This fall weather is quickly beginning to feel a lot like winter. Sweaters and tights are being traded in for winter fleeces and long-johns. You may think you’re good to go with your new crochet Uggs and long, puffy North Face jacket, but there’s a lot more out there this winter when it comes to accessories. Things that will not only make that walk to class a little more cozy and a little less frozen-snotsicles-dangling-over-your-upper-lip, but accessories that will make your life a whole lot easier.

And more fun.
And festive.
Basically, winter might be somewhat bearable this time around. Read More »

Having just “celebrated” banned books week in America, I started thinking about the importance of reading, the beauty of stories and how much books enrich all of our lives. And most of my thoughts came back to one single theme:

W.T.Eff?

Banning books? Seriously? First Obama gets attacked from those crazy moms who think he’s out to brainwash children by giving them talks on the importance of education and now reading is bad for children, too?

The whole thing is just absurd. Have people even read the books they’re trying to ban? How can a story about a pooh named Winnie who likes to eat honey and play in the woods with his other anthropomorphic friends possibly be bad? It seems like a book that is deemed “good” and “appropriate” these days is a book that will not inform your child of the existence of sex, racism, violence, homosexuality, the devil, bad language, and any other concept that will cause children to ask you awkward questions. The whole banned books thing will probably cause my AP Literature class to be renamed AP Literature That Will Morally Damage Your Soul.

Does this mean we should ban Pokemon as well, since the little animals “evolve,” which therefore enforces the idea of evolution and is therefore anti-Christian and therefore is Satanic? Winnie the Pooh may be the poster child for the obesity epidemic, his friend Eeyore for depression, and Kanga for single moms everywhere, but that doesn’t mean our younger siblings can’t read about them. I happen to like Tigger, even if he does have ADHD. And although Harry Potter may have “witchcraft and wizardry” and whatnot, it’s still one of the most significant contributions to literature in our lives, and as such, should be available to anyone who wants to read it.

So let’s take the attention and money away from banning books and focus on some more important things that should be eradicated from this planet. Because in 2009 there are so many things worse than kids in capes flying around on broomsticks or finding a lion in your closet. Read More »

I learned more my first week at college than I did in my entire life. And I don’t mean academically. I mean socially, financially, emotionally and drunk-ly. Some things took longer to figure out than others (that I should visit the ATM before I get to the bar, to avoid extra fees and my tendency to tipsily make it rain) and other things took mere minutes (don’t eat dining hall hot dogs).

But there are 5 things that every freshman should figure out their very first week on campus. Consider this College Life 101: Intro To The Best 4 Years of Your Life.

The go-to hangover breakfast spot: For those mornings when a Gatorade and toast just won’t do the trick, you need to find the most happening breakfast place near campus. This is not only important for the mornings when you need to take things to-go (back to your bed where you can lie in the dark while watching Daisy of Love marathons), but also for the social aspect of morning-after breakfast. Because everyone knows, after the party it’s the after party…and after that and the hotel lobby… it’s IHOP.

So, on those mornings when your inner monologue sounds like “Hahalalala definitely still drunk and my hair and makeup still look great!” you’ll know where you and your girls can go to re-cap last night’s madness while chowing on carby goodness and watching people walk in wearing their clothes from the night before. Read More »

Finally, a benefit of our failing economy!  It turns out that the crocs franchise may not be around as long as we had feared.  Instead of scrambling to keep up with (inexplicable) demand, they are now facing millions of dollars of debt and a surplus of really ugly shoes.

Why are they having this problem?  Well, they made the little monsters nearly indestructible, so nobody feels the need to buy a second pair.  If only no one felt the need to buy the first pair…

Almost everyone I know agrees that crocs are possibly the ugliest things we as  humans have ever put on our feet.  However, most of my friends own a pair.  When I give them my patented look of revulsion and pity, they shrug and give me the same argument: “They’re comfortable.”

Well…so what??!!!  A lot of unacceptable things are comfortable!  You know what else is comfortable?  Mumus.  I don’t see anyone walking around in a mumu because they are BUTT UGLY.  Just like Crocs. Read More »

College brings a whole lot of new experiences, new lessons and new people. But it seems that no matter what school you go to there are same characters on every campus. The frat house groupie, the sensitive all American, the cool girl, the Unhinged Coed, and the Americanized International.

Allow me to refine this status: Americanization is not to be confused with Westernization, nor is it a put-down.

International Students take up a demographic in most US colleges and universities. They are usually easily spotted on campus. No, not because that of clothing choices or accents, but because they maintain a certain wide eyed fascination and solemn intelligence. International students seem refined and sophisticated. Hard working and goal oriented. They worked hard to get to this prestigious American university and they keep that in mind as they work even harder to graduate.

Most International Students stick together, seeking the comfort of the familiar. They tend to sit back in class and take notes as the more abrasive and comfortable students take over answering the questions, debating the topics and joking with classmates. As soon as class ends, they head to the library or the comforts of their dorm room to get started on the reading assigned. They never join the rest of campus at the weekend parties.

But then something starts to change. As the semester rolls on and these students find themselves more at ease in their new environment, they begin to engage in common American customs. They become The Americanized International. Read More »

[Life isn't black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like, we hate how Walmart treats its employees...but we love the low prices! Or, we love how that boy makes us laugh....but we hate that he has no motivation in life. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!

There are so many difficult choices in life (do we love or hate tequila??), so we thought we'd sort through 'em right here. Every week we will discuss another issue we are torn up about. Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!]

You’ve heard it all before…

“Uggs are so cute and comfy!” Girl with Uggs on.

“Uggs put the ‘ug’ in ugly.” Guy giving the girl a strange look.

I can see both sides and I’m completely torn:

Love Em:

Uggs are definitely one of the most comfortable types of shoes out there. And unlike the apparantly comfy-but-ugly Crocs (gag!), they actually match your outfit, and can be a cute addition to your winter wardrobe. Uggs come in lots of different colors and patterns, and although they’re a little on the expensive side, they last FOR.E.VER. (OK, maybe not forever, but I’ve had mine for 3 years and they’re as ridiculously soft as ever.) Read More »

Pop quiz! Who makes the ugliest shoes on Earth?Ask anyone this question and they’ll give you one of two answers. Uggs. Or Crocs.

Now, I will happily argue to my death that Uggs are not that ugly and I will continue to wear them despite what anyone says. But Crocs? Disgusting rubber, brightly colored Crocs? I wouldn’t even be caught dead in them. After all, when I think of the average Crocs-wearer, I think of grubby little kids wearing orange shirts with bright yellow Crocs (always clashing) with those stupid little charms stuck in the holes. Or their plain un-stylish parents.

Do I fall into one of those categories? I think not. Read More »

[For many of us, sex and college go together like Uggs and snow - you can’t have one without the other. So, we brought in one of Berkeley’s finest sex columnists, Elizabeth, to start a dialogue about the topic (and act) that is very near and dear to our hearts. Every Thursday she will get your day goin’ with a little somethin’ somethin’ that’s on her mind.]

I am the queen of terrible dates. Good or bad, I’ve always been the girl that “gives him a chance (or two)” often to a fault. After losing some blood, skin, and half of a tooth on my last date (no lie, I can’t make up stuff this good), I decided that enough is enough. No other girl should have to go through the pain of being toothless for two weeks during finals – it’s just wrong.

As a result, I’ve put together a survival guide to navigate you through the three most painful date scenarios you may ever encounter.

1. He wants to pregame with you – before your date.

There is nothing wrong with having a little somethin’ somethin’ before a date, but a trashed date should be a red flag. There are three things that go really well with heavy intoxication: vomit, awkward hook-ups, and injury. Ironically, these are three things clash with dates like Crocs with…anything. So what do you do if your date downs three long islands by the time you order your appetizers? First and foremost, I hope you didn’t wear heels since you will be walking all night thanks to Drunky Danny. If you made the fatal mistake of wearing heels, do not under any circumstances accept any sort of offer from your date to carry you home. Believe me, there is more than one muscle that gets weaker upon intoxication, which may cause him to severely overestimate his strength. Other than that, you can’t really do anything other than put his drunk ass to bed, run home as fast as you can, and never go out with that guy ever again. Read More »

I don’t know when or why it happened, but some time in the last few years people started popping up all over the place wearing orthopedic shoes. Brightly colored, rubber orthopedic shoes. And then they started sticking little decorations on them.

And then, gasp, I saw them being sold at Nordstrom.

Which is where I learned that the shoes were called Crocs and, despite being the most horrifically ugly footwear since the Moon Boot, they were very popular.

“They are so comfortable,” my 30-year-old brother said after I gagged when I saw him wearing them.

Since when does the entire world give up fashion for comfort? Seriously, my grandma wouldn’t even be caught dead in those things.

Well, the….er….masterminds behind the Croc heard my complaint. Sorta. They have been working feverishly to expand their product into the not-so-ugly market and have now done it with….

Wait for it….

The Croc High Heel.

I really didn’t think it could get any worse than the original, but, alas, I was wrong. I don’t care how comfortable these things are, I would rather walk home from the bar with 2 bloody stumps than even try these things on in stores.

If you know what is good for you (and fashion as a whole) you will not give in to the crazies over at Croc. No matter how high the heel or the comfort level.

So I’m unsure if I’m just behind the times or if this is really a new development, but lately while strolling about town I’ve noticed in various storefronts and on various idiots new styles of the ever-so-lovely Croc sandal…thingy. But, as the Croc 2.0 is still made of rubber and is still, in fact, a Croc, I find myself wondering, really, what is the f*cking point?

I’ll admit, when I spotted my first Croc in the summer of 2005, I was actually impressed by its foamy, walking-on-air comfort and even considered purchasing a pair to sport during my waitressing job. Then I saw a few people at work wearing them (over white ankle socks, no less), realized that they were in fact the bastard love child of a whiffle ball and a gardening clog, and quickly decided that, while my Chucks may not exactly be arch-friendly, at least they’re fresh looking.

But, to get back to the matter at hand, declining sales in the past year seem to have alerted the Croc powers that be to the fact that their product is absolutely f*cking hideous, and the company is now attempting to remedy the situation with different variations on the rubber shoe. Read More »