Posts by Maggie Rulli
Maxwell's 5 tips for an Awesome Study Space
Before Maxwell Ryan founded ApartmentTherapy.com, he worked as a school teacher. He found that his students who had great study spaces did better in school and get this – they had an easier time doing it. It’s that last part that got me...make your study space awesome and you’ll have an easier time getting A’s??! I’m sold.
So there you have it – Maxwell's 5 tips for an awesome study space!
- Make sure it's YOU!
One of Maxwell’s number one rules is to make sure your study space reflects who you are - after all, you’re the one who is going to be sitting in it for hours! So that’s a big yes to pictures, posters, messages, and in Naomi’s case: flags. Nothing is off limits… as long as it represents who you are. But (you knew a but was coming…) make sure everything is arranged on the wall in an organized way (don’t be afraid to break out the ruler to make sure everything is straight and spaced equally). And when it comes to hanging larger items like Naomi’s flags, Maxwell says to hang everything at “gallery height” – that’s 57 inches from the middle of the piece to the floor.
Need help figuring out what study space style works best for you? Try our study style quiz!
- Keep it clean!
I know...I'm sorry. The last thing you need is one more person telling you to keep your room clean. So I will keep this point brief: keep it clean.
At least Maxwell has a tip to help make cleaning as easy as possible: arrange all the furniture in your room so that you can easily vacuum and dust around everything. Because let’s be real – the last thing we need when cleaning is for it be harder than it needs to be.
- It’s all about the desk
Maxwell reminds us that as a student, homework is the basis of your professional life… and the desk is the basis of homework. So yeah, the desk is kinda a big deal. Here are some desk tips from Maxwell:
- Make the desk the focal point of the room by giving it the biggest wall space possible.
- At your desk, you need just enough storage space for what you’re working on every day.
- Make sure your space is well lit
- Care about the chair
Think about this – all the time you’re studying, your chair is supporting you. And come finals time… that chair might have to support you for quite a few hours. So Maxwell says it’s important to invest in a comfortable chair. You’ll work better and your body will say thank you.
- Spruce things up with bedding
O.K. so the bed isn’t technically part of your study space. But as Maxwell reminds us – sleeping well at night effects how well you study. Make sure your bed is comfortable and a great place to recharge after a long day of studying. And an extra bonus? Maxwell says bedding can be an area to add some fun to the room – so grab a crazy color and go wild!
Bonus Tip: How to share a space
All those who share a study space – Maxwell has got you covered with this bonus tip. He says having your own personal space is important, so make sure each person has a desk that faces a different wall. That way, even if the rest of the room is shared, each person can personalize their desk and wall. And here’s an extra perk - Maxwell says shared spaces can actually be helpful – two people with four arms can work to maintain a clean space.
So what do you think – any study tips we missed? Let us know!
COMMENTSFive Ways to Fight the Sixth Great Extinction
How about this for a headline to scare ya: According to the American Museum of Natural History, seven in ten biologists believe that a mass extinction event poses an enormous threat to human existence. Here’s another one to alarm you: Biodiversity loss is a more serious environmental problem than the well-publicized threat of global warming. And one last shock: most people outside of science underestimate the seriousness of biodiversity loss.
Whelp - That’s a lot to take in.
I always considered myself someone who cares about the environment – you know I recycle, turn off the lights, try to take short showers...but biodiversity loss? How the heck do you stop that? During my work on the sixth great extinction series, I got the chance to speak with experts, researchers and students who are all working to reverse the sixth great extinction.
Here are five tips I learned from these amazingly smart and talented people.
Learn and then just start talking. Biodiversity loss may be the biggest threat to our species, but it doesn’t often make headlines. Dr. Allison Roberts from the San Diego Zoo spoke with us about the great conservation work zoos are doing worldwide to promote biodiversity sustainability. She says well-run zoos are a great place for people to meet new species and learn about biodiversity. And the more people who know about it, the more people who will work to make a change.
Make your actions count.The students at Medomak Valley High School in Waldoboro, Maine taught me this one. Every day, their horticulture class works to save, plant and grow seeds. Their actions are literally helping to save plant biodiversity. You don’t have to create your own seed bank to make a difference – every action helps. Make smart consumer choices and buy sustainable products whenever possible. Recycle and reuse everything you can. And try to reduce all waste in the first place. An added challenge? Try gardening. As I learned from Medomak Valley high school – home grown food always taste better!
Appreciate the wilderness. When I was meeting with environmentalists and ranchers in Oregon about the ongoing wolf debate, I was struck by how much everyone loved the land. It didn’t matter what side they were on, both groups genuinely loved their beautiful home of Northeast Oregon. With all the talk about protecting the environment, it’s important to stop and remember what we’re trying to save – one-of-a-kind, take-your-breath-away areas of wilderness.
Simply take it seriously, because your life depends on it. After all – humans are a species! And we depend on many of the species that are beginning to decline. This fact hit me hard while working with the researchers at Oregon State’s Honey Bee lab. Bees help create more than one third of the food we eat – without them, many scientists question how long the human race can survive.
Get Political. Dr. Richard Pearson from the American Museum of Natural History says the number one way to make a big impact is to make big changes – things like legislative reform, new environmental bills and land protection. These decisions are made by elected officials that you vote for! Dr. Pearson recommends voting for people who are working to protect the environment, write to them and express your concern, and when a decision is being made tell them how feel. Democracy might just be the number one way to counter biodiversity loss.
The good news? All our experts agree that while we are on the verge of the sixth great extinction - it hasn’t happened yet. The changes we make today can change the future and reverse biodiversity loss.
No Dog? No Problem! Five Ways to Rent a Pet
In recent years, research on animal assisted therapy has discovered both profound physiological and physiological benefits. Yet I don’t need any research report to tell me the one hard fact I know without a doubt: being around a cute animal is just insanely awesome!
Growing up with dogs, I do have a bit of a cute puppy obsession...but how can you not fall in love when you look into the eyes of a ridiculously adorable, fluffy little pup who loves you back for simply being you?! So this is a shout out to my dog in high school, Boo. The cutest puppy ever (not that I’m biased or anything…) who listened when I needed someone to talk to, greeted me at the door like I was the greatest person on earth, and was always available for a snuggle.
Now if you can’t have a furry best friend at home – don’t despair. There are other ways you can experience that special bond.
- If you’re lucky enough to go to a school that offers an animal renting program like the one featured on today’s show – use it! For more inspiration, here’s another example of a great dog therapy program for students at Prospect High just outside Chicago, Ill.
- Want to play with animals and give back to the community? Many shelter animals severely lack human interaction. Volunteer to play, walk or run at your local shelter! Some cities, like Philadelphia, even organize group runs. You’ll get the chance for some one on one time with a furry friend, and you’ll make one lucky pup very happy.
- Walk your friend’s/neighbor’s/relative’s dog! As much as families love their own dogs, life gets busy and sometimes the daily responsibility of caring for an animal is too much. Your neighbor will love your generosity, and you’ll get the chance for a puppy play date!
- Pet sitting: An opportunity to play with cute animals and make money? What?!! It’s true. While pet sitting is a big responsibility (you are looking after the life of another animal after all) it’s a great chance to bond with an animal over a longer period of time (and did I mention you’ll make money too?)
- Don’t have enough money/space/time/whatever to care for a larger animal like a dog? There’s no need to give up. Studies have shown that smaller animals like goldfish and even house plants can promote well being.
And as an added bonus, enjoy this slide show of my dog Boo when she was a puppy. I’m pretty sure this is 99% for my own enjoyment only...but come on, how cute is she?!??
Shelby's Happy Chapped Chicken Butt Farm
Shelby Grebenc is an more than just an impressive entrepreneur. She's kind of an egg farming genius. Here's what she had to say about eggs, farming, starting a business and the reason she got into all of this in the first place. On Business
"There is a lot more to raising chickens and eggs than you might think. It has taken me a long time to learn these things. You don't count your money first. The first thing you need to do is get an official state I.D. so that you can open your own bank account and get a check book so that you can pay for stuff and have some place to put your money. You can't do any business with out these things. The adults you have buy stuff from do not take you seriously" without out it.
Turns out, you have to sell about 150 dozen eggs before you make a profit. Shelby sells "around 12 to 17 dozen eggs a day, and more when it is warmer because my girls lay better. There are lots of things that drive my costs besides water and electricity. The diesel price hike made my costs go up a year or two ago because farmers had to pay more to fill up their tractors to harvest grain. Then the drought hit and made my prices go up more again because the grain that is used to make chicken food did not grow. I had to pay something called taxes last year. I did not know I would have to do this."
On Chickens
"Complying with Animal Welfare Approved Standards is good to let people know that you are humanly raising your animals but it increases my costs a lot to do this. I don't mind because the animals that give us the eggs should have the best life that I can give them for their service. They get outside and run around everyday just like wild birds but they have the same risk of being eaten by predators, like wild birds. A lot of my losses are from peoples pet dogs too. People let their dogs out to just run around. When a dog gets into a flock of chickens it will kill them just for fun. When you lose a chicken you lose the eggs you would have gotten."
On the Eggs
"It takes a long time to get an egg from a chicken -- between 32 and 36 weeks. By the time a chicken starts to lay an egg I have about $70.00 to $100.00 in to my girl. I love my chickens. If you hatch your own eggs about half of the chicks will be roosters. You only need one rooster to mate with your chickens to get fertilized eggs. The rest of the roosters just eat up food, poop and fight, so it is best to sell them or eat them before they get too old. This means you have to kill a chicken that you have raised and it is hard sometimes. You have to get new chickens up and laying before your old chickens die or are killed or before the old chickens start to molt so you will have eggs to sell. Molting is where the chickens loose their feathers and regenerate. Chickens do not lay eggs while they are molting but you still have to take care of them until they are through it."
"People just think you collect and sell eggs. Not really. I order feed in at six tons at a time which is how I can get the best price. Also, six tons of food turns into six tons of chicken poop. I do a lot of lifting, shoveling and coop cleaning that does not get shown on television. I can drive our farm tractor so that helps. It's not very romantic and people don't think about that part of it and when they find out they make fun of you because you are doing something gross for work."
On the Reasons Why
Like her story? Even if you can't buy her eggs, she reminded us to "please keep in mind the reason I started this is because my mom has MS, she was very sick and we needed money." That means the best thing you can do for her, her chickens and her mom is to support your local MS Society chapter and hope for a cure, very soon.
Want more of Shelby? Watch the video below.
For the Love of Chocolate
Valentine's Day...the perfect excuse to eat chocolate.
Seriously though, is it even possible not to like chocolate? O.K., obviously I’m biased. But even if you are a vanilla person (Gasp), Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for us all to put aside our differences and eat chocolate.
And no, I’m not playing with some simple let’s go eat a chocolate bar on Valentine’s Day blog post here. Anyone can go out and buy a box of chocolates. We’re gonna take it up a notch with some of the most extreme, tastiest and out of the box chocolate recipes out there. BRING ON THE COCOA!
Unlikely Chocolate Combo: Chocolate and Kale.
A Chocolate salad?! Has Maggie gone crazy? Yeah, chocolate crazy. While leafy greens and chocolate bars are certainly an unlikely pair, that’s what makes this snack such a tasty surprise. By slathering the kale in chocolate and baking it on a low temp, chocolate kale chips taste like crunchy chocolate crumbles.
Only 2 Ingredients: Chocolate and Water.
This recipe caught me off guard…and I’ve been known to read quite a few chocolate recipes. This mousse is fluffy, chocolaty and only has two ingredients! Win.
Craziest Chocolate Cake: Chocolate Cauliflower Cake
This recipe gives two options for making a super moist chocolate cake: Cauliflower or Pumpkin - both seem crazy. Crazy awesome.
Classic Chocolate Dessert Remixed: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
This smoothie is one of my favorite breakfasts. Yup, chocolate for breakfast. Come on…there’s oats and fruit in it too!
Chocolate as a Meal: The Grilled Cheese Chocolate
Melted Chocolate. Crusty bread. Gooey cheese. And Sweet strawberries. Enough said.
And let’s be real, a straight up bar of pure chocolate is pretty awesome too.
With all these recipes, I try to make sure to use organic, fair trade chocolate. Because tasty chocolate tastes even better when you know it’s good for you and the people who made it. Now that’s some Valentine’s Day love.
Do you have any awesome chocolate recipes we gotta try this V-day?? A fellow chocolate addict needs to know, so post them in the comments!
Celebrate Quinoa!
After hearing that the U.N. declared 2013 the Year of Quinoa, I'm sure the number one question on everyone's mind is: "How do we celebrate??" Well funny you should ask my friend…because I’ve got a whole menu lined up for us! We’ll be eating quinoa for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! Get excited.
But first let’s back track just a bit. Quinoa (pronounced KEEN – wah) is a seed that’s closely related to spinach and other leafy greens. It’s packed with vitamins and minerals, and it’s an awesome source of protein. And that’s full on complete proteins I’m talking about – meaning it’s one of the few vegan food sources that has all the essential building blocks of protein your body needs. People have known about the awesomeness of Quinoa for a while now. Back in the days of the Incan Empire, warriors relied on it for strength… and if it was powerful enough for them to defend their massive empire, just think about what it could do for you on the soccer field.
Alright, now that you’re all caught up – let’s get to the delish part. As promised, here’s your day of quinoa. Don’t worry… quinoa is seriously one of the simplest things to cook up – it’s just like pasta or rice! My method? There are some great step by step instructions over at the blog http://www.thekitchn.com.
Breakfast Quinoa
Get a good jolt in the AM from a morning dose of quinoa – prepared just like your favorite bowl of oatmeal. I love mine with almond milk, cinnamon, almonds and blueberries. Here’s another take over at www.tablespoon.com.
Get a good jolt in the AM from a morning dose of quinoa – prepared just like your favorite bowl of oatmeal. I love mine with almond milk, cinnamon, almonds and blueberries. Here’s another take over at www.tablespoon.com.
Lunch Quinoa
I normally keep my quinoa lunch simple and just let the seed do its thing: Just quinoa, a little olive oil, pinch of salt and a whole lotta pepper. But if you need a little help getting the whole lunch table to try your quinoa dish, warm them up with this one: Quinoa Mac and Cheese. www.Tastykitchen.com gives mac a quinoa makeover.
I normally keep my quinoa lunch simple and just let the seed do its thing: Just quinoa, a little olive oil, pinch of salt and a whole lotta pepper. But if you need a little help getting the whole lunch table to try your quinoa dish, warm them up with this one: Quinoa Mac and Cheese. www.Tastykitchen.com gives mac a quinoa makeover.
Snack Quinoa
Gotta love sneaking in some extra quinoa during the day...I mean, it is it’s year after all! So keep quinoa'ing all day long with a pocket full of quinoa granola. The www.dailybitesblog.com has a crunchy recipe.
Gotta love sneaking in some extra quinoa during the day...I mean, it is it’s year after all! So keep quinoa'ing all day long with a pocket full of quinoa granola. The www.dailybitesblog.com has a crunchy recipe.
Dinner Quinoa
My favorite way to turn a quinoa dish into an impressive dinner plate? Put it in a squash! Over at Cocomamafoods, they pair their quinoa with a butternut squash.
My favorite way to turn a quinoa dish into an impressive dinner plate? Put it in a squash! Over at Cocomamafoods, they pair their quinoa with a butternut squash.
Dessert Quinoa
I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, and obviously I was most excited about baking a birthday cake...and obviously that cake involved quinoa. There are a few recipes online, but I picked out this one from www.natureinsider.com. (*Note – I’m not a huge fan or orange in chocolate, so I kept my cake orange free!)
I celebrated my birthday a few weeks ago, and obviously I was most excited about baking a birthday cake...and obviously that cake involved quinoa. There are a few recipes online, but I picked out this one from www.natureinsider.com. (*Note – I’m not a huge fan or orange in chocolate, so I kept my cake orange free!)
Dessert Quinoa #2
Heck...it’s the YEAR of quinoa, let’s eat our dessert twice. Over on www.QueenofQuinoa.me there’s awesome recipe for Chocolate Quinoa pudding that will finish off our day quite nicely.
Heck...it’s the YEAR of quinoa, let’s eat our dessert twice. Over on www.QueenofQuinoa.me there’s awesome recipe for Chocolate Quinoa pudding that will finish off our day quite nicely.
Let me know if you try any of these recipes, or better yet – make up some of your own!! Happy eating, and happy Year of Quinoa – let’s celebrate!
Bugs: They're What's For Dinner
"So did you actually eat them?" Yes, Mom. I ate the crickets.
Let's back track a bit...when I decided to do a story on diversifying protein choices in America, I really just wanted to expand on the age old question: “Chicken or Fish?” What I quickly found was that for the majority of the world’s countries, that question is more like: “Grasshopper or Maggot?”
So where does that leave us Americans? Scientists warn that as the global population continues to increase, traditional meat production will simply not be able to keep up with demand. Add in concerns over greenhouse gasses created by livestock farming -- and we have a serious call to action on our hands.
But now back to the Mom reaction (which by the way was pretty much everyone’s reaction as well). There’s just something about bugs that creeps us out - like that kinda creep ya out feeling where you’re left with some serious jitters straight to the core.
But after hours of reading article after article about how edible insects will save our future, I decided it was time to face my pest panic full on.
I called in the support of Andrew Zimmern, host of Travel Channel’s Bizarre Foods and Bizarre Foods America, and a man who knows a thing or two about adventuresome eating (think squirrel brains and cow urine). And together...we ate the crickets.
My honest reaction: Tasty. No joke.
The crickets had been marinated in lime, dry roasted and tossed in salt. 
Many people say roasted crickets taste like a cross between shrimp and almonds. My best description? They were like the crispiest, most flavorful fried bits of tasty I’ve ever had.
Many people say roasted crickets taste like a cross between shrimp and almonds. My best description? They were like the crispiest, most flavorful fried bits of tasty I’ve ever had. Still can’t wrap your mind around it? Here are some bits of wisdom from Andrew to help you on your insect eating way.
Eat good insects. Just as chicken can be cooked dry or soup seasoned too salty - insects can either be prepared poorly or perfectly. There are plenty of ways to make insects… you just have to figure out how you like your locusts cooked! FYI - Andrew assured me our crickets were some good crickets.
Different insects taste different. Plenty of people don’t like the taste of goat but love them some chicken. So just because you don’t like caterpillars doesn’t mean you won’t love bee larvae! Sometimes you simply gotta taste around.
You’re already eating foods that are way weirder. Seriously...have you ever looked at a shrimp? Like really looked at it? Go ahead. 
How crazy does that thing look?!?? Plenty creepier than a cricket… yet people cringe at crickets and devour plates of cocktail shrimp. It’s all about perception and that physiological barrier of what our culture defines as “normal.”
How crazy does that thing look?!?? Plenty creepier than a cricket… yet people cringe at crickets and devour plates of cocktail shrimp. It’s all about perception and that physiological barrier of what our culture defines as “normal.” Convinced? Here are some recipes to get ya on your insect eating way.
Daniella Martin of Girl Meets Bug gives us five ways to cook up crickets – baked, fried or ground up!
Still too “buggy” for you? When it doubt, just try some chocolate covered insects.
Let’s wrap it up with one final statement to blow your mind. If eating bugs is the norm in most countries...aren’t we actually the weird ones for not eating them? Wait, what’s that you say? I totally just reshaped your world view and you’re ready to start cooking up your own bugs?? I thought so.
Check out the behind the scenes video with Andrew below for more of his thoughts on adventurous eating.
Let the ROFL Begin
I'm about to give you an excuse to go ahead and watch that funny YouTube video, laugh at your friend's inside joke for the tenth time today, and heck while you’re at it, why don’t you reblog that funny .gif from Tumblr as well...you can thank me later.It turns out laughing is one of the best things you can do for yourself. From making friends, to staying healthy, even getting better grades, giggles got you covered.
Skeptical? Let’s consult the research:
- Cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore found that laughter may help protect against heart disease. Doctors claim a good giggle could even increase circulation as much as a treadmill session.
- And since we’re talking about treadmill sessions, an intense bout of belly laughs works out your abdominal muscles. Now that beats crunches in the gym!
- Chuckles might even protect against illness. A Loma Linda University study found that disease-fighting immunoglobulin rose by 14 percent after subjects laughed.
- Turns out laughter can even conquer pain. A UCLA study discovered that people could withstand severe cold for 40 percent longer while watching comedies. Doctors suggest this increase in pain tolerance is due to the release of endorphins -- those feel good, happy hormones.
- Taking a test soon? Multiple studies say you better get your laugh on first. A retired psychologist from Johns Hopkins Medical School found that students who took the "funny version" of his tests scored significantly higher than those who got stuck with the boring version. Over at the University of North Carolina, a psychologist showed students a video - either a funny clip of penguins (always a crowd pleaser) or a boring shot of lines. No surprise, the group who laughed with the penguins showed increased creativity and a better ability to solve complex problems.
- Shared belly laughs always make for instant BFFs. Research from the State University of New York at Stony Brook found that even randomly chosen pairs bonded faster when humor was involved.
- Laughter is equally important in the workplace. Boston University asked participants to grade their bosses. Bosses who were graded as "outstanding" used humor twice as much as "average" ranking bosses.
Scott Evans
Scott Evans has been working in entertainment and media since the third grade. After studying communications and theatre at Purdue University, he worked as a NBA On-Court Host for the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever. He most recently worked as the West Coast Correspondent at the millennial news organization, One Minute News.
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Maggie Rulli
Maggie Rulli was born in Georgia and raised in Boston by Midwestern parents. She graduated from Boston College before before joining the prestigious NBC Page program, and then Channel One.
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Julian Dujarric
Julian Dujarric is the newest member of the Channel One News team. Before joining Channel One, he was the movie correspondent for TUN, a college television network broadcasting to over 2 million college students. He also worked for the City of New York?s NYC Media, where he received an Emmy Nomination for his hosting work.
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Matt Conway
Matt Conway is a freshman at Agawam High School, Massachusetts. He enjoys movies, sports, and cycling.
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Amanda Bachman
Amanda Bachman is a senior at Penn-Trafford High School where she has been a Student Athletic Trainer for three years.
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Selena Maldonado
Selena Maldonado is a seventeen-year-old senior at San Benito High School in San Benito, Texas. She is in the top ten per cent of her class and has been a varsity wrestler for the last two years. She plans to study agriculture in college. For the past few years, she has visited her relatives in her ancestral home in the mountains of central Mexico.
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Alexis Morgan
Alexis is a Channel One News intern working on her master's degree in journalism.
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Jason Kuang
Jason graduated from SUNY Purchase with a BA in Journalism, and then went out into the world to pursue his journalism career, which started when he was an intern at Channel One. He is now a full-fledged staff member working on a little bit of everything.
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Kristin Sachau
Producer Kristin grew up in San Diego, California and graduated from San Diego State University. When she got involved with documentary filmmaking, she realized she had a passion for storytelling and she's been doing it every since.
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Alex Honeysett
Alex Honeysett is the director of communications and promotions at Channel One.
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Evan Groll
Associate Producer Evan Groll started at Channel One as an intern. He enjoys covering international news, human interest pieces and stories centered around social injustices (or even better, a combination of the three).
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