Summer can cause a lot of confusion when it comes to you and your man.

Sometimes you unexpectedly meet that new, painfully good-looking, charming guy on the beach and don’t know how to nicely break the news to your boyfriend. Other times, the relationship can really suffer when friends from home, jealousy, and work get in the way and it can be hard to tell just when exactly you should finally call it quits. But if you’re not the initiator in the situation and find yourself suffering from the breakup blues, it’s important to still take care of yourself and realize what’s a normal reaction to a breakup and what’s just totally not.

People always have tons of different advice as to how to recover from a breakup but forget about all that. You wanna survive heartache? Get. In. The. Kitchen. Cooking allows you to satisfy that desire to stuff your face but also keeps you  busy. And when you’re no longer getting busy, staying busy is what your mind needs. Luckily, I’ve found the perfect, simple recipe that will not only keep your heart from talking so loudly to your head, but will stimulate a major convo with your stomach instead.

Because boyfriends are nice, but they aren’t nearly as sweet as bananas and chocolate.

Everyone’s got a morning after story (though I’m sure the girl who watched people get it on at a table in front of her wishes she didn’t) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

The summer after I graduated from high school I was excited to finally be free from compulsory family vacays to celebrate the 4^th of July. So to celebrate both America’s and my own newfound independence, I went big, I went all out – I went to a house party.

It was the kind of party I look back fondly on in remembrance of high school days. There was cheap vodka, a backup keg, and plenty of top shelf liquor plucked from the generous hostesses’ parents liquor cabinet. The night started out innocently enough, with keg stands, red and blue shots (white didn’t work out the way we’d planned), and plenty of high schoolers bragging about just how wasted they were.

As a mature, soon-to-be-freshman, I was so over the same un-graduated attendees that had been plaguing house parties for the last 4 years of my life. As I lamented the lack of “real men” with my equally sophisticated best friends, the college guys showed up. Read More »

Happy Fourth of July! Hopefully you’re reading this not too far from a grille or barbecue, because they’re necessary for today’s recipe! Your mouth is probably already watering for hot dogs and burgers, but to give your holiday menu some kick, why not include this week’s ingredient—a personal favorite of mine: halloumi cheese!

This Week’s Ingredient: Halloumi Cheese

I discovered this cheese while traveling abroad and it remains my absolute favorite to this day. I would tell you that it can’t be topped—but actually, that’s the point! Because of its unusually high melting point, halloumi cheese can be grilled or fried and retain its form, so it can be layered, stacked, or tossed with other ingredients. There is nothing quite like relishing a steamy, smoky bite of halloumi, fresh off the grill. The cheese is native to Cyprus, has a semi-salty flavor and deliciously flaky texture, and is typically made from sheep and/or goat’s milk. One slice carries about 125 calories and an impressive 8.5 grams of protein! Toss a couple slices on the grill and serve with the following companions as an appetizer, or in the recipe below. (Note: it can also be served—and tastes equally as yummy—cold.) Read More »

Since it’s the 4th of July, the day of America’s fine independence, I thought I’d go patriotic with this week’s video. And nothing says “I love America!!” quite like a beautiful red lip. You ladies have been requesting a video on this for awhile now, so here it is. Red lips. It can be tricky to find the right shade for you, but anyone, and I mean anyone, can pull off red lipstick if done correctly.

In this video I’m going over some lip care tips and ways to pick out a good color so you can look kissable… and maybe see some fireworks of your own with the hottie at tonight’s 4th of July celebration! God bless America.

[Everyone’s got a vice, a bad habit, something they know they need to change. Unfortunately, everyone also has a million excuses why they just can’t do it. Not anymore. Every month we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer as she takes on a personal challenge. Last month we joined Jill on her journey to face her fears. This month we're following Christie on her quest to stop gossiping. Yeah, this is gonna be a toughie.]

We all do it. When we are with a group of friends, we search around the room and lean in, giggling. Sideways glances and nasty whispers. There is nothing like a good gossip sesh to make you feel in the loop, and in control. Sometimes a scapegoat is all you need to make an otherwise terrible day better.

Therefore for the month of July, I am going to improve myself by doing for what many girls (and most men) would be the unthinkable: I am going to give up gossiping.

To make this challenge a little more specific, let’s set some parameters. Gossiping is something I’m sure we are all familiar with, but it helps to clearly define what would otherwise be a pretty vague goal. Here are the things I must do for this month:

I cannot say anything negative or judgmental about anyone, regardless of how I feel about the person. If I overhear gossip, I must say something positive about the person or persons being discussed and aim the conversation in a more positive direction. Finally, me telling my girlfriends (or anyone, for that matter) facts does not count as gossip. For instance, if my best friend asks me who was at a party and what happened I could tell her “Tina,” not “that backstabber Tina.” I could also relay how Tina made out with lots of  (taken) guys, if that question is specifically asked. No further comment necessary or allowed with this challenge.

So many rumors have been spread about not only my family and friends, but about me as well. How hard can it be to stop the hate? Maybe not saying vile things about people we don’t really know is the first step in, I don’t know, happiness. I know I feel a pang of guilt every time I cut another person down. Read More »

The Fourth of July is a holiday deeply rooted in its traditions. You hang out with friends and family (sometimes in costume…), you cook big slabs of meat on the grill, you wash those slabs of meat down with an icy cold (alcoholic) beverage, and you sit on a blanket in the middle of a street to watch pretty bombs explode overhead.

Ooooo!
Ahhhhh!

But no matter how many times you do it, as you walk back to your car – scratching those damn mosquito bites until you bleed- you always find yourself wishing you had prepared for the festivities a little better.

So, this year, CollegeCandy is gonna help you out. We’ve done all the preparing so you don’t have to. Print this sucker out before you go and you will be ready for your 4th of July celebration (and possibly another Y2K situation…what can we say? We like to be prepared).   Read More »

Much like my post dedicated to numerous images of celebrity camel toes, there are some pictures that sometimes you’d just rather not see. But you’ve gotta admit, sometimes curiosity gets the best of you and other times you just need a really great link to gross out your friends or, better yet, scare off that ex-hookup who’s been sending you one too many love e-mails a day.

Like this link to basically a graphic explanation as to why clowns are often so feared. Or to the reasoning behind just why exactly someone would ever be so sick as to decide to create an edible replica of The Situation’s debatably not-so-dreamy abs. But probably the winner is a pic of this celeb mother who, from the looks of it, is pretty much completely out of touch with her self-image or any sense of shame.

Now that it’s summertime, I find I have much more time to dedicate to my crafty pursuits. I’ve dusted off my trusted sewing machine and once again busted out my knitting needles. I love that I have the time to be creative – instead of slaving over a biology project whose destiny is the recycling dumpster, I can spend my days creating beautiful crafts. If you’re a veteran crafter or just diving into the wonderful world of DIY, everyone can enjoy these books and the projects they offer! I’ve taken these 4 for a road test and rest assured, they are all you need for a summer full of creating!

1. Stitch n Bitch, by Debbie Stoller

I consider myself a pretty crafty lady, so when the whole knitting craze hit a couple years ago (remember – Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson started and it just took off?), I had to get in on it too! I tried watching videos online and I bought several knitting magazines, but I just couldn’t master the whole casting-on thing. I was down in the dumps about my inability to master this new craft, when along came a little gem called “Stitch n Bitch.” Now, I figured that any knitting book that had the word “bitch” in the title had to be good (and sassy!), so I picked myself up a copy. And guess what? The genius that is Debbie Stoller finally taught me to cast-on! Debbie is so down to earth and makes knitting so fun and hip! This book is great for beginners, but also has pattens that keep seasoned knitters intrigued and on their toes. Read More »

Photo Credits: 1 – Heidi Klum, 2 – Behnaz Sarafpour, 3 – Style Scrapbook via Lookbook

The ’70s are back in a big way, especially in the denim world. If you don’t believe me, check out MK and Ashley’s new denim collection TEXTILE Elizabeth and James (Victoria Beckham is also a flare fan). Skinnies have become the norm (and will probably stay that way), but if you are looking for an alternative to your favorite straight-legged bottoms, this Fashion Challenge is the one for you. Read More »

Jelly shoes are one thing, but jelly BOOTS?!

Brody Jenner and Kristin just don’t do it.

Are Brad and Angie gonna tie the knot?

What can hipsters wear in the summer?

Why you should stay Facebook friends with your ex.

Wonder Woman gets a MAJOR makeover.