I. Heart. School supplies.

Yes, we know summertime can be oh-so-sweet, but now it’s August and summer’s winding down with school just around the corner. As much as summer rules, from the beach to margaritas, there are so many perks to heading back to campus and gearing up for classes.

Here are the top 10 reasons that you can feel good about ditching the bikini for some books!

10. School Supplies
Is there anything sweeter than shopping for new pencils and binders? And highlighters? And an adorable bag to carry it all in? I love back to school shopping for supplies solely because I love thinking of new ways to organize.. and then obviously not following through with any of it come the first day of school. But still – gotta love the crisp pages of a new notebook. Sigh.

9. Dorm/Apartment Shopping
After stocking up on post-its of all colors, there’s no better excuse than back to school to get some brand new decorative pieces for your dorm and apartment. Low on space? Check out the container store, definitely a top fave. Want fun, quirky decorations? Check out Anthropologie’s sales!

8.  School sports
Get pumped for football, hockey and basketball. Even if your school isn’t a Div I college, it’s still amazing to pre-party bond over some sport, even if it’s just squash.

7. Fall clothes
So over shorts and tanks? Slip into some cute new jeans, sweaters, dresses and jackets. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had it with my gladiator sandals. I can’t wait to bust out my boots and scarves again!

6. Exciting (or not) new classes
Okay, so maybe Bio 101 isn’t exactly riveting stuff, but new classes mean new potential friends (and boys!), kickass profs (and boys!) and absorbing all sorts of interesting educational material (and boys!). Cause that’s what college is all about, right? Or…

5. Excuses to drink…
From keggers to birthday parties to pre-gaming absolutely any activity (like another pre-game), this is the only time in your life where you can justify drinking in the middle of a weekday. Live it up.

4. Seeing everyone again
How much does it suck when you go home in the summer and all your college besties are hundreds of miles away, totally out of your reach? Reuniting with your group of friends is an amazing feeling, not to mention meeting back up with those…

3. College crushes
A whole new year to get at that cutie from your Sociology class. Leave the hometown kid behind and move back to your college squeeze!

2. Something to do every single night
There’s always something happening on college campuses, whether it’s a comedy show, concerts, sports games, parties… it’s hard to not be busy, busy when you’re back at school. No more summer boredom blues wasted away watching reruns of the Kardashians! (Or, at least if you are watching, you’re doing it with your friends which makes it infinitely better….and more acceptable.)

1. Complete. Freedom.
Kick back, crack open a beer (in the shower) and breathe a sigh of relief. You’re back on your own! No more parentals scrutinizing your every move or a summer job to tie you up at all hours. You’re back on college time. Finally!

Does anyone else find it highly disturbing that it’s not even August and the networks are rolling out the “Back to School” specials and commercials? Maybe I’m just in denial, maybe I want summer to stretch on forever, but it definitely seems too soon to head back to school.

Unfortunately, I’d be wrong. Next week I have to head back up to school a few weeks early to enter the wonderful world of sorority recruitment (another post in its entirety).  Don’t get me wrong, I’m so looking forward to catching up with all my sisters about their summers. I can’t wait to watch Pretty Little Liars with running commentary from my 2 wittiest friends. And I’m sure as hell excited to raid their closets for all the great new clothes they bought for the new semester.

But, resuming my estrogen laden lifestyle means saying so long to a certain boyfriend of mine. I get so sad knowing that in a few short days I won’t be coming home to the man I love, our little home, and quiet, peaceful snuggle sessions. I’m dreading knowing that the only guy I’ll be sleeping with is my teddy bear (not that my twin size bed could fit David even if he were allowed to sleep at the house). And I am absolutely depressed that the only action I’ll be getting on a consistent basis will be with my vibrator.

I’m def not looking forward to getting back into the swing of an LDR …or the 6 hour trips home every other weekend (if I’m lucky).  But, I learned some stuff this summer (whaddya know!) and especially writing this column, so I figured I’d share my Favorite Coupled Lessons Learned.

1. Living together means double the laundry…and I’m most likely going to be the one doing it. Especially after David tried to help with it…and shrunk all of my workout gear.

2. Finding TV shows that you both love = relationship bliss. Mostly.

3. Don’t be over-confident about your crock pot skills. Leaving it on high all day will only result in bad things. Which reminds me- it’s not the end of the world if you f*ck up dinner.

4. Keep the sex dirty, and the fights clean. Even in our worst fights, I always realized that our relationship was worth fighting for…and we usually made up within the hour. And then had really hot, really dirty sex.

5. No matter what, always take time to realize how lucky you are. I found out that putting pen to paper (finger to keyboard?) and sharing with the most fabulous readers in the world why I was so in love made me fall even harder for David. And if I ever start to take him for granted, I know how important it is to stop and reflect on what a great other half he is.

Thank you guys  for sticking with me through the good, the bad and the strange.  I’ll be on hiatus (at least until December), but I can’t wait to hear your Coupled moments and stories. Keep sharing the love (just not with your single friends-they probably don’t want to hear about it).

It’s that time of year again: back to (freaking) school!

Ok, so not quite yet; technically, you can’t move into your place for another week or two, but you’re so excited to get back to campus that you’ve started to prepare a bit early.

With only a few more days (and by “days” I mean “meal opportunities on the parentals”), you start mapping out your schedule until you head back. You know you have to eat mom’s famous meatloaf at least 3 times, not to mention her Challah French toast (which, now that you think about it, would make terrific drunk food. Perhaps she can freeze one and send it with you….). You also need to fit in your favorite sushi spot, Chinese restaurant, and hit up the local diner/greasy spoon as much as possible.

Also on the schedule? A major trip the mall with mom, duh. You know good and well that this week in August is the last time you’ll have one-on-one time with her (read: her credit limit) until Thanksgiving and you plan on taking full advantage. Plus, it’s major bonding time for you and mama and she’s going to need that seeing as you’re outta there in 6 days, 23 hours and 42 minutes.

But who’s counting?

You also have to squeeze in a haircut (there is no way in hell you’re trusting one of those people on campus), a visit to grandma and a few vital doctors’ appointments (to renew the B.C.). Oh yeah, and one last night out with your home-friends.

Whew. You’re gonna be busy.

And then there’s the packing. Well, assuming you ever unpacked in the first place and haven’t been grabbing clothes out of a duffel bag for three months.  Normally you hate packing – haaaate it – but knowing you’ll be unpacking that shiz in your brand new apartment back on campus in a few short days gets you excited. You load up your “I Love College” mix on iTunes and start rummaging through your room to the tunes of Asher Roth and O.A.R., gathering all the essentials. Well, at least the ones you won’t need between now and the big move:

Jeans: Check
College T-shirts: Check
Boots/shoes that aren’t flip flops: Check
Towels and sheets: Check
Workout clothes (there’s no time for that with all the eating you’ve got to do): Check
Boa, pleather jumpsuit, cone bra, pink/blue/mullet wig: Check, Check, Check and, obvi, Check

You’re on a roll until you spot your freshman year photo album peaking out from under your tailgate t-shirts.  You pick it up, flip it open and spend the next hour perched on a pile of your clothes calling your BFFs to reminisce as you laugh so hard you cry.

Downstairs your mom is tearing up, knowing she’s making you meatloaf for the last time. Upstairs, you’re dancing around your room in your underwear (had to pack those sweats you were wearing) and a wig, counting down the minutes until you’re back on campus.

Yeah, we’ve all been there.
And we can’t wait to be back there again soon!

Stuff you should not bring to the dorms.

1 – Your $20,000 stereo system.

Yes, I know its got ‘mad subs’ and is both bangin’ and bumpin’ but here’s the reality of the situation. We hate your music. I don’t care who you are and how diverse your tastes are, there are people who hate what you listen to and don’t want to hear it. Additionally, even if your musical taste is somehow Christ-like in its openness, there are times where people don’t want to hear music of any type, and these times may not coincide with your own. Your giant stereo shares noise with all ears, everywhere, and that isn’t necessary. Learn to use headphones and leave you’re cribs-esque sh*t at home.

2 – Frivolous Kitchen Stuff

Here are the following items I have personally seen people bring that have pissed other people off: a popcorn maker, a cotton candy machine, a full sized wok, a 12 speed blender…the list goes on. Do not bring kitchen sh*t you have either no intention of using or have no idea how to operate. The popcorn and cotton candy guy buzz killed every party, the Wok guy set fire to our paper towels, and the 12 speed blender kid supplied samples for everyone at a high velocity. Also, you are a freshman and you are godd*mn filthy. You never clean your sh*t, and the more sh*t you have, the less clean you are overall. Something else to consider: as soon as people get drunk this stuff is getting abused. The wok was used as a sled. Which was cool, but broken now.

3 – Your drum kit

But bro, I want to jam with my mans and them! Every time I see someone unloading a drum kit on move-in day I simultaneously create a scenario where their roommates try to kill them using snakes. If you bring your drum kit to the dorms, you are that kid that everyone hates. The dorms are not your apartment, they are where people sleep and study. Every music college ever has practice rooms with drum sets and no one at a non-music college needs a drum kit. If you bring a set with you but don’t practice in the dorms, fine, whatever. If you have a sweet electronic drum kit with headphones, awesome. If you have a bitchin’ jazz fusion kit that totally surrounds you, that is so cool and I bet your band is sweet but setting that sh*t up in a forced triple is a complete mistake. You will regret it.

4 – Exercise Equipment

Exerbike, treadmill, bowflex, etc. There are noisy and absurd and when I saw my roommate loading one in I rubbed my eyes in complete disbelief. Here is the solution to the problems I’m sure these people are having about getting this stuff up the stairs or in the car. It’s called a gym. Your school has one. Or, join the YMCA. It’s cheap and mostly clean. Also, like cooking sh*t, exercise equipment and drunkenness is a recipe for disaster, as anyone who has tried to see how fast exactly a treadmill can go will tell you.