Like it or not, Valentine’s Day is coming in less than two weeks. Whether you’re dressing up for date night with your beau, gearing up for a night of dancing with your single ladies, or joining Ben & Jerry for a night with Blair and Serena, it’s the perfect excuse to buy something pretty. If you’re hoping to channel the color of love for your date, or the Chinese color for luck (because it is still Chinese New Year) you can don an attention-grabbing red item for the night. From an LRD to an eye-catching red pump, you’re sure to assert confidence when wearing cupid’s favorite color.

Not feeling the red?

Then how about channeling the other part (AKA my favorite part) of Valentine’s Day: chocolate! Red is not for everyone but wearing black on Single Awareness Day is cliche, making brown the perfect choice. It’s both festive and flattering, and if you find the right item it can be just as eye-catching as it’s in-your-face friend, red. Read More »

Chinese New Year’s is probably my favorite holiday of the year. Growing up, it meant a big feast with my extended family and receiving lei-see (lucky red envelopes filled with money) from my aunt and uncle.  Food and money – this holiday doesn’t get much better!

As I’ve learned more about Chinese culture (my family is pretty non-traditional), I’ve learned about the traditions other people practice for the most important holiday in the Chinese calender.  A lot of what Chinese New Year’s is about is setting precedence for the new year.  If you start the year with money, surrounded by friends and in a clean setting, you will be lucky, happy and have prosperity throughout the next year.

If you’re interested in other cultures or just looking for a reason to party, Here are some ways to celebrate the Year of the Tiger: Read More »

Even though it seems like the New Year’s parties were only last week, February is already here! It’s the second month in the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s second-par in anything!

There are plenty of reasons to love February: it’s Black History Month, American Heart Month, and even National Cherry Month! Not to mention it’s the month of the ever-so-lovely Valentine’s Day (or not-so-lovely, in this single girl’s case). So spit out those cherry pits and get ready for some February action:

1. Happy Year of the Ox! On January 26th, billions of people celebrated the beginning of the Lunar New Year with noisy firecrackers and traditional food, but the fun doesn’t end there! This celebration lasts a full week, well into February, and you can join in the festivities too! Make your own bubble tea, create your own lion dance, but most importantly, ask your parents for that lucky red hong bao filled with money they owe you in the name of all that is Asian.

2. It’s ok to start off this month a little on the meatier side, after a delightful (and delectable) holiday experience, not to mention all the V-day chocolate fondues. While grandma’s homemade chocolate-chip cookies were wonderful for your taste buds, they were not so friendly for your waist. It’s totally fine to embrace your curves, like Jessica Simpson does, but it’s important to stay healthy too! Here are a couple of new books that will help you stay on track and stick to your resolutions you so adamantly vowed to keep 31 days ago. So take some time this month to catch up on your light reading. (Haha, light, get it? Witty, I know.) Read More »

So, the Super Bowl is on Sunday.  Do you know who’s playing? I do, but that’s only because the Today Show is playing in the background and they can’t stop talking about it. It’s not like I don’t care about football – I actually sorta love the sport – it’s just that I prefer those college kids playing for glory and not the pros playing for millions.

Anyways, this may be the biggest sporting event of the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s my biggest event of the year. Or yours. This week, I asked the CollegeCandy writers to tell us what their “Super Bowl” is every year; their big event, their day to sit around eating guacamole and 7 layer dip. Ok, maybe not the last part, but you get the idea.

What is your Super Bowl?

Amanda – Wagner: Any big celebrity scandal feels like the super bowl to me. When Britney went after the paparazzi with an umbrella… oh my god, I bought every tabloid and read them all in one sitting.

Ashley Elizabeth – CU Boulder: That one day when you get all dressed up and that boy finally notices!

Marissa – High School Senior: The first day of summer. Summer solstice kicks off the season of no school, my birthday, the beach, warm weather…did I mention no school?

K – GWU: Definitely going to a rave. Best flipping time of my entire life and I want to epically return once a year.

Madison – Puget Sound: The post-Christmas sale week. You know, when everywhere from Target to Nordstrom has everything that you wanted (but didn’t get) for Christmas, but for super cheap. Amazing. Read More »

You’ve already got a semester of partying under your belt by the time New Years Eve rolls around. How are you going to throw the bash that everyone’s still talking about in 2010? Here are some ways to make the 2008 send-off the most memorable.

If you can travel…

Hey, if you’ve got the funds, lucky you. Hit up another country and see how they do New Years. You don’t regret it. If you’re still underage, Canadian cities can be quite the hotspot (take it from someone who spent her last <21 New Years in Montreal, after a 10-hour road strip). If you’re loaded despite being in college during the recession, head on over to Europe. Hate the cold? Sing Auld Lang Syne in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic.

Okay, those are nice ideas in a fantasy world… but let’s move onto options for those of us who can’t cough up the money for airfare.

If you want to travel but can’t afford it… Read More »

[The following is the third of a five-part series I'm calling "The Top 5 Things You MUST Do In College." Everyone's already heard about buying flip-flops for the shower, stocking up on veggies to avoid the Freshman 15, and to steer clear of mojitos before midterms, but there are other tips for enjoying college that the experts might have neglected to tell you about.

This series is meant to provide advice for getting the most out of college, rather than just getting through it. So far we've already discussed having a professor as a BFF, checking out what's going on in your college town, and now we're going to talk about extracurriculars - the ones you never thought you'd join!]

This generation of college gals are smart, savvy, and driven. Do you want to be a CEO of your own company one day? You’re probably already president of your college’s Business Leaders of Tomorrow club. Are you an up-and-coming style maven? No doubt you’re involved with your school’s Passion for Fashion group.

Yeah, being involved in career-minded clubs are definitely a must these days if you want to make connections, but what about joining a club…just for fun? It may seem difficult, especially when it’s so hard to manage school, friends, guys, a job, and elusive “me” time. However, if you take the plunge and join a club you never thought you would, a lot of things could happen. Read More »