"It kind of feels like I'm making history a little bit," Blue Nebeker, a transgender high school senior, told local news channel KEYT. And as the first transgender prom queen at Sanata Barbara High School, she is!

Rachel Fields, a close friend of Nebeker, said that "Everyone voted for her in the first place" and that "everyone was completely thrilled" about their new prom queen. Furthermore, bisexual classmate Sabrina Dabby was named Prom King, making it clear that seniors of Santa Barbara High School are happy to embrace fluid gender roles. Fields couldn't have said it better when she shared her opinion: "The world is moving forward; you might as well move with it."

Now a senior, Nebeker came out to her friends and family as a sophomore. Yahoo News reports that her family has been very supportive of her transition, with her father, Eric, expressing his happiness to the KEYT over the accepting community they live in. Nebeker's mother, Joanna, even said she's been "telling random strangers in the grocery store" about her daughter being crowned Prom Queen—Understandable, because it's hard not to be enthusiastic about having a teen daughter with the confidence and support Nebeker has found. Even the high school principle, John Becchio, has expressed his enthusiasm for the inclusive school environment that has been created at Santa Barbara High School.

KEYT reports that "At least three other high schools in Florida, Illinois, and Missouri chose transgender students to crown." This is a positive sign that as these seniors grow up, they will be important leaders to a generation that can change the way we treat transgender people, breaking down the stigma associated with the LGBT+ community. Nebeker will be moving on to Santa Barbara City College to study cosmetology, and will hopefully find an equally supportive group of classmates there.

If you watched last night's episode of The Bachelorette, you know it wasn't very exciting. There were some cute dates, some romantic one-liners, and of course, there was Chad. Oh, Chad. It's only the second episode, and he is already the villain of the season. Sorry, but we don't think you will find very many people rooting for him to win. Here are nine of the many times during last's nights episode that Chad was literally just the worst. Ever. 

1. When Chad worked out with a suitcase around his waist

The real question is: Was it packed because he knows he needs to leave? 

2. When he tried to make the protein shake reference work

Nope. Just nope. 

3. All three times he interrupted and stole time with JoJo from the other guys

Come on, Chad. Haven't you heard that old saying, "distance makes the heart grow fonder"?

4. When he compared himself and all the other men to cars that JoJo is trying to buy

Personally, we think JoJo is more of a Benz type, and Chad is just not a Benz. More like a minivan.

5. Just the whole, you know, threatening violence thing

Use your words, Chad. 

6. When he didn't understand when to be empathetic and just not talk

Like every single second he was on camera.

7. This whole comment chain where he just dug himself into a deeper hole

Dude, you are trying to win her heart, not show her how no one likes you and why they don't. 

8. WHEN HE CALLED HIS MAYBE FUTURE WIFE (probably not, tbh) NAGGY!!!

Insults will get you nowhere. Although JoJo appreciated his honesty… 

9. And is he eating during the rose ceremony?  

Chad, there is nothing cool about being the villain. Just ask Nick Viall. 

A student in Rome was burned alive by an ex-boyfriend who just couldn't let go, reports the Daily Mail. 

While Sara Di Pietrantonio, 22, was visiting her current boyfriend, she had no idea that her angry ex-boyfriend was lurking right outside. Vincenzo Paduano, 27, left his job as a security guard around 3 a.m. to wait for Di Pietrantonio. When she left the house in her car, Paduano followed, eventually forcing her car to the side of the road and getting inside to argue with her. Then, Paduana soaked both Di Pietrantonio and her car interior with alcohol. When Di Pietrantonio tried to run, Paduano set the car ablaze with a cigarette lighter.

She was only able to get about 100 meters away before he set her on fire, too, and left her to die. A surveillance camera captured her screaming for help. Paduano is currently being held on suspicion of the crime, after having confessed. His motivation? He couldn't "accept" the fact that he'd been dumped, according to prosecutor Maria Monteleone.

The Independent reports that the surveillance footage shows cars driving right past Di Pietrantonio as she burned to death. Monteleone told reporters that if a passerby had stopped to help, then Di Pietrantonio's life might have been saved. 

Monteleone also encouraged other young women to speak up about a partner's threatening behavior. If your partner would rather you die than break up with them, then they don't love you.

Ahh, the time of year that collegiettes everywhere have been waiting for – summertime. Cue the ocean waves and sunny skies!

Summertime also means digging into a juicy hamburger at a tailgate or licking an ice cream cone on the boardwalk. Even though we don’t want you to have to sacrifice these summer staples, keep in mind that sometimes our fave treats are loaded with extra fat and calories. This means that enjoying them can undo all of the hard work you’ve done to get in shape for your new bikini, and they also won’t keep you energized for long days playing volleyball on the beach.

While you’re out enjoying the weather this summer, make sure that you’re enjoying some healthy treats to keep you going. To help you make sure you’re not giving up good taste in favor of being healthy, we have some nutritious twists on yummy treats that are sure to please and let you enjoy all of the tastes of summer.

1. The Treat: Ice Cream

The Healthy Twist: Frozen Yogurt With Fresh Fruit

Sometimes the summer weather calls for a cold ice cream cone at the beach, but for the times when you’re looking for something lighter, opt for frozen yogurt with granola.

The active cultures in the yogurt are good for your digestive system, so make sure you pick a kind that contains them. If you find a type of frozen yogurt that suits your fancy, you might even prefer it to ice cream! Once you get to know your way around different frozen yogurt types, you can also give frozen Greek yogurt a shot, since it’s packed with extra protein.

If you want to add granola, be cautious that many store-bought granolas contain extra sugars and fat. Instead, you can make your own granola so you’ll know exactly what’s in your snack. You can also skip the granola altogether and choose chopped nuts instead.

Finally, adding a few handfuls of fresh fruit to your treat will boost it up with vitamins and antioxidants. We recommend adding fresh berries or kiwi slices to give your treat a true summertime feeling.

2. The Treat: Beef Kabobs

The Healthy Twist: Fish Kabobs

While you’re cooking out on the grill, make sure that you have some healthy kabobs to complete the rest of your meal. Kabobs are fun to eat and put you in the summertime spirit.

Even though traditional kabobs contain red meat, try mixing it up and incorporate a lean protein such as fish instead for a healthy twist. This recipe from Allrecipes.com will help you make kabobs that are yummy and nutritious.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 ¼ pounds raw firm fish, such as salmon, tuna or halibut, cut into chunks
• 4 cups fresh pineapple, cut into large chunks
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, dissolve the cornstarch in the pineapple juice.
2. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger.
3. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Let cool.
4. Add the fish and pineapple to sauce, then marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Thread the fish, pineapple and onion onto skewers. Place them onto a hot grill or under a broiler until the fish is cooked as much as you’d like.
6. Serve with rice, and heat the marinate to use as a sauce for the skewers and the rice.

3. The Treat: Snow Cones

The Healthy Twist: DIY Ice Pops

Once again, making your own treats allows you to know what is going into your food and gives you more control. With DIY ice pops, you can easily make your own satisfying frozen treat that’s still healthy.

Ice pops usually only require a few ingredients, such as fruit, water and sugar. To make kiwi ice pops, follow this recipe from Country Living.

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 kiwis
• ½ cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

Directions

1. Combine 1 cup of water and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil to make the syrup. Set aside to cool.
2. To begin making the pops, cut the kiwi into quarters, peel and remove the white core and seeds from each piece.
3. Place the sliced kiwi pieces in a bowl and purée for about one minute.
4. Combine the puréed kiwi, ¾ cup syrup, lime juice and remaining water into a large bowl.
5. Pour the mixture into molds and freeze until solid for about six hours, then remove and enjoy!

Instead of classic ice pops that you can eat like popsicles, you can also try making frozen fruit ice cubes. They’re even easier to make than ice pops and require fewer ingredients.

We recommend using watermelon as your fruit since it’s a classic summer staple with a sweet taste. It’s the only ingredient you’ll need to make this treat besides maybe a little bit of water.

Directions

1. Cut up watermelon into large chunks and place them in a blender.
2. Liquefy the watermelon in the blender.
3. Place the liquid into an ice cube tray. Try to find an ice cube tray with a cool design, like stars or hearts.
4. Put the tray in a freezer and wait a few hours until frozen solid.

4. The Treat: Mayo-Based Pasta Salad

The Healthy Twist: Whole-Wheat Pasta Salad with Grilled Veggies and Greek Yogurt

A classic cookout food during the summer is pasta salad. Even though it tastes like heaven, it’s often made with a calorie-heavy mayonnaise base and creamy dressings. For a healthier twist, try this pasta salad recipe from About.com that uses whole-wheat pasta and Greek yogurt as the dressing for added flavor with fewer calories.

Ingredients for the Salad

• 1 pound of whole-wheat pasta; cooked, drained and cooled
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
• 1 large cucumber; peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup finely diced red onion
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
• ½ pound feta cheese, cut into bite-sized cubes
• ¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Ingredients for the Dressing

• ½ cup Greek yogurt, drained
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish

Directions

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Once blended, cover and refrigerate for later use.
2. Cook the pasta as directed.
3. Chop the vegetables and herbs while the pasta is cooking.
4. Combine all of the salad ingredients except for the feta and the pasta into a large bowl.
5. Toss lightly and season with the salt and pepper.
6. Once the pasta is done cooking, drain it well and rinse under cool water.
7. Add the pasta to the salad ingredients and mix in the dressing.
8. Lightly toss the pasta to distribute all of the ingredients before serving, adding the feta cubes last.

5. The Treat: Potato Chips

The Healthy Twist: Kale Chips

When you’re at a cookout and the only snack food is potato chips, it can be super tempting to dive in and crunch away. It might feel good in the moment, but chips are super greasy and contain 10 grams of fat per one-ounce serving, which can leave you feeling unsatisfied.

Instead, try munching on some crunchy kale chips. Kale contains vitamins A and C for a healthy immune system, vitamin K for cancer prevention, calcium for your teeth and bones and iron for overall health benefits and blood cell regulation. It’s also a great detox food because it keeps your liver healthy.

This recipe from A Cozy Kitchen shows you just how simple it is to enjoy kale chips.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch kale, rinsed and torn into large pieces
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Optional seasonings: cayenne pepper and garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Lay your washed kale onto a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then flip, then bake for another 10 minutes until the chips are crispy.
4. Allow to cool before transferring into a bowl.

6. The Treat: Classic S’mores

The Healthy Twist: Raspberry Dark Chocolate S’mores

Hanging out by a bonfire over the summer usually means digging into a gooey s’more. For a treat that’s equally satisfying with a fruit boost, try a raspberry dark chocolate s’more.

After you roast your marshmallows over the fire, slide them on to a whole-wheat graham cracker. Then, add a few raspberries for a tart twist before adding chocolate.

If you’re a gluten-free gal, another healthy option is to skip the graham cracker and slide a square of dark chocolate into the marshmallow before roasting it over the fire. After it gets warm and toasty, remove it from the flame and add either raspberries or strawberries onto your skewer like you would enjoy a kabob.

Instead of using milk chocolate, use dark chocolate. It will provide an additional antioxidant boost, which helps to free your body from free radicals, which cause damage to your cells. Dark chocolate can lower your blood pressure as well.

7. The Treat: Store-Bought Trail Mix

The Healthy Twist: Homemade Trail Mix

Store-bought trail mix is notorious for being loaded with extra fat, sugar and calories. To control what you’re eating, try making your own trail mix for a healthier alternative.

This is a great on-the-go snack that you can take with you to the pool, to the beach or on a hike. Since August 31 is National Trail Mix Day, make sure you make a batch for the perfect sweet and salty treat! Know that it’s also easy to overindulge on trail mix, so watch your portion size by snacking on only ¼ or ½ of a cup. The servings of the particular ingredients in each recipe are up to you based on how much trail mix you want to make in bulk.

Here’s a trail mix recipe from International Business Times to get you started.

Popcorn Trail Mix:

• Popcorn
• Cinnamon
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Unsalted almonds
• Cranberries
• Dried apricots

There are also a few healthy trail mix recipes from LaurenConrad.com:

Pre-Workout Trail Mix:

• Puffed buckwheat
• Dates (pitted and cubed)
• Hazelnuts
• Raw cacao nibs
• Cinnamon

Post-Workout Trail Mix:

• Wasabi peas
• Pumpkin seeds
• Unsweetened cocoa flakes
• Sesame seeds
• Dried goji berries

Midnight Snack Trail Mix:

• Popcorn
• Coconut oil
• Orange peel zest
• Chia seeds
• Rosemary
• Pink Himalayan salt

Finally, here are few healthy recipes from Greatist.

Simple and Sophisticated Trail Mix:

• Dark chocolate chips
• Cinnamon
• Unsalted almonds
• Dried cherries or cranberries
• Dash of sea salt

Beachy Trail Mix:

• Macadamia nuts
• White chocolate chips
• Dried pineapple
• Coconut flakes

While you’re out enjoying the summer sunshine, choose one of these tasty summer treats to satisfy your sweet tooth and calm your cravings!

Hope you all had a fabulous Memorial Day and extended weekend. I for one needed the extra day to play in Austin, Texas. If I do have to get back to reality, it is nice to have it start with The Bachelorette.  

Let’s jump right in.

First question: How do you all feel about Chad’s sly, snarky toast that cut the other guys down at the beginning of the episode? It went like this: “To a beautiful girl. To a beautiful life. F--k you guys, I’m gonna make her my wife.”

Great! Be confident but don’t tick off the other guys while doing so. One thing that was special about my season was we all had a mutual respect for one another. No one ever came back to the mansion or hotel room and rubbed in their date. Even if producers thought we were “boring,” we all wanted to respect one another.

Group Date #1

“Let’s heat things up.” JoJo in the firefighter outfit—I think that was a great little touch. She may be our most beautiful Bachelorette. I love her personality. Wells and Grant couldn’t be more opposite from one another. Poor Wells! Way to get JoJo’s attention, though.

Second question: I want to know how you feel about a less-than-strong guy in a relationship. Are you okay with a nerdier guy, or is it important to you to know that a guy can protect you?

I wouldn’t be able to handle a date with Wells. I do think he is adorable and super kind. But I need strength and a protector. Like my dad, remember him? If the burglar comes to the door and I can fight him off better than my guy, then that’s not a good thing in my opinion. Bye Felicia.

Derek's One-on-One Date

Derek got the first one-on-one date. Crazy to think you pack your bag before leaving on your date in preparation to possibly say goodbye to this entire journey.

Behind-the-scenes note: On these dates and while you’re in the car, you are on a mic but producers only let you talk so much. On my date with Sean, we had a walkie talkie, and any time we talked too much off camera, the producers would stop us by yelling through the walkie talkie. They wanted us to save the good talks for our actual date.

Flying to San Fran isn’t a bad first date by the way.

Third question: If you could go anywhere on a first date, where would you LOVE to go?

Group Date #2

Chad calling JoJo “naggy.” What the…

I’d embarrass him right then and there, and tell him to go home. But then that would leave no drama for the rest of the season, so I know he will be around a few more weeks. It got worse during the rose rankings competition when the guys picked Chad as the one JoJo should ditch. I think he missed the point of this fun date. He’s cocky and coming off a bit disrespectful. He won’t make it too terribly far once she starts to gain real feelings for some of the guys. Bye Felicia 2.0.

Oh, and does anyone else think James looks like Kalon from Emily’s season?

Best one-liners and favorite tweets of the evening

If you love tweeting, tag me @ashleefrazier next week and maybe I will retweet yours.

These guys talk about protein a lot. From this point on, I will no longer refer to the guys as having a “bromance.” I call it “Brotein.”

Chad stole the show tonight, and I am not thrilled with it. Brah, get a life and stop awkwardly kissing JoJo.

The Clothes

I found some outfits similar to JoJo’s that won’t break your budget below.

JoJo's Opening Scene Outfit

Pink button-up top:HERE + HERE

Dark jeans:HERE

Light denim option:HERE

JoJo's Group Date #1 Outfit

White cutout sweater dress:HERE

Statement ring:HERE + HERE + HERE

JoJo's One-on-One Date Outfit

Sequin dress:HERE + HERE + HERE

JoJo's Group Date #2 Outfit

Fringe sweater:HERE

JoJo's Rose Ceremony Dress

Red sequin gown:HERE

What another great night full of ChadBrotein excitement! Can’t wait for next week.

If you ever have a question, please don’t hesitate to ask me. You can also check out my blog for fashion inspiration and Friday fitness tips.

Until next week, Lovelies.

If you're one of the lucky ones with tickets to an Adele concert, leave the phone at home. During a recent show, Adele called one of her fans out—in front of the entire audience—for filming a portion of her concert.

"Yeah, I want to tell that lady as well, can you stop filming me with a video camera because I'm really here in real life," she said. "You can enjoy it in real life, rather than through your camera."

Adele urged the fan to live in the present. "Can you take your tripod down? This isn't a DVD, this is a real show,” she continued. “I'd really like you to enjoy my show because there's lots of people outside that couldn't come in."

Though we're going to guess that plenty of others in the audience were catching photos and videos throughout the night, Adele's plea was met with plenty of support as concertgoers cheered. Catch the whole incident in the video below—we're going to guess this fan put their camera away shortly after Adele called on her viewers to enjoy the moment.

Your Starbucks run in the morning just got a whole lot cooler. The Seattle-based coffee seller is coming out with Nitro Cold Brew. That’s right—kegs of coffee everywhere with the all-important baristas pouring out your daily dose of caffeine into a darkly foaming, smooth masterpiece.

Gone are your days of boring old iced coffee. Starbucks’ new batch promises all the great things of other nitrogenized drinks (think Guinness when it’s done properly). How much classier could it get?

“We start with a small, chilled keg of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee,” Anthony Carroll, a partner on the Starbucks Coffee Team explained in a Starbucks statement. “Then it’s infused with nitrogen, which unlocks the super-smooth, natural sweetness of the Cold Brew coffee, which then cascades from the tap with a velvety texture you can see and taste.”

The Nitro Cold Brew will be served unsweetened without ice, since it comes cold right out of the tap. It only packs in 5 calories, so you don’t need to replace Frappuccinos as your favorite guilty pleasure. Double Chocolatey Chip, please!

Starbucks has also announced a Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. According to Mashable, the sweet cream was made specifically for the cold brew coffee in order to form a complete coffee drinking experience. The cream is made in-house daily and is supposed to take away the need for cream, milk or sugar in the coffee. You just order that sweet, sweet cream to top off your cold brew and you’re good to go.

Unlike the Nitro Cold Brew, the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew has 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar in a Tall (hey, it’s still less than a Frappuccino).

Apparently, Starbucks reported a 20 percent increase in their iced coffee drinks sales after it introduced cold brew to its stores. In addition, Nitro Cold Brew is the second highest selling drink at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle (the only location where their Nitro brew is available now). Statistics show more and more Americans are ordering iced coffee everywhere—cold brew sales have grown more than 300 percent in the past six years, while iced coffee sales have risen 75 percent in the same time period.

As Starbucks’ press release states, the company is simply seizing an opportunity in a “Multi-Billion Dollar Cold Coffee Market.” It makes sense for them, and our taste buds will thank the iced coffee economy later.

Unfortunately, only seven U.S. cities will see the nifty Nitro Cold Brew this summer: Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Portland, Chicago, Boston and Los Angeles. The rest of the expanded cold coffee menu, including a Starbucks Doubleshot on Ice and the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, should be available across the country at participating stores soon.

Your personality plays a big part in how much you enjoy sex. Or, in particular, a woman's personality in a newlywed marriage does, reports Science of Us.

In a new study at Florida State University, two psychologists asked 278 heterosexual, newlywed couples to keep daily diaries of when they had sex and how much they enjoyed it (on a scale of one-to-seven, if sex can possibly be rated that way). The researchers also asked the 20-something and 30-something year old couples to take the Big Five personality test.

This test measures the "Big Five" traits, which are openness, extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness and agreeableness. In simpler terms, that is how much you want adventure, how much you enjoy hanging out with other people, how you respond to tough situations, how timely you are, and how much you want to please other people, respectively.

The study found that only the wife's personality played a major role in how often the couple has sex. The higher she scored on agreeableness or openness, the more often that... well, you know. Interestingly enough, the husband's personality didn't play a role here at all. This contributes to the theory that most men want sex more often than women, making women "gatekeepers" of sex.

Satisfaction, however, was another story.

Each partner's satisfaction had nothing to do with their spouse's personality and everything to do with their own. Higher levels of neuroticism equaled lower levels of satisfaction. In other words, the worse you react to tough situations, the less you enjoy sex. Looks like there's always a reason to be optimistic!

Strangely enough, a husband's openness correlated negatively with satisfaction. The more open and adventurous the dude in the relationship was, the less he enjoyed having sex with his wife. Maybe he's a little too adventurous?

Although the results are pretty interesting, don't take them too seriously in your own relationship. Because the study was so narrow, it can't be applied to every couple ever to exist. If the researchers really want significant results, then they will need to run the study with couples of all ages, sexual orientations and at all relationship stages. For now, newlyweds who need a little help in their sex life can look to both their own and their partners' personalities. 

This hip hop dance group is changing the world's perception of Muslim women in the most epic way possible.

The three dancers known as "We're Muslim, Don't Panic" are breaking stereotypes by busting moves. They perform incredibly synchronized routines while rocking their niqabs. 

The founder of of the group Amirah Sackett wanted to flip the switch on what society thinks of Muslim women. She created the group to use dance as a way to challenge the stereotypes that other people held against her. 

"I wanted to educate others and reflect the beauty that I know and love in Muslim women," she says.

This awesome trio proves that wearing a niqab, hijab or another headscarf can be an empowering expression of faith, not a symbol of oppression. Of course, this isn't to ignore the oppression that women of Muslin faith—and otherwise—do experience.

"Yes, there are oppressed women in the Muslim world," Sackett says. "Women are oppressed the world over. These are our mutual struggles."

Whether you have mental illness or just need someone to talk to, therapy is a great solution with endless health benefits for you and your health. That said, it can be a really stressful, anxiety-inducing process to try and find the right person and therapy type for you and your needs, especially if it’s your first time searching for a therapist. It’s really important to make sure that your therapist is someone you feel comfortable with; if not, the your treatment might not be as impactful and beneficial. You don’t want to add to any mental health strains, so we’re here to help you avoid any of the potential obstacles in the therapist search!

1. Consider what kind of therapy and therapist you want

There are many different factors to be considered when you’re determining what kind of therapy you need and want. A few questions to keep in mind might be: how often do you want to go? What specialty would you like your therapist to have? Do you prefer any sort of method of therapy? Suzy Johnson*, junior at UC Davis, says, “something that made a huge difference was understanding the type of psychologist that was right for me,” because she was not well versed in the vast world of therapy.

Two particularly popular types of therapy, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychodynamic therapy. CBT combines two schools of thought (cognitive and behavioral therapy, respectively) into a comprehensive practice that addresses personal thoughts and beliefs as well as explicit actions. This therapy can be used to address depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.

RELATED: Should I Go To Therapy? 4 Collegiettes Who Are Glad They Did

Psychodynamic therapy is a more traditional form of therapy that has its roots in psychoanalytic therapy, though contemporary therapists don't rely on this methodology anymore. The focus here is on subconscious feelings and how these affect one's actions, and this kind of therapy is often used in combination with other types. 

Many different kinds of therapies exist, a detailed list of which you can find on the National Institute of Mental Health’s website. Making sure you practice the one that can be most effective for you is vital. Becoming familiar with different types only increases your chances of finding what’s right for you, and, therefore, improving your mental health! This might require some trial and error, and “most people won’t find the right therapist for them after the first time,” in Suzy’s experience.

It might be important for you to consider the gender of your therapist. Dr. Carole Lieberman, psychologist and author, says, “For example, if a woman has had an abusive father, she might not feel comfortable with a male therapist.” There are a lot of reasons that gender might impact the success of your therapy, and if you think this might be the case, you might want to narrow your search. Dr. Roy Stefanik, a psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, says, “if you feel you would be much more comfortable with one particular gender or another, start there.” Trust your instincts when it comes to searching for a therapist, as these should guide you in the right direction!

Additionally, if you identify as LGBTQ+, you might want to take care to ensure that your therapist is friendly to your identity, or that they have special experience and knowledge in these areas. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association has an online directory of inclusive therapists, and it is also probably a good idea to check when you make an appointment or have an initial consultation with a therapist that your identity will be respected and considered.

2. Start with your school’s resources

If you don’t have any idea how to begin the search for a therapist, your college’s health center should have a mental health office that can be helpful to you. Check their website, walk in or make an appointment to ask for a referral or to see if their therapists and psychiatrists can suit your needs. As a part of your enrollment at the school, it might even be the case that there are a number of free counseling sessions you have access to, right on campus!

Tori, a senior at DePaul University, found her therapist at the school’s counseling center. After taking advantage of the free counseling sessions, her counselor was able to refer her to another therapist, off campus. “It was nice to have that counselor to launch off from,” Tori says. “He knew me and had met with me and recommended people based on my needs and what he thought was best.” Going through the counseling center will really ease your stress in the therapy search because they are more aware of methods as well as more familiar with you and your needs.

3. Check websites for reviews

Psychology Today has listings for thousands of licensed medical professionals who others have reviewed. This site is useful because it allows you to look for a therapist you know by name or practice, as well as search just by your location if you are starting from scratch. Dr. Stefanik says, “Reviews can be very difficult to interpret—people are much more likely to write a bad review if they've had a bad experience than a good review for a positive one.” He suggests looking for patterns in the reviews that paint a more holistic figure of the therapist you’re researching. Doctor reviews can be very helpful in steering you in the right direction, but take them with a grain of salt.

You should also be aware of whether or not the therapist you are interested in has been the subject of any malpractice lawsuits. If this bothers you, you might not want to see this therapist. The state medical board keeps track of this information, so if you check the website for the state in which you are looking for a therapist, you will find listings of those individuals who have been involved in such cases.

It’s also good to check the therapist’s or practice’s own website to get a feel for their methodology and overall approach. There you will probably find doctor bios and backgrounds on the type of care they offer. Dr. Stefanik also says to keep in mind whether the description written for the therapist is “sincere or thoughtful.” How the therapist chooses to represent themselves online can be a good tell of their in-person conduct!

RELATED: 17 College Women Get Real About Depression

4. Prepare for your first appointment

Avoid any anxiety about what your first appointment may or may not hold by getting extra prepared. Take stock of how you are feeling the night before your appointment and how you expect to feel after. Why not make a list of goals or things you are looking to get out of your therapy? Dr. Stefanik suggests that individuals “write some notes beforehand and bring them to the session with you if you're concerned you might forget to discuss something you feel is important.” You should also remember to make a list of any medications you take, so that whoever you’re seeing is fully aware of your situation.

Dr. Lieberman adds that you should focus on the most important issues you’d like to discuss with a therapist, in order to give them an idea of what they are going to be working on with you. She says that a therapist should be able to help you with issues big and small, but it might be easier to get the big goals out on the table just for the sake of mental organization!

The American Psychological Association (APA) suggests asking your therapist several questions at the time of your first appointment, including those about their specific methodoligies as well as their credentials. How long have they been practicing psychology for? What are their specific focuses? Do they have any specific experience with issues such as your own?

Don't forget to inquire about their prices and the types of insurance they accept. "Many insurance companies provide coverage for mental health services," according to the APA. Whether it be through your parents or your own employer, it is best to check on these logistics before starting therapy to make sure it is financially feasible, or if you might have a restriction on exactly how much therapy you can partake in. 

5. Evaluate your progress

Checking in with yourself at different stages in your therapy is imperative to make sure you are receiving the best possible care.  You might not feel like your problems are entirely solved after your first few sessions or weeks of therapy, but you should have a handle on whether or not the therapist if for you. At this point, it makes sense to ask yourself if your visits have been helpful and if you feel like you have made progress or are feeling better.

Even if progress is not the case, Dr. Lieberman says therapy is “not about making you happy every session.” Dealing with personal, deep-rooted issues is likely going to cause some serious frustration, but you should feel like it's getting you somewhere and helping you confront and deal with your obstacles. She recommends that, after your first couple of sessions with a therapist, ask yourself a simple question: “Does this therapist seem to get me?” Just be honest with yourself, as that is the only way you can hope to get anywhere with your therapy.

Nathalie, a junior at SUNY Old Westbury, says that looking for a connection with her therapist was crucial in her process, and later with regard to the effectiveness of her actual therapy. “If the connection is not there, there is no point in staying because I won't feel comfortable with the therapist,” Nathalie says. The comfort factor is super important; if you do not feel okay with your therapist, it’s going to be difficult or impossible to talk to them and discuss your obstacles and fix what you’re interested in fixing. “I need to be able to talk to that therapist effortlessly,” Nathalie also adds—a very good rule of thumb!

“Therapy is healthy and normal and I genuinely think that everybody can benefit from therapy, even if they’re neurotypical,” says Suzy. Therapy is tied up in social stigma that prevents people from getting the help that they need, whether or not they have a mental condition of some kind. It is certainly not the case that you need to have a diagnosed mental illness to be receiving therapy. Therapy is just like working out and getting enough sleep—a necessary way to take care of one’s body! We all go through difficult times and face extraordinary obstacles, and sometimes we cannot work through these without the help of others. Therapy is a great option, and if you are willing to put in the effort, it can only help you!

*Names have been changed

By Rachel Szachara

One thing I have learned in my short eighteen years of living is that gender biases follow you everywhere—including restaurants, your kitchen and most recently, your college dining hall. My dining hall, rated seventeenth in Princeton Review’s study of Best Campus Food in 2016, consistently serves men more food than women. Whether it’s two to three scoops of rice as opposed to one, extra chicken on sandwiches or nearly twice as much pasta from the coveted macaroni bar, a man in line in front of me will often get more food than me, and asking for more gets me maybe a couple extra pieces of macaroni or half a scoop of rice and a dirty look. Gendered nutrition is a thing and it needs to stop.

From a young age, girls are taught to eat less. We are told, whether consciously or not, that women are supposed to be thin and frail to be beautiful. Even in 2016, where women are taught to be strong and independent, we are consistently reminded that we need to “watch what you eat” and asked if we “really need that cookie.” As a college student, I spend probably too much time browsing the internet and re-watching shows on Netflix, which only allows me to see how these biases are supported in media. The internet is filled with countless memes and trends: some funny, some strange, and some I really just don’t understand. One of these includes the somewhat odd, yet fascinating thread of women laughing while eating salad. If you look at the photos, the women are always put together, pretty, and happy. This solidifies gender stereotypes that women should always be pretty and happy and—you guessed it—eating salad.

I’ve seen this issue in the show Friends, which has seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to Netflix. In the episode “The One Where Rachel Dates Joey,” two of the characters who live together, Rachel and Joey, go on a date. When they return, Rachel discusses still being hungry, despite just going out to dinner and tells Joey, “Now don’t judge me, I normally wait until my date leaves, but you live here. I’m ripping into the [leftovers].” This feeds into the advice generally given to women that they should never finish all of the food put on their plate when on a date. The writers of Friends probably did not do this intentionally, but instead subconsciously accepted the fact that there are different guidelines around the eating habits of different genders. Whether it comes down to the actual food, like salad being considered a “woman’s food,” or the amount we are told to eat, women are given unfair standards in the nutrition department.

This is a problem that needs to be stopped, but first needs to be recognized. Most people don’t consider the possibility that these gender biases even exist at all, never mind that they strongly impact people. With excuses like, “Men just eat more than women, and we don’t want to waste food,” it is difficult to see the damage being done by gendered nutrition. Women, in general, have more issues with their body than men. According to NEDA’s website, females represent 75% of individuals with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa and 64% of those with binge eating disorder, even though they make up only 50% of the population. While gendered nutrition is obviously not the only factor that contributes to this haunting statistic,  it is a factor that can’t be ignored.

People should be allowed to eat what they want. I should be able to eat as many scoops of rice, or as many chicken sandwiches, as I want without getting dirty looks. Any man should be able to eat salad without being ridiculed. Poor body image already sucks and we don’t need the media, dining hall employees or even our parents making it worse. People need to be healthy and not feel guilty for eating something “wrong” for their gender. 

Some say that the love of travel is a gene--the wanderlust gene. You either have it or you don't. Only true born travelers can match to the following traits. Do you have the travel bug?

1. You have no fear of getting jet lagged

2. You get a high when booking a trip

3. Your passport stamps are your most valued possessions

4. You're naturally curious  

5. You have an active imagination

6. You are fearless

7. You favorite class was and always will be world geography

8. You're a born planner and love asking questions

9. You are a go-getter

10. You could never imagine yourself living in the same place forever

11. It comes as a surprise when people say they have never left the country

12. You have a thing for maps and marking all the places you've been

13. You’ve spent countless hours looking at inspiring travel pics on social media

14. You have (or have considered getting) a tattoo to symbolize your love for traveling

15. You're fascinated by other languages

16. You’ve daydreamed about working for National Geographic

17. When people ask you what your dream vacation would be, you can never decide on just one place

18. Your dream job has always been a position that allows you to explore the world

19. You have friends from all over the world

20. You're always thinking about where to go next

21. You collect currency from every country you've visited

22. You can never get enough

To us collegiettes, there are few things more irritating than chipped nail polish. It always seems like right after we paint our nails, the color immediately starts flaking away, and this struggle is only heightened during the summer. From days at the beach to swimming in pools, it seems like the last thing polish wants to do is stay on your nails. With the help of celebrity nail stylist Whitney Gibson, HC is here to take you through the steps to ensure a long-lasting manicure.

1. Clean your nail beds

The first step to giving yourself a great manicure is to make sure your nails are as clean as possible. According to Gibson, it’s important to remove all the oil and residue from your nails because “oil will cause your polish to streak and chip.” The oil and residue can come from things like natural body oils, oils from creams and moisturizers and remnants of old polish. A simple rinse in the sink isn’t going to cut it!

To really clean your nails, Gibson suggests using a nail cleanser like Sephora’s Formula X Nail Cleanser ($10.50). Just lightly swipe the cleanser onto your nails and it will quickly evaporate, leaving the nails clean and dry. Use this after you’ve removed all your previous polish to really clean your nails.

2. Always use a base coat

Applying a base coat is an essential step because it both protects your nails from the nail polish and helps the polish last longer. “Base coats have special formulas that adhere the polish to them and can prolong your manicure by days,” Gibson says.

Sephora’s Formula X line also carries a superb base coat ($10.50).

3. Apply multiple thin coats of polish

After the base coat dries, apply two thin coats of the polish color of your choice. Thin coats mean less drying time between coats, and they’ll help avoid the dreaded nail polish bubbles that appear if you apply another coat before the first one dries.

“You want to do thin coats because they will dry more evenly and have more flexibility, which will help with chipping,” Gibson says. Make sure to apply polish evenly so there’s no clumping.

4. Reapply topcoat every three days

Perhaps the most important step to a long-lasting manicure is the final step, the topcoat. “The topcoat is your nails’ last line of defense and will really protect the nails from the tiny hairline cracks that lead to chips,” Gibson says.

Gibson suggests applying a thin layer of topcoat every three days or so to keep your nails looking like new.

Sephora’s Formula X Shine Top Coat ($10.50) is a great choice of topcoat. If you want to purchase Sephora’s Formula X nail cleanser, base coat and topcoat, it comes in a four-step system (including the nail color of your choice) called Formula X’s The System ($32).

5. Try out a gel manicure

Should you forgo traditional nail polish for gel? “Regular nail polish dries as its solvents evaporate,” Gibson says. “Gel polish will not dry unless it is cured under a UV or LED light.” So what does this mean in terms of pros and cons of gel polish?

The pros

When done right, gel manicures won’t chip for two to four weeks. They’re “perfect for people who travel or just don’t have the time or patience to get a manicure every week,” says Gibson.

Your nails will look super shiny and the gel polish can even be used to extend the nails in a similar way that acrylic nails do.

The cons

To remove gel nails, you either have to file them off, soak them off with acetone or get them taken off by your manicurist. “Because of the semi-permanent nature of the process, removing the gels can be very damaging to your natural nail and can leave your nails weak and thin,” Gibson says.

Her final recommendation is if you want to use gel polish, then you should go to a professional for both application and removal since the process can potentially be very damaging if done incorrectly.

Days at the beach or the pool are no match for these amazing tips for how to achieve a long-lasting mani! Keep them in mind next time you debate going to the salon – learning how to do a killer manicure can save you time and money, which are both precious things for us collegiettes.

These hacks are not for the girl who needs to clean, but for the girl who just needs a little organization in her life. Here are 14 easy decluttering tricks you can do around your dorm or apartment without much added effort. You can thank us later. 

1. Thread rack jewelry organizer

Repurposing at its best! 

2. Leather and copper makeup organizer

Because makeup bags really just make the mess even bigger. 

3. Toilet paper roll cord organizer

Forget messy, tangled cords with this DIY decluttering hack. 

4. Magnetic strip organizer

Don't waste any more time looking for bobby pins.

5. Old crates

Who knew crates make for great storage bins?

6. Wooden bungee organizer

If you’re in need of some major accessory organization, this hack has you covered.

7. Ice cube tray

Keep your jewelry neat and tidy in individual ice cube tray slots.

8. Toiletries organizer

A simple kitchen utensil tray becomes a toiletries organizer. 

9. Cereal boxes

Revamp those cereal boxes you were just going to throw out anyway! Cut them in half, cover them with colorful paper and use them to divvy up the space in your drawer.

10. Hanging shoe organizer

Use a hanging shoe organizer to store larger beauty products, shoes and even cleaning products. 

11. Spice rack

Create additional shelving in pretty much any room by hanging a spice rack on the inside of your cabinets.

12. Belt holder

Use these to hang belts, scarves, tights, jewelry—you name it!

13. Kitchen lid rack

This is the perfect way to store your clutches when they're not in use.

14. Wire baskets

Use these affordable wire baskets to house books, clothes or towels! 

A shooting was reported at UCLA Wednesday morning, prompting the school to send out an alert telling everyone on campus to go into lockdown around 10 a.m. PST. The shooting allegedly took place in Boelter Hall, an engineering building.

UPDATE: After several hours on lockdown, the shooting resulted in two deaths, determined to be the result of a murder-suicide. According to the Los Angeles Times, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck confirmed that the shooter was one of the two men who were killed in a small classroom in the campus’ engineering complex and stated officially that “The campus is now safe.”

Many students found themselves terrified and surprised at the shooting. 

“We get a lot of Bruin Alerts for small things,” said Rafi Sands, Vice President of UCLA’s student government. “It took a while for everyone to realize this is serious.”

Other students simply did not understand why this horrific event had to occur. Student Nick Terry told the LA Times, “It just seems so pointless, two days left of school and it's going to end on this note?”

The motive of the shooting is not yet known. "If it's a personal thing between a couple of students, then it will be a local police matter. If by chance it turned into a terrorist situation, then the FBI would have primary justification over that,” said CNN senior law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes.

We’ve all heard it over and over again—making connections that will be helpful down the road is one of the most important parts of having an internship. How to actually establish and maintain these connections, though? Kind of a different story. If you’re interning this summer, it can be helpful to come up with a game plan ahead of time so you know how to form relationships with your boss and coworkers before you head into your first day at the office. Luckily, we talked to experts and collegiettes who have been there, done that, to get the scoop on being your office’s most memorable intern this summer!

1. Get friendly, but keep it professional

One of the best ways to connect with both your internship boss and other interns is easier than you think—just be your friendly, outgoing self! While you should always make sure to maintain professional relationships first, Liat Tzoubari, who has managed interns for Apartable, an apartment search website, says that being social allows interns to connect with the rest of the office on a more personal level.

“Interns often come into a workplace feeling intimidated, and there is no reason for them to feel that way,” Tzoubari says. “After all, we chose YOU! Be confident and mingle with your coworkers; it's the best way to ensure they hire you if/when interested. Grab coffee with your boss, go for lunch with your coworkers, or even just ask someone you work with if they want to go for a quick five-minute walk to get some fresh air.”

Lynn Chalati, a collegiette at the University of Ottawa and an intern at a law firm, says getting to know her manager well has allowed her make a connection beyond just a professional one.

“We make a point of getting together once a day to chit-chat and talk about the day’s work,” Lynn says. “She’s now a reference on my resume and one of my Instagram followers! It's nice to be friends and not just colleagues while still keeping it professional.”

Need some ideas for building personal relationships? Start small. When appropriate of course, stop by the desks of coworkers and people in your department to chat. Once you’ve gotten to know specific people around your office better, inviting them to coffee is also a great idea! Don’t limit it to your department, either—branch out and get to know others within the company to set yourself apart from a sea of interns!

While it’s important to remember the line between making friends and getting too personal, getting coffee with coworkers or lunch with your boss will ensure that you’re not just lost in the shuffle!

2. It’s all in the attitude

Ultimately, it all boils down to having a good attitude and being an intern that your bosses will want to connect with now and later down the road. Carlota Zimmerman, a career coach and writer for The Huffington Post, says your attitude makes all the difference.

“The best and most natural way to develop professional relationships during your internship is to be a professional worth knowing,” Zimmerman says. “That means, coming in early with a great attitude, NOT Facebooking at work—unless maintaining your company’s Facebook and social media presence is part of your responsibilities—accepting more work with good graces, and doing whatever is necessary, whatever you can do, to forward your company’s goals.”

When you go above and beyond your basic intern duties and come into the office with a positive attitude, people will notice—and will be more likely to want to get to know you and keep in touch once your internship is over. Something as small as coming in early, staying late, or asking your boss what else needs to be done before you leave for the day will set you apart as an intern your company will want to hire down the road!

3. Ask for advice

Learn about your industry

Remember the saying, “There’s never a bad question?” This especially applies to your internship! It’s always a good idea to ask as many questions as you can about your industry in order to show that you are interested in learning and growing through your internship. Jeff Kear, who manages interns for his business Planning Pod, says asking questions is the best way to show interest in your internship.

“For example, interns should set up internal Q&A meetings with employees inside the organization to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of those people,” Kear suggests. “These things demonstrate the intern's interest in learning and taking on responsibilities, and they also give them extended access to people who can help them advance their career when they graduate.”

Learn about your boss’s career path

Asking your boss questions about her career path is also a great way to not only learn about how to make it yourself, but to also develop a relationship with her. Natalie Elliot, a freshman at California Lutheran University and a former Her Campus intern, says setting up a meeting to ask her boss questions about her boss’s career has allowed her to stand out among her peers.

“After my first week, I emailed my boss and told her how much I'm loving my internship so far and asked if she would have time to meet so I could ask her about starting her own business,” Natalie says. “She loved that I wanted to hear what she had to say!”

When you ask questions, not only does it show you’re super interested in your boss’s career path and the company you’re interning for, but it creates opportunities for conversation on a more personal level and shows you’re excited to learn. Bottom line: if you have a question, don’t be afraid to speak up!

4. Social media can be your best friend

Okay, so you shouldn’t be checking Facebook at work. But using social media to keep in touch, especially post-internship, is a definite do! Saniya Kahn, who just graduated from Molloy College, says that when it comes to connecting with other interns, using social media is a must.

“Several interns connected on LinkedIn or Facebook and exchanged numbers and emails to keep in touch throughout the year,” Saniya says. “We all came from different backgrounds, schools, and parts of the country, but having those internship memories together helped us stay in touch long after.”

Part of making connections at your summer internship is ensuring that they’ll last beyond the three months you’ve spent as an intern! Especially when it comes to your fellow interns, don’t be afraid to start pressing that “follow” button on Twitter or to connect with them on LinkedIn—these are the people who you’ll be working with (or for!) in the future, so maintaining a relationship with them is a must!

A word of caution: when it comes to your superiors and social media, it may be a good idea to be choosy about which (if any!) platforms you use to connect with them. While LinkedIn and Twitter are usually safe bets, be careful when it comes to accounts you may not keep as professional, like Facebook. (After all, no one wants to be remembered by a former boss as the intern whose weekend debauchery showed up constantly in her news feed!)

5. Keep in touch

Once you’ve made the connection, actually staying connected with your former boss in a non-awkward way can be slightly trickier territory. Tzoubari says that a quick note to check in and give updates about your own career can make a big impact.

“Even a simple email over the holidays saying, ‘How are you? How is everyone at the office? Happy holidays to you and your family!’ with a quick update about how you are doing goes a long way,” Tzoubari says.

Saniya agrees that periodic notes and email updates have been the easiest way for her to keep in touch after her internship was over.

“Once the internship ended, I kept in touch by giving periodic updates about things like school and where I was traveling to next through email,” she says. “I also made sure to send an email wishing the people in my department that I had established those initial relationships a happy holiday season and well wishes for a happy new year.”

There’s no need to sweat when trying to connect post-internship—it’s all about the little things! Whether you send a holiday note or ask your boss to meet up for coffee, it will remind your boss and former coworkers of what great work you did as an intern and will set you up to be remembered for potential jobs down the road!

Ultimately, looking for those small opportunities to bond and connect with your boss and coworkers can have a huge impact on the connections you make during and after your internship—make them count!

Although the beloved Alan Rickman passed away this past January, the loss is still very much felt, particularly by his fellow co-stars and colleagues. His passing was a shock for everyone and his fans, colleagues, and friends are justifiably still hurting.

In a recent interview for Fault Magazine, Matthew Lewis revealed how he heard of his colleague’s passing and the impact that Rickman left on him after he sought him out for advice.

Having paid his respects in a eulogy to the late actor, he recently disclosed further personal details of the sad occasion, having had more time to process the sudden passing of his friend.

Lewis was visiting the set of the highly-anticipated prequel to the Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, with one of the producers of the film when he heard the unfortunate news.

“We were both just completely stunned. But also, to be in the studio when that came through, suddenly every room that I went into, every corridor that I walked down on, I suddenly remembered a story or an image of Alan,” Lewis recounted. “It got a bit odd. It was quite surreal. But also, powerfully moving as well. It was quite nice to be there. All those happy memories came flooding back and I got quite nostalgic actually.”

The pair had gotten together and shared a nice moment, which left a considerable impact on the young actor, following Rickman’s last day on the set of one of the Harry Potter films. “He just offered me advice in where I should go and he said some things to me that filled me with a lot of confidence,” Lewis said. “And when you hear those sorts of things from someone of his stature, his ability, it means a lot.”

With the full film series lasting nearly a decade, it goes without saying that Rickman had a significant impact on every person who work with him during that time.

Lewis added, “He inspired my career more than he ever knew and I’ll miss him.”

Believe it or not, it's been 10 years since The Hills aired on MTV. If that realization doesn't hit you right in the feels, we have some news that is guaranteed to make any OG fan ecstatic. After years of entertaining us with all the juicy gossip and drama that made The Hills so popular among young people, Lauren Conrad has confirmed that you'll be seeing her back on MTV this summer!

A few days ago, Lauren posted a photo on Instagram, showing fans a behind-the-scenes snippet of her everyday life—just designing beautiful bridesmaid dresses, you know.

Seems like no big deal, right? What made fans suspicious was the fact that the camera man in the picture has a sticker on his equipment that is labeled with an MTV tag. Now, after being held in suspense, Lauren has finally announced that she is in fact returning to MTV for a Hills anniversary special! In addition to tweeting about the good news, Lauren took to her website to give fans an idea of what to expect from the TV special and why she chose to do this in the first place.

"I spent a lot of time thinking about how I would like to honor this anniversary and in the end, I just wanted to do something as a thank you to the fans," Lauren writes. And since Lauren was feeling nostalgic, she decided to take a trip down memory lane by re-watching the very first episode of The Hills. "Looking back, I am grateful for the incredible opportunity we were given to take part in this show. While it was hard at times to share my personal life (poor makeup choices and all) with the world; the experience taught me so much and forever altered my life and my outlook for the better," she says. 

Since Lauren wanted to honor the show's anniversary, she decided to team up with MTV for a special, which will be airing in early August. "We will be having an honest conversation about what it was really like living with cameras for so many years (spoiler alert: it was super weird), sharing some behind-the-scene secrets, and showing some of my life today." 

Because Lauren is determined to make this the best anniversary special ever, she is also encouraging fans to provide their input and let her know what they'd be interested in hearing about.  

Mark your calendars for August 2 at 10 p.m.—you're not going to want to miss this! 

Emojis have quickly become one of the best ways to express yourself on social media, or even while texting. Given the popularity of emojis, it wasn't surprising when Kim Kardashian released her own set of Kim-esque emojis, from waist trainers to selfies. But what about the other beloved members of the Kardashian-Jenner family? Where are their own unique emojis? Well, the wait is now over because new Kimojis—featuring Kylie Jenner and Kanye West—have finally arrived! *insert arms in the air emoji* 

Taking to Instagram, Kylie posted a sneak peek of her emoji, which basically looks like all of us 80% of the time. You know, that face you make when your alarm clock goes off in the morning or when a professor hands out a pop quiz? Yeah, this emoji perfectly reflects moments like that.

Aside from Kylie getting the Kimoji treatment, Kanye also has his own emoji now. The best part: he's actually smiling (which is a refreshing change from his usual disposition). 

For those who are still wondering about the rest of the Kardashian clan, don't worry—an emoji inspired by North West is also available.

To check out these new emojis (as well as the existing faves), be sure to update the Kimoji app on your phone!  

There are nearly 46 million people trapped in slavery around the world, according to the third annual Global Slavery Index. And that number is only going up, the Thomson Reuters Foundation reports. 

Slavery, although obviously not as apparent in the U.S. as it once was, is still a pressing global issue. While "slavery" might make you think of people on a cotton field owned by "masters," modern-day slavery is much less visible and more complex than that. It can be found in a number of fields such as domestic work, forced and early marriages, construction, farming, manual labor and the sex industry.

The Global Slavery Index, a widespread study of human trafficking and slavery, estimated that people born into slavery, trafficked, or trapped in debt bondage or forced labor increased from 35.8 million in 2014 to 45.8 million this year. That's almost a 30 percent increase in slavery around the world.

This extreme increase in slaves may be due to improvements on measurements, according to Andrew Forrest. Forrest is the founder of the Australian-based Walk Free Foundation, which oversees the index. Even so, he warned that the situation with slaves is worsening - and we need to do something about it.

The study researched slavery in 167 countries around the world. There were slaves in every single one, CNBC reports.

Researchers found the largest total number of slaves in India, where approximately 18.4 million people out of a 1.3 billion population are slaves. Meaning one in every 100 people is a slave there. However, anti-trafficking advocates were sure to praise the Indian government earlier this week for their introduction of a comprehensive anti-human trafficking law. According to Reuters, it will treat trafficking and slavery survivors as victims, rather than criminals.

North Korea, on the other hand, holds the highest concentration of slaves. It is estimated that one out of every 20 people there are in slavery. The index found that the North Korean government is also doing the least to combat slavery, which even sanctions slavery within its prison labor camps. Meanwhile, many North Korean women are forced into a commercial sex trade to nearby countries. 

Uzbekistan, Cambodia, India and Qatar trail North Korea as the countries with the largest concentration of slavery. Together, these five countries hold almost 60 percent of the world's slaves—but make up less than 20 percent of the world's total population.

Actor Russell Crowe launched the index in London on Tuesday. "As an actor, my role is often to portray raw human emotion, but nothing compares with the people's lives reflected in the report published today," he said, according to Reuters. "The shock of reading the Global Slavery Index was one that I wouldn't step away from."

"We need to make it clear we're not going to tolerate slavery and when there is slavery in a regime we should not trade with them," Forrest, an Australian mining billionaire, told Reuters. Forrest also urged all business owners to take a closer look at their employees and supply chains, explaining, "I've had some of some biggest entrepreneurs in the world look me in the eye and say "I will not look for slavery in case I find it.'"

"This is not AIDS or malaria," said Forrest. "We have caused slavery and because it's a human condition we can fix it."