When you are in college it’s almost as if you have to try not to make friends. You are constantly surrounded by people and put into situations (group projects, student groups, beer pong tournaments) where forming new friendships is as easy as finding Milwaukee’s Best at a frat party; get their name, work with them a bit, then go home and Facebook them later.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for life in the real world.

Not only are you no longer on a campus surrounded by 400-5,000 people just like you, but the situations that present themselves in college aren’t available after you graduate. At least not as easily. And, no, it’s not going to be like Friends where you live in some giant and totally cool apartment and have hot, funny, and really awesome dudes living across the hall. Not even close.

You can’t walk up to some random girl at the bar and ask for her number (really, really creepy), so how the hell do you make new friends!?

Well, first, you need to realize things won’t come as easily and be ready to put in a little work. Once you’ve mentally prepared, it’s time to put forth some effort: Read More »

Alright it’s just another internship. I’m not stressed. But I actually need this internship to lead to something. I must make a good impression. Now I’m stressed. Is that my subway line? Is it safe? Am I the only girl on here? Is this going to be the first scene in my lifetime movie of a internship gone horribly wrong?

Okay, okay the subway ride wasn’t so bad and I’m only an hour early. Too early. Could I look more overeager? I’ll go sit in the Dunkin Donut’s for awhile and get a coffee. Okay drinking that coffee took five minutes. No one is responding to my texts. Maybe I have no cell service in Brooklyn. Yeah that’s it. Alright 9:41, that’s a good time, I look professionally early. I hope my hair is still straight.

Yeah I’ll smile for my  ID badge but that camera seems to be at quite the awkward angle.  Oh my god this is my ID for the whole summer? I look horrible and my hair is curling. Hand flatten my hair, hand flatten, oh my god that’s my boss remove hand from hair casually. Read More »

After four years (or more, if you’re lucky) navigating your familiar college campus, it’s time to face a new, not-so-familiar world. It’s time to find a new favorite pizza place, a new mani/pedi shop, and a new bar with cheap specials on Wednesday nights. Oh yeah, and for many of you, you have to find some new friends with whom to frequent those locations.

Finding your place in this next phase of your life isn’t always easy. In fact, as I’ve said before, it’s really freaking tiring.  But there are some tools out there to help you hold onto the familiar and survive the scary unknown. Here are your soon-to-be post grad BFFs:

1.   Skype: Oprah’s obsessed with it and for good reason. All you need is a computer (clearly, you’ve got one since you’re reading this), a webcam (there are cheap ones available on Amazon or at Wal-mart) and some internet (which you can jack from any of your new neighbors who aren’t smart enough to lock that sh*t down). You download the program for free and then talk to any of your friends in the world for free, face to face. So, if you’ve got one friend teaching English in Korea and one friend doin’ the political thang in DC and you’re sitting at your parents’ trying to find a job, you can still “get together” weekly for some old time recaps. Read More »

My past few weeks at home have been a whirlwind of doctor appointments. Since no one knows when I’ll have health insurance again, I’m cramming in all my possible doctors. It gets rough after awhile keeping track of all the different types of doctors and protocols. Before I knew it, I was sitting stark naked in the dentist chair one day and fully clothed with a paper gown on top of my outfit at the gynecologist the next day. It keeps my life exciting and, more importantly, it keeps my doctors on their toes.

However, home hasn’t been all mole checks and cholesterol tests. It’s also been a lot of cleaning. I’m moving to New York in less than a week and I’m slowly coming to the realization that I will never be home for college breaks ever again. After this it’s all long weekends and feel-sorry-for-myself unemployment weeks home. So I’m attempting to clean out my closet and keep only the things I actually want to bring with me. Read More »

How many times have you said to yourself, “Facebook is so taking over my life!” Between endless wall-posting, scrolling through thousands of pictures of you and your friends, checking up on people you haven’t talked to in years, and the joy of poking, Facebook never gets old.  And yeah, you know that there are probably a few pictures on the ol’ Facebook that aren’t all that flattering, if you catch my drift. But luckily Facebook exists entirely within the virtual reality of the Internet. Once you leave your computer or put down your BlackBerry, you are blissfully free to live your real life. All the silly, frivolous fun of Facebook is available at your disposal, and you can come and go as you please into that thrilling digital realm.

But what if you couldn’t step away from the Facebook culture? This clip from the BBC shows what your world  would be like if Facebook really did take over your life…and the universe.

Was it just me or was life getting a bit boring sans Lilo?

Thank God she has busted out of her “intense medical detox facility in LA” according to TMZ and into Cirque (of Mary-Kate Olsen fame) in Utah.

Lindsay has been spotted white water rafting, going for a jog, even hitting the town for spray tans and a workout at Gold’s gym! Man, those Mormons sure know how to let LiLo loose!

But, if you think her stint in rehab seems like a walk in the park, think again.

Lindsay reportedly has two roommates (OMG worse than college!) and has to wash dishes, clean toilets and do her own laundry!

It’s like… REAL LIFE!

Maybe it’s a good thing, since Michael and Dina have officially divorced since Lindsay’s been hiding away in the wilderness. A dose of reality to kick your drug habit is all well and good, but it doesn’t matter if you’re 9 or 19 (or 21…), hearing that your parents are splitting up, well, sucks.

We all know the turmoil a divorce can cause on the children. Read More »

Whether you are enjoying the high life that is college – complete with parental support – or collecting change out of the couch just to get that much needed after-work-martini, coming into some extra money is a wonderful thing. Especially when you want on of these or, the newest addiction in my life, the latest version of Guitar Hero. (Note: SERIOUS dude magnet!)

But finding extra money isn’t always so easy. Or fun. Especially if you consider selling your eggs or serving your fellow students in the cafeteria. Read More »

Oh, graduates.

Moving back in with the parents after graduation is normal. You are deeply depressed, broke and not quite ready to face the harsh realities that come after 4 glorious college years. At least this is what I told myself.

Your boxes are still packed and piled not-so-neatly in your parents’ garage. Your bedroom floor is covered in pictures (that you cry over every night before bed), drafts of your resume and, of course, already-read issues of US Weekly and (recently deceased) Jane Magazine.

Unfortunately, it is now officially the middle of the summer and it is time to get that ass in gear. No more devoting your days to tanning poolside. No more evenings spent on the phone with friends who are also living at home and avoiding the real world.

It is time to get up and move on. Read More »

Being that I started working like a month ago (feels like a year, actually), I thought I would be the perfect person to impart a little career advice on everyone I meet…or communicate with via collegecandy.com.

Whether you are a recent grad or a recently crowned freshman, it is never too early to start thinking about life after college. Yes, I realize that is a difficult task between heavy drinking and scouting the streets for available bachelors, but take it from me: the more prepared you are the better off you will be in the long run.

And it doesn’t matter if you know what you want to do or not; simply taking some steps to build your resume will help you out immensely. Here are a few good places to start:

1. Volunteer: Nothing looks better on a resume than a little good old fashioned unpaid work. Giving back to the community is always good for your soul, but it is also a great way to prove to employers that you are committed to making a difference. Oh, and that you can balance your time well between school and other activities. If you know what field you want to get into that’s even better. Try volunteering at a company that you would want to work for. You can get experience, meet important employees/execs and prove to everyone that you are a perfect candidate.

2. Get Involved: Remember when you joined 1,036,326 clubs in high school so you could wow the admissions committee at your dream school? Why not do it again in college? By joining student groups (and even taking on the responsibility of taking a position) you are gaining valuable skills that can be applied in the real world. It is a harsh reality, but simply spending your college days on your couch with your girls will not fill your resume. And, in case you didn’t know, an empty resume will not impress anyone. Read More »