From the moment we step foot on campus, we’re warned about sexual assault and sexual harassment. We’re told about the 1 in 4 women that will be assaulted in some way before they graduate, about the ways to protect ourselves from sexual assault, and the number to call in case we ever find ourselves victims of sexual assault. But this information almost always refers to student on student sexual harassment.

Unfortunately, sexual harassment isn’t just a student student problem. Sometimes, it’s professor to student. Or coach to student. Or some other school official to student. Sexual harassment in schools is more common than you think and it’s finally being talked about.

So what exactly is sexual harassment in school? Well, let me break it down.

There are two kinds of sexual harassment: quid pro quo and hostile environment. Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when a teacher or school employee offers rewards or threats for sexual acts. For example, if a professor offers an extension on a paper for sex, that’s quid pro quo sexual harassment. Hostile environment sexual harassment occurs when unwanted sexual touching, comments, and/or gestures interfere with schoolwork, make you uncomfortable or feel unsafe, or prevent you from participating in school programs and activities.

So now that you finally know what sexual harassment is, how many of you have been victims of sexual harassment? I’m willing to bet that a lot of you have encountered or heard about others being sexually harassed. And I know for a fact there are many other girls out there who have been harassed and haven’t told anyone.

Recently, the White House launched a campaign to fight against sexual harassment. Vice President Joe Biden says that “a nation that prides itself on fighting the abuse of power has an obligation to prevent sexual violence in schools and on college campuses.” Makes sense, right? This campaign is supposed to be nationwide and will outline victims’ rights and schools’ responsibilities concerning sexual harassment.

Okay, so I know a few of you are wondering why this is even necessary or if this will even help. Knowing if these campaigns will actually help the situation is something only time can tell. However, these campaigns are very necessary. Currently, federal civil rights officials are investigating Yale University because of complaints about its sexually hostile environment and the university’s inability to ameliorate the concerns. Apparently 7,000 sexual harassment complaints were filed there last year, yet only 1/3 of the cases were actually investigated. What kind of message does that send to Yale students? What message does that send to students in general?

How would you feel about seeing a sign that says “We love Yale sluts” outside a women’s center, or hearing “no means yes” chanted on campus by fraternities? And then how would you feel about being a student of an institution that doesn’t protect your rights? Alexandra Brodsky, a Yale junior, says that the students writing these complaints are “really frustrated and disappointed that Yale again and again fails to respond to both public and private acts of sexual harassment and assaults which creates an environment in which women feel devalued.”

Yale responded to these appalling displays against female students on campus by releasing a statement in the Yale Daily News that basically pointed a finger at the fraternity, but did nothing else. Sexual harassment needs to be taken seriously, and the White House’s campaign is definitely a step in the right direction. Hopefully, Yale University will see this as a chance to reevaluate how its treated its female students and finally do right by them. And hopefully every other university will quickly follow suit.

I have to take off my flip flops to get on a plane, but they'll let anyone into the White House.

By now everyone has heard about the infamous couple who somehow managed to crash a party at the White House. Michaele and Tareq Salahi gained entry to the White House state dinner last week without being on the list, rubbing shoulders with Joe Biden, Katie Couric and Obama himself. Everyone wants to know who these people are and what they were thinking.

What I want to know is who the hell was the security guy and how can I get him hired in my city?

I think the White House needs to make some cuts, let this guy go and perhaps hire some security guards who have “able to read guestlists” on their resume. (I mean, come on, what’s next – will Bin Laden just saunter into the Oval Office??) Then this guy will be free to work a number of venues, (where he has no way of sacrificing our national security) and help me out big time.

The Liquor Store Near Campus
Now that I’m 21, I no longer sweat buckets buying a bottle of wine, but for all of my poor under-age college friends who still do, this guy would be a big help. He obviously doesn’t want to offend anyone by say, turning them away. We could all march in there anxiety free, pick up a couple cases of beer and confidently claim we’re 25 year old Susan from Canada.

An Overpriced New Years Eve Venue
This year NYE is really stressing me out. All the cool places want to charge me an arm and a leg to party all night long, sending me straight into the new year with a big fat negative in my bank account. But this White House guy can really help me out. If I shmooze him and claim that I did in fact purchase a $300 ticket but absent-mindedly left it home, chances are he will believe me and let me pass. Being able to party at a venue I can’t afford without giving up eating for a month? Priceless.

The Security Desk on Campus
Forget your student ID? No problem! You look like a student here so it must be the truth. Oh, that clanking coming from your backpack is a bunch of glass Coke bottles? No need to double check; he knows how good Coke is from a bottle. How much easier would all of our lives be if the grumpy stickler who grills you every time you pass was replaced by a generous, rule-bending softy? Hey, if he’s good enough for El Presidente, he’s good enough for me.

The Campus Library
It’s hard enough to fit all my books and notes in my bag, but as I head to the library for some last minute studying I have to make room for all my snacks and create a safe pocket to hide my Starbucks latte, then shimmy by the security guard before he hears the potato chips crunching. But if the White House bouncer worked here, he would understand that I need the nourishment, even if outside food and drink are against the rules. Wait, who am I kidding? This guy is so oblivious he wouldn’t even smell the Chipotle wafting from my pocket. He would wish me a good day and send me through, coffee and all. If he’s allowing strangers to mingle with our president, I doubt he’d even notice my orange Cheetoh fingers as I swipe my ID and mosey on by.

Hey, it’s no good in the Whitehouse, but negligence does have benefits. Where else could you guys really use this bouncer’s leniency around campus?

I’ve had the pleasure to write a handful of College Candy’s Guys We Wanna Eff, and as a red-blooded twentysomething female it’s certainly not a difficult task to write about the hottest male stars. But I have to preface the ode to this week’s man of honor by saying I would trade in a year’s worth of paychecks and possibly Spring Break for one night with Rahm Emanuel. He takes the number-one spot on my Eff List. That’s right, I said it!

While Joe Biden (who, may I say, looks A-OK for a man of 66) is technically second-in-command behind President Obama, Rahm Emanuel occupies what many call “the second most powerful job in Washington” as the White House Chief of Staff. The position labels him as the highest-ranking officer of the Executive Branch (after the President), as well as Obama’s senior advisor. Before joining the new administration, Emanuel was a Congressman representing Chicago in the House of Representatives. Now, what woman doesn’t want to eff a man in power?

“Rahmbo” isn’t just a stiff politician, however. Did you know he studied ballet throughout childhood and college? Totally true; his mom still wishes he were a dancer! He followed his career in dance with a short stint as a civilian volunteer for the Israeli Defence Forces, and his brother Ari is the inspiration for Jeremy Piven’s character on Entourage. The man gets around–in a good way!

But it’s his feisty personality that really gets me going. He is known among politicos as “The Enforcer” for his ability to get things done. His way. Rahm once mailed a dead fish to a pollster he didn’t quite get along with back in the day–how’s that for teaching others not to eff with him? (Effing me, however, is a different story.)

To me, Rahm is one sharp-shooting silver fox who’s had me begging for a little effing action ever since I saw his dark bedroom eyes and wry, snarky grin. Oh, and I can’t help but love a man with a dirty mouth. He was once quoted as saying, “‘Rahm’ …roughly translated from Hebrew, means ‘go screw yourself.’” (Can I get your help with that?)

But to recap, the man’s a dancer (read: he’s flexible), he has megawatt connections to Hollywood (via his bro, Ari) as well as everyone in politics, he’s a smart-alec success who still can pull off frat-boy pranks (dead fish!) with pizzazz. In the words of Rahm, what more could you effing want?

As millions flock to Washington for the inauguration, many of us prefer (or were forced) to stay at home and not be part of the mad rush of people that will surely cause all of the highways around D.C. and the surrounding states to be jam-packed with people and cars (I’ve had enough with the crowding during the Olympics to last a lifetime). But just because you’re not on the scene doesn’t mean you can’t be with the scene!

There are plenty of other people around who didn’t make the trek to D.C., so have a party! It may be last minute, but there is still plenty of time to gather your friends and a little patriotism together for a killer Proud to be An American bash.

Here are some fun ways for you to celebrate being in American – red, white, and blue style.

Decorate: Now is the perfect time to whip out your old Fourth of July gear and host the best inauguration-watching party ever! Turn your living room into an American flag: blow up balloons, hang  flags on the wall, spread a red tablecloth and set out little blue napkins.

Costumes: Aren’t costume parties the best? Encourage your guests to dress up as their favorite political figure and award to the best-dressed and best-impersonation (cigar, anyone?) with an American favorite: a 30 pack of cheap beer.

FOOD! You can take the easy route with some red, white and blue foods, like watermelon, blueberries and cottage cheese, or you can whip up something patriotic:

• Name foods after fun themes such as “Campaign Trail Mix,” “Sloppy Joe Bidens,” “Barack of Ribs,” “Chicken Right Wings,” or, my personal favorite, “Lipstick Pigs In A Blanket.”
• Make some RW&B Popsicles. Just get any type of juice in all three colors (I like using kool-aid) and some dixie cups and popsicle sticks. Pour the red juice into each cup to about 1/3 full, then freeze until it’s almost frozen but still a little slushy. Insert a popsicle stick into the middle, then pour the white juice in until it’s 2/3 full. Freeze it again, then add the blue juice. Freeze one more time, peel the cups off, and – voila! – patriotism on a stick.
• Want to be more like Obama? Make chili, one of his favorite foods!

Play Some Games: Baseball isn’t called America’s pastime for nothing. Go outside (bundled in scarves and thick jackets, I hope) and toss a few around. I’m sure you could figure out a way to turn that into a drinking game. If baseball isn’t your thing, go shoot some hoops. Instead of playing Horse, though, make it a game of Donkey. Or Obama. Or See Ya Later, Bush! Or, if it’s too cold out, just play a game of  Obama Speech Bingo. Our bet’s on the word “change” getting the most chips.

American Karaoke: Sure, karaoke is usually reserved for Meatloaf and The Outfield, but this is a God Bless America party! Break out the old American faves like Yankee Doodle and God Bless America. Beyonce may have had to perform in front of billions of people, including the president, but you just have to sing in front of your friends, so belt it out shamelessly.

Watch a Movie: Throw in an old American action flick, like The Patriot, Saving Private Ryan, or Black Hawk Down. (Because nothing says I Love America quite like Josh Hartnett. Mmmm.) Or, if you want laughter instead of tears, watch some hilarious youtube videos of past presidents. Shoes not included.

Be proud and celebrate being an American on this great day in U.S. history. You betcha I sure am.

Avoid the holiday weight gain this year.

2009 is all about the bun.

Kate and Leo reunited at last.

DIY gifts for guys. So cool.

Need a cocktail ring for New Year’s? These are fabulous.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta are comin’ back. Thank you, Santa!

Dartmouth professor discovers the dangers of Facebook.

Gossip is good for ya!

In case you care, Joe Biden got a new puppy.

Need a vacation read? Try one of these great pop culture books.

But, we in the youngest (and perhaps extremely influential) voting demographic also reserve our right to party! And after all the ballots are cast, tonight is shaping up to be the biggest party night in America. So after you’ve done your civic duty, grab your friends and get ready to watch the returns with these creative suggestions:

The Setting:

Make sure you have the essentials: a television and ample seating room. But why not spruce up the space for the occasion? If you’re lucky to have the day off from classes today (as we do at my school– thank you, Fordham!), take a few minutes to make some posters! Rasterbator is an online application that will make any image you choose into a poster up to 20 meters in size. (The image will be blown up and printed out in pieces on regular 8 1/2 x 11″ sheets of paper, so you just assemble the sheets like a grid.) It’s really quick, extremely simple, and only requires the internet and a printer.

The Games

Take it a step further by printing two posters (one of Obama and one of McCain) and grabbing some construction paper. Cut out 50 squares from construction paper and label them with the names of each state. Have your guests tack each respective state onto the poster of the candidate who wins it, to keep track of election returns.

If you and your friends are rooting for different candidates, make the night interesting with a little friendly (yet apolitical) competition! While waiting for the results of the election to unfold, pass the time with a few innocent games. Ask your McCain fans to wear something red, and your Obama fans to wear blue. Play team versions of 20 Questions, Catch Phrase, or Charades. If you have outdoor space, hold a Three-Legged Race or a Tug-o-War, depending upon how many people you can gather for your party.

Not into physical exercise? It’s ok; we’re not either. Drinking games are more our speed, so grab a couple cases of beer (or some red and blue booze!) and play this game until you puke we elect a president.

The Food

There’s no better way to celebrate democracy than with some classic American grub. Fill up while the votes pile up with some hamburgers! Order out or make your own ‘Bama Burgers/ Palin Patties. And for the vegetarians among us, serve up a (Bi)Partisan Pizza Pie with this healthy recipe.

And how about some election-themed desserts? Try following this recipe for sugar cookies and buying red and blue icing. As you’re watching the election returns, eat a red cookie every time John McCain wins a state, and a blue cookie every time Barack Obama wins a state. (You can also do the same with cupcakes.) If baking isn’t your thing, why not pick up a few tubs of vanilla (or other white-colored) ice cream, and some red and blue food dye. Guests can display their party pride (or just their patriotism) with tinted ice cream.

Food, drinks and games – even if your candidate of choice doesn’t win, tonight is gonna be fun. And if he does…well, let’s dance.

Cindy Crawford isn’t too bad, either.

Celebrities dress up in slutty Halloween costumes too!

Try a new look: the romantic up-do.

Chase Crawford has some crazy brows.

Joe Biden’s teeth are freaking us out.

A college blogger’s look at the pros of both Obama and McCain.

Why are people saying that Will Smith is gay?

Another celebrity proves they are above the law. Way to go, Britney!

Forget The Hills. Get a sneak peak at Whitney Port and The City.

The government is listening (and enjoying) your phone sex.

Pasta fork…or weapon?

While I may be one of the only people still undecided for the upcoming election, I came across something today that I thought was important to share with you all. A girl I know posted a video on her Facebook status and I had nothing better to do except check it out (and by that I mean, of course I had a million things better to do but procrastination seemed like the best choice).

Anyway she posted this video showing John Mccain from last March swearing numerous times to an NY Times reporter.

It already has over one hundred thousand views.

The only problem is: it’s not true. Far from it actually.

Take a look at the ORIGINAL video; it is true that the clip is showing McCain on edge when being pressed about his private conversations with John Kerry. However, he did not swear during the interview. Not even once. And now, because some guy with too much time on his hands got crafty with his computer gadget editing tools, over one hundred thousand people are judging his character over something that is just not true.

So, I’m just writing to remind you that no matter who you plan to vote for, do your research – on both sides. It’s so easy to believe the first audio snippet you hear or YouTube clip you see, but the fact of the matter is, the media loves to sensationalize and turn everything into breaking news (i.e. Jamie Lynn Spears being knocked up for the second time). (Editor’s Note: WHAT!? That isn’t true?!)

As a journalism major, I learned the importance of fact checking EVERYTHING with at LEAST two credible sources. Even minor things. My job would be so much easier if I passed things along without verifying their validity first; I would have a lot more time for Happy Hours and keg stands, for one. But, if that was the case, I also would have probably passed on hundreds of things that I thought to be true or accurate on first glance that turned out to be so 1000% false.

Things get taken out of context more often than not and the fact is, once something is out there, you can’t take it back and opinions are formed based on things that couldn’t be further from the truth.

I went to a friend’s synagogue over the Jewish High Holiday, Yom Kippur and the rabbi made a really interesting point with his sermon. He was talking about how we are all bit hearing impaired; not because we’ve spent the better part of our high school days at obnoxiously loud Backstreet Boys concerts (or was that only me?!), but because we choose what to hear and what not to. Stephen Colbert refers to this as truthiness.

The Rabbi referred to some book/study (the name I can’t remember), saying that, basically, once we believe something to be true, we only pay attention to things that prove that point. For example, if you believed wholeheartedly that Britney Spears can sing, you are more likely to tune out on the TV segment, or skip over an article in the paper, whose headline seemed to be trying to prove why in fact, she really can’t. Instead you would only focus on the articles that seemed to assure you that you are right in your beliefs. And since it’s hard to find an unbiased media source these days, it’s so easy for us to find what we want to hear and believe to be true instead of what actually is true.

So in the next few weeks, I ask that you don’t forward an email or a YouTube clip on without knowing if it is categorically correct. This does nothing more than a disservice to others… and to yourself. Before you believe what you hear spewed out by commentators, newspapers, and even the candidates themselves at debates/interviews, follow up and do the research.

So here’s to not skipping over this.

The event is going to be moderated by NBC’s Tom Brokaw, but instead of Tommy asking the questions, the debate will have a town hall format.

Which means the people get to ask the questions.

So, people of Nashville who will be sitting pretty in the town hall-y debate, if you are reading this, we have a few questions we’d like to ask the candidates. Real questions that require real answers instead of that fluff Gwen Ifill came up with (and Sarah Palin dodged) during the VP “debate.”

1. Honestly, do you think President Bush was qualified to run this country? If not, how does that make you feel now? How badly would you hate yourself if you lost?

2. Inquiring minds want to know: Peanut Butter Crunch or Crunch Berries?

3. If you could only change one thing during your term as President (and money was not an issue), what would it be?

4. When SNL makes fun of you, does it hurt?

5. Barack, do you really eat 4-6 eggs a day, or are you a p*ssy who only eats the whites?

6. Tell us, McCain, what have you learned from living through the Civil War, WW1, WW2, Vietnam and the current Iraq sitch?

7. Would you rather have George Bush walk in on you having sex, or walk in on he and Laura doin’ the naughty dance?

8. What would you do to Osama Bin Laden if you had him in your office right now (and no one was watching)?

9. Would you eat PB slices?

10. Do you really like holding babies/shaking people’s hands/hugging creepy strangers, or is it all an act?

11. You both claim to want to fix the current Global Warming problem, yet you both tool around this country on airplanes/in giant buses. How can you justify that?

12. Is there any money left in either of your budgets to help Amy Winehouse?

Tom and Katie are still married…and happy.

Rhode Island mandates domestic violence education in schools.

Sarah Palin damns us all to hell. See ya there!

Lakisha Jones (from American Idol) got married…and everyone is really excited.

Leo can’t be anything but sexy.

No more sexy time for Brad and Angelina.

God, we wish we worked at airport security right about now.

Women don’t let this recession get in our way of beauty!

Justin Bobby and LC? NO WAY!

Happy (sorta) Birthday, Miley Cyrus!

Do you experience drunk-o-vision?

Amy Winehouse’s nose says, “I QUIT!”

Ashley Simpson and Pete Wentz (fashion) emergency.

Did Joe Biden have a little work done? (We knew it!)