Quantcast
Channel:
Viewing all 25628 articles
Browse latest View live

OMG Vine is Back, With Its Successor Launching Spring 2019

0
0

After mourning over the loss of Vine, it looks like the much loved short, looping video app is back. Well, sort of. Vine creator Dom Hofmann announced on Twitter Thursday that the video hosting platform’s successor is set to debut in spring 2019, and we could not be any more excited.

According to Hofmann’s announcement, Vine 2.0 will be called “Byte.”

In the announcement, Hofmann wrote that he had been working on a “new looping video app” and that it will be “launching spring 2019.”

We don’t have too many details about the new app, besides its name and logo. Although, it does have a Twitter and Instagram account already (@byte_app), TechCrunch reports. From the sound of things, though, it seems like the new app will function similarly to Vine, with short, looping videos.

After Twitter acquired Vine in 2016, the social media platform ultimately shut it down due to declining user engagement, Buzzfeed News reports. Vine’s cofounder Rus Yusupov blamed Twitter’s mishandling of the company as the reason for its demise.

Considering the insane outpouring of grief when Vine shut down, it makes sense why people are so excited about the debut of Vine’s successor. Hofmann’s announcement sent waves of excitement, with fans posting hilarious jokes and celebrating that “Vine lives.”

Fans have also been coming up with names for those that will use Byte, and what the app’s glitches and complications will be called.

Others even begged Hofmann to let them beta test the app early.

Either way, this is some pretty exciting news. And until we find out more information about Byte, we’ll be viewing our most favorite Vines.


Sarah Hyland Is Having A Baby…On ‘Modern Family’ That Is

0
0

This new season of Modern Family has been keeping viewers on their toes with all of its unexpected twists. Just mere episodes after we had to say goodbye to Claire's mom, DeDe Pritchett, (played by Shelley Long), the popular show introduced a shocking new plot for Sarah Hyland's character, Haley Dunphy — she's pregnant

Here's what went down during Wednesday's episode: Haley and Dylan (played by Reid Ewing) went to a carnival and, in an effort to show how mature they were since Haley was accused of having Peter Pan syndrome, the two decided to drive some bumper cars. Because, as we can all agree, driving bumper cars is definitely something a mature adult would do. In an unfortunate accident, Dylan bumps Haley's bumper car as she was reapplying her lipstick, and the lipstick tube accidentally gets stuck in her nose. The couple goes to the hospital to get Haley looked at, and during some routine hospital tests, it was revealed that Haley had a bump — a baby bump that is!

You can see a clip of the whole bumper car accident below: 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Watch out for those bumper cars 😳 📷: @sarahhyland #ModernFamily

A post shared by Modern Family (@abcmodernfam) on

 

This may not come as a such a shock to avid viewers because Sarah had already hinted at the baby news. Sarah told The Hollywood Reporter two weeks ago that there was a "bigger thing than the death" coming up for her character, adding that "It was a shock, that’s for sure." Her costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson also added to the hint, telling The Hollywood Reporter: "There’s a major thing happening this season. It’s beyond…I think you'll be surprised."

In an Instagram post, Sarah also told fans to "buckle up" because the episode was "gonna be a BUMPY ride!"

This baby news has got me all excited! Be sure to catch Modern Family on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. 


'Fantastic Beasts' Actor Ezra Miller Shares His #MeToo Story

0
0

As part of The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Gen issue, the magazine spoke with Fantastic Beasts actor Ezra Miller about his rise to fame in Hollywood and how he identifies as queer — but most importantly, Miller shared his own #MeToo story, which he had never shared before.

When Miller was a teen, he moved with his book publisher father and dance instructor mother to Hoboken, New Jersey, where he began to take the train to Manhattan for auditions. Miller was cast in the late theater director Elizabeth Swados’ Broadway show Runaways. During its run, the actor was given a business card by a “creepy reptile manager, who shall remain unnamed,” who eventually directed him to director Antonio Campos, and he landed the lead role in the film Afterschool. He eventually landed his role in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which propelled him to becoming one of the most sought-out actors by studios.

In talking about his experiences in Hollywood, Miller shared his own #MeToo moment, a personal experience that he hadn’t shared before.

“They gave me wine and I was underaged,” the actor shared, recalling the encounter with an unnamed director and producer. “They were like, ‘Hey, want to be in our movie about gay revolution?’ And I was like, ‘No, you guys are monsters.’”

“It’s a great f—in’ age of being like, ‘You know what? That sh‒t’s unacceptable,’ And it’s amazing for a lot of us to watch. ‘Cause, like, we all knew it was unacceptable when we fucking survived it,” Miller added. “That’s what Hollywood is. I thought we all knew we were sex workers.”

Hollywood’s warped hierarchy, according to The Hollywood Reporter, deeply upsets Miller, as he is dissatisfied with how powerful men in the film industry are “f—in’ up the world.” Miller was enraged by how director Lynne Ramsay, who he describes as “the greatest director alive,” was treated by producers and financier’s after being released from the 2015 western Jane Got a Gun.

“Powerful men, they don’t know how bad they want to submit to a woman, a feminine power, but they should,” Miller said. “I advise they do it immediately because they’re f—in’ up the world.”

Miller had worked with Ramsey on the film We Need to Talk About Kevin.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Miller has often been cited as the first non-heterosexual film superhero. When asked about how he has long identified as queer, Miller said, “Yeah, absolutely. Which is to say, I don’t identify. Like, f‒ck that.”

“Queer just means no, I don’t do that. I don’t identify as a man. I don’t identify as a woman. I barely identify as a human,” Miller added.

You can read Miller’s full interview in The Hollywood Reporter’s latest issue.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospitalized After Falling at Supreme Court Office

0
0

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital after fracturing three ribs from a fall in her office at the Supreme Court Wednesday night.

The court announced Thursday morning that Ginsburg, 85, went home after her fall, but experienced discomfort overnight. The justice went to George Washington University Hospital, where it was discovered after some tests that she had fractured three ribs on her left side, Politico reports. She was admitted to the hospital for “observation and treatment.”

It is unknown as to how long Ginsburg will remain in the hospital, but she was unable to attend Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s investiture ceremony on Thursday morning. Kavanaugh had already assumed official duties after being confirmed by the Senate following an intense confirmation process riddled with sexual assault allegations. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were present for the investiture ceremony.

Ginsburg is one of four liberal-leaning judges on the Supreme Court, including Justices Stephen G. Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. With Trump’s successful nominations of Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, the court has shifted to the right under the Trump administration.

Ginsburg has had a few health concerns in the past. According to Politico, in September 2009, the court announced that the justice had been hospitalized after reporting lightheadedness and fatigue following an iron infusion carried out at the doctor’s office at the Supreme Court. She had been receiving anti-anemia treatments. Earlier that year, she was hospitalized for pancreatic cancer surgery, and court statements showed that doctors found two growth on her pancreas, one benign and one malignant.

Ginsburg, also lovingly referred to as Notorious RBG, has developed quite a reputation for her toughness, mostly due to her rigorous personal training sessions at the Supreme Court exercise room. In fact, according to the law project Oyez, the justice has never missed a day of oral arguments.

The Supreme Court justice has also been tough in her fight for gender equality in the workplace. Starting out as only one of nine women in her Harvard Law School class, she became the first woman to become a tenured professor at Columbia University Law School, and went on to become the co-founder of the Women’s Right Project at the ACLU, a group that fought for the equal treatment of both genders, ABC News reports.

She became the second woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court after being nominated in 1993 by former President Bill Clinton.

When news of Ginsburg’s fall broke, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters on the White House lawn that she wished Ginsburg a “full and speedy recovery.”

“We are praying for her and we know how tough she is. I’ve known her for many, many years,” Conway said.

How Much Should You Tell Your BFFs About Your College Applications?

0
0

College applications. The very phrase can trigger an explosion of stress and excitement, anxiety and anticipation. For some, the search for the perfect school is a fun, match-making-esque process, but for others, it’s a sea of essays, transcript requests, financial aid packets and the occasional overwhelming wave of not feeling good enough.

Sounds like the perfect time for your best friends to swoop in and reassure you, right?

Not so fast. While it’s awesome to have a support group like your BFFs ready to give you advice, remind you how awesome you are, celebrate your victories and comfort you in your failures, the college application process is extremely personal.

Keeping the personal private

For one thing, applying to schools and ultimately picking the one that’s best for you is your decision and yours alone. It’s personal, sometimes emotional, and often something people choose to keep private. Seniors in high school are already so stressed with figuring out their future that talking about it can actually just add to the overwhelming load. Clare Kenney, a sophomore at Marquette University, agrees that it’s a personal decision and should be treated as such, so friends may not have a primary role.

“I think they can provide support especially if you don’t get into a school you wanted to go to, but other than that, I think it is kind of a personal process and your friends shouldn’t help you determine what schools to apply to and which schools you shouldn’t,” she explains.

It’s completely up to you to decide how much you want to share with your friends. Sometimes less is more when it comes to sharing academic and financial details. Clare took a more cautious approach when it came to sharing information about her college application process. One primary reason was the sheer stress associated with it, because sometimes it seems like college is the only thing seniors in high school, their parents and their teachers want to talk about.

“I would say I was more quiet when it came to the college application process mainly because there was so much pressure and it was a constant topic of discussion with my parents,” she says. “So with friends, I just wanted to talk about anything other than applying to college.”

Claire McHugh, a sophomore at the University of Dayton, also avoided the topic because it was discussed almost everywhere else.

“I felt like that was the only thing my parents would talk to me about as well as teachers and counselors,” Claire explains. “I preferred not to talk about with my friends.”

In the same way most people prefer to keep their business and personal lives separate, it might be beneficial to keep academics at a distance from personal relationships. Plus, talking about college all the time just ends up making the stress worse.

Selectivity insecurity

The selectivity of colleges can also play a major factor in how much information you choose to share. For some, there’s a risk of running into a potentially uncomfortable situation of telling everyone their dream school and then not getting in. Clare applied to mostly selective schools, so while she would tell her close friends what schools she was applying to, she avoided going into detail about which she preferred.

“I never really gave my opinions on if I liked one over the other just because of the pressure of getting in and everything,” Clare says.

Meg Thompson, a sophomore at the University of Kansas, agrees the selectiveness of schools can determine how open people are while applying.

“I think friends' involvement just depends on what kind of schools you're applying to,” she says. “For me, I wasn't applying to that many competitive colleges, so people assumed I would get in. I never ran into a situation where someone asked if I got into my dream school and I had to say no. If I had applied to more selective schools I probably would have shared that with one or two best friends for moral support, but kept it mostly quiet.”

If you're applying to more selective schools and feel uncertain about your chances, you don’t have to share every single school you're applying to. At the same time though, applying to selective schools and not getting in isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You should take pride in striving to get into the best school you can, and if you feel comfortable, letting people know that you're driven to do your best. Whether you end up at that reach school or not, you took a risk and that’s nothing to be insecure about.

Related: 7 Things College Admissions Officers Don’t Tell You

Push to the (competitive) edge

In addition to the pressure and uncertainty of acceptance, sometimes discussions about college can bring out a more competitive side and strain friendships. For some reason, if you see a school’s acceptance rate is 25 percent, you feel like it’s between you and the three other people from your high school and only one of you can get in. Cue the competitive pressure.

“I did not talk with my friends about applications too much just because sometimes that kind of thing can get uncomfortable and kind of competitive in a way,” Claire says. “I think it is just the way teenagers going through the college decision process are wired [and] always on edge.”

It can also depend on your friends’ personalities. Some might be very open about everything, so a big decision like college is naturally going to be shared among them. For others, a group might not be as tight knit or small so people don’t necessarily feel comfortable sharing. Conversations, group texts and Snaps may be filled with other topics completely unrelated to college applications.

“All in all I don't think it was the personality of our friend group to talk about that kind of thing,” Claire adds. “For example, I could not tell you what anyone's college essay was about.”

Since people are often looking for “the perfect fit” when it comes to schools, that can mean friends are looking for completely different qualities in a college because they value different things when it comes to education and student life. It’s likely your friend group is made up of people from a variety of academic levels and extracurricular interests, so it might be disheartening to talk to your Ivy League-bound bestie and hear her reference your reach school as her backup. One person’s reach is another person’s safety school.

Picking you up when you're down

However, friends are also a key component of your support system. When you’re confronted with feelings of inadequacy, wondering if you’ll ever find a college right for you or if you’ll get into your dream school, they are there to build you up.

“Friends are a super great tool when it does come to college application time because it's oftentimes difficult or awkward to think of positive thing a to say about yourself or to think of good ideas of what to write about for a college essay,” says Kat Mediavilla, a sophomore at Kansas State University.

Who knows you better than your best friends? They can give helpful insights about schools you’re on the fence about and offer their perspectives on where you might fit in best. It might even be helpful to have them read through your essays to make sure you actually sound like you. Friends can remind you of who you are during a time when it’s easy to lose sight of yourself among the numbers that are supposed to define you, like grades and test scores.

In the end, it’s completely your decision with whom you’ll share sensitive information. Be cautious with how much you opt to share, but don’t be afraid to reach out for help if you need it. Friends support one another, and if it’s a strong relationship, petty things like competition and insecurity shouldn’t come between lifting one another up.

10 Holiday Beauty Vaults for When You Really Want to Treat Yourself

0
0

The holiday season always gets us into a shopping frenzy, and we are so excited to be sharing some of the best products we'll be shopping for this year! Most of the time, we go holiday shopping fully intending to buy gifts for others, but slowly end up adding things for ourselves here and there. There is no shame in treating yourself though, if we're being real. Whether you're looking for a quality gift for the people you love, or are eyeing up some of the most ~luxurious~ beauty sets popping up this year, these sets are the perfect match for when you really want to splurge on something worthwhile. 

1. The Dr. Jart Maskapalooza! Every Mask, Every Concern ($139, Sephora) 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dr.Jart+ Global (@drjart) on

Nobody does face masks better than Dr. Jart! The Maskapalooza set comes with 12 face masks and a variety of solutions that will help keep your skin feeling fresh and hydrated this winter. A total bang for your buck! Since these products individually have higher price tags, this bundle gives you a chance to splurge without feeling like you've overdone it. 

2. Drunk Elephant's The Big Reveal Kit ($88, Drunk Elephant)

Dying to try the critically acclaimed T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, but have you taken the plunge yet? With this kit, you receive not only a FULL SIZE container of it, but lots of other mini goodies for only $8 more! Talk about the deal of a lifetime. The holidays are a great time to finally invest in the products you've been looking at all year long, and sets like this one give you that chance. 

The Fenty Beauty Avalanche All-Over Metallic Powder Set ($99, Sephora)

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA (@fentybeauty) on

Nothing says "makeup enthusiast" like wearing a glamorous loose pigment to your favorite holiday festivities. Sample all seven of Fenty's newest beauty additions with this set and enjoy standing out at that New Year's Party. The best part is that Fenty is cruelty free, and with such high-quality products, these powders are sure to be a favorite and something you can use again and again. 

4. Hourglass Cosmetic's Confession Vault Lipstick Collection, ($340, Sephora)

Coming in at the top of our price range – we know $340 seems crazy expensive for lip product. However, just one of these lippies individually retails at $34, including the signature gold applicator. Plus, each original refill is $22, containing about .9 grams of product. With this vault, you're getting 15 of these ultra luxurious lipsticks for around $23 each, and the set is accompanied by a limited-edition purple applicator! 

5. Meet the Fam Milk Cosmetics Best Sellers Set ($39, Sephora)

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Milk Makeup (@milkmakeup) on

This little bag of wonders is full of six Milk Makeup minis that you're bound to love. For this awesome price, you get to try out some of the most iconic Milk makeup bestsellers. A perfect blend of makeup and skincare, this set will leave you with natural, glowing skin without packing your pores with product. 

6. NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil Vault ($150, Sephora

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by NARS Cosmetics (@narsissist) on

NARS is definitely known for being a luxury brand, but they practically cut the price of their signature lip pencils in HALF for this set. Ten of these bad boys will typically set you back about $270, so if you're looking to try out some of NARS' most glamorous colors, now is your chance! Just the pigment and rich color of these pencils makes the set worth the money. NARS will never disappoint, and these matte shades will keep you in style all year long. 

7. Sephora's #MOOD False Lash Vault ($60, Sephora)

Eight pairs of lashes, only $7.50 each – I mean, who can say no? These lashes range in texture and the overall style, covering looks from natural to glamorous. The Sephora Collection products are known for being both quality items and affordable compared to other skincare and makeup brands, and this set is just one of the many collections launching this holiday season that make shopping and trying out new products simple. 

8. Smashbox Cover Shot Eyeshadow Vault ($195, Ulta Beauty)

This incredible set features nine whole eyeshadow palettes containing fabulous nude shades and incredible pops of color. Each palette retails for $29 individually, so you're already saving $75 plus you get free shipping through Ulta's website! This offer is online only and you do NOT want to miss it! Every palette features two base shades and six eyeshadow shades, allowing you to create every makeup look you could ever dream of with one indulgent gift. 

9. Tarte Cosmetics Make Believe in Yourself Vault ($175, Sephora)

This vault includes a full set of brushes, an eye and cheek palette, a liquid glow highlight, mascara, body glitter, two lippies, a powder highlight and more! The opportunities are endless with this kit. And for the price? Sign us up! Be sure to take advantage of this gift set while it lasts – it is only available online, and features newer products plus Tarte cult favorites. 

10.  The Urban Decay Naked Cherry Vault ($100, Sephora

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Urban Decay Cosmetics (@urbandecaycosmetics) on

It's just not the holiday season without the launch of a new Urban Decay eyeshadow palette! If you're a ride or die Urban Decay fan, this is the perfect vault for you. Including the super sexy Naked Cherry eyeshadow palette, three of the classic vice liquid lipsticks and two of their Glide-On-Eye pencils, this vault is absolutely timeless and you can use it through the holiday season and beyond. 

We hope you've officially been inspired to #treatyoself this holiday season. While these products might seem expensive, they include an amazing range of quality products that will last well beyond expectations. Their value really exceeds the cost! We know you deserve a little indulgence now and then. Happy shopping! 

How She Got There: Noelle Stevenson, 'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power' Showrunner

0
0

 Name: Noelle Stevenson

Job Title & Description: Executive Producer/Showrunner

College & Major: Maryland Institute College of Art, Illustration

Website:gingerhaze.com

Twitter:@gingerhazing

Instagram:@gingerhazing

She-Ra has been on our minds since birth, basically. Since the first news that She-Ra and her princess alliance were getting a hyper-empowering reboot on Netflix, we've been thinking about She-Ra even more (and we aren't complaining). Even if you aren't familiar with the 80's version of the princess warrior from Etheria, Executive Producer Noelle Stevenson has revitalized She-Ra (Adora, voiced by Aimee Carrero) to create an age-appropriate retelling of our favorite animated characters. Beyond using the classic She-Ra lore to create empowering role models for young people, particularly young women, DreamWorks, Netflix and Noelle have collaborated to create a respectfully diverse and inclusion crew of heroes and antagonists in a way that doesn't sexualize these teenage characters (praise the rebellion!). 

Like the original 1980s cartoon, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power follows Adora's inspiring coming-of-age story as she transitions from her upbringing in the Evil Horde into the rebellion of warrior princesses. While the series includes important adolescence themes, such as the complexity of good vs evil and friendship, the show also adds necessary representation to often erased LGBTQPIA+ characters. Many shows often whittle LGBTQ+ characters down to comedic side characters or wait until the final episode to openly admit their queer-coded characters are, well, queer. Thankfully, She-Ra doesn't contribute to the overwhelming theme of queerbaiting in originally scripted shows. In the impending series. Beyond Bow's dads, two of the princesses seem to be in a relationship, The Mary Sue reports. Outside of LGBTQ+ supporting and main characters, She-Ra mindfully included race and body diversity in its lineup of princesses. 

Before Noelle Stevenson and her team of creators reignited everyone's passion for She-Ra (and the evergreen messages she stands for), Noelle authored Nimona, an award-winning webcomic, and Lumerjanes, a women-only comic book series—both of which are enriched with inspiring characters and messages. Needless to say, Noelle is well-versed are telling uniquely validating stories. Aside from rightfully hyping up her upcoming show, Noelle has a lot of powerful insight for women in college. 

So, "for the honor of Grayskull," read on to get your pre-premiere fix of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, along with a ton of tangible creator-centric career advice. 

Her Campus: What first inspired you to reimagine She-Ra and the Princesses of Power?

Noelle Stevenson: I heard that Dreamworks was looking for someone to pitch a She-Ra reboot, and it came at the perfect time - I’d been cultivating an interest for 80s sci-fi and fantasy, especially animated, through my first animation writing jobs. It had a majority female cast but with a lot of lore and mythology and action/adventure tropes, and a main character who was on a redemption arc from villain to hero, and I was in love.

HC: I know that you were inspired by the original animated series that debuted 1985 and you’ve included your own nuance in the She-Ra series, are there any lessons or message you hope viewers gain from the series?

NS: The show’s about redemption and about being brave. Our characters make mistakes, there are times when they feel weak or hopeless or like a screw-up...and there’s always the chance to fix it. Sometimes you have to really rely on your friends to support you or help you or save you - the important thing is to try, and not let failure stop you.

HC: You aren’t a stranger to creating narratives that focus on powerful women characters. Since you earned the New York Times bestselling author accolade for your graphic novel, Nimona, how do you hope She-Ra empowers young people in their own careers?

NS: I was very fortunate to begin my career with a story that was very much my own. I didn’t have to make many compromises, because the comic started out independent and I wrote it, drew it, everything. I got to really explore the things that were specific to me, that I had been wanting to see from a story, and show people what kinds of stories I was passionate about. Since then, it’s been easier to get the jobs that I’m passionate about because my voice is established now. I’d encourage young people starting their own careers to do whatever they can to establish their own voices, to bring their own unique point of view to everything they do. I got some advice early in my career that I still think about a lot, and it’s pretty simple: if someone gives you the chance to be free, you be free.

 

HC: What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?

NS: My typical day can involve anything from a voice record (recording the actors in a studio) to an animation lock (watching down raw animation to find mistakes and issue retakes) to any number of meetings related to the production, to just locking myself in my office and writing all day. There’s always a lot to do because there are so many moving pieces in a production.

HC: When you’re creating something or working on a project, what are some things you would do to foster an environment that motivates you to work?

NS: You have to find the joy in it. There are so many other factors that come into play when creating something, and they can be really stressful, but you have to find the thing in it that brings you the most joy and hold onto that and cultivate that - not just in yourself, but in everyone that shares your environment. You have to be dedicated to cultivating an environment that lets people feel ownership, and pride, and respect. There will always be stress, but indulging in anger and resentment and fear is the quickest way to kill creativity.

HC: What used to be one of your weaknesses when you were first taking out in the industry, and how have you grown from that?

NS: When I started this job, I had no experience with being a leader, and not much experience working in an office or in team environments. It was really terrifying to have all eyes on me, to feel that my decisions impacted every member of my crew. Like a lot of creatives, I can be pretty anxious and introverted, but through this job, I’ve really grown in the way I communicate and compromise and mediate. I spend almost all day talking to people in one context or another - if you told that to me from three years ago, I’d faint. But now I love it. I love being part of a team, I love being in a collaborative environment. I love my team so much. It’s been so rewarding.

HC: What is the best part of your job?

NS: My favorite thing has always been sharing a story with other people. When you work on an animation crew, it feels like you’re all living in the same fantasy world - that not only can they see the story that’s in your head, they all hold a piece of it and it only becomes whole when you’re all together. Seeing it come to life through the cast and crew is incredibly fulfilling.

HC: What was it like working with a studio of mostly women, and how did everyone support each other while you were creating the show?

NS: Most of the women on our crew were new to the jobs they’re doing, and most came from crews of mostly men. So we were all used to certain things that feel normal when you’re surrounded by men - you act tougher than you are, you can’t show emotion, you have to fight to have your voice heard because no one else will fight for you. But on our crew, we developed a different way of talking. We were used to being talked over in meetings, so having a room full of women where as soon as two people talk at once they’re like oh my god, no you go first!...that was an amazing feeling. I don’t believe that you have to be the toughest, loudest person in the room to have your ideas heard...you have to prop up the people who might be a little quieter, make sure they get credit for their ideas. And I think everyone on this crew took that really seriously.

HC: You’ve written and illustrated multiple comics from Nimona to Lumberjanes. What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

NS: It depends what you mean by entry-level job. I started as a fan artist — that was how I supported myself. Eventually, I started a webcomic, and that was Nimona. Around the same time I did an internship with a comic publisher, so that was my first entry-level ‘job’ job.

HC: What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

NS: Looking up at a nine-foot-tall statue of a character I created at New York Comic Con. Or being in a big screening room at Blue Sky Studios and reviewing giant, beautifully painted concept art of a shark with boobs from Nimona. Or doing a reading of Nimona for the National Book Awards and having to say the word “Goldenloin” out loud.

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

NS: Surround yourself with good people who you like and respect and who like and respect you. Cultivating and contributing to a positive community will only make you stronger.

HC: Have you learned anything about yourself or your creative process from working on She-Ra?

NS: I’ve learned how to support and fight for my vision while also allowing it to evolve and grow over time.

HC: Were there any unexpected setbacks when creating the She-Ra remake, and how did you work through these setbacks?

NS: There have been disasters big and small — there are on any big production. There were a lot of times where I had to lock myself in a room and argue for hours for something I believed in. There were a lot of times where a small mistake ballooned into something much bigger. Starting out, each one of these feels like the end of the world. But over time, you learn a little bit more when to fight, and when to let go. To not take every big or small failure so personally. Because it never actually is the end of the world.

HC: While representation for onscreen LGBTQIPA+ characters dropped to an all-time low last year, She-Ra will include LGBTQ+ characters. Do you have any advice for creators who want to include more mindful LGBTQ+ representation in their field and/or there work projects but are still being faced with adversaries in their field (regarding inclusion)?

NS: Always, always ask for it. Always put the character in, even if they make you take them out. Not just that, but challenge and push the limits of the basic ideas of gender and attraction that still permeate the core of our media landscape in every way you can. There are a lot of people who are very afraid — don’t add your fear to the pile. You might not get to go as far as you wanted, but every time someone fights for it we all get a little farther.

HC: What advice would you give to college students who are considering a career in writing and/or illustration?

NS: Protect your health and your free time and your non-work relationships as best you can. You might be able to work day and night now with no sleep and crappy food, but it will catch up to you eventually. It’s not something we’re taught in college. It’s okay to not have it all figured out yet, but don’t romanticize running yourself into the ground. Trust me, I learned that one the hard way.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power premieres on Netflix November 13. 

HC Wake-Up Call: Trump to Crack Down on Asylum Seekers, Mueller Writing Final Russia Probe Report & Trump's Contenders for AG

0
0

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.)

President Trump to Crack Down on Asylum Seekers

Department of Justice and Homeland Security officials announced on Thursday that President Donald Trump would be making good on his promise last week to crack down on asylum seekers in response to the migrant caravan heading to the United States, ABC News reports.

Officials said that the president would sign a proclamation on Friday before he leaves for his trip to Paris, putting the new rules into effect.

Under current law, immigrants are permitted to apply for asylum regardless of how or where they enter the country, ABC News reports. Through Trump’s new rules, however, immigrants would only be allowed to apply for asylum at a port of entry.

via Marcus Moore/ABC News

Last week, the president announced at the White House that he would pursue a rule change. Before heading to a campaign rally last week, Trump said that migrants seeking asylum would be kept in “massive tent cities” with “the military’s help,” rather than released, before their cases are adjudicated in an immigration court. Officials have said that the Pentagon has not received a request to set up tents for detained migrants.

Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said the president has the power to change the rules “if he determines it to be in the national interest,” and that it would mean “any aliens who contravene a presidential suspension … will be rendered ineligible for asylum.”

“Our asylum system is overwhelmed with too many meritless asylum claims from aliens who place a tremendous burden on our resources, preventing us from being able to expeditiously grant asylum to those who truly deserve it,” Whitaker said.

Senior administration officials have emphasized that this rule change would mean asylum claims are handled more efficiently.

When asked whether the mission of requiring immigrants to apply for asylum at a port of entry was to reduce the number of those who can claim asylum, a senior official said "the intention is to be able to more quickly arrive at a determination for those who have legit claims,” adding that officials are working on “staffing models to ensure that we can handle the claims we will be seeing.”

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is Writing the Final Russia Probe Report

Special counsel Robert Mueller, along with his team of prosecutors, are in the process of writing the final report of the nearly year and a half long investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.

It’s still unclear as to when the final report will be submitted by Mueller’s team, but sources say there isn’t a clear timeline for when the special counsel will conclude his investigation.

President Donald Trump’s legal team has begun working with the president to craft answers to questions from Mueller’s team as part of the Russia investigation, sources told ABC News, as the investigation has also been looking into any ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

The special counsel’s team remained largely quiet in the lead up to the 2018 midterm elections, upholding a long-standing Justice Department guideline that calls for discretion when it comes to taking legal or law enforcement actions within 60 days of an election in order to not appear as if it is trying to sway voters.

According to ABC News, Mueller has indicted 32 individuals and three Russian businesses on charges relating to conspiracy, computer hacking and financial crimes.

The indictments have lead to six guilty pleas, including Trump’s previous national security adviser Michael Flynn and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Those indictments have also lead to three individuals being sentenced to prison.

President Trump Considering Christie, Bondi & Acosta for AG

President Donald Trump is considering former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to replace recently fired Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CNN reports.

Trump fired Sessions on Wednesday, but did not immediately name a replacement, instead making Sessions’ chief of staff Matthew Whitaker acting attorney general.

Trump had long been frustrated with Sessions, particularly since his now-former attorney general recused himself from the Russia investigation. Given the tension between Trump and Sessions, a number of individuals have become more friendly or close allies with the president,, including Whittaker, Solicitor General Noel Francisco, Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX), former Judge John Michael Luttig, Judge Edith Jones, former Judge Janice Rogers Brown, retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC), and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), CNN reports.

If Christie were to be chosen as the next attorney general, he could potentially face similar issues that Sessions faced in regards to recusing himself from the Russia investigation given that the former governor was close to the Trump campaign. However, unlike Sessions, there has been no indication that Christie had contact with Russians during the 2016 presidential election.

Despite Christie being a friend of Trump’s, he has been critical of the president’s handling of the Russia investigation and has praised Mueller when the president criticizes the special counsel.

“I’ve told him (Trump) many times that there's no way to make an investigation like this shorter, but there's lots of ways to make it longer, and he's executed on a number of those ways to make it longer,” Christie said in May at the University of Chicago, calling Mueller “an honest ... hard-working guy.”

Meanwhile, Bondi is on her second and final term as attorney general and will be leaving office in January. However, her spokesperson declined to say whether she is currently under consideration for Sessions’ former position.

“As the attorney general has repeatedly said, she has not yet made a decision as to what she will do next,” Whitney Ray, Bondi spokesperson, said.

Bondi could face some potential hurdles if she was chosen for the top Justice Department position. She was previously shrouded in controversy after the Trump foundation gave a $25,000 contribution to her political action committee during her 2014-reelection campaign, CNN reports. It was during that time that her office was investigating complaints about Trump University. Democrats had leveled allegations of impropriety after her office declined to pursue an investigation into the Trump University fraud allegations. Bondi was cleared of wrongdoing by a Florida ethic panel last year.

Acosta is seen as more of an easy contender, as he has already been confirmed. He also has tied to the White House and top Senate Republicans.

“Given Secretary Acosta's track record — former Supreme Court clerk, former senior official at DOJ, former US attorney — he would be a strong choice to be the next attorney general,” Matthew Heiman, former Justice Department national security attorney, praised Acosta, among other notable Washington attorney and GOP members.

“There are many people in contention for that position just because there are many qualified people who would like to do it,” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, told reporters at the White House on Thursday, but wouldn’t name any of Trump’s contenders for the attorney general position.

Meanwhile, according to the federal Vacancies Reform Act, Whittaker can serve as acting attorney general for 210 days.

What to look out for…

Vanessa Hudgens’ new Netflix movie, The Princess Switch, is like A Christmas Prince meets The Parent Trap, and it looks absolutely amazing.


Here's How To Build an Instagram-Worthy Outfit for Under $30

0
0

In the past ten years, our social media presence has undeniably become a part of how we communicate with the rest of the world. Instagram is now a visual representation of our lives, as well as a form of personal branding.  For those wanting to step up their style game on Insta without breaking the bank, Her Campus Style is here to help. A powerful outfit is a mixture of eye-catching trends and basic pieces already in your closet, so here’s a guide on how to be a mixologist of fashion on a college budget.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Kendall Becker (@kendall_becker) on

Hit the thrift store

Thrifting is going to be your goldmine when it comes to finding affordable fashion, specifically pieces that come in and out of trend fairly quickly. Plus, you’re not contributing to the fast fashion industry! Any local thrift store is a great place to start, while thrift franchises like Uptown Cheapskate and Plato’s Closet are the most reliable when it comes to finding familiar brands like Urban Outfitters, H&M, and Forever 21. Resale apps like Poshmark and Depop allow you to buy and sell through the power of the internet, so if you can’t find what you’re looking for at the store, you’ll definitely be able to find it online.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Her Campus Style (@hercampusstyle) on

Find a statement piece

The common denominator of all great style photos is a statement piece. This is the part of an outfit that naturally catches your eye through shape, pattern, color, or texture. You may have seen a lot of houndstooth, corduroy, Cher Horowitz-esque yellow plaid, or fuzzy jackets this fall because they’re trendy and eye-catching. A quick search on Depop found any of those styles for as little as ten dollars, so find a loud style you love and get searching!

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dez Smith (@dez__smith) on

Include an accessory

Accessories can help elevate any outfit from simple to sophisticated whether that be through a bag, sunglasses, scarf or hat. Berets are very on trend for fall and don’t overpower the rest of your outfit. Go for a colorful one if you want to add some diversity to your color palate or opt for a neutral tone if you want the focus to be elsewhere. You can find a simple beret like this one for around $10 at stores like H&M or Cotton On.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Hannah Jane Langley (@hannahjanelangley) on

Test out current trends

Adopting current trends is a fun way to explore the boundaries of your own style. Try out some new patterns or fabric types that you typically don’t seek out and just go for it! Who knows, you might just discover a new favorite style or start setting the trends yourself. Some of the current trends to fall point to turtlenecks, textured jackets, and fun hats.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by FELICITY🥀WARNER (@felicitywarner) on

If you’re in need of some visual inspiration, check out the Her Campus Style Instagram! It’s full of photos submitted by internet fashionistas just like you and me. Be sure to tag us if you decide to test out the advice in this article, we'd love to see your photos! 

How To Refresh Your Skin When It Feels...Blah

0
0

You know those days. Maybe you spent all day in class followed by a library study sesh and six coffees. Perhaps you decided to celebrate this beautiful thing called life by going out and dancing all night, but forgetting to take your makeup off after. Either way, you wake up ready to take on the day like the boss chick that you are, but you’re stopped in your tracks when you realize your skin feels less than radiant. Sometimes you just need to stop, rewind and rejuvenate your skin – and we have all of the tips you need to do it!

Exfoliate & Moisturize

Hey, we’ve all been there! Your life becomes so busy that you toss that daily routine for a quick rinse before heading out for the day. Occasionally this is a must, however, eventually you’ll start to feel it. Sometimes when your skin just isn’t at it’s best, the best plan of attack is to go back to the basics. Without exfoliating, your dead skin cells will stay on your skin, leaving it looking dull oily. Follow up with a moisturizer to keep your skin from drying out – bonus points if you pick one with protection from the sun.

Five-Minute Facemask

Sometimes, the idea of committing to putting on, waiting the required amount of time and taking off a facemask seems too daunting to even consider. But there is a reason you often see the most relaxed people in movies always sitting in a lawn chair with a facemask and cucumbers on their eyes. Facemasks are a great once a week addition to your skincare routine. Not only can you find one that fights a specific skin problem you have, like oily skin or excessive blackheads, but they usually smell like a spa, even if you're just in your bedroom. Put one on when you wake up in the morning before you pack your backpack, then hit the shower right before you leave. The cleanup will be less hectic and your skin will feel powerful and ready for anything.

Post-Sun Protection

One of the biggest problems we face with our skin is damage from the sun. It’s often a forgotten area of skincare, but it can be the most important! After spending a day outside, reward your skin with a wash and some aloe vera or cocoa butter instead of your normal moisturizer. Instead of soaking into your skin like lotion, these things will coat the skin and help soothe any effects the sun may have had that you may not have even noticed!

If You Got It, BLOT IT

If you have extra oily skin, it can mean avoiding over-moisturizing your face with a lot of lotions. Grab some oil blotting sheets and throw them in your purse or backpack. If you’re not about those beauty store prices, try coffee filters. Keep them with you and when you start to feel a little less than perfect, dab a few times on your T zone! The great thing about these, as opposed to blotting with random napkins or your shirt sleeve, is that they don’t take makeup off. They just soak the oil up from underneath.

Hydration Station

It may seem cliche to say that water is the key to everything, but TBH it really is the key to EVERYTHING. Chugging a glass of water before you leave in the morning or filling up a reusable water bottle throughout the day will make your skin glow like a newborn baby’s. It will also help you stay energized, which will make it easier to come home and follow up with that daily routine.

With so many different products, brands and skin types, we get why it can be hard to focus your energy on your skin. Even if it isn’t your top priority, make sure to press pause on that incredible life of yours every now and then and allow yourself to give back to your body. 

'Manifest': The Mystery of Flight 828's Missing Passengers

0
0

Episode by episode of Manifest, the mystery of Flight 828 has continued to feature both a series of new characters and numerous twists that make it harder to figure out what exactly happened to everyone who was on the flight. In this week's episode,"Off Radar," the focus was on figuring out what happened to a large chunk of passengers who seemingly disappeared into thin air after returning five-and-a-half years later.

Here is everything you need to know about these missing passengers and how their disappearance related to the Stone family and Saanvi. 

Who are the missing passengers?

Over the course of the episode, it was revealed that 11 of the passengers on Flight 828 weren't seen after leaving the Hangar. The two most important of these characters, at least in this week's episode, were Marko Valeriev, a Bulgarian national, and Lena Rasmussen, a Norwegian national. Their nationalities are important because only foreign nationals and people without families went missing—in other words, only people who would not be missed. 

How did they go missing?

After the return of Flight 828, the government had to figure out what they should do with the many passengers who did not have people ready to take care of them. For example, one of the passengers, a translator who assisted Marko on the flight, was served with divorce papers the moment she came back, leaving her without a place to go. To take care of these passengers, the government arranged a series of five buses that would take the passengers to five different shelters they could stay at while they got their lives back in order. Only four buses showed up on the NYPD record list however—the fifth, carrying Marko and Lena, along with nine other passengers, disappeared. 

How does Cal fit into the picture?

Marko spent most of the episode being experimented on (or tortured, depending on your POV) by a mysterious group. In particular, they seem to be testing how much of an electric shock Marko's body could take. For some unknown reason (the only contact Marko and Cal had was when Marko ruffled Cal's hair on the plane), there is a bond between Marko and Cal that leads to Cal getting a fever and feeling all the pain Marko is going through. It also causes Cal to repeat the exact things Marko is saying, all of which happen to be in Bulgarian, a language Cal doesn't know. 

What are Ben, Michaela and Saanvi doing to help these passengers and Cal?

Naturally, the main goal Ben, Michaela and Saanvi all have is to save Cal. The only way of doing this, however, seems to be to track down Marko and save him from whoever is torturing him. This leads both Ben and Michaela to make a huge sacrifice—they tell their partners (Grace and Jared, respectively) about the voices all the passengers have been hearing. Grace does not take it well. She thinks that Ben is just diving into another wormhole, leaving Grace to bear the emotional burdens of taking care of their sick child. This leads her to confront Saanvi and question her medical qualifications when dealing with Cal. Jared takes the news a little bit better, though it is unclear whether or not he is going to tell Director Vance about this update. 

Michaela helps find a cure for Cal by working out in the field, using her access to NYPD documents to track down Marko. She ropes Jared into her plans, leading them to take a drive around Upstate New York, where they discover a barn guarded by drones and security personnel armed with automatic rifles. They manage to escape by faking a flat tire, and Michaela captures a quick photo on the way out that shows Lena being taken in. 

All of this information is sent to Ben, who takes it to Director Vance, believing him to be behind it all. This leaves Grace alone, forcing her to decide what treatment plan Cal should receive. Luckily, Cal's fever breaks before she has to make a choice, and Ben arrives to a healthier Cal, though it is clear he will need to make it up to Grace for leaving her alone. 

Who is responsible?

For most of the episode, Ben, Michaela and Saanvi are convinced Director Vance was behind the disappearance of these 11 passengers. After all, he has been the public face of the investigation and has routinely clashed with the main characters in his quest to find out what happened to Flight 828. In this episode, however, it turns out Director Vance is having trouble himself finding answers. None of the other government agencies want to work with him and even go to great lengths to thwart his attempts at figuring out what actually went down on Flight 828. 

By going to Director Vance, Ben was able to kickstart an investigation and prove that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), one of the agencies refusing to cooperate with Director Vance, was lying. According to the DHS, all the passengers were accounted for: five weren't nationals and were repatriated to their countries of origin, three people were listed as being in a hospital supposedly receiving in-patient care, one was in the bureau prisons and the last two had no next-of-kin. In Lena's dossier, the DHS claimed she was observed that day leaving a residence in Norway—yet Director Vance, due to Michaela's initiative, had a picture of her in Upstate New York. 

The most important piece of information provided in this episode was the name of the shadow organization that seems to be the one involved in the cover-up of the missing passengers: Unified Dynamic Systems (UDS). A multi-billion dollar company, it has many government contracts and even provided the buses used by the government when sending passengers to shelters. In the episode's last scene, it was revealed that the "scientists" torturing the missing passengers answer to a woman, but we have yet to find out how high up the chain of command goes. Is DHS working with this mystery woman? Why is Director Vance being kept out of the loop? Did UDS play any part in the mystery surrounding the plane's disappearance? 

The episode ends after Director Vance travels to the barn but finds it empty, minus an electrode patch that proves Ben was telling him the truth. This is important, because it means UDS has gotten away and that at any point in the future, they may again torture Marko, leaving Cal in danger once again. This episode just created so many more questions about who caused the disappearance of Flight 828 and what they want from the passengers. 

Sand Cloud's Reusable Straws Are the Environmentally Friendly Alternative You Need RN (& They Have Some Great Beach Towels, Too)

0
0

It’s the great straw debate. One of the biggest polluters of our oceans is the plastic waste that kills 100,000 marine animals every year. It it estimated that there is five trillion pieces of plastic floating in the world’s oceans today, and the number is increasing by the day. If we don’t do something soon, there might even be more plastic in the oceans than fish by the year 2050.

One of the biggest contributors to this massive amount of plastic waste is single-use plastic straws. Each day in the United States, nearly 500 thousand plastic straws are used once and then thrown away. These discarded straws end up contributing to the deaths of huge amounts of marine life.

We’ve been told for years that the way we consume and discard plastic needs to change in order to save the planet. Fortunately for us (and the seabirds, sea turtles and other marine life being impacted), changes are being made.

Starbucks has banned plastic straws in many of its stores and hopes to completely replace them with recyclable strawless lids by 2020. American Airlines also announced that they will be eliminating plastic straws as well. The governor of California recently signed a bill that prohibits restaurants from providing straws unless a customer asks for them, and Seattle banned all plastic utensils in favor of compostable ones.

But rather than just banning the use of straws entirely—because let’s face it, some drinks just taste better with a straw—why not use a reusable straw?

That’s where Sand Cloud comes in.

Sand Cloud is a retailer centered around the fun, good vibes, and connection with nature that comes with going to the beach, but they’re socially conscious, too. They donate 10 percent of their net profits to foundations that preserve marine life. Their best products are their sand-resistant beach blankets and towels and (more importantly) their reusable straws.

In silver, gold, black, bronze and rainbow, Sand Cloud’s stainless steel straws are not only environmentally conscious, they’re an aesthetically pleasing accessory to any iced coffee, smoothie or milkshake.

They’re great for at home or on the go. And even better for lounging on the beach on a tie-dye, sand-resistant towel while staring out at the clean, blue ocean and thinking about all of the sea animals you’re helping to save.

Sand Cloud’s straws send the message that environmentally conscious doesn’t have to be a hassle (I mean, seriously, who like sipping out of Starbucks’ new “sippy cups?”). They believe that straws are a luxury, not a necessity—although that’s what we’re taught to think.

By buying and using a reusable straw in replace of the 38,000 reusable straws a person, on average, uses in their lifetime, you can help stop the influx of waste that’s killing marine life every day.

Sand Cloud’s straws are only $4 each (and $11 for a pack of three). While you’re at it: why not get a blanket, too? We promise, they’re worth it.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’: 17 Reactions to Last Night’s Insane Episode, 'Anybody Have A Map?'

0
0

These days, it really takes something special to consider an entire episode of any show a winner. Most episodes just have their moments, but this week’s Grey’s Anatomy, "Anybody Have a Map?," just might have landed itself in my list of top five episodes. You guys, it was SO. GOOD. This episode was jampacked with just about every type of drama we crave—rocky relationships, death, destruction, a cliffhanger and more. I give it to you that some of these plot lines have been done again and again, but this episode managed to surprise me at almost every turn.

Without further digression, here is a wide-array of reactions I had to last night's episode.

When Catherine told Richard she was staying in LA for yet another week, and you wondered if they were on the rocks, too

When you realized that you actually like Jackson and Maggie together, and he missed her even though she breaks all his stuff

When they ripped that sleazebag Harper Avery's name off of his medical center

When Catherine revealed that she was the VIP patient and you realized that her neck is full of giant tumor and could incapacitate her at any moment

But as they headed to biopsy her ticking time bomb, she demanded that the grand-reopening and all that it entailed stay on track

When Maggie mistook Jackson's phone for her own and saw texts from another girl

And their following conversation went a little too off the rails

When they took Frankie's baby out and he was WAY TOO LITTLE

But then FRANKIE, this nurse that they carefully planted throughout the season so that we would start to LOVE HER, was the one to die, and Richard couldn't bring himself to call her time of death

When you first hear the actual phrase “Chips for Shots” in an AA meeting

When Maggie tells Jackson to try her ability to have a deep discussion and then bails. AGAIN.

When Richard strolled into the chips for shots bar

But then he grabbed his chip back up and stepped back from the shots

And then he DESTROYED the bar and defended the honor of every recovering alcoholic

When Catherine revealed all of the 'isms' she'd been strong enough to survive to reach where she is now, and knew that she might just be strong enough to survive this tumor, too

And finally, when they closed on a clip of all the nurses surrounding baby Pancake. Who’s going to raise him?? Is he just going to be the hospital baby, like an office cat??

And a bonus: when you saw the preview for the mid-season finale with yet another natural disaster on the way

The Democrats Flipped The House. So, Now What?

0
0

Tuesday night was one of the most historic midterm elections in US history. The first Muslim congresswoman was elected to the house, the first openly homosexual governor was elected and Democrats finally regained control of the house, ending an eight-year Republican hold.

So what does all this mean?

In short, the new Democratic control will shift the landscape of Washington and provide for the first time in the Trump Presidency a counterweight. 

While it’s not possible for Democrats to enact any of their priorities into law because Republicans still hold control of the Senate and the White House, Democrats can begin to probe and prod Republicans on their policies and the work they’ve done in the last two years. Ultimately providing a real check and balance that we haven’t seen since 2016. 

Of those policies, the most recent and controversial have been immigration, education and health care, according to The Washington Post

A main topic on everyone’s mind is Russia, and Democrats are all but ready to launch a full investigation into President Donald Trump’s alleged ties.

What does that mean for those investigations?  

NBC reports, “The expected chairman of Judiciary, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., told MSNBC's Ari Melber Tuesday night that "all options are on the table" if Trump tries to "sabotage" the Russia probe or fires "key people" or abuses the pardon power.

"We’ll use subpoena power if we have to, when we have to," he said.

Yesterday’s resignation of Attorney General, Jeff Sessions at the request of President Donald Trump, has caused a high level of uncertainty for the special counsel investigation and defined party lines even more, but Democrats will push hard to ensure the investigation continues, per the request of Rep. Jerrold Nadler. 

Democrats are also expected to reintroduce their Better Deal legislative plan to lower the cost of prescription drugs and ultimately rebuild the crumbling infrastructure of the country’s opioid epidemic. They will also be looking to enhance election security that will include easier access to early voting and work to reduce the role of money in politics to ensure a more even playing field for all candidates.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said this would be their first piece of legislation. 

Propelled by record breaking voter turnout in this election, Democrats saw a strong revitalization in their party. With that, they have the ability to take their newfound momentum and propel their new ideas and policies forward. Come January, the Democrat's new control of the House will be less about advancing laws and will have to focus more on where their real power lies, which is in blocking the president's and the Republican's priorities. 

Make sure to read more of Her Campus' coverage from election night

WTF Does It Mean That Stacey Abrams Hasn't Conceded?

0
0

After a day of historic Congress wins for women, a newly-Democrat controlled House of Representatives, and the Republicans maintaining control of the Senate, the U.S. midterm elections are finally over. However, in a few key states, votes are still being counted—such as the race to control the Florida Senate seat between Rick Scott (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL), and the tense Georgia governor race between Brian Kemp (R-GA) and Stacey Abrams (D-GA).

The Georgia race has been fraught with controversy, as allegations of voter suppression have persisted against Brian Kemp. According to The Atlantic, since Brian Kemp has become Georgia’s Secretary of State in 2010, he has successfully eliminated the voting rights of 1.4 million people, and implemented an “exact match” voting system—one where if your license and your voting registration don’t completely match down to the numbers, you will be turned away from the polls.   

The gubernatorial race was expected to be insanely close—and with a third-party candidate in the mix, Ted Metz, if neither Kemp nor Abrams could win unless they could prove a clear 50% majority. Without a 50% majority, the Georgia race would result in a runoff—a month more of ballot counting and campaigning.

As of last night, Kemp and the Republican party have declared victory in Georgia with 50.3% of the votes to Abrams’ 48.7%. However, Abrams is refusing to concede, believing the race is not over as “there are votes remaining to be counted. Voices are waiting to be heard.”

As Abrams’ refusals to concede persist, the gap between Kemp and Abrams narrows. According to CBS, in the early morning hours of Wednesday, he was only 75,000 votes ahead out of the ballots counted.

Abrams has announced a legal team in response to Kemp’s premature declaration of victory and is continuing her campaign in the hopes of reaching a runoff campaign between her and Kemp.

Her Campus will continue to update as more develops. 


As Florida Governor's Race Sees Recounts, The President & Governor Are Alleging Concerns Of 'Voter Fraud'

0
0

Following the conclusion of most midterm elections on Tuesday night, several key states are still locked in post-midterms voter recount—with the Florida gubernatorial race between Ron DeSantis and Andrew Gillum heating up as the margins necessitating a voter recount become increasingly tighter, as NPR reports.

The Florida governor’s race has drawn national intrigue, especially after Democratic candidate Gillum mentioned Republican candidate DeSantis’ past collaborations with known racists during one of the final debates. Though the predictions favored Gillum’s victory, he eventually conceded Tuesday night after a tight race.

However, in the days since his concession, the margins of victory between DeSantis and Gillum have been lowering. According to NPR, as of 9:30 am on Friday, Gillum is only trailing DeSantis by 36,000 votes. In Florida, the threshold for a mandatory recount is a .5 percent difference—which is more than the difference separating the two candidates. 

Additionally, the battle for one of Florida’s Senate seats is headed for a mandatory recount as well. Rick Scott (R-FL), current governor of Florida, is currently only 15,000 votes ahead of Bill Nelson (D-FL), which is close to the .25 percent threshold necessary for a manual recount.

Most of the post-midterm focus is on Broward and Palm Beach counties, where votes are reportedly still being counted. These counties are also the focus of Governor Rick Scott’s claims that “unethical liberals are trying to steal this election.” Scott has moved forward with a lawsuit against the voting officials in these counties.

Despite Governor Scott’s claims, there is no evidence substantiating his accusations. However, President Trump has declared that he supports Scott, even without any evidence.

Gillum has since stated that he is monitoring the situation, the Miami Herald reports, and is waiting until “every single vote can be counted.” The official decision on whether there will need to be vote recounts in the Florida gubernatorial and Senate races are projected to be announced Saturday afternoon.

The Florida races are not the only ones to watch—the contentious Georgia gubernatorial race has also not been officially called as of Friday afternoon, among other races in Arizona and Mississippi.

You can also follow live updates to the re-count via CBS News.

How to Navigate Healthcare Options at Your New Job

0
0

Healthcare may be something you’ve heard about in political debates, or seen on the card your mom hands you as you leave for the dentist. For most of us, it’s something we knew we could use at our back-to-school doctor's appointment because our parents had it. But suddenly, like what seems to happen with most things post-graduation, healthcare is something we need to know more details about, and maybe even make decisions about on our own. Health insurance can seem complicated and overwhelming at first. With more information and a little guidance, the process of getting health coverage can be very rewarding, since you’ll know that if something unexpected comes up, you’ll be covered.

The terms we’ve heard but don’t really understand

Premium: A premium is the cost of the insurance policy; it’s the amount to be paid. So it may seem like common sense to pick a health insurance with the lowest premium. However, if something happens to you requiring medical attention you may end up paying more out of pocket if you buy the health coverage with the lowest premium.

Deductible: A deductible is a specific, set amount of money that you must pay before an insurance company will pay a claim. This means once you pay a certain amount of money in a certain timeframe, the insurance company will pay the rest.

Co-payment: A co-payment, or co-pay, is a fixed amount you pay for a covered health care service after you’ve paid your deductible. For example, if you go for an annual check-up doctor's appointment, you may pay just $30 and insurance covers the rest of the cost of the appointment.

Do I really need healthcare?

You may be young now, but everyone finds themselves needing medical attention at some point. “Even if you are healthy, annual physicals can identify and detect early signs of underlying conditions,” says Matthew Rust, managing consultant at One Digital Health and Benefits. “Even the lowest cost major medical plans have catastrophic coverage, allowing your out-of-pocket expenses such as co-pays, deductibles and coinsurance to eventual get capped for the year in a worst-case scenario.” Unexpected accidents or illnesses can happen at any time, and if you are uninsured, you could be billed hundreds of thousands of dollars from the hospital after receiving the medical intervention you need.

Many women think they can rely on the federal government during pregnancy and maternity leave, but Rust warns against this. “Medicaid is hard to qualify for and many of the top providers will not accept it,” he explains. If having children is something you’re planning for the future, healthcare is even more imperative.

But can’t I just stay on my parents’ plan?

The answer is yes...for now. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows children to be covered under their parent’s plan until the age of 26. Rust recommends that all recent grads “check with the HR department of their parent’s company because some plans terminate on the 26th birthday, some at the end of the child’s birth month and some at the end of the 26th year.”

“When I started my new job, I decided not to get on their employer healthcare,” explains Taylor, who recently started working for a large hotel in D.C. “I’m probably only going to be at this job for a year or two, and I feel fortunate that my parents were willing to keep supporting me in this way.”

Your parents are probably paying a higher premium having a child covered on their health plan, so it’s important to have a discussion with them. Once you get a job, they may want you to get your own health care, especially if they are able to lower their coverage to employee plus spouse or employee-only plan with a lower premium.

If you were no longer covered on your parents’ plan when you started college, you may have received health insurance through your school. However, if you graduate and don’t receive employer-based healthcare, you will need to get on Obamacare by shopping online for a government subsidized plan.

Should I join my employer’s healthcare instead of shopping for my own?

For the majority of new workers, getting healthcare through your employer is the best deal. The ACA requires companies with over 50 full-time equivalent employees to offer health insurance coverage or pay a penalty. “Your employer subsidies a significant portion of the premium, usually at least 50 percent,” said Rust. “Group coverage is typically a better option than individual coverage because it is significantly subsidized and you don’t have to pay taxes on the premium.”

Simply put, health care is expensive. Getting health care provided by your employer will save you money each month, which can be especially important to recent grads with an entry-level salary.

However, if you are working a freelance position or at a start-up or small business, employer healthcare may not be an option. Luckily, almost anyone can shop on the health insurance market for individual healthcare plans.

Related Link: Here’s What You Should Know About These 5 Common Medical Emergencies

Who can help me understand and pick a health coverage plan?

With so many new words or unclear numbers, health insurance plans can feel like reading a different language. Lauren McGoodwin, founder & CEO of Career Contessa, a career development platform helping women build successful and fulfilling careers, has advice for women feeling confused.

“HR is a great place to start. Often times your company's HR team is very involved in setting up these plans and if they don't know the answer, they might know who at the health insurance company would be the next best contact,” says McGoodwin. “Parents are great but I’m hesitant to recommend them because usually people read that as ‘mom and dad tell me what to do.’ Empower yourself to be in charge and knowledgeable about your health plan.​”

Turn to your parents as a last resort for specific and personal questions, but don’t feel like you have to do things exactly as they did at your age. Do your own research on health insurance by reading online, reaching out to friends also starting new jobs and meeting with human resource or health coverage representatives at your company.

What should I do when working with that person to select the right healthcare for me?

Now that you know to talk to someone with experience in understanding healthcare plans, you may be wondering how to make the most of this conversation.

“My best advice is to to ask all the questions! Don't be embarrassed or scared to ask anything,” says Lawrence. “For young women, you especially want to know about preventive care, including birth control, checkups, screenings for diabetes and HIV, contraceptives and family planning counseling.​ Maternity leave policies are very good to know​ and even counseling or mental health coverage.”

What are trends in employer health care I should know about?

Recent graduates may be interested in saving money now for a time later down the road when they have more health concerns or want to start a family. “Some plans include health saving accounts where employees can set aside money tax free into a bank account that they own,” explains Rust. “You would receive a debit card to access your Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for qualified Medical, Dental, Vision and prescription drug expenses that come up in the future."

McGoodwin echoes this option. “This is a tax-advantage medical saving account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP),” she says. One of the best parts? “The funds contributed to an account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit.”

Some plans roll over from year to year, but some are use or lose, which may influence your decision to set up an HSA or not. If this is an option you’re interested in, talk to your HR department or hiring manager.

Choosing a health care plan can feel like another one of those “adult” things that’s easier to put off than really look into. However, it is one of the great benefits of securing a job, a step towards independence and something you'll be extremely grateful you thought about should any unexpected accidents, surgeries, or emergencies come up in the future. 

Christine Blasey Ford Is Still Being Harrassed & It Says So Much About Why Victims Don't Come Forward

0
0

In case you somehow haven’t gotten it by now, the U.S. does not care about women. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the woman who spoke out against sexual predator Brett Kavanaugh, is still receiving death threats over a month after her testimony, Vox reports.

According to a GoFundMe campaign created on Ford’s behalf, she and her family have had to move four times due to the outstanding abuse she’s endured. NPR adds that she has not been able to return to work as a professor at Palo Alto University, and she now has a security detail.

For anyone (read: most cis men, plus anyone else who has seriously internalized misogyny) who asks why survivors of sexual assault don’t come forward, here’s your answer.

Ford has been mocked in front of thousands by the president of the United States, who clearly doesn’t understand the ways that traumatic experiences affect the brain and its ability to recall details.

She was also dismissed as a political chess piece by Senate Republicans. The investigation, if you can even call it that, was so limited that the FBI might as well have just asked Kavanaugh if he did it, and after he denied it, shrugged and asked “Well, what can you do?”

According to RAINN, 994 out of every 1000 rapists get off without any prison time. Most survivors decide that such slim odds aren’t worth the harassment they would likely endure if they reported.

Vox reports that Ford asked herself before stepping forward, "Why suffer through the annihilation if it's not going to matter?"

A quick Twitter search for #WhyIDidntReport offers a ton of other reasons why survivors stay silent. One of the most common, echoed by Trump during his horrifying mocking, is that survivors were told not to ruin the men’s lives “over a misunderstanding.”

5 Things You Should Know About Dating in College

0
0

During high school, relationships can feel idealized, almost like a fairytale—because of things like first love, and the general lack of complications that comes with dating in your teens. But when it comes to relationships in college, you start to deal with adult responsibilities that can make your love life a bit complicated: busy class schedules, jobs, unique personal viewpoints. Needless to say, many aspects of dating change between high school and college—but don’t stress. It may seem like a drag, but welcome to your guide! From hook-ups, to making time, to staying safe, we’re here to walk you through the major differences to anticipate, so that time with bae in college can be just as sweet as those high school years.

1. You have more freedom

In high school, you likely had a set schedule determined by classes and your parents. Maybe you didn’t have your own car, and maybe you had a curfew, so you couldn’t hang with your SO after hours. Your parents would always ask questions like, “Where are you going?” and “Who are you going with?” to make sure you were staying safe—you know the drill. Obviously, the limitations of high school made dating complicated AF, because you couldn’t always spend time with your SO or do whatever you wanted with them.

Dating in college is a whole different ballgame, mainly because you have a lot more freedom to make your own schedule and choices. Sure, you might have an RA which means no sneaky sleepovers, but you choose who and when to date—it’s all totally up to you. The extent to which you keep your parents involved in your dating life and decisions is dependent on your personality type once you begin school. But the main difference is that you don’t have to wait for anyone’s “go ahead” to make moves in your relationship. With college, you also need to figure out how to make time for your bae. Especially if you want a serious relationship with someone, it can get much more complicated. You’re all over the place, focusing on a million things at once. Serious relationships are more difficult to maintain. Still have questions? We’ve got answers.

2. You have to set aside time for your SO

During high school, odds are that you and your SO went to the same school. But, when you move on to university life, there’s a big chance that you’ll both going to different colleges or dating someone with a conflicting schedule. That means you probably won’t see each other as much. Instead of your lives revolving just around each other, you have to learn to balance new aspects of your life like work, studies, friendships, extracurricular activities and keeping in touch with your family. When you’re juggling all of that, both IRL and long-distance relationships can be hard to handle. This means that you also must find middle ground. For example, if your new cuff and you are both stressed about midterms, head to the library and study together! If you’ve been meaning to see your friends and your SO, plan a night out where you can all hang together.

3. Long-term relationships are on the table

Real talk: High school relationships just weren’t that serious. Sure, your sophomore-brain may have been convinced you were with the love of your life, but as soon as you start dating in college, you quickly realize there’s a lot more potential for long-term love. In high school, it felt OK to use up time on partners that you might not spend forever with, because it’s high school. It’s low-stakes. In college, time feels more precious. Whether you’re looking for commitment or looking for an FWB, people are usually more open and honest about what they want and for how long.

Plus, it’s only natural that you’re looking for more serious relationships in college because planning out your love life in tandem with your career, where you want to live, etc. tend to go hand-in-hand for some women focused on the big picture.

4. Hook-up culture is more pervasive

Just like some students might be looking for very serious commitments, there are a lot more who are into casual hook-ups. Obviously, this connects with our earlier point about having more freedom. During high school, you didn’t necessarily have your own space and free time to bring home hook-ups and have it be chill with your family. But in college, you have your own space and opportunity to have sex without your family supervision around.

Hook-up culture isn’t for everyone, so during college you could learn that you’re into casual relationships, or that you aren’t into them at all. Either side is fine, but the most important thing in all these romantic interactions is make sure everything is consensual and that you’re staying safe.

If you’re into the hook-up scene or want to try it out, here are a few things to keep in mind: 

  1. You need to know if they want to be sexually active with you too. It’s also important to be honest and vocal with your partner about what you want and don’t want. Consenting and asking for consent are all about setting your personal boundaries and respecting those of your partner – especially checking in if things aren’t clear. Both people must agree to sex—every single time.
  2. If you’re casually hooking up, make sure you’re using some sort of protection to keep yourself healthy. Condoms will prevent against sexually transmitted diseases, and birth control (in its various forms) will protect against unintended pregnancy.

Being sexually active can sometimes come off as something that’s assumed in college, but it’s also perfectly OK to not be interested in sex at all. Figure out what makes you comfortable, and if it’s something you really want. Don’t let yourself be caught up in the crowd if you know you’d rather have something monogamous or long-term. Through dating, you may encounter some people that don’t agree with your choices. Ultimately, it’s your body and your life. People who are worth your time will respect whatever decisions you make!

5. You get to know yourself

high school, you tend to be stuck in one thing, or one mindset—maybe you’re devoting all your time to band or to art club. Whatever it is, when you to go college, you start to grow out of whatever type of person you thought you were. Maybe in high school, you were shy, because you were scared of whatever judgement was bound to come from your peers. In college, there’s still that pressure. The difference is that you stop caring. You’re on a path to self-discovery and you learn that your inner god/goddess/godxss is what matters! Staying true to yourself will pay off in the end.

The freedom in college lets you settle into who you truly are, outside of high school peer pressure or your childhood self. College is a time to reinvent how you want to be known, and that comes into play with dating as well. You don’t have to date someone you were on the track team with or did the school play with—you can experiment, get acquainted with partners from all walks of life and use the freedom of college to determine a dating identity and relationship style that’s comfortable and 100 percent you.

Instead of viewing dating in college as something scary or something to worry about, embrace it! You’ll learn about yourself, and what you like. The new experiences will help you grow.

5 Eyebrow Products to Save the Day When Defining Your Arches Feels Impossible

0
0

Eyebrows are definitely the most important step in the makeup process, because they truly shape your face. Whether you need to get your brows done ASAP because they’re not looking their best, or if you can never get the shape you want, getting the correct eyebrow products is a must! The arch of your eyebrows can often be hard to achieve, and it’s also difficult to choose from hundreds of product options at your local beauty store. To make it easier, I’ve narrowed the choices down to five products that will help you achieve your perfect arch.

1. Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz ($21)

This product is amazing because it really helps with precision without providing harsh lines. Your brows will look completely natural, while still having a precise arch!

2. Benefit Cosmetics Precisely, My Brow Pencil ($24)

This is another pencil that can be super helpful in creating an easy arch with thin strokes. It has a lot of positive reviews because of its perfect pigmentation and easy application.

3. Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper & Hair Touch Up ($28)

If you want fuller brows that will be defined while staying natural, this is perfect for you! Brow gel will help you keep a cleaner, softer look so your arch does not look as harsh. 

4. Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade ($18)

If you are not really a fan of pencils, this pomade is an amazing option. It’s known for having super high pigmentation, providing a fuller look, and it also won’t rub off throughout the day! 

5. Hourglass Cosmetics Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil ($34)

Last, but definitely not least, this product’s angled tip makes it so easy to create the perfect arch, and it can be used for a light arch, sharp arch or anything in between! 

Creating a perfect arch can be frustrating at times, but with the use of the right products, it can be something super easy that can be adopted into your daily makeup routine.

Viewing all 25628 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images