Drinks you may want to avoid when pulling an all-nighter. Photo by Branden Eastwood

College students rarely get the amount of sleep they need, according an August 2009 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study found that only about 29 percent of college students get the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. But sometimes, this is by choice.

The all-nighter is the college solution to procrastination, overloaded schedules and a lack of free time. We are only young for so long, so why waste precious hours asleep? You can sleep as much as you want when you retire.

Staying Awake

Your ability to remain awake is a balance between three “companions”: you, your biological clock, and external stimulation, according to “Sleepless at Stanford,” an article written by William Dement, professor at Stanford University and Founding President of the American Sleep Disorders Association.

“If one of your companions drops out, you and the other may be able to manage. If both companions drop out and you are left alone, you absolutely cannot hold up the heavy sleep debt and you are crushed. In other words, you cannot stay awake no matter how hard you try,” Dement writes.

An individual has the most direct influence on external stimulation since the biological clock is the body’s natural sleep rhythm. Getting out of this rhythm results in “sleep debt” which increases the bodies need to sleep the larger it gets, according to Dement.

Pulling an all-nighter means beating your sleep rhythm. Here’s how:

Natural Energy

Energy drinks may be the first thing a college student will turn to in order to stay up all night. However, they come along with a lot of nasty side-effects. A 2007 study published in the Nutrition Journal surveyed about 500 college students involving energy drink consumption. The study found that energy drinks result in “weekly jolt and crash episodes” in users 29 percent of the time. A more alarming finding was that 19 percent of those who drank energy drinks at least once a month experienced heart palpitations.

If someone continually consumes energy drinks throughout their all-nighter, they can become “caffeine intoxicated,” which is basically overdosing on energy. Medical experts at John Hopkins University recently called for warning labels on energy drinks, stating  that common side affects of caffeine intoxication include “nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, tachycardia, psychomotor agitation and in rare cases, death.”

Instead of throwing back Red Bulls, try some good sources of natural caffeine like green tea. Green tea is full of catechins, which the CDC has identified as antioxidants and aid in stimulation. It gives you a little kick with some much healthier side effects.

Besides caffeine, protein is another good way at keeping up energy. Protein releases energy over a much longer time than fat. So while those sour gummy worms may give you an initial energy boost, walnuts or almonds keep you going longer into the night.

Don’t make it too easy

To keep awake, you need to keep your brain as active as possible. This means partly inducing some level of stress, so don’t get too comfy. A rookie mistake of the all-nighter is to put on comfy clothes and sit in a big plushy chair. Wear normal clothes and sit on something that keeps your posture up. Don’t keep the room comfortably warm and avoid blankets at all costs.

Let there be Light … Just Not Blue

Our biological clocks are tied to light, which is why we try to sleep in dark places. Attempt to fake out your body by making the room you are in bright as day.

The Lighting Research Center found that our body’s natural sleep rhythm can be influenced up by blue light. In a 2005 study, they used blue light to speed up natural sleep rhythms so they could match the actual time. Exposure to blue light led participants to fall asleep earlier and wake up earlier. What does this mean for us all-nighters? Avoid blue light like it was the plague!

Contact the reporter at sbauge@asu.edu

The Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix prepares for its Chinese New Year celebration. Photo by Peter Lazaravich

Instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day with candy hearts and roses this Feb. 14, bust out some firecrackers and ring in the Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year kicks off the 15-day celebration known as Spring Festival. The Chinese New Year falls on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar, which occurs on the second new moon following the winter solstice. Each consecutive day is marked by a different set of traditions and customs. The celebration culminates with a Lantern Festival, where performers dance down the streets carrying a brightly-colored dragon traditionally made of paper, silk and bamboo.

2010 is the Year of the Tiger. The Chinese Zodiac calendar rotates each year around 12 animals. According to ancient Chinese lore, the tiger is a sign of bravery. It is revered in Chinese culture as an aggressive and courageous fighter who protects the home from fire, thieves and ghosts. Looking back on the tumultuous 2009, the tiger would have been helpful in warding against California’s raging wildfires, Wall Streets corrupt executives and paranormal activity paranoia.

Under the protection and guidance of this animal, 2010 will be a year for bold leaders to emerge, revolutions to upstart and major changes to be made. If this is true, let the tiger roar.

Below are a few of the Chinese New Year practices and traditions to ensure that peace and happiness will find you in 2010.

Statues at the Chinese Cultural Center in Phoenix. Photo by Peter Lazaravich.

Clean Sweep

Ten days before the Chinese New Year, the Chinese clean their homes. It is believed that cleaning sweeps away the bad luck lingering from the previous year and prepares the home to receive good luck for the upcoming year. Undoubtedly, nothing repels good fortune like a couch littered with old pizza boxes and a kitchen sink filled with dirty dishes. Reserve some time before the New Year to attract good luck by cleaning your house, car, backpack or life in general.

Reunion Dinner

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, which is Feb. 13, the Chinese gather with members of their family to honor Heaven and Earth. “The meaning of the Chinese New Year is family,” says Jie Zhu, an educator in the ASU Chinese Language Flagship program. “It is similar to the meaning of Thanksgiving. It’s about bringing the family together.”

If your family is too far away to attend New Year’s Eve dinner, or your cooking skills are subpar, gather a group of friends and dine out at your favorite Chinese restaurant. But do be careful while eating your food — dropping your chopsticks is a sign of bad luck for the New Year.

Pass the Packet

On the first day of the New Year, married and elderly Chinese pass red packets or envelopes of cash to younger, unmarried members of the family. “Before the parents go to bed they will put a red bag underneath the children’s pillow, like the tooth fairy,” says Zhu. “We want the kids to have a good year for the next year.”

The amount of cash varies and has in recent years been replaced by bonds, stocks or unit trusts in lieu of cash. Solicit this tradition to your parents, grandparents or aunts and uncles and see if you can’t get some extra book money for their favorite, starving college student.

Go Red

Red, the symbol of virtue, sincerity and strength, is the predominant color of the holiday. It is believed that red wards off bad fortune and evil spirits. Chinese language teaching assistant Ryan Robbins says the color red is significant because it represents fire, which, according to legend, the ancient villagers used to defeat the monster that terrorized their town.

It is customary to decorate the front door with red banners and couplets with kind wishes or sayings are a way to spread peace and good fortune. Foods and sweets are colored red in honor of the holiday. “Wear red to keep off bad spirits, bad vibes and bad chi,” says Robbins. “Usually you try, especially the women, to buy a new red outfit for the holiday.” Luckily, Chinese New Year falls on Valentine’s Day, so acquiring red-hot flowers, clothing, sweets or decorations will be unnaturally simple.

The Chinese New Year is a day for renewal and rebirth. If you have already forgotten your New Year’s resolution, consider the Chinese New Year your second chance to get back on track and make those little, life-enhancing changes.

And fear not if your boyfriend, girlfriend, significant other, mother is demanding you partake in Valentine’s Day this year. There will be a Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the basement of the Durham Languages & Literature building on the Tempe campus. Students will perform skits and poetry and there will be food and prizes for the attendees.

Contact the reporter at lauren.gambino@asu.edu

Can you pick your color? Photo by Branden Eastwood.

Enter the lipstick jungle at your own peril, or so it seems. Selecting a lipstick shade that enhances the pout may not be as hard as you think. Follow these simple tips to find the perfect lipstick for a beautiful pucker.

1. Undertones: The best color for lips depends on the skin’s undertones, which are the cool or warm colors underneath your skin. Undertones have two classifications: pink and yellow. Women with pink undertones will look best in colors with a complementary base such as blue, according to Dolce Salon & Spa makeup artist Laurel Mahaffey. Yellow undertones are best complimented by mauve and orange-based colors. Mahaffey says to find your complimentary colors, look on a color wheel for the colors that are exactly opposite of your skin undertones.
2. Seasons: Lipstick colors, like styles and fashions, are seasonal. During the winter months, skin is generally paler and better suited for darker, berry-colored lipstick colors. In springtime, wear flirty pinks and peaches on the lips. “People have natural inclinations to go darker in the winter and lighter in the summer months,” says Mahaffey. “Update your lipstick shades with the seasons, just like you would your closet.”
3. Reds: Wearing red lipstick is an art. When applied correctly, the scarlet prune will mirror glamorous movie stars like Vivien Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor. When done incorrectly, it can look like a little girl who had fun playing in her mother’s makeup drawer. The trick is finding a red made with a base color that compliments the skin’s undertones. “People think they can’t wear red but really, anyone can,” Mahaffey says. “[People] think that because they aren’t used to wearing it. You just have to find a color made from your best base colors.” A stylist or makeup artist can assist with selecting a shade made of the right base colors. Apply and confidently pucker for a crimson kiss.
4. Complements earn Compliments: Wear a color that not only compliments skin color, but also your outfit and makeup. When wearing dramatic eye makeup, opt for a neutral lip color. Add a punch to a au natural look with a bright lipstick. Also consider the setting. The grocery store is not the place for plum-colored lips, unless you regularly shop for produce in an LBD and stilettos. Paired with the right outfit and a little confidence, the right lipstick shade adds final touch.

Now go confidently to the makeup counter and demand to see the all the shades that compliment the skin’s undertones. All it takes is the right lipstick to turn that sourpuss into an alluring smile.

Contact the reporter at lauren.gambino@asu.edu

When some people think of knitting, the thought of an old grandmother knitting her grandchildren socks or Mrs. Weasley knitting Ron and the twins their monogrammed Christmas sweaters comes to mind. However, the hobby of knitting has become more popular among a younger generation with the selling of knit goods on the homemade sellers Web site Etsy and with designer Kate Spade’s mittens and hats knitted by women in Eastern Europe.

Little is known about the origins of knitting. One theory is that knitting has been a hobby for hundreds of years and stems from the art of tying knots, first perfected by seafarers of ancient times when they tied knots for fishing nets. The navigators then spread the art during their ocean travels. Since then, knitting has been used to create clothes, tapestries, flags and currently, hair bows, scarves and sweaters.

So when it comes to buying a scarf for $30 or more, knitting a scarf by yourself for less than $10 can be a fun and easy alternative.

Tools (for this particular scarf):

Yarn #5 or #6
5.5 mm straight knitting needles
Stitch holder (not required, but highly recommended)

Fancy knitting lingo:

Casting on: First step of knitting, putting stitches onto your needle.
Knit stitch: The basic knitting stitch
Casting off (also known as binding off): Closing the stitches when project is finished.

Steps:

1. Create a slip knot. In order to create a slip knot, make a loop with your yarn and pull through to create a knot. Place loop on a needle in your left hand. The loop should be adjustable.

step 1

2. After a slip knot is created, it is time to cast on. To cast on, loop the yarn around your forefinger and thumb. Insert the needle under the yarn touching your thumb. Pull tightly. Cast about 30 stitches. These 30 stitches will determine the width of your scarf.

3. Once your 30 stitches are cast, you will begin the knit stitch. Hold the needle with casted stitches in your left hand and the empty needle in your right, both with the pointed edges pointing up. Have the loose yarn from the ball in your right hand

4. Insert the right needle into the left loop, below the needle in the left hand. The left needle should then be in front of the right needle.

step 4

5. Take the loose yarn in your right hand and swing it around the right needle (that is still inserted into the loop).

step 5

6. Once that step is completed, pull the stitch off the left needle and onto the right needle. Voila, a stitch is made.

7. To begin a new row, repeat steps four though six. The needle with the rows of stitches is always held in your left hand and the empty needle is always held in your right. Continue these steps until a desired length is reached.

8. Once you are ready to end the scarf, you need to cast off in order to close the stitches off from unraveling. The first step is to knit two stitches onto your right needle.

Two stitches to the right

9. Pull the back stitch (the stitch farthest from the needle point) over the front stitch (the stitch closest to the needle point) and off the needle. The back stitch has then been cast off.

step 9

10. Continue step nine until there are no more stitches on the left needle and one lonely stitch on the right.

11. Pull your needle out of the stitch and pull the stitch to make a big loop by pulling the yarn connected to the ball of yarn.

The Loop

12. Cut the yarn from the ball leaving a few centimeters and thread it through the loop and pull tight to close it off.

Finally, after that marathon of knitting and sore fingers, you can proudly say you knitted your own scarf!

Tips from a beginner:

Buy a stitch holder: You will not knit a scarf all in one sitting, so buy a stitch holder to protect your work from falling apart when not being worked on.
Keep stitches loose: Don’t pull tight when creating stitches; keep them loose. It will much easier and faster to knit when you’re not forcing the needles into the loops because if tight stitches.

Contact the reporter at erica.m.rodriguez@asu.edu.

Illustration courtesy of The News Tribune.

Ingredients
HDTV
Cooler full of beverages
Poster board and markers
Football decorations
Plenty of junk food
Lots of seating
Die-hard football fans

Sun Devil fans hold up signs and chant during an ASU v. UofA game on Jan. 23 . Photo by Lauren Melby

Insults can be one of the most powerful tools in the world. Insults can start wars, create longstanding feuds and destroy friendships. However, insults can also provide a level of relief in a time of pain. An old coach once told me, “It’s not who wins or loses, but who left the field crying.”

With that, I turn to one of ASU’s favorite target for insults, the University of Arizona. Though ASU may have lost the game, that doesn’t mean we’ve lost the ability to make them cry. Here’s how to insult a Wildcat:

Wear your hate on your sleeve

Sometimes the best way to hate something is to be utterly blatant about it. That’s just what ASU students Adam and Travis promoted when they sold “HATE” T-shirts with the letter “A” made in the likeness of the U of A logo. Both declined to give their last names for fear of being prosecuted for copyright infringement.

“The idea started in 2007 and there’s been a lot of copycats since,” Adam says.

Go for the throat

ASU graduate Blake Lerdall and student Bryan Hadley bleed maroon and gold. Lerdall, a business major, religiously attends games wearing a hard-hat and maroon and gold overalls. Hadley, a history major, was wearing a wig and signature suspenders. The two brought an array of signs with a variety of insults. One sign read “Master = Sendek, Apprentice = Sean Miller” alluding to the U of A basketball coach’s time spent serving under Sendek as an assistant coach for seven seasons at the University of Miami, Ohio, and North Carolina State.

Get Obscure

When all else fails, insults can turn to the outlandish. The city of Tucson, though having nothing directly to do with athletics, is an easy target. Tucson was ranked as the most crime-ridden city in the nation with a population over 500,000 by Sperling’s Best Places.

If insulting the city has already been wasted, go for their mascot. The University of Arizona’s mascot is named Wilbur. Wilbur has an identity crisis because the term “wildcat” can refer to almost any feline from ocelots to domestic cats (but there is only one Sparky). Also, Wilbur lost his bachelor status 1986 when he married Wilma Wildcat. I’m not sure who conducted the ceremony, but how low does your athletic attendance have to get before you start marrying imaginary animals?

Contact this reporter at sbauge@asu.edu

Fruit loops! Finally, the chance has come to taste the savory, sugar-filled delights. Oh, Coldstone. It’s conveniently located near the entrance of the Memorial Union, complete with candy selections and calorie-filled ice cream. And who can forget Papa John’s and Sbarro and their greasy goodness?

Avoiding the freshman (sophomore, junior or senior) 15 is difficult and when efforts are unsuccessful, the weight gain is real. All that freedom in college also meant freedom to eat crap. But not anymore.

Experts, like Deanne Wilson, a registered dietitian for Campus Health Service, say losing eight to 10 pounds a month is OK for the maximum amount of weight loss. However, Wilson recommends only losing half a pound to two pounds per week — half a pound is the most realistic.

Here are some top tips for losing 10 pounds in a month, taken from Wilson and Melinda Johnson, a registered dietitian, ASU nutrition professor and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association:

Historically, Halloween was a pagan holiday to honor the dead and ward off harmful spirits. While many of us will honor the dead with trademark white gloves and likely enjoy a few harmful spirits, Halloween celebrations today bear little resemblance to their humble, heathen beginnings.

Nowadays, dressing “scary” for Halloween is taboo and dressing “skanky” is tradition. “In today’s society it’s expected that women will dress [slutty] for Halloween,” says Maraya Moses, a manager at Fascinations Sensual Shoppe on Mill Avenue. “This is the perfect time of year to dress like a slut and not be judged for it.” This sounds familiar.

Remember the time Ms. Lohan explains that in “Girl World,” Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like total sluts and no other girls can say anything about it? Well Lindsay, we’re breaking the rules and saying something about it.

Below are a few simple ways to avoid falling into the Halloween Slut-Rut.

Old Hallows Gear. Photo by Alexandra Karamanova.

Reinvent the Wheel: If you refuse to purchase a costume from the store, don’t rule out their costume ideas. The hottest selling costume at Fascinations this year is the “Sexy Sailor,” Moses reports. Command the high seas without wearing a costume that invites all hands on deck by finding a navy skirt or dress at a thrift shop and adding a few nautical touches.

Avoid Professionalism: On Halloween any employees’ innocuous work attire can be transformed into a slutty Halloween costume. Take the scruffy, potbellied construction worker who becomes a midriff-baring girl in Daisy Duke shorts who will probably don a plastic Toys-R-Us tool belt and hardhat so you can tell her apart from the Firewoman wearing the same outfit. While these costumes may win points in a skankiest costume contest, they lose major points for creativity. Try to choose a profession that has managed to escape the dirty _______classification.

Go old school not Schoolgirl: Look to the past for rules on how to be sexy and glamorous without overtly crossing the line. Revive the rebellious spirit of the Roaring ‘20s with a sultry, red Flapper costume. Embellish the costume with lots of pearls, feathers and fringe, and expect to have a swinging good time. Or fast-forward a couple decades and garner inspiration from silver screen seductresses like Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot and Sophia Loren. These iconic old school Hollywood sex symbols pushed the envelope in their day but will look demurely sexual compared with the up-to-there Catholic schoolgirl costumes women wear today.

SuperSafe: Dressing “slutty” for Halloween can actually be more work than it’s worth. Do it wrong and you might find yourself the laughingstock of TheDirty.com by morning. Instead, play it safe and wear a costume that leaves a little something to the imagination.  A superhero costume, think The Incredibles, complete with a bodysuit and eye mask is modest yet sexy costume that largely decreases the chances of an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. Marketing and German sophomore Emily Cunnen says she will sport a body suit this Halloween to be a dancer Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” video. Cunnen says she is disappointed by what girls wear on Halloween. “It makes me sad for female kind because a lot of these girls are sending the wrong message by dressing [slutty],” says Cunnen. “I don’t think it’s right to dress like that because it puts women on a pedestal and I don’t think that’s appropriate.”

Dress a treat not a trick. photo by Alexandra Karamanova

Tied and True: Everyone wants to be creative and original on Halloween. But thanks to celebs like Lady Gaga, girls can throw on any gaudy, transparent, tight, whorish-looking articles of clothing and claim to be wearing a costume. In this case, it is better to be something conventional such as a hippie. All you need is tie dye and a little flower and voila, a cute, simple Halloween classic. When you aren’t worried about your costume, or lack of a costume, it makes it easier to enjoy the night and focus on what’s really important: the tricks and the treats.

Reach the reporter at Lauren.Gambino@asu.edu

Tricks of the Trade. Illustration by Alexandra Karamanova

Good morning, Sunshine. Looks like someone was up late starting and finishing that research paper.
Fortunately, sleeping in does not have to mean donning a sweatshirt, short shorts (intended for a 10-year-old gymnast), flip-flops and a messy bun. SPM presents a plethora of ways to maintain fabulosity after sleeping in.

1) Don’t shower. Unless you plan ahead and shower the night before, invest in a high-quality dry shampoo to get that shiny, voluminous hair in five minutes. To use, simply brush your hair and then apply the dry shampoo. Spray the product into your roots, then massage it throughout your scalp. Wait five minutes before brushing. If you’re using a powder, apply it over the sink and rub it into your scalp. Then brush the shampoo out. (Need help? Here are some tips.) Angelica Alaniz, a sophomore and nursing major, suggests just going for the “wavy look” by brushing and going. Guys, at least run a comb through your hair. And please, do not forget to apply deodorant/perfume/cologne.

Time allotted: Five minutes

2) Ladies, stick with the makeup that matters. That should include a tinted moisturizer, according to Aubrey Foster, a Color Lead at Sephora.  Sam Sacramento, a product expert at Sephora, recommends one that contains sunscreen because “sun causes the most damage to the skin.” Next, Foster suggests applying a “peachy-peach” blush to the apples of the cheeks to add some color to your complexion. Then, brush some nude (never white) shimmer eye shadow onto the inside corners of the eyes and above the eyebrows to look more awake. Even if you did not get a full night’s sleep, “it makes you look like you did,” Foster says. Sacramento also recommends a hydration mist, which helps keep makeup in tact and refreshes the skin. “When I don’t put makeup on, I at least curl my eyelashes and put on mascara to open up my eyes,” Alaniz says.

Time allotted: Three minutes

3) The biggest mistake people make when they’ve slept in is thinking “why bother?” and do not even try to dress up. Slip into the dress that reels in the compliments. Even if the hair or makeup do not look stellar, wearing a pretty dress can boost the confidence level. Alaniz believes if sweats are necessary, at

Fresh off an all nighter. Illustration by Alexandra Karamanova

least make them fashionable. “I guess if you wore a Juicy pantsuit, that’d be cute,” Alaniz says. “But that wouldn’t be in a college budget, would it?” She agrees that wearing a confidence-boosting outfit will balance out the lack time spent on hair and maekeup. “Save your cutest outfit for when you sleep in,” Alaniz says. “Then you look cuter.” Guys, avoid the basketball shorts. Jeans and a button-up in the color you look best in is a no-fail combination.

Time allotted: Two minutes

Ta-dah! Only 10 minutes have been allotted and the only thing that’s missing is some sort of pumpkin-flavored coffee beverage.

Don’t have 10 minutes? Females can save another five minutes by preparing some natural-looking waves the night before. Divide hair into two sections, braid them and tie them at the ends. In the morning, just let them loose and the hair is all set. Don’t even brush. (Do, however, brush your teeth. Please.)

Contact the reporter at pdevitt@asu.edu.

The Manscape. Photo by Molly Kissler

More than 300 years have passed since the Russian Emperor Peter the Great passed a law that made beard shaving mandatory. Those who refused to go bare-faced were forced to pay a heavy tax.

Since then, perfectly-groomed facial hair has had its fashionable ups and downs. (High point: The early 1900s when the Gillette razor was invented. Low point: The 1990’s…)

Looks like 2009 is the perfect year for a comeback.

Manscaping, otherwise known as the art of shaving, waxing and cleaning up the superfluous fur on a man (thanks Urban Dictionary), is a must in this day and age, especially if you want to get chicks. So, man up and take proper care of (all) that hair.

Not sure how to go about it? Don’t fret, hairy ones! With the help of SPM, a random sample of female ASU students and the male grooming experts at Downtown Barbershop in Phoenix (whose motto is, “It’s a Man’s Place”), grooming expertise is at your fingertips.

Eyebrows

1. Trim: Brush your eyebrows up towards your forehead using a clean toothbrush or eyebrow brush, and then trim hairs that are a lot longer than the rest with scissors.

2. Tweeze: Carefully. Clean up hairs around the bottom of your brow that just don’t belong, but make sure to avoid plucking from the top, which might noticeably change the shape of your brow.  Of course, get that unibrow. Pluck until the space between your eyebrows is the width of your index finger. Also, if your brows and burns are amixin’, give those outer hairs a small tweeze as well.

Nose and Ears

1. If you have a stray nose hair, pluck it.

2. If you have a lot of stray nose hairs, get a trimmer.  They work for ears as well.

3. And please, even if you do not have hair in your ear, you might have some serious wax. Q-tips are a man’s best friend.

Beard and ‘Stache

1. Brenda McNeely at Downtown Barbershop recommends that, even at home, guys should ditch the electric razor and get a blade for a much closer and smoother (albeit more tricky) shave.

2. As far as mustaches go, zero out of 30 female students surveyed prefer a mustache to a clean shave or the beard-and-mustache combo.

(Although, without a mustache you can’t compete in the The American Mustache Institute’s Robert Goulet Mustached American of the Year Contest. It’s a tough decision,we know. If you still insist on growing it all out, check out this video for inspiration.)

Chest and Back Hair

1. It’s all or nothing with this patch of ruff. Twenty-five out of the 30 girls surveyed said they don’t care if you do, or don’t have chest hair — which ever is natural is best.

Tool of the trail. Photo illustration by Molly Kissler

Still, if you do choose to shave, don’t let it get too spiky.

2. All the girls agree on this one: back hair is a no, no. The “if I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist” line is void. If you have hair back there, wax it.

The Happy Trail

1.  The rule is, keep it trimmed. You want the trip down that trial to be a pleasant stroll, not a confusing and frightening stomp through the hair forest.

In the end, hair happens. Appreciate what you have by taking good care of it.

Reach the author at mkissler@asu.edu