Bite of the Week!

Green Goddess Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 12 ouncesspinach-and-cheese mini ravioli or tortellini
• 1 poundasparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 poundfrozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoonssliced almonds
• 6 cupschopped upland cress, watercress or baby arugula
• 1 tablespoonextra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspooncoarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cupParmesan cheese shavings

Preparation

1. Cook pasta as package label directs; add asparagus and peas during last 2 minutes. Drain well and let cool slightly.

2. While pasta is cooking, place almonds in a small dry skillet over medium heat and cook, shaking pan often, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

3. Place pasta and vegetables in a large bowl and toss in cress, oil, salt and pepper. Top with almonds and cheese.

Retreived from Health.com

Guest Blogger: Making Exercise Your Playtime

Reblogged from Million Ideas:

Does the mere thought of working out make you cringe?  Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

If you’re not in the habit of exercising daily, the thought of having to push yourself to uncomfortable limits sounds dreadful. But I’m here to let you know exercise actually can be fun, and with a little help, you can turn exercise into playtime!

No, I promise, I haven’t overdosed on too much protein powder. 

Read more… 469 more words

Retreived from: Million Ideas

Career Enhancing Activites

Whether you are already fully immersed into your grad research or just starting off your coming year it is evident that your time in grad school is a research-filled and fast paced one. During this time it could be difficult to remember to take time for yourself and also look at your life in the long-term. Overall the goal of attending grad school is to make a career of your passion and in doing so it is important to consider career-enhancing activities. These activities could range from joining an organization, further developing a skill, or a simply learning more about an activity that you’ve always held an interest in. As a grad student the lack of free time to devote to these pursuits is likely the biggest culprit, yet according to the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Intramural Training and Education these slight changes of pace can be a great benefit when it comes to your future career. They advise that timing when to begin a new pursuit is one of the largest things to consider. You want to join when your academic abilities are less extreme and they put this into perspective that devoting 2 hours a week to your career-enhancing activity of choice is the best way to consider this commitment (about 5% of the average 40 hour work week). It is also important to think about your personal enthusiasm when participating in this new endeavor, for if you aren’t willing to give it your all then what’s the point of participating? You should be aware of what is expected of you and not take on more than you can handle, this will give you a strong reputation with colleagues and staff. Lastly advice and support from your mentor can be a large asset. They know how your research is going and just how much you can handle so they may be able to steer you in the right direction on when to begin. Show them that joining will not inhibit your research in any way, that you can manage your time effectively, and that you are hoping to gain skills to learn more about yourself and become better rounded. With these steps from the NIH in mind be sure to focus on a career-enhancing activity that you truly feel will benefit you and help to shape your future. In embarking upon a new venture it is important to follow the somewhat cliché “Carpe Diem” statement and to truly “seize the day”. What better time is there to keep this advice in mind and get involved this summer? So seize the day and seize the summer!

Retrieved from: NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education: OITE Careers Blog

The Way Summertime Used to Feel

 

Growing up in the Midwest, summer has always had a special place in my heart. Summer was the only time of the year when it was acceptable to be barefoot from sun-up to sun-down, eat ice cream everyday, and spend hours in the pool until my skin shriveled up. Not to mention, summer also signified the commencement of  the glorious three month period that I didn’t have to go to school. Ah, those were the days.

As we grow up and become adults it saddens me to see that summer no longer has the carefree appeal it once did. We spend so much time wondering if we will land that perfect internship or practicum, or spend our time taking classes over the summer months instead. Of course for the most part, these are necessary evils. We need to take classes, and work long hours to further our academic and professional careers. However, it is also healthy to enjoy some of the summertime fun that once made us so happy.

This summer Graduate Life and Wellness will be offering a handful of free exercise classes, as well as meditation and other workshops to get you away from your studies or out of the office. There are lots of fun activities to do in the local community as well. Lake Lansing offers a quick beach getaway, and is also surrounded by several hiking paths and open areas perfect for barbeques and picnics. According to Psychology Today, exercise is the easiest and least expensive cure for depression. Just walking 30 minutes a day will help you and sometimes completely alleviate your symptoms.

Feel free to stop by our office to learn more about what Graduate Student Life and Wellness is offering to students over the summer, or to get information about local events. Remember to relax and restore your peace of mind this summer—it could be the best thing for you!

The Veggie Bracket: The Final Four

Reblogged from Million Ideas:

• 

By now, your NCAA bracket has probably gone down in flames. If it hasn't, you either have super powers or you secretly filled out 11 brackets to cover just about every scenario (even with your 11th bracket, there's no way you picked Wichita State in the Final Four). But even though you failed to predict college hoops, at least you can fall back on your veggie bracket.

Read more… 275 more words

A great, healthy idea we found! Credit to Kenny, and the Million Ideas blog.

Dating as a Graduate Student

Just recently, I decided to review my horoscope for the 2013 year and came across the love section. I usually quickly glance over this section because I haven’t cared too much about my love life in a while, but this time I decided to read it more thoroughly. This is what I found in the introductory paragraph:

In the past few years, Saturn has been testing your closest relationships for durability and viability, dear Aries, and while this influence has passed (since October 2012), Saturn nevertheless has a little more “work” for you to do. Saturn is now moving through your solar eighth house, and will do so until 2015. Now that you have a good idea which relationships did and didn’t measure up, it’s time to assess what you want or need from intimate relations.

Jaw drops. Eyes widen. And I scoff a little. All I can do is focus much of my attention to that number: two thousand and fifteen. That’s two years from now! The forces of nature, fate, destiny, cupid, or some deity or deities (I’m being inclusive here) have planned for me to be single or are projecting that I be single for another two years. Not only that, in addition, the horoscope mentions that I still have more work to do in assessing what I want in a romantic relationship.

Before you read any further, let me give you a little background information about myself. I just turned 24 years old this week and have been single for the past three years. My last relationship actually ended right around this time so I guess it’s relevant to reflect on my love life. I’ve gone out on a good amount of dates with different people since my last relationship, but no long-term relationships have come out of them. I’ve only had two partners in my entire life, which to some people is a good number, but for others it may seem very little. Also, I’m an openly, gay man. The dating pool is just much more limited and complicated. I’m a gay, graduate student who will be single until 2015. Doesn’t that just sound terrible?

Three questions I ask myself about dating as a graduate student:

1. When?
2. Who?
3. And how?

 

But really, who has time to date in graduate school? From the 300+ pages you’re assigned to read for ONE class, to the group project meetings outside of class, and that 20-hour graduate/teaching assistantship that you’re working, it really does not leave much time in your schedule to engage in an intimate, personal relationship. It’s hard enough as a gay man to find someone to date, but as a graduate student, it really is that much more difficult. As a graduate student, I spend most of my day, most of my week, even sometimes most of my weekend on this college campus. On a regular day, I am on campus from 8AM (sometimes earlier) to 10PM (sometimes later).

 

As graduate students, many of us are pursuing a career/field or conducting research so specialized, so specific that sometimes you’re left feeling you’re the only person in the world who understands your work. Now you’re enrolled in a graduate program with others who think like you and share the same interests as you do, you would think that it’d be much easier to find a suitable candidate. But it’s definitely weird. They’re your colleagues and classmates. You see these people almost every day.  If anything were to go wrong or end badly, you would be put in a very awkward situation. I don’t know what it’s like for other majors, but it’s an extremely small world in Student Affairs. Everyone everywhere shares a mutual colleague/friend somehow, some way.

 Lastly, how are we as graduate students supposed to date? We often find ourselves caught up in situations of not having the time or not knowing who to date. We’re in the labs or the libraries late at night studying. We spend most of our time with our colleagues, professors, or with undergraduate students whom we teach or supervise.  Our academic scholar hat is always on. Even at the bar when you’re trying to wind down and enjoy a tasty beverage, the majority of the conversation is about work and school. And that’s not attractive at all. I think the bigger question is: how do we incorporate graduate student life into our overarching, holistic identity?

One of the very last things my ex-boyfriend said to me was that if I focus too much of my attention on my career, it will be the only thing I’ll ever have. It kind of stung when he said it, but as I reflect back on the statement in this moment, he is right. For once. Look at me! I’m single and all I do have is my career. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to devote time and dedication to your academics and your work. My rebuttal statement to my ex was that I didn’t go to school to be in a relationship. And I’m also right about that.

I think what’s important to take away from all of this is that it’s all a process. School. Life. And definitely love. I’m a big planner. My head is always in the future. As you can see, much of my focus was on 2015 and not 2013, today, or right now in this moment. That future partner in 2015 isn’t going to be there if I don’t do something about it today. So, as my horoscope recommended and being the superstitious person that I am, I’ve got some research and assessment homework to do. And it’s for love, not for class!

 

This article was written by Graduate Student Life & Wellness Communications Coordinator

Bee Yang

Bite of the Week!

Wax Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing

 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
• 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 fresh Thai chile, seeded and minced
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 ounces wax beans, trimmed
• 4 ounces fresh goat cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 12 fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. Season tomatoes and shallot with salt. Toss with chile, vinegar and 1/4 cup oil. Let stand for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Boil wax beans until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, transfer to ice water and let cool to room temperature. Drain again. Cut beans into 2-inch lengths at an angle.

3. Combine goat cheese, lime juice, remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, 2 Tbsp. water and a pinch of salt in a blender. Puree until smooth. Toss with beans until well coated.

4. Place wax beans in 6 serving dishes. Transfer tomato mixture with a little marinade to beans. Season salad with black pepper, tear basil leaves on top and serve.