Thanksgiving has been over for less than 24 hours, which means that the world is already in full-fledged holiday season mode. The advent of The Season brings with it all kinds of things, some positive and some negative: major deals and awkward run-ins with high school friends, feelings of gratitude and feelings of Grinchiness, holiday nookie and ever-increasing swine flu paranoia, and so on.

It does suck that we’ve got to start thinking about time management so that we don’t totally bomb finals, even though there are a ton of more important global issues on our minds right now, such as “Is Prince William suddenly fugly?” and “How good is Taylor Swift, really?” And then there’s that new “desire drug,” something I certainly wouldn’t want to find in my stocking (…if I had a stocking).

In the midst of all this turmoil, maybe it’d be best just to focus on the positive side of The Season. Gift giving and getting, pumpkin pie, red Starbucks cups—whenever you start to get overwhelmed with everything that comes along with late November and December, try to take a deep breath and remember what’s great about the holidays. Or, you know, make a list of all the things you hate, if you think it’ll make you feel better.

One of the best first dates I’ve ever been on was to a sushi restaurant. I had never tried sushi before, and it ended up becoming one of my favorite foods. I ended up dating that boy for three years. And in those three years, our lives became increasingly intertwined. We were already in the same honors classes, we both played soccer, we both wrote for the school newspaper. We fit into each other’s lives so perfectly.

For three years, we got along perfectly. And then we broke up. It was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. Some people eat after I break up, I couldn’t bring myself to eat. I was nauseous all the time. I lost almost thirty pounds. And sushi had never looked more repulsive.

For months after that, every time I saw sushi I thought of him. He was there every green car that drove by, every time I passed a soccer field of boys practicing. I had never been even the slightest bit phased by a break up before, so I had no idea why I was so upset. I felt so weak, so pathetic, for letting myself be so upset over a boy.

Time passed, and I gradually began getting better. It took little steps. I finally stopped crying. I didn’t have to see him anymore once school ended, and then I was able to stop thinking about him almost altogether. I started dating some other people casually, and soon I rarely thought of him. I could even eat order a California roll without a single painful memory. (Which instantly enhanced my life; I’d really missed those little guys.) Read More »

Last week, I encountered a situation that every college student has (or will) at one time or another: I accidentally signed up for a credit card. When the (sneaky) sales girl at Nordstrom asked if I’d like to sign up for a rewards card, I cheerfully yelped, “Sure!” I thought this card MUST be similar to my (now defunct) Blockbuster rewards card, which wasn’t actually used for purchasing, but gave me points to earn free popcorn instead.

I was wrong.

Miss Nordstrom had swindled me into signing up for the real deal. Luckily, I only charged a good $110 to my new card (that’s sarcasm), however, in an effort to ensure that I never get myself into this kind of debt debacle again, I decided to stick to buying from people who understand what it means to be a struggling artist (er, writer, whatevs). So, I turned to the online shopping portal Etsy – my favorite place to spend time (& cash) on the internet.

For those of you who have been living under a rock (or without an internet connection or penchant for online purchasing), here’s some quick Etsy 411:

“Etsy is a website that provides the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items as well as vintage items and craft supplies.” (Thanks, Wikipedia!) Basically, the site is chock full of handmade/eccentric goodies – from vintage handbags to hand sewn dresses, created by regular people like you (or the craftier version of you). A lot of the designers on Etsy keep it eco-friendly, too, which def gets a thumbs up from me.

But, if you’re a first time Etsy-peruser, it can be a little intimidating. So I’m here to break it down for you & showcase five of my favorite E-fashionistas. I found five sites that not only offer swoon-worthy threads, but are safe for your wallet (or Mom’s Visa bill). Read More »

I’m all about a little role playing – I mean who doesn’t get turned on at the thought of sexy time with a McDreamy – but I do believe this is taking things a little bit too far. There is nothing sexy about a speculum. Nothing at all.

And OMG – they sell it on Overstock. WTF?!

This time about Britney Spears.

Don’t miss out on these Black Friday deals!

Kevin Federline: skinny and douchey.

Uh, guys have more personality? What?

Stay motivated on that diet!

MTV is pissing off the Italians.

Peppermint Mochas are BACK!

I woke up full this morning, my stomach is hanging out over my pajama pants and I have 24 emails in my inbox advertising Black Friday deals at various online stores.

Yup, it’s officially Holiday Season!

While Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday of the year, there is something about the time from Thanksgiving to New Year’s that makes me blissfully happy. Sure, it could be the sheer amount of sugar that is pumping through my bloodstream right now (I ate pumpkin pie and brownies and cookies and apple crisp for dessert last night), but everything about this time of year makes me wanna run and dance and sing… and shop. Seriously, the people making those commercials should get a raise because they work on me every. single. time.

I know I’m not the only one out there who ate until they wanted to barf last night is head-over-heels in love with the holiday season, so this week I asked the CollegeCandy writers to share their favorite things about this time of year.

What do you love most about the holidays (and yes, “getting presents” is a totally acceptable answer).

Ricki – University of Michigan: The holiday music.  It is impossible to get in my car without becoming cheerful.

Ness – Sheridan: My favorite thing about the holiday season is sleeping until (after) noon, and not feeling guilty for missing class. Ah, how I love you Christmas break.

Nina – Michigan State University: I actually really love buying presents for other people. I don’t care that I’m spending inordinate amounts of money when it comes to people I love!

Teresa – UCSD: Hearing cheesy holiday music at the mall. It never gets old!

Kendra  – University of Pittsburgh: My favorite thing about the holiday season is having marathon movie binges with my older sister. There’s nothing better than being rooted to the couch and watching Disney classics, several seasons of Weeds, and every Zac Efron movie ever made while my parents bustle around getting the house ready for guests.

Elizabeth – UC Berkeley: My favorite thing about the holidays is listening to Bing Crosby’s “A White Christmas” without people thinking I’m crazy.

Sarabeth – University of Texas: My favorite thing is the amazing desserts that come out around this time. Eggnog milkshake? Peppermint brownies? Yes please! Read More »

I do a lot of online procrastinating. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t? In class I stalk people from high school I haven’t spoken to in years. When I should be studying, I scour iTunes for my next artist obsession. And when I’m writing an essay I am always simultaneously shopping my favorite stores.

In my travels across cyberspace I come upon a lot of new sites. From fashion blogs, to a new collection of funny videos, to online magazines with entertaining stories about college life.

But my most recent discovery has quickly developed into a must visit. It’s psimadethis.com and it’s amazing.

It’s a do-it-yourself website, giving readers ideas for DIY projects and inspiration boards for coming up with your own ideas. It even has links to the best places to get materials for specific projects!

This doesn’t seem at first to be anything ground breaking; there are a million DIY websites. So why am I obsessed with it?

1. Erica, the girl behind this site, is just awesome. She’s creative, trendy, and cool. Ok, so I don’t know if she’s cool, but the stuff she’s making is cool and I want to be her BFF.

2. These projects are super easy. You don’t have to be a fashion design student or even really crafty to pull them off. And the instructions are specific and accompanied by pictures, so it’s like having an art teacher right there guiding you so you don’t mess up and end up with another paper weight (yeah, I’m scarred from 4th grade art class…). Read More »

So, I know this month’s Cosmo Says is fashionably late (blame it on a premature reaction to Tryptophan), but it’s here now. And you should be happy because not only was the December issue chock full of goodies, but now you have something to distract you while your little cousins run around your house screaming and you attempt to digest that 3lbs of stuffing you just inhaled.

There was an equally awesome/puzzling interview with Fergie (she looks great, poses in yoga moves and has dachshunds). The gift guide contained about 70% of my Christmas list (srsly, check out the Smashbox brushes on p. 100). There were tons of adorable mini skirts, and a ridiculous article where two guys keep diaries for 10 days about everything that goes through their minds. Spoiler alert: These guys think about sex a lot. These guys also happen to write exactly like Cosmo staffers. Hmm…

The crown jewel of the entire issue, though, had to be “Hidden Secrets His Hug Reveals.” Apparently, a hug can mean more than “not just a handshake, not quite a kiss.” Enjoy what Cosmo has to say about:

The Sneak Attack

Cosmo says: If he encircles you from behind, he’s totes “blanketing your body” with his love. Unless he does it all the time—then he’s too much of a pansy to hug you from the front.

Kari says: He better have highly recognizable cologne, because if an unknown dude suddenly wraps his arms around my chest, he’s getting a sample of that self-defense course my sorority held. Other than that, IDK about this “sense of oneness” that you’re going on about, Cosmo. I normally equate those three little words with meaningful eye contact and slow dancing non-ironically to “Forever young”… Read More »

"I feel like death warmed over but - DAMN - I look good."

Thanksgiving break seems like a long and luxurious break from the crazy college world, but with all the people you have to see, shopping you have to do and family you have to spend time with, Thanksgiving turns into one exhausting escape. And, considering it has been months (or maybe even years) since you have last seen home people, looking your best is of utmost importance.

Which becomes especially hard after spending Wednesday evening sipping some cocktails. And by “sipping” I mean “chugging by the bar so you didn’t have to deal with running into your ex with his new GF…who was in eighth grade when you guys were seniors…”

We all know what looks back at us in the mirror after a night of drinking: black under eyes, blotchy skin, unsightly blemishes, hand stamps rubbed off on a cheek. Needless to say, it ain’t pretty, nor is it appropriate for the grand Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.

I have a weak spot for binge drinking on Wednesday nights, so I have become quite talented at the morning-after-face-picker-upper. (Because no one – especially my English prof – needs to know that I spent the previous evening enjoying dollar beers and a battle to the top of the leader board of Erotic Photo Hunt.) If you’re looking a little down in the dumps but can’t let grandma see you like that, pair these must-have beauty items with a couple Advil and a giant Dunkin Donuts coffee. Your family will never know just how much you enjoyed the biggest bar night of the year:

Read More »

I just registered for my spring classes, and come 2010, it looks like I’m not going to have any lectures or seminars on Wednesdays, Thursdays, or Fridays.

Kick. Ass.

This awesome occurrence—and the general mood of November—got me thinking about how many things about college I have to be thankful for. I don’t want to sound too clichéd or sappy, but the past three and a half years have definitely been the best of my life; I can’t believe it’s all going to be over in May. College, that is, not my life.

So, in the spirit of nostalgia and Turkey Day, here’s my top ten list of things I have to be thankful for—the college edition. In the midst of papers, presentations and premature post-grad panic, it’s nice to remember that there’s a ton of things I love about being in school. Such as:

10. The fact that I haven’t had to take math since 2006. I barely remember how to do long division, but I think I’m happier all the same.

9. Living in a suite, but one with a bathroom that’s cleaned for us.

8. Free access to a fancy gym, even if I don’t exactly take advantage of it as often as I should. Read More »