1. Sexy swim suits, duh

Bring bathing suits that you know will flatter your figure and make you look smokin’! It’s best to bring around two or three so you can alternate and let one dry before wearing it again. I don’t know about you but I hate putting a wet bathing suit back on, so remember to leave some drying time between each use. You may also want to bring something a little more….athletic? You know, for those banana boat/jet ski rides. You know that bikini isn’t going to hold everything in place…

2. Cute sweatshirt or sweater

While the temperature may be steaming during the day, you should pack a light sweater or hoodie in case it gets chilly at night. Vacation ain’t so fun when you’re freezing your butt off.

3. Sunscreen and aloe!

Since I’m naturally extremely pale, I basically turn into a red-faced lobster when I sunburn. And I tend to burn very quickly when I don’t put any sunscreen on. For those of you who burn quickly like me, bring sunscreen to protect yourself and aloe to ease the pain when you pass out in the sun from too many margaritas. For those of you who are lucky enough to tan easily, don’t forget your tanning oil. But remember to lay out in the sun safely and during non-peak hours so your skin won’t get sun damaged. Wrinkles are not cute.

4. Outfits that you can mix-and-match

Less is more when it comes to spring break. You don’t want to be hauling around huge suitcases through airports or lugging them around your hotel, so bring a few dresses, shorts, and shirts that you can wear together. Also, bring along some friends with cute clothes. Just a thought…

5. Figure perfect dress

Whether you and your friends are going to a club or dressing up to go to dinner, bring at least one dress that’s fun and dressy. Even in Mexico some clubs don’t want you coming in looking haggard so it’s best to bring at least one nice outfit. Dressing up is fun, not to mention an easy way to get attention for all the right reasons.

When leaving the country, remember to keep your IDs and passport on you at all times. Put them in a safe when you arrive at a hotel and also make sure to stow away your cash and valuables in there as well. If you absolutely do not want something, such as expensive jewelry, to get stolen, it might be best to leave it at home.

Now that you have a list of all the Spring Break essentials, stop stressing and start packing. Before you know it you’ll be laying on a beach, sipping margaritas and enjoying your fun in the sun!

And it involves a cellular.

Yes, the topic is taboo and everyone feels all weird about it, but phone sex is a great way to stay close in a relationship even when you’re miles apart.

While some may be too shy to start talking dirty over the phone lines, I have a few tips to keep in mind when trying out phone sex.

First off, relax!! (Editor’s Note: A glass of wine may help…) Phone sex is something to have fun with, not get all worried about. If you’re nervous, just try thinking of what would happen if your partner was actually there. Take a deep breath and ask something general such as, “What would you do to me if you were here?” This might be easier to say then just asking “Wanna have phone sex?” because you end up taking the pressure off of yourself to start the convo, making him answer first instead.

Okay, now that you’re nice and relaxed, it’s time to get frisky on the phone. Phone sex is a great way to open up intimate conversation with your boy and say things you might not be brave enough to say to his face. If you’re too shy to start talking dirty, get him to open up first. When you see how eager he is to participate, you’ll soon be able to let loose. Don’t worry about sounding stupid or fake; the deeper you get into the conversation, the more you’ll ease up. The first time I tried phone sex with my boyfriend, I let him do most of the talking because I was too nervous about sounding dumb. Now that we’re more comfortable with each other, we can let our imaginations run wild.

Another way to start having phone sex is to remind your guy of a previous sexual encounter. Remember when Big used to call Carrie to “reminisce”? This eliminates any potential awkwardness, and when you two talk about past things you’ve done, it is easy to steer the conversation to things you’d like to do in the future. This gets the conversation flowing, which will instantly make you wonder what you were so worried about.

The next time you and your honey are separated, a good dose of phone sex will have you feeling closer than ever. My boyfriend and I have used phone sex as a way to learn each other’s turn-ons and to build anticipation when we’re not together. And believe me, nothing is hotter then finally reuniting and acting out those conversations!

So, give it a shot; just make sure to hold out for someone you trust and care about. This is a very intimate situation and one that shouldn’t be shared with just anyone.

Would you try phone sex? Why or why not?

What am I going to be using it for? If you’re buying a fake primarily just to buy your friends booze every once in awhile, it’s probably not worth it to go through the whole process of getting one. It would be easier to just find an older friend to buy for you. If you want one to get into concerts, bars, clubs, comedy clubs, etc., with friends who also have fakes or who are older, then it’s more beneficial for you to have one. This way you’re at least getting your money’s worth, and you know for sure you have others who can join you in your illegal adventures.

Who am I buying one off of? Some of my friends have gotten fakes from a random sketchy place down in Chinatown. Even though they only paid 60 bucks for it, the ID says that it’s not government issued and a lot of places haven’t accepted them. Needless to say, they got sh*tty fakes.

It’s better to buy a fake ID off of someone who will show you what his fakes look like and who has some references so you know how the IDs have held up. Even better is someone who will replace your ID if it doesn’t end up scanning or if you don’t like the end result.

Keep in mind, some good fake IDs are pricey. I know of friends who make un-scannable IDs for 80 bucks while certain ID’s that do scan cost between $100-$150.

Am I ready to deal with the consequences if I get caught? This is a HUGE question to ask yourself before buying a fake because you never know what can happen or how your area deals with IDs. My friend was caught with a fake ID in my small hometown and arrested for it while two of my friends caught in NYC just had their’s taken away with a slap on the wrists. Depending on who catches you, there can be major consequences that could seriously eff up the rest of your life. NEVER take buying a fake lightly.

All in all, my friends who have fakes have been happy and understand the risks involved. Mine has held up for more then a year with no problems (knock on wood) — although I am very picky about where I go with it.

Two more details to keep in mind: know what the real state ID of your fake looks like and ALWAYS have your real name on the fake. Using a fake name is identity theft and if caught, your charges will be worse.

If you’re not up to getting a fake, using an older friend’s ID works too. Or…you know, just wait until you’re 21.

Any thoughts or advice on fakes? Would you get one?

There’s a few positions my boytoy and I absolutely looove that guarantee to keep our body heat blazing during those cold fall nights.

One great position that’ll get your temperatures rising is the spoon. This is perfect for when the two of you are just cuddling away under the blankets but still feel like getting frisky. While Cosmo recommends the dude half-kneel behind you, my guy and I like to just stay side by side with one of his hands on my waist to keep the rhythm. The guy lifting your top leg is optional too. If you don’t feel like having your leg dangling in the air, keep your legs down but knees slightly apart for a tighter fit. Instant warmth, no hot chocolate needed.

Still chilly? Time to heat things up with some shower sex! Sex in the shower is fun but a little tricky since there’s always the chance of one somebody slipping. The right position for this small space is debatable, but I found the best way is for the girl to be bent over with her hands on the walls for support while the guy stands behind her. You can also try with the girl’s back against the wall and one of her legs wrapped around the guy’s waist, but its harder for her to keep her balance. Any way you want to try, shower sex makes for a steaming hot time. With this combo of hot water and sweet lovin’, anyone can forget that fall is rolling on in.

When a cold night strikes, a little body heat can go a long way. Trying girl-on-top, with a twist, creates the perfect friction to keep you two toasty all night long. Instead of the girl sitting straight up, she can move so she is horizontally laying over the guy. Adding a blanket over the top creates a nice warm cave for the two of you, but with the heat of your bodies you might not even need it. Another variation is to have the man do most of the work by slightly raising his knees while the girl on top leans over him. No matter how your rubbing, you two will be creating your own fire in no time.

Just because its getting colder out doesn’t mean you have to stop the heat from your sex life! Go grab your boy and start warming up.

And kinda sorta wanna punch them.

So what’s a girl to do when her friend is dating a douche? From my experiences, I’ve found a few ways to handle this situation.

Talk to your friend. If you think your friend’s boyfriend is treating her badly, then speak up! Calmly explain why you think her boyfriend isn’t treating her well and state a specific example. This way, if your friend asks why you think her guy is treating her badly you’ll have a legit reason and won’t look like you’re just randomly dissing on him.

My best friend’s first boyfriend would constantly lie to her about other girls and where he had been. I talked to my friend about this and told her I didn’t think he was treating her well. I reminded her of specific events where she had caught him in a lie and other times when he had just been plain rude.

Pro: You’ll finally be able to talk openly with your friend about her guy and let her know how you really feel.

Con: If taken the wrong way, you two could end up in a fight because she might think you’re attacking her guy to make them break up.

Ignore the a**hole, but be civil. As much as you might want to strangle the guy, it pays to be civil and ignore his actions. After all, your friend is dating him, not you. You don’t have to constantly give him the silent treatment but try to avoid spending a lot of time with him. Ask your friend to hang out with you sometimes sans boyfriend. That way, you won’t have to face him and you can still stay close with your friend. And while you don’t have to go out of your way and become chummy with your friend’s man, at least be polite when the two of you speak.

Pro: You and the boyfriend won’t get into a fight, thus never making your friend choose sides.

Con: Your feelings of dislike for the guy may become bottled up causing you to accidently lash out at someone.

Don’t hang out with the two of them as often. As much as this option sucks, it has gotten to this point with some of my friends. You’ve tried talking to her and ignoring her boyfriend, but you can’t stand to be around him anymore. Try hanging out with your other friends more while still maintaining good contact (via email/phone/IM) with your friend. With this, you can try to keep the friendship without actually having to be around the happy couple and causing problems with her boyfriend. One of my good friends has been with her jerk boyfriend for a few years and while I hate being around him, I still keep in touch with her. Sure, the relationship is different, but it is something.

Pro: You won’t have to face the douchebag or watch him treat your friend horribly.

Con: You risk losing touch with your friend.

Deal with it. This might be the hardest piece of advice to actually do. You so badly want to make a nasty comment to your friend about her boyfriend, but it may be better to keep your mouth and just deal with it. Your friend can make her own decisions about who she dates and if the guy is really a douche, his true colors will come out eventually.

Pro: You won’t end up looking like the bad guy for being a bitch to her boyfriend.

Con: You have to sit around and wait for the end…with your mouth shut.

Whichever option you choose, don’t forget that she is your friend no matter who she chooses. Yes, even if it’s a Spencer Pratt 2.0.

[Photo courtesy of toxicblogs.blogspot.com]

Sure, people may run away screaming in horror, but there are just some weird food combinations that you can’t help but want. Stop hiding out in your bedroom dipping the pretzels in frosting; embrace that delicacy! (Seriously – that sh*t is good!) Your friends probably have some weird cravings too.

Gross Foods That Are Actually Delicious

1. Ketchup With Everything. To me, ketchup is its own food group. And while I slather this tomato paste on fries, hamburgers, and hotdogs, I like eating the stuff with mashed potatoes too. My friends think it’s disgusting and can’t stand to watch me eat it, but ketchup and mashed potatoes together are seriously delicious (and it is not that far off from putting that stuff on fries!). I have also seen people put ketchup in chicken noodle soup and or those who slather it on a slice of pizza. Delish.

2. Unnatural Dippers. One time when my friends and I were drunk we began a rabid scavenger hunt throughout the house in search of food. Since none of us could drive (drinking and driving is always a no), we were forced to eat whatever we could find. In this case it was some Teddy Grahams and McDonald’s barbeque sauce.  We could have used the excuse “Oh, I was drunk” when we found the leftovers on the counter the next morning, but instead we just dug right in again. And it was still good. Also good: chocolate chips in salsa and just about anything dipped in buttercream.

3. Anything That Can be Made Into a Sandwich. I think my sandwich eating habits are pretty normal. I occasionally dip tuna salad sandwiches in ketchup, but that’s about it. My boyfriend, however, loves putting roasted peppers and cheese on a bagel sandwich. I’ve also seen people mix tuna sandwiches (delicious) with peanut butter (not so delicious), and someone even pour a Wendy’s Frosty onto her hamburger. I haven’t really tried the last one, but Frosty=good, so how bad could that be?

Now that I’ve admitted to some weird eating habits think what you want about them, but don’t knock it till you try it. With an extra side of ketchup.

What are some of the weird foods you love?

Now when I say I have never cooked for myself I mean that I have never bought groceries for myself and the only thing I have used an oven for is baking brownies. If I want scrambled eggs for breakfast, I make them in the microwave. Mashed potatoes? Screw the stove; I use the microwave. Basically I am skilled with the microwave and nothing else. But since a summer full of microwavable foods did not sound that enticing, I have found a few tips for all those who are cooking in a small kitchen.

Establish food ownership: This is only needed if you are sharing kitchen space with other people. I know many roommates who have fought over ownership of a jar of salsa or accused their friends of eating their whole bag of pretzels. These situations could have easily been avoided had everyone sharing a fridge talked over how they wanted to share the kitchen.

While my suite-mates and I shared utensils, plates, cups, and pans, we each had our own section in the refrigerator for our food. This way, no food was accidently stolen and no one mixed up their groceries with anyone else’s. Certain items were shared throughout the apartment, such as chips and dip, but we would rotate who would buy these snacks when they ran out.

Generic groceries are delicious too: During the year, I had one close friend who loved the supermarket Whole Foods. She would buy organic hummus and pita chips and gloat about how wonderful Whole Foods is compared to everywhere else. Now, I had only been to Whole Foods maybe twice and it was close by my apartment so as soon as I was moved into my room and could not put off buying groceries any longer, I decided to take go there. College has made me a very poor girl and I figured that since I was only buying food for myself I could manage to spend less then 50 bucks a week on groceries. Half an hour later, I had bought six items and spent about 60 dollars total.

This incident immediately made me more aware of food prices and a day later I managed to find a Morton Williams where I could find cheaper, generic brands. While popular labels are tempting, I have found that there really is no difference between generic brand cookies and name brand cookies. For the most part, grocery stores will have their own generic brands of certain foods that are undoubtedly cheaper. If you find yourself short on cash, skip the brand name and go generic.

Stick with the basics if you don’t know what you’re doing: While I would much rather make my own three course meal then eat cereal, I know my low kitchen skills would be no match for the oven. I had already caused the smoke alarm to go off once when I unsuccessfully attempted to make spaghetti and I had no intentions of hearing that annoying screeching noise again. Instead of attempting stove use, I found that making tuna sandwiches, pasta salad, and PB&J was just as yummy as trying to make a hamburger. While Ramen Noodles and Easy Mac are a favorite among college students, putting lunch meat, bread, and cheese together are much healthier alternatives.

The point is, you don’t need to be a cooking whiz in order to survive college. While I have gained a few chef points (I don’t make grilled cheese in the microwave anymore) I always chose to make fast easy meals over elaborate dinner dishes. College gives you a taste of the independent life and learning to cook and share a kitchen is just one of the many experiences of adulthood. Although even as an adult I don’t think I will ever stop microwaving scrambled eggs.

Makeup is fun. With makeup I can make myself look like anything I want. I can glam myself up, or play out a more natural look. I can turn myself into a sex kitten, or an innocent girl next door.

But it has taken years and years of trial and error to know what looks good on my face and what makes me look like Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. Looking back I’ve had some pretty disastrous makeup moments that I have comprised into my top 5 makeup regrets.

1. Sweat + black eyeliner = scary raccoon eyes. Now I love me some black eyeliner, especially when I’m putting on a cute little dress and going out to a club, but there are certain places where it’s probably not a good idea to pile on the black and, unfortunately, I’ve learned this the hard way.

One night my friends and I dressed ourselves up to go out dancing and I had put on a ton of dark eyeshadow and eyeliner. The dance floor was completely packed and after about half an hour we were all sweaty and gross. My friend and I went to the bathroom to cool down and when I looked in the mirror, I found that the makeup I had so meticulously applied was now all over my face! Seriously, it looked as if I had rubbed a huge piece of charcoal all around my eye and down my cheeks. My black eyeshadow had literally melted from me sweating and was now sitting in clumps on my eyelids. Needless to say I had to scrub it all off before anyone (besides all those people I saw pre-bathroom trip) saw my disaster of a face.

2. White eye shadow is for vampires, not people. When I was in middle school, the latest makeup trend was wearing white eyeshadow…and just white eyeshadow. For some reason my little awkward pre-teen mind thought that walking around looking like a corpse with all that white around my eyes was actually a good idea. And what made this look even worse is that I am naturally very pale, so I was basically applying white on white to create a sexy pastiness on my face. Luckily, I ditched this makeup trend when I entered high school, but I still can’t help but shudder when I see pictures of my middle school self looking like the freakin’ dead.

3. Always get the right bronzer for your skin tone or you will look like an Oompa-Loompa. We’ve all seen those girls; the ones whose faces look a bright orange color while their neck remains considerably paler. Or maybe their orange necks even match their orange faces, but you can tell the tan is fake because you can literally see all the bronzer particles on their face. As attractive as this sounds, I have been one of those girls.

As I’ve mentioned before, I am a very pale gal who will try just about anything to get a little color on me. I’ve done the tanning beds, but I’m afraid of skin cancer. I’ve tried the gradual tanner lotions, but I don’t see that noticeable of results. Bronzer – with its instant tanning abilities – became my go-to product. And boy did I go to it. A lot.

4. Bright eyeliner with bright lips is a huge no-no.

I have always liked experimenting with different makeup looks. Some of these looks work (I look cute with brown eyeshadow on) and some don’t (I look bad with neon pink eyeliner and bright pink lip gloss). On the plus side, I have used the latter makeup look only once, which was definitely one time too many.

My roommate is the type of girl who can pull off crazy makeup. A few months back, she had just bought pink eyeliner from Sephora and had neatly lined the top lids of her eyes keeping the rest of her face fresh of makeup. I too tried this eyeliner and slathered on a coat of lip gloss before leaving with the rest of my friends. As it turns out, the pink eyeliner spread along my lids until it looked like thick neon eyeshadow blazing out from above my eyes and,what I thought had been clear lip gloss turned out to be an obnoxious colored pink. My friends would not stop making fun of me for the whole night and when we arrived at the restaurant I proceeded to rush to the bathroom to wipe off the eyeliner goo. Never again will I pair neon anything to bright lips (matching eyeshadow and lipstick is never a good idea either), unless I’m actually going for the clown look.

5. Blue glitter eyeshadow makes me look like a tranny. Blue glitter eyeshadow is pretty self explanatory on why it would be on my list of regrets. This makeup regret was something I did in my middle school and early high school years for god only knows what reason. My friends and I would pack on the blue eyeshadow and sprinkle our lids with glitter before heading out to the movie theater. As ridiculous as this sounds, we thought we looked hot. Now that I look back, I realized that we looked like a herd of trannies.

Do you ladies have any makeup regrets?

Let’s get one thing straight; I am absolutely obsessed with Disney movies. But as much as I love watching them, the princesses walking around those movies always manage to make me feel terrible about my love life. They create unrealistic expectations about love and relationships all while maintaining a search for ‘happily ever after’.

So how does one attain this happily ever after? According to a Disney princess, by finding love! And how does one find love? With a song and dance, of course!

Gone are the days where meaningful conversation and actual chemistry are needed for a relationship, Disney princesses show that chiseled features and a great singing voice are all a girl really needs. Beauty and the Beast seems to be one exception as the Beast definitely ain’t no looker but Belle likes him anyway. The only downside to this love affair is that the Beast is holding Belle captive in order to make her fall in love with him so he can turn handsome again.

Ariel, in The Little Mermaid, has yet to speak to her man before claiming her love for him. She defies her father, runs away from home, and makes a deal with an evil sorceress to give up her voice, all in hopes of meeting this guy. But lo and behold, Ariel and the prince do meet and by the end of the movie they have fallen in love and are ready to live happily ever after. Maybe it was all the stimulating conversation the two had together that attracted him to her. Or the great pair of legs she traded her voice for.

Another idea that Disney princesses seem to instill upon us is that one day Prince Charming will just show up and make our lives better. But in the meantime we should probably be sitting around waiting for him. Look at Cinderella, for instance. Instead of telling her step-sisters to ‘f*ck off’ and then leaving the household to find a real job and house to support herself, she lets herself be treated like a slave to her step-mother’s whims. She is only let off the hook from this life when Prince Charming shows up and whisks her away to his castle. She doesn’t know him that well, but he has a ton of money and power, so I guess that equals out to a happily every after.

Instead of the cookie-cutter Disney Prince Charming, I’d rather go out and find a man with flaws. To me, that perfect Disney prince sounds boring. Every relationship needs a little disagreement and meaningful conversation, not just physical attraction. I think a relationship can have a happily ever after, but only if you’re realistic about it.

No guy is ever going to act perfect all the time like Prince Charming, nor are you always going to look flawless like Cinderella, but with the right amount of time and commitment, you two can make your own happily ever after. And If a guy still loves me even when I wake up looking like the Beast, that’s my idea of a Prince Charming.

What do you guys think? Do any of our relationships really turn into happily ever afters, or has the idea just effed us up when it comes to dating?

But is it really a good idea to start dating someone you’ve only known for two weeks into your freshman year?

In my experience, no.

Freshman year is all about new experiences, whether it be living with someone you don’t know or having to do your laundry for the first time. While the idea of meeting a new boyfriend or girlfriend is exciting, the first semester of college might not be the best time to start thinking of a long term relationship.

I met a guy during the summer at one of my school’s orientations and I continued to talk to him once we met up in the fall. We started hooking up almost immediately after classes began and I wondered if he was feeling as strongly as I was about him. I soon realized, as he hooked up with multiple other girls, that there really were no feelings involved on his part. He announced that it was no big deal since he and I weren’t officially anything and he didn’t want anything serious his first year. I was hurt because I had read too much into the situation. Even more, though, I was angry at myself because I could have spent the time getting to know other people (or studying) instead of hanging out with him.

A friend of mine had a similar situation; she hooked up with someone for awhile during freshman year, but the guy had no intentions of taking it any further. She was devastated when he would constantly parade other girls around. She was miserable for the remaining year and didn’t seem to enjoy her time as a college freshman as much as she could have. While she should have gotten away from this dude, she felt too attached to him to let go. And this was all over someone she had known for only three months. I’ve even known countless others whose grades have dropped because of a bad hook-up or nasty rejection from someone they just met.

The first semester for college freshmen should be used to settle into a more comfortable routine and get used to everything new. Take this time to get to know friends and potential hookups as much as you can and save anything more serious for the second semester when you are finally settled in. This way, forming friendships, finding time to study, and becoming familiar with the college lifestyle is easier to maintain without the added stress of a relationship.

What do you think about dating freshman year? Is it a do or a don’t?