Ah, we are finally creeping close to one of the best times of the year! Intense rivalry games are about to pan out on football fields across America (Go Yale! Go OSU!), juicy stuffed turkeys are on the cusp of popping out of ovens everywhere, and Dora the Explorer is preparing to menace us all as she floats down 42nd street as part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

The air is crisp, the dorms are abuzz with “I’m going home!” and my suitemate and I are—feverish. Literally.

What started off as the both of us coughing slightly like dainty ladies a week ago has morphed into some kind of psycho illness that left me hacking and feverish, making me miss a.) Kelly Cutrone giving an inspirational speech during this leadership workshop I was supposed to attend and b.) A sikk (but not sick like me) tailgate before the Yale-Princeton game.

Here’s my question: Why isn’t Mommy here to deliver me ice water and bring me up dinner from the kitchen to my room? Answer: Because I’m a freaking adult now! And I need to suck it up! Or else I’ll turn into, like, Lindsay Lohan or something and wallow in my own existence until bodyguards come and carry me everywhere I need to be.

So as a mature woman (pah, let’s be honest), I have been attempting to take care of myself as best as possible. After getting the whining, calls to my mother for some much needed sympathy and more whining, of course. I have been sleeping. I have been stealing grapefruit and oranges like crazy from the dining halls. I have been drinking lots of water (clear pee is the goal, you guys). I have been skipping class (…I don’t wanna infect other people). Read More »

Scrumdilly.

[Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really rad singer? A wicked new book? A chic and cheap clothing line? Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com or tweet me and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!]

There is something about this time of year that makes me want to make a hot cup of tea, grab a fresh baked cookie (and by fresh baked I mean a fresh baked cookie from the store, obvs), curl up with a warm blanket a good book/movie/Jersey Shore marathon and light a yummy candle.

I have become obsessed with candles. Sort of like I was when I was 12 and only wanted candles as birthday gifts, but this time I want yummy sceneted cozy candles instead of the ones in neon colors in yin-yang signs.

So after searching high and low I found three candles that make me go mmmm. Literally. And in an attempt to spread the candle-loving-joy I figured I would share my favorites with you. They’re great for yourself and even better for a gift…but I highly recommend getting some for yourself so you’re not jealous of your giftees.

Exhale Spa’s Chocolate candle.
Seriously folks, this candle is no joke. It will make you want to eat it. (I don’t recommend trying. Just trust me.) It’s like filling your apartment up with the smell of fresh baked brownies, minus doing the work of actually making homemade brownies (or counting the calories). Fuh Real. It is a slice of heaven turned into wax with a wick attached. Because I’m pretty certain that heaven includes lots and lots and lots of chocolatey goodness. If you live near an Exhale, check out these bad boys in-store because they are usually on a pretty good sale! I got mine for $7 last week!

Pumpkin Pie, Spiced Pumpkin or Vanilla Pumpkin Candles from Yankee Candle Company.
I like to keep the pumpkin smell around long after the Pumpkin Spice Latte bids us adieu until next August. And with these I can do just that! What a great way to make your room smell more toasty/festive/yummy and less like stale beer/mildew/leftover Chinese food from that all-nighter last Tuesday.

Tangerine Scented Candle from Bath & Body Works.
My friend Jessica lights this candle and I’m pretty certain that’s the reason I try to find excuses to go over to her apartment all the time (that and she keeps dark chocolate bars stocked in her cabinet!). Normally, one would think a tangerine scented candle would be too much and cause a massive headache. But it doesn’t. It’s more like taking a trip to Relaxation Station. And lord knows we all need that sometimes. Light it while you study, while you kick back or while you get it on. It doesn’t matter; this little guy will make everything better.

Do you have a favorite candle that you love having around this time of year? Share!!!

[Check out all the other goodies Jill's been sharing right here.]

That's going straight to your thighs, ladies.

Ah, Thanksgiving. A time to seriously over-indulge in some delish foods without feeling like a total piggy. A time to eat until you can’t button your pants anymore. A time when the leftovers are better than the original.

But hold on a second – have you ever stopped to think about how many calories you’re ACTUALLY consuming? Between the piles of mashed potatoes and second helpings of pumpkin pie, you are most likely taking in enough calories to last you a week.

Yes, it’s true, Thanksgiving can definitely be a time when you can cut loose and not worry about your diet and exercise regiment, but do you really want to totally sabotage that healthy diet?

If you answered yes to that question, stop reading now and go indulge in a few plates of stuffing for me. Everyone says ignorance is bliss and that couldn’t be truer than at Thanksgiving dinner.

If you answered no, here’s a list of the average amount of calories in some of our favorite holiday dishes. Read it, learn it, know it, then choose wisely

Turkey: Thankfully, the centerpiece to any Thanksgiving dinner is also one of the healthiest parts – before you add that delicious gravy, that is. Four ounces of white meat is only about 180 calories, but if you go for dark meat, 4 ounces goes up at 323 calories. And with gravy, it can be as much as 350 calories. (And remember, most of us eat a lot more than 4 ounces, so these numbers obviously vary.)

Stuffing: My favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, I usually take 2 or 3 giant scoops of this stuff. Or at least I did, before I realized that the average stuffing recipe has 165-190 calories per half cup. That means I’m probably taking in 600 calories in stuffing ALONE. Read More »

As many of us rush to get ready in the morning, we usually don’t give our mascara or blush a second thought. Well, beyond avoiding clumpage and blending it in so we don’t look like we’re getting ready for a dance recital. However, makeup has been around for at least 6,000 years (!!) and has played a role in nearly every society.

Our friends from the Medical Insurance Blog are here to show us where makeup started and how it got to where it is today! Read More »

A weight loss program that really works

The dumbest magazine cover ever

25 awesomely creative bag designs

Beyonce gets racy in new commercial

Rihanna has quite the message for bloggers

Our picks for the sexiest man alive

Tony Parker was cheating with WHO?!

Most of us have had, or are going to have, less-than-ideal sexual experiences at some point in our lives. The ones that make us shaking our heads and wonder what the hell we were thinking. Whether it be alcohol-induced, teenage stupidity, or just overall ill planning, sometimes these things just happen… even when, looking back, maybe we wish they didn’t.

When talking to a group of ladies about “numbers” and past experiences, there will always be someone who claims that one of their partners just “doesn’t count” for one reason or another. Many people have “rules” as to what doesn’t really count as sex – which is a good way to lower a number that doesn’t really matter anyways.

So what are some of the excuses people make to keep their “magic number” low and their “I don’t make bad choices” view of themselves high? Oh, well there’s a whole list of ‘em!

Two pump chump: If it’s less than three pumps, it doesn’t really count.

The hangover: If you only remember some of it, it doesn’t really count.

Read More »

How to avoid overspending this holiday season

Jennifer Aniston epic fashion fail?

A sneak peek at People’s sexiest men alive

6 healthy foods you never would have guessed

This is SO weird

So here’s one GOOD reason to watch The Spirit Awards

Stop being so jealous!

This guy overreacts to Bristol Palin’s win

The flu sucks. There, I’ve gone and said it; plain and simple. It makes you feel gross, look gross and keeps you in bed all day (in a very different way than you’d want). Usually I’d be looking for any excuse to cuddle up with my favorite movie and relapse into a diet of soup and saltines, but not when it’s for weeks on end and makes you feel just plain shoddy.

It’s no fun having to constantly worry about keeping yourself in check and healthy (especially when you’re packed into college dorms and apartments like germ-infested sardines), so here are some simple and easy ways to integrate healthy actions into your daily life.

Read More »

Dear Dude,

My boyfriend and I have been together for a little over a year now. We are long distance (he’s about an hour away) and we have ridiculous amounts of fun when we are together and he means the world to me. The problem is this: the feared and revered “L” word (love) has yet to enter the mix. He’s said “I like you more than you know.” He’s said “You really don’t know how much I like you.” He’s even gone as far as to ask “What would you do if I told you that I loved you?” But there’s been no real declaration of love after 13+ months. What’s a girl to do?

Sincerely,
Itching for Action Read More »

The temperatures are dropping, scarves are being worn for warmth (not style), and your late summer glow has been replaced by rosy cheeks and a runny nose. The freezing weather makes it ever so difficult to unwrap yourself from the tight embrace of your down comforter and do anything remotely productive. Luckily, with winter break just around the corner, you can avoid the harsh realities of class, work, and responsibilities for a few weeks.

Break is exactly that.. a break. With all the required reading you’re given during the semester, it can feel like ages since you sat down with a book…for fun. So, we’ve compiled a list of 8 must-read classic English, classic American, and popular contemporary novels that should be enjoyed over break.

And, in light of the recent casting of Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of The Great Gatsby, we’ve picked a celeb for each novel that would be perfect as the hero or heroine. So check out our list, choose your favorite, snuggle up with a mug of hot chocolate, and escape from the world (and the cold) for a few hours by creating your own mental movie with the help of these texts. Read More »