Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Hello From Starbucks

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Virginia Tech chapter.

Hello from Starbucks! I am currently sitting in the comforts of my study cave, and there’s no place I’d
rather be. I am a self-proclaimed coffee junkie who absolutely loves the calming atmosphere Starbucks offers (and the fact that it ALWAYS smells like coffee). 

Anyway, I’ve already gotten so much done…and it’s only 10 A.M.! I credit it to none other than my early morning workout before class today. Even though I didn’t have much time, I made the most of the time I had at the gym and completed this quick 20-minute treadmill workout.  I was super sweaty at the end, and we all know sweat means a fantastic workout! Keep the treadmill at an incline of 1, unless you want to get a nice hill workout in as well!
 
Minutes     Speed
0-1               6
1-2               6
2-3               6.5
3-4               7
4-5               7.5
5-6               8
6-7              6.5
7-8              7
8-9              7.5
9-10            8
10-11         6.5
11-12         7
12-13         7.5
13-14         8
14-15         6.5
15-16         7
16-17         7.5
17-18         8
18-19         8.5
19-20         6.5
 

Since I’m usually working out in the morning, I’ll listen to my favorite morning radio from home (The Kane Show on Hot 99.5, anyone?) via the iheartradio App on my iPhone. But yesterday, I was browsing podcasts and found my new favorite one! I’ll listen to the news-y ones in the background while doing homework; some personal favorites, “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” and “Planet Money”.  While browsing, I stumbled upon ClifCast Podcasts. As a lover of Clif bars and their other various products (LUNA bars), I naturally deviated toward this podcast. It’s great, and I definitely recommend it for runners and other active people who are looking for a lesson in nutrition. So, yesterday, while walking around campus, I got quick lessons on the importance of adding protein and fat to my diet while running. Immediately after hearing that, I thought of the best way to add the two nutrients into my diet….a peanut butter banana apple bagel sandwich! (It’s a mouthful, I know). 

When I was grocery shopping the other day, I perused the peanut butter aisle and found Justin’s
chocolate hazelnut butter. I was tempted to buy the entire container, but thought I would try out these mini packets first. LOVE! Here’s my pretty lunch!

On a side note, I also learned that caffeine actually benefits runners! Great news for me. I’m not a ten-cup a day person, usually just a simple Grande iced coffee does the trick. The avid runners on ClifCast podcast recommend just about 2-3 cups of coffee daily- that’s more than enough for me.

Yes, coffee keeps me awake and going, (and talking about a million miles per minute) but sometimes, I need relaxation time. This past week was a stressful one for me with a bunch of exams. I tend to over-stress myself out, so I decided to add yoga to my workout routine. This semester, I purchased a Group Exercise pass for use at McComas or War Memorial and I love it. I used to go to cycling classes, (talk about sweaty!) but have recently tried Power Yoga classes. I used to do some yoga in high school, but always got frustrated because I have absolutely no patience. I’m trying them again- and making a conscious effort to focus on the strength and relaxation practicing yoga can bring me.

I hope this beautiful Blacksburg weather continues, springtime clothes are my favorite! Also- if you haven’t added “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson to your work out playlist, do it now.

Megan is a sophomore at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. She is pursuing her B.A. in Communications with a concentration in Multimedia Journalism as well as a B.A. in Spanish Language. She is also pursuing a minor in Creative Writing. Megan updates her personal blog daily, and had a weekly blog as a Contributing Blogger for Her Campus Virginia Tech during her freshman year. As a dedicated member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Megan serves as the official blogger. Megan's interest in journalism began with her involvement with her high school's newspaper; where she served as an assistant section editor and a section editor her sophomore and junior years. She was the managing editor her senior year. In her free time, Megan enjoys running and competing in races, reading on her Kindle, and taking photos. 
Caitlin is a senior Professional Writing major. Besides Her Campus, she is the Internal Social Chairwoman for Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She loves the beach, animals, shopping, yoga, and Hokie football!