I guess that whole “time flies when you’re having fun” thing really is true, because between the Justin Bieber concert and the 4th of July, this week flew on by. Let’s reflect:

- Remember that little kid from Sixth Sense? Or the boys from Boy Meets World? What the hell happened to them? We get the low-down on the cuties of the 90′s. Newsflash: they’re not such cuties anymore.

- Are you a Diet Coke fanatic? We are. Oh sweet nectar of the Gods.

- It seems like everyone has fallen in love with Bethenny Frankel from The Real Housewives of New York City. Yes, when we grow up, we all want to be Bethenny.

- Should you get implants? The Dude weighs in.

- Dating is tough, especially when you don’t want to come off as the clingy girl. So should you be channeling your inner G.I Joe? Helmets on, ladies.

- Trying to get by in the sweltering heat? CollegeCandy has the Dos and Don’ts for beating summer heat.

- When it comes to summer friends, there are 9 you should avoid at all costs, and 5 you NEED to keep around.

- Not sure if it’s time to take your friend home and put her to bed (with a bottle of water and a garbage can)? Here are 88 reasons why you should. Warning: it ain’t pretty.

- Summer = bikinis. Bikinis = Diet. Learn how to get off that weight loss plateau and lose weight the healthy way.

- The Boho looks back! Get 8 tips on how to look chic and relax for just under $20.

Not that I needed to tell you that. I’m sure the sweat forming under your boobs as we speak sends that message loud and clear (and wet). I wouldn’t mind the heat so much outside (that’s what pools and beaches are for, right?) if my apartment weren’t also 10,000 degrees. It seems my air conditioning has taken a permanent vacay and the only way to stay cool is to watch TV in a bikini with a half-gallon of Edy’s between my legs.

I wonder what my neighbors think…

I feel like I’ve tried everything – including sitting in a cooler full of ice at my 4th of July BBQ – but nothing is working and I fear my organs are cooking inside of my body. That can’t be good for my liver, right? In order to find some relief, I turned to the CollegeCandy writers to find out what they do to keep cool on these sweltering days. Need some ideas to cool down? Read on:

Rachael – University of Miami: Air conditioning, smoothies, and (of course) any form of chocolate ice cream. Oh, and embracing the antics of my old floormates and ditching the shirt when I’m hanging out in my room; a bra and shorts are surprisingly comfortable, and a lot cooler than having a shirt sticking to your chest and back.

Kari – Florida State: I hit the gym! It’s freezing cold in there and when I leave, at least I can feel good about being sweaty…

Sarabeth – University of Texas: I have this reusable ice-stick thing that came with a water bottle I bought, but instead of using it as I should, I put it between my boobs. No one can tell and it feels amazing.

Meg – University of Delaware: I make coffee ice cubes and go for a drive. Am I the only one who never outgrew chewing on ice cubes? And there’s nothing better when it’s ten million degrees outside than hitting the highway, rolling down the windows and blasting some ’90s pop. Hanson and caffeine is the way to go.

Katie – Michigan State University: Get naked. Any free moment I have to take my clothes off, they are on the floor and I am laying prone wherever I fall.

Lauren – University of Michigan: 3 words – Crystal Light Slurpee. The medium is only 160 calories and it cools you down like nothing else. Plus, the a/c in 7-11 is always blasting.

Carly – Grinnell: I like to stick my head in the freezer for a few minutes. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!

Caitlin – University of Alabama: I beat the heat by eating a pack of Fla-Vor-Ice ice pops a day.  And walking around in my towel wrap until I have to go to work. Being naked cools you down; it’s a fact.

Katie T – Skidmore College:  At night, I fill a bowl with ice and tap water and keep it in the fridge. I soak my bath towel in ice water and use that as my blanket. If it’s really hot, I sleep on the bathroom floor (cold tiles = necessary).

Emmy – Loyola University Chicago: I bring ice water with me everywhere. And I take a freezing cold shower like twice a day minimum… At least I’m really clean during the summer, I guess?

Alex – Lakehead: I usually lay in my freezing cold basement, wearing as little as possible, for as long as I can stand it. My body temperature plummets and stays cool for hours. Probably not the healthiest option though….

Nina – Michigan State University: Ice, ice, baby! Especially with my new found love for sweet tea, you really can’t go wrong. Mmmm.

Brithny – Duke: I open my freezer door and just bask in the cold sublimation oozing out. I also take out frozen veggie bags and rub them on my body.

Leah – Ryerson University: I work outside so when it gets really hot I eat a disgusting amount of freezies to stay cool!

Norah – Drake University: Slip ‘n slide! I just bought one for $5 at Target — now all I need is a hose.

Brittany – University of Saint Thomas: Since taking cold showers makes me uncomfortable while (momentarily) living at home, I prefer to cool off with a fruit pop and sprawling out like a starfish on the wooden kitchen floor. And then I eat another fruit pop. Oh, and I also justify frequent trips to Target to cool me off. It’s cold in there. . .

Christie – NC State: It turns REALLY hot in August in NC (you wouldn’t think it could get any hotter, and then that month hits and it feels like death). During football games my friends and I go the cheap route and ask the vendors for cups of ice, and then we just suck on ice the whole game.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m exercise’s #1 fan (not really, but I tell myself that trick me into doing it every day). It makes you healthier, happier and hotter. But as my fellow CC gals know, it’s summer time-and that comes with certain duties as a college student. Let’s not kid ourselves here, sometimes day drinking just takes precedence over willpower or dietary discretion- and I don’t know about you guys but I’m still coasting on what’s left of my Spring Break bod.

But alas! Three months fly by too fast, and before we know it, we’re back at school sweet school. And if there’s one goal college women can agree on, it’s that we want to look fierce during welcome week. So put down the margarita and get ready to turn heads on the first day of classes by giving yourself a summer fitness challenge!

First things first: Weigh yourself and figure out your BMI. Set a realistic goal weight and BMI for you to reach by move in day/welcome week/ your first day of classes. Next, determine how many calories you need to eat and burn in order to reach your goal-here’s your secret weapon. The only way to lose weight – the right way – is to burn more calories than you’re eating. To find out how many calories are in whatever food I’m eating (fresh fruit doesn’t have nutrition labels, much to my annoyance) I like to use Calorie King. It has virtually every food’s nutrition facts, along with graphs that show you what percentage of the food is fat, protein, carbs, etc., so it’s easy to make sure you’re getting the right amount of each at every meal. And it tells you exactly how many minutes of various exercises like biking, jogging and rowing it will take to burn those calories off. One warning though, after a moment of weakness I broke down and got Moe’s – seeing how many hours (yes, hours) it would take to completely burn off those calories was slightly traumatic.  I’ll never look at a burrito the same way again.

And speaking of shocking realizations… Losing weight this summer will be so much easier if you actually know what you’re putting in your body, and how much of it you actually need. The best way to keep track of what you’re eating – and how much of it – is by keeping a food journal. It forces you to realize everything that you’re eating, and being brutally honest with yourself (see aforementioned burrito) makes you want to eat healthy. It also helps to keep an exercise journal. I hate seeing a blank day on mine, or even the days when I know I could have done better. Seeing everything in black and white is definitely a huge motivation and there are easy online tools that make it easier to do every day. So let’s talk…

Motivation: Saying you’re going to get in sick shape this summer and actually doing it are two different things. In most cases (well, at least in mine), the biggest problem is motivation. At the end of the day, only you can decide if you’re going to put down that cookie or go the extra 10 minutes on the Stairmaster. Unless you enlist a partner in weight loss, that is. Your partner can be your sibling, boyfriend or best friend, as long as they make the same commitment to summer fitness that you’re making. Find a partner, and you’ve got yourself a fitness challenge!

Schedule workouts for the week ahead of time and write them down, put them in your Blackberry, Google calendar, whatever – just make sure you’ve got a visual, concrete schedule of your workouts. These now function as “dates”. You wouldn’t want to blow off your partner (or have them blow you off), so there’ll be a voice of reason when one of you just doesn’t feel like hitting the gym.

Once you’re actually working up a sweat, decide on fun challenges you can compete in. Think you can kick your bff’s ass at a 10 minute mile? Bet your next pedicure on it. Think you can lap your baby bro in freestyle? Put a week’s worth of dishwashing duty on the line. And if you know you can out-crunch your man, for Pete’s sake bet sexual favors on it!

Finally…

Keep your hot streak going! You’ll feel damn good back-to-school shopping and sauntering around campus come September, but don’t let your summer’s hard work go to waste. Keep in mind the eating habits you developed over the summer. It’s important not to think of healthy eating as a “diet.” Being nutritious should be a lifestyle. Yes, you will occasionally mess up and go to Taco Bell after a long night of flip cup (and flip cup itself isn’t all that great for you, supposedly), but that doesn’t mean you should spiral into the deep abyss of terrible food all the time.

Same goes for the gym. After 3 months of reaping the benefits of daily cardio, your body will most likely be hooked on all those post-gym endorphins. But don’t let the stress of school keep you away from working out. Even if you’re swamped with papers and exam studying, make time to work out. Just 30 minutes of stress relief will be infinitely better than the hour you’ll inevitably spend procrastinating on Facebook. Maintaining the same eating and exercise habits that you practiced all summer will help you stay healthy – and hot – long into the fall semester.

There are many difficult decisions we women must make at different times throughout our lives: tampon or pad, Brazilian or bikini, Pantene or Herbel Essense, Gossip Girl or The Hills? Difficult, difficult decisions.

It wasn’t until recently, however, that I faced one of the toughest short term decisions of my life. Or night. This choice would affect it all: my looks, my weight, and my potential for pulling some major booty.

Here was my dilemma: Do I wear Spanx, the best body shaping underwear that eliminates panty lines and takes about 10 pounds away from my curvaceous bod, or do I wear the sexy, skanky, black lace thong?

I know I’m not the only girl out there who has pondered this perplexity. And I am definitely not the last. So, what should you do? Let’s break it down:

Spanx make that tight dress fit perfectly and suck you in at all the right places. Problem is, body shaping underwear looks like this, or worse, like this. They’re like granny-panties-meet-military-armor with the dangerous potential to scare away any guy who finds his way down south.

Thongs, on the other hand, are straight out of every man’s fantasy. They are a guaranteed turn-on and a real flag raiser (if you know what I’m sayin’…). But they also leave everything hangin’ out…and jiggling.

Spanx make you look good, which, in turn, make you feel good and beautiful and confident enough to walk up to that fellow you’ve been eying and spit your best game.

Thongs are thin strips of material that ride uncomfortably high, making them nearly impossible to ignore as you go about your business all night. Jiggling.

Spanx require a full-body workout to get on and off. And when you finally do roll (yes, roll) those suckers down your legs (which is impossible to do while still maintaining some semblance of sex appeal), you’re left with deep red lines across your stomach. Hotness.

Thongs only require a slight tug (with teeth) to remove. They also happen to be easy to stuff back into your purse for the long Stride of Pride home. Jiggling.

You can see the dilemma. There’s really no true winner. It looks like the only option might be the old “I’ll meet you outside in a minute”/run into the bar bathroom and break a sweat taking off those Spanx and go commando before he has a chance to look up your skirt maneuver.

Sigh. It’s not easy being a girl.

WTF?

Whenever I see workouts in magazines/online that tell me that I need 23,494,201 pieces of equipment to get a full-body workout all I think is, “I’ll stick to the elliptical thankyouverymuch!” But while the elliptical is a great cardio workout, it’s not enough to get into shape and stay healthy. A girl’s gotta lift some weights.

But where? And how?

Typically, the weight room on college campuses is the “man’s domain” (as we control the cardio machine kingdom), so walking in there – never-mind actually using different machines while frat guys look on with tongues hanging out – seems less than appealing for many women. You think I’m gonna do some squats while that meat head looks on? No thank you.

And that’s pretty much why I designed this workout. The routine hits all the important areas of the body and doesn’t require a lot of time, equiptment, or beefy guys staring at you as you fumble with the inner/outer thigh machine. All you need is one flat bench and a set of weights, anywhere between 5 and 15 pounds depending on your strength level.

I recommend starting with the biggest muscles (legs) and then moving on from there, but the order is totally up to you!

Weighted step ups
Works: hips and thighs

Grab one of your weights in each hand and stand directly in front of your bench. Step up with your left foot, then your right, then down with your left, then right. Repeat 12 times on the left side for one set, then 12 times with your right leg leading. Do three sets of 12 on each side.
Expert modification – switch step-up leg after each full up and down motion. Also, add a bicep curl while standing on the top of the bench for an added challenge.

Weighted lunges with one leg up on bench
Works: hips and thighs

Place your left foot on top of the bench, right foot lunging straight behind you (far enough back that your heel is in the air), and a weight in each hand at your side. Dip your right knee toward the ground as if in a lunge, and then come up. Repeat 12 times per side, three sets per side.

Weighted calf raises with stability challenge
Works: calves and abdominals

Stand atop the bench with a weight in each hand at your sides. Your heels should be hanging slightly off the back edge of the bench. Dip your heels down below the line of the top of the the bench, and the slowly rise up onto your toes. It will be hard because the bench is squishy! Flex your core to keep your balance, and repeat 12 times, three sets.
Even harder: Challenge your core by lifting one foot off the bench and doing raises on only one foot. Alternate sides.

Chest press
Works: chest

Lay flat on the bench on your back with a weight in each hand. Bring elbows to 90 degree angles at your sides, in line with your head, palms facing up. Press up slowly and bring weights toward each other. Lower. Repeat 12 times and three sets.

Standing bicep curls/hammer curls
Works: biceps

Standing with knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart, take one weight in each hand and place arms at your sides with elbows at 90 degree angles, palms facing in toward each other. Slowly raise weights at the same time toward your shoulders, keeping elbows close at your sides. Lower to 90 degrees, not going any lower. Repeat three sets of 12.

Triceps extensions
Works: triceps

Stand behind the bench, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, shoulders back and tummy held taunt. Join both hands behind your head holding a weight, arms at 90 degree angles. Slowly straighten your arms out above your head, and then return to the starting position, not going past 90 degrees. Keep the area from your shoulders to your elbows completely stable. Repeat for three sets of 12.

Ab pusher
Works: abdominals

Lay face up on the bench with your legs straight up in the air. Holding one weight with both hands, arms straight above your head and parallel with your legs, lift (don’t’ curl) your shoulders up to the ceiling, pushing the weight upward toward your feet. Be sure to keep your abs pulled in and tight, and be sure to press upward toward the ceiling, rather than curling your neck. Three sets of 12.

Leg throws / up-downs
Works: Abdominals

Lay flat on your back on the bench, with legs straight up in the air. Place your hands behind your lower back or your booty. Slowly lower your legs straight down so they are in-line with the bench then lift them back up. Lower them again, this time off to the left, then lift them back up. Lower again, this time to the right, then back up. Repeat 12 times or as many as you can do!

Weight training is really important, and now that you have a quick and easy workout, there’s no excuse to skip it. Not only does it increase your metabolic rate, but it can help prevent osteoporosis, increase lean muscle mass, help to prevent injury (when you stumble, maybe drunk), improve your balance (in 4’’ heels or otherwise), enhance your physical and mental health, and help you to feel better and look better!

Sounds worth it to me!

Me. Crying. For the entire scene.

Call me a sap all you want, but there were tears this week. Real ones.

First they were tears of frustration and anger – crying because the scene that I have been anticipating for weeks, when Rufus and Lily finally discover that Scott is their son, was squished into some 15 second clip where Georgina walks by and breezily mentions it. But then it became tears of happiness as Rufus professed his undying love to Lily and told her to stop getting cold feet and just move them down the aisle already. And then the tears turned to even more happiness and love when Scott and his parents hugged and cried and proved that children given up by their parents at birth really can re-integrate into their previous families twenty years later.

Sounds kind of like a Lifetime movie, but I’ll work with it. Box of tissues in hand.

Sidetrack to Georgina for a second: The only word for her this episode is CREEPY. And I’m not just talking about her whole I-love-Dan-and-I’ll-do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-him-back thing. Is she getting paler and more wide-eyed every episode? I know it suits her overly-involved obsessive personality, but come on, makeup artists – ever hear of bronzer? Maybe if she started reading CollegeCandy she’d learn some much needed makeup tips and how to spot a guy who isn’t into her so she can move on instead of trying to ruin things for him and his superstar, hot, Hilary Duff actress girlfriend. But more importantly, she’d learn a few things about bronzer.

Now back to Rufus and Lily: After tip-toeing around each other, they finally tie the knot at the Brooklyn loft (insert more tears that their perfect garden with perfect flowers in perfect weather didn’t get to happen). Jenny made the gorgeous wedding gown, Serena wore some fabulous frock that made her boobs look ridic and Jenny wore….my grandma’s moo moo. I wept for her stylists.

We all know that no big event on the Upper East Side could ever run smoothly and a Lily Bass wedding is no exception. Even before the big “this is your son” debacle, we finally learned that Carter Basin scammed the Buckleys into paying off his debts. But last we saw, his gorgeous body and that face-so-hot-it-makes-me-tear-up were sandwiched between two very large Texans and about to be used to pay back his bookie fees. Apparently Southern families never forget. And apparently those Southern girls will do anything to help their families, and that includes using one poor Nate Archibald. Poor kid, he really thought that Brie was falling for him. He should have listened to the astonishing, gorgeous, please-let-me-be her Blair Waldorf.

“No girl is that nice.”

And no other girl would get an amazing Chuck Bass massage, a moment I watched with tears in my eyes since my boyfriend doesn’t take cross-continental massage technique lessons.

Well, at least I’m not Carter Basin. Homeboy’s in for some serious pain. We’ll just have to see how it all goes down next week. Until then….

You know you love them.
XOXO.
GGR.
(Gossip Girl Recapper)

Ugh...

This summer is my last summer at home. While most of you can relate when I say that I’m ecstatic (believe me, I am), it may not be for the reason everyone expects. Read: living with the parents breathing down my neck.

You see, when I go home, I gain weight. Not just 3 or 4 pounds, but this summer I put on 10. freakin. pounds. Yes, I know this is my own fault, so don’t get on my case for knowing better, but I know I’m not alone. There is something about the summer that just means extra poundage. So how about we take a closer look at what goes on during the summer months so we can stop the madness?!?!

1) The campus gym is no longer 5 min away - Ok, this one hit me pretty hard. I love having a free gym at my disposal! No way am I going to pay buckets of money to use an elliptical in my hometown.

2) When it’s fifty million degrees outside, you want to stay in – I’m one of those people that no matter how far away my class is, I’d rather walk than take the campus shuttle. Well, with no class to go to, I have nowhere to walk. Also, I live in west Texas where it’s been over 100 degrees every day for the past month. Going on a walk for exercise is out of the question; I don’t want to burst into flames!

3) Parent’s kitchen = food anytime - When I’m at school, I’m on a strict budget, so I only eat when I need to. At home, I eat all the time because I’m no longer the one footing the food bill. I now eat when I’m bored (which is all the time since I couldn’t find a job this summer), when I’m sad (which is always since I am away from my friends), and when I’m awake (which is a lot since my parents wake up early and scream to each other across the house). Let’s leave the grazing for livestock, OK?

4) No friends to keep me in check – My friends on campus and I have sort of a check and balance system going on. We go to the gym together, we eat together, etc. If we see one of our friends doing something unhealthy, one of us will chime in and say something. We’re also motivation for each other; we constantly push each other for 5 more minutes on the stair stepper, or we have a salad night for dinner. With them gone, I’m on my own, and my own wants cupcakes. And it just so happens that my mom just baked 3 dozen of ‘em.

5) Outdoor BBQs: Everyone has them in the summer and, being that I will take any opportunity to hang out with people under the age of 45, I go to them. A lot. And I eat lots of delicious dips and chips and margaritas. And none of those things are low in calories.

With all of these changes from campus life, there’s only so much weight I can keep off with my mom’s Wii Fit. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t gain more, but I’m sure there is some more coming in the next 3 weeks before I head back to campus. I just hope I can still squeeze into my jeans for Welcome Week.

So tell me, how is home life different for your body?

But cooking your own meals means healthier eating, more money in your bank account, and the gratification that comes from making something with your hands. Everyone here at CollegeCandy loves to cook, so we're going to bring you our favorite (and easy) recipes every Sunday. Because it's a lazy day and you've got nothing better to than cook, right? Right.]

I like my chicken like I like my men: plucked super hot and very sweet. That’s why I love this recipe from biscuits and such. It’s the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. Plus, it’s boyfriend approved (and I’m sure anyone else will love it too), pretty simple to prepare, and the name makes me giggle.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast
2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 french bread loaf, cut in half both ways
1 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp honey
6 tbsp fresh cilantro
4 slices havarti cheese
Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Pat your chicken dry on both sides and rub with chipotle, salt and pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.  Stir in garlic powder and hot sauce.  Place your chicken in the pan and cook five minutes.  Flip and cook an additional five minutes.

3. Remove your chicken from the pan and slice into chunks. (Chunks is a funny word, no?)

4. Return the chunks to the pan and cook an additional two minutes.  When your chicken is fully cooked, pour honey into the pan.  The honey will melt, and then sizzle.  Allow the honey to reduce.

5. While the honey is cooking, slice your bread.  Top with all that delicious havarti and cilantro.

6. When the honey has completely reduced, place the chicken into the sandwich and serve.

This badboy serves two, but it’s insanely delicious, so you can make the whole thing for you and save that second half for later.

Real Housewives reunion gets out of control.

How to bargain shop in your city.

Audrina Partridge getting a clothing line?

Freshen up after a hot summer day.

Another Heidi Montag trainwreck music video.

Of course I’ve trekked through the snow on my way to class, stayed in bed for days on end and silently cursed the snow plows that prevented a well deserved snow day, but did I really enjoy winter? With February already behind us I’m left with a laundry list of to-dos before winter is gone for another whole year.

In case anyone else is in the same predicament, I have the top ten things everyone should do before winter comes to a screeching halt.

1. Cafeteria tray sledding. “Borrow” some trays, grab five of your friends and head over to the hill behind the dorms before all that snow turns to a slushy mess.

2. Mix peppermint schnapps and Cocoa. It’s the perfect complement to sledding. Just remember, kids: wrap up the celebration with this warm concoction. I learned the hard way that the liquor and sledding combo don’t end well.

3. Bake cookies (or just eat all the dough).

4. Take advantage of winter sales. When stores need to get rid of their winter inventory to make room for all the bikinis it means gigantic sweater sales. Winter may be on its way out, but there’s no reason not to go out in style.

5. Keep warm with someone hot. There is no better way to spend a cold night than getting steamy with the guy from next door.

6. Make your own ice luge.

7. Bundle up in warm trendy layers. I can’t get enough of wooly tights, boots, scarves and mittens.

8. Snowboarding, skiing, ice skating. I’m not an athlete but there’s something about repeatedly falling down that just makes me happy.

9. Movie Marathon: Stay in all day long and watch a lot of crappy movies. Once it gets warm you won’t get the chance.

10. Self proclaimed snow day. Who says your campus has the final say in what is deemed “safe” to travel in. I say send your professor a quick email, get the notes from a friend and spend the day enjoying winter the right way.