Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Thinking about dabbling in Adderall? (Don’t!) Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics? We’ve got the girls for you. Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”! They’ve got all the answers you need, no matter who you are.

Question:
I don’t know what to do. So, I’m finishing my junior year and all of my friends have dream internships this summer in New York and L.A. and Chicago…and I’ve got nothing. I know internships are important but I havent gotten any of the ones I applied for. Is it too late to apply for more? Does it look bad applying this late? What about following my friends to one of those cities and just looking for something when I get there? Is that really dumb?

Party Girl:
Been there. Survived. It was May and I needed an internship to graduate. I had been applying since February, but I was still looking at a summer of unemployment. However, I just kept sending out applications until I got a bite. Fortunately, it ended up being exactly what I had dreamed of and I had a great summer! Just keep applying – anything will do. You don’t need a dream internship for the first one (if you get one, that’s awesome, but you’ll be lucky). The second or third internship usually ends up being the experience of which everyone dreams. My plan if I hadn’t gotten lucky was to do exactly as you said – move on out to New York, stay with a friend, and just show up everywhere with samples of my work and a handful of resumes. I’m not sure how well that would have worked out for me, but I’m sure I would have had a great summer either way. Get yourself out there and keep sending out applications. Something will turn up and if it doesn’t…it’ll be much more fun to drink away your misery in N.Y. or L.A.! Read More »

The following post is courtesy of our uber fashionable friends at CollegeFashion.net!

As we get closer to the end of the school year, many of us are going on internship/summer job interviews- myself included. On College Fashion, we have already covered How to Dress for a Job Interview and How to Get the Internship of Your Dreams. However, in addition to dressing to impress, your makeup and hair needs to look natural and polished for interview success.

Interview beauty can be tricky because you want to make sure you’re making a good impression, while still looking natural and chic. This post will help you achieve the perfect interview look to help you score the job/internship of your dreams! Read More »

I learned a long time ago that if I want to break into magazine writing I would have to get some internships under my belt. And after searching high and low, I later learned those internships would most likely be unpaid. Did I want to make big money while working full time at a job? Of course, but if working my patootie off to pad my resume required a financial sacrifice, then I was more than willing to do it.

But some people don’t agree and actually want to make unpaid internships illegal! Worried that many companies are illegally using students for free labor, many officials in Oregon, California and other states want to change the rules and require companies to pay their interns.

Honestly, this is something I never really thought of before.  In my eyes, the benefit of my unpaid internships has been the experience gained on my resume. I always just accepted that unpaid internships were something everyone had to have if they wanted to move up the ladder. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but that’s just the way things were, and if you were learning something about your future career then it was all worth it.

But then I started thinking about all those bullsh*t internships out there. You know, the ones where you’re making copies, fetching coffee and answering phones. The ones that have literally nothing to do with your future career interests, but you take because you think it will still look good on your resume. Like an NYU intern at a Manhattan children’s film company who was assigned to the facilities department to wipe the doorknobs each day to prevent Swine Flu from spreading through the office. I don’t know what the job listing was, but I’m pretty sure that student didn’t plan on adding “door knob cleaner” to their resume. How did he benefit from that? Read More »

It’s that time of year again – the time to start hunting for summer jobs or internships (if you haven’t already), or start hunting for job or internship wardrobes (if you’ve already secured the gig). If you’re working in an office or a professional environment chances are you’re going to need to pick up a few pieces. Contrary to what some people think, Uggs and flip flops are not acceptable at most office jobs.

But don’t worry – you don’t have to pre-spend all that money you’re about to earn on a new work wardrobe. There are a few basics that can help make getting dressed for interviews or a work day simple. Just mix-and-match these with your everyday stuff and you’ll have plenty of options all summer long.

Well-fitted basics are the groundwork for a put together, streamlined outfit.  Dressing these up with accessories, or fun extras – tops, cardigans, or shoes – add personality to simple pieces and keep you lookin’ like you (and not some dowdy old lady).  If you want to hold onto these pieces for the future, it’s always good to spend a bit more and invest in pieces that fit well and are good quality. However, if you have a limited budget, many discount stores offer cheaper alternatives that will get you through your summer gig. Read More »

It is my senior year in college.  I’m 22 years old.  I have never been to Mexico.  And the swimsuit wall in The Buckle makes me want to drool all over myself.  Basically, Spring Break are the two words in my personal college dictionary that make me so giddy, it is embarrassing.

And the fact that I’m not going this year?  I’m not a very good actor, but I could almost pinch out a few legitimate tears.  You mean I have to continue to struggle up mini-snow mountain regions, and continue to suffocate under the restraints of my wool scarf?

Clearly, there are plenty of reasons for me to be bitter about my lack o’ travels this Spring Break but, I am deciding to look the bright side for a change. Sweating poolside under the shade of an US Weekly magazine or not, I’m going to make the best out of my Spring Break, and  – turns out – it is easier than I thought because you can:

1. Finally catch up on all of those books you’ve been reading (or not reading).

College is so stressful, sometimes I find myself being stressed out about the weekly T.V. shows I am trying to catch up on.  It is time to sit down and freakin’ relax. I know I have about five books I’m currently trying to read at the same time, and nothing strains my stress greater than a quality read. So kick those feet back, flip on the fireplace switch, and get reading.

2. Think of all the moo-lah you are saving!? You can spend a (small) portion on a facial. Why not?

Deciding (or being forced against your will) to not attend Spring Break just made you ten times richer.  Don’t get me wrong, in the midst of running to class and cursing the cold-I would give my left leg to catch a flight to Margaritaville.  But on the other hand, you have a lot more breathing room when it comes to the dough. Go spend a little bit of it on a facial, or for the construction of a new iTunes playlist (whatever it may be). Read More »

Neutral blazer: worth the splurge

It’s really easy to get swept away by trends and brand names when you’re shopping. The stuff is just so pretty! Not pretty, though, is a closet full of overpriced clothes that are torn, tattered or out of style six months later. Before you hit the mall and load up on all that Spring cuteness, take a moment to assess the difference between an investment and an indulgence.

Which is which?

Let’s break it all down.

Worth it: Black pencil skirt
Not Worth it: Sequin mini-skirt
Why: While sequins are a hot trend this season, they are just that – a trend – and who knows if they will still be popular next season? On the other hand, a black pencil skirt is a classic; it works for multiple occasions, will last you for years, and will never go out of style.

Worth it: Good pair of comfortable pumps
Not Worth it: Flats
Why: No matter what flats cost, they are still very…flat. That means they wear out easily, so it doesn’t pay to fork over $100 for a pair; they’re still going to be beat up by the end of the year. Read More »

It’s no secret that you can easily find stylish looks for under $20 all over the place. From Forever 21 to Wet Seal, us gals know where to go for the deals.  Occasionally, though, my quest for cuteness leads me to a website I’ve never heard of that has some great finds, like this one: Heavenly Couture.  Nothing on this site is over $17.95. Nothing!

Really, with a claim like that, can you go wrong?

Here are a few of my favorite finds. Read More »

As winter break winds down, I’m starting to have nightmares of exams, a jam packed calendar, and having my alarm wake me up before noon. But no matter how much I dread it, next semester is coming and it’s coming fast.

Obviously this has me tearing apart my closet, sifting through piles of jeans and tanks and blazers, letting them all duke it out for a place in my tiny suitcase.

After packing my must-have PMS sweats, I moved on to “work attire,” because, sadly, instead of lounging around the house all day eating leftovers, I will actually have to wake up early and go to an internship when I get back to school.

After my pair of black dress pants and a modest sweater dress made the cut, I was extremely bored. Am I really going to go from partying with friends in my leather jacket and sequined mini to a stuffy button up? I felt my fashionista heart breaking into a million pieces.

That is until I stumbled upon Express during a daily web-surfing session and found the High Waist Cotton Pencil Skirt in Geometric. Suddenly a light bulb went off: Just because I have to wake up early and go to an office like an adult doesn’t mean that I have to leave my fashion-forward college self behind. Read More »

Resolutions have never been my forte. The promise of a new year and a better me just isn’t enough to keep me from binge drinking and blowing off the gym every now and again in order to watch a full day’s worth of TBS. What can I say? Resolve just isn’t one of my stronger qualities.

But I think the real trouble with New Year’s resolutions is that I always make one, grand, swooping promise to myself. Let’s get real; swearing off carbohydrates just isn’t feasible. I must have been a full bottle of champagne deep when I came up with that one. I think the best way to go about this whole “new year, new you” idea is to come up with a few smaller resolutions that will keep you in line but won’t have you binge eating bread at the dining hall two weeks later.

Want to make some improvements to your already rockin’ life in 2010? Here are a few suggestions to help you be all you can be in 2010:

5. “I will go to class and stay awake.” Temptation to stay in bed is great in the winter months. There are few things I dislike more than walking to my 8:15 a.m. class in the bitter cold. But a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. You’d be surprised how much information you absorb just by physically being in the classroom. Next year we can work our way up to actually participating. Baby steps, ladies. Baby steps.

4. “I will become more involved on campus.” I know it’s hard when you have a steady schedule of class, food, booze and sleep, but you’d be surprised how much your quality of life will improve once you put yourself out there. Joining a group is a great way to make new friends, build up your resume and become a generally more productive student on campus. And besides, you never know who you might meet (wink, wink.) Read More »

College. Sigh. It’s unlike any other time in your life. It has its own set of rules, its own unique circumstances. And it’s not always easy to navigate. Everyone needs a little guidance now and then (or always) so we’ve pulled together a variety of perspectives (the does-it-all girl, the party girl and Ms. Study Lounge) to weigh in on your life conundrums and give you the best advice we can.

Every week they’ll be tackling your questions about college. From classes to keggers to keggers before classes, they’ll do their best to respond and be your Pez dispenser of collegiate wisdom. Got questions? Unsure of a decision? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics?

Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”!

Question:
Help! It took me forever to choose a major and now that I have, I have a lot of catching up to do. Like, a lot. I’m reworking my schedule for next semester right now and I’m not sure if I should load on the classes (and take a full 18 credits) and really struggle through all the reading and writing (I’m a History major), or take an easier load and stick around for Spring/Summer term. I need to get these classes out of the way – I just don’t know if it’s better to struggle during the year or give up my summer to ease the load. Read More »