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 »

Some women have been blessed with the cooking, cleaning, and child-rearing skills any ’50s housewife would be jealous of. You know the type – they go to their friends’ houses bearing baked goods, they know how to get that tricky stain out of delicate material, they’re just all-around nurturers.

I, on the other hand, find myself lacking in every aspect of domestic maturity. I dread doing laundry, I get extra excited on the rare occasion that my pasta comes off the stovetop instead of out of the microwave, and I gotta be honest, kids kind of piss me off.

For a long time, I’ve embraced this about myself. I was convinced I could just get by on take-out and who really needs children anyway? But as I approach my senior year of college, it’s beginning to hit me just how close I am to living life in the real world. In a very short while, it’ll be frowned upon to live like I do – laundry piling up, cabinets stocked with Easy Mac, dishes (read: shot glasses) sitting in the sink.

If this is truly some sort of natural instinct in women, when will it kick in for me? And why hasn’t it already?

After a lot of thought, I think I know what’s holding me back. It’s not that I just suck at these household duties – I am so afraid of what it actually means to perform them: growing up. Read More »

If you’ve been a CollegeCandy reader for some time, you know we run our Intro to Cooking series every week, where even the most kitchen-shy co-ed can find easy, yummy recipes to please her suitemates (and sweet tooth!). Well, we’ve changed up the syllabus for Intro to Cooking: you’ll still get the fabulous recipes you love, but we’ll be including background nutritional info on specific ingredients that are must-haves in every college girl’s pantry.

This Week’s Ingredient: Sugar Snap Peas

It’s well known that a surefire way to rev your metabolism and curb hunger is to have a healthy snack on hand for a quick nibble between meals. But have you ever noticed that most of the go-to snacks (raisins, granola bars, apples) we pack to stabilize blood sugar are really just…sugar? Although many of these items are perfectly healthy and have naturally-occurring (rather than added) sugars, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So if you’ve been looking for a tasty, portable snack that won’t give you a sugar crash, look for a different kind of sugar: sugar snap peas!

For a one cup serving size, these little babies (a hybrid between the green and snow pea) weigh in at just 41 calories, packed with riboflavin and dietary fiber. And while most of their calories do, in fact, come from natural sugars, consider that a single serving contains but 4 grams, while just one small box of raisins contains a whopping 25 grams.

Easy Snacks

1. Toss a handful in a sandwich bag with some sea salt and/or some parmesan cheese.
2. Serve with hummus and carrot sticks as a side.
3. Serve with cold pasta as a light and summery meal or warm with a little olive oil, basil, and chicken for a complete dinner. Read More »

Oh air travel, how I despise thee. All flight delays/massive airport navigation/stinky seatmates aside though, I am actually very (very) excited to be flying into DC tomorrow. I’ve never been, and I’m so pumped to explore our nation’s great capital. Plus, I’m staying at a sweet hotel in Virginia, so I get to add another notch to my “States I’ve actually been in” list. Yeah, I’m a nerd.

The part I’m least excited about (besides having to turn off my CrackBerry until the flight attendants tell me I can turn it back on) is leaving David behind. Alas, he doesn’t get to accompany me on my awesome trip (it’s for business) and all week I’ve been getting ready to leave him all on his own for 5 whole days.

As he’ been so lovingly, gently reminding me all week, he is in fact a full grown man capable of taking care of himself. He did it for 20 years before he met me, and according to him he’s still got the hang of that. While I do realize that he’ll be fine while I’m gone, after living with him and taking care of our home (and his dirty laundry…) I can’t help but think (OK, hope) he’ll feel just a teeny bit lost whilst I’m gone.

After all, this will help him come to the realization that I’m totally indispensable, which has been my master plan all along. But, I don’t want to leave him high and dry, so I did fully stock our freezer full of a weekend’s worth of man-food (aka microwaveable and artery clogging). And I am leaving him a “HoneyDew” list, both because I freaking love the name of it and because it’s got all kinds of unpleasant things I’d rather not deal with on it. Hopefully, I’ll come home to a clean home with new air conditioner filters, a newly installed printer and no more laundry to do. Read More »

Happy Fourth of July! Hopefully you’re reading this not too far from a grille or barbecue, because they’re necessary for today’s recipe! Your mouth is probably already watering for hot dogs and burgers, but to give your holiday menu some kick, why not include this week’s ingredient—a personal favorite of mine: halloumi cheese!

This Week’s Ingredient: Halloumi Cheese

I discovered this cheese while traveling abroad and it remains my absolute favorite to this day. I would tell you that it can’t be topped—but actually, that’s the point! Because of its unusually high melting point, halloumi cheese can be grilled or fried and retain its form, so it can be layered, stacked, or tossed with other ingredients. There is nothing quite like relishing a steamy, smoky bite of halloumi, fresh off the grill. The cheese is native to Cyprus, has a semi-salty flavor and deliciously flaky texture, and is typically made from sheep and/or goat’s milk. One slice carries about 125 calories and an impressive 8.5 grams of protein! Toss a couple slices on the grill and serve with the following companions as an appetizer, or in the recipe below. (Note: it can also be served—and tastes equally as yummy—cold.) Read More »

So Monday was David’s 23^rd birthday (!). I finally found the perfect gift and decided to get him this sweet watch he saw while I was perusing a magazine last month. I also picked up a really cool video game for him-but it turns out he already had it. Yea, massive gift fail on that one, but he was excited about the watch and already exchanged the game for one he doesn’t already own (note to self: check the DVD/ game drawer before buying David any form of entertainment in the future).

I decorated the kitchen and dining room with these adorable flag banners cut out of different patterned scrapbooking paper. I wrote some of my favorite things about him on another sheet of scrapbooking paper to turn into his place mat. Then I turned on Sports Center, got a Bud Light ready for when he walked through the door, threw on some lingerie and started grillin’ up some surf-n-turf.

I was so nervous for him to get home, I don’t know why, but my hands were literally shaking when I heard the door open. He was so surprised and happy, it was the cutest thing. All I wanted to do was make him happy, but seeing how much he genuinely appreciated everything just melted my heart. And it reminded me how lucky I am.

When people ask me what it’s like having been in a long-term relationship throughout my entire college career, my answers usually vary. Sometimes I’m defending my choice to those who think I’m insane for not – ahem – taking advantage of all the hot, young guys surrounding a college gal. Sometimes I’m playing down David’s sheer awesomeness to jealous friends. Most of the time I talk about how amazing it is to have someone who constantly offers me love and support (who’s not, ya know, my Mom and Dad). But too often I forget about the flip side of the equation. Read More »

The summer solstice has passed, school is out, and if you’re like me, you’re probably sitting in a pool right now. A pool of your own sweat, that is. Yes, it’s that time of year when it’s just too hot to even think about cooking, let alone come up with a recipe. But if the thought of another freeze-pop dinner makes you gag (I’ve totally been there), never fear—CollegeCandy is here!

This week’s ingredient: Blueberries!

Not only are blueberries in season, but they are an inexpensive and low-calorie (84 calories per cup!) snack. They’re loaded with elleagic acid, which prevents cell damage, as well as vitamins C and E, manganese, and both soluble and insoluble fiber. Still, be sure to wash them before eating, because they are among the foods upon which pesticides are most frequently found.

Easy Meal Ideas

1. Toss with a salad, oatmeal, or yogurt for a sweet boost to mealtime standards.
2. Serve with cool-whip or other crème for a refreshing dessert (hold me back…!)
3. Did you know many health stores sell dried blueberries? If you’re tired of raisins or thought craisins too sugary-sweet, these babies might be the perfect portable snack. Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, TFLN…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Dad's on Vacation, Covet, and Any Clip) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

I love to cook, but sometimes I have trouble trying to figure out what to make–I get sick of the same old recipes over and over, and there are times when nothing sounds good.  Thankfully, I’ve discovered Yummly, a site that helps me find recipes based on what I feel like eating…. or more realistically, what I’ve got in my fridge.

Yummly is part search engine, part foodie community–and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.

The site’s front page contains a giant search box (the “FoodFinder”) that asks simply, “What are you in the mood for?”  Type in “cookies,” and 13,806 recipes come up.  You can then narrow down your results by using Yummly’s extensive filters, which include: course or meal, ingredient like & dislike (for example, you can choose to see only recipes that include chocolate, but not nuts), type of cuisine (such as American, Chinese, Italian, etc.), diet and allergy restrictions (such as vegan or gluten-free), nutrition (calories, fat, cholesterol, and carbohydrate levels), price and time involved, the recipe’s source, and taste (such as sweet, savory, bitter, sour, or salty). Read More »

Every year, by the time the second week in June rolls around, two things happen to me. 1) I start obsessively checking my calendar to make sure that Father’s Day isn’t this Sunday and 2) I start freaking out about what to get David for his birthday.

I don’t know about you guys, but I feel like the longer our relationship goes on, the greater the pressure there is to give him a seriously kick ass gift. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s “the thought that counts” and yes, David would be equally happy with an iPod or a 3 day cruise (speaking from experience…unless he was just faking his excitement to make me feel better). I just love the process of finding the perfect gift for my perfect boyfriend. (I feel the same way about gift giving in general. It takes me a solid 2 months to Christmas shop.) And after 2 and a half years, I’ve built a pretty impressive record for gift giving.

Of course there are the times when I get it totally wrong (I thought getting him a sex toy for graduation was both hilarious and practical- he did not agree), and those are the gifts that haunt my memory while I try to find his 23^rd birthday present.

It can be hard shopping for your boyfriend. You know him so well, you should be able to spot from a mile away the thing or experience he’d love most. But, unfortunately it’s not always that easy. So whether you’ve got a boyfriend with a summer birthday, your anniversary is coming up, or you just want to surprise him with a little something, I’ve compiled a go-to boyfriend gift guide. Happy shopping! Read More »

This Week’s Ingredient: Cranberries!

They’re sweet. They’re tart. They’re harvested from bogs. And they’re a deep, beautiful, fire-engine hue. If your only exposure to cranberries is in combination with their fermented partner, vodka, then you’re totally missing out (not to mention that the “cranberry juice” served in bars is basically just sugar water). Long celebrated for their ability to prevent urinary tract infections, cranberries are also thought to enhance digestive health and prevent kidney stones. It’s not customary to eat raw cranberries as they are far too tart to snack on alone. Hence the popularity of dried cranberries and juice–but beware that both contain added sugar to temper their tang.

Easy Meals

1. Add dried cranberries to a romaine salad with crumbled feta for a simple and healthy plate of different textures and flavors.
2. Any combo of cranberries and oatmeal (for breakfast, in cookies) adds a twist to the classic oatmeal & raisin duo.
3. Place cranberry juice in an ice cube tray with popsicle sticks inserted in each divet for homemade pops. Read More »