Summers’ winding down and the back-to-school countdown has finally begun. This year, we want to prep you with some must-haves that’ll be sure to make the transition from summertime laziness to school year craziness a whole lot smoother. Check out the latest gear that’ll get rid of those restless nights, pesky extra wires and low quality tunes. We’re hooking you up with the latest gadgets, gear and devices to help with a successful (and less stressful) semester.

initiating the gallery...

[I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the epitome of prim and proper- heck, who really is nowadays? But looking around at the misguided youths of today *ahem drinking buddies*, I’m starting to think that Miss Manners might have been onto something.

While you may never need to know how to greet a duke or how to tell which fork is REALLY the oyster fork, knowing how to deal with people whom owe you money, how much to tip, and how to address the ever annoying licorice-in-teeth conundrum without being rude might actually come in handy in the real world. I'm not trying to be your mother - oh goodness, no - I'm just here to help you out of those little etiquette dilemmas. So here goes: a quick lesson in etiquette. The sh*t you might actually need to know]

One of my oldest childhood friends is getting married this Saturday and, quite frankly, I am horrified by the thought of attending his wedding. Not that I have anything against the lovebirds; on the contrary, I’m glad he’s happy. It’s just, well… I never know how to act at weddings. There are just too many unspoken rules, too many unanswered questions: What do I wear? Black? White? Should I go casual or dressy? What do I bring? Who do I bring? Can I bring someone? And so on.

It’s enough to keep you from going to the blasted wedding at all. Well, I’m here to speak those rules and answer those questions. Buckle up my lovelies…

Dress code:
Can I wear white? NO! Never, ever wear white to a wedding.

What about black? Yes, black is perfectly acceptable at weddings. In fact, most people do. As long as you keep from looking like part of a funeral procession, you should be fine. Read More »

After one too many plastic cups of Pabst Blue Ribbon, I’ve moved on to wine as my new drink of choice. But, like beer, there are many kinds of bad wine that are too easy to accidentally drink. So what makes a good wine? And what’s the difference between a chardonnay and a Cabernet?

Here’s the rundown on the mot popular kinds of wine and what to drink them with.

Reds

Cabernet Sauvignon is produced mainly in France and California. This red is what’s called “full bodied,” meaning it’s got a rich, strong flavor of dark fruits like black current. The best Cabernets taste a bit earthy and dry and they tend to get better with age, so pick-up a bottle with the earliest date (as in, 2003 rather than 2008).

Pair with red meat, grilled vegetables, or pasta with red sauce.

Merlot is arguably the most popular red wine. Merlot can range from medium to full-bodied and is high in alcohol and low in acidity. Flavors include plum and chocolate (yum!). Grown all over the world, this wine is easy to enjoy.

Pair with pasta with red sauce, beef, or grilled or smoky meats.

Pinot Noir is made from a velvety grape that is one of the hardest to grow, which makes a good pinot great and a bad pinot terrible. A good pinot will be complex, with flavors ranging from black cherries to earthy spices. Pinot Noir grapes traditionally come from Burgundy, France, but are now being perfected in Oregon and California.

Pair with salmon, pasta, or pork. Read More »

1) English is as hard for them as Algebra is for you.

There’s nothing wrong with knowing two languages. Actually it’s pretty cool. But if your professor teaches at a University in the U.S and they are not a fluent English speaker, and they aren’t teaching the language they are fluent in, you could be in for a rough time, especially if the class is science or math. The only thing more difficult then college level mathematics is college level mathematics from Russia (with love).

2) A complete lack of syllabus.

In college, stuff matters. Papers, grades, stuff that is trivial in High School gets more weighty once you sign away a few thousand bucks a semester. A syllabus is a contract between you and the professor to minimize f*ck-ups on both ends. With a syllabus, they can’t bust a giant exam on you and be all “I said!”, and you can’t claim you misheard the due date for the term paper (damn!). If your professor doesn’t come with a syllabus on day one, ask about it. If they don’t have plans for one, you may in some troubs. Write all important dates down.

3) Where did I put my…

People who forget stuff a lot can be cute. Unless you pay them to teach and grade you. Then it’s just annoying. We admit, teachers are people and forgetting stuff is fine, occasionally, but if your teacher forgets most of the stuff they were supposed to bring during the first week, you can bet on a semesters worth of waiting for AV equipment that wasn’t requested and photocopies that didn’t get made. Your assignments are at least slightly in your control, so make 2 copies and keep one for yourself. Read More »

The New York Times recently published a list of tips to incoming freshman at local NYC schools.

The list, which you can see here, provided nothing more than grounds for all Times readers to question the level of intelligence of the very people that work there. Anyone with half a brain (read: anyone who would be going to college in the first place) would not only know half of this sh*t already, but might even be made dumber for having read this.

Oh, writers at the Times, how out of touch you are with the reality of college.

Sure, some students get drunk and decide to take a dip in dangerously murky bodies of water, but it is about so much more than you have listed here.

For real tips and rules for incoming Freshmen, you have to talk to someone who knows college inside and out. Someone who devoted 4.5 years to studying (at) an undergraduate institution. Someone like….ME!

So, for the incoming Freshmen out there, I give you 10 tips and rules to live by:

1. Pack Costumes: I know it sounds weird, but college and costumes go together like pizza and beer. Looking back to my freshman year, I can’t remember how many times I found myself halfway under my bed screaming, “WHERE IS MY BOA AND CONE BRA?!” I can remember, though, the amount of times I found myself halfway under my bed screaming, “WHERE IS MY STATS BOOK?!” The answer is zero. I never even bought it.

2. Do Not Drink the Punch

3. Lock the Door When Drinking: The R.A. doesn’t need a warrant to search your room, so make sure the door is locked when drinking (or doing other…ahem…illegal things). She then has to knock and you will have plenty of time to hide the bottles/light some candles to rid your room of that….planty smell. Read More »