1. Live stock of any kind should be avoided. Sure there’s bound to be the odd misogynistic pig of the Frat boy persuasion, but in general things like camels should not be making an appearance at your party. Not only is it cruel to the animal, but after an hour or two, the odor is going to be cruel to everyone else.

2. Underage girls. They’re young and don’t know any better… which is great if you can get them in your room, but odds are they’ll end up getting sick in the bathroom from being too ambitious with shots. Not to mention, getting caught serving alcohol to minors is a serious offense. Let’s stick to the mature, seasoned upperclassmen and let the freshman drink where they’re supposed to: in the dorms.

3. Unmanned jungle juice. You smart ladies don’t accept drinks from guys you don’t know, or when you can’t see exactly what goes into it, so why should the party drink of choice be any different? If no one’s watching the jungle juice you could be in serious trouble. If you thought the prom punch getting spiked was a bad idea, consider the consequences of tons of girls drinking from the same, potentially roofied, beverage. That, by the way, was probably mixed in a dirty trash can. Shambles, much?

4. Cops. There’s no buzzkill quite as strong as a couple of police officers ordering you to drop your drinks and show ID.

5. Photos. Besides the obvious bathroom photo-shoots that aforementioned freshman girls love to take, no one should be snapping pics left and right of your fiesta. Not only do the inevitable frat party pit stains get illuminated by a flash but, really, who’s gonna let loose with the body shots if they’re worried about Facebook uploads?

6. Old People. I’m sure this doesn’t require much more explanation for you, but someone really needs to tell that random old dude on my campus that he’s not fooling anyone…. but he’s creeping out everyone.

Dear everyone who has made this semester possible,

In light of all the Thanksgiving warm-and-fuzzies people are exchanging, I would like to take a moment and thank you for helping me strive for my goals, both academic and otherwise, and assisting me in my greatest endeavors.  Excelling this year is crucial, I understand that, and I’m just so grateful you all have decided to invest your efforts in my future.

And where would my manners be if I didn’t take the time to thank you all individually?

To my roommate: You.  You, you, you.  You’re one crazy mothereffer, you know that?  When we first met, I didn’t think I’d last thirty seconds in your lair of crazy.  Then you took me under your wing.  You introduced me to Jager bombs and insisted that it was only suggested that students attend 8 a.m. lectures.  You knew the entire men’s swim team.  Now we’re the best of besties.  Where would I be without you?  Probably in some library wasting my life away.  Or hanging out with the intramural chess geeks.

To my Poli-Sci TA: When I showed up forty minutes late to the midterm with a hangover and a severe case of sex hair, thank you for pretending not to notice.  Also, thank you for providing me with a No. 2 pencil, an extra ScanTron in case I threw up on the first, and seat right next to you.  You smell delicious and I really dig your beard.

To the janitor in the humanities building: Thank you for cleaning the third floor bathroom with such diligence.  You know that’s my secret spot for getting business done.  Selected not only for its reliable vacancy, but shiny linoleum and fresh pine scent as well, I look forward to spending a few minutes in there every Monday, Wednesday, and alternating Friday.

To the entire staff at Starbucks: Don’t think I don’t notice how frothy you make my frappuccinos.  And when you slip me an extra shot of espresso in my morning latte?  Glorious!  Should my pre-law degree not pan out, I’m coming to join your fine team of individuals.

To the brothers of [Blah Blah Blah] fraternity: You have the most kegs.  You have the strongest jello shots.  You have the darkest, most cavernous basement.  It is because of your hospitable nature that I got to third base with your Social Chair over Greek Week.  A million thanks, guys.  Really.  It’s because of you alone that I can achieve the level of insanity that I do most weekends.

To Mom and Dad: Thank you for emotionally and financially backing me on this crazy adventure.  Just so you know, that textbook money really did go toward textbooks…no worries.  And I didn’t try to sell my meal plan for “drug money.”  I don’t know what Amy’s mom was hinting at with that bizarre comment.  Sure, I may have rented out my extra-long to the girl down the hall with the horrible room assignment, but since I met that cute senior I spend most nights at his place.  I didn’t want any of your tuition costs to be wasted!  See?  I really am taking your advice and thinking like a fiscally responsible adult!

To my younger sister: Thanks for checking the caller ID for my name on Thursday through Sunday nights and making sure our parents don’t pick up my drunk-dial.  I’ll return the favor when it’s your turn.

You’re all the best.  More than any girl could ever wish for.

XOXO,
Me

[Everyone’s got a morning after story (though most don't involve the walk of shame and someone's dad) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

“Chug! Chug! Chug!” was all I heard as I funneled my Natty Light. I was standing on a table (don’t judge) at the dirtiest best frat house on campus, my head tilted back, guzzling down that cheap beer like it was going out of style. (Editor’s Note: Was Natty Light ever in style?) When I was done, I jumped off the table, did a little curtsy and high fived a couple boys, before grabbing my roommate by the arm and dragging her toward the bathroom.

That being my 5th (or 6th? 7th?) beer of the night, it had gone straight through me and there was no way I was going to wait in that bathroom line all by myself.

The line was long but I didn’t mind. It gave me plenty of time to soak up all the “you go girl”s and “you’ve got mad chugging skills, woman”s that came my way. I smiled, blushed and crossed my legs to keep my broken seal from dripping down my legs.

When it was finally my turn, my roomie and I rushed in so I could relive my bladder and dissect my arch enemy’s truly hideous outfit choice for the night (the girl was wearing a skirt so short I could see if she was ovulating….. needless to say, there was plenty to talk about). We were so caught up in our conversation (and perhaps taking a few funny bathroom pics) that we ignored the angry knocks on the door (as well as the angry, “what are you doing in there, pooping?”) and took our own sweet time.

Finally, we were done. I stood up,  buttoned up my shorts and flushed the toilet (with my shoe, of course). I was in the middle of washing my hands when my friend started screaming. I looked down and realized that the toilet was overflowing. All over the floor. And it wasn’t stopping.

“OMG! I ONLY PEED! I ONLY PEED!” I screamed as dirty toilet water seeped into my flats.
“OK, pause. Is there a plunger? Let’s find a plunger.” There was no plunger…but there were more violent knocks on the door….and a lot of water seeping towards it.

“What do we do!? Everyone is going to think I pooped!”
“Dude, we need to get out of here. My shoes are going to be ruined,” my roommate screamed as she jumped up on the sink counter.
“YOUR SHOES? What about my dignity? I can’t go out there. OMG. OMFG.”

I considered climbing out the window for a moment but then realized that I’d have to step on the overflowing toilet to get out. That wasn’t going to happen and, my shoes officially water-logged, I had no option but to open the door.

So I did.

Before the crowd of people now surrounding the door could say anything, I grabbed my roomie’s arm and ran (more like slopped) towards the door. We made it there in record time, but not before hearing “Hey! Funnel girl flooded the toilet!”

I didn’t stop running until I was home.

That’s the last time I flush at a frat house.

[You think that's bad? Check out our other cringe-worthy Morning After stories.]

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!]

This past Friday

Partygoers watched a fight erupt, which led to the man being thrown out. He returned moments later to the party with a handgun. That is when the gunman, who has yet to be identified, began shooting with no intended target. He proceeded to injure four other party-goers and kill honors student Jessica Moore.

The area in which the party was located, South Clinton Street, is no stranger to bloodshed. With at least five shootings this summer, neighborhood resident Rabu Anderson claims hearing gunshots is not an uncommon occurrence. But the story of this off-campus party turned crime scene is a frightening and tragic reminder that violence of extreme proportions can, and does, occur near and on college campuses.

Whether your campus is located in the middle-of-nowhere or in the middle of a city, it’s important to remember that you are still part of the real world. Oftentimes, the bubble-like atmosphere that so many campuses boast creates a false sense of safety for their students. But it is just that: false.

Drunkenly stumbling home from a party at 2am, leaving the bar with a complete stranger, sassing someone who cut you in line at the keg; such interactions are extremely typical in college and often end safely. However, the best way to stay safe is to try to avoid making yourself vulnerable to such dangers. It can be difficult to remember the realities of the world when surrounded by the glories of Natty Light and frat music. But, as evidenced by this story, they cannot protect you from a gun or violence.

Am I suggesting you live under a rock to stay safe? Definitely not. It’s totally okay to go to parties, dance your life away and stay up all night. But, be smart about it.

Try not to walk alone at night – pick a party-buddy before the night begins or take a taxi if need be. When sporting beer goggles and flirting with a total charmer you know absolutely nothing about, get his number and save any fun for a later date rather than heading back to his apartment that night. If you’re checking out an off-campus party and the sketchy guests make you uncomfortable, it’s not the worst idea to grab your friends and call it a night. Put the numbers for campus security in your phone, just in case you need to use their services. Most campuses offer free shuttles on the weekends that can save you cab money and save you a scary walk home.

College resembles some sort of limbo-esque time before real life begins. The work hard, play hard lifestyle makes our four years feel like a dream. However, that dream can be shattered in a matter of seconds if we don’t keep our eyes open and ourselves safe.

No one likes a hot mess.  Okay, well that’s not exactly true.  We looove LocaLohan and anyone who has been an E! True Hollywood Story, but when it comes to college it’s best to leave the crazy work to the professionals.

This means your roommate doesn’t want to disrobe your unconscious body at 3 a.m., the girls down the hall don’t want to carry you naked into the shower, and you don’t want to clean up your vom from under the bed the following morning.  The first week of school is when you’ll be at your most susceptible to making such novice mistakes.  You’re new, you’ve yet to fall victim to the Freshman Fifteen, and the older guys are taking full notice of these facts.

Stay in your hallmates’ good graces and prevent the puke with these oh-so-simple drinking Dos and Don’ts…

Do Eat a Good Dinner
I get it, you want to stay fit.  That’s what the gym is for, not the salad bar before a night of hitting up the frat houses.  You won’t make it two cups of jungle juice into the night before feeling the need to call it quits if you’re entree was a handful of green beans.  (Except, let’s get real.  You won’t call it quits.  You’ll switch to beer and keep on drinkin’ til you’re hugging the toilet.)  Instead, eat the damn turkey sandwich.  And grab a side of fries, too.

Pregame in Moderation
Everyone knows “that” girl, and I bet you’ll get to know her pretty quickly, too.  She’s the girl who pounds shots at 8 p.m. and is passed out next to a trash basket while everyone else is adjusting their hair and getting ready to gallivant.  The guys won’t touch her for fear she’ll projectile on their classy posters and girls don’t want her booting on their boots.  It’s all right to know that girl, just don’t be that girl.

Mix and Mingle, Just Don’t Mix While You Mingle
Bottom line: pick a drink and stick to it.  If you love rum, then BYO and grab some Cokes off a willing dude.  If beer’s more your thing, know there will be kegs everywhere.  Like something a bit fruitier- frat house mystery mixes are delish and “hey baby, you can barely taste the booze.”  But beware not to do a taste test of all available liquids lest you become the human puke machine.

Know Your Limit
So you’re drunk.  Congratulations!  What now?  The party’s not over, and you don’t feel like going home.  Hell, you feel like dancing around that pole you spotted in the basement.  Before you do, take a quick reading:

1. Stand still.  Is the room spinning?
2. Can you feel your tongue?
3. How many times per minute do you flip your hair?

If you answered, “Omigod, how did I get on a boooooaaat!”, “Whyzmahmoutallnumb?”, and “Whatever.  So what if I have long flowing locks like Tyra Banks?”, then guess what kiddo – you’re dunzo.

Hello future, present, and past college sorority women (and creepy guys trying to get in on the juicy sorority gossip)!! My name is Megan, I’m a Junior, I go to Purdue, and I am so excited to be CollegeCandy’s Ultimate Sorority Girl! (Also, I like exclamation points.)

Being the official voice of Greek Life on this very (fabulous) website, I’m sure a lot of you are wondering about my sorority experience…. and I’m sure a lot of you aren’t. But too bad -  here it is:

I wasn’t far into my senior year of high school before I began creepily stalking the Purdue sorority websites and dreaming about what sorority I would soon be in. I registered for sorority recruitment the first possible day online and counted the days until it would all actually begin (while also researching every last bit of information I’d need to know to succeed and become the best sorority sister these girls could ever meet). Embarrassing, yes, but a steady form of entertainment for the summer before my freshman year of college

When I got to campus, I jumped into recruitment head first (with a totally new wardrobe for the occasion) and  when it was all said and done, I was an official ‘Baby Owl’ for Chi Omega’s 2008 pledge class. Hoot, hoot!!

Now (holy hell, has it been two years already?!), as a member of one of  the largest Greek Communities in the nation, I know what it is like to work hard and play hard in college. Living in a house along with more than 130 women and playing an active part in all my sorority’s activities – including social events with other sororities and fraternities, philanthropies, and formals – I can say with 100% certainty that I know Greek Life. And I know it well.

So here I am: your guide to all things Greek.
And here we are: at the cusp of a new school year.

I cannot believe it is already September, and we are getting settled back into the groove of things or, for some, finally breaking away from the fatally tight grip of the rents and leaving the nest. Take a deep breath of fresh air – you’re free…. and it’s going to be fun.

For me, the end of summer means a lot of things.

1. I’m officially a junior and therefore fall into the category of ‘cougar’ while preying on the new hot freshmen with my sorority sisters. Is it wrong to do frequent late-night freshman dorm drive-bys?

2. My summer abroad in Sydney, Australia has come to an end and the reality of waking up early for classes has (begrudgingly) set it once again.

3. It’s time for a new crop of potential sisters to line up and start their own journey into the fun, exciting, confusing, meaningful and overwhelming world that is sorority recruitment.

So here I am: an open book, a tell-all REAL sorority girl.
Your Rho Omega (read: guide) to Greek Life.

What do YOU want to know? Let me know in the comments or tweet it up @sororitygirlcc

Needless to say, the first days of college have been treating me well.

After a month of worrying over whether my roommates and I would get along, I now believe that whoever does rooming assignments has some sort of magical touch because while we 4 are not best friends (does anyone really have a best friend after 5 days?) we do get along curiously well and sometimes I feel myself falling into Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants or Sex and the City mode… especially after we all bonded over some fro yo last night.

The question is: am I in a college-themed chick flick?

Possibly. The floor below and above us is dotted with various cute boys with whom we flirt and our dorm room kinda looks like PBTeen threw up in it… in a good way. Lax bros chill on campus in lax pennies and backwards lax caps in lawn chairs (can we just call them lax chairs?). Growing up in a lax-bro-less suburb, I really thought that they were a myth, but I am now a firm believer. And lax bros (despite being majorly douchey) are hot.

But all that aside, campus is incredibly gorgeous and full of like-minded people sunbathing in the grass while others Frisbee about. And the birds are chirping and I never have breakouts and my hair looks like The Little Mermaid’s lux locks every day. OK, that last part is a lie – my hair still hasn’t gotten used to the water in these showers yet. If only, right?

At times, life isn’t exactly the land of Elle Woods here (which, until I got here, was totally what I expected). For example, I’ve learned to not expect too much out of frat parties that are advertised via a college-wide emailing. They will inevitably be so crowded that you have no room to dance nor can you find alcohol, and unless you actually know people in the frat (which I feel like most freshmen here don’t), you just feel out of place. Also the people there are generally other people who got the email and had nothing better to go to—aka freshman who are trying hard to get their social lives on track. Desperate people are no fun.

But I mean, it is only the first week of college and everyone is kinda desperate to make friends, and I’m sure parties will get better as time comes. (And as consolation, the suite parties that I’ve been to are much smaller and much more fun.)

Meanwhile, the other question on my mind is the whole hooking up side of life. I mean, we’re not in high school anymore; condoms are in the hallways for a reason, right? In high school, hooking up meant making out, but in college does it automatically transfer to having sex? I feel like so much more is expected out of hooking up here. Do I just go with the flow or do I do the Oprah-style “right” thing and listen to my heart? The answer should be obvious, but it’s not.

In fact, nothing about this new college life is.

My first week of college has been jam-packed with new people, new experiences and a whole slew of new questions. It’s been exciting and exhilarating, but I just can’t wait to really settle in to the college life and have everything figured out.

Tell me about your first few days of college!

And as a seasoned house partier, here are some tips to help you survive the first big house party of the year:

Do show up fashionably late.  Nothing in the college party scene starts before 10:30pm.  And nothing says freshman more than showing up at the party at 9pm eager for the festivities to start.  You are not in high school anymore!  So please, if you want to look like you know what’s going on, pre-drink in your room don’t show up until after 11pm.  Trust me, you won’t miss a thing. In fact, you’ll get there just as the party gets pumpin’.

Don’t wear heels! If you’re going to a house party, you will be way overdressed.  House parties attract all types of people and there will most likely be hundreds of them there.  Large amounts of grinding people means hot temperatures.  You will be sweating…profusely! So for those back-to-school bashes, leave your new skinny jeans at home and wear shorts, a cute flowy tank top or even a sundress, and sandals. You’ll thank me later, when the floor is filled with mud (or questionable bodily fluids) and your favorite suede pumps are ruined!

Do get your creative juices flowing. Theme parties are super popular in college.  Whether you’re attending a Toga party, ABC party, the Beer Olympics (the list goes on and on…), get creative with your costume.  I’ll guarantee you’ll be the talk of the night (and for the right reasons).   That’s not such a bad thing, eh?

Don’t bring a posse of boys.  It sounds shallow, but college dudes hate when a girl shows up with an entourage of men.  Here’s something lame, if you show up with a bunch of guys (and they didn’t bring their own alcohol) they may not let you in! This means no free drinks, and not even batting your full, voluminous lashes will get you out of that one.  Of course, your guy friends are welcome at the party, but be smart—walk into the party first.  A sure-fire-way of getting into the party is to show up with a bunch of your girlfriends. Nothing else will make those single college boys happier.

Do befriend the house owners.  You will get special treatment—the first to know about house parties, better booze, and – just in case – a special hideout place when the Po Po come to break up the party.  Take my word for it: just saying hi a couple times or striking up a conversation with the owners definitely pays off in the end!

Don’t be shy. House parties are only one part of the college party scene so don’t be scared to try all college party venues.  Hit up the bars on Thursday, brave the frat house on Friday, and shake your groove thang at the club on Saturday.  After a couple weekends, you’ll figure out what you like best and where you like to get your party on.

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Not sure how to balance school and fun? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics?

Question:
I’m leaving for college in like 4 weeks and I’m so excited. (But that might be because my summer job is so boring haha.) I am living in a single next year and I couldn’t be happier. I didn’t want to live with someone random and my friends aren’t going to school with me so I went with a single instead.  Now that school is getting closer I’m getting worried that might have been a bad idea. Without a roommate how will I meet people? Was a single a bad idea? Not that I can change it….. Do you have any advice for meeting people?

Busy Bee:
First off, getting a single was not a bad idea. You will meet tons of people on your floor, through classes, and my favorite…by joining clubs! I can’t stress this enough. People are always concerned about having friends, but what they often forget is that 1) You will always be your own best friend, and 2) You gotta put yourself out there to have friends. One of my life philosophies is that what you put out into the world, you will receive back. If you want friends, then be charismatic. That’s all it takes – people are attracted to positive energy. Anyway, you’ll be fine – just don’t be shy. Start by friending someone who does have a roommate. That way, you’ll have automatic invite whenever a group of people go out. Just put yourself out there and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Party Girl:
I’m not going to lie to you, having roommates definitely makes the meet-and-greet first weeks of college a lot easier.  The good news is that your social life doesn’t necessarily have to suffer because of your solitary status. You just gotta get creative.  Go out of your way to get to know the other students on your hall.  Go door to door and introduce yourself, keep the door open, play a little music, and don’t be afraid to hang your head in someone’s room if you see their door is open, too.  Also, everyone loves a party (and sharing some illegally procured beers bonds people together like nothing else can), so have a little pre-game in your room before heading out to those Welcome Week frat parties, then have them back in your room for some late night pizza when you stumble home. Whatever you do, do not shut that door (unless you’re changing….or getting busy); the more available you make yourself, the more friends you’ll make.

GPA Girl:
Girl, trust me, this is not a problem at all. You are going to be sooooo happy you have a single once the school year gets started and you want to throw parties in your room or take guys back to your digs. Plus, you can throw your stuff anywhere anytime you want and no one will yell at you, and you can listen to your own music all day long, have total silence when you need it… can you tell I live by myself?! OK, but seriously. First of all, you can definitely and easily meet new people without having a roommate. In most cases, your roomie’s new friends don’t end up being your new friends anyway. Second, potential new friends almost drop into your lap at college. Go to student orientation, go to new activity sign-ups, join intramural sports teams, try to attend club meetings that interest you, go to study groups, etc. Basically, get out there. If you’re willing to smile and say “Hi” to people you see, you’ll have bucketloads of friends before you know it. After all, everybody is in the same boat as you and is also trying to navigate their own college experience, so it’s helpful to have shipmates along for the ride! OK, that’s enough metaphors for one day. Good luck!