So it’s been a week since I put down the bottle of Jack. And Ketel. And Captain’s. And… well, everything.

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. Read More »

You know the scene: you are six drinks deep, the music is blaring and suddenly that beer bottle you are holding becomes a microphone. You throw your hands in the air (and wave ‘em like you just don’t care) and sing whatever song is on as loud as you possibly can.

“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. Read More »

I have a confession to make. I don’t get Madonna.

Not only do I not get her, I’m not a fan. I’ve never been a fan.

I’ve grown up with the Material Girl, and every couple of years or so when she goes and makes a drastic change in her personality, looks, and music, I think now! Now surely I’ll like her! She’s different!

But alas, that’s never the case. No matter who she is at the time – wacky-haired, sleeping-with-everyone Madonna, Henna-tattooed, meditative Madonna, super-yoga master Madonna – I just can’t bring myself to be like everyone else in America and adore her.

First of all, her songs have never resonated with me. Which is strange, because I love pop and dance music. Okay, so Like a Prayer is totally fun, but it’s not the type of song I can listen to over and over. And ever since the 90’s hit, I haven’t really liked anything of hers. Her voice isn’t something to write home about, her lyrics are never particularly interesting (except for Papa Don’t Preach. I’ll acquiesce. Those lyrics are pretty subversive), and the actual songs themselves always sound like replicas of something I’ve heard before.

Plus – and again, maybe this is just me – Madonna seems mean. Read More »