You can’t tell the history of fashion without the big-eyed, short haired supermodel who embodied the mod aesthetic that reigned supreme in the 1960s. Of course, we’re talking about the one and only Twiggy. In honor of Twiggy’s 65th birthday (which she's celebrating on September 19th), Her Campus presents the best sixties-style dresses the 21st century has to offer.

1. Stick in the Mod Dress, $58 from Nasty Gal.

This fun and flirty pink number adds an element of surprise with its bold black collar.

2. Short Sleeve Color Block Shift Dress, $26.99 from Charlotte Russe.

You can throw this dress on to take a midterm during the day—remember: dress well to test well!—and keep it on when you go out to dinner in the evening. It’s simple design allows you to dress it up or dress it down by adding a statement necklace or a light scarf.

3. Mod About You Dress, $58 from Nasty Gal.

The long sleeves, dark hue, and high neckline of this flowy dress counteract its short length—it's both sweet and fierce.

4. BDG Mode Stripe Mock-Neck Trapeze Dress, $69 at Urban Outfitters.

This dress is both casual and comfy. Add tights and an edgy leather jacket to make it perfect for fall!

5. Nine West Geometric Colorblock Dress, $64.

This sophisticated dress is a grown-up adaptation of the classic youthful look. Perfect for your fall internship!

The mod legacy of the 1960s is still very much alive in today’s fashion universe. So next time you rock a shift dress, don’t forget to ask yourself, “what would Twiggy do?”

Each month, Keara from Hamilton College experiences the same series of miserable events.

“First I send a text to a friend, and when they don't respond right away I start wondering ‘What if none of my friends like me?’ ‘What if I have no true friends?’” she says. “Then I look in the mirror and think that I'm getting fat and need to start a diet, but can't fulfill my hunger. I get extremely clumsy, get a pimple right next to my nose, and then start to piece together that I must be PMSing. But after about a week of PMS and cramps, I usually still haven't gotten my period and begin to worry that I'm pregnant (even when I haven't been having sex – my PMSing brain is reasonable, right?). And then finally one night I am impossibly hot and can't sleep at all even though I'm exhausted, and the next morning I get my period. It’s brutal.”

All of Keara’s symptoms are a part of a little something we like to call PMS, or Premenstrual Syndrome. Over-exaggerated emotions, uncomfortable cramps, pimples and mood swings make us groan and complain about our womanhood as we snap at our boyfriends and best friends and down the nearest chocolate bar. So what gives? What causes these oh-so-lovely symptoms? And is there anything we can do about it?

What Is PMS, Exactly?

PMS, or Premenstrual Syndrome, is a variety of symptoms that are part of your menstrual cycle. The symptoms usually occur about one week before your period begins and they often disappear when you start your period. PMS affects menstruating women of all ages, but the effects can be different for each woman. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates that at least 85% of women experience one or more PMS symptom as a part of their monthly cycle. And while most women have fairly mild symptoms, about 3-8% of women do need treatment and prescription medication, as their symptoms are more severe.

Dr. Jennifer Wider, the author of The Doctor's Complete College Girls' Health Guide and the medical adviser to Cosmopolitan magazine, believes that a number of factors can play into the severity of a woman’s PMS.

“Some women seem to be more vulnerable to the hormonal changes that accompany the menstrual cycle,” she says. “There is also some evidence that certain brain chemicals are affected by the hormonal fluctuations. Stress can make PMS worse in some women, and diet and vitamins may play a role too. In short, a variety of causes are at play in PMS.”

Certainly, the changes in hormones that women experience during their menstrual cycles are an important cause of PMS, as the changing levels of those hormones can leave women feeling overly emotional, struggling with breakouts and pimples, or craving certain foods like chocolate.

What are the Symptoms of PMS?

Dr. Wider notes that most women experience a variety of symptoms during the week before their periods.

“Mood swings, swollen, sore breasts, cramps, bad skin, headaches, bloating, difficulty sleeping and digestive issues are among the most common symptoms,” she says.

While some women experience a combination of all of these symptoms, others will experience only one or two. As Dr. Wider explained before, these differences could be for a variety of reasons including diet, exercise and stress levels.

An anonymous collegiette from San Francisco experienced almost all of these symptoms each month before she decided to start using birth control.

“I'm pretty sure that I used to have every [PMS] symptom in the book, especially when my body really got in the regular schedule of things,” she says. “By my senior year in high school, I was experiencing backaches, headaches, severe cramps, breast tenderness, breakouts, bloating and fatigue regularly with every period. I would usually get a combination of two of the symptoms in the days leading to my period, and like clockwork they all happened at some point in the early stages of my period.”

So you’re feeling bloated, highly anxious, your skin is breaking out and you’re mad at your boyfriend for no reason. You know that you’re probably PMSing, but what now? Is there anything you can do about it?

Short- and Long-Term Remedies

There are a few different routes you can take to help deal with PMS symptoms. The first is a preventative route. Dr. Wider recommends getting plenty of exercise, cutting caffeine from your diet and finding a way to ease stress in your life as preventative measures for PMS. PMS symptoms are often worsened by high stress and high levels of caffeine, so cutting down on those things, plus using exercise and a healthy diet to de-stress and energize yourself, can go a long way to prevent those pesky PMS symptoms. Dr. Wider also recommends cutting salt from your diet, as it may aid in decreasing bloating.

The second route to eliminating, or at least reducing, the discomfort associated with PMS involves using NSAIDS, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as Advil, Motrin, Alleve and Midol. Dr. Wider explains that these medications can help reduce the discomfort of cramps and headaches. If your period is on a fairly regular schedule, you could even take a dose of one these anti-inflammatory medications before the symptoms actually start in order to prevent or at least lessen them.

Many collegiettes also choose to use non-medication remedies like hot pads for reducing cramps, or monthly massages to eliminate headaches. And we all know that there’s nothing better than a bowl of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to help satisfy those wacky food cravings you’ve been having all week!

The third route that you can take to reduce your PMS symptoms is to use oral contraceptives, or birth control pills. Dr. Wider explains that birth control pills may make the hormone levels in the brain more stable. Because of this, only hormonal forms of birth control will help to reduce PMS symptoms.

“In PMS, hormone levels go up and down,” she says. “This fluctuation is thought to cause some of the symptoms of PMS, so being on the birth control pill may stop those fluctuations.”

The anonymous collegiette from San Francisco found that birth control pills helped her PMS symptoms significantly.

“I used to rely on Midol, but then I finally switched to the Pill,” she says. “At first the Pill didn't work too well. I still had severe cramps and other symptoms that it was supposed to fix. However, after about my fourth month on the Pill, I realized my cramps began to calm down into dull pains every other period or so, my face cleared up and although I still experience bloating and fatigue, most of the other symptoms have not come back which is great! Before the Pill I was miserable – I usually had to lay low for a few days which definitely interrupted the other important things going on in my life. Being on the Pill means that I am able to feel more energized and less bothered by aches and pains!”

All of these options can be helpful for eliminating the annoying and often painful symptoms associated with PMS. “The way that you choose to ameliorate the symptoms of PMS definitely depends on what those symptoms are,” says Dr. Wider.

The Bottom Line

PMS sucks, yes, but as with most things in life, living in a healthy, stress-free way can actually help to prevent the worst of those symptoms. And when a long run, a chocolate bar and some meditation still leave you feeling uncomfortable, grab a bottle of Midol, or even stop by the doc’s office to talk about switching to birth control pills. PMS might be a drag, but thankfully there are some quick fixes.

Happy Birthday to Twiggy! With her lithe frame, large eyes and cute boyish haircut, she became the face for the "mod" scene in the swinging sixties. What we love most? Her doll-like eyes and extravagant, glamorous lashes.

To celebrate her birthday, we put together a makeup tutorial so you can get the look:

1. Prep, prime, and do your face. Make sure your face is clean and oil-free.
2. Apply a mattifying primer, like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original ($12).
3. Apply a light wash of a cream or white eyeshadow color, Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Walk of Shame ($18) to brighten the eye.
4. Use an eye defining brush, e.l.f. Essential Defining Eye Brush ($1), to apply a black color in the crease of the eye. Then use an eyeliner brush, e.l.f. Essential Eyeliner Brush ($1), to color in the crease above the inner eye V and to create a tail above the outer eye V that is parallel to both the outer eye and your eyebrows. 
5. Using a fine point eyeliner, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Trooper ($18), create a thin line right at the edge of your lash line that parallels the crease line you made earlier. Towards the end, instead of naturally flicking up, do a small flick downwards.
6. For the top eyelashes, you can opt to use fake lashes, but here we will use mascara. For the base coat, use Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! Mascara ($23) and then Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara in Black ($16.50) For every new coat of mascara, make sure to blink onto your finger or tissue to get rid of excess mascara.
7. For the bottom lashes, use the Tattoo Liner to create whispy bottom lashes. Apply more pressure on the water line and as you're creating the lashes, let off some pressure to get a gradual line that goes from thick to thin. To create the triangle lashes in the video, angle the lines so that you can get the triangles.
8. To give your eyes the illusion that they are bigger than they are, use a white or shimmery light color, Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner in Precious Silver ($5), on your water line.
9. For a finishing touch, use a pale pink or nude lipstick, Lancôme Color Design Sensation Effects Lipcolor in "It" Girl ($22.50) to get the "Mod" look.

And Voilà! You now have Twiggy's iconic eyes. 

What did you collegiettes think of the makeup tutorial? Did you try the look? How did it go?

Your mom and your middle school health teacher weren’t far off when they called breakfast the most important meal of the day!

“Tried and true—eating a healthy breakfast will repay you in energy benefits,” says Carol DeNysschen, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Buffalo State College.

Not only will eating breakfast chase away those embarrassing stomach roars that always occur just as your professor pauses to breathe, but if you eat the right foods, they can also give you more energy, which means a whole lot more productivity and positivity for the rest of your day.  Not sure where to start?  No problem! Her Campus has compiled a list of seven foods that will get you ready to tackle whatever life throws your way.

1. Steel-cut oats

When some of us think of breakfast, images of pancakes, waffles, bagels, toast, pastries and donuts float through our minds.  What do all of those foods have in common?   They all fall into the grain category, but not necessarily in a good way.  Before you reach for that white toast or bagel, think it through.

“Try to stick to whole-grain carbohydrates,” DeNysschen says. “Keep in mind that the whole-grain carbohydrate source will digest more slowly, so that enhances a steady level of blood glucose, or blood sugar.”

Fiber-rich steel-cut oats will help keep you full until lunchtime, unlike those pancakes and pastries!

2. Eggs

Scrambled, over easy, hard boiled, poached—on their own, eggs are a great power food any way you crack them.

“Eggs are a great source of protein,” which means they’ll keep you fuller longer, says Dr. Mary Kay Meyer, professor and chair of The College of Human Environmental Sciences at the University of Alabama. “Don’t be afraid to include them several times a week.”

Give yours an extra energy boost by whipping up an omelet with healthy greens, like spinach or kale, and other vegetables, like mushrooms, tomatoes or peppers.  You’ll have a healthy breakfast that is sure to get you ready for whatever the morning throws your way.  You could also try “framing” your eggs in a piece of whole-grain toast or half of an avocado.

3. Canadian bacon

While eggs may be a great source of protein, some classic breakfast meat won’t hurt either.

“I believe in the old adage, ‘Eat like a king in the morning, a queen at lunch and a pauper at dinner,’” Dr. Meyer says.

If you want to get some protein the healthier way, try Canadian bacon.  It’s leaner than its more traditional counterpart: “Two ounces have only 1.2 grams of saturated fat,” says DeNysschen.

Eat it grilled alongside some eggs, or mix it into an omelet for extra protein that is sure to keep you powered through anything.

4. Low-fat yogurt

Woke up late?  While a breakfast bar might be a quick and easy option, it may not be as healthy as you think.  “They are usually full of sugars,” DeNysschen says.

Instead, she recommends an alternative source of protein that also takes no prep time: low-fat yogurt.  With all of the yogurt varieties available today, there’s something for everyone.  Try Greek yogurt, which has even more protein than regular yogurt.

However you choose to enjoy it, yogurt is packed with protein, potassium, vitamin B12, calcium and more.  Just be sure to choose a low-fat version that isn’t full of added sugars.  Be wary of versions with fruit mix-ins; you can avoid excessive sugar by adding in your own fresh fruit!

5. Coffee

With all the high-calorie, sugar-packed, fancy varieties of coffee drinks available at every coffee shop today, coffee has become more of a dessert than a pick-me-up morning favorite.

“There is nothing wrong with a cup of coffee—just avoid high levels of sugar added in,” DeNysschen says.

If you aren’t quite ready to drink your coffee black, try it with skim milk and small amounts of natural sugar instead of artificial sweeteners.

You pack a lot into your days, so make sure that your food packs enough energy for you! However, we all know that mornings are often rushed and hectic, especially in college.  Try preparing as much of your breakfast as possible the night before so that you won’t have to scramble (no pun intended) around half asleep in the morning trying to make your meal. But when even your best-laid plans don’t pan out and you sleep through your alarm, at least grab a yogurt on your way out the door. Whatever you do, Dr. Meyer reminds us, “Do not skip breakfast!”

Drop the smartphone—now—because we’re about to show you an even better way to capture your college memories.

We’ve partnered up with Lomography to give away an adorable, ultra-compact camera that’ll take Instagram-worthy shots, but on film—yes, film—giving new meaning to #tbt (or, just proudly declare #ishootfilm with @lomography). Tons of settings mean you can play with lighting, so game day photos and dorm room selfies alike turn out just how you want them to; and exposure, in case you want to get artsy.

You’ll also get a detachable flash and three rolls of film to get you started—just enough for a DIY photo wall or the start of your college scrapbook. Enter now for a chance to win all of this—free!

When I go, I want to be buried in my Converses. So far, they’ve been the perfect life partner: reliable, loyal and always fashionable. I try to incorporate Converses into every outfit I can—here are my top four favorite ways to wear them.

1. Boy Meets Girl Meets World

J. Crew Long-Sleeved Jeweled Necklace Tee, $40.61

Gap Sexy Boyfriend Jean, $69.95

BaubleBar Bolt Hinge Bracelet, $30

To play up the masculine quality of Converses, I love pairing them with boyfriend jeans. However, the key to a great androgynous outfit is also adding in some feminine elements, which is why I love this girly striped top (what an adorable neckline!) and silver bangle. This look would be great for class or lunch with your friends.

2. I'm So Flirty

Tobi Chasing Ruffles Crop Top, $23

American Apparel Natural Denim Circle Skirt in Salmon, $23

Topshop Brogue Crossbody Bag, $60

As a “fun-sized” collegiette—I’m only 5’3—I know all the other petite ladies out there will share my appreciation for high-waisted skirts, which make our legs seem … well, if not limo-long, at least longer than a Smart Car. Actually, everyone’s legs can benefit from the enhancing effects of high-rise bottoms! This crop top keeps the flirty vibe going, while a brown cross-body bag is perfect for holding all your essentials while you skip around town (this skirt was made for skipping.) Converses keep the outfit from being too dressy for day.

3. Freaks and Geeks

BDG Tartan Plaid Button-Down Shirt, $49

Forever 21 Cuffed Distressed Denim Shorts, $15.80

H&M Knit Hat, $9.95

Of course, at some point in your Converse career you just have to rock the ‘90s grunge look. Whip out that flannel, girl! Denim shorts are the obvious accompaniment; however, I like to keep the rips to a minimum so that the ensemble doesn’t go too far in the grunge direction. A beanie is a great way to literally cap things off.

4. Uptown Goes Downtown

Boohoo Victoria Chiffon Top Bodysuit, $24

ModCloth Charter School Cardigan in Sky, $34

LuLu’s Bed of Posies Coral Floral Midi Print Skirt, $40

River Island Silver Tone Cluster Rhinestone Earrings, $6

Kohl’s Steel City Stainless Steel Stack Ring Set, $16

Thought Converses couldn’t be classy? Think again. I absolutely love adding them to a girly outfit. However, to avoid looking like I accidentally put the wrong shoes on in the morning, I make sure every other piece I wear is super femme. This floaty midi skirt is what dreams are made of—mine, at least. And this bodysuit is total genius! Once you tuck it in, you look like you’re wearing a floaty top… but you skip the annoying, pull-down-your-shirt-every-two-seconds factor.

The number of ways you can style Converses is almost infinite. Personally, I plan on wearin' them up until I die—and yup, they're definitely coming in my coffin. 

It may seem like classes just started for the year, but Thanksgiving will be here before we know it! While a relaxing break at home is great for most of us, freshman collegiettes in long-distance relationships often get nervous about a phenomenon known as the turkey dump, a term used to describe break-ups that take place during Thanksgiving break when both of you are back home (often for the first time since class started). Breaking up doesn’t have to be served up along with your turkey dinner, though! Check out these four things you can do right now to avoid an unhappy holiday.

1. Set and Follow Rules for Your Relationship

Chances are, you probably set some sort of goals or came to an agreement about what you wanted your relationship to look like before you left for college. Before you both left to go your separate ways, the two of you (hopefully) should have talked about things like how much you expected to talk to or visit each other, what’s okay in terms of seeing other people and expectations with one another about the direction in which you want your relationship to continue.

Now that the year has gotten underway and the chaos of the first couple of weeks of classes has settled, take a few moments and do a mental check-in. Are you sticking to the terms of whatever it is you and your significant other agreed upon? Are certain things unclear or becoming harder to interpret? Make sure you’re flexible and forgiving with yourself as well. New changes and new scenarios don’t have to signal the automatic end to a relationship, but they can be the material that makes it even stronger!

If you feel it’s needed, have a conversation with your boyfriend about what’s working and what’s not with the expectations both of you have regarding your relationship. It’s a much smarter idea to address problems you’re encountering now than to let resentments build up until they become too much to handle—one scenario that often leads to Thanksgiving break-ups.

You also might want to discuss what you expect to happen when both of you are back during Thanksgiving break and think about revisiting whatever agreements you guys reached before leaving. “Seeing each other again is all about expectations. Do you expect it will be like before? Do you expect he will be/do/say something?” says Ariane de Bonvoisin, an author, speaker, entrepreneur and founder of The First 30 Days, a website for helping people make changes in their lives. “[Be] really clear on what you hope/want/expect, write it down even, and then let it go. Your expectations are directly in line with how much you will suffer!”

2.  Take Advantage of Technology

Sharing both the good and the bad parts of your college experience is also super important if you’re hoping to avoid the dreaded turkey dump. “Accept that you're not going to be together every day––but that doesn't mean you're not going to speak every day. Skype is amazing for LDR's, so learn to love it!” advises Lauren Hudson, a fourth-year student at the University of Exeter.

De Bonvoisin agrees. “You must feel safe about communicating what's really going on,” she says. Take advantage of Skype, email, texting and calling while still leaving enough time to spend time with the new friends you’ve made.

“I think the most important thing is to utilize all the amazing technology that's out there,” says Sarah*, a senior at Boston University. “From Skype dates to sending a quick text between classes, I found that it was the little day-to-day things that made a difficult situation easier.” Talking regularly, whether it’s over the phone, computer or via text can help the two of you stay close and make the distance a little more bearable.

3. Balance Your New Life at College with Your Old Life Back Home

If one or both of you is holding the other back from enjoying new experiences and new people you’re meeting at school, a breakup may quickly become inevitable. “The first time you're away from him is really hard, especially if you're used to seeing him almost every day,” says Lauren. “Be sure to keep yourself busy and throw yourself into college activities as this makes it so much easier. When you're busy you have less time to miss him.”

To avoid a messy break-up come Thanksgiving, it’s crucial to realize that you’ll both grow and learn and try new things while you’re apart, and that it’s okay to be apart. “Communication is key, but don't overdo it.  I know girls who were constantly texting and talking to their boyfriend, even Skyping until they fell asleep, and then the other person would just watch them sleep. It's too much,” says Katie*, a junior at Cornell. “You have to acknowledge that your boyfriend's not there, and that you need to do things in college without him.  Otherwise, this expectation of sharing everything will put an unhealthy strain on the relationship.”

You don’t have to keep your new experiences totally to yourself, either. Plan on sharing new things you’re experiencing with your boyfriend when the two of you are back together over the break to help bridge any awkwardness and show each other different parts of your new collegiate lives. “Withholding is what starts killing the relationship; it’s not the distance. Give each other the space to share it all,” says de Bonvoisin. “That is what builds and keeps intimacy. It’s not even what you say that will have someone dump you; it’s what you aren’t saying.”

Just joined a climbing club on campus? Start making plans now to show off your new skills to him at a gym near your house. Learning a new language? Teach him a few words during your next phone conversation. Sharing your new experiences or making plans to share them as early as possible can also be huge in avoiding a breakup. This way, instead of feeling like you’re growing impossibly far apart from one another, the focus instead is on ways to share new experiences and turn them into something the both of you can enjoy as a couple as well as on your own!

4. Don’t Wait Until Thanksgiving to Have a Heart-to-Heart

Relationships are all about communication. If you’re unhappy with how something is going or where your relationship currently stands, don’t wait until Thanksgiving to let your significant other know how you’re feeling; ask for what you want and need. “During a long-distance relationship, it’s very hard to guess what the other person requires,” de Bonvoisin says. "[Be] super clear on expressing things.”

Keeping communication clear, open and honest is MAJOR in avoiding a turkey dump. Bringing up issues as they arise instead of holding on to upset emotions is a great way to avoid tons of drama and tears come Thanksgiving.

Keep in mind that everyone has days when things aren’t going so stellar. One rough conversation, one rumor your best friend from high school shared with you about your boyfriend or one other difficult obstacle won’t derail a solid relationship if you’re open with each other about how you’re feeling!

While the turkey dump is an unfortunate reality many collegiettes will face this Thanksgiving, it doesn’t have to happen to you and your boyfriend. Start talking and communicating now so you don’t have to end things come November.

*Names have been changed.

Say it ain’t so, Queen Bey! Rumors are once again circulating about Beyoncé but, this time, they’re about something a little different.

While spending her 33rd birthday on a fancy private yacht, Yoncé posted a few photos of herself in a snakeskin bikini on her Tumblr page. Though the pictures were ***flawless as usual, one picture, upon closer inspection, appeared to be altered just a little.

There’s no questioning that Queen Bey already has an amazing body, Photoshop or no Photoshop, but the stair that’s in between the singer’s thighs looks suspiciously out of place. Let's be honest: there's no way this swanky yacht has a stair that mysteriously angles upward (and then back downward) in the middle. Something smells like Photoshop to us!

If Beyoncé really did Photoshop her thigh gap, the only question we have is, “Why?” She’s already practically perfect, and she’s spent the entirety of her career proving that to us.

This isn’t the first time Bey has been accused of Photoshopping her body in pics. Last month, a photo was posted to her Instagram in which the wine glass next to her leg appeared distorted, as did the iPhone sitting on the table.

It’s pretty simple: Bey, you don’t have to do this! You, as well as us collegiettes that look up to you, will always be ***flawless. 

Having a terrible professor in college seems almost like a rite of passage. In many cases you can see bad professors coming a mile away, whether it’s from their 12-page syllabi or their pompous attitudes during the first week of class. While many collegiettes might choose to drop the class the minute they sense their professor will be a dud, some of us aren’t so lucky—sometimes we wait past the drop/add period, and other times the professor is teaching a required course and we just can’t avoid him or her.

For those collegiettes who find themselves in this unfortunate situation, we’ve compiled a list of the different kinds of terrible professors you can have and how to deal with them.

First things first: Is your professor a bad teacher, or just hard?

It’s pretty easy to hate the professor who teaches our least favorite class or is critical of our essays, but does that mean that he or she is really terrible at teaching? Before you start hating a professor, determine if you’re having a tough time with the material, or if he or she really does stink at teaching.

Good professors who teach tough material tend to make themselves openly available during office hours, hold question-and-answer sessions when reviewing homework and give thorough explanations when you get an answer wrong.

However, your professor might really be a dud. See if he or she falls into any of these categories:

1. The Bad Explainer

If you’re sitting in a class you think you should understand but find your head spinning, you might be falling victim to The Bad Explainer. Bad Explainers usually use roundabout methods of explaining the solution to a problem, have disorganized lectures and don’t highlight key terms.

“I once had a stats professor who would go off on horrible tangents in class, and it was impossible to follow her reasoning,” says Iris, a junior at the University of California, Los Angeles. “Nobody ever understood anything she was saying.”

Professors who stink at explaining things might also be too smart for their own good. They think that if they understand the material, their students are bound to understand it as well.

Bad explainers are usually oblivious to the teaching sins they commit, which is exactly why they’re so tough to deal with. So how do we get a grip on the material?

How to handle this professor

Office hours, office hours, office hours!

When you meet for the professor’s office hours, make sure you have specific questions so your professor knows exactly what you need to know.

Does your professor regularly ditch scheduled office hours? Be proactive. Email him or even respectfully approach him at the end of class to schedule a time when you both can discuss the issues you’re having in the class. This way you can hold the professor accountable for making himself available.

If your head is still spinning even after meeting with your professor, try visiting a tutor. It’s always helpful to hear someone else explain the material and try to make it click in a different way.

Many colleges have students who work on campus as tutors: Students who have already taken certain classes tutor others in them. Try to get a tutor who has had the same bad-explaining professor as you so you can ask him or her for tips on how to survive the class. If the tutor was successful in the class you’re struggling with, he or she is the perfect resource to help you make it through the class with your GPA still intact.

2. The Busywork Assigner

The Busywork Assigner is much exactly what she sounds like: A professor who gives a lot of repetitive and/or stupid work rather than a few very meaningful projects. Do you find yourself doing a different version of the same assignment every week? Do you continue to do work and receive no feedback? Does the work you do seem below the difficulty level of the class? If so, you might be a victim of The Busywork Assigner.

“Last semester, I had a bio professor who gave the dumbest assignments and canceled class all the time,” says Rachel*, a sophomore at the University of Connecticut. “People would laugh at me for complaining about that, but honestly, it was such a waste of my money, and I really needed to learn about the subject for future bio classes.”

How to handle this professor

Busywork Professors are tough because they require you to have a certain amount of the “grin and bear it” mentality. While it gets tremendously frustrating to feel like you’re completing all sorts of assignments and not learning anything, remember: As dumb as the assignments seem, they still count toward your grade. Don’t sabotage yourself by neglecting them or giving anything less than 100 percent!

If you’re nervous that you’ll be a beat behind after having this dud professor, reach out to other professors in the department to hear about what they think is important for you to know.

“I visited all the time with other bio professors I knew,” Rachel says. “I asked them what I will need to know and remember for future classes and asked them how I could master them.”

Especially if this class is a prerequisite for other classes, it’s important to make sure you’re up to speed by checking in with other professors in the department or with campus tutors.

3. The Unfair Grader

After spending hours writing that paper and handing it in with all the confidence in the world, you must’ve gotten a great grade, right? Not with The Unfair Grader.

Unfair Graders are usually found in classes where a lot of essays and subjective work are assigned (it’s hard to grade problems with a black-and-white answer unfairly, right?). They can dock your grade down because they didn’t like your writing style, your way of explaining a certain concept or even the sources you used throughout the paper.

Although Unfair Graders are most common in more subjective classes, they still exist in math and science classes!

“I had a super bad grader in one of my math classes, actually,” says Chelsea, a sophomore at Salem State University. “It wasn’t so much that he wasn’t fair in determining if my answer was right or wrong, but he consistently added up my score wrong to give me a worse grade than I earned.”

Beware of these! Careless and unfair professors should be the last reason why you get a bad grade.

How to handle this professor

Be proactive with The Unfair Grader and (respectfully) stand up for yourself. Take a look at the professor’s comments on a paper you got a less-than-stellar grade on and see if they make any sense. You might have been graded unfairly if the professor doesn’t provide an explanation for your grade, leaves contradictory comments throughout the essay or exam or shows that he simply disagrees with your opinion rather than thinks you wrote a bad paper.

If you still think you deserved a better grade, respectfully approach the professor with your problems. This doesn’t mean you have to be a grade grub, but if you genuinely think you wrote an A paper and you got a C-, you need to do something about it. Point out the highlights of your paper and ask the professor to clarify why exactly you got the grade you did.

If you’re nervous about approaching a professor about a grade, try doing it gently at first. Simply telling a professor that you’d like to discuss the paper you just got back or saying, “Hi, professor; I had a quick question about this comment you made on my essay,” are easy, nonthreatening ways to get into a discussion about your grade. If you enter the conversation in a relaxed and friendly manner, the professor is way more likely to listen to what you say. From there you can subtly begin to make your case for a higher grade by telling the professor that you think you did a great job of presenting a certain argument or explaining your thought process in organizing your essay.

If the professor doesn’t budge on the grade, ask him for a definitive list of things to improve on that will help you in getting a better grade next time. Holding the professor accountable for your improvement will make him look more critically and fairly at your next assignments.

If you have a professor who really stinks at grading (adds up the points wrong, marks correct answers as incorrect), you have to take the responsibility to stay on your toes.

“After the first time I caught a mistake, I added up my score on every single exam I took,” Maggie says. “I caught at least two other mistakes throughout the rest of the semester.”

Keep your own grade book in a spreadsheet so you can keep track of how you are doing in the class; you don’t want your professor to make a mistake in calculating your final grade, either, and this is a step you can take to prevent that from happening. Keep your syllabus to reference back to different grade values. Make sure your professor is weighing different assignments properly; you want to make sure that midterm you knocked out of the park is counting for that full 30 percent of your grade!

Hang onto all of your graded assignments, too. If you do end up having to contest a grade by taking it to a department head or an academic dean, you want to make sure you have all of your assignments in order to prove that you deserve the grade that you’re arguing for. Don’t let a professor get away with mistakes because you didn’t keep all of your materials!

4. The Rude Professor

A Rude Professor is the one who might be teaching you all the right material and in the right way, but when it comes to being a good person, she falls short. She tends to be disinterested in the subject or say inappropriate things to you throughout class.

“I had a horrible professor one year who never seemed to want to be teaching us,” says Ashley, a junior at Wake Forest University. “She always seemed distracted and would interrupt class to make personal calls or answer personal emails, which was frustrating because as students, we aren’t allowed to do that.”

Other professors make it seem like it’s their job to make you feel bad for not knowing everything in their discipline. “I once had this history professor who was so smart it was unreal,” says Kelly, a junior at Fitchburg State University. “He’d always make a face when you were answering a question wrong or [would] almost seem mad at you if you said something that wasn’t right.”

Rude Professors are hard to deal with but sometimes harder to avoid, so what’s a girl to do?

How to handle this professor

If a professor ever says anything crossing a certain line (such as making a personal attack or a politically incorrect comment), report him to the school’s administration immediately. Taking issues like this to a department’s chairperson or dean is the best way to make sure these kinds of negative situations never happen again. Although you’re a student, you’re still a person who deserves respect.

If a professor’s rudeness is more like a thorn in your side, turn the other cheek. This “turn the other cheek” method isn’t the most immediately gratifying, we know—when your professor rolls her eyes at one of your comments during a discussion, all you want to do is talk back to her. However, when you encounter a Rude Professor, you shouldn’t go out of your way to be equally as rude in return. Even if a professor’s tendency to answer personal calls during class irritates you, remember that she does have authority over you and controls your grade.

When all else fails, fill out teacher evaluations.

We’ve saved the best method of dealing with a bad prof for last—filling out completely honest teacher evaluations. The best part? This method works for any kind of bad professor.

“When I had that terrible history professor, I was absolutely brutal in their teacher evaluation,” Kelly says. “Even though I know this professor was tenured, I hope that my evaluation caused the department head to speak to her about what students thought.”

Just like turning the other cheek, simply filling out a teacher evaluation isn’t the most immediately gratifying thing to do to a crappy professor. Despite this, it’s probably the most effective thing you can do to make sure the professor changes in the future. Whether the professor reads the evaluations themselves or a review board does to determine a faculty member’s tenure, these evaluations are going somewhere, and if enough students speak their minds, eventually a positive change will happen.

Like we said—it’s almost as if everyone has to deal with a bad professor to make their college careers complete, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make things easier for yourself. What are your bad professor stories? Let us know in the comments below!

*Name has been changed.

If you go to a big school, you know that football can be a huge part of college life. We get prepped with lots of expectations about football games, but what really happens? Here's a play-by-play of game day from start to finish.

Expectation:

You'll head out to the tailgates early in the morning to get started on the football fun.

Reality:

Reality:

You spend an hour trying to find the perfect outfit before you give up and just put on shorts and a school T-shirt.

Expectation:

Every student will be at every game, or else they're totally uncool.

Expectation:

Football can't be that hard to grasp. Within a few minutes you'll be an expert and know exactly what's going on during the game.

Reality:

You’ll just gauge the crowd's reaction to find out if we're winning or not and cheer when it seems appropriate. Football is confusing.

Expectation:

The marching band's halftime show will be a bit of a snooze fest.

Reality:

Some marching band rivalries are more intense than the football rivalries. 

Expectation:

The game will be action-packed and super exciting from beginning to end, and you'll feel something like this:

Reality:

All of the exciting parts will probably total to about 10 minutes. For the rest of the game, you’ll probably look more like this:

Expectation:

If you’re hungry, you’ll chow down on delicious stadium food, like bacon-wrapped hot dogs.

Reality:

You’ll learn to spare your digestive system and pack a snack.

Expectation:

Win or lose, it’ll still be a nice time. It’s all about sportsmanship in the end.

 

Reality:

When we’re winning:

When we’re losing:

 

Expectation:

Win or lose, after the game, you'll head straight to a ton of after-parties that'll rage well into the next morning.

Reality:

Win or lose, you'll be so exhausted that you'll be heading home to sleep it off. 

Question: When someone mentions the term “nude,” what’s the first color that comes to mind? Is it something like this?

Maybe this.

But none of this, right?

We thought so. Have you ever noticed the lack of color that is brought into the conversation when people mention nude-colored anything? Google it and you’ll see. The struggle for women of color to simply find the right bra to wear under a light top is often overlooked in the industry.

While “nude” has traditionally been limited to those with skin tones on the lighter end of the spectrum, there is finally a brand of lingerie that is creating a broader definition of the word.

Thanks to a lingerie company called Nubian Skin, women of color will now have the option to find nude-colored lingerie in various shades of brown.

“My nude isn’t the nude I see in shops. Despite the reality that women of colour have the same needs as all women when it comes to lingerie and hosiery (and spend the same of their hard-earned money), the industry simply doesn’t cater to us. So, I thought, it’s time to rethink the definition of nude. Thus, Nubian Skin was born,” writes the founder of Nubian Skin (who chooses to remain unnamed) on the company’s website.

The lingerie will be sold in four shades, the darkest going by the name of “Berry” (as in “the darker the berry…”). The site is currently planning on going live with e-commerce at the beginning of October in sizes 30B to 36E. A wider range of sizes are scheduled to be sold at a later date. 

University of Washington students won "Best Product Concept" at the Microsoft Research Faculty Summit Design Expo 2014  for their non-working prototype called Vive, a smart bracelet that notifies friends when you've drunk too much.

The bracelet contains integrated sensors that detect your personal alcohol levels and dehydration. It connects to a smartphone app via Bluetooth. 

When users tap their bracelets together, they get friend requests. As a security feature, users can only see each other when both parties approve their friend requests.

When the bracelet detects you're drinking, it periodically vibrates, like a friend checking in with you to make sure you're okay. If users squeeze the bracelet, Vive assumes you're still in control. Check-ins become more frequent when Vive senses your blood alcohol levels rising. 

If you don't squeeze the bracelet, Vive will send an alert to your friends' phones, so they can find you and make sure you're safe. 

The designers say that Vive was born out of a conversation with the Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (SARVA) at the University of Washington. They learned that alcohol is the weapon of choice for people looking to commit rape or sexual assault.

At least half of sexual assaults involve alcohol.

The designers know they can't stop sexual assault, but they wanted to create a technology that could intervene before an individual has been removed from the safety of their social network.

A working prototype has yet to be released.

Despite the designers good intentions, the device is further fueling a recent debate: Should women be responsible for protecting themselves from rape and sexual assault, or should we be focusing more on educating and reprimanding men? 

What do you think? Comment below! 

Whether we're making our way out the door for an early class or for our first day at our internship, we all have those days when spending extra time on our hair just isn’t a priority. Sometimes we’d rather sacrifice our appearancefor a few extra minutes of sleep (and there’s nothing wrong with that). For days like these, we turn to our handy-dandy list of hairstyles that can take us from drab to fab in five minutes or fewer. Whether you woke up late or your hair just isn’t cooperating, these six quick and easy hairstyles can help you pull yourself together in no time.

1. Loose side braid

So you’ve never been very good at braiding hair. Lucky for you, you don’t have to be a pro at braiding to pull off this style. This is a perfectly imperfect hairstyle that will give you a bit of a romantic look while also allowing you to show off your inner boho girl.

Tutorial from A Beautiful Mess 

1. French braid your hair from the back to the side.
2. Use a hair elastic to tie a side ponytail.
3. Using a comb, tease the ponytail as much as possible.
4. Braid the teased hair into a regular braid.
5. Pull the braid so that it's uneven and loose.
6. Cut the top hair elastic off.

2. Ballerina bun

You don’t have to be a ballerina in training to wear this look! A ballerina bun is a great go-to hairstyle for collegiettes who want a look that’s simple but chic. The bun can be worn right on top of your head or lower down.

Tutorial from Beauty High 

1. Brush your hair into a high ponytail and secure with an elastic at the top of your head. Make sure there aren’t any bumps in your hair. 
2. Put a hair donut at the base of your ponytail and begin wrapping your hair around the donut, securing with hair pins to keep your hair in place. Continue pinning until your hair completely covers the donut and wrap it under the base.
3. Apply a spritz of hair spray to keep the bun in place and make sure there aren’t any loose hairs getting out.
    

3. High ponytail

Believe it or not, there’s more to a ponytail than just throwing it up on the top of your head and wrapping it with an elastic. The key to a great ponytail is its volume and staying power.

Tutorial from Beauty High 

1. Give your hair some texture. If your hair is freshly washed and a little too smooth, add some hair spray to your hair. This will allow your ponytail to stay in place all day long.
2. Pull your hair up towards the crown of your head.
3. Holding the ponytail in place with one hand, brush out any bumps with the other hand to ensure a smooth, sleek ponytail.
4. Once you have found the perfect ponytail placement (center of your head, visible from the front), take your hair elastic and secure the pony into place.
5. To keep your ponytail looking chic and not like you just came from the gym, take a 1-inch section of hair from the underside of your ponytail and wrap it around the hair elastic. Secure the hair with a bobby pin to hide the elastic, pushing the bobby pin in on the underside of the hair elastic so everything is covered up.
6. For some added volume and texture, tease the ponytail with a fine-tooth comb, gently combing hair upwards and towards the front.
7. Spray a toothbrush with hairspray and brush down any flyaways.

4. Hair bow bun

A unique take on the classic high bun, this style is cute, easy and fun. Watch this tutorial from Mr. Katefor reference.

1. Gather all of your hair on the top of your head and start a ponytail with an elastic.
2. Loop your hair through the elastic. On the last pull through, don’t pull your hair all the way through, and instead create a loop, leaving the tail of your hair (the ends) pointing toward your forehead.
3. Divide your loop into two halves.
4. Take the ends/tail of your hair and fold it back through the space in your two looped halves, creating the center “knot” part of the bow. Secure the ends in the elastic behind the bow in the back of your head.
5. Fluff up your bow by spreading out the loops and gently tugging them tighter.

5. Knotted bun

Simple enough to do in a matter of minutes but elegant enough to pull off at even the fanciest of occasions, this hairstyle is a must-try!

Tutorial fromOnce Wed 

1. Gather your hair to one side and place it in a ponytail behind your ear.
2. Begin twisting and wrapping the ponytail as if you’re tying a knot.
3. As you tie the ponytail into a knot, do not pull the tail all the way through.
4. Secure the knotted bun with large bobby pins.
5. Gently pull and tug the hair from the crown and throughout the bun to create texture and fullness.
6. Spray with a finishing product. 

6. Half-crown braid

You get the best of both worlds with this look by being able to wear your hair down without it being in your face.

Tutorial fromHair Romance 

1. Start by taking a 1-to-2-inch section of hair on one side of your hair above your ear. Split this section in three and make a braid.
2. Angle the braid back around your head and secure the end of the braid with a small, clear hair elastic.
3. Repeat on the other side, taking a section above your ear and making a braid. Secure the end with a small, clear elastic.
4. Bring the first braid across the back of your head and pin in place with bobby pins.
5. Cross the second braid over the first and tuck the end in behind the first braid. Secure it in place with bobby pins.

Not every late morning has to result in a bad hair day. Whether your alarm conveniently decided to not go off or you just needed a few extra minutes with your bed this morning, these simple yet chic hairstyles will get you out the door in no time. 

Your resume that you spent days crafting could be going into a black hole where it will never even reach a human being.

Pretty scary, huh? After all the hours spent formatting your bullet points and perfecting each word, your resume may not even make it to the hands of hiring personnel! This is thanks to the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many of today’s largest companies use to screen the hundreds of resumes they receive for each position. Don’t panic yet; all is not lost! If you understand how ATS works, you can beat the system and make sure your resume survives the screening process. We’ll break it down for you to be certain that your CV makes the cut.

How ATS Works

According to Lesley Mitler, President of Priority Candidates, a career coaching service for collegiettes and recent grads, ATS is “a software application that is utilized to make the recruitment process more fluid and efficient. It is an interface for candidates to apply online and for the company to review and chose the most qualified candidates for each job posting.”

She explains that companies use this software to identify the best applicants for a job based on specific criteria detailed in their job posting. ATS allows them to score and sort applications based on these criteria.

Who Uses ATS?

Mitler says that while it’s difficult to determine exactly how widespread the use of these systems is, “estimates indicate that half of all mid-sized companies and almost all large companies use some type of ATS.” Generally, companies with at least 500 employees will use ATS services.

Why Should You Modify Your Resume for ATS?

According to Preptel, a resume optimizing service, approximately 75 percent of resumes are discarded by ATS systems. In fact, according to a study by research and advisory services firm Bersin, these systems are largely flawed. Bersin tested one of the most commonly used ATS systems by crafting the perfect resume for an open position and running it through the system. The “perfect candidate” that Bersin created only received a 43 percent relevancy to the job! Several of their degrees and an entire job position were discarded because the ATS was not able to properly read them.

What should you take away from this? Having good, relevant experience is important, but you also have to present it well! Follow these tips to make sure your resume makes it all the way to the right hands.

How to Get Your Resume Past ATS

1. Insert Keywords

One way applicant tracking systems function is by scanning for keywords that match the job description provided by the company. Before sending your resume to a potential employer, tailor it to match therole you are seeking. “Use job-related keywords and use them multiple times to increase the chances that your resume is selected during the initial screening process,” says Mitler.

Incorporate industry-specific words in your resume. Scan the company’s website and write down any important words that stand out to you, and do the same with the job description. Important words include noted software, technical terms, and action verbs, as well as words that are often repeated. You can even copy and paste the job description into an online word cloud generator like WordItOut to see which words appear most often.

When you insert those keywords into your resume, be sure that you list them in the same form as in the job description. For example, if the description specifically states “Photoshop experience necessary,” don’t list in your resume that you’re “Proficient in all Adobe systems”; name Photoshop specifically. Make it easy on the computer to pick up on your skills, and your relevancy score will increase!

2. Look to the Experts

If you have a LinkedIn account (and you definitely should!), look at the company’s LinkedIn page. See where their employees have worked, read the descriptions of their job positions on their pages if you can, and read the company’s description. If you have anything in common with any of the above, be sure to highlight it in your resume! For example, if the head of the company’s research department worked at Nielson and you interned there, include that in your resume; the department may look for recruits from that company.

3. Avoid PDFs, Tables, and Graphs

Applicant tracking systems often don’t have a method for understanding PDFs, so they are often misinterpreted. “Send your resume as a Word document, not as a PDF,” Mitler advises. “Many ATS systems are unable to translate a PDF document.”

Not being human, ATS also have trouble reading stylized text and tables and have no resources at all to understand graphs. “Make sure the resume can be scanned,” Mitler says. “Use standard fonts, dark type, and a font of 10-12 point.  Avoid underlines, italics, vertical and horizontal lines, graphs, and tables.”

While creative resumes draw the eye, your beautiful infographics will go to waste if the computer can’t understand them!

4. Use Straightforward Headings and Job Titles

Computers don’t understand creativity. A job title you include on your resume may be only a few words, but it’s what the computer uses to categorize your experience. “If a resume is not formatted a way that the ATS can read it, the information will not be put in the correct fields,” Mitler says. “For example, use the term ‘work experience’ instead of ‘experience’ or ‘professional experience’ so the ATS recognizes it as such.” She also recommends avoiding abbreviations; spell out “Human Resources” rather than simply using “HR.”

5. Order Information the Way the Computer Likes It

The computer is programmed to screen experience based on a specific formatting system. Mitler advises the following order: first your employer’s name, then your title, followed by the dates you were in that position. Each can be placed on its own line within your resume. In the end, it should look like this:

Her Campus
Contributing Writer
May 2012 to Aug 2014

If you follow this ordering system, your experience is less likely to be overlooked!

6. Stay Honest

Don’t let your desire to make it through the ATS corrupt your resume to the point where it no longer represents you! Beating the ATS should be about optimizing your resume to make sure that your experience and skills are highlighted—not faking your experience to match the position. After all, if you do that to make it to the next round, you will struggle to make it through an interview with a real human being!

After working so hard to put relevant experience on your resume, it deserves to be read. Follow these tips and you can be sure you won’t be denied the job you want due because of a resume-reading robot!

A docuseries on the Duke porn star. [Jezebel]

Why dating a Disney prince is actually a terrible idea. [YourTango]

Columbia rape victim says she was forced out of school twice. [The Huffington Post]

50 Halloween costumes that should never be sexy. [PopSugar]

15 entitled cats. [BuzzFeed]

Now an app will replace your text with appropriate emojis. [Recode]

12 fragrances that defined your childhood. [Cosmopolitan]

Pigtails are apparently coming back. [Lucky Magazine]

What it would be like to have the job you wanted as a kid. [CollegeHumor]

‘All About That Bass’ singer covers Taylor Swift's 'Shake it Off'. [Us Magazine]

As a collegiette, your idea of procrastination may likely constitute binge-watching Netflix, online shopping, and perusing fashion blogs.  Orange is the New Black and Wanelo can only take you so far, so why not start following a new blog?  If you like fashion, beauty, travel, or blogs in general, Olivia Palermo of oliviapalermo.com is your girl!

As an actress, model and socialite, Palermo has a life most could only dream of—photoshoots, parties, tons of shopping...are you jealous yet? But whatever you know of her through The City (RIP), forget that all now—her site is totally down-to-earth with everything from personal #OOTD-like updates, fun features like “30 Looks for 30 Days” and of course, amazing style tips.

In addition to the fashion and beauty stories across the site, you'll also find an Olivia-approved boutique, in case you've ever wanted to get her look. Although many of the items are above the typical collegiette's price point, it's still fun to browse—plus, you'll get ideas for the kinds of trends you'll want to shop for the season. She also has a great lifestyle section on the site, which includes everything from entertaining guests (and we all know Olivia is pro at that!) to the hottest vacation spots. 

I would describe Olivia’s style as “classic chic.”  She tends to stick to timeless pieces (bonus: She mixes high fashion with high street fashion!) but adds her own flair with elements like fun fringe and funky hats.  At times, she'll wear a lot of black and white; other times, she throws in floral and other prints. Check out this fashionista’s blog—you won’t be disappointed!

As collegiettes, we know the value of time. We’re all juggling different combinations of classes, extracurricular actives, internships and part-time jobs while attempting to maintain some semblance of a social life. When you finally have a moment to spare, climbing into bed is probably a lot more enticing than lacing up and heading out for a run. Luckily, there’s good news for all you multitasking, overachieving collegiettes out there: there are ways to break a sweat and build muscle while you catch up on your chem reading. With these six moves, you’ll be deskercising with the pros.

Lower Body

The Glute Squeeze

The glute squeeze is one of the most inconspicuous exercises, which means that you can do it pretty much anywhere—in your room while reading a textbook, in the library while going over flashcards or in the classroom while taking notes.

To do this exercise, mimic the squeezing motion shown in the image above while seated. Wherever you’re sitting, just squeeze your gluteal muscles as hard as you can and hold the contraction for 10 seconds. Relax briefly. Repeat 10 to 20 times to work on filling out your fave booty shorts while you go over your flashcards.

Chair Squat

Typing a paper but still trying to keep your legs and butt looking tight and lean? Try this chair squat move, which works all the major muscle groups in the lower body and, as a bonus, activates your core and raises your heart rate, helping you torch major calories during those all night essay-writing sessions.

While typing, stand in front of your desk with your feet flat on the floor. Keeping your back as straight as possible, press your weight into your heels and squat down until your butt hovers just above the seat of your chair. Hold for five to 10 seconds then sit back down. Repeat 10-20 times.

Core and Abs

Abdominal Lift

Staring at your computer screen for hours might help you memorize the notes you took in class, but it’s not doing all that much for your abs. Try this difficult abdominal lift to strengthen and tone your core.

While seated, put your hands on the seat of your desk chair. If your chair has arms, you can place your hands on the arms for an easier variation. Keeping your knees bent, press your weight into your palms and lift your butt off the seat while keeping your arms straight. Lifting your knees as high as you can will help in toning your lower abs. Stay above the seat for a few seconds (up to 10) and then slowly sit back down. Repeat two to four times. Keep your eyes on your notes or textbook to keep this tough move study-friendly.

Oblique Swivel

Swiveling desk chairs are pretty cool not only because you can spin around in them when you’re bored, but also because they’re an amazing piece of workout equipment in disguise for those of us who like to get our sweat on outside the gym. Next time you’re just fooling around and spinning, open a textbook on your desk and get your study on with these controlled oblique swivels.

Sitting up straight with your back against the chair. Put your feet together and lift them off the floor as high as you can. Hold the edge of your desk tightly enough to stabilize yourself. Using your core (primarily your obliques), swivel from left to right as your read. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

Upper Body

Trapezius Squeeze

Summer might be leaving us, but tube top season will eventually return, and when it does, you’ll be ready! This simple move tones your upper back and stretches your chest—a must for those of us who spend a lot of our days hunched over textbooks and computers.

Sit upright with arms spread out to either side. Bend arms at 90 degrees so fingers are pointing forward. Pull your elbows back and pinch your shoulder blades together, pretending you’re trying to hold a pencil between them. Hold for five seconds, then release. Repeat 10-20 times. This move is perfect for flashcard users; instead of keeping your fingers pointing forward, pick up a flashcard with one hand and hold it in front of your face to read it. Squeeze while you try to figure out the answer and release once you flip over the card. Switch hands.

Water Bottle Bicep Curl

Slit-sleeve tops are all the rage this season, and the best accessory to the killer summer tan you’ll be showing off is toned arms. Use water bottles (or canned foods, or any other available weight you can grip in each hand) to work your biceps at your desk.

Sitting up straight, hold your weights at your sides, palms facing in and arms straight. With your elbows pressed to your side, raise your weights and rotate your forearms until your palms are facing your body. Slowly lower weights to original position and repeat for 10-20 repetitions. Make sure to keep your book open on your desk and flip pages in between reps.

Being a busy collegiette doesn’t mean that your health has to suffer! By incorporating some of these deskercises into your routine, you’ll be keeping yourself fit—and maybe even giving yourself the energy to finish that chapter in your textbook. It’s a win-win!

Like many people, on Wednesday nights I eagerly turned on MTV to watch Catfish. But unlike most, I have actually been in a similar situation. When watching the show, I’ve felt bad for some of the people doing the Catfish—I know how upset and self-conscious you have to be to create a fake profile on social media. I know this because I Catfished someone.

During the beginning of my freshman year, I was not into underage drinking or hooking up like my friends were, and grew apart from many of these people because of the differences in our social lives. I was lonely, and I had issues with my self-confidence. At the time, many of my schoolmates were dating, and I couldn’t get a single guy to look at me. I hit the point where I didn’t want to be myself; I wanted to be someone, anyone else—so I created a fake MySpace profile using pictures from a girl I had seen on YouTube. I used my real name and my real city in the biography, but I added a couple years to my age.

I spent an entire day making albums for “me” and setting up an entire profile with the fake pictures. I added my real MySpace account as a friend on this new one, and when I logged out, I had one friend. The next day I woke up with over 50 friend requests, from both guys and girls around my fake age and in my city. I added them back and continued to receive requests and messages just to chat. I started messaging back and forth, getting to know these people. I created friendships and inside jokes with so many new “friends.” I had so much fun sharing my deepest, darkest secrets and thoughts. No one judged me. I could be the person I was on the inside with these people because they didn’t care.

One day when I logged in, I had received a friend request from a guy named Gary. He was around 19 years old and was super cute, with these amazing hazel and green eyes. I added him, and we messaged back and forth for quite a while.  He was the best person I’ve ever talked to. He was so smart and funny, calling me sweet names and complimenting me. We exchanged phone numbers a few weeks after talking and started to text, but since I only had 250 texts a month, we started having nightly phone calls.

We would talk every single night about random things, like wanting to have big families, his job at Best Buy, or my school. As we started getting closer and closer, I stopped messaging other people on my MySpace page—I only wanted to talk to Gary. He told me he really liked me and wanted to hang out with me. That was when I knew I was in too deep. We only lived about 20 minutes away from each other, but he didn’t really know who I was. He couldn’t meet the girl in the pictures, and I was sure he didn’t want the real me. I lied to him and told him I was going to school in California and moving away in a few weeks. He was hurt, but he thought that we could still meet one day.

We continued to have our deep conversations over the phone every night, and then, after weeks of these nightly phone calls, we began to call each other in the morning, too. It got to the point where I was falling asleep on the phone around 12:00 a.m. and then waking up at 5:00 a.m. to call him before I went to school. After a few months of talking on the phone every single day, he told me that he was in love with me, and he trusted me so much he wanted to tell me about his ex-girlfriend. Gary told me his last girlfriend had lied to him and told him she was 17. After they had dated for a while, he found out she was really 15. He was extremely upset because he had been so honest with her while she had been deceiving him throughout their relationship. This made me feel extremely guilty—I was doing the same exact thing his ex had done. I was dishonest to Gary during our entire “relationship.” The part that hurt me the most was that I knew I had to end it, and the only way I knew how to do it was to stop talking to him. This was very hard for me because I was honestly and truly in love with Gary.

I deleted the fake MySpace page and left him a voicemail telling him I couldn’t continue our relationship anymore because I hadn’t been honest with him. I didn’t tell him I had used fake pictures. He left me voicemails and texts asking me why and what he had done. I tried to avoid these pleadings, but eventually had to answer him and beg him to stop calling. It didn’t work, so I told my parents I was receiving unwanted calls, and they had my number changed. That was the last time I had any contact with Gary.

Five years later, I still think about Gary every single day. I had never felt so much remorse before, nor have I since. It’s not an excuse, but at the time I didn’t understand what I was doing to him. I know now how wrong I was. I played with his feelings and I treated him so badly. Although we have never met, I believe Gary was my first love. I want to apologize, but I’m afraid of the repercussions. I know there are ways for me to contact him—I still remember his last name—but I do not know if I could ever do it.

I plan on going away to college and putting this all behind me. I’ve never told anyone this story and now that I have gotten it out, I feel like I can move on.

I’m not sure if it is hypocritical of me, but this situation has made me very wary about trusting others, especially on the Internet. I find myself more reserved around strangers and it has become very difficult to be confident. This situation has changed me, and I know I’ll never do anything similar again.

Your first semester at college is going to be full of surprises and lessons. Things are going to happen that you never would have expected, and you are going to learn more about yourself and adapt, change and grow in the process.

But don’t get scared! Your first semester is also going to be one of the most fun times of your life. Plus, it will be much less intimidating if you know what to expect. So to help you prepare, here are the 15 things you are sure to learn during your first semester (and what you should take away from them!).

1. You won't wear a fraction of the cute clothes you brought to college

Most college girls give this piece of advice to their friends, siblings and classmates; however, few actually take it seriously. Read our lips: You will not wear all the clothes you are trying so hard to stuff in a single suitcase.

“I literally packed my entire closet, and by fall break I had already taken a huge portion of it back home,” says Kate Lowes, a sophomore at the University of Dayton. “From all the college apparel they give away to the fact that people basically live 24/7 in sweatpants, there was no need for the majority of the stuff I brought. I realized that I should have packed more of the basics—like tennis shoes, yoga pants and sweatshirts—rather than all dressy outfits.”

What should you take away from this? Quality over quantity. For example, with how much you’ll likely be wearing leggings, it may not be a bad idea to invest in a durable pair.

2. The laundry room is a dog-eat-dog world

No matter how nice your dorm-mates may seem, the kindheartedness and pleasantries all end in one place: the laundry room. If you’re not on top of your game in the laundry room, you’ll probably experience what many a collegiette before you had to go through. From stolen clothes to your laundry getting dumped on top of a machine because you were just a minute late getting it out of the dryer, it’s best to follow a strict schedule in the laundry room. Be timely, be quick and, of course, be courteous to others.

3. There is great beauty in a free and reliable ride

For most collegiettes, freshman year means saying goodbye to your beloved car from high school as well as your parents driving you everywhere free of charge. You’re either going to have to put your faith in the campus shuttle system to actually run on schedule or you’re going to have to keep your car on campus and become the honorary campus driver for everyone and their brother. And that means watching your shopping money get eaten up by the gas tank. Either way, you’re going to realize how good you had it being able to borrow your parents’ car on full and bring it back on empty like it was no big deal.

Bringing your car to campus, however, is not always a bad idea. In fact, “I think it will be one of the best decisions I make for this upcoming school year!” Kate says. Having a car on campus gives you an easy way to get groceries or go to work, and it’s also a great way to escape whenever you need a breath of fresh air. If bringing a car to campus works for you, then go for it!

4. Shower shoes are not a suggestion; they are a requirement

College showers are breeding grounds for bacteria. You’ll learn soon enough that shower shoes are an absolute must if you’re living in a dorm, especially if your campus cleanliness is lower than most. Wearing flip-flops in the shower will keep your feet and your floormates’ feet safe, which will add to the overall health of your floor.  Not to mention that you will soon become “that girl” if you’re the only one going barefoot down the hall in your towel. Bottom line? Wear the ‘flops!

5. Your first home-cooked meal of your first college break will probably make you cry

Coming home for break during your first semester at college will make you realize that there is nothing better than a home-cooked meal.  “Thanksgiving really did it for me,” Kate says. “Just being with my family and having my parents make dinner like they used to every night was so comforting. It was a way for me to feel so at home... and escape from the same cafeteria salad I had been eating for weeks!”

As heartwarming as it is to come home to a familiar meal, college is a great time to work on providing for yourself and getting creative with what’s available in your campus cafeteria. If your school doesn’t have the healthiest choices to pick from, then get crafty in your dorm! See what kind of appliances are allowed in your room and rack up a great list of dorm recipes to use on a daily basis.

6. You won't stay besties with the girl you attached yourself to during orientation week

The girls in your orientation Facebook albums and Instas are going to be way different in December than they were in August—and that’s okay. You shouldn’t feel like the girl you instantly became best friends with because you both were paired up for some orientation week activity (and were also both in a mad rush to find someone to sit with at lunch) has to be your best friend for the next four years—or even the next four months.

True friendships grow organically and can’t be forced because you room with or have the same class as someone. Marie Mikhail, a sophomore at John Carroll University, has some great advice. “Start making new friends right away,” she says. Although it’s somewhat scary to think about, it really is as easy as just introducing yourself to people on your floor or in your dorm and figuring out whom you really click with. Some of the best relationships are created with your roommates and neighbors. Don’t underestimate the comfort they can bring to your life. Get to know and love them, even if they aren’t your BFFs!

7. Not everyone's standards for personal hygiene are the same

You probably haven’t lived in such a confined living space with such a high number of females until your first year of college. Unfortunately, the people who live on your floor won’t all have the same definition of the word “clean,” and without awkwardly pointing out to them that they ought to be more hygienic (which you really shouldn’t do), there’s not much you can do.

There’s nothing more disgusting than watching someone leave the bathroom without washing her hands, cough without covering her mouth or not wash her hair for weeks on end. It’s even worse if that person is your roommate. But you will learn to live with it. Buy some hand sanitizer and suck it up, ladies.

8. College isn’t always exciting

It really only takes until the second or third day for you to realize that college is nothing at all like how it is in the movies. College is not a constant state of partying or perfectly sunny days on the quad.

“We all hear about the fun parties and activities … but ask any established college student and they will tell you about the immense amount of studying that must be incorporated daily,” Marie says.

While you can definitely push yourself to stay busy (and free yourself from the library) by joining organizations and clubs or even going Greek, you should also be prepared for the somewhat repetitive daily routine you will grow to have. Included in this is a lot of Netflix and, yes, sadly, studying.

9. You will realize you took having your own room for granted

Except for the maybe the quad, a college campus is typically not full of wide-open spaces and private rooms for your leisurely use. Rather, it is full of cramped dorms, busy common rooms and jam-packed libraries. You will never appreciate your childhood room more than when you enter your first midterm week and find yourself fighting for a study spot not populated by half the student body. Should that ruin your college experience? Absolutely not!

From cute DIY projects to color-coordinating decor with your roomie, there are so many ways to make the most out of your dorm room. Marie decided to take the opportunity to turn her cramped dorm room into a festive home away from home. “My roommate and I used every holiday as the perfect excuse to spice up our room with decorations,” she says. “For Christmas, we decked out our room with hanging ornaments around the room, lining the walls with lights and wrapping our door with holiday wrapping paper.” What better way to bond with your roomie and make your living space a little more fun?

10. There are good professors and there are very, very bad professors

You should always firmly believe that you are the greatest influence on your grades, but by your first semester, you’re going to learn that there are some professors who aren’t making things easy for you. While no professor would purposefully tank your grade or have a vendetta against you making it on the dean’s list, many have higher expectations than your high school teachers had. This makes it quite hard to attain the straight As you’ve always been used to receiving.

The best thing to do is to take advantage of (accurate) professor review websites and figure out what type of learning environment and professor works best for you. “Don’t just blindly sign up for your classes based on the times you want,” Kate says. “Be sure to actually check which professor teaches the class and whether or not his or her teaching style will be beneficial to you.”

11. Everyone comes from different backgrounds

You aren’t going to college with all the same people you went to high school with—and you shouldn’t expect the same types of people to be there. Not everyone is the same, comes from the same background or will be interested in the same things as you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. In fact, some of the best friendships can come from people who have had very different experiences from each other.  Take advantage of all the new experiences you’re going to have and don’t limit yourself; try to meet as many people as possible.

12. Stuff piles up quickly if you don’t prioritize

You’ll realize during your first semester that you really cannot push things off in college. The time between the beginning and the end of the semester is broken up by midterms, tests, quizzes, projects and your social life. That basically means that if you’re not on schedule with homework, studying and outside reading, you’ll find yourself scrambling to catch up.

“Without planning and organizing in college, life is practically chaos,” Marie says. “If you don't plan ahead and organize your work, it is easy to find yourself missing deadlines and not being as successful as you had planned.”

So what does all this mean? College is obviously a time for fun, friends and Friday nights, but it’s also a time that will shape the rest of your life.  Basically, you need to figure out what the best balance of school life and social life is for you. Oh, and it would probably be a good idea to invest in a planner.

13. Finding the friend who will house you when you’re sexiled or let you cry on her shoulder will make all the difference

At some point or another you’re going to have an “I miss my parents” breakdown, an “I shouldn’t have hooked up with that guy” breakdown, an “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life” breakdown or an “I’m drowning in homework and my roommate always snores and I have been living in sweatpants and I need my dog” breakdown. It’s only natural. While the first few breakdowns will probably entail you trying to hide your sobbing from your roommate, life gets a whole lot better when you find that one girl or that group of friendswho will be there to support you and will always help you eat your feelings by scarfing down a pizza with you on a weekday at midnight. But just remember, getting frustrated, having breakdowns and getting stressed out is totally normal in college. And that’s what your friends are there for.

“College is such a transitional period for everyone, and with this period comes many new adjustments,” Marie says. “It is very important to have a friend that you can vent to and confide in. At the end of the day, it is comforting to know that there is someone there for you who will listen and understand you.”

14. Social media will make you believe that everyone else is having a better college experience than you

It’s really unavoidable: You are eventually going to become envious of how great of a time it looks like your peers are having. This primarily comes from what you see on social media; pictures can deceive you into thinking that everyone else has more friends than you, is more popular than you or is making more of their college experiences than you are. Social media can make you feel left out and can even make you question if you picked the right school.

So, what should you do? If you find that Instagram and Facebook are making you feel down, try a social media detox. Try to remember the times before likes, favorites and retweets dictated your social standing, and, most importantly, realize that you cannot allow envy or worry to lessen your college experience. Put down your phone and go make some memories of your own!

15. College flies by

No matter how painful finals week is or how slow some days seem to go, your first semester flies by at a crazy speed. You’re only a freshman for a short period of time, and in three more short years, you’re going to be an upperclassman wondering where all the time went.

“Before you know it, all of the activities, the seemingly never-ending work and all of the fun memories will be over,” Marie says. “So make sure you enjoy the ride while it lasts!” We couldn’t agree more!