Headphones for the College kid.

Let's face it, we love music. It expresses our feelings, lifts our spirits and makes life a lot more awesome. In college, you're going to listen the 80% of your tunes through a pair of headphones. Headphones are not only delivery method for music, but a nod to your personal style and your over all lifestye.  Let's face another shinning truth about college, you're likely going to be kind of broke. You're paying for food, books, tuitioin, sometimes even laundry. So I've compiled a list of a few awesome headphones to fit your wallet, and your style. Most of all, I've actually used these. I'm an athletic guy and I'm not easy on my headphones.

Wicked Audio Deuce

I love the Deuce in- ear headphones. They've got a comfortable fit and they don't fall out of your ear needlessly.

20-20,000 HZ freaquency, 10 MM driver and a 4ft cord. Making for some great sound quality.

Don't get me started on the colours made available for this model.
Red, Lime Green, Hot Pink, Orange, Black, Blue, White, Purple, Teal, Yellow. Making for a lot of options.

They retail between $9.00 and $12.00

Sony Fashion Earbuds

The fashion earbuds, are pretty generic in design. They're ear cushion free but have a big of a soft shell rubber capping on it.

13.5 mm driver, 18-22,000 HZ frequancey and 1.2 M cord.

They've got a solid section of colours
Light Blue, Green, Red, Black, Violet, Pink, and grey.

They retail for $9.99

Skullcandy Uprocks

Skullcandy has been a constant brand for me. Featuring some of the best sound quality. The uprocks an awesome on ear headphone.

Skullcandy has reputation for both basic colours, combination and some unqiue ones. They also do a lot of collaborations with other brands, athletes teams ect.

These retail for $39.99 to $49.99 depending on the uprock selection you choose.

It also features a solid warranty.

Moki Dome Headphones

These are an ok headphone in my book. They're pretty bass driven and I'm not huge on base when it comes to music.

They're a stylish piece, that remind me of old fashion pilot ear phones, on a 60s love trip.

They're carried by walmart and generally run under $30.00

PBteen/ PBdorm Rock-Out

I know Pottery Barn anything, makes you think about well built furniture, bedding with awesome patterns and style tiles. But the PBteen/ PBdorm brand headphones are actually pretty solid.

The last pair I had were rock-outs. Which were comfy on the ears, came in a sweet pattern and the sound quality was good for under $50.00.

Right now on the PBteen website they're running for $19.99 on sale in Houndstooth.






Over all, these are just some suggestions, from my experience. I'm not a huge fan of breaking my wallet on a pair of headphones. Especially considering how often and how hard I use them. Like design and just about anything, headphones are unique to the person wearing them. So get out there and find something that works for you.

For now, I'm back to the job search. Hope you're all well.
-Hutch

My Summer Bucket List

Summer, it's a break from school and some of the more mundane things that make up a student's life. Summer should be yet another oppourtunity to forge new memories, try new things and hang out with the friends' you've grown up or went to high school with. Most students generally want a part-time/full-time summer job, but thats usually nessistiy so I'm not count it on my bucket list.

I'm a pretty money conscious guy, so I like to do a lot of things that are free or fairly cheap. So I can save money for the following school year or more important things like Christmas gifts for my family.

Cherry Blossoms Hyde Park

1. Visit Hyde Park: Seriously it's kind of local to me and I've never been here. I've always heard of these amazing cherry blossom trees and that it's a great park to go for a job or brush up on one's nature photography.

2.  Paint My Room: My room has been the same colour since I was 14 and my mother had veto powers. I've grown out of  blue on three walls and a burgendy accent wall look and I'm on the prowl for something more mature.

Canada's Wonderland: Leviathan

3. Ride The Leviathan:  I love rollercoasters! I vividly remember my first coaster being that little dragon one that pops up at carnivals. I was probably two. This summer, I've got Canada's Wonderland's Leviathan in my cross hairs. It's a Giga-Coaster ranked amoung the tallest coaster of any type in the world.

4. Round Off- Back Tuck: This year, I'm planning to be on the coed varsity cheer squad. I'll be a stunter(base) but I'd like to come in with a bit more tumbling under my belt. So training my round off- back tuck is on my buck list.

5. Visit a Museum: Even with school being out, it doesn't hurt to learn something new. A trip the museum is a fun way to learn new things. I'll probably take my nephew Joshua and make a day of it.

Splash Island Waterways

6. Youngest Nephew's First Waterslide: This summer my youngest nephew Eli is big enough for the small waterslides and park rides. I don't get to see him often, I miss a lot of milestones. This summer, I'll take him on his first waterslide. Like his brother before Joshua before him.





7.  Help a Homeless Person: I may not be rich, but I am blessed. I have a roof over my head, I know where my next meal is coming from and I only ever walk around barefeet because I feel like it. A lot of people don't have that luxury. This summer I want to make up a backpack kit, with a set of socks, a t-shirt, A tupperware, Can of pasta, Water Bottle, Box of granola bars, Soap bar, Tooth Brush, Toothpaste, Fork and a sandwich to give to a homeless person during my usual city trip.

looks delicious

8. Find a new Pizza Restaurant: Ever since high school, I'd research the net to find a nice pizza/ italian resturant to try when I'd visit new cities when the performace acrobatic team would go on tour. This summer, I'm starting that fire again and finding a pizza place in the city I've never tried before.

9. Build a Slip-N-Slide: I'll admit to being a 5 year old in a college body. But this summer I'd love to build a slip-n-slide and leave it up for a few days. To chill on with friends and even let the neighbourhood's younger kids have a go to cool off in the summer.

10. Sticky Note Random Cars: Find a sticky note pad, grab my favourite pen and head to the mall. Leave inspiring or nice messages stuck to the drives side of the windsheild. Leave a hashtag and maybe you'll be able to follow your own handy work.

I'm sure this list will grow in time, but these are some of the things I plan to do. What's on your summer bucketlist?

Hope you're having a great day
-H

Fighting The Freshman 15

The Freshman 15, if you have heard of it by now, you will. The Freshman 15 is an arbitrary weight gain of around 15 pounds many freshman are prone to gain. Mostly because you're diet in the school cafeteria, isn't what your mom stacked on plate at home, or simply being a day student that is spending most their meal time on campus. Here are some weapons to arm yourselves with during the battle of the bulge.

Stalk Your Prey

When you're at the cafeteria, pay attention to it's full range of choices. Opt out of pre-made meals and assemble your own. With veggies from the saled bar, fruit for dessert and the heathier part of the nights meal like a lean meat.

Start The Day with Octane in the Tank

Never skip breakfast,  it's the one meal that puts your best foot forward. Gas the tank from the start it'll keep you alert in your early classes, it'll also curb the tendoncy to buy rubbish snacks from the vending machine.

Image: PBteen's Gear Up, Houndstooth lunch gear

Snack Right

Take it back to grade school, invest in a lunch bag, box or tote and some tupperware. Pack some healthy snacks from home or the dorm.  Pack some cut up fruit in a salad, maybe a small salad or even a scaled down sandwich. You can even toss in some dried fruit for the sweet tooth, string cheese or even some cheese and crackers.  PBteen and PBdorm offer an awesome selection for lunch bags and food containers.


Stay Active
 One of the biggest tips, I could ever give would be to stay active. Go outside play some flag football,  hit the weightroom, join intermural sports teams. Take up jogging, freerunning or long boarding. Being active burns fat. Helps your brain to stay alert and'll probably help you sleep better.

Well guys, I hope some of these tips will help you on campus next year.
Here's to conquering the Freshman 15

-Hutch

4 Clever Tricks to Making Friends on Campus

Image: Property of OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Campus Friends

Congratulations, you've made it to college. It's a brave new world and it's probably just a little intimidating. You've gone from the top of the totem pole, to being a tadpole in a pond full of bullfrogs, don't worry all tadpoles grow into frogs.  Now that you're here, there are just so many people and your best friends are all at different colleges across the country. It's time to make some friends on Campus.

1. Join a Campus Club

One the easiest ways to make a few friends on campus is joining a club. Your school will likely have a list of availabe clubs on campus through it's website or it's student association's office on campus. What makes club's great, the ice has been broken for you. You'll have something in common and something to talk about. This really made the difference between my freshman and the following year of study.

2.  Take Advantage of Community Spaces

A great way to make friends at the start of the year, is using the communal spaces provided on campus. Such as the gym,  rec rooms and cafeterias. At the start of the year, a lot of students are in the same boat as you, making friends in a wonderful and strange new place.

3. Take Part In Campus Events

College is a great place, in the sense of actually having social events planned. Some of these events maybe outdoor concerts, fundraisers, semi--formal dinner socials, pub nights, volunteer oppourtunities and the ever popular varsity game. These events are a great oppourtuniy for meeting new people, creating college memories and showing your school spirit.

4. Spend Less time in a virtual world, unplug

This'll sound rich, coming from a guy who typed this on the computer for a blog on the web. There is a reason for this contradictory statement.  Social media, computer & video games and tv are all wonderful things, but they can effect your social skills when they become a consuming force in your life.  College is about creating memories, new experiences and penning life's latest chapter. Take a moment to unplug once in a while.  Go out, play a game of frisbee, find a game of pick-up basketball, set up a beach trip or city outing for the guys and girls on your floor. All of these things lead to stronger social relationships and friendships on campus.

I hope some of these tips will help you out on campus this coming school year. If you have any tips you'd like to share or feel like leaving a comment. Work your magic below.

-Hutch