It happens to the best of us. That one extra shot at a pre-game or an extra round of flip cup can quickly lead to a night of forgotten mischief and bad decisions. While it’s completely fine to enjoy yourself and have a fun night, it’s also important to watch your back and make sure this one night doesn’t haunt you for the rest of your life (or, at least, the rest of your time at college). You may not be able to remember your night, but try to remember these tips because they’ll save you from (some) embarrassment and keep you safe.

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As a certified 21st century girl, I love all forms of “e” (or “i” for all you Mac geeks) communication. Email, IM, tweeting, texting — they’re all great ways to stay connected. So why are movie theaters, schools and other public places getting so strict about them?

Well I guess maybe because there’s a time and place for everything, including texting.

Hate to sound like you grandma by saying things like “there’s a time and place for everything” but…here goes:

It’s NOT okay to text when…

• Driving: Sure, some of us have this technique down perfectly and have managed to do it for years without getting in some kind of major accident, but then again, there are plenty of carefree teenagers, irritable businesswomen and overwhelmed mothers in minivans who have yet to perfect the “look down at the phone for 2 seconds, then back up at the road for 2 seconds” technique we all know and love. If you need to text, pull into a parking lot or something. I know you want to make the most of your unlimited texting plan, but believe me: the insurance bill on a wrecked car will be 20 times your monthly  cell statement.
• Hooking up: If you’re texting while hooking up with someone, it’s probably for one of two reasons: 1) you’re trying to make it look like you’re in high-demand from other people so that he doesn’t take this one hook up for granted or 2) for some reason, you just can’t stop texting old inside jokes to your best friend. Regardless of the reason, it’s rude and you would probably feel like crap if the tables were turned and he was the one texting his friends the whole time. If you’re about to have some sexy time, either turn it off or put the phone in your bag… on silent… in another room.
• Having a Serious Conversation: Come on, if you’re at the Olive Garden with your best friend who just got dumped by her boyfriend of almost a year, your phone should be out of sight at this meal. She is going to want to vent and, by opting for some Americanized Italian carbs, you’ve volunteered to be the vent-ee. If you text while she’s talking about how “no one will ever love her the way he did,” she’s going to feel even more depressed and insecure. Listen like a good friend and she’ll probably return the favor when you need it.

Halloween is fun. Halloween hook-ups are fun. Waking up next to a half-zombie and realizing that your entire face is smeared with your red lipstick and his green body paint….not as fun. And although prides of strides are nothing to be embarrassed about. It is a little hard to make eye contact with people when you’re wearing a sexy Mozilla Firefox costume.

And that’s why we set up a do’s and don’ts guide for your viewing pleasure. Someone’s gotta look out for you, right?  So sit down, take notes, and prepare for the worst most successful Halloween shenanigans yet.

Do: Remove his mask before you leave the party. There’s nothing worse than expecting a Vinny and ending up with a Situation.
Don’t: Let him out of your site. Lord knows there will be a lot of Burger Kings this Hallow’s Eve and you don’t want to end up in a cab with the wrong one.

Do: Wash off the face/body paint before you get into bed.
Don’t: Use his (or your) bed sheets to soak up the red paint you used as ‘Lady Gaga Paparazzi blood’ for your costume.  If he wakes up red residue soaked through his egg crate, he may be scratching his chin (and calling 911) come morning.

Do: Keep your belongings (ahem keys) with you at all times.  You don’t want to be caught wearing your referee costume in the morning throwing beer cans at the window so your roommate wakes up and lets you in.
Don’t: Sleep in. Get up and get out of there early to avoid walk of shaming it home in your Super Woman spandex. You know what they always say: the early bird gets the worm lack of embarrassment.

Do: Shove some flippy floppies in your purse for the next morning.  Trust me, a foot-thong is better to walk home in than homemade replicas of Lady Gaga’s Alexander McQueen pumps.
Don’t: Wear a leotard without the little buttons in the crotch region.  Things could get tricky.

Do: Pack those nifty facial wipes (from the Target dollar aisle) for a little pre-bedtime or early morning clean up.  They work wonders for that smudged mascara that’s making you look like Taylor Momsen after she had sex with Tommy Lee.
Don’t: Try and get a piggy back ride on your way home from the bar with your undercover lover. Especially if you gotta recycle that costume on Saturday night. What happens when you tear a slit in that Snooki dress or smush those fairy wings? FAIL.

Do: Wear underwear.  I don’t care if you are ‘Britney Spears getting out of a limo.’  Nobody wants to see your goody-goody-gum-drops.  Put a little mystery in your late night love life.
Don’t: Get a spray tan an hour before you put on your ‘Like a Virgin’ white dress. Let that shiz sit for a while, otherwise he won’t know if he’s hooking up with Madonna, Christina Aguilera after her ‘dirrrrty’ phase or a box of Cheez-Its.

Do: Role play. You’ve already got the costumes, now it’s time to play the part.
Don’t: Forget to be safe. And I’m not just talking about removing the fangs before you get it on.

[This post was originally written by Brittany - University of Saint Thomas]

Here they are: the 3 biggest don’ts of having The Talk:

1. Don’t try and break the ice via text. There’s nothing more impersonal than trying to have a serious conversation via text message. In person is your best bet.

2. Don’t decide to have the talk during game 5 of the NBA Finals. I guarantee you won’t get the response you’re hoping for.

3. Don’t ask your Facebook friends for advice. I’m serious, social networks could end your relationship before it even begins. You have been warned!

While I’ve covered the three biggest don’ts, my guess is that at this point, you’re still completely lost about what you should do. While I can’t give you any more advice (I’ve pulled a lot more don’ts in my years, than do’s) you can definitely find some more sound advice on the do’s and don’ts of having the talk here.

Good luck!

According to Jezebel the prince and his blushing bride will be inviting six of their exes to the wedding. ( 2 of hers. 4 of his). And apparently there’s some sort of etiquette behind this that requires them to do so. But I mean, come on. I know they’re royalty and all and they don’t have much of a choice, but is this something the rest of us are going to have to do as well? I hope not. Because I definitely won’t be inviting my exes anywhere. I don’t even want to see them at the coffee shop never mind at the rehearsal dinner…

This train of thought of course, got me thinking about my own ex encounters, which had me cringing and triumphing  at each one in turn.  And this of course had me thinking about the dos and don’ts of ex-boyfriends, and that, of course, is how you wound up with this list.

Do remove your ex from your Facebook feed. Seeing his obnoxious statuses about babes and beer everyday is not going to help you get over him. The more he pops up on your newsfeed the more you’ll want to head over to his page and stalk him read through his wall. Avoid the temptation and hide him!

Don’t remove your ex from your Facebook friends. Hiding him is one thing, but deleting him is something else entirely, and it’s a big no-no. Not only because to him it means you cared enough to be mad enough to delete him, but also because as much as you don’t want to know what’s  going on with him, you’ll want the option to be there. Trust me on this one.

Do give him a coy smile and a quick hello if you see him out and about. Seeing the ex again is inevitable, especially on a college campus where everyone goes to all of the same bars and all of the same events. So don’t avoid him or pretend like you don’t see him. Just smile politely, exchange pleasantries. And then move along.

Don’t stay and chat. The longer you hang around with him, the greater your chances will be of saying something you probably shouldn’t or hearing something you probably don’t want to hear. You two broke up. Parted ways. Don’t stay and endure the awkward conversation for whatever reason you’ve come up with.

Do introduce him to your date. If you’re there with another guy, introduce him to said guy. It would be odd if you didn’t. Names are fine. No need for labels on either end.

Don’t brag about said date. Telling your ex how fab your new beau is may seem like a brilliant idea at the time, and a great way to make him jealous but it may do more time than good. I mean you can always tell when someone’s laying it on, can’t you?  That person definitely looks like she’s trying too hard, doesn’t she?

Do remember you broke up for a reason. When enduring post breakup encounters for the first time it’s easy to be hit with that rush of old feelings. You remember how cute he is or how he makes you laugh and how much fun you have and suddenly you’re heading down memory lane, no matter who did the breaking up. But remember you did break up. For a reason.

Don’t get reeled back in. I repeat, you broke up for a reason. And I’m sure it was difficult, whether you were the dumper or the dumpee, but ignoring those reasons and  jumping back into something too quickly doesn’t solve those problems. It just hides them. So keep that in mind during your ex encounters.

What about you ladies? Have any breakup dos and don’ts? Or better yet any breakup horror stories we can oh and ah about use to learn from past mistakes?

The Dos And Don’ts Of Thanksgiving Break: Brittany teaches us how not to make Thanksgiving weekend as regrettable as that one night freshman year when you decided Patron shots were a good idea. Comment on your favorite part of Thanksgiving and WIN A BIG PRIZE!

Your Thanksgiving Break Packing List: Don’t forget your fat pants (most people do.) And your bar outfit for Wednesday. Really, it’s soooo important for your high school social standing to pack right.

5 Things To Know About Being Home For Thanksgiving Break: College life is great, but there are some really amazing things about being at home again.  Here are some of the best.

Thanksgiving Dinner Will Wreak Havoc On Your Waistline: Kind of a buzzkill, but really valuable information.  No one wants to go back to school with an extra five covering up the Freshman 15.

Intro To Cooking: Cranberry Applesauce: A sophisticated take on your favorite baby food. You’ll wow your grandmother with this simple,easy recipe.

The Black Friday Go-To Outfit: Turn the mall into a runway with this fierce yet functional ensemble. Oh, we forgot to mention in the post you should probably bring protective eyewear.

College, I Thank Thee: It’s easy to forget during finals week, but college life is pretty fan-tastic – so let’s give thanks. Where else can  you walk of shame like it’s no big deal.

I’m Not Thankful For Thanksgiving: There are people who don’t love the holiday? Who knew?!

Life After College – Holiday Anxieties: There’s a reason suicide rates spike during the holidays. LOL. But seriously.

The Perfect (And Strechy) Outfits For Your Thanksgiving Dinner: No need to unbutton your jeans at the table this year.

Vegetarian Thanksgiving? Yes, Please: Tofurkey, anyone?

Green Up Your Turkey Day: So that next year you can be thankful for the ozone layer.

Thanksgiving Part Deux: Best ways to liven leftovers.  Ever.

The Weekly Ten: The Little Things I’m Thankful For: It’s the little, simple things in life that we need to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  For me, it could be simple as a clear, quiet street for me to walk on Sunday morning back to my dorm in my Jessica Simpson pumps.

Packing Light: A Few Basics To Get You Through Thanksgiving Break: How to pack lightly this Thanksgiving Break, because who knows what size maternity pants you’re going to need to pack on your way back to college…

Morning After: Mommy Has a Thanksgiving Message: Ok, we get it – the day before giving thanks is the biggest party day of the year.  Thanks be to ‘not seeing my Mom on the walk of shame that morning.’

Intro to Cooking: Thanksgiving at College!: If you’re too far from home this Thanksgiving and you’re sticking to off-campus-housing living, don’t fret!  There is hope in a world where you can create your own Thanksgiving Feast. Bon Appetite!”

Ten Things to NOT Bring Up at Thanksgiving Dinner: Ok, your life aint’ a Glee episode.  It’s not going to cut to the next scene after you say something like this.

Thanksgiving Dinner Will Wreak Havoc on Your Waistline: Ok, Panera Bread does it, it’s time to count the calories on the Thanksgiving Menu this year.

Worried about those spring break hook ups? Check out these do’s and don’ts.

Did politics kill Meghan McCain’s libido?

Jesse McCartney is looking pretty hot in this just-released video.

Looks like mama Lohan is finally starting to worry.

What do you think, is Angelina a better blonde or brunette?

Sharon Osbourne is being sued for battery, negligence and infliction of emotional distress.

Nerds vs. Geeks: its all in the definition.

How far would you go for a Nintendo DS.

Danielle Lloyd talks domestic Violence.