Got something awesome everyone needs to know about? A really great local band? An awesome website? A product that truly changed your life? Amazing deals at Starbucks?! Email your “The Know” ideas to Jill@collegecandy.com and I’ll pass them along to everyone right here, every week. Make your kindergarten teacher proud and share!

We love make your own stuff around here. That is, when we aren’t the ones that actually have to make it. (Because who wants to make dinner after a long day of class? Helloooooo, cereal for dinner!)

Make your own granola mix.
Custom build your own photo art.
Design your own Nikes.

As long as someone else is doing the customizing, I am ALL about making things myself. I’m picky and I like things my way; just ask anyone who has ever been out to dinner with me. I customize my order like it’s my job, which makes the waiter’s job that much more difficult. But I don’t care – I want what I want and that’s that.

Which is why I am obsessed with Element’s Make-Your-Own Snack/Energy bars. I always love to have a bar handy in my bag when 5pm rolls around and the entire library can hear my stomach rumble, but I always catch myself saying “I wish this bar had chocolate or cashews, or dried cherries, or a protein boost” only to be disappointed. Element has heard my prayers (and probably my stomach rumbles) and is now offering every single one of our picky selves the opportunity to create a healthy snack just the way we like it. Read More »

Remember back in your pre-college days when the start of school always meant new outfits and school supplies? Even though you’ve probably swapped your notebooks with netbooks, there’s no reason to end the tradition of new clothes for the start of a new year and what wardrobe would be complete without a new pair of jeans? (Or 12.)

Denim (not sweatpants) should be the staple go-to in any college girl’s wardrobe. They are the perfect thing to pick up off the floor and pull on when you’re running late for class, you can wait months between washing them (don’t judge – you know you do it, too) and, obvi, they are a much better evening option if you wanna avoid the crotch shots.

With all the fits and washes of jeans out there this year, there’s bound to be at least one pair perfect for your lifestyle, figure and budget. The key to the perfect pair of jeans is to try on pair, after pair, after pair, after… well you get the picture. Each pair – even if it’s the exact same size and style – will fit differently, so patience is most definitely a virtue when it comes to shopping for denim. It’s also important to realize that not every fit will look good on you, so keep trying ’til you find that perfect pair that makes you feel like a million bucks.

Oh, and it’s OK if that pair also costs a million bucks. If there’s one thing worth splurging on, it’s a high quality pair of denim. Just trust me on this one. (Click on the jeans to get all the shopping info.) Read More »