habit when he came to college.

“SLO has so many great places to hike, I can’t believe more people don’t go,” Goulette says. “I hike almost every weekend. It’s good for the body and the soul. Hiking is the perfect de-stresser for a hectic week.”

Goulette was recently hired for an internship this summer working for the Bureau of Land Management. He will be living in the forest with little to no external communication, hiking everyday and researching tree growth. Sound like a nightmare? Goulette couldn’t be happier.

“I know it sounds a little crazy, but I’m really looking forward to it,” Goulette says. “This is going to be the most relaxing summer of my life.”

CC&H probably couldn’t handle a whole summer in the woods, cut off from the outside world (no blogging?!), but we could handle a Saturday trip to one of SLO’s favorite hiking spots: Bishop Peak. Never having hiked it before (cue gasps from Cal Poly students), and with the weather being perfect mid-70’s, the time was right for a climb.

Up we go!

Things to bring:

• sunscreen (not sure which sunscreen works best? read this!)
• water
• camera
• snack
• hat

What to wear: proper hiking attire, duh.

In the parking lot, about to head up the trail, we chatted with Katie Christie, a freshman mathematics major, who was just coming down. Her advice: watch your step!

“I’ve seen people take some nasty spills. The rocks near the top aren’t very sturdy, and it’s easy to lose your footing,” Christie says. “Make sure the traction on your shoes is good too, that will help! And you can always grab a walking stick, people sometimes leave them alongside the trail.”

She was shocked CC&H hadn’t hiked Bishop’s before, and made sure we packed a camera.

Top of the world.

 

“The views at the top are amazing, you’ll be taking tons of pictures,” Christie said. “Going up can get a little tough, but it’s all worth it once you get to the top.”

She was right.

The hike was definitely steep at parts, and the water we packed was a must. But the views at the top were breathtaking.

We spotted a fellow hiker at the top, stretched out on a rock, reading Plato. CC&H investigated.

Tess Gibby, a sophomore animal science major, says that Bishop’s is one of her favorite spots to study on a nice day.

“I love hiking, but it is midterm season. When it’s nice out like this, I love being able to take my studying outdoors and make it a little more enjoyable,” Gibby says. “Plato makes a lot more sense from up here, too.”

See? Don’t be stuck in the library when you can be soaking up knowledge AND the sun on a peaceful mountaintop like Bishop Peak. It’s good for your body and for your mind!

Hiking with friends, jumping for joy.

Here’s a map of some favorite local hiking trails around SLO. Check it out and go take a hike!

Fun Facts

• Best Hiking Song EVER: Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root
• Bishop Peak is the tallest of the ‘Nine Sisters,’ a chain of volcanic peaks between Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo
• Goulette’s fave local hike: Montana Del Oro State Park – Valencia Peak
• Why Gibby was reading Plato’s Five Dialogues: for fun! ha, just kidding. Philosophy 230 with Long (she said it’s ‘not that bad’ for your C2)
• Christie’s recommended snack: trail mix (obviously… check out these fun ingredient combos!)

CC&H listens to Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror,’ feels inspired, blogs about it.

Hi again,

First of all, here’s the link to Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ video. Get inspired. You’re welcome.

Moving on: this week CC&H decided to analyze the success of the blog so far and decide where there’s room for improvement.

As of today, the blog has had just over 200 views. Obviously not impressive relative to popular blogs that receive millions of hits a day, and who knows how many of those views were me making adjustments and edits… But I’m excited and thankful to have as many as I do, and there’s only going up from here!

Not to toot my own horn, but I think overall my posts have been interesting and well-written. I personally enjoy reading blogs that are conversational and peppy, which is the tone I have been writing in. I hope my readers have enjoyed reading the posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them!

Photographs have been an important aspect to my blog since the beginning, and I want to continue incorporating lots of pictures into my posts. The images in this blog are gripping and really pull a reader into the posts. Granted, it is a photoblog, so that’s kind of the point… But I think it is a good example of how brilliant images can make a big impact on the feel of your blog.

I’m going to try to boost my blog views in these final weeks of the quarter by posting more to my twitter feed and also linking to my blog from Facebook. I think this will develop a larger fanbase, especially within my Cal Poly network, since most of my posts have a local appeal.

I also want to incorporate more interesting media features and widgets into my blog, to spruce up my page and allow for more ‘clickability’.

Speaking of clickability, this blog is definitely worth clicking on. It is a fascinating concept, and so fun to read! But what catches my eye the most is the linkage along the right side bar; so many links! I think it really enhances the professionalism of the blog, and allows the user to easily find related stories and information.

With all of this in mind, CC&H is confident that these last blogs will keep getting better. We’re going out with a bang, that’s for sure.

If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I love feedback like pigs love not being bacon.

Thanks for reading, and look forward to an interactive graphic featured in my upcoming weekly post!