For us single girls, Valentine’s Day can seriously suck. Even if you love being single, all the PDA (puke), listening to what your coupled friend’s boyfriend did or (more likely) didn’t buy them, and the concerned phone call from your mom checking up on you, gets real old, real fast. And, for the love of god, if one more coupled friend tells me I’ll “find someone soon,” I’m going to scream.

But you can make Valentine’s Day better. Why should you miss out on the gift-giving and indulgence V-Day has to offer just because you’re single? Yes it might just be another day of the year, but it’s also the perfect excuse to buy you yourself a fabulous gift. Read More »

[Everyone's got a morning-after story and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we'll post it - anonymously, of course - right here!]

I love grandmas.  Most of the time they are cute, harmless, and give you cards on your birthday with a five-dollar bill stuffed inside (which is promptly spent at Happy Hour).  They cook you meatballs, pass down ugly sweaters (that earn you the best-dressed title at the annual Ugly Sweater Party), and say the nicest things when you are convinced life is in WWIII with you.  So, yes, it has been fairly established that Grandmas are the bomb.com.  But as wonderful as they are and as much as you just wanna pinch their wrinkley little cheeks every time you see them, there is a time and a place for grandmas.

And that is not standing over my bed in the morning, after a night of doing Jell-O shots.

Let me explain: Read More »

As a foodie and aspiring chef, I pay a lot of attention to food. And in my life I’ve found that there are three kinds of cooks in the world:

1. Those who turn anything edible into sheer brilliance just from their touch.

2. Those who can follow directions pretty well and make things that taste OK.

3. Those who are absolutely hopeless and are seriously challenged by even our “Intro to Cooking” series.

It’s you guys in the last category that I’m targeting with this post. That’s right! If you want to pull out some culinary skills for your sweetheart and totally wow him/her on V-Day but can’t seem to even make a box of mac and cheese without burning down the house, you can still make this fondue recipe. Really – it’s that easy. Plus, it’s chocolate. You can’t go wrong.

This recipe will make enough fondue for two people, with some left over (to do whatever you want with….) Read More »

#9: Reading for pleasure is magical. Make time for it!

Just last February, I was planning my 21^st birthday party. Now, I’m facing 22 (or as I like to call it 21+1) straight on. Even though the last twelve months have gone by, it feels like just yesterday I was indulging in jello shots and margaritas. For my 21st. Because just yesterday I was indulging in jello shots and margaritas.

Looking back, though, much has happened in the past year. It seems I’ve learned a lot while Ke$ha put a dollar sign in her name and started brushing her teeth with a “bottle of Jack,” John Mayer proclaimed that he is on the search for “the Joshua Tree of vaginas,” and the Jersey Shore became a national phenomenon.

So here (in no particular order) is what I know for certain after turning 21. Perhaps you youngsters can take a few things from this:

1. Friendships should make you happy — not pissed off : Friends should be so much more than people you dance on tables with and dish about the weekend to. They should be there for you, and you should be there for them. They also should not steal your alcohol on your 21^st birthday and make out with the fraternity guy, all while puking as your boyfriend helps take care of them.

2. Raincoats are amazing: They are often understated and overwhelmingly overlooked when it comes to fashion. But even if they aren’t fashionable, really, you can’t complain when that slicker keeps your from frizzing. Without a rain jacket I wouldn’t have made it through the summer in London. And I think it actually kept me going to class this past semester. Why didn’t I realize this sooner? It doesn’t matter if you have a basic from Lands End or a super sexy trench from Dillards, just get one!

3. Go to the gym: Surprisingly enough, it is worth your time. Who knew? I sure didn’t, until I started going religiously with my boyfriend back in September. If you actually go to the gym and do more than hang out on the treadmill and elliptical for thirty minutes, you can see results. Plus, it teaches you patience on so many different levels. Read More »

So it’s been a week since I put down the bottle of Jack. And Ketel. And Captain’s. And… well, everything.

At first, it was easy. After chugging rum out of a flask last Friday night and inhaling two giant slices of pizza after a few too many margaritas on Saturday night, I was more than excited to stay away from the hooch for a little while. I walked around my apartment in a hungover haze on Sunday, unable to do much besides watch a Millionaire Matchmaker marathon on my couch all day.

“Remember this feeling when you wanna go out and party,” I told myself as I made yet another cup of instant coffee.

Since I normally don’t drink much on weeknights (after that time I had to give a presentation in class and I was still drunk from the night before), it was smooth sailing for most of the week. Even the daily IMs from my guy friends asking me if I was still sober (OK, betting me that I wasn’t still sober) didn’t bother me. After all, being sober on a Monday wasn’t anything new to me.

But then Thursday hit and I felt like a Pavlovian dog, salivating for booze. It didn’t help that I was listening to my iTunes and every single song that came up reminded me of a bar. First Ke$ha, then Journey and then, to dig the knife in a little deeper, Madonna’s Like a Prayer (only my favorite drinking song of all time). I cursed Steve Jobs. Read More »

One of the most important issues we are facing today is violence against women. Based on data available, 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime.  This staggering  number alone stresses the importance of heightened awareness, and increased action toward ending violence against women.

It happens everywhere – at home, at school, and on the streets.  An estimated 150 million girls under 18 suffered some form of sexual violence in 2002 alone, and rape and domestic violence are a higher risk for women aged 15 to 44 worldwide than cancer, traffic accidents or malaria.  Beyond happening too often and in sickening quantities, violence against women harms family and communities, and deserves a call for action to stop it in its destructive path.

Say NO – Unite to End Violence Against Women has taken a giant leap to halt the violence.  The organization was created in November 2009 to end violence between women and girls through social mobilization.  Say NO aims to spark action amongst individuals, government, and civil society partners. These actions can vary from reaching out to speak at schools,  volunteering at local shelters, or donating to women’s violence programs.

UNiTe calls on anyone and everyone to take action, join forces, and address the global issue that is violence against women.  UNiTe believes if we stand together as a whole we are better able to speak out and make a difference. Read More »

My name is Sammie and I…am a Giants fan.

It is a sad truth that only served me well three years ago when we pulled out the fantastic miracle that was Super Bowl XLII.  This year, at the very least, it isn’t the Patriots in the Super Bowl, but the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.  Two very interesting teams, which for some sad reason have players I, as a pop culture junkie as well as a sports fan, recognize from their liaisons with Kardashians (Saints Running Back, Reggie Bush) and their surprisingly hilarious guest spots on Saturday Night Live (Colts QB, Peyton Manning).

But there’s more to these two powerhouses than those hotties, and tomorrow night’s game is gonna be a biggie. Read More »

I am normally terrified of zombies or anything of the sort. Seriously, I get nightmares every time I watch a zombie movie. Even Thriller scares me sometimes.

Too bad it took me a little while to realize that The Unconsecrated in “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” were essentially zombies. I was spooked, to put it mildly, but by that point the book had already hooked me and I knew it would be impossible to stop.

“The Forest of Hands and Teeth” tells the story of Mary. She lives in a village in the woods, surrounded by fences that keeps The Unconsecrated out. The Unconsecrated, as I said before, are essentially zombies and they roam the Forest of Hands and Teeth, constantly threatening the village and its people. Mary has led a simple life in her village, helping her family and waiting to be married. Then one day, when patrolling the perimeter of the fences, Mary’s father gets taken by The Unconsecrated and is assumed to be “infected.” Her mother then falls into a depression and one day gets too close to the fences and is bitten by an Unconsecrated. She chooses to join the others outside the village and suddenly Mary’s life is in a tailspin.

In the village, a woman cannot live on her own, so when no one wants to marry Mary, she is forced to live with the Sisterhood (basically nuns) in their Cathedral. Once in the Cathedral, a series of events cause Mary to begin questioning the Sisterhood and her entire life in the Village. And then the fences are breached by The Unconsecrated and everything Mary ever knew is gone.

OK, so it all sounds a little weird (and zombies are scary), but this book is absolutely addictive. I spent many nights awake until the wee hours, lost in the story. I just could not put it down, and that doesn’t happen often (especially after spending hours poring over text books). Read More »

At the beginning of the previous semester, I dedicated a post to the top 5 bras every college girl should own. These bras, I noted, were essentials that could totally make or break your look.

In order to create the perfect foundation for your outfit, the panties you choose are equally important! If your lingerie drawer is in need of an upgrade, if you’re unsure of what to wear under that new dress, or if you simply consider yourself a lingerie junkie like I do, read on! These five styles should be staples in every college girl’s wardrobe. Read More »

Pat yourselves on the back, everyone – we have officially surpassed another stressful week!  And if you are a hopeless romantic like me, Channing Tatum is closing out the week with a bang (or a box full of tissues) in Dear John. And I. Am. Looking forward to it.  Besides drooling excessively over Mr. Tatum’s abs, we have a lot more to look forward to this weekend: dance parties, our last football Sunday for the season, and busting our minds for that perfect (reasonably cheap) gift for a special someone.

And, yes, it still counts if the gift is for you.

So, my lovely College Candies, let us reflect on the busy week that was:

As I found myself tearing up over the finale of Teen Mom, we closed the (drama-filled) season with one final question.

For some, something about blowing out candles post-graduation feels…a little disappointing.

Taylor Swift is getting really good at those acceptance speeches.  Don’t you think she could stop acting so surprised? It is getting a little old.

As Valentine’s Day gets closer and closer, we are left wondering why Average Joe didn’t let me breeze into the classroom first as he held the door open. Um, hello Romeo? Where art thou?

The Grammys did not seize to completely blow us away with some serious red carpet “uh whats?” and “oh wows.” Read More »