Must. Get. Out. Of. This. Hell.

By now your semester is in full swing. It’s early enough that you’re still optimistic, but not so early that you’re wishing you could still sleep until noon everyday. You’ve unpacked your dorm, caught up with your friends, and even gotten settled into all of your classes. But are you really happy with all of your classes?

I don’t know when Add/Drop ends at every college, but its quickly approaching at mine. And I don’t really have much choice with the classes I’m taking this semester but you might. So I ask you, do you really want to take that class with 100+ pages of reading a night? The one with the horrible professor? With the not-so-cute guy? Is it really worth it? Think about it….and then drop that class while you still can!

Which classes should you sprint, not walk/run/mosey/skip/saunter, away from? Read More »

Okay, so it’s confession time. I really love the History Channel, and most channels like it. Think Discovery, or National Geographic. During the summer, rather than doing something “normal” like going to the beach, or grilling, you could find me nestled under a blanket sitting on the sofa watching a documentary on who really discovered America. For hours, I’d be there, mouth agape and cup of lemonade in hand.

But come on, you can’t tell me that those channels aren’t cool. Think Shark Week, a week I know people mark on their calendars. These channels have something for everyone. You can watch a documentary on the history of marijuana, or the Salem Witch Trials, and then follow it up with a WWII special.

The only problem with the History channel and its counterparts is when it finally hits you: you learn more from one hour long documentary than you ever do going to class. One story alone is assembled better than any lecture you will ever attend, without the annoying graduate student who says “um” every other word or the keeper of the crypt who keeps nodding off mid-sentence.

I spend time in some of my classes contemplating over important issues like what a piece of toast would say if it could talk, but I can’t wait for a commercial to finally end when I’m watching a special on Discovery.

Bottom line: Professors could learn a lot from these channels. Read More »

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 blue book exams, the dreaded muffin top or, everyone’s favorite activity, procrastinating. Read, relate, cringe and enjoy.

Your registration appointment isn’t for another three days, but after hours poring over the course catalog, you’ve finally created the perfect schedule for next semester. It took a lot of finagling, shuffling and about 27 pieces of paper, but you’ve done it. It’s the perfect blend of required courses, interesting courses and that fun class that everyone says you MUST take, all with ample time for lunch (read: naps), no classes before 11am and Fridays completely free!

Staring at your masterpiece, you pat yourself on the back for a job well done, then excitedly share the news with everyone you know. (“WHAT UP, PERFECT SCHEDULE?! #sogoodatcollege”)

But your work is not done yet. Read More »

A few days ago, The Huffington Post provided its readers with a BLS pie chart that depicted the daily schedule of the average college student. Apparently, we are barely grooming, sleeping 8+ hours, and living “pretty awesome” lives.

I am definitely not challenging the awesome comment. I spent yesterday lounging on my front porch, catching some rays while doing my homework. In the words of a very drugged out 8-year-old: Is this real life?

At the same time, though, The Government’s statistics are far from true concerning the lives of my friends and I. The day I meet a student that sleeps 8.4 hours nightly, I will lock them in a room until they share all their snoozing secrets with me.

Inresponse to the pie chart, we at CollegeCandy have crafted our own breakdown of the typical weekday in the life of a college student. The statistics may be far from scientific, but being girls who are really good at college, we feel they shed a more accurate light on the average student’s day. Read More »

Apparently ridiculous college courses are the new trend on campuses all over the world.  I’d go so far as to call them “unnecessary,” but the 440 people who just enrolled in Potsdam University’s e-mail flirtation class would beat down my door (or fill my inbox…) in disagreement.  Yes, you read that right- one German university is actually offering a master’s course on how to flirt via modern technology.  It promises to give you the skills to “get someone else’s heart beating fast while yours stays calm.”

At first glance, I thought this was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard; seriously, a class that teaches nerds to be better sexters?  But really, it’s probably going to be really helpful to some of these people.  Everyone deserves to know how to drop a well-placed “Did U know I used 2 be a gymnast?” or a “Miss ur face, come get in my bed.”

Of course, this got me to thinking; what are some other quirky classes that college students actually need?  (I mean, beyond all that Astronomy…tooootally going to use that one day!) Read More »

While we may not like all of them, rules exist for a reason. They keep us safe, they keep us sane, they keep some sort of order in this world of ours. And that applies to college campuses, too. There are all sorts of rules that we live by: no food in the library, no drinking in the dorms, no sex in the stacks.

But with all the attention given to those scoundrels who dare bring a Diet Coke into the ‘brary, those university officials missed a few important rules. The kind that would benefit everyone, allowing all of us to be more successful in our studies and more productive members of society.

We didn’t forget about them, though, so we at CollegeCandy are starting a revolution. Join us on our quest to establish some new campus rules and rid our classrooms of evil… and PDA.  Read More »

Picture it: We pan over a full classroom, a man with a slightly too-tight plaid shirt and vile comb over is lecturing with the same tone and volume of a dull beeeeeeeep.  If we watch the students, we see several completely passed out while others furiously scribble notes, attempting to keep up with information that may or may not be on any exams this teacher gives. The old guy up front is so dull he makes Ferris Bueller’s teacher look like Lady Gaga, but what can you do?  The class is required and this guy is the only one who teaches it, whether the students like him or not.

But what if you, the student, got a say in that? It’s happening at Stanford, where students get to give their teachers a grade for a change. The university is using student evaluations to determine things like professor salaries and tenure. Read More »

You may want to think twice about online shopping during class.

We’re still talking about this?

Matthew Fox – just another Hollywood scum bag?

Watch out, London, here comes Lindsay!

De-stress with these tasty snacks.

Ed Westwick. Yum.

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 »

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over to us to put in next week’s post.

(Two guys, in an English class.)

Guy 1: Dude, why are you dressed up?

Guy 2: We’re reading “The Crucible.” It’s about a town that gets rid of all its witches. That’s why I have the hat.

(Guy, singing at a party.)

Guy: Ooh, I get Boggle with help from my friends. Mm, gonna Boggle with help from my friends. Do you neee-eeed any Boggle? I want some Boggle to love.

(English professor, thinking out loud.)

Prof: See, I wouldn’t count myself as a human being until, oh, about 15 or 16. And even that was problematic. Read More »