It’s officially almost August, the month where everyone seems to realize in a collective stress-bomb – that summer is almost puttering to an end. I don’t know what happens to June and July, they get shoved into summer’s trunk like a murder mystery and I always want to make the most of my August once it rolls around.

So while we count down the days to summers end, I figured why not begin a little end-of-summer bucket list (before stores everywhere start sending me coupons for thick knit sweaters and those weird things that zip up your leg…boots…is that what they’re called? Great, I’m ready to put on my flip flops and get started. Take these simple 31 tips (duh, one for each day in August) and make sure you fulfill every single one before summer peaces its way outta dodge. Read More »

The best part of school is not going to school. Or so you thought, back in the days of recess, friendship bracelets and raising your hand to use the bathroom. The stray feigned sick day was enough to hold you over until you hit the real jackpot: summer vacation. Even in high school, when summer meant staying up late to finish that last beer instead of finishing the latest Goosebumps book, June welcomed a much-needed freedom from responsibility.

Come college, however, the best times usually happen during the semesters, not between them. You’ve heard it before — especially if you’re a regular CollegeCandy reader – high school friends tend to drift apart, hometowns suddenly become boring and living with your parents…ick, don’t even get me started. The idea of a blue popsicle and a trip to the local pool sounds borderline painful when you could potentially be at Dollar Beer Night with your campus besties.

And so the concept of summer quickly loses its luster. Facebook newsfeeds are clogged with “Get me back to football season,” “Miss my [insert school name] girls!” and “Counting down to move- in!” sentiments. Because seriously, who wants to be stuck at home with nothing to do but get their nails done and shop and maybe stop by a part-time job a couple times a week and then go back to shopping and free lunches with mom and…. Read More »

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Zappos…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (like Go Try It On, Soshiku and Party School Texts) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

The school year is almost over, and although summer vacation is right around the corner, the end of the school year also comes with a lot of stress: studying for finals, writing term papers, and (for seniors) graduation.  Thinking about it too much is enough to make anyone depressed.

But dwelling on all the negativity can make you forget about all the really great things that the last few weeks of the semester bring, like year-end parties, no more classes, and beautiful weather.  That kind of thinking is what the new site Life is Beautiful is all about: spreading positivity through the good things in life. Read More »

Now doesn't that just look refreshing?

Maybe it’s just the 90 degree heat that‘s making me dizzy has me thinking summer, but June 21st is just around the corner and I’m already starting to load up on sundresses and break out the plaid shorts. In honor of the simply fantastic weather that the northeast graced me with this weekend, I’m counting down the 10 summer must-haves.

Don’t worry, you have a whole month and a half to get everything on the list! Read More »

Every college girl – hell, every college student knows that school requires a lot of sacrifices. You give up things that you would have never otherwise dreamed of giving up beforehand. I’m entirely guilty of that (and don’t act like some of you aren’t, either); I’ve been taking my summer vacation for granted for years now, just vegging out, doing a little summer work, and reading.

But since I transferred after my freshman year, I lost a few credits. I still need to graduate in 2009; with the way tuition is, I can’t afford another semester or even another year. So since I was a little underweight in the distribution section, I decided to do what any smart, responsible college student would do; I signed up for summer classes.

Summer classes are no joke. They last just about a month, maybe a little bit longer. You’re learning things that are usually spread out throughout a semester, but crammed together into four weeks. It’s fast-paced, hectic, and time-consuming. It’s even harder if it’s a subject you’re not familiar with.

I’m taking Spanish 101 and 102 at my local community college to get my language requirement out of the way. Mind you, I’m already pretty well versed in Spanish. I took it for about ten years in baby steps. But now that it’s pretty much being crammed down my throat and even I’m having some difficulty. Read More »

Ever since I jumped out of a plane, I’ve been an adrenaline junkie. To be honest, I was an adrenaline junkie long before that, but now I feel the need to experience the feeling again.

Should my wallet magically dispense to me $1800, I could go skydiving 9 times and then go through training that would allow me to go for just $20-$50 each time. But, until that fairy tale money arrives, I’ll have to spend each chunk of $200 and change with a bit more thought. So you know what I’m thinking?

HANG GLIDING. There is just something about soaring through the sky — like an EAGLE — that appeals to me. Am I nuts? YES…according to my friends. Apparently the fatality rate of hang gliders is high (yawn) and the injury rate is even higher…blah blah. I’m either fearless or an idiot. Or a fearless idiot. But, hey, whatever. If you’re a fearless idiot too, here are some things you should know about hang gliding.

A hang glider is a huge wing-like apparatus. (Sweet!)

In order to ‘fly’, you’ve gotta run down a slope until the wind lifts the glider. (Fun!) Read More »

I’m all for impromptu vacationing, but it’s nice to be able to plan vacation time and really do your research. So as you all gear up for spring break, summer vacations, or weekend get aways (sometimes surfing CheapTickets.com isn’t a terrible idea, us college students need a break from time to time!) don’t bother doing the research, since we at CollegeCandy already did it for you!!

The first city we are spotlighting is Denver, Colorado. We all know Colorado for it’s skiing and swanky mountain towns, but the city…though quaint- is amazing. Therefore, we should give it more play. Print this out, take it with you, GO EXPLORE!!

Naturally, I must start with food: Read More »

If simply following a celebrity trainer’s advice to sculpt an amazing body just won’t work for you, it may be a good idea to look into something a bit more disciplined and hardcore. I personally feel the best after an extremely grueling workout where I literally get my ass kicked by the exercises and know that I pushed myself to my limit.

Well, if you want to make a change, but are afraid of falling off the bandwagon before you get a chance to reclaim your hot bod before fall semester, try joining a workout boot camp. These camps are becoming increasingly popular and more and more clubs across the country are beginning to offer them. Read More »