12 College Town Breweries Crafting Seriously Good Beer

In college towns, you'll find a population dominated by college students, and within these towns are plenty of specialty businesses that cater to the student crowd: bars, book shops, inexpensive eateries, and coffee shops, to name a few. In some of the more fortunate college towns, you'll also find excellent breweries, some of them making beers that are sought after by beer geeks all over the world. Certainly, there's a link between academic excellence and great beer — we just haven't been able to prove it yet. And while not every college student appreciates a finely crafted beer, the growing ranks of enlightened college beer drinkers would be lucky to find themselves studying near one of these great breweries.

We've listed 12 of the best college town breweries out there, but we're certain there are even more worthy brewers out there, especially budding new breweries that have flown under our radar. Please be sure to share your favorite college town brewery in the comments.

1. Independence Brewing

   As the capital of Texas and home to the University of Texas, Austin is also home to a dozen breweries and counting, with more in the planning stages. Even in this crowded market, Independence really stands out for its excellent beer portfolio. Standards include the Austin Amber Ale, Bootlegger Brown, Convict Hill Oatmeal Stout, and Stash IPA. We're thinking, though, that University of Texas students especially appreciate Oklahoma Suks, an American Amber/Red Ale that's brewed each year for the OU vs. UT game. Other special treats from Independence include the Jasperilla Old Ale, a French farmhouse saison called Epanoui, and Braggot, made with Texas wildflower honey. Also notable in Austin are North by Northwest, which earned a bronze at GABF for Barton Kriek, as well as Great American Beer Fest silver winners Austin Beerworks and Uncle Billy's Brew & Que.

2. Avery Brewing Company

   Boulder, Colo., is another great college town with no shortage of beer. In this mountain town full of hippies and hipsters alike from the University of Colorado, you'll find Avery, Mountain Sun, Boulder Beer, Upslope, and Twisted Pine, all doing a great job of serving excellent beer. But Avery Brewing is really the star of Boulder with its reputation for putting out really amazing, adventurous beers. Two of Avery's beers, Fifteen and Brabant, have taken home medals from GABF in the Experimental Beer category, and standards Ellie's Brown, Avery IPA, Out of Bounds, Kaiser Oktoberfest, and Hog Heaven have all won awards as well. Students enjoy the brewery's cozy tap room, with themed nights, live music, and plenty of mind-blowing beer.

3. New Belgium

   Colorado, in general, is rich with great beer, with the aforementioned Boulder breweries, several great ones in Denver, and plenty more scattered around the state, but Fort Collins is a great place to be if you're a college beer lover. The home of Colorado State University boasts not only New Belgium Brewing, but the up and coming Funkwerks, Odell, Crooked Stave, Left Hand, and more. New Belgium is a town favorite, though, for its ubiquitous Fat Tire, which can be found throughout Fort Collins and, really, college towns everywhere. But beyond this old staple are some really interesting beers, particularly in the brewery's Lips of Faith series, which highlights beers that push the envelope in terms of spices, barrel aging, and often, souring agents. New Belgium is a popular brewery not just in Fort Collins, but nationwide, and GABF judges seem to be fans as well: the brewery has earned no fewer than 25 GABF medals.

4. Squatters

   Lots of people aren't even aware that Utah is allowed to have beer, much less produce awesome brews like those from Uinta, Red Rock, Squatters, and other Salt Lake City breweries. In fact, Draft magazine named the town, home of the University of Utah, a Beertown, USA, highlighting the city's great resources for beer lovers and those seeking an active lifestyle. College students, business professionals, and out-of-town conference attendees alike pack into the Squatters Pub & Brewery, which has won countless awards for its beers both under the pub name and through its Utah Brewers Cooperative with Park City's Wasatch Brewing. Some of the brewery's most popular beers are its Black Forest Schwarzbier, India Pale Ale, Provo Girl Pilsner, and Vienna Lager.

5. Vermont Pub & Brewery

   Burlington, Vt., is a classic college town, with the University of Vermont, Burlington College, and Champlain College all located in the city limits. But it's also a beer town, rightly fitting for Vermont, which has more breweries per capita than any other state. Burlington boasts Vermont Pub & Brewery, the state's oldest craft brewery, American Flatbread, and the nation's eighth-largest craft brewer, Magic Hat. Since opening in 1988, Vermont Pub & Brewery has celebrated much success, with a gold GABF medal for their flagship Burly Irish Ale, as well as medals for Forbidden Fruit and Handsome Micks' Smoked Stout. Conveniently located near the city's community college, Champlain College, and the University of Vermont on, you guessed it, College Street, we're sure that the city's college students agree that this brewery is great and here to stay.

6. Cigar City Brewing

   In Tampa, Fla., you'll find the University of South Florida, one of the largest individual college campuses in the United States. But perhaps more importantly, you'll find Cigar City, a brewery that is rated among the highest of the high with an A+, "world class" rating on Beer Advocate. Every college student should be so lucky to study in a city that's home to a brewery like this one. Cigar City is just three years old, yet has won the gold at GABF for both its Minaret ESB and Humidor Series IPA, while also becoming a favorite for craft beer lovers nationwide. Their bottles are among the most sought after in craft beer, and often quite hard to find, but University of South Florida students have the convenience of living right in the same city as this legendary beer, where the tap room is open every day and available for tastings, growler fills, and bottles to take home.

7. Foothills Brewing

   In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you'll not only find Wake Forest University, but also Foothills Brewing, an award-winning brewery that's been around since 2004. With several GABF wins, including a gold for their Bourbon Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout, Wake Forest students are lucky to have such a great beer resource right in the area. And students who are interested in learning more about beer can take advantage of Foothills' Beer School, a detailed class that discusses the brewing process, along with a brewery tour and samples of current beers. Also worth noting are Winston-Salem's neighbor, Asheville, which was named Draft magazine's 2010 Beer City USA, and the acclaimed Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in Farmville (yes, there is a real Farmville).

8. Cambridge Brewing Company

   Boston is a huge, bustling city that's bursting with colleges and breweries alike: there are more than 100 colleges and universities in the Greater Boston area and at least 25 breweries and brewpubs. Just north of Boston, the small town of Cambridge is known for its two most prominent universities, Harvard and MIT. Cambridge is not only blessed with an excellent educational pedigree, but also some pretty awesome beer. Within walking distance of MIT, you'll find Cambridge Brewing Company, a comfortable brewpub that's serving up awesome beer on a regular basis and earning a reputation for creatively pushing the envelope with beer. With several GABF medals under their belt, Cambridge is especially proud of its three gold medal brews: Arquebus, The Wind Cried Mari, and Triple Threat, all three of them experimental, specialty, or brewed with herbs and spices. But the great minds at Harvard and MIT aren't limited to just Cambridge Brewing Company. A new brewery, Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project, has begun to release critically acclaimed beers, and in the greater Boston area, you'll find Clown Shoes, Harpoon, Mercury, and even the legendary Sam Adams, all offering excellent beer for the college masses in the Boston area.

9. Terrapin Beer Company

   Athens, Ga., is a college town that credits its initial growth to the University of Georgia, the first state-chartered university in the U.S. Terrapin Beer Company has wowed the college town and beer community with its beers from the very start: its Rye Pale Ale won gold at GABF when the brewery was just six months old in 2002, and it was the brewery's only offering at the time. Since then, Terrapin has put out some very interesting beers, including the Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout (frequently referred to as Wake-n-Bake Coffee Imperial Stout), the Hopsecutioner, and Beer Gone Good. Terrapin has recently announced that it sold a 25% ownership to Tenth and Blake, a craft group from MillerCoors, which has understandably ruffled a few feathers, but we're thinking that the college kids in Athens can only be excited about the growth and expansion that will come from it.

10. Bell's Brewery

    Western Michigan University has four campuses in Kalamazoo, and the town is home to Kalamazoo College as well. The most well known and celebrated brewery in Kalamazoo is Bell's Brewery, established way back in 1985, before most of today's college students were even born. But that doesn't stop them from enjoying the great beer that Bell's has to offer at the brewery's pub, Eccentric Cafe. Bell's has earned both awards (nine of them, to be exact), and the love of beer geeks and critics everywhere, particularly with its legendary Two-Hearted Ale, Hopslam, and Expedition Stout. Also close to campus is the very popular Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Dark Horse in Marshall, and Arcadia Brewing Company in Battle Creek, which is particularly well known for its Cereal Killer Barley Wine.

11. Jolly Pumpkin

    Another great college town in Michigan, Ann Arbor is the home of the University of Michigan. A much-loved brewery, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, is located less than 20 minutes away in Dexter, but fortunately for Michigan students, they've got an Ann Arbor brewpub as well. Jolly Pumpkin is best known for their celebrated Belgian- and French-style beers, which also happen to be their most awarded: Oro De Calabaza has earned GABF gold, as well as Belipago. The brewery's style is typically described as farmhouse, or rustic country, due to the brewery's unfiltered and unpasteurized treatment. Michigan students and regular beer lovers alike are treated to the unique beers that Jolly Pumpkin puts out, including Bam Biere, La Roja, Luciernaga, and Calabaza Blanca.

12. Ninkasi Brewing Company

    Eugene, Ore., also known as the "Emerald City," is known for its natural beauty, arts, and outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as the University of Oregon. And college students in the know also recognize Eugene as the home of Ninkasi Brewing Company. Named for Ninkasi, the ancient Sumerian goddess of beer, the brewery is certainly educational for University of Oregon students. Ninkasi's Radiant IPA earned bronze in the latest GABF awards, and other popular beers include Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops, Believer Double Red, and Oatis Oatmeal Stout. The brewery opened a tasting room in 2009, welcoming college students and visitors to try both their flagship beers and seasonals. Other notable breweries in the state, primarily located in Portland, include Deschutes, Bend Brewing Company, BridgePort, Full Sail, and Rogue Ales.

Taken From Online College

9 Most Common Household Poisons

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), unintentional poisoning results in almost 82 deaths per day in the United States, and an additional 1,941 emergency room visits. Proper storage and handling of poisonous materials is a common-sense approach to safeguarding your family and pets, but do you know all of the poison hazards in your home? Of all the potentially dangerous products in the average home, the following are the 9 most common household poisons:

1. Medicines – If not kept out of the reach of children, or if not taken as prescribed, common medications in the home can be poisonous. Cold and flu medicines, and analgesics account for a large number of poisonings.
2. Cosmetics / Personal Care Products – Among children under the age of 6, who account for more than half the cases of unintentional poisonings in the U.S., these products are most commonly involved. Perfumes, nail polish remover, mouthwash, even toothpaste are poison risks for children.
3. Cleaning Products – Bleach, ammonia, solvents, furniture polish; drain cleaners, oven cleaners, lye and detergents all need to be stored properly and kept out of children’s reach and away from pets.
4. Pesticides – When treating the home for pests, it is important to take care in what areas are treated and to observe the label instructions very closely. Rodent poisons should never be placed within reach of children or pets, or in food storage areas. Always wear gloves when handling pesticides.
5. Paints / Paint Thinners – Whether via fume inhalation, ingestion, or lead poisoning, paints and thinners are potentially hazardous products. Care should be taken to use proper ventilation when using these products.
6. Plants – Some household plants can be toxic when ingested by pets or small children. Around the holidays, hazards include such common decorative plants as mistletoe, poinsettias and holly.
7. Small Batteries – The combination of their size and chemical composition makes these miniature batteries, like those used in watches and hearing aids, a serious choke and poisoning risk.
8. Antifreeze – Can be fatal if swallowed. This common household item is particularly dangerous because it has an attractive smell and taste to pets, and is readily accessible to them if spills are not cleaned thoroughly.
9. Hydrocarbons – These products include gasoline, kerosene, motor oil, lighter fluid, and lamp oils. They are not only a choke hazard, but pose a risk to the lungs when ingested. Another leading cause of poisoning death in children.

Taken From Nanny Net

15 Scientific Facts About Creativity

Although creativity keeps human society flourishing, science honestly offers few answers to how the intricate, infinitely complex concept actually works. No matter how much research pours into measuring and grasping the essential phenomenon, it seems as if more questions pop up than receive tangible answers. Theories and findings sometimes conflict with one another as well, meaning every "fact" presented here might very well end up discarded in due time. But that’s par for the course when exploring what seems almost entirely inexplicable.

1. Stress kills creativity

   Just like it kills mental health, the heart, and pretty much everything else. Stress negatively impacts creative expression, particularly when it involves rigid timeframes and criteria. According to psychologist Dr. Robert Epstein, no gene or any other factor predisposes some individuals toward creativity and others not (this perspective is, obviously, disputed). External factors such as stress play a much heavier role in determining innovation than anything intrinsic.

2. Those considered geniuses describe their creative processes as trancelike

   Dr. Nancy Andreasen, who wrote The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius, may not be able to scientifically explain how creativity and genius emerge, but she does know how they inspire and impact the great thinkers. All people experience moments of "ordinary creativity," which permeates daily tasks. But the artist, composers, scientists, writers, and others qualifying as geniuses typically talk of oneiric "flashes" setting off their most notable, iconic works.

3. A connection between dopamine production and creativity might exist

   Because dopamine increases along with positive reinforcement and other rewards, some neurobiologists (like Dr. David Sweatt) believe it easily correlates with creativity, too. Either receiving money or the simple satisfaction of a job well done might stimulate levels of innovation, and dopamine in kind. Such a link still exists as a theory, albeit one that does go a long way in explaining the sometimes inexplicable.

4. Perception is the first step to nurturing the creative spark

   All creative pursuits start when the thinker perceives an external stimulus and processes it in his and/or her mind. More complex than merely seeing, the "engines of our ingenuity" hook up imagery with imagination. Personal differences in this inevitable linkage lead to creative output and adroitly explain why some people end up with the particular results they do and keep society pushing forward.

5. Creativity might correlate with brain chemistry and structure

   Theories regarding creativity’s true origins abound, and some think one’s aptitude may be determined by his or her brain chemistry and structure. University of New Mexico’s Rex Jung believes that if you have less of certain neurological phenomena, you’re better off when it comes to creative pursuits. Specific chemicals froth about in smaller dosages, while white matter sits weaker and the frontal lobe’s cortical regions are thinner. Interestingly enough, brains testing higher on intelligence tests feature the exact opposite composition. Generally speaking, of course.

6. Creative thinkers have slower nerves

   During creative moments, the left frontal cortex experiences comparatively more sluggish activity, which also correlates with the aforementioned decreased white matter and connecting axons. Unlike intelligence, creativity tends to thrive when thinking slows down, although "flashes" of inspiration and insight occur with the speed of flashes. Emotions and some cognitive processes happen in this particular region as well, which scientists such as Dr. Jung believe encourage abstract and novelty thought processes.

7. "Psychological distance" facilitates creativity

   When hitting a creative snag, the best thing thinkers can do for themselves is step away and try to look at everything from a completely different point of view. Studies have shown that the most consistently creative individuals display a willingness to approach their challenges from a wide variety of angles beyond their initial inklings. Putting some space between original perspectives and newer ones encourages abstract thinking, a crucial component in the inventive process.

8. Early research into creativity divided it up into three separate subsections

   Mel Rhodes’ inquiries into the creative mind — which required him to research around 50 takes on the subject — eventually led him to break everything down into the person, process, and environment components. The person element, as you can probably guess, involves one’s unique set of characteristics needed to think and perceive things in an innovative, abstract fashion. Actually understanding and formulating ideas and results is known as process, and environment means the internal and external milieu in which the creative individual works.

9. Aerobic exercise increases one’s creative potential

   When brain fog starts rolling in, try a moderate amount of aerobic exercise to try and clear it up. Rhode Island College scientists noted that the two hours after engaging in such rigorous physical activity proved some of the most mentally fertile in a 2005 study. They used the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking to measure how well the participating thinkers performed with and without exercise.

10. Creativity might plummet if it becomes a means to a rewarding end

    Although from 1987, this study’s findings showcase just how largely unknowable creativity’s true face is these days, as it conflicts with some more contemporary theories despite making just as much sense. Tests conducted on Brandeis University creative writing students noted a dive in their motivation and thoughts regarding their work when receiving rewards for their efforts. They approached poetry with a lessened sense of intrinsic interest, a finding which ended up applying to situations beyond the creative.

11. Improvisation stimulates the brain’s language centers

    fMRIs and improvised jazz form the crux of surgeon Charles Limb’s pioneering maps of the creative process. His TEDxMidAtlantic lecture discussed his fascinating findings regarding the physiology behind musical improvisation, specifically, how it makes the Broca’s Area light up like the Fourth of July. Brain scientists think this part is responsible for language development and cognition, implying that one of the body’s most essential organs might recognize music (and maybe even other expressive pursuits) as akin to speech.

12. Bilingualism and multilingualism might improve one’s creative skills

    Researchers "may not have had [their] EUREKA moment" when it comes to proving a link between bi- and multilingualism, but compelling evidence certainly exists. Individuals capable of speaking more than one language generally display more competent multitasking skills and improved cognition, both usually labeled key ingredients to creative thinking. Most telling, however, is that they seem better able to analyze situations and stimuli from multiple angles, which nearly everyone attempting to define creativity considers essential.

13. Creative people are more likely to be dishonest

    That doesn’t mean all creative folks ought not be trusted, nor that their opposites are always the most honest sorts, of course. But individuals capable of more novel and abstract thoughts — and possessing more flexible moral fibers — "enjoy" a higher risk of less-than-trustworthy behaviors. Multiple studies show that the ability to concoct more solid, viable stories and view scenarios and stimuli from many angles dull the chances of getting caught.

14. High IQ and creativity might correlate with one another

    Harvard, like many other institutions of higher learning, hopes to try and unlock creativity’s beautiful and bizarre secrets. Dr. Shelley Carson, notable for developing a new standard to measure the mysterious phenomenon, wants to try and find a definitive relationship between intelligence and creative thinking. Some of her earlier studies note that both increase together at the 120, 130, and 150 IQ levels, but more research is needed to prove any sort of solid correlation.

15. So yeah. Creativity and mental illness might very well coincide

    Painting all creative types as insane — particularly the influential and genius — always has been and probably always will be a rather tired cliché, albeit a cliché that might actually hold some cachet. Their brains have been proven to open up more to external sources and possess greater memory capacity than others, but such a perk does come burdened with some unfortunate side effects. Overstimulation might very well result, which can pique (or worsen) anxiety and depressive disorders.

Taken From Online Universities

10 Biggest Nanny News Stories of 2011

The holiday season and year’s end is a natural time for reflection. As we scan through our files, it seems to us that 2011 was a fairly busy year for nanny news. So we’ve compiled a list of what we consider to be, in no particular order, the ten biggest nanny news stories of 2011. See if you agree:

1. Gadhafi Nanny Tortured – Shweyga Mullah, the nanny for the family of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi’s son, Hannibal, is reported to have been tortured by the family. She had been doused with boiling water by Hannibal Gadhafi’s wife, Aline.
2. The Babysitter Bill – The California state assembly introduced a bill, A.B. 889, AKA “The Babysitter Bill”, which included provisions regarding such issues as overtime pay, rest breaks and the right for household employees (nannies, housekeepers, babysitters, etc) to sue employers for failure to meet the provisions. Though not officially dead, backlash from its introduction led to its suspension before it made it to the governor’s office.
3. Carjacked Nanny Hangs On – A Denver nanny, caring for a 3-year old boy was carjacked after helping an elderly man who had fallen. The carjacker drove off with the boy still in the vehicle, and the nanny hanging on.
4. Nanny Takes It To The Bank – Next time you check your Bank of America debit card statement, say a little thank you for part-time nanny Molly Katchpole. Thanks to her efforts in getting more than 300,000 signatures on a petition at Change.org , the financial Goliath rescinded their plan to assess debit card users with a $5 monthly fee.
5. Zanny the Nanny – Throughout her notorious trial for the murder of her 2-year old daughter Caylee, Casey Anthony claimed that a woman named Zenaida Gonzalez, whom she nicknamed “Zanny”, was Caylee’s babysitter for a number of years, and had abducted the child. No such person was ever identified. Then, bizarrely, a woman by that name who had no prior knowledge of Casey Anthony, came forward to sue her for defamation of character.
6. Woman Answers Ad for Nanny, Then Raped – In Scotland, Indulus Lukstins posted an ad for a nanny on a Latvian jobs site. An unidentified 21-year old woman answered the ad, was hired and picked up at the airport by Lukstins, and subsequently raped.
7. Nanny Charged With First Degree Manslaughter – In Washington, Kelli Jacobsen was arrested and charged with first degree manslaughter of the 12-month old child she was nannying. Her trial is still pending.
8. Nannies Try to Cash In – Herbert Simon, owner of the Indiana Pacers, was apparently the target of several former household employees, including two nannies, who made false claims against Mr. Simon and his wife Bui.
9. DeNiro’s Nanny Does Cash In – Former nanny for actor Robert DeNiro and wife Grace Hightower, Alexis Barry, is awarded $30,000 by the Manhattan Supreme Court for unpaid overtime.
10. Focus on Nanny in Multimillionaire Divorce – When metric tons of case and divorce are involved, nothing is sacred and one is safe. Not even the nanny. In other news across the pond, hedge fund co-founder and multimillionaire Elena Ambrosiadou claims that her estranged husband hired a private security firm to spy on her nanny. The information that was gathered would then be used to coerce the nanny, Carmen Michalska, into testifying against Miss Ambrosiadou.

Taken From Nanny Services

14 Colleges that Cater to Vegans and Vegetarians

Eating well when you’re a vegan or a vegetarian can be challenging even when living at home, but it gets more difficult for students when they’re away at college and relying on cafeteria food for their meals. Often, campus dining halls have few vegetarian and vegan options for students, which can make it pretty hard to stay healthy without supplementing cafeteria food with outside groceries, an additional expense many simply can’t afford.

While it’s still hard to find a variety of veggie-friendly options in many college cafeterias, more and more schools are getting hip to the fact that students, even those who aren’t vegan or vegetarian, want healthier, less meat-centric meals, and are planning their menus and designing their meal programs accordingly. Here, you’ll find just a few great schools that are catering to the needs of students who follow vegan or vegetarian diets, though, thankfully, the list is growing all the time.

1. American University

   This DC college offers several options for vegan and vegetarian students when it comes to on-campus dining. The majority of the school’s dining halls offer vegan and vegetarian dishes at every meal, but if students don’t see what they like on the menu they can send their comments to dining services, which has a record of being quite responsive to student demands when it comes to veggie options. The main dining hall at AU is called the Terrace Dining Room. There, students will find a special vegan and vegetarian station stocked with a wide range of foods that may include items like hummus, seitan, tempeh, tofu, veggies, and a variety of other vegan takes on cafeteria favorites. Much of the food at this station and the dining hall as a whole comes from the school’s Eco-Sense club, which grows fresh foods in a campus garden. And if students don’t like what they find in the cafeteria, they can use their dining plan to go elsewhere, including several vegetarian-friendly choices nearby.

2. George Washington University

   George Washington University isn’t just home to the VegFest, a huge vegetarian celebration where veggies and vegans can come together to share ideas, try foods, and learn more. The school is also providing vegetarian students with some great dining options year-round. GWU has recently implemented a plan for its dining halls that will bring in more fresh fruits and veggies, and most will have clearly labeled vegan and vegetarian options at each meal. There’s a smoothie stand, a large salad bar, fresh veggies, and even vegetarian sushi.

3. Indiana University, Bloomington

   Vegan and vegetarian students at IU-Bloomington won’t miss out when it comes to taste. The school has received a lot of buzz for its vegan and vegetarian entrees, which have included items like sesame noodle and pea pod casserole and vegan hot cakes. There are vegan and vegetarian options at most on-campus dining establishments, with the main dining hall featuring one or several every day (which are clearly labeled). Students on the go can also find a variety of snacks and other small food items free from animal products at kiosks and bistros around campus.

4. Yale University

   Vegan and vegetarian options at Yale are nothing new. The school has been offering them in some form or another to accommodate students’ dietary needs since the 1970s. In recent years, the number of vegans and vegetarians at Yale has increased and so have its offerings, though many students still want more. Nonetheless, the school is ranked 4th in the nation by PETA2 for vegetarian-friendly dining, with special accolades for its BBQ vegan ribs and vegan enchiladas. Students can find numerous vegan and vegetarian offerings at every dining hall on Yale’s campus.

5. Humboldt State University

   If you have special food needs, from being vegan to having to go gluten-free, then this Northern California university might be a good choice for you. Humboldt offers loads of vegan and veggie entrees, and there’s no shortage of tofu, tempeh, or veggies on the menu. Additionally, students can take advantage of the school’s organic salad bar stocked with locally grown produce. Their work hasn’t gone unnoticed: the school was just named the 2nd most vegetarian-friendly college in the U.S. by PETA2.

6. Northwestern University

   Northwestern University is another world-class college making the list of vegan-friendly schools, letting students feed their minds and bodies while on campus. The school has topped PETA’s list of vegan-friendly schools for the second year in a row. Students can find a wide range of vegan and vegetarian entrees in campus dining halls, including such delicious-sounding entrees as country-fried seitan with vegan mashed potatoes and tofu French toast. The school also participates in Meatless Mondays, encouraging students to choose a meatless entree at least one day a week. Whatever they’re doing seems to be working, as 35-55% of students, vegan or not, are choosing vegetarian or vegan entrees each day.

7. Johns Hopkins University

   Johns Hopkins has worked hard to make sure that vegan and vegetarian students are accommodated on campus. There is an all-you-can eat vegetarian and vegan station in the school’s Fresh Food Cafe, that features great options like vegan chili and tofu stir fry. Additionally, other dining halls on campus serve vegetarian entrees daily, have salad and pasta bars, and made-to-order sandwiches. The school is also embracing Meatless Mondays. Students can head to the cafeteria on this day and choose from a number of meat-free entrees that vary from week to week.

8. Bastyr University

   If having vegetarian and vegan cuisine at the dining hall is important to you, you may want to look into attending this Washington college. The majority of cuisine served in Bastyr’s dining halls is vegetarian, and all dishes are accompanied by an ingredient list so students know exactly what they’re eating at every meal. And they haven’t forgotten about the vegans. There are loads of vegan-friendly options as well, ranging from soups to sloppy joes to marinated tofu. Even better, a large amount of the food used on campus comes from an on-site garden that is organic and features lots of heritage and unmodified produce. Of course, you’d expect nothing less from one of the top alternative medicine colleges in the country.

9. Georgetown University

   Georgetown is a great school with a great program for vegan and vegetarian students. The school has ranked among the top 10 colleges in the U.S. for vegan and vegetarian friendliness for several years, and offers a variety of vegan and vegetarian meals to students in the dining halls every day. Additionally, many of those vegetables come from local courses, currently accounting for about 7% of the total used each year. The school estimates that last year they served over 2,100 vegan meals each week to students, and the number is growing.

10. St. Mary’s College of Maryland

    Vegans don’t have to look far to find something good to eat at this Maryland college. Each dining establishment on campus serves a vegan entree daily, and every weekday students can visit the main dining hall and take advantage of the "Greens & Grains" station, serving a wide range of vegan and vegetarian options. Additionally, every day vegan students can find soy milk and other products, vegan cereals, vegan chicken nuggets, and vegan burgers in the cafeteria. All menu items served are clearly labeled as vegan or vegetarian; it’s easy for students to see what’s OK to eat. And for those who are no longer living in the dorms or who don’t want to be on the meal plan, the school is home to a student-run vegetarian and vegan co-op.

11. Brandeis University

    Among small schools, Brandeis has some of the best vegan food out there, according to its students and PETA. Students can’t get enough of the school’s BBQ veggie riblets, vegan beef tacos, and vegan brownies, and with the school counting a huge rise in the number of vegan and vegetarian students, it’s trying to accommodate them. Each cafeteria station includes at least one veggie option, ranging from comfort food to grilled foods. If students don’t like the vegan options that night, the school also offers an organic salad bar and several meat-free to-go options around campus.

12. University of Puget Sound

    Students at this university can head to the Vegetarian & Co section of the main dining hall to find some amazing selections like veggie riblets, stuffed portabello mushrooms, and veggie burgers. There are other options on campus as well, as each dining hall is host to a number of meat-free entrees all day long. For multiple years running, the school has ranked in PETA’s top 10 for vegetarian-friendliness, and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. Even better, the schools veggie options are also ecologically-friendly, using compostable items and sourcing many foods locally.

13. Bennington College

    Bennington College is a small school, with only about 670 people on campus. Of those fewer than 700 students, an estimated 200 are vegan or vegetarian, so the school has done what they can to accommodate their dietary needs by offering more entrees free of animal products. The food appears to be the better for it, with PETA recognizing the school for its amazing Cajun tofu with Creole sauce and Indonesian tofu and peanut salad wraps. The Vermont school has more than 66 vegan and vegetarian entrees on its menu, and students can find at least one being served each night in the school’s dining halls.

14. Brown University

    Brown takes providing for its vegetarian students seriously, and there are a variety of vegetarian options at dining halls and cafes around campus. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that more than a few dining managers and chefs at the schools are vegetarians as well! Students can find items like veggie soups, sandwiches, burgers, pizza and pasta around campus or head to the Ivy Room. In this dining hall it’s all vegetarian all night. The school’s main dining hall also offers a "Roots and Shoots" station where students can choose a wide range of hyper-healthy veggies, tofu, and vegan options.

Taken From Best Colleges Online

30 Essential Reads for Philosophy Majors

Philosophy may not enjoy the greatest of reputations when it comes to potential majors, but nevertheless, the subject holds great appeal to worldly types who find its interdisciplinary nature totally tantalizing. After all, the arts, sciences, politics, economics, and pretty much every other degree plan out there crosses over with the ancient subject at some point. So those studying philosophy should stand proud of their choice to pursue such a broad, eclectic field! But they should probably realize just how much reading it's going to involve. Like, English major levels. And the following will likely find their way into the curriculum at some point:

1. Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu

   One of the most influential philosophical and religious texts of all time, the literary cornerstone of Taoism (and, to a lesser extent, Buddhism as practiced in China) covers a broad spectrum of philosophical topics. Politics, tranquility, social mores and pretty much everything else one can think of all receive insightful inquiry here.

2. The Art of War by Sun Tzu

   One need not adhere to a military career to find some of The Art of War's tenets useful, as numerous East Asian (and even some "Western") politicians, lawyers, businesspersons, and even athletes can attest. Considering its reach extends far beyond its ancient Chinese origins, philosophy majors, minors, and other students would do well to give the text a thorough reading.

3. Analects of Confucius by Confucius

   As with the works of Lao Tzu and Sun Tzu, Confucius' philosophy continues resonating worldwide millennia after publication; the book chronicling the belief system bearing his name, however, was likely compiled by his closest acolytes. Most of his teachings involve outlining morality and humanity, particularly as they relate to social interactions.

4. Complete Works by Plato

   This legendary Greek philosopher garners the most recognition for his Socratic dialogues, modeled after the teaching and debate style of his mentor Socrates. These heavily influential talks outline Plato's supertheories of supereverything, which means plenty of politics, science, mathematics, logic, epistemology, rhetoric, and other philosophical topics to go round.

5. Corpus Aristotelicum by Aristotle

   Contemporary philosophy students have medieval scholars to thank for preserving another one of Socrates' devoted acolytes' major works, although speculation abounds over how much of it is authentic. Regardless, though, the Corpus Aristotelicum and its detailed examinations of politics, metaphysics, rhetoric, poetry, ethics, logic, science, and physics remains an essential read for all philosophy buffs, particularly those with a more "Western" bent.

6. The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius

   Penned during the author's year-long prison stint prior to his execution for treason, the partial inspiration for A Confederacy of Dunces asks the timeless question of why God allows bad things to happen to good people. Despite this heavy thesis, scholars do not believe Boethius meant for his musings as a religious diatribe (Jesus and dogmatic principles, for example, receive no mention), but rather an observation on the nature of existence using "God" as a broad semantic stand-in for life's inevitable ebbs and flows.

7. The Metaphysics of the Healing by Abu Ali ibn Sina

   Also known as The Book of Healing, Abu Ali ibn Sina's (usually Anglicized as "Avicenna") masterpiece completely revolutionized many scientific and mathematical disciplines; although the title makes reference to the author's entirely game-changing surgical and medical contributions, it has nothing to do with either topic. Rather, he "narrows" his attentions to building on earlier writings about logic, metaphysics, music, natural science, geometry, and astronomy from the Greeks and his fellow Muslims.

8. The Incoherence of the Incoherence by Abu I-Walid Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rushd

   Abu I-Walid Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Rushd challenged his Sufi contemporary Imam Al-Ghazali's The Incoherence of the Philosophers, which lambasted the incorporation of Greek (specifically Aristotelian) thought into Islamic academia. Here, he utilizes a dialogue structured and responds to specific criticism, attempting to synthesize the two different belief systems into one harmonious whole.

9. Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas

   Summa Theologica may be unfinished, but it still exists as one of the most important Catholic/Christian (and therefore "Western") treatises ever published. Although he writes about multiple theological subjects, Thomas Aquinas' main goal is actually quite simple – explain what the Church believes (or at least believed at the time – some things HAVE changed, after all) and why.

10. Secretum by Petrarch

    Scholars often hail Petrarch as the grandfather of the humanist school, and Secretum – which many believe may not have ever been intended for public consideration – offers up pretty compelling evidence for this mindset. Reading like more of a self-assessment than anything else, he earnestly addresses Augustine of Hippo's accusations that he does not take faith, God, the afterlife, and other core Catholic/Christian beliefs seriously enough.

11. Meditations on First Philosophy by Rene Descartes

    Philosophy students eager to snap up as much metaphysical literature as possible should consider Rene Descartes an essential read, particularly his six meditations reflecting the shape of what he believes to be real and certain. Each one builds upon the other and structures itself as a six-day meditation ritual reflecting on whether or not God and the soul are actually things.

12. Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes

    For the more politically-minded, Leviathan provides one of the earliest explorations of social contract theory, which attempts to make sense of humanity's interactions with its governing bodies. Published as the English Civil War raged, the philosopher advocated for a solid, centralized social contract structure over which a supreme sovereign entity reigned.

13. Treatise on the Art of Philosophising Soberly and Accurately by Anton Wilhelm Amo

    Most of this esteemed, though sadly often overlooked, Ghanaian philosopher and academic's essays fueled one of his quintessential publications. As the title states, he pulls from his epistemological empiricism to deliver a discourse on ethical, honest intellectualism accessible to anyone hoping to participate.

14. On the Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau

    By the time On the Social Contract saw publication, the eponymous theory already drifted about the scene in a solid enough state, albeit one open to interpretation. Jean-Jacques Rousseau just added to it, infusing ideas of a direct democracy in with the ideology's take on a monarchal, bureaucratic political structure.

15. Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant

    Aristotelian philosophy's traditional perspectives on judgment and analysis receive something of an academic smackdown in this ambitious assessment of a priori human thought. Most of Immanuel Kant's oeuvre aimed to synthesize the concretely known with the speculative while still allowing room for some more abstracted speculations.

16. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman by Mary Wollstonecraft

    Without Mary Wollstonecraft, the feminist movement may have taken on a completely different shape, maybe even kicked off later; either way, though, it's an early, essential glimpse at the mindsets behind women's rights. The author meant to rip apart social norms denying women equal opportunities in the classroom, the home, and beyond, paving the way for later activists like Simone de Beauvoir and Betty Friedan.

17. The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

    Rigid class structures give way to more collectivist economic and social protocol in one of political philosophy's most controversial texts. Seeing as how many different interpretations of this frequently inflammatory read continue impacting peoples worldwide even today (not to mention inspire philosophers past and present), students of many disciplines should give it a read and see what it actually says.

18. Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard

    Many philosophy enthusiasts paint Danish theologian Soren Kierkegaard as the progenitor (if not first follower) of the existentialist movement, or at least the Christian wing. His semi-autobiographical inquiry into ethics, faith, and consciousness – particularly as embodied in the story of Abraham and Isaac – guided him through the trauma resulting from his fiance's death.

19. Walden; Or Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau

    Some dispute regarding whether or not the renowned transcendentalist author really lived out a year in blissful solitude or just occasional flirtations with blissful solitude exists, but it still doesn't entirely tarnish his points any. Walden creates a compelling case for self-reliance, an appreciation of nature, and pleasure in simplicity, all while mercilessly satirizing then-contemporary American culture.

20. Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson

    Ralph Waldo Emerson also stands as one of transcendentalism's most notable proponents, perpetuating a philosophy celebrating individualism, nature, freedom's many forms, and living up to one's fullest potential. Suffice to say, his many well-regarded essays on the subjects make for rather uplifting reading when some of philosophy's more cynical corners start weighing too heavily.

21. On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

    Classical liberalism — the political philosophy which John Stuart Mill helped develop — separated the state from the individual, adroitly summarized with the Harm Principle, which says the government holds no authority to interfere in anyone's business unless they're infringing upon someone else's rights. Victorian society, as one can probably easily imagine, found such an ideology utterly radical and scandalous.

22. On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin

    Speaking of utterly radical and scandalous, On the Origin of Species continues to draw ire centuries later because the naturalist author dared to pioneer the entire field of evolutionary biology. While more scientific than philosophical, its impact on…well…pretty much everything since then (for better or for worse) earns the book a spot on every majors' and minors' shelves.

23. Thus Spake Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche

    Everyone's favorite misanthropic existentialist parodies Judaism and Christianity with the adventures of the fictional prophet Zarathustra. While his famous, often entirely misinterpreted, theories regarding the Ubermensch appeared in earlier writings, here Friedrich Nietzsche further congeals the concept and discusses its (and society's) relationship with God.

24. Being and Time by Martin Heidegger

    At the intersection of existentialism, deconstruction, and hermeneutics sits the controversial Martin Heidegger and the incomplete (but still essential) Being and Time. It's pretty dense stuff, focusing on the nature and meaning behind existence itself as well as slowly dismantling and examining metaphysical principles.

25. The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir

    Building on Mary Wollstonecraft's feminist foundation, Simone de Beauvoir injected a hearty dosage of communism, existentialism, and psychoanalysis into the frothy mix, which wouldn't fully bubble until decades later. A philosophical and sociological landmark, this treatise on women's rights cobbled together an intellectual argument calling for complete equality.

26. The Roads to Freedom trilogy by Jean-Paul Sartre

    Inspired by watching Nazis rampage through his native France (as well as World War II in general), the existentialist and Marxist took to writing the novels The Age of Reason, The Reprieve, and Troubled Sleep as a way to further refine his philosophical leanings. Nobody should be surprised that the surrounding elements, sometimes autobiographical and semi-autobiographical, marked an evolution in his thoughts.

27. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

    Whether one absolutely despises Objectivism or thinks its justification of selfish behavior is just about the raddest thing going, it still warrants consideration; and "know thine enemy" certainly works as an excuse to pick up this unholy brick-novel hybrid. Thoroughly dystopian, the novel pretty much encompasses everything author Ayn Rand stood for in most of her oeuvre.

28. The Order of Things by Michel Foucault

    Discourse and epistemology are the name of the game here, particularly when it comes to digging deeply into humanity's relationship with the sciences throughout history. The social sciences in particular, although he also covers some of the life sciences, linguistics, art, and economics while eking out the truths and realities relevant eras conjured from them.

29. Of Grammatology by Jacques Derrida

    Of Grammatology is a must for any and every postmodernist, deconstructionist, and poststructuralist out there, although most of its more immediately noticeable influence lay within the literary realm. Which makes perfect sense, seeing as how he deconstructs and re-examines the very notion of writing and its role in shaping human communication and thought throughout time.

30. Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung

    Philosophy majors without a hefty background in psychoanalytic criticism can still jump on board one of its pioneers' major theories and understand how they came to inspire later thinkers. Along with his more ardent followers, Carl Jung outlines his ideas regarding dream symbolism, the Collective Unconscious, archetypes, and other career highlights

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