Memorial Day In Atlanta

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Memorial Day is a special holiday where we remember and celebrate the brave people who dedicated their lives to serving our country. Remembering their lives and honoring their memory is an yearly event for the United States. Usually day is marked with parades, barbecues, and other celebrations. This year is most certainly no exception.

Atlanta is home to one of the country’s largest free jazz festivals and it all takes place this weekend! The annual fest takes place in Piedmont Park and showcases both local and national greats. The Jazz Festival plays host to over 100 of the best jazz performers so you know you’re bound to see some real talent. From the 27th through the 29th, you can experience some of the best jazz artists live and in person. Learn more about the acts and what else you’ll be able to see at the Atlanta Jazz Festival here. Don’t forget, the festival is free so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!

This Saturday you can have a beer and see a bear at the Brew at the Zoo. The popular annual event takes place on Memorial Day weekend this year and we know you’ll love this event. Sample beer and wine as you explore the zoo and see the exhibits. In addition to the animals, there will also be entertainment available to play you through the zoo like the Regulars, DJ Deliver, and Jacks River Band. With over 70 beers and wine available for sampling we know you’ll be able to find something that suits your tastes. No guests under the age of 21 will be admitted so make sure you have your ID with you and leave your under 21 friends at home for this event.

If you’d rather kick it at home, invite some pals over to your Clairmont Reserve apartment for a Memorial Day gathering. Cook up some tasty food and step out onto your patio to enjoy the weather. These dipped Rice Crispy treats are perfect for the Memorial Day weekend.

Don't forget to take a moment out of your celebrations to remember the men and women who gave their lives serving our country and keeping us safe. That's what the holiday is all about after all!


What are your plans for the weekend? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Post-Finals: How to Unwind

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Emory University’s finals start soon. Some people are probably already stressed out thinking about them but we’re already planning for the week after finals. We know you’re going to be stressed all next week but if you just imagine that feeling of freedom and relief when you finally step out of your last final and out into the world for a summer of freedom. (Unless you’re taking summer classes. Sorry, guys.)

Sure, you have to devote heaps of mental energy towards studying for your finals but you should also leave a little for deciding how you’re going to spend the week after your finals.

1. Veg out

There’s nothing more relaxing than doing absolutely nothing. Retreat to your room for a full week and get that Netflix season (or entire show) out of the way. We hear The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt season 2 was just released. Or grab yourself a book and a bundle of blankets and just cocoon yourself in for a week while you finish it. We bet you haven’t had the time to read recreationally since before the semester started. Be a hermit for a while and just enjoy your free time.

2. Sweat the stress out

You’ll probably have built up a lot of frustration over the course of finals week. Burn it off doing some good, hard exercise. Whether that’s just running outdoors in the heat or taking a new and challenging exercise class. Look into a crossfit class to really whip you into shape. You won’t remember any of finals week after a crossfit class. Or a calming hot yoga class to really sweat it out.

After your sweat sesh, make sure to run yourself a nice, hot bath and stay there until it gets cold. Your muscles will deserve a rest too.

3. Plan yourself a real retreat

We bet you’re about to be exhausted, physically, mentally, and emotionally. All that time in the library studying, staying up late, it takes its toll on your body. You need an actual vacation and not just a week spent at home by yourself. For a mini vacay, head to Six Flags Over Georgia. The death defying coasters will make you forget all about the threat of finals week. Stone Mountain Park is another great place to escape for a mini getaway. See a laser show, learn a little history, and traverse the treetops through the ropes courses. Stone Mountain Park is only a 20 minute drive away from Clairmont Reserve Apartments.

Finals week is a rough time. We get it. But don’t forget to actually relax afterwards. You deserve it! How do you unwind after finals week? Share your ideas with us on Facebook and Twitter.

St. Patty's in Atlanta

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Can you believe that we are already two full months into the year? It seems like only yesterday we were sending 2015 off with a bang to welcome in the new year. 2016 has treated us well so far. The luck seems to be continuing this month as it’s almost St. Patrick’s Day! There are some exciting events happening this weekend and next week surrounding the green holiday. Even if you’re not Irish, you can still celebrate because you know what they say: everyone is Irish on St. Patty’s.

Tomorrow a 10 hour celebration is kicking off on Buckhead Avenue. The whole street is getting shut down by the massive party for St. Patrick’s Day. You get 10 full hours of bands, DJ’s and entertainment. After 2 PM everyone must be 21 and over. It is a drinking holiday after all. To remember the celebration, make sure you purchase your very own t-shirt. Using the promo code TEAMDRINKINGSHIRTS, you’ll receive $5 off your purchase. Spend the day, sipping drinks with your friends and listening to an awesome lineup of bands. Turnstile, The Josh Brannon Band, Justin and U2 tribute band Desire will be there to entertain you. Buckhead Avenue is only a 20 minute drive away from Clairmont Reserve Apartments so you don’t have far to go for the party.

The same morning, you can see the St. Patrick’s Day annual parade in Midtown Atlanta. Starting at noon and ending at 1:30, you can cheer on the 5K runners as well as enjoy the parade participants. Just before the parade, face painters will be around to decorate you beautifully. Celebrate your (adopted) Irish pride for one day of the year with a parade. What could be better than that?

If you’re an early riser you can participate in the Kegs and Eggs St. Patrick’s Day edition. From 10 AM until 2 PM, enjoy tasty breakfast foods complemented by tasty beers. There are multiple bars participating so you’ll have tons of options to choose from.

It doesn’t matter if you’re full-Irish, half Irish or not Irish at all. Everyone is Irish on this green holiday so we should celebrate accordingly. The culture and traditions of the holiday should be celebrated. How do you plan on getting your green on?

Valentine's Day for College Kids

Valentine’s Day is here! The day to show your boyfriend or girlfriend a little extra love. No pressure or anything! It can feel pretty stressful to plan something romantic and extravagant and have it go off smoothly. We’ve rounded up some of the best events in our area to give you a few ideas for your fabulous Valentine’s Day weekend. Let us take the pressure off!

Image courtesy of David on Flickr

The Atlanta Botanical Gardens are having a garden party on February 13th in honor of Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s in the Garden is a fabulous night of music, dancing, cocktails, desserts and gorgeous flowers. Spend the evening taking turns gazing at the flowers and your date. Stroll through the conservatories, hand in hand with your date while sipping drinks from the cash bar and munching on tasty treats from the best caterers around. Guests will receive a long stemmed rose upon entry as well! Get your tickets early for this evening of dancing amongst the flowers. Find out more information about the Botanical Gardens and their schedule here.

Dad’s Garage Theatre Company is putting on a special Valentine’s Day improv show that will have you clutching your stomach in stitches. They say nothing bonds people together quite like laughter so bring your date and get to giggling. Whether it’s your first, third or 100th date, you’re both sure to enjoy the comedy stylings of the improv group. Dad’s Garage Theatre is located only 15 minutes away from Clairmont Reserve Apartments.

For the fit couple, have you ever dreamed of running through Atlanta with your loved one in February in your underwear? Yes? Then you’ll love the Cupid’s Undie Run taking place on February 13th this year. Strip down to your skivvies with your date and take to the streets to raise money for charity. The race is only 1 mile so you don’t have to be experienced runners in order to complete the run; it’s just for fun! The party kicks off at noon so make sure you’re there early to make the most of it. Last year the run raised $3.5 million for the fight against NF so this year we have to make sure to do even better! Find out how you can register for the run here.

Don’t let the idea of Valentine’s Day stress you out. We’ve got you covered this year!

What's Going On: February Events

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

The first month of 2016 is finally coming to a close. How did it measure up for you? Did it exceed expectations or did it fall flat? No matter how January leaves you, we’re positive that February will knock you off your feet. With so many exciting events going on and Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you’ll have no excuse to be bored!

February 6th
Using the brand new Atlanta Streetcar, Mardi Gras party goers are in for a treat. You’ll get an all access pass to the streetcar and you’ll be parading around Atlanta all day! Along with your ticket to the streetcar, you’ll receive Mardi Gras beads, and 5 complimentary shots or drinks at participating locations. Costumes are most definitely encouraged for this parade! The parade will take place in Downtown Atlanta so you won’t have far to travel to get to the festivities from Clairmont Reserve Apartments.

February 5th-7th
From February 5th through the 7th you can taste the best wine Athens, Georgia has to offer. This function will benefit the Classic Center Cultural Foundation which supports culinary and performing arts scholarships in high schools and colleges. Multiple events will be going on throughout the weekend so make sure you don’t miss these. Experience food and wine tastings as well as a silent auction. Don’t forget brunch on Sunday too! Find out more information on the events occurring as well as ticketing information here.

February 13th
Love is in the air at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on February 13th. From 7 until 11 PM you can enjoy delicious cocktails, desserts, beautiful flowers all while dancing the night away. Stroll with your loved one through the gardens while sipping on your cocktails. For those married couples looking to do it all over again, you can meet for a romantic vow renewal ceremony in the gorgeous Rose Gardens. Spend your Valentine’s Day with your loved one in the most beautiful location around, the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. The Gardens are located only 15 minutes away from Clairmont Reserve.

There are so many exciting events happening at the beginning of February that you’ll never have a dull moment. Just don’t forget about your school work!


What event are you most looking forward to in February? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter.

Tackling Finals Without Stressing Out

Image courtesy of Tulane Public Relations

Finals are finally upon us unfortunately. Whether you’re a freshman or a super senior, finals are probably the most stressful time of the semester. Don’t freak out! There are some simple ways to calm yourself down and plan out your studying in a manageable way. If you’re tearing your hair out and biting your nails down to the beds you’ll need some of these tips.

Start out with a plan. Write out each of the classes that you need to study for. Give them a ranking based on the difficulty of each class. Use stars like Netflix: the more stars the better the movie/the harder the course. You know those movies on Netflix with 1 ½ stars? You might watch them but not right now? You’ll study for those classes but just not right this second.

Once you’ve gotten your courses written down, split them up by what you know you need to study. If it’s a comprehensive exam (*GASP*) then break it up by the chapters or the units you covered in the class. If you have a study guide, even better! Use that to break up what you learned into sections.

Breaking things up into smaller sections makes it seem a little more doable. So take each of those units and give them a designated day that you’ll dedicate to studying the crap out of them!

Find your quiet place. When it comes time to study, you might want to avoid the library. Everyone will be at the library and your chances of running into someone you know is elevated. And you know you’re going to run into that one guy in your class who’s totally ready for finals and wants to chat you up for 30 minutes while you’re clearly trying to study.

Instead, try to go somewhere off the beaten path. Panera Bread and Starbucks are good options but they might be a little too close to campus. They could end up being just as crowded as the library. Try My Chocolate Coffee. They’re a little away from campus so you might be able to find more peace and quiet there.

Take it easy. If finals are getting the best of you don’t hesitate to take a step back and take some time to yourself. A hot cup of soothing tea is never a bad idea for calming nerves. If tea isn’t for you try exercise. Getting your frustrations out with a little sweat isn’t just good for your mind, it’s good for your body obviously! Emory University has a wide range of fitness classes to fit your schedule. Want something heavy? Try Cardio Kickboxing or Cycling. Need something to mellow you out and ease your mind? Try Pilates or any of the numerous yoga classes offered. There’s something to fit everyone’s needs and schedules.

Don’t let finals stress you out too badly! Sure they’re important, but so is your mental health. If you plan your studying out and keep yourself relaxed, you’ll be able to handle your finals with no problems!

What are your best studying tips? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!

Friendsgiving

Not every college student has the opportunity to go home to their families for the Thanksgiving holiday. Some live too far away and don’t have enough time and money to make it back home. Others just choose to stay in their college town. Maybe they have a job and want to make the big bucks working Black Friday. We can’t blame you! Instead of struggling to get home with your family, why not gather a group of friends together for a Friendsgiving dinner? Much more laid back than a family Thanksgiving and with fewer people asking what you want to do with your life and when you’re going to get married. Enjoy a much less stressful evening with your friends!

Image courtesy of Pixabay

If you’re going to have it at your apartment, plan ahead. Nothing is worse than scrambling last minute to the grocery store to find something that you need for the dinner. Make a list the week before and go to the grocery store to get everything you need early. If you get everything down on paper, it not only makes it easier to make sure you get everything but it makes your trip less frantic.

To alleviate a little of the pressure off of the host, have a potluck. Everyone cooks their own dish and brings it together for a big feast. Make it even more interesting by having everyone creating their favorite dish rather than a traditional Thanksgiving dish. You get to enjoy favorites from all of your closest friends while spending time together.

You don’t have to cram 20 friends in your apartment. It can be much easier to get a group together and go out to dinner instead. It takes the pressure off of the host and those cooking the meal. Put the burden on someone else! Mediterranean Grill on N Decatur Road is an awesome and interesting restaurant for a different spin on a Thanksgiving meal. They aren’t offering specific Thanksgiving fare for the holiday but their regular menu is already spectacular. Try the gyro plate (pronounced ‘yee-ro’) or a shish kabob plate for a great alternative to your typical Thanksgiving dinners. Friendsgiving calls for new traditions!

After dinner, bring everyone back to the clubhouse. Watch a flick borrowed from our DVD library and throw it up on the plasma screen. It’s a great way to unwind before the stress of the holidays kicks in.

Going home to spend Thanksgiving with your family is great but it’s more fun to enjoy a dinner with all of your friends that you made with your own hands (or ordered from a restaurant). Do you and your friends have a Friendsgiving tradition?