That’s right, Lush Cosmetics has re-released one of your favorite bath bombs, and if it isn’t in your top five bath bombs, it probably should be. The vegan-approved company recently announced the return of the Guardian of the Forest bath bomb and we’ve already bought 15 of them—for those self-care emergencies (i.e. every day).

Late last year, Lush Thanos’ed a ton of our favorite products. Unfortunately, the Guardian of the Forest was one of the discontinued products that fell victim to Lush’s snap. Just like the Avengers: Infinity War deaths that obviously aren’t permanent (don’t @ us, Russo bros), Lush brought back the forest-themed bath bomb.

Honestly, the Guardian of the Forest ($7.95) is the perf bath time necessity for any aspiring forest witch. The bath bomb has a mossy but citrusy scent. Beyond the earthy aroma that will put you more in touch with Mother Nature herself, it’s also infused with rosewood oil, which has antibacterial properties that can help soothe blemishes. Because your mental health shouldn’t be the only thing that’s pampered during your self-care routine.

If you didn’t want to embrace your witchy ways, you probably will now. But we can’t blame you if you pick up a Guardian of the Forest bath bomb just for the aesthetic alone, because just look at it:

Between this iconic smell, the fact that Lush supports trans rights, and the fact the Lush's Dream Creamis actually a dream come true, it’s impossible to choose our favorite part about the Lush experience—because shopping at Lush is an experience. But we’re not the only Lush stans who are happy to see this fan fave find its home of the Lush shelves (and our bathrooms) again. Self-care obsessives on Twitter are basically celebrating the Guardian of the Forest’s return.

“Lush brought back my favorite bath bomb, Guardians of the Forest, and I am so happy I could cry,” one Twitter user writes. TBH, the bath is the ideal place to cry. Nobody to judge you, and the bath water can quickly cover up the evidence that you show real, human emotions.

Another user notes that Guardian of the Forest basically has the best smell ever and we couldn’t agree more.

Other Twitter users are letting Lush know which products they want to see make a comeback. After all, iconic comebacks are everything.

Now that Lush cosmetics resurrected the Guardian of the Forest bath bomb, we can’t help but wonder which self-care faves Lush will bring back next. While we’re waiting for Lush to reverse-Infinity Gauntlet their grass shower gel, we’ll be stocking up on this cult-favorite bath bomb.

A Canadian woman got a mouthful of cleaning supplies when she went to sip her McDonald’s latte on Sunday morning. 

Sarah Douglas, a mother of two who is pregnant with her third child, was taking her son to a baseball tournament when she decided to make a quick caffeine stop at the golden arches.

She ordered a latte and after one sip, knew something was wrong.The Star reports, “when she returned to the restaurant to complain a staff member told her that two cleaning lines were hooked up to the latte machine.”

Douglas requested she see the bottle of cleaning supplies she ingested and it included warnings reading, “causes serious eye irritation,” and “may cause an allergic skin reaction.”

She immediately contacted local health services where she was directed to poison control. 

Dan Brown, owner of the McDonald’s restaurant released a public apology and told Fox News, "What happened is that the machine was being cleaned as it is every morning. Unfortunately, the milk supply line was connected to the cleaning solution while this guest's drink was made,” he explained. He said a health inspector later examined the restaurant too.

Douglas wanted to make sure her story got out there and that this type of incident would encourage other restaurants to uphold better safety standards. 

She said, "As a mother, I want to make sure I have [a] voice and that I'm being heard in terms of the safety of consumers.”

Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.

But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)

The Latest On Robert Mueller's Russia Probe

President Trump called on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe of Russia's election intervention just as Mueller's prosecutors prepared for their second day in federal court with Trump's ex-campaign chief Paul Manafort. "Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now," the president tweeted on Wednesday morning. "Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!"

According to Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani, the tweet was not an official order, but the president simply "expressing his opinion." Plus, Sessions already recused himself from the Russia investigation last March. 

Later on Wednesday, news broke that Mueller wanted to interview Trump specifically about obstruction of justice. "According to sources, the president learned within the last day that the special counsel will limit the scope of questioning and would like to ask questions both orally and written for the President to respond to," reported ABC News. This is what reportedly prompted Trump's angry Wednesday morning tweet. 

Mueller has sought an interview with Trump for months. Giuliani said on Wednesday that the entire legal team is currently reviewing a proposal from the special counsel; however, the team declined to comment on the specific report from ABC News. 

Ohio State University's Head Football Coach Placed On Leave

Head coach Urban Meyer of the Ohio State Buckeyes was placed on paid administrative leave on Wednesday so the university could investigate whether or not he knew about the domestic violence allegations against former assistant coach Zach Smith, who was fired a week ago. Meyer released a statement shortly after the university announced the news: "Gene (Smith, the AD) and I agree that being on leave during this inquiry will facilitate its completion. This allows the team to conduct training camp with minimal distraction. I eagerly look forward to the resolution of this matter."

Smith was accused of abuse by his ex-wife on numerous occasions from 2009 to 2015. College football reporter Brett McMurphy published a detailed history of Smith's domestic violence allegations on Facebook, which included "aggravated battery on a pregnant victim,""assault," and "criminal trespassing." CNN reported that the former wide receivers' coach was fired on July 23, the same day he was served a civil protection order on behalf of his ex-wife. He cannot go within 500 feet of her, effective until 2023. 

During an appearance at Big Ten Conference media days, Meyer denied knowledge of Smith's most recent allegation (in 2015). He did, however, say he was aware of something that happened between Smith and his ex-wife in 2009 when they were still married. The university said its "focused on supporting" the football players and "on getting to the truth as expeditiously as possible."

Barack Obama Endorsed 81 Candidates For Midterm Elections

On Wednesday, former President Barack Obama endorsed 81 candidates for federal and state offices ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. According to NPR, all of his endorsements were for states that have already had their primaries — meaning he didn't have to choose between numerous Democrat candidates. He did, however, endorse California's Senator Dianne Feinstein earlier this year. She's currently being challenged by a more progressive candidate, Kevin de León. 

"I'm proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates – leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America they're running to represent," Obama said in a statement. ""I'm confident that, together, they'll strengthen this country we love by restoring opportunity that's broadly shared, repairing our alliances and standing in the world, and upholding our fundamental commitment to justice, fairness, responsibility, and the rule of law. But first, they need our votes — and I'm eager to make the case for why Democratic candidates deserve our votes this fall."

Check out the complete list here.

What to look for...

Whatever's happening today is sort of irrelevant. We're still thinking about that Bachelorette: Men Tell All. Check out 5 Moments From 'The Bachelorette: Men Tell All' Special We Still Can't Get Over.

Warning: this contains spoilers (obviously).

Set in 1991 Cape Cod, Hot Summer Nightscenters on Daniel (portrayed by Timothée Chalamet) as his self-discovery journey goes a bit awry. Following the loss of his father, Daniel’s mother sends him to spend the summer in Cape Cod with his aunt. With the film being told from the perspective of a bystander, viewers are given the chance to watch Daniel as he transmutes from a shy and awkward teenager to a recklessly confident one. As outlandish as the plot might seem—with the exorbitant drug-dealing ventures and the simultaneous hurricane, it’s actually based on the true stories of a college drug-dealer, as observed by an outsider's POV (the director and writer, Elijah Bynum).

While Hot Summer Nights focuses on Daniel and his friendship and business partnership with Hunter Strawberry (portrayed by Alex Roe), the ending of the film showcases the subplot of McKayla Strawberry's (portrayed by Maika Monroe) empowering rise to success.

Although the women in the movie might seem to linger on the cusp of the film’s foreground throughout the film, McKayla's particular story arc takes a triumphant feministic turn toward the end. During Daniel’s rise as an awkward-adolescent-turned-drug-dealer, his melodramatic climax grabs his boss’ attention (i.e. the drug-dealing kingpin of the townie area). As Daniel’s plans to turn his weed distributions to a cocaine empire start to unravel, the duo’s boss searches for Daniel after he tries to break the unspoken non-compete business disclosure of the drug-dealing business.

When their boss can’t find Daniel, he naturally targets his partner, Hunter. After an immense amount of character growth, Hunter defies his previously selfish persona and refuses to tell his boss that Daniel’s skipped town. This obviously results in Hunter’s untimely demise.

After the initial debris from this suspense, which all takes place at the peak of the tropical storm’s wake, Hunter’s sister, McKayla comes across Hunter’s body. Although the film focuses on the parallels between Hunter and Daniel, and how they have similarly self-destructive methods of coping with their grief and guilt, the film redirects McKayla’s new-found guilt in a productive and healthy manner.

Instead of being negatively motivated by her brother’s death, McKayla utilizes this tragedy to finally take the money that she’d been hoarding since her mother’s death and uses Hunter’s death as an excuse to make a positive change in her life. In other words, Hunter’s death motivates McKayla to leave Cape Cod and start her life for her and nobody else.

Beyond the obvious constructive character development from McKayla, this ending scene rewrites the hackneyed women in refrigerators trope. This problematic, and somehow still prevalent trope, refers to how women are discriminately used as objects to motivate the male protagonist, typically in a vengeful or heroic story arc.   

Using Hunter’s demise to show McKayla’s implied rise at the end of the film shows that the women of Hot Summer Nights aren’t dispensable characters, nor are they used as stereotypical plot-bolsters for the men of the movie. Because so many modern movies, television shows, books and the like still incorporate the stereotypical stuffed in a fridge plot to simultaneously abuse and objectify women characters, Hot Summer Nights’ opposition of this trope is especially important.

Still, McKayla isn't the only powerful woman who might profit from Hot Summer Nights' inevitable ending. Despite Amy's end-scene grief over losing her boyfriend, Hunter, she could have an implicit, empowering unspoken arc off-camera. Maia Mitchell, who portrays Amy, tells Her Campus, "I hope that [Amy's] relationship with her father—I hope that she would mend that. At the end of the film, she kind of puts a lot of blame on her father for the role he played in Hunter’s shortcoming.  So, I hope she would reconcile that and put more energy in their relationship. Her father, being this kind of authoritarian father figure, I’d just want them to work on that."

Given McKayla's reclamation of the women in refrigerators from using Hunter's tragic death to motivate her, it isn't entirely unlikely that Amy would go on to mend her relationship with her father and her family in a healthy manner, had the film hypothetically continued.

From Magda and Nina in X-Men: Apocalypse to Gamora and Nebula in Avengers: Infinity War (and related media), it’s crucial to show women in mindful roles that don’t serve the men in their cinematic worlds. Though Hot Summer Nights may not overtly focus on McKayla or Amy in the entirety of the film, these strong women character portrayals illustrate that women characters can coexist in movies, scripts and otherwise beyond their relationships with the men in their lives.

On Monday Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice will create a “religious liberty task force,” according to a Department of Justice statement.

Sessions said in a speech at the departments Religious Liberty Summit in Washington that the force will assist the implementation of Donald Trump’s religious liberty legal “guidance,” which he issued last year. The new unit would be in charge of helping to protect religious communities across the United States.

The attorney general said that the freedom to practice religion in today’s “cultural climate” in America has come “under attack.”  

“We’ve seen nuns ordered to buy contraceptives. We’ve seen U.S. senators ask judicial and executive branch nominees about dogma — even though the Constitution explicitly forbids a religious test for public office. We’ve all seen the ordeal faced so bravely by Jack Phillips,” Sessions said in reference to the Supreme Court religious liberty case won by the Colorado baker. 

The guidance Sessions issued in October has 20 fundamental principles for the branch to follow, which includes the freedom to exercise a right to act or abstain from action. The government shouldn’t get involved in people’s purpose or beliefs. 

“In short, we have not only the freedom to worship — but the right to exercise our faith. The Constitution’s protections don’t end at the parish parking lot nor can our freedoms be confined to our basements,” he said in Monday’s speech. 

And to everyone who likes to scroll through our social media feeds as much as I do. Here is what the people of Twitter had to say about Jeff Sessions "religious task force":

Sessions said the department is looking to accommodate people’s faith, and that “religious Americans are no longer an afterthought." 

The religious task force will be co-chaired by Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio and Beth Williams, the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy. 

Congrats! You’ve almost made it through another season of The Bachelorette—that means it’s time to start speculating over which guy will be the next Bachelor. I’m 100% convinced that wine sales spike on Mondays because of this entire melodramatic franchise. So, like, bad for your liver but good for the economy? Nice job, ABC.

I’m sure there’s some sort of weird algorithm for figuring out which guy gets the privilege of pretending to be less problematic than he is IRL for 12 weeks, but we’re going to use some good old fashioned educated guessing. Sorry, I don’t feel like subtracting problematic tweets, adding questionable fashion choices, multiplying by three, and dividing by the number of times the guy’s claimed to be a virgin. 

1. Jason 

Twitter seems to think that Jason is literally the perfect man, and it’s no secret that the producers seem to be prepping him for being the Bachelor. Who is to say that scrapbook wasn’t a plan to make the viewers feel bad for Jason when Becca let him go? He’s the most level-headed guy there, and it’s a little strange he doesn’t get heated about anything, he just sort of sulks—but maybe it’s because he knows he has something lined up. Also, remember how Becca was like, “I did to him what Arie did to me”? Well, Arie did that to her and she became the Bachelorette. Foreshadowing, anyone? 

2. Blake 

Who wouldn’t want to see Blake, in all his bro-ness, as Bachelor? Ofc. It would probably be one of the most relatable seasons, like, ever. One thing: he’s a beer sales rep (so many guys’ dream job, tbh) and the franchise usually goes for flashier careers––like race car driver, pro-soccer player, or prince. Still, a season with Blake as Bachelor would definitely be interesting, at least until you realize that he def peaked in high school. It’s okay, Blake, we’ll still watch every week! 

3. Colton 

Yeah, yeah. Because a virgin Bachelor would definitely pull in viewers, just like how people are entertained by dogs walking on their hind legs and other things you don’t see every day. But Colton’s Bachelor potential goes way beyond that—he basically checks off all the boxes that the producers seem to look for in a Bachelor, or at least the ideal qualities they would want in a contestant. He’s an ex-pro-athlete (check), loves children (check), has a ton of time on his hands (check), and has one of those moldable personalities that reality TV producers love to manipulate. Hm, maybe Tia will come back for maximum dramatic effect! That girl is gonna sell so many gummy vitamins that she won’t even have to marry Colton anymore to fund her #influencerlifestyle. 

Wishful Thinking: Connor. Grocery Store Joe. Chris Harrison. Newly single Channing Tatum. 

Let’s face it, anyone will be better than actual Ellen DeGeneres’ body double Arie Lundyuckyuck. Just ask Becca! 

The best season is finally back: time to spend hours shopping dorm decor and back-to-school supplies like it’s our job. But before you start reaching for those glitter gel pens and neon highlighters, hear us out—it may be time to upgrade your school supplies to sleeker, chicer, adult elegance.

We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite back-to-school essentials from Moleskine, our go-to for all things organization and personal expression. Add these cool and classic products to your shopping list, and you’ll be ready to head into this school year with enviable sophistication.

1. Classic Notebook

Taking notes in class can feel tedious, but sometimes all you need is the right notebook. These notebooks from the Moleskine Classic Collection are perfect for jotting down lecture or starting that bullet journal you’ve always talked about. With three different size options, they’re perfect for any backpack or bag you choose (and we’ve got a couple recommendations below!).

And in case you’re still attached to colorful school supplies, you don’t have to give them up—the Classic Notebook comes in a variety of different colors, from daisy pink to dandelion yellow.

2. 12-Month Vertical Weekly Notebook Planner

Many college students tend to think that any old notebook can work as a planner, but this Moleskine vertical weekly planner has it all. The yearly calendar in the front helps you look ahead, while two pages dedicated to each week keep you on task in the moment. There’s even a map of the world with time zones, making it the ideal planner for the traveling students that’s studying abroad.

And, oh, did we mention you could personalize it to have your name or any message that motivates you printed on the cover in select colors? We’re pretty sure that’s way cooler than the sticker-covered notebook you used back in high school.

3. Classic Leather Backpack

You’ll be using your backpack every day, so you want one that stands the test of time, in both quality and fashion. The Moleskine Classic Leather Backpack can easily hold all of your everyday essentials, so it’s super easy to be on the move around campus and in your city. There’s a special pocket designed to protect your precious laptop (every girl’s most prized possession, right?), plus two side pockets for your phone and water bottle.

Also, there’s literally pen holders and business card holders, you guys. They think of everything. (And you’ll never lose that last stray pen you can’t keep track of.)

4. Dr. Seuss Limited Edition Notebook

This notebook is perfectly whimsical, while still maintaining the Moleskine elegance we know and love. Dr. Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go! has the perfect motivational message to keep in mind as you’re on the go – to the classroom, to the museum, to the library – wherever inspiration strikes.

The familiar illustrations and bright colors are sure to put a nostalgic smile on your face every time you take this one out of your bag, so don’t get it twisted: getting adult school supplies doesn’t mean you have to take yourself too seriously.

5. Pen+ Ellipse Smart Pen and Paper Tablet

You know when your friend asks for your handwritten lecture notes when they miss class, but all you can offer is a blurry picture of your notebook? The Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse Smart Pen and Paper Tablet are here to change that. At first glance, they look like normal pen and paper, but the Moleskine Paper Tablet’s pages have special Ncoded technology, which means that when you write with the Pen+ Ellipse, your notes are both analog and digital. All you have to do is download the Moleskine Notes app, and everything you’ve written will also appear on your device, ready to be sent and shared wherever you want. Plus, the Notes app can be downloaded for free from the App Store™, Google Play and Windows Store. Bless.

And science says handwriting your notes is better for you than typing them, so this one really is a win-win.

6. Nomad Medium Backpack

If you’re constantly on the go, the Moleskine Nomad Collection was designed with you in mind. This backpack is both fashionable and functional, with room for all your books, a separate pocket to protect your laptop, and a breathable air-mesh back so you’ll never get too hot and uncomfortable when you’re trekking through the city or across campus.

Since you can fit everything you’d ever need in this backpack, why not go read a book in the park or type up that paper in a coffee shop across town instead of holing up in your dorm? Hey, you might actually be able to leave the campus bubble for once.

7. Blend Collection Notebook

The Moleskine Textile Collection takes your books from basic to sophisticated with fabric hard covers in colorful, classic patterns. We think this red herringbone weave is gorgeous, but if it’s not your style, there are so many more to choose from in the Textile Collection. These notebooks are large and ruled, so you can fit both class notes and ideas or memories you’d want to jot down at any time of the day.

So, what are you waiting for? Whether you’re looking for the perfect planner to organize your busy day of classes and extracurriculars, a journal to keep track of your journeys throughout the city on the weekends, or a stylish bag to take with you when you’re on the move, Moleskine products should be your first stop. Let your school supplies reflect your ambitious, creative, sophisticated self and start telling your story.

This article has been syndicated from Cocktails & Ambition, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

As I get older, there are things related to ~adulting~ that I definitely wish I were better at. These things range from budgeting to cooking to prioritizing and EVERYTHING in between – but adulting is hard, and it's even harder to find a starting point to master these skills. To make it a bit easier, here are the ways I started to build my responsible habits, and how you can start planning to master these skills and qualities in your 20s as well!

1. Learn to budget

Determining a budget that works for you is an art. It has to involve the perfect balance of allowing you to live your life while being responsible at the same time. It's also important to remember that your budget can evolve depending on your income or priorities, so don’t feel like you’re stuck with the same budget forever. Especially in college, this is something that could change every semester! 

2. Find a routine that works for you

While this isn’t exactly a single habit, it's really necessary to test what structure works best for you and your life. Having routine will create a system that works the best for you to function in, so all other habits and needs will flow seamlessly into place!  

3. Incorporate self-care

Honestly, self-care can range from exercising, to watching TV in your pajamas, to going to yoga and using essential oils. Self-care is totally personal, and everyone has a different version of that in practice. But no matter what, incorporating this valuable time for yourself in daily life is crucial! 

4. Don't be afraid to fail

Sure, this habit is more of a mindset, but learning how to deal with things not going as planned is a huge part of life. The more comfortable you get with failure, then the more resilient you’ll be when it occurs.

5. Cook for yourself

Even if cooking doesn’t sound fun or like a priority, it is going to change your life and eating habits. Cooking can be a fun way to hang out with friends, save money, and prepare meals that are healthier for your body than frozen food or takeout. As soon as your 20s hit, this should be a top concern. 

6. Explore new places

Exploring covers anything from walking around your neighborhood to traveling to a new city or country – just getting out there and seeing something new! Exploring expands who you are, what you know, and can educate you about different cultures, so it's an overall fantastic way to learn more about others and yourself.

7. Build a social life

This means prioritizing friends and family by setting aside time weekly to catch up, or even sending a gift saying you’re thinking of them. Good friends and family members are the people who will stick by you during the hard times and the mundane times, so making it a priority to cherish them is important.

Read the full post here.

Let's be real: my style is not... fancy. At all. There are a few reasons why I just do not feel stylish, but much of it comes down to me wanting to not be visible, like, at all. I'm generally more of a background person. I work in Social Media, so I put other people's faces on the internet, not mine. I hate dressing up. Makeup makes me feel super uncomfortable, like I'm trying too hard. I would honestly rather be invisible, or a bird, or something. I'm one of those people. 

I'm also like, not very skinny, so I don't feel comfortable in a lot of "trendy" outfits. While fashion has gotten better over time, it still often feels like only thin girls are really welcomed into fashion communities. In many spaces, a skinny girl in jeans and a t-shirt is "chic," while a bigger girl in jeans and a t-shirt is "sloppy." It's bullshit, and you should wear whatever the fuck you want at whatever size, but it's messaging that I've internalized, and that's often left me feeling like leggings and oversized sweatshirts are more doable for me than anything aggressively on-trend. After all, few things feel as shitty as feeling like you look cute because you put some effort in only for A) no one to comment on how freaking cute you are or B) for someone to make fun of you for thinking you could pull of that tiny romper or showy top.

Me (normally) wearing a sweatshirt someone gave me and old leggings and socks I stole from my girlfriend, plus sneakers I got on sale:

So chic, right?

I'm also not straight, so fashion becomes this weird space where I feel like if I look too "girly" that no one will know I'm gay (which sucks because it makes me feel invisible in my own community. Even though this is a fake concept, because looking "gay" is like, fake, it still gets to me) BUT MEANWHILE if I look too "gay" then I worry about my safety.

Shit is a mess, y'all.

But, for one week, I decided to just not give a fuck. I got the chance to work with Lulu's on an Instagram Story, and I've been not-so-secretly obsessed with the brand for a while now. I thought it would be just a cute fashion roundup, but it honestly ended up being a good lesson for me in like, embracing fashion and trying something new and pushing my own boundaries.

So here's what I did: I tried to dress like an influencer for a week, like a real, live, fashionable human who puts effort in and doesn't feel ashamed of Being Visible and asking for someone to take her pic. Because it's kind of badass.

Here's what I came up with.

Outfit 1: The Dress and Combat Boots

When I first saw this outfit, I was like, Wow, that's cute, but Rachel, you could never pull it off. It's amazing the awful voices that get in your head. I consider myself to be body positive, and yet here I was, slamming myself and my body and not feeling like I was allowed to wear something. I also haven't used a purse in probably like four years. But when I put the dress on, I felt sooo comfortable, because clearly I somehow forgot that dresses are magic (especially this one from Lulus) and require 0 thought, and the boots were a throwback to my regular combat boot days. I kept the look messy, with the shoes untied and my hair just ~doing its thing~ and it made me want to go wandering through a field or something in a very good way.

Outfit 2: The Jumpsuit 

You guys, I can't lie: I loved this outfit with my entire heart. I never wear jewelry, or tiny heels, but I love a good jumpsuit, and this outfit made me feel Very Cool. I felt like myself, but trendier. Even though the neckline was super low cut, the light fabric combined with the easy to walk in shoes made me feel pretty, and yet chill. I dig this one with my entire heart and will never let that jumpsuit go.

Outfit 3: The Red Miniskirt

This look was beyond outside of my comfort zone. It's bright. And it's TIGHT. And I haven't worn a miniskirt since I was in 8th grade and some shitty dude told me my legs were too big to wear it (they weren't, he sucked, and your legs are PERFECT AND WORTHY OF WEARING ANYTHING YOU WANT). This was definitely the most on-trend outfit IMO, and it took about 20 pics for me to loosen up and feel comfortable. No, I don't have a thigh gap. Yes, you can see the zits on my cheek. But like, I'm kind of cute, right? This is the sort of outfit I'd admire on someone else, so why wouldn't I admire it on myself?

My fave part was the tee. Omg, it's so soft. 

Outfit 4: The Crop Top

This was one of those outfits that made me feel like I was pretending to be very, very cool. Between the lucite hoops and studded sandals, I had a lot of questions about whether or not I could wear this outfit. That's not to mention the crop top, which gave me major anxiety. The fabric was super, super soft, though, and the hoops were way subtle, and by the time I got to this outfit, I felt way more comfortable ~striking a pose~ and prepping for a pic. Because, you guys, there's no shame in asking for your picture to be taken. Who knew?

Outfit 5: The Beach Goddess

Is that header cocky AF? Yep. But can we talk about how glam this outfit is? Glam would never come up when I describe myself (like, nope not even close). But this bathing suit, cover up, and gorgeous sandals combo was such a far cry from my giant t-shirt and flip flops I normally wear to the beach that yes, I felt GLAM, and now believe everyone deserves to take to the beach in a flowing, goddess-like cover up at least once.

Outfit Six: The Pink Set

By the time I got to this one, I was READY. I honestly don't even recognize myself in this picture. The sass. The confidence. The heels. Like, what? Is this what people mean when they say fashion is empowering? Why did no one shove me in a millennial pink set sooner??? 

So here's the deal: am I an influencer now? Lololol, nope. But do I feel weirdly confident striking a pose and making someone take a zillion pics of me for the 'gram? Hell yes. I never realized how awkward and weird I felt wearing Nice Outfits, and I've honestly got a lot more thinking to do about my own body image and my relationship with clothes. It sucks that society can make us feel so strangely about our bodies, and I say that as someone with relative thin privilege.

If you only take one message away here? Wear what you want, and don't let anyone make you feel bad for wanting pictures of yourself. You deserve to feel glam and glorious and goddess like, no matter what you look like. And also, support and uplift other girls, especially girls impacted by our fatphobic culture and our culture's desire to shame young women for liking their bodies.

Come hang with us on @HerCampusStyle. Tag us using #MyStyleEmpowers to share how your style empowers you, and so we can go love on your pics. 

Around here, we talk about sex, often and openly. We host Sex Talk every week on our Instagram Live, and it gets SO REAL. You guys wanted to talk more about sex, so we took to Instagram to ask you all what you're actually experiencing in your sex lives as college women. Our first question? What your orgasm history has been like.

Some of you have had lots and lots of orgasms. Some of you seek out orgasms every day. Some of you have never had one. Here's what you had to say when we asked about your very first orgasm, in your own words.

I thought I had peed my pants 😂 - Hannah

I mean, I played with myself long before anyone ELSE made me orgasm, so pretty dang great if I do say so myself. My first with a partner was nice as well. I was in tune with my body at that point so I could ask for what I needed! - Dymond

It felt like an out of body experience. I didn't know that it was supposed to feel that good. - Aubree

Surprising. - Em

SO CONFUSING. I had no idea what it was! - Hannah

I fell off my bed. - Estée

Amazing. - Rebecca

My man does AMAZING! It's like a feeling that's different & you're not positive if it's in a good way or a bad way... then it's utter bliss. 😍😍😍 - Emily

Weird but amazing!! - Morgan

Oop. Still waiting. - Jordyn

Holy shit balls. - Paige

I didn't even know it was happening because I had no idea what it felt like 😂 - Rachel

Toe-curling. - Ali 

Have some thoughts? We want to hear from you. Join us on the @HerCampus Instagram, where college women are everything.

ModCloth has earned serious cred for delivering modern fashions with old flare. The clothing brand has kept things classic and gorgeously vintage for many years since inception in 2002, but starting this week, ModCloth is releasing a new line of one-of-a-kind pieces that are literally straight from another time, starting with the '60s!

In honor of their 16-year anniversary, ModCloth is releasing a new Sweet 16 capsule collection, which features more than 60 pieces that take inspiration from the hottest trends back in the day. This unique collection was curated together by ModCloth's Nicole Haase and Leader of the Pack's Nicole Mahoney, with these two vintage clothing connoisseurs coming together to create a stunning collection of dresses, blazers and sweaters in funky prints and psychedelic patterns.

Haase and Mahoney collaborated to not only find the most timely and expressive pieces, but also to make them in a wide range of sizes. The collection's sizes range from XS to 3X, making it one of the most size-inclusive vintage collections around. And these aren't your run-of-the-mill clothes you'd find at the mall either; prairie dresses, eccentrically patterned blazers and puffy-sleeved tops are just some of the innovative pieces in the Sweet 16 line. With the addition of blazers, blouses and full-length dresses, the Sweet 16 line allows for a lot of style fluidity. Whether you want to look sharp and edgy or feminine and floral, this collection has it all. And don't get us started on the designers featured in this line! Givenchy and Oscar de la Renta are just some of the high-end brands featured, while newer designers on the block have their pieces up for sale as well.

You can find all their pieces on the ModCloth website, where they retail from around $58 and up. 

Calling all fans of Outlander: a delicious treat awaits you in theaters on August 3rd in the form of Sam Heughan, star of The Spy Who Dumped Me (Sam, of course, plays Jamie Fraser in the hit TV series). In his first major Hollywood film role, Sam uses his time-tested action chops, perfected in the past three seasons of Outlander, in his new role as a spy for M16 who sets out on a mission to basically save the world. The movie has it all: romance, laughs, and wild romps around glamorous European destinations with co-stars Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon.

Sam spoke with Her Campus this week and dished about fight scenes, female friendship, and going full-nude on camera.

Her Campus: What’s your favorite scene in The Spy Who Dumped Me?

Sam Heughan: There are so many… My favorite action scene would probably be the cafe scene, the sort of chaos of that. It was the first thing that I started shooting and actually the first scene that I did with the girls. We started over a number of days and actually did quite a few pick-ups on it as well. But it’s just a really fun scene and [my character] Sebastian obviously goes a bit too far, ends up completely destroying the place. But I loved it. And at the very end we did a little James Bond where I kill the man by drowning him in a vat full of fondue, like a nod to Casino Royale where James Bond does that in a sink to Fisher.

Actually, one of my other favorite scenes was the scene in the youth hostel with Mila. It’s just a one-on-one with her and you get to see the other side of Sebastian. You see him opening up with her a bit and realize that he’s actually quite a sweet guy.

HC: You mentioned at the premiere on Monday night that Mila and Kate’s on and off screen friendship is what made the movie so magical to be a part of. What did you learn about female friendship from working with them on this film?

SH: I think it’s beautiful that Mila and Kate have got each other’s backs. I think it’s really important, especially now with social media, that we support each other and don’t bring each other down. I think that’s the message of the movie. Mila and Kate’s characters are both trying to find their place in the world and their calling. They’ve got each other through thick and thin and ultimately they’ve got each other and support each other in this unstoppable team. In real life, these girls just became so tight. They became so tight that it’s just nice to be around them.

HC: You went from full-nude sex scenes in Outlander to lots of action and fight scenes in The Spy Who Dumped Me. What do you want your next big acting challenge to be?

SH: Probably a fully nude fight scene! I’m actually going to be filming a movie with Vin Diesel in South Africa in a couple of weeks. The movie’s called 'Bloodshot' and is based on a comic book series by Valiant Comics. So it’s going to be completely different, in the sense that it’s a different world and character for me. It’s going to be cool, people are going to be surprised by it, I think. The director, Dave Wilson, has been amazing so far and I’m looking forward to it.

HC: There are rumors going around right now about you possibly succeeding Daniel Craig as James Bond. Why do you think you’d make a great Bond?

SH: There are countless benefits to me being James Bond. Obviously, I’m Scottish so that helps because Ian Fleming was raised in Scotland and had Scottish roots. I’ve already got my own fast car and Tuxedo. I think it’s almost there, we just need a really good Bond Girl. But maybe we should flip it on its head. Maybe I’m the Bond girl and we should get a female Bond.

HC: What can Outlander fans look forward to in Season 4?

SH: It is a new world. Jamie and Claire are settling in America and trying to create a home. They’ve always wanted to settle down. Jamie especially has always wanted to have this be [an opportunity] to have an extended family. It’s the first time that we actually get to do that.

We also see America in its infancy; it’s a brave new world, there’s a lot of different cultures colliding and different people. It’s really interesting to see America in its infancy as a land of immigrants. It’s not without its dangers as well. So it’s really going to be a fun season. It is really setting up everything for the next few seasons. America is their home now.

HC: What will young women enjoy the most about The Spy Who Dumped Me?

SH: I think they’re going to love that it’s intelligent comedy. It’s not slapstick or in your face. You’ve got two really strong, intelligent women. It’s a character-driven piece. They’re a little lost and trying to find their way. It’s all dealt with with humor and they become stronger by supporting each other. And who doesn’t want to go on a road trip with these two girls?

Catch The Spy Who Dumped Me in theaters starting August 3rd!

We’re still beaming from all the empowering and teachable moments at Her Conference. While we’re still reflecting on Logan Browning’s vital keynote presentation at Her Conference 2018, we’re also still digesting Nico Tortorella’s keynote speech—and there’s a lot to chew here.

In just under an hour, Tortorella managed to touch on wearing a gorg gown to a GLAAD event (which was an iconic first), coming out to their mom, sexual identity, gender norms, gender identities and identities in general. When Tortorella opened up their speech, they talked about the process of coming out to their mother—not only about their sexuality but also about their gender identity. Although this made me cry some (painfully) nostalgic queer tears, Tortorella used this point to talk about how our personal identities are ever-changing and that’s perfectly okay.

Toward the beginning or their speech, Tortorella notes their mother’s reaction when they told her about their non-binary identity. Paraphrasing their mother, Tortorella said, “Look, I can deal with your sexuality, but why must you always take it to the next level.”

Although society constructs this weird and false notion that you need to check some sort of masculine vs. feminine box, we can unlearn those rigid rules and relearn how to be comfortable in genders — particularly once we realize that every aspect of our personal identities is in this constant state of transition. While being in a perpetual state of transition can seem chaotic, chaos isn’t innately bad—just like changing isn’t an adverse side effect of personal growth. Relearning the vast spectrum of gender can also help us dispel the internalized gatekeeping that might have prevented us from openly labeling ourselves as a specific gender—or even coming out to ourselves about our gender identity.

Our gender identity is forever malleable, but that shouldn’t disquiet us about the actual change. Whether you define yourself as genderfluid, a woman, agender, or any other gender or non-gender in the gender realm, that’s entirely up to you. Just like defining yourself as a woman for a moment or your entire life, is just as valid. However, recognizing that there’s no one definition of the same gender identity can help you explore your personal gender identity as it changes throughout your life.

“I wear this dress because I can because of my platform, because of my celebrity, because of what I look like,” Tortorella said. “I wear this dress to disrupt the system. I wear the dress for every kid out there who felt like they didn’t belong—for every kid that contemplated suicide because they didn’t see a version of themselves in the mainstream media. I wear this dress for myself second, actually, and everyone else first.”

We all know that Twitter trolls are nothing new, but they’ve become such a prevalent problem that Twitter has now hired experts from universities in the U.S., the Netherlands, Italy and elsewhere to figure out where these people are coming from and how to keep hate speech from happening.

According to Twitter’s statement in March that asked for help to understand its toxicity got 230 proposal responses, and has now chosen the experts, many of which specialize in tech, politics or social media. Much of the research will focus on “echo chambers,” or conversations among like-minded people (who “echo” each other’s opinions) and then start to become toxic to those who have different perspectives.

The Verge notes, however, that the research will also define a line between “uncivil” and “intolerant” discourse, the latter being hate speech while the former needs to be checked, but can be helpful against creating those echo chambers.

Ultimately, the researchers are hoping to find the origination of these echo chambers—how many people are in them? Who on Twitter actually talks to those with perspectives different from their own? While there’s no firm deadline for their findings yet, the need for these answers is becoming more urgent as Twitter tries various methods to rid itself of hate speech, such as limiting the visibility of hate speech Tweets.

There are two main research groups at work here: one is led by Leiden University professor Dr. Rebekah Tromble from the Netherlands. The other is led by professors at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Oxford, which will also look into echo chambers but have a slightly different focus—they want to see the effects of positive, diverse interaction online.

It’s good to see that Twitter is taking action to better itself, especially because many people are not pleased with the platform’s approach to its own toxicity. Last year, Twitter came under fire for verifying a Neo-Nazi from the Charlottesville rally. This move shows that they are (hopefully) more aware of their role in exacerbating these echo chambers and toxic political discussions.

On their flight from LA to New York, a gay couple was recently forced off their flight by Alaska Airlines after one of them refused to move for a straight couple to sit together. Irate at the situation, David Cooley shared his frustration in a public Facebook post, where he blasted Alaska Airlines for their discrimination against him and his partner. 

Cooley wrote that his partner "was given a choice to either give up the premium seat and move to coach or get off the plane."

Not wanting to spend the flight alone and uncomfortable, they elected to de-board the plane and take a later flight instead. They found the whole experience deeply humiliating, and could not understand the clear preference that Alaska Airlines had shown for the straight couple.

After leaving the flight, the couple took another flight with Delta, whom Cooley described as an "LGBT friendly airline."

In response to the community outcry over the issue, Alaska Airlines told Teen Vogue, "This unfortunate incident was caused by a seating mix-up on a full flight. It's our policy to keep all families seated together whenever possible. That didn’t happen here. We are deeply sorry for the situation and did not intend to make Mr. Cooley and his partner feel uncomfortable in any way. We’ve reached out to Mr. Cooley to offer our sincere apologies for what happened, refund his ticket and make this right. Alaska Airlines has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind," the statement said. "All of us at Alaska value inclusion for our guests and each other. Full LGBTQ equality is part of the fabric of Alaska Airlines. We are an airline for everyone and reflect these values through our work with dozens of nonprofit LGBTQ organizations, and our efforts toward achieving a perfect score in HRC’s Equality Index. We’ll keep building on this commitment with our LGBTQ employee group, GLOBE.”

Alaska Airlines then reportedly reached out to Cooley and his partner, offering apologies to both and potential ideas of how they could rectify the situation. Cooley shared this information on social media, stating, "Thank you to everyone for all the support. Alaska Airlines has reached out, apologized, and we are discussing making things right. I accept Alaska Airlines apology and appreciate it addressing the situation."

Although we aren't happy to hear that this type of discrimination is still happening in 2018, we applaud Alaska Airlines for so quickly acknowledging and correcting their mistake — and hopefully this will not be an issue on future flights.

Harvey Weinstein’s attorneys plan to request that a Manhattan judge dismiss the most serious sexual assault charge against Weinstein, according to a new court filing.

The lawyers are planning to argue that one of the accusers in Weinstein’s case had an ongoing romantic relationship with the former movie mogul, ABC News reports. His lawyers intend to argue that the first-degree rape charge is invalid because his relationship with the unnamed accuser continued after the date of the alleged sexual assault.

In order to prove that the relationship between Weinstein and his accuser was consensual, the attorneys plan to submit to the judge a series of emails that show correspondence with him and the accuser.

According to NBC News, the new documents were filed on Wednesday in a bankruptcy court in Delaware and the attorneys contend that the correspondence would clear his name.

via Jefferson Siegel / Pool via AP

The emails were sent and received through Weinstein’s official company email account. After Weinstein was fired from the company, his lawyers gained access to the emails, but a bankruptcy judge overseeing the dissolution of the Weinstein Company banned the attorneys from distributing them via a protective order, ABC News reports.

The lawyers intend to urge the criminal court to dismiss the charge “for, among other reasons, the failure of the prosecutor to advise the grand jury of the substance of exculpatory communications made by the one of three complaining witnesses underlying the counts of the indictment and contained in the e-mails sought for use here.”

“It is Mr. Weinstein’s belief that these e-mails are material and exculpatory and the failure of the district attorney to provide this evidence to the grand jury warrants a dismissal of the indictment,” the attorneys wrote in the filing.

The attorneys face a Friday deadline to file the pre-trial motion seeking the dismissal of the rape charge.

Weinstein was indicted in May and July by a Manhattan grand jury on charges that he sexually assaulted three women. He has pleaded not guilty, and has said through his attorneys that are sexual encounters that he had with women over the years were consensual.

Anna Worden, an 18-year-old girl from Iowa, is in intensive care after an internet challenge went horribly wrong, the New York Daily News reports.

The teen told news station WQAD that she and her friends were attempting the Kiki Challenge. Inspired by Drake’s new song “In My Feelings,” the challenge involves having people jump out of a moving car while dancing to the song. (Safety!)

It’s pretty obvious that the challenge is dangerous, but Worden and her friends saw it as a harmless challenge that they’ve seen all over the internet. (Although authorities and police departments have issued some stern warnings on social media themselves.) 

“I tried to do ome little challenge everyone’s doing now and I’m the one that got majorly hurt,” she said. “I tried, and the last thing I remember was opening the door. So apparently I got out and I tripped and fell and hit my head.”

She was airlifted to the hospital and found to have a fractured skull, blood clots in her ear and bleeding in her brain. A dancer since she was 3 years old, Worden now has to relearn how to walk.

The Kiki challenge was created last month by the comedian Shiggy and has been recreated by thousands of people, including Will Smith, Kevin Hart, Odell Beckham Jr., Ciara and James Harden, but obviously is so dangerous and should not be attempted.

Evangeline Lilly says she felt pressured into filming partially-nude scenes for ABC’s hit drama Lost.

In a recent interview for the podcast The Lost Boys, the Ant-Man and the Wasp actress said she felt coerced into doing the partially-nude scenes for her role as Kate Austen in Lost, particularly in the third season.

“In Season 3, I’d had a bad experience on set with being basically cornered into doing a scene partially naked, and I felt had no choice in the matter,” Lilly said, describing the scene. “And I was mortified and I was trembling when it finished. I was crying my eyes out, and I had to go and do a very formidable, very strong scene thereafter.”

According to ABC News, Lilly’s discomfort continued into season four of the show.

via Mario Perez/ABC

“In Season 4, another scene came up where Kate was undressing and I fought very hard to have that scene be under my control. And I failed to control it again,” she noted. “So I then said, ‘That’s it, no more. You can write whatever you want — I won’t do it. I will never take my clothes off on this show again.’ And I didn’t.”

Lilly has not filmed another scene involving any sort of nudity since her time on Lost, and often takes those sorts of scenes into consideration when selecting projects, according to Variety.

“I’ve been doing this now for 15 years. I’m a little bit better equipped now to know the ropes, to not have uncomfortable positions come up now,” Lilly said.

“Because I have had uncomfortable experiences, when I read scripts where it involves nudity, I pass. And it’s not because I think there’s anything wrong with doing nudity. It’s because I don’t trust that I can be comfortable and safe. I’m lucky; I’m in a privileged position because I can be picky. I feel for women who are struggling to come up in the industry and don’t know how to navigate that,” she continued.

The actress also noted in her interview her disappointment when Kate’s status on the show went from an “icon for strength and autonomy for women” to being thrust into a love traingle with two other characters: Jack (Matthew Fox) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway).

“I felt like my character went from being autonomous, really having her own story and her own journey and her own agendas, to chasing men around the island. And that irritated the s— out of me,” Lilly explained.

“I did throw scripts across rooms when I read them because I would get very frustrated by the diminishing amount of her own story that there was to play,” she added. 

Good morning, Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.

But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)

Special Counsel Robert Mueller Wants to Ask President Trump About Obstruction of Justice

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office want to ask President Donald Trump about obstruction of justice, along with other topics, sources close to the White House told ABC News.

The president, according to the sources, has learned within the last day that Mueller plans to limit the scope of questioning and would like to ask questions both orally and written for the president to respond to.

On Wednesday morning, Trump took to Twitter to fire off a storm of tweets, attacking the Russia investigation. In one of his strongest attacks, the president wrote: “This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!”

Sources said Trump’s tweets were a result of his reaction to the news.

Negotiations over a potential interview between special counsel and the president have gone on for months. Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s lead attorney, told ABC News last week that his legal team had submitted a response to Mueller asking that he limit the scope of the interview with Trump, especially as it relates to obstruction of justice.

"They took about 10 days and yesterday we got a letter back for them. Now we're in the process of responding to their proposal," Giuliani told reporters after an appearance in New Hampshire on Thursday.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders Won't Say Press Isn't the “Enemy of the People”

During a press briefing on Thursday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders refused to say that the press is not the “enemy of the people,” a phrase that President Donald Trump has used to attack the media, The Huffington Post reports.

CNN’s Jim Acosta told Sanders that it would be a “good thing if [she] were to state” that the press is not the “enemy of the people,” but Sanders denied the request.

“It’s ironic, Jim, that not only you and the media attack the president for his rhetoric when they frequently lower the level of conversation in this country,” Sanders said. “The media has attacked me personally on a number of occasions.”

“The media continues to ratchet up the verbal assault against the president and everyone in this administration. Certainly, we have a role to play, but the media has a role to play for the discourse in this country as well,” Sanders added.

“For the sake of this room, the people who are in this room, this democracy, this country, all the people around the world are watching what you’re saying, Sarah,” Acosta said, pressing Sanders. “The president of the United States should not refer to us as the enemy of the people.”

“I appreciate your passion,” Sanders responded. “I share it. I’ve addressed this question. I’ve addressed my personal feelings. I’m here to speak on behalf of the president. He’s made his comments clear.”

Acosta tweeted that he left the briefing early, “totally saddened” by Sander’s “shameful” response.

On Thursday, Trump’s daughter and senior White House adviser, Ivanka Trump, told Axios that she didn’t agree with her father that the press was the “enemy of the people.”

“I’ve certainly received my fair share of reporting on me personally that I know not to be fully accurate, so I have some sensitivity around why people have concerns and gripe, especially when they sort of feel targeted, but, no, I do not consider the media the enemy of the people,” she said.

Following his daughter’s interview, Trump tweeted that she was correct because not all media is the “enemy of the people,” but “a large percentage” is.

“It is the FAKE NEWS, which is a large percentage of the media, that is the enemy of the people!” Trump tweeted.

Apple Becomes the First $1 Trillion Company

Apple is the world’s first publicly traded company to be valued at $1 trillion.

The tech giant achieved its latest milestone on Thursday when its stock passed $207.04 per share. Its new all-time high is $208.38. According to CNN Money, Apple is up by more than 20 percent this year.

via Getty Images

Shares surged after Apple reported earnings that topped forecast on Wednesday.

While some think that Apple needs a new products to keep its profits climbing, Apple has surpassed the $1 trillion mark mainly due to solid sales of the iPhone 8 and X, particularly in China and Japan, and its surging services from the App Store.

According to CNN Money, Wall Street thinks that Apple’s shares could go even higher, with 13 analysts predicting a price target above $225.

Amazon, Google owner Alphabet and Microsoft have all hit record highs this year as well. Amazon is currently worth nearly $900 billion, and Google and Microsoft are both worth more than $800 billion.

What to look out for...

A lovestruck fan proposed to Minnie Mouse at Walt Disney World, and Mickey Mouse was not having it. Honestly, I'm dying of laughter. 

Social media addicts, rejoice: there is a new way to track and limit the amount of time you spend on Facebook and Instagram. According to The Verge, these new features will be debuting around the world by the end of August, giving you the opportunity to see exactly how much time you spend on social media each day, and set daily limits for yourself on each app.

Ameet Ranadive, an Instagram representative who leads a team focused on user experience, told The Verge, “We want these tools to be widely available to the whole community, and to anyone that would benefit from using them." 

According to Estimates, approximately 210 million people suffer from internet and social media addictions, so this feature could potentially be helpful to individuals trying to kick those bad habits. Developers of the program are hoping that it will help users become more mindful of their time on social media, and that it will ultimately improve user experience. It will also give you the opportunity to temporarily disable push notifications - a tool that could be helpful during a big test or an important meeting.

Although there is some concern that this decision could backfire and reduce usage of Facebook and Instagram, the companies have chosen to move forward with it since so many users have requested this feature. The companies hope that this will help users feel more in control of their relationship with social media. Acknowledging the potential loss of users' attention, Ranadive described this as, "...something that’s important for the community, and something we want to invest in.”

Plus, given how some social media habits can have a negative effect on your mental health, it doesn't hurt to be in the know about what your online vices are. 

If you aren't interested in learning how much time you spend on social media, or don't want Facebook and Instagram to have access to this information, don't despair —the feature is entirely optional. But hopefully most users will consider trying it, and see how much of a difference setting limits on social media can make in their lives.