The Huffington Post recently published a list of 10 places every child must visit. On the list: The Smithsonian, Yellowstone and Ellis Island. I remember when I was a kid and my parents somehow found it in their souls to take to all of those places.  We were a big traveling family and my parents wanted me to see (and learn about) everything. Unfortunately, instead of taking in the beauty of the Grand Canyon, I sat in the dirt and cleaned up my Tamogotchi’s poop.

In a nutshell: I didn’t let it all sink in, learn something or enjoy it.
And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

However, now that we’re all grown up in college, we are presented with the perfect opportunity (and maturity) to do some exploring and really experience some cool things.  Some of these things we couldn’t appreciate entirely when we were little munchkins not old enough to play beer pong at a real, living, breathing frat party.  And some of these things we won’t be able to appreciate to the same extent when we’re out of college.

So while our minds are human sponges and we’ve got loads of time, it’s time to explore the top ten places every college student must see.

[Click on ANY image to view the gallery!]

Even though it’s been a full week since I returned from my adventures in Europe, I’m still on a high from my trip. (Although that might have more to do with the sheer volume of coffee I’ve been consuming to combat the jetlag….) It seemed like the chic little Parisian hotel we stayed at was in the center of everything I wanted to see and do. There were tons of shops, little brasseries with beyond delicious food, and impressive monuments nearby.

With so much to do, whenever I came back to the hotel, I was exhausted. So I’d plop in bed and watch BBC or CNBC, the only two English channels the hotel offered. On one particularly exhausting day, I kicked up my feet and watched a show about entrepreneurs who made their dreams come true on which Sara Blakely, the inventor of Spanx, was featured.

The entire thing was fascinating. The woman started with an idea for shapewear and ended up creating a multimillion dollar business, changing the lives of women around the world, and getting tight with Oprah in the process. (Editor’s Note: And that little hole that allows for quicker bathroom trips….BRILLIANT!)

I’m in awe of Sara, and she’s proof that if you believe in a great idea and really push for it (in the beginning, she walked around on the street, quizzing random women about their underwear insecurities and getting the word out!), great things can happen. So, of course, that got me thinking…

Would You Rather get a grant for $100,000 to help start the business of your choosing OR have $50,000 to use to travel the world for as long as it lasted you?

Things to Consider: Being your own boss, changing the world, seeing the world…for free.

Think about it. Think about it some more. Vote. Then tell everyone why below.

So after a few weeks abroad, I just landed back in the U.S. of A. from Europe! I can’t believe my trip went by so quickly; I had the best time I’ve ever had in my entire life, and, being a college kid, that’s saying something. I did so many things that I’m grateful I got to experience, from walking down streets I’ve read about in Sherlock Holmes books to trekking miles to see the Eiffel Tower. And the food. The food. Never in my life have I eaten as well as I did in Paris. If you’re a foodie, make sure you get over and sample as many heavenly pastries as you can stomach.

Or do as I did and take down well more than you can stomach and end up totally uncomfortable for days on end….

Now that my trip is over, I (and you lucky kids who are also on the quarter system) still have about a month left before I go back to school. I’m sure the time will pass quickly, since it always does when there are no classes to wake up for or papers to write, and I’m determined to make the most of it.

So that got me thinking (since I got nothing else going on…):

Would You Rather win an insane shopping spree for a totally brand new back-to-school wardrobe OR get to sit down and chat with your favorite celebrity (dead or alive) for five minutes?

Things to Consider: these, this, touching Justin Bieber’s hair (!!!!) or, you know, talking to someone you love.

Vote now and give us the dirty deets below!

Your college experience flies by so fast that you’re often stuck standing in line for graduation wondering where the past four years went. You vaguely remember meeting your best friend when she held your hair back after your first frat party and you kinda remember that all-nighter you pulled to get 3 term papers done in one night. But the rest is a blur of theme parties, walks of shame, and begging your older sister for her fake ID.

Before you know it, you’re out in the real world, working a real job alongside real people, wondering what happened to no-class Friday and $3 pitchers. And trust me, it ain’t fun.

It gets pretty easy to get caught up in it all and forget to be young and crazy. That’s why, with only a little way’s to go until I hit the big 2-5, I’ve put together the ultimate list of everything we, as fun-loving and fearless women, need to accomplish before we turn 25.

1. Have a really good one-night stand with a gorgeous guy. Forget about your personalities matching up and forget about Facebooking him the next day. Appreciate the smoking hot naked body…and take some Plan B in the morning just in case, because if you did it right, you have no way of ever contacting him.

2. Do an illegal drug. Otherwise your kids will think you’re totally lame 30 years down the road when they’re all like “Mom, I bet you were so wild and fun back in the  ’10s” and you’ll have to respond “well, one time I drank beer before liquor.”

3. Live in another country (even if it’s just for a short period of time). You’ll get an entirely new perspective on our country, on the world, and on how far reaching American scandals go in other countries. Nothing like your Spanish host mom bringing up Monica Lewinsky years after the fact.

4. Travel on the cheap. Pick a destination and do it up, backpacking-style. Stay in hostels, eat unidentifiable food, and make sure to have anti-diarrhea medicine on hand. Once you’re over 25, your body will no longer be able to stomach staying in those places, eating that food, and experiencing food poisoning in front of a ton of foreign strangers.

5. Confront a fear. Doesn’t matter if it’s a fear of heights or a fear of spiders, figure out a way to face it head on just once.

6. Be brave and be bold and have sex with the lights on. He’ll find you even sexier, which will only boost your own self-confidence.

7. Splurge on an awesome pair of jeans that fit you really well. Bonus points if they also fit your completely different-sized best friends just as well and make magical things happen.

8. Apologize to someone you were mean to in middle school. Except for that one girl who didn’t need braces, everyone was feeling insecure and left out in those days. A quick Facebook message apology will brighten her day.

9. Make a real guy friend who is really just a friend. As in you don’t want to ever see him naked and he doesn’t ever want to see you naked. No points if you’re related.

10. Get a job working with food or working with clothes. You’ll never treat your waiters,  your bartenders, your salespeople the same way ever again. You’ll suddenly understand why they ask you to get off the phone when you’re ordering and why they request that you take your clothes out of the dressing room.

11. Figure out what kind of wine you actually like. There is life beyond Franzia and you’ll feel so mature and adult when you can tell a date that you prefer a dry Chardonnay over a sweeter Pinot. The best way to figure this out on the cheap? Go on a wine tour. You’ll sort things out real quick. Oh, and learn how to work a corkscrew. No wine is enhanced by chunks of cork floating around.

12. Take a roadtrip with your friends. The destination doesn’t matter. As Miley Cyrus once “sang,” it’s all about the climb. Nothing brings friends closer than endless games of “Count the Cracker Barrels,” hours upon hours of deep conversations (out come the family secrets!), and Disney sing-a-longs.

13. Try an exotic food you can’t pronounce.

14. Go to a college football game and go all out. Paint your face, lose your voice from cheering, and tailgate like a rockstar.

15. See a Broadway show. Even the most cynical people leave a show happy.

16. Go 24 hours media-free. That means turn off your cell phone and shut down your computer. With the exception of getting tagged in heinous photos that you can’t de-tag right away, you won’t miss anything.

17. Skinny dip.

18. Give back to the community. Whether it’s building houses for Habitat for Humanity, participating in a campus Relay for Life, or standing for days on end for a Dance Marathon, you’ll have an awesome time and feel really, really good about yourself. After a 12 hour nap, of course.

19. Learn to do your own taxes and how to manage your own money. It will make that transition into real life so. much. easier.

20. Take your parents out to a nice dinner. Because they deserve it.

21. Start a blog about your life and update it regularly. Sure it seems self-centered now, but you’ll be grateful ten years from now when you can reflect on your life when you were really living it up.

22. Go to a Pride Parade. There is nothing on earth as fun, happy and memorable than a parade dedicated to gay pride.

23. Go to Vegas and let go. Party hard, then party harder. Then hit up an all-you-can-eat buffet to sober up…so you can party again.

24. Learn to drive a manual car. They’re cheaper and, really, it’s just a cool party trick. Plus, from what we hear, it’s a major turn-on for guys.

25. Donate blood. If you think donating is scary, imagine being the person who needs it during a blood shortage. And if that’s not enough, there are cookies.

For those going abroad for the upcoming semester or planning a trip to Europe anytime soon, here are some helpful tips to get you around:

You are from Canada: Let’s be honest – Americans like to think they rule the world, and sometimes that holier than thou attitude rubs Europeans the wrong way. Don’t go overseas acting like a stereotypical American (you know, the ones that yell loudly when speaking to someone that doesn’t understand English as if the other person is deaf…) It may be hard when adjusting to culture shock, but the best way to get past it is to simply embrace it. If you can’t … just say you’re from Canada and all the questions will go away.

“Tap Water is For The Prisoners”: When I was thirteen, I went to Europe for two weeks on a guided school trip. The tour guide told my class that only prisoners drink tap water, so we shouldn’t order it at a restaurant. Forget that, live like a prisoner. Unlike in the states, restaurants just don’t bring out water for you. They tend to bring out bottled water, and after walking around Amsterdam all day, finishing off one of those babies happens fast…as does racking up a huge bill. Unless you really have a problem drinking tap water, order it. Not only will it save you money, but it will be cold. Most restaurants will serve you room temperature bottled water, but if you want something icy cold … tap water is the only way you’ll get those extra ice cubes. Free, cold water? No complaints there!

Transportation made easy: With an abundance of train services, ferry boats, and cheap flights (EasyJet and Ryan Air – however, beware of extra fees), traveling from one country to the next is affordable and a must for any European experience. If you shop around for the best deals, you can save lots of money hopping from Belgium to France in one weekend. Although taking the train may seem foreign (trains are rarely utilized in the USA as a form of fast, easy transportation), it is the best way to see Europe. Really, how can you complain when you’re on your way to Paris for the weekend with countryside outside your window?

Hold the Anchovies: I ordered a ceasar salad expecting just you’re standard plate of lettuce and ceasar sauce, but instead, I got a plate full of anchovies (complete with their eyeballs still intact) and a mayo sauce. Make sure when ordering at a restaurant you are as specific as can be or else you may be surprised. Also, if you like your meat cooked a certain way, tell your waiter or else you’re “well done” steak may come out bloody and pink. However, if you can get past some food differences, indulge yourself in as much cultural foods as possible, i.e. when in France, live off of croissants and macaroons!

See the sights: While a lot of my study abroad group got wasted every night, a good amount chose to see the sights. You are abroad, so why are you blacked out outside of Big Ben? A big mistake that a lot of abroaders make is mixing culture with fun – they think they can’t. You paid a lot of money to go abroad, so it is important to see everything that you can. No one wants to come back from Europe to say “I skipped out on the Mona Lisa because I was hung over” or “I couldn’t climb to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral because I was puking in a pub instead.” Party and have a great time, but prioritize what you are going to see. If you can schedule your days ahead, you can save a lot of time for partying and pub crawls later.

Be a local: Instead of eating at restaurants you are familiar with or sticking to simple tourist destinations, expand your travels and pretend you are a local. Ask opinions of the receptionist at your hostel of where to eat. Find out what shopping areas aren’t as famous and go see what you can dig up there. Try new foods and drink. For example, you can’t leave London without at least trying their fish and chips once. Don’t just stick to the same old path everyone else is, explore the beaten path and you will have a much more rewarding experience of culture and understanding of the area along the way.

Happy Traveling!

Every week, CC and John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Leave your own overheard convos in the comments or send ‘em over!

(Guy, at a dining hall’s table, eating dinner.)

Guy: Isn’t what we call cauliflower just effeminate broccoli?

(Guys in a public library.)

Guy: So I was reading The Babysitter’s Club, and I guess Grandma had a really cool secret. But chapter books are too much for me these days, so I just flipped to the back to find out what it was. Turns out Grandma just had breast cancer.

(Guy, walking on the beach.)

Guy: I’m Tin Pin Bill. See, they used to call me  Crim Pin Bill, but that didn’t really make any sense.

(Girl, two guys in a coffee shop.)

Girl: Yeah, I’m not on birth control.

Guy: You should probably get on that. I hear this year’s freshman class is the most fertile ever. Yup, highest SAT scores and most virile.

(Girl, standing in line in the student union food court.)

Girl: My cousin thinks Minas Tirith is a real place, and he wants to get married there.

(Two girls, talking in the hallway.)

Girl 1: How’s community college?

Girl 2: Oh, it’s okay. It’s  full of enormous a**hole douchebags. Of course, not really. But when I say that I mean yes, really.

(Girl, chatting before a sociology class.)

Girl: It’s fine, you wouldn’t understand. We women communicate via ovum anyway.

(Guy, talking at a party.)

Guy: I can’t wait! In the future, we’ll just reproduce  by bumping into each other!

(Guy, explaining something to his girlfriend.)

Guy: In Europe, they count backwards from infinity to zero.

Girl: No they don’t. That’s stupid.

Guy: Yeah. You got me.

(Girl, reading a book.)

Girl: Oh! Yeah, see, the best part about all this is, you can use your best friends as giant missiles.

(Guy, yelling in a field outside a class building.)

Guy: Hey… hey, you! You! Anyone! Does anyone hate Teletubbies as much as I do?

The fat free trend of the 90′s.

7 things I learned from Adam Lambert.

Traditional marriage defined.

Europe doesn’t love Britney.

Are you Tweeting too hard?

What’s a girl to do?

A few years ago, I backpacked through Greece with a close friend. We spent eight days traveling throughout the country, taking ferries, visiting the islands, lounging on the beach and shopping. It was a fabulous vacation and we both managed to spend under $1000! How did we save so much money? We didn’t eat huge meals, took transportation during off-peak hours and stayed in hostels.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: hostels are gross! And to tell you the truth, they are. But, if you’re traveling in Europe and want to save a few bucks, you’re going to have to stay in them. Keeping that in mind, here are a few tips for hostel survival and general vacation budgeting from someone who’s been there:

1) Never travel alone- It’s always best to have a buddy with you, especially if you’re staying in large communal rooms. Although I traveled with a girl friend, having a boy around definitely couldn’t hurt.

2) Book ahead for your first night- Even if you’re planning on winging it and staying wherever your feet (or that strange European train) take you, you’re going to want to have a guaranteed bed your first night, so figure out where you’re staying before you leave the country. For the remainder of the trip you can use the hostel’s computer or go to a local Internet cafe to book your stays the day of. By booking last minute, you can choose your next destination based on the price of a room…

3) Think about going suitcase-less- If they’re making me pay $15 a bag just to fly from Boston to Baltimore, I can only imagine how much they’ll charge to bring my suitcase all the way to Europe. Instead, try to consolidate your clothing, toiletries, etc into something you can carry on the plane. Think about it this way: you’ll not only save money but also have less stuff to schlep around from place to place.

4) Bring shower shoes- Even if you’re packing light, you can re-wear them on the beach. Communal showers are disgusting. End of story.

5) Take the top bunk- My second night in the hostel in Athens, I found myself tossing and turning and unable to sleep. I kept having this dream that the guy in the bed next to me was watching me. Well, it wasn’t a dream. When I opened my eyes, the creepy guy was staring at me. Plus, his feet were in my bed. Now, I realize that creepy guys can still watch you sleep when you’re in the top bunk bed, but they’ll definitely be less likely to try to climb in bed with you. Another option would be to ask ahead and see if they have an all female room. Yeah, you could run into some crazy ladies, but they’re a lot less threatening than creepy stalker men!

6) Skip the communal room and “splurge” on a private one- If the above story or that awful movie Hostel (which I refuse to see) freak you out, you should definitely get a private room. The night after the incident, my friend and I opted for a hotel. But honestly, you don’t really have to do that; the price of private rooms is not all that much higher than staying in a communal room, especially if you’re traveling in a big group.

7) Take advantage of the hostel’s knowledgeable staff- Want to find the hottest beach or the best place to get a cheep beer? The people working at the hostel are your best bet. Sometimes they can even give you restaurant coupons; I know we scored 10% off our first Greek meal simply by asking for restaurant recommendations!

8 ) Don’t go to Starbucks- It’s not like you don’t have 5 of them on your campus already. Why spend money on an already overpriced drink at a boring American location, when you can discover a little cafe unique to your destination?

What are your money saving vacation tips?

If you can travel…

Hey, if you’ve got the funds, lucky you. Hit up another country and see how they do New Years. You don’t regret it. If you’re still underage, Canadian cities can be quite the hotspot (take it from someone who spent her last <21 New Years in Montreal, after a 10-hour road strip). If you’re loaded despite being in college during the recession, head on over to Europe. Hate the cold? Sing Auld Lang Syne in Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic.

Okay, those are nice ideas in a fantasy world… but let’s move onto options for those of us who can’t cough up the money for airfare.

If you want to travel but can’t afford it…

Throw a Chinese New Year’s party. Okay, so technically the CNY kicks off February 1, but who cares? Cater your party with Egg Rolls and Fortune Cookies (way cheaper than many food options), decorate with paper dragons, and serve Sake till the last Geisha’s standing.

Create Your Own Times Square. NYC is pretty much insane on New Year’s anyway. Hang a disco ball from the ceiling and buy skyscraper cut-outs for the walls. Have everyone dress up (because in college, the land of hoodies and sweatshirts, you can never have too many fancy-dress parties), and broadcast the Manhattan festivities on your TV in the background. It’ll be warmer than Times Square, and you probably won’t have any bums hitting you up for spare change on the way home.

Throw a Hotel Party…in the Next Town Over. Grab a room at the Best Western or the HoJo, and pretend you’re at the Ritz Carlton. Nobody will have to drive, you won’t have to clean up, and maybe you can work it so you share a queen bed with your crush.

If you really don’t care about traveling, and just want to have a good time:

Throw a “My Tie” party. If you can make a large quantity of Mai Tais in a punch bowl, more power to you. But encourage everyone to dress business-casual, and when the men arrive, have them remove their ties and throw them in a basket. The ladies then choose a tie, and the man who belongs to that piece of neckwear is her date for the night. Takes the pressure off of finding a kiss at Midnight.

New Year’s Resolutions parties can also be fun, because we all have them, and none of us stick to them. Wear a necklace made of empty Marlboro boxes if you plan to quit smoking, or wear some hot spandex if you vow to go to the gym more regularly. Things can get pretty effing creative here. Not into costumes? Have everyone throw their resolution into a hat, and try to guess who is giving up what this year.

Have a Blind Date. They say the way you ring in the new year is a prediction of how the next 365 days will unfold. Plan a girl’s night and go Speed Dating as a group, or see if any bachelors have posted on CrazyBlindDate.com. The key is to get your friends involved, so that at the very least, you can have a laugh. New Year’s Eve is all about letting loose isn’t it?

If you really don’t care about getting smashed…

Check out your city’s First Night. There’s bound to be fireworks, free live music, and tons of street vendors. Many cities across the US host First Night celebrations, and they are quite lucrative.

Host a Best-Of 2008 Movie Marathon. Curl up with some take-out and a stash of DVDs – just be sure to press pause for the Ball Drop at midnight!

Make Some Money. I’ve had my share of insane NYE celebrations. So last year, I opted to wait tables, since every weekend for me is as crazy as the novice’s New Year. The tips were good, and I was still out by midnight. And I made up for missing the big party by having several “No Reason” celebrations. Scour Craigslist and you’ll see tons of opportunities to work at private parties on the 31st. You never know what kind of adventure will actually unravel.

If you disagree with everything I just said, you probably don’t need this column. But if you’re nodding along because you’re officially an adult and still don’t know how to manage your money, then you might want to pay attention every week, because I’m going to (try to) get you through this, and make you a successful saver and a wise spender.]

With the economy so crappy these days, banks are jumping over each other to get to you. With deals like Rewards Checking, it’s hard not to be lured in. I mean, a percentage of cash back just for spending? It sounds too good to be true.

Because it probably is.

I’ve been bouncing between hoarding my money in a checking account or a savings account for some time. Do I want the interest, or the rewards? Chances are, you’ve had similar decisions to make. But what about these CD things that banks advertise? What are these all about?

Personally, I always assumed that CDs were for old people. You know, people with careers and mortgage payments. Until a friend opened a CD that became her “European Vacation” fund.

A CD is basically a Savings Account… except you can’t make withdrawals whenever you feel like it. Opening a CD requires a timestamp, usually lasting six months, one year, or five years or longer. The longer you put your money “on hold,” so to speak, the greater your interest rate, which means the more moolah you’ll accumlate by NOT spending.

Yeah, right. Like college kids have enough money to just hide away for six months. While CDs generally are geared towards people who have solid careers and are infancially stable– Jumbo CDs require a minimum of a whopping $100,000 deposit– more and more variations of CDs are popping up across the country.

My friend has what is called an “Add-To” CD. Each week, when her paycheck is direct-deposited into her account, a small percentage is put into her CD. Sometimes, she even forgets that something is being deducted from her pay, because she still gets some money every pay period. However, since she can’t access her money for six months, it will continue to accumulate. When she’s ready to cash in and take her European vacation, BAM! All that money will be hers for the taking.

If you have even a little bit to spare- some birthday money, a random bonus at work, the cash you got from textbook buy-back– it might be worth looking into whether your bank offers small CDs. You can hide it away for six months, and once summer hits, you’ll have this money that you may have forgotten about! Use it on a bathing suit shopping spree or a mini-vacation…or renew your CD and wait for a rainy day in another six months or so!