You know those “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up” essays you were assigned in sixth grade? Some kids wrote about wanting to be a rock star, a teacher, a mailman, a professional Sega Genesis player, an Olympic Pog champion…and you sat staring at your blank paper. How the heck are you supposed to know what you want to be at 11 years old?! And how the heck are we supposed to know now that we are in college?!

If you still find yourself lost and confused, don’t stress. Take a breath and open your school’s Courses Catalog. It’s time to pick a major. Having trouble finding your forte? Here are some tips and hints to finding your passion and turning it into a career (sorry, you can’t major in rock star):

Ask yourself: “What’s my favorite thing to do that makes me feel productive?” Could you see yourself doing this for the rest of your life? Would be willing to take a financially rewarding job at the cost of time with family? Or would you prefer a job that isn’t as lucrative, but is more fulfilling?

Make a trip to your Academic Advisor! They are trained to help you narrow down your favorite classes, enjoyable hobbies, and inner passions to pinpoint where you should study.

Don’t feel particularly passionate about just one thing? Choose a broad major that will allow you to find your own niche in that field. Psychology, Communications, and Business are all flexible career fields.

When choosing GE courses, pick ones from a variety of departments. Or pick a class that just seems fun. Knights of the Round Table 1A? Maybe it will spark an interest in the History major! Intro to Cinematography? You may just be a future Film major!

What are you good at? Take advantage of your natural talents and turn them into a career! Does your Myspace page look like it was pimped out by a pro? Take up Graphic Design! Do your friends compliment you on your feng shui abilities? Try Interior Decorating! Do you always succeed in your diet and fitness goals? Major in Nutrition or Exercise science!

Check out career and major fairs at your school! Booths are set up with brochures, professionals in the career, and professors and fellow students who know their stuff! Go to as many as you can find and don’t forget to bring a list of questions (and pick up free pencils and bookmarks. Score!).

Head to your local Barnes and Noble and pick up some helpful books like The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Choosing a College Major by Randall S. Hansen, Major in Success: Make College Easier, Beat the System, and Get a Very Cool Job by Patrick Combs, and The College Board Book of Majors.

We are 11 years old anymore, and now is definitely the time to choose which path we want our lives to take. Although you may not go down the path of mailman (and that’s a good thing! Ever heard of “going postal?” It isn’t pretty), you can take the time to find out exactly where you fit in.

Have you already chosen a major that you love? Tell us about it and help out the former rock star wannabes in need!

As humans, we have inner demons that can only be quieted by indulging in our uncontrollable desires. Take the concept of the Seven Deadly Sins. Depending on your beliefs or interpretations, you may agree that we have a natural inclination towards these temptations. For example, I totally lust after my boyfriend’s six pack, I greedily horde my money, I’m a glutton for any sort of frozen yogurt, and I envy Megan Fox’s…everything.

Being the crafty marketing team they are, America’s consumer industries are exploiting our desires to indulge in these Seven Deadly Sins (and are getting filthy rich because of it!). Hey, maybe if we all sinned a bit more, we could nix this recession like Cain did Abel! Ready to be a bad girl? Hit up these industries to silence your inner, money spending demon:

Lust – While the recession has taken away many things, at least it’s bringing sexy back! Erotic industries, such as sex toy company Babeland, have seen a 25% increase in sales. Makes sense: The less hours you’re given at your job, the more quality time you have to spend with your brand new Mini Pink Leopard Vibe! The best part? Babeland is always having sales to keep you “cumming” back for more. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

Gluttony- Did your latest paycheck leave your pockets feeling empty? At least you can still fill your tummy with greasy, affordable goodness! Americans appreciate the cheap convenience of fast food, so we keep hitting those drive-thrus and saving our money. It’s a trade-off, because we sacrifice good health for a good deal, but no one wants to shell out big money for the organic aisle at Walmart. And thanks to that logic, Ronald McDonald’s painted-on, red smirk is widening by the fiscal year.

Greed- Hit up Vegas recently? Despite declining tourism in Vegas, I’ve noticed that the casinos in my area of Northern California (including Reno and Lake Tahoe) are still emptying pockets like nobody’s business. Our insatiable, greed-driven thirst for money and power is continually fed by these casino industries. They are doing so well, in fact, that my town’s closest casino has drummed up enough income to begin construction on a swanky resort hotel. Because nothing says a good time like driving ten minutes from your home to check into a hotel and throw your money away at the craps table.

Sloth- Psh, if I were the embodiment of a sin, Sloth would be my name and Lazy would be my game. After finally deciding to get some Dish Network up in the apartment I share with the boyfriend, I chose to shell out the extra deuce for DVR. You don’t get any lazier than “I’m too tired to even flip through channels. Where’s that Little Couple episode I recorded last night?” You girls all gotta admit you would/do pay extra for the convenience of being lazy via your boob tube.

Wrath- Personally, I don’t get down with the emotion of anger. You can say I’m a lover, not a fighter. But tell that to the Hooters that has men spilling out of their doors and windows just to watch the UFC fight and chow down on some chicken waaangs. Granted, it doesn’t hurt that there are some hot mamas providing this service. But by these guys living vicariously through cauliflower-eared, sweaty men beating the hell out of each other, they are perpetuating the sin of Wrath. And Dana White is sinfully wealthy because of it!

Envy- The Green-Eyed monster can be found in almost any industry. Particularly those in which sales rely on the fact that girls are constantly in competition with each other. We buy magazines just to drool over the bodies we are jealous of, the ads for shoes we could never afford, the articles about overachievers that make us feel unsuccessful in comparison…and we just end up more envious than we did to begin with.

Pride- Taking pride in your appearance is vital to social acceptance and self-confidence. But you gotta admit that with plastic surgery, celebrity emulation, buckets of makeup and clocking hours in the mirror, we take vain to the next level. With our persistant focus on our outer appearance, industry big-wigs like Dr. Rey and M.A.C. Cosmetics are riding high on our hard earned dollars.

So, yeah, you may be feeling guilty for giving into your sinful consumer ways. But consider your participation in our economy a good deed. Don’t let your buyer’s remorse or shopping guilt get you down, my Angelic American. Because sometimes, it just feels good to be bad.

I love to have a big, hunka meat right in my face, teasing and seducing me.

I’m talking about dinner, you dirty birdies!

My fave plate of anti-vegetarianism is without a doubt the beloved meatloaf. But that’s one meal that can easily turn bland and pack in the saturated fat like Brit Brit on a junk food binge. Luckily, I came across an amazing recipe that’s gonna knock your flip flops off (if you still have them on; damn you, end of summer weather!).

This ain’t yo mama’s dry, crumbly meatloaf with mysteriously colored ingredients! Not only is this recipe simple and healthy (if you’re trying to maintain that bangin’ bikini bod), you can dress it up with your favorite flavors. In this recipe from Hungry Girl, we take taco night to the next level…the meatloaf level!

Ingredients:
1 pound raw extra-lean ground turkey
2 slices fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup canned sweet corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix (I use the entire packet…kicks it up a notch)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Cook peppers and onions for 3 minutes over medium heat in a nonstick pan sprayed with Pam.

3. In a large bowl, combine onions and peppers with turkey, corn, and seasoning mix.

4. Spread half the mixture evenly into the bottom of a loaf pan (about 9″ by 5″) sprayed with Pam.

5. Layer the two slices of fat-free cheese on top of the mixture. Evenly top with the remaining meat mixture and pour the salsa over the top of the loaf (by now you should be craving a strawberry margarita).

6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Top loaf with shredded cheese and return to the oven for another 15 minutes (or until the gooey goodness has melted).

Now that your taco meatloaf is ready to feed you and 5 friends, whip up your favorite margarita and turn up the Ricky Martin playlist on your Ipod (What? You don’t have one too?). Livin’ La Vida Loca!

When I tell people that my boyfriend is in the Army, I usually am met with the same response:

“Oooh really? I don’t know how you do it. I couldn’t be with someone in the military.”

I can understand why they feel that way. Being apart from the one you love for long periods of time gets really tough. Being in a military relationship is an emotional and patriotic combination of sacrifice and reward.

For all the time spent apart, the mind-racing anxieties, the minimal access to communication and the constant countdown to reunion, there are still the corresponding rewards that make it all worthwhile. After spending five months apart, with half the country’s states between us, we now get to finally live together. After worrying what it meant when I didn’t hear his voice for almost 12 days, I’ve learned how to be a stronger, independent individual. I know that in the Army, no news is good news. I have learned the importance of communication and how to maintain a strong connection through hand-written letters.

By investing time and energy into such a challenging situation, I have come out the other side with a newly earned title. I am an Army Girlfriend. I serve alongside my man by staying strong and carrying on. I do things on my own, for myself, with no one’s help. Are all the difficulties of a military relationship worth it, you ask? I say, if it’s the right person, then you would do whatever it takes. It’s like sacrificing an hour on the treadmill so that you can enjoy an Apple Fritter from Starbucks. Sure, that hour on the treadmill is challenging, sometimes painful, seemingly never-ending and you always end up staring at the display to watch the minutes slowly tick by. But when you do finally get off, you’re so much stronger and proud of yourself for not giving up…and now you get your reward.

Yes, I just likened my boyfriend to an Apple Fritter.

So, with that said, I could not be more proud to be with a military man. His trials, tribulations, challenges and sacrifices inspire me every day to be a better person and a more confidant woman. Next time you see a man in uniform, don’t just ogle at how great his ass looks in those ACUs. Feel free to approach him and thank him for his service. Or pay for the latte that the soldier behind you in line at Starbucks is waiting to order. Show your appreciation for our men and they will fight for you in return. Believe me, those little gestures can mean the world. And if a military man asks you out on a date, don’t run away for fear of falling in love with someone that you may have to part with. Do yourself, and America, a favor and dive right on in.

Besides, the treadmill may suck at times, but at least you will always fit into your favorite pair of camo boy shorts.

Yes, I just likened my relationship to fitting into a pair of shorts. But why not? They both make me feel really, really good.

Although her case is extreme, I come to find that I also have some contradicting views on feminism. I tend to be pretty adamant about being a strong independent woman, but sometimes I just wanna feel like that innocent damsel in distress. And although it’s comforting to slip into many traditional female roles, I could never abandon the ideals of the 21st century feminist.

Here are some of the contradictions that make me happy to call myself a “semi-femi”:

- I consider myself a feminist, but I don’t hate men and I shave my armpits on the regular.

- I enjoy proving I can do anything without my man’s help, but I do like it when he opens doors for me.

- I plan on taking my husband’s last name when I get married, but I hate it when a couple is labeled Mr. and Mrs. “Husband’s-First-and-Last-Name.” I’m not property!

- I‘m sick of movies and magazines that portray women as nothing more than sex objects, but I could stare at Megan Fox all day long.

- I am a big advocate of a woman’s right to choose (be it about her body, who she votes for, etc.), but I prefer my boyfriend to pick the restaurant or date activity.

- I refuse to be treated like someone’s personal chef or maid, but I can’t deny the satisfaction of a day of cupcake baking in the kitchen or scrubbing that nasty bathtub tile.

- I plan on toiling away for my college degree so I can become an independent career woman, but I do plan on taking a few years off to pop out some tykes.

- I work hard for my paycheck so I can buy my own Starbucks, but it is never unappreciated when he picks up the sushi check.

- I can whoop any guy in foosball, Resident Evil, and go-carts, but I’m a sucker for a bubble bath and a stack of chick-lit.

- I don’t think girls should waste their time in the bathroom trying to look picture perfect to impress a guy, but I still hit the tanning bed, dye my hair and practice eyeshadow techniques.

So, would you call this a list of feminist contradictions or hypocrisies? Where do you personally fall on the feminist spectrum and what are your own contradictions? Let us know in the comments!

As same-sex couples around the country take to the battlefields to fight for their right to marry, American TV is making a mockery of the very thing these couples are wishing for. The collective majority of Americans are against allowing a same-sex couple to enjoy the sanctity of marriage, claiming we should “protect the institution of marriage” and uphold traditional American values. Yet, a new reality show reveals America’s hypocritical nature by turning marriage into a cheap game show.

Hitched or Ditched poses the ultimate ultimatum to a rocky couple: Get married in a week or end it for good. Viewers are drawn to the drama and suspense of whether a couple will say “I do” or be publicly humiliated with rejection. This all or nothing, sh*t-or-get-off-the-pot attitude cheapens the idea of marriage. This show will only reinforce our generation’s cynical attitude that marriages and weddings are nothing more than expensive circuses built around an attention-whoring couple. Something akin to the Speidi extravaganza comes to mind.

This is also an example of why our divorce rate is so high. Couples end up at the alter for all the wrong reasons. They feel pressure from each other or friends and family. They marry to take advantage of the monetary benefits, or they see marriage as an excuse to throw a blowout party in their name. But these are the couples who America roots for. These are the couples who are allowed to participate in a sacred union that is continually denied to legitimately in-love couples.

The same people who are picketing against gay marriage are sitting on their couches and watching America exploit matrimony for entertainment value. Where is the logic in that?

Hitched or Ditched is trainwreck reality TV that cheapens the battle that same-sex couples go to bat for everyday. I, for one, will stick with Who’s Wedding Is It Anyway.

Sure, it may be full of exclusive tips that you are dying to learn and try out on your man, but can you really muster the moxie to pay for it along with a bottle of water and box of pens?

“What if the cashier thinks I have an oral-fixation that I need to feed in between classes by learning how to properly fellate a fellow?” The embarrassment would be akin to buying the economy-size box of tampons at the grocery store while still in your PMS PJs.

But, now I wonder: what other hidden treasures can I find in the bookstore that I’m too scared to plunk down the cash for in public?

Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love, and Lose at Both
What it’s about: So, do you think that by hooking up you’re being sexually empowered and going after what you want for a change? Not so, says Laura Sessions Stepp. She “follows three groups of young women over the course of an academic year to discover what hooking up is all about. She attends class with them, parties with them, and listens to them talk about their sexual encounters – coming away with some enlightening and disturbing insights into sexuality.”

What it tells the cashier: I am sorta slutty and I want to know the repercussions.

Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue in Chic Peek Behind the Pose and That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between
What They’re About: This is a two-fer because either of these books would make me feel like a chihuahua carrying, air-headed attention whore… with really cute shoes. However, Paris Hilton’s Confessions of an Heiress: A Tongue in Chic Peek Behind the Pose lures me in with it’s sparkly cover, clever title pun and full-page, colored pictures. Unfortunately, much like the author herself, this book is really pretty on the outside, but lacks any substance on the inside. A similar book, That Extra Half an Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between, is Mrs. David Beckham’s attempt at literature. It has tips on how to wear your LBD, find awesome bargains and gives you space to make notes about your favorite fashion tricks. It’s a pretty hefty book for the price and I’d wager the spine is thicker than Vickie’s waist.

What it tells the cashier: I’m a moron with a really great closet.

Die Happy: 499 Thing’s Every Guy’s Gotta Do While He Still Can
What it’s about: A what-to-do guide written for men, by men, that gives great insight into what these crazy creatures really want in life. While my Bucket List contains dreams of visting Paris, getting a Masters degree and celebrating New Years in Times Square, this book reveals that guys’ dreams top out at swimming with sharks, taking a job as a cab driver and playing drunk golf. A funny read and peek inside the male mind, this book makes me feel a little like a dirty voyeur…and I kinda like it.

What it tells the cashier: I’m a dirty voyeur… and also slighty weird for wanting to delve this deeply into the male mind.

Filthy Shakespeare: Shakespeare’s Most Outrageous Sexual Puns
What it’s about: Desperate to develop an interest in Shakespeare so you aren’t bored to death during that section in Lit?  This is a book for the easily distracted student whose dirty mind reads too deep into a silly coincidence. Who knew that Shakespeare wanted the word “all” to be pronounced like “hole” and the word “wit” was meant to represent the vajay. Naughty, Willy!

What it tells the cashier: I think the word Willy is funny. Tee hee.

I Lick My Cheese
What it’s about: If you live with filthy, annoying roommates, then this book is right up your alley! It may just be a picture book, but its compilation of photos of notes left by roomies that will have you laughing in the aisles. Sure, it’s not a book of merit where you’re going to learn anything useful or look like a studious co-ed, but who doesn’t love reading notes about poop in an unflushed toilet?

What it tells the cashier: My mom gave me money to buy books and I’m buying a picture book. About poop.

So maybe these books will make you blush when you decide to have the cashier ring them up, but they may also provide hours of entertainment. If your brain is tired of slogging through chapters on the Great Depression, maybe its time for a little hilarity.

And you can always order them online, or just try to do what I do: grab one of these books, pull your hoodie down over your eyes, throw cash at the counter and run away screaming.

Hey, don’t judge me!

Did you do your part to celebrate Earth Day this year? Maybe you showered with your man to conserve water or skipped the cardboard sleeve on your Starbucks to reduce paper waste. As for me, I went to a showing of DisneyNature’s new documentary film, Earth.

If you are into the kind of documentaries that make you feel incredibly guilty for living a lifestyle full of gas guzzling cars, 30 minute hot showers and an “ignorance is bliss” attitude, then this movie is not for you! Going in, I expected a deep-voiced narrator (most-likely Morgan Freeman) to describe how keeping my laptop charger plugged in is contributing to the deaths of adorable, innocent baby polar bears, but was pleasantly surprised at the opposite.

This film didn’t make me feel like a bag of crap for living in a world of consumerism. There was no finger pointing and guilt tripping here! However, the gorgeous views from around the world (and the stories of amazing animals) did make me think twice about not recycling my Red Bull. Instead of laying it on thick about the importance of what humans can do to help the planet, the narrator takes the viewer on a trip around the globe to educate you on the things we forget even exist.

Did you know that the Rainforest makes up only 3% of our land mass, but contributes more than 50% of our Earth’s oxygen? Not only did that fact blow my mind, but it inspired me to spend a Saturday not hungover in bed, but outside planting a garden instead.

But the facts and information presented were nothing compared to the film’s photography; I have never seen ocean water so crystal clear or trees so lushly green. Imagine what it would be like to take a helicopter tour over Hawaii and you can get an idea of what watching this movie was like. I especially loved the time lapsed sequences when you could watch a flower bloom in seconds and see an entire continent turn green with growth. My mouth hung open in awe at what our planet can do!

Oh, and the animals!  Watching the baby polar bears play in the snow had my heart melting along with the ice caps; and nothing is cuter than a furry little butt (as long as it’s on an animal and not my man).

The OCD bird who was obsessed with cleaning up his nest to attract a female had me cracking up in my seat. I barely know any guys who would go to the trouble of picking up a sock, let alone scour his room to spic-and-span standards! Those “chicks” in the forest have it made! When you’re not laughing at the birds, you’ll be rooting for several animal families as they run from predators and risk their lives in search of food and shelter. After learning that elephants trek for over a month just to find a drink of water, you’ll never hear me complain about a 3 mile run again (well, maybe).

If you haven’t gone to see this film yet, I am urging you to run out and buy a ticket. This is one documentary that is anything but boring and won’t have you feeling guilty when you do have to print out that 10 page essay or go for a drive. You’ll be cracking up at the animals, mouthing “WOW” at the gorgeous sights and become inspired to do your part to keep our world as beautiful as it has always been.

Don’t forget to stay for the ending credits! You can catch a hilarious blooper of the filmmakers crashing into a tree in their hot-air balloon. High comedy, I promise!

Check out the latest headlines about that unique body of yours:

- My morning cup (or 7) of Joe has been my favorite workout buddy for a long time. Not only does it give me energy, but new research proves that it lessens the pain that comes after an intense workout! Caffeine blocks the brain and spinal cord from processing the biochemical adenosine, preventing pain during and after your spin on the stationary bike. You don’t need to drink as much caffeine as I do (shoot…I shouldn’t be drinking as much caffeine as I do!) to feel the benefits. A modest 2 cup serving of java will do the trick. Just don’t go overboard; if you’re heart rate is too high, working out may be more difficult than necessary.

- Still haven’t rid yourself of the Winter blues? Chase away that depression by packing a healthy lunch! Research shows that eating foods with the amino acid tryptophan raises you body’s serotonin levels, battling depression. To pack a brown bag full of this “happy hormone,” toss in a banana, turkey sandwich and some cottage cheese. These three foods are known to have the highest levels of tryptophan. If you’re on the go and feeling low, pick up a delicious Strawberry Nirvana from Jamba Juice. This smoothie is crammed with bananas and other fruit and a sixteen-ounce serving is only 170 calories…now that’s sweet! And if you’re swinging by a coffee shop for your caffeine fix, grab yourself a serving of low-fat cottage cheese to flip that frown upside down.

- Researchers are starting to think that you may follow in your mama’s virginity footsteps. Did she submit her V-Card early on? Your DNA may reveal that you will too! Although societal and cultural aspects play a larger part in determining when you’ll have your first time, your genes can be up to a third of the reason why you will hit the sheets at a certain age. This is most likely attributed to the presence of intense levels of the risk-taking, impulsive DRD4 gene. Ask your mom about her early escapades to see if the apple really doesn’t fall too far from the tree. (That is, if you really want to hear the answer…)

- Do you look up to the healthy lifestyles of those celery-chomping Vegetarians? Well, maybe you shouldn’t envy them so much. Studies show that adolescents and young adults who currently (or have in the past) follow a vegetarian diet are more likely to suffer from eating disorders. Veg-Heads have less control when it comes to binge eating and are more apt to engage in dangerous weight control behaviors such as purging, diet pill popping and abusing laxatives and diuretics. Although a vegetarian diet lessens the risk of obesity, is it really worth the possibly deadly impulses?

Scientists and researchers keep discovering better ways to help our health, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take advantage of the information we have today! While we wait for next week’s brilliant discoveries, be sure to have a coffee with your workout, a banana with your lunch, a birds and the bees talk with your mama and a healthy view on Vegetarianism.

-Your cardio doesn’t have to be boring when you’re hoofing it under the sun. After a quick warm-up, try jogging backwards. Experts say it burns a fifth more calories and improves your balance by engaging your core. Afraid of looking silly? Don’t be.  All anyone will think would be, “Hey! She knows something I don’t!”

-Now, let’s build our endurance. Find some stairs and sprint from the bottom to the top without stopping or skipping steps. Walk back down and finish up with 4 more sets. Just like having a Stairmaster outdoors, this exercise will increase your heart and lung capacity while building killer legs for those adorable minis.

-How about you pull your forgotten roller blades out of the back of your closet and lace them up? While also a great cardio workout, rollerblading tones your inner and outer thighs along with your beautiful booty. To torch about 450 calories in 30 minutes, alternate one minute of tucked, speed skating with one minute of upright, relaxed skating. Be sure to wear your knee and elbow pads! I hear scrapes and bruises are out this season.

-Remember how much fun it was to jump rope with your girls on the playground? Pick up a cheap rope from Walmart and prepare for a cardio blast from your past! Jumping rope can burn up to 1,000 calories an hour while toning your upper and lower body. Since it’s a strenuous workout in itself, you’ll need to take frequent breaks to catch your breath. Skip rope for three minutes, then drop and do some push ups while your heart rate decreases a bit. Skip for three more minutes, then throw in some crunches. Keep alternating the rope with intervals of slower paced exercises. Aim for a 30 minute session. Can you feel the burn yet?

-Afraid of getting grass stains by doing your crunches outdoors? When you have a playground set available, there’s no need to be on the ground! To target your abs, quads and lower back simultaneously, head to the monkey bars for hanging leg lifts. Hold on to a bar with both hands while tightening your core muscles. Slowly lift your legs straight out in front of you, using your abdominals to maintain control. Slowly release and repeat with 3 sets of 10-12 reps. If it becomes too difficult, try one leg at a time or with knees bent.

Save some money and rev up your workouts by putting your gym membership on hold and taking advantage of the fresh air this season. With this beautiful weather and these fat blasting, muscle toning moves, you are well on your way to a sizzling summer bod.