Ahhhhh, the first date.  It can be the start of something great or can easily take a quick turn down the crapper.  You may have thought the date went as perfect as can be, but if Mr. Lover Boy hasn’t called you back for another one in over three days, chances are it didn’t.

Instead of sitting there overanalyzing every single detail of the date and what could have gone wrong (like we all do), I’ll make it simple for you. Here are the mistakes everyone makes on their first date and what you can do to avoid them.

1. Not dressing for the occasion. If you’re going to a baseball game, don’t wear stiletto heels. If you’re going out to eat somewhere nicer than McDonald’s, change out of your sweats. It’s as simple as that. And if you’re Lady Gaga, obviously no rules apply to you.

How to Avoid Making the Mistake: Make sure you know where you’re going on the date. If it’s a surprise, it’s always better to play it safe and wear something casual. Not too sloppy, not too dressy.

2. Talking about exes. Talking about ex-boyfriends isn’t just annoying on dates— it’s annoying all the time. 3 words: Get. Over. It. And if you can’t, maybe you shouldn’t be dating quite yet. If you do decide it’s time to enter the wonderful world of dating, make sure you keep the conversation far away from ex-land. No guy wants to sit and listen to you whine about how his eyebrows aren’t groomed as well as your ex-boyfriend’s.

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Here are 59 cheap, fun, and easy activities that everyone can do on their day off. And yes, sleep in is one of them.

1. Recover from the thirsty weekend without guilt.
2. Film a lip dub. Lady Gaga is always a fun choice, and there is always the possibility that she will Tweet you to fame amongst her little monsters.
3. Rewrite that resumé and polish up that portfolio, this is the time to apply for part-time jobs and internships that start in May! Read More »

I’m officially a college graduate and am joining the masses of recent grads sobbing audibly as they scroll through their Facebook photos from the past 4 years moving to a new city and a new life. As I pack up my boxes once again, I’ve realized that my college dorm décor may not exactly suit for the real world.

I want to update my room style from posters of David Beckham and Edward Cullen (I love you, RPatz – if you’re out there….call me. Seriously….) to shabby chic art, furniture, and frames. I want my room to scream “I’m a fabulous adult” and not “I frequent college poster sales,” and I don’t want to spend a lot of money to do it.

Instead of bringing along a DIY corkboard (perfect for any college dorm), I decided it was time to display my favorite college mementos, pictures, and reminders in a more sophisticated way. So I scoured the internet and the few flea markets that exist in my neighborhood to get design ideas until finally I came across an old miniature dress form.

Dress forms have been a symbol of chic fashionistas since sewing was invented. To me they scream modern yet vintage décor, and can be used for more things than just designing clothes. Instead of traditional frames or tape to mount my favorite pictures and mementos on a wall, I transformed the dress form into its own display board, frame, and jewelry case.

So here is an easy, creative, and inexpensive way to step up your style and display tidbits of your life. Read More »

There’s really nothing better for a busy college girl than a dinner that tastes fantastic but took less than 15 minutes to make. Unfortunately, the two are almost mutually exclusive in my mind. I say “almost” because I can think of at least one notable exception: taco salad.

When I was a kid, taco salad was one of my favorite dinners. My mom would sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on tortilla chips and pop them in the oven to make nachos, and we would eat the nachos as an appetizer while she made the taco salad. When we were done downing the nachos, the salad was ready to eat.

I love taco salad so much that sometimes I make the mistake of ordering it when I go out to eat. There’s nothing wrong with that—it’s usually pretty delicious—but then I remember that I can make almost exactly the same thing at home for a fraction of the cost. If you like restaurant taco salad, too, give this recipe a try. Read More »

Somewhere between midterms and fall parties and oversized flannel shirts paired with black leggings tucked into slouchy crochet style Uggs, it hits you. It’s Halloween crunch time. One morning you roll out of bed and realize your roommates have already perfected their Village People getup, your best friend and her boyfriend are pop culture referencing the shiz out of Taylor and Kanye, and your pseudo-fratty neighbors have their imitation silk Wal-Mart robes ready to make Hugh Hefner proud.

But with T-minus 36 hours to arguably the biggest party night (week?) of the year, you got nothing. Eff. You need to throw something awesome together fast.

Never fear.

Here’s a quick list of insta-costumes, all using stuff you probably have in your closet already or can snap up at Target on the cheapsies.

Super Hero: Mid-drift baring Wonder Woman costumes are so overdone. And also $60. Ouch. Save yourself the cash and the killer ab workout and opt for bright swimsuit bottoms over leggings, topped with a cami or another snug-fitting top. Decorate with your monogram in masking tape or Google image search a cause—maybe you’ll be super pizza bagel girl, or captain celebrity gossip. Complete the look with one of those thick workout headbands; fashion a cape from a sheet, or make a run to the fabric store for something snazzier. Wear boots and recruit sidekicks.

Beyonce: This one may take a little more effort (and guts) but if you got it, work it. You can pick up a black leotard at Wal-Mart, or any dance supply store. From there, all you need is a gaudy ring, tall heels, taller hair (great time to break out the Bump It) and YouTube dance moves. Convince the boyf, or another suitable male, to go as Jay-Z. Otherwise, live it up as a single lady. Hello, Sasha Fierce. Read More »

My Italian Nana had seven children. Seven. Needless to say, she was the queen of easy recipes and delicious meals made from the leftover scraps of last night’s dinner.

Now, I’m pretty sure none of you people have 7 kids, but you do have a full course-load and weekends spent laying in bed watching TV. Yeah, you’re busy and there’s not much time to cook, which means my Nana’s recipes are perfect for your college life.

And the best/easiest/warms-your-tummy from-the-inside-out recipe: Nana’s Turkey Tetrazzini. It sounds fancy, and tastes fancy, but it’s super easy (got a bowl and a spoon? You’re good to go) and quick to make (open, pour, mix, cook). And it can be made vegetarian! Just take out the turkey.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped celery
2 Tbsp chopped black olives ( I put in lots more)
1 and a half to 2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken!), cut in pieces
8-12 oz cooked pasta, like spaghetti
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ cup water or chicken broth
¼ cup white wine or sherry, if desired (and who wouldn’t desire a little wine in their dinner…and the rest of the bottle while they make it?!)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Bread crumbs for topping Read More »

You know those people who screw up the brownies where all you have to do is add water? Yes, that’s me. I have screwed up popcorn, switched ingredient amounts, and frequently embarrassed my mother with my basic lack of culinary skill. However, one summer’s night when my sister and I had nothing to do I typed in “Cookie Recipes” to Google. After sifting through ladybug cookies, frosting cookies, and every variation of chocolate chip that you can imagine, I finally came across the god of all cookies:

The Peanut Butter Cup Cookie.

Taken from allrecipes.com, this cookie is not only easy to make, it is nearly impossible to screw up. The first time I made them I was ecstatic; the second time I made them, I had everyone at my aunt’s Father’s Day party telling me what a gem I was and how lucky it was that I had inherited my aunt’s natural cooking abilities. I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of myself. To all of the peanut butter lovers out there who want to make something sweet, try these. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Besides being easy to make, they’re totally fun, and taste…well, like heaven melting in your mouth. Read More »

So, the thing about most of the annoying people on campus is that, most of the time, you can get away from them. Either you pass the class and move on, you simply ignore their sermons, or they generally exit your life just as quickly as they came.

Not all of them, though. Some annoying campus dwellers will be there. Always. Forever. And never go away.

Who am I talking about? Why, the  Frat House Groupie, of course!

Now, there are many girls who may seem to fall into this category that should not. These are:

1) Members of a sister sorority. It’s super common to see certain fraternities pairing up with certain sororities on campus; their bylaws/campus rules/international standards of fraternizing require that they have to make nice with the girlies and co-host events together.  Whatev.  Point is, if you’re hanging at the house one Friday night because they’re having an awesome 70s themed costume party and you see the typical group of sorority girls, those are the least of your worries.

2) Girlfriends or ex girlfriends of frat boys: These girls are expected to be there. After all, they aren’t just trolling the crowd looking for booty; this is their man’s house. Or their ex man. And they are still friends with all the boys. Read: they know people.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move into the girls you should be wary of. There are generally two types of Frat House Groupies: Read More »

I tend to think the best of people. Overall, I think strangers are more friendly more often than they’re not, and if you give them a smile, you’ll get one back. I tend to think that with most store employees and the lot, if you’re friendly, they’ll be friendly and helpful in return. It was only recently that I learned I might just be horribly naive.

A male friend of mine was talking about how the mailroom guy on campus was so grouchy. “He gives you this glare and doesn’t say a word even when you say hi,” he said.

I was surprised. “I’ve seen him smile and say hi.”

My friend rolled his eyes. “Well of course. You’re a girl.”

I protested, but as I interacted with him again and again I realized that the mailroom guy was just nice to girls. And it was the same with the post office workers, the cafeteria workers, and a handful of other strangers I interact with on a regular basis. Before you think I’m padding my own ego and saying I’m smoking hot, let me assure you, it wasn’t just me. People are just more likely to treat a girl politely, to smile and be more helpful.

At first I thought, What luck! Girls can finally enjoy something about being a girl! But as the overactive-feminist part of my brain worked on this new idea, I liked it less and less. Read More »

Okay, picture this:

Your crush just called and said he/she would like to come over and hang out, and, for reasons unknown or maybe because life hates you, you blurted out, “Great! I was just making dinner!”

So now you have 15 minutes to make a tasty full-blown meal that will impress your crush–but without looking like you tried too hard. F*ck the mac ‘n’ cheese; make parmesan tilapia!

Parmesan Tilapia

serves 2

Stuffs Yous Needs:

2 filets of tilapia, 1/4 pound each

2 tbsp of parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tsp of lemon juice

1 tbsp of softened butter

1/8 tsp of basil (dried)

2 1/4 tsp of mayonnaise

1/8 tsp of black pepper (ground)

1/8 tsp of salt

1/8 tsp of onion powder Read More »