When the grey clouds start becoming a regular appearance in my weather pattern, I always find it harder to get out of bed, harder to smile and harder to step away from the pint of ice cream and brownie sundae waiting in my freezer. It’s days like these when not even Starbucks can cheer me up. So, because I always think ahead, I bought a day-by-day calendar all about being assertive and basically saying “No, thank you” more (but without the ‘thank you’ part).

And by “assertive,” I mean it’s filled with hysterical quotes about how it’s okay to be super-bitchy, because we all have those day/moments/weeks/lifetimes…when we need to insert an extra NO! into one thing or another. Or because we just need an excuse to make fun of the people still wearing leggings as pants.

So to help you out of this grey funk we all are stuck in, here is a weekly dose of the daily bitch. If this can’t encourage you to get out of bed and  go make fun of someone…I’m not sure what will… Read More »

Dear Tuffy Luv,

I hate my friends. What do I do?

Miserable in College

Dear Miserable,

Grow the floop up.

Okay, no, I mean the thing is, you didn’t give me enough information to give you a really personal answer. Which is totally why I chose your question. Because Tuffy likes it broad. Yeah, baby. Okay, look. Everyone gets annoyed by their friends. That’s super normal, so don’t get excited. I surmise from your name, Miserable in College, that you are in college. I’M SMART.

This probably means that you just need to make new friends! No big deal, right? Probably you started college and made friends right away with the most convenient people. Which is totally the right and easiest thing to do. The problem is, sometimes the most convenient people don’t end up being the people we like best. So, Miserable in College, if that’s the case, I suggest you continue to be polite to these shoops and begin to distance yourself. Join a club or make an effort to hang out with new people after class. You’ll meet new people and find friends you actually connect with. Read More »

Enter, the Wingwoman.

Wingwomen are the future.  Whereas most women are hip to the movements of wingmen, wingwomen are the stealth operation of the “game,” and the key to successful mingling between the sexes. And not just for the guy we might be wingin’ for; for ourselves, too!

For all of you skeptics out there, I have here for you, the five reasons that wingwomen rock:

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Question?! Answer: Ask Tuffy Luv.

Dear Tuffy Luv,
I’m a college sophomore girl and I seem to have a major problem with boys — I am CLUELESS when it comes to them! I just got out of a short relationship (actually my first one) and what it made me realize was I gravitate toward guys who express their interest in me FIRST because I feel unworthy of the guys that I have a crush on (like they’re too good for me or something along that line). Now, I have my eye on a new guy right now, but these questions are mainly for any guy I’m interested in, in the future. But as for this guy, I’ve gotten his number and we’ve talked a few times, one of those times being with my roommate and his roommate, and the talks were all pretty short and “meaningless.” Now first of all, if I just simply want to get to know a guy better, how much is too much as far as texting goes and how much should I go up to his room to talk to him (we’re in the same dorm)? I’m really focused on just getting to know him better before I start to dive into something, if it’s there. BUT when/if I do get to the flirting part, HOW DO I DO THAT? How much is too much?

Sincerely,

Boy-Inept

Dear Boy-Inept,

Honey, I’m gonna be honest with you: I think you’re just chicken. Texting?! OMG. How NOT effective can you be. No! Girl!!! Go to his room once. Ask him if he wants to grab coffee. And THAT’S how it’s done. Confident. Cool. Fun. THAT’S what guys like. And you can so be those things. It’s all about working up the courage. Anyone can do it. So listen up, the rest of youse:

(1) Decide on a day and time you will make your (very casual) move.
(2) An hour before you do it, have a dance party by yourself. Put on your favorite music and dance that shoop out.
(3) A half hour before, get dressed and spray yourself with perfume. No changing.
(4) Five minutes before, look yourself in the eye in a big mirror and say eight times out loud: “I am awesome.”
(5) Go say hi to him and ask him if he wants to grab coffee.

Wow. So easy. You can totally do this.

Because, like, what’s coffee?! Chances are, he wants to hang out with you ANYWAY. But no matter what, it’s a totally tiny commitment. And once you have coffee with him, you’ll know if you’re even interested in trying again. It’s so win-win I could vom.

I’m rooting for you, girl.

Hearts & Skulls,
Tuffy Luv

Dear Tuffy Luv,

I love the advice you give and right now I’m in need of some if you don’t mind.

My boyfriend of 5 months broke up with me about 3 weeks ago after sitting me down and saying that he wasn’t ready to commit and that he felt as if he wanted to be alone. I didn’t agree with the breakup but I told him that I supported his decision. We decided to remain friends despite everything and I’m totally fine with that.

This past weekend, we took a trip with some mutual friends to Miami. It was supposed to be a little romantic getaway for couples when it was planned, but it wasn’t since we broke up beforehand.

Once we were in Miami, he operated as a single guy and damn near ignored me while we were there. Read More »

Is obesity contagious? What about smoking and drug use? Is it possible to unconsciously pick up the bad habits and health problems of your friends? First introduced in 2007, this idea has sparked a debate among researchers and doctors that is still heating up.

A controversial study led by researchers from Harvard and the University of California, San Diego, concluded that behaviors such as overeating and cigarette smoking could be contagious within close social networks. The researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing data from the Framingham Heart Study, a long-running, detailed survey that examined over 12,000 participants. The Framingham Study included information about body weight and drug use habits, and also indicated which subjects were friends or family members. Thanks to this unique feature, researchers were able to take a look at rates of obesity and other health risks among friend groups.

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Dude!

A few months ago, I finally built up every shred of courage in my being and told one of my closest friends of several years that, well, I didn’t just want to be his friend.  To be fair, I was pretty certain that his response wouldn’t be what I wanted it to be.  The problem was that I had reached a point where I needed him to know so that I could move on with my life. The hardest part was the thought that it would negatively impact our friendship.

Despite the expected response–kind, but painful to hear–he assured me that absolutely nothing would change.  A not-so-gradual distancing began to occur, and there I was again, stressing over this friendship that had meant so much to the both of us. We had one follow-up conversation, which turned out to be extremely helpful.  I got to say the things that I hadn’t clarified the first time around, and he got to confuse me further about how he really feels about the situation.

Welp, here I am, around six months later, wondering how I can possibly mend this friendship that he himself told me multiple times would last the rest of our lives. We’re still good friends, but there’s not near as much communication or connection as there used to be.

It’s hard for me to face the very possible reality that I will never move on as long as we’re friends. He’s made it perfectly clear that he does not want me to cut off communication or “give up on him,” as he calls it (cryptic, right?).  These days it can be upsetting to be around him even in a group setting and think about how we used to be attached at the hip at social gatherings.

Dude, is there any way for me to salvage this?  It feels like too much to bear to lose each other once and for all.  Thanks!

Sincerely,

Sad and Confused

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Confession time.

A big part of the reason I’m such a TV addict is I because I love the romcom romances that these TV shows feed their viewers. I love the will they won’t they of it. The build up. The cute scenes. The perfect moments. And yes the perfect kisses, which prove that if you try hard enough good chemistry can in fact, be faked. But anyway, like I was saying. I love the romances of the these TV shows and all cute and sexy scenes that come along with those romances. Like the makeout moments, which, there are quite a few of.

So this week, with TV lacking this summer season, I’d though I’d reflect on some of my favorite tv romances and the memorable makeout moments that accompanied them…and give you, and me, a chance to oh, ah, and aw over them by linking you to the scenes on YouTube.

10. Alex and Izzie in the bar. This one made the list more for the speech Alex makes that proceeds the kiss than the kiss itself, but also a little bit for the kiss. In Izzie’s words “Seriously.”

9. Cappie and Casey on the stairs. A loyal fan of Greek I waited patiently for these two crazy kids to finally get together. And their get back together scene, and kiss, really did live up to the hype. Mostly though, I love this scene because of their awkward pre-kiss ramblings and insecurities. Adorable.

8. Matt and Julie on the football field. Matt and Julie of Friday Night Lights (a recently canceled, completely underrated show I highly recommend to all of you) are the epitome of sweet and innocent first love. And so is this kiss.

7. Nathan and Haley in the rain. One Tree Hill took a turn off the deep end back around the second scary stalker story line, but when the show first started out even I was a Nathan and Haley fan. I mean they had the steamiest makeout sessions. Especially in the rain.

6. Seth and Summer upside down. I know they stole it from Spiderman but they gave Peter Parker and M.J. their due credit, which really only made the moment cuter. I’m a sucker for Seth, okay? So sue me.

5. Veronica and Logan on the balcony. Maybe this one wouldn’t make it into everyone’s top five but it makes it into mine. Mostly because of the way Veronica kisses Logan first, then shakes her head and walks away as if to say “what the hell was I thinking?” before Logan reels her back in. Totally classic.

4. Meredith and Derek in the elevator.  Mer and Der may have had their ups and downs throughout the seasons, but back in the day no one did steamy elevator scenes quite like these two. And for that we owe them their due respect.

3. Chuck and Blair in the limo. Yes Gossip Girl has gone down hill lately but who could forget that first kiss that started it all between Chuck and Blair? I mean in the back of a limo, with those vintage effects Gossip Girl used to do back when it was still cool, and Sum 41′s “With Me”  playing in the background, it was kind of perfect.

2. Pacey and Joey on the side of the road. Dawson’s Creek is a WB teen drama classic so obviously it was making the list. But there were a lot of steamy makeout sessions to choose from. I went with Pacey and Joey’s first kiss. Because they’re way better suited for one another than Dawson and Joey. And because I’m a sucker for the shut up kiss. Don’t ya ever get tired of talking? 

1. Ross and Rachel in the cafe. A tough choice  but who could really compete with the two season in the making, anger induced, passion filled kiss that officially started the will-they-won’t-they Ross and Rachel saga? No one. That’s why they’re number one, ladies. That’s why they’re number one.

What are some other memorable pop culture makeout moments that I left out? Leave a comment and share your favorites! 

I think I blinked three times during the entire 147 minute showcase of Sex and the City 2.  I didn’t want to miss a single drool-worthy second of high fashion, I couldn’t stop fathoming how well Aiden had aged and I didn’t want to miss any of Carrie’s one-liner snippets of advice. And while soaking it all in, I noticed something else.

As we all know, each woman in SATC is incredibly different. You’ve got Samantha the sex-fiend, Miranda the serious one, Charlotte the traditionalist, and Carrie the un-traditionalist. They’re opposing forces, but they come together to make something wonderful and long lasting.

Without the extreme diversity of each woman, would the friendships embedded in Sex and the City be as interesting and strong? What if the show was based off of four friends like Samantha? Besides there being lots of ‘she-banging’ would it work?

Nope.

Think about your group of friends. If it’s anything like mine, you are all very different from one another. And that’s why you love them. We need diversity in our friendships because everyone brings a little somethin’ different to the table and you take a little from every single one. Knowing what every college girl needs in her life, I’ve compiled a list of the 6 friends every girl needs to keep around for the long haul:

1. The Motivated Friend
We all need a friend like this when you’ve been sprawled out on your couch watching E! Network all day.  You can spot this friend right away Freshman year of college. She’s the first of your friends involved in clubs on campus.  Sophomore year, she’s become the president of a club. Junior year, she has an awesome internship. Senior year, she’s landed a sweet job before you’ve even graduated. Sure, she’ll probably make you feel a little less than along the way, but she’ll also light a fire under your ass to succeed.

2. The Rock Solid Friend
She’s your BFF. The ‘go-to-gal’ you find to whine to, talk to, cry to, and who will love you and shove a bag of Doritos in your face when you need it most. She’s trustworthy and loyal.  She has so much dirt on your life you could plant a garden of your secrets (sorry, bad analogy).  You went to your first frat party together and shared your last. If all goes well (and she keeps those secrets to herself) she will be winking at you during her bridesmaid speech at your wedding.

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Everyone remembers their first time at a bar. Whether they were 17 with a fake ID, or they actually waited until they turned 21, it’s a relatively exciting experience. It’s like when you don’t have to sit at the children’s table for holiday dinners anymore — you finally get to play with the big kids.

That being said, it can sometimes be pretty obvious when someone is at a bar for the first time. No matter how hard you might be trying to fit in, that’s probably exactly what’s making you stand out. And trust me, you don’t want to be that girl. Sometimes, no matter how much everyone drinks, there are some things people just don’t forget.

Here are a few handy little tips on how to handle yourself the first time you make an appearance at a bar — from one bar veteran to a bar virgin, trust me on these.

Dress appropriately. I can’t stress this enough. You might think you’ve finally found a place to wear that skin-tight, super-short, leopard print dress you got at Too Cute, but consider your surroundings first. Most bars are relatively casual, especially local ones. I can’t tell you how many bars I’ve been to where everyone is in jeans and a cute top, and in walks an 18-year-old girl in a tiny dress and sky-high heels looking completely out of place and completely 18. Those outfits are usually better suited for a club. Not that you can’t look cute at a bar — you should. But I would say it’s definitely more of a casual environment.

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