In honor of Women’s History Month, CollegeCandy has decided to spotlight some of the world’s most influential women. Last week we focused on the women from our generation and this week, we pay attention to some of the most spectacular thirty-somethings. These are the women that show us life really does get interesting in your 30s, whether you’re a famous movie star or activist. Anything can happen, and just like these women have done in their 30s, we can make a difference in the world at any age. Read More »

Spring Break is fast approaching and besides a margarita permanently placed in my grasp, there is something else I’m looking forward to accompanying me on the beach.  And it is a good book.  There is really nothing like the feeling of placing your lounge chair up to the waves to tickle your feet, and slamming through drink after drink book after book.  Life gets pretty difficult when you mix hot sun with alcohol, and this is a fair remedy for a relaxing beach activity.

So here is a short list of books you can shove in your carry on, before you hit your fabulous beachy destination of choice this year.  And if you’re anything like a book-nerd like me, you will get through (almost) every single one of them. Read More »

[Besides being the month of St. Patrick's Day and CollegeCandy's editor's birthday, March is Women's History Month. Instead of honoring the great women of our past, however, we at CC want to honor the women they inspired and who now inspire us. Every Wednesday this month we are going to highlight a woman who is currently dominating her field and showing us that we can really do anything. These women are strong, powerful, famous, and doing their thing even better than their male counterparts, so let's give them the attention they deserve!]

First up is Chelsea Handler, a self-made celebrity who is smart, beautiful, hilarious, and full of talent. We could probably list a billion reasons why we love this woman (including her shoe collection, her interviewing skills, Margarita Thursdays…), but here are the 5 biggest reasons Chelsea Handler has inspired us.

1. She didn’t go to college
Obviously, we think college is an amazing, worthwhile experience (hence the name of the website – COLLEGECandy). But it’s amazing to me that Chelsea was so motivated, driven, and fearless that she didn’t feel the need to go the traditional college route in order to pursue her dreams. And she’s made herself an empire! (Not to mention she pulls a much larger salary than I’ll ever get with my college degree).

2. She’s A Renaissance Woman
Best-selling author, actress, TV host, and stand-up comedian!? Chelsea does it all, and does it well.  Both of her books – Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, and My Horizontal Life – were on the New York Times Bestseller List (and she has another book slated for release in March, yayy!), and she won Bravo’s “A-List Funny” Award in 2009.  Read More »

[There are some women out there that we just can’t get out of our minds. No, we aren’t switching teams - yet - but we do have some serious crushes on some pretty fierce females. These ladies are all special in their own right and we aren’t ashamed to tell the world we love them.]

I’m having a tough time admitting this, mostly because I think she stole my life, but I have a huge crush on Chelsea Handler. I was introduced to Ms. Handler a few years back when my friend shoved her first book, “My Horizontal Life” in my hands and screamed, “this was your idea!”

Yes, it’s true. I had always planned on compiling my one night stand stories into a book, but I needed a few more hump sessions to complete it and Chelsea beat me to it.

I wanted to so badly to hate what I read, but I couldn’t. The book was laugh out loud funny, and I’m pretty sure I bothered everyone else in Starbucks when I read the entire thing in one day. When I finally reached the end, I determined that Chelsea and I were soul mates.

Since then, Chelsea has written another NY Times Bestseller and got her very own show, Chelsea Lately, on E! Some people think she slept her way into that late night slot (her BF just happens to be in charge of the network), but I don’t care. If it took a little pork-sesh to bring this woman to TV, then so be it. If anything, it only proves that the woman is as good between the sheets as she is behind the round table.

Chelsea Handler is hilarious, beautiful, witty and has a killer sense of style. When I tune into her show nightly (I haven’t missed an episode in months), I am as entertained by what she says and does as I am by the gorgeous and drool-worthy stilettos on her feet. Stilettos that she uses to effectively stomp on the hopes, dreams and careers of Hollywood’s most ridiculous characters.

And even they find her funny. Read More »

To be completely honest, after a long week of brain power the last thing I feel like doing in my free time is pleasure reading, however, I have found just the piece of literature to help re-light the spark: Chelsea Handler’s “My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One Night Stands.”

If you haven’t had the pleasure of witnessing her antics, Chelsea Handler is a complete trip with great material and no shame. I found Chelsea several years ago on the Oxygen Network’s “Girls Behaving Badly”, and from there followed her to the E! Network and caught a few stand-up shows — the rest is history.

So last weekend I picked up Chelsea’s book after many months of putting it off (like I said, reading for fun loses all appeal when you have to read for purpose), and headed to a nearby coffee shop to enjoy my book with a nice cup of coffee.

I have never felt like more of a spaz. I barely made it through the first chapter without literally laughing out loud – as in laughing out loud in the middle of a crowded coffee shop filled with students studying hard, sitting all by myself. Talk about being that girl.

It only took me a few more failed attempts to try and hide my laughing before I decided Chelsea’s book was best read in the privacy of my home, where only my roommates would judge me – and I have a feeling laughing while reading isn’t too high on the list.

I continued the rest of the book — yes, I read the whole thing in one sitting — in the living room with all my roommates, who continually asked me about every five minutes what I was laughing at, (the Jurassic park feet reference killed me.) Needless to say, this book became a cult-classic in my household within a week. Read More »