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This Feminist Lingerie Brand is Taking a Stand Against Transphobia

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U.K.-based lingerie brand Neon Moon is known for being a feminist powerhouse. Since spring of 2015, the brand has been embracing and showcasing women exactly as they are–– stretch marks, body hair, cellulite, scars, freckles, acne and all! This week, Neon Moon announced its new #IAmNeonMoon campaign with the aim of fighting transphobia and body-shaming.

#IAmNeonMoon released a photo campaign that features a cisgender model, a transgender model and a model of color with the hopes of inspiring people to loosen the bounds of the definition of beauty. 

"There is a very narrow standard of 'beauty' in today's society, and especially in the lingerie industry, which isn't inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ [community], people of color, and basically people of all sizes, ethnicities and shapes who never feel represented,"writes Hayat Rachi, the creator of Neon Moon. "Neon Moon prides itself as a body-postive feminist lingerie brand, revolutionizing the lingerie industry that's notorious for sexualizing and objectifying women specifically! We deserve better."

In the press release for #IAmNeonMoon, Rachi stated that she wants women to confidently identify with the brand's models. "Our models are beautiful just as they are, and so are all women. Neon Moon is fighting negative body image head on and wants all women to pledge #IAmNeonMoon to stand in solidarity with not just our models, but all women," she said.

She continued, "It's not a bad thing for women to feel confident in their own bodies." 

We could not agree more! Check out the lingerie brand here.


10 Cute Photo Decor Ideas for Your Dorm

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Whether you live in a dorm or you've made the move to an apartment, chances are that your living space is not yet as Pinterest-worthy as you want it to be. You want to show off photos, but in both dorms and apartments, rules about how you can decorate your new space can be constricting.

Don't worry—we've got some awesome DIY ways you can show off photos in your new place without losing your security deposit. Check out these creative ways to use photos to beautify your bedroom.

1. DIY washi tape picture frames

2. Heart-shaped wall collage

3. DIY photo letters

4. Clip photos to string lights

5. DIY photo frame

6. Clothesline picture holders

7. DIY photo clock

8. Polaroid wall collage

9. Photo magnets

10. Make an inspiration board

15 Movies That Will Make You Ugly-Cry

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Classes are over, so you know what that means? It's time to pull out some good movies that are guaranteed to drain your tear ducts and give you all the feels. Here are 15 flicks that will do just that!

1. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

The classic tearjerker starring Will and Jaden Smith is guaranteed to mess up your mascara. Follow the journey of Chris Gardner and his son as they take on the cruel realities of the world of homelessness and perseverance. 

2. Unconditional (2012)

Ah, don't we all love the beautiful meaning of friendship and forgiveness? Starring Michael Ealy and Lynn Collins, this emotional film is about a woman whose childhood friend helps her regain her faith after her husband is murdered during a mugging. Prepare for your heartstrings to be pulled!

3. Hours (2013)

If the presence of Paul Walker by itself doesn't make you burst into tears, then the waterworks will be in full effect as you watch him risk his life to save his newborn daughter after Hurricane Katrina causes the power to go out at their New Orleans hospital. 

4. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

This has to be the most emotional movie we've ever seen! Based on the novel by John Green, we became obsessed with Hazel and Augustus as they fall in love with each other after meeting at a cancer support group. 

5. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)

Have a box of tissues near you before you watch this intense movie based on two little boys who form a friendship during the Holocaust. 

6. Steel Magnolias (1989)

Filled with humor and heartbreak, Steel Magnolias tells the story of a close group of friends navigating their way through life, including some tough relationships and losing people who are close to them. 

7. Up (2009)

Aren't Disney movies supposed to be happy? The heartbreaking opening scene of Up caught us completely off guard!

8. My Girl (1991)

During the transition in her teenage years, a young girl is distraught about her life until she meets an unlikely friend. Of course, no sad movie is complete without at least one tragedy...

9. The Notebook (2004)

Definitely one of our favorite chick flicks! Who doesn't love a sweet love story? Admit it, Allie and Noah were the perfect couple!

10. Listen To Your Heart (2010)

A singer/songwriter falls in love with a girl who happens to be deaf... cue the collective aww's! Similar to The Fault in Ours Stars, this movie includes a major plot twist that keeps the tears flowing! 

11. Stepmom (1998)

If there was ever a movie that created the most ugly-crying faces ever, it has to be this one! Not only does it make us appreciate our mothers, but it also gives us a reason to cuddle up with a bowl of ice cream after we're done crying.

12. P.S. I Love You (2007)

What's more devastating than the story of a young widow that discovers her late husband has left her ten messages intended to help her cope with his loss?

13. A Walk to Remember (2002)

Nicholas Sparks never disappoints us. Landon Carter (played by Shane West) and Jamie Sullivan (played by Mandy Moore) form their relationship as a part of Landon's community service. The sad part? Jamie has a devastating secret...

14. The Lovely Bones (2009)

Based on the novel by the same name, The Lovely Bones takes us through a whirlwind of emotions through the eyes of a young girl who watches over her family in "limbo" after she has been murdered. 

15. What Dreams May Come (1998)

Another movie starring one of the greatest actors of the century, Robin Williams. What happens to him in the movie makes his death even more sorrowful...

The Biggest Hair Trends of 2015 May Surprise You

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We can't believe we're saying this, collegiettes –– but the end of 2015 is swiftly approaching. As we head into its final two months, Think with Google is beginning to release some data looking at search trends over the year. Thanks to the search engine, we now know the three most popular hair trends from 2015, and they are not what we expected!

Google analyzed hair-related search queries from January 2013 to August 2015 and what they found is a wake-up call to many beauty brands. Of all the trends searched, three stood out among the rest: men's hair, braids and bold hair colors.

The Man Bun

Surprisingly, 2015 is the first year that Google saw more interest in men's hair than women's hair –– 6 percent to be exact, according to Marc Speichert, managing director of global clients at Google. Something that is not so surprising is that the "man bun" was one of the most popular searches. Another popular search was the "comb-over."

Only 1 percent of the searches for such terms surfaced as a brand's ad, according to the article. Marie Gulin-Merle, CMO of L'Oréal USA, told Google that many brands fail to keep up with the moment.

"No matter what the beauty movement is," Gulin-Merle said, "we want to create relevant content that allows our consumers to continuously engage products and be given an easy, seamless way to merge online and offline experiences."

Braids All Day

While men increased their interest in hair-related beauty products this year, women opted for a more natural look. Among top-trending hairstyle searches for women, the search for "braids" took the number one spot. Google states that "box braids" and "goddess braids" were the biggest trend.

Google data also shows that the trend in "braids" is seasonal and most popular in the south.

Bold Hair Colors: Grey & Purple Led the Pack

This one isn't that surprising to us. From Kylie Jenner to various Instagram and YouTube stars, we've seen boldly colored hair everywhere in 2015! Grey hair has transformed from something people sought to get rid of to something people want to have. According to Google, people are often searching for "silver" and "grey" hair. Searches for "purple" hair have also been on the rise since February 2015. Data shows that searches for rainbow hair have also grown by a whopping 148 percent.

So, if you're trying to stay on top of your beauty game, these are the hairstyles you need master. Who knows where 2016 will take us?

I Was Sexually Harassed by My Boss

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"Come to dinner with me," David* said. It wasn’t a request.

I was packing up to go home after working an eight hour Friday shift at my college's IT Help Desk, as I would’ve any other day. At least, until that moment.

"Excuse me?" I spluttered in response, utterly confused. David was my boss: 22 years old and looming over me as I gaped at his crossed arms and smug expression.

"You should come to dinner with me."

This was not happening. This. Was. Not. Happening.

"In what context?" I played dumb to buy myself a few seconds. Anything that would give me even the slightest bit of extra time to process what the everloving f*ck was going on.

"You know what context," David said.

Of course I did. I just never thought it would come to that. A week prior, we’d ended up on the same train and when I’d mentioned amidst small talk that I’d never seen Fight Club, he’d insisted that I just had to “come over to his place” so that we could “get drunk and watch it together.” I’d laughed at the time, said I already had plans to check the movie out with some friends and reassured myself that David was probably just joking. A little inappropriately, perhaps, but nothing to be concerned about. Until now.

"I have a boyfriend," I told him, and it was the truth. Granted, The Boyfriend hadn’t been around very long, and I didn’t even like him that much. But that was not the point. If anything, the point bore repeating, so I did just that: "You know I have a boyfriend."

David made direct, unwavering eye contact before hitting me with a sickeningly unapologetic shrug. "So?"

"So no," I barely manage. People have told me I speak with confidence, that I always seem to know exactly what to say. If only they could’ve seen me then, in all my glory, fighting the urge to vomit on myself. "I'm sorry, but no." Why the f*ck was I apologizing?

I fled from the office, the building, the campus shortly thereafter with a ringing in my ears that I know wasn’t just my tinnitus acting up. Over and over again, I assured myself that this was an isolated incident. That it would be irrelevant by Monday. That everything was fine.

I was, as I so frequently am concerning my own life, wrong.

"Sexual harassment in the workplace" is a heavy term, but one that I've been well acquainted with in an abstract sense since I was very young. Blame my mother's almost obsessive consumption of Dateline, or my own weekend-long Law & Order: Special Victims Unit binges. Either way, I'd heard the stories, both fact and fiction. I understood the concept as well as someone who'd never experienced it could: sometimes a coworker will make unwelcome or inappropriate advances, and it is Not Okay.

It's something that goes widely unreported, and I always wondered why. Who wouldn't leap at the chance to call out someone who was, in less professional terms, a skeevy d*ck? And then you hear about all the women who blame themselves. "I was probably flirting with him without even realizing," they think, they tell people, they justify. "It must've been that skirt I was wearing. My bad. My fault." Me, me, me.

Once upon a time, in the land of naive ideals, I imagined myself a whistle blower. The second sh*t came within even a yard of the fan, I was certain I'd be the first one to stand up for myself. These women hadn't done anything wrong until the moment they chose to justify their aggressor’s actions instead of defending themselves. They were weak, I’d decided. And I, all 20 years of me, was stronger than that.

But when I got home from work that suffocating, humid summer day, getting on Facebook was at the top of my priority list. I composed a frantic message to Lauren*, a recent graduate-turned-full-time staff member of the IT Department. I didn't know her well beyond the fact that she chain smoked in a way that made me wonder how Marlboro was able to keep up with her. But she had known my boss David longer than anyone else I possibly could've talked to, by virtue of her four years of employment to my one.

This is what I wrote:

"So like...not that I'm trying to spread this around the Help Desk or anything, but David like...asked me to dinner right before I left today? And I turned him down and everything, but it was kind of really weird and I just really needed your opinion on whether or not I've been like...inappropriate or flirtatious in any way that would've lead him to do that...? Because I feel like I've always treated him the way I treat all my guy friends, but maybe I was wrong and totally lead him on, and then I'd feel really bad. I don't know, but it was definitely the weirdest experience of my life."

Lauren responded within the hour, her message thick with assurances that I had done absolutely nothing wrong, that none of this was my fault, that David’s pass had been entirely out of line. It was months before I realized two very important things: One, I use too many question marks and ellipses when I'm feeling scattered, and two, I had just become the very thing I thought I was so far above.

David apologized the following Monday. He told me he realized what he'd done was inappropriate, and I believed him. Because hidden beneath my many self-built layers of ironclad cynicism and delusions of embodying a jaded, savvy twenty-something, I really do believe that people are good at heart.

I moved on with my life, continued working. It was once, I told myself. No big deal. My opinion of David from then on was a little colored, certainly, but not so deeply that I disregarded him as an authority figure entirely. Yeah, every once in a while he'd say something a little shady—tell me I looked nice or something, which would be completely innocuous had he not already set a certain precedent—but nothing to raise hell over. School started up again, and Lauren and I began to meet up every other week or so to laugh or b*tch or vent about work.

"I guess my bra tag was sticking out today, and David tried to tuck it in without even asking," I told her once, as we hid in the back of a local coffee shop and snuck nips of whiskey into our overpriced mochachinos. Lauren had been a legal drinker for well over a year, but there was just something daring about doing things on the sly. And that's how Lauren's friendship made me feel: daring.

"In. uh. propriate," she said to me with the added flair of her trademark mid-word punctuation. "That's f*cking bullsh*t." Lauren was one of the few people I'd ever met who swore more than I did.

"I jumped about a mile away as soon as I saw him coming near me," I continued, drunker on her approval than the whiskey-chino. “It’s wildly uncomfortable.”

Lauren grimaced as she took a sip from her own cup, and I knew she was too seasoned a drinker for that reaction to be from the burn of alcohol.

"Oh, God." My stomach tightened, because my body knew what was coming before my brain. "What?"

"He just... said something the other day. Told a couple of the other full-time guys and me at lunch that it turns him on whenever you get snippy with him at work." She took another sip, contemplative. “And that day he asked you out? He’d initially had plans to get drinks with the guys from work. Cancelled them at the last minute and said asking you out would be a sure thing.”

Were that a scene from a movie, I would've smashed my cup against the wall in a wave of righteous fury and sworn to coat the walls of the IT Help Desk in David's blood. Because it wasn't, I let out a quiet string of curses, inhaled the rest of my drink and promptly changed the subject.

But something happened that day in the overpriced coffee shop, something different: I finally found my anger.

My ex-boyfriend and I were fighting again when I finally put it all together. Or "disagreeing with aggressively worded opinions" again, or however the f*ck else you want to euphemize inherent annoyance I'd developed for someone I'd been broken up with for well over a year. More often than not, Peter and I spent our time dancing on eggshells bloated with pleasantries – the curse of both working together at IT and sharing a number of mutual friends.

But something about this particular afternoon, this particular disagreement was different. I can’t even remember what it was that set me off. What I do remember was the exact moment when, in a thoughtless fit of frustration, I dropped a bomb that I didn’t even know I had in my arsenal:

"I mean, do you want to hear about how I'm being sexually harassed by our boss?"

And just like that, entirely by accident, everything seemed to click. If we were dancing on eggshells before, we'd quite suddenly progressed to a full on can-can.

"What?" And with that one word, Peter managed to express every screaming thought pouring into my head.

How did I miss it? A self-declared seasoned feminist like myself couldn't connect the dots? Sexual harassment. Sexual f*cking harassment, so easy to say but near impossible to apply to my own damn life.

I cry a lot. Mostly over stupid sh*t, like my roommate accidentally hitting me in the face with a door or the end of some sappy romantic comedy. But it had been a long time since I'd cried the way I did that day, uncontrollable, heaving sobs accompanied by tears that left dark stains on Peter's shirt as he held my shaking body close to his chest. Suddenly everything I'd spent so much time ignoring was impaling me without mercy: the way David would sit behind the desk while I was on shift, silent. Watching. How he'd linger when he'd borrow my computer to look something up for a customer. That I was irrationally certain my co-workers thought I was some kind of office harpy, teasing my immediate superior with my wiles and never delivering the goods. The way I wanted to crawl out of my own skin and disappear every time I was alone in the office with him. Every f*cking time I pushed away a feeling I couldn't, wouldn't let myself put into words for fear of this very thing: acceptance that I was a victim, but had done absolutely goddamn nothing about it.

I almost turned David in the following workday. Somewhere amidst all my weeping, I'd managed to grab hold of the growing fire that was my fury and not let it wriggle out of my grasp.

"One more time," I told Lauren over beers in her apartment later that day. "If he pulls one more bullsh*t move, I'm dragging him to HR and tearing him a new as*shole from here to California."

And just like that, it stopped.

David backed off entirely during my next shift. And the next one, and the one after that. Kept to his office. Addressed me only when it was professionally relevant. Barely shot me a passing glance as he came and went for meetings and lunch. It was a complete 180 from just a few days before, and I was glad for it.

Lauren would later confess to me that she warned him. Marched right into his office that morning and told him to back the hell off, or he'd almost certainly lose his job. I got why she did it – she and David had a history. Not a romantic one, not even close. But they were both student staff together once, sat side by side at the IT Help Desk just a couple years ago the same way Peter and I did now. Used to smoke together and talk about life, or whatever. In what seems like a very distant past but was really only a couple years ago, you might've even called them friends. So she allowed him one last chance, told him I wasn't some pushover and would bury him alive if he didn't tread carefully.

So he stopped. And for the time being, that was all that mattered.

It took me a while to realize the full impact of what David had done to me. I’d tried everything in my power to alienate him before his Lauren-inspired lurking hiatus. I'd become outright hostile at work – blatant insults, pointed greetings to everyone in the office but him, barely acknowledging his attempts at casual conversation, whatever I could do short of actually turning him in. But it's what happened outside the office that scared me most.

I have a favorite professor at my school. He's a fiction workshop and literature teacher, one of the few I've met with enough backbone to tell a student what he really thinks of their work. I can openly admit that I've threatened bodily harm on others vying for a spot in his classes over various forms of social media during more than one registration period. And, ideally, I'd like to think he's taken a liking to me as well. I have no actual proof of this, but he generally agrees with my assessment of the stories we read in class and has, on occasion, called my opinions "insightful" and "a positive contribution to the class."

So when, during a typical 15-minute break in a four-hour class, he and I are alone in a room together, we get to talking. While everyone else is hitting up the vending machines or taking a breather from the stale classroom air, my favorite professor asks me about my writing. So I share with him my aspirations to be a young adult fiction writer, or a screenwriter, or a comic book writer – all those wild hopes and dreams that suddenly seem so much more attainable when someone you idolize is nodding along with your excitable words, validating your worth. And it only gets better when he tells me that, from what he's seen of my work, I've already vastly improved from the last workshop I had with him. That if I keep turning out "strong stuff," then there's no reason I shouldn't succeed.

And that's when my world comes to an all-too-familiar screeching halt.

I should be happy. Elated, even. The professor I respect above all others just all but gave me his stamp of approval. Less than a year ago, I would've thrown myself a godd*mn parade the second I got out of that classroom.

But I lived in a post-David world now, one in which no one is kind without an ulterior motive. And the only thing I could think, a thought so heavy and horrible that it was impossible to push away, was, Holy sh*t. Is he hitting on me? He's hitting on me. He must be hitting on me. There's no way he isn't hitting on me.

But this was not Legally Blonde, and I was no Elle Woods. My favorite professor had paid me a professional compliment from an appropriate distance in a manner befitting of our student-teacher relationship. Still I had to fight the urge to bolt from the room, to scream until I'd exhausted my nerves and could return to the room and react like a normal person.

This, for a time, was David’s legacy.

There are times when I feel stupid about all of this. Some girls get groped, blackmailed or even raped, and here I am all, "Um, I think I'm the victim of the male gaze?" Thanks for that one, Feminine Mystique. Women and men alike always have and likely always will suffer far greater indignities and injustices than I did. At the end of the day, all I can really say is that my boss asked me out and then gave me creepy vibes after I turned him down. I had never felt physically threatened by David. He never copped a feel, or said anything overtly explicit to my face. The funny thing is that David is not—nor will he ever really be—the flaming hell demon I spent months conjuring up in my mind as a placeholder for his face. He's just a slightly creepy, socially impaired idiot who doesn't understand the fundamentals of basic human interaction.

I reported him in the spring, just four months shy of a year since he asked me out on that rainy day in June. There was no straw that broke the camel’s back, no moment I can pinpoint and say, “That’s when I knew this all had to end for good.” It was always just a feeling. David had backed off for a couple weeks at Lauren’s behest, but soon he was back to sitting behind me, watching my every move. I could feel his gaze on me, I would shudder every time he’d call out, “Hey, that dress looks great on you.” Despite Lauren’s warning, and despite my own consistent coldness or flat-out ignoring, David continued to address me as though everything was fine. As though we were friends, even. These were little things, but enough to make coming to work every day something I truly dreaded. And one day I just woke up and decided I didn’t want to feel that way anymore.

I left my apartment that day with an incredible sense of purpose propelling me forward. Every step felt charged and powerful, and the further I got, the more I knew that I was finally doing what was right. While waiting for a train to take me downtown, I pulled out a notebook and made a list of all the ways David had made me feel uncomfortable over the past eight months—it was surprisingly extensive. But even with both confidence and evidence backing me up, I still felt jittery when I perched on the corner of Lauren’s desk upon reaching campus.

“Hey sweetie, what’s up?” she asked, spinning to face me. Her easy smile faded the moment she got a look at my expression. “Are you alright?”

“I’m...” I paused for a moment, unsure of how to broach the topic, even with someone as close as Lauren. “How do I lodge a sexual harassment complaint?”

If she was surprised, it didn’t show; her fingers flew across the keyboard without a moment’s hesitation. I left the office shortly thereafter with the dean’s office number scrawled onto my palm and Lauren’s words echoing in my head: “I’ve got your back, okay? You’re doing the right thing.”

If I’d been antsy with Lauren, that was nothing compared to how I felt sitting in one of the worn chairs outside the dean’s office, waiting for him to get off a call. His secretary glanced up at me every few seconds or so, as though she was expecting me to bolt out the door. For good reason, I suppose—it had taken me three tries to properly articulate why I wanted to see the dean. And sure, I was bouncing my leg up and down uncontrollably. My palms sweated against the cardboard cover of the notebook I held. There was absolutely no guarantee I had a real case to my name. But I willed myself to stay rooted in my chair until the dean finally emerged from his office and extended a hand. And though he smiled kindly, his eyes were grave.

“So,” he said, ushering me into his office, “tell me what’s been going on.”

Though I have a well-known and documented tendency toward dramatic language (“That cute couple over there is going to make me vomit rainbows,” “I hate that dress she’s wearing so aggressively that I want to set it on fire and dance around its smouldering ashes”), know that I’m not being artistic when I say that the weeks that followed my meeting with the dean were agony. For a while, despite a handful of meetings with the Human Resources department and several assurances that my claim was “being looked into,” I worried that my complaints had fallen on deaf ears.

My emotions came in jumbled waves—panic and relief and sporadic moments of regret that I’d quickly squash. Fear that David knew I’d reported him, fear that he didn’t, never would, and that the status quo would carry on until I graduated and left the employ of the college for good. I’d sneak glances at him from the corner of my eye when he came back from lunch, keep an ear out for phone conversations he might be having. Any indication that he might know what I’d done, what I’d said, who I’d told. Lauren had read me the college’s immediate-termination policy for employees who sought personal retaliation for a filed complaint enough times that I could practically recite it, but that did little to ease the anxiety.

Above all else, though, I was afraid of what my coworkers would think of me. Which seems stupid and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, perhaps, but the thought of the IT staff—both student and faculty—siding with David plagued me with chest-tightening and perpetually teary eyes. I became irrational and sensitive to everything, taking a handful of innocuous and often entirely unrelated comments from my coworkers and convincing myself that they were mocking or judging me for actions most didn’t even know I’d taken. More than one of them had the distinct pleasure of watching me sink to the floor in a puddle of my own frustrated tears during those first few days after filing my complaint.

David was called into his first HR interview a few weeks later. I had class at the time, but kept a close eye on Lauren’s steady stream of live-texts from the IT office upon my boss’s return. Immediately thereafter, David discovered within him a drive to avoid me at all cost, especially after his second and final HR interview. This was a small but potent pleasure, being aggressively ignored by David. Finally, I felt like I could breathe again.

David was fired during the final week of my junior year, three months after I brought my case before the dean. Later I’d find out that the administration had reservations about “shaking things up” mid-semester but had every intention of getting rid of him the moment school was out. Better late than never, I guess. According to Lauren, David is currently jobless, behind on his rent and without a single chance in hell that he’d ever get a recommendation from the college. I know forgiveness is a virtue or whatever, but I’m pretty sure karma says I get to have this one.

I was reading outside a couple weeks into summer, work a million miles from my mind, when a shadow fell over the book in my lap. I glanced up to see who was standing in my light, only to find Miranda* towering above me.

“Hi,” she said, a little out of breath from the heat.

“Hi?” I’d seen her around at work before, said the occasional hello; she was another Help Desk girl, but we’d never actually had a conversation, so I was more than a little confused to see her when I looked up from my book. Miranda was quiet for a moment, brows knit together like she was trying to figure out how to say what was in her head.

“I was just wondering... if you knew what happened.” she asked, taking a seat beside me. “To David, I mean.”

Sh*t. David and Miranda had been friends, I was pretty sure. I’d seen them chatting at the Help Desk in passing. In my vindictive rage against David, I hadn’t exactly kept quiet about the sexual harassment complaint. Quite the opposite, really—before HR kicked him to the curb, I’d sunk my claws into just about any student worker at the desk who even half-liked me to share my list of grievances with our boss. It was my own brand of vigilante justice, a mission to besmirch his name if I was expected to suffer under his leadership. But I’d made sure to hold my tongue around the few friends he kept, so I wasn’t really sure what to say to Miranda as she sat beside me in the patchy grass that day.

“He got fired,” I told her after a long moment.

“Right,” she said. “For sexual harassment?”

I nodded, and it took everything in me to bite back a “finally.”

“You were the one who made the complaint.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yeah.”

We sat in silence as Miranda squinted at me in the sunlight, her face entirely unreadable. Her scrutiny was agonizing, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take when suddenly she said something that caught me so off guard that I had to ask her to repeat it.

“Thank you,” she said again, one corner of her mouth quirking upward in the slightest of smiles.

“For what?” I was utterly befuddled.

“David has been drunk texting me for months,” Miranda said, waving her phone at me for emphasis. “Saying he wants to run away to New York with me and be my boyfriend, cornering me in the stairways and telling me I ‘make him crazy’ or whatever.” Her shudder seemed out of place on such a warm day. “I didn’t even see how f*cked up it was until HR called and asked if I wanted to talk about David. Turns out I had a lot to tell them.”

As her words sank in, a wave of guilt overtook me. All this time I’d assumed that Miranda enjoyed his attention, even judged her for allowing him to leer at her the way he so often did. But she’d suffered in silence, an experience I knew well.

“So thank you,” she said yet again.

We sat together, for a while. I didn’t know what to say to that. I still don’t.

 

*Names have been changed.

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15 Thoughts Every Girl Has When Asked to Netflix & Chill

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There comes a moment in every budding relationship that women either loathe or love. Such a moment determines which direction your relationship is headed. It's the moment when he pops the question: Netflix and chill? It's a brief little message, but oh the difference a single text can make. Whether you're ready for commitment or just looking to enjoy a few flicks and some alone time, here are 15 thoughts every girl has when asked to Netflix and chill.

1. Whoa. HOLD UP.

The first time is always a shock. You've heard of "Netflix and chill" but actually seeing the tiny words light up on your screen in text message form is a gut punch from reality.

2. But I just got all comfy for bed...

Is it worth it? Those fuzzy socks and snuggie will keep you warmer than any boy. 

3. Does this mean I have to shave?

NO. No, nope, nuh-uh, PLEASE no.

4. Are we…a thing?

Wait a second…is this the start of something new? 

5. I wonder what we'll "watch."

You've been meaning to catch up on your shows, and you never did get around to seeing Silver Linings Playbook

6. How much of this are we actually going to watch?

Does it really matter what he picks? You'll probably be seeing a lot less of the movie and a lot more of him.

7. Oh no, I ate garlic potatoes at dinner.

*GASP* This is a gamechanger. One scoop of delicious, starchy goodness could change the course of your entire night and relationship. 

8. Should I change out of my sports bra?

You don't want to seem like you're expecting anything to happen, but better safe than sorry. 

9. Will there be snacks?

This is crucial. Snacks are a major draw. If there aren't any in the near future, you should probably carbo-load before heading out.

10. If it's going to be dark, do I really need to put on makeup?

You are amazing just the way you are! Didn't Bruno Mars make that clear?

11. This sweatshirt is appropriate, right?

It says, "I was caught off-guard by your text, but that doesn't mean cuddling is out of the question."

12. When was the last time I brushed my teeth?

Oh no. Was it before or after the garlic potatoes? To the mouthwash!

13. If he puts on OITNB, no deal. I am NOT caught up.

No man is worth screwing up your viewing order. He should understand or else you're out of there!

14. Am I reading too much into this?

What if he actually just wants to watch a movie? Oh, wow.

15. No, I'm awesome. Let's do this.

This is definitely the start of something new. Time to put on some deodorant and chill out.

7 Sneaky Tricks to Get Yourself to the Gym

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Can we be real for a second? Even though exercise is super good for us (it lowers anxiety, boosts self-confidence, improves your health, jump-starts your metabolism, blah blah blah), that doesn’t mean we always enjoy it. In fact, most of the time, it’s just tolerable.  

So if you roll your eyes every time you see a picture of a girl mid-treadmill-run with a bouncy (and sweat-free) ponytail, gleaming calf muscles and a grin so wide it looks like she just won the lottery—we get it, because we do, too. Dear fitness model: Your smile is a lie.

But that doesn’t mean we can skip gym time like we skip bad songs on Pandora. So here are the seven sneaky tricks we use to get ourselves to the gym more often. We hope they make the trek easier for you!

1. Use visual reminders

What’s on your phone’s home screen right now? A cute puppy? A picture of you and your friends the last time you went out? Zac Efron? All of those are sure to give you a mood boost (especially Zac), but none will get you on the treadmill. By making your background a shot of your gym or an inspiring quote, every time you use your phone, you’ll receive a subconscious reminder to go. It’s almost like you’re brainwashing yourself to better health.

And if you want to get truly hardcore, use the same technique on your laptop, iPad and e-reader. The possibilities are as endless as your number of devices!

You can also print out inspiring pictures and pin them on your board (the real one, not your Pinterest one) or around your room. This Her Campus article has some great options!

2. Work out for cash

Endorphin rushes are great, but they won’t pay for your textbooks (or adorable sweaters). Earning money for exercising is arguably the best thing ever, and thanks to new apps and sites, you don’t have to be a Biggest Loser contestant to do it.

With Pact, you commit to a certain number of workouts—say, five per week—and get cash rewards for hitting your goals. The money comes from the community pool, so if you don’t make all of your workouts, you have to pay up. Pretty effective motivation, in our opinion! The app is free to download for Apple and Android phones, has a 92 percent success rate and nets most users between $0.30 and $5 a week!

HealthyWage is a cool option for those who want to lose weight. You decide how much you want to lose, how much you want to bet and how long you want to achieve your goal. As your goal and wager go up, so does the amount of money you can potentially make. Sign up for free on the HealthyWage website.

3. Buy cute workout clothes

Wearing new clothes is always fun, right? If you treat yourself a cute pair of leggings or some colorful tops, you’ll be motivated to hit up the rec center so you can luxuriate in that “I just bought this and I look hot” buzz.

There’s affordable workout gear at Target, Old Navy andForever 21. However, don’t feel guilty if you want to splurge!

“I actually spend a little more on workout clothes,” says Kathleen Kalinsky, a senior at James Madison University. “When you invest financially in something, you feel more of a sense of obligation to follow through.”

Those Nike sneakers or lululemon capris are pricey, but they may be worth it if they get you through the gym doors.    

4. Follow healthy Instagrammers

Imagine you’re scrolling through your IG feed. You see a funny pic of your friend, Kylie Jenner striking a pose, someone’s froyo creation, a pretty spot on campus… and a girl squatting her heart out. Wow, her butt looks amazing. All of a sudden you’re filled with motivation to go do some strength training of your own.

“I follow a lot of fitness people on Instagram—it’s great motivation,” says Niina Kurki, a sophomore at Vanderbilt University. “For example, I love Kayla Itsines. I’m now doing her 12-week program!”    

And since many of us check social media first thing in the a.m., this can be a great way to get yourself up and at ‘em for that morning workout.

“I set my alarm for 5 a.m. during the week so I can hit the gym before classes,” says Haley Cahill, a senior at Appalachian State University. “As soon as I cut my alarm off, I open Instagram and look at motivational fitness accounts like tonedgirls,average2athlete… andashybines. The posts on those accounts get me fired up to hit the gym and complete a killer workout!”

5. Go first thing in the morning

Speaking of rise and grinding, the morning is a great time to hit the gym.

“The second I get home after a day of class, it's practically impossible to get myself to go back out and to the gym,” says Maya Devereaux, a senior at Boston University.

In the morning, it’s super easy to decide that you’re going to hit the gym in the afternoon or at night, but as the hours go by, your professors pile on the assigned reading, your friends text you invites for Starbucks or dinner and your Netflix queue starts to look more and more inviting. Before you know it, you’re changing into some stretchy pants—for sleeping in, not performing cardio. “I’ll go tomorrow,” you think.

If you exercise first thing, however, you won’t be able to use any excuses. And afterwards, you’ll have the whole day for friend dates and Friday Night Lights (oh, and that reading you have to do). Check out our tips for getting in a morning workout.

6. Write out your fitness goals

Why huff and puff on the treadmill for no reason? Exercise has more positive effects than Martha Stewart has kitchenware, but if you don’t establish specifically why you’re doing it, you’ll have a harder time convincing yourself that it’s important.

So write out a list of reasons to go to the gym. Maybe you’re after that post-workout feeling of victory, or you want to de-stress, or you’d love to be able to run four miles without stopping. Maybe you dream of building your biceps, or you want to lose a little weight or simply avoid gaining any in the first place. Maybe you just want to be in good shape!

Once you have a solid set of reasons, you’ll actually want to go so you can achieve progress.

7. Call a friend

It’s pretty easy to blow off the gym when the only thing missing your presence is your fave StairMaster machine. However, when you’re blowing off another person, it’s a whole different story.

“I always make plans to work out in my school's pool with a friend,” says Malone Ryan, a sophomore at John Carroll University. “That way, whenever I am putting off going (which is normally always), I can't back out because I've made a commitment to go with someone.”

Malone says the secret to pulling this off is choosing a friend who loves to work out. If you make plans with someone who’s flaky, there’s no point.

We’re not going to pretend it’s more fun to go to the gym than the movie theater. Or Starbucks. Or your friend’s house. Okay, there are a lot of places more fun to visit. However, we hope that by using these seven tricks, you can get your cute booty to the fitness center more often. We’ll be right there with you, sweating, panting and looking as all-around non-fitness-model as you can get.

Forever 21 is Teaming Up With Soles4Souls for the Holidays

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We all know and love Forever 21 for the brand's fabulously trendy and affordable clothes. But get ready to love them even more. This holidy season, Forever 21 will team up with Soles4Souls, a non-profit charity dedicated to providing clothes and shoes to those living in poverty. From December 1 through December 24, Forever 21's "Give to Love, Love to Give" promotion will donate an article of clothing to Soles4Souls for every outwear purchase in stores.

To promote the campaign, Forever 21 enlisted a team of international models, including twins Mary and Ruth Bell.

Photographed by Dan Jackson, the models will be featured in an upcoming print and video campaign. According to WWD, Forever 21's goal is to create the perception of a global family.

Do your part this holiday season by participating in the "Give to Love, Love to Give" campaign—what's better than shopping and doing good!


How She Got There: Cassie Petrey, Co-Founder of Crowd Surf

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Name: Cassie Petrey

Age: 29

Job Title and Description: Co-founder and Co-owner of Crowd Surf

College Name/Major: Middle Tennessee State University/Music Business

Website: www.crowdsurf.net

Twitter Handle: @cassiepetrey and @crowdsurf

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

Cassie Petrey: My job entails one common theme, and that’s making things happen. That comes in a lot of different forms; [it] can be anything from planning and executing a marketing campaign, to locking in a new project, to making sure everyone gets paid on time. There is no typical day, which I love. It keeps you on your feet, and you never get bored.

 

What is the best part of your job?

CP: Making a difference and knowing that you’re playing your little part in something big. One thing that’s amazing about Crowd Surf is that we have mastered working with our clients and making things happen. We know that our clients' careers and marketing campaigns would be a little (or drastically) different if we weren’t working with them, and that really gives our team a sense of satisfaction.

 

You and your co-founder Jade Driver started Crowd Surf in college. What advice do you have for college women looking to launch a business while they're still in school?

CP: Regardless of starting a business while you’re in school or not, the most important advice I can give is to start a business because you see a problem that you know you can solve. Don’t ever start a business just because you want to do it. Start a business because you see a problem, and know that your business or product can play a part in solving.

 

What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?

CP: That clients often pay their bills late, or sometimes end up not paying you at all. When you start your business, it’s imperative to plan your budgets knowing that you’re not always going to have and/or receive all of the money you are owed.

 

Your clients have included everyone from Miley Cyrus and Steven Tyler to Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys. What important career lessons have you learned in particular from working with such high-profile people?

CP: I've learned that you have to work really hard to achieve initial success in your career, but it doesn't stop there; you have to keep working really hard to continue being successful. The entertainment space is extremely competitive, and you have to be put in the long hours and extreme attention to detail to make it work.

 

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

CP: We didn’t hire a team to help us with finances from day one, and we ended up paying for that in the long run. Literally. Business management help isn’t as expensive as you might think, and they play a really important role in your business. Hire a great person or team to keep you on track.

 

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

CP: I was one of the Backstreet Boys’ guests when they received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were my first concert, and I was a fanatic. Prior to working with them, I had seen them in concert 75 times. Who knew that I would end up working with the group that inspired me to love music in the first place? It was a culmination of a huge dream of theirs coming true, while realizing how surreal it was that I was experiencing the same thing. It was a very emotional day for everyone on the team.

 

What do you look for when considering hiring someone?

CP: Great attitude and great work ethic. A problem solver. Somebody who may not have a ton of exeprience, but has the ability and determination to solve the challenges that they will inevitably come across.

 

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

CP: Work hard, solve problems and be a team player. If you’re taking work off somebody’s plate and increasing the quality of their brand, there will always be a company or client who needs your help.

 

 

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5 Reasons You Have FOMO You Don’t Realize

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Ever since elementary school, we’ve hated feeling left out—and in college it seems so much worse. Had to miss sorority formal because of a bad cold? Can’t make it to a girls’ night out because you have a midterm to study for? College is all about balancing priorities, and sometimes we have to stay home. FOMO, fear of missing out, is never fun, but are there reasons you’re not considering for why you feel lonely or left out? Read on for other reasons you might have FOMO as well as our tips and tricks for avoiding it!

1. You’re secretly insecure about your friendships

If you have a severe case of FOMO every time your two best friends hang out without you, it may be because you’re insecure about your friendships. While of course having to hear about all of their inside jokes can be annoying, if you don’t trust that your friends will keep you in the loop even when you’re not around, perhaps those friendships aren’t as strong as you thought. Have faith in your friendships!

2. You procrastinate too much

If you constantly have to turn down friends’ invitations to hang out (and always feel bad about it), think long and hard about why you had to decline the invite instead of ruminating on how sad you are to miss the event. We’re guessing your study habits are partially to do with it. If you’re missing events because of midterms and essays, here’s some tough love: the only way to avoid this kind of FOMO is to do your homework and work far in advance—so you’ll never have to miss out when you don’t want to! 

3. You didn’t bother treating your illness

College kids are notorious for turning a blind eye on illness. Suddenly, your mild cold turns into a two-week-long ordeal and you have to miss that girls’ night out you had been planning with your BFFs. Do something about your cold sooner rather than later. We love Cold-EEZE® Cold Remedy Plus Natural Multi-Symptom Relief Cold & Flu QuickMelts®. These over-the-counter melts will shorten your cold as well as provide natural relief from your cold and flu symptoms. Stash these in your purse so you can take one the second you feel a cold coming on—don’t wait until you’re drowning in tissues and coughing too much to go to class!

4. You’re too reliant on your relationships

Do you feel like you’re missing out every time you’re alone? Do you sit in bed on Friday nights wondering what all the cool kids are doing (and why you aren’t with them)? Girl, take a step back. Being alone can be awesome. You can watch Netflix, forgo pants and not have to share your Friday night pizza. Recognize that you don’t need other people to have a good time. If you think you might rely too much on others to provide entertainment, try to reconnect with yourself. Take yourself on a date! We’re serious. Those girls at the frat party probably just wish they were home relaxing, anyway.

5. You spend too much time on social media

Scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed is probably one of the biggest time-sucks in college. There’s nothing wrong with checking in with the world and what your friends are up to, but if seeing your friend post an album of her weekend trip with her friends makes you feel like you’re majorly missing out, there’s a problem. Time for a social media intervention. People post things on Facebook and Instagram to show off—everyone wants to make it seem like they’re having the time of their lives. Newsflash: They’re probably not significantly happier than you are, even if you spend more days in the library than on the beach.

Everyone feels left out now and then. Most instances of FOMO are preventable though. Think ahead, relax and recognize that you don’t need to constantly be going out with friends to be happy! 

Another Court Case Challenges Access to Contraception

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The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear arguments for a challenge to Obamacare—the fourth in five years—from seven faith-based organizations. In March, these non-profits will demand the complete freedom of universities, hospitals and charities to opt out from providing contraception coverage to their employees.

Last year, the Court ruled that private companies could invoke religious reasons for not covering the baseline cost of contraception. In order to do so, they simply need to fill out a form to hand off this cost to their insurance providers, according to USA Today. However, the groups argue that filling out these forms constitutes a sin in itself, according to The Washington Post. They don't want anything to do with contraception and, above all, abortion.

These hearings, if successful, would amount to yet another impediment to women's freedom of choice. USA Today reports that "99% of sexually active women ages 15 to 44 have used at least one type of birth control." Many of these women could not afford contraception without Obamacare. In a country where unwanted pregnancies are common and where sex education is sorely lacking, it goes without saying that women should be granted full control over their own bodies and over their own lives. Whether a woman elects to use contraceptives or not is only her decision to make.

The Best Study Abroad Countries for Every Major

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So you’ve decided which semester you want to go abroad, and it’s almost time to start applying. Now all that’s left is choosing a destination! If you’re having trouble narrowing down your study abroad options, it can be helpful to think about your major and which countries have the most to offer based on your academic interests. To get you started, here are the perfect study abroad destinations for some of the most common majors. 

English and Literature: England

This one is a no-brainer for an English major – what better place to read Shakespeare than the Bard’s very own country?

Brittany, a senior at John Carroll University and an English literature major, studied abroad in London twice. “It was the perfect place to explore my major, as it has an extensive historical connection with many writers and was the home of many of my favorite authors,” she says.

Studying abroad in England goes beyond curling up with a good book, though! “I got to see Hamlet performed at the Globe, and I even frequented a pub where Charles Dickens used to write his works,” Brittany says.

Plus, the 2013 QS World University Rankings listed Oxford and Cambridge as the first and second best universities in the world for studying English literature, respectively. So whether you want to study the classics or write a masterpiece of your own, England is the perfect place to get those creative juices flowing!

Political Science: Switzerland

The Huffington Post named Switzerland (and Geneva, in particular) as one of its five best places to study abroad for political science majors, and with good reason. Not only does Switzerland have a unique political history, having maintained armed neutrality since the early 1800s, but it is also a leader in international relations and diplomacy, having long been dedicated to the establishment of peace around the world.

Though Switzerland is historically neutral, it is still a key player in international politics and home to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the second largest UN office in the world after the UN Headquarters in New York. As an added bonus, both Zürich and Geneva are both consistently ranked among the cities with the highest quality of life in the world, so you’re basically guaranteed to have an amazing study abroad experience. And if you’re at all interested in skiing, that’s a definite plus!

Classics: Greece and Italy

If Plato and Julius Caesar are more of your thing, you can’t go wrong with Greece or Italy when it comes to studying classics. If you want to see the Colosseum and the Roman Forum (not to mention get the chance to read tons of Latin inscriptions and engravings!), Rome is the perfect destination. If you would rather check out the Parthenon, walk the streets of Athens or take a dip in the Aegean Sea, Greece is ideal.

And then, of course, there are archaeological digs for collegiettes looking to get their hands dirty while abroad. Check out your school’s classics department website or talk to the department head about excavations and digs happening in Italy and Greece. Even if your school isn’t offering any trips, chances are your professor will be able to point you in the right direction. Decisions, decisions…

Anthropology: Australia

Anthropology is the study of human beings and their social structures from every different time period and standpoint. What better place to study the amazing range of human existence than Australia? With its incredibly varied landscape and climate and its unique culture, Australia is a fascinating place to explore a range of inhabitants, past and present.

Of course, no anthropologist’s trip to Australia would be complete without studying the Aboriginal people, who are thought to be the oldest surviving culture in the world. With such a unique original population to study and a physical environment that ranges from the Great Barrier Reef and rainforests to mountains and deserts, there’s plenty to explore in Australia, especially for the budding anthropologist.

Neuroscience: Denmark

Scandinavia is a leader in neuroscience, and schools like the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) offer programs in Copenhagen specifically for neuroscience majors! With access to expert professors and some of the best resources Europe has to offer, Denmark is a great choice for studying the sciences.

"I chose to study neuroscience in Denmark this summer because I'd had several friends who had previously attended the same program,” says Raleigh, a junior at Bowdoin College. “The course options sounded fascinating (I took a class called ‘The Neuroscience of Fear’), and Copenhagen seemed like the perfect place to gain an international perspective while acquiring knowledge that pertained to my major."

If you do decide to study at DIS, all your courses will be taught in English, so you can immerse yourself in an unfamiliar culture without missing any important information during lectures (because mastering neurons and axons is tough enough without learning it in Danish!).

Education: Spain

When you think studying abroad in Spain, you probably think Barcelona or Madrid. While those are both amazing cities with great study abroad offerings, some of the best programs are off the beaten path.

“I'm studying abroad in Sevilla, Spain, this spring with the [Council On International Educational Exchange (CIEE)] teaching development and liberal arts program,” says Carli, a junior at Colby College and an education major. “We take liberal arts and education classes, and we teach English to Spanish-speaking elementary school students.”

Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to do a homestay, living with a family instead of in a dorm, which is a valuable and incredibly rewarding experience. If you choose the CIEE program, you’ll be immersed in Spanish culture and be able to engage with local students and teach them English—and you’re bound to learn a thing or two, as well!

Environmental Studies: Costa Rica

If you’re interested in environmental studies, ecology or marine biology, you should head to Costa Rica. There are study abroad programs in Costa Rica with opportunities to focus on ecology or zoology, work with endangered species, zip-line through unique ecosystems and immerse yourself in the rich culture. Costa Rica was also recently named one of the safest countries in Latin America, so all you need to focus on is having the time of your life.

With the country’s impressive environmental sustainability policies, gorgeous coral reefs and lush rainforests, there’s a little bit of everything for the environmentally minded collegiette (not to mention cute surfer guys and beaches for days!).

Art History: France

While plenty of countries in Europe are suited to the study of art history and architecture, we think France is the ultimate destination. Not only was France home to artists like Monet and Renoir, but it’s also the location of architectural feats such as the Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre, the Notre-Dame Cathedral and, of course, the Eiffel Tower.

If you decide to go to Paris (and let’s face it, who wouldn’t want to spend four months in the City of Light?), there are plenty of world-famous museums for you to check out. Head to the Musée d’Orsay to take in the massive collection of Impressionist art, mosey on over to the Musée Rodin to see some stunning sculptures and don’t forget to save plenty of time for wandering aimlessly around the Louvre and wondering how long it would take you to see everything. Between the artistic masterpieces, picnics along the Seine and far too many Eiffel Tower Instagrams, there are plenty of beautiful things in France to keep you busy for a semester (or even a year!) abroad. Bon voyage!

Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies: Sweden

If you are a women’s, gender or sexuality studies major, definitely consider Sweden as a study abroad destination. “My major is creative writing, but my minor is [women, gender, and sexuality], and Sweden was an amazing place to study,” says Katie, a senior at Johns Hopkins University. “It was amazing to see the differences between gender in the U.S. and Sweden.”

Schools and nurseries in Sweden have launched an initiative to end gender discrimination by encouraging the use of a gender-neutral pronoun rather than “he” or “she.” Sweden is also consistently ranked as one of the most gender-equal countries in the world, making it the perfect place to get a new perspective on your WGS major and to discuss complex issues surrounding such an of-the-moment topic.

Your time spent abroad will be one of the most memorable parts of your college experience, so make sure you end up in a place that is best suited to you and what you hope to get out of your semester abroad. Happy travels, collegiettes!

This Girl Literally Does Not Know How to Operate a Landline

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Oh, youths. There’s so many wondrous things they’ll never get to experience. Messaging their friends on AIM. The smooth rhythms of dial-up Internet. Letting their Tamagotchi babies fend for themselves after weeks of TLC and escalating agitation. And, if this young lady is any indication, simply hanging up a landline.

You read that right. There is a 14-year-old girl currently inhabiting this Earth who does not know how to hang up a landline. Apparently, if it’s not a smartphone filled with intricate buttons and icons, it’s just too hard to figure out. Hint: set the phone down on the receiver—oh no, we’ve probably confused her further by using this word. Thankfully, mom steps in to teach this girl a valuable life lesson and further her shot at becoming an employable human being in the future.

Here's the Scientifically Proven Way to Take the Perfect Selfie

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What's the key to a wonderful selfie? Well, let us turn to science. 

There are 3 important things that determine whether or not you have a successful selfie: a filter, your hair and proportions. Thanks to an image-recognizing deep neural network and the work by Andrej Karpathy, a computer science graduate student at Stanford University, we now know what goes into a good selfie. 

Karpathy used Convolutional Neural Networks (ConvNets) to judge whether or not a selfie was successful. ConvNets are used to recognized things and people in your pictures. Karparthy used this to try to classify which selfies are good and bad. He gave the Network a couple million selfies and wrote a script that would gather images that were tagged with #selfie. He assigned a couple of parameters and utilized proportions so that the result as as fair as could be. The results were binary: good or bad.

So what goes into a great #selfie? Here's what Karpathy found:

  • Be a woman. Sorry guys! Even controlling for followers-to-like ratio, women ranked higher than men.
  • Your face should occupy about 1/3 of the image. Your face is slightly tilted and positioned in the top-center.
  • Cut off your forehead. Apparently foreheads aren't that cool.
  • Show off your hair. It's better if it runs down your shoulders.
  • Put a filter on it. Black and white photos are in and oversaturating the lighting on the photo is too, apparently.
  • Add a border. And not the cute christmas card borders, but rather the horizontal and vertical white borders (which helps contribute to the 1/3 proprotions!)

And the worst selfies had low lighting, had too much face, and had too many people.

How cool is that? Want to find out how good your #selfie is? Ask @deepselfie! I decided to ask...


And he responded...


Well, thanks Selfie Bot...! Obviously, I wasn't impressed, so I took another selfie and re-asked.


And Selfie Bot responded with:


I guess as long as Selfie Bot likes it, then I'm good! Notice my percentage went higher with the cutting off the forehead and the filter addition! I still need to work up to a 100 percent though, if that's even possible.

What do you collegiettes think about this science? Are you going to ask Selfie Bot what it thinks about your #selfie? Let us know!

Take Her Campus's Sex Survey!

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There’s no denying that today’s college environments are saturated with sex. The moment you step on campus freshman year, you’re being handed free condoms at orientation. You’re lucky if your roommate doesn’t sexile you every week. It can seem as if everyone is having sex, all of the time. But are they? And if they are, is it good sex? Are college women satisfied with their sex lives, or are they under pressure? The answers to these questions have powerful implications when it comes to gender politics on campus, especially with the epidemic of mishandled sexual assault cases nationwide.

We want to know, and so we’re going straight to the source. We’ve launched the Her Campus Sex Survey, the first survey we’ve ever done that is focused solely on sex on campus. We’ll use the results to pull back the covers on what’s actually going down in college—and how you really feel about it. It’s important to talk about sex—and so we’re not shying away.

TAKE HC'S SEX SURVEY NOW 

Responses will be anonymous and you will not be connected with your personally identifying information.


'Treat Yo Self' With a Free Care Package from Packed Party!

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Between classes, campus organizations, part time jobs and internships, your schedule is likely jam-packed with obligations. Although your day-to-day doesn't leave a lot of extra time to indulge, we could all benefit from the occasional pampering. Even on your busiest days, it's important to set aside time to reward yourself for your hard work, and Her Campus is giving away the perfect prize package to help you do so!

Dreamt up by Jordan Jones in 2013, Packed Party is an e-commerce gift shop featuring fabulous themed party packages that are delivered right to your doorstep! Packed Party is about unapologetically celebrating the little things in life, so they've created care packages for every occasion. Whether a birthday party, a pity party or a party just because, Packed Party offers a unique way to let your loved ones know they’re on your mind and in your heart. Alternatively (and this is our favorite part), Packed Party encourages self-indulgence too! Why not celebrate a productive week or spoil yourself on a crummy day by throwing a party just for you?

One lucky winner will receive Packed Party’s ‘Treat Yo Self’ care package, which includes handpicked beauty essentials like Benefit Lip + Cheek Stain, Deborah Lipmann “Candy Shop” nail polish, Pinch Provisions Mini Emergency Kit For Her, and much more!

There’s no better time than now to treat yourself—and you know you deserve it! Enter now for your chance to win! 

 

Packed Party

University of Missouri President Resigns Due to Racism on Campus

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University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe has resigned from his position following protests from students over his failure to address racist incidents on campus. Graduate student Jonathan Butler began a hunger strike last week in a push for Wolfe’s resignation.

"Students are not able to achieve their full academic potential because of the inequalities and obstacles they face," Butler wrote in a letter to the University, according to the Missourian newspaper. Also in the letter, he cited “a slew of racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., incidents that have dynamically disrupted the learning experience" at the school, such as the use of homophobic slurs towards minority students (who make up 17% of the student population), cancelling Planned Parenthood contracts, as well as a swastika drawn in feces found in a residence hall on campus last month.

In support of Butler, the university’s football team vowed to sit out of games and practices until Wolfe was removed from his position. Their decision was fully supported by their coach.

"The athletes of color on the University of Missouri football team truly believe 'Injustice Anywhere is a threat to Justice Everywhere,'" the Legion of Black Collegians wrote on Twitter. "We will no longer participate in any football related activities until President Tim Wolfe resigns or is removed due to his negligence toward marginalized students' experience."



Wolfe acknowledged the protests but initially refused to step down. He issued a statement on Sunday in which he said he is “dedicated to ongoing dialogue to address these very complex, societal issues.” He added that “racism does exist at our university, and it is unacceptable.” Students expressed dissatisfaction with this response, calling for action instead of dialogue. They believe that as President, he has failed to implement new policies such as cultural sensitivity training, or to increase minority presence (such as faculty and staff) on campus. Wolfe then officially announced his resignation at a special meeting on Monday.

Wolfe’s resignation is a positive step forward, albeit a small one.

"I was just so overwhelmed about what this truly means ... that students who want to go to college and get an education can now have a fighting chance at having a fair education on a campus that is safe and inclusive," Butler told CNN when he learned of the news. "I wish you guys could be on campus to see the love that is permeating among the students, staff and faculty." The University football team will resume practice Tuesday.

Of course, this call for celebration assumes that Wolfe’s successor, and all others in positions of authority, will learn from his mistakes and move beyond dialogue to take action.

You'll NEVER Believe What Bernie Sanders is Doing in His New Campaign Video

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As if there weren't already enough reasons to be thankful for having someone like Ellen DeGeneres in our lives, we can now thank for one more thing: the most glorious campaign video ever made.

Recently, Ellen hosted Democratic presidential hopeful (and college student favorite) Bernie Sanders on her show, who broke out into dance as soon as he stepped on to the stage.

Ellen claimed on a recent episode that Bernie's moment of boogie fame "must have gone to his head," and unveiled his brand new campaign video:

The video already has over 2 million views, with the top rated comment asserting that a viewer would rather watch Bernie dance "over Drake's tedious moves." Ouch.

While Drake might not be too happy about being usurped from his awkward moves throne, we are so incredibly grateful to Ellen with providing us with the best campaign video of this election thus far. 

 

Real Live College Guy: Do Guys Overlook Modest Girls?

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We all need a little guidance now and then, so whether you're stressed about a fling gone wrong, a wrecked relationship or how to handle a stage-five clinger, Real Live College Guy Jon is here to help you navigate the college dating scene!

Hey Real Live College Guy, how important is modesty to you? I see a lot of girls that just want to show off their bodies but I know mine is valuable and special, not for everyone to see. Do guys really value a woman who knows her worth? - Aware of my Worth

Aware of my Worth –

I wish I could tell you all men value a woman who is modest like yourself, but I cannot. There are many college guys who will overlook you. Some men will always choose the girl showing off her body over the girl who is modestly dressed. There are superficial guys and there are superficial girls, both of who fail to realize what they could be missing out on.

Luckily, not all guys are superficial like that. I would like to think I recognize a woman’s value well beyond her appearance or promiscuity. Recently I fell for a girl and found the more I got to know her, beyond the superficial, the more I fell for her. By simply talking and getting to know one another better, she showed me how extraordinary she really was—it was a privilege to see that. There are other guys like me out there who feel the same way. When you find a guy who recognizes how special you are, your modesty will be well rewarded. 

Knowing your value is attractive. It’s important to understand your own inherent value in order to pursue and reach your full potential. If you can show your significance without bragging or putting others down, you are going to get the attention of the kind of guys who are worth your time. The only men that will be scared off by your value are immature and feel threatened. Remember your value—everyone needs to understand how much they can bring to a relationship.

-Jon

 

Fill out my online form.

 

What Exam Day is Like, As Told by Kanye West

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With exams always looming, it’s inevitable that you’ll have the typical college student experience of procrastinating until the last possible minute, pulling back-to-back all-nighters and guzzling coffee like water. It all leads up to exam day, which will arguably be one of the worst days of your academic year. But hey, every student has a bad day. Who better to explain how horrid exam day can be than Yeezus, the king of bad days? Here’s to exam day, as told by the shrugging, mean-mugging Kanye West!

Your alarm sounds after you’ve just pulled a terrible all-nighter and you feel like you just couldn’t possibly do life right now.

Your test is in less than an hour. Like, seriously, what is life?!

You try to convince yourself it’ll be fine. But, then again, you know you’re just taunting yourself with the idea that you could manage to score an A.

Still, you walk into your lecture hall like it’s no big deal, all while knowing in the back of your mind that you’re beyond screwed.

You make small talk with the student next to you, lying through your teeth that you’re way more prepared than you actually are.

Then, your professor reminds the class this exam is worth 20 percent of your grade, and it really sinks in that you are in no way, shape or form prepared for this.

It practically looks like the exam is written in another language, as you skim through all of the questions for an overview.

But, wait. Hey there, question you can confidently answer! Maybe this won’t be so bad after all.

Ahh, sh*t! Nope. Back to square one where nothing looks remotely familiar or answerable.

You feel like a lost cause, kicking yourself on the inside for not taking studying seriously.

The only thing left to do is contemplate the lowest score you can get to still maintain a decent average in the class. 

At this point, you know there’s nothing more you can do to save yourself. So, you answer what you can and turn your exam in early.

*Kanye shrug*

You feel defeated, only to have your professor practically mock you when she asks how you think you did.

You know the horrible truth, of course, but you have no choice but to put on your best smile and say you did the absolute best you could.

Yet again, *Kanye shrug*

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