It’s not hard to enjoy a beer. Just crack that baby, open your mouth and – boom – enjoyed. But thanks to college students’ never ending stream of ingenuity (or their need to drink as much cheap beer as possible without actually tasting it), there’s a wide variety of ways to indulge in the nectar of the gods. (Which, disturbingly, includes through your butt.)

So go grab a cold one from the fridge, crack it open, and stay with us as we outline the many wonderful (and a few questionable) ways to drink a beer.

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like free birth control! ) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

From Stanford to Florida State there are certain traditions that hold true in college across the country - homecoming, welcome week craziness, wearing flip flops in the shower, and getting up close and personal with your toilet after way too many shots on Friday night. College drinking has been a hot button issue for a long time, and there’s always been the question of who should step up and be responsible for it. Some recent reports have said that schools aren’t doing enough to curb excessive drinking – but should it be up to the schools?

On one side, colleges do have a responsibility toward their students’ health and that should at least include doing their best to distribute information and make policies that help keep students from chugging down the booze until it’s stomach-pump time. Also since many colleges are a major epicenter for the towns they’re in, often the school’s policies spill over into the surrounding communities, which in turn helps to curb the bingeing overall. And whether it’s fair or not, colleges are the only ones who really have jurisdiction in these kind of situations since it’s not a legal issue, so it has to be up to the schools to try and keep students (at least reasonably, sorta) sober. Read More »

There is always that one friend that is the sparkler at every party. And I mean every party, because she never misses one. Infamous for dancing on tables and singing louder than the rest when Miley’s “Party in the USA” comes on, she’s a party animal and you love her just the way she is. She’s the one you call to find out the best pregame, party and after-party for the night. So really, you owe her.

If you need help finding the perfect present for the party animal in your life, here are some helpful gift ideas for the girl who loves life… and loves it a lot more when there’s booze involved. Read More »

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like, we love going home to the parentals', but we hate having to live with their rules. Or we love power hours, but hate cleaning up the empty cans in the morning. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

I live in my Rainbows. Period. No matter if it’s spring or fall, cloudy or sunny, hot or cold. No matter if I’m heading to a class, rocking out at a concert, or lounging by the pool. My Rainbows are constantly my go-to shoe, but sometimes – I admit – they’re just not a very good shoe choice.

So, my dear Rainbows, I’m totally torn…

Love Em:

There’s many reasons why 99% of the time you see me (and the majority of the other girls on campus), I’m in my Rainbows. They’re arguably the most comfortable shoes ever made, thanks to the leather construction and cushioned sole that molds to your feet (you can even see the layers of leathery softness!). And if you want more comfort, you can even buy ‘em double-layered! Can you say “heaven”?

Rainbows come in a ton of varieties. You can choose your color (white, brown, or black), material (leather or cloth), and straps (thin or thick). Not that it matters; whatever you choose, Rainbows always match your outfit and make you look 100% Cali-cute! Read More »

[It doesn’t matter what school you go to, what state it is in, how big it is, whether it is public or private, all girls or coed…there are experiences that all college students share.No matter how crazy you think your personal situation is, it is not just you. So, let’s bring it all out in the open. Right here. Because you are not alone - we’ve all been there before.]

It’s your roommate’s birthday. Or the end of a brutal exam week. Or maybe it’s just Thursday. Whatever the reason, you are in line at the neighborhood liquor store, 30 pack of some cheap beer in hand, ready to start the power hour.

While you pick up the goods, your friend is at home building the perfect Power Hour CD: 60 songs, each cut down to the best 60 seconds. It’s the raddest blend of top 40 hits, 80s classics, and your favorite songs (Bootylicious?) to sing along to.

When you get home, you find your Power Hour crew sitting on the couch and floor around the coffee table ready and waiting for you. Each has her own special shot glass in front of her. There is an open seat at the end of the table with a penis shot glass in front of it. Your favorite shot glass. That seat is for you. Read More »

I watch the Olympics every night in awe. Here I am sitting on my couch – MacBook on my lap, ice cream sandwich in my hand – as the world’s best athletes compete.

These are people who have sacrificed so much and worked so hard to be the best in their sport. These are people who have given everything they have (and then some) to get to this point in their athletic careers. These truly are the best of the best on the planet.

It is really something to think about.

And then there is Michael Phelps who is not only the best guy in the pool this year, but ever. Ever in history. 8 gold medals in a single Olympics. Pretty freaking amazing.

It was actually watching Phelps win his 8th medal that got me thinking about all of this. Yeah, watching a 48 year old woman win the Olympic marathon was pretty sweet, but Phelps really hit home for me. After all, he trained at Michigan; we walked the same streets, ate at the same restaurants and, if I ever even knew where it was, could have swam in the same pool. Read More »

From frat parties to late nights at the bar, power hours to beer pong tournaments, living the college lifestyle can really take it’s toll on your body. Hangovers are a bitch, you can feel your pants getting snug and all those unidentified bruises really don’t go with your collection of sundresses.

And don’t forget about your face.

Those dark circles under your eyes. The wrinkles from all that smoking (first or secondhand!).

Ugh. Partying is not a pretty thing. But what are you supposed to do….stop? Ha! You are no quitter, sister. What is the point of having a pretty face if you can’t take it out on the town? On the other hand, though, if your face is heading downhill now imagine what it is gonna look like in 20 years!

What to do, what to do…. Read More »

You’re in the midst of Power Hour (one shot of beer every minute for an hour) and “one of your idiot friends” (read: you) lost track of time. Nobody knows when the next shot should be taken. It’s instances like this when you could use a stopwatch, or better – enter the Shot Caller.

Let’s cut to the quick: the Shot Caller is a glorified stopwatch that conveniently keeps time while playing Power Hour, or any other drinking game that requires you to constantly remember when one minute has passed. You can set up the Shot Caller to buzz off every minute for an hour (or up to 100 minutes if you’re brawny enough to take the challenge). Completing the Shot Caller package are four “regulation-size” shot glasses emblazoned with the companies’ logo.

For $15 the Shot Caller is a great deal, and a perfect gift for your friend who hosts the pre-game at his house every week. Honor his existence and the Power Hour tradition in one fell swoop.

Ahhhhh.

How I love a good Power Hour. 60 minutes. 60 ounces of the crappiest beer. 60 song snippets. 3 sprints to the bathroom to make more room for beer.

There is really nothing better, especially if you have one killer power hour mix (good one here). In fact, without the music, a power hour is simply sixty minutes of someone watching the clock and screaming “Drink, bitches!” every time the hand moves. That isn’t fun. Nor is it easy as you reach minute 42 and the clock begins to turn into a fuzzy mess of numbers.

Which brings me to my point.

I have spent quite a few hours during my time on this planet taking shots of beer every minute on the minute. This makes me a self-proclaimed Power Hour Connoisseur. (Note: This is not to be confused with a Century Club Connoisseur as I have never been able to take down 100 shots of beer without vomiting around shot 61.)

Anyhoo, through my many travels down Power Hour Lane I have come to notice a few themes. No matter where I am or who I am with, certain things remain true across the Power Hour board.

So, here you have the Power Hour Timeline: Read More »

We at College Candy we try to make your time spent drinking easier. Like, for instance our Shot of the Week.

So, this holiday weekend mix up a little Purple Rain and have at it! There’s no better way to get drunk than to make a game out of it, and nothing is more “college” than the traditional art of the drinking game. Fabulous!

And here at CC, we truly appreciate a decent buzz. Or getting a little tipsy-tips. Alright, we embrace full on intoxication. Hell, I have a beer in my hand right now and sometimes I pregame for my AA meetings.

So… we figured it oh-so important to include you in on one of our greatest secrets: the best drinking games of all time. Sometimes, we even try them out at our staff meetings. (Just kidding, but that’d be f*ckin’ awesome)

1. The Beloved Power Hour

Who’d turn it down? Not only do you get to blast a whopping 60 catchy songs (make sure your playlist creator has good taste in music, or this could completely backfire), but you still get to socialize and dance amidst the not-so-sober fun.

2. Kings

Can get really annoying if people forget the rules, so write them down, keep them straight, and hell, you’re college students shouldn’t you have them memorized by now? No? Well, here they are: Read More »