I’ll always think that the boybands of my childhood (Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, duh) are the creme of the crop. Maybe that explains my aversion to One Direction, or maybe I’ve just outgrown boybands. Yeah, right.

There must be something to One Direction, seeing as they’re such a sensation right now. I may not be their biggest fan, but their video for “What Makes You Beautiful” is a perfect summer video. It was filmed on a sunny California beach, and there are beachy fashions galore.

Our friends over at College Fashion put together some great looks inspired by the video. Check it out here.

With summer right around the corner, the “omg get the greatest bikini body EVAR” crash diets are all over the place. But as we all know (I hope!), crash dieting is not the way to get the body you want. In fact, starving yourself is actually going to make you gain more weight down the road, because you’re more likely to overeat after a period of depriving your body of the nutrients it needs.

Eating right and exercising daily is what’s really going to get you the “bikini body” you want. One of the body parts that’s most exposed in a bikini is your stomach, so I decided to focus on ab exercises this week. This video promises “sexy yoga abs.” It’s a bit cheesy, but take a look at that lady’s stomach! I want what she has. Check it out:

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

There’s no better excuse for a party than warm weather. And if you’re going to have a party in the sun, you’re going to need some delicious cool beverages. Once again, we got sucked into the addictive world of Pinterest, finding recipe after recipe for amazing drinks.

Check out the gallery below for some drinks to take your spring bash to the next level.

initiating the gallery...

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. She is “that person” who starts dancing at a party when everyone else is standing around, and if there were a Facebook stalking Olympics, she would be a gold medalist. She also loves cheesy 90s music, and almost died of happiness when Vanilla Ice retweeted her. Once. Follow her on Twitter @garnethenderson.

[Lead image via Vasaleks/Shutterstock]

Whether it be the latest look of Betsey Johnson’s spring/summer collection, Lauren Conrad photographed glamming it up in Hoboken or seeing that trendy chick in your biology class rock something fresh, there is no denying that spring trends are taking over. Completely over my dry skin, frizzy hair and all this winter weather in general, I have no problem developing an unhealthy addiction to the latest looks. I will be celebrating the first official day of spring in one of my favorite new trends: High-waist, distressed denim shorts.

I discovered the trend in early January as I tried to drown out my winter blues by searching swim suit designers on Etsy.com. For those of you who don’t know about Etsy, it’s a fabulous site serving as a virtual boutique for up and coming designers that create unique, one of a kind crafts, clothes and accessories. Thrift store junkies-this is your haven! While searching wedges, tank tops and swim suit cover ups, I stumbled upon a collection called BajuesBest.

BajuesBest consisted of numerous pairs of denim shorts. Not simple blacks, whites or navy pairs, but gorgeous works of art. Each pair was personalized with ombre dyes, studs and vintage cuts. I immediately fell in love with the fit and fades of unnatural denim colors. I contacted the designer (or should I say artist) Julia, and received a pair of high-waist charcoal denim along with a faded, studded, pink vest that made me feel like a cleaner, more fashionable form of Ke$ha.

(SaboSkirt.com)

The shorts fit snugly against hips and right below the belly button. They are such a fabulous alternative to the classic t-shirt and jean shorts. Slip on a pair, tuck in your tee, add a pair of lace-ups, a bold necklace and you’ve turned your ensemble from June-casual to spring collection chic. SaboSkirt.com offers beautiful pairs for an average of $98.00, but if you’re a struggling college student budget-stylista like myself, go grab a fabulously fitting, great quality and one-of-a-kind pair of BajuesBest for $40.00. If you’ve stuck to your New Year’s resolution of cutting back on the Mickie D’s dollar menu, this is a great opportunity to show off your long limbs and tight back end, as well as your favorite statement wedges. Grab a pair, snap a pic and add your photo to the comments section; I’ll pick my favorite to be featured in an upcoming article of my favorite spring trends.

Let’s be real, the best part of spring break is looking fabulous & getting waisted.

All of the above from BajuesBest

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I hate winter. I hate the cold. And I most certainly hate the snow. So it should come as no surprise to you that I am already dreaming of the lazy days of summer ahead. In fact, I don’t even care if they are lazy, I just want them to be warm and sun-filled. Preferably not humid…but I’ll work with it.

As a New Englander you would think I would be one of the many supporters of winter. After all, I used to figure skate and bring my inner tube to the Seven Hills, but somewhere (I blame junior year of college; not sure why) I turned. Maybe it was when I fell in love with all the wonderful things summer had to offer, maybe it was when winter started taking over half of the year. Regardless of the reasoning, I miss summer…and have a horrible case of summer fever.

In the hopes of dragging the rest of you down this long path of Pina Coladas and hot cabana boys, here are the ten things I miss about summer…

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It’s almost November and I’m already yearning for summer. Days spent at the beach, cool ocean water, barbeques, cold beers, margaritas and ice cream sundaes to finish it all off.

Ugh, I’m like Cindy Lou-Who singing “Where Are You Summer?” as I’m wrapping myself in blankets and practically throwing myself into the fireplace.

If there’s one thing to miss about summer (aside from awesome tans, hot sand between my toes, svelte beach bodies, grillin’ and chillin’ and sundresses) it’s the awesome art happening on the beach!

No, I’m talking about the little babies that sit there unamused while mom and dad move the sand around or the five-year-old that keeps flinging sand all over my Gucci blanket! I’m talking about the sand-handlers that dazzle and wow beach passersby with their amazing sand castle art.

Take a look! Then we can cry and count down the days to summer again.

It’s that time of year again, summer internships are ending, soon-to-be freshman are crowding the lines at Bed Bath and Beyond and those of us not heading back to college are forced into finding a more permanent life option.

Don’t get me wrong I will not miss the 400 dollars I drop for books every semester, or my five in the morning study sessions…but the parties, my friends being down the hall, not having to pay rent are all things that will be severely missed come September.

Instead I’m being forced into real life. Which involves finding a full-time job now that my paid summer internship only has two weeks left. But, because I have two weeks left of the good life, here are ten things I’m going to still be day dreaming about during the cold winter nights:

1. Late night bonfire beach trips. Not only is s’mores my favorite food group (because yes it is in a league of its own) I love late night talks over burning wood, and the old musty smell it gives off when paired with low tide.

2. Moving. This time of year is always filled with boxes, because in August is when I finally go through all of my school things to decide what I actually need to bring. Granted I never fully pack until the last night.

3. Playing outside.  I love being outside, and during the summer every time of day is open for some outdoor activity.

4. Concerts in the park. Not only is it a cheap date, but it’s a fun picnic with your friends (especially if you sneak in some Franzia).

5. Being with my Family. This is the one time of year that my whole family is free and we are able to spend summer nights talking about a fire or just hang in the pool.

6. Going out clothes. For once my legs don’t get stubble when walking from the T to the club.

7. Endless days. Although I have a job, it is so easy to get caught up with the never-ending day syndrome, i.e. when you are with friends for countless days and completely lose track of time.

8. The beach.  I love everything about the beach from the smell of low tide to the tourist in speedos.

9. Margaritas. Obviously you can drink them any time, but during the summer they just seem to taste better.

10. My last free summer. This is officially my last college summer, from here on out it will be 40-hour work weeks and no more during the week beach trips.

What are you going to miss about summer?

Four months is a lot of time to spend doing nothing, which is why more often than not college students find themselves with a lap full of summer resolutions. Now we’re in the last month of summer and some of us, no doubt, have given up on forgotten about those promises we made to ourselves, but it’s not too late to get back on the horse. Here’s a few ways you can still achieve those summer resolutions.

1. Getting a head-start on classes

Okay, maybe you were getting a little ahead of yourself when you bought all your textbooks early and vowed to have at least the first couple chapters read by the end of the summer. Now you have an unhappy stack of overpriced textbooks that are being used as a doorstop. Luckily, there’s still a way to get ahead of the game without even cracking open a textbook. Email the professors of the courses you’re taking and ask for last year’s syllabus. It’s easy for a prof to just attach the file to an email, and then you can use the syllabus to plan an effective study schedule so you’ll be prepared for classes even if you haven’t forced yourself through fifty pages of molecular biology.

2. Sculpting a rocking beach body

Those late nights studying for exams while chugging a red bull and grabbing fast food in-between study breaks has caught up with you, and you know it. After a month of grueling exercise, and turning your nose up at anything without a leafy green vegetable, you’re hungry, barely closer to your goal than before, and ready to give up. While you may not be able to suddenly sculpt ripped abs, you can still look good on the beach for the last bit of summer. Embrace the body you have, and focus on highlighting your best assets. And if you’re still worried about some newly adopted belly fat, then find a one-piece with ruching around the middle. The texture is cute and different, so it will make you stand out in the right way while keeping you comfortable.

3. Curling up with some books, for fun this time!

So, you’ve never been a big ‘reader’ per say, but this summer you decided to forgo magazines and see if there’s any merit to the ‘books are always better than book adaptations’ theory. Just when you’ve sat down with your book, a friend invites you to a BBQ and reading about boy wizard and his best mates in school falls on the back burner. You may not have time to read seven books, but you always have time for one. If you’ve picked a book series, delve into a stand-alone book by the same author. If you only get to read one book, take the time to learn a bit more about it—quality is better than quantity anyway. It’s not uncommon to find articles about author inspiration on the internet, and it can really enhance your perception of a novel when you know more about it than what you’ve read on the page.

4. Snagging some summer employment

We’ve all been there, you went from place to place with your resume and no one seemed to be hiring, or if they were hiring they weren’t hiring you. Sometimes even when there are a lot of openings, employers are reluctant to take on someone only available for the summer who also plans to take several week-long vacations. While you may have missed the chance to be work at that ice cream shop a block from your house, you can still make some cash before school starts. Often the last month of summer is host to small community carnivals and weekend street festivities which all require both staff and volunteers. Since these are short-term events they can take on short-term staff, and even working a few hours for a couple of days can give you enough cash for a last hurrah before school starts.3.

5. Starting something new

Maybe you told yourself that this summer you would finally start that street fashion blog, or maybe you vowed to learn enough Spanish to charm that guy in your “Español Intermedio” class who knows way too much Spanish to be taking the course. You started off strong, but somewhere between June ‘welcome back’ parties and July long weekend celebrations you strayed from your goals. The first step is to re-inspire yourself — maybe look at a few popular fashion blogs, or watch a Spanish movie. Then set aside an hour during the week when come hail storms or high winds, you will work on your goal. I find that when you really enjoy doing something you’ll find yourself slowly devoting extra time beyond the hour you set aside to work on it.

It’s pretty easy to get into a slump and find yourself laying on the couch watching Big Brother while the days fly by, but you always have time to get up and do something. During the school year sometimes even a month can seem like an eternity, and we’ve all still got a good chuck of eternity left to do things.

This week on The Bachelorette- Home Town Dates. One of the episodes in the season we all can’t wait to see. Partly because it means it is almost over, but mainly we want to see how crazy the guys’ families are, considering they supported their journey of love on a reality dating show that usually results in messy public breakups.

Needless to say, I was thoroughly excited to sit down and watch two hours of what, in my mind, should have been an outtake from the Family Feud. Instead I got staged conversations and Ashley’s bangs of shame.

Ash’s first stop was Cumming, Ga (really ABC?) to see Constantine in “My Big Fat Greek Family’s Home Date.” The two lovebirds cooked, ate and danced. Constantine’s mom even declared she would be okay with making Ash an honorary Greek, his Father wants to see his son and Ashley in love forever…and also managed to sneak in that his son “is very good with kids.” For some reason his entire family supports him, only wishing he finds true love and happiness. After dinner is done, Constantine’s entire extended family decides to join in on the fun dancing with Ash and makin’ it rain on them hos tossing dollar bills in the air (like any Greek family does).

Then Ashley flew to Ames in PA, this is where things got a little awkward…go figure. First off any situation with Ames’ family was bound to get awkward, just looking at that forehead you know there has to be more where that came from. We find out that it is possible to have eyes further apart than Ames, and his sister has them. His sister is clearly protective of him but gets a little bit creepy before Ames takes Ash on their “romantic” date. Once they get to a spot under Ames’ favorite tree he starts laying it on thick. He says, “It’s the best when ordinary is extraordinary.” Oh, it gets worse from there. It also helps Ash’s case that she tells the confessional there just isn’t a spark…but continues to play with him and his damaged goods.

Afterwards, Ash was craving some sun (and booze) so she took a trip to Cali to visit Ben F. (Constantine’s twin). They drank Ben’s wine, talked about Ben’s feelings and about how if his mom or sister didn’t like her, then she would be gone. Just like that. Lucky (or unlucky) for him they both liked her, and after showing Ash some baby photos of Ben I can totally get what she sees in him…money. Because even the heart-felt conversation with his mother was a tad staged and boring. Who would want to spend their life being bored?

Finally JP decides to take it back to junior high as he whisks Ashley around a roller rink while “I Can’t Stop This Feeling Anymore” is playing in the background. Whiny JP was nowhere to be seen; instead we saw his loving Jewish family protect him from the evil clutches of Ashley. Apparently JP has a skelton in his closet, and this female skeleton caused him (and his family) a lot of grief, so they are a little nervous to see JP jumping in head-first with this girl. Finally, a family who can see this for what it is…”reality” TV! JP confesses to Ash that, “When I’m with you, I’m on a high and when I’m without you, I’m miserable.” Basically her love is his drug…right? Ash is nervous that JP has been single for so long, but really likes him…so whatever to the crazy factor.

Who got the axe: Ames was sent home, but the only thing people could talk about during the rose ceremony was Ben F.’s slightly less greasy hair. Ames walked away sad and left with this in his head, “I’m back to sharing a lifetime of adventures with myself” …because if reality TV dating doesn’t work out, nothing else will. Right…

Up next: threesomes in Fiji, and Ash gets a surprise visit…get excited.

What did you think of Ames’ creepy family (and his sister’s bizarre hubby)? How cute was JP back in his mini Kirk Cameron days? How ever will Ash choose between Ben and Constantine when the look exactly the same?