I’m a self-proclaimed Daddy’s girl. From the second I was born, I was always clinging to my dad and driving him crazy. I love my pops so much I just wanna squeeze him! Maybe I’m a little biased, but I think  Father’s Day is extremely important and totally deserved for dads everywhere. Dads are often taken for granted, so let’s reflect on why they deserve this day:

They love their daughters, no matter what. Basically, I’ve put my dad through hell and back, and I’m well-deserved to be blamed for his heart problems. My dad is the father of two girls, both in college. Despite all we’ve put him through – from going through private education, “borrowing” the credit card, bringing home boys with less than ideal traits, throwing a two hundred person rager when left alone with the house, accidentally drunk dialing him, and subjecting him to The Hills and Gossip Girl every Monday night – he still totally loves me. And it takes a lot.

Dads protect their little girls from everything. Though he never pulled out his shotgun and cleaned it in front of any of my potential suitors, my dad has done whatever he could to protect me from a broken heart. And broken bones. And scary boogey men. He’s kept me safe and I love him for it.

When I was younger, my family moved around a lot. I mean, A LOT. I moved to a new state about every two years, and even though I adapted fairly quickly to my new schools, I would occasionally get very anxious in the evening about my upcoming day at school and the potential monsters under my bed and in my closet. After thoroughly scoping out my room for any bad guys, my dad would promise me every night, “Don’t worry about tomorrow, because today is the day you worried about yesterday.” Kind of corny, but it help me feel safe and reassured and it’s a phrase that still protects me to this day. Read More »

Father’s Day is only 2 days away! (Need a gift? You have, like, 5 minutes to get any of these!) Most of us don’t give our fathers the recognition they deserve year round, so it’s time to honor our dads and show them what they mean to us.

And what’s the best (and cheapest) way to do that? Why, to tell them why you love them, of course! Yes, our dads may make really bad jokes when our friends are around or constantly regale us with their stories from Woodstock, but that’s what makes them so damn loveable, right?

This week the CollegeCandy writers shared why they love their dads, despite the ridiculous/gross/embarrassing things that they do.

Abby – Syracuse University: My dad still thinks that Hungry Man frozen dinners are a nutritious and delicious dinner option…

Sara C- Fordham: My dad insists on watching golf on television (ew) with the volume really loud, but he always invariably falls asleep 10 minutes after sitting down. Of course, as soon as I try to turn the channel he snaps out of la-la land and goes, “Hey! I was watching that!” Oh, Dad.

Kathryn – University of Wisconsin-Madison – Even though my dad constantly nags me about finding a “real person” job and appreciating the value of money (as if I don’t understand the concept of paying bills), I still totes magotes love him!

Kari – Florida State: My dad is incredibly hairy with an aversion to pants.

Lauren – University of Michigan: My dad passed on his finest genes to me: really bushy eyebrows and horribly ugly feet. Somehow, despite my weekly waxes and inability to wear sandals, I still heart him.

Alex – Lakehead: My dad sings top 40 music and completely changes the lyrics, but I still love him. Read More »

Ok, so I’ll be honest: I’m completely broke and can’t really afford an amazing gift for my dad for Father’s Day. To make matters worse, last year I had to go out of town on Father’s Day weekend making it the first year I didn’t see my dad on his day. I have a lot of ground to make up as far as good daughters go.

For anyone else in my position, never fear; you can still have a good day without shelling out wads of cash. Here are a few ideas for spending time with your dad instead of money.

Day at the Park – Some of my best memories with my dad are from when we’d go to the park to fly kites during the summer. Why not relive some childhood memories that were equally as good for dear ol’ dad? Even if you didn’t do stuff like this when you were a kid, there are plenty of ways to hang out with dad outside: toss around the football, go for a hike, have a picnic. Options abound in the great outdoors.

Day in the Kitchen – This is for the dad’s who cook/grill. Why not plan a big Father’s Day meal and cook/grill it together? Dad will love showing off his skills (I know mine does), not to mention get some quality time with you. You could also bake him some special “I Heart Dad” cookies or cupcakes… and let him lick the bowl. How could he not love that?

Day at the Game - Fitting with our low cost theme, look into local sporting events for cheap tickets. In my hometown we have an indoor football league with $10 tickets and colleges who have free admission to their baseball games. Dig enough and I’m sure you’ll find something you and your dad can enjoy together. Read More »