Abbey Clark
More by Abbey Clark
 Books We Love: Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close1/18/2013 |
Being home for winter break is always a relaxing hiatus away from the BC bubble. Waking up late, watching movies, seeing family and high school friends, and having time to do what you want to do, and read what you want to read. Although I do enjoy many of the books I read in class as an English major, I never have time to read New York Times best sellers or silly pleasure reads during the school year. They say never to judge a book by its cover. Confession: I always do. In walking through a local bookstore during break, I saw this great artistic cover: girly, sweet, and enticing. I read the back of the book quickly and purchased it. It seemed like a quick and fun read for a college age girl. It was also a national best seller and recommended by the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, and Redbook. I was sold. The next day, I opened the quirky cover and read the first page with information about the author. Get this: “She is a graduate of Boston College.” I decided, without reading any fictional content, that I already loved this book. Well, I didn’t love it because that would be completely biased, wouldn’t it? However, I can say I was rooting for Close to give me a girly, addictive novel that I couldn’t put down. She succeeded. |
 10 Easy Ways to: Get Into the Holiday Spirit12/8/2012 |
1. Put lights up Tis’ the season for decorating with Christmas lights! BC ResLife allows Christmas lights from October 15th to January 15th! Get creative in your dorm rooms and make things festive! Your room will be instantly transformed into a cozy winter wonderland to study (and have guests over)! 2. Holiday-themed Pandora Don’t let the stress of finals ruin your holiday spirit. If you listen to music while studying, try out Christmas-themed Pandora stations or 8 tracks. Just make sure that you control yourself in the library when Mariah Carey’s infectious “All I Want For Christmas Is You” comes on. For those of you who are easily distracted by music while studying, classical or instrumental holiday stations are an option. If this is still too much, take a study break and listen to one song in the midst of your studying! Listening to holiday music is a great way to lift your spirits and motivate yourself to keep swimming during finals week. 3. Holiday drinks With unpredictable Boston weather and the winter season upon us, nothing is better than snuggling up in a warm blanket and making yourself a steaming cup of hot cocoa. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts also have other specialty holiday drinks. Indulge and treat yourself! |
 Modern Day (Fiction and Nonfiction) Heroines11/14/2012 |
Romantic comedies: I know, we can’t help but loving them. However, if you take a minute to think about some of your favorite movies, the plot almost always revolves around a woman trying to gain the affection of a man. The protagonist is commonly a male figure while the woman works her charm and sex appeal to win him over. In a recent documentary, Miss Representation, this bias view of women in the media is portrayed. On the film’s website you can take a pledge to challenge the media’s depiction of women. The website states: “In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader.” As college-age women, we have the capacity to change this societal norm by endorsing strong women characters depicted in the media. That being said, not all women in TV shows and movies are reduced to their sex appeal. Although there is a major romance plot thread in many shows, some female TV and movie characters use their sexuality as a bonus or a perk to their originality and strength. Just as it should be in real life: individual attitude comes first. Once you love yourself and are truly comfortable in your own skin, you can try to find someone to share this confidence with. These women, in my opinion, are true modern day heroines. They are depicted as strong, confident leaders, not just damsels in distress. Warning: SPOILER ALERT CENTRAL! Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly), Lost |
 Why Wearing Pink Doesn’t Ever Seem Like It’s Enough: Breast Cancer Awareness Month10/8/2012 |
It’s October, which means the leaves are changing, midterms season is upon us, and we’re getting more anxious for the upcoming BC football games. However, October also means something more important than all of those combined: October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As a college student, I often feel a bit distant from the results of Breast Cancer awareness. What does spreading awareness mean anyway? Snapping on a pink ribbon pin or wearing my favorite pink shirt to class doesn’t seem to do it for me. Realistically, people aren’t going to ask me why I’m wearing pink. Am I really making a difference by wearing this pink shirt and not talking to anyone about why I’m wearing pink? Having been very close to a victim and survivor of breast cancer, and my mother being a long-term employee of the health care industry, I feel like more needs to be done than the conventional ways of spreading awareness. According to the CDC, breast cancer is the second most common form of cancer among women and the fifth leading cause of death. If those aren’t good enough reasons, I’d like to hear better ones. Getting a mammogram is an excellent precautionary practice, but they are usually geared toward women over 50 years of age. Not only do I feel distant from the results of breast cancer awareness month, I feel distant and uninformed about protecting others and myself from this fatal disease. |
 BC Sharps at Arts Fest!5/1/2012 |
HC BC writer Abbey Clark and the rest of the BC Sharps hit all the right notes at Arts Fest!
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 Transforming Your (Not-So-Professional) Wardrobe4/10/2012 |
How many times have you looked in your closet and said, “I have nothing to wear!”? Even though the shelves are bulging with folded clothes and there’s a rainbow of patterns, textures, and colors at my disposal, I still have days when there’s just “nothing to wear.” I know, such a first world problem. Even more perplexing is when you have to dress for a job interview. No fear, HC BC is here to help! You probably have everything you need right in front of you! Here are some tips on what to wear – and definitely what not to wear – on your big day. Collared Shirt
Satin Tops Little Black Dress |
 Myths about Healthy Living4/9/2012 |
What does it mean to be “healthy?” As college students and young women, we work out, try to eat as healthy as we can, and avoid “unhealthy” foods. We read magazine after magazine and distinguish the “healthy” ways to lose weight apart from the fasting, binging, and purging methods (also known as eating disorder techniques). Boston College continues to be one of the most active and fit college campuses in America, so the pressure to be healthy is definitely prevalent. However, many of us fail to understand what being healthy really means. Terri Trespecio, “writer, editor, speaker, and healthy living expert,” came to BC on Thursday, March 22nd to debunk some myths about healthy living and give a lecture for alums and undergrad alike. Recently making the cover of Boston Magazine for her controversial testimonials about being single and loving it (oh yeah she gives great love advice too), Trespecio was thrilled to share some of her insights on living healthy with the Boston College community. Hosted by the Student Advisory Board for the Council for Women of Boston College in the Murray Room, Trespecio’s talk was titled “How to Live Your Healthiest Life – Not Someone Else's.” Besides causing uncontrollable laugher in the audience, she was enlightening and inspiring. |
 Tasty Irish Treats for St. Patrick's Day!3/15/2012 |
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so you'd better get cooking! Ok, ok, I know what you’re thinking: is there really such a thing as Irish cuisine? Yes, there really is, and what better day to discover this than St. Patrick’s Day? The Irish, as far as food goes, are known for their potatoes and corned beef and cabbage. So let's take March 17 to celebrate their the reputation. HC BC brings you the traditions that you’re grandmother can’t live without and some not-so-traditional recipes that will have you kissing the cook (Irish or not!). Corned Beef and Cabbage |
 Taking Advantage of Plex Classes: Fan Favorites3/14/2012 |
In the real world, you have to pay for a gym membership. In the real world, each yoga class, spin class, and cardio class can cost anywhere from 10 to 30 dollars. Since these costs are just factored into our monstrous tuition bill at BC, it feels like these fabulous classes at the Plex are free of charge because you don’t pay for them every time you swipe your card at the front desk or walk into a studio. In actuality, we are paying for them every time we take a midterm or attend an academic lecture. Ironically enough, we sometimes need to go to the gym, release some endorphins, and de-stress from all the demands of our schoolwork. While we’re still students at BC, we should take advantage of these “free” classes. |
 Tampa Spring Time!3/14/2012 |
HC writer Abbey went to visit her cousin near Tampa, FL who goes to USF and spent some quality time with the beach and floridian sunshine!
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