Monday Must-Haves

Monday Must-Haves
My fall favorites.

1. Bean boots. The absolute best for rainy days, snowy days, and cold days. Check out the College Prepster's post on how to choose the best Bean boots. Pictured: 6" Bean Boots by L.L. Bean.

2. Cozy sweaters. A given as the weather starts to cool down. I love the sparkly embellishments 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target sweater.

3. Fall candles. Yankee Candle and Bath & Body Works are my favorites. Watch for sales at Bath & Body!

4. Flannel. The coziest and best thing you can own in the fall. I love the elbow patches that have appeared this season. Pictured: L.L. Bean.

5. Cords. Despite being one of the most challenging words to spell, cordouroys courdoroys cordorouys corduroys are my favorite alternative to jeans (other than leggings, of course). Paired with boots and a sweater or flannel, they are perfect for a crisp fall day.

6. Puffer vest. For those days when it's cold, but not that cold. J.Crew and Ralph Lauren have some good options. Pictured: J.Crew.

7. Zip leggings. Thicker than ordinary leggings and embellished with zippers, these are quickly becoming a favorite. Pictured: J.Crew.

8. Frye boots. I made a trip to the new flagship Frye store in Georgetown a few weeks ago! It's brand new, and it's one of only four flagship stores in the country. This place is like boot heaven, and it's an absolute must if you're in the area.

Photos courtesy of The Frye Company.

*And if anyone wants to give me a puppy, I wouldn't be too upset about it.

xo

Life Hacks on Not Getting Sick

When the weather gets colder, I get sick.

For the past few years, it seems like it's been inevitable. I go to a huge university with 30,000+ people, and between door handles, people coughing on me, and going out regularly, it seems impossible to stay healthy. But last year, I figured out a few tactics to avoid getting sick, even during the germiest and coldest of winters.

We all know the obvious things we're supposed to do:

• Sleep a lot
• Drink a lot of water
• Eat a clean diet
• Exercise regularly
• Don't touch your face
• Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often
• Get a flu shot
• Don't touch door handles
• Don't share food, drinks, etc.

But I know I can't always sleep eight hours a night, and sometimes you just have to stuff your face with cupcakes and PSLs. There are some ways to avoid getting sick that you might not have though of yet, and I'm here to tell you what they are.

Wet Ones. Seriously, these things saved me. Carry a travel-sized pack of Wet Ones around with you (you can buy them at Target for about $1) and wipe your phone, laptop, and hands down regularly. I do this every few hours when I'm at school. You don't realize how much bacteria your phone and keyboard pick up every day--it's pretty disgusting.

Take your vitamins. I have a huge jar of gummy bear multivitamins that I take daily, but here are a few more that are important for immunity:

• Vitamin D3
• Vitamin C (so important!)
• Omega-3
• Vitamin B

I also like to take one to two packets of Emergen-C with a glass of water daily for an extra boost of Vitamin C. Hint: It tastes a lot better over ice.

Wheatgrass shots. You might think wheatgrass is for hippie health freaks, but I used it on the reg last semester and definitely saw the benefits. I took two shots of wheatgrass every two to three days, and I've never felt better. It has great immune benefits and gives you an extra energy boost.

Gargle with warm saltwater every night. It sounds silly, but in a 2005 study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, subjects that regularly gargled with saltwater over a 60-day period showed a 40 percent decrease in upper respiratory tract infections. This can also be effective in fighting off a cold when you feel it coming on.

Drink (alcohol) in moderation. This may be tougher for some of us than others, especially college students, but wild nights of partying might be the cause of sickness. If you do go out a lot, be sure to make up for it by sleeping in the next day. And take it easy whenever possible.

Stay healthy, my friends! xo