Part of my back to school series, I first wanted to share my favorite items you to keep in your college pantry.  This is not your average college grocery list, aka it does NOT consist of products like Easy Mac or Oreos (although both are delicious!) but instead healthy selections that will win you over.

Near the end of my freshman year, I learned how important it was to take care of your diet.  Resorting to take out, carbonated drinks and late night snacking did nothing in my favor.  The 'Freshman 15' myth did not seem like it would phase me, but I was wrong.  From the pounds I packed on to various acne breakouts I have since than been more conscious about what I am eating.  

College is definitely a challenging atmosphere if you want to eat healthy.  Parents aren't around to tell you what and when to eat and the copious amounts of free food that is on campus is borderline disgusting.  

While I do not have my own kitchen pantry at college since I am living on campus this year, I do have a place in my dorm room where I store all my food.  However your dorm storage pans out, I use a sealed container, like this one, to house my items.  The container keeps everything fresh and and prevents any bugs from getting into my food (because it's college and you can never be too safe!).  Typically, I keep my container nestled underneath my bed or stacked on top of my wardrobe.

Every college student needs to do a grocery run once in a while and I hope you can incorporate some of these snacks into your healthy diet.  They're tasty, convenient and very affordable!

Pretzel Crisps

These light, crispy pretzels are perfect.  Low in calories and zero trans or saturated fat, they're an easy snack to take on the go or can easily be paired with a dip.  They come in a variety of flavors so you'll be able to choose one that will suit your taste buds.

BROOKESIDE Chocolate Covered Açai Berries

I swear by these.  BROOKESIDE sells many chocolate covered snacks that are made with nuts and fruit.  Sometimes in the mid mornings, if I am ever craving something I have a few of these.  Smooth and creamy, the chewy inside is made from a blend of real berry juice, blueberry juice and other fruit juices.

Sabre Hummus

Hummus is very versatile.  Whether you use it as a spread, dip or eat it plain it's an item you will be adding to your shopping list every time.  I enjoy eating it with carrots, celery or even pretzel crisps.  Sabre also sells many types of hummus giving you plenty of options to pick from.

KIND Bars

Perhaps they're not the most affordable snack BUT definitely worth the cost.  They're better than your average granola bar because they're full of nutrients and made with ingredients you can actually see!  Why should this matter?  Because this proves their bars are not as processed in comparison to other brands.

Blue Diamond Lightly Salted Almonds

This past year, these became one of my favorite snacks.  Almonds are known as a "power food."  They have all sorts of health benefits such as lowering your cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease, a heart attack and diabetes.  They also have a lot of magnesium which can provide a good source of energy.  The average service is about 24 almonds which is plenty because these can fill you up!

Mini Babybel Light White Cheese Wheels

"Aren't those the things moms would pack in your school lunch?"
YES they are and have made quite a comeback.  With having 50% less the fat than their normal cheese, they give you protein and are the perfect travel size.

Minute Ready Rice
Maybe its not everyone's first choice snack, but it is for me.  No water needed, this rice cup can easily be heated up for 60 seconds and then it's all ready to go.  They offer white or brown rice to choose from and it's low in calories.  Again, something light to fill you up if you're in a rush or want to pass on the dining hall.  I add bit a soy sauce to mine to give it some flavor.

Fruit And Vegetables

One of the most disappointing parts about college is the lack of fresh fruit.  Apples, red peppers, bananas or whatever you like stored in your fridge is a great idea!  If your college fridge also have a freezer section, trying frozen grapes.  They're delicious to eat especially during the beginning of the school year when it's still hot outside.

What are your favorite college snacks?

x.
C

As previously discussed in my blog, I have been keeping busy this summer with my internship.  In fact. it inspired me to create my blog in order to learn more about my job in digital marketing.  Last week I received an email from the Human Resources manager in charge of my internship program, explaining that we must give a presentation on the summer projects we've accomplished thus far in front of our intern colleagues, mentors and a few members on the executive board for next Tuesday.

With the deadline quickly approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share my advice on public speaking.  To many, I seem like a quiet and shy person.  My introverted personality is noticeable, however, my close friends and family know I love talking- one the reasons why I even started a blog!

When I was younger, giving presentations in class was always nerve racking.  I would be super anxious and worried about making a mistake or embarrassing myself.  It was troubling to talk because I was incredibly shaky which led me to really struggle in finding my voice.

I believe that finding your voice is one of the most important things you can do when doing public speaking.  While a script or note cards can be helpful, it's establishing that confidence that will really propel your overall presentation.

Here are my tricks of the trade that have helped me when crafting a speech or presentation, and maybe they can be of use for you too.  I devised my tips into questions to make things easier.  That way if you're ever lost, you can ask yourself these:

1) What's Your Story?
Storytelling is an easy way to get started.  Everyone loves a good story.  It captures the audience's attention and helpful when weaving main points into your talk.  Brainstorming a story can even aid in helping you begin to create your speech or presentation.  You will not only be inspiring yourself, but others as well.

2)  What's Your Plan?
Once you come up with an idea, now you have to plan it.  Any story must have a beginning, middle and end.  Think about what you need to do get from point A to point B.  List out the information or key points you want to address and then identify where you want to place them in your speech.  Ever since elementary school, I have stuck with the "3" main points rule in my speeches.  I think exceeding 5 main points can sometimes become confusing, so keeping into a minimum will help you effectively communicate your message.

3)  Who's Your Audience?
It's good to distinguish the group of people you will be talking to.  Obviously depending on the group, you will be using different vocabulary or etiquette.  Whomever you speak to, remember to be professional when the occasion arises or more casual during other occasions.  There's always a time and place.  Determining your audience will set the tone for the rest of your speech.

4)  How Many Times Did You Practice?
Because practice makes perfect, right?  I am horrible at this.  What makes me push off practicing is that I justify to myself that by spending hours of planning and preparing my speech, I know my speech so well that I do not need to rehearse it at all.  Wrong.  You can never practice too much.  Practice will build that base for confidence and calm any nerves you may have.  Instead of practicing in front of a friend, record yourself!  Critiquing yourself is how you will better understand your presentation skills and you will be able to see which specific parts you need to work on.

5)  What Are You Wearing?
Presentation is everything.  Let me repeat that, presentation is everything.  It is sad to realize but our society is very shallow- where we judge someone based off their appearance.  Going back to your audience, this will also determine what you should wear for your speech.  For a professional presentation, black slacks or a classic pencil skirt with a button up is a great overall look.  If the atmosphere is laid back, wearing a wrap dress is a nice option.  Keep your footwear conservative by pairing your outfit with black or nude flats.  There is nothing more disastrous if you show up in a bandage skirt or too high of heels.

6)  Did You Breathe?
It's funny how often we can forget to do this during public speaking.  Taking pauses and deep breathing in your speech will make you slow down and feel relaxed.  If you need to, collect yourself for a minute and begin your speech again.  We all need to find own voice, and there could not be a better time to do it than in that moment.

These tips are small, but all relate to finding that confidence or voice you need the next time you need to do public speaking.

x.
C