Let’s face it: we’ve all done some pretty ridiculous things in our lives. Things we think are totally logical in the moment, but make us cringe when we think about them later on. Things that we’d only tell our best friend in person so she has no hard evidence to blackmail us with later. Things that we hide from the people who love us (and judge us) most. Things that even we, ourselves, wish we didn’t know about. But things that our friends, family, and fellow CollegeCandy readers are probably doing all the time, too.

Like all those online convos we’ve had with our friends…while pooping.

So here is our chance to let it all out. To share our secrets and find that maybe we’re not so crazy, so weird, so abnormal, after all. We’ll spill the beans every Tuesday and invite you to share your own similar experiences below. Just think of it as therapy. Or a really hilarious way to spend a Tuesday afternoon.

Confession: OK, so this isn’t something I’m proud of (at least now that I’m sober), but last weekend when I was at a bar I heard some guy adding drinks to his tab. When he walked away, I found another bartender and gave that guy’s name for my order. And it worked! I ended up ordering drinks on that guy’s tab all night and didn’t spend a dime.

Got a confession? Get it off your chest here. Don’t worry, we won’t judge. How can we when we sneak flasks into bars so we can drink for free?

It’s your BFF. You’ve known her since you were five. And yeah, you just spent a whole paycheck on housing, but you still need her to hang out. But still, you’re both broke, college students. So who’s taking the brunt, financially? If you feel like you are controlling your spending, but still can’t figure out where your cash is going… I hate to say it, but it might be your friends.

1. The Gas-Guzzling Gretchen.

You know that friend who always has an excuse NOT to drive? Sure, if you’re traveling far, you might mention splitting the cost of gas beforehand…. but when it’s someplace close, it’s hard to notice. “My backseat is full of clothes, nobody will fit back there,” or “I”m really tired, I can go out, but I don’t want to focus on driving later.” These excuses are fine from time to time, but if you realize your car is the only one getting mileage, you may want to reconsider your gas costs. It’s easy not to care when your friend needs a ride down the street, but when it becomes a daily “favor,” you end up paying.

2. The No-Cash Nancy.

With direct deposit, who the hell ever has cash nowadays? Unfortunately, this can become an excuse, and the little things can add up. $10 minimum for the card at dollar-night? If you have cash, why not cover this round? Going on a road trip, and she only has a card? Guess what- it’s on you. Sure, you don’t want to keep tabs on your friends, but a stick of gum here and a cash-only Gucci knockoff there can really add up.

3. The Homeless Harriet.

Friends truly don’t let friends drive drunk. But if you’re the gal with the on-campus apartment, it becomes the norm for people to crash at your place, especially if it’s walking distance from the pub. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you have water or electric bills to pay, you’re going to have to dig deep to make sure your friends get home safe. Even if you’re in student housing, where everything is prepaid, you’re probably going to cough up some free drunk-ass ramen noodles or a few bottles of spring water. This might not seem like a big deal, but I bet if you kept a tab, you’d end up with a whole night of free boozing for the cost it takes to be cordial to your guests.

4. The “I’ll Get the Next One” Alice

Similar to the No-Cash Nancy, Alice insists that you are such good friends, you don’t need to keep official tallies. However, she also is prone to making sure she always gets the good half of any bargain. “Let’s go drink-for-drink” you say, so Alice invites you to an expensive martini bar, where you shell out at LEAST $10 per martini, plus tip. When the drinks are over, Alice says she knows a place with more atmosphere, and brings you to a dive that happens to serve $1 Natty Lites. She buys you a beer, and stiffs the bartender. The damage? You– $25. Her– $2. But hey, she bought you a drink, didn’t she?

How can you really say “NO” to your friends, the people who bail you out of tough times over and over? You really can’t. And some friends know it. And some friends DON’T realize it, but inadvertantly rob you nonetheless. It can be very difficult to bring up, even though “Hey, why don’t you spot me a $1-Menu Breakfast, since I paid for those the entire hotel for spring break” sounds like a reasonable request.

Don’t let yourself get walked over. Your buds might not even notice that they are making out like bandits while you are selling your Sociology book to cover their bar tabs. Be honest and direct with your pals if you think you are getting the shaft, and you’ll find you have more money in your checking account… and a solid friendship to boot.

While you may never need to know how to greet a duke or how to tell which fork is REALLY the oyster fork, knowing how to deal with people whom owe you money, how much to tip, and how to address the ever annoying licorice-in-teeth conundrum without being rude might actually come in handy in the real world. I'm not trying to be your mother - oh goodness, no - I'm just here to help you out of those little etiquette dilemmas.

So here goes: a quick lesson in etiquette. The sh*t you might actually need to know.]

Last weekend I went out to lunch with a male friend. The food was excellent and there wasn’t a dull moment in the conversation, however, when the check arrived (which the waiter was very careful to put in the center of the table, I might add), everything stopped. In the same instant, we lunged for the flimsy sheet of carbon copy, managing only to knock it off of the table for a nearby patron to pick up and hand to him (sexist). My friend proudly held the tab above his head, clearly the victor. He paid and I was stuck with the tip.

The incident got me thinking – when wining and dining, who pays?

It’s an age old question and with each decade comes a new answer. There was a time when the man ALWAYS paid (lest he be called a chauvinist cheapskate) and then a time when the woman physically wrestled the tab from the man (lest he get the upper hand). Nowadays, though, men and women are on a pretty equal playing field.

So, who pays?

Ideally, the person who does the asking should pay.

Now for the reality:

If the date is not really a date, per se, but a casual lunch with a friend, suggest going Dutch. That takes the pressure off of both of you and no one really owes the other person anything. BUT… if you’re going to insist on paying, then you better be ready to pony up the cash. Don’t be the girl who bitches and moans about picking up the tab but never actually pulls out her wallet.

If you’re on a first date and the other person pays, refrain from offering to pay for the next date. You may feel awkward at the moment, but there might not be another date, in which case you’d just make it more awkward for both of you. After the first few times, figuring out who will pay will come much more naturally and you can take turns treating eachother without the guilt. That way, instead of worrying about who’s  paying for the meal, you can occupy your thoughts with who’s taking care of dessert.

Well, maybe my second installment of Spring Semester Freak-Out Remedies will help ease the pain. In this episode, we will be discussing meditation. The easy kind. None of that lotus-position hour long advanced yogi stuff. Let’s be real, almost none of us has time—or the back strength—for that.

Meditation, even in its simplest form, can bring your body and mind back from crazy land. It’s a centering practice, an easy way to feel rested in only a few minutes. And best of all? You can do it lying down!

Step 1. Make sure you have at least 15 minutes of quiet time. 15 minutes where you know the roommate won’t be around, when no one’s going to be knocking on your door, and there’s no rush to get down to the dining hall. If you have more time, awesome, but 15 minutes is a good place to start.

Step 2. Shut off all your lights. Close your curtains. You don’t need to be in pitch dark, but the atmosphere should be calming and quiet.

Step 3. Make sure you’re in comfy clothes. Tight jeans and tube tops does not a calm girl make.

Step 4. Lie down on your bed, but stay above the covers. Getting under the sheets is too much temptation. We want you to relax, not fall asleep. Make sure you’re laying on your back with your feet a comfortable width apart. Let you arms recline against your sides, palms up.

Step 5. Breathe with acknowledgement. What does this mean? It’s just a fancy, hippy way of saying be conscious of your breath. Listen to your inhales and exhales, think inhale, exhale, picture your lungs filling and letting out air.

Step 6. Block everything out. This is the hardest step. A lot of us have trouble keeping our minds completely blank, me especially. I’ll get thirty seconds in and then think, yes! My mind is blank! Which is, of course, counterproductive. The best way to keep your head clear is to focus on your breathing. Keep thinking inhale, exhale. Breathe deeper and deeper, allowing yourself to ‘fall into’ the breath. If thoughts creep in, gently push them out. Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to think about things later.

Most importantly, let your body relax. Meditation is all about coming back into yourself, realizing how awesome your limbs and lungs and heart are. The better you get, the longer you can stay in this peaceful state and the more rested you feel after only 15 minutes. If you’re like me and have a hard time taking a nap in the middle of the day, meditation might just be for you. Because your body is not going completely unconscious, you don’t have to deal with that woozy ‘nap drunk’ feeling when it’s all over.

…Just think, next time you’re walking back to your dorm after European History with that new hottie, you can ask him if he’s ever meditated before, and when he looks at you with surprise, smile and say, “I do it all the time. It really centers you.” He’ll be so impressed with your earthy ways he might even ask for a private demonstration, and you’ll have these handy steps to make it seem like you’ve been doing this all your life.

You might even want to work in an extra step which requires all practitioners to be naked…

He’ll never know.

For those of you who hail from faraway places, who can’t hop home to bask in the unconditional love and glazed ham of home, you need not don lingere and whore yourself on a street corner to get your fill of Easter fun. Plus it’s too damn cold for that.

Furthermore, some of us, I’m not saying that this was me, may have spent the last depressing holiday sitting in a dark dorm room, afraid to leave for fear of running into canoodling couples. Do we really need to repeat that fatfest with Peeps and Cadbury eggs? I think not. Spring is the time of mini-dresses, not baggy sweatpants.

How is a college girl to survive Easter?

1. Get yourself in the mood. Turn on some low music, light a few candles, lock your door and click on this: www.dailybunny.com.

2. Pink Peeps are made of pure chemicals, but so is pink TaB. In the sprit of the season, make yourself a little cocktail I like to call a Lil’ Kim (what ever happened to her anyway?) because it’s full of fake stuff and it’s bright like a plastic wig. One can of TaB energy drink, a generous amount of vodka, topped off with at least four cherries. Sweet like a Peep, not too hard on the old waistline, and it’s pretty much guaranteed to make you smile.

3. So what if you don’t have your mom around to glaze you a delicous ham, walk it off. You’re in college now. Wendy’s isn’t exactly classy fare, but neither is drinking little a Lil’ Kim and while staring at pictures of bunnies. Imagine piping hot curly fries with a big fatty ham sandwich with melted cheese. “Your favorite deli cuts of turkey and black forest ham mounded high on our freshly baked artisan bread, topped with 2 bacon strips, lettuce, tomato and mayo.” I know it’s not home-cooking, but it’s so good. Trust me.

3. In honor of Paris, plop down on your futon with a couple of dvds worth of the Simple Life, eat your fatty sandwich, get wasted, and feel a whole lot better about your b-side holiday celebration when you listen to Paris muse about just what sort of walls Wal-mart sells.