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Planned Parenthood Shooter Tried to Blow Up Facility

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New documents on Robert Dear, the man who attacked a Colorado Springs Planned Parentood in November, killing three people, were released by the courts on Monday and reveal new details about the attack and Dear's state of mind, the Associated Press reports.

The documents show how deep Dear's resentment for the organization really went. They reveal that Dear, who called himself a "warrior for the babies," often spoke highly of Paul Hill, a man who killed an abortion doctor and his bodyguard in 1994. His girlfriend apparently told police that Dear spoke about Hill often.

The documents also show that Dear was "happy because his actions...ensured that no more abortions would be conducted at the Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs,"NBC News reports the document explains. Dear also attempted to do even more damage by bringing propane tanks to the facility and shooting at them in order to cause an explosion.

The facility reopened in Febraury, The Washington Post reported.

A judge will hear testimony on April 28 to determine if Dear is competent to stand trial and whether he should be given the death penalty or be sentenced to a psychiatic hospital, NBC News reports.


Can Your Relationship Survive Finals Week?

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Finals week can turn any collegiette into a sweatpants-wearing, Nutella-hoarding, stressed-out, grouchy mess. We’ve all had days when we woke up, knew we had six chapters of economics to study and a hefty final research paper to write and realized that we probably should not have the privilege of human contact that day.

But when you’re in a relationship, it’s not so easy to simply tell your SO that yes, you will be living in this self-induced solitary confinement full of pizza and tissues. Being in a relationship during times of stress is hard. Luckily for you, we’ve come up with three easy tips to make sure that finals week is a test for your brain, not for your relationship.

1. Communicate your expectations clearly

It’s no surprise that any good relationship has crystal-clear expectations and communication. Whether you need 24 hours to study with your cell phone completely off, a break for coffee every six hours or a motivational text every hour until that sociology final, your SO will want to be there for you — if he or she knows what to do.

“Openly discuss your needs and expectations for during finals,” says Jasbina Ahluwalia, a relationship expert and founder of Intersections Match by Jasbina. “Don't expect him to read your mind — express your needs and encourage him to share his by actively listening.”

Setting your expectations and schedules can help take some of the stress out of finals; if you know he’s studying all afternoon, you won’t be stressed out that he hasn’t responded to your text!

“We will usually talk about the upcoming week so we can be sure to set times to hang out together,” says Krysta, a junior at Wayne State University, of her and her husband. “Of course, having a schedule isn't the most romantic and spontaneous thing, but finals week is so hectic—it’s better to go in … prepared.”

Ahluwalia says that a great way to support your SO during finals week is “by expressing your needs, cutting each other slack and helping each other focus on your studies instead of distracting each other.” If your SO knows that your dream of becoming a doctor can’t come true without good grades in chemistry, maybe he or she will be more chill about you not responding to a text or canceling dinner at the last minute.

Every collegiette wants something different from her SO during finals week, and it’s up to you to decide what you want and ask for it. 

2. Sync your schedules (and your breaks!)

Along with clear expectations comes the responsibility of knowing your SO’s finals schedule — does he or she have three finals at the beginning of the week, a final every day or just papers due at the end of the week? Knowing your SO’s schedule will help you because you’ll know when he or she may get stressed.

Ahluwalia suggests “coordinating your schedules to find small blocks of time to connect during finals week.” To be the most supportive of your SO and to find times to take breaks, however, you have to know what’s going on! While you may not necessarily prod your friends for their finals schedules, knowing your SO’s can really make things easier for your relationship. 

“My husband and I will usually plan out the week ahead of time so we know when each other will be busy,” Krista says. “That way we can plan who makes dinner, who goes to grab chips for movie night, etc.”

During the stressful time of finals week, a girl has to eat, exercise and take other forms of breaks from studying. Ditch your bad studying habits and learn how utilize breaks best in your studying. Include your SO in these activities — you won’t be lonely, and he or she will love to see you when you’re taking a break. 

However, Ahluwalia suggests thinking twice before you study with your SO: “You know yourself — will his studying with you provide comfort and moral support, or distract you?” Will your SO actually be helpful while you’re studying for that chemistry final, or you should hit up your lab partner as a study buddy instead?

“Consider taking breaks together for essentials, like meals and stress-reducing workouts,” Ahluwalia says. “During your finals-week breaks, be present and focus on each other.  Also keep in mind that touch can be a great stress reliever.” 

Knowing you have time with your SO to look forward to can help ease a long day of studying. “We spend the day studying, but pull ourselves from the books at night,” Krista says. “We will have dinner together, watch a movie or go for a walk – anything we can do together for two or three hours away from the school environment.”

After finals, plan something fun. “Immediately after big tests, we are usually pretty tired, so we will probably watch a movie together or just hang out,” says an Alice*, a junior at Stanford University, of her and her SO. “But the weekend after big tests or finals when we've had a bit more sleep, we love to go hiking together!”

3. Let your SO know you care

During finals week, make sure that your SO feels loved and supported. “Send him short texts or write him little notes and [leave] them on his book or pillow,” Ahluwalia says. Before finals week, she says, you can make “thoughtful gifts like a ‘finals basket’ filled with Starbucks gift certificates, his favorite snacks and loving notes.” You’ll be less stressed if you know that you’re supporting your SO, and it will make him or her feel great, too!

“Consider planning a special break for the two of you immediately after finals, like a special celebratory date night or romantic getaway,” Ahluwalia says. “It will provide a light at the end of the tunnel and give you concentrated time to reconnect.” Start planning those reservations at that favorite restaurant now so that you don’t have to worry about it during finals week!

“I think that a big part of support in any relationship is being a good listener, so one of the ways that I support [my SO] during finals is by being aware of what he has going on and listening to how he feels about everything,” says Kate*, a junior from Stanford University. “I also know that finals period is one of the most stressful times at school, so sometimes the best way to support someone is to listen without the need to give a lot of feedback, or even just spending time together that doesn't have anything to do with tests or studying.”

Letting your SO know that you care about him or her means being attuned to his or her needs and desires. Even if you may want to discuss every detail of your calculus final, your SO may not want to talk about that tricky question on the economics exam. 

 

Studying for finals can be a long and stressful process, but supporting and being supported by your SO can make everything a little more manageable. Your relationship doesn’t have to take a toll when textbooks have to become your new SO; instead, you can make your relationship even stronger when you two face adversity together. 

*Names have been changed.

Exclusive Men’s-Only Harvard Club Says Letting Women in Would Increase Sexual Assault

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A secretive, hyper-exclusive men’s-only club at Harvard spoke out for the first time in decades this week. The reason? According to one former Porcellian club official, if the club starts to let women in, they might be sexually assaulted by one of its members.  

Harvard University is home to several exclusive and secretive clubs, called "final clubs," that host a legacy of fame, prestige and power. The Porcellian Club is one of the most of famous of these, with former president Teddy Roosevelt on its list of past members. The Porcellian Club is also historically private—They've barely given any public comments to news organizations since their founding in 1791.

Until now, that is. In the wake of calls for men’s-only Harvard final clubs to either accept women or shut down completely, one former member spoke up. Officer Charles M. Storey, an alum of the Porcellian Club, gave a statement on behalf of the organization.

“Given our policies, we are mystified as to why the current administration feels that forcing our club to accept female members would reduce the incidence of sexual assault on campus,” Storey wrote to the Harvard Crimson, Harvard's student newspaper. “Forcing single gender organizations to accept members of the opposite sex could potentially increase, not decrease the potential for sexual misconduct.”

This comes in response to data released by the university, indicating that women who were either members or guests of final clubs at Harvard experience a higher rate of sexual assault. According to the Harvard Crimson, 47 percent of these women have experienced nonconsensual sexual contact. The University’s Task Force on Sexual Assault Prevention claimed these men’s-only final clubs carry “deeply misogynistic attitudes,” later calling on Harvard to address such issues as soon as possible. The clubs' leadership are supposed to meet with Harvard's Dean of College Rakesh Khurana on Wednesday.

Even Vice President Joe Biden had something to say about final clubs. "Well, I think it indicates that there's a real problem at Harvard," Biden said, according to Mic. "and it's the responsibility of the president of Harvard University and the administration to go in and investigate it, and if it's occurring and they can show that, get rid of the — get rid of those fraternities on campus that are engaged in it."

Storey did not think that his beloved Porcellian Club could be a part of the problem, though. “The college is trying to expel students for joining our club by arguing that we contribute to the problem of sexual assault on campus…We don’t host parties. We don’t allow guests on the premises of our club. How could we possibly be connected to the problem of sexual assault on campus?” Storey wrote to the Crimson.

In today’s world, the answer to sexual assault and gender equality is just to keep women out, right? Obviously, those poor guys at Harvard can’t even stand to be in the same organization as a woman without restraining themselves. That makes as much sense as pigs flying. Or ordering diet coke with a large bacon burger and fries. Or messaging that person on Facebook that clearly wants nothing to do with you “Hey bb you’re hot HMU” 50 times in a row. It’s all about logic.  For being one of the most exculsive clubs at one of the most elite universities in the world, these guys aren’t making much sense. 

This Zara Employee Was Told Her Braids Were Unprofessional at Work

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Cree Ballah, a 20-year-old university student and Zara employee in Toronto, was confronted at work over her “unprofessional” boxer braids, which were pulled back into chic ponytails.

"They took me outside of the store and they said, 'We’re not trying to humiliate you, but we’re going for a clean professional look with Zara and the hairstyle you have now is not the look for Zara,'" Ballah told CBC News.  They then tried to “fix” her hair in the middle of a busy mall.

“It was very humiliating…it was unprofessional,” Ballah went on to say to CBC News. Apparently, Ballah had no warning that Zara would ever consider her braids unprofessional. According to City News, Zara Human Resources only told her to avoid unnatural colors in her hair. This didn’t stop her managers from attacking her perfectly acceptable braids, leaving her coworkers with brighter dyed hair alone.

“My hair type is also linked to my race, so to me, I felt like it was direct discrimination against my ethnicity in the sense of what comes along with it,” Ballah according to CBC News. Ballah describes herself as biracial. “My hair type is out of control and I try to control it to the best of my ability, which wasn’t up to standard for Zara.”

In a statement to City News, Zara said they have “no formal policy regarding employees’ hairstyles.” The clothing company also said that they would not tolerate discrimination in Zara. “We have engaged directly with the employee on this matter and respect the privacy of those discussions.” Ballah filed a formal complaint with Zara HR, but allegedly was not satisfied with the company’s handling of the issue.

Cosmopolitan reported that Cree is now figuring out if she’s going to stay at Zara or leave after this issue. Women deal with way too much discrimination, whether gender-based or racial, already. When you spend so much time and money on your hair, and make it as fabulous as Cree’s (CBC News says she paid almost $200 for her braids), no employer should ever try to “fix” it. 

This Escaped Goat Took a Trip to Starbucks

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Milly, an 11-year-old goat from Rohnert Park, Calif., strolled into her local Starbucks unaccompanied by any human Sunday morning, according to the New York Post. The Starbucks staff attempted to give Milly a banana, but she wasn't interested and decided to chew on a box instead, according to the Associated Press.

The local police department picked Milly up and took her to a shelter. Through the Rohnert Park PD's Facebook page, Milly’s owner found her and retrieved her at once. The Inquistir reports only lives a couple doors down from the coffee shop, so she didn't get too far after her wild escape.

“She’s a really happy and sweet goat. She’s also pretty curious,” 12-year-old Alan Ergenbright, one of Milly's owners, told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Hopefully Milly appeased her sense of adventure on her latest coffee run—She might have a hard time getting out again, as her owners plan on building a fence to make sure she stays out of trouble.

Blue Ivy's Fairy-Themed Birthday Party is Goals

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Most of us, at age four, would have been happy with a princess-themed cake on birthdays. But when you're Beyoncé's child, you get much more than that.

Though it's been months since Blue Ivy's birthday on January 7, Bey does as Bey does and has only just now graced us with the photos from the event (and yes, it was an all-out event). The fairy-themed party wasn't just #goals for her fellow toddlers—it's #goals for us, too. Guests—including the likes of Kelly Rowland and Gwyneth Paltrow's kids—were welcomed among paper flowers hanging from the roof of a clear outdoor tent. A banquet-style table, complete with a boho patchwork tablecloth, was surrounded by white chairs that donned fairy wings. Teepees were scattered around for the ULTIMATE playtime.

Birthday girl Blue was wearing a pre-school chic look: a long tulle tutu and an embellished light pink leotard. Just like her mom, Blue is always willing to take a risk and proved it by rocking low-top grey Converse paired with her pink versus the traditional ballet slipper.

To make it all even better, real life fairy princesses made an appearance; then Blue did an outfit change into a silky, butterfly emblazoned dress fit for a queen. Obviously, this number was accessorized with a silver crown and light pink fairy wings. Blue was even snapped toting a bow and shooting plastic arrows at a bullseye.

We feel SO blessed that Beyoncé let us have a sneak peek into Blue's magical birthday via her Tumblr despite all the privacy she demands. As for our next party theme... well, that's a no-brainer. 

Free People Blasted For Cultural Appropriation

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Clothing store Free People has come under fire for cultural appropriation in their their new festival line. According to Cosmopolitan, the store, known for its handmade items, recently introduced a new Festival Collection that includes a lot of feathers and beading, which many consumers see as appropriating Native American culture.

The collection included items such as a jeweled and feathered headdress, modeled by a blonde, white woman—which also offended many customers, according to Refinery29. The lack of people of color among Free People's models only added outrage to the existing criticism of the unpopular collection.

Cultural appropriation has been a hot topic in the media lately, whether it is Amandla Stenberg calling out Kylie Jenner’s cornrows or Justin Bieber’s dreadlocks being ill-received. If you are still confused as to the topic of cultural appropriation, Zendaya explained the entire concept perfectly to PopSugar last month: “The credit gets taken away from us when we make certain statements or when we do certain things. That is the frustration. People want to be around for the positives and the things that we bring as far as culture, but they don't want to be around when we have problems or when we're getting shot in the streets,” she said. “You know what I'm saying? You have to be there for the whole experience. You can't just decide when you want to be a part of our culture.”

We can only hope that people follow Zendaya’s advice, and understand the difference between appreciating a culture and appropriating it.

This Tulane Fraternity Built a Trump-Themed Wall & Students Were Not Happy

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Donald Trump may be promising to build a wall that separates the US and Mexico border, but these Tulane students actually did it. Too far? Too far.

According toUSA TODAY College, the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity at Tulane University annually has their pledges erect a wall of sandbags around the fraternity house—But this year they decided to emblazon it with some Trump slogans. They faced intense backlash from Tulane’s student body, but argued that the words written on the wall were meant to mock Trump and that the whole thing was a big joke. Let’s just say that if you erect a mock version of the very wall Donald Trump is really, actually promising to build as the president of the United States, it's not that surprising when nobody laughs.

“This really pushed it overboard for students of color on campus. It’s one thing to see an endorsement of Trump on campus — that’s freedom of speech — but it’s another to see the wall when it’s a symbol of racism and oppression,” freshman Khristyan Trejo told USA TODAY College.

 

Writing “Make America Great Again” on the side of a giant wall outside your frat house­—not such a nice idea. Since then, the wall has been dismantled by students, who removed the hateful sandbags while fraternity members protested that they were trespassing on private property.

Interestingly enough, the fraternity won’t face any backlash from the Tulane administration, who seem to be defending the argument that the wall was supposed to be satirical. 


UNC System Forced to Comply With Transphobic Bathroom Law

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There’s more bad news out of North Carolina this week. President of the University of North Carolina System, Margaret Spellings, was forced to announce that all 17 campuses in the system would comply with the new transphobic 'bathroom law' in the state. The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, signed into law on March 23 by Governor Pat McCory, forces people to use the bathroom marked with their biological gender.

Interestingly enough, the law was passed in political retaliation against on ordinance passed on Feb. 22 that actually expanded North Carolina’s antidiscrimination laws to protect LGBT individuals. The ordinance was set to take effect on April 1, but this new anti-LGBT law not only repealed the protective ordinance, but also moved actively toward discrimination. Before, there was no specific law protecting transgender individuals in bathrooms, but there was also no law forcing them to use a bathroom of a gender with which they don’t identify. 

As you might imagine, this new laws has received a lot of criticism in the past few weeks. Bruce Springsteen cancelled his concert Sunday in Greensboro in protest of the law.

While the UNC system’s hands are tied in terms of complying with the law, they certainly aren't endorsing it. In the meantime, the school is still free to designate gender-neutral bathrooms, provided that they’re single facility.

“We will not be policing bathrooms,” university system spokeswoman Joni Worthington told The Washington Post, as there are no explicit provisions in the law about how to enforce it.

This isn’t only bad press for the university system; it’s bad for the state’s bottom line, according to USA Today College. Discrimination benefits no one. Because of the law the state’s lost a $3.6 million deal with PayPal to built a global operations center in the state. Lionsgate has cancelled plans to film a new series there. The NBA is thinking about canceling plans to hold the 2017 All Star game in Charlotte. And the governors of New York, Vermont, and Minnesota have even banned non-essential travel to the state.

North Carolina clearly isn't getting much out of being on the wrong side of history. Boycotting the state until this changes seems like a good idea.

You'll Never Be More Popular Than You Are at Age 25

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They say women reach their peak much later than men, but that's not necessarily true socially. Both men and women reach their social peak at age 25, according to new research published in the journal Royal Society of Open Science. Researchers analyzed the phone records of 3.2 million customers in Europe and found that the average numbers of calls to different individuals is highest at age 25.

The number of social connections drops dramatically after 25, but then evens out at age 45. The drop is likely due to people settling down, getting married, and having children. The plateau is probably because of grown children moving out of the house, leaving parents with more free time for outside social connections.

Interestingly enough, men actually have a higher social peak than women at age 25. However, women overtake men later in life. This is probably because once children move out of the house, women are more likely to keep in touch with their adult children, parents and in-laws.

Don't worry too much about this dip in popularity—according to ATTN, the study explains that when the fall in popularity occurs, it's just because you're focusing on a few really important friendships rather than trying to maintain a bunch of superficial ones.

The Washington Post points out that the study isn't perfect, as it doesn’t take into account the many other ways of interesting besides just phone calls. It’s likely that many millennials have rich social lives that have nothing to do with calling somebody up—in fact, a lot of us probably avoid making phone calls as much as we can, now that we have so many other options. What about Facebook, text messaging and Skype? Still, the findings do make sense in terms of an average life trajectory.

So collegiettes, enjoy your 20s—Because science says you’ll never be more popular then you are now. 

This High School Released a Sexist Video About Their Prom Dress Code

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So frequently these days we’re being blasted with reports about sexist dress codes or blatantly ridiculous conservative clothing expectations for women at high schools across America. Well folks, it’s happened again! According to the Daily Mail, Cleveland High School in North Carolina has taken the issue of dress code to an entirely new level by releasing a student-created video about what is considered “Prom ’Propriate” for women.

First off, the video and guidelines for what constitutes “prom 'propriate” is presented by a male student, which is the first red flag. The video displays three rounds of dresses, all with varying levels of appropriateness, which are judged by a team of five women in a So You Think You Can Dance style. The conservative dresses earn applause, while dresses with leg slits, open backs and any sort of mesh cut outs earn outraged cries and even a flipped table. There is nothing in the video that sets dress code guidelines for men.

According to the school district’s Public Information Officer, Tracey Peedin Jones, the reason the video occurred is because the school experienced trouble and confusion at the previous year’s prom when it came to the female dress code. The male students weren’t addressed in the video because they supposedly weren’t dressing inappropriately, Uproxx reports.

So yes, the video is obviously sexist, but that’s not the real issue here. The problem is that this video teaches young women that they should feel ashamed of their bodies, and should be more concerned with covering their skin than getting to feel beautiful on their special night. It teaches them that they are not worthy of respect if they have a dress with an open back.

The video absolutely had good intentions of creating a safe and friendly environment for prom night, but we can only hope in the future that dress code issues can presented in a way that doesn't police women.

5 Ways to Co-Manage Living Expenses in College

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One of the biggest advantages about living with roommates (besides having a live-in squad) is having other people there to help you split the costs of college living. Splitting costs means potentially getting to splurge every now and then on things that you might not be able to if you lived alone. However, while everyone in your room might be totally okay with using excessive amounts of electricity to watch a Friends marathon, there might be slightly less interest when it comes time to pay the bill.

Sharing expenses in college can be a sensitive topic, but it’s definitely an important one. When it comes to money, everyone has a different perspective. Some people are spenders and some are savers, and having to manage money jointly can be very frustrating. We have five ways to co-manage your money that will leave you (and your roommates) happy and stress-free!

1. Initiate the conversation                                                                                                              

For a lot of collegiettes, money can be tight between paying rent, buying groceries and the millions of other things that money goes toward in college. For that reason, having a conversation about money can sometimes be a bit awkward. No one wants to be that roommate who brings up the college version of “the talk,” but expenses are something that should be discussed as soon as possible to avoid future arguments and uncomfortable situations.

Hitha Herzog, chief research officer at H Squared Research and author of Black Market Billions, recommends protecting yourself when it comes to shared expenses and not being afraid to talk to your roommates about money. “If people are acting weird about paying for stuff,” Herzog says, “let them know there are two options: they can figure out a payment plan that works for them, or they can move out. Don't put yourself in a potentially bad financial situation, like paying for someone else’s stuff, because they don't want to talk about it.”

Be upfront about expenses, but also be understanding. Everyone's financial abilities are different and in order to be able to co-exist without money-related passive aggressive texts, this is a talk that needs to happen as soon as possible.

2. Discuss a plan—and stick to it!

This is definitely not the type of plan you want to discuss in a group message. The best time to talk about shared expenses is in person, when there are few distractions. Make sure that everyone understands the payment system and is clear on what they have to pay and when they have to pay it.

In your plan, it is also a good idea to clarify how exactly you will be splitting the rent and other expenses. An example of how to do this is visually splitting costs using a Google Doc spreadsheet. If you put in an algorithm that automatically splits each expense and categorizes who paid for it, then at the end of the month it is quick and easy for everyone to see what they owe.

“Be direct, write down all the expenses and figure out who is paying what,” says Herzog.

Making sure that all your roommates have easy access to your payment system, like in a Google Doc, is a sure-fire way to keep everyone on track.

Related: How to Live With Any Roommate

3. Split common items evenly

Some roommates may choose to evenly split the cost of groceries while others opt to go through the checkout line separately. For this reason, it is sometimes tricky to determine whether or not food will fall under common items. It is a good idea to determine whether you will share your grocery expenses with roommates when coming up with your plan.

Giana Grimaldi, a senior at Boston University, created a compromise with her roommates for splitting their grocery costs. “We all buy our own groceries mostly because we are all on our own budgets and all eat differently. Right when we moved in, we each sort of claimed a cabinet or shelf for ourselves in the kitchen where we could put our own items. Then, we left all of the other cabinets and drawers for things that could be shared by everyone, including food,” says Giana.

It is easy to take shared items for granted if you are never the one who has to buy them. If you notice that you're out of an item that you and your roommates usually share, step up and chip in. Your effort will be greatly appreciated. 

4. Hold each other accountable

We all know how annoying it is to live with roommates who refuse to take out the trash or do the dishes, but sometimes it’s nothing that a quick note or text can’t fix. However, when it comes to money, lack of accountability becomes a bit more of an issue. Now, we aren’t saying that you should bang on your roommates’ doors at five in the morning to harass them about the money they owe, but you shouldn’t be passive about the situation either.

A great, efficient way to keep roommates on track as far as payments go is to utilize a money app. Herzog suggests using an app called Square.

“One way to make sure everyone is paying on time is to use a payment system like Square, where you can run people's credit cards and that money gets deposited into your account. The second is to make sure you set a date five days prior to when bills are due. This ensures if someone is having cash flow issues you have a time buffer so you don't get charged late fees,” says Herzog.

“If you need to, ask them. I don't run into this with my SO because we have open lines of communication and consider all money coming in or out for either of us 'shared finances,' but in college with roommates we did run into this,” says Alaina Leary, a first-year graduate student at Emerson College. “I'd just bring it up in casual conversation, ask them about the money and when they could get it to me by, without making it seem like a threat.”

The way that you hold your roommates accountable might differ whether they are friends, strangers or a significant other, but it is important to figure out how you will address the situation. However, it is also important that whoever you are living with doesn’t feel attacked when the conversation comes up, so make sure to adjust the way you bring up the topic if need be.

5. Make division of expenses fair

They say that you get what you pay for, but we also believe that you should pay for what you get. This means that if you got stuck with the smallest room, when it comes time to pay the rent you shouldn’t automatically be stuck with an equal portion of the bill. Typically, it is considered fair to divide the rent by room size. “I always felt if you are the lucky person who has a larger room or more space, you should pay more. If you want to get really wonky, you can figure out how much people are paying per square foot and charge accordingly,” says Herzog.

Also, if someone is guilty of always leaving the lights or air conditioning on when no one is home, make sure you take that into account as well. You shouldn’t always have to deal with unnecessary spikes in your utility bills because of a forgetful roommate. In order to avoid anyone paying more than they have to, Herzog suggests creating a rule for your roommates. “Make a rule that the last person leaving must shut off the air conditioner or heat again to mitigate extra costs,” she says. Keeping things fair will allow you to avoid unnecessary arguments, because the question of who is going to take out the trash already creates enough of those. 

6. Be flexible

As with anything in life, and college especially, it is helpful to be as flexible as possible. Roommates come and go, but the rent will always need to be paid. So don’t stress out if your best friend tells you that she is studying abroad or you split with your SO and need a new roommate. Just revamp your expenses plan and go with it. If you get involved with subleases, make sure that you and your roommates are clear on how you will be handling the money gained from them.  

“My friends at another local college sublet their apartment to several girls and they split the money they got from these girls among the four of them,” says Alaina. Splitting the money that you get from subleases among you and your roommates is a no-brainer solution. 

Living with roommates isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, but it is definitely cheaper than living alone. You don’t necessarily need to create a full blown roommate contract, but if you make a plan, keep everyone in the loop and hold them accountable, roommates can be fun and economical!

15 Beauty Routine Tragedies All Girls Will Understand

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Girls, we go through a lot. From figuring out what the heck to do with our eyebrows to always making sure our smokey eye is on point, there are so many things that can go wrong in our daily beauty routines that it's kind of a little tragic. Let's throw it back to all the times you claimed your life was ruined because one of these things happened to you:

1. Breaking a nail

That's at LEAST 2 weeks of your mani looking stupid.

2. Chipping your nail polish

Or worse yet, smudging your brand new mani. *cringes*

3. Forgetting you were wearing mascara

Panda eyes are the new black.

4. Uneven eyeliner

Every. Time.

5. Perfecting your smokey eye, then messing up your eyeliner

Life is literally so unfair.

6. Realizing that your face is 2 shades darker than your neck

Not quite the look you were going for ^

7. Watching your powder shatter in slo-mo

*bawls uncontrollably*

8. Getting foundation on your white shirt

RIP crisp button-up.

9. Plucking the one eyebrow hair you shouldn't have

Seriously.

10. Finding lipstick on your tooth

Hot.

11. Forgetting chapstick on matte lipstick day

Taylor Swift doesn't have to deal with this sh*t. She probably has a chapstick guy.

12. Cutting yourself shaving

You coming at your legs ^

13. Forgetting that one spot behind your knee

You'd think you would have learned by now.

14. Squeezing too much moisturizer out

Figuring out how much you need is math you're not willing to do.

15. Not taking off your makeup after a night out

Pores. Literally so huge.

A Fan Got Kylie Jenner's Lip Kit Swatches Tattooed on His Arm

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Damnnn, Johnny! Back at it again with the tattoos. While some of us struggle just to get our crushes to text us back, this 18-year-old Kylie Jenner fan proved what true dedication is when he permanently tattooed the swatches of every single color of Kylie's Lip Kit line on his arm on Tuesday.


Johnny Cyrus first made headlines in December when he got the Lip Kit logo tatted on his wrist. This time he decided to take things a step further to really solidify his superfan status.

By looking at his Instagram, it appears that the idea to get the tattoo is something that Johnny had been planning for a while now. On a few posts, he can be seen asking his followers for their opinions on how he should go about it.


Judging by what we've heard, Kylie's products does sound pretty amazing but we're just going to stick to supporting Kylie Cosmetics from afar. Even if it is seemingly impossible to get our hands on a lip kit. 

21 Things All Girls Will Remember About Limited Too

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For us 90’s girls, a trip to the mall meant that you absolutely had to stop in Limited Too. It was the hot spot of fashion for most of our young tween selves, and all us definitely have an outfit or two we can vividly remember (like a suede jacket). Whether it be a top with matching cargo pants, or an unnecessarily colorful sundress, here are a few things all of us can remember about Limited Too!

1. Seeing the Limited Too banner above the entrance which made you so excited you frothed at the mouth.

2. Walking around the store reciting “It’s a girl’s world” as your own personal mantra.

3. The endless logo tees, proving that you were a proud Limited Too wearer!

4. Or a princess.

5. Or deceivingly athletic.

6. Plus the cargo pants that took your logo tee to the next level. You were unstoppable.

7. SO MANY fancy satin pajamas.

8. Glitter makeup for when you wanted to unleash your inner Britney Spears.

9. This tween perfume that was our life blood.

10. Training bras galore!

11. Even better–lacey camis with built in training bras, making your outfit risqué while still keeping mom happy.

12. Skorts of every pattern to fulfill your heart’s desire.

13. Decorative belts on EVERYTHING. Completely unnecessary, but they just made sense.

14. These sweaters that reeked of modesty, but were very useful for covering up spaghetti straps at school.

15. So many unconventional color pairings that we could justify for whatever reason.

16. These fluffy pens that tempted you like Satan at the checkout counter.

17. The trendiest dressing rooms you've ever seen.

18. The inflatable furniture you always begged your mom for but never actually got to have.

19. Passionately cursing the day that Limited Too was replaced by Justice in the local mall, and wishing that your life was over.

20. Rationing the wear of your Limited Too clothing so that the outfits could last the rest of your existence–or at least till your mid-30’s.

21. Fondly recalling your memories of Limited Too every single day, placing a flower at its grave, and finding peace in your heart knowing that it lives on blissfully in the afterlife and is waiting for you with open arms.  


Why It’s Okay to Not Have a Job After Graduation

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You know the feeling: That nerve-racking moment when you realize graduation is slowly creeping up and you can’t seem to get a call back from any of the companies you’ve applied to. All of your friends are constantly talking about interviews and offers they’ve received, your extended family keeps nagging you regarding what you’re doing after graduation, and no matter how many jobs you apply to, you can’t even land an interview.

While professors, friends and family may make you feel pressured to have a job lined up right after you graduate, there are many ways you can take something perceived as negative and turn it into something positive.

1. Take time to unwind

For starters, take a moment to stop and breathe. Even better, go look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself a compliment. Next, make a list of all the things you’d rather do than sit at a desk in a stuffy office in the middle of July.

Having “me” time is essential to every woman, especially after an undoubtedly busy college career. If you don’t have a job after graduation, take this time to relax and focus on you. Yes, it might be a little disheartening knowing you aren’t employed, but it could also be your last summer to have fun with your friends and family before you have to work a 9-to-5 job, five days a week, for the rest of your life. Start checking things off of your bucket list, and be sure to take risks and enjoy yourself. Maybe treat yourself to a spa day; a mani/pedi or massage may help relieve the stress that built up during your job search. You could also go on vacation. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive; take a drive with a few friends or family members to a beach nearby for a few days or visit a place you’ve always wanted to see. Also, appreciate the fact that you won’t be setting your alarm for 6 a.m. every morning… yet. That, alone, seems like a vacation to us!

2. Set goals

Just because you aren’t working a full-time job by June doesn’t mean you have to give up! Keep looking, but don’t feel bad if you don’t hear back right away.

Try setting a more realistic goal for yourself. Maybe you want to be employed by September, or even January. Strive to reach your goals, because let’s face it, nothing feels better than meeting a deadline!

Next, try following up with a few companies you truly have your eye on, or go on LinkedIn and see if any of your connections might know someone from the company. Finding a job through your existing network makes the search a lot easier. So reach out to your network, and then reach out to their network!

3. Take on new opportunities

While waiting for a good job opportunity to come your way, you could take an internship position to help expand your skill set, even if it’s unpaid. This will bring you one step closer to your dream job. Diana DiNapoli, a 2014 university graduate, decided to take on an internship when she didn’t immediately land a full-time job at the end of her time in college. “As frustrated as was I when I didn't land a full-time job after graduation, I decided to work as an intern. This allowed me to add another experience to my resume and gave me an edge when I went on interviews,” she says. “In my interview for my current job, it showed how dedicated I was to the field by sacrificing my ‘last’ summer and using it to build my resume. I didn't have to tell my current company how dedicated I was; my resume spoke for itself. Currently, I work full time at a company I love and I firmly believe my summer internship helped me get there.” Even if your dream job is in NYC and you live miles away, you can always apply for a remote internship. Such an opportunity will allow you to gain the skills you need, while also being extremely flexible.  

Though not necessarily a part of your original plan, it’s nevertheless important to be willing to start at the bottom and work your way up. If you’re a PR major, for example, your first position doesn’t need to be as an account coordinator at a PR firm. You could get a job as an administrative assistant just to get your foot in the door. Then, once you’re there, do your best to go above and beyond what is expected of you. Your supervisor will notice, and you’ll start rising up that ladder.

Finally, be open to any job prospects that may come your way. Rowan University Professor Cristin Farney recommends saying yes to all opportunities and to keep your mind open in order to get your supervisor to notice you. “Don’t be afraid to try new things, professionally or personally,” she says. “It is the only way you’ll grow.”

4. Learn something new

Most importantly, keep learning, no matter what. Even if you aren’t working, keep your brain busy by taking an online course in something that you’ve always wanted to learn more about, whether it’s directly related to your career path or not. Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to build a website or improve your cooking skills. Well, now is the time!

Just remember, you have the rest of your life to work. This isn’t to say you should push off working until you’re 40 years old, but remember, being unemployed in your twenties is totally okay.

Kesha Will Return to the Stage During Festival Season

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Although Kesha is still in the midst of her legal battle against her Sony and Dr. Luke, she’s not letting that stop her from pursuing her art. While we have yet to receive confirmation that the singer will be at Coachella later this month, she will for sure be making a comeback this summer at Dylan Fest, a festival that pays tribute to one of her music idols, Bob Dylan.

The festival will be held in Kesha’s hometown of Nashville on May 23 and 24—the 24th being Dylan’s 75th birthday. Though Kesha hosted a small gig with her band in Nashville a few months back, Dylan Fest will mark her first official return as a solo artist.

Kesha is a perfect choice to perform at the festival. Not only has she recorded a haunting cover of Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” but as a result of her legal battle, she has also become an outspoken advocate against sexual violence, survivors of which the festival is aiming to support. The festival’s proceeds will go towards Thistle Farms, a local charity that benefits women survivors of addiction, prostitution, and trafficking.

If you’re interested in witnessing what we can only predict will be one of the most powerful returns to the music scene, tickets for Dylan Fest go on sale April 15.

Rihanna Has Been Helping This Fan Come Out Over the Past Month

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Rihanna is no stranger to showing love to her fans and interacting with them on social media, but what she's done for a special member of the Rihanna Navy has our hearts melting. 

About a month ago, Rihanna sent a passionate message of advice to a gay fan who's been struggling with coming to terms with his sexuality. 

The fan, who has chosen to remain anonymous, revealed to BuzzFeed that he confided in Rihanna about his sexuality because he didn't have anyone else to talk to who would understand. Since then, Rihanna has been consistently helping him with his journey to come out to his friends. He also told BuzzFeed that coming out as a gay black man has been hard, but Rihanna's words of encouragement have helped him to not be ashamed of who he is. The fan hopes to fully come out by July when he'll get to meet Rihanna during her Anti World Tour. 

We definitely need more people like Rihanna in the world.

Aziz Ansari Pulled Out All the Stops to Make His Own Kanye West Music Video

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Kanye West's new album, The Life of Pablo, has been a chart-topper ever since it was released a few weeks ago. His song "Famous," which most people know for its low-blow reference to Taylor Swift, has received mixed reactions, though. But Parks and Recreation star Aziz Ansari clearly loves the tune, so much so that he decided to make his own music video for "Famous" while on a recent trip to Italy.

 

Ansari and his Master of None costar, Eric Wareheim, traveled to Italy to prepare for the Netflix show's second season. According to The Huffington Post, the two filmed their ode to "Famous" in between gorging on massive Italian meals. The hilarious parody shows the dynamic duo stuffing their faces with pasta and wine, strutting through the streets of Italy and showing off their DWTS-worthy moves. 

They even nicknamed themselves Lil Bud and Big Bud, obviously relishing in their newfound hip hop stardom.

What do you think, collegiettes—should Kanye use this as the official "Famous" music video?

 

Former 'ANTM' Judge Opens Up About Childhood Sexual Assault

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Earlier this week, Nigel Barker, former America's Next Top Model judge and current host of the radio show "Gentleman's Code," disclosed that he was sexually assaulted as a child.

His story is especially timely, as April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Huffington Post reports that he shared his experience "to increase visibility surrounding an issue affecting hundreds of thousands of people annually and to address how it impacts men in particular."

On his show, Barker recalled that when he was just eight years old he was approached by a middle aged man.

“I went up to the door and read the names on the buzzers…I went to push it, and he pushed me from behind, jolted me through the doors and I fell to my feet inside the door. The door closed and I’m now trapped between a stairwell inside and a shut door. I have a man who is much bigger than me, push me to the ground, grab me, pull my trousers and my pants down. I’m now exposed, and I’m screaming and thrashing.”

Barker was able to break free from the predator but was still deeply scarred by the incident. He didn't tell anyone until his sister revealed that she also was a victim of sexual assault three years after Barker's assault.

"I didn’t tell my parents. I didn’t tell my brothers. I told no one. I was scared. I was worried. I thought I had done the wrong thing. I thought I had done the bad thing. It was something that stuck with me for a very long time."

Barker encouraged others to open up about sexual assault without fear, despite the stigma that surrounds it. 

If you or anyone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact a therapist or doctor or call the helpline at 800.656.HOPE (4673).

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