Rent the Runway's interns model some of the amazing looks you can get scoop!

Everyone knows girls love pretty clothes and sparkly baubles and high-high-heels. We love to look our best, shop the latest trends and avoid the sweatpants-to-lecture-again rut like the Bubonic Plague (though, hey, it happens). While it would be glorious to have infinite amounts of cash to toss away on top designer labels each semester, that’s rarely the nature of the situation. Or a college woman’s bank account.

And just when we thought our hopes and dreams of being captured by The Sartorialist were dashed, here comes Rent the Runway! Now instead of shelling out hundreds for a dress you’ll likely only wear once, simply rent it for a fraction of the cost.

Rent the Runway has studied the hottest fall trends and wants to help you get ready for back to school! We’re teaming up with them to offer a $500 (!!!) gift card to a lucky winner so you can bring the looks from the runway to your campus. Enter here.

And for your sorority girls going through rush, fear not- RTR would never forget about you! Here’s what their style experts have to say:

Are YOU ready for Rush? Rent the Runway has you covered! We put together an exclusive Rush Lookbook to give you and your sorority sisters front row seats to the hottest fall trends and are offering a Limited Time Only VIP RUSH PASS. Check it out here and be sure to share it with your house and closest friends.

So what the heck are you waiting for!? Get a little fab couture into your closet and make some heads turn as you strut down the runway the quad.

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her sisterly expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. She gave you the lowdown on rush and the rules of the sorority date party. And now that you're sitting pretty in your new house, she's got a few things to say about sisterly love.... or a lack thereof.]

Sorority recruitment can be many things: fun, intense, scary, adventurous, and exciting – but it can also be brutal. Warning: Expect tears. While many girls will end up in their dream house, there are plenty of potential new members that will not get their first choice house and some girls who won’t get in a house at all!

Sorority recruitment is an opportunity of a lifetime that every girl should experience BUT here’s what to do when things don’t quite go your way, every step of the way.

Right from the start: Of course every sorority recruitment is different, but I will use my university as an example! The PNMs at Purdue visit 15 chapters in just 2 days and narrow it down to their favorite 11. If those 11 chapters also like those women who picked them (mutual selection process) then the women will return to those 11 chapters. BUT if someone happens to love a chapter and they aren’t feeling the vibe, women are released, hence the tears (see above).

Don’t sweat being cut this round- it’s perfectly normal. And let’s face it, with only 10 minute conversations, you didn’t have any real connection with anyone during this round; you just liked the sorority décor and thought the girls had on uber trendy shoes. It’s important to know the girls at this chapter DON’T hate you and you absolutely should not take it personally; first round releases are normally done based on grades or because every chapter has to make cuts. It’s just the way the process works. And it does work.

You’re halfway there: So it’s been a couple rounds now and you have it narrowed down to about 5 houses, but you get your return slip back and your must-have house apparently sees you as a must-not-have. Be calm. Trust the system. You still have other great houses that want you! Think about it this way: why would you ever want to be a part of that organization if they cut you? I heard girls say in my rush group, “If I could just go back in there one more time, I could prove to them _______.” But you don’t want to have to prove anything- be yourself. If they don’t like you for who you are, or see how awesome you are already, then you don’t want to be a part of that sorority anyway! Be positive and always continue on with the recruitment process!

They led you on: At this point, getting released from a chapter when they are on your top 3 list just seems wrong- I know firsthand, it happened to me. You’re furious at the system and the girls who got through to the next round, and you are racking your brain to figure out what you could have done differently to beat them. Worn a cuter dress? Higher heels? Told your rusher how great her outfit was even though it was so 2008? The truth is, we will probably never know.

But that’s ok – because we DO know that there are chapters that invited you back and are so excited about YOU and they want YOU as a new member in their sorority! My advice is to definitely stick with it, and at least go through with the last day of recruitment. You might be surprised, and following through doesn’t mean you have to officially commit to a accepting a bid. If you’re not feeling it, that’s fine. At least you tried.

Continuous and informal recruitment are also options! I would advise you to make an appointment or drop by your school’s Panhellenic office to learn about your different options!

What else do YOU want to know about sorority recruitment? Let’s talk the ups and downs of sorority recruitment!

[Want more Greek Speak? Click here]

[Everyone’s got a morning after story (some of which are way more mortifying than others) and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

After a lot of internal debate and a few pro-con lists (and one venn diagram), I made the decision not to rush. So the night before rush began, I went out with a friend, tried on my first pair of beer goggles, and went home with David. He lived in a dorm all the way across campus so I made the safe/lazy decision to just spend the night in his ultra-luxurious extra-long dorm bed. In my head I assumed we would wake up and talk about everything under the sun including pop culture happenings, crazy campus construction news, the location of my bra, and breakfast ideas.

But it didn’t go as planned. He woke me up bright and early, said he had “stuff” to do, and kicked me out before I could even get dressed. So I left the dorm and began the long walk back to my dorm. Except I forgot about rush.

As I walked back to my dorm (which is surrounded by all the other freshman dorms) I encountered every single girl I’ve met at school so far. And I’m not even kidding.

Picture this: I’m wearing a typical walk of shame outfit and they’re all decked out wearing bright pink rush shirts. A sea of bright pink shirts asking me “is that you?” and “are you that girl in my Spanish class?” One of the older girls, upon seeing me in a black dress and boots, even handed me a mint and tried to corral me into line thinking I was in her rush group.

“No no,” I had to explain. “I’m on my way…home.”

So great. I’ve been at college for a month and now I’ll be forever remembered as that walk of shame going home during rush.

[You think that's bad? Check out our other cringe-worthy Morning After stories.]

- Fashion Week distracted us from everything. The clothes were amazing and the coverage was even better.

- We were wowed by all the Welcome Week photos that came pouring in this week. We laughed a lot. And then cried because we miss college so much. And then shared a bottle of wine.

- Will.I.Am reminded us that he’s not only extremely talented, but also a great addition to the Sesame Street family.

- We decided that Lady Gaga’s meat dress crossed the line. Like what’s next – lamb chop lingerie at the Grammys?

- Also fantasy football sucks. Did you know some boys choose make-believe sports over real life sex??

- Turns out your friends, your Bffs, your galpals have been lying to you about washing their hands post restroom usage. What else have they been lying about?

- Our fave sorority gal gave us the 411 on the do’s and don’t of rush. All was not calm in sorority land, though, and a little political debate broke out in the comments.

- Newsweek contacted us and was all “Major in THIS to make money” and we were all “Major in this if you want to LIKE your career.“

- Taylor Swift put us to sleep at the VMAs with her lackluster song to Kanye. The good news is that we’ve been playing it to fall asleep at night.

- We found out that our new favorite bathroom item is Vaseline. Why? Um, it’s a thousand times more useful than any other product you own.

- Last but not least, our 9th grade health teacher took over the sex column this week and reminded us to be safe.

[We scoured the country to find the ultimate sorority girl to share her expertise with you. After reading through tons of applications followed by hours Facebook-stalking all the candidates (which proved difficult thanks to FB's privacy settings....), we found her. And now, with sorority recruitment under way at many schools across the country, she's getting down to business and sharing some tried and true rules to ensure you make it from random PNM to adored active sister.]

As a die-hard sorority girl, I have no problem admitting that I know exactly what it takes to successfully join the sorority that is right for YOU. And trust me, there is one. It might not seem like it on the first day of rush when you’re being shuttled from house to house and having 3 minute conversations with tons of girls, but there is.  And when you get in there and connect with the members, you’ll know it.

But let’s get something straight. Everyone might be telling you how sororities are ‘values based organizations’ and members choose new members based on what’s on the inside.

And we are….
And we do….

Most of the time. But, much like in every other aspect of your life, first impressions are important. If you want to put your best foot forward/make that gorgeous old Victorian mansion your home for the next few years, be on your best behavior and avoid these 5 MAJOR don’ts for PNMs (potential new members). In Boilermaker Country, we call these no-nos the 5 Bs.

(Keep in mind, even if you don’t want to be in a particular house, it’s good to avoid these topics out of respect….or just to keep the convo from getting super awkward.)

1. Bush – Please, please, PLEASE don’t add your two cents on your political stance. A) Your luck, your overpowering and down right-scary obsession for the Democratic party is in total opposition of the woman rushing you, and B) how boring. There is no Panhellenic sorority based on political beliefs, so just avoid it. 

2. Buddha – Now, there are some sororities solely based on religion and believe me, they will let you know. For example, Sigma Delta Tau is historically Jewish, and it is important to them that they maintain a majority Jewish group of women in their chapter. It’s only when you are in a sorority like SDT that it is acceptable to bring up religion, because it is important to them, too. Make sense? It would be your best bet to look this up ahead of time before you begin the recruitment process.

3. Boys - Who doesn’t love them? But admitting to the members of a certain sorority that you recently hooked up with some guy on campus from a top fraternity isn’t going to get you in. Actually, it might hurt you. That hot guy (what was his name again?) that you hooked up with may be the ex-boyfriend of the girl rushing you. Ever think about that? Leave boys out of the conversation.

4. Booze – It is totally unattractive to talk about how wasted you got the night before in explanation of your current hangover. A) No one cares. B) That’s probably not the classiest thing you can say. If you feel like you need to make it a point of letting your rusher know that you like to have a good time, try adding in that you’ve noticed how fun campus is on the weekends. But really, if you are going through recruitment, she already knows that you are fun and outgoing.

5. Bucks - It might be your natural instinct to immediately talk about your (daddy’s) money as soon as you step foot into a sorority house. The houses are HUGE and decorated to the nines… every girl in that chapter HAS to be loaded, right?? Ummm no. Not at all. Sorority chapter houses are built from a variety of funds including chapter dues, alum donations and even chapter’s national funds. Talking about money might actually make your rusher feel awkward. Avoid it.

Now you know what not to do, but how do you get into that sorority that you have so desperately been trying to get in good with? (Side note: the week before MY sorority recruitment I noticed that ALL the sorority girls were gorgeous. I thought they must have gotten up at 5 every morning to curl their hair and do their make-up for class… so my roommate and I did, too. God we were naïve.) To get a bid to THE sorority that you HAVE to be in, I only have one word: don’t.

Don’t make up stuff to make yourself sound better than you think you are.
Don’t go out and buy all new outfits to impress the sorority women.
And don’t be intimidated by all the frills and craziness of sorority recruitment.

“Be yourself, trust the system,” are the two things that I was told over and over before I dove into the process… and it worked. By putting on a show, you’re only hurting yourself and pretty much guaranteeing that you’ll end up in a house with girls who are nothing like you. The sorority women want to have a REAL conversation with you and find out who you are, not who you’re trying to be.

Here’s the truth: I went into recruitment KNOWING what sorority I was going to be in. But I was wrong! Once I’d tried out all the other chapters and had really awesome conversations with the members – being totally myself – I went against my original plan and joined the chapter where I felt most comfortable. On the last day of rush, I looked around at the other PNMs rushing with me (Do this! It is your potential new pledge class!) and could see myself studying, partying, crying, laughing, and everything in between with those girls. And after all the long hours, conversations and late nights, I knew it was the house for me.

OK, enough of that sappy moment. What else do you want to know? Where are YOU going through recruitment this fall? Are you nervous about anything specific? Let’s talk sorority RECRUITMENT, women!

[Want even more Sorority fun? Follow Sorority Girl on Twitter!]

We have incredibly exciting news coming straight from the CollegeCandy headquarters. This just in: CollegeCandy is  launching  a brand new column this fall for sorority girls across the country. We’re looking for the ultimate sorority girl, a Greek life die-hard willing to dish out an honest perspective on sorority life.

She needs to have strong writing skills, a sense of humor, knowledge on all things Greek (from rush etiquette to theme parties), and an overall willingness to give advice to sorority girls (and soon-to-be sorority girls) from all over America.

Does this sound like a girl in your house? Does this sound like you?

In 300 words or less, tell us why YOU’D be the ultimate sorority girl for CollegeCandy and send it to sororitygirl@collegecandy.com by August 17th. The chosen girl not only gets a weekly column on a blog with over one million readers, she also gets to bring home up to 30 pairs of Greek flip flops for her house from www.GreekForMe.com, an online store chock full of the cutest sorority apparel and gifts ever.

Sounds like a win/win to us.
So what are you waiting for?

Does anyone else find it highly disturbing that it’s not even August and the networks are rolling out the “Back to School” specials and commercials? Maybe I’m just in denial, maybe I want summer to stretch on forever, but it definitely seems too soon to head back to school.

Unfortunately, I’d be wrong. Next week I have to head back up to school a few weeks early to enter the wonderful world of sorority recruitment (another post in its entirety).  Don’t get me wrong, I’m so looking forward to catching up with all my sisters about their summers. I can’t wait to watch Pretty Little Liars with running commentary from my 2 wittiest friends. And I’m sure as hell excited to raid their closets for all the great new clothes they bought for the new semester.

But, resuming my estrogen laden lifestyle means saying so long to a certain boyfriend of mine. I get so sad knowing that in a few short days I won’t be coming home to the man I love, our little home, and quiet, peaceful snuggle sessions. I’m dreading knowing that the only guy I’ll be sleeping with is my teddy bear (not that my twin size bed could fit David even if he were allowed to sleep at the house). And I am absolutely depressed that the only action I’ll be getting on a consistent basis will be with my vibrator.

I’m def not looking forward to getting back into the swing of an LDR …or the 6 hour trips home every other weekend (if I’m lucky).  But, I learned some stuff this summer (whaddya know!) and especially writing this column, so I figured I’d share my Favorite Coupled Lessons Learned.

1. Living together means double the laundry…and I’m most likely going to be the one doing it. Especially after David tried to help with it…and shrunk all of my workout gear.

2. Finding TV shows that you both love = relationship bliss. Mostly.

3. Don’t be over-confident about your crock pot skills. Leaving it on high all day will only result in bad things. Which reminds me- it’s not the end of the world if you f*ck up dinner.

4. Keep the sex dirty, and the fights clean. Even in our worst fights, I always realized that our relationship was worth fighting for…and we usually made up within the hour. And then had really hot, really dirty sex.

5. No matter what, always take time to realize how lucky you are. I found out that putting pen to paper (finger to keyboard?) and sharing with the most fabulous readers in the world why I was so in love made me fall even harder for David. And if I ever start to take him for granted, I know how important it is to stop and reflect on what a great other half he is.

Thank you guys  for sticking with me through the good, the bad and the strange.  I’ll be on hiatus (at least until December), but I can’t wait to hear your Coupled moments and stories. Keep sharing the love (just not with your single friends-they probably don’t want to hear about it).

This holiday season, I urge you to make a resolution that you will actually keep, and that is to take better care of your environment.  Not just because it’s a good thing to do, but also because it’s a gosh darn easy resolution to stick to.  Having a greener existence is all about baby steps, which translates into easy success without all of the leg work.  Here are some of my favorite tips to get you going to a greener and happier you!

Potential Resolution #1:  “I will get all of my books from the library.”
First of all, this is probably something most of us do on a regular basis anyways.  Second of all, it saves you money and storage space.  Buying books not only wastes a lot of paper and binding materials, but it also takes a lot more energy to package and transport.  If you absolutely need to have a certain book at hand, such as a textbook for a class, see if any of your friends are in the class and ask them to go halfsies on the book.  You’ll save money on those ridiculously expensive textbooks and you always have the option of checking it out at the library if you get in a bind.

Potential Resolution #2: “I’m no longer going to put up with junk mail.”
Now you really don’t have an excuse not to pick this one up, considering that nobody actually enjoys getting junk mail.  The first step is to go paperless with as much as you can – bills, bank statements, etc.  Then check out Precycle.  For a minimal fee, Precycle will stop most of your junk mail and send you a reusable shopping bag with 2 CFL light bulbs.  It’s pretty much the same thing as adopting “getting cool free stuff” as your NY Resolution.

Potential Resolution #3: “I’m going to put a water bottle in my toilet’s water tank.”
Ummmm….WTF?
I promise there is sound evidence behind this one.  According to The Daily Green, filling up a water bottle with water and a little sand and placing it in the water tank will make your toilet use less water when flushing.  How, you ask?  By displacing the water in the tank so that it can’t fill up all the way and thus, uses less water per flush.  Some other great ways to reduce your water bill include turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth, timing your showers so that they don’t exceed 10 minutes, and keeping a cold pitcher of water in the fridge so you don’t have to keep the faucet running to get to the right temp. And how easy are all of those!?

Potential Resolution #4: “I’m going to save on gas.”
And guess what?  It doesn’t even include driving less!  Just driving the speed limit, especially on the freeway, can increase the efficiency of your car and save on gas.  Also, if you have the choice, take the route that has the least stop and go.  For example, opt for the freeway over going through town, unless there is tons of traffic on the freeway.  Also, try to plan your errands out in advance so you can avoid the rush hour and get all of them done in one fell swoop.  Lastly, keep your car in tip top shape and it will use less energy.  Pay special attention to your tires – flat tires are less efficient and cause your car to use more gas to go the same distance.

So which one will it be?  Let me know what you resolve to do this New Year’s and how you’re gonna stick to it!

[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, 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 dating a geek!) 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!]

Having spent my college years at a *ahem* non-traditional school, sororities were never something I considered – we don’t even have a campus, let alone a Greek system. But nonetheless, I suppose I’ve always looked down a bit on sorority girls… at least until recently when one of my best friends told me she was going to rush this year. So now, in all fairness, it seems like I owe it to these Greek girls to re-examine my thoughts.

I can certainly see the appeal of a sorority - the belonging, the sisterhood, and it would definitely have been handy to have some older girls around as a kind of mentor for those times when I let myself get out of hand. You have a place to live (a place that’s probably nicer than the dorms); you have a choice of what kind of group you want to be with, so you probably have some things in common. By being thrown into a sort of automatic family, you up your chances of making friends, moreso than in most ordinary social situations, and you are more bonded with those friends because of all that you share.

Greek life is also known for creating strong leaders (look at how many politicians were involved in a frat or sorority) and can be a great networking opp since many former Greek-ers (like, maybe, your boss), will go the extra mile to help out someone from their old house.  You never have to spend those sad nights (or weeks) alone, camped out on your bed after a breakup with no one to talk to. Plus, sororities (from what I understand) tend to organize parties and events and things that would force you to get out and have fun, even if you were, say, a shy underclassmen.

The downsides, of course, are related to many of the same things. Sororities tend to be about the group, which can throw a lot of peer pressure into the mix and that can be hard to deal with unless you’re very assertive.  And that pressure seems particularly counter-intuitive since this is the time in our lives when we’re supposed to be finding ourselves. The group is very self-contained (ie. they protect their own, and if you threaten that, you have a problem) and can also be time consuming (especially if you get into a leadership position), which means you had better be really good at organization or your grades could suffer over something that probably won’t make much difference on your resume.

And all of those social engagements, well once you’re in, you’re expected to represent your house so you might not be able to just blow off some fundraiser you don’t care about, even if you really need to get that term paper done. And for that same reason, it’s probably going to be much harder to keep up friendships with people who aren’t in the sorority, since so much of your social life will revolve around the house.

The biggest downsides to sororities, of course, are the most obvious and talked about. We’ve all heard the stories of sororities who refuse to accept or kick out girls of certain body types or ethnic backgrounds, and I won’t even get into hazing since it’s technically banned on most campuses (but a cursory Internet search can give you more horror stories there than you ever wanted to know).  Oh, and by the way, there are usually dues. That’s right, at most sororities, you have to pay to stay, and if you’re strapped for cash already, that might be bigger commitment than you want to make.

So, what do you say ladies? Am I being unfair? Are the benefits of belonging to a sorority worth the risks? Would you go Greel, or do you still not get the girls of sorority row?

Sure, college isn’t a catty popularity contest like high school can be, but that doesn’t meant that peer pressure doesn’t exist. In fact, in college, there are thousands of kids on campus who are looking for an opportunity to twist your arm. It can be hard not to say “yes” to a party on a Tuesday night (when you’ve got a midterm at 8 a.m. the next day), or to something “experimental” that you’ll look back on and shudder with disdain in the years to come.

If you don’t think peer pressure exists in college, I have one word for you: RUSH. There are collegiates out there who would sell their souls to join a sorority or a fraternity, and they are willing to do some crazy shizz to get through rush. Get into the Greek scene, and you’ve automatically got a clique of a few dozen new friends. That’s reason enough for some students to go a week without changing their clothes or serve lemonade in a giant purple elephant costume (that is, if Will Ferrell’s running the frat). “Hazing” is now illegal at universities across the country, but that doesn’t mean that the peer pressure of rush week isn’t still in full effect. Some say it’s a college coming-of-age ritual. Hey, to each their own, but still: a rose is a rose is a rose.

Not into the Greek life scene? No worries, there’s still going to be plenty of pressure from the kids on your floor, in your building, in your lecture hall, and all over campus. Sure, you can tell yourself you’re going to lock yourself in your room and cram all night for Anthropology, but what happens when your roommate comes in with a fresh box of Franzia and asks if you want to have an impromptu dorm party? Sunset Blush certainly has more appeal than the rituals of the Hmong culture. What about when you’re four paragraphs into a set of boring chapter review questions, and all you can hear is a beer pong tournament down the hall? On any given day on a college campus, there are groups of students partying their faces off. There’s always an opportunity for you, should you choose to accept it.

Then, of course, there’s the experimental stuff. I mean, it’s college. Now’s the time to try new things, right? Especially when the local drug wizard (you know, the kid majoring in Pharmacy so he can craft a breed of marijuana that doesn’t show up in a urine test) stops by with his collection of whippets, prescription meds, or hard stuff. I’ve seen plenty of innocent kids go through a rebellious streak in college (to put it lightly). Even if you swear you’ll never try that stuff, if you’ve already given into a weeknight drunkfest, your decision-making skills have been long tossed out the window.

Within the category of experimental peer pressure is a chapter on sex. For many, college is a haven for sexual liberation. RA’s host sex toy parties, girls make out with girls to snag some free beers at a keg party, and the term “f*ck buddy” is a household phrase.

Sure, you don’t have to worry about having dirty words spray-painted on your locker if you decide not to go with the crowd, but in college, it’s easy to give into peer pressure without realizing that you’re doing it. I’m sure everyone reading this article can think of at least one person whom they’ve seen spiral out of control upon entering college. Yes, the college years should be the best years of our lives; yes, this is the time to let out your inner wild child; yes, you’re free to do what you want to do.

Just don’t lose sight of the consequences, which can include academic probation, expulsion, STD’s or arrests by the campus police, depending on the nature of your deviant doings. Like I said, there’s always something going on on any given day at a college campus… so if you say “no” tonight, you can always let loose another day.