We launched a photo contest at the beginning of the semester that challenged all our readers to send in a Welcome Week photo that said “I love being back at school.” While we expected a few good ones, we were in no way prepared for the awesomeness onslaught we got when we started looking through your photos on our Facebook wall. From slip and slides to ski shots, we were impressed with your Welcome Week spirit…and jealous of how much fun you are all clearly having.

And of course, the winner will be having a lot more fun when she goes home with $500 from lulus.com!

We chose our top five favorite entries (which was hard, let me tell you) and posted them here so YOU can vote on which one most says WELCOME WEEK. Because, honestly, we’re too busy looking through our own Welcome Week photo albums (insert nostalgia) to pick our favorite.

You have from now until noon ET on Monday, September 27th to cast your vote. Then we’ll close the polls, count the votes and announce the BIG WINNER on Twitter and Facebook (so start following us, fools). And then she’ll jump for joy and spend the next 10 hours poring over Lulus.com, figuring out how she’ll spend that $500!

P.S. If you’re one of the lucky finalists, be sure to promote your photo on Twitter and Facebook! $500 dollars worth of new clothes is at stake. This is no time for modesty!

Check out the finalists then scroll down to vote for your favorite below.

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Labor Day weekend has come and gone, and what’s left of your tan is probably beginning to fade. Add that to the fact that the first week of classes (When you don’t actually have to do anything but collect syllabuses and catch up with friends.)  has been replaced by actual classes, and you’re probably pulling a Danny Zuko and wishing longingly for summer nights.

But autumn isn’t all bad, and here’s why.

1. The Weather. Here on the east coast, we broke records with the sweltering summer heat. And I’m not going to lie; I took full advantage of that warm weather. But sitting in class in weather that’s meant for the beach? Like I’d ever be able to pay attention. I’m eternally grateful that the temperatures dropped just as I’m forced to hit the books. Plus, it gives you an excuse to buy that cute fall jacket you’ve been eying since July.

2. The Pumpkin Spice Lattes. They’re back. Yesterday’s trip to my friendly neighborhood Starbucks confirmed as much. Starbucks has also introduced the Toffee Mocha, along with the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin and the Pumpkin Scone. Its fall food at its best. But if you’re not quite as caffeine crazed  as I am, you could always try an old standby. Caramel Corn. Pumpkin Pie. Apple Pie. Caramel Apples. Apple Cider. Take your pick.

3. The New TV. I love a good reality TV meltdown as much as the next girl, but by the time August rolls around I’m ready for some good old fashion scripted drama. From Glee to Gossip Girl, your old favorites are returning. Don’t you want to watch the new cast of Dancing with the Stars make complete and total fools of themselves? Or find out if Derek actually recovers from the Seattle Grace shooting? Your wait is almost over. Read More »

No one likes a hot mess.  Okay, well that’s not exactly true.  We looove LocaLohan and anyone who has been an E! True Hollywood Story, but when it comes to college it’s best to leave the crazy work to the professionals.

This means your roommate doesn’t want to disrobe your unconscious body at 3 a.m., the girls down the hall don’t want to carry you naked into the shower, and you don’t want to clean up your vom from under the bed the following morning.  The first week of school is when you’ll be at your most susceptible to making such novice mistakes.  You’re new, you’ve yet to fall victim to the Freshman Fifteen, and the older guys are taking full notice of these facts.

Stay in your hallmates’ good graces and prevent the puke with these oh-so-simple drinking Dos and Don’ts…

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Marc Jacobs does back-to-school.

Who are the worst celebrity role models?

Uh oh. Is Danielle Staub getting her own show?

When to intercept a friend’s drunken hook-up.

Dog’s doing funny things. Because it’s Wednesday.

Facing social pressures in college.

Hello future, present, and past college sorority women (and creepy guys trying to get in on the juicy sorority gossip)!! My name is Megan, I’m a Junior, I go to Purdue, and I am so excited to be CollegeCandy’s Ultimate Sorority Girl! (Also, I like exclamation points.)

Being the official voice of Greek Life on this very (fabulous) website, I’m sure a lot of you are wondering about my sorority experience…. and I’m sure a lot of you aren’t. But too bad -  here it is:

I wasn’t far into my senior year of high school before I began creepily stalking the Purdue sorority websites and dreaming about what sorority I would soon be in. I registered for sorority recruitment the first possible day online and counted the days until it would all actually begin (while also researching every last bit of information I’d need to know to succeed and become the best sorority sister these girls could ever meet). Embarrassing, yes, but a steady form of entertainment for the summer before my freshman year of college

When I got to campus, I jumped into recruitment head first (with a totally new wardrobe for the occasion) and  when it was all said and done, I was an official ‘Baby Owl’ for Chi Omega’s 2008 pledge class. Hoot, hoot!! Read More »

I was one of those kids that never really got homesick when I was in college. While my friends would have occasional breakdowns and cry about not being with their families or their hometown friends, I never spent too much time dwelling on what I could have been missing at home – I was too busy doing everything else. But now, as a fully functioning member of real life, I think I’m suffering from my first adult case of homesickness.

Maybe it’s the advent of fall or just the general time of year – back to school – but everything just feels off. While everyone on the East coast is talking about the leaves starting to change, I’m anxiously awaiting for some kind of sign that a seasonal change is about to take place. While I’m looking to head back to school next year, Facebook is blowing up with status updates about first day of classes, professor quotes, and new discoveries out in the real world.

And as the world turns, well – I just feel like something is missing. Read More »

It’s the start of a new school year and to honor that, we at CollegeCandy are bringing back our favorite series, “We’ve All Been There.” Every week, Lauren – University of Michigan will comment on the common experiences all college women share, like the dreaded move-in day, including some new ones thrown into the mix.

You’ve spent the last 3 nights enjoying the free booze freedom that Welcome Week allows, but as you wake up with the garbage can next to your bed – again – you realize it might be time to buckle down. Classes are looming ever closer and not only can your body not handle another 12-hour hangover, you’ve got a lot of stuff to prepare before those 18 credits take over your life.

So while your friends watch another SATC marathon/discuss what they’re going to wear to the night’s festivities, you grab your schedule and head out for something a little more….fun: school supplies shopping (!!).

Most people wouldn’t find this particular type of shopping exciting, but back-to-school shopping has been the highlight of your Augusts since you were 6 years old. The smell of fresh books, the feel of a new (medium point) pen as it runs across the pages of a fresh, crisp college-ruled notebook. The richness of a new, juicy highlighter. You can’t wait to get it all home and organized for the first day of classes. Read More »

I spent all my cold winter nights dreaming of beaches and sunshine and the perfectly bronzed skin I’d have come the end of summer.

Then summer came and I was happy (minus a few sunburns and one month-long humidity frizzfest). Then summer came even harder — 95 degrees harder — and as the sweat pooled in that little fold behind my knees I knew it: I was ready for fall. I began to yearn for loosely draped scarves around my neck, crunchy leaves under my leather boots and pumpkin spice EVERYTHING.

While “end of summer” might sound depressing if you’re forty with a real job or 17 with another year of high school coming at ya, fall for the CollegeCandy girl is fa-fa-fabulous. And here are 8 reasons why. Read More »

Sure summer was great, but we’re secretly thrilled to be done with the sunburns, bikini body issues, and living at home.

We’re insanely excited to get this school year off to an awesome start — and we know you are too. There’s no other week in the school year filled with quite the same excitement, enthusiasm, and hangover headaches as Welcome Week.

So to celebrate your school spirit we’re kicking off this semester with a Welcome Week Photo Contest. Upload your best welcome week photos (the photos that scream “I’m SO excited to be back at school”) to our Facebook wall and be eligible to win a $500 gift certificate from Lulus.com.

You have until September 20th to post your photos (with a stellar caption), at which time we’ll choose the 5 that made us want to pack our bag and go back to college best. We’ll post those 5 on CollegeCandy on September 21st and leave it up to you, our fine readers, to vote for the best.

Whoever’s photo gets the most votes will take home $500 worth of fantabulous fashion from Lulus.com. We’ll announce the winner right here, so come back and claim your prize.

So what are you waiting for? Get offline and go make some photo magic!

I’ve done it all. I’ve been to clubs, bars, frat parties, porches…you name it, I’ve been drunk there. And my favorite of all party scenes? The infamous house party.  Maybe it has something to do with being a freshman last year, or maybe because I befriended these guys who threw major parties that were the talk of campus come Monday?  I’m not sure, but in my opinion nothing quite beats a house party and its laid-back atmosphere.

And as a seasoned house partier, here are some tips to help you survive the first big house party of the year:

Do show up fashionably late.  Nothing in the college party scene starts before 10:30pm.  And nothing says freshman more than showing up at the party at 9pm eager for the festivities to start.  You are not in high school anymore!  So please, if you want to look like you know what’s going on, pre-drink in your room don’t show up until after 11pm.  Trust me, you won’t miss a thing. In fact, you’ll get there just as the party gets pumpin’.

Don’t wear heels! If you’re going to a house party, you will be way overdressed.  House parties attract all types of people and there will most likely be hundreds of them there.  Large amounts of grinding people means hot temperatures.  You will be sweating…profusely! So for those back-to-school bashes, leave your new skinny jeans at home and wear shorts, a cute flowy tank top or even a sundress, and sandals. You’ll thank me later, when the floor is filled with mud (or questionable bodily fluids) and your favorite suede pumps are ruined!

Do get your creative juices flowing. Theme parties are super popular in college.  Whether you’re attending a Toga party, ABC party, the Beer Olympics (the list goes on and on…), get creative with your costume.  I’ll guarantee you’ll be the talk of the night (and for the right reasons).   That’s not such a bad thing, eh? Read More »