A recent feature in The New York Times highlights what it describes as the "Dorms You'll Never See on the Campus Tour."

These residence halls stand in stark contrast to many of the opulent living situations colleges now use to lure students on campus.

"Built in the middle of the last century or even earlier, they have survived to shock and dismay new freshmen with their cinder block aesthetic and dingy common rooms," Times reporter Vivian Yee writes. "Air-conditioning is a distant luxury. Bathrooms are nasty, crowded and few."

The Times article shines a light on some of the most "loathed" dorms around the country. Here's what it's like to live in a few of the worst:

SEE ALSO: 22 college majors with the highest starting salaries

Quadrangle Hall, at the University of Iowa, is slated for demolition in 2017.

Designed to be a World War I barracks, Quadrangle Hall is almost 100 years old. Here it is in 1923:

The age shows. "It kind of always smells like it's 100 years old ... It's kind of like a mixture of mildew and old people, I would say," one resident told The Times.

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NOW WATCH: Malcolm Gladwell: Here's why Harvard needs 'dumb' kids too

It's unusual to meet a journalist who has their own personal assistant. I've never met one. So I was well aware of the task I had ahead of me convincing my friends, colleagues, and contacts that I now had a PA.

And, I didn't even really have a PA. For a week, I decided to try out "Amy Ingram," a virtual PA designed to schedule meetings for busy executives, by taking away all the e-mail ping-pong that goes with organizing a rendezvous.

In practice, all you need to do is link your calendars and then CC "Amy Ingram/amy@x.ai" into an e-mail conversation about setting up a meeting. She then takes over, chats to your contact like a real PA to sort the best time and location, and the next thing you should expect to see is a calendar invite.

Dennis Mortensen, the CEO of the company that created Amy Ingram, x.ai, told me earlier this month that some people have been so convinced she is human, they've even sent her flowers, whiskey, and chocolates.

I had to try it out for myself.

The set-up

It all began with a friendly "hi."

I felt compelled to be polite back. "Hi Amy, nice to meet you. I hate meetings before 11AM — so please try to avoid those as I am usually busy in the mornings. Thank you, Lara."

I had to scold myself: She's not real! Yet it felt odd constructing an email with only the most basic of information, eschewing any sort of salutation. 

Connecting my calendars took just a couple of clicks as I was already signed into my Google accounts.

I was ready. Amy was ready. I had reached the big time.

A rocky start

The first meeting Amy attempted to arrange was via a PR I have known for years. I casually dropped Amy into our e-mail conversation.

Chris was baffled.

So was Amy.

But, Amy: We hadn't decided yet! We were just trying to carve out a time slot! We can sort the finer details later! 

OK Amy, just this once. 

I sent an email asking Chris where we should meet. He replied back with a vague location. I responded asking for the exact address. He sent me the address. I forwarded it over to Amy.

It was starting to feel a lot like email ping-pong.

I didn't hear any more from either of them until two days later. Chris emailed:

Chris hadn't been replying to Amy's polite emails attempting to suggest a time. Instead, he had gone ahead and sorted the meeting himself. The (human) PA of the person I was due to be meeting sent me a calendar invite. Eventually, Chris got back to Amy to let her know it had all been set up without her.

Sure enough, Amy let me know too.

But continuing to use Amy actually made me better at organizing meetings

My first experience using Amy was far from seamless. But it highlighted the biggest mistake I didn't even know I was making when I try to set up meetings myself: I'm not specific enough from the outset. And that's why the email ping-pong occurs.

I asked Mortensen — Amy's creator — for some advice. He suggested I email Amy letting her know my favorite places for breakfast, coffee, lunch, and also my default meeting types: like phone calls, or at my office.

I don't really have a "default." One of the best things about being a journalist is you get to explore other people's offices and different parts of the city. Fortunately, Mortensen said I can also tell Amy that the location is "TBD."

From there on in, organizing meetings became a breeze. Those who didn't know me too well didn't question the fact that I was adding Amy into our conversations. Those who did were just as incredulous as Chris. One contact responded: "Well if I’d known you had people I would have got my people to speak to your people."

Later, I had to admit to a confused contact I had known all my career that I merely had a "virtual PA."

His response: a "HAL" reference:

Nevertheless, despite not being human, Amy was very realistic. Even when meetings needed to be rescheduled (from my end, or theirs,) Amy seemed to understand, and the next email I'd see from her would be an updated calendar invite.

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the best at managing my inbox, and can often miss emails. My worst habit is "starring" emails and then forgetting to look at them later. Having Amy on board gave me reassurance that I wasn't letting things slide.

Usefully, she would also send me a copy of the conversations she had been having with my colleagues, so I could keep tabs on her. Amy also forwarded me a weekly meeting summary. She said she had scheduled seven meetings for me, adding: "I can happily say that there are no outstanding tasks."

Putting Amy to the test

It was difficult to resist having a little fun. I wondered whether Amy would respond to a general chit-chat email that had nothing to do with setting up meetings.

And what about an "important business meeting" with a friend?

Amy responded with a calendar invite from 5pm to 8pm on the evening I requested. Oh Amy, you don't know me at all.

Would Amy pass probation?

My biggest issue using Amy was her erratic response times. Sometimes meetings would be sorted in minutes flat. Other times — particularly if emailed her in the morning (GMT) — she could take hours to respond. I mentioned this to my Friday night pub friend, and he became immediately suspicious (pub friends like to conspire) that Amy might be more human than she was letting on and I was simply waiting for a real person in the US to wake up and deal with my scheduling.

That thought quickly exited my head, though: X.ai has raised more than $11 million in funding to date, with a $40 million valuation, and Mortensen is a long-time data analytics entrepreneur. He sold his company Visual Revenue to Outbrain, was the COO of Indextools when it sold to Yahoo, and he sold his other company Canvas Interactive to TJ Group. 

I asked him why Amy was sometimes a little tardy. He responded:

We are moving towards a setting where Amy is near instant, but even in her current incarnation she tends to beat most human assistants in response time and working days (given her 24/7 machine setting). However, things can get queued up for multiple reasons, mostly due to verification needed or simply waiting for response on either Guest or Host side, but also due to potential response ambiguity (for her). We operate in a supervised learning environment where we go for accuracy over speed, to ensure high quality in our training data (and product). So a sentence or simple time expression might be pulled aside and that delays things a bit. All while building this verticalized AI.

Another bugbear I had with Amy was her email signature: 

It's a bit of a giveaway! People might question my new (artificial) elevated status! (Mortensen says the paid-for version of Amy Ingram will allow for customization of the email signature.)

And, ultimately, that "status" was my main issue with using Amy. I am busy, and I do set up lots of meetings, but I'm certainly not an executive. I'm sure many of the people requesting meetings with me last week (and didn't notice the email signature) thought I was getting a little ahead of myself — or that Business Insider had some serious cash to burn, and was giving its section editors their own personal lackeys.

So I probably won't continue using Amy, and it'll be bittersweet saying goodbye as she was very efficient — I'd recommend her to actual executives (thousands of executives are already using Amy Ingram, including former Havas CEO David Jones, now the owner of You & Mr Jones.) Despite her not being an actual person, she's taught me a valuable lesson about being a lot more organized and specific from the outset when it comes to arranging meetings.

x.ai is currently in beta. You can sign up to the waiting list here.

SEE ALSO: People are sending flowers and chocolate to thank personal assistant 'Amy Ingram' — what they don't realize is she's a robot

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NOW WATCH: This drummer created a whole song by only using the sound of coins

For the most part, you can tell how senior a banker is just by looking at them.

But you need to know what to look for.

"Banking is such a particular and exclusive culture that it's very common to spot fashion trends within the industry — especially within the larger banks," says Jessica Cadmus, founder of The Wardrobe Whisperer, a company that curates closets for high-powered professionals.

"But timing is everything. It's very important not to be too showy or too aggressive at a junior level when the goal is to demonstrate a polished humility in both attitude and dress."

In other words, newbies can't dress like their bosses. If a junior person wears something a little above their pay grade at their firm, you can bet that they're going to catch some classic Wall Street ribbing.

For example: It used to be that if a junior banker wore a pair of Gucci bit loafers, he (sorry, we're just addressing the men today) could expect to be called out for it — subtly and with a side of embarrassment.

And in Michael Lewis' classic Wall Street book, "Liar's Poker," Lewis explains that no one under a certain rank, under any circumstances, could wear suspenders on the Salomon Brothers trading floor.

As for the rest of us civilians, there are a few brands and styles that can tip you off to a person's rank. You can check them out below.

Every single bulleted brand isn't going to hold true for every single Wall Street man, of course — as some people will never care about looking fresh as much as they should, sadly — but this will give you a good idea of how the system works once guys have a decent wardrobe foundation.

To get that foundation, Cadmus first evaluates her customers' closet needs and personal style, then takes them shopping for the basics. 

"To start from scratch and get the basics including 3 suits, 15 shirts, 2 blazers, 3 shoes, 2 belts, 3 trousers, 10 socks, 5 ties it costs approx $15,000-$20,000 inclusive of my discounts. Add 30% exclusive of my discounts. It can cost a lot more if we need to do bespoke but most of my clients can wear off the rack," she said.

You have to pay the cost to look like a boss.

Associate Level (two to four years into banking, probably spending around $2,000/year on clothes):

• Brooks Brothers suits, shirts, ties, and shoes 
• J Crew suits, shirts, ties, and shoes

VP Level (four to six years or post MBA, probably spending around $5,000/year on clothes):

• Thomas Pink shirts
• Thomas Pink ties
• Paul Smith ties
• Burberry ties
• Tag watches
• Starting to see Apple watches
• Theory suits 
• Cole Haan shoes

Managing Director level and higher (eight years or more, probably spending $6,000-$12,000/year on clothes):

• Ferragamo shoes
• Ferragamo ties
• Hermes ties
• Zegna suits and ties
• Canali suits
• Rolex or Panerai watches are most prevalent with Patek Phillipe rising
• Bespoke suiting by Asian or British tailors

SEE ALSO: How to dress like a Wall Street hot shot without spending cash like one

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NOW WATCH: Economist Jeff Sachs reveals the biggest threat to the human race

"Just from analyzing your handwriting, experts can find over 5,000 personality traits," says master graphologist Kathi McKnight.  Here's a brief overview of what your handwriting can reveal about your personality.

Produced by Monica Manalo.  Graphics by Mike Nudelman. 

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The prized possessions and memorabilia of the rich and famous are easier to come by than ever. 

Just log onto eBay.

There you can find everything from Jon Stewart's Armani suits to a still-stylish moto jacket worn by Bruce Lee. 

According to eBay policies, sellers of such items must provide evidence of their complete authenticity. However, documents can be forged and counterfeit goods have been a problem on the site. The burden is on the buyer to have the seller's proof of authenticity verified. 

Keep scrolling to see some of the most rare and incredible celebrity auction finds on eBay. 

SEE ALSO: Steve Jobs' high school yearbook is being auctioned off on eBay

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Armani suits worn by Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show"

"The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart recently put his collection of Armani suits (made-to-measure, size 40 short) that he wore on the show on eBay. Proceeds will benefit the sports disability charity Achilles International. At present, bidding for the individual suits starts at $740.

See the full collection here >

John Lennon's mohair suit

This suit owned by John Lennon was part of a private collection exhibited at “The Beatles Story Liverpool” from 2007 until May of this year. Beatles manager Brian Epstein originally donated it to Madame Tussaud’s back in 1964.

It's being sold with a blazer worn by Paul McCartney and a banjo purchased by George Harrison. The "buy it now" price is $156,515.

See the listing here >

The infamous cat-face oven mitt from the set of "Seinfeld"

You may remember this cat-face oven mitt that hung on Jerry's refrigerator. The random set item actually has its own Facebook page made by dedicated fans. The mitt comes with a certification of authenticity from NBC. The "buy it now" price is $10,000.

See the listing here >

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Being a modern gentleman is about more than just knowing what to wear or what to put in your bathroom. It's also about knowing what to read.

We asked our friends at Goodreads to put together a list of essential books every man should read in six categories, ranging from love to business.

Keep scrolling for the book recommendations you shouldn't miss — they just might change how you look at things.

Captions by Goodreads.

SEE ALSO: These 12 online services can help you dress like a modern gentleman

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BUSINESS: "Creativity, Inc" by Ed Catmull

"Business doesn't have to be boring. Liven up your 9-to-5 with inspiration from this book by one of the co-founders of Pixar, a workplace specifically organized to foster team creativity.

Goodreads reviewers love the book's special mix of management know-how and Buzz Lightyear anecdotes. "

Buy it here.

BIOGRAPHY: "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" by Richard Feynman

"An instant classic, the Nobel prize-winning physicist’s mischievous memoir touches on everything from his childhood to his work on the atomic bomb.

Goodreads members note that although Feynman’s attitude towards women may be outdated (a good thing for any Modern Gentleman to remember!) his testament to the importance of curiosity is enduring."

Buy it here.

PHILOSOPHY: "The Righteous Mind" by Jonathan Haidt

"We all think we're right — and a lot of us are quick to assume the worst of those who disagree. Jonathan Haidt challenges why we do this, presenting a unique basis for morality grounded by history, psychology, and biology.

Goodreads reviewers praised the book’s refreshing, down-to-earth dissection of intricate (and often controversial) topics."

Buy it here.

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The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

A good tablet can do many things, but most of those are limited to the indoors. Take your fancy new iPad into the sun, and its high-resolution screen can become marred by excessive glare and fingerprint smudges.

Apple’s screens are fairly resistant to these kinds of things by default, but if you want a little boost to your iPad’s clarity whenever you’re out of the house, Tech Armor’s HD Clear and Antiglare Screen Protectors offer capable assistance.

They’re designed for the last two-generations of iPad Air — alternatives for other devices are also available — so you just line it up, smooth it out, and let the adhesive hold things down from there. Tech Armor is far from the only screen protector peddler out there, but these strips have received thousands of noticeably positive user reviews on Amazon. 

Most of those have praised the protectors for going on cleanly and keeping touch response accurate without ever feeling too in the way. The Antiglare protector may add a dimming effect to the display’s sharpness to lessen reflections, but otherwise it does its job well. Tech Armor's customer service has received special praise, too.

We’re also highlighting these because they’re affordable: A two-pack of HD Clear protectors is currently going for $7.16 on Amazon, while a single Antiglare protector goes for $5.95. All in all, they’re minor investments for those who want to keep their tablet screens as clean as possible.

Tech Armor iPad Air HD Clear Screen Protectors, $7.16, available at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: This Android tablet may be old, but it's still a great option if you can't afford an iPad or Surface

READ THIS: This $20 Bluetooth speaker’s sound won't get drowned out by your shower

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Yirego, a household design company, created a foot-powered washing machine that's able to wash your clothes in just 5 minutes. The machine uses 80% less detergent and water than an average size machine. The washer is available for preorder for $130. 

Video courtesy of Yirego 

To learn more about the product visit Yirego.com

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Soul Cycle filed to go public today.

Indoor cycling, which has become all the rage with SoulCycle and Flywheel, is notoriously pricey. With $34 a pop Soul Cycle classes (not counting the $2 water and $3 shoe rental), boutique fitness classes can drain your wallet. 

But an emerging studio, CycleBar, has a solution. 

CycleBar was founded in 2004 by brother-sister duo Bill Pryor and Alex Klemmer. The up-and-coming studio is offering up the boutique indoor cycling experience for a significantly cheaper rate for a single class at a rate of $18-20, depending on the location. Class packages are available in 5, 10, 20, 50, or 100, and drop the per-class price down to as low as $12 per class in some cities.

And the company is expanding like crazy. There are currently three studios in Cincinnati, Boston, and Detroit, and since March, the company has inked deals for 104 franchises to open, many of which are in major cities such as Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, Austin, and San Francisco. Some of these new locations are expected to launch around mid-October, with around 100 expected to be open by the end of 2016.

Like SoulCycle and Flywheel, the studio makes working out a luxury experience. Riders walk in and are treated by a concierge service. Unlike Soul Cycle (but like Flywheel), they can pick up free water and shoes as a part of the experience.

But in order to really make it in the boutique cycling business, you need to stand out. Soul Cycle has its zen-like mantras. Flywheel has intense athleticism and the famous Torq board that tracks your performance. CycleBar has a unique high-tech cycling theater, complete with a massive video screen, enhanced sound, and lighting designed to match the experience. 

Like Flywheel, CycleBar gives people the option to track their performance with, although it's not required. 

"If you talk to our clients, some of them don't even use the performance measures, but ... Bill Pryor [the CEO] felt that if you don't offer the stats, then you don't have a platform to be able to do it," said Heather Harris, President of CycleBar.

"The people that do [use it] really love it," she said, as they can track how hard they worked out from class to class and over longer periods of time, like a year. And like Flywheel's Torq board, you became accountable for your work. "You know when you did not work out to the best of your ability," she said.

Should you work out to the best of your ability, Harris says on average people burn 500-700 calories per class. Unlike other big-name studios, CycleBar provides clients with heart rate monitors. The company is working on a phase two version of its heart rate monitor as of now.

People have the option to try several different classes, all of which pull from the best of the cycling world: a basic intro class for beginners, a classic 50-minute ride, a 50-minute strength ride that focuses on upper body strength, a performance class that focuses on tracking speed and stats, a "connect" ride which incorporates elements of the mind-body connection found in yoga, various themed rides, and an endurance ride for the strong who want a 75-minute workout.

Instructors — or "CycleStars" — are equally important to the experience. "We have found the best possible people to become CycleStars," Harris informed Business Insider. "We top off their already stellar skill set with education and training from some of the nation's best indoor cycling instructors. At CycleBar, we have our own proprietary certification and ongoing continuing education platform."

Cycle Bar also prides itself on its "Cycle Beats," the playlists which the Cycle Stars use for class. The Cycle Beats playlists are readily available for download online, too.

Most importantly, CycleBar is tapping the market that wants to work out at luxury studios, but can't necessarily afford expensive classes.

"We love what Fly and Soul are doing because they helped gain credibility to the classification," Harris told Business Insider. "We just think we are bringing a great product to market, and we're pricing it for the masses. We don't like the feeling that [...] only the richest people can afford boutique fitness. That is exactly the reason why we got into the space with the pricing model that we did."

SEE ALSO: Why people pay $34 a class for the most popular cycling work out in America

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NOW WATCH: Someone figured out the purpose of the extra shoelace hole on your running shoes — and it will blow your mind

“Naples,” the young man I mentioned meeting in my recent Milan photo essay warned me, “is extremely dangerous.

The Mafia is there, but if you don’t encounter them, someone will surely try to take your camera or your money.”

Of course, this young man had never been to Naples.

And even if he had — and even if Naples was the most dangerous place in the world — I knew someone in Naples.

Well, not just someone.

Someone who, the extent to which he is smart and charming notwithstanding, has lived in Naples his whole life.

Francesco, whom I met last year in Barcelona, shrugged off my worries. “To start with,” he said, “the Mafia is in Sicily. But even there, they wouldn’t be concerned with tourists like you.”

Worries about the Mafia were the furthest thing from my mind as I explored whether or not Naples is dangerous.

Naples was bathed in bright sunshine as my train from Milan pulled into its central station, a glittering city mixing ancient and modern, with Mt. Vesuvius towering in the background.

That Naples was huge and rich and vibrant was evident to me before I even met Francesco in the station – I never once thought about the idea that Naples was dangerous.

This train Francesco explained to me after we'd showered at his place and were on our way back to Naples ancient Centro Historico, "used to be on time. Now, we have to wait 40 minutes or even more to take it. It’s created a cycle: People don’t feel that they need to pay to take a train that’s so late; fewer frequencies run; it gets more crowded; fewer people pay; and so forth.

If my photo of the train’s interior has even moderately conveyed how hot and crowded it was, you can imagine how open and spacious the walkways of Naples’ historical center, which has been inhabited as far back as Roman times, seemed to be. Naples, I would rapidly learn, is a city of contrasts more dramatic than almost anywhere in the world I’ve visited. Naples is dangerous if you like to be bored!

Francesco is not only sweet and hospitable, but also happens to be an architect. He was the perfect person to have alongside me as I explored Naples’ chaotic center, which is home to buildings that span the city’s entire 2,500-year history. As you can see in this shot, domed Renaissance-era churches exist side-by-side Gothic cathedrals, 19th century residential buildings and modern skyscrapers.

Architecture isn’t the only thing about Naples that’s disparate. In spite of Naples’ strong Catholic heritage, paganism has a central place in the city’s culture. The Fontanelle Cemetery, located in the Materdei neighborhood, illustrates this well.

Fontanelle Cemetery was originally intended as a receptacle for “old” bones in the Spanish colonial period of Naples, during which there was a cemetery shortage of sorts. The cavern — which was formed, like thousands of others in the city, because the soft limestone inside is a great building material — subsequently became a popular resting place, after epidemics like the Great Plague of 1656 and the cholera outbreak of 1837.

Fontanelle Cemetery has its origins as a Christian burial site, but severe flooding in the 19th century washed the remains out onto Naples’ streets, leaving the priest who tended over the remains to replace them haphazardly. This is where paganism comes in: During the years that followed, members of a so-called “cult” of Neapolitan citizens would “adopt” certain bones, presumably for good luck.

The story behind another Naples burial site, the city’s “catacombs,” is equally rich. The Catacombes di San Gennaro are even older than Fontanelle Cemetery, having been inaugurated in the second or third century as a pre-Christian burial site.

The catacombs of Naples are less famous than those of Rome, in part because Christians were never persecuted in Naples. The Naples catacombs have nonetheless fallen victim to severe looting over the years, including the theft of the remains of namesake Saint Gennaro, who was at one point interred there.

If you do visit the catacombs, study some Italian beforehand. Although Francesco was nice enough to translate for me, the British tourists in our group had to mostly guess.

Although I was bombarded by Christianity (and, worse, Christians) when I visited Rome five years ago, Catholicism in Naples seems much more present from a visual standpoint than as a conspicuous part of culture, at least for foreign visitors. The extent to which religion and art intersect with the gritty streets of Naples almost makes me want to say an “Our Father” or “Hail Mary”!

Of course, not all art is religious in Naples. Just as the city is an architectural pastiche of the two-plus millennia of history that have occurred here, so too is there an abundance of modern art in the city.

Naples’ Metro system (not to be confused with the old urban rail lines I mentioned earlier) are the shining example of this phenomenon. The interior and exterior of each station feature designs by prominent international artists, which are not only nice to look at, but have actually revitalized whole sections of Naples.

I could go on about how much I love Naples for days. I’m sad to leave Naples not only because I love the city so much, but more importantly because I love my dear friend Francesco, who is as significant a part of Naples to me as the buildings, the art and Mt. Vesuvius itself.

I’ll end by recounting the conversation he and I had before I arrived.

“I’ve booked a week in Naples,” I remember saying. “Do you think that’s enough?”

He laughed. “A year is not enough to see everything in Naples. But yes, I suppose a week will do.

SEE ALSO: Why no one wants to travel to Naples

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NOW WATCH: 8 travel hacks even frequent fliers don't know

If you're getting bored with same old Big Mac or burrito bowl, it might be time to consider the secret menu.

Creative consumers have created new menu items for fasst food chains including McDonald's, Chipotle, and Taco Bell. 

If you know what to order, you can try for yourself. 

SEE ALSO: What happens when you eat Chipotle for 153 days straight

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NOW WATCH: Turns out the McDonald’s secret menu is real — here’s what happens when you try to order off of it

I’m surrounded by men and women, all biking to the beat of a fast-paced song, trying to keep up with the ripped female instructor cycling on stage in front of us.

“What makes you beautiful?” she shouts into her microphone at all 40 of us as we stand up and sit down in unison on our bikes, pedaling with the beat of the music. “Are you beautiful because of your strength? Is your perseverance your beauty?”

Welcome to SoulCycle, the exercise class with a cult following. Founded in 2006 by Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler, the brand is known for attracting celebrities like Charlize Theron and David Beckham, and it has 31 studios (soon to be 37) in New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester, Massachusetts, California, and Washington, DC.

They even plan to go worldwide with a studio in London.

“It’s way more than an exercise class,” Jaime Gleicher, who’s been going to SoulCycle since 2011 at a rate of roughly 10 times a week, told Business Insider. “It’s equal parts dance party, killer workout, meditation, therapy, and social setting where I know, without fail, I can see my friends and gain a piece of mind.”

For lovers of the high-intensity cycling class, SoulCycle is a lifestyle — and the studios reflect that. Aspirational words like “WARRIOR,” “ROCKSTAR,” and “ATHLETE” are plastered on the walls. Lululemon SoulCycle-branded clothing hangs in the lobby ($42 for a tank top), and you can even buy the grapefruit-scented Jonathan Adler candles they have burning in the studio.

In a typical 45-minute class, students can expect to do choreographed, high-resistance sprints and “climbs” with an arm-workout section and a yoga-esque cool down. The lighting in the studio itself is dim with candles at the front of the room and music blaring.

For riders, it’s not about calories or how many reps they can do, but about letting go — it’s not uncommon to be asked to close your eyes or to cycle through a song completely in the dark.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when a helpful woman strapped me and my cycling-shoe loaners into the bike at SoulCycle’s Union Square location. The class excitedly chattered and started peddling at minimal resistance while waiting for our instructor to finish helping newcomers like me adjust our bikes. Some people who knew one another were talking about the Tribeca studio’s recent renovation, while others compared favorite ‘Soul’ instructors.

Then our instructor hit the music and we were riding, increasing our resistance and biking faster and faster to the beat. Sometimes we were standing up and trying to keep as still as possible as our legs cycled beneath us. Other times we were seated and learning forward and doing push ups to the rhythm of the music.

After a five-minute arm section and cool down, we were stretching and finally unhooking our shoes from the bikes.

I left the class sweaty and with a new understanding of why people pay $34 a pop in New York City for this experience. (Their best class package deal brings the cost down to $28.) The class flew by, and I felt motivated to keep going the entire time.

And though the instructor was filled with exultations to keep us pumped, I was especially inspired by the front row of fit men and women who, judging by how hard they pedaled, were obviously SoulCycle adherents.

For them, $34 is the small price to pay for a community that makes them want to workout and push themselves harder. The expensive classes, gear, and candles are just a way of distinguishing themselves (and each other) as a part of a very cool club.

“I believe it’s worth every cent,” Gleicher insists. “The price of the class is also a motivating factor: It encourages me to work my absolute hardest and get every cent out of my investment.”

“Whatever mood I am in, whatever kind of day I am having, SoulCycle has never not given me what I needed,” she added. “And that is why I keep going back.

Interested in trying SoulCycle? Here’s our advice for trying the spinning phenomenon.

1. For curious first-timers, SoulCycle has a $20 introductory class. Reserve a bike in the second row — the first row is usually filled with the more intense SoulCycle clientele and it can be helpful to watch both them and the instructor when you start out.

2. Wear sweat-wicking clothes that won’t ride up, like leggings and a tank top. Most SoulCycle locations charge $3 to rent shoes.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. You sweat a lot in this class, and will want to be as hydrated as possible before entering the room. Bring a water bottle, too.

4. Have the staff adjust your bike, but make sure it works for you. Having the seat pushed too far or not far enough forward can make all the difference in your comfort level. Start out with their advice and adjust accordingly.

5. Don’t be intimidated by the sense of community.“It can seem as if everyone knows each other and the instructor, and that is true,” Gleicher told us. “The sense of community at SoulCycle is a huge part of the experience. Make yourself open to becoming a part of it. We want you there!”

6. Go at your own pace and stay in the saddle. Observe the form and pace of the instructor and others around you. Listen to the music and do the best you can.

SEE ALSO: 6 Truths About Exercising That No One Wants To Hear

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Teenagers are notoriously rebellious by nature, but most of us eventually grow out of that naive adolescent phase.

Some, however, appear to completely miss the boat. Many of them — at least according to a study published this month in the journal Child Development — end up abusing alcohol and drugs, have trouble maintaining a steady, healthy relationship, and often have problems with the law.

Ironically, the kids who seemed to have it all at age 13 — popularity, invites to parties, older friends, and love lives — are the ones who "didn't turn out O.K." psychologist Joseph P. Allen, told Jan Hoffman for The New York Times, where we first learned about Allen's study.

The reason these "cool" kids are lost at sea as adults isn't karma working its magic — it's more scientific than that. 

Allen — together with three other researchers at the University of Virginia — conducted one of the first studies of its kind to explore how a certain type of behavior exhibited in some teens, which he calls "adolescent pseudomature behavior," may be having a negative impact on future development.

As the name implies, adolescent pseudomature behavior characterizes young teens who want to look and feel mature before they actually are — they haven't reached the emotional and behavioral maturity that comes with adulthood. To look and feel mature, these teens often behave in ways they consider mature, like drinking alcohol, smoking, partying late, and having sex. 

The curse of being "cool"

Although past studies have suggested that this type of behavior can be beneficial in the short-term, gaining you higher social status in school, far less was known about the "long-term implications of this early adolescent behavior," Allen states in the paper.

Until now, that is. Allen and his team found evidence to suggest that this behavior might actually hurt social status in school.

To find out the long-term repercussions of this early behavior, the team spent 10 years following the behavioral habits of 184 subjects (86 males and 98 females). When the study began, all the subjects were 13 years old and in either 7th or 8th grade. When it ended, they were 23.

All of the subjects were recruited from a single middle school that, according to the researchers, represented "suburban and urban populations in the Southeastern United States." The average family range of annual income was between $40,000 to $59,999 and about 58% of the subjects described themselves as Caucasian, 29% as African American, 8% as mixed race and ethnicity, and 5% as being from other minority groups. 

These numbers are not an exact match to the general American population, but they're not far off either. According to the US Census Bureau, in 2013, about 77% of the popularion identified as Caucasion, 13% African American, 2.4% as "two or more races," and the rest included other categories like "Asian," "Native Hawaiian," "Hispanic," etc. Similarly, the average family range of annual income was just under $52,000 in 2013.

The researchers interviewed the subjects over the years in order to document their social status throughout middle school, high school, and afterward. They also spoke with other students who said they knew these people best. 

At the onset of the study, about 20% of the subjects were considered "cool." In other words, their peers were more likely to say that they saw them as "mature" with "high social status" and therefore a "desirable companion" to spend time with.

But over the course of the next two years, from the time they were age 13 to when they turned 15, these "cool" kids' social status drastically declined, as shown in the graph below:By the time these "cool" kids turned 23, many of them were having problems with criminal behavior and alcohol and marijuana use — significantly more than the other subjects in the study, who were not ranked in the "cool" category at the study's onset. 

The reason for this, the researchers hypothesize, is that the "cool" kids valued being popular more than the other subjects and therefore looked for ways to continue feeling cool. Since their behavior of drinking and doing drugs is what got them "cool" status in the first place, they dive into deeper, more extreme ways to try and stay cool, even though their efforts may be backfiring.

The researchers conclude with this scary notion: 

"The findings support the proposition that early adolescent attempts to gain status via pseudomature behavior are not simply passing annoyances of this developmental stage, but rather may signal movement down a problematic pathway and away from progress toward real psychosocial competence."

On other words, if you're acting extreme to look cool, chances are good that you might be the only one who thinks so.

SEE ALSO: Here are the nation's top thinkers on how to be happy, improve our sex lives, and more

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It may be a cliché, but there’s no better advice for visitors to the Eternal City than the old adage, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

This is where la dolce vita originated, after all.

Of course, after more than 2,000 years in existence, there’s enough to explore to keep you busy for years, with decadent pasta and gelato to indulge in, places to shop for everything from handicrafts to haute couture, archeological sites, Baroque churches, villas-turned-museums, and enough art to overload your senses.

Whether you’ve never visited Rome or return often, here are 12 things you absolutely must do.

SEE ALSO: 20 genius hacks that will make traveling stress-free

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Admire ancient ruins at the Roman Forum

Entering the huge archeological site of the Roman Forum and strolling through the ruins, you can almost imagine the citizens of Ancient Rome walking the cobblestoned streets in togas and bringing sacrifices to the temples. Of course, it helps to have a guide who can bring the stories to life, or you might mistake Augustus’s house for Livia’s, as there are no signs within the complex indicating what’s what.

The site dates back to around 500 B.C., but was enlarged by Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, Domitian, and Trajan. In fact, you’ll see remnants of Imperial Rome extending beyond the limits of the Forum to include Trajan’s Column, the Arch of Titus, and the Circus Maximus, just to name a few.

After visiting the Forum, try your luck with theBocca della Verità, an ancient stone carving of a bearded man’s face. According to myth, it will bite off the hand of anyone not telling the truth.

Visit the Colosseum

The most internationally recognized symbol of Rome, the Colosseum has a long and bloody history. It was inaugurated in 80 A.D. with 100 days of games, including gladiatorial combats and animal fights. It was the largest amphitheater in the Roman Empire and is believed to have packed up to 50,000 people inside. Despite centuries of neglect—it was used as a quarry until the eighteenth century—it has remained intact (for the most part).

Today nearly 4 million people visit annually. Buy your tickets in advance or be prepared to wait in a very long line. A combined ticket for the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hillgrants access to all three sites and lets you skip the line at the Colosseum.

Gaze at the architectural marvel that is the Pantheon

Though the name refers to a temple for all the gods, the Pantheon is actually the burial place of Rome’s kings and other prominent figures, including Raphael. The temple was built between 118 and 128 A.D. on the site of an older temple.

A feat of architectural ingenuity, it was the world’s largest dome until the modern era, has been called the world’s only architecturally perfect building, and is the best-preserved monument of Imperial Rome. Walk inside and look up—the oculus in the dome is open to the sky, letting sunlight filter in.

These daredevils climbed to the top of the 1,000-foot-tall construction site for Dubai's new residential tower, Marina 101. When completed, the tower will stand at 1,400 feet and will be the tallest residential building in Dubai. Keow Wee Loong, an established free climber from Malaysia, and his friends scaled the tower in about 55 minutes. Loong has been known to climb the tallest towers in the world, allegedly knocking out security guards in the process.  

Produced by Emma Fierberg. Video courtesy of Associated Press. 

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Sydney (AFP) - A surfer punched a shark after being attacked on Australia's east coast Friday, suffering bite wounds to his legs and hands in what a witness said was like "a Mick Fanning replay".

The incident occurred near a popular tourist spot north of Sydney, close to where a bodyboarder was mauled this month, and recalled dramatic images weeks earlier from South Africa when Australian three-time world champion surfer Fanning fought off a shark.

In the latest incident, the man attacked was 100 metres (330 feet) offshore at Evans Head in New South Wales state when he spotted the fin and shouted to another surfer to get out of the water.

"As he paddled towards shore, the 52-year-old was attacked by the shark which bit his left leg. The impact of the attack knocked the man off his board," police said in a statement.

"The man punched the shark in an attempt to scare it away; during the struggle, the shark also bit his left arm. 

"The man eventually made it to shore where a passerby applied a tourniquet to his leg."

Emergency services were called and started working on the man while a police officer drove their ambulance to a nearby hospital, where the surfer, named by local media as Craig Ison, was in a serious but stable condition.

The attack happened just south of tourist hub Ballina, where a bodyboarder was severely injured by a shark this month. A Japanese surfer also died in the area after his legs were torn off in February.

On Sunday, four nearby beaches were closed after numerous shark sightings, with police saying the presence of baitfish was attracting large sharks to the area.

Fellow surfer and friend Geoff Hill, who was in the water with Ison, said it was "like watching a Mick Fanning replay".

Fanning, an Australian three-time world champion surfer, made global headlines this month after dramatically fighting off a shark during a televised competition in South Africa.

"We were just paddling out this morning and Craig was 20 metres ahead of me. Then he said, 'go in, there's a shark,'" Hill told the local Northern Star newspaper.

"But it grabbed him as he turned around... he managed to get himself on his board.

"It was like watching a Mick Fanning replay. I paddled to him but by then he was on his board and paddling back."

The attack comes just days after a scallop diver was killed by a shark off Maria Island in the southern state of Tasmania as his daughter watched.

Experts say attacks are increasing as water sports become more popular, but fatalities remain rare.

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SoulCycle — an expensive fitness studio popular among urban women — filed to go public on Thursday.

This verifies that the boutique indoor cycling classes are, in fact, taking over America.

But as with many fitness fads, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

I can confirm this firsthand.

I had a momentary obsession with SoulCycle. Stuck in a fitness rut and feeling the effects of my desk job on my waistline, I wanted a workout that would force me to break a sweat.

A shiny new, grapefruit-smelling SoulCycle studio had opened close to my neighborhood, and as an avid spinner, I found that sometimes regular spin classes left me unsweaty and unsatisfied. I had tried high-intensity interval videos on YouTube in my living room, much to the chagrin of my neighbors, and that didn't work, either. The idea of a class was alluring; I would be required to show up, and at $34 a class, I would have to push myself, or else it wouldn't be worth it.

Plus, I had heard so much about the community of SoulCycle. Celebrities cycled there. Reportedly, the teachers were like gurus, and you would leave with your metaphorical demons cast out from your day!

But I was nervous, because in November I had passed my certification to be a Mad Dog spinning instructor, and Mad Dog master instructors vilify SoulCycle. I felt slightly like a traitor, but I was still excited about the new experience. Plus, a first class was a comparatively cheaper $20, and the new studio near my apartment even offered a one-time complimentary class. I promised myself I would go only those two times, but that turned into many, many more.

But then I realized there are many things wrong with SoulCycle. My wallet is now thanking me.

1. It's not a good workout, according to some experts.

Because SoulCycle focuses on combining dance moves (that have not been scientifically proved to do anything for you) with riding the bike, I found it hard to actually get an optimal cardiovascular workout and a toning workout.

In 2011, James S. Fell wrote in the Los Angeles Times that he gave SoulCycle "a failing grade for exercise physiology and biomechanics."

"The whole idea of working one's upper body while pedaling a stationary bike is not only counterproductive," he wrote, "it can be physically detrimental over time, according to several experts I talked to."

He wrote that neither of SoulCycle's cofounders, Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler, had a background in exercise science or any indoor cycling certifications. (Rice told Fell the two worked with an exercise physiologist to come up with the routines.)

Further, some experts believe that the workout is bunk and that by combining weights and cycling, you actually lose efficiency, one expert told Fell.

"You're probably going to burn less calories because your power output is going to drop," Jennifer Sage, a master-spinning instructor with a degree in exercise science who wrote the emphatic "I'd Rather Sell My Soul Than SoulCycle," told Fell.

Separately, Sage wrote that the popular move of doing push-ups on the bike was useless. "Because of this vigorous action, there is momentum to his movement, reducing even more the potential of any strength gain," she wrote.

"There is an illusion that they are working out harder because high repetitions can cause a burning sensation, but it doesn't accomplish anything," Martha Heaner, an indoor cycling instructor with over 15 year of experience who has a doctorate degree in nutrition and physical activity, told Fell in the same Los Angeles Times article. 

2. You can hurt yourself.

When I got certified to teach spin, one of the most important things I learned was that proper alignment is crucial to avoiding back injuries. While some SoulCycle instructors do make concerted efforts to go around and help participants find proper form before the class begins, others didn't do that in some of the classes I took.

That leaves room for injuries — and in an already intimidating (and at times, snobby) environment, it can be tough to ask for help, let alone grab the attention of your instructor or one of the attendants.

There's also more of an effort on "following the dance moves" than following the instructor. (You can see a hilarious Gawker review of the class in which Rich Juzwiak, Caity Weaver, and Leah Beckmann attempt to follow along to prove just how confusing these dance moves can be.)

But this shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, as SoulCycle openly discloses that most of its instructors, as is the case with its founders, do not have fitness backgrounds. "SoulCycle is open about the fact that the company recruits performers as much as, if not more than, people with a fitness background," New York Magazine reported in 2013.

Master trainer Janet Fitzgerald confirmed to the magazine that she "would rather not take an outdoor triathlete" as opposed to a dancer or SoulCycle enthusiast. This alone is yet another problem with the fitness regimen.

Even when doing the exercise routine properly, there are plenty of opportunities to injure yourself. Sage told the Los Angeles Times that "when you start bobbing and weaving and doing push-ups on a bike while your legs are spinning, you risk hurting your low back." In that same article, other fitness experts disapproved of not only the validity, but the safety of the workout.

Sage has specifically criticized the popular "tap-back" move for its ability to cause injuries — it's what spin instructors call a "contraindicated move." "They are about as contraindicated as one can get because of the deceleration required by the back muscles," she wrote. "Otherwise you'd slam down hard into the saddle. There is zero benefit to doing these, and they are potentially harmful to joints and the musculature of the back."

Additionally, riding with little to no resistance can result in injuries. In a separate post detailing an unsafe spin class, Sage wrote, "by not having resistance, rider's hips and spine are unsupported at such a high cadence, potentially injuring the low back." Of course, riding in any spin class with little resistance could lead to injuries like this. 

3. SoulCycle fools you into thinking you're working harder than you actually are.

If you've ever walked out of a SoulCycle class drenched in sweat, it's probably because the studios don't cool the rooms down; it's warm in there. The rooms are notoriously steamy. The first time I experienced this, I foolishly attributed my soaked attire to an intense workout. I must have burned a billion calories!

Not quite. Many people buy into the fact that they're eviscerating calories from their bodies, but it's just part of SoulCycle's pseudo-yogi schtick.

4. SoulCycle charges you for water and shoes.

SoulCycle requires riders to don shoes that are able to clip on to the pedals, which isn't unusual for an indoor cycling class. It's $3, however, to rent shoes previously worn by someone else. Additionally, Smart Water is $2. 

Purchasing bottled water isn't a unique experience at an upscale fitness studio, but it does seem a bit excessive when you learn that SoulCycle's biggest competitor, Flywheel, grants you water and shoe rentals free.

These expenses add up on top of the already-steep fees. 

5. You get shoved to the back, where you may not be able to see the instructor.

If you've watched "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt," you've seen an excellent parody of this phenomenon, with Nick Kroll as a hack spinning instructor.

New riders are encouraged to stay away from the front, which can make following the instructor near to impossible. (Usually, the rear end of a fellow rider is in your face instead.) As mentioned previously, it's problematic to not be able to follow along with the instructor.

This practice also gives the experience a cliquey feel. You have to work your way to be good enough for the front row — and by good enough, it doesn't mean in shape enough. It means that you've mastered the "dance" moves on the bike. This is plausibly another strategy to get people to keep coming back; riders want to get coordinated enough to get bumped up to the front. I made it to the front once ... but it was a day when the front row was empty.

6. It's expensive, and there aren't memberships available for loyal, frequent riders.

It's a no-brainer that SoulCycle is a very easy way to throw your money into the wind, but the cost is even harder to take when you realize other cycling studios offer memberships — or participate in ClassPass, a hot startup that despite its demerits, allows fitness enthusiasts to sample many boutique fitness studios for what was a cool $99 a month (it's now $125 a month in New York, after a recent price hike). 

SoulCycle's top competitor, FlyWheel, offers memberships at specific studios in New York City for $375 a month. That is expensive, but classes are unlimited; it's a deal if you go every single day. In other cities, FlyWheel memberships are even cheaper. SoulCycle offers no such options. Classes are available to purchase as singles or by the package, which reduces the price tag per class only slightly. A SuperSoul package exists for $3,500; it's 50 classes, and it goes so far to hike up the prices to 70 classes, with the "benefit" of securing the ability to register for coveted classes earlier and a concierge service.

And a new spin studio with significantly more affordable prices, CycleBar, has been opening up franchises like crazy across America.

Even Equinox, which is often criticized for its sky-high price, seems affordable in comparison with SoulCycle.

7. It owns its elitism and exclusivity.

By not joining ClassPass and by not offering memberships, SoulCycle owns the fact that it is for the upper echelon of society. So it's no surprise that going to SoulCycle feels more like going to a debutante ball than going to the gym. 

It's also hard to get into SoulCycle classes; sign-ups are at noon on Mondays, and unsurprisingly, the popular classes fill up rapidly, leaving many die-hard riders without their preferred classes. "The withholding creates that rare thing among the well-heeled — unfulfilled material desire," Vanessa Grigoriadis wrote in Vanity Fair in 2012. 

This supposedly community-based workout thrives on keeping people out.

8. It doesn't make you feel good about yourself, but it promises that it will.

While this may not be true for all of the clientele, there's something about being shoved to the back of a room amid a sea of perfectly sculpted and tanned women with massive diamond rings, clad in SoulCycle's signature apparel, that doesn't make you feel great. Yet SoulCycle's marketing promises to help you be the best you, if you keep coming back (and buying the company's very expensive apparel with the word "SoulCycle" stamped across it!)

On its website, SoulCycle makes some lofty promises about how it will alter riders' universes: "forty-five minutes is all it takes to transform the way you look and feel," and more grandiose, "SoulCycle doesn't just change bodies, it changes lives." 

9. The wording in its IPO filing was ludicrous.

You can click here to read it, but be warned that it contains the words "tribal" and "primal."

That said, there are undeniably a few good things about SoulCycle. Some instructors really do say the right platitudes that keep you coming back (I know I have a few favorites still whom I would ride with again on occasion). Some instructors also offer classes that are structured more like traditional interval classes, and they shy away from the distracting dancing hi-jinks — but you have to go through many classes and instructors (and paychecks) to get there. And at the end of the day, anything that gets people off of the couch and exercising can't be entirely lambasted. 

We reached out to SoulCycle, and the company declined to comment, citing the quiet period before filing for an initial public offering.

SEE ALSO: A cheaper version of SoulCycle is taking over the fitness industry

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It may seem strange that a meat packing plant received recognition as a UNESCO cultural site of significance, but the Anglo meat packing plant in Uruguay has played a fascinating and vital role in history for years. 

The plant was established in 1859 by the Liebig's Extract of Meat Co. of Germany, and it later changed its name to the Anglo meat processing plant when a British firm took it over in 1924, according to the AP.

It became world-renowned for its production of corned beef, OXO bouillon cubes, and more than 200 other meat products that became staple foods that were exported for soldiers during World War I and World War II. 

Its iconic corned beef cans have become famous worldwide as symbols of the two wars, appearing in the film "Gallipoli" (when cans of the corned beef are shown in the middle of the battle of the First World War) and in "The English Patient."

Today the cans are preserved in the local Museo de la Revolución Industrial. 

The town of Fray Bentos, where the plant is located, became so famous for its meat products that it became known as "The Great Kitchen of the World," and its products became integral to British soldiers during the war.

"Not only did our products fill European stomachs; they also got into European hearts and minds," Rene Boretto, director of the Museo de la Revolución Industrial, said in an interview with the BBC. "In World War I, soldiers would say 'Fray Bentos' to indicate that something was good, the same way we nowadays say OK."

In fact, according to the BBC, during the first World War, British soldiers even named one of their few tanks Fray Bentos because they felt like tinned meat when they were inside it. 

In the 19th century, German chemist, Justus von Liebig, created a meat "tonic," which we know today as the bouillon cube. He moved to Uruguay, where he went into cattle processing with Belgian engineer, Georg Gieber.

Their factory first opened as the Liebig Extract Meat Company in 1859. 

By 1887, the factory had become in such high demand from Europe that it had its own district with houses, cleaning and garbage services, a workers' district and a specialized hospital for staff. 

The plant was eventually taken over by a British firm and it operated day and night until it closed in 1979. Over 5,000 workers maintained the plant everyday, processing around 400 cows an hour and 2,000 sheep per day, making it one of the most advanced meat processing technology developers in South America. 

To honor its history, the plant was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, the Museo de la Revolución Industrial stands at the site, displaying antique photos of the working factory and the plant's original machinery.

SEE ALSO: 24 incredible new UNESCO World Heritage Sites

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