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University Of North Carolina Students Bring Down Silent Sam Confederate Statue

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Over 250 students and demonstrators knocked down a Confederate statue at the University Of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Monday night. 

Since the deadly rally in Charlottesville, VA one year ago, several Confederate statues have been called to be removed. The Silent Sam statue was erected in 1913 and built to honor Confederate soldiers in the Civil War, according to Huffington Post. 

Students, faculty members, and residents surrounded the statue and were faced with counter-protesters, some of whom were wearing Confederate flag shirts and were arguing with student protestors. According to Huffington Post, there were no reports of any physical violence. 

The statue came down at around 9:20 p.m. Student paper The Daily Tar Heel reported that protestors used a rope to pull the statue down

“Next up, Charlottesville!” a protestor shouted as the statue fell. 

The monument had long been a target of protest. UNC doctoral student Maya Little was arrested for covering the monument in red ink and blood back in April. The Raleigh News & Observer reported that Monday’s student protest started as a rally for Little, who faes criminal and honor court charges. According to the newspaper, it “quickly morphed into a march...to the UNC campus, where police officers stood at the monument.”

According to CNN, the university has rejected all requests to remove or relocate Silent Sam because of state law. They even spent $390,000 on security for the statue, according to the News & Observer. North Carolina and many other southern states have built laws to protect Confederate statues. A law was signed by then Governor Pat McCrory in 2015 to prohibit local governments from removing any “object of remembrance” on public property that “commemorates an event, a person or military service that is part of North Carolina’s history.” 

“It’s time to build monuments to honor those who have been murdered by white supremacy,” Little told the crowd, according to The Daily Tar Heel’s twitter. “It’s time to tea down Silent Sam. It’s time to tear down UNC’s institutional white supremacy.” 

UNC has released a statement calling the protesters actions as “dangerous” and vandalism


WH Counsel Reportedly Calls Trump 'King Kong' Behind His Back & Of Course It’s a Meme Now

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On Saturday, The New York Times reported on White House counsel Donald F. McGahn II’s interviews that detailed President Donald Trump’s reaction to the Russia investigations among other things. 

The detail that the internet latched onto, however, was the information about Trump’s nickname behind his back. According to people close to McGahn via the Times, the counsel called the president “King Kong” in reference to Trump’s explosive anger. 

The internet, of course, ran with this. 

Trump tweeted defending his relationship with McGahn saying that he allowed Gahn to “fully cooperate” with the Special Counsel throughout the investigations while referring to the investigation as a “witch hunt.” 

The Second Part Of Obama's Summer Reading List Is Here & You’ll Want To Drop Everything To Read Them All

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Former President Barack Obama finally dropped the second half of his summer reading list on Facebook and shared more about his love of books on Sunday. 

“One of my favorite parts of summer is deciding what to read when things slow down just a bit,” Obama said in the post. “This summer I've been absorbed by new novels, revisited an old classic, and reaffirmed my faith in our ability to move forward together when we seek the truth.”

The list includes:

  1. Educated by Tara Westover which Obama calls “a remarkable memoir of a young woman raised in a survivalist family in Idaho who strives for education.” 

  2. “A meditation on the lingering effects of war on family,” titled Warlight by Michael Ondaatje 

  3. A House for Mr Biswas by Novel Prize winner V.S. Naipual about "growing up in Trinidad and the challenge of post-colonial identity.” 

  4. An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, a book that portrays “the effects of a wrongful conviction on a young African-American couple.” 

  5. Factfullness, a “hopeful book about the potential for human progress when we work off facts rather than our inherent biases,” by Hans Rosling. 

In comparison, CNN compiled a list of books that President Donald Trump has recommended via Twitter in the last year.

These books include former White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s debut novel, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner’s memoir and Gregg Jarrett’s The Russia Hoax: The Illicit Scheme to Clear Hillary Clinton and Frame Donald Trump

Happy reading whichever way you go! 

Victoria Moroles Discusses Her Role in 'Down a Dark Hall'& Working With A Mostly Female Cast (Exclusive Q&A)

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If you've seen Disney Channel's Liv and Maddie, you're probably familiar with Victoria Moroles. Her latest role as Veronica Diaz in the supernatural horror film, Down a Dark Hall, is pretty much the opposite of what she's used to—but that's the beauty of acting. Victoria proved her talent by taking on a role as emotionally and physically taxing as Veronica Diaz, but you must see the film in theaters or on demand to experience it.

Her Campus had the pleasure of speaking with Victoria about embodying such a dark character, working with a predominantly female cast and practicing self-care on and off set. 

*Warning: Spoliers ahead*

Her Campus: You portray Veronica in Down a Dark Hall, who seems like a mean girl, but as you watch the film, you learn that Veronica might be using her mean girl façade to cover up her vulnerabilities. What was it like portraying Veronica through all her character development, including her possession later in the movie?

Victoria Moroles: I think throughout the film she realizes that she would rather protect the other girls. She was used to the position of being thrown under the bus or being caught first for things she was doing wrong. When this time comes, she actually makes the decision, not for the sake of her getting in trouble like she always does, but for the other girls.

HC: Have you learned anything about yourself from playing Veronica?

VM: It was definitely super challenging for me. I think I learned my capacity for the kind of physical things my character went through. I'd never done anything like it before. Just learning where my level is up to and growing in that way was new. I also learned to trust myself more. Veronica was a character that I felt really connected to and loved a lot. I loved being in her world, and I think it wasn't so much working on the actual character but trusting myself in the work I had done.

HC: The film features empowering women, portrayed by an even more empowering cast of actresses. What was it like working on a film that predominantly featured women? And how did you work to support each other between takes, practices and even off set?

VM: I think when you're surrounded by women there's a mutual respect and understanding. We all felt very supported by each other, and we all had very emotionally taxing characters. Experiencing the transition that the characters go through was something we all went through as actors. I think a mutual understanding of us just being around each other and knowing that there was that support was really comforting. Having all of the girls around also taught me about leadership and how to stand up for myself within my artistry and personal life as well. There's something about the non-threatening leadership that surrounded everybody, and it was very encouraging to be doing the best that we all could be doing. I've never worked on a project with that many women before, so it was definitely the first of many more because I enjoyed it.

HC: Veronica is one of the only two characters who make it out of Blackwood alive. If the film had hypothetically continued, where do you hope Veronica’s journey would take her?

VM: I hope that her and Kit's relationship would grow. She's the only one who didn't really get to find her gift. She didn't take a lot of the schooling seriously, so you never get to see her talent or social skills. She's kind of a loner and doesn't really know where she lies. I think it would be interesting to see her relationship grow socially with Kit and to see what she's into and what her past would be.

HC: Since Down a Dark Hall follows the premise of the novel, how did you work to put your own spin on your character Veronica?

VM: My character is actually an added-in character from the novel. She was never written in.

HC: Do you have any favorite or most memorable memories with your castmates?

VM: I can't even choose a favorite. My most memorable experiences are getting to explore a city and an environment that we all had never been in before. Also, getting to travel to certain locations that were all new to us and soaking them up as a whole group together was amazing. The shared experiences are something that only you can hold onto as individuals. I think that the most memorable thing for me was being in a new environment and being able to share it with all of the cast and crew.

HC: Since working on set can be immensely stressful, do you have any self-care practices that help you de-stress between takes?

VM: I meditate before and after I work. It's a ritual to get in and out of a character, especially with Veronica, because taking that home with me was something I was thoroughly watching because it was a very dark place she was always in. Music therapy is also super beneficial for me. I create playlists and am always listening to music. There's probably nothing better that gets me to the places I need to be and to be comfortable and be in my own zone. I try not to be too hard on myself as well. I think for a lot of people who work on something that is disassociated from their personal life, it's hard to detach from that. I practice non-attachment.

HC: If you were suddenly able to talk to or gain the insight of a notable creator, scientist or artist, who would you choose?

VM: Definitely my uncle. He was a granite sculptor and passed away about four years ago. I think if I was to gain the insight now, it would be awesome to talk to him. He was always someone who I wanted to get creative and artistic advice from because he had both a successful career and a very hardworking career. I've always wanted to ask him but was never able to, so he is someone I'd definitely look to for insight.

5 Tips to Achieve Your Goals This Year, As Told by Some of Your Fave Celebrities

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Let's be honest: setting goals is the easy part, but actually achieving them? Now that's when it gets tricky. Especially if you, like many others, made New Year's Resolutions then after a few weeks, threw it aside thinking you could just do it next year.

Whether you're trying to get a 4.0 GPA or land that dream internship, here are a few tips from your favorite celebrities to help you reach your goals.

1. "Make sure that when you set your big goals, you’re setting little ones in between to get you there.”

This tidbit of advice during a TigerBeat interview from gold medal Olympian Laurie Hernandez is important especially when it comes to goal-setting. If you immediately make big goals, such as getting a job right after graduation, it may be difficult to achieve them if you don't create smaller goals to help you hit them. You wouldn't climb a staircase with only one step, right? It'd be much easier to get to the top of the stairs if you have smaller steps that will help you get there.

In that case, by creating smaller goals to help you reach your big goal, such as getting internships and attending networking events, it will be less overwhelming if you work towards your goal step-by-step.

2. "The reality is, sometimes you lose . . . And it happens when it needs to happen. And you have to embrace those things."

Beyoncé couldn't have said it better. In her "Self-Titled: Part 2. Imperfection" video, Queen Bey shares how fear prevents us from moving forward, and that by embracing the inevitable, it will be easier to achieve your goals without the fear of failing.

Failure is a part of life, and it's impossible to work towards your goal without stumbling once in a while.

3. "Anything that took me out of my comfort zone I was going to do it, if asked to do it."

In an interview with NPR, Shonda Rhimes, the award-winning television writer and producer behind some of your favorite shows, like Grey's Anatomy and How To Get Away With Murder, shared her experiences on how she liked to stay in her comfort zone—that is until she had a life-changing conversation with her sister and sparked her "year of yes."

Getting out of your comfort zone is difficult, but sometimes you're going to have to get out there if you want to achieve your goals. Want to intern at your dream company? Reach out and schedule an informational interview with someone who works there, even if the idea of it seems daunting. Doing something out of your comfort zone will help you grow and ultimately achieve your goals.

4. “When faced with sexism or ageism or lookism or even really aggressive Buddhism, ask yourself the following question, ‘Is this person between me and what I want to do?'”

Comedian and writer Tina Fey definitely had it right. When working towards your goals, don't let anyone discourage you. Maybe it's because some family members think it's "impossible" for you to become an actress or a "friend" thinks you'll never make it on the track team. There's always going to be someone who will stand in your way—just don't let it stop you from working to reach your goals.

5. “You can’t do it alone. As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration.”

In a 2011 Harvard Commencement speech, comedian Amy Poehler addressed the importance of leaning on others. It's certainly possible to go through life relying solely on yourself but sometimes, it's better if you get a little help from others. 

Though there will be people who are quick to laugh at your goals, there will also be those who will be there to support you. Those who believe in your dreams and aspirations may even be some of your biggest cheerleaders as you strive to achieve your goals.

4 Myths You Shouldn’t Believe About College

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Going off to college is full of uncertainties, but one thing is for certain: you’ve probably heard some myths about the college experience. At Her Campus, we think you deserve to know the truth. That’s why we’ve discovered some myths collegiettes heard when they were going off to college, and now we’re going to correct them, once and for all.

1. Professors will try to embarrass you

We’ve all heard those stories about professors who go out of their way to embarrass students, but let’s just put that to rest right here: most professors aren’t out to get you.

“Of course there are some scary ones just like high school has some scary teachers, but more professors are wonderful because they’re teachers who actually treat you like adults,” says Iesha Ismail, a senior at the University of Florida. “They’ll share their passion for their area of study unabashedly and they genuinely enjoy talking to students about complex topics (which doesn’t happen too often in high school). Go to their office hours, talk to them after class, don’t be afraid to get close to them because they (can be) incredible role models.”

There will undoubtedly be professors you don’t like for one reason or another, but it’s true that most of your professors aren’t going to be like that. Plus, if you find that you’re not vibing with one of your professors, you can try to switch into another section or take the class the following semester when a different professor might be teaching it.

2. Your grades will fall

College is definitely difficult, but that doesn’t mean you won’t rise to the occasion. Madeline McInnis, a senior at Wilfird Laurier University, says that she was told that it’s normal for your grades to drop 10 to 15 percent from high school to college.

“This myth is totally untrue,” she says. “If you put in effort and schedule your time properly, there’s no need for your grades to drop, and they might even go up! High school grades don’t matter at all beyond getting in, so you have a whole new reputation to build and uphold. As long as you can adapt, you can be super successful.”

Don’t let people scare you and your grades with this myth because, like Madeline says, your success is totally up to you.

Related: How to Narrow Down Your College Application List So You Won’t Have Regrets

3. Professors aren’t going to put with this behavior

One of the biggest myths we heard from our high school teachers was that professors wouldn’t put up with this behavior, whether that behavior was talking out of term or turning in an assignment with bad handwriting.

Savannah Seymour, a sophomore at Eastern Florida State, says, “(High school) teachers always say ‘they aren't going to put up with this behavior in college’ or ‘they'll be a lot harder on you once you're in college’ when in reality college is much more laid back than high school was.”

Not to say that college isn’t hard, but professors generally aren’t trying to make life harder for you than it needs to be, so no worries here.

4. College is a totally fresh start

College is the beginning of a new chapter, but it’s not necessarily a completely fresh start, particularly if you’re going into college already knowing people. Claire Caviglia, a senior at the University of Denver, went to college out-of-state and says she went in thinking that everyone else was starting over completely, too. “That didn’t ring true, especially since so many people do go to school in-state or with people from their community,” she says. “I’m still close friends with my freshman year roommate and hallmates, but it was jarring at first to realize that people already had friend groups before the first day. But never fear, everyone eventually settles in and finds her/his group!” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Going off to college is full of uncertainties, but fight the urge to worry about all of the little things. You’ll find professors you love, make friends that will last a lifetime and be on your way to an amazing career after (or sometimes even before) those four years are said and done. Everything will be okay. 

Missing College Student Mollie Tibbetts' Body Has Reportedly Been Found

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Authorities have announced that the body of missing University of Iowa student, Mollie Tibbetts, has been found. As covered by Her Campus, the case of the 20-year-old, who went missing over a month ago, had shaken the public nationwide and had also brought residents in the small town of Brooklyn, Iowa together to search for the college student -- but to no avail.

According to the Des Moines Register, “thirty to 40 investigators have worked on the case each day.” Authorities had combed through buildings as well as open spaces in Brooklyn and her family even set up the Finding Mollie Tibbetts Facebook Group. Authorities had also turned to Mollie Tibbetts’ social media as well as her FitBit to try to find clues to her whereabouts.

Although a body was found earlier on in the investigations, it was found to belong to another woman, Sadie Alvarado. Mollie Tibbetts' father, Robert Tibbetts, had made claims earlier in the investigation that he believed his daughter to be alive. A statement from the college student's father on this latest piece of news has not yet been released. 

Police reported that the body was found in Powshieck County early Tuesday morning; however, officials have not yet determined whether the body does belong to Mollie Tibbetts.

Further details were shared in a news conference on Tuesday, August 21st. According to CNN, after watching hours of home surveillance video, authorities found clues that were able to lead them to a suspect. The suspect, Cristhian Bahena Rivera, an undocumented immigrant, lead authorities to a leaf-covered body in a cornfield on Tuesday. 

After examining the clothes at the scene and interviewing Rivera, authorities arrested the 24-year-old man and filed first-degree murder charges against him.

At this time, it is unclear why Rivera killed Tibbetts. 

“I can't really speak to you about the motive,” said Rick Rahn, special agent in charge at the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. “I can just tell you it seems that he followed her and seemed to be drawn to her on that particular day and for whatever reason he chose to abduct her.” 

According to court documents, Rivera said in his interview with law enforcement that Tibbetts pulled out her cell phone and said she would “call the police” when he approached her, making him angry. 

Shawn Neudauer, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said the agency sent a detainer request to local authorities on Tuesday for Rivera, who is from Mexico.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said she “spoke with Mollie's family and passed on the heartfelt condolences of a grieving state.”

“I shared with them my hope that they can find comfort knowing that God does not leave us to suffer alone. Even in our darkest moments, He will comfort and heal our broken hearts,” Reynolds said.

An autopsy to determine how and when the woman died is set for Wednesday. 

Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty to Illegal Campaign Contributions 'At the Direction of a Candidate for Federal Office'

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Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a federal court in New York, admitting that he made illegal campaign contributions and acted to keep harmful information regarding a candidate from becoming public during the 2016 election “in coordination and at the direction of a candidate for federal office.”

The name of the “candidate” was not revealed in court or in the criminal information charging document, but Lanny Davis, one of Cohen’s attorneys, said Cohen “testified under oath that Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime.”

According to CNN, the counts against Cohen include tax fraud, false statements to a bank and campaign finance violations tied to his work for Trump, including payments he made to women to silence and prevent them from making their alleged affairs with the then-presidential candidate become public.

Although both of the women are not named in the plea deal filed in court, the campaign finance violations are associated with Cohen’s hush money agreements with Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, who both claimed to have had affairs with Trump, ABC News reports.

In the document, Cohen is identified as the personal attorney “to Individual-1, who at that point had become the President of the United States.”

via William Farrington

The document states that Cohen made a contribution to “Individual-1” and “did so by making and causing to be made an expenditure, in cooperation, consultation, and concert with, and at the request and suggestion of one or more members of the campaign, to wit, COHEN made a $130,000 payment to Woman-2 to ensure that she not publicize damaging allegation before the 2016 presidential election and thereby influence that election.”

Cohen had arranged a nondisclosure agreement with Daniels, and paid her $130,000, for which Cohen was charged with making an excessive campaign contribution, since the payment was made in service of the campaign and exceeded the federal limit.

Regarding McDougal, Cohen and a CEO of a media company “worked together to keep an individual from publicly disclosing” information that would have been harmful to a candidate, adding that the individual received $150,000. According to CNN, American Media Inc. paid McDougal $150,000 in 2016 for a contract that, in essence, silenced her claims of an affair with Trump.

“In or about August 2015, the Chairman and Chief Executive of Corporation-1 (“Chairman-1”), in coordination with MICHAEL COHEN, the defendant, and one or more members of the campaign, offered to help deal with negative stories about Individual-1's relationships with women by, among other things, assisting the campaign in identifying such stories so they could be purchased and their publication avoided,” the criminal information says. “Chairman-1 agreed to keep COHEN apprised of any such negative stories.”

“I participated in this conduct for the principal purpose” of influencing an election, Cohen said.

The charges against Cohen also included his failure to report $4 million in income, according to the criminal information filed against him, resulting in his avoidance of $1.4 million in taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service.

Cohen also pleaded guilty to making false statement to a bank by understating his debt in order to secure loans to buy property.

“There is no allegation of any wrongdoing against the President in the government's charges against Mr. Cohen,” Trump’s current attorney, Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is clear that, as the prosecutor noted, Mr. Cohen's actions reflect a pattern of lies and dishonesty over a significant period of time.” 

Davis, Cohen’s lawyer, responded to Giuliani’s statements, saying, “Michael Cohen took this step today so that his family can move on to the next chapter.”

“This is Michael fulfilling his promise made on July 2nd to put his family and country first and tell the truth about Donald Trump,” Davis added, referring to comments Cohen made in a special interview with ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos.

“Today he stood up and testified under oath that Donald Trump directed him to commit a crime by making payments to two women for the principal purpose of influencing an election. If those payments were a crime for Michael Cohen, then why wouldn't they be a crime for Donald Trump?” Davis said.


How She Got There: Caroline Vazzana, Founder and Author of ‘Making it in Manhattan’

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Name: Caroline Vazzana
Job Title and Description: Fashion writer, editor and stylist, social media influencer, and author
College Name/Major: Albright College with a dual major of Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising
Website:Making it in Manhattan
Twitter Handle:@CVazzana 
Instagram Handle: @cvazzana

With the 20th anniversary of Sex and the City (SATC), we’re all looking for the next Carrie Bradshaw to give us the fashion and career inspo that we’ve been missing in our lives. As an expert fashion industry professional, Caroline Vazzana has worked for publications like Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and InStyle. Since working, writing and editing for a myriad of magazines, Vazzana has founded a fashion and lifestyle website, Making it in Manhattan. Most recently, Vazzana has channeled her industry expertise into her first book Making it in Manhattan: The Beginner’s Guide to Surviving & Thriving in the World of Fashion, which helps guide other aspiring professionals through the fashion industry. Published by Skyhorse Publishing on Aug. 21, Vazzana’s book has already received praise from Betsey Johnson, Christian Siriano and Nicole Miller—and we’re confident that her book would be Carrie Bradshaw-approved as well.

To help us celebrate the 20th anniversary of SATC, Vazzana shared some of her advice about making it in the fashion industry.

Her Campus: So what does your current job entail and I know you have to look outside of ourselves this can be a long one?

Caroline Vazzana: I mean I definitely do a lot, which is so fun because no two days are the same and it’s never boring. I’m a fashion designer and I write for my site, Making it in Manhattan, and I started that back in 2016 when I was still working full-time at InStyle magazine. So, on a given day I could be writing for that or meeting with my writers and managing editor and planning the editorial calendar. I could be styling something specific for the site and editing content. I’m also a social influencer on Instagram. I’m also working with a lot of different brands on campaigns and brand collaborations. On any given day, I could be out and about shooting. I shoot pretty much every day, which is pretty fun. And I write so much, especially with my book. I’m always running around the city meeting with different brands and different designers. And I do styling as well for some small clients. I’ve been styling more so before I started my whole career as an influencer. I was styling young celebrities. But it’s funny. As I see my career change and the transition I’m in right now, I find more so that I’m styling myself. So, brands will approach me to be in a campaign, and I’ll ask them, ‘What do you want me to wear?’ And they tell me ‘we want you to style yourself, because you have a very unique sense of style, so we want you to dress yourself.’ So, editing, writing, styling, appearing in images, so I do a wide range of things.

HC: That’s amazing that it just goes full circle because you’ve styled so many celebrities and other influencers, and, now, you’re working to style yourself. You’re basically your own stylist.

CV: Yeah, it’s really interesting. I never thought that it would come to this, like ‘oh no, Caroline, now you’re using what you learned as a stylist to style yourself.’ It’s really fun actually. Sometimes, when I have red carpet events and stuff like that...I had one this past fall where I was really, really dressed up in black tie, and I was actually featured on Vogue.com for best dressed. And I had people asking me, ‘Oh, who styled you? Do you have a stylist?’ And I was like, ‘No, I just dressed myself.' So it’s really fun.

HC: What is the best part of your job?

CV: I think the best thing is just the freedom—being that I’m my own boss and I get to do so many different things, no matter what it might be. I didn’t really have total freedom-freedom, I just really pushed myself. I think sometimes when you’re working for a bigger brand, sometimes you might have a really creative idea but sometimes you have to pull yourself back a little bit, or hold back a little bit because it might not be on-brand for what the company is doing. With what I get to do, I get to fully push myself and be so creative all the time, which I really love.

HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

CV: My first job right out of college, I worked at Teen Vogue. At first, I was hired as a part-time assistant actually in the marketing department. The way I went about getting it was when I graduated, I just was so determined. I knew that I wanted to work at a magazine, so I was applying everywhere and anywhere. I had figured out what the email format was at the time for Condé Nast. So, I just kept buying magazines and emailing every single person in the masthead. Or I was going on LinkedIn, and I was looking up who worked at Teen Vogue and just emailing all the people there. Selena, one of the people I found on LinkedIn, and I emailed her. She, who later became my first boss, got my resume, and not everyone had answered so far but she was one of the people that did. When I’d emailed her, I had emailed her with all my certificates and everything. The summer before that, I had been an intern at Marie Claire magazine, and she was an intern at Marie Claire as well—but not the same summer. So we never met and never overlapped, but because of my resume, she immediately looked at it and was like, ‘Oh this girl interned at Marie Claire too. I know what a good experience that is, and how much you really learn working there.’ So that’s why she emailed me back. In her email, she just wrote, ‘Thanks for reaching out. We both interned at Marie Claire.’ She told me there was nothing open at the time, but she’d be in touch if something arises. A lot of people say that, so you don’t want to get your hopes up too much. But I was like, ‘Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.’

Then maybe a month later, I refreshed my inbox and, funny enough, had an email from her. There was an opening for a part-time assistant who’s going to be in the marketing department to help out with Teen Vogue’s back-to-school Saturday events. It was these fashion shows that Teen Vogue used to put on at different malls, so they needed someone to pretty much coordinate all of the fashion shows and all of the travel for the editors that were attending the shows and stuff like that. I was so eager. I was like, ‘I will literally do anything.’ I wanted to work at a magazine, especially within Condé Nast, so bad that I’ll mop the floors--I’ll do whatever. So, I emailed back, and I was like, ‘Yes. I’d love to come in. I’ll be there.” And we had the interview, and then the when had the second interview. In the second interview, I met with her boss. In the interview, I said something to her like, ‘I could literally start tomorrow if you need me.’ Just to make sure she knew that I was extremely available and extremely eager. Maybe an hour after I left the interview, I got a phone call, and they said, ‘Okay. Can you start tomorrow?’ The rest is really history. I did that job for maybe two months, and then a position opened to be the assistant to the fashion director. I really wanted to work in the fashion department--that’s where my heart was and everything. So I was eager and I went and interviewed for that job within the company. It was definitely easier now that I had already been in the company. I went and I interviewed for that, and I ended up securing that position and working as her assistant. So, both of those were kind of my first jobs out of school.

HC: That’s incredibly inspiring that basically your hunger for being in the industry drove you to get that opportunity.

CV: Yeah, I literally knew no one. I had absolutely no connections. No one in my family has ever worked in fashion. I don’t have an Aunt or an Uncle or a neighbor. I knew absolutely no one. I just wanted it so badly that I knew, whatever I had to do, I was going to do it to make it happen. Looking back, I’m really thankful that I was so driven and persistent. In the moment, I didn’t really think about things like that. I just thought, ‘This is all I want.’ And it was that passion that really helped me land the job.

HC: Do you have any words of wisdom for college students that they can apply to during their own dream career search?

CV: From my own experience, I’d say stay persistent, don’t give up, don’t get discouraged. I know it can be very hard and stressful and even heartwrenching when you go through the interviews, and you don’t get the job. I think it’s so important not to give up, not to get discouraged and not to give up on your dreams. There’s a saying that the moment you’re about to give up is right when you’re about to get that big break sometimes. So, just stay with it. I always also say that ‘no’ just means not right now. No isn’t a final answer. Say you’re applying for a job at Vogue, and you go through the interview process, then they come back and they’re like, ‘No, we’re going in a different direction.’ But within a year’s time, you’re going to have more experience and you’re going to have better knowledge of the industry. So, if you go back and you apply for another job within the company, they could end up hiring you. So, no just means not right now. I even apply that to what I do now with brand collaborations and partnerships and things like that. I think that’s something to really keep in mind as you grow into your career. It’s important to know that a company might say no to you now, but in a couple of months or even a year that brand could be paying you for a partnership. You just really never know.

HC: Do you have any words of wisdom or advice from past bosses or mentors that you find most valuable?

CV: I guess I have two pieces. One is from one of my old bosses at Teen Vogue. She didn’t actually say this to me, she said it to one of my coworkers. It was when one of my coworkers, who was an assistant and had just gotten promoted to an editor, and she was very overwhelmed at first because she was still trying to do her old assistant duties and take on her editor duties. My boss went up to her and was like, ‘You’re an amazing person. You’re a great worker, but to be a good boss, you need to learn how to delegate work.’ That’s something that, even now in my career, I’ve always held onto because I think it’s really so true.  As a boss, you need to know what’s most important for you to be focusing on. Even if you’re an assistant and you have an intern, that’s a good way to look at it as well. You need to think what’s most important for you and what can you trust someone else to do that you can just oversee. I think that’s really important in terms of time management and things like that.

Another great piece of advice that I’ve held onto with me forever is actually something that my sister once said to me. It was when I was, I think, a sophomore in high school, and I used to be very introverted and shy. I was never really super outgoing in high school, but I used to be far shy. One time I was talking to my older sister, and she was so outgoing and had so many friends, and I asked her, ‘How can I be more outgoing like you?’ She just said to me, ‘Well, think about it. What do you really get out of being shy? You don’t make new friends. You don’t have new experiences. What do you get out of it?’ And it really stuck with me to push myself to be more extroverted and to push myself to get out of my shell. I even apply it now to networking because I think a huge part of my job is networking. Sometimes I’ll walk into an event where I literally know nobody, but I make it a point to try to meet new people and to talk to others and network. I think that’s something that really stuck with me. I think that anyone can really hold onto this even as they’re going into college as a freshman or starting a new job or even if you’re about to go into high school. Just think and try to break out of your shell. Try to meet new people. You never know what interaction with one person could lead to. It could lead to a job down the road. That’s just something that I tell people. I love that piece of advice.

HC: Definitely. I think that’s very applicable to different stages in life and as well as different vocations, like you said.

CV: I think that really goes across any career. I think that really can apply to anything.

HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

CV: I’m very like, my mistakes are what led me to where I am now--I always think like that. Even if I made a mistake or mess something up, I try to say that’s what led me to where I am now. If I had done one thing differently in my past, I might not be here. So, I try not to think of anything as a mistake. If I could maybe go back and refocus something, it would maybe go back it would be maybe to start learning and focusing on social media and digital sooner. I really did not know the impact it would have on our industry. I remember, I downloaded Instagram. I was an intern and I was 19-years old, and I just thought it was some fun tool to just share images of friends. So, I didn’t really view it as this business marketing tool. I kind of wish that I had sooner. Who knows? It could’ve helped propel my career further. Then again at the same time, everything happens for a reason. You’re where you are because you’re supposed to be there. I try not to focus on it too much.

HC: That’s a good motto to live by, I think, with a lot of things. What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

CV: I definitely think there have been many different moments. One recently, that has been like a really pinch me this cannot be real moment, is when I was working with my publisher to gather all of the endorsements for the back of my book. You’re supposed to reach out to people you’ve worked within the industry, people who know you and people who like you to just write an endorsement on why you should read this book. The endorsements we ended up getting from people I’ve worked with and people I’ve maybe just rubbed shoulders with, we got endorsements from people like Betsey Johnson, Nicole Miller, Cynthia Rally, Iris Amsel, Christian Siriano, just to name some of them. It was really so surreal to me. I just feel so humbled that these icons in the industry support me, and they want to see me succeed, and they support Making it in Manhattan. It really means so much to me. I’m so thankful for all of them. That’s been a really surreal moment because when I was gathering the endorsements and now that I look back at them, if my sixteen-year-old self could see this, she would just drop to the floor and pass out. I really am so humbled and so shocked by it all.

HC: It’s like a form of nostalgic success.

CV: It feels very, very surreal because I’ve wanted to work in this industry since I was ten, and I’ve loved fashion since forever. Even with certain designers, I can remember going on YouTube and watching their fashion shows. Betsey Johnson was really an idol of mine and why I wanted to go into this industry. And I have a close relationship with Betsey now. It’s things like that that are really so surreal. Also being involved in the influencer space, it gives me that opportunity to meet these people. If I was in a more corporate setting, I wouldn’t get the opportunity as much to rub shoulders with and meet all these incredible people.

HC: What do you look for when considering hiring someone?

CV: I look for someone who is okay working in a city that’s more fast-paced, in a little bit of a hectic and non-traditional environment. The assistant I have now, we just hired some summer interns and one thing I tell her to make sure that they’re aware of is that there’s really no set schedule. There’s no 9 to 5. There’s no black and white outline. We have a general outline of what we need to be doing, but as an influencer, a writer and a fashion person in New York City you never know what every single day can bring. So, I look for people who are hard workers who are proactive and take things upon themselves because I can only be in so many different places. If I have people on my team, who are thinking of things before I even think of them, it’s so helpful. I’m looking for people who are go-getters, people who are outgoing and ready to network and people who want to learn I think are so important too. I think that there’s a lot to be learned in this industry. I feel like, personally, I’m learning every single day. Just to have an intern who’s sincere and excited to learn is important. Just the ability to wear many hats is really important because you’re going to be doing many different things.

HC: I know the industry that you’re in, in general, changes with that drop of a hat. It’s better to be used to having a chaotic schedule so to speak.

CV: Literally just be ready for anything. Be flexible. It’s the night before I text you and I’m like, ‘Hey, I need you to cover an interview the next day or something like that.’ I think having someone who’s flexible and able to do so is really the greatest.

HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?

CV: I think every single day the industry is changing so much for influencers and editors alike. There’s really no rule book anymore. There’s no outline. I feel like in the old days, if you wanted to be a professional fashion editor, you did an internship, you did maybe several internships, then hopefully you were hired as an assistant and then you could move up. I think that old, traditional way is kind of gone. Nowadays, you just need to be ready to work really hard and come up with a unique idea. I think in terms of creating a blog or creating a website or building your Instagram, before you can start you should find your message and find your voice. Who are you and what do you stand for? I think that’s so important to think about before you start because there are so many amazing women out there who are beautiful and are well dress and who are already killing it in the field. If you’re going to start and get your foot in there, you need to ask yourself, ‘What am I going to bring to the plate?’ And then just being persistent, being creative, and not giving up will help because it’s very fast-paced what we do, but it’s so fun.  I have to pinch myself every day because this is my job and this is my career. So, be ready to work really hard, but also try to enjoy it as much as you can. I posted something yesterday on my Instagram—a reflective post about how so often in like we get caught up in the ‘what’s next’ rather than just enjoying the moment. You have to be ready to work hard and everything, but enjoy the journey, enjoy the ride and enjoy the adventure.

HC: What's the one thing that's stood out to you the most on a resume?

CV: On a resume, I first of all look for someone who has relevant experience, who’s maybe done a similar internship or even someone’s who’s held a job at a retail store or has even written for an online magazine or an online website, even a smaller one. I’m not saying they have to have written for Vogue or something. I look for someone with relevant experience. I also love a clean resume. Having worked in the editorial work, we love clean resumes...ones that you can just pull up, and there’s some nice white space. The information is easy to read. There’s good type font in front of you. For me, I’m not really going to judge anyone just from a resume. I like to, if I can, have an in-person meetup or a phone call. I love to hear someone’s voice and to hear their mannerisms. You only have maybe ten minutes in an interview, but I think someone who comes across as positive and passionate those two things that are really big to me.  Positivity and someone’s who’s passionate about this industry and who’s passionate about what I’m doing and my brand is really huge to me and will help determine if I’ll maybe hire you or not.

HC Wake-Up Call: Paul Manafort Found Guilty, Facebook Removes Accounts Linked to 'Inauthentic Behavior' in Russia, Iran & GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter Indicted

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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.)

Paul Manafort, Trump’s Former Campaign Chairman, Found Guilty on Eight Counts

President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was found guilty on eight counts on financial crimes, but jurors were unable to reach a verdict on another 10 counts, with the judge declaring a mistrial on those counts.

According to CNN, Manafort was found guilty on five charges of tax fraud, one charge of hiding foreign bank accounts and two counts of bank fraud. Manafort now faces a maximum of 80 years in prison.

via Getty Images

While landing in Charleston, West Virginia on Tuesday, Trump said that Manafort’s conviction has “nothing to do with Russian collusion” and criticized special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation for reaching this point.

Manafort had been charged with 18 counts of tax evasion, bank fraud and hiding foreign bank accounts.

Prosecutors said Manafort collected $65 million in foreign bank accounts from 2010 to 2014, and spent $15 million on high luxury purchases, and alleged that Manafort lied to bank in order to obtain $20 million worth of loans. Manafort was also accused of hiding foreign bank accounts from federal authorities and taking loans from Federal Savings Bank after one of its executives sought a position in the Trump campaign and administration.

“Mr. Manafort lied to keep more money when he had it, and he lied to get more money when he didn't,” prosecutor Greg Andres said during closing arguments. “This is a case about lies.”

"Mr. Manafort is disappointed of not getting acquittals all the way through or a complete hung jury on all counts," Manafort’s attorney, Kevin Downing said. “However, he would like to thank Judge Ellis for granting him a fair trial, thank the jury for their very long and hard-fought deliberations. He is evaluating all of his options at this point. Thank you everyone.”

According to CNN, Manafort still faces another set of criminal charges in a federal court in Washington D.C. for failure to register his foreign lobbying and for money laundering conspiracy related to his Ukrainian political work.

Facebook Removes Accounts Linked to 'Inauthentic Behavior' in Russia, Iran

Facebook announced on Tuesday that it “removed multiple pages, groups and accounts” linked to “inauthentic behavior” on its platforms, including actions originating from Russia and Iran, ABC News reports.

“These were distinct campaigns and we have not identified any link or coordination between them,” Facebook said in a statement. “However, they used similar tactics by creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they were and what they were doing.”

“We ban this kind of behavior because we want people to be able to trust the connections they make on Facebook,” the statement continued. “And while we're making progress rooting out this abuse, as we've said before, it's an ongoing challenge because the people responsible are determined and well funded.”

“There is always a tension between taking down these bad actors quickly and improving our defenses over the long term,” Facebook said. “If we remove them too early, it's harder to understand their playbook and the extent of their network. It also limits our ability to coordinate with law enforcement, who often have investigations of their own.”

Nathaniel Gleicher, head of cybersecurity policy at Facebook, said the social media giant is working with U.S. law enforcement on this investigation.

Following Facebook’s announcement, Sen. Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, said in a statement that “this is further evidence that foreign adversaries are actively using social media to divide Americans and undermine our democratic institutions.”

“I've been saying for months that there's no way the problem of social media manipulation is limited to a single troll farm in St. Petersburg, and that fact is now beyond a doubt. We also learned today that the Iranians are now following the Kremlin's playbook from 2016,” Warner said in his statement. “While I'm encouraged to see Facebook taking steps to rid their platforms of these bad actors, there's clearly more work to be done.”

Facebook, Twitter and Google executives are set to answer more questions from the Senate Intelligence Committee at a hearing on September 5, ABC News reports.

Twitter also announced late Tuesday that it had removed 284 accounts “for engaging in coordinated manipulation.”

GOP Rep. Duncan Hunter Indicted

U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter and his wife were indicted on Tuesday on charges of improperly using campaign funds for personal use.

A grand jury in San Diego indicted Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hunter, on charges of filing false campaign finance records, finding that the Hunters misused more than $250,000 worth of campaign funds for personal use, including paying for their children’s tuition, The Huffington Post reports.

The indictment also details that the Hunters tried to hide these personal charges by labelling charges for dental work as a donation to a charity called “Smiles for Life” and other charges as fundraising event expenses.

Hunter had blamed his wife, who acted as his campaign manager, for the improper charges. Previously Hunter told Politico in an interview that if he had improperly used campaign funds, “it was an accident and [he] paid it back.”

via Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

According to HuffPost, the California Rep. had repaid his campaign more than $60,000 earlier this year for the improper charges stemming back to 2015, but the FBI had extended its investigation to charges dating back to 2009.

“The goal of the conspiracy was for Duncan Hunter and Margaret Hunter to enrich themselves, and others at their direction, by converting campaign funds for their own personal benefit and enjoyment,” the 47-page indictment says. “The Hunters knew that many of their desired purchases could be made only by using campaign funds, since they did not otherwise have sufficient personal funds to pay for their purchases.”

The five-term congressman representing San Diego County had previously echoed President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the Justice Department, calling it “corrupt, answerable to no one.”

“I call on this Congress to root out all the corrupt lawyers and bureaucrats in the DOJ and the FBI so the greatest president of my generation can do the work that the American people duly elected him to do,” Hunter said.

What to look out for…

It looks like the PSL will be back starting August 28th, and I’m so ready for sweater weather to begin.

Your Bagel-Obsessed Friend Can Get This Everything Bagel Pool Float For Just $13

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Unique pool floats in every shape, size, and color have been the hottest accessory this summer. And the trend doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon. As summer comes to a close, it is time to squeeze in those the last few Insta- shots.  I say go big or go home. The bigger the better, because oversized pool floats are where it is at. What better way to become Insta-goals than on top of an everything bagel pool float. 

This everything bagel pool floatie is literally everything! This fun pool float literally looks legit with poppy seeds and cream cheese smooshed in the middle. You can look and feel toasty while you’re bathing in the sunshine. The bagel is perfect to show off your summer glow and best vibrant bathing suit in your Insta shot. There is even a hole in the middle for you to place yourself in. 

The 48-inch inflatable is made by Swimline and available on Jet.com. It is the worst when your go-to pool float pops, so luckily this everything bagel is made with some heavy-duty vinyl. 

 

 

According to Bustle, if you buy a bunch of products on Jet, the price will decrease.

The bagel floats are $12.94 each, and if you get one for your bagel-obsessed friend, the price goes down to $12.29.  If bagels don’t appeal to you, the brand also makes other pool floats like an ice cream float or a pizza float. So you can pretty much get as many floats as you want for a seriously epic group shot! 

It seems to me that ~aesthetic~ pool floats are unstoppable and will be here for some time. 

How to Make the Most Out of Being Single AF

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This article has been syndicated from She Bold, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here

Ladies, you're probably familiar with how dating goes. Going out on dates, getting to know the other person, learning about their likes and dislikes, then becoming an inseparable item. Relationships move forward in one of two ways — becoming a successful, lifelong partnership, or eventually leaving you once again with that "single" status. After being single for a bit, you begin to heal and feel ready to get back out into the dating world, starting the whole cycle once more.

Although it's great to get back into the dating game, it's also an amazing feeling to come out of that dreadful love cycle and give yourself some you time. Being single might not seem as poetic or romantic as being in a relationship, but "dating yourself" AKA giving some time to be your ~single self~ can be so beneficial in the long run!

Get to know yourself

Learn what you like and what you dislike. When you are in a relationship, especially one that isn't quite good for you, it's easy to get stuck in your routine and forget about exploring your own interests. Don't be afraid to take some time out and try out some new passions and hobbies. 

Figure out your goals

Just like you have goals in a relationship with someone else, you also have to have goals for yourself. Do you want to learn how to love yourself more? Do you need more confidence in yourself? Find out what you are missing and plan out what you need to do to bring these goals into your life.

Take yourself out on a date

There's absolutely no shame in taking yourself out on your own perfect date. Break out that perfect date night outfit or pick the perfect makeup look and treat this like you would a regular date. Where have you been wanting to go out? Want to go to that trendy restaurant that you've been dying to eat at? Want to see that movie everyone's talking about? Treat yourself right and just go for it.

Take care of yourself

Spend some alone time just for yourself. Get a massage, get a mani/pedi, take a nice long bath, read a book, or throw on your fave Netflix movie. Don't forget to take care of your body by exercising, eating healthy, meditating — whatever works for you and makes you happy.

Take a risk

Get into the risk-taking mode, whether it's taking up a new yoga class, baking a new recipe, or volunteering somewhere new. Or, if you're really feeling daring, face your fears. Try zip-lining, skydiving, or anything that pushes you out of your comfort zone.

Read the full post here

Turns Out A Lot Of Students Who Drop-Out Of College Are Actually Super Close to Graduating

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TV shows and movies tend to portray college drop-outs as students who never tried. A new study by Civitas Learning has shown, however, that nearly one in five students who do not graduate have completed 75 percent or more of the credits needed for a typical degree. In other words, a large number of the students who do not graduate were only a semester or so away from completing their college degree. 

In a study of 53 partner institutions (30 community colleges and 23 four-year universities representing more than 300,000 degree-seeking students), Civitas found that at four-year institutions, around six percent of non-completing students had finished 90 percent of their credits; at two-year institutions, more than 15 percent were over the 90 percent threshold. Many of these students are transfers. 

According to data collected by the Community College Research Center at TC at Columbia, only 42 percent of community college students who transfer actually earn a Bachelor's degree. A large part of this is due to a lack of support for first-time or transfer students in universities. 

The University of Texas at Arlington. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

“Students have to be college ready, but colleges have to be student ready, especially for the students of today, who…have a lot of different kinds of wants and needs,” Mark Milliron, the chief learning officer at Civitas told VOA News.

One school trying to increase its number of graduates is the University of Texas at Arlington, a four-year research institution that offers the largest nursing program in Texas. In 2017, according to Civitas, the university targeted 294 nursing students who only had one or two credits left, but were at-risk for dropping-out. The school created an email campaign aimed at these students with information on graduation and enrolling in the summer term. All but one of the 294 students either graduated or enrolled for the summer. 

5 Dorm-Friendly Ways to Be Vegan

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This article has been syndicated from Hey It's Camille Grey, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here

When I headed to college, I was already vegan for a whole year. I had a bit of knowledge on the subject under my belt, which helped quite a bit. But, I was still nervous about keeping my diet healthy and it took some time to adjust, but I was able to find a ton of ways to stay vegan in college!

Whether it's researching what your on-campus dining facilities have to offer or getting a little creative with dorm cooking, being vegan while living in a dorm is honestly super doable. Here are some of the easiest ways that an on-campus student can stay vegan. 

1. Find campus nutritional info

I would be willing to bet that almost all campuses have an online website where you can find the nutritional info and ingredients for all the meals served on campus. If you have trouble finding it, try searching through the dining section on the campus website. Before I left for college, I wrote down a huge list of everything I could eat. This made it so much easier when I would go out to eat with my friends. I didn’t have to hold up any lines by asking if there was dairy in a meal or not. I kept that list on my phone so I could access it at any time. This is one of the easiest ways to be vegan in college while living in the dorms!

2. Stock up on snacks

I personally always kept a gigantic bin of snacks in my dorm room. There were many times that the only things open late at night were the junk-food places on campus. I kept a bunch of healthy (and junk) snacks so I would always have food on hand. 

I also had a mini fridge, where I would store snacks like hummus and veggies that were super yummy and convenient. Because a mini fridge is, well, mini, it can be hard to store a lot of fridge-only food if you are sharing it with a roommate or two. I tried my best to stock up on food that didn’t need to be refrigerated, such as bananas, apples and avocados.

3. Make your own food

Depending on where you live, you may not have access to a kitchen. If you do, take advantage of it! I made a lot of my own meals in the kitchen. Our kitchen was shared by over 600 people, but you would be surprised how few times I had to wait to use it. I could almost always quickly make something whenever I wanted. When you do get the chance to make something, double or even triple the recipe so you have leftovers. I had containers full of leftovers to get me through the week.

I made oatmeal most mornings of college. It was really easy to add oats, almond milk and some toppings to create an entire meal that kept me full for my morning classes. You can always make overnight oats if a microwave isn’t an option for you!  

If you don’t have a kitchen nearby, see if you are friends with someone who does. Maybe one of your friends lives off campus and doesn’t mind you borrowing their kitchen for an hour (you can always entice them with your yummy food).

4. Buy a blender

A vegan’s best friend is usually their blender. I always kept spinach and frozen fruit in my mini fridge to make smoothies at any time. Check to see if your campus allows blenders in the dorms and if they do, make sure to add it to your packing list. You can blend up soup, smoothies, banana ice cream, cashew cheese, and so much more. 

5. Find vegan cafes nearby

This tip is way more fun than the rest. Sometimes you just feel like eating out at a vegan place. Most times, college campuses don’t have those, so you will need to go off campus. During finals week, I would hit up some local vegan cafes to study and treat myself to a yummy meal. Every once in a while, it’s nice to have someone else cook a meal for you. I did this a couple times throughout the school year.

Read the full post here

Speak Wines Messages On A Bottle Are The Perfect Pick-Me-Up For Your BFF

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Friends are quite possibly the most vital part of our lives. No joke. They help us deal with stress or help us make some wise life choices. They give us a shoulder to cry on at our lowest. They celebrate life when it is good. Friends are our essential hype man. And sometimes you want to give your friends a special gift to cheer them up. If you want an original, out-of-the-box gift to perk up your bestie, Speak Wines has wine bottles with the most adorable and motivational sayings ever. 

Speak Wines was created by two best friends, Stephanie Fasi and Kerry Sutherland, who both enjoy the power of words and a good glass of wine, according to the website. The two begin with the quality of the wine, to which they say is super important. All of their wine is outsourced from Argentina. 

“The extraordinary characteristics of the Argentinian wine regions include high altitudes in the Andean foothills, excellent sun exposure with moderate temperatures, and pristine mountain water for irrigation. Because of this, the grapes result in a prized fruit that has long been recognized as the highest-quality,” according to their website. 

The delicious wine is then bottled and packaged with a message for a personal touch. 

“Since 2012, Stephanie and Kerry have been curating quotes and phrases from around the world that inspire them personally, and that they believe will speak to customers,” the website said. 

Each bottle is perfect for special occasions, everything from weddings to dinner parties to birthdays. It even has perfect options for your BFF, whether that be to motivate them, cheer them up, or make them laugh. Here are some cute AF examples for you: 

Love You More Wine is the perfect gift when your friend needs some love in their life.

 

She Believed She Could Wine...to let your bestie know you always believe in them and that they are capable of so much.

 

Let’s do this, ladies. 💪#internationalwomensday

A post shared by Speak Wines (@speakwines) on

 

Laughter Is The Best Medicine Wine because there is nothing more healing than a good laugh.


How Gloria Steinem & The Lipstick Lobby Are Empowering Incarcerated Women

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When you think of Gloria Steinem, “beauty influencer” isn’t typically the first thing that comes to mind. However Steinem is entering the beauty industry head on in a powerful collaboration with The Lipstick Lobby.

Lipstick Lobby is most commonly known for philanthropic efforts through – you guessed it – lipstick! The social justice beauty brand has created several different shades in support of organizations like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, but this month, they’ve created something new targeted towards raising visibility for incarcerated women. 

 

We are honored to announce the launch of our newest shade #INTHECLEAR. Our mission has always been to stand up and fight for women. All women. It’s a sad reality that thousands of incarcerated women are locked up and often forgotten about once in the system, defined by their past and usually unprepared for their future. We rarely get to hear their stories, their struggle, and the unique perspective they bring to our world. The Lipstick Lobby is lucky to partner with @gloriasteinem and the @unprisonproject to help change that. 100% of net profit from this nourishing Vitamin E lip balm benefit the UnPrisonProject to provide incarcerated women with resources for a successful future. Join the fight and shop yours today from the link in bio! #INTHECLEAR #StandforALL Special thanks to our photographer @katepowerslovesyou, our Creative Director @kellyhillstylist, and our Creative Producer @jrhproduction for being on this journey with us. Thanks to the crew @danibob, @davidastyles, @annamonomaniac, @bertillenoiret, @kevintvu and @penumbrapics, @fualbert, @andreszz, @robertmassman, @estebanaladro, @lukaszpukowiec, @oliviasnyderspak, @dblok22, @savannahholte, @_sierramin, @ayakudomua, @theoriginalheatherhero, @castpartner and @merielday.

A post shared by The Lipstick Lobby (@thelipsticklobby) on

Together, Steinem and The Lipstick Lobby have launched In the Clear, a clear lip balm intended to raise money and awareness for the unPrison Project (a non-profit dedicated to educating women in prison with foundations necessary to restart life post-sentence). According to Refinery29, this lip balm represents the importance of clarity throughout life after incarceration, but most importantly, this shade represents the thousands of women imprisoned in America made to seem “invisible” to society. All proceeds raised from sales will go directly to the unPrison Project to fund programs that aid in self-discovery, personal wellness and healing, and education and literacy. These programs are crucial in the empowerment of inmates, and insures that they have the opportunity to make the most out of life after prison.

Who would’ve thought that just one little lip balm could represent so much? This collaboration is an incredible opportunity for beauty enthusiasts and activists alike to focus on raising awareness for this significant population. So, the next time you walk into a Sephora ready to dump a ton of cash on the latest and greatest lip tint, think about how you can do your part in aiding thousands through Lipstick Lobby purchases. 

You can get your own balm for $19 now and learn more on the unPrison Project on the organization's website.

Isabelle Fuhrman Talks 'Down A Dark Hall,' Ghosts & Empowering Women (Exclusive Q&A)

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Warning: this article contains spoilers.

Whether we’re fascinated with them or mortified by them, we enjoy a captivating ghost story. From our childhood favorite, Casper, to ghastly tragedies like Crimson Peak, we’re all shamelessly (or maybe shamefully?) obsessed with supernatural films. However, we’re even more obsessed with eerie books turned cinematic reincarnations. In one of her latest films, Down a Dark Hall, Isabelle Fuhrman portrays a teen who’s sent to Blackwood Boarding School to help work on her behavior and school work. During her admission, she and the other young women find that they’re being possessed by exceptionally gifted spirits.

Given her past roles in The Hunger Games and Orphan, Isabelle isn’t a stranger to suspenseful scenes or scary films. After spending the last two summers at the Summer Shakespeare Program at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Fuhrman talked to us about her upcoming suspenseful film—based on the titular gothic novel of the same name—ghosts and working with empowering women and empowering people in our own lives.  

Her Campus: You portray Izzy in Down a Dark Hall, who is being posessed by the spirit of a mathematician. After the initial setup of the film, Izzy and the other four girls work together to attempt to leave the Blackwood Boarding School.  If you were in Blackwood, how would you work with the other characters to convince them of what was happening and ultimately escape?

Isabelle Fuhrman: Well, I think that's what makes AnnaSophia’s character [Kit] so interesting, because we're all kind of in different stages of being possessed by these different characters. She's the only one that is somehow able to see through it all, you know. I think that she does a really good job of kind of recruiting us sort of one by one, in terms of how she's seen everything move, and talks to each of us—though it's just a little bit too late for some of the other girls. In the end, I think Izzy is alright when Kit gets to her, but by the time by they're about go, Izzy’s just too far gone.

HC: Absolutely. I think that's really interesting, like you said, that everyone's at a different point in the journey to kind of show how each of the girls are affected by the spirits.

IF: Yeah. I think the reason why we're the ones that are selected is because we are troubled and we're missing a certain piece of something in our lives. Then, we come to this place where we're told that we're special, and this is the piece that has been missing is Blackwood. I think everybody wants to feel like they have a purpose on the planet. I think that's what I was really attracted to with the characters and script and the story was that all of these girls kind of go to this school in a very Girl, Interrupted way. We all have our own troubled past and we all kind of come together in this place where we're told that we're special, but we really find that with each other.

HC: I like that you all find that through yourselves, too. It's this very dynamic growth between the characters. So was mathematics one of your favorite subjects in school? Or was there a different subject that was your fave and how do you hone that passion in your life now?

IF: You know, English was one of my favorite subjects. I was always really good at math. It was really funny because when the props department was writing up all of the math stuff, I remember reading through it and was like, "None of this makes sense. Like this isn’t real. This is that theorem and that doesn’t make sense." I did really good in school, especially in high school. So, I ended up taking my own notebooks and filling [the board] myself. And a lot of the stuff you saw on the wall and the props were just a copy from my notebook. I did a lot of math while I was in the movie.

HC: That’s amazing.

IF: Definitely brought me back to high school.

HC: Are you going to be taking up math as a hobby now in your spare time?

IF: No. Though it’s funny because I realized how much you forget when you aren’t practicing something every single day. You don't realize how far you've gone, you know? And the basic math you do on a day to day basis, you know. I don’t do a lot of math on a day to day basis. But when I went in, I remembered parts of it and part of it making sense or parts of it not. I actually had my mom send me my textbooks, and I was writing everything and doing all these math problems. I was like, "Gosh, I’m really out of practice." I used to be able to do these so quick. Now, it’s taking forever.

HC: Oh, it’s definitely a humbling experience, but it shows you how much high school and teachers really taught to you.

IF: Yeah, I know. I gotta shout out all my teachers.

HC: Since Down a Dark Hall follows the basic premise of the novel, even with the changes and adaptations in the film, how did you work to put your own spin on your character?

IF: What I think is really cool with our director Rodrigo Cortés is that he had such a clear idea from not only the set as a whole and the art design, and the direction and when he went in to edit the movie, but everything down to our wardrobe and who our characters were. I think you work with directors sometimes who’re finding things and everybody has their own process, and I've never worked with someone that, you know, I could tell he was seeing the movie in his head. So, the book was something that he told us we could read, but the script is very different from the book. He was like, "You guys can read it to find out more about your character, but I want you guys to, for the most part, ignore it because we're telling this story, which is what's on the paper in front of you."

I think that was a really great thing to have, and I think the book is a great thing to have as a backup to just go back and say, okay, this is who this person is. But it was really great to just go by the script and what we were working on day to day. All of us just become very close friends, but we always talked about how our characters' relationships were to each other. That was important in how we all felt, and how they took the leap, and how they differentiate. Because you bring five people together in a school, and it was really small class people and you hope that everybody gets along, and these girls don't really connect with each other because they're all kind of in their own sort of thing, until midway through the script. So we wanted to make sure that we understood why. Sierra, which is Rosie Day’s character, came from a completely different life than Victoria Moroles’ character (Veronica), then Kit kind of fell somewhere in between. My character, I always felt like, was somebody who grew up in a house that was probably very wealthy, and she was somebody that wanted attention and probably did bad things for that reason. But Izzy is a very strange girl. I think we all wanted to feel like outsiders, in our own way, so that way people could relate. I think everybody goes through stages, especially when you're in high school when you feel like an outsider in your own peer group, and we wanted to show not only that these girls are, but they can still work together and find common ground.

HC: I think that's beautiful because it revitalizes the book and the original premise of it in a unique way that's empowering. Since the film features empowering women, portrayed by an even more empowering cast of actresses, what was it like working on a film that predominantly featured women?

IF: It was so, so, so much fun. It was funny though because Rosie was the only person that I didn’t have a script read with because she was in London. But I've known AnnaSophia for years, and we had met each other many, many times at different meetings and auditions and that sort of thing. When I went into chemistry read, we were all in a group together: Taylor, Victoria, AnnaSophia, and I, and then there was another actress who was reading for Rosie’s part at the time who was in America. And we all chemistry read. I remember when we left, I think we all had the same feeling that we were all getting this part together because we just really connected in a way that I couldn't even describe. I think sometimes we just meet people, and you’re just meant to connect.

When I got off the plane in Spain, we went to dinner that night and I met Rosie. The minute I sat down at the dinner table, the first thing that came out of AnnaSophia’s mouth was, "What do you think about being the Spice Girls for Halloween?" And I was like, "We’re definitely going to get along." We spent so much time together. Working in a foreign country, when you're not with your family, and all we really had was each other, we really bonded. I genuinely have so much love for every single one of them. And we still keep in touch. I think oftentimes you work with people and say you’re going to keep in touch with them, but you don’t see them all the time, but we absolutely have. I’ve seen them so many times, just because I think we just all really love each other and we became a family.

HC: I think that chemistry really reads well on screen. And I think that's amazing that you're all supportive of each other, even off-screen.

IF: Well, it's funny because I think when you work in this industry, you’re auditioning for projects all the time. And what we found very funny—which you don’t notice because typically when you audition for stuff, you’re just doing it on your own—but we were in a foreign country where we didn't have anybody that we could read with, so we would chase each other for our auditions and we were all auditioning for the same stuff. We were all laughing about how different we all are and how there’s no way that one of us would get a job that the other one could maybe possibly get because we’re all so different. I think it's just brought us together in this really special way.

I think it made all of us realize something about our industry, which is that everybody is just looking for what they want, and even though there is a lot of production a lot of the time in the film industry, it’s really fun and interesting to know that everybody is so different and we're not all the same. Being in these different roles, we all have completely different attitudes, different look, but we're all going out for the same project. I think we found it funny this idea of competition. When people ask and they’re like, "It is like going out and competing for roles." It's not a competition. You meet people and sometimes they like you and sometimes they don’t. And I think we all found a lot of comfort in each other.

HC: I think that's amazing, especially with the different spin on the entertainment industry. Like you were saying, it's more of a relationship than a competition, which I think is a beautiful comparison.

IF: I think there's always some stigma that women are competitive with these things, and I find that the women in my life bring me up the most and support me the most—and I do the same. Nothing makes me happier than when a friend gets the job, even if I auditioned for it, because we all get to share and celebrate that. It's a really exciting time, and I think that everybody will have their time and everybody will have their moment. It's just such an unbalanced sort of thing that it's more important to stand by each other, love each other, and support each other. I think being in a cast that’s so female-centric, we all thought, "This is awesome that we get to work together and not only that, but also grow in our lives together for the rest of our lives, and be friends with each other and watch our careers grow, too."

HC: How would you personally define women empowerment?

IF: I think I would define female empowerment probably just what I said, with empowering the women around you to just do the things that they want to do and just be there for them. If you can’t help in any way, try supporting them. Even in just general, people in general, should do that for each other. I mean, it’s a big world out there, and it’s getting smaller and smaller at the same time. So I think that we all have to support each other and be there for each other and celebrate peoples’ highs, and be there for them when they have their lows. I think that I feel the most empowered by my female friends. I can call them and tell them anything and I know that they wish the best for me and want the best for me. And I want the same for them. I think that female empowerment is just bringing up the women around you and being there for them and being a part of the world of women that is now pushing forward and kicking ass and taking names. I just think it’s awesome.

Down A Dark Hall is currently in theaters.

A 'Crazy Rich Asians' Sequel Is Reportedly Already In The Works & I'm So Excited

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The buzz for Crazy Rich Asians hasn’t died down one bit since the film’s release—in fact, Variety reports that Crazy Rich Asians topped the box office with a $35 million five-day opening. The box office numbers reveal, much like the numbers Black Panther and Girls Trip did, that people are hungry for diverse stories and casts, as pointed out by The New York Times.

The box office numbers also allow for some exciting news: Crazy Rich Asians is getting a sequel!

 

Thank YOU for making #CrazyRichAsians the #1 movie in America!

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According to NBC News, director Jon M. Chu will return for the second film—considering how well he did with the first one, we can’t wait to see what he comes up with. Most of the original screenwriters and producers will also be coming back for the sequel.

It’s unclear how closely the sequel will track with China Rich Girlfriend, the second novel in Kevin Kwan’s original trilogy upon which the films are based. Rather than focusing on Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and her boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding), NBC News reports that the second film will mostly be about Nick’s cousin Astrid (Gemma Chan), who was a supporting character in Crazy Rich Asians. More specifically, Astrid’s relationship with Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr. of Glee and Shadowhunters fame) will take center stage. In Crazy Rich Asians, Charlie only appears in a mid-credits scene, though Entertainment Weekly reports that other scenes with him were filmed and later cut. Perhaps Chu thought Charlie and Astrid deserved a bit more space to tell their story, and what better way to do that than with a sequel?

It’s probably going to be quite a while before we get any more details on the second film, but I already can’t wait. The impact of Crazy Rich Asians has already been felt, and the more films like it that are made, the better.

Lauren Jauregui Claps Back At Tiffany Haddish's Fifth Harmony Diss & I Can Feel That Burn

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The 2018 MTV VMAs aired Monday night and there never seems to be a dull moment, honestly. From Kanye and T-Swift to Miley Cyrus and a foam finger, you never know what you'll see when major musical acts join together to win some awards. This year, as per usual, there was some shade thrown—but a clap back quickly followed so get ready, this story is wild.

Tiffany Haddish presented with Kevin Hart during the show and while giving her bit, she decided to call out Fifth Harmony—and not in a good way. "Camila Cabello is here nominated for 5 awards. So those of you watching at home… Hiiiiii Fifth Harmony!" Girl, what happened to women supporting women, huh?

Lauren Jauregui was just as confused as I am and took to Twitter to address the little jab at the girl group, who broke up not too long after losing Cabello as a member. "Waiting for the day when supporting one successful dope woman does not mean insult other successful dope women. There is energy and space for us all to beautifully coexist and bless the world with our individual truths, stories and talents," Jauregui tweeted. Yes, Lo, you couldn't be more correct.

 

We love a good clap back. Thankfully, it wasn't the only one. Nicki Minaj had something to say at the awards show when she went up to get her award for Best Hip Hop. She was sure to mention one of 5H's former members, Normani Kordei, who collabed with Minaj on her album, saying, "Don’t be coming for Fifth Harmony because Normani is that bitch!" LOL, Nicki is so easy to love. I'm glad someone stood up for the girls on their behalf right away. 

Regardless of your opinions towards Fifth Harmony, you gotta admit the shade was a little harsh. We all should lift each other up and be there for support when others are succeeding in any way. I'm stoked for all the ladies in music killin' it right now, you're amazing.

Idris Elba Won't Be Playing The Next Bond After All & It Proves You Can Never Trust A Rumor

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The buzz about Idris Elba possibly playing James Bond has been building for over a decade, but sadly, it looks like he won’t be stepping into the super-famous role any time soon—or ever.

Elba, while on the “yellow carpet” at the premiere of his new film Yardie, was approached by a reporter from Good Morning Britain who offered him a martini, Bond’s signature drink.

“We just wanted to know whether you liked it shaken or stirred,” she said.

Elba was clearly not going to take the bait, as he responded, “Stir-fried, actually.”

And when asked if he was going to replace Daniel Craig as 007, he left no further room for rumors: “No.”

According to PEOPLE, Elba had tweeted, “Don’t believe the HYPE” this month already, seeming to have grown tired of the swirling rumors.

 

 

I’m sure so many people are disappointed by this news, since people have been hoping for years to see future James Bond actors who, uh, aren’t just white men. But if Elba won’t be taking over the franchise, some people have already set their sights on other contenders—Jimmy Fallon, for example, suggested that Henry Golding be next to step up to the plate.

I, like many others, would have loved to see Elba in Bond’s shoes, but it looks like it wasn’t meant to be. Now that that’s settled, who do you think should play the next James Bond? Let us know in the comments!

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