Valentine’s Day sure does have a way of sneaking up on me and my singleness every year. And I’m not sure how it happens, seeing as the heart-shaped candy has been out since December. But while I may be forced to cuddle up with my pup come Sunday, it turns out that most people – single or taken – would actually prefer it!

Makes sense; why spend oodles of money on a fancy dinner and a gift your boy-toy won’t even use when you can get the unconditional love of a pooch? Or, one of these wonderful Valentine’s Day companions: Read More »

Ah, the new relationship. A time to learn everything about one another, to cuddle (a lot), to hold hands whenever you can, to have lots and lots of sex…

And, apparently, to ditch your friends.

You know, those people who have been there for you for years through every messy sitch you get yourself into. The people who you used to spend every day with and told everything to. The people you once lived with, but now only visit when you need to grab something out of your closet.

Yeah. Those people.

Did I miss something here? Was there some sort of memo that says it’s okay to ignore your friends when you’re in a relationship so you can only focus on your new guy? Is it possible it went to my SPAM folder? Because I didn’t get that and now I’m wondering why my BFF just traded me in for a BF.

Let me just say one thing: I have nothing against relationships, especially the honeymoon stage – everyone knows that’s the best part. And I can completely understand pushing your friends aside a little bit to be with your boy a little more in the beginning. It’s normal, and happens with almost anyone. But what is not normal is girl who completely ditches her best friends the entire time she is in a relationship and then comes crawling back, usually with no apology, the second it’s over. Read More »

OK, Rihanna, I get it.  Your music is innovative and powerful. You’re talented and beautiful. And thanks to you, I now refer to an umbrella as an “ella ella ella.”

You’re classy, eloquent and inspirational; the kind of woman we can all look up to… unless we’re looking to you for fashion advice, that is.

Seriously, girlfriend, what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks are you wearing?

I know that you were raising money for a great cause when you were sportin’ this thing at Pepsi’s Refresh Project party last week, but what about this little number made you think “charity concert”? Did you think you’d get more donations if you showed off a little extra skin? Does the left side of your upper body/right side of your lower body get really hot during performances and require a little extra circulation?

OMG, are one-legged leggings about to be a trend?!

This looks like an sexy, emo-Mrs. Claus outfit, and beyond the fact that Christmas was a month ago, this outfit is just not appropriate for…anything.  It looks like a rodent ate half of your attempt-at-a cat suit and, in a huff, someone tried to fix it with white Santa fluff. And don’t even get me started on the black-hose-with-white-shoes combo.

At least your boob looks good (what kind of bra is that?!), otherwise this look would be a complete and utter disaster.

Every fashionista knows Etsy.com is an online goldmine. Not only is everything one-of-a-kind unique, handcrafted by independent designers, but it is my personal go-to website for cutting edge accessories and unexpected finds.

Sure, I love the pearl and flower detailed necklaces from JCrew, but when wearing them I can almost guarantee that at least one other girl in the office or in class will be sporting the same one. They are just so expected. That’s why I’m always scouring Etsy for a hidden gem. Some little accessory that will add a spritz of unexpected glamour to any outfit.

My latest obsession? The Cotton Field Sweater Guard (with vintage brooches ) by designer Jewelera.

The sweater guard has been on my radar for awhile now. Cardigans are a staple in my wardrobe, and I’m always looking for a way to spruce them up a bit. Necklaces could do the trick, but it’s just so charmingly romantic to have a draping chain linking either side of your sweater. And this one from Jewelera is the perfect blend of edgy and earthy vintage, with two gold leaf brooches connected by swinging chain accented with white gold etched acrylic beads.

This accessory is gorgeously reminiscent of renaissance days, with the detailed accents of a hippie flower child. I can already see this sweater guard adding instant glamour to a conservative cardigan, or as a uniquely feminine touch to the extremely trendy blazer. Read More »

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Need some sober fun? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics? We’ve got the girls for you. Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”! They’ve got all the answers you need, no matter who you are.

Question:

My professor is a complete jerk. He talks way too fast in class and I’m always completely lost. I have a big exam coming up so I went to office hours and he refused to help me. He claimed I needed to figure it out for myself. I’ve been trying! I can’t bomb this test (its 30% of my grade) so I don’t know what else to do. Ideas?

GPA Girl:

Wow, that’s incredible. It sounds as if your prof has a major chip on his shoulder for some reason. Luckily, I don’t and I have a few ideas for you. First, you might consider writing your professor a sincere, well-thought-out e-mail that expresses your thoughts tactfully and considerately. Let him know that his class really matters to you and that you are willing to work to figure things out, but that you would really appreciate some guidance from him. Another option is to track down the star students in the class. Are any of them your friends? Could they be bribed with chocolate or beer to help you study for the test and review the material?

Finally, if you still can’t get the help you need and your prof doesn’t change his behavior after you approach him again, I’d recommend writing a letter to your school’s dean or academic advising team to let the right people know about how your professor reacted when you asked for help. If you do badly on the test because of his refusal to help you, they may review your grade and modify it, or–at the very least–your actions may protect future students from having to suffer the academic consequences of your prof’s indifference. Read More »

Not only does college leave me stumped in my latest lecture, the daily grind leaves me scratching my head as well. Especially when it comes to my questionable relationships with men boys. Countless hours spent over-analyzing his latest text, the way he touched my arm in the bar, and how many days it took him to finally pitch me a Facebook message… It’s exhausting.

So who’s to blame for the late night ponderings?

Well, according to a recent article in the New York Times, it seems the culprit is me. Well, me as a lady, at least. Alex Williams, the author, argues that the real problem with dating in college comes from the fact that there are more girls on campus than guys and the reason men act the way they do in college is because (in most cases) there are less of them and they can get away with it. The article even suggests that, because of the the general laws of supply and demand, it is the women who have to assert themselves romantically or they will be left alone on Valentines Day to “stare down George Clooney movie over a half empty pizza box.”  Um, ouch.

In a situation where women outnumber men, the article states, “men have all the power to control the intensity of sexual and romantic relationships.”  Therefore, if they do not get what they are looking for with one woman, it is easy for them to move on to the next.  A woman, however, doesn’t have that luxury since her pool of potential suitors is much smaller.

Does this lopsided population gap in college really describe the backwards dating behavior? Read More »

Like many busy college students, I often justify skipping gym sessions by telling myself that I don’t have enough time.

“I have a paper to write, I can’t waste an hour waiting for the only elliptical that works.”
“I need to run on the treadmill for at least 45 minutes, and since I have a paper due tomorrow, that’s out of the question. I probably just shouldn’t go at all.”
“I’m not waking up at 7am to get in an hour workout before class.”

You know the deal.

I know that if I don’t clock in at least thirty minutes of cardio per session, I feel like my gym outing has been a waste and a failure. And I’m always hard on myself if I leave without doing crunches, even if I’ve run a couple of miles. In short — going to the gym has become about the time clock, but according to a study published in the New York Times, I’m going about things all wrong!

A couple of years ago, researchers from the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan observed two groups of rats paddling in a small pool. The first group completed two 3-hour workout sessions, and the other group engaged in interval training, moving for twenty seconds and then resting for ten seconds for a total of 14 reps. The scientists were trying to figure out if prolonged exercise did more for the body’s endurance (ie., your ability to work out for longer, which translates into more calories burned) than the shorter/quicker exercise method. They found that both groups exhibited the same molecular changes that correspond with endurance gain, coming to the conclusion that we might be working out for longer than we really need to. Read More »

Celebrity sightings at the Super Bowl.

Why do we eat salad?

Oh no! Is Stabler leaving SVU?!

Single women don’t need to survive V-day.

He’s replacing Simon Cowell!?

Tiger and Elin reunite!

So, who else has a mean hot wing hangover this morning? Seriously, my heartburn is out of control and I didn’t even pound Budweisers last night. In fact, I was so busy licking BBQ sauce off my finders, I couldn’t tell you who threw (kicked? passed?) the winning touchdown. I can, however, tell you the best recipe for some wings. And the best/funniest/awesomest commercials from the Super Bowl.

But before we get to that, I have one question:

What was with all the pantsless commercials? Ugh, I definitely saw more than my fair share of saggy whiteys hanging off the back of old, hairy men. And it was not pretty.

Missed the game? Summary: The Saints (ya know, that team that Kim Kardashian’s BF plays for) beat the Colts (ya know, that team that Kendra Wilkinson’s hubby plays for), and here are the top 10 best commercials of 2010′s Super Bowl: Read More »

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over. You know there’s a lot of funny things to be heard on your campus, so take off those (faux) Burberry ear muffs and tune in.

(Guy, talking on the phone.)

Guy: Know how you win an argument? You spank ‘em. Can’t nobody argue with a good spank.

(Two girls, browsing in a convenience store.)

Girl 1: Twix?

Girl: 2: Nah. That doesn’t really lubricate my gears.

(Girl, yelling, behind me at a basketball game.)

Girl: No … ! Don’t dribble! Please don’t dribble! If you dribble, it’ll never come back! I’ll never come back! Read More »