Reports have been circulating that an 18 year-old Sarah McKinley from Oklahoma shot and killed a man who was trying to break into her home. If you’ve read the story already, you know that her husband tragically died on Christmas Eve leaving her with three month-old son. It’s a terrible story, yes. And should get a high five for shooting a man who was coming after her and her baby with a 12-inch hunting knife? Absolutely! I doubt any of the girls on Teen Mom would have the sense to hide in a bedroom with two guns and barricade the door with a couch…all while feeding their baby a bottle. Sadly, we’re about to burst your bubble.

If you haven’t yet watched the news report, do so here and then let me address one tiny issue. Does anyone else think the picture of McKinley’s husband featured in the story is a little…off? He resembles a (fully-grown, bearded) member of The Bee Gees, and the photo was definitely not taken any time in the past 25 years. Let’s review really quickly: McKinley is 18; her husband was 18 in…like…1970.

A little internet sleuthing reveals that Mr. McKinley, who passed away just a couple weeks ago, was in his late 50s. He married Sarah two years ago when she was 16.

Being a damsel in distress isn’t cute. Nobody wants to hang out with someone who can’t get anything done by themselves. Even Superman gets sick of dealing with Lois Lane’s problems day in and day out.

It’s time to man up, ladies, and empower yourselves to live life without the aid of Prince Charming. Not only does this make our lives a whole lot easier (hello, do you really want to wait around for someone to jump-start your car?), but sometimes it’s safer to take matters into our own hands (instead of asking some rando to do it for us).

Here’s a rundown of the 10 things every woman must know how to do. Watch, learn and take pride in the fact that you are in total control of your destiny.

1. Change a tire: Being your own mechanic isn’t necessarily a manly thing. Whipping out that wrench and jack can save yourself some time, money and can even keep you safer. Sure, when I was forced to fix a flat I looked ridiculous – kneeling on the side of I-295 in my skirt-suit and patent stilettos – but it took me 20 minutes, saved me some big-time embarrassment and allowed me to still be on time to my interview. Don’t forget those hand wipes though; grease could be an outfit-ender.

2. Make a Roast: I’m not trying to say you have to become Suzie Homemaker, but learning some basic cooking techniques can’t do anything but help you out in the long run. You don’t want to end up like my good friend who cooked a knife right with the chicken (even if, according to her, plastic peels off of pans easily). Being able to feed yourself, no matter how rudimentary it may seem, is certainly a skill that’s worth it to perfect. Read More »

So, I know this month’s Cosmo Says is fashionably late (blame it on a premature reaction to Tryptophan), but it’s here now. And you should be happy because not only was the December issue chock full of goodies, but now you have something to distract you while your little cousins run around your house screaming and you attempt to digest that 3lbs of stuffing you just inhaled.

There was an equally awesome/puzzling interview with Fergie (she looks great, poses in yoga moves and has dachshunds). The gift guide contained about 70% of my Christmas list (srsly, check out the Smashbox brushes on p. 100). There were tons of adorable mini skirts, and a ridiculous article where two guys keep diaries for 10 days about everything that goes through their minds. Spoiler alert: These guys think about sex a lot. These guys also happen to write exactly like Cosmo staffers. Hmm…

The crown jewel of the entire issue, though, had to be “Hidden Secrets His Hug Reveals.” Apparently, a hug can mean more than “not just a handshake, not quite a kiss.” Enjoy what Cosmo has to say about:

The Sneak Attack

Cosmo says: If he encircles you from behind, he’s totes “blanketing your body” with his love. Unless he does it all the time—then he’s too much of a pansy to hug you from the front.

Kari says: He better have highly recognizable cologne, because if an unknown dude suddenly wraps his arms around my chest, he’s getting a sample of that self-defense course my sorority held. Other than that, IDK about this “sense of oneness” that you’re going on about, Cosmo. I normally equate those three little words with meaningful eye contact and slow dancing non-ironically to “Forever young”… Read More »

There are days when not even a new playlist, the latest issue of Glamour, AND Tough Love on VH1 could make my 45 minute elliptical sesh fly by. My mind is bored, and so is my body. And when my body is bored, it’s not burning as many calories. The human body is designed to be efficient so when I do the same exercise day after day (which gets boring), my body uses fewer calories to do the same amount of work on day 30 than, say, on day 1.

The same goes for you, people.
If your mind is bored, your body is bored.

As college students, we’re bored enough sitting in lecture each day; our workouts should be something that we look forward to! And at the risk of sounding like your mom, college is the time to try new things, so why not new methods of exercise? Cross-training (varying different types of exercise or activity), also helps you burn more calories by tricking your body with new and unfamiliar movements. It can also prevent exercise-related injuries, as you’re working different muscle groups and using different parts of your body for each activity. And, taking group fitness classes is an awesome way to meet people. Studies have shown that exercising with other people increasing the level of endorphins that we release during a workout, keeping us coming back for more!  Some universities even let you take sports or fitness classes for CREDIT! You pretty much just have to show up. Good motivation if you find it hard to get out of bed and to the gym, or wouldn’t otherwise have time to exercise.

If you’ve been doing the same 45 minute elliptical workout for the past few months (or few years!) it’s time to switch things up. Here are a few ideas to add a little mix to your workout: Read More »

Why we love high heels:

1. They are hot

2. They make your legs look hot

3. They fulfill every girls’ fantasy of being super fabulous, sexy and chic.

Why we hate high heels:

1. OhMyGodTheyHurtSoBad

2. They get caught in cracks, grates and vents.

3. They could get you mugged!

Yes, it’s true – wearing heels (no matter how great) could get you targeted by muggers looking for easy prey. Those people know that a woman in heels is a woman who can’t get away very quickly, which makes you the perfect target.

Are we telling you not to wear heels? Yeah right; that dress isn’t gonna look the same with a pair of Converse. Just be aware of your surroundings, avoid major shopping in stilettos (not that anyone’s feet could survive that, anyway), consider investing in a pair of these, and learn how to turn that shoe into a weapon. Those heels have to hurt.

No, it’s not a joke. We can actually learn a few things from our favorite heiress, who was robbed last night while she was out at the clubs. (Ok, so we don’t know where she was, but it’s a pretty safe assumption, no? Where else would someone be at 5am on a Saturday morning?!)

The robber got into her house through an unlocked front door and got away with around $2 million worth of jewelry that was just, you know, hanging out in her room.

So, yeah, we can definitely learn a few things from Ms. Hilton:

1. Don’t leave $2 million worth of jewelry just sitting out on your dresser. And if you don’t have $2 million worth of jewelry (pauper), don’t leave anything valuable sitting out. I left my iPod in my living room once when my neighbors were having a party only to wake up in the morning and find it missing (and our thermostat turned up to 95…why?).

2. Lock your front door. Not sure why this one isn’t obvious, but Paris and many of us tend to be more trusting than we should be. Keep the front door locked to keep out the robbers, creepers and random drunk people who are just looking for a warm place to pee. Especially if you have $2 million worth of jewelry sitting on your dresser.

3. Hit the clubs to stay safe. Who knows what could have happened to our dear Paris had she been home when this robbery occured? Clearly staying out late getting drunk and dancing on tables is the ultimate strategy for self-defense. Swap out the pepper spray, ladies, and opt for a bottle of Ketel One instead!

All of us girls have played out this scenario in our heads multiple times (and if we haven’t, then our parents have and they’ve been sure to articulate the matter more than once)…

We are walking down a dark alley (why are we always in these dark alleys?) and we get attacked. By a hostile stranger. He wants to steal our purse or rape us or kill us or all three. How do we defend ourselves?

Well, many women have come up with their own protection system. Some don’t walk alone at night. Others have invested time and money into self defense courses. And still others opt for the bad ass route of the knife, the mace, or the…taser gun.

The taser gun has actually been growing in popularity these days…but I have some questions for the women who are orchestrating this new taser marketing campaign: Read More »

My mom insists I carry around a small tube of pepper spray even though it’s illegal; which is why I was so taken by the pink stinger when I first saw it. Cute and compact, this tampon shaped stun gun is just what every girl needs for protection.

The Pink Stinger can be used in two modes: stun setting and zap mode. In stun setting you simply need to put the two rods against skin or clothing which can leave your perpetrator “disoriented, demoralized and embarrassed.” Zap mode, however, is the coolest of them all. The two tiny shocking extra absorbent tampons are actually shot out of their “zapplicators” and attach themselves to your attacker. With nitrogen powered hydraulics and fourteen feet of wire, you don’t even need to be that close to cause “central nervous system disruption, possible urination and certain humiliation.” Awesome.

A tampon shaped stun gun… I mean what could be more convenient or discreet? Unless, of course, you reach for the wrong tampon… now that could give YOU the shock of a lifetime.

I am as cautious as the next girl walking around campus at night- I carry mace, walk on well lit paths and pay attention to the things around me- I even took a self-defense class last semester. That’s about all a girl can do to keep herself safe from potential sexual preditors, right?

Apparantly not. A new female condom-type device called RapeX is set to hit the market soon and is causing quite a stir. This medieval device has fish like teeth that attach to the penis upon penetration.

Yikes, call me crazy, but I am not about to stick a foreign object with fish-like teeth inside me. Mace is just fine with me.

Read the article.

What do you think about RapeX?