In my hometown, there is a special unofficial holiday that celebrates Thanksgiving the day before Thanksgiving. This night is usually referred to as “Black Wedesday” — a play on words of the insane shopping day that is “Black Friday.” Clever, I know. This is a huge night to go out to the bars. You can find every college student home for winter break and every other resident in town with no work the next day out celebrating, and what better way to get a head start on celebrating Turkey Day than going out to the bars and getting completely wasted? That is the mindset I had going into my first Black Wednesday experience last year, and oh boy, was I wrong or what?

In my experience, this night can go one of two ways: 1) a fun and memorable night out with friends and family or 2) a drunken blur that ends with your head in a toilet.

Having dealt with the latter of those two options on my last night out on Black Wednesday, I would not want any other girl to go through the drunken hot mess of a night I did. It’s important to go out and have a good time, but it more important to a) make it home alive and b) not be so hungover you can’t stomach that second helping of mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce. So I have complied a few tips to help any girl survive Black Wednesday. Read More »

Odds are that during Thanksgiving break, you’re going to be asked millions of questions that you DO NOT want to answer. From jobs to boyfriends, your family and friends are going to be curious about every part of your life.

We’ve prepared a guide for you to use when fielding those questions that you shouldn’t have to answer. We know what you want to say, and we are going to tell you what you should probably say instead…you know, to avoid even more awkwardness. Read More »

Let’s just start off by stating the obvious: everybody who’s anybody is excited for Thanksgiving. Unless of course, you hate turkey and your family and the thought of spending an entire day with them… then I have no advice for you. (I love turkey. And my family. I love them more after about three glasses of wine. Sorry. No help, I know.)

Part of the all the hype in coming home is that you’re going to see all your high school friends, frenemies and exes. You’ll hang with your besties and spend a few afternoons catching up on college gossip as well as tackling all the high school drama you’ve missed out on. You’ll get a first chance at answering the questions you’ll be asking yourself for the next four years: who got skinny? Who got fat? She’s dating who now!?

So while you’re counting down the seconds until mom pulls up in the mini-van to carry you home, take a look at the ten people you’re bound to see while you’re home for Thanksgiving break:

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Midterms are over and it’s nearly that lovely time of year when we return to our hometowns and prepare to stuff ourselves silly with homemade pumpkin pie and green bean casserole. But between eating, spending time with the family, eating some more and hibernating in your old twin bed, you’ve got a predicament on your hands.

To see the old crush, or not to see the old crush? That is the question. Your holiday vacation is not long, so you only have so much time to drink peppermint schnapps and meet up with that guy in high school you always wanted but never had the balls to go after. You’ve done your homework, and based on photos the guy has grown up quite a bit. Sure, he may have gained a beer gut in college, but that fails to override the fact that he no longer has braces, a Disney channel shag haircut or wears Abercrombie & Fitch on the daily.

Let’s get into the reasoning — both logical and otherwise — behind hooking up with your old high school crush over the break.

Yay:

• You’ve got only good memories of him: Him standing in the lunch line with you discussing his Learners Permit. Or him mumbling the lyrics to M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” (because, really, who actually knew all the words?) and shuffling awkwardly, but oh-so-adorably on the dance floor at your senior prom.
• You’re better experienced in the bedroom now that you’ve had your college partying phase. And we’re thinking he probably is, too.
• His teenage acne is gone, he grew a foot and he wears Tom’s instead of Air Jordan high tops.
• That sexual fantasy of you two has never gone away. Not even during that year-long relationship with someone else.
• Since it’s such a short time frame to meet up, excitement and passion will be at an all time high.
• Hey, a hookup doesn’t entail a relationship…no strings attached, anyone?
• If that hookup is on your bucket list, go ahead and cross it off!
• If the hookup happens at his house, take advantage of his Thanksgiving leftovers. Never say no to a free slice of pie. Come on now.

Nay:

• If things go terribly wrong, when would you ever have to see him again? Oh, right, in two weeks for winter break.
• The hookup takes place at his house and after a steamy sesh you walk downstairs to grab some water…and have to say hello to his dad. COOL.
• He doesn’t quite…ahem..meet your expectations.
• He’s got a girlfriend that he failed to mention.
• You hook up with him and then fall for him.
• You hook up with him, are over it and he falls for you.
• He spills the beans to all of your mutual friends and you’re now the Class of ‘08 token slut.

By the looks of it, you’ve got some thinking to do! I’m all for being a bold female and taking what’s yours, though. If you want him, go for it. Let’s be real, a hookup is what it is. And how many guys say NO to hookups? Not many!

My high school crush is currently single, hotter than ever and we’ve actually become recent friends since I’ve been laying some groundwork for the break. I may just have to show him what he’s been missing!

Want to see if He Said he’ll be hooking up with his high school crush this Thanksgiving Break? Scoot your tush over to COEDMagazine.com and read about it now!

Ever have that moment where you’re out shopping somewhere, looking like a hot mess, and you randomly glance over and from out of the blue you see your ex walking toward you? If you’re awkward like me, you look away, pretend not to see them and high tail it the hell out of there.

For many of us who are going back to our hometowns for Thanksgiving break, the possibility of seeing your ex boyfriend or girlfriend is very likely. This can be especially awkward if you broke it off just because you two were going to different schools. While this may not be the highlight of your break, you can follow some Do’s and Don’ts to make it as painless as possible. Read More »

I love the first week back after Thanksgiving break.

No scratch that, I hate it, actually. But what I do like is what that week represents. It’s the beginning of the end. The start of the finish. You’re over the hump. The semester is almost over. You’ve finally reached those last few dreadful weeks. And okay, maybe that doesn’t seem like something to be happy about, maybe you want to pull your hair out right now? Maybe you’re stressed? Sure, but just think, in a couple of weeks it will all be over.

How can you be sure that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel? Here are just a few signs that the semester is almost over.

10. You’ll do anything to avoid your homework. Okay. Time to get serious. You have a lot to get done these less few weeks. Time to buckle down and start working. No distractions. No Facebook. No phones. Reading time. But wait…you have been meaning to reorganize your desk. And your bookshelf. And…you get the idea.

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In order to maximize your Thanksgiving break, you took the last flight back to campus. You lugged your oh-my-god-why-is-this-so-heavy luggage – now overflowing with clean laundry, Black Friday goodies and Gladwear filled with leftovers – from the airport to your house/apartment/dorm room. When you arrive – way past your usual Sunday night bedtime – you’re greeted by your roommate. You haven’t seen each other in what seems like ages, so you squeal, drop your stuff by the door and hug it out.

“HIIIII! How was your break!?” She shrieks as you plop down on the futon. “I missed yooooou!”

Excitedly you tell her about your run-in with your high school boyfriend (awk), Thanksgiving dinner when you got a little too tipsy and spilled cranberry sauce on Anal Aunt Susie’s white carpet (awk) and the insane shopping spree you went on with your mom (awesome). Midway through the rundown of all the deals you scored at Nordstrom (including all the things your mom bought you for Christmas/Hanukkah but won’t actually give you until she wraps them), you jump up, realizing it would be so much better to show her everything. Read More »

Because I’m usually a sane and rational human being, I never dared go out on Black Friday. Until last year, when I saw a killer sale on something I really wanted.  It was a scary, adrenaline-rushing, almost death-inducing experience that I survived with success. So I’m here this year to give you the ins and outs to getting what you want (without being trampled by a crowd of screaming soccer moms) on Black Friday.

Trust me, it isn’t an experience you want to go into blindly.

1. Have a Plan of Attack in Advance

Planning ahead for Black Friday is essential. Running into a field of mayhem with nowhere to go isn’t usually the best offensive plan.  (Have you ever tried walking into Ikea just to look around? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about.) Give yourself a head start by checking out some sales that you should definitely be checking out.  As always, Macys is offering insane deals, Urban Outfitters is offering 50% off on everything in the store, and those aren’t the only clothing racks offering great sales.

2. Pack Some Heat Energy Shots

Let me tell you right now, you’re going to need more than your natural energy to get through the craziness that is Black Friday.  Go to your local gas station and pick up a Five Hour Energy. It’s powerful as powerful as a Venti coffee, but it goes down quick so you aren’t stuck toting it around as you fill your arms with goodies.

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One of my (and my thighs’) favorite holidays is nearly here: Thanksgiving. Mmmm, it all just makes me feel warm and fuzzy (and full) inside. I can already see images of fluffy mashed potatoes drowning in a thick, sweet gravy…and that same gravy splattered all over the front of my empire-waisted dress. But whatev – totes worth it, especially since my mom loves doing my laundry during Thanksgiving break.

I haven’t met a single soul who doesn’t like to celebrate this gluttonous and family-focused holiday, and take to the couch for a long nap after a strenuous meal to the sounds of afternoon football. But beyond the cans of cranberries, Stove Top, and second helpings, does anyone really know the origins of Thanksgiving? Honestly, the last time I talked about the history of the holiday was while I was making hand turkeys in third grade.

So let’s do just that!
We want you to show us how much you know about Thanksgiving (beyond how to steal tastes of your mom’s homemade pumpkin pie without her noticing).

Since the only exciting thing to do today is count down the minutes until class is over and you can get the hell out of dodge, why not take the CollegeCandy Thanksgiving quiz? We won’t grade you or mock you (mostly because we knew none of this before we started Googling); this is purely for fun/packing procrastination/a party trick for entertaining your Thanksgiving dinner guests and showing them how smart you are.

Grab your #2 pencils and your graphing calculators, ladies! It’s time to get tested.

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Thanksgiving involves tons of yummy, delicious, calorie-filled foods. So obviously we LOVE IT. There’s no other holiday that celebrates our gluttony quite this well. Oh and we can unbutton our pants at the table. Double score. So we’ve spent a lot of time this month writing about this wondrous holiday and we wanted to make sure that you didn’t miss one single article. Because we’re the Thanksgiving experts — at least in our heads — and we want to share our knowledge with all of our wonderful readers.

The Dos And Don’ts Of Thanksgiving Break: Brittany teaches us how not to make Thanksgiving weekend as regrettable as that one night freshman year when you decided Patron shots were a good idea. Comment on your favorite part of Thanksgiving and WIN A BIG PRIZE!

Your Thanksgiving Break Packing List: Don’t forget your fat pants (most people do.) And your bar outfit for Wednesday. Really, it’s soooo important for your high school social standing to pack right.

5 Things To Know About Being Home For Thanksgiving Break: College life is great, but there are some really amazing things about being at home again.  Here are some of the best.

Thanksgiving Dinner Will Wreak Havoc On Your Waistline: Kind of a buzzkill, but really valuable information.  No one wants to go back to school with an extra five covering up the Freshman 15.

Intro To Cooking: Cranberry Applesauce: A sophisticated take on your favorite baby food. You’ll wow your grandmother with this simple,easy recipe.

The Black Friday Go-To Outfit: Turn the mall into a runway with this fierce yet functional ensemble. Oh, we forgot to mention in the post you should probably bring protective eyewear.

College, I Thank Thee: It’s easy to forget during finals week, but college life is pretty fan-tastic – so let’s give thanks. Where else can  you walk of shame like it’s no big deal.

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