It’s that time of year again…you know, the time when we start making promises to ourselves we know we can’t keep. Like we’ll lose weight, join the gym, stop sleeping with our exes…all because this year there is going to be a new you. A better you. Oh, and you promise to get all As this semester on top of being more social and joining those pre-professional clubs you used to make fun of.

Yeah, we’ve all been there. And we all know it lasts about three weeks in. It’s not your fault, it’s hard to stick to change…especially a lot of drastic changes.

So, to put you on the path to resolution success here are ten ideas that will not only guarantee a positive outcome, but also make you feel a tad better about yourself. Plus, who can say that they actually followed through with their New Year’s Resolution? Read More »

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! Read More »

[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: Read More »

[It's a new year (which I am having trouble remembering when I have to write the date on anything), meaning it's the perfect time to wipe that slate clean and start anew. And we're gonna help you out. Every Thursday in January we're bringing you advice from experts on ways to improve yourself and your life. From mental health to making the most of your workspace, we'll all work together to get our lives, health and GPAs back on track. First up, Mary Mihaly, a feng shui expert is going to show us how to make our living spaces work for us.]

You know when your room needs an “energy boost.”  It feels tired in there…it isn’t the haven you want and need it to be.  There’s something about it lately – it doesn’t welcome you, and your friends don’t love hanging out there.

What you need is some good feng shui (pronounced, “fung shway”), the ancient Chinese practice of arranging a space to produce the best possible energy in that room!  It’s a great way to ramp up the positive energy in a space, and the most important feng shui “cures” are easy, affordable—and fun!

Below are 9 of my favorite feng shui fixes. Incorporate some or all of these into your living space and you’ll feel the energy shift instantly. (And yes, these even work in those teeny, tiny dorm rooms many of you call home!) Read More »

You had good intentions. Sitting in your childhood bedroom for the 19th consecutive day, eating homemade cookies courtesy of your mom, with nothing stressing you out or occupying your time, you started thinking ahead to 2011. It’s a new year, you tell yourself, a new decade. There’s no better time to make some changes and improve upon yourself.

So you lick the gooey chocolate off of your forearm (how did that even get there?), open up a Word document and start your list of resolutions.

I will complete all of my reading assignments.
…and I will not wait until the last minute to do my reading assignments.
I will not party on weeknights (when I have a class the next day).
I will not eat after 10 pm.
I will make healthier snack choices.
I will workout 6 5 days a week.
I will not hook up with randos…or anyone that I’m not in a relationship with.
I will not wear sweats out of the house anymore.
I will experience the culture of my college town on the weekends instead of watching TV marathons all day long.

Satisfied with the realistically attainable yet positive goals, you save the document, down a few more cookies and go about your day.

NYE comes and goes in a blurry, late-night-pizza filled haze (“THIS IS MY LAST LATE NIGHT PIZZA EVERRRR”) and when you finally wake up sometime near dusk on January 1st, you set your plan in motion. First you hit the gym, then you put on jeans and a sweater to run errands with your mom, including a Staples run to stock up on all the supplies you’ll need for a successful semester. “This isn’t so hard,” you think as you give yourself a mental high five. Read More »

[When moving into either a dorm or an off-campus apartment, your wardrobe will face two major challenges: 1. A major lack of funding (to add more to it), and 2. A major lack of storage space (for all the crap you've got). For these two reasons, maximizing what you already own becomes essential. That's why you need to learn to Shop Your Closet. Each week, I’ll show you how to wear 1 item 3 ways – with the stuff you most likely already own! – to get the most out of your purchases.]

If you made a New Year’s Resolution to wear sweatpants less, it’s time to start finding alternatives that are just as easy to wear and comfortable. Not possible, you say? Well listen up, woman! That cozy, warm, comfy feeling you get with sweats can be mimicked with a warm sweater, such as a shawl-collared pullover. It’s versatile, soft, warm, but still looks cute. And if you know how to make it work in advance, putting together a cute look with a sweater and various other wardrobe staples can be even easier than throwing on a pair of oversized sweats. Yes, it’s true.

Outfit 1:

Deets: Sweater, Jeans, Boots, Hat, Jacket.

A simple alternative to wearing sloppy sweats is skinny jeans and a shawl-collar sweater. Adding your go-to boots (I’m talking leather boots, NOT sloppy winter boots) keeps the look warm and toasty for winter, while still looking sleek. (And if it’s extra cold you can always add super-thick socks underneath!) If you’re trekking in the snow, a jacket and a hat are the finishing touches to brave the cold in a “I can keep this stuff on and still look cute” sorta way… and maybe live up to New Year’s Resolution 2: Go to class.

Outfit 2:

Deets: Sweater, Skirt, Tights, Boots, Ring.

True story: putting on sweats is just. so. easy. Truer story: so is slipping on a casual skirt with some tights. And we all know that looks wayyyy cuter. A shawl-collared sweater (or any pullover sweater, for that matter) goes nicely with this cord mini-skirt – though if you only own a denim skirt or pencil skirt, those will work as well. Depending on how much room remains in your skirt after your holiday overindulgence, you might be able to tuck your sweater in. Add tights and boots (keeping them in the same family makes your legs look ultra long, as opposed to the unflattering shape of a sweatpant) and a simple ring to accessorize this outfit, then out you go lookin’ all warm and fabulous.

Outfit 3:

Deets: Sweater, Skirt, Tights, Scarf, Booties.

If you are looking for a way to extend the wear of a summer floral skirt – or if you’ve already started scoping out next spring’s items – you can winterize the skirt with tights and a sweater. A pair of boots ground the look, while a colourful scarf adds another burst of colour to the look. If your toes get cold easily, you can also add a thick pair of socks into this style of boot – it looks cute even if they poke out the top just enough.

Find out other ways to re-work what you’ve already got stuffed in that closet of yours.

Happy 2011, ladies!

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. Read More »

Don't worry; you don't need to be on some lush beach to look hot in these.

So…I’m really proud of myself. I’m not trying to brag or anything (okay maybe I am, but, hey, we all need a little pat on the back once in a while), but for once in my life I have actually managed to keep my “stop being a fat-ass and go to the gym” News Year’s resolution.

We are well into February, people – that’s a strong month and a half of sweating my ass off during hour-long elliptical sessions and then spending the entire next day unable to sit down on the toilet.

But while my motivation is going strong, I’ve hit a major road block when it comes to gym apparel. I’m only going to end up drenched in sweat anyway, so why does it really matter what I wear, you say.

Point taken.

But there are also a handful of hot guys bench-pressing in the corner and my ripped sweatpants really aren’t doing me any justice. I’m already wheezing like an 80-year-old man with my hair plastered to my forehead; at least my ass could look nice in the process.

Which is why I am totally adding the Victora’s Secret Yoga Knot Waist Foldover Pant to my list of must-have items. If you’ve never owned a pair of workout pants from Vicky’s you haven’t lived. They are hands down the most comfortable thing I have ever slipped into, not to mention only 1/3rd of the price of those Lululemons! And even if you’ve already given up on your workout goal, I always have a pair on hand for those lazy mornings when real clothes just aren’t going to happen (but I don’t want the saggy “I just pooped my pants” look that comes with your average sweats). Read More »

Admit it: most of you made a New Year’s Resolution that had something to do with your body. Maybe it was to lose weight, or get in shape, or build muscle, etc, etc. And maybe you have been doing great so far. Go you!

Unfortunately, though, we’re only 23 days in and most people will toss their lofty hot-body goals out the window in only a few more weeks. And who can blame them? Losing weight and getting fit isn’t easy and most of us probably aren’t doing it right.

Thankfully, there’s a really helpful book to aid in this giant transition.

I’m sure everyone reading this has heard of Dr. Oz before. If not, then get out from under that rock! Dr. Oz got his start as Oprah’s go-to health guru and has now graduated to his own daytime medical show. People love Dr. Oz because he’s cute (at least to moms), smart and really breaks down the confusing stuff about our bodies and health in a way we can all understand. He also happens to talk about poop, which is probably what attracted most people in the first place.

Anyways, my mom is a health-nut, so naturally she owns every single one of Dr. Oz’s books (with the exception of YOU Having a Baby, thank god ) and she raves about them. While home, bored, and tempted to eat another brownie last weekend, I spotted my mom’s copy of YOU on a Diet and decided to see what all the fuss was about. If Dr. Oz could take the entire country by storm perhaps he had something useful to say. And maybe reading a book about health would distract me long enough that I wouldn’t eat an entire tray of brownies.

YOU on a Diet is written like a toned-down textbook. It’s got all the essentials from physiology, anatomy, nutrition, etc, without all that boring and confusing medical jargon. It’s not dumbed down in any way – just straightforward enough that everyone can understand what’s going on. Read More »

[We originally ran this post at the end of 2008. Unfortunately it still rings true in 2010 so we're bringing it back for round 2. Share your own resolution gripes in the comments section below!]

I don’t make resolutions for the new year. Not only do I know I will not keep them, but I also know that anything important enough to give up on December 31st should probably be given up on any other day. I tried to give up cake once – what a disaster. Just knowing the 31st was coming and that I would soon be without my beloved buttercream sent me on a downward spiral that resulted with me, a fork and a missing Costco sheet cake.

The only thing I hate more than making New Years resolutions are the people that do. They are annoying, act all “holier than thou,” and make the first few weeks of every new year miserable for me.

The Gym Goers: Seriously, people, get off of my elliptical. I shouldn’t have to wait to get on my machine (that I have been using 5 days a week for the entirety of 2008 and 2009) just because you finally decided you’ve had enough with your muffin top. And, for those of you who don’t know because this is your first time at the gym, you are supposed to be sweating on that thing, not standing on it and texting your friends about the girl standing behind you giving you the stink eye. Read More »