Don’t pretend “The Hunger Games” didn’t tug your heartstrings, despite being based on novels.
Credit: Murray Close

When you need a good cry, do you reach for the movie that’s “based on a true story”? Science says you’re giving your brain far too much credit.

According to a new study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, it doesn’t matter whether the story is inspired by actual events or purely fictional once you’ve made an emotional investment.

The reverse — going for a novel over a memoir to avoid feeling sad — is also a false assumption, according to the authors from Brandeis and New York universities.

“Consumers may choose to read a tragic fictional story because they assume that knowing it was fictional would make them less sad than reading a less dramatic but true story,” they write. “However, the fictional nature does not alter the impact of the tragic story, leaving them more emotionally distraught than if they had read the true story instead.”

In the study, viewers were shown a movie they were told was fictional. Though this audience reported lower levels of sadness, they had been allowed to take breaks during the screening, which researchers theorize could’ve allowed them to remember that the story was not true.

In a different study, subjects claimed it would leave them sadder to know that a tragic story they’d just read had really happened rather than being made up. Two other groups read the same story and were told either that it was an accounting of true events or fictional — both felt sad regardless of what they’d been told.

The only beneficiaries from this self-delusion, the researchers write, are publishers and movie studios willing to back a project simply because it’s based on a true story. “However, our results suggest that while emphasizing realism may increase sales, it does not necessarily increase satisfaction,” the authors say.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Shrimp marinated in Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA.
Credit: Provided

Summer calls for two things: a cold beer and light food.

Sam Adams’ Latitude 48 IPA fairly bursts with citrus notes, making it an ideal marinade for summery dishes like grilled shrimp. The color tends toward a darker amber, but the bright taste has faint notes of pine amid a grapefruit foundation.

Brewed from six kinds of hops along the 48th latitude from the U.K., Germany and the U.S., the newcomer to the brew is Mosaic hops from Washington state, which are responsible for the strong citrus influence. (Though what grows in the Pacific Northwest that would make it taste like it matured in the Florida sunshine is unclear.)

If you’re curious about how the beer comes together, Samuel Adams makes a Deconstructed Pack with full-size bottles brewed with each of the hops — Hallertau Mittelfrueh, East Kent Golding, Zeus, Simcoe, Ahtanum and Mosaic — that comprise the Latitude 48 IPA. Try one as a beer flight series at your next party.

Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA.
Credit: Provided

Recipe: Latitude 48 Barbecue Shrimp

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 cup (8 ounces) Samuel Adams Latitude 48
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups cooked rice, for serving

Directions:

In a large sauté pan or wok, melt ½ cup of the butter over medium heat. When melted, cook the garlic for about 20 seconds. Add the shrimp, paprika and soy and cook, tossing, for about 1 minute. Add the beer, lemon juice, pepper sauce, Worcestershire, and cumin and cook for about 3 minutes to blend into a sauce. Add the remaining ½ cup of butter and stir with the sauce until melted. Divide the rice among four plates, top with the shrimp and pan sauce and serve immediately.

The post Recipe: Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA-marinated grilled shrimp appeared first on Metro.us.

Chef Phoebe Lapine isn’t trying to change your entire menu.
Credit: Provided

When it comes to eating well, everyone knows they could be doing better. But cooking in an apartment on a busy schedule is a recipe for ordering Chinese food rather than using the wok gathering dust in the kitchen cabinet.

And on the rare occasion you do feel like cooking, you’re set in your ways. Throw a few things into an anything-goes dish such as stir-fry or fried rice or a no-brainer salad or smoothie, and you’re on the couch just in time for “The Vampire Diaries.”

But what you put into those dishes can make all the difference. A University of Texas study that tested 43 fruits and vegetables found declines in several key nutrients between 1950 and 1999. The researchers blamed intensive modern farming methods that overtax the soil for this effect.

“Ideally, you’d get everything from your diet,” says Mustafa Hashimi of the Vitamin Shoppe. “But even though we make our best efforts to eat a balanced diet — organic, whole food-based — you’re still gonna come across some sort of nutrient deficiency.”

So what if you could make the things you’re already cooking better for you? To be a successful adult — not to mention a properly nourished one — you’ve got to make the time to cook. We talked to chef Phoebe Lapine about four easy ingredients to work into your next dish for a flavorful, more nutritious meal.

Aloe vera juice

Packed with vitamins A, C and E, the juice of the plant’s inner leaves has many beneficial properties — once you get past the taste.

Benefits: Great for a healthy digestive tract, and you don’t need much: about an ounce daily.

Swap: Try it in water instead of cucumber for a mineral kick. “It might even be an interesting background flavor for a cold soup like cucumber vichyssoise or a white gazpacho,” says Lapine. If you absolutely can’t get over the taste, blend a spoonful into your smoothie.

The Vitamin Shoppe Aloe Vera Juice, $5.49

Liquid aminos

Derived from soybeans, it tastes like soy sauce although it’s lighter in color and more subtle in flavor.

Benefits: Of 20 amino acids, which combine to form the building blocks of muscles and organs, the body can make 10. Liquid aminos contain 16. 

Swap: Skip the soy sauce or tamari in any recipe for liquid aminos, a gluten-free alternative that’s lower in sodium and doesn’t require any special handling. “It’s a great, nutritious substitute for regular table salt,” Lapine says.

Bragg Liquid Aminos, $8.19

Hemp seeds

These magnesium-packed seeds have the ideal 1-to-1 ratio of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, with anti-inflammatory properties and sterols, which reduce cholesterol.

Benefit: They’re rich in protein, essential fatty acids, fiber and antioxidants and don’t need to be ground to get their benefits. 

Swap: Use them instead of pricey pine nuts in pesto. The mild flavor makes them an easy way to boost the protein content of a dish. “I love them sprinkled on top of salads, mixed into my smoothies or finishing a cooked dish with some as garnish,” Lapine says. 

Nutiva Organic Shelled Hemp Seed, $7.20

Apple cider vinegar

Bragg’s version is made with organic apples; the finished product is unfiltered and unpasteurized.

Benefits: It can help level out your blood sugar and protect your gut. Stir some into your tea with honey, lemon and cayenne for an immunity boost.

Swap: Any vinegar, especially lighter varieties. “It also adds a nice punch to rich savory stews that need a little acidity — just add a tablespoon in while simmering.”

Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, $2.79

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

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Google revealed details of its drone development program, Project Wing, this week, with a delivery of chocolates to a remote Australian farmer.

The initiative – check out The Atlantic’s in-depth reporting from inside the Googleplex about it – puts Google even more squarely in competition with Amazon for online retail and delivery. Google launched Google Express Shopping earlier this year, which offers same-day delivery of products from major retailers including Sam’s Club and Target in select cities including New York.

Google, the world’s largest Internet search engine, said it will take years of development to create a service with multiple vehicles flying multiple deliveries per day.

An early version of the drone, which Google showcased in a video on its website, has a 3-foot wingspan and is capable of flying preprogrammed routes.

“These planes have much more in common with the Google self-driving car than the remote-controlled airplanes people fly in parks on weekends,” Google said on its website, referring to the company’s test fleet of automobiles that use sensors and radars to navigate city streets and freeways on their own.

The drone Google showed in the video was equipped with rotors to allow for vertical takeoff and landing, as well as a fixed wing for plane-like flying. The drone flew about 40 meters above the treeline, Google said, and dropped a package of chocolate bars to a farmer in Queensland, Australia.

Google spokesman Ray Gobberg said it was too soon to discuss specific business plans for the delivery drones, but the company said on its website that self-flying vehicles could offer a cheaper, faster and less wasteful way to move goods.

Google rival Amazon.com Inc announced plans last year to use aerial delivery drones for a service called Prime Air.

DHL is also testing drone delivery in Europe.
Credit: Getty Images

“Local delivery of products is the next battlefront,” said Sameet Sinha, an analyst with B. Riley & Co. “Google has had its eyes on e-commerce, basically trying to get around Amazon.”

While Google has been quietly developing its aerial drone project since late 2011, the technology has some significant hurdles to clear:

• Drone must learn to navigate around each other
• Google is figuring out how to reduce noise.
• The drones must be able to drop off packages in a landing spot the size of a doorstep.

Google’s Gobberg said the company has briefed the Federal Aviation Administration on the project and has been updating the agency. Gobberg said Google has done some “small scale research flights” in the United States but hoped to talk more with the agency to determine specific locations for testing.

In 2012, Congress required the FAA to establish a road map for the broader use of drones. The FAA has allowed limited use of drones in the United States for surveillance, law enforcement, atmospheric research and other applications.

The post VIDEO: With chocolate delivery, Google reveals Project Wing drone program appeared first on Metro.us.

Twitter is being used to track food poisoning cases to restaurants and stores.
Credit: Getty Images

When Chicago health officials saw Twitter users complaining about local food poisoning episodes, they reached out on Twitter to those users and often ended up charging the restaurant in question with a violation.

“We know that the majority of cases of food-borne outbreaks really never end up getting reported to the local health department anywhere in the country,” Dr. Bechara Choucair said. “We realize the people might not pick up the phone and call the doctor, but they might go to Twitter and complain to the world that they got food poisoning from eating out.” 

Choucair and his colleagues in the Chicago Department of Public Health wondered if there was some innovative way for them to identify new cases of food-borne outbreaks in Chicago that are regularly missed. So they enlisted a technological collaborative group called Smart Chicago to help them.

“Smart Chicago collaborative helped us develop an app that literally sifts through hundreds of thousands of tweets every day that are coming from Chicago or linked to Chicago that might include a reference to a food borne illness,” Choucair said.

The app, called Foodborne Chicago (@foodbornechi), uses an algorithm to identify tweets that might be related to food poisoning symptoms in or near Chicago.

The app then responds to the person who sent the original tweet, saying, “That doesn’t sound good. Help us prevent this and report where you ate here,” and includes a link to an online form for reporting the details.

As Choucair and his coauthors noted in a paper in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program was launched in March 2013. During the first 10 months, Foodborne Chicago identified 270 tweets describing complaints of food poisoning.

A total of 193 complaints were then submitted through the website, which lead to unannounced health inspections at 133 restaurants.

Chicago isn’t the only city to use new technology to track food poisoning. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene examined restaurant reviews from an online review website to identify foodborne illness complaints.

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Sunscreen is possibly the most often repeated – and ignored – piece of skincare advice.

But Thomas Leveritt took a different tactic. With a short film posted to YouTube that’s been viewed more than 12 million times as of Saturday, Leveritt showed people what they look like under ultraviolet light, the damaging spectrum of sunlight, revealing unseen damage beneath their skin.

Then he showed them something even more remarkable: how sunscreen works. People with darker skin have more melanin, which gives skin its pigment and helps it become more resistant to sunlight (which doesn’t mean they don’t need to wear sunscreen). It’s also produced by the body when exposed to sun, creating suntans. Sunscreen forms a barrier on the skin, making it appear much darker and harder to penetrate for sunlight.

A sunscreen should be broad spectrum, meaning it protects from UVA (the ones that give you premature wrinkles) and UVB (the ones that cause sunburns) rays, and at minimum SPF 15. Check out our guide to avoiding skin cancer for more sun-related tips.

So even when it’s cloudy, even during winter, even on your ears and other often-forgotten areas, follow Baz Luhrmann’s advice and wear sunscreen.

The post VIDEO: Still not wearing sunscreen? You will after watching this appeared first on Metro.us.

Adding just 2 ounces of pistachios helped reduce several type 2 diabetes-repeated risk factors.
Credit: Getty Images

For people who may be headed for type 2 diabetes, regularly eating pistachios might help turn the tide, according to a small nutrition trial from Spain.

People with so-called prediabetes have blood sugar levels higher than normal but not yet in the diabetes range. If they do nothing, 15 to 30 percent will develop diabetes within five years, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the new Spanish study, people with prediabetes who ate about 2 ounces of pistachios daily showed significant drops in blood sugar and insulin levels and improvements in insulin and glucose processing. Some signs of inflammation also dropped dramatically.

Although the trial specifically involved pistachios, many previous studies have found encouraging evidence that eating nuts may be linked to a lower risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol, the authors write in Diabetes Care.

The study team divided 54 prediabetic adults into two groups. Both groups were instructed to keep to a calorie-regulated diet with 50 percent of energy from carbohydrates, 35 percent from fat and 15 percent from protein, using provided menus and seasonal recipes.

One group was given 57 grams of pistachios, about two ounces, daily to add to their diets. To match those calories, the comparison group added olive oil and other fats for the four months of the study.

By the end of the study, fasting blood sugar levels, insulin and hormonal markers of insulin resistance had decreased in the pistachio group while they rose in the comparison group.

Participants’ weight did not significantly change by the end of the study in either group. But glucose use by immune cells involved in inflammation, as well as circulating inflammatory signaling molecules both dropped in the pistachio group, the authors note.

The post Your new food ally to help ward off type 2 diabetes appeared first on Metro.us.

Flights are more crowded than ever, so getting an upgrade has become more difficult.
Credit: Getty Images

It used to be much easier to upgrade your coach seat to business or even first class, but rigid rules and tighter schedules have made getting a better seat more difficult, since they are usually reserved for an airline’s top customers.

Not an elite flyer? Here are a few ways to snag more legroom on your next flight.

Paid upgrades

Often, you can pay for a better seat — whether it’s in economy plus, business, or first. Upgrades are often available online prior to check-in or at check-in. You can also check for upgrade possibilities when you get to the airport.

Caveat: Most paid upgrades are only available after their elite customers have been upgraded.

Use miles

Most airlines will allow you to use miles to upgrade a coach ticket to business/first. Be aware, however, that it’s usually not a great value and you’d be better off waiting until you have enough miles in your account to redeem a ticket instead of using them to upgrade.

Caveat: Not all tickets can be upgraded (it depends on the fare class of the ticket) and some airlines — like United — charge a cash co-pay in addition to the miles

Charm

If there are no seats available, no amount of kindness will make a difference, but treating a gate agent respectfully and kindly can go a long way toward helping your case. (But don’t try to bribe them!) If a seat does open up, you might luck out and get that coveted first-class spot.

Operational upgrades

Sometimes the airline needs to upgrade passengers for “operational” reasons. Most often, the company has oversold the economy cabin. Improve your chances by introducing yourself to the agent and explain that you would be interested in upgrading if economy is oversold. Be friendly and straightforward. If the answer is no, offer your thanks and mention that you’ll be in the gate area if anything changes.

Caveat: This only happens rarely, but in the event that it does, you’ll want to be in the best position to take advantage of the situation.

The post How to get a seat upgrade to business or first class appeared first on Metro.us.

You can’t control the rain in London, but you can find a good cafe nearby to pass the time.
Credit: Getty Images

Finding the nearest bathroom, calculating currency exchanges and locating your departure gate must have been difficult for travelers of previous generations. But we wouldn’t know, because we’ve got smartphones.

As technology improves our everyday lives, it’s also made traveling more convenient. Here are the top 10 free apps that will make globetrotting just a little bit easier.

SitOrSquat: You know society has made significant strides when the available technology allows travelers to plan out which bathroom to visit when the plane reaches its destination. The app even provides photos of the toilets.

XE Currency: This app converts American dollars into any country’s currency, so you can see which exchange offers the best deal.

Viber: Especially when traveling abroad, roaming charges can add unnecessary bills on top of an already expensive journey. This app allows you to make calls and message friends for free. Just get to a Wi-Fi signal.

SkyScanner: Find a flight on your phone. It’s that simple.

TripAdvisor: And then plan your whole trip on your phone. From hotels to restaurants to activities you can lay out your vacation without putting down your phone.

GateGuru: Plug in the flight number, and you can sit at the bar and have a drink without worrying that your flight will leave without you. Push notifications remind you when boarding time is getting close and let you know if your flight has been delayed. It also updates with any gate changes.

Entrain: Jet lag can ruin a vacation; get acclimated faster with this app, developed by the University of Michigan. Enter your normal sleep schedule, and the app calculates how to adjust it in your destination’s time zone to get the right amount of shut-eye. A time and sanity saver.

Google Maps: Sure, this app is a no-brainer in everyday life. But it is worth mentioning that you don’t need to buy a map when you’re traveling domestically with this handy app. And if you’re only on Wi-Fi, take screenshots and set the photo as your lock-screen wallpaper.

Waze: In real time, drivers share obstacles along your route such as construction, traffic and accidents. Not only will Waze help you navigate uncharted territory, it will help you get there quickly as well.

Yelp: Ever stand on a foreign street corner wondering which restaurant looks like a decent spot to eat? Don’t judge a restaurant by the glow of its fluorescent signs, and get the app that shows fellow travelers’ (and more importantly, locals’) reviews of not just the menu quality but whether you’ll regret your food decisions the next day.

The post 10 free apps to make traveling easier appeared first on Metro.us.

For all you fashionistas jet setting from Fashion Week to Fashion Week this month, British Airways has tips on how to travel in comfort and style. Of course, most of us aren’t bouncing from New York to London to Milan to Paris to sit front row and pick out our seasonal favorites from famous designers’ runways — but who doesn’t want to improve their flight experience?

Use the flight time to de-stress

• Take advantage of your airline’s amenities. Items like eye masks and ear plugs will help you drift off quickly.

• If you have difficulty switching off, listen to a soothing music playlist or look for relaxation channels on the in-flight entertainment. Using mobile devices will just keep your brain active for longer.

Keep it simple and comfortable

• Leave your stilettos in your carry-on, and travel in loose clothing with breathable material.

• Flying dries your skin out, so keep your favorite lip balm and lotions handy to make sure you look fresh on arrival.

Eat smart, drink smart

• Fashion Week runs on caffeine, but try switching out espresso for herbal tea when you travel as it will help you unwind. Some teas can help with stress and others with digestion. British Airways serves a tea specifically designed to taste good at 30,000 feet.

• Drink plenty of water. Hydration during your travels is key to looking awake and feeling your best when you’re sleep-deprived.

• Eat light, healthy meals that will give you the energy to race around to all the events.

The post How to travel in style appeared first on Metro.us.

Bai5 Basil Blueberry Lemonade Ice Pop

September is turning out to be less the beginning of fall weather and more the dog days of summer. Beat the heat while still getting your caffeine jolt with this ice pop recipe using Bai, an antioxidant-infused drink made with coffeefruit and clocking in at just 10 calories per bottle. Add some Champagne for a fizzy and decadent twist.

Basil Blueberry Lemonade Ice Pop

Ingredients:
1 bottle Bai5 Limu Lemon
12 fresh basil leaves
Blueberries

Directions:
Shred basil leaves and place into Bai5 Limu Lemon bottle. Shake. Place between 10-20 blueberries in each mold depending on size, then fill with basil-infused Bai5 and freeze. Makes six ice pops.

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Train for the marathon — or just become a better runner — with Paragon Sports’ free classes.
Credit: Getty Images

Get marathon-ready at Paragon Sports

Not quite in running shape? Paragon Sports (867 Broadway) has launched a free program to get you not just started, but as far as you’d like to go. The sporting goods store, which has been in NYC since 1908, partnered with The North Face for a series of free marathon training classes. The group will include beginners as well as seasoned marathoners, who will meet four days a week at the store’s 867 Broadway location and set off toward Hudson River Park to begin training. Runners will get pointers on speed, strength, pacing and familiarizing New York City Marathon competitors with the route. For more information, visit www.paragonsports.com/trainwithus or email ocheng@paragonsports.com.

And get outfitted during Paragon’s warehouse sale, Sept. 9-21, with discounts of up to 80 percent on brand-name sportswear including shoes, snowboarding and camping equipment.

Think you missed out on the marathon?

If you can commit to a fundraising goal of $3,500, there’s still a team you can apply to join for the NYC Marathon. Team V, a charity partner of the race backed by The V Foundation and ESPN, will provide celebrity motivation, fundraising support, a virtual training program and more. Proceeds will benefit cancer research, and participants have until Dec. 31 to reach their contribution goal. Spaces are limited, and you can apply even if you’re already registered — if accepted, Team V will reimburse your entry fee. www.jimmyv.org

Doonya finds a home in Flatiron

Cardio dance gets an infusion of Bollywood flair at the new flagship studio of Doonya, coming Sept. 8 to the Flatiron District. The new studio, at 1158 Broadway, will offer a range of classes catering to beginners, advanced Doonya devotees (it’s already taught at several gyms around the city) and even kids. Co-founder Kajal Desai describes the practice as a “blend of fitness science and Indian dance bringing forth self-awareness and expression,” with a flirty edge to its powerful dance moves. www.doonya.com

Free trial of JCC classes

The JCC in Manhattan is opening its doors for two days to offer a free public preview of its fitness classes. On Sunday from 1-5 p.m. and Tuesday from 5:30-10 p.m., check out programs ranging from Zumba to TRX, martial arts to meditation, and more. For a full schedule of classes, visit www.jccmanhattan.org/open-house. 334 Amsterdam Ave.

The post Free running classes, Doonya opens studio, JCC public preview appeared first on Metro.us.

Sixties shift dresses and little-girl nightgowns at Altuzarra.
Credit: Getty Images

“Rosemary’s Baby” is as much a fashionista’s dream as it is a cinephile’s: ’60s shift dresses, little-girl nightgowns, and (of course) Mia Farrow’s icon-making Sassoon haircut. But for his runway riff on the film, Joseph Altuzarra eschewed such tired tropes. Instead, he seized on its heroine’s kinky, subversive sweetness, for one of his best collections to date.

The show opened with a series of seersucker skirt suits and dresses in angelic pink gingham, but with thigh-high slits and seams sliced open and held together with ribbon. Things got hotter from there: wispy sweaters with plunging necklines, peekaboo lattice leather skirts and tops, and sheer black negligée dresses. Rosemary’s transition from naïf to quintessential-Altuzarra woman ended, however, in an explosion of romantic color and light: with delicate, wispy, crinkled dresses in golds and corals that communicated freedom, power and a confident sensuality.

The post Altuzarra: Spring 2015 appeared first on Metro.us.

Taylor Swift, right, has every reason to be excited to take a selfie with Demi Lovato, who rebuilt her musical career after beating substance abuse problems.
Credit: FilmMagic

One of my clients, a high school teacher, gets jittery about returning to the classroom every September. Despite glowing evaluations year after year, she always worries whether she’ll be able to manage her students, whether they’ll like her and if they’ll absorb all of her lessons. But each year, her nerves consume less energy because she sees them for what they are: habitual nuisances.

Sometimes it can be hard to recognize the incremental ways that we improve from year to year. As a society focused on tangible accomplishments, we’re not conditioned to share our personal growth. When was the last time you bumped into a friend who boasted, “Great news! Last week, I conquered my need for my boss’s approval, and today I didn’t scream at my daughter when she spilled soda all over the kitchen floor!”

Yet these small personal victories — facing a fear, changing an attitude or kicking a bad habit — are the important shifts that build character and transform your life. When we change the way we respond to challenging situations, we change our experience of the world and how we see ourselves.

New beginning

As we return from the lazy days of summer to the daily grind, we may be looking at familiar situations through fresh eyes. As the unofficial start of the year for many people, September is a natural benchmark to reflect on how we’ve changed and rededicate ourselves to our personal growth projects.

Point of view

It’s vital to remember that while we may return to the same situations over and over again, we never return to them from exactly the same vantage point. Personal growth is like a spiral staircase: It may seem like you’re going around and around, but your perspective changes with every step. The key is to keep moving upward. Some questions to consider:

1. How has my life changed since last September?

2. Have I changed? Am I responding to challenging situations differently?

3. How do I want to improve my handling of conflicts?

4. What is one thing that I might do differently?

5. How can I put this into action and make this change?

Kim Schneiderman’s book, “Step Out of Your Story: Writing Exercises to Reframe and Transform Your Life,” is being published in the spring. Email your questions to askkim@metro.us and check out her website, Novel Perspective.

The post This September, start a season of personal growth appeared first on Metro.us.

Manage your new freedom by making your own rules. (No, we don’t mean: “No rules.”)
Credit: Getty Images

Going off to college is the first chance for young adults to assert themselves. That freedom to build their own lives, especially if they’re studying far from home, can affect their entire educational experience — for better or worse.

We asked Dr. Warren Seigel, chairman of pediatrics/adolescent medicine at Coney Island Hospital in New York City, for some practical advice for the Class of 2018 on getting a healthy start to their college career.

Body: “In order to do well in school, you need to be healthy,” Seigel says. That means getting the necessary vaccines (TDAP, meningitis, HPV and an annual flu shot) and adequate sleep and exercise.

Nutrition: Seigel sees patients return over winter break having gained “an enormous amount of weight” because they’re eating pizza six days a week. Be smart about what you’re putting in your body — and for your grades’ sake, don’t go to class hungry.

Security: Lock down your personal documents and computer if you’re in a dorm. “Although it’s their room, they’re part of a larger world,” Seigel warns. Even if you trust your roommates, you likely aren’t the only ones coming and going.

Mind: Living on your own can feel like an opportunity — or a huge challenge. “When you move out of your house and your support system changes, you can often get very depressed, isolated and lonely. Make sure that you never feel like you have absolutely no support.”

Sex: Condoms, contraception and consent remain the big themes. But when it comes to exploring all the new experiences suddenly available to you, Seigel advises holding onto the values you arrived with on campus. That being said, be prepared: Find a dispensary for emergency contraception, even if you don’t think you’ll need it.

Alcohol: Being of age for some things only means you might get into more trouble for breaking other rules, like underage drinking. “It can be devastating if you’re going to a campus with a zero-tolerance policy for drinking,” Seigel warns.

Eyes on the prize: “If you’re going off to college, every now and then remind yourself why you’re there. It’s such a great opportunity in your life; have a great time, but at the end of four years, you really do want a degree,” Seigel says. You also don’t want to stretch out your budget and put off your career for an extra year or two because you lost focus.

Follow Eva Kis on Twitter @thisiskis or email eva.kis@metro.us. 

The post Back to School 101: What college students need to know appeared first on Metro.us.

A model walks the runway at the LIE SANGBONG Spring-Summer 2015 Collection.
Credit: Getty Images

Designer: Lie Sangbong

The Look: Lady Gaga meets Carolina Herrera

The Runway: Lie Sangbong was in a reflective mood this season, after a maritime disaster shook his native South Korea. But from that tragedy, he has spun a sartorial tale of hope and transformation. The crisp all-white tailored suits and draped dresses slowly morphed until they were ethereal gowns embroidered with kaleidoscopic collages of swirling butterflies and clouds.

Insta-worthy: The runway, made of 1,188 glass tiles featuring collage-to-photo prints by artist Jang Seung Hyo.

The post Lie Sangbong in reflective mood for Fashion Week offering appeared first on Metro.us.

Credit: Getty Images

Quintessential New York designer

Donna Karan is literally “painting the town with urban chic” for spring, daubing canvas-like poplin skirts and light-as-air organza dresses with Jean Basquiat doodles and graffiti-like scrawls. Street art has really energized the designer, who sent out a confident, sexy collection that strikes the right balance between working city gal and globe-trotting eccentric.

Draped red jersey dresses clung in all the right places, high-waisted pants were worn with structured bra tops (which Karan dubbed “the new body suit”), and
belted shirtdresses had rolled-up sleeves. Stealing the show, however, were the hilariously tall straw chapeaux by milliner Stephen Jones, which made Pharrell’s hat look like child’s play.

The post Donna Karan NYFW spring 2015 review appeared first on Metro.us.

Credit: Getty Images

Designer: Ohne Titel

The Look: Sexed-up sportif

The Runway: Designers Alexa Adams and Florence Gill used scuba-tight neoprene and revealing mesh to maximum (minimal?) effect in figure-hugging micro-dresses, printed fit-and-flare knit miniskirts (worn over matching leggings), and lots of bandeau tops, in stark black and white with shots of electric blue or pink.

Insta-worthy: The opening black-and-white neoprene dress, adorned with blue and green fringe.

Takeaway: For those who thought Alexander Wang’s sporty sci-fi babes too modest.

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For those of us who don’t know how to properly iron or don’t want to break out the hotel iron on vacation (which is everyone, right?), Downy created Wrinkle Releaser Plus to remove creases and static and get rid of odors. The spray has what the company is calling a “light fresh scent” — it makes your clothes smells like clean laundry, even if they’ve been crammed unwashed in a suitcase.

But any fabric refresher can do that. The magic Downy’s spray brings to the table is that it really, truly gets rid of all wrinkles, without ironing or steaming. We’ve tried it on a variety of fabrics: Just spray, gently tug, wait five minutes, and poof! You’re ready to go about your day wrinkle-free. It also comes in a 3 oz. travel size, so you can pop it in a carry-on.

The post Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus is magic appeared first on Metro.us.

Is this the Apple iWatch? Credit: YouTube

There’s a chance Apple will announce several new products in their lineup including the iPhone 6 and possibly the iWatch – a wearable device for your wrist.

There have been plenty of speculation around the Web surrounding the look and design of Apple’s new gadgets and it’s always fun to see what the rumor mill churns out whenever there’s a new Apple release.

Here is a list of the most popular concepts and leaked images of the iWatch.

The band look

Will it look like a GPS athletic device? Credit: Reddit

Stylish

At least this design has a little style. Credit: Imgur

A cuff

A cuff?

Curve iPhone with leather band

This design looks like a curved iPhone with a leather band.

iWatch with round face

Will the iWatch have a round face and leather band?

High tech approach

Stay tuned to find out what the Apple iWatch will look like.

The post PHOTOS: What will the Apple iWatch look like? appeared first on Metro.us.