Giving up my nights out was not something I was especially prepared to do when I started scouring my college town for a job; who wants to be folding clothes amidst an asthma-inducing Abercrombie cologne cloud late into the evening when your girls are out at $1 pitcher night? Nobody.

That’s why I became a cocktail waitress.

Well, that and I heard Tiger Woods George Clooney was fond of them.

Naturally, I see a lot of…er… interesting, for lack of a better word, things during the late night shifts. Things that I know I’ve been guilty of doing, and that all you CC ladies are probably guilty of as well. Believe me, your signature twist+bend and snap combo dance moves do not look as sexy as you think, even if that drunk frat boy tells you they are. And as good as Journey is, “Don’t Stop Believing” is not “the best song of all effing time!!”

Because our thoughts tend to be a little muddled when we’re a few sheets to the stale bar air wind, I thought I’d help everyone see just what a typical drunken night is from a more honest (read: sober) perspective. So join me as we analyze things (hey, we’re all friends here!) from both sides of the crowded bar.

Your Point of View: It’s 11:00pm and you and your friends raced into the bar in 5 inch heels because it’s winter in the Midwest and coats are a pain in the buttcheeks to carry around. The warm air inside brings out a sigh of the relief.

My Point of View: GIRL you must be KIDDING. IT’S WINTER IN THE MIDWEST! Except I’ll tell you that I never wear coats out either and no, your nose isn’t running that bad! Oh, and that happy sigh you made when feeling came back to your fingers sounded more like a cross between the sound I make when I see spider (EEEE!) and when I see a hot Mexican with a beard (ughhh YES).

Your POV: Shots! Shots! Shots! Shotshotshots! I LOVE shots and I LOVE this song!

My POV: I would literally be a millionaire if I got a dollar every time someone ordered shots from me in that manner. A billionaire if I got an additional dollar every time people sang that just to get my attention and then order something completely different.

Your POV: Cutie alert at  ‘clock! Take a quick selfie to see if you’re still looking as hot as you were when you left.

My POV: Much like how a car loses value when you drive it off the lot, all of the effort you put into looking good starts to depreciate when you walk in the bar. There’s no way around it. It’s going to be hot, you’re going to sweat, your perfect hair poof is going to fall flat (unless you’re Snooki, of course), and drinks are going to fall on you. Let’s just all take a second and give thanks to the very forgiving bar lighting.

Your POV: Yes, 4 0′clock cutie noticed you. He walks over, says he remembers you from class, and buys you a drink. Things are going great, so great that you invite him on the dance floor. And if his moves are good (and he buys you a few more rum and diets), maybe you’ll invite him back to your apartment.

My POV: First off, he does not remember you from class. He just chose a random gen ed, like Elementary Psych, because it has 500+ people in the lecture and there was a good chance you took it too. Second, his moves are def not good, but in the back of your head you knew it didn’t matter anyway. Third, men aren’t always good to you, but burritos always are. If he won’t offer to pay for your drunchies after all those drinks he handed out, don’t take him anywhere near your abode.

Your POV: Bartender yells “Last call!” and you get a huge group hug going to tell your girls how much you love them and how you all need to get together again next weekend. You talk afties and Pokey Stix when suddenly all of the lights go on. And suddenly 4 0′clock cutie isn’t looking too good.

My POV: This is by far the best part of my night. Since drink orders are done, it’s my chance to sit back, relax, take a shot with the bartender, and admire all that is going on around me. The look of horror that come over faces as soon as the lights turn on is priceless; just when you thought you were surrounded by hotties in a hip night club, you realize that theses “hotties” are covered in pit stains and your fake tan is running down your face. And that “hip night club” is just a dirty, windowless basement. With dirty bathroom water on the floor.

What a great way to end the night. Now it’s time for me to head home and enjoy my Jimmy Johns #12 with Say Yes to the Dress on DVR.

[This post was originally written by Kelly - University of Iowa.]

In this new series we will be following a different CollegeCandy writer for a month as she takes on a personal challenge. This month we’re following Lauren from University of Michigan. She’s going sober for the month of February and will be sharing her ups (like feeling great last weekend!) and downs with us each Saturday.

It’s official: I’ve been 100% sober for a full two weeks! (I’ve even opted out of using mouthwash!) While that may not be such a big deal to some people out there (ahem, mean commenters, ahem), I am really, really proud of myself. Especially after the week I’ve had.

My first week of this challenge was pretty easy, breeezy Cover Girl. The weekdays flew by and then I was back at my parents’ house, where the temptation to drink was pretty minimal. But since then, I’ve survived a steakhouse dinner without wine, a Super Bowl party without beer, and two very serious nights at the bar without shots, shots, shots, shots shots.

On Thursday night I hit a low key bar with a few friends. They sipped on some beers and I sipped on some Diet Cokes. We were all having a great time – talking, catching up, giving guys the eyes across the bar. I really didn’t miss drinking at all, especially when I only spent $3 the entire night (unlike beer and vodka, Diet Coke has free refills at the bar!). But it wasn’t totally smooth sailing; LMFAO came on the jukebox towards the end of the evening, which, as we all know, makes you want to drink. Or chug. I was starting to cave. I was having a hard time remembering why I was doing all this. Seriously, Had Ke$ha or Miley come on next, I probably would have had to run out of the bar screaming. Instead, I took a little sniff of my friends’ SoCo Lime shots, grimaced, and instantly felt better about my decision.

I woke up on Friday and felt great. Not only did I hang out with friends and have a great time, but I didn’t feel like total hell. And I was really proud and happy to know that I can indeed stay in the social scene, even if I’m sober. That knowledge made me feel good and took away my nerves for last night’s adventures.

Because while Thursday was a test, Friday night out with my crew is akin to a Bob and Jillian Last Chance Workout. Minus the sweat and the puking. OK, maybe just minus the sweat. These kids take their partying really seriously and know they can always count on me to do the same. They are the reason that I hadn’t made it home before 5am ONCE during the month of January. They are the reason I often do nothing of substance from Friday to Monday. They’ve perfected the art of peer pressure (by throwing a little Jewish guilt into the mix) and I didn’t know how they’d handle Sober February. Plus, how much fun could I have if they were wasted/dancing on tables/punching me (which the guys like to do when they’ve had a few…)?

But I wanted to hang out with them and I really wanted to see if I could handle it sober. So I went. We met up for dinner at 6:30… and I didn’t come home until 3 a.m. And I did it all without a lick of alcohol (even though my girl friend did offer to let me “suck her ice” out of her vodka soda… every time she had one). I drank water, I danced, I joked… I even took a shot. Of Diet Coke. Which my friend got for me so I didn’t feel left out when everyone else was throwing them back.

It was a seriously great time! I was shocked. I mean, I thought I would have fun hanging out with everyone, but I never thought I would have had as great a time as I did. I never even got annoyed by the drunk people around me; instead, I kinda enjoyed looking at the drunk world through sober colored lenses. And, seriously, Erotic Photo Hunt is SO MUCH easier when you’re not seeing double.

The best part of my night, though, was coming home, stripping off my skinny jeans (which are definitely feeling looser already!), and being able to close my eyes and go to sleep without the room spinning. Well, that and the late night pizza slice I picked up that I was able to actually taste, savor and enjoy. Mmmm mmm gooooood.

At first, it was easy. After chugging rum out of a flask last Friday night and inhaling two giant slices of pizza after a few too many margaritas on Saturday night, I was more than excited to stay away from the hooch for a little while. I walked around my apartment in a hungover haze on Sunday, unable to do much besides watch a Millionaire Matchmaker marathon on my couch all day.

“Remember this feeling when you wanna go out and party,” I told myself as I made yet another cup of instant coffee.

Since I normally don’t drink much on weeknights (after that time I had to give a presentation in class and I was still drunk from the night before), it was smooth sailing for most of the week. Even the daily IMs from my guy friends asking me if I was still sober (OK, betting me that I wasn’t still sober) didn’t bother me. After all, being sober on a Monday wasn’t anything new to me.

But then Thursday hit and I felt like a Pavlovian dog, salivating for booze. It didn’t help that I was listening to my iTunes and every single song that came up reminded me of a bar. First Ke$ha, then Journey and then, to dig the knife in a little deeper, Madonna’s Like a Prayer (only my favorite drinking song of all time). I cursed Steve Jobs.

Lucky for me, I had to be up super early on Friday to head back home for the weekend. That meant I couldn’t go out to the bar with my friends and risk tempting myself with the delicious smells of stale beer and Jager. And by that I mean “try to stay sober while my annoying friends take shots and be annoying drunks.”

I got quite a few drunk dials both Thursday night and last night (“Come drink with us! Don’t do this dumb challenge!”) and, I admit, they did make me sad that I was missing out on all the fun, but waking up on a Saturday without a hangover has made it all worth it. It is 10:30 am as I type this. I’m fully dressed, sitting in a coffee shop sipping a delicious mocha. I have a million things to do today and, unlike most weekends, I have the energy to do them, My head doesn’t hurt, I didn’t make any dumb decisions last night (except maybe eating that 4th chocolate chip cookie fresh out of the oven), I didn’t spend a ton of money, and I will not be wasting my day in a t-shirt and underwear scrolling through my phone trying to find someone to run to the corner and pick me up a Powerade.

It feels great! I’m on a total high, but I didn’t need any illegal substances to get here – just some sleep (a full 8 hours, baby) and some hydration.

I’m not gonna lie, though: I am a bit nervous about this weekend. I have a fancy family dinner for my dad’s birthday (the type of meal that would go swimmingly with a few glasses of wine) and, gasp, the Super Bowl tomorrow. Which I will be watching with my guy friends. Who usually prefer me drunk (I guess I’m more fun that way?). Eating chips and my mom’s famous guac without a nice, refreshing beer (or, more appropriately, a cheap, disgusting Milwaukee’s Best) will be my first real test of this whole sober thing.

But I guess that will be just be the test I need to prepare for my Single Girl Valentine’s Day next weekend, what is normally a three-day chocolate and vodka bender.

Wish me luck!

Unfortunately my required outfit is less extravagant

Giving up my nights out was not something I was especially prepared to do when I started scouring my college town for a job; who wants to be folding clothes amidst an asthma-inducing Abercrombie cologne cloud late into the evening when your girls are out at $1 pitcher night? Nobody.

That’s why I became a cocktail waitress.

Well, that and I heard Tiger Woods George Clooney was fond of them.

Naturally, I see a lot of…er… interesting, for lack of a better word, things during the late night shifts. Things that I know I’ve been guilty of doing, and that all you CC ladies are probably guilty of, as well. Believe me, your signature twist+bend and snap combo dance moves do not look as sexy as you think, even if that drunk frat boy tells you they are. And as good as Journey is, “Don’t Stop Believing” is not “the best song of all effing time!!”

Because our thoughts tend to be a little muddled when we’re a few sheets to the stale bar air wind, I thought I’d help everyone see just what a typical drunken night is from a more honest (read: sober) perspective. So join me as we analyze things (hey, we’re all friends here!) from both sides of the crowded bar.

Your Point of View: It’s 11:00pm and you and your friends raced into the bar in 5 inch heels because it’s winter in the Midwest and coats are a pain in the buttcheeks to carry around. The warm air inside brings out a sigh of the relief.

My Point of View: GIRL you must be KIDDING. IT’S WINTER IN THE MIDWEST! Except I’ll tell you that I never wear coats out either and no, your nose isn’t running that bad! Oh, and that happy sigh you made when feeling came back to your fingers sounded more like a cross between the sound I make when I see spider (EEEE!) and when I see a hot Mexican with a beard (ughhhYES).

Your POV: Shots! Shots! Shots! Shotshotshots! I LOVE shots and I LOVE this song!

My POV: I would literally be a millionaire if I got a dollar every time someone ordered shots from me in that manner. A billionaire if I got an additional dollar every time people sang that just to get my attention and then order something completely different.

Your POV: Cutie alert at  ‘clock! Take a quick selfie to see if you’re still looking as hot as you were when you left.

My POV: Much like how a car loses value when you drive it off the lot, all of the effort you put into looking good starts to depreciate when you walk in the bar. There’s no way around it. It’s going to be hot, you’re going to sweat, your perfect hair poof is going to fall flat (unless you’re Snookie, of course), and drinks are going to fall on you. Let’s just all take a second and give thanks to the very forgiving bar lighting.

Your POV: Yes, 4 0′clock cutie noticed you. He walks over, says he remembers you from class, and buys you a drink. Things are going great, so great that you invite him on the dance floor. And if his moves are good (and he buys you a few more rum and diets), maybe you’ll invite him back to your apartment.

My POV: First off, he does not remember you from class. He just chose a random gen ed, like Elementary Psych, because it has 500+ people in the lecture and there was a good chance you took it too. Second, his moves are def not good, but in the back of your head you knew it didn’t matter anyway. Third, men aren’t always good to you, but burritos always are. If he won’t offer to pay for your drunchies after all those drinks he handed out, don’t take him anywhere near your abode.

Your POV: Bartender yells “Last call!” and you get a huge group hug going to tell your girls how much you love them and how you all need to get together again next weekend. You talk afties and Pokey Stix when suddenly all of the lights go on. And suddenly 4 0′clock cutie isn’t looking too good.

My POV: This is by far the best part of my night. Since drink orders are done, it’s my chance to sit back, relax, take a shot with the bartender, and admire all that is going on around me. The look of horror that come over faces as soon as the lights turn on is priceless; just when you thought you were surrounded by hotties in a hip night club, you realize that theses “hotties” are covered in pit stains and your fake tan is running down your face. And that “hip night club” is just a dirty, windowless basement. With dirty bathroom water on the floor.

What a great way to end the night. Now it’s time for me to head home and enjoy my Jimmy Johns #12 with Say Yes to the Dress on DVR.

In reality, I’d love to take my refund check and spend it in one go at the mall, especially since warm weather means I have to chuck my so-worn-they-belong-in-the-What-Not-to-Wear-dumpster sweater boots, and I don’t have ANY cute flip flops to wear in their place.  But, since I’ve been struggling all winter, I am going to use this money wisely.  And by use “wisely,” I don’t necessarily mean put it back into the bank.  We all deserve to splurge every now and then, and here are some of the best guilty pleasures your tax refund can buy.

1.  Upgrade your phone.

Am I the only campus coed who has never known the joys of an iPhone or Blackberry?  I recently lost my cell in a drunken stupor, and, though I had been waiting for the summer to upgrade, I figured it’s now or never.  Best buy of my life.  I got a refurbished 16-gig iPhone for under $250.  And it’s not just a phone– I can check the weather without getting out of bed or waiting for Weather.com to load on my slow-ass computer, I can check my email for last minute class cancellations while on my way to a lecture, and once I figure out these apps, I’m pretty sure I can load a calorie counter onto my phone to use in the dining hall.  How did I live without this baby?

2.  Buy a new wardrobe.

I don’t mean a new Juicy Couture bikini or strappy Jessica Simpson open-toed heels, but if you’ve got some extra cash coming your way, it’s not a bad idea to spend on some new work attire.  When you’re strapped for cash, it’s hard to shell out on a business suit for an interview you haven’t scheduled yet, but when you get a check for a few hundo in the mail, there’s no time like the present to invest.  That sleek blazer might land you the job interview, and that knee-length pencil skirt will make a great first impression when you start your new job.  Which of course will lead to earning more money, which you can then spend however you see fit.

3.  Embark on a summer journey.

Note that I did not say summer vacay. I’m not writing off putting this moolah towards a cruise–you totally deserve it– but there are other ways to travel this summer.  Use your tax refund to see the world while you build your resume by signing up for a summer abroad course or a volunteer program.  Spending the whole summer abroad will probably still cost a lot of money, but look into a week long intensive program in Europe, or check out programs like Habitat for Humanity or Teach for America.  Usually, these volunteer programs will house you, but you’ll have to foot the travel expenses.  If you can afford to get there, you’ll be rewarded with new friends, memories that last a lifetime, and an fabulous bullet on your resume.

4.  Get active.

Get physically active, socially active, or mentally active, and watch a relatively small investment go a long way.  Get private lessons in an area that you’ve always wanted to excel in, such as art lessons or vocal lessons.  Try out a personal trainer for a month, or get a year-long gym membership.  Buy a set of instructional yoga videos.  Doing something for yourself doesn’t mean you need to feel guilty later.  If you splurge on something you couldn’t otherwise afford, but it reaps a positive outcome, it can create a domino effect in your life.  By losing a few pounds (without really trying), you may double your wardrobe if you’ve kept some of last year’s suddenly-too-small jeans.  By de-stressing, you could add years to your life.  By getting better at something you could add to your appeal in the career field.  Spoil yourself now, and you’ll be doubly rewarded.

5. Eat gourmet.

Don’t go to Chez Expensif and order a $100 entree, but treat yourself to more from the grocery store than just store brand Mac n Cheese and cans of tuna.  Buy the ingredients to try that recipe your grandma passed down– that from-scratch casserole that calls for a pinch of this and a dash of that, stuff you have to buy a whole bottle of because you don’t carry ‘this’ and ‘that’ on the regular.  Buy fresh or organic products that usually make you salivate but that are never on sale.  You shouldn’t have to put a price on eating healthy, but when fresh fruit costs several bucks a pound, it’s easy to veer towards the greasy Dollar Menu when you’re paying with the change you just found in your couch cushions.

These are just a few examples of how spoiling yourself can come with advantages– and why it’s okay to blow through your tax refund.  Of course, depending on your financial situation, you may be opting to pay off your credit card bill, send in your rent check on time, or simply stash the cash in your savings account.  We do all deserve a break from time to time, however, so I hope however you’re spending your extra cash, it makes you happy.  So… what ARE you going to buy with the dough the IRS coughs up to you this spring?

With no further ado, the top ten songs I personally can’t help but sing. In no particular order, let’s start with the obvious:

1. Don’t Stop Believing by Journey

Hold on to that feeling…

It’s inevitable. The bar will close, the party will end, and to signify the bittersweet ending of yet another great college night

2. Sweet Caroline (ba ba ba…) by Neil Diamond

So good, so good, so good!

Definitely should be reserved for last call, but still proves to be a favorite you can’t resist.

3. You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC

Cause the walls were shakin, the earth was quakin’, my mind was achin’, and we were makin’ it and you…

It requires a fist-pump. And that may be why I love it.

4. Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi

We’ve got each other and that’s a lot/ For love, we’ll give it a shot.. Ohhhhhhh….

Yeah. You maybe just started singing right now, I saw that.

5. Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money

I can hear you breathe, I can feel your heart beating faster (faster)…

A great song…and a great pick up line.

6. American Pie by Don McLean

Bye, bye Miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry…

The chorus is just phenomenal. Possibly the definition of an oldie but a goodie.

7. Since You’ve Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson

I’m so movin’ onnnn, yeah, yeah…

Guys definitely love this song at LEAST as much as we do, don’t be fooled. It’s just a good jam in general, especially if you’ve got any angst toward a recent ex or current significant other debacle…

8. Build Me Up Buttercup by The Foundations

So build me up (build me up) Buttercup, don’t break my heart…

This one even gets you bopping around on a make-shift dancefloor. You can’t deny the greatness of Motown crooning.

9. The Piano Man by Billy Joel

Well we’re all in the mood for a melody, and you’ve got us feelin’ alright…

Don’t you wish you could play the piano and observe people on the job? At least you can sing about it…

10. Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard

I’m hot, sticky sweet/ From my head, to my feet, yeah…

I’m not going to try and say Def Leppard is good. I’m not going to sell it as a good song. But you can’t deny that you know the chorus, and you really can’t help but chime in when it’s on.

Did I miss any favorites? Let us know what made your own top ten!

[photo courtesy of www.a-1entertainment.com]

“OMG, I LOVE THIS SONG!” You scream to your friends, as you all begin singing and dancing in a circle.

While all songs are “the best song ever” when you are drunk, there are those certain special tunes that get you every time. This week, we asked our writers to weigh in on their favorite drunk jams. Note: Journey must be proud.

Beata: It’s totally a Notre Dame tradition, but I love “Midnight Train.” And, of course, “Since You’ve Been Gone.” Gotta love those memories of screaming at the top of your lungs in a dark, sweaty dorm room.

Elise – UCLA: Don’t Stop Believing – Journey.

Jill – University of Wisconsin: “I Want it that Way” is a great – it makes me want to put on a glow necklace and a t-shirt that says “I got Jammed all night at Aaron’s Bar Mitzvah.” Oh, and “Disturbia” is also a fist-pumping winner.

Ali – Syracuse University: “Shoop” by Salt n Peppa… yeah I have it memorized

Lauren – University of Michigan: “The Gambler.” It’s always the last song at the bar and a sign that I really should go home. But, man, singing that in a circle with my friends…such fond (hazy) memories.

Amber – Old Dominion: “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, because guitar solos are always better when you’re drunk.

Erica – Kent State: Honestly, I love singing almost anything when I’m drunk. Even songs I don’t know any words to when I’m sober. Especially any songs I don’t know the words to when I’m sober. It’s like they… or something that sounds somewhat like the actual words… magically come to me when I’m wasted. But, anyway, if I had to pick a song, right now I’d have to say M.I.A’s “Paper Planes” even though it’s overplayed. I just love making hand gestures when the gun goes off. Awesome.

Suzanne- Tulane: “Murder on the Dance Floor.” You should see my moves.

Kathryn S.: The Old School version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” With the F-bombs.

Heather – Penn State: “It’s My Life,” by Bon Jovi.

K – NYU: That would be “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey…. I think it explains itself.

Carly – Grinnell: Probably “MMMBop.” If it was even ever played at a bar. (I think I just embarrassed myself horribly by answering that way.)

Kari – FSU: “Swagga Like Us.” I lip sync along with made up words until Jay-Z’s verse, then I yell “HOOOOOVAAAAA” at the top of my lungs while throwing up the Rocafella sign. It’s usually well received by the security personnel escorting me out.

Sara – NYU: “Like A Prayer”! Just like any good Jew.

Sarabeth – University of Texas: “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey. BTW, I’ve been told I dance a mean “Soulja Boy” when I’m that drunk; oddly enough, I can’t do it sober.

You may love listening to your music on the way to class, during class, or in the library to drown out the sounds of those annoying kids who won’t shut up, but it looks like all that jamming is going to wreak havoc on your hearing.

It used to be a myth or a worry, but now there is actual proof that listening to your iPod or other personal music players (are there any besides the iPod?) too loud can lead to some pretty serious long-term problems. Like total hearing loss. The New York Times reports:

“Regularly listening to personal music players at high-volume settings when young,” the report said, “often has no immediate effect on hearing but is likely to result in hearing loss later in life.” The report is the latest of several to warn that the “MP3” generation of youths may be heading for hearing impairment in later life.

Um. Sh*t. Looks like our entire generation is gonna be without hearing in just a few short years. And those of us with those handy dandy inner-ear buds (like the crappy ones Apple makes that are always falling out of my ears) are even worse off, because they get even closer to our ear drums and cause more damage.

Want to be able to listen to music in your 40′s? Scientists recommend “limiting listening time to one hour per day and setting the volume to no more than 60 percent of maximum sound output when using headphones that are placed over the ears — and even less when using ear buds.”

It may be tempting to rock out to Journey on your way to a 9am class, but turn down the music. Not only does it annoy the rest of the people on the bus with you, but it just isn’t worth it when you consider the alternative: never being able to perform “Don’t Stop Believing” at Karaoke again.

Oh the horror.

And you have the pictures to prove it.

While the themes of the parties may have been different (Tiki Tuesday? Beach party? Ghetto Fabulous?), the music was not. I don’t know what it is, but it seems like there is one playlist that somehow makes its

way into every bar or house on campus. And then plays on repeat. All night.

You love it while you’re double fisting Coronoa’s, but, for the love of God, if you hear that damn song one. more. time…

Our writers know how that goes. We asked them which songs they never ever (as long as they live) want to hear at a party again. Watch your back, Flo-rida – I think your time is over.

Alex – Lakehead University: I never ever EVER want to hear Hotel California by the Eagles at the bar again. I know it seems like a strange one, but come to Thunder Bay and you’ll suffer through it at least once a night.

Kari – Florida State: “Boots with the furrrr.” Not only does this song make my ears bleed, it feels the need to accost my eyeballs as well. For some reason every girl with a FUPA feels that this is “her song” and runs to the middle of the dance floor. No thank you.

Carly – Grinnell: “Follow Me” by Uncle Kracker. It is not good now, and it was never good. It should be eradicated.

Ali – Syracuse University: Good question. I hope never again to hear “Low” by Flo-rida. Who parties dressed in boots with furrr?

Conan – Columbia College: Montell Jordan – This is how we do it.

Sarabeth – University of Texas: I will die happy if I never hear Soulja boy again.

Kate Bean – NYU: What song do i NOT want to hear again at a party? The Titanic theme song. Yeah. It happened. I know what you’re thinking: “Kate, the mini fridge by your bed does not count as a bar. And binge drinking by yourself is not a party.” I beg to differ.

Jessica – FSU: Anything by Nickelback

Olua – I have no interest in Fergie’s (or anyone else’s) humps. I didn’t before the song came out and every time I hear it, a little part of me dies.

K – NYU: No question – “Love Generation.” I’m sure Spring Break 2006 was awesome but, really, don’t make me relive it.

Kelly – UMass: No Air by Jordan Sparks & Chris Brown…soooo overrated and over played!

Melanie – Northeastern University: “Livin’ On a Prayer.” Mostly because I think I AM Bon Jovi when I hear it and I screech it… at the top of my lungs…

Lauren – University of Michigan: Hollaback Girl. That sh*t is bananas. Oh, and “Get Low” cuz it’s gross and people are always pointing out windows and walls. Why?!

Erica – Kent State: JOURNEY, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” I really don’t think any explanation is necessary.

Victoria: That revolting, wretch-inducing, cringe-worthy Kelly Clarkson song “Since You’ve Been Gone”. For some mysterious reason, bars keep this cheesy tune in serious rotation. Since bars lack pre-pubescent angsty patrons, I’m puzzled.

Amber – Old Dominion: I’m a dance freak so I rarely get tired of songs, but I was rather happy when everyone stopped trying to “crank dat soulja boy.”

Noa – Colorado University, Boulder: Anything by Avril. Barf.

Sara – NYU: “Baby Got Back.” I actually really like that song (ah, nostalgia) but it always seems to make the DJ really grumpy.

I’d like to make that journey a little more literal and give you some of my favorite city-specific tunes. Start packing the suitcase, this gypsy’s taking you with her!

1. Is It Safe- Matt Pond PA [let's go swimming in Philly]

2. Pachuca Sunrise- Minus the Bear

3. This Place is a Prison- The Postal Service [watch water "cascade down Puget Sound"]

4. Lubbock or Leave It- Dixie Chicks [take a trip back to Texas]

5. Lights- Journey [see the lights shine in San Fran]

6. Boston- Augustana

7. 8 Mile- Eminem [takes you to his hometown of Detroit]

8. La Cienega Just Smiled- Ryan Adams [takes you on a drive in Los Angeles]

9. Spanish Harlem- Aretha Franklin [takes you to NYC]

…You can also go to “Coney Island” with Deathcab For Cutie

10. Walking in Memphis- Marc Cohn

11. Paris, Tokyo- Lupe Fiasco

12. When in Rome- Nickel Creek

13. Holiday in Spain- Counting Crows

14. Leaving on a Jet Plane- Peter, Paul and Mary