You know the feeling: you wake up in the morning after a long night of getting your drink on and you are thirsty. Like, trekking through a desert for 3 months without a Nalgene thirsty. You crawl out of bed and reach for the first beverage you can get your hands on, be it Powerade, water, or a 2 liter of Diet Coke.

And it feels good goin’ down.

What if I told you there was an even more refreshing alternative? A drink that has the power to heal you and nourish your body. No, it’s not beer – that whole “hair of the dog that bit ya” theory is whack. It’s better than beer.

Though it may taste a bit like it.

It’s….cow urine.

Yes, it’s true. Look out Coke and Pepsi, Gau Jal, or cow water, is coming. The drink, which is made mostly of cow pee pee mixed with herbal supplements, is being touted as a healthy alternative to soft drinks. While it doesn’t sound very appealing (or hygienic), Gau Jal’s creator, Om Prakash, promises that ” it won’t smell like urine and will be tasty too.” Read More »

You’d think that receiving the coveted package in the mail on December 15 (for which my mom hunted down the mail truck like a lion chases a gazelle) officially kicks off high school senioritis. Yes and no; while getting into my dream school early decision helped alleviate my college process-related stress, I didn’t consider myself a victim of full-blown senioritis until Tuesday at 1:05 p.m., when the last midterm exam of my high school career ended.

And I have to say, this is one disease that I know I’m going to love.

All throughout high school, I was your typical gunner/overachiever type, pushing myself to get A’s and throwing a fit when I received anything lower. There were unfortunate times, usually around exams, when I sacrificed my social life in order to study. Looking back, I realize that my obsession with grades was unhealthy and I am not proud of it, but since I achieved my goal of getting into my number one college, I choose not to have any regrets about high school. What’s done is done; now is the time for moving forward.

In that very spirit, from here on out I plan on letting my hair down and doing all the things I never had time to do. My first order of business, of course, is sleep. I’ve also got a lengthy list of books to read, some TV shows to catch up with, a guitar to jam on, and – most importantly – some witty writing to crank out on Microsoft Word. Read More »

What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with roses?

At Chanel’s spring 2009 couture show, models walked the runway adorned with paper roses in their hair. At Valentino and Moschino, dresses and accessories featured oversized origami-like roses. Looks like Carrie Bradshaw’s flower obsession is back…and bigger than ever.

If you don’t have a real bouquet to flaunt this weekend, throw on a rose embellished headband or pair of heels. Or pick up some rose-inspired fashion; you can add a little Spring to your wardrobe and stay one fashionable step ahead of your friends who are still trying to pull off the whole bow trend. Read More »

You know how we’re all poor college kids, yet we have so many “needs” that continue to rack up our credit card bills?  One of the best ways to start saving money is to simply re-evaluate your budget.  I know people who use budgeting software and balance their checkbooks religiously, but I am not one of those people.

First of all, it’s nearly impossible for me to predict how much income I’ll rake in in a given week.  Second, there’s no way I can simply skip my monthly Metrocard (or other necessity) because I miscalculated.  So I charge it.  And then I charge five energy drinks because the grocer only accepts credit for purchases of $10 or more.  But the reality is, if I quit energy drinks (over $2 a pop), I would save hundreds of dollars a year.  What are you wasting your money on?

1.  The Bar

In New York City, you’re going to pay at least $10 for a Long Island Iced Tea.  For $10, you can buy a jug of Carlo Rossi or an 18-pack of Natty Ice, and you can nix the tip.  Even at cheap college bars, you’re bound to pay a cover charge to enjoy Nickel Nite, and even though you’re basically drinking for free, you have to tip on every round.  Instead of having a big bar night this week, have a liquor potluck, and invite all of your friends to come over with that random bottle that’s been collecting dust for months.  You’ll get drunk without spending a dime, and won’t have to wait 20 minutes for an overwhelmed bartender to take your order.

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If it’s one thing we’ve learned here at CC, it’s that all people are fascinating (Yes, even your econ professor). Let’s face it – people love to glimpse into the lives of other people. Disagree? Then please explain why you’re currently looking at your friend’s brother’s girlfriend’s cousin’s photos on Facebook. Or reading about the latest Amy Winehouse dramz in this weeks’ tabloids. Yeah we thought so.

Fact is we connect to others by learning about them. And everyone has something to share (even if it is a story about that time they fell down the stairs in the middle of lecture).

So to give you yet another reason to procrastinate, we started ‘The Five Questions We Ask Everyone’ (plus five for that special someone) because we know whether we’re schmoozing with an A- list celeb or your local bartender, you’ll be equally entertained.

Lena is the author of SexandtheIvy.com, a blog about sex and dating at Harvard University. She started blogging back in 2006, sparking immediate controversy on campus and off. Lena received lots of attention for her saucy ways and has since been featured as a commentator on college sexuality in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, Salon, and Playboy Radio. She currently blogs at TheChicktionary.com.  Read More »

I am 100% a lingerie girl.

That being said, although I love, love, LOVE Victoria’s Secret, there is one section of their stores that makes me want to barf:

Victoria’s Secret Pink.

The sub-division of VS is supposedly geared towards high schoolers and undergrads, but is usually found on awkward middle school girls, typically in the form of bejewled hoodies and capri-length sweat pants with PINK written across the butt.

Something about the brand is just inherently annoying and cheesy to me. The bright colors, unsophisticated graphics, and heavy labeling might have something to do with it. Don’t get me wrong, some of their undies and tops (sans logo) are pretty cute, but I have NO desire to wear a “most popular” t-shirt bra emblazoned with the VS PINK crest in rainbow colors. I’ve been wearing a bra for close to 10 years now – the novelty has worn off. Additionally, I doubt my boyfriend would be impressed (or tuned on!) if I busted out a yellow polka dotted scoopneck come Friday night. Read More »

Congratulations to Stump, winner of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show! What a cutie.

At 10-years-old, he’s the oldest dog to ever win the contest and the first of his breed. Way to go, buddy! Stump proves that anything is possible… and that old dogs have shinier hair than I do…

[Jill has been dabbling in the 4 Day Diet and sharing her journey with us. We saw her first week and the challenges she faced on week 2. Here, she shares her recent diet tribulations.]

This week started out great. I made a pump-me-up playlist and have been hitting the gym like nobody’s business. I’ve pushed myself to run that extra few minutes or try a new machine; I may or may not have even snuck in a workout of dancing in my apartment, underwear on, microphone (hairbrush) in hand. Hey, a calorie burned is a calorie burned, my friends, and burning calories to “We Built this City on Rock and Roll” is just a lot more fun than an extra squat.

However, as the week continued, I discovered what I didn’t like about this diet and why I have never liked diets in the past that tell you what to eat day by day. While I enjoy the food suggested for each daily plan, there are no options or guidelines for situations where those foods aren’t available. And let’s not forget that outside of diet books, real life happens. Read More »

You’ll find her workin on her latest video. And we can’t wait!

Brad and Angie’s kiddies aren’t so well-behaved…

Beautiful jewelry that’s eco-friendly is the perfect V-day gift!

A red-carpet look for less? Yes, please!

What is UP with all these baseball players?!

Amy Adams isn’t as sweet as we thought.

Adorable ideas for a DIY Valentine’s Day!

Spring’s coming! Get the perfect trench for less…

Guys may not dig Holly Golightly, but we sure do!

Heidi and Seal at Disneyland!

One thing this week’s new music releases have in common is that they’re engaging. Seriously engaging. I laughed. I cried. I nodded my head in agreement. OK, so maybe I didn’t cry – except when I heard the cheesiest song ever – but I laughed a lot.

And considering this week is Valentine’s week, The Lonely Island’s Incredibad may be just the music you need to get you out of your gloom and get ROFLing. Lily Allen’s new album will help you realize you aren’t alone in that crazy dating world. And Ryan Leslie will make you want to groove with your honey, if you do in fact have one. Just, whatever you do, don’t listen to his “Valentine.” Trust me. Read More »