Give to those who need it most. And who are really cute.

With the holidays comin’ round the bend, I’m sure most of us are starting to think of gifts both for ourselves and for others.  And although receiving is arguably the most enjoyable part of the gift giving tradition, we must not forget others that need our help during this time.  Giving money or volunteering with any charity is awesome regardless of its cause, but I am an advocate of environmentally-geared charities.  Here are some of the top causes and their most reliable charities to get you in the giving mood this holiday season.

Forest Preservation: Because what would the holidays be like without trees covered in snow (or twinkle lights, if you hail from California as well)?  Forests form important ecosystems for many species of wildlife and plants.  Plus, trees are a great source of oxygen and an effective method of carbon sequestration which can lower greenhouse gas levels in the air.  Some of the top rated charities in this arena are: American Forests, The Pachamama Alliance, and Trees, Water, and People (TWP).

Ocean Protection:  The ocean is the world’s last frontier.  There are thousands of species that we do not fully understand or even know about yet.  The ocean exemplifies diversity in an ecosystem and is very essential to our life on earth.  Plus, dolphins are just adorable.  Help protect them and their habitat by donating to one of these charities: Oceana, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, The Surfrider Foundation, and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS). Read More »

Did you know that August was originally named Sextilis? In ancient times there seemed to be pretty high expectations for this month. But throughout history August has gained a bad reputation for being the most unfortunate month of the year. It’s the only month without a major national holiday, the month when WWI started, the month when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the month when Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe died.

At least Scotland has the Edinburgh Festival; here in the States, August is the month where summer days go to die, and when poor little children have to put down their toys and go back to school.

BUT, I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be all bad; we’re just going to make the best of it. And it’s really not hard. There’s lots goin’ on in August.  Like cheese? It’s National Goat Cheese Month. Wanna be like Tiger Woods? National Golf Month. Starting your own business? Home Business Month and National Inventors Month. August doesn’t have to be all bad.

Aug 1- MTV Debuted
On this day in 1981, music videos found their home on the instantly-popular, new music channel: MTV. As you know, they’ve expanded now to not only include music (or, should I say, not include music at all), but reality shows as well. Get your 15 seconds (or an entire season) of fame by being on the Real World, which is casting right now! Or if the 24/7 camera-in-the-face non-stop-drama lifestyle doesn’t appeal to you, then apply for Made or True Life, both of which have considerably less screaming and flashing.

Aug 2 – National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
Ok, these may not be in sandwich form, but custom-made, mix-your-own ice cream?! I SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM.

Aug 12- Middle Children’s Day (who knew it existed? And does this mean us middle kids can finally get the love and attention we deserve?!) Read More »

Ahhh, Fourth of July.

It’s not a holiday that carries the burden of gift exchange, and you don’t feel guilty if you don’t spend it with your family. Is that why it’s one of the best days to celebrate? People make plans for the Fourth months in advance, which is more than we can say for St. Patrick’s day, its celebratory-drunkfest cousin. So what is it that makes Independence Day so special? I mean… other than the fact that we have freedom of speech and right to assemble and such.

1. Fireworks.

They appeal to everyone. The rebels can light stuff on fire and blow things up. The artists can appreciate the colorful patterns of light against a midnight sky. And the lovers can tell themselves it’s okay if they just did it in a park on a blanket. Fireworks and Fourth of July are like Mistletoe and Christmas. They just aren’t as cool if you pick the wrong day. Read More »

The Fourth of July is a holiday deeply rooted in its traditions. You hang out with friends and family (sometimes in costume…), you cook big slabs of meat on the grill, you wash those slabs of meat down with an icy cold (alcoholic) beverage, and you sit on a blanket in the middle of a street to watch pretty bombs explode overhead.

Ooooo!
Ahhhhh!

But no matter how many times you do it, as you walk back to your car – scratching those damn mosquito bites until you bleed- you always find yourself wishing you had prepared for the festivities a little better.

So, this year, CollegeCandy is gonna help you out. We’ve done all the preparing so you don’t have to. Print this sucker out before you go and you will be ready for your 4th of July celebration (and possibly another Y2K situation…what can we say? We like to be prepared).   Read More »

I’ve mentioned this in recent posts, but I always use my summer vacation as a catalyst for next fall’s budget.  Many of you are saving money by living at home, or earning extra cash by taking on a summer job.  However, when the sun comes out, it’s a lot more tempting to go out and spend money.

You might have said “No” to 1/2 price happy hour during the winter, but now your friends can twist your arm to drink overpriced margaritas at a trendy beach bar.  Cutting costs doesn’t have to mean cutting down on fun, however, and if you play your cards right, you can have a kickass summer and barely spend a dime.

1.  Hang out at the lake.

Big beaches can actually cost a pretty penny, when you factor in overpriced parking costs, expensive surrounding restaurants, and the gas money if it’s a major tourist trap that seems worth a 2- to 3-hour drive.  You can still soak in the sun and go for a dip at your local lake.  If the lake is part of a community park, you might have to pay a couple dollars to park, but that money usually goes towards keeping the park clean.

2.  Go fruit picking.

Check out local farms and farmer’s markets and stock of on all the fresh produce that’s yours for the picking.  Whether you visit a strawberry patch, a blueberry field, or stock up on a harvest of tomatoes, you can spend a few therapeutic hours away from the commotion of our high-tech world, and maintain your bikini bod by eating healthy.  Then, go home and conjure up some gastronomic experiments, such as homemade caprese salad (tomatoes layered with fresh mozzarella and drizzled with balsamic vinegar) or a genuine strawberry daiquiri. Read More »

Happy Cinco De Mayo, ladies! Hopefully you can take a break from your regular drinking studying to celebrate a big moment in the history of Mexico. And hopefully you’ll honor that country to our south the right way, instead of just grabbing a bag of Tostitos, a bottle of Corona, and a surgical mask.

After all, this isn’t just any Tuesday – it’s a holiday! You gotta make things special on a holiday. And the way to make this particular holiday special is by pulling out all the stops when it comes to your cocktails of choice. You could just grab some margartia mix and blend it up for you and the girls, or you could do something totally different and totally tasty that will knock everyone’s socks off. And probably pants.

We scoured the internet to find some pretty cheap and unique Cinco-De-Mayo-worthy margaritas. From chocolate to Jell-O shots, these are cocktails no one will forget. Even on a day devoted to forgetting everything. Click on the image to get the recipe, then do it up. (We highly recommend the Skinny Girl Margarita. It’s low cal and incredibly tasty. We already had one this morning. And, yes, it’s only 10 am.)

Enjoy! Read More »

pass it.

Well my favorite holiday is here. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas cookies; I love pumpkin pie; and I also love dressing up like a slutty Dorothy, cat, nurse, (insert random noun here); but there is nothing I love more than the 20th of April.

You may not usually celebrate this joyous occasion – I have actually only had the pleasure of celebrating it once – but one time was all it took to become an ardent supporter. In light of this, I thought I’d bestow some of my favorite stoned activities with you all so you have some options to spend  the best Monday of the year! So pull a Michael Phelps (read: hit the bong) and enjoy any of the following: Read More »

Save the date,  Spiedi’s really getting married.

Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson are over. Again.

There’s still time to decorate your dorm for Easter.

Save time with these multi-tasking beauty products.

Going away for the holiday? Check out these celeb airport trends.

Today is Good Friday.

I’m not sure what makes it more good than any other Friday (which are always good in my book), but that is what the calendar says, so I’m goin’ with it. In honor of the goodness of today, I decided to make this Friday extra special and do everything to make sure it was good: I ate a donut for breakfast (good), I put real cream instead of skim milk in my coffee (good), I never got out of my PJs (good), and I’m hoping to watch the entire first season of The Hills on DVD (very good).

What about you?

This week our writers weighed in on what makes a Good Friday for them. Besides the mere fact that it’s Friday, of course. Helloooo, weekend! Read More »

We all want to go home for Easter, but sadly, it’s nearing the end of the school year, and so we’re more likely to be munching on terrible dining-hall food than we are on delicious hollow chocolate rabbits. Before you get depressed about all the candy (oh yeah….and love) you’re missing back home, try bringing the Easter spirit into your own home. No, I’m not talking about Jesus.

I’m talking about an Easter bash. I throw one every year and it’s always fun, festive, and almost as good as the stuff my mom makes back home. Plus, it’s super easy. Here are some tips on throwing your own! Read More »