Our appreciation for the Florida International Dazzlers cheerleader team goes back to a time when we noticed that these aren’t your normal college cheerleaders. It’s like the scrapheap of Miami Heat finalist rejects who just happen to be a few college credits short of a business degree. No Heat means these ladies are left cheering for a barely recognizedfootball program against teams such as Florida Atlantic and Louisville. You might evenremember how the Dazzlers had to hold a bikini car wash to save their cheerleading team. That, fellas, is dedication.

Now that it’s winter break, you’re likely spending most of your time sitting around your parents’ house in your PJ’s, right? I don’t blame you — if you don’t have to go to work or school, you might as well be comfortable, right?

But “comfortable” doesn’t have to mean “sloppy.” There are plenty of comfortable lounge clothes that are also cute! They’re also useful beyond winter break — loungewear is perfect for hanging out in the dorms! These clothes will make sure you look cute and stay comfortable, whether you’re studying, watching a movie with friends, or napping… and they’re all just $20 or less! Read More »

I am in the most amazing, secure and satisfying relationship I have ever been in but there is just one so-called “problem”; after nearly a year and a half, neither of us have said, “I love you.”

Now I know what this probably sounds like to some, or possibly even most, of you. (Believe me, I see it in the facial expressions of concerned friends and hear it in the tone of their strongly worded reactions.) There is obviously a clear issue here, right? Well, actually, I’m not so sure.

Now, to be honest, I would be lying if I didn’t admit that part of me (the part that sometimes, uncontrollably slips into this cliché, fairytale, chick flick inspired way of thinking that all love stories have basically 1 of 3 plots) at times wishes one of us would just find the courage to come out and say it already. I mean, it’s been long enough! And the pressure from friends and family who act like this is the biggest thing in the world to be concerned about, only adds fuel to this flame.

However, my usual, more sane, more rational and level-headed reaction to all of this is, “Who really cares?” Is actually saying that phrase really as significant or necessary as everyone our age makes it out to be? I mean, isn’t it true that actions should speak louder than words?

We are currently in a world where nearly every word in the “relationship dictionary” is rapidly being redefined. Take the word, meaning and supposed “sacredness” of marriage, for instance. It’s being entirely altered by things like the exceptionally high divorce rate (and the never ending publicity about celebrity divorces and adultery in the press). Or what about the many different names have we come up with in the last decade to define the new, modern, complicated relationships that keep arising: open relationship, no strings attached, friends with benefits, just hooking up… the list continues. Who even knows what the proper meaning and context of monogamy and love is these days. Read More »

Student loans have turned me into a Grinch this Christmas.

Even though Christmas is on Saturday, I honestly couldn’t care less this year. With everyone around me so happy and festive, I feel like the odd-woman-out. However, I think I have a decent excuse. Instead of “Jingle Bell Rock” in my head and busy days spent shopping at the mall, I’m singing the Student Loan Blues while staring at my empty bank account.

Ugh. Student loans.

If you graduated last spring and have student loans, you probably feel the same way I do right now considering our loan repayment grace period is over: in over your head! Although I knew this reality was coming, I guess I never thought it would hit me this hard and scare me this much. And I’ll be the first to say, I’m scared that these loans I had to take out to go to college will ruin the rest of my life.

Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit much, but right now, they certainly feel like they are taking hold of my entire life. In order to make payments so I’m in good standing with the lenders, I had to dish out the cash this month to get my payment record off to a good start. And boy, has it hurt. Christmas presents? Yeah … no one I know will be getting one from me. Not even the homemade variety. Will I be getting to see my boyfriend anytime soon? Nope, I don’t have the cash to pay for a plane ticket (ugh, another lovely benefit of being in a long-distance relationship). I can’t help but wonder “Will I ever have money again?”

Now, I probably sound like a Debbie downer, but it’s easy to feel downtrodden and stressed when it seems like you have a whole life ahead of you … centered around owing someone a ton of money. However, I do keep telling myself that one day my college degree will pay off … so maybe it wasn’t a terrible thing after all? Maybe?

This is where I keep my fingers crossed. Read More »

Ask Tuffy Luv?! Ask Tuffy Luv: TuffyLuv@collegecandy.com

Dear Tuffy Luv,
So I’m a relatively new CollegeCandy reader, but your advice always seems reasonable to me and I’m in a situation that I am finding impossible to reason my way out of.  In short, my best friend hates the guy I am hooking up with.  But here are the details…

I am a college senior and I recently (about 2 months ago) started hooking up with this guy on a very regular basis.  At first, I wasn’t that attracted to him and was very ambivalent about whether or not I wanted to start some sort of somethinsomethin with him. But drunkendancefloormakeout occurred and repeated hooking up ensued soon after.  I definitely like him now–and am more attracted to him now that I’ve gotten to know him.  I see him nearly everyday because we study together for two classes we both take.  And I sleep at his place or vice versa 4-5 times per week.  We’ve been on a couple dates, but it still feels very FWBish.  I’m not even entirely sure I’d want to seriously date him, so I pretty much have no complaints so far.

BUT here’s the big problem.  My best friend hates him.  She is generally a very friendly and talkative person.  He isn’t.  He was very drunk and a little rude the first time he met her, but ever since he has been perfectly civil toward her.  He’s pretty shy and untalkative around everyone–and sometimes that can make him come off as a little douchey.  Also, she has the tendency to be slightly self-absorbed and ditzy.  I sometimes tune her out but have had years to learn how to hide it–he is especially untalented in that respect.

As a result, she has been talking a lot of sh*t about him to all of our friends.  She has voiced to me something along the lines of “I don’t like him personally, but you can do whatever you want.”  But then she basically tells everyone that she thinks he’s not a nice person and that if he were truly interested in me, he’d be nicer to her.  (P.S. It doesn’t help that she is good friends with a friend of his ex.  Whom he cheated on once, thus ending their relationship.)  And to make things even worse, she has been telling people she thinks I have changed as well.  She thinks I just make excuses for his mistreatment of her by saying “he’s not my boyfriend” or “you don’t really know him.”  And she can’t understand why I’d continue hooking up with someone who doesn’t quite mesh with my friends.  I think a part of it is that she’s jealous since she’s always been the one with a guy in her life, and I’ve always been the single one.  This current guy is actually the first guy I’ve ever really had a regular “thing” with.  To top it all off, she thinks I’m distancing myself from her because I don’t confide in her like I used to.

To be fair, she’s right about the last thing.  Since he is a pretty big part of my life right now, I talk about him a lot.  I don’t want to talk about him to her when I know she doesn’t like him.  And when I know she’ll judge me for letting things progress physically when we’re not an official couple (she’s more of a wine-and-dine kind of a girl than a casual hookup type).  As a result, we barely speak now.  We live together so this is a problem.  And we are going on vacation together over winter break, so it must be resolved.

I feel it is selfish for her to essentially cause tension over something that clearly makes me happy–especially since I’ve never really liked someone like this before; and also when the only issue is his could-be-friendlier treatment of her.  He’s perfectly nice to me.  I feel like she has dug her own grave by talking so much crap about him and she should have to deal with the consequences of doing one of those things that friends just don’t do.

I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s 100% right.  We are both very stubborn.  I don’t want to lose her as a friend over this, but how do I say to her that I no longer can include her in this part of my life without making her feel like I’m pushing her away?  Am I wrong to feel this way? Also, do you think there is any way for me to resolve this situation between her and the guy?  I’ve already asked him to be a little friendlier to her, but it definitely has made no difference–she is decidedly against him.  Please help!!  I can’t take the tension between all of us anymore.

-My Friend vs. My FWB
Read More »

So today’s World Peace Day and while I should be out shaking hands with a Native American or throwing eggs at those airport body scanners, political statements aren’t really my specialty. But wanna know what is? Petty Hollywood feuds and inane celebrity gossip.

That’s right. In honor of this most peaceful of days, there are a few famous foes that I feel need to bury the hatchet. Read More »

Uh...what's with Ashley's lazy eye??

Sometimes Cosmo really just makes me angry. Not that I’m going to stop reading it, mind you, but mad enough to sigh as I flip through the same ish month after month. Every article inside Cosmo is as predictable as the results of a spelling bee between Mark Zuckerburg and Paris Hilton.  I know a Cosmo mag better than I know the recipe for Velveeta.  And well, that’s embarrassing for me to admit.

First, Cosmo always states the obvious. This month’s Duuuuuh story? The ‘Stud Meter.’  Oh really? David Beckham in his tighty whities is hotter than Adam Sandler dressed in drag?  That’s totally insane, Cosmo! How could 8-pack abs beat guy-liner?

Next, the lady mag tells girls to use sex to keep their man from cheating, like in this issue’s ‘The Moment He’s Most Likely to Cheat.‘ Wait, so you mean to tell me the only way I’m going to keep my man from dipping it elsewhere is to always look hot, wake him up at 5 a.m. to do the hippity dippity, flirt with other guys, and constantly feed him ego-boosting compliments?  Anything else, Cosmo?  While I understand I should keep my man happy and restrain from getting a butch haircut, should I learn to do backflips from my spot in the kitchen while I’m making him a sandwich and give him an HJ after my third back hand spring?

Of course, there’s always Cosmo’s bat sh*t crazy theories, and ‘Pillow Talk,’ an article sharing your guy’s personality traits based on how he sleeps at night, easily fills that requirement.  First of all, these theories are somewhat creepy in that girl-just-got-off-the-crazy-train sorta way.  And second of all, I’m willing to believe the reason he’s “covering his head with the pillow” is because I’m running my mouth, wondering, “Does this mean you’re feeling guarded and need more space!? Do you even love me anymore?!”

Cosmo also always disposes a weird man-trait I really don’t care to know about (i.e. ‘The New Male Grooming Obsession’ – thanks for the poll about how men manscape their pee pee hair) and never ceases to freak me out with their dramatic and scary stories about my goodie goodie gum drops (i.e. ‘Are You Running Out of Time to Have a Baby?‘)  Seriously?  I’m running out of time to get to the movie store and scoop up a Toy Story 3 before they sell out.  Stop scaring me. Read More »

4 great looks inspired by Blair Waldorf

This is why you don’t fight with bouncers

Is this the world’s best Youtuber?

A little Superbowl eye candy

Agree with these Golden Globes predictions?

Meet the Hollywood stylist of the year

Happy holidays from the Kardashian sisters (funny video)

Jake Gyllenhaal doesn’t wear underwear…

Yup, building snowmen....still fun.

HAPPY OFFICIAL FIRST DAY OF WINTER!

It’s hard to remember when you’re spending half of your day bundling up in the thickest, warmest, heaviest things you own just to walk outside to get the mail, but it’s is the most wonderful time of the yearrrrrrrr! Yes, really. Andy Williams was not lying when he gleefully belted out the season’s staple song back in the 1960s, and his holiday tune still rings true today. Even if it takes my hands a full 7 minutes to warm up after being outside.

Winter is one of the best seasons for a multitude of reasons that I just don’t have enough time (or Redbull) to list. But, because I need to share the gloriousness of this beloved season, I compiled the top 10 reasons why winter beats summer, spring, and fall’s seasonal asses every year. Read More »

This is the holy grail of flirting

How Mark Zuckerberg changed dating

Most believable movie Santas

Top 25 stories of 2010

Awesome XMAS cookie recipe

This iPhone app will BLOW your mind

He’s claiming men and women can’t be friends

More importantly, let’s hope he’s learned to use a condom

Why does everyone care about this underage romance?!