Nicole Blanchette stood in stark contrast to the dancers across the floor from her. Blanchette wore black pants and a black tee shirt with her hair up in a bun.

Ever wonder what is the best exercise you're not doing? The deep squat. Some of you probably saw this one coming, although it always surprises me that many people skip the squat. Why is this? Is it because it's uncomfortable? Is it too hard? Maybe you can't physically do them (yet).

If the last scenario is you, the leg press has been shown to develop leg muscles at the same rate the squat does.

Hofstra University's very own Au Bon Pain is a public hub for students and staff to sit down, relax, and have a bite to eat. Aside from Starbucks Coffee and California Pizza Kitchen, it is the only branded franchise restaurant available on campus, and by far the most nutritious.

Hobby (noun): an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. To say that working out and nutrition are my hobbies would be an insult, I'm utterly obsessed.

We are freshmen. We moved away, kissed the parents goodbye and began our rigorous schedule. Concerning ourselves with fitting in is overrated, but performing our studies and our daily life in a way that is perceived normal by the upperclassmen is always a plus. Just from simply living the college life for a mere week's time I have gathered bits of knowledge on the Do's and Don'ts of being a freshman.

Fresh off being a trainer on NBC's weight loss show ‘The Biggest Loser,' boxer Cara Castronuova took a break from throwing punches and instead sat ringside as a guest judge of Hofstra's Got Talent on Saturday, Sept. 3.

Agnes Mathenge is a sophomore Math and Business Economics major who is working hard in the final weeks of this semester and looking forward to summer break. She will pack her bags and begin a seventeen-hour trip that spans three continents—just to get home. Agnes is native to Nairobi, Kenya, a bustling city at the center of Kenya's economy and lively culture. "Nairobi is a busy place, but you can't compare it to New York City" said Agnes, "Kenya is really chill."

Cricket has been a widely popular game in England since the 16th century. Due to the expansion of the British Empire, cricket was no longer limited to the British, but exposed to various countries overseas; the sport has recently made its debut at Hofstra University this year.

Drink your beer and bake with it too! Not many people realize that besides water and milk, other beverages make great ingredients for cooking. I still dream of this flavorful Roasted Garlic Beer Bread days after making it.

In the Student Center:

Girl: Maybe we should just be abstinent.

Girl: Maybe you should shut the hell up.

Meet Hofstra senior Luz Peña, a double major in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science. Students may recognize Peña from her star-studded coverage of the Academy Awards after she won the mtvU Oscars Correspondent competition representing Hofstra earlier this year.

In the Student Center:

Girl: Did you see how big that girl's boobs were? They were like popping out of her shirt.

Guy: Oh yeah.

Girl: Why'd you look at them?!

This semester, returning to Hofstra with a bang, is the mental health awareness club Active Minds. The national organization of Active Minds was formed in 2001, and reached Hofstra in Fall 2009. The Hofstra chapter of Active Minds was started by Genevieve Gans, a 2010 Hofstra graduate who was looking to bring awareness of mental illnesses to the Hofstra community.

At first glance, Ben Thompson-Star might appear like a typical US student. But strike up a conversation with the senior Public Relations major with a Music minor, and Ben's prominent accent reveals that he is far from home. Ben makes the trip to Hofstra each year from his hometown of Port Macquarie, Australia.

There seems to be a particular emphasis on sports, health and general well being at Hofstra as of late. Greek and Earth Week activities encouraged physical fitness as well as making our world healthy. So many food products offered in the market nowadays are advertised as healthy, but are they?

Imagine growing up on an isolated island where only local businesses exist and fishing is the most common way of life. There are forty kids in your graduating high school class, and you know that most of you are going to travel hundreds, even thousands of miles to go to college. This is the reality for one Hofstra student, Haleigh Zueger, a junior Political Science and Global Studies major.

Three years ago, Hofstra 2010 graduate, Jackie Nese, started Improfstra, a campus organization devoted to improv comedy. Although this club is officially named, its members have recently deemed it as Tequila Mockingbird. "As far as I know, there's no specific reason other than that it's kind of clever and funny," said Jake Link, the troupe leader of Tequila Mockingbird.

Hofstra's School Of Communication is facilitating a grand experiment this week. The organizers have draped Dempster Hall in huge banners reading "Week Without the Web" or "WWW."

Get it?

Freshman broadcast journalism major Christy Anderson just seems like your average college student at first glance. What you wouldn't know about her is that she is the daughter of DJ Spinderella (of Salt-N-Pepa fame).