Okay, now that you’re going back to school, it’s time to focus on the most important thing for having a good school day: breakfast.

No, seriously. Breakfast is delicious. I know a lot of college students skip breakfast to save time in the morning (I myself was often guilty of this), but why skip the most awesome meal of the day?

With this easy recipe, you can make 10 banana muffins at once–that’ll get you through 10 days, no muss, no fuss. Plus, you can eat ‘em on the go! And, hey, at least they have bananas.

And if you don’t eat breakfast, you’ll be starving later (low blood sugar, sugar) and quite possibly wolf down everything in sight. Not cute.

So munch away, my collegey friends. Remember, you can’t spell “breakfast” without “eat” (I mean…if you take out some letters in between…whatever, it’s muffins!!). Read More »

Labor Day weekend kicks off tomorrow. Yay for a long weekend filled with delicious BBQ! Boo for high gas prices and the end of sweet, glorious summer. While most of you can’t wait to get back to campus and read those books and write those papers see your friends and hit the bar scene, I am going to miss the summer.

Yeah, yeah, yeah – fall is great too: football season, hoodie and jeans weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. I know all those things are great, but there are so many things about summer that I can’t get in any other season (like white pants) and I am really (really) gonna miss em:

Drinking Outside – Maybe it’s the warm breeze or the sun on my back (or the fact that while I am outside I don’t quite feel as bad drinking alone), but there is really nothing more heavenly than enjoying a nice sangria outside on a hot summer day.

The Sundress – Getting dressed in the summer is always easy: just throw on a dress and a pair of flip-flops. No need to mess with itchy and uncomfortable tights, or layering with long-sleeved shirts. The summer dress is simple and cute.

Daily Ice Cream – I love ice cream. LOVE. So the summer is my season. I can make daily trips to the ice cream shop without looking like a fatty/8 year old. I can chase the ice cream man down the street and no one thinks I’m crazy (but they do sometimes think I have a thing for small children….) And I just get to enjoy my favorite treat (some sort of Flurry/Blizzard that involves Reeses in some capacity) on a daily basis.

The Sun – And the way it turns my skin a color that is not pasty white. How I don’t have to put on tons of makeup, because my face looks sunkissed and perfect without it. How I can wear sunglasses all day, every day. How it feels on my shoulders as I’m drinking on the porch, or chasing the ice cream man. Read More »

Since my surgery last week (I’ll spare you the details, but it sucked. SUCKED), I haven’t been doing a lot besides popping pain pills and watching TV. I’ve watched so much TV in the last 9 days that I’m seeing not just repeats, but thrice-peats, on every single channel.

Because nighttime is the worst, I tend to be unable to move enough to even change the channel, thus rendering me helpless to my parents’ whims and the oddness this Nation televises every four years: The Democratic Convention.

Politics often mystify me, even though I try to learn as much as I can from a few different outlets, so I was prepared to feel stupid in the wake of so much government and strategy mumbo jumbo (plus, I was taking a lot of pain meds the last three nights…they make the world seem complicated). But instead of feeling like a lame invalid who knows nothing, I felt something stronger rising up in my chest (and no it was not barf) — I felt laughter. Incredulous laughter at the sheer ridiculous of this political phenomenon.

If you haven’t caught the Convention yet — and you really should because stupid or not it is history — let me break down how most of the speeches go:

Democrat (usually a Senator, Senator’s wife, or, if it was last night, the Vice Presidential nominee): I am proud (applause) of being a Democrat (GIANT APPLAUSE) and thanks to all of you (applause) for being such damn good human beings (applause) and believing that this country has turned to sh*t under Republican rule! (GIANT APPLAUSE). Barak (applause) Obama (APPLAUSE) is our future (Applause lasting 5 minutes) and John McCain (boos) loves Bush (GIANT BOOS) and is old (applause) and wants to stay in the old way of thinking. (boos) YES BARAK OBAMA!! (Giant applause and shot of Bill Clinton with his mouth open) Read More »

Besides all the sucky-ness that moving has to offer, it does have on hell of a silver lining: DECORATING!That’s right ladies – whether you get to trick out a house, apartment, townhome or dorm, you get at least one special private room that will reflect your amazing style. Not only will your boudoir be your locale for sleeping (or not sleeping, wink wink!), it will be where you study, get ready, pre-pregame, watch trashy TV, and lie in bed doing nothing.

No doubt it will be as fabulous as you are, but in case you needed some help getting started, here are some of this years’ hottest decorating trends. Read More »

I have never thought of myself as a “sorority girl.” Like many people, when I thought of the term “sorority girl” I didn’t have a whole lot of positive connotations. I thought they were fake, perky, skanky, High School queen bees, who did a lot of partying and a lot of drugs.

Okay, so I guess I let Hollywood feed me that stereotype.

However, once I started freshman year I started meeting some great girls (who were none of those stereotypical adjectives) and who were also in sororities. The contrast baffled me, so I decided to investigate.

Sororities are pretty big on my campus and something like 35% of girls go Greek. That fact and all the nice girls I had met led me to sign myself up for the 2 week long process of rush. My floor friends all signed up too, but I was still pretty iffy about the idea. I told a few home friends and their reaction was…well less than enthusiastic. I got responses like; “Are you serious?” “Why would you do that to yourself?” and “You are not a sorority girl!” Even my mom, who went Greek in college, said that it might not be for me. These people were the people that knew me best, so I thought that they were probably right, and I prepared to pull my name off the list of about 700 girls. Read More »

Whenever you tell someone you’re going back to college, or going for the first time, they are full of useful info. Bring sandals for the shower, get a baggie for the shower stuff you’re planning on bringing, grab a foreman grill, whatever. Unfortunately, with all their good advice, it seems most people don’t really tell you what NOT to bring to school. Good thing I’m here.

Stuff you should not bring to the dorms.

1 – Your $20,000 stereo system.

Yes, I know its got ‘mad subs’ and is both bangin’ and bumpin’ but here’s the reality of the situation. We hate your music. I don’t care who you are and how diverse your tastes are, there are people who hate what you listen to and don’t want to hear it. Additionally, even if your musical taste is somehow Christ-like in its openness, there are times where people don’t want to hear music of any type, and these times may not coincide with your own. Your giant stereo shares noise with all ears, everywhere, and that isn’t necessary. Learn to use headphones and leave you’re cribs-esque sh*t at home.

2 – Frivolous Kitchen Stuff

Here are the following items I have personally seen people bring that have pissed other people off: a popcorn maker, a cotton candy machine, a full sized wok, a 12 speed blender…the list goes on. Do not bring kitchen sh*t you have either no intention of using or have no idea how to operate. The popcorn and cotton candy guy buzz killed every party, the Wok guy set fire to our paper towels, and the 12 speed blender kid supplied samples for everyone at a high velocity. Also, you are a freshman and you are godd*mn filthy. Read More »

As I began watching last night’s episode of Project Runway, all I could think was “I hope Keith doesn’t make anything with those dumb strips of fabric.” Oh, and I hope Stella goes home/gets paint thrown on her by PETA people.

What I should have been asking myself was “which company bought their way into an episode this week?”

The challenge was to take parts and materials from a Saturn Vue Hybrid and make something innovative from them. Because taking car parts and designing an outfit makes a great designer. I am sure Michael Kors learned how to do just that before he hit it big.

The designers went to town filling baskets with all of the materials. Tim reminded them to be extra innovative, which many ignored as they all attempted to use seatbelts in their designs (much like the tablecloth fiasco of episode 1).

Everyone heads back to the workroom where Keith – stressed by his poor performance…the entire season – breaks out the ‘tude. Not only is he rude to the other designers (yelling at them about the sewing machine) and to his model (basically calling her dumb even though it is his shoddy construction that causes the problems), but he talked back to he judges.

Aw HEEEELLL no. Read More »

I have an inner Chub-Scout. Sometimes, on binge days, she gets embraced a little tighter than usual. I use the term to be funny about it, and it tends to get a laugh, but it’s the bane of my existence.

By looking at me, you probably would just be confused by this statement until you saw me on this “binge” or “cheat” day. I’m your average twenty-something: purposefully purchasing jeans that do not induce OSTS, and have even been called ‘thin’ by the rare observer. Which is nice. But in my head, dear reader, it’s sweet but simply not true.

Bottom line is: no matter how I look now, I was the fat kid.

I know what you’re thinking: if I appear to be an average-sized girl now, what difference does it make that I spent my childhood chubby? The weight didn’t stay with me, right?

Not even close.

A fat-kid complex isn’t something you can shed by counting calories and drinking your eight glasses of water a day. Not when you’ve been on a diet half your life, have dealt with the name-calling and — what can actually be worse — being flat-out ignored. You’re stuck with those memories of the gangly girls in your elementary school classes calling you “fat” with that look of disdain, like you’re a failure at life because you’re bigger. You’re ignored by the boys you have crushes on in junior high and high school, convinced that your fate is to go unwanted.

And so it’s been ingrained in your head. You don’t know why it has to be this way, but what you are is not good enough. Period. Read More »

In college, tradition is everything and there is no tradition more important, more long-lasting and more talked about than hooking up with the college freshman.

I can’t tell you how many times I watched my friends drool over the freshman girls walking in and out of the dorms. They plotted, they schemed and they visited frat parties in an effort to woo the ladies girls back to their filthy apartments.

But, why?!

What is it about this group of girls that is so appealing? And why, with so many awesome ladies already roaming around campus, do guys feel the need to “hit that sh*t”?

Let’s find out: Read More »

So, you’ve just settled in to your campus, unpacked your essentials and have caught up with the necessary friends and college hook-ups and you’re all getting ready to go out for an evening of debauchery, you look into your wallet to grab some cash and – surprise – you’re broke.

If you’re tired of asking Mamadukes and Pops for some cash (or if they just plain won’t give ya any), a part-time job is necessary. Some college jobs can be a total buzzkill (hello scrubbing dishes at the dining commons), but others turn out not too shabby. Here’s a few I suggest:

1. Library. Every campus has one and there are TONS of jobs that need filling. It’s convenient, generally in the heart of the campus, AND it beats working for the dining halls. I spent my four years of college working for the Special Collections and Archives Department where I made around $10/hr, which was more than any other on-campus position around. I could work in between classes and I wound up making one of the best friends I have at that job, not to mention some excellent recommendations when real-life job time comes around. Try it, peeps. Head to the Circulation Department of your Library (or the college job website – there is one, if you didn’t know!) and see what departments are hiring.

2. Restaurants/Bars in town. Every campus has a “downtown” or “uptown” – the happening place on a Friday or Saturday night. If you can’t afford to spend money on drinks, get a job where your friends go; you can make loot and enjoy their company. It’s the best of both worlds. Just pop in to your favorite night hot spots and pick up some applications!

3. College Admin Office. Whether it’s the Administrative Office, the Bursar Office or another department in the Academic and Billing section of your campus, you can find a job that is accommodating to your schedule and pays decently. A friend of mine worked at one of the offices in the billing building and for graduation her boss got her a white gold necklace. Score! Read More »