Ever feel like everyone around you is suddenly coupling up and you’re the only single person left? Well, that’s how Demi Moore and Katy Perry must feel around Hollywood right about now, because waaaay too many people got engagement rings for Christmas this past year. Was there some kind of amazing sale on diamonds or something? Did everyone just completely blank out on original gift ideas and just decided to go for the gift that keeps on giving—as in once you give someone that particular piece of jewelry, you also have to give them a wedding, a honeymoon, and the rest of your life?!?

Here are all the celebrities who got engaged over the holiday season. In other words, people who seriously thought the world would end once 2012 began, wanted to make some amazing love before their last days on earth, and knew that popping the question to their significant other would seal the deal. And now they have to follow through and actually get married.

initiating the gallery...

What’d you get for Christmas that’s better than an engagement ring?? I’m more than happy with my iPad, thanks.

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

If you think your NYE outfit, alcohol supply and approximate cab fare combine to cost a pretty penny, just be glad you aren’t greeting 2012 from a nightclub in Vegas. It might sound fun at first: there’s a ton of options, the venues are gorgeous, and you can simply walk back to your hotel room whenever you’re ready to change outfits in time for breakfast, right?

Newsflash: unless you’re being escorted by a high-roller who is getting everything comp’d by the hotel, partying in Vegas on the last night of the year is serious business — literally, as in you’ll be spending a lot of money and the Strip will love you for it. Hotel room rates skyrocket and nightclubs prefer you arrive before 9PM. Before 9PM! You’ll hope to maintain a smooth buzz from overpriced mixed drinks until midnight so that you can participate in a cheap champagne toast and a sloppy kiss, and then hate your choice of heels when you suddenly decide to leave. Oh, and you’ll probably end up sleeping on the floor because you decided to cram way too many friends into the same room in order to make the weekend just a little bit more affordable.

Nevertheless, I’m actually headed that way this weekend, and here are the celebrities hosting overrated NYE celebrations on the Strip this Saturday, complete with pricing information. Now doesn’t that just look like SO much fun??! Oh man, I just can’t WAIT to empty out my wallet to party for a few hours alongside in the general vicinity of these amazing gods and goddesses!

initiating the gallery...

Which of these celebrities will probably end up partying in a half-empty nightclub because their prices were so ridiculous?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

New Year’s Eve is seriously THE most overrated holiday of the year. Valentine’s Day is the day that all lazy boyfriends have to get up off their asses and remind their girlfriends why they should stick around, and Halloween is the night to dress up like someone else and make out with someone whose face you don’t ever really want to see. So why celebrate NYE?

People say it’s the end of a year and the beginning of another. Well thanks, Captain Obvious, excuse me while I go “celebrate” the end of one minute and the beginning of the next sixty seconds of my life! That justification only works in a game of Power Hour, and besides, we all know that NYE isn’t actually about a night at all; it’s about a ten-second countdown and how you think you’ll feel afterwards. And unless you hit the lottery when the clock strikes midnight, absolutely nothing will change in your life after you spend an entire night getting drunk and flirting with the person you’ll make out with later on. Take it from those who do it regularly: it’s fun, but it’s definitely not life-altering or magical like Harry and Sally portray it to be.

I think all our ideas about an ideal NYE are actually rooted from the media anyway. How many times have we watched Bridget Jones’ Diary and that NYE episode of The OC as a child and awaited the days when we could cover ourselves in too many sequins and kiss the loves of our life’s during the first few seconds of the New Year? How hard did we wish to be those people freezing their faces off in Times Square as they watched a giant light bulb drop a few feet – live- while we sat warm in our pajamas and saw the entire thing at a much closer view through our televisions?

Well, I’d say that true definition of NYE can also be found in the media too, like on MTV’s super exciting television special and in Garry Marshall’s latest box office name dropper: it’s completely overrated. Often it’s overhyped and a waste of money, and in a few years, you really won’t remember it anyway. “The One Night Anything Is Possible” is the most inappropriate tag line for that movie…have you ever tried to drive across town on NYE? It’s the everyday tasks that are actually IMpossible on the last day of the year!

Here’s the fact that everyone seems to forget once December 31st rolls around: it doesn’t matter how you start the year or end the year; these things have no reflection on the value of the year altogether. You know what went down during the other 364 days: all the amazing things that happened that didn’t involve wearing a exclamatory greeting on your headband or a bunch of numbers over your eyes. Times that didn’t involve counting down to anything because you were having the time of your life in the moment already. Drinks that were cheaper, weather that was warmer, and dresses that fit better than after a week of indulging in holiday meals prepared by the best chefs in the family. Seriously, who’s idea was that?!

So what’s the best way to not have an overrated NYE? Don’t take it so seriously. Realize that NYE doesn’t necessarily require overpriced cover charges, overpriced alcohol, overpriced outfits or overpriced hotel rooms. Hang out with people you actually stand rather than joining groups of acquaintances who can’t hold their liquor. And if you find yourself with no comment-worthy Facebook photos to upload afterwards, let it go, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, it’s only the beginning, right?

Here’s to a Happy New Year, everyone!

What are your NYE plans? Do you think they’ll actually pan out the way you initially planned them to?!?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

We’ve teamed up with our favorite organizing guru Peter Walsh and OfficeMax to give one lucky CollegeCandy fan an entirely new workspace. As in a new desk, message board, file tray, cord management station, portable inbox station, expanding files, writing board, notebooks, letter tray, ottoman with hanging files inside, and more!

Yeah it’s a lot — I’m out of breath just typing it!

Last week we invited people to upload their messiest desk pictures to our Facebook fan page to prove to us why they deserved to win this awesome prize. And even though our desks are filled with old wrappers, crumb-filled keyboards, and coffee stains, you guys managed to out-do us. We’ve chosen the 5 MESSIEST desks from all the entries and now we’re asking you to help us pick a winner by voting for the person who NEEDS the new workspace the most.

Check out the pictures below, then place your vote at the bottom! The contest ends this Friday, February 4th, so don’t forget to vote!

Angelica Says: "HELP! I am in desperate need of a new desk. This one second hand and it's so old there had to holes cut in the back for my power cords. My desk always seems to be doing double duty (vanity, desk, dinning table) and I need somewhere that I can just STUDY. Please help me get a new desk!"

Emily Says: "My desk is a complete and utter disaster! I don't have anywhere to store my stuff, so things are spilling onto the floor and I don't even have room to have a book open and use my computer at the same time!"

Jandrea Says: "My desk just seems to get cluttered...I try and keep it neat and I fail. My fish Charlie doesn't enjoy it too much either. The plate of water colors has been there for a verrrrrry long time."

"This is Katie's chaotic corner: a land of pure imagination, homework, and creativity. Sometimes, Cheerios attack, penguins fall , and I have no room for all of my books. But it's okay-- I dream that one day I will have a desk large enough to hold my homeless pet squirrel."

Megan Says: "My desk is an absolute wreck, and it is so small that there is no room to get anything done on its small surface especially since my computer screen is cracked and I have to have two monitors on the desk which takes up even most of the room. Also, my fish, Othello, doesn't really have anywhere else to be so I have to work around him while doing homework, playing on facebook, doing my hair, or putting on makeup."

[It's a new year meaning it's the perfect time to wipe that slate clean and start anew. And we made it our resolution to help you out. Every Thursday this month we've been bringing you advice from experts on ways to improve yourself and your life.  First we feng shui-ed your rooms to make them happier, more productive places and centered ourselves so we could handle whatever comes our way. Then we got our finances all in order. And now, at long last, it's time for organization expert (seriously, Oprah uses this guy!) Peter Walsh to help us get our desks and lives in order. P.S. He's giving away a MEGA prize, so check that out at the end.]

Does this sound familiar? You’re taking 18 credit hours, involved in extra curriculars, trying to study for exams, accepting social invitations left and right and trying to impress the cute guy in psychology class. You don’t exactly have free time, and well, your desk reflects it. These days, it’s starting to look more like last night’s party scene than an efficient, productive workspace that you started with in August. And I’m guessing the same holds true for your “mobile office,” i.e. your backpack!

You’re not alone! But it’s time to take back control and start the New Year off with less clutter and more organization. The following are a few of my favorite tips and advice for organizing your workspace and mind that will help you maintain your studies, social calendar and sanity throughout the rest of the semester and year.

Here’s what you need to know:

Make a List, Check It Twice
When writing a to-do list, group similar tasks together such as finishing assignments or running errands to increase efficiency. Avoid getting overwhelmed by breaking it into small, manageable tasks. Write to-dos on individual sticky notes and put them on a wall calendar. After classes, review your checklist and cross off completed items. Move any pending items to a fresh list for tomorrow.

Organize the Paper Trail
Deal with new papers first, period. No matter how high the old piles are, deal with new arrivals immediately. Once you are faithfully dealing with new papers, such as bills and homework assignments, begin organizing old ones into your new filing system. About that….

File It Away
Sure, you probably don’t have room in your dorm or apartment for a big filing cabinet, but don’t worry, expanding files work great too! Name your file folders with nouns, using ones that first pop into your mind first. Do not create a label for miscellaneous items! If something is worth hanging onto, it’s worth creating a specific label.

Keep It Close
For those papers that you need at arms reach on a regular basis, create a filing system that keeps them from taking over your precious desktop “real estate.” One way to do this is by using a stepped desktop organizer that enables you to file papers in labeled folders and place them in a neat, easy to navigate system.

Use ONE Calendar
You may have one calendar from school and another from mom and dad, but this can actually lead to more confusion and missed appointments or deadlines. To help you stay on track, combine your calendars into one and color-code like tasks, such as school, social, doctor’s appointments, and so on. You can even carve out time for tasks such as job-hunting or phone calls with mom to ensure the job will get done.

Clean Up Your Inbox
You probably get a ton of emails each day from friends, professors, news outlets, and even shopping reminders from your favorite retailers. To avoid getting sucked into hours of inefficiency reading emails, create folders for each topic and immediately sort messages into an appropriate folder. (GMail is great for this!) Even if you don’t have time to deal with it now, sort it for later action. I also suggest opting out of any newsletters you receive and don’t read. Any opportunities to cut down on your digital clutter will help you stay focused and efficient.

Create a One Stop Message Center
No need to hang lists, phone numbers and reminders all over your wall. Instead, create a one-stop message center with a cork or sticky board. Hang your daily to-do list, impending assignment deadlines and a weekly calendar of events and meetings. This way, you’ll have all your need-to-know information in front of you. You can also add hooks for your keys, purse and backpack and a recharging station for your cell phone, and you’ll never go running around your room trying to find things on your way out the door!

Bottom line: There’s no faster way to inspire an immediate change in attitude than with an uncluttered, clever and pristine workspace. So let’s get to it! 2011 can be the year of organization, and trust me, you’ll have more time to enjoy all the wonderful things about college in and outside of class!

—

So now that you know what you need to be doing to stay organized and clutter-free, Peter’s going to help you do it! Peter and OfficeMax are giving one lucky CollegeCandy reader a total workspace makeover: a new desk, message board, file tray, cord management station, portable inbox station, expanding files, writing board, notebooks, letter tray, ottoman with hanging files inside, and more! I know, that’s a lot, right?

Yes, you get ALL of this!

How do you win?

Easy. Show us that you need Peter’s help by taking a picture of your current workspace. (Note: you must be in the photo to be considered!) Hop on over to our Facebook page and upload it there with one or two sentences telling us why your workspace needs a makeover. On Tuesday, February 1st, we’ll pick 5 entries and put them up on CollegeCandy.com, where our loyal readers (and your friends…when you beg them) will vote on whose space needs the most help. Voting will close on Friday, February 4th at 5pm EST.

Good luck (both in this contest and in organizing your life)!

Peter Walsh is a nationally acclaimed organization expert, former host of TLC’s Clean Sweep, host of Enough Already! on OWN, best-selling author and designer of Peter Walsh you.organized products at OfficeMax.

It’s a new year, and you know what that means; it’s time to start working on those New Year’s resolutions. But before you start jotting down those promises take a minute and really think about this. New Year’s resolutions almost always involve giving something up, and making sacrifices. And that negative approach makes you all the less likely to keep them. Not fun  and definitely not productive. So instead, I’m offering you something a little bit different. Ten New Year’s resolutions that are actually attainable.

And even better, ten New Year’s resolutions you’ll actually want to keep.

10. Be more organized. In order to make any of your other way more interesting New Year’s resolutions happen you should probably commit to this one. Get a planner, or if you prefer, use a Google calendar, or your BlackBerry. (Or I’m sure there’s and iPhone app for that.) Keep track of dates. Make lists. Write down your goals. If you know what you want it’s so much easier to make it happen.

9. Do something you’ve always wanted to do. Everyone has a bucket list, something they’ve always wanted to do but have never had the time, the nerve or the money. This year, make it your resolution to make it happen. Get a tattoo. Learn to speak French. Have sex in the stacks. Whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do, make it happen.

8. Enjoy your family and your friends. We college girls live pretty busy lives, and that makes it difficult to stay in touch with people, even some of the people that matter most. This year, try not to let that happen. Make an effort to do more than just Facebook comment. If being in the same pace at the same time isn’t an option, try a Skype session. Or something they use to do way back when – a phone call.

7. Step outside of your comfort zone. I’ve already told you to do something you’ve always wanted to do. Now I’m telling you to do something you’d never thought you’d do. Grab a friend and go sky diving, or you know, skip a class if that’s more on your level. Just do something different.

6. Make healthier choices. Every year women makes resolution after resolution about losing weight, cutting out the carbs, and exercising every single day. But crash diets don’t work, and denying yourself something only makes you want it more. That doesn’t mean you should live off of Cherry Garcia and Raman noodles either, though. So start small. Exercise three times a week. Switch to whole wheat breads. Limit your ice cream intake to one night a week. Just make simple, healthier choices.

5. Stop counting calories. So now that you’re making healthier choices, one of the best resolutions you can make is to stop counting calories. It’s tedious and impossible to keep up with and takes all the enjoyment out of going for drinks or eating out. So stop with the calorie counting. You’re making healthier choices and that’s the more important thing.

4. Find some fabulous female role models. Nothing against, LiLo and co. but most of the women that are in the spotlight these days aren’t exactly role models. So start searching. Find some old school actress, some kickass women in the political sector, some awesome business women. Or even someone you already know. (Hi, Mom.) Get inspired by their accomplishments and set your own goals to work towards.

3. Splurge on something extravagant. Well, maybe not so much splurge, but rather save up for it. Instead of spending that hard earned money or that quickly pocketed holiday cash on little things, save it up for something substantial. Then, three months, six months, nine months, or even a year from now you’ll have the money saved when you really, really want something. Like those cute boots, that new i-Pod, or if you’re really ambitious, that new laptop. So save first, and then splurge.

2. Focus on you. A little shallow? Maybe. But also just a little bit necessary, and completely attainable. Stop the distraction and make sure you indulge in a little me time every now and then. Go for a manicure. Take a bubble bath. Shut off your cell phone for an hour. Everyone needs a little time to recharge. And after some rest and relaxation it will make it so much easier to focus on everything else that needs to be done.

1. Enjoy yourself. All the time. Alright, so the “all the time” part might not really be all that attainable. (I mean, you can’t exactly be expected to enjoy yourself during a three hour lecture.) But you should try to enjoy yourself whenever you can it. Be a little irresponsible. Do things you probably shouldn’t because you’re in college and you can. It will be over before you know it (Spoken as a second semester senior.), so enjoy it while you can.

What are your resolutions this year?

10:00 am- Wake up, check your texts, shoot a few out to see if anyone knows the final plans for the evening (because NYE plans are never final until they’re almost-happening), roll back to sleep.

Noon- Wake up for real this time, but decide clothes are overrated.  PJs are the way to go, plus you’re only heading down to the kitchen for some coffee and maybe a bagel.  Gotta load up on carbs early.

12:20 pm- Plop down on the couch, cell phone right next to you (still waiting for someone, anyone to know what’s going on), and select from one of the many TV marathons that currently running.  Oooh, could that be an episode of Top Chef you missed?  Impossible!  Guess you better watch and find out.

5:00 pm- Okay, finally!  You’ve received word that your selected DD for the evening (poor soul) will start making the pick-up rounds at 9.  Then it’s off to some kid named Mike’s house for some pre-partying.  Then you’ll be taken to your proper destination to ring in the New Year.

5:03 pm- Wait, did that text say 9?  Eff!  You’ve gotta start getting ready!  What are you gonna wear?  Those tights make your legs look chunky, what were you thinking when you put together a mental outfit yesterday?  Idiot, idiot, idiot.  Jump in the shower, worry about clothes after.

6:00 pm- You just took the longest shower in human history.  Shaved, scrubbed, polished, buffed, exfoliated, and did God knows what else to every square inch of your body.  Time to sit in front of your closet in a towel and hate on your thighs a little more before ultimately opting for a pair of dark wash jeans.

6:36 pm- Why did you ever think a silver turtleneck was a positive fashion statement?  Who let you buy those striped leggings?  Is that a jumper in your closet?  Are you three?  You don’t own anything nice.  Just because it’s cheap, Target doesn’t make nice clothes…you need to stop telling yourself that lie.  Why is everything polyester!?! Ugh, so looks like it’s going to be that non-descript black top and a pair of dark wash jeans.  Again.

6:40 pm- Ooooh!  You found a sparkly bracelet shoved in the toe of those black pumps from freshman year.  Win!

7:00 pm- Blow your hair dry, straighten it, check it in the mirror and realize you missed an entire chunk of wavy hair down the back.  Heat up the straitening iron again.  Curse your genes for giving you hideous curls.

7:53 pm- Makeup!  To use glitter eye shadow, or to not use glitter eye shadow…  Use it! [Editor Note: Glitter eye shadow? Did you forget to put the pregame heavily note in the schedule?!]

8:11 pm- Look at yourself in the mirror, decide tonight is a Spanx night.

8:28 pm- All dressed, wristlet is packed, and you’re cramming some last minute dinner in your mouth.  It’s an attractive sight.

8:35 pm- Seconds on the red velvet cake?  Eh, why not…you need something to absorb all the booze that’s coming your way.

9:00 pm – Sitting.  Waiting.  Looking out the window.  Holding your phone.  No one.

9:08 pm- Send text, “Where are you guys?” to twelve different people.  Get no response.

9:40 pm- Finally a car pulls up and you recognize all your friends crammed in the back seat.  Apparently there was a hold up because the first person wasn’t ready in time and then it was just a messy domino effect of wet nails and eyebrows that still needed to be plucked.

10:01 pm- Get to this dude Mike’s house.  You’re not really sure who he is…maybe a friend of a friend type thing.  The porch is slanted, the front door doesn’t stay closed, and the wood floors are sticky with what you’re hoping is soda.  It’s a typical man sty.

10:02 pm- Can we leave yet?

10:04 pm- Can we leave yet, please?

10:05 pm- Someone get you a drink.  A strong one.

11:30 pm- Whew, where did that time go?  I can’t feel mah tongue.  Damn, this jungle juice is really tasty.  Wait, weren’t you supposed to be going to your *actual* friends’ place for midnight?  Is that your DD…drunk?

11:57 pm- Okay, so looks like you’re not going anywhere.  This is it.  Aaaaand you’re on your sixth cup of…whatever that is.

Midnight – Who are you kissing?  Have you met this young man before?  Who cares?  Welcome to 2011.

The Textaholic. The movie you’ve been dying to see for weeks now is about to begin and the message comes up on the screen reminding everyone to turn off their cell phones.  The movie starts and as you’re trying to enjoy Jacob’s shirtless bod in Twilight, you’re interrupted by the constant sound of clicking coming from behind you.  It’s two hours tops, people— put the phone away!  If something is really that important, take it outside.

Resolution: Texting Support Group. Enough said.

The Stinker. It may be your best friend or maybe even some random guy in line in a store, but either way— they stink.  Unfortunately, they are so used to their extreme body odor by now that they don’t even notice it anymore.  People may have even told them and they still refuse to jump in the shower once every few weeks.

Resolution: Febreze isn’t just for your mildewy apartment anymore….

The “Do You Like Seafood” Eater. I love to eat and I’m sure a lot of other people do too.  The thing I don’t like about eating is when I’m with someone else and they shovel food into their mouth, start talking, and their food ends up on my plate.  Sorry, do I look like a baby bird that enjoys eating pre-chewed food? No.

Resolution: Ever heard of an etiquette class? Sign ‘em up! And if that doesn’t work, getting a table for 6 when it’s just the two of you and sitting at the other end should send the message loud and clear.

The Less-Than Stellar Roommate. They sound like a wildebeest when they snore, leave sandwiches with living things starting to grow on them under the couch, and make you listen to lovely animal-like grunts coming through the walls (or better yet, across the room in a dorm) when you’re trying to get a good night’s sleep.

Resolution: Two words: Air horn. And I would also highly suggest purchasing ear plugs unless you feel like learning to enjoy noises straight out of the Discovery Channel.

The Attention Whore. Do you know someone that constantly needs all eyes on them 24/7 and expects everyone to drop what they’re doing and focus on them and only them the second they enter a room?  We all do.  Sadly, some people need a wake-up call to realize the world doesn’t always revolve around them.

Resolution: Don’t acknowledge them every second that they expect you to.  After awhile of this, they might have a revelation and suddenly discover that other people in the room may have things to say too! Crazy, I know.

The Creeper. Sometimes it’s hard to resist the urge to stare at people (especially if it’s a cute boy) while you’re hanging out at the mall, or anywhere for that matter. I have to admit, I’m an avid people-watcher myself, but sometimes it gets a little creepy.  Especially if there’s an old man sitting across from you that wouldn’t turn his head away if his life depended on it.

Resolution: Stare back! With big eyes. If he likes it, run away.

The Gossip Girl. She spreads rumors and tells secrets she’s supposed to keep to herself.  There’s nothing more annoying then someone who thrives on causing drama and on top of that, loves every second of making other people’s lives miserable in the process.

Resolution: Give her a taste of her own medicine. I’m not saying go spread around that she’s pregnant with a criminal’s child…but you catch my drift.

The Borrower. One of the best parts about having friends is being able to borrow cute clothes from them.  When someone borrows something, it’s expected that it’ll get returned, but there are always those people who keep “forgetting” that they have something of yours and only give it back when you go fetch it yourself.  And you usually have to rip it out of their dead, lifeless grip.

Resolution: “Borrow” their stuff….and accidentally spill red wine on it. Woops!

The New Year should be full of lots of surprises and lots of fun people.  What are some other annoying people that need a kick in the butt for 2011?

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about (or even how to pronounce that mumbo jumbo), allow me to explain.

Wednesday at sundown is the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It’s one of the happiest and holiest days of the year, filled with fun (and a few…er….interesting) traditions. And a lot of praying. For those of you who’ve never celebrated before or are wondering why all your Jewish friends get excused absences from class during the first week (how unfair!), allow me to guide you through some of the finer points of our celebration (and show you that we’re not just playing hookie for no reason here).

And for all you non-Jews out there: if you can swing it, secure yourself an invite to Rosh Hashanah dinner. The food is good, the wine is plentiful, and there’s bound to be an interesting character (or 2) at the table. Here is everything you need to know:

The Deal: Rosh Hashanah, which starts at sundown and lasts for two days, is the start of the Jewish calendar. It’s not as big or booze-filled as the New Years you’ll celebrate in December/January (actually, it’s more family and prayer filled), but it’s a celebration nonetheless. We dress up, go to temple, sing, dance, and eat. It’s a time to celebrate the end of one year and look forward to another, complete with resolutions, making amends, and family gatherings. It’s also filled with symbolism, which we love. And food. Did I mention we’re big on food?

Apples and Honey: Apples and honey are a traditional part of the Rosh Hashanah celebration. They symbolize our hope for a sweet new year, the round shape of the apple symbolizes the circle of life, and honey was traditionally a reward for those who excelled in their studies during the previous year (sorta how we college students think of beer). Not to mention the fact that apples and honey are just plain tasty. Nom.

Fish Heads: Okay, so this one kinda grosses me out but, yes, traditionally, people do in fact consume the head of a fish. This is to symbolize that this is the “head” of the new year. Don’t worry, you can pass on this one and stick to the challah. Go dip it in some honey to cleanse your pallet.

The Shofar: Students at the University of Miami may recall a crazy guy standing in the breezeway in past years blowing into some kind of animal horn. Yeah, reading that sentence over, I do realize how ridiculous it all sounds. But it’s not. In fact, that was our program director, and more recently our rabbi, advertising for services by blowing the shofar, a ram’s horn that is treated and used to call people together to celebrate the holiday. The sound is supposed to awaken our souls to God, and the ram’s horn itself is reminiscent of Abraham’s sacrifice (when his faith was tested by God, who told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, God sent an angel to stop Abraham when his faith was proven pure, and Abraham sacrificed the ram instead as a thank-you for being allowed to keep the son his wife Sarah had waited decades for. Gotta love bible stories.)

Tashlich: (Come on, there had to be something hard to pronounce here!) Tashlich is the Jewish tradition of casting one’s sins into the sea. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, we gather at the ocean, river, or some other body of water (technically it’s supposed to be a moving body of water if you can find one) and empty our pockets of the crumbs that have accumulated over the course of the year. If you don’t have any (because how many of us really store food in our pockets anymore?), or just want to make it easier on yourself, you can also just take pieces of bread and throw them into the water instead. The idea is that these crumbs represent your sins, and by casting them into the water, you’re cleaning out and starting fresh for the new year. (Note: for us college students, you might wanna grab a full loaf….)

Despite all the crazy traditions and such, Rosh Hashanah is mostly about togetherness and about celebrating a new beginning (with fish heads). Whether or not you’re Jewish, observant, or anything else, it’s a time to spend with those you love and to make a new start. So grab some honey, find some friends and have a happy new year, everybody!

Woops.

But now it’s Friday and I’ve got nothing to do except sleep, watch Jersey Shore reruns and dance to the best of ’09 jams in my apartment all weekend long. But first, let’s take a look back on the week that was:

- Obviously, we dealt with the billions of (annoying) people shoving their resolutions down our throats.

- We jumped for joy at the return of our favorite TV shows and our BFFs from the Babysitter’s Club.

- We questioned the existence of our G-spot, then realized (during a particularly wonderful late night tryst, perhaps?) that it is most definitely still there.

- We learned how badly our snacking habits and H&M are affecting Mother Earth.

- We figured out how to effectively ruin a relationship and questioned the rules that govern one.

- We defended breast implants.

- We learned how to be our best selves in 2010 (after the first week, of course).

- We started saving money so we could afford to fist pump with our favorite MTV Guidos.

It’s no wonder I’m sitting here chugging coffee like it’s my job; we had quite the busy week.