cover story piCarlyreps for college

hen Miranda Cosgrove’s band went on its Dancing Crazy tour this summer, she fancied it a bit like college. “We’re all on a bus, we watch movies, and it’s kind of like having a sleepover every night,” says Cosgrove, 18, star of the long-running Nickelodeon hit iCarly. “My backup Wsinger’s mom sends cupcakes, and she and I are always telling the guys to pick up their clothes. It’s like being in a dorm.” OK, maybe if you add piles of homework and take away some movies, there’s a hint of dorm life in bus touring. But next fall, Cosgrove will find out for sure. She was accepted to New York University and the University of Southern California and plans to defer her admission until 2012, after she’s finished shooting iCarly. She’s still deciding between the two schools. Her father, who owns a dry-cleaning business, went to USC and proudly Actor and musician showed Cosgrove around when she took her SATs there. But NYU offers the allure of an unfamiliar coast. Miranda Cosgrove gets ready to graduate By Melanie D.G. Kaplan, WebMD Contributing Writer n al, In c. n ©2010 Viacom In ter atio a/Nickelodeo w to living on her own Williams & Hiraka

8 WebMD Campus | Fall 2011 cover story healthy living

“I feel like college is all about getting away and figuring out what you want to do Pump up the music. Several stud- and meeting new people,” she says. “I’ve 3ies find that listening to music can help lived in Los Angeles my whole life, and it lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and would be good to get away. But I’d prob- boost mood. The right music has the power ably be in shock at first.” Cosgrove’s mother to change your attitude. So load up your has joked about getting an apartment in MP3 player and create a special playlist Manhattan not too far from her only child. that will make you smile—whether you’re “She’s like, ‘I can do your laundry,’ and I’m Take working or working out. like, ‘Mommmmmm.’” Got five minutes? Known internationally for her role as Sniff a lemon. Carly Shay and for her run on Nickel- 4 For a quick de- odeon’s Drake & Josh, Cosgrove is one of the Here are five healthy ways stressing trick, turn to highest-paid teens on TV. She also lent her an underrated sense— voice to Despicable Me, appeared in an epi- to recharge your sense of smell. sode of CBS’s The Good Wife, and released her Japanese researchers first album with Columbia Records, Sparks found that linalool, a Fly, which debuted at No. 8 on the Bill- substance found in lem- board 200, all last year. Yet Cosgrove—who By Jennifer Soong ons, has anti-inflammatory laughs easily and makes even a stranger on WebMD Contributing Writer properties and may reduce the fight-or- the phone feel like she’s Cosgrove’s BFF— flight stress response. Research shows other still thinks of herself as an average 18-year- scents, such as basil, juniper, and lavender, old. That’s especially true now, as she tran- help lower stress. sitions from her teens to adulthood. “I feel like it’s one of those moments ago. She met a girl her age who was going Unplug. Just because we live in a where everyone is figuring out what they (( College is all through chemotherapy and was moved by 5 wired world doesn’t mean you need want to do,” she says. “It’s kind of a nice their connection. to stay connected every minute of every time. You have a lot of open doors and a about getting She’s returned twice since then to spend single day. Staring at computer screens lot of possibilities. All my friends are going some time with the kids, most recently and electronics all day long can zap your through the same things, so I don’t feel with the cast of iCarly. During the visit, the energy and encourage inactivity. Log off alone in that.” Even Cosgrove’s precollege away and figuring girl she had befriended ran up and hugged your email and Internet (yes, that means fears are typical—she worries about keeping her. “I didn’t know her whole story the Facebook, too). This is especially impor- up academically (having been tutored on out what you first time, but she gave a speech to the cast tant to allow you to unwind and relax and off the set since sixth grade) and fitting and told us what it was like at the hospital. before bed. in socially. want to do and I remember thinking I could totally be Cosgrove plans to study theater or film friends with her. I’m never going to forget

and would like to continue acting after meeting new her.” (At press time, Cosgrove says she Five minutes. True, it’s not a heck of a lot of time, especially with that college, yet she welcomes the break from a (( hopes to go back soon and plans on visit- stack of books staring at you. But it’s just long enough for you to do one career that she fell into as a child. “I couldn’t people. ing children’s hospitals in various parts of thing—and maybe that one thing that will turn your day around. Take five see myself doing anything besides acting,” the country during her summer tour.) and try these five simple ways to lower stress and boost your mood and she says. “But I want to take a step back to with fashion.” While Cosgrove is more of a There was another unforgettable make sure it’s the right path for me.” jeans and sweatshirt girl on workdays, she encounter in Washington, D.C., last Christ- energy levels. You might just find the extra spark you need to tackle all that Finding the right path means does love dolling up in heels and a leather mas, when she performed with other homework. Well—most of it. experimenting in other areas of her life jacket when she’s headed out with friends. artists at the White House. “I was really as well. Take fashion. It’s not easy to admit Downtime often means chilling with her nervous,” Cosgrove says. “And then I got in Hollywood—a place where everyone best friend and next-door neighbor, Nina, to meet President Obama before I went on, Make your bed. Starting off each Clear your desk. You may not seems to have her own look and fave watching DVDs, making up parody songs which made me more nervous.” 1 day with this small ritual can help cre- 2be able to overhaul your dorm closet in designer—that you don’t have a signature on the guitar, or going to a kickboxing class. The president cleverly referenced her ate a calm environment for you in your five minutes, but you can manage to tidy style. But Cosgrove confesses she’s still But to rejuvenate her soul, Cosgrove role as a preppy band manager in School of ard Sh ooter/Getty I ma g es bedroom. Gretchen Rubin, author of The your desk. From stray papers to scattered figuring it all out. leaves movies and music behind and Rock. “It was really funny. He was joking Happiness Project, writes that many people coffee mugs, clutter can make you lose “I’ve gone through phases where I’ve heads to Memphis, Tenn., where she vis- around, and I just thought, this is crazy benefit from making this modest step part focus and can curb productivity. Declutter tried things that didn’t really work, but my its patients at St. Jude Children’s Research that he knew about the movie,” she says, of their routines. By checking it off your your outer environment, and you may feel mom helps me with that,” she says. “We Hospital (www.stjude.org). She made her sounding delightfully awestruck. “And to-do list early on, you’ve got one less lighter on the inside and more motivated

shop together a lot, and she’s really good first trip to the hospital about six years crazy that he knew about me!” n al S tep h a n P ick/ R oba ress/ I co In ter atio Weste n d61/Getty I ma g es; Ho w thing to worry about for the rest of the day. to concentrate on the task at hand.

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