CampusIntel

Don’t play innocent, we’ve all been there.  You met up with that cute guy or gal who you’ve been eyeing in class for a quick bite and everything’s going great.  The conversation is flowing and there’s smiles all around until that awkward lull when he or she pulls out their cellphone to read or answer a text message.  At this point you’re red in the face, fumbling to finish your sentence hoping that they’re still listening to you. Then you ask yourself things like, “Who are they texting?”, “Am I boring him/her?” and of course “Is he/she into me?”

Text messaging is a huge cultural phenomenon among teenagers and young adults, in which peers can keep in constant communication, anywhere at any time with the touch of a few buttons. It’s cheap. It’s convenient. It’s perfect.

With these points in mind, texting seems to be a great and inexpensive way to keep in touch with your pals. What you might not have considered though is the strain it can put on your personal relationships with others.

Texting allows couples and dates to keep in touch by connecting, flirting and of course “sexting”, many young adults seeing it as a necessary form of additional communcation aside from e-mails and phone calls.  It also provides singles the opportunity to feel out a potential match and can provide a quick getaway during a bad or awkward date (“My sister’s car broke down/is in the hospital/is in prison/etc.” Anything to get you out of there!).

As amazing as text messaging is, there are potential issues when texting and dating are combined. In an era where electronic forms of communication like e-mail, text and instant messaging are considered the norm, everyone is expected to be in constant contact with one another. It is because of this, a person’s texting habits can be translated into their persona and feelings, whether they’re glued to their QWERTY board or whether T9 is uncharted territory to them.

On the negative side of things, texting can be toxic for relationships and when pursuing potential romantic partners. Many second dates have been ruled out with the constant use of text messaging with friends or ex-partners during dates. For many, texting on a date is annoying and unnattractive. If you’re texting at a restaurant, your date will get the vibe you’re not interested in them and would rather communicate electronically with someone else than talking to you. A problem I have often encounted is the ambiguity of messages. What one perceives as sarcasm, another might take literally.

Now, you don’t have to chuck your cellphone into the garbage to assure a healthy romantic relationship. Simple little things can help, like, I don’t know, dialing their phone number? Just because texting is a norm doesn’t mean that you have to absolve all other more personal forms of communication. And besides, it makes people feel special, and you want to feel special, don’t you?

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who has gone though this, and maybe if you’re reading this you haven’t experienced such a wave of irony and dissatisfaction, but chances are you will feel it after reading this post so…umm…sorry?

            I have recently found myself having feelings of dissatisfaction and resentment towards the way the world works…now let me narrow that down a bit since I’m sure there’s many ways the world “doesn’t work”. What I mean is the whole goal of life society has for us. When we’re young we’re put in school until we’re 18 or so, this preps us for the ‘real world’ but what we’re really getting ready for is deciding on our career, in order to accomplish most of these career aspirations we need to go to more school (university, college, etc.) once we’re done that we make our way into the working world, trying our hardest to make all of that education we received work for us and using it to gain experience and entrance into the jobs we think we want. Once we get there we work our whole life to save money so we can retire and enjoy the last few decades before we die. Do you see my problem?

            We work our whole life towards a career that we’re often times doing just so we can make money to retire to enjoy life…so why does our society have things set up so that the only life we’re given is used to work 8 hours/day 5 days/week for the majority of our life so that we can only enjoy the last bit of it when we’re old and tired and possibly not capable of doing anything we want to do anymore?? Why are we spending the best years of our life working so hard towards something that’s just the means to an end??

            Hopefully you will excuse my ramblings here, but these realizations are really quite frustrating. This is the reason why I want to be happy in my career, because I’m going to be doing it for the majority of my life and if you get to the point where it’s not fun you’re going to be miserable for so much of it until you retire! Unfortunately, so many people are not happy with their career. In my opinion, people aren’t happy because so often they’re rushed into a career they may not like because at age 18 they have to make decisions as to what they want to do the rest of their life so they can study and prepare for it (as now it takes at least a masters to get most jobs) or they’re rushed into it because they need the money to pay for the basic necessities of living!

            So, where is this all coming from? Well, as I said before, this is the reason I want to enjoy my career, the problem here is the job I think I want requires me to be in school at least until I’m 30 (why so late you may ask? First, because I need to get a PhD for the job I want and second because I changed degrees 3 times as out of high school I had no idea what the real world was like and so no idea what I wanted to do in it). Once getting out of school it’s another thing, trying to gain experience so that I can actually work in the setting I want to and making my way up the career latter to get to the top so I can make the big bucks and retire ‘happy’…right? Well, it doesn’t end there, my other frustrations lie in the fact that the 7 + years of schooling I still need to do is taken up by things like research and studying of a vast array of topics so that I can find my niche. While I understand why this may be important to some, the fact that it’s standardized this way leaves the people who already know what area they wish to specialize in frustrated as they have to complete a large assortment of classes they don’t need in the end for the career they want which also may bring down their overall marks making it harder for them to get into the school they wish to go to. And of course most of the jobs won’t end up taking into account how much you know about any one particular subject, but instead just look at the initials at the end of your name and the letters on your transcript; because to the world, it’s not important what you think you can do or how passionate and good you are at it just as long as you have the degree.

In a way university has a tendency to kill people’s passion for the work they want to do because it’s too generalized. This is why I often regret not going to a community college as they at least specialize in certain careers and help you get on your way in only a few years. The problem with this is the career I want isn’t really part of the community college curriculum, and even if it was unfortunately people don’t seem to value a two year degree (which indecently focuses more on your degree and gives you hands on experience) over a Masters or PhD (which generalizes and worries far too much about research and book learning).

In the case of clinical psychology (my end goal) I understand the need for a large amount of knowledge on various things however there’s more to it than getting the right letter grades and universities don’t seem to take much other than that into account. All this pressure and frustration is enough sometimes to make me want to give up and forget about the PhD and just do some job that doesn’t require me to be in school for the majority of my life so that I can just start paying off my student debt, but I keep thinking if I end up doing a career that’s less satisfactory to me in the end I’ll just end up depressed and needing to seek counselling.

            Isn’t that ironic?

We all know what a library is: You register and get a Library Card, then you may borrow books and other multimedia for free. If you are late in returning the books, you are charged a small fee. Students herd there for research assistance from librarians. Cheapskates are prominent in the newspaper sections, trying to save a quarter.  And, most importantly, you must be quiet at the library. SHH!

Now, this last library component is untrue. A new trend in free information acquisition has surfaced: The Human Library. Conceptualized in 2000 in Copenhagen, Denmark, in cooperation with youth action group Stop The Violence, the idea was simply to educate people about diversity. The books (people) are members of minority groups in society, ones that are often met with prejudice. From police officers to politicians to prostitutes – each Human Book tells his or her story and answers any questions the borrower has. In effect, the Human Books are an attempt to slash prejudice on stereotyped lifestyles through education.

Since 2000, the Human Library has globalised. There are Human Library events held all over the world. There is even one being promoted by Atira Women’s Resource Society in Vancouver, which will be running for the duration of the Olympic Games in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In fact, there are almost daily Human Library events being held around the world in schools, community centres, and other public institutions as a global front to promote diversity and educate people about prejudism. A full list of events is available at http://human-library.org, along with the history and objectives of the organisation.

I think this is an amazing story. This is one way that we can work towards ending the stereotypes and hatefeul tendencies that are still woven into all cultures, somehow or another. If the popularity of the Human Library grows, maybe our children will be able to pull themselves out of humanity’s odd predisposition to ignorance, stereotyping, and judgment. We all know the idiom you can’t judge a book by its cover. Well, the Human Library has ironically put the sentiment behind this phrase into action.

Alright, so it’s time for another addition of how to be vegetarian! So this week was Valentines and this year I celebrated it with my boyfriend by cooking together, more specifically, by making a HUGE friggin delicious meal of salad, bruschetta, garlic bread, tofu manicotti and wine! It was so good in fact that I wanted to share it with you all (how lucky do you feel?). So, here it is:

Ingredients for manicotti:

-1/3 package of tofu
-Manicotti noodles
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 table spoons of lemon juice
-1 table spoon of sugar
-frozen chopped spinach
-1 container of ricotta cheese
-a pinch of garlic salt, black pepper, and parsley
-pasta sauce

Directions:

-Heat your oven to about 350 degrees.

-Butter a deep dish to place the manicotti in and then spread a layer of pasta sauce on the bottom to lay them on.

-Bring a pot of water with some salt to a light boil and place about 6-8 manicotti (you do not have to cook them all at once as they may crack or stick together in smaller pots. Cook them until tender (do not overcook as this may make them too soft and difficult to stuff) or as the box directs.

-Mash up 1/3 of tofu, place in a large bowl, add minced garlic cloves, lemon juice, sugar and ricotta cheese. Thaw out your spinach and then add this along with the above mentioned spices. Mix this together well.

-Once cooked and cooled for a few minutes, begin to stuff your manicotti noodles with the tofu mixture.

-As you finish stuffing each noodle, place it on top of the layer of pasta sauce in your pan.

-Once all of your noodles are stuffed, cover noodles with more pasta sauce (and sprinkle with grated cheese and parsley if you’d like).

-Place manicotti in oven for about 30 minutes.

 **A great complement with this meal was the garlic bread and bruschetta.

For bruschetta you will need:

-1 baguette
-1 small tomato
-balsamic vinaigrette
-olive oil
-basil
-paprika
-grated cheese

Directions:

-Cut the baguette into slices and place on a cooking sheet.

-Dice tomato and place in a small bowl

-Add equal parts balsamic vinaigrette and olive oil. Sprinkle in some basil and paprika and mix this together.

-Spoon out a small amount on each slice of baguette.

-Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of each piece.

-Place in oven with manicotti for the last 5 or so minutes (keep an eye on it, if it browns or the cheese starts to bubble, remove from oven).

 For garlic bread you will need:

-1 baguette
-butter
-garlic salt
-parmesan cheese
-paprika
-basil
-grated cheese

Directions:

-Cut baguette in half (cutting the top part off of the bottom half).

-Butter each half and then sprinkle with garlic salt and parmesan cheese.

-Sprinkle a pinch of paprika and basil on top

-load with grated cheese (as much as you desire!)

-Place this in with the manicotti and bruschetta for the last 5 or so minutes as well, keeping an eye on it.

I don’t want to give off the impression that I have a foolproof reason as to why guys cheat but, I do have a few good insights on the issue. I do not intend to rant or to offer excuses or explanations here…but I want to provide a bit of insight on the issue and perhaps a bit of support for those who may have experienced cheating or who might be questioning a relationship they’re in. Although this refers to men, I want to be clear that women do cheat too and both cases are equally appalling and sickening.

            First, I want to set down my definition of cheating: to me cheating is doing anything that you would not do in the presence of your girlfriend or boyfriend. This includes dancing, buying a girl/guy a drink (unless they’re a friend and it’s their birthday or a special occasion), touching arms or hands in a flirty manner, cuddling on a coach, bed or chair together even if you’re not making-out, etc. I’ll make it simple, if you wouldn’t do it in front of your boyfriend or girlfriend because you know they’d be mad, jealous or uncomfortable…there’s probably a good reason for that.

            It seems that cheating in relationships have unfortunately become the rule and not the exception. Most women will go through an unfaithful relationship…but why? Why should this be alright? The answer is, it shouldn’t. Some men (mostly those who cheat) seem to believe they’re entitled to make these mistakes and take these liberties. They see cheating differently than women it seems, and it’s unfair that we should have to be the ones to put these limitations on their actions when it seems like common sense to us where to draw the line. We come out being the “bad guys” and feeing guilty about not trusting our men or about not giving them the liberties their friends might have. So, I want to just take a quick second and make something very clear for anyone who thinks they’re on the verge of cheating. If you are in a relationship you’re unhappy with or seeing yourself starting to stray…either smack yourself good and hard and refocus your attention to your girlfriend, or get out of the relationship. Do NOT stay around and wait to see if your relationship regains its spark while you avert your attention to other women.

So, here it is, my insight on the cheating guy: a few reasons why he cheats, what to look for in that type of cheater and what to do when you suspect infidelity. Keep in mind, these are only suggestions and insights from my personal life and therefore should all be taken with a grain of salt.

1. Men get bored in their relationships: When this happens they start to seek excitement elsewhere. This is dangerous and unhealthy. Guys, if this starts to happen to you, you should talk to your girlfriend and either reassess your happiness with the relationship, or break up. If you end up breaking up, so be it, it’s nothing compared to the havoc you’ll wreak if you continue redirecting your attention elsewhere while still in the relationship.

-What to look for: In this case the man will likely start going out more frequently without you, he will spend more time with his single friends and will become less attentive to your needs.

-What to do: Confront your boyfriend directly. Tell him that you’re not happy with the way the relationship is going and that you’ve noticed he’s starting to lose interest. If he doesn’t deny this give him an ultimatum, let him know that you’re willing to work on the relationship if he is, but if he wants to peruse other women you’re not going to wait and see how it turns out.

           2. “Unintentional” cheating: this may begin at first in a relatively innocent manner… by this I mean, the reality of his actions may not be in the forefront of his mind at first. However, underneath every cheater’s actions are intentions for one thing: something outside of the relationship. This may be another woman, it may be an urge to be single, it may be unhappiness within the relationship or fear of its progression…whatever it is, the result is the same, a man strays.

-What to look for: The start of this kind of cheating may not be noticeable at first, but the individual will begin to take more and more liberties until they are in too deep. It’s easy to become paranoid when watching for this type of cheating as the problem may be very subtle in the beginning. The guy may start doing small things you’re uncomfortable with, like dancing with a friend who is a girl or commenting on how good another woman looks. He may start doing things unrelated to cheating, but that ignore your requests and concerns.

-What to do: Again, you must confront the guy, don’t let small things slide and become large problems you hang on to and ruminate about. It’s best to talk about them and let him know your concerns. Be careful not to do this in a demeaning manner, but rather as a serious conversation about the relationship.

 3. Some men are simply not relationship fit…This of course is by no means an excuse for them, however, it seems as though these individuals even when they’re in relationships desire attention from more women. In a sense they’re never satisfied.

-What to look for: These types of men are generally easier to spot, they will often think of themselves as above you and capable of getting anything they want. They also will likely have problems abstaining from anything they enjoy, especially flirting.

-What to do: If you’re in a relationship with someone like this chances are you rationalize their unacceptable behaviour as just part of their personality; but like I said, if you’re in a relationship…flirting is never ok, being a man-whore isn’t a personality, it’s a lifestyle, and it’s a lifestyle unfit for a relationship, so if they want to be in a relationship it should be changed.

             During cheating the unfaithful individual may become withdrawn, angry from accusations, accuse the other individual of not trusting them and they may begin making obvious slip-ups in their excuses or reactions. Suspecting you’re being cheated on will cause you strain; you may feel you’re to blame, guilty for doubting and stressed over the unknown.

            I just want to point out here, that ladies, if a man cheats it is NEVER your fault. Men cheat though their own decisions, it is THEIR actions and THEIR decision that has resulted in cheating, you do not force them to do it. For this reason, do not feel guilty or that you could have changed it in any way. Instead, be thankful (bear with me) because the relationship has ended. Although it may not feel like it at the time, it is a blessing in disguise. Any time that you have left to live your own life without this individual is precious and you WILL live an amazing life without them although it will take time to get over what happened especially if the relationship was a large portion of you life and/or it had been around for a long time. As long as you focus on the future and the positive and not the past and the negative, you will prosper more than you knew possible. With this being said, never regret the time you spent with this individual, because if nothing else it was a learning experience (it may not seem like much at the time, but to go through it once will make any relationship after it much better). As long as you are positive about future relationship and internalize what you’ve learned from past ones you’ll be fine and much the wiser and stronger.

Isn’t it great when Hollywood, and other media outlets, inspire panic in people by suggesting in a film or other propoganda that the world is going to end in the very near future?  Isn’t it also interesting how much material on the topic becomes purchasable in various formats immediately after the report catches fire?

Contrary to suggestions of the 2009 straight-to-dvd blockbuster, Here’s why 2012 will simply be another year in history, and you can take a break from building your refuge tunnel to the center of the earth:

1)      The Mayans did indeed have a calendar that ends on 2012.  However, just like any other calendar, all you have to do is start it from the beginning again.  Their calendar begins from a time Mayans identified as a point of creation, and then counted forward in units of “tun”.  Similar to the way we sequentially write 10, then 20, 30, etc., Mayans change the names after 20 units.  20 tun equals 1 k’atun; 20 k’atun equals 1 b’ak’tun; then piktun, kalabtun, k’inchiltun, and so on.  On December 21, 2012, the 13^th b’ak’tun cycle will end, and then the 14^th will begin.  After the completion of 20 b’ak’tun’s, the first cycle of 20 piktun’s will begin October 13, 4772, and so on, and so forth.  So if the Mayans already had names for all this, why would they/why should we think the world was ending?

2)      There’s no planet or celestial body named “Nibiru” (or anything else) that is on a collision course for earth.  NASA’s got plenty of instruments in space, like the Spitzer and Hubble telescopes, that would have relayed a message about a planet on an intercept course by now.  NASA launched a spacecraft named Voyager 1 in 1977 (yes, there’s a Voyager 2 as well) that is just now in the process of leaving our solar system.  So if it took us 33 years to get something out of our solar system, don’t you think we’d know about something coming towards us by now?  The odds of something that size getting to us through our galaxy in one piece (the Milky Way is filled with much larger and dangerous things like larger planets and asteroid fields) is extremely slim.  Besides, if something we actually coming, The US or some other country would put up some sort of missle defence system, or we’d just deal with it ala Armageddon style, right?

3)      The earth is subject to solar activity ALL THE TIME, and is able to deal with flares and such due to its magnetic field and atmosphere, which deflect harm.  The earth’s magnetic field does reverse polarity once and a while (approximately every 400,000 years), but the effect takes several thousand years to complete, and would not interrupt the earth’s rotation or point of axis. 

4)      Planetary alignments also happen ALL THE TIME.  They’re called “eclipses”, and chances are, you’ve heard of them; you may have even seen one or two.  Even if all the planets in the solar system aligned (which they won’t), it wouldn’t be cataclysmic.  It might be cold for a few hours or so, but that’d be about it until the sun started hitting us directly again.  The earth isn’t going to flood, the oceans won’t boil, Hawaii won’t burn down, and the continents aren’t going to crash into each other. 

So there’s the scientific explanation of why 2012 will hold nothing to worry about except for living your life.  I’m a Christian, and my personal beliefs are to the tune of what Jesus said himself in the Bible,

“No one knows of the hour of the final days, not even the angels in heaven, except for God alone.  The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:36, 44)

In other words, none of our fancy methods of determining the end of the earth will be accurate, as it will happen in an incalculable way; no calendars, no psychic or prophetic predictions,  it’ll just happen.  According to scientific theories, we’ve got a few billion years yet (but no pinpointed time), so don’t pack up or quit your job just yet.  Until then, go live and enjoy your life!  I’ll do my best to keep you afloat of other Catastrophic Cosmic events that are of no consequence to your, and everyone else’s, existence.

            Hello again, and welcome to another addition of vegetarian recipe’s from Allison’s cue cards! Alright, so I figure that the last recipe I posted might be a bit tricky for some, so if you read it and though…woah, not for me! Than you’re in luck! I found another and VERY simple (vegetarian) recipe for Sheppard’s Pie (Mmm)! So get on your cooking pants!

             Ingredients: 
            -One package of (Yves) veggie ground round (again, found in most grocery stores in the vegetable section).
           -Some onion
            -Potatoes
            -One small can of vegetable soup (with a tomato soup base)
            -One small can of tomato soup

-Chop up some onion and throw into a large pan (add some oil so it doesn’t stick) and fry up the package of veggie ground round with this on medium heat (keep stirring intermittently).

-While that is cooking, boil potatoes.

-Once veggie ground round is cooked (basically 5 or 10 minutes) add the can of vegetable and tomato soup.

-Cook this mixture together until a good amount of the moisture is gone (but don’t let it get too dry).

-In a greased casserole dish, add the mixture and smooth out. Place the mashed potatoes on top and smooth out, then brush the top with a bit of butter (and sprinkle with cheese if you’d like).

-Bake at about 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

             And there you have it! The easiest vegetarian recipe I have! I’ve had a lot of complements on it (from non-vegetarians mostly) and it’s really simple and a great meal for students/the student lifestyle, so I hope you enjoy!

This past week or so Ottawa (and probably most other parts of Ontario) was given a rude awakening that winter is not over yet! In fact, I think it dropped to the coldest it’s been all winter this year (around -32 with the wind chill…Brrrrr). So, here are your options if you live in Ottawa. Either you stay inside and escape from the cold with a warm blanket and hot chocolate…or…you embrace the cold like the true Canadian you are and waddle out into that wonderful winter wonderland! Now, I know the first option looks appealing but believe me I went for the second option (although I don’t know how much I embraced the cold…) and I did go out during this frosty time and I’m glad I did as this cold might have been bitter but it was also sweet since in Ottawa it meant the opening of the Rideau Canal!

            Therefore, my advice to you, if you live in Ottawa go outside and skate on the canal! This is a wonderful way to pass time AND a great mode of transportation (as it connects Carleton University to the Downtown area/University of Ottawa…aww see, we really are just one big family!).
            For the canal to open we need about 2 weeks of -15 degrees weather. Since we had been getting some good cold weather around the beginning of January the canal had opened within a couple of weeks …however, we also received a lovely little warm bout (around 6 degrees above 0…time to break out those shorts!). Although this warmth was very welcome to those of us who had to do a lot of running around, it also meant that our wonderful tourist trap ice rink turned to slush…Now, I’m not going to lie…this wouldn’t be so bad except that I had visitors coming to skate on the canal and I am not one to disappoint! For this reason, I “welcomed” the rapid drop in temperature with open (and may I add, well layered) arms!

            Luckily we only had to endure the cold weather one night for it to be enough to cause the canal to reopen…unfortunately, it stayed about this cold for the actual skating experience as well. But being the troopers we were we dressed about 3 layers thick and hustled off excitedly to enjoy our Ottawa-only experience!

            On the canal they serve an assortment of goodies, such as the famous beaver tails, hot chocolate, and something called bacon on a bun (I believe it is bacon on a bun…but better double check that one). There are also toiletries and warm huts along the side of the skate-way where you can warm up or gear up/down (something you might want to be aware of before you try putting your skates on while standing on one foot and tightly grasping the railing of the stairway down to the ice).

            Although it was cold, we were well prepared (and to be honest, the extra padding was probably a good precaution as none of us had skated for a while) and the skate was a success! It was a beautiful clear day and everyone was enjoying the fresh air and not to mention, great exercise!

            So, if you’re in Ottawa this winter, don’t be deterred by the cold, go and check out the canal, I promise, even if you’re not an avid skater, it’s totally worth the experience!

  So in light of my recent blog on vegetarianism I thought it would be appropriate to post a relatively simple recipe for an amazing vegetarian lasagna I’ve gotten a few people hooked on lately (mostly non-vegetarians…yes, it is possible people)! So here it goes!

            The ingredients you use may vary a bit depending on what you like, but for things like eggplant and the veggie ground round…if you haven’t tried it, humour me and try them just this one time and if you don’t like them…well, at least you’ll know for sure! 

You will need:

-12 lasagna noodles
-either ½ of a regular sized or one small eggplant
-some of a red onion chopped up
-some chopped peppers (green and/or red, or other ones if you’d like)
-some chopped mushrooms
-various spices (i.e. paprika, basil leaves, garlic salt, and anything else you feel might taste good)
-1 package of (Yves) veggie ground round (you can find this at almost any local grocery store in the vegetable section of the store)
-1 package of chopped frozen spinach
-1 good sized container of ricotta cheese
-1 bottle of pasta sauce
-1 small tomato
-grated cheese to sprinkle on top

             So, I don’t really measure how much of all the ingredients I use for this recipe but I’ll give approximate amounts (feel free to alter the amounts to make as much or as little you like).

Instructions:

-First, cut the eggplant into about ½ inch thick (or thinner) slices and place them in a strainer, then sprinkle salt over the pieces (to take away the bitter taste) and let them sit while you prepare the rest of the food.
-Chop up about 1 ½ or so cups of peppers and about a ½ cup of onion and mushrooms.
-Rinse off the eggplant pieces (get all the salt off) and cut them into smaller cubes. Add a bit of oil to a frying pan and place the chopped eggplant in the frying pan on medium heat.

-While this is cooking boil a pot of water large enough to put your lasagna noodles in. When the water comes to a slow boil places the noodles in carefully one at a time and keep the water at a lower heat (or follow instructions on the box of noodles). Cook to the tenderness you desire.  
-Grease a rectangular pan (large enough to place 3 noodles per layer) with butter or margarine.
-When done, take the noodles out of the pot and place three on the bottom of the greased pan.

-Once the eggplant has started to brown a bit add your onion, peppers and mushrooms stirring continuously.
-Open the package of veggie ground round and add it to the eggplant mixture. Fry about 5 or 10 mins longer adding as much of each of the spices you’d like, stirring frequently to mix the flavours.

-De-thaw the package of spinach (follow the directions on the back)
-Once de-thawed mix this with the container of ricotta cheese.

-Spoon out a good amount of pasta sauce to cover the bottom layer of noodles.
-Then, spread out half of the eggplant and veggie ground round mixture on top.
-Spoon out more pasta sauce to cover this and then place three more noodles on top.
-Cover this layer with more pasta sauce and then add the full amount of spinach and ricotta cheese mix on top.
-Place 3 more noodles on top of this mixture and cover with pasta sauce.
-Add the rest of the eggplant/ground round mixture and then cover with more pasta sauce.
-Cover this with your last three noodles and spread more pasta sauce over these last noodles.
-Sprinkle a bit of grated cheese on top.
-Cut your small tomato into a few thin slices to place on top (about 4 or 5 slices across each pasta covered noodle).
-Finish with a sprinkle of basil leaves.

Have your oven heated at about 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (but keep an eye on it as ovens may vary).  And vola! You’re very first (or if you’ve already cooked one before this…you’re best…) vegetarian lasagna ever!

So, right now I find myself in a situation where I’m (as my boyfriend likes to point out) ‘burning the candle at both ends’ (meaning I’m doing so much that I’m bound to burn out fast). This being said I’m much happier with things to do, but they do admittedly get a little overwhelming sometimes and I often feel the need to invest in a punching bag around say exam times….So, with these overwhelming thoughts in mind along with a recent class discussion on stress I thought it would be an appropriate time to sit back, relax and write about stress…and how to deal with it if you’re a student.

1. Expect and accept that stress is going to be a part of your life: Ok so it’s unreasonable to think that you can avoid stress altogether. No matter who you are you’re going to be in situations that cause you stress. This is especially true for students as they deal with a lot of competition, deadlines and pressures in classes, studies, life goals and work. It’s an important time in our lives undoubtedly so really…if there aren’t stressful situations in your life it might actually be cause for concern. A little stress can be good if dealt with and used correctly (honestly! It can help you develop resilience, help you grow as a person or develop new skills or strengths and definitely help you to develop coping mechanisms).

2. Manage your time effectively/organize yourself: Often times I find myself making little mental notes of things I need to do…sometimes simple things like reply to emails, schedule a hair appointment, start that assignment, etc. When I’m making these mental notes, I think I’ll remember them before it’s too late…The problem is, even if you’re making note of little things they’re bound to add up and become a LOT of little things you’ve forgotten to do (or things you’ve forgotten altogether) and this can cause stress. So, make lists…I don’t mean you’re your room with thousands of little sticky-notes. I mean make one or two list(s) of the things you have deadlines for (maybe one for school and one for daily life), and note when things need to be done and when you want to do them (i.e. goals for the weekend). Another thing you can do is use a calendar and write due dates and when you need to do what (i.e. read 2 chapters Sat)…this being said…if you DO use a calendar, make sure you actually look at it. Also, make sure you’re not scheduling too much in short periods of time.

3. Know how to deal with stress when it arises: Here’s what I took from that lecture the other day. An optimistic individual will often live a less stressful life than a pessimist as they usually see stressful or unfortunate events as opportunities. They take the time to assess the situation and often determine it to be something that they can grow from and NOT something that happened to them because they ‘deserved’ it or something that is impossible to get over or that is destructive to all aspects of their life. This being said, my advice is, when you know you’re going to encounter a stressful situation: first, step back and assess the situation as a way to grow. Second, collect the resources you need to overcome it (ex: for an exam, go to class, take notes, read the chapters, give yourself time to do this all and create a study schedule so you’re ready for the exam when it comes). Third, if the outcome is bad, try and see it as a learning experience and something to work on and grow from and not as the end of the world. If the outcome is good…then celebrate!

4: Expect the unexpected: when things come up that you haven’t planned for (such as, an assignment you forgot was due, you’re called into work on short notice, the people in the apartment above you are having a loud party when you’re studying, etc.) you’re bound to get stressed, just remember to take a deep breath (maybe scream into a pillow or punch a punching bag to let it all out) then collect yourself and follow the steps just like any expected stressor. If you deal with an unexpected stressor the same way you deal with an expected one you’ll be fine.

5. Make time for yourself: Finally, with all the hassle of things to do, you’re bound to find yourself losing hold of your social life…now before you’re known as the friend M.I.A. step back and see if you’re making time for yourself. By this I mean, make time just to chill out for a bit. It doesn’t have to be anything extensive or often or for a long period of time, but make sure you do take breaks or you WILL burn out (believe me…take this advice from a fellow burning candle).