Sarah Mason

It’s official; I’m obsessed. The Hunger Games series took me by surprise, but once I started reading I was hooked. The books might as well have been glued to my hands, because for three solid days I could do nothing but sit, holed up in my room with my nose stuck in those pages. Time ceased to matter as I devoured the story, staying up into those early morning hours when the birds start chirping and the sky turns back to blue. By the end of the series I’d been reduced to a dream-like stupor, walking around like some half-dead zombie and trying to cope with the emotional roller-coaster that I’d just ridden. Class? What’s that? Food? Not important. The Hunger Games series was far more riveting that my actual life and I was happy to exchange the two.
 
There is just one problem; it had to end.
 
After I’d finished the last page of Mocking Jay (and seen the newly released movie…twice) I was left feeling empty. The series was over. What could ever fill the void? The answer, I realized, was simple; find a new, equally captivating series. Replacing the Hunger Games wouldn’t be easy, but luckily there are plenty of good reads out there that are similar to my beloved books in several, important ways. All 5 books listed here have futuristic settings (because who wants to read about boring, normal Earth?). In each of these books, there is a love story (clearly essential to my fantasy-world requirements). Third, the characters must fight for survival and in many of these stories there is a revolt. Last, all of these books are part of a series (meaning if you love the first, you can go back for more!).
 
So here you go! 5 Hunger Game-like books and their back-cover blurbs. Happy reading!
 
Divergent by Veronica Roth
 

 

I got into this half-marathon business when three of my housemates decided to run a marathon. I thought, “I can at least run a half.” So I signed up, and then there was no turning back. But I say in all honesty, if I can do this, anyone can. 
 
I never had a dream or a goal to do a half-marathon. My thinking was more, “That would be a cool thing to do before I graduate.” But if you do have that goal, or if you even think it would just be cool to do – go for it. You can do it. I promise. With just a little determination and a lot of perseverance – you can do it.
 
I have a few things I’ve picked up along the way. You can take them or leave them. They might help.
 
1) Find a training schedule
 
Now, these do not work for everyone, as one of my housemates would attest, but I believe they do work for the majority of people. The individuals who make these are usually runners or marathoners themselves and so they have a good idea of how to slowly build muscle, when to relax, when to cross-train, etc. If you merely say, “I’m going to run for 3 miles everyday and then run a half marathon,” that is not likely to end well. You have to slowly build the muscle in your leg in order to build the endurance for a half marathon. So, I suggest a running schedule – the authors know what they’re talking about.
 
Some training schedules require cross training, some do not. Below are a couple examples of training schedules to give you some idea of the commitment. They are not overwhelming, but will require some of your time. (Most schedules are 10-12 weeks)
 
With Cross-training
 

Self-serve. It’s like the DIY of dining out. From buffet-style to “weighing in”, the growth of self-serve restaurants seems unlimited. Gainesville has been flooded with places that offer this dining style, with restaurants like Asian Buffet, Mochi, Sushi Chao, Genghis Grill, Red Mango, and Buffet City popping up on every street corner. Of course, there’s a reason these quick and easy restaurants have become a top pick for many hungry Gators. They’re delicious, cheap and give us exactly what we love; options. But like all good things, there’s a catch; the “weigh in” at the register may involve more than just your plate. 
 
Portion sizes are hard enough to get right, but add in a grumbling stomach and seemingly endless amounts of food and just watch your willpower crumble. Dining by self-serve is like grocery shopping when hungry; it’s hard to know when to stop.
 
What was supposed to be a guilt-free trip to Mochi suddenly turns into a whopping $10 bowl of frozen goodness that—of course—would be a waste not to finish. And don’t even get me started on the quick Asian buffets. If carbs were drugs, those noodles would send someone to rehab. “But it was so delicious!” my stomach cries. Meanwhile, my thighs are crying for another reason…
 
So, what are the facts? Over the past few decades, portion sizes have increased - and so has America’s waistline. Large amounts of cheap food have distorted our view on what a “normal” meal should look like.
 

I remember the day very clearly. It was my junior year of high school and I was meeting a friend for lunch. I got dressed early, feeling too excited to wait. I did my makeup with a sort of nervous enthusiasm, which resulted in smears of eyeliner across my cheek and spilt foundation all over the counter. My hair wasn’t cooperating, so with mounting tension I brushed, straightened and fiddled until it looked just right. I was early, so I waited, and waited, and waited some more.

All the signs were there; the nervous butterflies, the flushed-red face and the tense, jittery hands. I had a crush on my lunch-date. The catch? She was a girl.

Now, any guy who hears you say the words “girl crush” is no doubt picturing scenes of Amanda Seyfried and her erotic girl-on-girl action in Chloe, but the reality isn’t so sexual. What I had was more like an infatuation. This girl was pretty, outgoing, athletic, and intelligent; in short, everything that I wished I could be. I idolized her and would do just about anything to befriend her. I copied her clothes and mimicked her humor. It was like a scene strait out of Bambi, where she was Faline and I was—excuse my 90’s reference—twitterpated. If I didn’t know it then, I know it now. I had a full-blown girl crush.

According to UrbanDictionary.com, a girl crush is defined as “feelings of admiration and adoration which a girl has for another girl, without necessarily being a lesbian. A girl crush is a nonsexual attraction, usually based on veneration at some level.” Essentially, it’s the girl’s version of a bromance.