My roommate always jokes that I am constantly writing papers. Sometimes, I think she’s right. But I chose classes with papers on purpose—I hate studying for tests or doing problem sets. I would choose an essay over a quiz any day. And while I am glad I chose the classes I am taking, I have found that I always seem to be working…even on weekends.

This is the first time in my life where the amount of time spent in the classroom is significantly less than the amount of time doing work outside of class. Homework used to be a couple of hours a night, which seemed impossibly cruel after spending all my morning and most of my afternoon plunked in a desk at school. Now, class is brief and concise. There’s no taking attendance or explaining the homework. All we do is learn.

I like that I don’t have to spend unnecessary amounts of time doing absolutely nothing in class. But these short classes lead to another change from high school—lots and lots of out-of-class work. Although I have many more hours free than last year, I still feel as busy as ever. But almost two months into college, I think I’ve found my balance. The library has been my savior more than once on a Saturday when my friends and my cozy bed tried to beckon me away from my papers to write. Bringing my food up to my room to eat has given me an extra half an hour to read over a paper before it’s due. Most importantly, I’ve noticed that I have resources through peers and professors which I’ve never encountered before.

All in all, I know I may seem insanely busy to those around me. But there’s a difference between the busyness of this semester and my hectic, stress-filled days of high school. I am choosing these classes; I am choosing to write these essays on these topics; I am choosing to work harder than I would be if I were back home. For once in my academic life, I am busy learning, not busy doing useless assignments. So bring on the papers, I am ready to work.

We love the internet for 2 main reasons:

1. We can do just about everything (shop, date, job hunt, talk to professors) in our underwear

2. We can procrastinate on everything in favor of the endless entertainment the inter-webs provide.

The sheer number of blogs and awesome websites out there is astounding…and nearly impossible to navigate. Which ones are good? Which ones are bad? Which ones will flash giant naked men on our screen? (Editor’s Note: Those are my favorite!) Which ones talk about all the stuff I want to hear?

That’s why we are here.

There are so many great college blogs out there and we want to share them with you. Because, after all, we college kids gotta stick together. So, here are a few of our favorites for today: Read More »

[Every week, CC and John will bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, saddest things he hears on his college campus. Join the Overheard revolution! Leave your own overheard convos in the comments.]Four guys talking over Saturday breakfast:

One guy: “Man, I’m f—ing hungry. I’m gonna slam so much sausage into my mouth.”

Second guy: “Yeah, dude. You do that.”

After a pause:

First guy: “What did I say?”

“RuPaul, singing Little Drummer Boy, on a 45? Worst record ever.”

“I made them a nipple-straw.” Read More »

We love the internet for 2 main reasons:

1. We can do just about everything (shop, date, job hunt, talk to professors) in our underwear

2. We can procrastinate on everything in favor of the endless entertainment the inter-webs provide.

The sheer number of blogs and awesome websites out there is astounding…and nearly impossible to navigate. Which ones are good? Which ones are bad? Which ones will flash giant naked men on our screen? (Editor’s Note: Those are my favorite!) Which ones talk about all the stuff I want to hear?

That’s why we are here.

There are so many great college blogs out there and we want to share them with you. Because, after all, we college kids gotta stick together. So, here are a few of our favorites right now:

1. ThePrereq.com

2. DormDelicious.com

3. ThatCollegeKid.com

4. PayForCollegeBlog.com

5. OverheadAtCollege.com

We are always looking for more awesome sites to keep us from doing that stupid Lit paper. Do you have any other blogs you are obsessed with? Email them to Lauren@CollegeCandy.com or drop us a line on our CollegeCandy Facebook group!

So you’ve been at school for a few weeks, and you’ve noticed your laundry bag is overflowing. And you are out of undies. And, yes, bathing suit bottoms. (We get it; and we’ve been there.)

What do you do now that mommy isn’t there to wash your clothes for you? Don’t worry, with these tips and how to’s, people will think you own a dry cleaning service!

First of all, SEPARATE your clothes! Darks, lights, whites, and sheets/towels. Also pull out your delicate items like bras, nice underwear, or other lacey thangs (you little vixen). Some bras can be washed, but check the tag first! These should be washed on their own, either by hand or on the washing machine’s delicate setting.

Obviously, make sure you don’t have reds mixed in with your whites, because that evil color bleeds; yes, pink is in, but not in enough to warrant an entire pink wardrobe. While you’re separating, close zippers and buttons, knot strings and ties, and make sure totake things out of your pockets.

Temperatures: Darks/colors are washed in cold water, whites/lights are washed in warm water, and sheets/towels should be washed in hot water to kill bacteria. Be careful with warm and hot water, though, it may shrink some clothes depending on the material.

As you’re loading your clothes into the washer, take note of how full it’s getting. If you overstuff the washer, your clothes won’t get as clean as they should, and then you’ve just wasted a bunch of water because you didn’t feel like doing another load of laundry.

The scoop on detergent: There are so many different detergents and fabric softeners, so what should you use? Personally, because I have very sensitive skin, I have to use plain old Arm n’ Hammer detergent in that orange box, and I use those little dryer sheets that make my clothes smell nice. It’s really a personal preference and depends on your skin type or what you want your clothes to smell like. Just go to the store and shop (and sniff) around; you’ll find a detergent you like.

Drying your clothes is a different story than washing. Please, please, please check the tags on your clothes! I’ve seen many friends shrink their favorite clothing items because they put them in the dryer instead of laying them out to dry. Items that you should take out are: bras, delicates, 100% cotton items (unless they’re pre-shrunk), and swimsuits. Lay clothes out as flat as possible to avoid wrinkles. Now, when the drying cycle is done, take your warm clothes out and FOLD immediately! If you wait until later to fold your clothes, they will wrinkle and then you’ll have to spend time ironing (a whole nother article), or just walk around looking like a wrinkled mess.

The deets on bleach: They have bleach for whites and colors now, so if bleach is necessary for you to use, wait until the washer is totally full with water before pouring it in. You shouldn’t use bleach all the time, and you should use it sparingly. Color bleach will brighten up your colors, and chlorine bleach will obviously get rid of stains and brighten your whites.

Laundry Don’ts:

No overloading

Don’t wash thin shirts with heavier articles of clothing

Don’t put too much denim in one load

Don’t mix detergents

Don’t mix colors with whites

Don’t skip reading the tags!

Stains: To avoid stains, carry a Tide-to-Go in your purse or backpack. This little pen does wonders so I never have to work at getting a stain out. But, in the unfortunate event that you do get a stain, don’t worry, you can get rid of it. For drink stains (which happen a lot when you mix Vodka Cranberry with a bunch of sloppy drunk girls), run stain under cold water and wash item in hot water. Blood, milk, & other protein stains are a little tough and may take several tries to get rid of, but rinse stain and wash item in cold water. You can also use baking soda on stains to get them out by either soaking the item or rubbing baking soda on the stain.

Post your own laundry tips in the comments!

The few days or weeks after finals can be such a relief from those seven or ten days of straight stress that you really don’t want to do anything. Being home feels so much better than being cooped up in your dorm room – at least for a little while, until your family reminds you why you left for school in the first place and the only real comfort you have is your pets.

And sure, you have stuff planned for the summer…but have you been outside recently? On most of the upper east coast, it’s far from summer. Heck, it still feels like March every now and then. So what to do? Here a few things that should spark your imagination, whether you have plans or not.

Unpack your stuff! I know this should seem like a common sense thing…but I haven’t yet, really, and I know people who leave their stuff in boxes for the better portion of the summer. Really, it’s easy and it gives you a little sense of accomplishment.

Hit the town! I know situations vary for everyone, but my school is in the middle of nowhere and I live just a trainride away from the city that never sleeps. Whether you’re window shopping, clubbing with buddies, or just taking a stroll in Central Park, it’s nice to remind yourself that there are places outside your campus. (And please, ladies, if you live near your campus…don’t go walking through it. That’s cheating.) Read More »

I’m a progressive girl. I’m all about equality.

But give me my own bathroom.

Co-ed bathrooms are one of college’s biggest mysteries. Who thought it would be a good idea? Who decided that it would be totally cool to completely devoid college kids of any type of privacy? Did none of the inventors of co-ed bathrooms ever have a crush?

And if they did, how could they fathom perhaps bumping into that crash while they still had pimple stuff on their face and crow’s nest on top of their head?

I just don’t understand it. The bathroom is sacred. Private. It’s not a place I want to discuss homework or chat about the newest TV show.

I don’t want to step out of the shower and come face to face with the captain of the lacrosse team. I don’t need that sort of horrible awkwardness in my life.

Also, in case no one’s noticed, guys and girls take very different approaches bathroom etiquette. Guys often think nothing of taking the entire sports section into the stall with them and staying in there for hours, while girls prefer to get in and get out without anyone really seeing. Read More »