I like to think that alcohol in and of itself is good for all mankind.  It makes people happier, friendlier, and much more likely to dance like a fool if given the opportunity.  Unfortunately, your favorite spirits are probably not the most eco-friendly drinks on the block (or bar).  Instead of forgoing your Saturday nights, just swap your faves for these green alternatives and feel free to party on!

Veev:  An excellent substitute for vodka, Veev is actually manufactured from acai berries which are packed with antioxidants and anthocyanins.  What makes this drink even better, however, is the company’s commitment to the environment.  Veev donates $1 towards the Brazilian rainforest for every bottle sold, preserving their sustainable acai supply.  Veev is also the first carbon-neutral liquor company, powering all of their distillers through renewable energy.  Pass up the Smirnoff  and throw one of these back with friends (but don’t forget to toast to the Brazilian rainforest first!).

OneHope Sauvignon Blanc: I bought this baby on a whim at BevMo (5 cent sale, anyone?) and felt an instant karma boost.  With every bottle sold, OneHope donates 50% of the profits to the American Forest, a charity aimed at protecting, restoring, and enhancing our native trees and forests.  If you’re not a sauvignon blanc fan, there are several other wines to choose from, each with their own cause.  Drink chardonnay for breast cancer, merlot for AIDS, or zinfandel for our troops overseas.  Whichever you choose, you can bet you’ll feel a little buzz of goodness with every glass. Read More »

Of the many things I’ve learned during my first few weeks of college, perhaps the most often reinforced lesson is that Friday night + Saturday night = party time on campus. But if you’re like me and not really into the party scene, there are still tons of ways to have a great time on the weekend without resorting to the usual standby of a DVD and popcorn.

Just get creative (and a permit from public safety)!

Here are a few ideas on how to have some extraordinary (in a good way) fun on Friday and Saturday night, based on things my friends and I have done or aspire to do at some point this year. Although it’s always nice to have a plan in mind, I’ve found that the most spontaneous things end up being the most enjoyable, so don’t be afraid to just go with the flow when the sun goes down!

Screen a musical outside and have a massive sing-along

A couple of weeks ago, a program house on campus screened Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog and the musical episode of Buffy on the porch. If you’re a techie (or have friends who are), you can gather up all the theater geeks and have your own musical screening on the side of your dorm! Just be sure you have the necessary permits to do so.

Set up a bowling lane on your hall

This one’s really easy. All you need are assorted shampoo bottles/hairspray canisters and something that rolls, and there you have it – a bowling alley! If you want to raise the stakes, have a tournament for prizes, or simply for bragging rights. Not that knocking down a few bottles of shampoo with a grapefruit is that impressive, but it’s still something, I guess. Read More »

It’s been a rough week. Not only did we realize that we’ve suddenly got mountains of reading to do, but we also found out that drinking more doesn’t actually cure a hangover. We’ve also got swine flue worries, toxic friends, and the Kanye West-Joe Wilson battle for Biggest Douche of the Year to deal with.

Most ridiculously of all, Vh1 is trying to convince us that Miley Cyrus is a diva. Come on, guys! Divas don’t sing songs with titles like “Party in the USA” or have a close, personal relationship with Mickey Mouse. No offense, Miley.

There are a few bright spots on the horizon, though. As always, Fashion Week provided us with some grade-A escapism. Whether you’re knocking boots with a special someone or saving up your v-card, we had you covered. (One piece of advice for all the virgins out there—when you do decide to lose it, head over to Washington, D.C. You’re welcome.)

Best of all? If you can prove how much you love College Candy, you might just win a snazzy new laptop. Seriously!

So cheer up, everybody. It’s Friday! Throw on a pair of camouflaged sweat pants, breathe a sigh of relief, and go out and make some bad decisions this weekend. It’s all uphill from here.

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Who’s ready for Happy Hour? WE ARE, WE ARE!!

Maybe it’s the rain, maybe it’s the marathon training, but we are really tired. Maybe even too tired to hit the town, get drunk, and take tons of pictures of ourselves tonight. I know – something must be wrong with us, but it might be a good thing. We don’t want to do something stupid, and we never know where those pictures are going to end up.

Perhaps we’ll stay home and satisfy ourselves?

At the same time, though, we wanna show off our new boobs (thank you, cookies!), try to meet a man that meets our standards (like one of these hunka hunka burning loves) and have sex (but not that other icky act) on the first date! And we have the perfect eff-me shoes to do it!

Decisions, decisions….

There’s something that doesn’t seem quite right about the fact that a college student is more likely to skip class when the atmospheric temp drops below zero than to say “no” to a party.

Sure, we can layer five sweaters, two hoodies, a parka, and a scarf, but once we’ve stepped outside, bookbag in hand, we realize we would much rather snuggle up under our down comforters and hibernate until spring. Yet, when Friday rolls around, we’re willing to trudge across campus in a blizzard, wearing mini skirts and halter tops, just to look cute for Martini Night.

Of course, these practices only snowball (har har har) into bigger problems when we get strep throat, bronchitis, the flu, or other wintery illness since our immune systems have been frozen solid. Rather than braving the cold, risking hypothermia, or sitting in an ice-cube of a car, begging the heat to kick in for twenty minutes just so you can feel the steering wheel to drive to a party, here are some ways to make the weekends work…warmly.

1. Host a floor party.

Especially in suite-style dorms or university apartment complexes, this is a no-brainer. Everyone can pop in and out as they please, nobody even needs a jacket, and you’ll never be stuck being the DD. If your RA is a stickler for the rules, this can be tricky, but if you can get away with it, have an open house on your floor/in your hall/ around the building. Read More »

College life is great. Where else are sweatpants acceptable attire…anywhere? Where else can you crack a beer at 11 am and instead of being criticized, you’ll most likely be asked to pass one down. Come home at 3 am on a Tuesday and need pizza? You got it. Feel like blowing off class to go to the pool? No prob.

So it’s understandable why the anticipation of a trip home for the weekend (like this coming holiday weekend) can inspire a little anxiety, but once you cross the threshold of Home Sweet Home, you’ll remember just why it’s so sweet.

1. Home cookin’.

After a daily diet of fast food, dining hall “cuisine” and failed attempts at domesticity (and a pasta based backup plan) it is amazing to come home to fresh and delicious food. You want your childhood favorite? Mom and Dad will happily oblige. For one glorious weekend you get to come home to a hot meal every night, no stress required. And in those situations when someone just doesn’t feel like cooking, bring on the restaurants. When the closest thing to a gourmet meal you can afford is Olive Garden, nosh that’s a little more your parents’ taste leaves you feeling like you ate dinner at Buckingham Palace.

2. Retail Affection.

The initial bone crushing hugs and sporadic wistful looks followed by hugs that you’ll get all weekend are nothing compared to what you’ll score if you can get Mom to the mall. Her poor baby has been living in poverty at school as far as she’s concerned (and for the most part she’d be pretty accurate), so she’s more than willing to splurge on necessities like warm winter clothes (yes, everyone at school has 7 different coats, obv.), “comfortable” shoes for walking around campus (easily expandable into high heel territory) and any other array of daily wear that you have no access to at school. After all, Mom and Dad can’t expect you to shop at the bookstore for University brand gear every time you need a new outfit. And don’t forget the back to school care package you’ll probably get as you’re packing up. Take advantage and stock up on toiletries, hard to find makeup, laundry detergent, and any groceries you can bring back with you. Read More »

[In early adulthood there is an activity that plays a large role in most of our lives; nights out on the town. And with those nights out always comes the question: “What am I gonna wear?!?”

Each week I’ll be putting together a cute and affordable “going out” ensemble guide (that you can tweak to your own personal style and body type, of course) so that maybe that age-old question can be answered a little quicker than usual. And your friends aren’t waiting - for hours - for you to emerge from your room. Just call me your own personal Rachel Zoe.]

Another weekend, another opportunity to figure out what to wear. This weekend, it’s all about shine and dazzle with sparkle, jewel tones, and a sleek look that can also be easily transformable from day to night. If you are interning or working somewhere that requires business wear, throw a blazer over this ensemble and you’re good to go.

Jewel tones are everywhere this season, so go for a lovely satin jewel-toned top. I love this halter top from The Limited. The ruffles add a little interest, and the cut is sexy and sophisticated. Bonus: If you put in the promotion code 561 at checkout before November 30th, you’ll get 20% off. Cha Ching! Read More »

I don’t know if you’ve realized it yet, but last night was Daylight Savings time. Yup, you were supposed to set the clocks back an hour.

Woohooo!  An extra hour!

It may seem like such an insignificant amount of time, but think of all the things you could do with an additional 60 minutes to your Halloween weekend!

You may have taken advantage of it last night: an extra hour of drinking/dancing with the hottie dressed as Joe the Plumber, an extra hour of some much needed sleep, or an extra hour of booty (which is only good if the guy can handle it….).

Or, if like me you didn’t realize this whole time change thing until this morning when you woke up an hour earlier than you wanted to, you can take advantage of it today: an extra hour at the library for the big exam (boring), an extra hour of really bad True Lifes on MTV (so good), or an extra hour of shopping at the mall (shwing!).

If nothing else, at least that hour you spent huddled over the toilet from too much Halloween hooch won’t kill the rest of your day.

So, grab your Halloween loot, set those clocks back and enjoy that extra hour of weekend freedom before Monday morning rolls around again.

The weekend is finally here!  After five long, tiring days of work, school, and fixing all of your friends’ problems, Saturday and Sundare are here to save you.

What better way to kick off your two days of freedom than by going to see some new movies?  You may have caught the previews for some of these, but all of them are out today…

Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist — If you loved Juno, you’ll like this movie

Beverly Hills Chihuahua — This is for all the animal lovers out there

How To lose Friends and Alienate People — Possibly your life, in a movie starring Kristin Dunst

An American Carol — A spoof on Michael Moore and his fims. Pure satire comedy!

Flash of Genius — A Man Against Machine docudrama

Blindness — Blindness is contagious

Rachael Getting Married — Family drama and a wedding, what more can you ask for?

I wouldn’t be the movie buff that I am without saying my pick of the week, and sorry to tell you, it’s not Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, even though I am looking forward to seeing it. My pick is Blindness. This movie is so close to real life it’s scary, and it doesn’t hurt that Dr. Christina Yang from Grey’s Anatomy is in it.

So there you have it, the new releases for this week!  Now go grab your significant other, the one you’re hooking up with, or your best friends, and enjoy a movie tonight.