I owned a pair of Crocs once. They were pink and super comfortable. I used them as shower shoes my freshman year of college, but I would never be caught dead wearing them in public. Soon they became gross and mildew-ish, so I threw them out. This was probably due less to the fact that they were old and dirty but to the fact that I was teased constantly by my friends on my floor for owning such an ugly pair of shoes.

I don’t know if it’s the style, the loud colors or just the general public opinion that Crocs are ugly that makes them so easy to poke fun at, but we all do. Here’s the thing though: the Crocs company sells shoes and other products that are even uglier than their trademark shoe! Hard to process, I know, but take a look.

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I don’t know about you, but when I first heard that clogs/mules were coming back in style I thought of those black Steve Madden clog/sandals with the elastic band that made your feet sound like a horse every time you walked. You know, the ones you paired with Hard Tails and then traded in for the leather platform version to pair with your Paris Blues Super Bell Bottoms come Fall uh… 1998?

So you can imagine my resistance when I saw the words CLOG splattered all over my fashion bibles. Really, Chanel? CLOGS? I do not need to do/wear anything that resembles my 1998 self in the slightest. The horror! What’s next? Butterfly clips? Lord have mercy.

But then, like all old trends that come back around, I realized the clog came with a bit of a twist. Clogs 2.0 are like Heidi Montag 2.0: Bigger, pumped up and plumped up. And some would even argue, better. These clogs are edgier, chunkier, platform-ier and all around cooler.

And while they may not be the most practical things in the world (note: NO ONE should wear clogs that don’t have a heel unless you are a senior citizen and use a walker), they are a fun way to change up an outfit. (Or make yourself REALLY tall, because most of the ones I’ve seen have a good 4 inches on them. Maybe another reason why I am so resistant since all [Jewish] boys are already shorter than me in flats; add another 4 inches and I’m like Jill the Jolly Jewish Giant. Oy.)

Here are my favorite clogs for Spring to pair with both jeans and dresses. Yes, they aren’t necessarily the cheapest footwear (ranging from $30-$150), but considering some of these bad boys are running at well over $300, these ones are definitely a deal.

Clogs for Pants
These shoes look best with pants because they are a bit heavier looking. They have a lot of leather or woven material and a huge platform that are carried best by a boot cut or flare jean (paired with a flowing top, military jacket and some bold earrings). Yes, these can be rocked with skirts/dresses/shorts on some occasions (especially the sandals) but I like them BEST for pants.

VERY IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE. Please, for the love of all things fashion, NEVER wear socks with your clogs. I made this mistake in 7th grade when clogs were popular the first time and I still cringe when I see pictures. There is NOTHING cute about a sock paired with a clog. Seriously, it’s worse than wearing a Croc.

Clockwise from top: Two Lips Dusty Suede Mule, $59.95; Ollie 2 Part Wooden Clog, $80; Aldo Saviona, $29-$39;  Max Studio “Abba” Peeptoe Mule Platforms, $119

Clogs for Dresses
These are so cool and embellished that a dress helps them stand out.  They’re like that cute bra you wear on a night when you go home alone – what’s the point of all that cuteness if no one is going to see it?! Just remember to keep the dress simple – you don’t want to be a walking trend. Let the shoes do both the talking and the walking. (Ha! See what I did there?)

Clockwise from top: Steve Madden Durann, $149.95; Seychelles ‘Care to Dance’ Clog, $99.95; Peep Toe Bootie Slingbacks, $25.80;  Nine West Quyncilla, $89

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.

iPod-Capable Earmuffs:

If you need a little Miley Cyrus “Party in the USA” to amp yourself up before class, this one’s for you. With these iPod earmuffs, you don’t have to sacrifice your sphere of musical privacy on your morning trek in order to keep your ears from freezing and falling off. And you won’t get the hat hair/annoying fly-aways that come with winter hats when you eventually make it to lecture. Score!

Mittenberry Mittens: Anyone with an iPhone or any touchscreen phone knows the hell that is using it during the winter. It doesn’t work with gloves on so you are forced to risk losing your fingers to frostbite just to text the girls to tell them how effing cold it is outside. Not anymore! Vivien and Edward Weng have come together and created adorable, warm (100% wool so they’re not bulky) mittens with removable thumbs (they can be buttoned back for ease) so you can keep your hands warm and still answer the phone when your mom calls for the 4th time on your walk to the library. Genius, I tell you. Absolutely genius.

Fur-lined flats: For those of us who don’t like Uggs (slash would rather die than spend $160 on a truly atrocious pair of cankle-causing boots), there are limited options in the winter months to look cute and keep our tootsies toasty. Yeah, we could invest in a pair of fleece-lined Crocs, but, wait a minute, those aren’t cute. At all. Not even on a 3-year-old. Well, Target to the rescue, because they now offer up a basic pair of flats….lined with warm and cozy faux fur. Now you don’t have to choose cute skinny jeans or warmth this winter; you can have it all.

Heated Scarves and Vests: These are perfect for athletic events. Now there’s no excuse to stay in on a cold day instead of cheering on your school’s team. Battery-powered electric heated vests and air-activated heated scarves are perfect for any outdoor activities you may want to take on. Or perhaps just a romp in the snow with a loved one.

Collegiate Snuggie: The ever-popular Snuggie has now become a little more school spirited, making them more acceptable to be worn around the dorm. Who can deny a college-themed blanket with arm mobility?

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.

1) Twilight movies

We can send a man into space but Hollywood can’t make a decent vampire movie. The actors all have a deer-in-the-headlights look on screen and attempt to fly around like people in improperly rigged harnesses. There’s something oddly wrong with that. The only thing that could have made it worse was if they cast Megan Fox, and that’s only because she makes every movie ten times worse than it could’ve been, due to her acting skills, or lack thereof.

2) Crocs

Plastic rubber clogs with holes in them, with the loudest, most obnoxious colors imaginable. Need we say more?

3) Bad Alliteration

Amusing to a certain extent, but gets repetitive after every English major tries to sound like James Ellroy and just ends up sounding like an awful author addicted to annoying alliterations. Again.

4) Livestrong bracelet knockoffs

One yellow cancer bracelet is enough. Do we really need people sprouting an armful of colored rubber with every imagined cause stamped across them? Be a little more original, please. Oh, and true story from a friend:

“Weight Watchers sent me a bracelet after I signed up for a meeting. It was white, with some rainbow stripes on the side. But why would I wear a Weight Watchers bracelet? Is it not obvious enough that I need to lose weight? Do I also need to tag myself with a FAT GUY BRACELET?”

5) Gaming language

Otherwise known as nerdspeak. Common terms include noob, newb, noobsicle, ftw, gg, gg no re, 1337, QQ, lawlz, nub, pwned, pwnage, or even harpwnage (the act of being pwned really hard) should not, under any circumstance, be said in ordinary life.

6) Creepy Facebook ads

Someone please tell me how Facebook has managed to eerily know everything about us and assume what we want. “Discount airfare to China!” What? Just because I’m Asian?

7) A few select man trends

Including: rattails, ponytails, monster trucks, hairy backs, man-purses, chains, a gazillion tattoos, mandals, mandiators, and transparent shirts.

8) Starving Hollywood celebrities

Rachel Zoe, Renee Zellweger, Tori Spelling, Victoria Beckham, Amy Winehouse, and Ashlee Simpson all need to eat a few burgers before they’re fit for the public. Young people these days have enough to worry about besides trying to look like a skeleton. Save that look for Halloween, please.

9) Fat people falling Youtube videos

Guilty pleasure number one, but really should be banned to relieve my soul from residing too much in an immoral state of being. I really shouldn’t watch Scarlet taking a tumble a million times and laugh hysterically every time I see it; it’s bad for me as a conscientious human being, I’m pretty certain.

10) Special athletes that promote the stereotype

As a current student at Duke and avid sports player and fan, I know for fact that you can be incredibly smart and be amazing at your sport. So it worries me when people like this one fail at representing athletes in a more flattering light. Like, um, really.

Anything else you think we should ban?

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.

Where you can and can’t use your fake i.d. : I remember when I got my first fake i.d. (the same one I still have, actually, even though it expired in 2007 and I’ll be retiring it in a month). I was so excited to use it anywhere and everywhere (even when I wasn’t drinking). But that kind of enthusiasm definitely could have gotten me in big trouble if I hadn’t discovered very quickly where I could and couldn’t use it.

Ask any older friends or siblings you know who went to your school, hell ask friendly strangers! Just ask someone where your fake i.d. will get you in and where that puppy will taken.  The easiest way to figure out where to use your fake is to go out as much as possible, to as many bars as possible (which you’ll be doing anyways) and make a bartender/bouncer/shotgirl friend who can give you a heads up if the boss plans on, you know, enforcing the legal drinking age.

Your new address, where the post office is,  and protocol for paper mail and packages. Grandma needs somewhere to send those care packages! And you sure as hell can’t tell her where to send delicious cookies or money “for an ice cream sundae” if you don’t have your new dorm address memorized. Or written down. Anywhere. Also, figure out if packages should be sent to your campus p.o. box or the front desk of your dorm. Unfortunately the Fed-Ex guy won’t deliver that hot new mini dress straight to your dorm room.

The best campus hangouts: For those rare occasions you want to enjoy the company of your new friends sans Johnny, Jack and Jose…or even, you know, study, you need a place to go other than your oh-so-spacious dorm room. Read your campus newspaper, look at fliers around your dining hall or just listen to word-of-mouth. Your campus might have a famous burger joint where everyone chills, a live music hookah bar, a local coffee shop. Even if the campus hot spot is a library, it’ll be nice to hang out somewhere where you’re bound to know someone even if Starbucks starts charging for Wi-Fi (personal true story) and it gets too cold to lounge on the quad.

Fashion protocol: Even now that you’ve finally arrived on campus, it’s time to start dressing like you belong there (which, of course, you already do if admissions had anything to say about it). Take a look around to gather the general fashion climate of your school. Do you see a lot of girls wear their gym clothes to class or do they usually get more dressed up? Are PJ’s a do or don’t in the dining hall? If you needed to wear heels for an interview or event before/after class, should you bring a change of shoes?

I’m not saying you should get decked out to go to class or that you should go out and buy an entirely new wardrobe (although if you can swing it, by all means get your shop on), but you don’t want to stick out like a weird freshman sore thumb. The best way to figure out a way to college-ify your look is to check out older girls whose fashion sense you admire, or whose is similar to yours, and put your own spin on it. Then you’ll be “that girl who always dresses so cute” and not “that freshman who wears Crocs.”

What do you guys think is the most crucial stuff to learn your first week (besides all the important/boring stuff they go over at orientation)? What do you wish you’d learned right off the bat?

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.

Another argument commonly thrown around is that they are acceptable for some professions, namely those in the  medical community or those who work in horticulture.  No.  I mean, if you saw your surgeon saunter up to your bedside in purple Crocs (possibly with those little things stuck in the holes, like a doggy or a kitty or a fake diamond), would you have much faith in his skills, or would you remove that IV and get the eff out of there?

It seems, for now, that the croc crisis is over.  All we have to do is figure out a way to destroy the surplus (and, hopefully, every other pair).  Chemical warfare, anyone?

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.

The Americanized International has parted ways with his/her frequent dialect for slang, exchanging pleasant “hellos” for degraded “what ups.” Their freshly acquired iPods are now filled with the rhymes of Lil Wayne and the Billboard Top 100. Whereas studying used to take up most of their time, it has now been reduced due to their newfound love of Thirsty Thursdays and football pre-games.

Their love of food from “back home” (Moussaka, Wat, Masala) has been trumped by a new addiction to late night Mickey D’s or the Midnight Special at the campus pizza place.

The Americanized International has become fascinated by the media and pop culture and may know more than you about current events in Celebrityland. TMZ and Perez Hilton have become a fixture in their life.

Before you know it, the refreshing style of the International Student is been overcome by Uggs (no offense, Aussies), Crocs, North Face jackets and other over-rated trends. Their hair gets a little shorter/gel-ier/lighter, their jeans more expensive.

They begin drifting from their International friends who don’t embrace the new culture and immersing themselves more and more into their new world. They don’t deny their culture completely, but don’t embrace it readily. They are Americans now and do everything in their power to fit in.  Pretty soon you can’t tell where the Americanized International came from.

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.)

Loathe Em?

They are a bit clunky and awkwardly-shaped. (But it’s all for good reason, right? Why so chunky, my dear Uggs? To hold all the warm and fuzzy fur inside, of course!) They also look eerily similar to the bedroom-slipper your mom might wear, due to the sheepskin outer layer. (But that’s what makes them warm!) And, obviously, they add quite a bit of unflattering mass to the calves, making even the skinniest leg look a little chunky.

It’s a love/hate relationship between me and my (4 pairs of) Uggs, but that doesn’t seem to stop me from buying and wearing them 6 months out of the year. Still, I have to wonder if the warmth and comfiness is really worth it all….and why on earth girls wear them with mini skirts.

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.

So imagine my surprise when I was browsing the shoe store the other day and saw a super cute pair of boots that were made by Crocs! “No,” I thought to myself. “It couldn’t be. Crocs makes ugly rubber sandals. Crocs don’t make fashionable, totally cute boots for women!”

Um, turns out they do. Crocs actually make several pairs of boots that aren’t just kinda cute, but are so adorable they’re the first thing my eye landed on when I entered the store. I wanted every last pair, but could I really buy Crocs? I mean, they are cute, but they’re still Crocs. Paris Hilton dressed in a nun outfit is still Paris Hilton!

And what if someone were to see me in them?

On the other hand, they are a hot pair of boots. And why do many people wear Crocs in the first place? Certainly not for their cuteness; it’s for their comfort. Allegedly, Crocs are so comfortable, millions of people overlook their hideousness and wear them on a daily basis. (Note: I wouldn’t know; I’ve never come close to even trying on a pair.) If Crocs make ugly comfortable shoes, maybe they also make cute comfortable shoes. And I sure could use a pair of boots that are both fashionable and comfortable.

Maybe it’s time for me to hop on the Crocs train. Looks like all Crocs are not created equal.