On a typical weekend, if you’re at a bad party, you can call it a night, call Safe-rides, and make it back to your dorm in one piece. Then again, if you’re at a good party, you can live it up, sleep until noon the next day, and then relax your hangover away until it’s time to get back to the daily grind.

On Spring Break, however, once you get off the plane at your final destination, you’re in it for the long haul. Though you anticipate your vacay being the highlight of the semester, it can be grueling to go all day, every day, and, being far from home, there’s a lot that can go wrong. Nothing is suckier than getting sick in a foreign place, fighting with your tripmates, or getting into a sticky situation in an unfamiliar place. Make sure you make it back to school in one piece this spring, by taking a few simple precautions.

1. Do your research.

Get some maps, or travel guides with tips, before you leave. Ask people you trust if they can recommend a good hotel. Try to brush up on the local rules or laws of the place you’re headed. The last thing you want to do is get lost, check into a lodging that is reminiscent of hostel, or get in trouble for something you didn’t even think was wrong.

2. Pack wisely.

Flip flops might be a necessity, but what about when you take a day trip that requires walking around all day to take in the sights? Pack a comfortable pair of shoes just in case that long night of clubbing wore out your feet. And even if you think you’re going somewhere tropical and plan to be in a bathing suit all day, it can’t hurt to throw a sweater in your suitcase for when the temperature drops after dark. Read More »

After the love-bug graced us with it’s sappy presence for Valentine’s Day last week, it seems like a new bug has fluttered into the hearts (or sinuses) of many.  I have been stacking my pillows a mile high (so I can breath at night) and rushing out of class to blow my nose for quite some time now. While friends are going out to the bars, I’m surrendering with a tie blanket and Lauren Conrad’s new book (don’t judge – I’m sick). And when I make it to class in the midst of a blotchy-faced sneezing attack, I try to sit in the back so no one can hear my whistling nose and staggered breathing.

It’s a hard knock life, being ill. Especially at the age of 21, while attending college where you are hardly ever alone, and (I am convinced) the terms ‘Sunday Funday’ and ‘Thirsty Thursday’ were invented. It’s not like it used to be, back in elementary school, when you’d fake a cough just to stay home and enjoy that coveted sick day. Now, well, I really miss those sick days… Read More »

Don't worry; you don't need to be on some lush beach to look hot in these.

So…I’m really proud of myself. I’m not trying to brag or anything (okay maybe I am, but, hey, we all need a little pat on the back once in a while), but for once in my life I have actually managed to keep my “stop being a fat-ass and go to the gym” News Year’s resolution.

We are well into February, people – that’s a strong month and a half of sweating my ass off during hour-long elliptical sessions and then spending the entire next day unable to sit down on the toilet.

But while my motivation is going strong, I’ve hit a major road block when it comes to gym apparel. I’m only going to end up drenched in sweat anyway, so why does it really matter what I wear, you say.

Point taken.

But there are also a handful of hot guys bench-pressing in the corner and my ripped sweatpants really aren’t doing me any justice. I’m already wheezing like an 80-year-old man with my hair plastered to my forehead; at least my ass could look nice in the process.

Which is why I am totally adding the Victora’s Secret Yoga Knot Waist Foldover Pant to my list of must-have items. If you’ve never owned a pair of workout pants from Vicky’s you haven’t lived. They are hands down the most comfortable thing I have ever slipped into, not to mention only 1/3rd of the price of those Lululemons! And even if you’ve already given up on your workout goal, I always have a pair on hand for those lazy mornings when real clothes just aren’t going to happen (but I don’t want the saggy “I just pooped my pants” look that comes with your average sweats). Read More »

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision…like if Spring Break is for you? 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:

Ever since I joined the business program at my school I’ve been overwhelmed with group projects. WTF? It’s college; doesn’t anyone know how hard it is to get people together in a group!? Anyways, I’m never good at this whole group thing because I always get frustrated and either start fights or take total control. I don’t like leaving my GPA in other peoples’ hands. I’m just wondering what you think is the best way to do group projects. Any tips? Advice? Ideas for working around the busy schedules of 6 people???

GPA Girl:

Okay. As someone who also despises working in groups, I can definitely sympathize. But I think you need to look at things from your professors’ points of view. Perhaps the reason they’re assigning group projects so often is because group work is vital in the business world. And people in the real world aren’t going to be any less busy than people are now at your b-school.

It sounds as if you have a commanding personality, which is a great for a career in business and for being a good group leader. I think you just have to channel your personality in a more positive way. You have the gift of being able to commandeer a group, so use it well! The next time you feel yourself starting to get frustrated and wanting to start a fight, just take a step back and do your best to shut out the emotional part of your brain. Focus on the logical (and, if you can, on the compassionate). What could you say that might be best in this situation? How can you work to bring people together and cooperate with all of them rather than isolating yourself by taking control? Trust me, you’ll be working with difficult people for your whole life long, so it’s best to start building an arsenal of tips and tricks ASAP. Read More »

Seeing as the Olympics are being held on my home soil, I should be paying closer attention. But last week I was distracted by my real love: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Though I’m craving spring clothes more than anything else right now, NYFW kept me on the edge of my seat as I excitedly began planning next fall’s outfits.

As always, there were a lot of amazing collections during Fashion Week, but there were five designer gold medalists that really blew the rest away. Their designs were sexy, sleek and wearable…. and assuming I somehow make $1 million between now and September, I will be grabbing every last one of their pieces. Read More »

It’s the hushed whispers in the floor bathroom after a girl walks out. It’s skipping meals and doubling up on gym time. It’s body-bashing other people’s and your own body with your friends. It’s losing friends and alienating people. It’s taking a risk with your health. It’s keeping quiet. It’s keeping you from living your life in college and beyond to the fullest. It’s time to talk about it!

But about what exactly? Eating disorders. Yep, it’s time to talk about them, girls. That’s the slogan for the National Eating Disorders Association’s (NEDA’s) National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (NEDAW), February 21-27th 2010.

The goal of NEDAW is “to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment,” says the NEDAW website. “Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.”

And that’s what we’ll be doing on CollegeCandy all week long. We’ll be covering the basics: what eating disorders look like, how to help a friend in need, disordered eating and losing weight the healthy way. We want to bring this difficult and serious issue to the forefront and help our friends in need.

So what do eating disorders look like? Well, just like people, they come in all shapes and sizes. Signs of eating disorders are far more varied than most people think. Sure, looking emaciated might be a tip-off that something is wrong, but there are so many more things to be aware of.

Each eating disorder, (there are four main types – Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and Eating Disorders not otherwise specified), has it’s own set of signs and symptoms. Of course, many of these overlap. Read More »

Thank God this is one award TSwift didn’t take.

Where’s Andrew Koenig?

Perfect waves while you sleep?!

People are scum. And here is your evidence.

So Billy Corgan is not with Jessica. I think.

No more sexy time in the iTunes store.

“He’s a cheating jerk!”
“He should do what he wants, he’s got millions!”
“Who cares?”

No matter what your stance on Tiger Woods (and I’m sure you have one, seeing as you can’t turn on any television, computer or mobile phone without being blasted with his scandal) at least we can all agree on one factor: his televised apology was bleak. It was really bad. Chris Brown bad. The PR written speech, his mom, the bro hugs, the set-up like he’s giving a presidential address? I mean, come on. First of all, thanks a lot for interrupting The View, and secondly, I’ve seen better acting out of the Spice Girls.

But on top of all that, even with a 14 minute monologue, there were so many things left unsaid. So many things the world was left to wonder. So here are the top ten things I wish had come out of Tiger’s mouth or had occurred during his little apology sesh. 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.

(Girl, yelling, in a bar bathroom.)

Girl: … I’m NOT PREGNANT!

(Two guys, walking in an apartment parking lot.)

Guy 1: Dude, look at that cat. Is that cat drunk?

Guy 2: No, man, everyone knows cats don’t drink.

(Two girls, walking)

Girl 1: OK, we take this to the grave.

Girl 2: Yeah, no one can find out.

Girl 1: Kinda like the time I cried in the Lizzie McGuire movie.

Girl 2: Or when you peed on Stacie’s boots. Read More »

Fashion Week and all its bittersweet glory has come and gone. The last Fashion Week to be shown at Bryant Park, designers pulled out all of the tricks under their sleeves to make it unforgettable.  The big white tents, made even whiter by the snow, brought new looks into the new decade that will be sure to translate into your wardrobe.  So what will you be wearing next fall? Read More »