This is for all you incoming freshman and those who’ve gone through the 4 year war/odyssey/party/blur that was their college experience. It’s a time for trying new experiences and, of course, meeting new people. Now, every school’s different, with varying numbers of students on campus, geographic locations and demographic make-ups. BUT, I’m a firm believer that there are types that we all have to put up/study/rub elbows/sleep/deal with. Here’s a list of 14 types of guys that you’ll quite possibly meet in class/pledging/around the dorms/out at the local dives.

initiating the gallery...

Sorry for the slight digression there at the end, ladies. So, excited? Seriously, they’re not going to all be bad. In fact, there are a ton of cool guys and every bad penny is only one cent out of the millions of dollars that goes into funding the institution of higher learning. I’ve had my fun here poking at the generalities but really, these are the kinds of guys who’ll be providing you with material to reminisce about for the rest of your lives. And that you just can’t put a price on. You can laugh about it, though.

Your Orientation Leader,

The Dude

Now, as excited as I am to immerse myself in a completely new part of the country and whore my friendship out to anyone who seems halfway genuine, I’m also (understandably) somewhat apprehensive. While I embrace the fact that my classmates will be in the same awkward, n00bish and painfully freshman situation that I will be drowning in, to no degree does knowing this dull my nerves. It’s common knowledge that first impressions carry weight in relationships of any sort.

So here is my proposition to my fellow freshmen-to-be: take these last few months to become the younger version of the person you see yourself being as an adult. Let go, free your mind, go crazy (within reasonable, mostly-legal, bounds) and enjoy the summer. Immerse yourself in culture, as well; attending exhibits (recommended: Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty at the Met), securing an occupation in a new environment (jobs are hard to come by right now, but internships and volunteer positions are perfect for bulking up your resume! Don’t be afraid to work for free, for now), and going to music festivals are all great potential conversation topics. And personally, I know I’ll be needing a lot of those.

Summer is also the opportune time to switch things up looks-wise, so experiment freely with your hair/makeup/clothes. Unleash your inner beauty by tweaking your outer beauty, while keeping in mind that your aesthetic is one of the first things your new classmates will notice about you. Let it out, and come away with a unique, finished product by August. And don’t forget to take advantage of the broiling sun and awesome beach weather!

No longer a ______ , but not yet a _______. Fill in your own blanks this summer. Take some time, figure it out (or don’t) and make the most of this pre-college pause without labels.

Twin extra long sheets: Check.

Color coded notebooks/folders: Check

Sweatpants for every day of the week: Check

You have everything you could possibly need for college…or so you thought. Below is a list of 5 must-have items for every college student. You know; the things that you would never think of, but really can’t survive without.

Time to make one more shopping run. I know you never want to see the inside of a Target again, but suck it up; you are going to need these.

1. Rain Boots. I never wore rain boots at home because if it’s raining you just don’t go outside. Back in High School you drove to class and maybe an umbrella is all you needed. But in college you have to walk to every class and sometimes that can be quite a lot of walking. Investing in some wellies will definitely be worth it. There is nothing worse than arriving to class with water seeping through your shoes and waterlogged socks. The good news is rain boots are all the rage right now, so you can find them everywhere (and not get ridiculed for wearing them).

2. Baby Powder. I’m not sure if the rest of the world is aware of the wonders of baby powder, but I’m an avid fan. Baby powder has so many uses in college. First, you will be wearing some amazingly hot heels, which is great except your feet will get tired, sweaty and gross. But throw some baby powder in your shoes first and you won’t slip or stick. Not convinced baby powder is awesome? Let’s say you are too hung-over to shower before class, yet as you leave you notice your hair is less than attractive. Toss a small amount of baby powder in and, like magic, the grease will be gone. Bring a small thing of baby powder and you won’t regret it.

3. Tupperware. Living in a small school-run apartment I really grew to love my GladWare. I saved just about everything I cooked so, in turn, I could save time later. But even if you don’t have an apartment, Tupperware and GladWare are useful. If the cafeteria cooks something delicious, it could be a once in a life time opportunity worth reheating later! In addition to sniping and reheating caf food, it’s also worth saving restaurant food. And if you do take the time to cook something (some dorm floors have kitchens) you won’t want to throw it out.

4. A Clothes Drying Rack. You know how at home you have lots of space to hang your damp jeans and dresses? Well in your miniscule dorm room you won’t. You’re roommate probably won’t like walking in and finding your bras hanging over her desk to dry. A collapsible clothes drying rack will provide the space to dry all your stuff, so you don’t run the risk of shrinking anything in the dryer.

5. Quarters. Maybe it’s just me, but this is something I never thought of. Most dorms require you to pay to wash your clothes and it seems the change machines are on a constant vacation. Stock up on quarters before you go or get some rolls at the bank. When you have gone through every last pair of undies and are in desperate need of the washing machine you will be thankful you don’t have to waste time hunting for change. Bonus: extra quarters for playing speed quarters!

But is it really a good idea to start dating someone you’ve only known for two weeks into your freshman year?

In my experience, no.

Freshman year is all about new experiences, whether it be living with someone you don’t know or having to do your laundry for the first time. While the idea of meeting a new boyfriend or girlfriend is exciting, the first semester of college might not be the best time to start thinking of a long term relationship.

I met a guy during the summer at one of my school’s orientations and I continued to talk to him once we met up in the fall. We started hooking up almost immediately after classes began and I wondered if he was feeling as strongly as I was about him. I soon realized, as he hooked up with multiple other girls, that there really were no feelings involved on his part. He announced that it was no big deal since he and I weren’t officially anything and he didn’t want anything serious his first year. I was hurt because I had read too much into the situation. Even more, though, I was angry at myself because I could have spent the time getting to know other people (or studying) instead of hanging out with him.

A friend of mine had a similar situation; she hooked up with someone for awhile during freshman year, but the guy had no intentions of taking it any further. She was devastated when he would constantly parade other girls around. She was miserable for the remaining year and didn’t seem to enjoy her time as a college freshman as much as she could have. While she should have gotten away from this dude, she felt too attached to him to let go. And this was all over someone she had known for only three months. I’ve even known countless others whose grades have dropped because of a bad hook-up or nasty rejection from someone they just met.

The first semester for college freshmen should be used to settle into a more comfortable routine and get used to everything new. Take this time to get to know friends and potential hookups as much as you can and save anything more serious for the second semester when you are finally settled in. This way, forming friendships, finding time to study, and becoming familiar with the college lifestyle is easier to maintain without the added stress of a relationship.

What do you think about dating freshman year? Is it a do or a don’t?

A few summers ago I shared an apartment with 5 other girls while we all worked on campus giving tours and orientating incoming freshmen.

I didn’t know any of them going into the summer, but by the time August rolled around we were good friends and there was a few things that had slipped into my sub-conscious:

1) Hummus and pita chips is a suitable replacement for any meal.

2) Cockroaches can find their way into your fridge if you don’t clean.

3) If you see a guy who’s totally hot, but old enough to be your dad you can slyly alert your friends to it by saying “Hog!”

What is a H.O.G.? A Hot Old Guy.

Check out the H.O.G. gallery after the jump!

If you can’t bring him home to mom and dad without feeling like you need to craft a well thought out speech regarding age difference then congrats, girl! You’ve snagged yourself a H.O.G.!

Don’t groan…you know you’ve seen a few guys walking down the street where even if you don’t want to get down, you can certainly appreciate the seemingly perfect way he’s aged and matured. Gray hair? No problem! Wrinkles? They add character! Experience? Of course! (and in more ways than one)

So, we’ve put together a list of 10 of the hottest H.O.G.’s and we want to know what you think too! Who did we leave out? Who’s the greatest H.O.G. of all time?

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• When you live in New York City things like this are a disappointing reality. Thank God there’s a hilarious video parodying it! (YouTube)

• Listen up incoming Freshmen: Think your parents are like, so totally annoying? At least your mother doesn’t write about all of your short-comings. In the New York Times. (Gawker)

• Leona Helmsley’s bitch is a total bitch. But damn if she isn’t rich as hell! (NY Daily News)

• We all know to carry Mace and not trust men in public places. So, what’s this I read about 1 in 3 of us totally dropping trou at a moments notice? Didn’t we all read this article? (Houston Chronicle)

• Courtney Love might get sued because she cares about her suicidal friend. Ugh. Let’s just all agree to never do drugs again, okay? (MTV UK)

• Senator Larry Craig got arrested and the police report is taken word for word to make a mock Dragnet spoof. Bravo MSNBC! (MSNBC)