A little fun fact for you: Black Friday is already making more headlines this year than Santa Clause.

I planned on going out in my Halloween costume again this weekend to take advantage of all the leftover candy but… who knows what’ll be left since everybody’s already pulling their greys out trying to cut out all the Black Friday 2am, 356^th person in line coupons they can find in the Penny Saver.

Speaking from experience (because last year I had this crazy idea that it would be fun to go Black Friday shopping with my mom and my aunt at two in the morning), Black Friday is about the least enjoyable ‘holiday’ out there. The idea of waking up at that unhappy hour again this year to go stand in line and buy my 26-year-old brother a new tie sounds anything but enjoyable. I would – honestly – rather get the flu shot every hour for 24 hours than go out with all the crazies in the wee hours of the morning.

Then I remember all the Ole Saint Nick believing, milk and cookie leaving, cute-as-hell kid that wakes up on Christmas morning overjoyed that Santa took notes on all the things she asked for. Hell, she didn’t spend 12 months and 24 days being nice to her older brother for no reason now, did she!? Read More »

Maybe it’s because I’m graduating soon or maybe because I’ve been watching too many Dawson’s Creek reruns or maybe it’s because I spend too much time around my younger cousins, but lately I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic. And not in the “oh remember freshman year-that was so much fun” sort of way. But in the “oh, remember back before cell phones and DVRs and the second rise of skinny jeans” sort of way. And speaking of way back when, remember when we wore scrunchies in our hair and waited for Friday night because that’s when TGIF was on? Remember when all we wanted to do was stay home from school to play with our favorite toys?

10. Beanie Babies.  It had to get a mentioned. I mean, what girl didn’t have a Beanie Baby (or 40) back in the day? With their little TY tags that told you their name and had a little rhyme about them. They had everything from turkeys to bears to penguins to French poodles. And I wanted them all….and still have ‘em all.

9. Tamagotchi. Not only did our generation pave the way for obsession with electronic toys, but we also learned responsibility as well. Our Tamagotchi’s and nano babies and all those other electronic pets had to be fed and played with and taken care of on a regular basis. It was like we did the whole “pretend this egg is a baby” thing years in advance.

8. Easy Bake Oven. Easily the childhood toy with the biggest reward. Because after we went through the very difficult process of baking and decorating our cupcakes and our cookies we were able to eat them. Raw dough. Mmm. Delicious. Read More »

You, dear readers, have spoken.

The battle was tough. Some good men lost (I’m talking to you, Backstreet Boys and Skip Its). There were some major upsets (I loved Gel Pens just as much as the next 12-year-old, but who knew they would make it further than Monica Lewinsky?!). There were some huge surprises (Beanie Babies didn’t make it past round 1? WTF?)

But much like the 2008 presidential election, you came out in droves, and let your voice be heard week after week. And with 61% of the vote, you made it very clear that Cory and Topanga were the biggest and best thing to come from the ‘90s. (Side opinion: The mushroom cut that Sean used to rock – not really all that great.)

To say we at CC HQ were shocked is an understatement. Hell, even Cory Matthews himself was speechless.

Seriously, we asked him. Read More »

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. We’ve narrowed down the best of the best of our favorite decade for the past few weeks and now that we’re at the final four, it is starting to get pretty crazy. Like Are You Afraid of the Dark plot line CRAZY. Cory and Topanaga are somehow beating all the odds and climbing their way to the top. The Spice Girls are going against one of the greatest scientific advances of our time…THE TAMAGOTCHI. It’s absolute madness in the CollegeCandy offices as we try to figure out how the gel pen got so far in the game/draw butterflies on each other’s hands with the milky pink one.

But that’s the whole reason we’re doing this and we’re excited to narrow it down even further today. We’re focused on the Final Four, baby. Who’s gonna make it to the LAST ROUND? Anything’s possible (clearly, based on the Cory and Topanga bizness) and we’re just waiting on your vote to see what happens. So vote now and then come back Monday to see who made it to the final round. Read More »

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. We’ve been narrowing down the best of the best of our favorite decade for awhile now and it’s getting INTENSE. Zack Morris is OUT. Spice Girls are IN. Clinton and Lewisky CREAMED Pam Anderson’s sex tape. (OK, bad choice of words….)

And somehow, Cory and Topanga are still in the game? WTF?

But that’s the whole reason we’re doing this (it’s a good thing the Olsen twins still have that clothing line….) and we’re excited to narrow it down even further today. We’re focused on the Elite 8 today. Who’s gonna make it to round 6? Will Cory and Topanga be able to take down TGIF? Can the Tamagatchi woop Super Nintendo’s ass? We won’t know until you cast your vote.

So vote now and then come back Thursday you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond. Read More »

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. We’ve been narrowing down the best of the best of our favorite decade for over a week now and things are getting serious. I mean, who knew people loved Cory and Topanga more than N*SYNC? I’m sure I’m not the only one who didn’t see that coming (but I am now wondering when we’ll get a Boy Meets World reunion up in herrrre). And gel pens SMOKING the Bedazzler? I guess milky colors beat out rhinestone studded jackets any day. And maybe that’s a good thing.

But that’s the whole reason we’re doing this (sorry, Doug Funny!) and we’re excited to narrow it down even further today. We’re looking at top 16 choices from all 4 sections. Who’s gonna make it to round 5? Will America’s fave couple (Cory and Topanga) be able to stand up against everyone’s favorite twins? Can the Tamagatchi creep past Skip-it? We won’t know until you cast your vote.

So vote now and then come back every Monday and Thursday this month so you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond. Read More »

Voting is closed for round 2. Check out round 3 to sound off on your favorites from the ’90s!

It might be 2010, but here at CollegeCandy we’re still stuck in the ’90s. All you have to do is say Chumbawhumba and we’re off and running on a ’90s nostalgia debate that lasts the entire day. We know we’re not the only people out there that still rock out to N’Sync and still remember the desperation you felt when you lost your favorite Pogs slammer. So instead of constantly arguing amongst the CollegeCandy team, we decided to throw the question out to our readers and choose, once and for all, what is the best thing to come from the ’90s (besides our many devoted readers, of course).

So, in the fashion of every guy’s wet dream, March Madness, we’ve created an “I Love the ’90s” bracket. Thursday we left it up to you to vote on the best recreational things and events from our favorite decade. While we weren’t surprised to see Pogs beat out Devil Sticks, we were mouths-on-the-floor shocked to see Monica Lewinsky beat O.J Simpson by a landslide. Guess presidential sex (or whatever Bill called it) outweighs murder these days.

But that’s the whole reason we’re doing this (sorry, Titanic!) and we’re excited to narrow it down even further today. On this momentous Monday, we’re looking at top 32 choices from all 4 sections. Will AOL Chatrooms beat out Super Nintendo? ‘Can Salute Your Shorts’ possibly win out over TGIF? (Things to consider: Donkey Lips vs. Uncle Joey.) We won’t know until you cast your vote.

So vote now and then come back every Monday and Thursday this month so you can keep letting us know what is the best thing to ever come from the 1990 and beyond. Read More »

Oh the 1990s/2000s. It feels as if they were just a couple years ago. Well, I guess they were. Still, that doesn’t mean that we can’t reminisce about the things we loved and so desperately wish we were allowed to embrace today. I love my yorkie, but she is definitely no “Puppy Surprise” (sorry Emma!) and my black textured tights are, whatever, but I so very much miss my neon polka dotted stirrup legging pants that matched with… absolutely nothing!

So let’s run through the fads we love or love to hate and have a blast from the past. Did I miss any? Call me out in the comments and post your favorite (or least favorite) fads from your youth!

10. Tamagotchi
Did anyone else have four of these? Plus a couple Giga Pets for good measure? Between my Tamagotchis and Furbies, it was probably for the best we didn’t have a household pet. Something was always beeping or squawking or crying to be fed at any given moment of the day. No wonder they got banned from schools. Not to mention, getting your Tamagotchi confiscated was probably the equivalent to getting your alcohol confiscated by your RA. Or worse! Who was going to feed him? And clean up his poop? Not cool.

9. Body Glitter
Slow jamming to “I Want it That Way” at a middle school dance just wasn’t quite right if you weren’t bedecked in a Gap tank top, white shorts and covered in head to toe body glitter with impeccably crimped hair. Sigh. The glory days. Read More »

No matter how hard I try, I just do not have a green thumb. At all. It’s beyond frustrating to me that plants are so fickle and indecisive. Some want lots of water, but some freak out and die if you give them too much and would rather dry out a bit. Some thrive in the sun, while some prefer shady coolness. Some people insist that plants only grow if you sit and talk to them. I don’t have time for that. So, what’s a girl to do?

In my case, I just kill every plant I come across, to the point where it’s not even worth having any. Why, oh why can’t plants just tell me what they want, I wonder.

Wait, what did you say? They can? According to Gizmodo and Yanko Design, designer Junyi Heo has come out with a digital plant that lets you know, through the use of emoticons, exactly what it needs. OMG it’s just like a Tamogotchi, only it actually grows!

Basically, the pot measures soil conditions, temperature, humidity, and water and tells you just what the plant needs and whether it’s “satisfied” or not. Hey, if my plant’s talking to me, I might even take a little time to talk back to it. Read More »