Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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__3._„_ Special to THEGAMBCOCK Grand Goddess Body Image Studio’s patrons enjoy a variety of classes and relaxation treatments, including a daily Happy Hour. Body studio invites all sizes w , Alexis Arnone THE MIX EDITOR So many times our parents and friends have told us “Be happy with who you are" and “Embrace the fact that you are different.” But how many times did you actually listen? If you are like many other young adults in America, the answer is probably “not many.” The women at Grand Goddess Body Image Studio are here to change that. One of their missions, according to Grand Goddess’ Web site, thegrandgoddess.com, tis “to make the lives of women healthier, happier and simpler” by offering women of all shapes and ages a variety of services. LuAnn Pierce, owner of Grand Goddess, has had her fair share of body-image woes, including a rough internal bypass surgery and failed diet aids like Fen-Phen. “Like most people, when you fail at something repeatedly, it is i uw i..u.L. —aa i. wni wr.'imm 1 v easy to just give up,” she said. “I did that for years.” Pierce said inspiration for the studio came by drawing upon her life experiences. “The Grand Goddess concept is based on two things: my own lifelong struggle with being overweight and history of yo-yo dieting, and my experiences as both a licensed clinical social worker and a woman who has survived and been successful as an overweight female for most of my 46 years,” Pierce said. Pierce emphasized health over size. “Our mission is to offer services through the body studio that promote wellness — the idea being that regardless of your size, you can be more healthy today than yesterday by taking better care of yourself.” Pierce emphasizes the studio is not only for women with weight issues. “In fact, there are only one or two classes that are specifically for women with weight issues. The studio is for all women as we all need to take better care of ourselves so we can be all that we can be.” Pierce recommended a footbath and massage. The Grand Goddess took the business of making women’s lives a little less complex one step further July 11, introducing Happy Hour, which offers an array of activities such as footbaths, chair massages, and snacks and drinks that allow women to unwind after a hectic day. The $25 cover cost applies to these amenities and more. Pierce had some advice for college women. “Make time for your priorities. Those need to be adequate rest, nutritious meals and some form of movement most days ... and most importantly, quality time with yourself... .” Grand Goddess is open for Happy Hour 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. USC students get a 20 percent discount. “Classes are scheduled in the evenings and weekends, and the gift shop will be open Oct. 1 front 12 (noon) to 5,” Pierce said. Pierce said the gift shop will soon be stocked with gift baskets for any occasion. “Say your friend has a terrible cold, so you send her a gift basket with a mug, eucalyptus-scented bath salts, peppermint tea, affirmations about being healthy and so on,” she said. “They range in price from $10 to $50.” Grand Goddess is located at 540 Meeting St. For appointments, call 803-926-0304. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu Students offer r stress pointers John ITIurray FOR THE GAMECOCK College is supposed to be a time to find oneself, grow up and learn to deal with problems. Of course, students are supposed to somehow find time to do all this while taking care of academic responsibilities. Amid the flurry of papers, tests and the litany of other academic responsibilities, how do USC students deal with stress? * For Greig Cryer, a fourth-year psychology student, dealing with stress means “totally clearing my mind of anything related to (what is causing me stress).” Cryer said he likes to take different approaches depending on what is stressing him out. Ffe writes papers on his laptop in his dorm room, but when he has a lot of reading to do he likes to go somewhere he considers conducive to learning, particularly the library. Cryer’s biggest bit of advice to incoming freshmen and other new students-is to try different methods of studying and stress relief. “Do not be close-minded about things. Always listen to suggestions about stress, especially as a freshman or transfer student.” Charles Cochran, a first-year law student, said he “makes lists to keep track of everything. ” He also suggests taking short breaks between study sessions to alleviate stress. Cochran said taking breaks helps to keep you . focused and stress-free because it breaks up the work. Cochran said he likes to go to the library to read or write papers and never studies at home. He suggested new students talk to an RA or students native to Columbia for suggestions on ’ potential study environments. “The most important thing to prevent stress was to avoid procrastination,” he said. Chris Howe, a first-year graduate student in public health, emphasized that acquiring better time-management skills is crucial to a stress-free semester. ... He suggested new students purchase a daily planner, and said he uses one to remember information about upcoming tests and papers. Howe said students should check Blackboard to avoid anything sneaking up on them. Comments on this story? E-mail ■gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Holy Communion Bible Study &Program Evening Prayer ■ ) M LARGE SELECTION OF ^ ; ^ I XI ,s/>rxNFii TRENDY HANDBAGS >dvS'0^f^ -r- . X/ COMlNGSOOjNT" FROM NY, LR flND Rome jt>0( KlnFNTS^ONtyi k1^ ^R*? QrCESSORlts We also CARRY SHOES BY: (L/f ^ 5? < I oiJeHPee^nogrammin^wdh 8 & flCL^ YELLOW BOX, COSTABLANCA & LUICHINY 1 T I ^eTa^r^dfey merchandise joth I —j— 4840 Forest Dr., Columbia, V! ^perpobchosdJ,,., ^ .^^ I South Carolina Bookstore 801 Main St. 1124 Devine St. 2410-C Augusta Rd. And All Domino’s Locations 701 Gervais St., Ste 110 ) __ _ , _r-wwr- - - ■_■ .._ , .