Lara Repko
More by Lara Repko
 Campus Celebrity: Judy Chang2/18/2013 |
UC Riverside is home to a plethora of talented, gifted students with all sorts of artistic and creative passions. While most have been performing on the stage since the wee age of five-years-old, Judy Chang only recently made her way into the spotlight. An art major with a love for singing, Judy discovered her love to sing as a shy, timid elementary school girl; “I was very shy at school and would never talk. I’d go back home when my parents weren’t home and would sing as many songs as I could before they came.” Judy says that her friends and sister have always been very supportive of her hobby and that her family has yet to discover her talent; “I am still very shy about it!” Judy recently performed at HCUCR’s talent show at the Barn – the first time she has sung in front of an audience! Her bone-chilling rendition of Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games” sent chills crawling up my spine…this girl truly has a gift! After interviewing Judy, I was shocked to find that she had never received any sort of formal vocal training. When asked what singers inspire her the most, Judy responded with “Jessie J, Katy Perry, Adele, Lana del Ray – musicians with strong vocals.” It is no surprise that Judy’s voice is equally as strong as her role models’. A lover of most music genres, Judy plans on always singing no matter what career she decides to pursue. “I am still searching and trying out new things within art,” she reveals. “I will keep singing as my passion no matter what job I get myself into.”
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 4 Healthy Foods That Aren't1/31/2013 |
In a world of diet-this and sugar-free-that, it’s hard to tell what’s healthy from what’s just made to look so. That vending machine granola bar looks pretty healthy, right? Here are 4 foods that look a lot healthier than they really are. Yogurt - This scrumptious breakfast condiment contains almost the same amount of sugar as most candy bars. Did you know Yoplait’s Peach flavored yogurt contains a whopping 17 grams? If this isn’t enough to make you cringe, most brands fill their yogurts with high fructose corn syrup (disguised under a façade of “modified corn starch”). Granola – Crunchy and delicious, granola is my favorite go-to snack. But this yummy cereal is packed with sugar and can leave you feeling tired and fatigued. Instead of nabbing some off the grocery store shelf, opt for a more natural munchie – muesli. The less crunchy cousin of granola, muesli boasts an impressive collection of oats and whole grains. Mix with sliced almonds or walnuts for an after-workout snack. Prepared Salads – Trader Joe’s salads are bomb. But take one look at the nutrition facts and you’ll wonder why you didn’t eat that slice of pizza instead. Due to the extra dressing and preservatives, packaged salads are heavy with sodium and fat. In fact, most salads are around 700 calories, depending on what type you consume. Create your own salad instead and steer clear of coating your greens with mayonnaise and ranch. |
 Campus Style: Brenda '161/11/2013 |
Brenda, a first-year at UC Riverside, epitomizes warm winter chic in this trendy ensemble. Sporting a cozy cable-knit WILDFOX sweater and high-waisted shorts, Brenda pairs charcoal-black stockings with sleek leather boots for a vintage look perfect for afternoon study sessions.
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 Lothian Dining: Hits & Misses1/7/2013 |
After successfully surviving my first quarter of college, I can definitively say I've spent more time in the dining hall wolfing down quesedillas than I have in the library. I may not be your average foodie, but I can certainly tell what's to like here at the Lothian Dining Hall. Here are some of my favorite (and not-so-favorite) aspects of R'Side's Lothian Dining Hall: Hits: |
 Get That Beach Bod: The Healthy Way12/8/2012 |
Bikini Body in 6 Days! Lose Those Love Handles! Get Slim Now! Sound familiar? It’s almost impossible to walk into Ralph’s without being bombarded by bikini-clad magazine models begging for you to obligingly suck in your gut and hand over the $4.25. But why waste your precious pennies on false food facts when you can get the real deal on nutrition right here? The majority of fashion and health magazines publish false and misleading tips on obtaining a balanced lifestyle. To insure a wholesome balance of nutrients, look to these four food essentials that create the perfect meal mix: Carbohydrates: It’s all too common for so-called fitness gurus and gym rats to wean out all carbohydrates in their diet. They believe that carbohydrates equal “bad” and tend to avoid them at all costs. Fortunately, for all us bread-lovers out there, carbohydrates make up the foundation of a healthy diet. Complex carbohydrates (think dairy, whole grains, soy, edamame, fruits, veggies, and beans) fortify our bodies with fuel. Next time you’re feeling fatigued, grab an apple, handful of carrots, or slice of whole-grain bread to snack on. Consume around 40 grams of carbohydrates for breakfast to rev your body up and running. |
 Arlene Angulo11/28/2012 |
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 Buying: Top Tips for Stealing Major Style10/3/2012 |
In high school I beheld the title of Girl-Who-Gets-All-Her-Clothing-From-Thrift-Stores-Or-From-Her-Grandma's-Closet. My style savvy peers cringed at such a title, but I was proud of my reign. It seemed that everyone around me was purchasing the latest Jeffrey Campbells or Nasty Gal boots, and as a high school babysitter earning a meek pay of $8.25 per hour, I decided that it wasn't worth paying a lofty price of $200 for a pair of studded platforms that weren't even that cute in the first place. Without further ado, I hopped in the car and headed to the Heaven of Hand-Me-Downs: Goodwill. Here are my tried-and-true tricks for making the best of your thrifting thumb. Tip #1: Keep Your Eye on the Prize. |
 Beating the Breaking-Up Blues9/30/2012 |
To say I was a mess after my first break-up would be an understatement. I was not a mess. Rather, I was a monstrosity. Driving home from his house that fateful September night, I looked like a woman on the brink of insanity- my face was white as a sheet, teems of tears streamed down my cheeks, and I’m almost certain fumes puffed from my ears. I was furious, humiliated, horrified, and miserable all in one and I was happy to find refuge in my Queen-size bed that evening. Sleep never seemed so glorious until the next morning; to my horror and disbelief (gasp), I woke up. The next day was almost worse than the night before. That lingering feeling of fresh-out-of-the-oven sadness balled up in my chest the moment I opened my eyes and I knew it wouldn’t leave me for months. I tried everything from taking a hot bath (like they advise on all those teen relationship websites) to resorting to good ol’ retail therapy and to my horror nothing worked. It was time I faced it- I was heartbroken. And bubble baths and $30 Free People bandeaus were not going to cure my disease. I spent several weeks secluded in my room, reading Romeo and Juliet for the ump-teenth time, listening to depressing love songs and staring at old pictures of my ex. It finally came to the point where my mom stormed into my room, ripped the old prom photos out of my hands, and knocked these key points into my head. 1. Allow Yourself to Grieve. |
