Before P.D.A. (Public Display of Affection), Anthony Jenkin’s got his start on stage with the community opera. Say what?! He recorded his first CD at 17 and hasn’t stopped producing music since. Kid’s got talent. Check out his website, like him on facebook and go back stage with him below!

Spring is finally here and I couldn’t be happier! The only problem is that I can hardly stand to sit in class when it’s sunny and beautiful outside. The moment the seasons started to change, all of the sun-deprived library dwellers emerged on campus. Suddenly, every inch of grass on my campus was taken up by people enjoying the sun. Don’t miss out on the action! Here are 8 cliche things you can do on campus now that the sun is out.

initiating the gallery...

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

[Lead image via lculig/Shutterstock]

PDA. No, this is not the 90s, and I’m not talking about your personal digital assistant. I’m talking about public displays of affection. Admit it. You’ve either been “that couple” who gets a little too touchy in public, or you’ve been the unfortunate person who has to watch “that couple.” Truthfully, you’ve probably been both. I’m fully willing to admit that I have been.

PDA is kind of a touchy issue (see what I did there?) because people have very different ideas about what is appropriate. Think you need a little guidance? We’ve sorted out what’s A-Okay and what’s a little questionable when it comes to sharing the love in public.

initiating the gallery...

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

[Lead image via alias/Shutterstock]

I see a lot of couples making out on campus. On the grass, on the comfy couches in the library, even in class, you can probably find some form of PDA. But NONE of these people come close to the disgusting PDA celebrities do. Some celebs we don’t mind seeing making out because they’re classy about it. But Justin and Selena??? Seriously?? You guys are practically babies!

Here’s some celebrities getting their PDA on.

initiating the gallery...

In the last year, it seems as though being single has been my specialty. While flings and hookups have come and gone (pun intended) and dates have left me with some less than desirable memories, my current single status has remained loyally by my side. I’ve learned a lot in the past year and I’ve discovered that single girls around the world are all in the same fabulous pair of shoes.

So if you’re sick of sitting at a table for one, eating a meal portioned for two, I cordially invite you to join The Single Girl Society, where being single is more than status, it’s a lifestyle. Of course, with everything in life, the single girl lifestyle comes with rules and I’ve picked up quite a few along the way. So kick back, grab a drink and let the lessons I’ve learned serve as your very own roadmap to transitioning to and enduring the single life.

Now that the Winter-Break-calm-after-finals-hell storm has settled in and you’ve caught up on all your laundry and CW dramas, grab a spiked hot apple cider and all yo’ single ladies for the next lesson of single life.

Lesson 3: Don’t feel sorry for yourself over the holidays!

Of course it would be amazing to magically wake up this Christmas morning in the arms of a Ryan Gosling clone to mimosas for breakfast with a side of the newest Marc Jacobs handbag as the first of many gifts to come. But if your holiday season is shaping up to be anything like mine, the heartwarming scene of breakfast and a boyfriend in bed is not likely this year. But there’s no need to feel sorry for me or for yourself – instead appreciate the silver lining and be glad you don’t have to stress over another gift to buy.

As your attached girlfriends drag you to the mall to help them pick Christmas presents for their significant others for the third time this week, it’s easy to feel singled out. (Pun intended.) I’ve been there. So after the mall you go home, crank the Mariah Carey Christmas album and intermittently sob while you sing the lyrics to “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

Oh wait, that’s just me?

There’s just something about this gift-giving season that makes every couple more affectionate than usual. I mean, do you ever see couples go this PDA-crazy for Veteran’s Day? Maybe it’s the cold weather that makes couples everywhere feel the need to vertically spoon in public places or maybe it’s just the Christmas spirit; either way Christmas is like crack for couples. They love it. And you know what? I’m all for it. Go ahead! Embrace each other this holiday season – could you just not do it in front of the counter at Starbucks while I wait in line behind you?

Sure, the winter holidays are a great time to be in a relationship but remember that it’s not mandatory. Christmas is not Valentine’s Day. It’s not just for couples and it’s not the end of the world if you’re spending it without someone “special.” And Christmas is just one day. Though it doesn’t seem like it right now as people gear up for the holiday, putting up lights, buzzing around the mall and fighting with the post office over shipping costs – all the hype is for one day. So don’t get hung up on spending one day, which just happens to be Christmas, alone.

The holidays are what you make of them. The more you feel sorry for yourself that you don’t have anyone to share them with, the more you take away from the fun you could be having instead. My advice this holiday season? Surround yourself with family and friends if you can; but if you cant or if you’ve already had enough family “fun” this season, don’t be afraid to make your own version of Christmas!

Watch your favorite movies even if they aren’t Christmas themed. Eat your favorite foods even if that means chasing some Christmas ham with Reddi-Wip. Instead of donning your Christmas best, rock your favorite pajamas all day long. Christmas is still a day off so DO make it worth it and make it perfect for you. DON’T spend it drunk and wallowing to Nick and Jessica’s version of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

Take the money you would have spent on a gift for that dream S.O. and spend it on yourself. No matter what the price range – whether it’s hitting the dollar spot at Target or hitting Nordstrom with a Black Am Ex or somewhere in between – I really suggest doing this for yourself. Buy something completely unnecessary (Michael Kors watch, anyone?) that you’ve been wanting. Splurge if you have to! Every time you use that gift, you’ll have your single life to thank for it. It’ll remind you that being single during the holidays is not a burden; it’s a gift!

What are the first two rules of the Single Girl Society? Find out right here.

I’m a classy lady, what can I say?

Since that night, I’ve heard multiple stories from friends about how awkward it is to find a couple doin’ it in public, and knowing that I am one of those people, I feel a little guilty for giving in to my animal instincts out in the open (even though it was 4am and no one was around). I’ve also heard just as many stories about awesome public sex that make me think it’s not a bad thing, so long as it’s kept semi-private.

So, let’s discuss:

On one hand, everybody’s sex life needs a little spice from time to time. Gettin’ it on somewhere where there’s a chance – even a small one, that someone might see makes it just that much more exciting and risqué. Plus there’s something awfully freeing about being naked outside.

On the other hand, it does seem fairly inconsiderate.  While it might be sexy for the people having the sex to know that someone might see, involving other people in your sex life without their consent is kind of, well, creepy. And having no consideration for others and having sex somewhere that kids can see you is, I think everyone would agree, very wrong.

What do you guys think? Is public sex an okay thing to partake in from time-to-time, or is it wrong to bring your bedroom fun out where curious eyes might catch a glimpse?

[Got a Dude itch you just can’t scratch? Sick of trying to come up with a not-totally-crazy-girl way to bring it up to your guy friends and get their take on things? Totally over over-analyzing the cryptic messages he leave on your Facebook Wall?  We got your back, girlfriend. Send your question (Why's my BF being so cheap?) over to askthedude@collegecandy.com. The Dude won’t sugarcoat it, beat around the bush, or any other weird cliche that means lie to you. Like a nice, juicy hot dog, he’ll be 100% real beef, 100% of the time.  So bring it on, ladies.]

Dearest Dude,

I am not a girlfriend type of girl. Or at least, I wasn’t until now… I think. In college, the closest I came to a relationship was an 8-month hook up, who I’m pretty sure considered me his girlfriend, but I certainly did not consider him my boyfriend. I preferred hook ups and always made fun of the girls who obsessed over one guy and were clingy and freaked out over interpreting a simple text. Commitment and admitting my feelings terrified me.

But for the past 2., maybe 3, months I’ve been hanging out with one guy. We don’t have a title, but we’ve gone out to nice dinners and all that stuff, and the PDA doesn’t even bother me like it has in the past. He calls me when he says he will and he calls randomly just to talk. His friends even invite me to hang out when he’s not around, and we’ve already become “we” people (as in “No, we can’t make it,” “We’re going to the bar, wanna come with us?”). We’ve had a couple problems, but no actual arguments.

I’ll admit it — he’s turned me into a total chick. He’s all I think about and I constantly want to be around him and talk about him to my friends. But there are 2 red flags for me: 1. we’ve spent the night together a couple times and fooled around, but he didn’t even try to have sex. The first time I didn’t mind, because I didn’t wanna rush into that yet, but it’s happened several times now. And 2. he will sometimes disappear on me for days. He won’t call me for almost a week and right as I start to think we might be done, he comes through again. Am I just finally entering the world of paranoid girlfriend or should I be concerned? I know he likes his space, but I feel like I should say something. I guess what I’m really trying to ask is, is he just not that into me, or am I just being insecure?
– Confused and Concerned

Dear Confused and Concerned,

Don’t pout or shout my stout hearted friend. There’s a very simple solution: Trust your feelings.

You want to know the number one cause for our unhappiness? Us. We get in our own way. Especially if you’re a type A, try-to-take-over-the-world, whether through the Peace Corps or hijacking space weaponry, kind of person. Overanalyzing and panicking make people want to get control of a situation that they can’t have complete control over. Because there’s another person involved.

I’m a big fan of honesty and communication when it comes to relationships or even quasi-undefined-don’t-want-to-label-it-half ass-open-casual relationships. The longer you let something bubble up the more likely you’ll implode or explode and that often serves to make matters worse. It’s simple in theory but torture in practice sometimes. If he’s being distant and your gut tells you talk to him then talk to him. He might not realize he’s doing it or he could be doing it on purpose for any number of reasons (he doesn’t want to get too close with this undefined relationship, he’s trying to keep it casual, he doesn’t have a clue that going a week without talking to someone hurts their feelings [meaning he’s emotionally/socially inept in some ways], etc).

Two things usually happen when you address what’s bothering you: 1, you gain information on motivation thereby relieving you of the whole driving you bonkers because you don’t know aspect; 2, you feel better because you’re not holding onto all the anxiety from not knowing. Other results may include compromise, cuddling, make up sex, marriage proposals, dry mouth, headaches, and pains in your ass. Results vary from person to person.

The sex thing is an intimacy issue. Could be he’s nervous about satisfying you or he might be worried that if he takes it that far he’s going to fall hard (for practical solutions with performance problems see last week‘s column). My guess is that you two might want to get on the same page after three months and clarify where you’re at. Does it take the romance and casualness out of the relationship? Maybe, maybe not. If you both want to take a shot then the romance factor is increased exponentially. If you both want to keep it low maintenance then the stress factor is decreased exponentially. Again, knowing what the boundaries or expectations are makes everything a lot easier to deal with because then you both know where you stand with each other.

When we break our streaks and actually fall it’s tempting to pump the brakes. Problem is, you can’t fall up. If you’re going to take the plunge then you have to let yourself take the plunge. I’m not saying jump into the deep end with reckless abandon. I’m suggesting you give whatever you have the opportunity to evolve without forcing expectations on it. Let it happen. Take it day by day and make sure that the lines of comunicado are open. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself lost on the way down and that’s scarier than almost anything.

Happy landing,

The Dude

It happens every day.  You log onto Facebook and are confronted with a stream of photos and status updates.  Megan’s going to the mall.  Ben’s fishing with his dad.  Oh, and what’s this?  Chris put his dog in boxers and made it drink beer out of a Frisbee last night.  Here’s hoping he isn’t friends with anyone who works for the ASPCA.

Simply put, people post dumb pictures.  We tend to forget that Facebook is a public place and that often times employers, teachers, and police have access to more things than we think.

If your back-to-campus plan involves drinking, sleeping, hooking up, or any host of questionable activities, here are the pictures you’re better off keeping to yourself:

The Coyote Ugly

The pic of you dancing on the bar the night before you called in sick to your 8 a.m. needs to remain offline. Chances are a TA, professor, or peeved classmate will see it and rat you out.  And really, that’s the least of your problems.  Have you ever seen an actual picture of someone dancing on the bar?  Usually it’s taken from ground level, six inches away from your legs.  This means crotch shots, the underside of your chin(s) and nose, out of proportion ankles that have now become cankles…need I go on?

The Stop, Drop, and Roll

That filthy gutter looks super comfy, no wonder you fell asleep in it while wearing your roommate’s favorite jacket.  She’ll know that “water spot” is really a grease stain from some homeless man’s pizza as soon as she catches a glimpse of you channeling Loca Lohan.  Keeping it off Facebook means keeping roommate relations peaceful.

The “How long can you hold your breath?”

Unless you’re looking for a job as a pearl diver in some third world country, there’s really no reason to show off how long you can go without coming up for air.  The intense PDA pictures need find their way onto your wall of shame, not your Facebook wall.

The Phelps

I’m amazed at how many people think they can get away with posting bong pictures online.  It was posted from your account.  That is your face coming out of a cloud of smoke, no?  And that most definitely is your stupid grin and bloodshot eyes.  So why so surprised when the Office of Student Affairs tries to bust you for having drugs in the dorm?

The Leann Rimes

Does your boyfriend know you were making out with some other dude last night?  Post it on Facebook and he’ll find out soon enough.

The Sam Ronson

Does your boyfriend know you were making out with some other chick last night?  See above.  (Note: May result in relentless threesome propositions.)

Anything involving babies and recreating scenes from The Hangover.

You are not the female Bradley Cooper.  That kid’s name isn’t really Carlos, regardless of how you tag the photo.  Put the baby down and slowly walk away before you’re graduating from the State Pen instead of state college.

Listen to Lady Gaga’s newest song.

Uh oh. Rihanna’s in trouble.

Can you guess how much you spend on shoes?

How to handle your friend’s gross PDA.

This season, embrace coral eyeshadow.

Ew! Nice Ed Hardy tat, Jon Gosselin.

Nowadays things sure have changed. Replace an AIM sesh with a hungover brunch recap story and the movie theater make-out with a trip to the closest pharmacy for plan B. These are the bases redefined for our college years.

First Base – Everything is getting hot and heavy on the dance floor and the guy  (Matt? Brett? Pat?) you’ve been dancing with for the past hour suggests you step outside for some fresh air. And in this scenario “step outside for some fresh air” means let me suck your lips off on the front porch while we pretend like there’s not someone passed out in his own vomit next to us. Hands and tongues are flying everywhere and at some point you make the call that it’s totally appropriate to let him unhook your bra, just for a second, like a minute, okay…where is your bra?

Second Base – Wow! You really like this guy ( and you’ve narrowed his name down to Brett or Brad) and you’re ready to take things off the front porch and into a bedroom. But you both live at least a five minute walk away and you’re both way too into each other and at peak drunkness to waste any time walking. So what’s a classy girl to do? Time to head down to the ole frat house basement. After all, you’re totally not into PDA and you would rather have some privacy when he jams his hands down your pants and play the whole “does this feel good when I do this? What do you mean it’s not supposed to feel like a tampon is getting stuck up me?”

Third Base – Okay, you just opened your eyes for a second and spotted ten or so decrepit looking pledges lying around on the basement floor. Not exactly setting the stage for romance. You grab his hand and before you know it you’re on his bed. Time sure flies when you spend the whole walk making out and ignoring comments like “you remind me of my ex-girlfriend.” You ask him if he has a condom and he slickly gets one out of his wallet, rips it open, and struggles for ten minutes to put it on. And then like that it’s over and you hear his roommates coming home. He asks if you want to hang out, get high, and watch South Park. It’s kinda sweet but you’re pretty sure you’re going to throw up and you’re pretty sure your beer goggles are wearing off fast. Like, since when did he have a full-grown beard?

Home – And now it’s time to go to home base. Literally, you’re walking home. Although walking is a strong word for what you’re attempting to do so it only makes sense to take off your heels. A little broken glass never killed anyone. You spot another girl across the street walking with her shoes off. You raise your fist in solidarity because you know exactly where she’s been…but look away once you realize that it’s your sociology T.A. It’s been another great night out at college and you can’t wait to tell your friends that you got a home run. Seriously, you should start running because the sun is coming up and you will not want to see what you look like in daylight.