But at least CollegeCandy has been here for me this week, keeping me entertained and informed during my study sessions bouts of procrastination in the library. It’s been a hectic week – settling into a new year for college, working out all things financial and somewhere in there managing to put together a futon (it doesn’t convert into a bed because we skipped a step somewhere, but oh well). But CC’s here to guide me along.

And here are a few things that got me through the week:

- When you graduate in the midst of this economic tornado (we’ve left Kansas, but haven’t touched down in Oz), things seem hopeless. Sometimes, though, you just have to learn to take a break and let it happen.

- Get some extra dough for important expenses (water guns, shot glasses, etc.) with the guide to on-campus jobs.

- New cup, new cup. Move down! Wrong tea party. Get cultured and learn some more about the Tea Party political movement. You could impress that cutie in the Young Democrats Club.

- New standards for sexy. A few extra pounds don’t make you fat, just look at Jessica Simpson still rockin’ her bod.

- Don’t be a fashion faux-pas this season. Get the quick facts on all of the trends that hit Fashion Week. Which ones will you dare to don?

- Favorite this for future use during finals. WakeUpDialer.com provides you with free wake up calls at your specified times. Wherever you are.

- Want to go to Indianapolis? You’re going to want to. Check out the most sexual cities in the country.

- When you think college student you think young, broke, and restless. But what you don’t consider is paying your way and making a life for yourself, without any outside help. Welcome to the real world, and congrats on making it.

- ABC doesn’t realize that you can’t recycle trash – in real life or on TV.

- And of course, don’t miss your chance to vote on the Welcome Week Photo Contest!

Is it true though? Or are the tabloids just running exaggerated fantasies to harpoon mass appeal? It’s hard to know because these grandiose lifestyles are perpetuated by the attention drawn to them (unless the celebrity is actually talented). Case in point — the Kardashian sex tape.

Bad publicity is good publicity, I suppose… especially for the venues that become associated with celebrity attendance (who doesn’t want to go to places where you might see a rockstar in a bar fight or catch Paris Hilton stripping down to… well… a slightly more naked version of her usual self?).

When talking about club publicity, nothing turns up the temp on a particular venue more than the drug habits of the celebrities. The scandalous behaviors of one Miss Britney Spears has made headlines for a variety of clubs in New York including an all time personal favorite, Marquee. Yes, she has been caught using drugs in the public bathrooms all around town and she’s not the only one. The question then becomes, of course, how many drugs are being done in these places? Certainly you run a high risk (pun intended) of being caught abusing drugs if you are a celebrity, but what about us ordinary folk? Are drugs swimming through the clubs as the tabloids would have us believe?

The answer is YES. I would never consider myself a drug abuser, but I know first hand that almost every club I have been to has it’s own underground microcosmic drug scene. Club Stereo was closed last year after several cocaine busts, though this came as no shock as Stereo was known for being “pot friendly” and leaving the club was like opening the Scoobie Doo van (smoke pouring out). Tenjune turns the other cheek when it comes to smoking the reefer in the VIP section and won’t ask why there are so many girls leaving the bathroom with runny noses. The real shocker comes from Le Souk where I witnessed some special k being snorted in the wide open.

I have also witnessed people getting arrested. Again, Club Stereo, you win in this department with flying colors. On two — no three occasions I witnessed drug raids there, but in the end, drug use was far far more frequent than the arrests that were made. This can probably be said true for almost any club and can be said especially true for celebrities. Amongst my celebrity encounters few involved sobriety (or much respect for, I dunno… THE LAW). Indeed, the Studio 54 mentality lives on in places like Bungalow 8 (where you might just order “a rum and coke.. hold the rum”).

These scenes are often under the radar of the public because of tight security. It’s nearly impossible to get in unless you know someone, ARE a celebrity or (at the very least) have your very own assistant. Places rarely have to answer to the law because undercover cops simply do not fit the demographic of these super-dooper (more like super-doper) high-end venues.

This doesn’t mean that the celebrity lives we read about aren’t embellished to perfection, but it certainly adds validity to the stories. The truth of the matter is, we aren’t living lives so separate from those we read about and if anything can be learned from the tabloids, it’s two things: 1) where the drugs are 2) where people get caught doing them.

• Jessica Simpson and Dolly Parton to Du-et.

• Would you wear this?

• With the Hawaii Chair, you will never work out again.

• If you don’t know this band, you should.

• Jack spills beans about Project Runway.

• Kissing, Monogamy & The Future Of Makin’ Babies.

• Starbucks … Closing in a city near you.

• Avril Lavigne wants to make you smell like a slut.

• Cat Power or Frank Sinatra? You decide.

• Top Gun is really gay.