We’re well into another new school year and to honor that, we at CollegeCandy are bringing back the fan-favorite series, “We’ve All Been There.”  (We tried to get another national holiday/long weekend for you guys but it’s way harder than we thought so this will have to do.) Every week, Lauren – University of Michigan will comment on the common experiences all college women share – like stupid group projects or, everyone’s favorite activity, procrastinating. Read, relate, cringe and enjoy.

You’ve spent the past 4 nights in the library flipping through your tattered notebook. You’ve highlighted and re-highlighted all the most important sections in the textbook. You’ve answered the sample review questions your T.A. gave out and the entire review packet distributed at the review session.

Hell, you went to the review session.

And now, on the eve before the big blue book exam, you feel ready to go. You’ve done everything you can and now it’s time to show that little blue book who’s boss.

Before you climb into bed at the ripe hour of 11 p.m., you pack your messenger bag with two blue books, 2 pens (in case one runs out of ink), a few pencils (in case that is what the teacher prefers), White-out, gum, tissues and a bag of Sour Patch Kids (for a post-exam celebration). You set your alarm and snuggle into your Twin XL to get the required 8 hours before the big day.

Except you only got 5 hours. The other three were spent staring at the ceiling freaking out.

“Oh God. This exam is 50% of my grade. 50! I can not eff this up. What is an example of Intrinsic Motivation? What are the symptoms of Multiple Personality Disorder?! Why am I still awake?!” Read More »

Wait, what subject is this again?

You have four finals in three days – a Blue Book, two exams and a paper. You sit in your last class of the week. As your professor outlines the format of the test, you outline everything you need to do between now and Winter Break. The list is overwhelming (note cards, laundry, annotations, packing, review sessions, research…); you fidget in your seat, anxious to get out of that lecture hall and into the library for the next 4 days.

When the class finally ends, you pack your things and walk home. You promise yourself you’ll only grab a snack and some books and head right back to the library. You make a mental plan of attack; you’ll focus half of the night on that paper,  then jump into all those Psych terms you need to memorize, then skim that book you were supposed to read 2 months ago that you know is going to be on the test.

You find a table in the corner of the library, away from anyone and anything that might distract you, and unpack your bag. Then you organize your books, highlighters and pens on the table. Then you check your email, respond to some friend requests and put up an away message. Then you realize you’ve just wasted 30 minutes and begin to panic.

“Ok. Time to write.” Read More »

You’ve spent the past 4 nights in the library flipping through your tattered notebook. You’ve highlighted and re-highlighted all the most important sections in the textbook. You’ve answered the sample review questions your T.A. gave out and the entire review packet distributed at the review session.

Hell, you went to the review session.

And now, on the eve before the big blue book exam, you feel ready to go. You’ve done everything you can and now it’s time to show that little blue book who’s boss.

Before you climb into bed at the ripe hour of 11 p.m., you pack your messenger bag with two blue books, 2 pens (in case one runs out of ink), a few pencils (in case that is what the teacher prefers), White-out, gum, tissues and a bag of Sour Patch Kids (for a post-exam celebration). You set your alarm and snuggle into your Twin XL to get the required 8 hours before the big day.

Except you only got 5 hours. The other three were spent staring at the ceiling freaking out.

“Oh God. This exam is 50% of my grade. 50! I can not eff this up. What is an example of Intrinsic Motivation? What are the symptoms of Multiple Personality Disorder?! Why am I still awake?!”

When your alarm goes off, you shoot out of bed and spend the duration of your shower/hair drying/getting dressed testing yourself just a little bit more. You flip through your notes one last time as you scarf down a bowl of cereal, then review them again on the way to the lecture hall.

You find your assigned seat, unpack your abundance of supplies and wait for the exam to begin. You’re feeling confident and ready, already planning what you’ll be drinking to celebrate when this nightmare is over.

In what seems like slow motion, the T.A.s begin walking through the hall, passing stacks of exams to the end of the rows. You wait as the students to the left of you take one and pass. Finally, you get the stack. The professor makes a few announcements, writes the time on the board in giant numbers and it begins. Read More »

Upon receiving my September Vogue, I settled in with my 587-page magazine to read about the excitement of the fall fashion world.  The only problem being that the magazine’s actual writing doesn’t begin until page 207 (no joke).  Luckily, the beautiful ads for Oscar de la Renta, David Yurman and Diane von Furstenberg are more exciting than words could have described.

Oh, if only I could gather the courage to rob a bank. Sigh.

Luckily there were also some ads for the fall’s amazing new perfumes that don’t require me to go all Dark Knight on a neighborhood bank!  No, they aren’t exceptionally cheap, but they are from great designers and smell wonderful. And they last forever, so they really aren’t that expensive in the long run. Besides, it’s about time I accept the reality that it’s nearly fall and put away my “Instant Vacation” perfume.

The new fall scents below are so delicious (and their bottles so adorable!) that the transition into fall will be an easy one. You might even start counting down to it.

Marc Jacobs – Lola: Marc Jacob’s Daisy perfume bottle is so pretty it almost doesn’t matter what delicious scent is inside, and the same can be said for his new perfume, Lola.  At first I thought it was a bit over-the-top, but on the right girl it can be simply lovely.  The notes include pear, grapefruit, rose, fuchsia, and geranium.  Right now it is exclusive to Bloomingdales, and is between $65 and $85.  It smells so good and will look so pretty on my dresser that I’m considering the hour-long drive to my nearest Bloomies. Read More »

So, you studying for that last final?
Trying to push your way to the end?
Wondering what the hell you are supposed to do about this giant blue book exam now that you have successfully skipped every class the entire semester?

You might be totally screwed, but you also may have a chance to pull a Mine That Bird (that’s a Kentucky Derby reference) and come up from behind! And you can win a $100 Amazon gift card just for trying!

“But fantabulous CollegeCandy editors, how would I ever be able to do that!?”

I’m glad you asked, dear reader. Let me introduce you to Shmoop. Read More »