Miss mom/dad/Fido? Do not go home! I repeat: DO NOT GO HOME!

Got questions? Hit me up in the comments or shoot me an email at melanie@collegecandy.com

I hear college is the perfect time to get a credit card. Should I trade in my debit for credit?
NO. Okay, so maybe the prospect of a limitless spending spree “for emergencies only” is a good idea in theory, but it really isn’t that great. You gotta pay that shiz off sometime, and that “sometime” comes with a giant interest fee.

Hold onto your debit card so you can only spend what you got. If you decide the perks of a credit card (airline miles! woooo!) are too good to pass up, make sure you get the lowest limit card possible and PAY IT OFF every month. Don’t do any of that minimum BS – that will only get you in big-time trouble down the road. Are those new Citizens/front row tickets to another DMB show really worth ruining your credit score? I think not.

I’m homesick. What do I do?
I can’t tell you what to do, but I can tell you what not to do. And that is go home every weekend. DO NOT DO IT. This will only make you miss home more and won’t help you get adjusted to your new lifestyle at all. Keep in touch with your family and friends from back home, but try and branch out of your comfort zone. You went away to school for a reason – to become independent and to experience college life. Try and push yourself to stay on campus for a few weekends in a row and give mom and dad a call every couple days. To tell them how much fun you’re having. Cuz you will be. Read More »

[Welcome to my Weekly Love List, a list on all things I love. Because if I love them - well then obviously you may (and should) love them too. As the Backstreet Boys song says (and yes I am actually quoting them) “My Love is All I Have To Give.” So with that throwback, here are this week’s list-worthy things…]

I love books. Well, I should say I love books aren’t listed on a class syallabus. For every mood you’re in, there is a good book to go with it. And when you feel like procrastinating but have already read through every article on here, you can feel a bit more productive knowing you’re reading a book/a novel/even a cook book!

So here are 5 books that I thought were worth sharing with you. Share some of your faves at the bottom and spread that bookworm loooove.

1) Kaffir Boy. Mark Mathabane’s authobiography about growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid. This book is riveting, and, more importantly, eye opening. A total page turner. It’s sad, it’s motivational, it’s totally engrossing.

2) The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. A chic-lit book with a bit more substance to the story. Not to mention it’s going to be a movie with Julia Roberts as the star, so you know you’ll want to read it before then. Another easy read worth loving.

3) Bitter with Baggage Seeks Same: The Life and Times of Some Chickens. Best Coffee Table book EVER. It’s snarky, it’s funny, it’s a must have. There is nothing like having a long, stressful day and flipping through this little picture book of attitude. LOVE. Read More »