So tailgate season is upon us and the time has come to bring out our barbecues, lazily relax outside and revile in the sunshine with our friends while we’ve still got beautiful weather on our side.  Or desperately hot, sticky, and humid weather, depending on where you go to school.  Whatever. The point is, it’s tailgate season and that means hot dogs and hamburgers and various other things cooked on an open fire. You drooling yet? Wait. Before you indulge in that perfectly grilled hot dog, there are a few things you should know.

Note: to those of you who want to continue to consume burgers and hot dogs in ignorant bliss, stop reading now.  If you are intrigued to know what these patriotic foods do to your body, however, let’s keep truckin’.

For all you hot dog, hamburger, and bacon lovers reading this, I really wish I could ease the blow of what I am about to report, but there is really no other way to present the facts: processed meat consumption, even more so than other forms of meat, is correlated to an increased risk of all types of cancer.  Red meat and processed meats contain more totally repulsive saturated and trans fats than any other animal product.  These types of fats have received recent media attention for their harmfulness to the human body, yet the fat issue doesn’t quite tell the whole story of why eating hot dogs, hamburgers, bologna, sausage, and other processed meats is ultra bad for you. 

Scientific studies show that consuming red meat and processed meats on a regular basis more than doubles the risk of many cancers, most commonly colon and pancreatic cancer.  Even eating just a bit of the stuff, like two or three ounces a day, has been shown to vastly increase the risk of cancer.  This is some freakin’ scary stuff.  Maybe that grilled hot dog will be less appetizing now that you know it will double your risk of getting cancer, and maybe even worse if you consume this stuff all through your childhood and young adult years.

While I am not done reporting on the scary involved in eating red and processed meats, I wanted to take a brief respite from presenting the negative and include some words of encouragement.  Veggie burgers taste absolutely amazing and there are SO many options on the market now.  Take Boca Burgers Roasted Onion Flavor, for instance.  Who doesn’t love the smell of mushrooms and onions on the grill?  I can personally attest that these burgers are hearty and flavorful.  Amy’s Organics sells like four or five different veggie burgers, all of which are dandy (The Texas Burger is a personal favorite).  How amazing is freshly grilled corn on the cob, a portabella burger, or veggie shish kabob?! So basically, even without a big, juicy (unhealthy) burger, all is not lost!

Okay, so back to the negative.  Turns out that toxic nitrogenous compounds are ever so abundant in red and processed meats.  Red meat also has a high heme (also called haem content).  Heme is an iron-carrying protein that has been shown in studies to eat up the cells lining our digestive tract and promote colon cancer.  Pleasant, right?

Other not so cool facts about meat:

1)   Animal products contain no fiber, remain in the digestive tract longer, and in general, slow digestive transit time.  This slower transit time heightens exposure to toxic compounds.

2)   Animal products contain far fewer antioxidants and other disease fighting chemicals than plant foods.

3)   Meat actually contains more fat than protein.  Did you know that broccoli actually contains more protein per calorie than a piece of steak?

4)  Studies (cited below) show that eating those hot dogs, hamburgers, bacon and balogna will increase your risk of depression and other mental health problems.

5)   Too much meat and dairy harm sperm (again references below).

6) Dioxin is the most toxic chemical known to science and is known to cause cancer in humans.  It is estimated that 93 percent of our exposure to dioxin comes through eating animal products, including processed meats. Dioxin settles and accumulates in fat, so the more animal food we eat, the more dioxin we get (last reference).

So there you have it.  The facts the Hamburger Helper Company and Oscar Mayer Inc. would like to keep under the rug.  I love tailgating as much as the next girl, but let’s recognize the truth about what those hot dogs and hamburgers can really do to our bodies.  Pass me the grilled veggies, fresh fruit, and veggie burgers please!

References:

1. Chao A, Thun JT, Connell CJ, et al. Meat Consumption and Risk of Colorectal Cancer JAMA 2005;293:172-182.

2. Sesink AL, Termont DS, Kleibeuker JH, Van der Meer R. Red meat and colon cancer: dietary haem-induced colonic cytotoxicity and epithelial hyperproliferation are inhibited by calcium. Carcinogenesis 2001;22(10):1653-1659. Hughes R, Cross AJ, Pollock JR, Bingham S. Dose dependent effect of dietary meat on endogenous colonic N-nitrosation. Carcinogenesis 2001; 22(1):199-202.

3. Akbaraly TN et al. Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age. Br J Psychiatry. 2009 Nov;195(5):408-13.

4. Brinkworth et al. Long-term Effects of a Very Low-Carbohydrate Diet and a Low-Fat Diet on Mood and Cognitive Function. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(20):1873-1880

5. Beezhold BL et al. Preliminary evidence that vegetarian diet improves mood. American Public Health Association 2009 National Meeting, Abstract 206464.

6. Leung BM, Kaplan BJ. Perinatal depression: prevalence, risks, and the nutrition link–a review of the literature. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Sep;109(9):1566-75.

7. Mendiola J, Torres-Cantero AM, Vioque J, et al. A low intake of antioxidant nutrients is associated with poor semen quality in patients attending fertility clinics. Fertility and Sterility 2010; 93(4): 1128-1133.

8. Arnold Schecter. “Intake of Dioxins and Related Compounds from Food in the U.S. Population,” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A, 63:1-18, 2001, http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/dioxininfood.pdf.

To help you do it right, we’ve got some advice for your first tailgate. So follow the guidelines below and get ready to party hardy.

Stick With a Crew

It’s always a good idea for girls to stay with a group of friends when they go out. When it comes to tailgating, multiply a party’s noise level by 20 and the guest list by 100. Try and keep track of each other so you don’t find yourself alone in a sea of school spirit and booze.

Plan Ahead

While I’m all for spontaneity, a tailgate day is one of those times that calls for a little preparation. Know what time you’re meeting up with your friends and what time you’re heading to the tailgate. And even if you skip breakfast every other day, make an exception on this day because drinking on an empty stomach will really screw you over. If you really want to be a champ and go out at night too, leave some time to nap. Trust me, you’ll need it.

Dress Comfortably

At a tailgate, you’ll be in a huge crowd and on your feet for a few hours, so keep the outfit simple. Denim shorts, a school t-shirt, and flats or sandals are a perfect go-to. Go all out with face paint, ribbons, and beads in your school colors and you’ll be good to go.

And Wear Your Sunscreen

Even if your school colors are red and white, let your clothes show your support, not your precious skin.

Heads Up

For some reason, some people feel the need to throw cups or beer cans when they get drunk. So keep an eye out. Go ahead and laugh at this advice, but don’t come crying to me when you’re nearly decapitated by a Natty Light.

Don’t Be a Hot Mess

You gotta go big or go home when it comes to day drinking. But be careful not to cross that line from “feel good” drunk to “it’s a really good idea to dance on the hood of this car” drunk. Most of the student body will be at the tailgate, and they will remember your drunken antics if you make a fool of yourself. Even worse, you could end up passed out in your room (or on a sidewalk somewhere) before the game even starts! For your own safety and dignity, keep your intoxication within limits.

As a Nittany Lion (and 2009/2010 #1 party school attendee) , I honestly couldn’t be happier. Penn State spent all of last year under strict scrutiny because of our Number 1 party school status. I’m sure there are plenty of PSU students talking about how as the new #3 school, we have “work to do,” but maybe they should remember the tragic incident that kicked off the 2009-2010 school year. The “pressure to live up” to these rankings caused one student his life. Sure, every freshman has those nights where they get a little too drunk, and as college students, we idealize these hysterical stories that we tell over Sunday brunch in the dining commons. But these rankings take those crazy nights to a whole new level and don’t only affect a person’s time spent in school, but much, much more.

When I chose to attend Penn State, I made the decision based on our incredible alumni association and the overall environment of Happy Valley. I wanted to be able to walk into a job interview and be proud. Penn State proud. I didn’t want the person sitting on the other side of the desk question whether or not I was capable of handling responsibilities because I went to a school known for beer bongs and keg stands. The authenticity of my GPA shouldn’t be under dispute. I worked my behind off during the week and I enjoy myself on weekends, like any other college student.

What frustrates me the most about the whole party school ranking is that it overshadows the other amazing things Penn State students are doing with their free time. We have one of the most active Greek systems nationwide. We raised $7.8 million dollars last year in our annual 46-hour dance marathon, the largest student-run philanthropy in the WORLD. Where is all the press for that?

I’m not saying Penn State doesn’t deserve these rankings. After all, we make up our own freaking holidays. I am up and ready to tailgate on a fall Saturday at 10 AM, even if kick-off is past sundown. And I’ve never been one to turn down a theme party. But there is a serious underage binge drinking problem at our university that has cost Penn State and downtown State College not only hundreds of thousands of dollars, but student lives.

Rankings from Princeton Review, College Humor, and Playboy make these problems seem like jokes to brag about when they are anything but. Partying is a huge part of the college lifestyle but do we really need an award for it?

While there are many things about America that are less than lovable – Nascar, the current economy, the fact that Heidi Montag makes millions of dollars – we live in a pretty awesome country. And most of us don’t really appreciate all that we’ve got, like free education, freedom of speech… and Miley Cyrus.

So I thought it was about time for all of us to take a moment to reflect on what we love most about being Americans. Get your American Pride on in the comments below.

Katherine – University of Delaware: I love being an American because you can experience completely different lifesyles without ever leaving the country’s borders. Yet whether you’re from the south, the midwest, or the coasts, you still share a common bond.

Sara C – Fordham: What do I love about being American? Being able to be a woman who can speak her mind if she so desires. Being able to go for a run in a sports bra and compression shorts on a hot summer day. And Ben & Jerry’s. God bless Chunky Monkey.

Kari – Florida State: I love being an American most when I’m milling around a bar at Happy Hour and I can yell “F**K YEA, AMERICA!” Which will spark warm sentiments of agreement from other bar patrons. Not much more American than profanity and self-promotion!

Ricki – University of Michigan: The fact that I can wear whatever I want in the summer.  Can you imagine a country where women can’t wear shorts? 

Cristina – Michigan State: As corny as it sounds, freedom of speech.   The fact that I’m a lady writer who can broadcast my stories and opinions on the internet without fear that I’ll be stoned to death is a pretty sweet deal.

Brithny- Duke: I love how you can tailgate hard and throw beer around while dancing on top of a pickup truck one day, then pull on your best sundress and go to church the next.

Sammie – Fordham: American boys and college sports.  In that order.

Kaitlyn – Middle Tennessee State University: (Via Facebook) I absolutely love the cultural diversity of America. No where else in the world would I have a friend from every country, every ethnicity, every religious affiliation, etc all in one place. LOVE IT!

Alex – Lakehead University: Well, since I’m not American, let’s do Canadian. From a practicality point-of-view, I LOVE the free health care, but for fun, how about the amazing beers and outdoors! I’m happiest with a cold Coors Light in my hand, sitting on the deck of my camp, overlooking Lake Superior.

Lauren – University of Michigan: College football. Soccer might have hotter players, but there is nothing like a football Saturday.

Meg – University of Delaware: I love being American because I can eat what I want: Italian, Chinese, Thai and Mexican all in one week? I love food.

Charlsie – Hollins University: The classic taste of Coca Cola makes me proud to be an American. Nothing is better than opening a can of coke and taking that first sip — especially during the summer.

Carly – Grinnell: Honestly, I think I love the English language most–I know that is such a dorky answer, but I love being able to travel all over the world and knowing that many people will be able to understand me because they speak some English. Of course, that doesn’t diminish the fascination I have with foreign languages, but it is nice to speak such a socially valued language as a mother tongue.

Brittany – University of Saint Thomas: Baseball, Apple Pie, Chevrolet, and the fact Spencer Pratt is considered a real human being.

Christie – NC State: Coming from a military family, I guess I just love this country and the principles it was built on. Cheesy, but I’m a firm believer that the principles this country was built on is worth celebrating and defending. My favorite part of being an American I guess you could say is just that: being an American. God, I’m lame.

[Everyone’s got a morning after story and we wanna hear yours! Send it over to us and we’ll post it – anonymously, of course – right here!]

Hickeys.
WTF good does a hickey ever do?
WTF bad does a hickey ever do? Now that’s a question I can answer. Unfortunately my answer involves parents, family friends and some big league embarrassment.

It was freshman year and I’d just started hooking up with my next-door-neighbor (hell yeah, co-ed floors!). It was one of those “big secret” type things and only my BFFs on my floor knew what the dealio was. But not for long… After a rough night of… watching TV (cough cough), I hopped a train to Philly to see a friend. Of course, it was my ex-boyfriend’s best friend who I was visiting and who had the pleasure of being the first person to tell me about the giant vampire bite I had on my neck. (A “looks like you’re enjoying college” comment included.)

I could only imagine what he’d be relaying back to the ex about my new moral compass, but that wasn’t even my biggest concern. That trophy would probably have to go to seeing my parents, neighbors, family friends, etc., the next morning at a giant football tailgate. Another train ride later, I’m sitting in my best friend’s dorm room and we’re brainstorming ways of how to avoid this whole mess. Makeup. Northface. Hair down. “Why not try all three?” I figured. Wrong answer.

Come next morning, I’m standing amongst literally my entire hometown (miraculously, my entire high school went to the same two colleges who happened to be playing the homecoming game against each other). Neighbors, families I babysit for, and my priest (okay that’s a lie, but it certainly felt like it) were lounging around, chowing down on some juicy burgers. Next thing I know, the ex boyfriend (who of course heard about the tailgate) wanders over chuckling to himself. Obviously having already received word from his friend about my little mishap, he grabs a burger and front row seats to my life falling apart.

Naturally, I ignore him and start chatting with friends, eating some beef and sipping some beers. It starts getting warm so I take off my North Face. No harm, right? I’ve still got the makeup and my hair covering the hickey. Wrong. Like every other time I’ve held my head in shame, taking off any clothes was a bad idea. Low and behold, all that makeup we’d so expertly applied had rubbed off on my sweatshirt.

And who is the first to notice?
My mother.

“Hmmm… what’s that on your neck?” she asked me, the comment dripping with sarcasm. She already knew (they always do) and couldn’t wait to see what I had to say about it.

“What? Oh, my cross-body computer bag must’ve rubbed my neck on the way to do my lab yesterday,” I reply, thinking I’m fairly witty for coming up with that on my feet and making myself look studious. I should’ve seen the fault: my mom knows I’d never buy a cross-body bag (they always make your boobs look funny, right?!). “Its Maggie’s bag actually,” I add quickly, throwing my new college friend under the bus. She’ll never know; she’s not even there to argue.

“What’s your computer bag’s name?” my next-door-neighbor’s dad asked. Everyone turns to stare. So funny, my neighbors are. Sooo funny. I glared at him in return, while the entire tailgate crew continues to comment on my love bite. I tried to change the subject, brush it all off, drink away the embarrassment. And then the ex saunters over, a look of pure bliss on his face.

“You should’ve seen the look on your dad’s face.”

The remainder of my day was spent dodging comments from the adults and questions from my friends. While they all basked in the glory of my embarrassment (fueled by the fact that I always get made fun of for being an uptight tease), I wallowed in my own self pity and just had to try to laugh it off; which, by the way, is a lot harder than it sounds when I’m maintaining the lie to my mother (“yeah, my text books are really heavy!”) and avoiding reality…

If you’re looking for major brownie points from your tailgating crew, or if you just want to win over the hearts of every carnivorous, beer-chugging dude on campus (and who wouldn’t???) try these wings on for size!

Nothing brings a crowd together like a hearty plate of buffalo wings, especially a crowd of rowdy football fans looking to nosh on something hot and tangy. This all-time bar food favorite is easy to make, and fun to share, especially when double dipping comes into play. This recipe allows you to make your treats as spicy as you like, so either curb the fire breath or BRING ON THE HEAT!

Note: This recipe calls for 24 wings. Adjust as necessary

Ingredients:

12 chicken wings (about 2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons hot sauce (this is where you can adjust the heat)
1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this is pretty hot)
2 teaspoons paprika (if you don’t have paprika, add slightly more cayenne pepper)
¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 recipe Blue Cheese Dip (below)

Get Saucy:

1 .Turn your oven on to broil to preheat. Cut off and discard tips of chicken wings (they are the pointy elbow looking appendages that you clearly don’t want to bite into) and cut wings at joints to form 24 pieces. Place chicken wing pieces in a plastic bag and set in a shallow dish.

2. For the marinade, stir together butter, hot sauce, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper. Pour over chicken wings and seal the bag. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain chicken wings.

3. Place the wings on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat about 10 minutes or until wings are light brown. Turns wings over (use tongs, or a fork, not your teeth). Broil for 10 to 15 minutes more or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Serve with Blue Cheese Dip.

Blue Cheese Dip: In a blender (or a food processor if you’re a coed culinary master) place ½ cup of sour cream; 3/4 cup mayonnaise; ½ cup crumbled blue cheese; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; and 1 clove of minced garlic. Salt and Pepper to taste. (If you don’t have vinegar, some lemon juice is a nice substitute. Parsley also goes a long way.)

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2009/10/11/intro-to-cooking-buffalo-wings/feed/ 3 Lexi C - Brown buffalo wings http://collegecandy.com/2009/09/07/livin-it-up-even-after-labor-day/ http://collegecandy.com/2009/09/07/livin-it-up-even-after-labor-day/#comments Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:00:51 +0000 Brithny - Duke University http://collegecandy.com/?p=39898 ]]>

"Did you guys know this beer can make your hair stronger, too!?"

Labor Day may be an awesome third day to a typically-too-short weekend, but sadly, it’s also pretty much the last day of summer. But just because those summer days are drifting away, does that mean the fun is o-v-e-r?

Not for CollegeCandy readers! Psh, we can have fun no matter where we are and September is just brimming with some awesome stuff to take part in. Here are some fantastic things to do after Labor Day that don’t involve any heavy labor… or white shoes.

1) Enjoy (useful?) beer at tailgate.
Beer has better uses than just giving you the guts to talk to that cutie you’ve been eying at the party. You can use it to clean your hair and unclog pores, make your own facial mask concoction, and draw a uniquely-colored bubble bath.

2) Do the Downward Dog.
You can get a full week of free yoga at a studio near you during the first ever National Yoga Month. And since yoga is supposed to improve your sex life, why not try it? Your boyfriend can thank me later.

3) Get ready for the New Moon movie premiere by using Twilight makeup.
The Julie Hewett Los Angeles Twilight Palette was inspired by the phenomenon that is the Twilight saga. The Twilight Palette contains the following four eye shadows: Brunette, Pola, Black Chandelier, and Swank. Together, they make for a quite a sexy, sultry and mysterious look. If only it also came with Taylor Lautner.

4) Learn how to decrease risk for ovarian cancer.
It’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, so take this quiz and see if you know how to limit your chances of being one of the 21,000 women that get it each year.

5) Stay away from Swine Flu.
I had no idea that the primary targets for Swine Flu were young people as opposed to the older generation for the general flu. Everyone: wash your hands! Can’t stress it enough. At least now with this sweet iPhone app I know where the latest outbreaks are (AKA where not to go).

6) Be bold and embrace the new fall makeup trends.
Purple, blue and nudes are in! At last that’s what Becki Newton of Ugly Betty says. And since I totally love her and want to be her and trust whatever she says, my toenails are now a rich plum color. Too cute.

7) Watch the U.S. Open.
Andy Roddick’s hot bod is more than enough reason to tune in. And after all the eye candy, put on an adorable tennis skirt and try to imitate the Williams sisters’ moves (and grunts) on the court.

8) Improve your health by doing more volunteer work.
Studies have shown that even people who did just 40 hours of volunteer work yearly lived longer and saw other very significant health benefits including reduced rates of depression and Alzheimer’s. Oh and, obviously, greater life satisfaction. Mia Hamm volunteers, so why shouldn’t you? She probably does it better though.

9) Rumored Apple event on September 9th???
Anyone know the deets? Will my computer now be obsolete…again? Will there be a $10 iPhone? Is Steve Jobs still alive?! Ahhh! Must. find. out.

One of the best parts of going back to school is football season. It doesn’t matter if your school’s team completely rocks or totally sucks, the experience of a football Saturday is to college as a hungover Saturday is to…well, college.

Waking up at the buttcrack of dawn is well worth it when you know there will be tailgate kegstands followed by the best burnt cheeseburger you’ve ever tasted. Even if the bun fell on the ground. And that’s before the game even starts.

Once you grab your seat, the real fun begins. Nothing beats seeing your team rush the field to that song from “300″ and everything feels like it’s moving in slow motion. The cheers, the band, the stupid mascots you can’t help but love, the spandex, the running back punching someone in the face…

Well, if you go to Oregon, at least.

While most of us won’t get to experience Jerry-Springer-meets-college-football this season, I’m still super pumped for my football Saturdays. I’ve got the face paint ready.

Where’s my burger?

"12 more hours of this? I can handle it. I'm sotally tober..."

You’ve got a big day planned: early morning breakfast, football pre-party, football game, then out on the town with your homies.  18 hours of boozing? Psssssh. It may sound like a lot, but you’ve been training for a day like this since you stepped foot on campus.

You set your alarm for 7 a.m. then run around the house screaming at your roommates to get out of bed.

“It’s party time! Get up!” You turn on all the lights, bump your iTunes and head down to the kitchen for a power breakfast. You search for the carbiest things you can find, then shove a half frozen bagel into your mouth and wash it down with some OJ, the only non-alcoholic beverage you will have for the day. You don’t have time for chewing; you have an outfit to pick out.

Once your stomach is good and coated you head back to your room to prepare for the day.
Appropriate drinking outfit? Check.
ID? Check.
Camera? Check.
Small flask that fits into your purse but can still get past campus security? Cheeeck.

You head back downstairs and begin mixing cocktails for the roommates. Slowly, they make their way to the kitchen where you are waiting for them, drinks in hand.

After everyone’s buzz has been kick-started (thanks to your force feeding), you take some much-needed selfies then head out to your pre-game of choice. Once there, the drinks come quickly: shots of Captain’s straight from the bottle, cans of Keystone straight from the funnel, and 2 games of flip cup…all before 10 am.

You’re feeling good, like a rock star.

“I LOVE DAY DRINKING!” You scream. “This party’s goin’ all. night. long!”

As you make your way from friend to friend, you do your part to make sure everyone is drinking as much as you. After all, you are a day drinking champion and everyone else should be able to handle it, too.

“DRINK, PUSSY!” You shove your half-empty beer can in some guy’s face. “There is no sobriety on GAME DAY!”

You spend the next hour cycling between games of flip cup, trips to the bathroom (because you broke the seal too early), and hazing your friends into drinking more.  Oh, and who can forget, taking lots and lots of pictures. Mostly of you and one of many alcoholic beverages.

Eventually it’s time to start walking to the game. You throw your last beer can onto the ground, hop on some boy’s back and head towards the stadium. You’re wasted and that’s the point; the day has only just begun.

You stumble to your seat and then those early morning decisions hit you. Like a truck. You make it through the kick-off and then the bench you are standing on starts swaying. You try to remain standing to root on your team, but it’s nearly impossible, what with the rocky boat you seem to be standing on. And the cotton ball that if jammed in your mouth.

You take a seat and then the spins begin. It’s only about another 3 minutes before you are calling a friend and begging her to walk to home. You stuff your face with a Jimmy John’s Turkey Tom (no sprouts) on the stumble trek back to your place, then climb into bed fully clothed and pass out (with a garbage can nearby) all before 1 p.m.

You wake up a few hours later, chug a bottle of water and then get back into bed. Your roommates try to rouse you to join them for the night’s festivities, but the thought of alcohol gives you the chills.

You were too quick out of the gates, my friend.  But it’s ok – we’ve all been there.
Day drinking’s a bitch. There aren’t many people who can keep it goin’ all night long.

Here’s a secret: the editors of CollegeCandy are not in college anymore. And we cry about it every day. Seriously. We thought running a site for college girls would help us stay young, but waking up every day and reading about your college lives makes us want to do a keg stand…and then cry in the corner.

When we were still in school (only a short time ago, thankyouverymuch), we took it for granted. The freedom, the endless flow of money into our bank accounts, the drink specials, the endless flow of men up and down the hallways of our dorm… We never appreciated what we had. And now we are in the real world. And it sucks.

We felt it was our duty to remind you how good you have it. Life will never be as awesome as college – you can’t stay home from work because you feel like it, you can’t trip and fall on a cute and available guy, and Thirsty Thursdays no longer exist. So take a moment and think about your favorite thing about college life. Our writers did and here is what they have to say:

Brithny – Duke: The only thing better than the word “sale” is the word “free.” And in college, it means free shirts, hats, stress balls, bobble-heads, Tylenol, trainers, spotters, tutors, and for my wilder friends, an endless fishbowl of condoms.

Amanda – Wagner: I love being able to manipulate my schedule to have Fridays off and, if I can manage, to have my earliest class at 1pm.

Mazuba – Westchester Community College: The freedom to make your own schedule and not have to get up at 5am to be at school at 7:45 like in high school. We all need our beauty sleep and time to recover from the tequila shots the night before!

Charlsie – Hollins: All the sketchy things I have done out of boredom with my best friends. These moments have shaped who I am and my college experience entirely, and I know I will look back on them forever.

Sarah – East Carolina University: College Football! Nothing better than spending all day tailgating and watching the game!

Sara C- Fordham: Living in such close proximity to my friends. Even though I have an apartment now, being in school means most of my friends live in a 3-block radius. And of course in the dorms all you have to do is walk down the hall to see your best friends. Every night is like a sleepover!

CJ – UConn: Drinking while you work.  I can write a paper with a glass of vino in my hand, but at work-work…. not so much.

Donnette – Manhattanville College: Being on my own and still getting money from my parents

Thu – USC: Independence. Doing what you felt like doing when you feel like doing it.

Alex – Lakehead University: The freedom!

Anna – Northeastern: The convenience of everything – the gym, grocery store, cafeteria, classroom buildings, and my work study job are all a 5 minute walk away!

Sarabeth – University of Texas: The 3am food runs.

Elizabeth – UC Berkeley: Game days.  One of the only times where it is socially acceptable to get trashed during the day and pass out by 6 PM.

Liza M – Minnesota: Being able to do whatever I want whenever I want without having to ask (or tell!) anyone.

Johnie – PSU: Knowing I’m in this safe place between high school and the real world…no worries!

Cristina – Michigan State University: Coming back from parties at 4:30am and not getting bitched at.

S.E. Fordham: Being able to go to bars a couple times a week and no one thinks anything of it. After college this is called being an alcoholic.

Carly – Grinnell: The chance to be with friends whenever and wherever. It’s easy to take that for granted until you graduate and suddenly everyone you know is scattered all over the globe.

Liza – Grove City College: Living with all of your best friends!  You never really get to have everyone you like living in the same building after college…

What’s your fave?