[I want it, I need it, I can’t live without it. There are so many things on store shelves and racks right now that we want to take home and hang in our closets. Things that are so cute, everyone should know about them. We’ll share ‘em with you here (because we’re that nice), but as far as actually getting them goes….well, you’re on your own with that one.]

Spring, especially in late April and early May, is one of those tricky seasons where you don’t quite know what to wear besides your winter wardrobe minus your coat and plus flip flops. This is just the time when you need some cute new additions to brighten up your wardrobe, which is exactly what the Abstract Banded Back Top from Forever 21 will do!

The top is sleeveless, so it can be worn with a cropped cardigan right now, or on its own this summer. It’s full of bright colors and a cool design, so it’s the easiest way to add a little pizazz to that drab wardrobe leftover from winter. And the coolest part about this top? The back! It’s cut out like a racer back, but the strap from the neck to the back is actually an elastic band, so it’s totally adjustable. Classy for class but cleavage for Friday night? Sounds like a plan to me.

Of course, since the top happens to be from Forever 21, it comes at a fabulous price tag: only $20! And that is exactly why I’m running out to get one right now.

Forever 21, I love you!

By my senior year of college, I could fly through my assignments and earn A’s on half-assed work. I could effectively balance bar-hopping and writing essays, and working part-time jobs and cramming for midterms. I knew that grad school would kick it up a notch, and I was ready for the challenge. However, I had forgotten what it felt like to try and not succeed, and I wasn’t quite as prepared for my self-esteem to take a beating.

I admit to not putting 100% into my academic efforts in college, but that was because I didn’t need to. I was writing papers with a buzz on and taking finals hungover, and still made Dean’s List. I knew that grad school would be different though, and I fully intended on being a legitimate scholar.

If you are considering grad school, you are probably doing very well in school. By senior year, you’re probably breaking the curves and tutoring your friends. You probably stand out in class for having thoughtful ideas and a firm grasp of the subject matter. Newsflash: Everyone in Grad School has gotten used to being a star scholar.

Often, PhD students and MA students will be mixed into classes together. I went from taking Shakespeare classes with business majors who didn’t know the definition of “iambic pentameter” to listening to a PhD debate over which folio edition was most likely the Bard’s original manuscript. WTF? My thoughts exactly. Read More »