Doesn’t growing up suck?

It’s like when I turned 21, I had reached the point in my life where I stopped telling everyone that I couldn’t wait to grow up, and instead started looking for ways to roll the clock back on my years.

The holidays only make it worse for me. Instead of screaming from excitement because Santa brought me the Polly Pocket that I wanted, I now stare into the pit of my stocking where my mom put socks for me. Socks. The worst part of it all? I asked her to get me socks. Because I needed them. Because when you get old, practicality trumps pretend.

If you’re feeling a little down in the dumps about your age these days, don’t worry, it’s just seasonal depression. But seriously, with the holidays rolling in and your Christmas list looking a little slim, there’s nothing that’ll make you feel as young as a trip down memory lane with snapshots of the exciting, play-pretend kid you used to be.

So, go on, put your feet up on the table – because you’re the only grownup in the room that cares – and while you’re at it, pour yourself a big glass of wine. Because if you’ve got to be old, you might as well be old and buzzed. Read More »

Being a broke college student, I don’t have the money to buy everyone on my list a nice gift. Enter re-gifiting.

Re-gifting, for those of you who don’t know, is when you take a terrible gift someone has given you, and then you give it someone else. Obviously this can work in your favor or be a total disaster. To make sure you don’t get caught in your re-gifting scheme, we have some dos and don’ts for you. Read More »

The holiday seasons are all about eating too many dips, spending way too much money on frenemy gifts, and watching Elf on repeat. This year we’re prepared to take the stress and the frustration out of holiday gift giving by giving you the ultimate gift guides to buying the perfect presents for your favorite people (and we’re splitting into 3 different price ranges so you can choose the gift based on how much you actually like the person!).

So set this series as your favorite because all week we’re bringing you the best.

As many retailers start advertising Christmas before you’ve even begun planning your Halloween costume, it’s often hard to look past the consumerism of the holiday. Giving gifts is a nice gesture – you get to show the people you care about that you appreciate them and it can be fun trying to pick out something you know they’ll like. At the same time, Christmas is obviously big business – a lot of money is exchanged during the holiday season. Yes, you’ll probably continue to buy gifts (I know I do) even if you could just make donations in people’s names, or dispense the practice of gift-giving all together.

You can however, give gifts that both help out a cause, while still treating someone you care about to something nice.

When you’re out doing your Christmas shopping this year, look for gifts that continue to give (and I’m not talking as a re-gift). Some companies provide charitable gifts – a different approach than making a donation in someone’s name, you can give a gift that where proceeds go to a charity or a gift that helps fairly employ someone in a developing country. While giving donations for people is an amazing gift, I know there are times when you feel like you should be giving them something tangible instead.  We’ve found nine gifts at various price points to help you give a gift that keeps giving back! There are a lot of options out there, find something your gift receiver will like or a cause they support. Read More »

I rarely keep clothes I get for Christmas – there’s usually something just not quite right with them (read: they’re totally not me). However, this year, I was gifted this gorgeous BCBGeneration blouse (thanks, Mom & Dad!) that is absolute perfection. It’s slate grey, it fits perfectly, and it has ruffles (!!) which are oh-so-hot this season.

Ruffles are my latest obsession and they should be yours, too!  They are not only a soft detail that instantly feminizes a piece, but they are also ultra forgiving when worn in the right place (there’s nothing like a tiered-ruffle top to camouflage your over-indulgence at the end of ’09). And they can be worn just about EVERYWHERE – on your tops, cardigans, dresses, and even bags and shoes! Meaning that there are many, many ways to incorporate ruffles into your everyday outfits.

And why wouldn’t you want to? Soft ruffled details add a romantic feel to the most basic of pieces, while the sculptural ruffles on skirts and dresses make a bold statement. As ruffles have been popular in seasons past, you probably have a few pieces you can bust out again this season. But with all that holiday money burning a hole in your pocket (not to mention the holiday sales that are still going on right now), how could you not afford to pick up a few new ruffles for your winter wardrobe? Read More »

Not being a Christmas celebrater myself, it took me quite a few years to get used to getting phone calls at 8am on December 26th, my friends screaming about True Religions, the Gilmore Girls DVD box-set, and “OMG MY MOM GOT ME THREE HANDLES OF SMIRNOFF!!!” on the other end.

And while I didn’t appreciate the early morning wake up call, I did enjoy hearing about all the goodies I’d soon be able to borrow/benefit from upon returning to campus.

Everyone knows the best part of the holiday break is not the sleeping in or the 90210 marathons on Soap Net. It’s the 42 phone calls you make (from that new iPhone, baby!) immediately after opening your loot to tell everyone what you got, then sitting in your room and trying on all the clothes/playing with all the toys while noshing on some of mom’s famous desserts.

Just thinking about it makes me giddy.

Anyways, now that you’ve come out of your Christmas (or Chinese, what up Jews?!) food coma, we wanna know what you got for Christmas/Hanukkah/while you were home over break and your parents were feeling generous.

So… whatcha get?!
And when can I come over to borrow?

Share your best gifts below.

If you’re one of those slackers who leaves your Christmas shopping until Christmas Eve (much to the scorn of retail workers everywhere) there’s no need to fret. Sex can be a great gift to anyone on your list this year. Yeah, that’s right, I said anyone.

Now before you start calling me perverted, let me show you what I mean.

Your Boyfriend
Um, duh. This one is obvious, but you can’t expect a plain romp in the hay to get you off the hook this
Christmas; you’ll have to spice it up a bit. Normally, I’d recommend getting yourself to a sex shop to pick up a new toy or some sexy lingerie, but it might be a little to late for that (are sex stores even open on Christmas Eve?). Instead of buying something special, you’ll have to do something special this year. Need some ideas? Try one (or all) of these sexy sex tips on for size. Even better, why not get the gift that keeps on giving, like Cosmo’s latest iPhone app? It gives you a new hot sex position every day, making it the best $1.99 you ever spent. And if that’s not your thing, maybe just put on your sexiest lingerie (or left-over Halloween costume… same thing, usually) and give him a strip tease that he’ll never forget.

Your Coupled Friends
Let’s be honest, what your coupled college friends need is alone time. And if that friend also happens to be a roommate, that is the cheapest gift you can give! Print out a few coupons for some “alone time” and let her redeem them whenever she wants. All you have to do is find somewhere else to sleep. Boom! Best gift ever.

Or, if you’re lookin’ to spend a little more and you’ve got some time between baking with mom and wrapping with the siblings, hop on over to Barnes and Noble where they have tons of great stuff for couples. A few of my faves: “365 Sex Positions: A New Way Everyday for a Steamy, Erotic Year” and “Cosmo’s Steamy Sex Games.” Hot, hot, hot. Don’t be surprised if the BFF’s BF calls to thank you.

Read More »

"What the eff am I supposed to do with a pap smear?!"

Oh, how I love Christmas morning.

There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of slow-roasting, honey-baked ham and my dad’s own personal off-key rendition of “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.” But, let’s be honest, as much as I love food/my family/blah blah blah, I (like most of you reading this) like getting presents the most. But, if there’s one thing I’ve come to learn in my 23 yrs. as an expert-present-opener, it’s that some presents (or maybe, some people?) just SUCK, plain and simple.

Believe me, as a poor college girl, there’s almost nothing I won’t take (or take and then pawn), but there are some presents that even I wouldn’t appreciate hiding out under my (fake) Christmas tree. Read More »

Can you believe that Christmas is only 24 days away? And Hanukkah’s comin’ at ya in only 10? I know what you’re thinking: Yes! PRESENTS!!

Oh wait. That’s not it. I mean, it is, but the big holidays also mean a whole lot of gift giving (it is better to give than to receive, after all…) and that can get quite stressful. Not only do you have to find the cash to fund all this giving, but you gotta figure out what to get everyone on your list.

Well, let CollegeCandy help you out. We can’t supply you with the moolah (we’ve got some ideas where you can get it, though!), but we can supply you with unique, adorable and perfect gifts so you don’t end up getting everyone on your list iTunes gift cards. Again.

From the tree hugger to the fashionista, we’ve got you covered.  For the next two weeks we’ll be hooking you up with some solid gift ideas that will make everyone on your gift list jumping for joy.

Consider it our gift to you.
Yeah, we’re all about the giving.
If you wanna get us back, though, we’re really lovin’ these TFLN t-shirts.

Ugh. I'd much rather be catching up on Glee than doin' this ish.

Thanksgiving. Sigh.

After being more stuffed than the holiday turkey, it’s time to come to terms with the fact that the holiday season has begun. Whether you celebrate Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or none of the above, it’s a given that you will be inundated with all kinds of holiday-ness over the next 6 weeks.

Whether you love it or hate it, every aspect of the holidays comes with some pros and cons. Yes, even getting lots and lots of presents. Have you ever had to do the fake “OMG I LOVE IT?!” upon opening the most awful gift ever followed by months of excuses when grandma doesn’t see you wearing those giant, sparkly cross earrings she got you? It sucks.

So, this week I’m gonna break down the ten best/worst things about the holidays. Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Season

10. Christmas music
Jingle Bell Rock? Loathe it. “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” by FOB? Love it.

9. Cookies
And Candy. And Gingerbread houses. And fruit cake (ew!). So many calories – yuck. However, like my mom says, calories don’t count on Xmas! Work it off before Spring Break and you’re in the clear.

8. Shopping
Shopping can be a bitch, especially if you hate mass crowds and fighting for a coveted Burberry coat. Skirt the crowds and the lines and shop online. Read More »

I always love coming back from break and seeing all my friends. But even though I can’t wait to see certain people, I will do my best to avoid these five “friends “who seem to appear ever year.

The Unnaturally Tan One

While I sat at home watching Full House marathons curled up under my brand-new Snuggie, this person sat on Caribbean beaches for the entire break. While my legs are streaked shades of orange from drugstore tanners, she is glowing with a tan that seems to defy her race. As if I wasn’t already feeling like Casper’s paler cousin, standing next to her makes me feel downright clinically albino.

The Reccesion-Proof One

This holiday season started with my parents interrupting all my wish-list ramblings with words like “recession,” and “depression.” My wants went from an iPhone to a few new Chap Sticks and a (store brand) chocolate bar. So it’s even more un-fun this year to watch this friend unpack all of her new things: an entirely new wardrobe that matches her Blackberry Storm that she can play with while watching her new flat screen. She’s offering to share her new boots and all I can give her in exchange is some relief for her chapped lips.

The Debbie Downer One

My break wasn’t very exciting but I don’t have any legitimate complaints. But she does. A simple, “how was your break” turns into a two-hour impromptu therapy session while she goes on and on about everything from her mom getting laid off to her dog getting hit by a car. While at first I can awkwardly pat her back and offer my condolences, it gets increasingly less easy as she talks about her Christmas tree burning down, the loss of her lucky penny, and her cat’s unhealthy addiction to alcohol. Read More »