For many people, living in an apartment is a way of life. It’s something they have always done and don’t even think twice about the lifestyle. For others, apartments can seem mysterious, and even a bit scary. Perhaps they are used to living in a detached home or even a semi where they were used to having their own rather large indoor and outdoor space without being connected to others.

Now take all those uncertainties and questions about apartment living and apply it to a big city like New York, where apartments are a large majority of the accommodation available. Being the largest city in the country, you can bet the real estate market is not only huge but also competitive. And the majority of those who live in the city are in fact paying rent on an apartment instead of owning their own house.

So, how does a newcomer to the city adjust to apartment living when they’ve never experienced it before? These tips are meant to help you ease into the apartment living lifestyle here in New York City, taking many of the doubts and fears out of the equation.

The Noisy Neighbor Concern

Easily one of the top concerns for newbies to the apartment lifestyle is the noise. You can have people on either side of your unit, as well as below and on top. That is a whole lot of potential for noisy neighbors. If you’re moving from a smaller town or city where you had a fully detached home and weren’t right next to your neighbor, it’s only natural to feel this concern.

This is exactly why you want to be picky about not only the neighborhood you choose but the building as well. Let’s say for example you are a single person who will be working remotely from your apartment. Choosing a building in a neighborhood that is known for families and is pet-friendly may not be the best idea.

If you do end up in a building where noisy neighbors become a thing, you can try speaking to them, which may not be the best option, or you can speak to the building management.

The Lack of Space Concern

Then there is the concern you won’t have enough space. In reality, it’s all about how the space is laid out and used. You can have a big home with a whole lot of dead and wasted space. Small apartments can still function beautifully as long as they are laid out correctly, offer adequate storage, and aren’t filled with oversized furniture. You may find yourself surprised by just how little space you do need.

The fact that you will likely be downsizing can also be the perfect excuse to purge and get rid of any unnecessary items that you have been holding onto. This alone can be a freeing activity.

Make the Move Stress-Free with a Furnished Apartment

Another tip as you work to find apartments in New York City that meet your needs and wants is to look for one that comes fully furnished. Just imagine how much easier the move would be if you don’t have to bring your existing furniture with you. There’s also the fact that it may not work in an apartment setting, which means you’d need to buy all new stuff and arrange for its delivery.      

Blueground can help you answer the question of where to live in New York City, thanks to its rather large selection of furnished apartments. This real-estate tech company that specializes in furnished rentals doesn’t just offer standard run of the mill accommodations either. They professionally style and manage premium apartments in some of the best locations in the city, with tailormade furnishings.

Your apartment will feel like something out of a magazine, and you didn’t have to hire a designer to get the look. If you lack vision on how to style a small space, you can take comfort knowing it’s all been done by Blueground’s global interior design team. Many homes even feature upgrades that you hadn’t even thought about including pools, fitness centers, and pet-friendly designations. The properties can be booked for a month, year, or longer – whatever your needs are.

To make things even smoother, you can see Blueground’s offerings in real-time on its website, allowing you to narrow down your search with ease. Booking online also means that you can arrive directly in NYC and walk into your turnkey home.

Get to Know Your Built-In Community

Of course, one of the pros of moving to an apartment building or multi-unit complex is the fact you’ll have a built-in community from day one. This is a wonderful way to get to know people, ask about nearby sites and attractions, and start to put down roots.

Apartment Living at Its Finest

At the end of the day, for all your worries, preconceived notions, and stress about apartment living, you may just find that it ends up being your favorite style of accommodation.

Are you searching for one thing that will help you study better and get good grades? No, we don’t judge. We all have been there plenty. 

If you are anything like us, we are sure you must have tried everything and may even have considered trying out some weed? Yes, as unusual as it sounds, there are students all around the globe who are trying it out as we speak. 

Therefore, today let’s answer the question “can weed help you study?”

Does Smoking Weed Help You Study: The Secret Story

Weed is widely used for recreational purposes but in recent times students have started taking it for studying. What’s next, students believe that consuming weed is highly effective. This begs the question, how? Hence, it is time to see how weed impacts our brains. 

Weed works by enhancing the neural connectivity in the brain. This is the reason that it can lead to hallucinations and psychosis when consumed in big amounts. So, what does weed help you with? Here is the answer: when consumed in limited concentration, weed is believed to enhance your focus, thus helping you study better. 

MRIs have shown that weed can shrink a brain physically but at the same time, it amplifies the connection between neurons. This is a theory supported by many who are of the view that weed helps to study better. 

Although it has also been observed that consuming weed helps the brain get a better connection between neurons, it to damage the internal brain structure if used for a prolonged period of time. 

Orbitofrontal cortex is the area of the brain which makes judgments of adversity and reward and this is also the area that gets impacted by weed. This can be a cause of concern given how delicate the brain is. 

That is to say, it is worth mentioning here that the connectivity of the neurons caused by the consumption of weed is still better than most average non-users.

The Good Things

• Time to relax

According to a 2016 study, students are spending more time studying. Danish students spend around 37.6 hours in higher education. 

One of the benefits of weed is that it promotes relaxation. This is why many students are turning to weed and vaping. If you are curious about how to get started and what is the best vaporizer, learn more here. 

Getting stressed and being anxious about exams and degrees is a common phenomenon in the life of a student. But with a small puff of weed, all those anxiousness disappears into thin air. Hence, it is safe to say that weed is a good decompressor. 

It has been seen that most of the students who take weed to study usually do so on the night before the exam. The reason put forth is that the extra amount of pressure on the night is effectively taken care of with smoke.

• Let’s focus

As mentioned earlier, weed can improve the connectivity between neurons and allow the brain to function in overdrive. This is the reason it is most effective when you are trying to concentrate on a topic or subject before your exams. 

Students have attested to the fact that weed consumption has allowed them to brainstorm better on subjects. This, in turn, has also allowed them to focus on studies irrespective of whether they were taking notes or listening to someone speak.

In addition, it is found to be of great help to the students by making them memorize difficult topics with relative ease. 

• Time to sleep

Perhaps what one needs before an exam is a good night’s sleep and consumption of weed allows you to do that. It effectively helps the students to switch off their brains and sleep as soon as they hit the bed. 

The Bad Ones

• Count the doses

The first drawback of weed consumption is not knowing how much to take. It is only effective if the doses are small because in high doses it will end up having a more adverse effect on the body, especially the brain.

• Increasing expenses

It is fun to consume weed both for recreational purposes as well as for studying but it comes with a cost. This expense is going to be an added burden on you and is sure to mess with your budget. This becomes harder if you are a student living in another city.

Some Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Do not consume excess weed when you are going to study after consumption.
• If you are going for group study, then confer with other people of the group before consuming it.
• Know your limits and strictly consume likewise and do not cause problems for others.

Don’ts

• Do not spend too much on weed, it’s better to be sober than to be broke.
• Do not go with the flow; consume it only if your body permits.

After looking at the various aspects of weed consumption, whether weed helps you study or not depends entirely on you. Although it is not advisable, weed can be effective for studying if taken in small doses.

Looking to purchase CBD oil for the first time? Check out this helpful CBD 101 guide for 4 informative tips before you buy.

With hemp now legal in America, CBD products are growing more popular with each passing day. Long gone are the days of confusion and superstition regarding this compound that brings a lot of relief to people all over the world. 

If you’ve never purchased CBD before, it can be an overwhelming experience at first. With a little help from a beginner-friendly guide, you’ll have no trouble getting the products you need with as little trouble as possible.

Keep reading to learn our top CBD 101 tips!

Seek Out Reputable Sellers

When it comes time to buy your first dose of CBD oil, make sure to only purchase through sellers you trust. Many CBD outlets sell products where the CBD content is too low or the THC content is too high. 

Always research the seller before you purchase anything. Don’t leave it up to chance whether or not the product is a good one.

Look at the Labels

Before making any purchase, read each label with the utmost care. If you want to avoid that “high” feeling, stay away from anything with large quantities of THC.

For the best amount of CBD per product, look for ones made from hemp. The quantity of THC within hemp is much smaller than other similar plants.

Look for labels that talk about CBD isolate if you’re worried about flavor, as this is the purest form of extracted CBD. Full-spectrum CBD, on the other hand, has other parts of the hemp plant within the extract, and give the oil a pine-like and musty flavor.

Start With Smaller Doses

Beginners need to remember that a little goes a long way with CBD. It’s best to start with the smallest dosage and wait for several hours before taking any more.

By taking smaller doses, you’ll learn how you react to the CBD once it’s in your system. You should only increase the dosage once you have that baseline experience. If you feel that the effects are not strong enough, up the dose in tiny increments until you find the perfect fit.

If you’re uncertain, CBD samples from professional sellers are a great way to try out CBD with little risk.

Find the Best Application

The cool thing about CBD oil is the fact that it’s so versatile. You could add a few drops to a drink, use it as cooking oil, rub it on your skin, or even place the drops on your tongue. You can find CBD HARD CANDIES here.

Don’t be afraid to experiment until you find the way that suits you. The right application method all depends on what you want out of the CBD experience and where you need the most relief.

A CBD 101 Guide Is Only the Beginning

Although our CBD 101 guide is a great starting point for any beginner, it’s always better to continue your CBD education. Check out shops and question experts around your area. Keep an eye on your state laws so that you always know how to handle your CBD products.

With this experience and knowledge behind you, you’ll get relief from CBD without ever having to worry about unforeseen repercussions.

Looking for other health-minded tips and tricks? Browse the rest of our Health section for all the latest news!

In 2020, cannabis culture has been growing steadily for well over half a century. While we have access to some of the most potent strains of marijuana as well as extracts like THC and CBD oils, many users enjoy the simple, straightforward experience of smoking good, old-fashioned weed. Strains like Sour Diesel and Blue Dream have been around for decades, helping sufferers and stoners alike gain the high they crave, but as marijuana use becomes mainstream, growers and sellers around the world are working to produce newer and better strains than ever before.

So, how are they doing this? Making a new marijuana strain is part art, part science — but mostly it is luck. Read on to learn the process for cultivating a new variety of marijuana in 2020.

Understanding Why

Why do we need new strains of marijuana? At last count, there are almost 800 unique strains recognized by the marijuana community, varying from the most chill to the most dank. However, even with so many strains to choose from, many consumers are unable to find the strain that most suits their needs.

As more people use marijuana for medical treatment, growers are being called upon to cultivate strains that have specific properties, such as greater anti-inflammatory abilities or more targeted pain reduction. Then again, those who enjoy marijuana for recreational highs might clamor for more intense psychoactive effects, like intense visuals or deeper euphoria.

The way people talk about marijuana is changing as research discovers more about the plant and its properties. Historically, growers and users have employed the terms “sativa” and “indica” to describe both how a plant looks and the effects the plant provides. However, studies on sativa and indica varieties of marijuana have discovered that these designations are all but meaningless. Instead, what produces effects are unique compounds called chemotypes, and as science identifies which chemotypes have which outcomes, breeding new strains will serve the purpose of systematically addressing consumer need and demand. 

Finally, breeding new strains of weed can be fun. Just as painters constantly experiment with new colors, gardeners with new seeds and video gamers with new releases, those enthusiastic about marijuana might find breeding to be an interesting and engaging hobby. Because owning a few small marijuana plants for personal use is legal in many U.S. states, there are few reasons not to try breeding new strains.

Choosing Parent Plants

The first step in making a new strain is choosing the parent plants. Cannabis is a dioecious plant, meaning that a plant can be either male or female, and to reproduce, the genes of male and female plants need to be combined. However, because those genes directly influence what the new strain will be like — how it will grow, what it will look like, what psychoactive or medicinal effects it will have — it is important to put time and consideration into selecting parent plants.

There is a style of cannabis called “clone-only” plants, which boast utterly unique and certainly enviable qualities. Typically, users who want to buy these can only obtain small living plants, not seeds. This is because clone-only plants are grown from cuttings that originate from random, uncontrolled pollination in parent plants. Sellers are uncertain how the plant was made, and creating seeds from that plant would taint its genetic line. Breeders typically start with clone-only plants in recognized strains, so they  know exactly what traits they are getting with their parents.

Casual breeders might start by selecting marijuana strains they already enjoy, like Maui Wowie (a sativa-dominant hybrid) and Northern Lights (a true indica). Combining these strains could result in an energizing bud that destresses while sparking creativity — the best aspects of both strains. The resulting plant, if it offers an enjoyable high, might gain the name Maui Lights, Northern Wowie or something completely unique.

More advanced breeders might select a male parent, which has less-dominant traits, with less potent effects but a more advantageous growth schedule to make caring for the plant simpler. There are so many factors that go into cannabis cultivation that opportunities for breeding are nearly endless.

Developing Patience

In truth, one generation after the parent plants might not be different enough from its parents to call it a totally new strain. In fact, it can take years of successive breeding and crossbreeding to develop new traits that warrant a new designation. Breeding is time-consuming, challenging and expensive, especially if a breeder builds their own greenhouse or hydroponic system. And in the end, a breeder might not even be successful at cultivating the strain of their dreams.

More often, breeders chase genetic stability instead of genetic purity. Finding two parent plants that produce seeds all with relatively similar traits is a major plus; it means they don’t have to kill all but one or two plants and continue to breed until they isolate and enhance the traits they care about. Typically, a hybrid strain that grows from seeds, like Purple Kush, isn’t perfectly identical to each other seed of the same strain, but it is close enough to keep users happy.

Growing After Breeding

Once a breeder has a goal, has two parent plants and has the wherewithal to continue tinkering until they get the right traits, the process for breeding is relatively straightforward. First, in a breeding chamber — an enclosed space where female plants won’t be contaminated by unknown male plants — one male plant should be placed amongst one or more female plants.

After a couple weeks into its flowering phase, the male plant should release enough pollen to pollinate at least 20 females. Growers who want to maximize their crop can shake the male plant to disperse the pollen or manually distribute pollen into females’ pistils. In any case, fertilization is a relatively swift process, and after about four to five weeks, the females should produce and drop fully mature seed coats. Then, breeders take those seeds, plant them and care for them until they can be harvested, dried and smoked.

Breeding a new marijuana strain is nothing short of horticulture — which in reality is a complex science that takes time and effort to get right. However, for those who not only appreciate marijuana but want to make it a productive hobby, creating a new, unique strain might be a rewarding challenge.

Stress is an indelible part of life. No matter how hard you try to get away from stressful or tense situations, there is always going to be something that bugs and frazzles you.

Whether it is an argument with your partner, an upcoming deadline, a choleric boss or client, or financial trouble, stress is going to find you and pump up your blood pressure to new heights.

When we get stressed, our body gets flooded with a hormone called cortisol, which elicits a “flight or fight” response. If that happens in any of the above-mentioned situations rather than in a life-threatening situation, your body and mind can end up developing chronic troubles such as headaches, hypertension, anxiety, and depression. These are just the initial side-effects, things can get pretty serious for your health if you are under prolonged stress.

Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate stress and deal with the daily ups and downs of your life. Go ahead and de-stress yourself:

1. Go for a Walk

When your body generates a flight and fight response, it wants to do something to protect you. However, there is nothing life-threatening about a situation when your boss is yelling at you. When your body cannot act on its flight or fight response, you will feel the onslaught of stress and tension.

So it’s recommended that you go for a 10-minute walk and get away from the situation for a while. Walking helps clear your mind and release endorphins, the hormones that fight stress.

It is better if you choose a green space for your power walk as it can put your body in a state of meditation, which allows you to distract yourself while also provide room for reflection.

2. Chew a Gum

According to a 2008 study presented at the International Congress of Behavioral Medicine, chewing a pack of gum can help deal with your anxiety, breathe easier, and boost your alertness.

During times when you are full of stress, you would notice that you feel the urge to eat more food, unhealthy one at that, which might temporarily de-stress you, but in the long run only serves to raise your cholesterol level, weight gain, and open up a whole different can of worms.  

Chewing a piece of gum could help with stress eating and its consequences.

3. To Use the Screen or Not

While it can be hard to step away from your screen, particularly when it offers stellar connectivity with Mediacom Internet in your cities like spectrum service in Dallas However, continuous use of screen contributes towards stress, loss of sleep, depression, and anxiety in women. Research also shows that late-night computer usage puts your mental health at risk.

Some on-screen time could really help with your stress levels, but that screen time ought to be mindful such as watching a funny video or series that makes you laugh out loud.

Laughter releases endorphins, which stimulates your heart, lungs, muscles, and oxygen intake. That’s why you see laughter as part of an exercise program at many parks.

Know when to use the screen or not for the sake of your mental peace.

4. Give Yourself a Break — you deserve it!

If your cellphone constant pings are stressing you out, hang up, and give yourself some break from your responsibilities.

Avoid taking your office back to your house and stop constantly paying attention to work-related calls and emails while at home. Even if your boss is being demanding, put your foot down because nothing is more important than your mental health. Just switch off your work phone and laptop when you get home.

Spend time with your loved ones and enjoy a light-hearted movie together. If alone, put on some music as it tends to have a soothing impact on your mind and releases chemicals like dopamine, and enjoy a cup of herbal tea.

Distract yourself and refuse to reminisce about the stressful day at work. Whatever it is, it’s not the end of the world, you will look into it when you are in office. At home, it’s your “me” time. You deserve it no matter how unworthy of it your anxiety might make you think, so enjoy it.