There isn’t anything much better than hanging out on the quad on a sunny day. It’s probably a good thing all of the following didn’t come together at once, otherwise I’d be pushing super senior status right now.

1.   Sexy Athletes Throwing a Ball Around: Preferably definitely shirtless. Life is better with a whole lot of sweaty man candy.

2.   Skanky Girls Practically Tanning Naked: With this as a comparison, I can feel way better rocking a bikini for all the world to see.

3.   BBQing frat: They want girls to come eat with them so they look good for rush. We’re always happy to oblige. As an added plus, slip ‘n slides are usually involved.

4.   Musicians: Sunshine, acoustic guitars and a little American Pie? I don’t think it can get better.

Read More »

[This contest is officially over, but don't fret - there are plenty more awesome contests and giveaways where this came from!]

We had soooo much fun partying down at FSU that we decided to keep the show on the road. Next stop: Mizzou! Instead of throwing back shots at the bar with the girls of Missouri, we’re now taking a chill pill and chugging sipping on martinis (and mocktails) while we get our nails done.  Because even though we might like to party hardy, we also like to relax and de-stress and enjoy a little pampering. And honestly, there’s no better way to do that than by going to a martinis & manicures event hosted by yours truly.

(But don’t worry all you non-Mizzou-ians, we’ve got something for you too! We were so excited to go to Missouri that we wanted to celebrate with the rest of our loyal fans. And that’s why we’re giving away a Matt and Nat bag to one lucky CollegeCandy reader as well as access to a discount code at 3 Fl OZ. All the entry details are at the bottom of this post.)

Now back to the main event. Not only are we giving away goody bags again, but this time we’re getting fancy. 10 lucky gals are going home with a customized CollegeCandy goody-filled tote bag from CafePress. However, just because you’re not a VIP guest, does not mean you’re going home empty-handed. Everyone gets a goody bag and everyone gets entered in the raffle!

So what’s going in these kick ass goody bags? Read More »

Just another day heading to class...

While every college girl shares many of the same college experiences (Procrastinating, Blue Book exams ), she also carves her own path and has her own unique adventure. Have you ever wondered what it’s like for other girls? What it’s like to be an online student? To get married?! To play an NCAA sport? Well wonder no more. Our one-of-a-kind CollegeCandy writers (and readers!) are sharing their unique experiences and opening our eyes to different college worlds.

I am a commuter student.

It’s a statement I’ve had to reiterate more times than I can count during the last four years. It’s a concept some people just can’t seem to understand. It’s something that professors don’t think about when they schedule their classes. It’s something club organizers don’t care about when they schedule their meetings. It’s something you hardly ever hear on my campus, one that’s over 70% residential. It’s a foreign concept to most college students, but not to me.

Let’s rewind a few years, back to when I was first applying to college. I made a list of what I wanted in a college, and where I wanted to go. And when it came down to it, the colleges right here in NYC, in the place I am lucky enough to live, had everything that I wanted. I applied to colleges out of state as well, but I wasn’t going to choose a college just because attending that college would or wouldn’t allow me to dorm.

So I sent out my applications and checked off that little box that indicated I was undecided about my residential status. When it came time to make my decision, I chose a college that was 20 minutes away, and while I still could have dormed, it just didn’t seem unnecessary. Was I really going to pay another $10,000 a year just to live on campus? It wasn’t like I hated living at home, and I had a car, so I wouldn’t be relying on public transportation. And 20 minutes is less time than it takes some students to walk across their campus. I simply couldn’t justify it to myself.

So I decided to give commuting a chance. Read More »

September is coming at us full force and for the first time in 15 years, it means absolutely nothing to me. Yup, as a jobless, broke, living on my parents’ couch college graduate I’m not going back to school this year. It’s weird. It’s confusing. It’s really, really sad. [She says as she sighs deeply and bites her quivering lip, crying into her empty planner.]

Being catapulted into the real world has made me realize just how much I took for granted in college. I didn’t think about it when I was roaming the soft hills of the quad to make it to the library.  Or when my eyes were bugging out reading the tiny script in my Science book (that cost me 200 buckaroos).  I didn’t think of any of this until I was living at home with my parents, paying my loans and watching Jennifer Aniston movies with my mom (check, check aaaand check).

And I won’t let the rest of you make the same mistake. For all of you still in college or about to embark on the big journey, take the time to appreciate the good life.  Especially the little things: Read More »

Many of you will be stepping onto campus this upcoming fall, finally free of your parents. It’s your first year of college, and you just can’t wait to be free and come home late….or not at all make your own decisions. What you don’t realize, however, is how much those parental units have done for you while you were living at home. And trust me – this is something you’ll realize fast.

So I’ve compiled a list of eight things every college student should know how to do now that they aren’t living with their parents. Prepare yourselves, people. If you don’t know how to do these things, either learn now or make friends who do and are willing to do it for you to teach you.

1. Laundry – Obviously you are going to have to do this some time or another. No matter how big your closet is, how many pairs of underwear you stock up on, or how many times you spray Febreeze on your jeans, eventually you are going to need to come face to face with the industrial washing machine. And when you do, you better believe you’ll want to be prepared so you don’t end up with teeny, tiny jeans and Jungle-Juice stained halter tops.

2. How to iron – For those job fairs, semi-formals, and when you didn’t feel like putting your clean laundry back in the drawers and left them sitting in your laundry basket for weeks on end.

3. Safe sex – Duh. Put a raincoat on, and pop that pill. Also, get tested. Because like they say in The Hangover, “that sh*t will come back with you.” Read More »

Got some college questions? Unsure of a decision? Don’t know what the eff to do with your life? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics? We’ve got the girls for you. Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”! They’ve got all the answers you need, no matter who you are.

Question:
I was approved to have a single in the dorms next year. Yay! I was really excited about having my own space (and it’s so, so, so hard to get a single on my campus) with my friends down the hall. But then a few of my friends decided to get an apartment together off campus. They asked me if I wanted to live with them and I’m just not sure. On the one hand, I’d have to share a room and wouldn’t really have any privacy. But on the other, if they are all living together I’ll be alone in the dorms.

What would you do? Read More »

College. Sigh. It’s unlike any other time in your life. It has its own set of rules, its own unique circumstances. And it’s not always easy to navigate. Everyone needs a little guidance now and then (or always) so we’ve pulled together a variety of perspectives (the does-it-all girl, the party girl and Ms. Study Lounge) to weigh in on your life conundrums and give you the best advice we can.

Every week they’ll be tackling your questions about college. From classes to keggers to keggers before classes, they’ll do their best to respond and be your Pez dispenser of collegiate wisdom. Got questions? Unsure of a decision? Need to save some dough? Just wanna chat it up with some really awesome chics?

Hit them up in the comments or shoot them an email with the subject “College Q&A”!

Question:
I’m just about to transfer to a much larger school for the spring semester, after commuting to school for two and a half years (I’m a junior now) and I’m REALLY scared about making friends. I’ve always had some difficulty with making them, since I’m pretty shy and socially awkward. Having friends isn’t impossible, but now that I’m going away to a huge school of 44,000 students, it’s a bit intimidating. Do you have any advice on making new friends mid-year? I’m sorta freaking out. Read More »

Living off campus is amazing.  You have more space, freedom to have a random flip-cup party any day of the week without an R.A. on your case, and an escape from cafeteria food.  However, for all these great perks, there are some things about living off campus that I just can’t help but miss.

Proximity to your friends.

Even if you choose to live with a friend (or friends, depending on the size of your apartment or house you’re renting), you’ll never have the same access to your friends as you did when you lived on campus.  They were either in the next dorm, just down the hall, or sleeping in the bed that was two feet away from yours (or, if they were a really good friend, they were just in your bed).  When you live off campus, you have to make plans to see people, work around conflicting schedules, and any chance of a spontaneous night of debauchery pretty much goes right out the window.  What’s easier than sneaking down the hallway at 2am and waking up your friends with a fifth of Popov and some orange juice? Nothing says “friendship” like a rousing game of Popov Pong. Read More »

I am twenty-two years old. In November, I am turning twenty-three. I graduated high school almost five years ago. By my calculations (and yes, I suck at math, but I can’t be that bad) I should’ve graduated about four months ago. Roughly. Give or take a couple of weeks or so. Okay, the point is, I’m wicked behind.

I’m sure you may be wondering what kind of time-warp I fell into that I didn’t graduate four months ago. Or maybe you’re not. The truth is, I did what a lot of people do—I got burnt out. First of all, I picked a ridiculous career: Computer Engineering. Not to say that the career itself is ridiculous, it was just a bad choice for me. Three semesters and only two true Engineering classes later, I was burnt out. And hard up for cash. I ended up withdrawing from classes my fourth semester in school. I was just going to take a semester off, work hard enough to save up the money and go back later in the fall. Yeah, right. That “semester off” turned into three years!

I’m almost twenty-three and starting over. And so I present, the top differences in College: Then and Now:

As a freshman four years ago, I couldn’t legally drink. Or smoke. Or do much of anything except hole up in my dorm room doing homework. Now? I am free to drink as I please. And smoke. But my inclination to do both has significantly lessened. What is it about forbidden things being so much damn cooler?? Read More »

So, it’s been about a month into the semester and you’re suddenly feeling like there’s no light at the end of the social tunnel: no cute boys on your floor or in the apartment next door, no cool new chicks to chat with in your classes.

Now what? Will your whole year end up dull, boring, and steamy romance-free? It’s college lovey, such a thing cannot be!

Sure the guy next door spends more time on his Star Wars video games than he does on his personal hygiene, and yeah, maybe the girls down the hall blast Enrique during your Monday night Bachelor viewing (so not your scene) but that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a sucky semester.

There are plenty other places on campus to scope out the cute boys and the fun girls. Read More »