My name is Jessica, and I’ve never made a snowman. I’ve only seen snow once in my life when I went to New York for Christmas one year, and my priority was not building snowmen (plus if I tried to build one in Times Square, people would keep running into it or trying to sell it tickets to a comedy show).

So, I just have to live vicariously through these people. All of these snowmen are so impressive, and they make me hate the fact that it’s December and I’m still wearing shorts. Read More »

Mac 'n cheese for now, pizza for (when you're drunk) later.

Living in college pretty much means you will be living a notch above a homeless person.  You drink cheap booze heavily, pass out in random places, smell like last night on your way to class and (pretty much) live in a box.  Luckily, we all know that is what makes college amazing.

But still, college can get pretty difficult at times.  You don’t have a car your freshman year to make constant trips to Trader Joe’s, let alone the moolah to buy nice minty tea tree shampoo and Charmin Baby soft toilet paper like Mama buys at home (sigh).  What are you ever going to do without a stocked pantry and a private hot shower (that doesn’t require flip flops and a shower caddy?!?).

Don’t fret, college loved ones!  The college campus is a gold mine for basic needs and perks.  And I promise you, one thing we have up to a homeless man is easy access to what we need. Read More »

Every year I find myself entering December with the same longing in the pit of my stomach. I see couples holding hands and sharing hot chocolate. All the stores are decked out in twinkling lights and ornaments. Every car that passes has a Christmas tree strapped to the top. And while I want to be home with friends and family, drinking fun holiday drinks and decorating the Christmas tree, I’m stuck in my 4 by 4 cell studying crap I could really care less about.

And with my luck, I always end up with a final on the very last possible day, which has me rushing home on the 23rd and trying to cram all of my holiday activities into 48 hours.

It just isn’t right.

But just because I’m holed up in my dorm studying during the most wonderful time of the year, it doesn’t mean that I (or anyone suffering like me) can’t enjoy a little holiday cheer. Since most of us won’t be seeing much of the world outside of the library over the next few weeks, here are some ways to bring the holidays to us:

Decorate.
Yes you live in a tiny box and chances are your school has 8 million rules about what you can’t bring in to the dorms. But there are still ways to deck out your room for the holidays. The best $15 I have ever spent was on a mini Christmas tree from WalMart. You can also get them at Target and Borders. They come in a variety of colors (of course I bought it in hot pink) and come with the most adorable mini ornaments and tinsel to decorate. If a tree isn’t a thing, why not relive your glory (read: kindergarten) days and make a snowflake chain? It’s super cute and festive, and a fun way to take a break from the studying and recharge that noggin. Read More »