On Thursday night I had dinner with a friend. We went to the same college, but she graduated last year, so I haven’t seen as much of her as I used to. But when we finally had the chance to hang out and catch up, it reminded of how much I missed her, how much I missed having her around. It made me stop and think about what would happen next year, after I’ve graduated.

It wouldn’t just be one friend that it would be hard to meet up with, it would be all of my friends.

College isn’t just about the classes. We’re here for four years. We make lives for ourselves. The people we spend our days with, eat lunch with, sit in class with, they become family. And next year that family will be scattered across the country. People move back home. People go to grad school. They make plans and they move on. And that’s what they’re supposed to do. That’s what they are in the process of doing. It’s what I’m in the process of doing.

But sometimes, we put so much emphasis on getting there, that we don’t stop and think about what will happen when we are there.

Relationships of all kinds are about convenience. It’s easy to stay friends with someone when you see them every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:40-11:10. It’s even easier to stay friends with someone when they live down the hall from you, eat dinner with you, take all the same classes as you. These people are a part of your life. They part of my life. Will they still be a year from now, ten years from now? Read More »

You don't need a beard and a ship to discover something (sorta) new.

One fateful day back in the pre-Facebook days,  Christopher Columbus “discovered” America.  Much like you discovered that wearing a scarf around campus on a 75 degree day would not stop the hickey rumors from floating around. And we’re sure that’s not the only discovery that you’ve made since attending college. Just like Columbus discovered America and thought he was onto something pretty big, we’ve all found a few things along the way that wowed us as well. We rushed home, told our roommates, and sat there in shock when we realized that they already knew that it’s smarter to change into sweats before going to a booty call.

So here are a few more awesome discoveries that every college student needs to make:

1. Finding the secret bathroom so you can poo in private: We’ve all been victim to the poop wars in college dormitories.  You enter the community bathroom at the same time as another innocent pooper and each of you sit in the stall waiting for the other to make the first move.  It’s disgusting, but don’t begin to admit it hasn’t happened to you.  I’m guilty as charged, so finding the secret bathroom to do your business is a dream come true.  Nobody goes in there and you have hours to shadoobie in private. Glorious.

2. Finding the class where the prof puts the entire lecture online: This is one of the most wondrous discoveries. Attend class from the comfort of your bed. Just make sure to show up to the exam.

3. How to make a panini in the waffle maker: Or other fabulous cafeteria discoveries. The caf is a place to let your imagination span mountainous regions.  My freshman year, I discovered how to grill a sandwich on our waffle maker. My sophomore year I discovered how to mix the different kinds of cereals (preferably Cheerios and granola). My junior year I discovered the art of burrito making and bringing a Tupperware to the caf for leftovers.  You get the idea, now get out there and be your own Sous Chef. Read More »

The media loves talking about the health benefits of salmon, almost as much as they love analyzing Shiloh’s outfits. Our doctors tell us to eat it and our favorite magazines often have a “cook an amazing salmon tonight” sort of recipe. Heck, you as a reader probably think salmon is a nutritious food and are wondering where I am heading with this article.  After all, salmon has an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids, the exact fats we need to consume in our diets for a healthy brain and heart. And while it is true that salmon is loaded with omega-3s, it’s also got some other stuff in it.  Stuff that is bad.  Stuff that is so bad and gross that the use of such “stuff” is illegal in the United Kingdom.

The scientific term for this “stuff” is canthaxanthin. Canthaxanthin is an artificial pink food dye manufactured by a company called Hoffman-La Roche.  Hoffman-La Roche is a pharmaceutical company that distributes its trademarked SalmoFan (which is a color chart similar to paint store swatches), so fish farmers can have a choice of various shades of pink from which to dye their salmon.

You see, salmon raised in the wild develop a natural pink color from eating pink crustaceans, but all farm-raised salmon eat a processed “fish meal,” which leaves their skins a lovely (not so appetizing) shade of gray.  Hence, the need to use the aforementioned “stuff.”  So back to why the UK, and most European countries for that matter, are suspicious of canthaxanthin.  Well, canthaxanthin was linked to retinal damage in people when taken as a sunless tanning pill.  The British banned its use as a tanning agent, but we Americans still use it for tanning purposes without any warnings from the government.

Read More »

For those of you that need it: how to orgasm.

5 interesting facts about sex in the USA.

Paris Hilton is acting as someone’s MOTHER?!

Paper goes couture (and it’s awesome).

Uh, not gonna lie, Nick Jonas is SMOKIN’ hot.

It was only a matter of time until this happened.

Learn how to build amazing credit.

Ever wonder what Snooki and JWoww are doing for Halloween?

This week, as I caught up on my favorite fall shows (and watched some Sex and the City reruns) I couldn’t help but notice a running trend: female friendships. Sure some shows were about shopping (or singing while shopping) and some were about saving lives, but at the heart of it all, were some pretty cool chicks.

The kind of best friends every girl wishes she had.
The kind of best friends that will risk their lives to help you, the kind that will stand by you through anything, the kind of best friends that will…let you raid their closet. (Hey! It’s the little things that matter.)

These girls aren’t real, but we all wish they were. So, in my first ever Weekly Ten (yeah, I’m new so get used to me!) I’ve decided to pay tribute to what I consider to be some of the best fictional BFFs out there, past and present. Read More »

When you’re little you always hear “Wait till you’re older” from piercing your ears to getting your first pair of heels to sending your very first sext. However, once you hit adolescence, it seems like you’re constantly told to “act your age” or that you’re “too old for” something. Just because you’re in college doesn’t mean you can’t bask in things from the past, K?

Here are ten things you are definitely never too old for:

1. Glitter: Although you got away with wearing glittery lip gloss and questionable glittery eye shadows as a preteen, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a little glitz and glam now. Seriously, if Lady Gaga and Katy Perry can rock glitter on a daily basis, so can you. Not sure how to pull off glitter without looking like a five-year-old that got a little too crazy at the arts and crafts table? Add a glittery top coat to your nail polish or go for a subtle glitzy shimmer in your eyeshadow. Want to be a little over the top? Go for the gold in a metallic glittery shirt. Worst case scenario is that you look like a Claire’s employee. Best case: you look hot.

2. Pigtails: Preschoolers aren’t the only ones that can rock this look. While you probably don’t want to be known as “pigtail girl” around campus, going out with pigtails could be a fun and flirty alternative to your everyday hair. You probably had your pig tails pulled up high, so for a more-adult approach to this look that you’re never too old for — sport them lower. Also, pigtails work incredibly well when you’re working out.

3. Licking the bowl of batter: You know you did it when you were younger. Your mom baked a cake and you couldn’t keep your little hands out of the chocolately goodness. Go ahead — dip your finger in the mix. Or, just dig in with a spoon. Or don’t even cook the batter and just go after the cookie dough. You’re definitely not too old to enjoy any kind of sweets — baked or not. Go ahead, no one’s looking!

Read More »

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Campus fashion

How to save money on campus

Letter from your friend at a warmer school

College degree only guarantees one thing

How to make amazing drunk nachoes

What are the worst theme party ideas ever?

Dealing with over the top party pals

Should there be an anti-bullying law?

[Everyone’s got a morning after story (though most don't involve a large group of potential sorority sisters) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

During the summer before my senior year, I obtained the holy grail of unpaid internships:  working the green room for a popular late-night talk show.  Sure, I was sans-paycheck and super poor, but hanging out with SJP right before the release of the first Sex and the City movie was completely amazing.  Personally sneaking Brad Pitt down through a freight elevator to avoid the mob scene in the main lobby made me go weak at the knees.  And holding Maddox while Angelina was in makeup made me feel like a celebrity mom. Those instances were memorable, yeah, but one celebrity run-in was really head and shoulders above the rest.

It was getting toward the end of my internship and I had the job down pat.  I could anticipate a guest’s Starbucks craving ten minutes before anyone else, had a mental catalogue of foolproof one-liners to relax even the most nervous (or snobby) A-Lister.  Things were good.  Until he happened.

Read More »

If you’re enjoying a three-day weekend right now, you have your favorite Italian to thank for that. No, not The Situation – Cristoforo Colombo! (Ok. It’s not St. Patrick’s Day or Cinco de Mayo, but for us real-life Italian Stallions, Columbus Day is as legit of a holiday as we’re going to get). So, besides an extra night of shots at the bar, why not celebrate with an easy twist on an Italian favorite–sausage and peppers!

The Ingredient: Sweet Peppers

These are one of the most versatile vegetables in any pantry. Sliced, they make a great pair with carrot sticks to dip in hummus or ranch for a snack. They’re spectacular when grilled with a lick of butter or olive oil and slapped on a sandwich. And toss ‘em in any stir fry or omelet for extra crunch. What makes the pepper so nutritious? With more than a full day’s worth of vitamins A and C, they’re poppin’ with free-radical fighting antioxidants. Read More »

The leaves and your wardrobe are beginning to change, and that means your makeup should, too!  While there are a lot of ways you can amp up your makeup style for each season, I’ve got a few crucial changes you should make when going from summer to fall.

These aren’t big changes, but they’re important! Just like fashion, makeup has seasonal rules and in this week’s video, I’m gonna clue you in on all of them.

Want more? Get all of Caitlin’s beauty advice every week in CC Beauty Live!