The Power of the LBD

By Allison Sass

The little black dress has been praised by females across the globe as a go-to item for a night out on the town.  But does the LBD belong in the workplace? You bet it does!

While you definitely do not want to wear the same little black dress you might wear out to the nightclub, a work day appropriate LBD is the perfect piece for any post grad girl's wardrobe.

A simple black dress can be paired up with virtually any color sweater, long sleeve or short, and is the perfect blank palette for girls who enjoy experimenting with brighter jewelry.

I purchased my favorite black dress from H&M two years ago for about 30 dollars. I have worn this dress countless times paired with everything from sweaters and blouses, to floral tops and pearls.

Some great stores for those working on a budget are H&M, New York and Company, Forever 21, and Marshalls. Although I must admit, if you're going to splurge on anything in your wardrobe, this versatile piece would be the way to go!

Beat the Monday Blues

By Shikole Struber

Mondays should be done away with. Or at least work should never start before 11am on a Monday. That would solve the awful trepidation you feel on Sunday night when you know relaxation will be quite sporadic until next weekend. However, the corporate world has sadly not caught on this simple fix so we need alternatives to getting rid of the Monday Blues.

1. Make dinner and drink plans for Mondays. Instead of Thursday or Friday why not meet up with your friends for drinks on Monday? Something to look forward to at the end of the long day.


2. Wear your brightest outfit. Especially if Monday happens to be a dreary one bright colors will cheer you up!


3. Treat yourself to a take out lunch. Instead of bringing lunch to work, go out.

Just some simple suggestions for brightening up a Monday. How do you make it through?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo By Stieg Larsson

It's about to have an english movie version remade in which Daniel Craig has been cast as the male lead. It's a New York Times Bestseller.

Personally I think the first half of the book was horrible. While it gave the reader information necessary for the more interesting and intense mystery later in the book, it just dragged on. I had to force myself to continue.

The latter half of the book though was amazing. It made the first half worth it. I've never been big into mystery novels, but Larsson wrote this beautifully. There was just enough plot and romance to compliment the mystery aspect very well.

Other than the slow first half, my only complaint would be that the book is set in Sweden, and often expects the reader to know about Swedish geography. I do not know the names of Swedish towns. I do not know how big or small they are or close or far from each other. A map should have been printed in the back of the book so the reader could make sense of this.

There are two more books in the series that I will share after finishing them

Overall Rating: 3.8/5 stars

How Many Choices are Too Many?

By Shikole Struber

We all have that friend who is always indecisive. But what if if having too many choices really is bad for us?

We encountered this when applying to college. There are so many it's hard to choose. And even after we chose which to apply to, we then had to choose which one to GO to.

Now that college is over we are faced again with a plethora of choices that may be hindering us in life.

• Grad School. Should you go? To which one? For what?


• A mate. It's natural to wonder if there's someone better, but what about when that curiousity prevents you from choosing just one? The fear of settling down because there MIGHT be someone better.


• A place to live. Should you try a new part of town? A different town/city/state/country altogether? If you aren't tied to a certain place, how do you choose where to go next?


• A Job. There are so many you can apply to. What do you relly want to be now that you're a grown up?

There have been studies done that show too much choice is detrimental. Narrow your options. And try not to think about the "what if" factor. Instead try the "what is" factor.

"Me Time"

By Allison Sass

I write you this post from my comfy bed as I snack on a bowl of frozen blueberries with The Shins blaring from my laptop. Tonight, I'm having "me time", and my intense state of relaxation has prompted me to write a post about how easy it is to recharge your batteries after a busy weekend or a long day at work.

Since starting my 9-5 job, I feel like I've been moving non-stop. It's hard to fit everything you want to do into the 5:30-11:00 ish time slot. That's why nights like these are so important. Without having a chance to relax, my exhaustion could have spiraled into the stressful work week cycle that many new workers get trapped in.

Here are a few things to do to relax and enjoy your own "me time"

- Read a book- Listen to music- Clean (it can be therapeutic, I promise!)- Scrapbook- Watch some T.V.- Start a journal- Start (or update) a blog ;)- Call a loved one- Meditate- Do laundry- Map out your schedule for the coming week- Enjoy your favorite snack- Sit outside and enjoy the night air- Take a bubble bath or a long shower-Enjoy a glass of wine

Tea Time

By Allison Sass

In the corporate world, tea seems to be very underrated. Aside from the now trendy chai latte, coffee is the thing to drink if you want to relax in the morning at breakfast or need a jolt of energy during your day.

If you're daily coffee just isn't cutting it anymore, consider trying tea instead! There are so many varieties to choose from. I personally love to turn down the lights in my room, light a few candles, and enjoy a cup of hot tea on rainy weekday nights, or if I'm feeling especially stressed after a day at work.

For all you caffeine fiend readers who resist the idea of relaxation, some teas out there actually have more caffeine than a regular cup of coffee...

Do your research, and by research I mean head to the grocery store, and find a tea that sounds delicious to try.  On a warm summer days allow you tea to steep and then add sugar and ice to make your own unique flavor of iced tea!

Here  is a beau-tea-ful resource for unique tea recipies- I think the the mint tea punch looks amazing! ->http://allrecipes.com//Recipes/drinks/tea/Main.aspx

What are your favorite workday drinks? Do you prefer coffee or something a little more unusual? Leave us a comment!

When Dating Becomes a Chore

By Shikole Struber

Not everyone is in a relationship, and now that you have a job you no longer have time to mingle. You get done working at 5 or 6pm and unless you go straight to the bar you often miss happy hour. You are recently more interested in chill nights as opposed to the crazy ones you had in college. You have no energy left by Friday night and a movie sounds so much better than taking 12 shots of tequila and waking up with a massive hangover.

But how do you meet new people who are worth your time? You've tried meeting potential mates at bars, but that has backfired more times than you can count. Sure it might work for the night. But nights quickly turn into mornings when you can see things much clearer.

Friends of friends are a gold mine. If you have a mutual friend there must be something in common. It also means that the person has been at least partially vetted. They aren't a complete stranger.

Other places to meet someone who is date worthy and not just night worthy:

• Cooking classes. Sadly they cost money, but you'll meet someone who at least is willing to try something new and has a hobby.


• Book clubs. You'll meet someone who has similar interests and you will have a built-in conversation starter.


• Wine tasting. Classier than a bar but still involves alcohol.


• Dog parks. If you like dogs this is a great place to meet people. It's outside, it's semi-active.


• An exercise class. If you still think someone is hot after a workout maybe it's meant to be.

Good luck post grad singles!