An analysis of data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation reveals that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people were already the most targeted victims of hate crimes, even before the Orlando massacre last Sunday, according to The New York Times.

The data shows that over the past ten years, hate crimes against people in the LGBT community have exceeded those against Jewish people. LGBT people are more than twice as likely to be attacked as black, Asian, and Hispanic people.

A new CBS News Poll shows that the nation remains divided over how to define the Orlando massacre, but most people believe it was both a hate crime and a terrorist attack.

In 2014, 5,462 single-bias hate crimes were reported to the FBI. The data shows that about 20 percent of these crimes were related to gender identity or sexual orientation.

While many postive strides have made toward tolerance, it is very clear that the fight for equality is far from over. This just shows that we need to remember the Orlando shooter probably targeted a gay club for a reason, and that the world is still not safe for many people who don't identify as straight or cis.

By now we've all been both educated and outraged by the outcome of the Stanford rape case and the lenient sentence the Brock Turner received. Although I wish that I could say these type of cases are rare, rape cases on college campuses occur all to frequently. What's even worse than sexual assault being so common? The courts continuing to place the blame for rape on alcohol or societal pressures. 

According to the Associated Press, Brandon Vandenburg, a former Vanderbilt football player,  encouraged a number of his teammates to have sex with an unconscious woman that he had been dating in 2013. Not only did he verbally encourage them, but actually handed out the condoms and video taped the whole thing on his cell phone. Although Vandenburg is not being accused of having sex with the woman himself, his part in the act was just as terrible.

Prosecutors are currently fighting to prove that he should be held responsible for what happened to the woman in question, since he encouraged the act and was a part of the crime. Unfortunately, Vandenburg’s defense team is taking a similar approach to the one Brock Turner's team used.

Defense attorney Randy Reagan said, according to the AP, that “Vandenburg was a 19-year-old newly arrived recruit from a small desert town in California who had been introduced to a culture of drinking and partying at the school by mentors on the football team.” This is practically a word-for-word recount of the defense used for Brock Turner.

"Coming from a small town in Ohio, I had never really experienced celebrating or partying that involved alcohol," Turner wrote in his statement to the judge. "However, when I came to school in California, it had become what I expected when spending a Saturday with friends. I began to champion the idea of relieving the stress of school and swimming by consuming alcohol on weekends with people."

Sound familiar?

Vanderburg's lawyer also claimed that Vanderburg had been drinking for hours by the time the crime occurred, and just asked some football players to help carry the victim up to her room. Once they reached the dorm room, the lawyer said, the other players immediately jumped on the woman, without instruction from Vandenburg. This, however, has not been proven, and apparently the videos on Vandenburg’s cell phone tell a different story.

Vandenburg was charged with five counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated sexual battery, and one count of unlawful photography. He and a teammate were actually tried and convicted once last year—but the verdicts had to be thrown out when the jury foreman was found out to have been a victim of statutory rape. 

 Vandenburg and his teammates has not yet been re-sentenced, but the hope is that they'll receive a more fitting sentence than the one that Turner did.

After nearly six months without casting a vote in the Senate, Bernie Sanders is reportedly going back to his roots Monday in order to vote on gun legislation, USA Today reports. According to The Washington Post, Sanders’ absence at the recent Democratic filibuster was noticed and met with great upset, especially through social media.

For those of you who don’t know what went down in Washington the other day: Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut lead a 15-hour filibuster in which he and other members of the Democratic party advocated for stricter gun control. The filibuster ultimately ended with an agreement that Senators would vote on legislation to expand background checks and prevent people on the terror watch list from buying guns.

Although Sanders had previously been against stricter gun control and actually opposed the Brady Bill, which expanded background checks and waiting periods when purchasing guns, he has now changed his mind and begun to fall in line with the rest of the Democratic party.

“As the recent tragedy in Orlando has made crystal clear, we must ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons, end the gun show loophole and expand instant background checks,” Sanders said Thursday night in a live video address. 

And don't forget, Sanders still has not conceded the Democratic nomination—so he's still a presidential candidate.

More than 1,300 colleges out of over 2,200 surveyed had no reports of rape on campus in 2014, according to a review of federal campus safety data by The Washington Post.

While this may initially be perceived as a positive stride towards the end of sexual assault, it's actually pretty worrisome. It highlights that a lot of people probably just aren't reporting their rapes. The review shows the divide between how much we think sexual assault is happening on college campuses, and the actual number of reports that colleges and universities receive. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in five women are sexually assaulted in college, and a more recent survey has put the statistic at one in four—So a college that really has zero rapes doesn't seem all that likely.

Laura L. Dunn, founder and executive director of SurvJustice, told The Washington Post that sexual violence on campus is something that society doesn't want to deal with. "Any time you have a zero, it is not an idicator of safety," Dunn says. "It is an indicator of comfort in reporting."

We need to promote a society where people feel comfortable enough to seek help. Just accepting that no one is reporting rape at so many schools won't help us find a solution ––it only makes us enablers of a problem.

Jo Cox, a 41-year-old member of the United Kingdom's Parliament, died Thursday about an hour after being shot and stabbed on the street, according to CNN. The attack has shocked Great Britain.

At a press conference, police announced that they have 52-year-old Tommy Mair in custody in connection with the shooting. They are currently investigating the claim that he shouted "Britain first" during the attack, which is the name of a far-right political party. According to the Guardian, Mair also had Nazi regalia in his home. BuzzFeed News reports that authorities are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.

Prime Minister David Cameron took to Twitter to share his condolences.

Jo's husband Brendan Cox released the following statement:

"Today is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives. More difficult, more painful, less joyful, less full of love. I and Jo’s friends and family are going to work every moment of our lives to love and nurture our kids and to fight against the hate that killed Jo.

Jo believed in a better world and she fought for it every day of her life with an energy, and a zest for life that would exhaust most people.

She would have wanted two things above all else to happen now, one that our precious children are bathed in love and two, that we all unite to fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn’t have a creed, race or religion, it is poisonous.

Jo would have no regrets about her life, she lived every day of it to the full."

It is no secret that alcohol impairs your decision making skills, and social media decisions are no exception to this rule. With the extremely easy access to everyone we know, we all know how it feels to wake up to cringe-worthy posts from the night before. So to make you feel a little less ashamed and a little less alone, we have compiled a list of the nine drunk stages of your snap story. Will you relate to it? Probably. Will you use this information to make more socially acceptable drunk decisions on your next night out? We doubt it.

Stage 1: The "Gangs all here" Snap

This usually occurs at the start of the night when the final crucial member of your squad arrives and the festivities commence. This picture is bound to take several tries because everyone must approve of the picture.

Stage 2: The Pregame Snap

Documenting your first sips of alcohol of the night is so important. You get to show your followers that you party AND you still look semi-presentable.

Stage 3: The “Passed out at the pregame” Snap

The subject of this pic is whomever takes the pregame festivities a little overboard. Whether they remain with the group for the rest of the night or not depends on their ability to rally.

Stage 4: The Uber Snap

You have already split the fare and your Uber driver is chill AF. His car, fully equipped with an AUX cord and water bottles, is arguably more fun than the party you're about to set foot into. This snap probably consists of you and your friends belting music from the backseat of the car and asking your driver extremely personal questions.

Stage 5: The Party Snap

Whether you rolled up to the bars or your buddies house party, alerting Snapchat that you've arrived is essential. It will often provoke text messages asking where you are and if your other friends can come. Obviously you tell them they can with or without the permission from the host of the party.

Stage 6: The Bathroom Snap

One of your friends is bent over the toilet and the friend group mom is holding back her hair. Another just saw her ex from middle school hug another girl and is in a full blown sob. Maybe there’s another banging on the door trying to get in. You? You're laughing and documenting all of this on your story. Maybe it’s TMI, but you don’t think so at the time.

Stage 7: The Drunchies Snap

Unfortunately every party must come to an end- but that doesn’t mean your night does. You end up at your favorite late night restaurant (probably Mcdonalds or some cheap pizza place) with more or less people than you started the night with. Maybe you try to take an artsy pic of your pizza that you think looks good, or maybe you take some selfies at the table with your friends. Either way you have never been happier and Snapchat must know that.

Stage 8: The “I meant to send this to my crush but I posted it on my story” Snap

This is pretty self-explanatory. You're either already in bed or well on your way there. It seems like an excellent idea to snap your crush before you take all your makeup off and drift into a deep sleep. Unfortunately you accidentally pressed the story button, which you likely won’t realize until you wake up in a few more hours.

Stage 8: The “Oh no what did I post” Snap

This stage is usually done in a frantic panic right when you wake up the morning after a night out. You open Snapchat and click through your story. As you slowly die from the embarrassment of your intoxicated social media decisions, you also delete the majority of your story even though everyone already saw it and judged you for it.

Stage 9: The Brunch Snap

You and your friends reflexively meet up for a post-game meal to discuss last night’s events. You may opt for a picture of the food you so desperately needed to mend your hungover, but more likely it's a picture of your best friend who died with the caption “She’s alive.”

There are two distinct types of people in this world: those who like mornings and those who do not. Some people love to rise and shine, and others cherish the late-night hours. Early birds and night owls are as opposite as day and night (literally), so they experience life a little differently as well.

Early birds: You wake up just to see the sunrise. What a glorious start to your day! 

Night owls: If you’re watching the sunrise, it means you pulled an all-nighter. Again.

Early birds: 7 a.m. yoga? Count us in!

Night owls: Thank goodness the gym stays open until midnight because there’s no chance you’re hitting it before 7 p.m.

Early birds: You only need one alarm to wake up in the morning, if you haven't already woken up naturally.

Night owls: You set at least seven alarms, all of which wake up your roomie, who eventually wakes you up. She's not pleased.

Early birds: You live for the smell of coffee and a good breakfast in the morning.

Night owls: You know what always tastes better at 2 a.m.? French fries. Good thing you know a place open 24/7!

Early birds: Even though you’re up early, sometimes you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day!

Night owls: So what if the day ends? That’s what ALL night is for. SO much time for activities.

Early birds: Kathie Lee and Hoda are basically your besties since you see them every morning.

Night owls: Two words: Jimmy Fallon.

Early birds: On the weekends, you'd rather go to brunch than the bars.

Night owls: Waking up before noon on a Saturday is a sin, especially when you’re out until 3 a.m. the night before.

Early birds: You know what they say: The early bird always catches the worm!

Night owls: Who cares about worms? Late night pizza > everything.

When we first heard there was going to be a Gilmore Girls remake, excited would've been an understatement to describe how we felt. Since the announcement, fans of the show have been speculating which of Rory's former flames she would finally end up with. Unfortunately, the super-secret project hasn't let much slip about who would be returning. David Sutcliffe, aka Rory's dad Christopher, recently saved us all some waiting when he let it slip that Dean was most likely not going to end up with Rory in the reboot.  

Despite wanting Dean and Rory to live happily every after, Sutcliffe told USA Today that the chances of that happening are pretty slim. "You know, I liked all the young actors that played her boyfriends. I know they’re not going to end up together but, Rory and Dean seem like a good couple."

While we're secretly hoping Sutcliffe is just trying to throw us off, it seems like it might be time to start shipping Rory with one of the many other guys of Stars Hollow. #TeamJess, anyone?

For a show that's known for featuring a wide range of diverse characters, it comes to no surprise that Litchfield Penitentiary's newest inmate is of Muslim faith. Alison Abdullah joins our favorite band of badass female prisoners for the newest season of OITNB. What's important about her presence on the show is that her identity doesn't revolve around her religion.

Of course, the topic of religion comes up—especially given the fact that her bunkmate, Black Cindy, converted to Judaism in season three. But her major moments showcase her as an individual. For example, during the season, she goes off on a male prison guard for neglecting to provide the women with maxi pads and tampons as she argues they're essentials. Yas, girl. And kudos to the minds behind the show who continue to make OITNB one of the most groundbreakingly diverse ones in the industry.

Your friend gets engaged and asks you to be one of her bridesmaids. You immediately say yes, and can’t wait to see what color she picks for the dresses. Whatever it is, you secretly hope it’ll catch the eye of that cute, single guest... As your friend explains her elaborate plans for the big day, you start to wonder how much it will cost you to be in her wedding. 

Whether you’re always the bridesmaid and never the bride, or haven’t been to a wedding since you were a flower girl, you should be honored to stand by your friend’s side when she says, “I do.” Being a bridesmaid is a lot of fun, but it also comes with responsibilities. Read on to learn the 10 stages of being a bridesmaid.

1. Your friend pops “the question”

When one of your best friends or relatives gets engaged, you can’t help but wonder if you’ll get to be a part of her big day. Getting asked to be a bridesmaid is very special. "If you are thrilled and ready to say ‘yes’ then do. If you need to think, let her know in the kindest way possible," says Jodi RR Smith, the president of Mannersmith and also the author of the book From Clueless to Class Act: Manners for the Modern Woman.

It’s okay to say no if you can’t commit to being a great bridesmaid, but make sure you decline politely and explain the reasoning behind your decision. Smith recommends saying something like this: “Thank you so much for asking me to be a bridesmaid. In a perfect world, I would absolutely say ‘yes’ to you. I hope you understand how hard this is for me, but with my student loans almost due and working for a non-profit, I am going to need to save every penny just to be a guest.”  

2. The wedding planning begins

We can’t all hire wedding planners, so that’s where you come in (with a little help from Pinterest of course!). There’s the venue, food, flowers, DJ, photographer, seating chart and more. The bride-to-be might ask you for help deciding between two venues or maybe she wants you to look up local photographer reviews. Even if it’s just a trip to the wedding rental store to watch as she compares five different shades of white linens, make sure you’re there for her. Planning is very stressful for the bride, so do whatever you can to make this process as painless (and fun!) as possible. Remember that it’s her wedding, not yours—give her your honest advice when she asks for it, but don’t be rude if you disagree with her theme or are not a fan of her flower choice.  

3. You start to worry about the cost

Being a member of the wedding party isn’t cheap. You’ll probably be paying for a dress, a pair of matching shoes, participation in the bachelorette party, a bridal shower gift, a wedding gift, hair and makeup. And those are just the basics. Destination weddings will add a big cost. But don’t feel like you have to pay for everything.

You were asked to be a bridesmaid because you play a special role in your friend’s life, not because she expects you to spend a ton of money. “Speak to the bride before you max out your credit cards!” Smith says. It can be tempting to buy tons of party favors for the bachelorette party or create the wedding day emergency kit of a lifetime, but don’t go overboard. Put together a bridesmaid budget so you can monitor how much you’re spending and avoid overspending. “As a bridesmaid, you should consider your total budget for the entire event. Sometimes your wedding gift to the bridal couple is your participation in their wedding. Then, as a gift you give a token of your well wishes and remind the couple in the card that part of your gift was being a bridesmaid,” Smith says.

4. It’s time to say ‘yes’ to the dress

Shopping for bridesmaid dresses is almost as exciting as shopping for your own bridal gown. It’s like prom dress shopping all over again (but this time you don’t have to worry about the dress code, or the awkward process of finding a prom date). Set up a private appointment at a bridal boutique and bring some champagne to turn dress shopping into a mini party. This is a great opportunity to bond with the other maids, especially if you don't know them well.

Try to help your soon-to-be-hitched friend narrow down her selection before you shop to avoid trying on every dress in the store. A few things to decide on are length, color, material and neckline. Be patient as the bride-to-be decides which dress she likes best, and don’t quickly turn down a dress she really likes. “The bottom line is that it is her choice and you need to thank goodness it is not the ’70s with the giant floppy hats,” Smith says. “The pictures will be good for a laugh years from now.” It might take a few trips before you all say ‘yes’ to the dress.

5. The bridal shower arrives

The bridal shower can be the time to showcase your skills. If you feel like you haven’t contributed much to the wedding planning, ask how you can help with the shower. It’s usually a mom or aunt who puts together the shower, so contact this person and help take on some of the duties like buying flowers, making cupcakes, or creating a photo collage of the future bride and groom. You can also help on the day of by taking pictures, greeting guests, or keeping track of the gifts. But remember that you’re a guest too, so try to enjoy yourself!

6. You get pumped for the bachelorette party

This is perhaps one of the greatest things about being a bridesmaid. Bachelorette parties are a chance to reunite and celebrate your friend’s last fling before the ring. Some fun bachelorette party ideas include a wine tasting weekend, a spa day, bottomless mimosas at brunch, a house party, or the infamous trip to Vegas. Make sure you play at least one wedding-themed game and get creative with your gift for the future Mrs. If the girl who’s getting married isn't much of a party girl, you can plan a more relaxed bachelorette party—they don’t all have to involve strippers and booze.

7. Wedding week countdown begins

The week of the wedding is for helping with any last minute wedding responsibilities, like fine-tuning the seating chart or finding something old, new, borrowed and blue. With so many pre-wedding jitters, 'bridezilla' might make an appearance. Whatever you do, remain calm and supportive. Your friend will feel better when she sees that she’s surrounded by people who love her and are there to make her wedding just what she’s imagined. Review the pre-wedding checklist and offer to help with any open items.

8. You’re at the dress rehearsal and it hits you—your friend is getting married

If you haven’t stood up in a wedding before, the dress rehearsal makes it all so real. It isn’t just about preparing the perfect wedding day playlist or booking the best photo booth in town; it’s about two people who are making a lifelong commitment to one another. 

Don’t forget to fulfill your bridesmaid duties during the rehearsal. It’s your job to bring the “bouquet” made out of ribbons and bows from the bridal shower gifts. You also need to practice walking down the aisle without going too fast or slow. If there isn’t a photographer at the rehearsal, offer to take some photos for her to add to her wedding album.

9. The wedding day is finally here

It’s the day you’ve all been waiting for—in a few short hours, your friend will be MARRIED. The wedding day is just as action-packed for the bridal party as it is for the bride. You start the day at the salon, sipping mimosas as someone curls your hair and applies false eyelashes. For a second, it feels like you’re getting ready for a dance competition or homecoming. Then you arrive at the ceremony and the wedding music starts playing. 

10. Time to partyyyy at the reception

The hard work of being a bridesmaid has paid off. It’s time to make your grand entrance at the reception and enjoy a fun-filled night with the newlyweds. Hit the dance floor, enjoy the open bar, mingle with guests and sign the guest book. Most of all, make sure the bride is having the night of her life!

Refer to this bridesmaid timeline the next time you get asked to be in a wedding, and use our tips to help the bride plan her perfect day!

It was easy to work out at school—the rec center was a few blocks from your dorm and you always had a gym buddy to shake it with you at Zumba. You got familiarized with the equipment and were finally really enjoying the gym. Or at least the gym eye-candy.

Now that it’s summer, you’re back home and want to continue your workouts to keep feeling great, but a gym membership is expensive. We’ve got your solution: work out at home! Working out without a gym takes some adjusting, but it can be just as gratifying and save a lot of money.

Here are 8 forms of exercise that you don’t need to pay for to get the payoff.

1. Hiking

Group Fitness Instructor and collegiette Mallika Rajan likes to break out of the gym for an early morning hike to beat the heat. “I try to do it every day I'm at home,” says Mallika. The inclines will tone your thighs and butt while you snap Instagram-worthy photos of the scenery.

Don’t know where to hike? Find a great trail near you here.

2. Swimming

If you have access to a pool, swimming is a great way to work out and beat the heat. Swimming laps is great cardio—a standard crawl can burn upwards of 700 calories in an hour—and the motions give you all-over toning. If you're not confident in your strokes, many health clubs and community centers offer lessons and classes, so check out the ones in your area.

Simply doing laps of whatever strokes you’re comfortable with for 20 minutes to 1 hour is good exercise, but if you want to take it up a notch by alternating speeds to build endurance, then try some of these swim workouts.

3. Running

Who needs a treadmill when you have the great outdoors? With hills and changing scenery, you’ll burn mega cals without getting bored! You can find local trails on sites like Map My Run, allowing you to explore parts of your neighborhood you may not usually go to.

Thinking about participating in a race this year but don’t know where to start?

Summer is the perfect time to follow a training plan and ramp up your running endurance. Beginning runners can use plans like Couch to 5K to map out workouts and track progress.

4. Dancing

If you like dance-based workouts, videos of full Zumba classes are available on Pinterest and YouTube. Video games like Just Dance or the good ol’ Dance Dance Revolution can provide a cardio-intense, hilarious workout. Grab a few friends and get the dance party started.

5. Lower Body Resistance Training Circuit

To get lower body (buns ‘n thighs) definition, repeat this circuit three times and feel the burn. 

• 10 Burpees
• 10 Lunges (per each side)
• 10 Squats
• Pulse in low squat for 30 seconds
• 10 Plié Squats
• Pulse in low plié for 30 seconds
• 1 minute wall sit

6. Textbook Arm Workout

For the weight-lifting lovers, a textbook is the perfect, free medicine ball. Instead of buying a weight set or other expensive equipment, use your schoolbooks.

This blog has come up with great “textbook” workouts that work your whole body, including elevated pushups, squat and lifts, jump up and overs, squat with torso twist, and toe-touches.

7. Abdominal Circuits

To get bikini ready in a jiffy, burn through this circuit three times per week.

• 25 normal crunches
• 25 side crunches (each side)
• 25 left knee touches (twist your torso to bring your right elbow to bent left knee)
• 25 right knee touches (twist your torso to bring your left elbow to bent right knee)
• 25 crunches with legs flat on ground
• 25 butt-lift crunches (lying on your back with legs at a 90 degree angle from your body, pulse butt upwards)
• 30-second plank

Repeat 3 times.

8. Yoga

Is your job or internship stressing you out? Practicing yoga can help you stay calm, and it can also improve your balance and flexibility. Flexibility prevents injury in other workouts, and provides long, lean muscles that look great in swimsuits or cut-offs.

Hulu, Netflix, and On Demand provide great, free yoga workouts for beginners, so get on your Lululemons, dim the lights, and start practicing.

No matter which exercise you choose (and you should definitely mix it up!) enjoy the savings from skipping the gym and the results of a good workout. With these at-home workouts, you can have your cake and eat it too.

As growing collegiettes you are probably becoming more in tune with the world, and that means meeting people of different races, wealth statuses, creeds and abilities. Often times that last difference is treated with worse stigma than most, even though you probably have met someone who is deaf or perhaps pushed your grandparent in their wheelchair. Like with most minority groups, something that you may not have meant to be offensive comes across that way, especially when dealing with a stranger whose difference in ability you are trying to understand. While many things are personal to the person and their ability, here are a few things probably not to say someone in a wheelchair.

1. Don’t you have fun going down ALL the ramps?

Do you have fun walking down 20 flights of stairs?

2. I had to use a wheelchair before for three weeks when I broke my leg!

3. I bet you get special treatment all the time.

Too bad that “special treatment” doesn’t mean getting out of final exams.

4. Do you sleep downstairs since you can’t walk upstairs?

5. I will pray for you.

Shouldn’t you pray for everyone?

6. It must be relaxing to sit all the time!

I guess that’s because able-bodied people never get the opportunity to sit down?

7. I wish I were in a wheelchair so that I would always have an excuse to use the elevator instead of the stairs.

8. Do you know my brother’s ex-girlfriend’s cousin? He’s in a wheelchair, too!

9. What places are wheelchair friendly?

10. What should I call you? Crippled, disabled or in a wheelchair?

Um, call me by my name...

11. Is ableism a real thing?

Just as real as racism and sexism.

12. How do you go to the bathroom?

You really want that explanation…?

13. I bet you get great parking!

Yeah, even though people who don’t have a disability often use it to their advantage and at my expense!

14. You do realize that sitting most of the time is bad for you?

15. NOTHING…

Because you are only talking to the person who is currently pushing me.

With Father’s Day right around the corner, it’s in tradition to honor the fathers in society. This includes all the dads on television that either hold qualities of your real life father or qualities you just admire from fictional characters. Looking up to a fictional dad is not something to be ashamed about. Television today (and in the past) has had some fantastic and hilarious father figures, so here's a list of the top 10.

1. Phil Dunphy, Modern Family

Phil is hilarious and always looks on the bright side of things. Although it’s hard to take him seriously sometimes, whenever times get tough he’s right by his family's side. Life is never boring with the Dunphy family, and Phil handles each situation with sarcasm, bad Dad jokes and tons of support.

2. Sandy Cohen, The O.C.

Sandy always has his kids’ backs, no matter what they’re going through. He's their rock and is always ready to offer a helping hand. He's willing to drop anything at a moment's notice, as we see with Seth and Sophie, and we love how he takes Ryan in as if he were his own son.

3. Danny Tanner, Full House

Danny is the father figure on television whom you basically grew up with. He makes sure to raise DJ, Stephanie and Michelle with good morals and instincts. You never leave an episode of Full House without learning a lesson!

4. Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights

Eric may look tough on the outside, but he has a soft heart. The way he supports his daughter, Julie (and later, Gracie) is heartwarming. He's always there to give great advice and cheer Julie on, no matter what. He may have been protective over her, but only with the best intentions.

5. Mike Heck, The Middle

One of Mike’s best qualities as a dad is his straightforwardness. He always gets right to the point with his three children: Axl, Sue and Brick. He's great at setting them on the right path in life. His children are all very different from one another, yet Mike juggles them like any good father.

6. Burt Hummel, Glee

Burt is the type of dad who will stand by and support you throughout anything. The dynamic relationship between him and his son, Kurt, is a fantastic example. Burt was always there to defend Kurt, acting as his rock and emotional support.

7. Adam Braverman, Parenthood

Adam always aims to give his family the best life possible. He’s dependable and tries his best, even throughout the financial troubles he has in life. He has a huge heart and is probably the most realistic father on this list!

8. Sheriff Stilinski, Teen Wolf

Sheriff is smart and strong. After losing his wife, he has shown a type of strength that is incredibly respectable. His job solving crimes proves how smart he is. He has so much passion and resistance, demonstrating that a person should never give up on anything they believe in; it’s a quality that his son looks up to.

9. Nathan Scott, One Tree Hill

It’s impossible not to fall in love with Nathan from One Tree Hilland his relationship with his son, Jamie, and his daughter, Lydia. There is nothing Nathan wouldn’t do for his children. Though we see much of his relationship with Lydia, who was just a baby when the series ended, we did get to watch Jamie grow up with Nathan as a dad—and we expect nothing less than amazing out of him. Nathan ran into a lot of bumps in life, but came out strong and brave.

10. Michael Kyle, My Wife and Kids

Michael is a goofball. Just like Phil Dunphy, he is always trying to put a smile on his family’s faces. He makes a joke out of a lot of situations, but he always makes sure that he teaches his children good life lessons. 

Thank you to these fathers (and the people who created them) for inspiring us throughout our childhood and in the present. These characters have certain qualities that represent what makes a great father. With every episode, there is always a lesson learned. Don’t forget to tell your dad all the things you appreciate about him this weekend and have a great Father’s Day!

Russia’s track and field team has been banned from the Olympics. [New York Times]

The TV dad is American History. [We Are Mel]

Where is the best pizza in NYC? [New York Magazine]

49 underrated books you need to read. [BuzzFeed]

Why I’m done crying over you. [Thought Catalog]

The women of Stanford's swim team were not fans of Brock Turner. [Jezebel]

Inside an EDM empire. [Rolling Stone]

Instagram 'likes'are down. [PetaPixel]

How to choose the right self-tanner. [allure]

The war on stupid people. [The Atlantic]

Everyone is worried about one thing or another before college—and you have the right to be! It’s a completely different place with new people away from your family. This may even be the first time you are really on your own, and for a lot of people, that’s the scariest part. There are common college fears that every collegiette has before she arrives, but we promise—this new adventure really isn’t as terrifying as it seems. Here are a few topics that scared all of us before college and how to overcome them so you can make the most of your college experience from the start.

1. Making new friends

Moving away from your friends and family can be terrifying, but not impossible. Collegiette Keana Bloomfield, a sophomore at Bryn Mawr College, says she was always quiet and worried to meet new people because she had no idea what to expect. “I didn't know whether to stay to myself or venture outside my comfort zone,” she says. “It turns out that doing both helped, because I was able to show people the real me and the friendships that I developed came naturally because I wasn't trying to be someone else.”

Go to the events your school throws for freshmen. Talk to people in the dining hall, classes and parties. Caroline Cunningham, a sophomore at the University of Alabama, says she left her door open the first few days while she was adjusting to her dorm room and people would stop in to introduce themselves. It’s a great way to get to know the people on your hallway! Stay open to new friends and remember that all freshmen are in this together, and everyone will be in the same position as you.

2. Staying in touch with high school friends

Even with all the new friends you will make, there’s that special spot for your high school friends. While you certainly won’t stay in touch with everyone, make sure you know who is important to you. You’ll be busy, but it isn’t impossible to stay friends.

There are Sunday afternoons in college where instead of watching Netflix, you can video chat your friends instead. Send them texts when you get the chance to tell important news so that they stay in the loop, even if they don’t get the chance to reply. Remember, if they care about you as much as you care about them, they’ll make an effort to keep in touch. College isn’t forever! You’ll be back for a whole summer of fun.

If you’re staying in touch with a bunch of friends, like Alexis Juarez, a sophomore at the  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, make plans far in advance to reunite back home. “It wasn’t easy, but we all made plans ahead of time for when we were going to see each other at certain events at each other’s schools, such as football games or things unique to our campuses.” Also, coming home for homecoming events is a great way to see everyone from high school again.

3. Transitioning into college academics

In high school, you hear about these 20-page papers that college students write and think, “How does someone even have enough to say about a topic for 20 pages?” Or, you hear about classes where the final counts as 100 percent of your grade. It can be a little scary when you haven’t been exposed to classes like this, but there are so many resources at your school to help.

Use the library. It’s a great place to make you study because everyone else is trying to focus as well. There won’t be anyone yelling or music playing, which makes for a better study environment than a dorm room. Get a study group together if you need even more motivation or extra help. Need even more help? A lot of large lecture classes have teaching assistants (TAs) that are open to helping you after class hours. Professors also have office hours you can go to so if there’s anything you’re confused about, your professor can give you further explanation.

Keana overcame her fear of this by talking with her dean. “[My dean said that] the transition from high school to college is already hard enough and if I tried my best no matter what and stopped comparing myself to others, then I would have done all that I can,” she says. 

4. Building a schedule

Making your first class schedule can be confusing and terrifying. Your options aren’t as restricted as they are in high school, and there are an overwhelming number of choices to make. Luckily, most of the class registration process is explained at orientation, but here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Consider the requirements that you need to graduate. The general education requirements should be fulfilled, as well as the classes you need for your major. Look at what classes overlap so you can take fewer required courses and more classes that are interesting. “Building your own schedule teaches responsibility and organization skills needed for the future,” says Alexis. You aren’t given an exact list of what you need to take and when; only the certain credits.” It’s mostly up to you to decide what is best fitting for you. If you plan on going out of town on weekends like Alexis, it’s a good idea to plan for no Friday classes and put all of your classes on other days so you can have a three-day weekend.

5. Finding your classes

The campus will be unfamiliar and there are so many buildings that it seems impossible to find every single class, but there are ways to get around this. Use a map of the college and walk through your classes before they start, since you’ll move in about a week before they begin.

Even if you can’t remember exactly where everything is after your walk through, you can take a picture of the college map on your phone to always have it with you! 

6. Fitting everything into your dorm

Yes, dorms can be very small, but there is plenty of room to keep everything you need. There are several approaches to fitting everything you need. You can pack lightly with the necessities and save the decorating for later, especially if you plan on joining a sorority because when you get your big sister, you’ll be showered with gifts that mainly include canvases and crafts. You can also be like Marianne Wright, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who got the dimensions of her room and coordinated decorating with her roommate so everything was planned out prior to moving in.

Regardless, there are things you can live without, so think about what you’ll need in school. At the start, only bring summer clothes and a few fall outfits because you can take clothes home and bring back new ones on breaks. This will save a ton of closet space. Bring stuff you think you’ll wear and consider social events, especially common themed parties if you plan on being a part of the “social scene.”

7. Terrible roommates

If you don’t know your roommate prior to college, there’s the chance that you two may not get along. It’s scary to think that you have to live with a girl you barely know. What if she goes to bed at a different time? What if you two don’t get along? What if she brings back a guy one night?

Luckily, there are roommate agreements that are completed within the first week of school to give you and your roommate a chance to talk about your living habits and what you expect out of one another. You agree on a system so no one gets upset. There are also resident assistants on every hall of dorm rooms to help resolve any arguments you two may get into. Many roommates end up getting along and even becoming best friends. Worst-case scenario, you have to switch rooms, which isn’t as bad as it sounds.

With all your worries will come a solution and just remember that you are not alone! Every freshman is going to be in the same position-thrown into an unfamiliar place with all new people. You all are adjusting at the same time, so bond with people over that. College really isn’t that scary when it comes down to it and freshman year.
 

It is no secret that alcohol impairs your decision making skills, and social media decisions are no exception to this rule. With the extremely easy access to everyone we know, we all know how it feels to wake up to cringe-worthy posts from the night before. So to make you feel a little less ashamed and a little less alone, we have compiled a list of the nine drunk stages of your snap story. Will you relate to it? Probably. Will you use this information to make more socially acceptable drunk decisions on your next night out? We doubt it.

Stage 1: The "Gangs all here" Snap

This usually occurs at the start of the night when the final crucial member of your squad arrives and the festivities commence. This picture is bound to take several tries because everyone must approve of the picture.

Stage 2: The Pregame Snap

Documenting your first sips of alcohol of the night is so important. You get to show your followers that you party AND you still look semi-presentable.

Stage 3: The “Passed out at the pregame” Snap

The subject of this pic is whomever takes the pregame festivities a little overboard. Whether they remain with the group for the rest of the night or not depends on their ability to rally.

Stage 4: The Uber Snap

You have already split the fare and your Uber driver is chill AF. His car, fully equipped with an AUX cord and water bottles, is arguably more fun than the party you're about to set foot into. This snap probably consists of you and your friends belting music from the backseat of the car and asking your driver extremely personal questions.

Stage 5: The Party Snap

Whether you rolled up to the bars or your buddies house party, alerting Snapchat that you've arrived is essential. It will often provoke text messages asking where you are and if your other friends can come. Obviously you tell them they can with or without the permission from the host of the party.

Stage 6: The Bathroom Snap

One of your friends is bent over the toilet and the friend group mom is holding back her hair. Another just saw her ex from middle school hug another girl and is in a full blown sob. Maybe there’s another banging on the door trying to get in. You? You're laughing and documenting all of this on your story. Maybe it’s TMI, but you don’t think so at the time.

Stage 7: The Drunchies Snap

Unfortunately every party must come to an end- but that doesn’t mean your night does. You end up at your favorite late night restaurant (probably Mcdonalds or some cheap pizza place) with more or less people than you started the night with. Maybe you try to take an artsy pic of your pizza that you think looks good, or maybe you take some selfies at the table with your friends. Either way you have never been happier and Snapchat must know that.

Stage 8: The “I meant to send this to my crush but I posted it on my story” Snap

This is pretty self-explanatory. You're either already in bed or well on your way there. It seems like an excellent idea to snap your crush before you take all your makeup off and drift into a deep sleep. Unfortunately you accidentally pressed the story button, which you likely won’t realize until you wake up in a few more hours.

Stage 9: The “Oh no what did I post” Snap

This stage is usually done in a frantic panic right when you wake up the morning after a night out. You open Snapchat and click through your story. As you slowly die from the embarrassment of your intoxicated social media decisions, you also delete the majority of your story even though everyone already saw it and judged you for it.

Stage 10: The Brunch Snap

You and your friends reflexively meet up for a post-game meal to discuss last night’s events. You may opt for a picture of the food you so desperately needed to mend your hungover, but more likely it's a picture of your best friend who died with the caption “She’s alive.”

There are two distinct types of people in this world: those who like mornings and those who do not. Some people love to rise and shine, and others cherish the late-night hours. Early birds and night owls are as opposite as day and night (literally), so they experience life a little differently as well.

Early birds: You wake up just to see the sunrise. What a glorious start to your day! 

Night owls: If you’re watching the sunrise, it means you pulled an all-nighter. Again.

Early birds: 7 a.m. yoga? Count us in!

Night owls: Thank goodness the gym stays open until midnight because there’s no chance you’re hitting it before 7 p.m.

Early birds: You only need one alarm to wake up in the morning, if you haven't already woken up naturally.

Night owls: You set at least seven alarms, all of which wake up your roomie, who eventually wakes you up. She's not pleased.

Early birds: You live for the smell of coffee and a good breakfast in the morning.

Night owls: You know what always tastes better at 2 a.m.? French fries. Good thing you know a place open 24/7!

Early birds: Even though you’re up early, sometimes you feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day!

Night owls: So what if the day ends? That’s what ALL night is for. SO much time for activities.

Early birds: Kathie Lee and Hoda are basically your besties since you see them every morning.

Night owls: Two words: Jimmy Fallon.

Early birds: On the weekends, you'd rather go to brunch than the bars.

Night owls: Waking up before noon on a Saturday is a sin, especially when you’re out until 3 a.m. the night before.

Early birds: You know what they say: The early bird always catches the worm!

Night owls: Who cares about worms? Late night pizza > everything.

You snagged a remote internship, meaning that you get to work from home and spend your entire summer with family and friends! But as fun as that sounds, you still need to work and complete all your intern responsibilities…with all the distractions at home.

When you have a remote internship, how can you stay focused and make sure you’re getting things done? We’ve got five easy ways to do so for you!

1. Plan out and stick to a work schedule

To fight all the distractions that can take you away from work at home, come up with a work schedule to stay organized! Lay out all your responsibilities for the day or week, and then map out time blocks that you’ll use to complete each. That way, you’ll stay on track and fight the temptation to be unproductive, which happens a lot with remote internships.

“I set out a work schedule every week and a daily quota based on that schedule. This helped me reach my content goals every week and kept me on track,” says Megan Fink, a senior at Southern Mississippi University. “To make a remote internship work, you've got to be naturally task-oriented and organized. No one is holding your hand anymore.”

If you do find yourself straying away from your schedule, you may need to alter your agenda a bit or create an incentive for you to get back on track. For example, you can extend your lunch break in your schedule so you can recharge more, or you can let yourself chat with friends for a half hour, but only after you finish a large task. There are many ways to keep yourself to a schedule, so think of ways that will work for you!

2. Get rid of any distractions

At a normal internship, you’d put away all your music, stay away from social media during work hours and make sure you weren’t watching any shows or surfing the web except for work purposes. But when you’re working from home, having no supervisor to watch over you could make you feel like you can get away with doing all those things. While you can definitely keep Facebook open and the TV on without anyone knowing, you need to be sure that you won’t get distracted, which means taking away anything that can detract from your productivity!

Some suggestions, according to Lesley Mitler, founder of career counseling service Priority Candidates, Inc., include shutting off the TV and your access to any websites that normally hurt how productive you are. This also means turning off chat programs!

3. Check in with your supervisor regularly

A good way to stay on track is to check in with yoursupervisor regularly, just as you would with a regular internship. Constant communication with your supervisor is a great motivator since you’ll not only need to let him or her know how much work you’ve completed, but it’s also a way to get you more tasks that will keep you focused.

“I asked to Skype or Google Hangout with multiple members of the team… even though I couldn't physically go to work all day,” says Wesleyan sophomore Lily Herman. “It does take a lot of your own personal initiative. However, I've found that the more I've asked for, the more I've received, and I've had a totally enriching and fulfilling experience!”

Establishing this level of communication with your supervisor is also essential in a remote internship since you’ll have less of a chance to build connections with everyone at your office. This way, you get to really cement your work relationships even while working from home.

“It really depends on the internship, but I think you can get a lot more experience if you just ask for things,” Lily says. “I've taken on more projects and happily offered to work on some other pieces that weren't originally assigned to me so I had more of a chance to interact with the company.”

4. Dress business casual

Part of feeling like you’re at an office is dressing like you’re at an office, and the same goes when you’re interning at home. Putting on a hoodie instead of a button-down could take away the edge you feel while at work, so you want to avoid wearing outfits that are too casual. You need to dress sharp to work sharp!

“I would always put on a nicer outfit like I was actually going somewhere and do my hair and makeup. You never know when your boss might want to Skype,” says Ohio State junior Aurora Stromberg.

So when you wake up in the morning, put on a blouse instead of a T-shirt, a pencil skirt or dress pants instead of your jeans and brush your hair instead of leaving it all disheveled. You’ll feel a lot more professional and ready to work that way!

5. Change up where you work

Working at home can get tedious, which can make your productivity drop. Home is great, but being cooped up in your own house for too long can bore you, and next thing you know you’ll be giving in to the all the distractions you’ve been trying to avoid.

If that starts becoming the case, pack your bags and go find another location that you can count on to keep you working harder. This can be your local café, a library or another study space that’s fairly quiet and doesn’t have too many distractions. That’s one great thing about remote internships: you’re not cooped up in the same office all day!

6. In the end, act like you have an on-site internship

Remote internships should be treated and approached the same way as regular internships, and all the tips and suggestions we just gave will help you do just that. Your main motivation should still be to build connections and impress your supervisor just as you would with an on-site internship. This means that you need to find ways to imitate an office work environment, which involves making sure that you stay focused and organized and acting as you would if your supervisor was nearby.

“Staying focused is difficult, as is any online course or job, but I think the biggest thing to remember is that no matter where you do your internship, you're getting incredible experience,” says Laura Bauman, a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. “So when you have a really difficult task or project to push through, think of how you might do it in an ‘on-location’ setting, and remember that even though it's difficult, it's so worth it!”

By Jennifer Calix Marin 

I lived in Trujillo, Honduras, one of the oldest port towns on the Honduran-Caribbean coast, bathed in miles of white sand and turquoise beaches. I resided in a two-story house just a few minutes from the beach equipped with five bedrooms, a pool, a garden and I cannot go back. Honduras, although beautiful, is a dangerous place. I remember witnessing a cloud of smoke indulging in the beauty of the sun. The laughter and joy of a new day were instantly taken away and, only five years old, I cried. I was confused as to what had just happened and what that family did to have their joy be taken away in an instant, what they did to have their death justified in broad daylight. 

I can't recall the events after that day but from what I have been told it was the defining moment for my family to immigrate to the United States. My father contacted my godparents, who had recently immigrated to the United States, to mail him their passports so that our family could enter the country. He only had enough money to pay for plane tickets for my mom, my sister and I. My twin brother and older brother were to stay behind and live with my aunt until she could gather enough money to bring them here. My family moved here in hopes of finding safety and prosperity. However, what we found was not opportunity but instead the struggle for survival in a one-bedroom apartment in the South Bronx, that houses all seven of us. Although our living arrangements are not the best, we make the best of our situation.

Being undocumented is a piece of my identity but it is not all-inclusive as to who I am. I am the girl who is always busy. I am extremely involved in activities from volleyball practice at seven in the morning to student government and fellowships in the afternoon, with nights full of college classes and homework. I have no time to stop; I take advantage of every opportunity presented to me because I know that my citizenship status can only render me limited if I allow it to. When a door is closed to me, I will find a way to carve out a new one. Success is not measured by how fast I accomplish my dreams, but by how many roadblocks I have come across and still managed to get through.

I grow tired of hearing myself being referred to as "alien.” As a child I thought aliens were scary, shrilled green monsters, but never though of myself as one. It ignites my passion to see scholarships say, "Must be a U.S citizen or Permanent resident,” to hear agencies say that there is nothing they can do for us.

I will not accept being denied going to college over my citizenship status. When I see the young women that reflects back at me in the mirror, I see a scholar trying to break the stereotypes that plague my ethnic community. I see myself being the change the world needs—that undocumented children can have the opportunity to accomplish and contribute more than they imagined. 

The unexpected reality is that I should not be in the position, I am in today. At the age of 17, I am graduating high school with honors and sit on the Board of Directors for a multi-million dollar federal qualified health center. Society and its expectations of someone in my position poised against me, I was told I couldn't do it, so I did.

Summer is finally here! Time for beach, boys, bathing suits and endless days of freedom from the headache that is school and cold weather. But for all the wonderful things we love about summer, there are others that we’re not so fond of. Here are all the pros and cons of summer.

Pro: Your toes are finally thawing out and you now remember what sunshine feels like! Sweet, sweet sunshine!

Con: Dear God, is this a walk through the park or the deepest pit of hell? You didn’t even realize it was physically possible to sweat this much.

Pro: School’s out, legs up and you’ve got nothing to do…

Con: There is literally nothing to do. You’re semi-considering taking up knitting just 'cause.

Pro: Nothing feels better than laying out and basking in the sun rays…

Con: You haven’t seen the inside of a gym in longer than you can remember, and you’re genuinely concerned that someone may mistake you for a beached whale.

Pro: Nothing is more entertaining than people watching at the beach.

Con: There is a good chance you are also being people-watched… AKA someone just saw you pick your bikini wedgie.

Pro: The food. Oh my God, the food! Corn on the cob, seafood, ice cream, need we go on?

Con: Is it inappropriate to eat soup? Because you kind of miss soup. But soup makes you sweat now. Oh the bittersweetness of warm food in summer.

Pro: Summer vacations!!!

Con: A 6-hour car ride is long. A 6-hour car ride with your family is longer.

Pro: Salt water does wonders for your hair.

Con: Humidity does not.

Pro: You can finally work on that sun-kissed skin you’ve been waiting for all year.

Con: There is a thin line between “sun-kissed” and “absolutely fried by the sun’s evil rays.”

Pro: There’s something beautiful about the soothing soundtrack of grasshoppers on a summer night.

Con: Not so beautiful, those grasshoppers’ friends: bees, wasps, mosquitos, cicadas.

Pro: You can finally break out the flip-flops and jean shorts.

Con: Chafing. Lots of chafing.

Pro: You’ve waited so long and summer has finally come.

Con: The next thing you know it’s over.