As a December baby (December 28th to be exact, yes I do now expect you to send me lots of presents) you would think I would be a fan of snow, or at least of winter. But I am not, and I will tell you why.

Growing up as a kid on the heavier side is not fun, it is especially not fun during winter. First off you had the people that would assume your “extra body heat” will keep you nice and toasty. Those people are idiots. Secondly, cute snow pants are apparently not made in fat kid sizes (or at least not in my day). So while all of the popular girls, the ones who usually ate salad instead of pizza, had adorable pink, purple, and light blue snow pants (matching jackets are a given) I was left with my moms giant overalls in puke green…which were not very flattering when accompanied by my giant white puffer.

There was a brief moment in my life where I did wear the cute snow pants, but they were tight and limited my joy. But, let me just say that winter I was part of the cool girls group. I was also, like, 8.

Although it’s fun to play in the snow, mainly for the rewarding hot chocolate, there are many downsides — frozen boogers and frozen sweat on your feet being my favorite. Plus, now that we are getting older there are even more negatives. So in the spirit of the light dusting of snow we recently got, here are ten reasons snow actually stinks…

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I never thought this day would come. I’ve spent countless hours taking prep classes, practice tests, doing timed sections, going over my mistakes, cranking out logic games, reasoning with myself over logical reasoning, and reading about some of the most obscene topics for the reading comprehension section, all in preparation for this day. A day I’m not sure I’m mentally prepared for; practice vs. the real deal … well, it seems so much different.

However, I have to say – I’m relieved it’s here. In fact, you could almost say that I’m pumped and ready to go. I’ve worked my ass off, and I’m ready to see the fruits of my post-grad labor. Over the last few months, there have been a million other things I rather do than answer assumption and inference questions, but I’ve sucked it up and knocked it out.

Although I’m one of those Nervous Nancy’s when it comes to test taking, I’m trying to not let my nerves get in the way of everything I’ve accomplished since July. When I first started studying for the LSAT, I never dreamed that I could do as well as I have been doing. In fact, I never anticipated that I would spend as much time as I have. But the process has been rewarding, and it’s made me want to go to law school even more. If anything, I feel like this process has taught me that I really can do anything I want, if I just dedicate the right amount of time and effort into it.

But what will I do after the LSAT? Oh yeah … apply to law schools. So, the process really isn’t over yet. Thank goodness though because what would a post-grad do without something to keep her busy? And speaking of busy, I have four days left – so I might as keep up my crazy schedule because at this point, it’s do or die, sink or swim — and I’m sure ready to swim through the sections of this test until I’m blue in the face.

Wish me luck!

Now that I’m halfway done with my college career (a pretty cushy place to be, considering I have two more years before the real world), I anticipate all the bright eyed and bushy tailed freshmen about to invade the dorms and use fake-id’s at all my favorite bars. Putting myself in their shoes, I wish that someone had been there to give me advice for my college career (all I got was my Mom telling me not to hook up with any fraternity boys until Spring semester). So I dove in head first and learned a few lessons of my own.

I learned the value of my dry erase board to my social life, I learned that “attendance optional” classes are not always a good thing. I learned that I should always have an assortment of costumes readily available, and that sharing drinks with my friends meant sharing drinks with whoever they made out with (and whoever they made out with…) All of these were very important lessons, and I’d like to share some of the pearls of wisdom I gained my freshman year.

College is not as big a place as you think.

It was easy to assume that a huge new campus meant instant anonymity. Therefore it was also very easy to assume that taking 6 tequila shots, throwing up underneath a bar stool, and going home with some guy in a sombrero at my first college Mexican restaurant experience would have no repercussions. Unfortunately, my hangover proved otherwise, as did the nickname “El Puke Capitan” that followed me around for the rest of my freshman summer. Oh, and Senor Sombrero? In the same section as me for Social Problems that Fall. Bottom line: college is big, but it ain’t that big.

You will not wake up at 7, make a power smoothie, hit the gym, shower then go to your 9 am class. Ever.

Come December of my freshman year, I realized what a mature, responsible and “together” young woman I had become (making your own doctor appointments can have that effect). So, I decided that I’d be way more productive and on top of shiz if I made all my Spring M, W, F classes at 9 am. That way I’d have time to wake up, eat a healthy breakfast and listen to CNN podcasts on my way to hot yoga. After that I’d hit the showers and head off to my first class with a post-workout glow. Unfortunately, that post-workout glow was more like post- flip cup nausea, the closest I got to a healthy breakfast was O.J. with my McMuffin, and I never did make it to the gym. More importantly, I very rarely made it to those early classes. Bottom line: prioritize school over partying, but don’t kid yourself about your ability to turn down nickel beers at your favorite bar. When you have the chance to take a later class, just do it.

If you have the opportunity to bring a big bag out, pack a survival kit.

Clutches are cute, and obviously the more practical handbag option for a night of debauchery, but if you can get away with a monster bag, bring that bad boy out. That way, you can pack a toothbrush, flip flops, Soffes and the proper toiletries to decrease the embarrassment level on your walk of shame. Of course the easiest way to avoid the W.O.S. is not to shack with randos, but if I learned anything my freshman year, it’s that those random nights of terrible decision making will occur. Bonus: you can pack your own condom preference. Her Pleasure, anyone?

If your future roommate shows signs of insanity, it may be time to break the lease.

After successfully surviving two semesters of random roommate pairing, I was extremely excited to get my first apartment my sophomore year and signed a lease with two friends from home and one of their friends. We planned how we would decorate our bedrooms and living room and thought of all the themed dinner/drink nights we would have at our cute little kitchen table. I thought that my new roomies would be GREAT, but looking back, the signs were all there. I realized that saying my third roommate’s name earned me some strange, almost piteous looks from mutual friends. I heard more about her spring break hookups from JuicyCampus than I did from her. She started a fist fight and pressed charges against the other girl.

Yeah, in retrospect I probably would have reevaluated my roommate choice, it would have saved me a broken front window that she kicked in, a whole bunch of food that she ate, hours of sleep lost listening to screaming matches between her and others, and a whole bunch of Claritin from the time she bought a cat (even though my other roomies and I are allergic and our apt. is pet free!) At least in the future I know to make roomie decisions a little more carefully…

Get to Know Your Profs and T.A.’s

Fresh out of high school, the idea of spending any extra face time with a teacher seemed a little…lame. But then I realized that seeing a teacher twice a week (along with 200 other students) would not allow them to ever know who I was (or know that I was their favorite student ever), so I started going to office hours. Professors are always willing to clarify assignments, and LOVE discussing their lecture material (most of them would gladly continue talking long after their hour and 15 minutes is up) and appreciate you being proactive about your grades. T.A.’s like this kind of meeting because it’s less formal than their classroom setting and they can level with you as a peer. Also, it shows them you’re interested in what they have to say. A personal relationship with your professor or T.A. will come in handy when you are running late on an assignment, need extra help, or earn an 89.45% in their class and need an opportunity for extra credit.

Keep your Facebook clean.

When I look back on my freshman year, I look back in neatly captioned and tagged albums via my profile. The first look back last summer, after completion of my first year at college, made me realize that I had some major deleting and de-tagging to do. While those pics of me impressively funnelling or taking ice-luge shots with my besties show my friends I can outdrink them, I didn’t want to know what they would show the family I babysat for if they ever saw. So I started deleting. Goodbye Pikeboy Lingerie Party pics, so long drunk wheelbarrow race to the stadium on gameday, no more 47 second kegstand (47 seconds!!). Yes I will miss these pictures, but they’re still on my hard drive, and now there are no creepy old men enjoying my creative use of Saran Wrap for anything-but-clothes parties. Even better? Employers, professors, and my friends’ parents can judge me based on PG-rated pics. Bottom line: put down the Solo before you say cheese, and you’ll be much happier you did.

The anticipation and build-up for the evening mean it’s never as good as you expect it to be. And no matter how much planning you do and how much money you spend, New Year’s Eve always fails to be an extraordinary night. Just because it’s the last night of the calendar year, doesn’t mean it’s going to be any more fun than any of the others. Trust me.

Reason #1 I Hate New Year’s Eve: First of all, it’s essential that you plan ahead. If you don’t make your plans well in advance, you’re risking having nothing to do. Parties get booked up, your friends make other plans, and you’re stuck watching the ball drop with your parents. I don’t like planning ahead. What if I’m forced into deciding to attend a party and then something better comes along? What if, in November, I don’t know what I’m going to be in the mood to do in December?

Reason #2 I Hate New Year’s Eve: Then there’s the expense. If you want to go out, you’re going to have to spend money, and probably a lot of it. Take last year, for example. A group of my friends made plans to go to a bar. We dished out the $75 that would allow us access to an open bar, bought fancy dresses, and got all decked out for the night of our lives. When we arrived, the bar was absolutely disgusting, the food nasty, and the people incredibly sketchy. It turned out we were only allowed to drink well liquor (when we could get near the bar). It also turned out that we could have paid $10 at the door and been allowed to attend the same party and order our own drinks. As if I would drink $65 in Grey Goose. The bottom line is that bars can charge whatever they please on New Year’s Eve and people will pay it. People like me.

Reason #3 I Hate New Year’s Eve: Midnight is just awkward if you’re single. When you’re single on New Year’s Eve and the clock hits midnight, you are left with only a few options. You can: a) Use this opportunity to hide in the bathroom and pretend you don’t realize it’s midnight, b) Participate in a group hug with all your other single friends, assuming you have any, or c) Kiss the guy closest to you, who may or may not be a huge freak. As you can see, none of these options are very appealing.

Reason #4 I Hate New Year’s Eve: It’s freezing out. You want to wear a cute dress and heels, but you’re going to freeze your butt off in the freezing, snowy cold. This is never fun. I’d rather be wearing sweat pants. In my bed. With a bottle of champagne.

This year, I’m giving it one more try. My friends and I made our plans in mid-November and are spending even more money this time. We have determined that by spending $110 to attend a party at a classy bar, we’re guaranteed a good time. Of course, we’re wrong. And it will probably be miserable. And next year we’ll go through the same thing all over again. Only it will be more expensive.

Pass the champagne, please.

Beach days are over, flip flops have been thrown to the back of the closet, and our skin has gotten so dry our resemble a reptile. Hello, winter!

We might be feverishly counting down the days to summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy December, January, and February. Hey — at least they’re not as rainy as March (usually). The next time you start cursing because you can’t feel your fingers…or toes…or face… reflect on some of the best winter offerings. Besides, if it was sunny and warm year round, we’d have to be perpetually ready to don a bikini.

1. The Holidays

First there’s Thanksgiving break, and the excuse to gorge yourself on home-cooked meals (a welcome change from the dining hall); then, after some grueling finals, winter break rolls around, with Christmas and Hannukah following closely behind. Lights and decorations are everywhere, NSync, Mariah Carey, and Adam Sandler take over the airwaves with “Merry Christmas (Happy Holidays),” “All I Want for Christmas is You,” and “The Hannukah Song,” respectively. And then there’s the long-awaited return of the Starbucks Gingerbread Latte.

By the end of December, winter is only half over, and we get to look forward to party hard on New Year’s Eve, with Valentine’s Day rolling around just a few weeks later. As winter trails off, we can say goodbye to snow over pints of Guinness for Saint Patrick’s Day, and then we have nothing left to celebrate until July. Thank you, winter, for giving us school vacations, seasonal treats, and an excuse to drink heavily at themed bar nights.

2. An Excuse to Layer

‘Tis the season to accessorize! There’s no way we could show off a cute new pashmina in 90-degree humidity, or color coordinate knit sorell caps, gloves, and scarves. Without a drop in temperature, we wouldn’t be able to jazz up a sweater dress with a chunky belt, sweater boots wouldn’t have even been invented, and there would be no room in our closets for cashmere!

3. Winter Sports

Football season gives way to basketball season, and students across the country get to continue to show their school spirit as their teams vie for a spot in one of the many tournaments across the country. For die hard fans, these tournaments also mean….ROAD TRIP! I mean, if you really can’t stand the cold, you can always pick a tourney in a warm climate – preseason tournaments so far have included the Maui Invitational and the Anaheim Classic. And that’s just b’ball getting started — take it from a Big East veteran, nothing will warm you up like a half-gallon thermos of beer at Madison Square Garden while you join thousands of other die-hard fans.

Of course, the list of winter-centric games goes on. Ice hockey, skiing, snowboarding, and skating are reason enough to brave the frigid temperatures, and if you can get your hands on a snowmobile and a few acres of land, you won’t even miss the beach. Who says you have to gain weight over the holiday season? With all these winter sports, it’s easy to find fun ways to burn calories. Hell, next time it snows, organize a snowball fight and tone your biceps while pelting your roommate!

4. The Romance Factor

Okay, seriously? Snuggling by the fire… or, if you don’t have a fireplace, an excuse to stay in bed under the covers for the whole day. There’s also the excuse to dress like a naughty Santa’s helper, a la Mean Girls to seduce your man, and with some mistletoe around, you’re bound to lock lips with the hottie of your choosing. Also, the winter sports previously mentioned can be a great ice-breaker (no pun intended). You can flirt over the snowbanks and then take a hot shower together to prevent frost bite. Can’t be too careful! If Currier and Ives proves to be an aphrodisiac, you get to celebrate your newfound relationship by bringing the honey home for the holidays.

5. The Scenery

If you can catch the first snowfall before the snowplows hit, it’s gorgeous. When the hills are mounds of white, the trees are shrouded with snowflakes, and the sun gleams off of an ice-covered pond, winter can make you forget about the stress of midterms and holiday shopping…until the world wakes up, shovels out their cars, and turns the Norman Rockwell-esque landscape into a mound of muddy sludge. Sure, the leaves turn pretty colors in the fall, but there’s a period between fall and winter where the trees are just barren, ugly, and dead-looking. Once the first snowfall hits, it’s an instant reminder of why we love regions that have all four seasons, and why we’re willing to deal with the cold year after year.

As a woman, I know we have a tendency to be rather catty at times. I’m not sure if it is nature or nurture, but it is there and sometimes it can get the best of us. Who is better to teach women the art of cattiness, than the women of Hollywood? We are constantly exposed to bickering women not only on TV and in the movies, but also in the celebreality of their day-to-day lives. The cattiness factor comes more often than not when a man is involved and the love triangle becomes a tug-of-war. (Please keep in mind, in most of these upcoming catty situations the guy is hardly worth it…except for maybe Brad.)

In December’s issue of Vogue, hitting stands next week, Jennifer Aniston discusses her feelings about Angelina Jolie providing a time-line for when she and Brad Pitt began having their affair (yes, while Jen and Brad were still married.) Jen said it was really “uncool” and “inappropriate” of Ang to discuss their affair, especially admitting the fact that she couldn’t wait to come to work during the filming of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Poor Jen. She’s better off without him! Though he is mighty fine to look at…

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when ex-husband starts bangin’ your best friend. As was the case in with Heather Locklear, Richie Sambora, and Denise Richards. Locklear reportedly went crazy when she found out Richards was boning her ex-husband, Sambora. In the end, Richie lost both of the hot women in his life, Heather may have turned into a drunk and Denise has revitalized her career as a hollywood homewrecker. Bummer.

Lindsay Lohan. Enough said, right? She has been in the news for everything from drug abuse to turning gay, but there was a time when she was an innocent teenager whose boyfriend cheated on her. Lindsay and Hilary Duff were at each other’s throats calling each other immature and childish over a little spat over…get this: Aaron Carter! (teeheehee…come on girls, seriously?) Hilary went as far to say that she hated Lindsay. May not sound like much, but at Disney that is like a racial slur. Ouch!

Why anyone would ever date or even look at K-Fed, I’m not exactly sure. But, two women did and they even fought over the loser, which is even more difficult to imagine. Not only did Shar Jackson and Britney cat fight over K-Fed, they even had his gross babies (ok, ok they aren’t gross. They’re actually pretty cute). Britney stole Shar’s man…. and then she went crazy insane. Coincidence? I think not. K-Fed is the human version of ebola.

Where there is smoke, there always seems to be a blond hotel heiress. Paris Hilton once dated Rick Solomon and then Rick married Shannen Doherty. I guess Shannen didn’t want to make “movies” with Rick, so he started boinking Paris, again. Unfortunately, it was while he was still married to Shannen. Paris allegedly sent psycho messages to Shannen telling her to leave Rick alone. It appears that money doesn’t always bring happiness or sanity, but it will attract a greasy wanna-be amateur porn-king. I am glad I am poor.

There’s really no way to put a new spin on the idea of keeping those little promises we make to ourselves right before the ball drops every January 1st. The idea of starting a new year with a clean slate is always tantalizing, but how many of us actually end up doing what we toast to doing at midnight?

Instead of dolling out general, Oprah-fied advice about keeping you resolutions, I’m gonna tell you what worked for me. Obviously, I don’t represent the majority of the population, but if someone with the willpower of -3 (read: cannot eat just one cookie or stop at first base) can keep herself on the right track with these examples, maybe you can too.

*Be Reasonable: Guaranteeing yourself that you’ll lose 50 pounds in three months or give up smoking cold turkey can be difficult promises to keep, and nothing fades away faster than a lofty promise. I say, make a timetable and take baby steps. I’ll start exercising more and go easy on the sugar, and, I will find a program or support to help me wean down my nicotine intake, are two very doable sentences. Start small, succeed, and go bigger. That’s the key.

*Keep a Journal: Writing down your daily progress towards your resolutions is a great way to keep yourself focused on your the original goal. An online blog, or even an old fashioned diary, are two techniques that will help you see the daily evolution from idea to actuality.

*Tell People: The idea of positive thinking is fantastic, but in my world, the more people I tell about a certain idea, the stupider I’ll feel if that idea never comes to fruition. Telling the most annoying person you know about your resolution is a surefire way to hear about it every hour on the hour. You won’t be able to ignore those promises to yourself when Johnny Asshole keeps sticking his head into your room and asking about your progress.

*Find a Partner: This is especially helpful in the weight loss or “quitting something” category of resolutions. Having someone by your side to help you ignore that second brownie, or pull you away from those expensive shoes, provides just the right amount of encouragement when the going gets tough.

*Believe In It: It may sound cheesy, but truly believing that this is the year for changing something you’ve always wanted to change can be a very powerful thing. We can pretty much do anything as long as we put our minds to it and use every ounce of determination we have. How else would I have given up my love affair with store-bought cake?

To start things off right, cast your resolutions to the infinity of the internet and tell us what your goals are for 2008!