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In the world of higher education, there are universities, and there are colleges. The fundamental difference between the two are resources: the former usually boasts graduate degree programs and a larger faculty. But bigger doesn’t always mean better.  A traditional liberal arts college places its entire focus on educating the undergraduate. Yes, the fresh-outta-high-school-barely-able-to-vote-let-alone-know-what-I-wanna-do-with-my-life set. Where to go for such an education? Let’s take a trip up to Massachusetts, where Williams College and Amherst College have been trying to answer that question for centuries.

1. Mascot Matchup

Amherst- The Lord (and Lady) Jeffs, named for college founder Lord Jefferey Amherst, is a perfect spirit leader for those who like their sports icons to be dignified and historical.
Williams- Similarly, the Williams mascot–the Eph–is named for it’s founder, Ephraim Williams. But if you like a bit of whimsy with your historical icon, the Ephs are represented by a purple cow.

Three credits to: Williams–how could you go wrong with anything purple? Read More »

For seven seasons, Dancing with the Stars has been a crowd-pleasing hit. What’s not to love? Whether you love cheering for your favorite celebrities; watching sexy, sassy, or snarky dance routines every week; engaging in some family-friendly reality fun; or endorsing your competitive side by entering DWTS pools (or voting for your favorite dancer until your votes are maxed out)– Dancing with the Stars really seems to have it all.

What’s more, the show has proven that working out can be fun, and that dancing is an excellent way to shed some unwanted pounds, build muscle, and start living an overall healthier lifestyle. I know I signed up for Zumba and impulsively bought the DWTS Cardio Dance workout DVD without batting an eye.

As DWTS has increased our awareness of fun ways to stay fit, it’s also a great vehicle to demonstrate that fitness comes in all shapes and sizes. In the past, we’ve seen DWTS combat some of the Hollywood stereotypes that distort women’s body images across the country. Remember when all 167 pounds of Laila Ali made it to the top three? How about when Sabrina Bryan, who is “chunky” by Hollywood standards, was sent home simply because everyone thought she was too talented to need their votes?

Most importantly, consider the fact that normally the beauty queens and supermodels are the first to get the boot: Paulina Porizkova, Shandi Finnessey, and Shoana Moakler are among the competitors who never saw round three, and thus, they all blend together into one generic DWTS loser, while fan favorites like Marisa Jaret Winokur show you that being skinny doesn’t mean you can move. Read More »