Chris Mosier is the first transgender man to make a U.S. National Team, to become an Olympian and to star in a Nike advertisement.

In Nike’s 32-years of television advertising, there has never been a transgender man in a commercial—until now. The advertisment is a part of Nike’s “Unlimited” campaign, and was aired Monday night during NBC’s Olympic newscast. Mosier says that the brand’s “just do it” mentality is something that carried him to the place he is now.

"Everything that I've done in the last five, six years since I started to transition, has been with [a] 'Just Do It' mindset, I didn't know if I would be competitive against men; I just did it," Mosier said in a statement. "Every success that I've had since then has shown me that anything is really possible. By not stopping myself, not limiting myself and just really going for it, I've learned a lot about myself and also had the opportunity to further the conversation on trans inclusion in sports."

Chris Mosier is a duathlete, meaning he competes in the duathlon, a race that includes both running and biking. After winning a spot on the 2016 Men’s National Team, Mosier still faced adversity. Throughout all his training, the possibility of becoming an Olympian was uncertain—The games were still banned to transgender athletes due to crossovers in anti-doping regulations and hormone therapy. After the International Olympic Commission (IOC) passed regulations allowing transgender athletes to compete in January 2016, Mosier was given the opportunity to represent his country in the Rio Olympics.

"It's a relief that next barrier has been knocked down," Mosier told Rolling Stone about the new Olympic rules on transgender athletes. “It was initially frustrating, but more than frustrating it was disappointing to see the regulatory inequality and the issues that not only I faced, but so many trans athletes faced. Through the process it became so clear why so many trans people quit playing sports. But now those old rules aren't a reason to quit."

Mosier’s huge achievement as an Olympic competitor is impressive and inspiring, proving that the only bar to Olympic greatness should be the work an athlete puts into it—not their identity.

If you can’t stand seeing ads as you scroll down your Facebook feed, we have some bad news. Facebook is cracking down on ad blockers that allow consumers to avoid advertisements when they're clicking around the internet. This update has already been implemented on the mobile app, but representatives say that the same update will also be applied to the web version of Facebook.

97 percent of Facebook’s revenue comes from those pesky ads, but since most of us are scrolling on our phones instead of our laptops, stopping ad blockers on desktop was about doing what's right more than anything else. “This [the ad-blocker update] isn't something that we need to do for revenue, this is something that we really believe in, for us, it's a very principled stance on how Facebook should be delivered," Facebook ad chief Andrew Bosworth told Business Insider. We want everything for free, but we're not even willing to put up with a few ads in order to keep seeing the content we love—and Facebook is pointing out that we're being a little hypocritical.

Don’t worry though, Facebook won't force you to look at flashy diet supplement ads or ugly pop-ups. Their goal is to provide Facebook users with relevant ads that will actually interest them. Facebook keeps track of your likes and dislikes (which you agreed to when you signed up). Basically, Facebook follows your digital footprint to learn your interests. They also added the option of removing interests too, so users will have even more power in the ads they see. The tailored ads are meant to make the unavoidable ads more bearable—and help Facebook, since the ads that get traffic are the ones that benefit their 6.4 billion in advertising revenue the most.

If you use ad blockers because you’re afraid of slowing your scrolling or giving shady sites access to your account, Facebook is addressing that too. Business Insider reports that the social media giant is hoping to side-step these concerns by creating faster, native ads, which means that the company itself will be creating the advertisements to ensure user safety.

The reality is that ads are a part of the social media scene, and they essentially serve as your “payment” for using the site, so it isn’t too surprising that Facebook is making these changes. Scroll on.

This segment from Fox News should definitely win a gold medal for the most ignorant comments said about female Olympic athletes yet.

Last week, Sports Court's Tamara Holder proposed this question: "We all know the old adage 'sex sells.' Well now, female Olympians are sexing it up more than ever by wearing makeup during their competitions. Some say this is about empowerment, well, really? Do women who are elite athletes need to wear makeup to feel stronger, or is it simply a fashion statement?" This is a question we could totally get behind (even though we should really be talking about their incredible talent or work ethic instead), but Holder made the wrong move by asking Bo Dietl and Mark Simone their opinions on the subject. 

Now what qualifications do a former NYPD officer and radio host have to be able to argue that female athletes need to wear makeup? Literally none, but that didn't stop them from having "no shortage of opinion." 

 "I think when you see an athlete, why should I have to look at some chick's zits?" Dietl began while we simultaneously choked on our dinner. "Why not a little blush on her lips and cover those zits! I like to see a person who wins that gold medal go up there and look beautiful." Umm, yeah... except that when a woman is winning a gold medal we probably shouldn't be over-analyzing her skin quality considering that that has nothing to do with her unprecedented skills as an athlete. In a weak attempt to make himself look less sexist, Dietl added that men should be covering their zits too and that Michael Phelps could use some blush since he's so pale. Here's what Phelps would probably think about that: 

Keep in mind that through this offensive dialogue Holder made no attempt to call these men out on the absurdity of their opinion, but just uncomfortably let it keep going. Eventually the conversation moved on to product endorsements because Simone thinks "the whole point of the Olympics, the whole reason for this training, for this work to get there, is product endorsements." Even though he essentially just reduced an athlete's life work and insane hours of training to a mascara deal, Holder takes a step towards redeeming herself by bringing up the difference in sponsorship amount for Anna Kournikova versus what Serena Williams received. 

Great! An intelligent point about how a thin, blonde and white women is is given more sponsorship than a muscular African American woman. TOO BAD THESE MEN ARE HERE TO CRASH THE PARTY! "But she has makeup on," Dietl said in Kournikova's defense. "Would you put money behind a gal that won the gold who looks like a washed-out rag? No." 

"The better you look, the better your career as an athlete," Simone added. We have no words.

Well, there you have it folks—the most aggressively vapid and demeaning conversation to happen in the history of the Olympics. If you feel disturbed (which we totally do), remember that looking pretty for the world's (ahem, men's) pleasure on internationally watched television is not what the games are about. This is about people who've worked their asses off to get to the top of their field—they're not there for the product endorsements or to maintain a certain appearence. An athlete does not need to wear makeup to set a world record or to deserve recognition. We are in awe of the Olympic ladies from every country, and we sure as hell don't care what color lipstick they're wearing. 

Welcome Week can be the best part of your freshman year... or the worst. Most schools designate about five days to be a crash course in starting college. You probably won't have classes scheduled during Welcome Week, which means your days with be jam-packed with moving in, meeting your roommate, adjusting to campus life, and attending fun events! You’ll experience your first taste of college parties and have a few sleepless nights as you anticipate the start of classes. While your first week on campus can be a blast, making peace with your roommate, finding friends, and the dreaded FOMO can make it pretty stressful. With our tips on maximizing the fun and limiting the stress, you'll navigate your first week on campus like a pro.

DO plan ahead.

Your college will offer a range of Welcome Week activities. The Italian Studies department might throw a pizza party, student government might offer an outdoor movie screening, and the gym might hold free Zumba classes. You can look up the schedule for these activities ahead of time on your college's website. Plan to attend one or two activities a day. Not only are the activities fun, but they're a great way to meet new people!

“While it was weird to do activities with a bunch of people I didn't know, it ended up being a great icebreaker for making new friends!” says Rachel, a recent graduate of Butler University. “Everyone was doing goofy charades together, scavenger hunts, and obstacle courses. A few weeks later when classes started, it was a relief to see someone in class or around campus and recognize them from an event where you'd met them before.”

If you're nervous about attending events by yourself, invite your roommate to come along. But there's no reason to worry about walking in solo; college is a clean slate for everybody, so no one will judge you for not having a posse on day one.

DON'T schedule every minute of the day.

While it's great to take advantage of school- and club-sponsored events during Welcome Week, you don't want to cram your calendar with events from morning till night. The first week of school can be exhausting; it's totally fine to head back to your room occasionally for some downtime. Remember, you'll have to be in class in just a few short days – make the most of your naps while you don't have a five-page paper hanging over your head!

Another reason to keep your schedule open? New friends! Keep a few hours clear every day so you can explore campus or chill out in the dorms with people you meet during Welcome Week.

DO make the most of the club fair.

One event you definitely can't miss is the club fair. Each club on campus will have its own table. As you walk through the fair, you can learn about each club, sign up for the email listservs of clubs you're interested in, and scoop up freebies, like candy, T-shirts and pens.

“It's a good idea to at least get your name on the club [list-serv] and attend a few meetings during the first few weeks of the semester,” says Annie Pei, a recent graduate of the University of Chicago. “The first few weeks as a freshman aren't super busy, so take the time to look at the different organizations and decide if they're for you. That way, you can get a good feel for what each club is like and you won't end up regretting not going in and trying them out.”

Not 100 percent gung ho about a certain club? Sign up anyway. It doesn't hurt to attend the first few meetings, and you can ask to be removed from the club list-serv at any time.

DON'T sign up for a million clubs.

On the flip side, you don't want to sign up for more clubs than you can handle. If you have zero interest in water polo, there's no point in signing up just to impress the cute swimmer who explained the club's practice schedule to you. It's great to break out of your comfort zone, but stick to clubs that you can reasonably expect to participate in and enjoy.

Beware: sign up for too many clubs and you'll spend the rest of your college career bombarded with emails about the meditation club's next meeting. It will be stressful (oh, the irony).

DO put yourself out there!

You've probably known the majority of your high school class since kindergarten. It's been a long, long time since you've had to make an entirely new set of friends, which can make the prospect of meeting new people in college seem a little intimidating. Luckily, everyone else wants to make friends right away, too, so be as friendly and open-minded as possible.

“Meet as many new friends as you can,” Annie suggests. “You're probably not going to keep in touch with a lot of them, but one of the awesome things about college is the diversity and variety of people you meet. So in the end, it won't hurt to really put yourself out there, because that way, you'll get to meet all sorts of interesting people.”

Some schools have an open door policy, which means you have to keep your dorm door open during the day (or at least during the first few weeks of school) to facilitate making friends. That's an easy way to get to know people; just introduce yourself as you walk by someone's room!

Most people are ultra-outgoing during Welcome Week, but it becomes a little tougher to make friends a few months down the line. So seize the opportunity to form friendships now!

DON'T worry about finding your new BFF right away.

Some people instantly click during Welcome Week and remain friends for the rest of their college careers (and even afterwards). That's sweet, but it's not always the case for everyone. You might take a few weeks, months or even semesters to find your college best friend, and that's totally normal. In the meantime, though, just enjoy meeting new people. The girl down the hall might not be your best friend for life, but in a pinch, she'll be there when you don't want to go to a party alone.

DO have fun!

Aside from move-in day, you don't have a ton of other responsibilities during Welcome Week. Once the semester really begins, you'll be caught up with classes, clubs, internships or jobs, and more, so appreciate how much freedom you have this week.

Want to explore the gorgeous scenery around campus? Go ahead, take a long walk and bring your camera. Want your dorm room to look like the cover of House Beautiful magazine? Spend the whole day making DIY crafts from Pinterest. At night, go out and get a taste of your new school's social scene. During the hectic exam period, you'll want to look back on this week fondly!

DON'T let FOMO get you down.

It's easy to get caught up in the notion that you have to have ~The Most Epic Freshman Year Ever~. You've heard about how crazy awesome college is for years, so you might feel like the pressure is on to dance until the bars close down every night and hook up with the hottest guy on campus.

While college can be totally awesome, you'd be surprised by how many people struggle with FOMO, the fear of missing out, during their first semester. If you end up without plans one weekend, don't meet your best friend on move-in day, or clam up around a cute guy, take a deep breath; it's totally normal. You have a full four years to experience college – there's no need to cram all the highlights into your first week!

DON'T party too hard.

Even if you went to a few wild parties in high school, there's nothing quite like the college party scene. We don't advocate underage drinking, but if you choose to do so, be safe. There's nothing nastier than waking up the next morning with a horrible hangover and a lack of concrete details about what exactly you did last night. If you choose to drink, make sure to eat a filling dinner to avoid drinking on an empty stomach (a recipe for blacking out) and alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water.

Finally, know that it's always smarter to call your university health center if you or a friend has had too much to drink than to try to deal with it alone. Alcohol poisoning is dangerous. If you're worried about getting in trouble, know that many schools have policies against punishing you for reporting a potential health hazard, like having too much to drink. The phone number for your university's health center may be written on the back of your ID. If it's not, go ahead and program it into your phone before you head out for the night.

With the right combo of planning ahead and going with the flow, Welcome Week will be a breeze. Before you know it, freshman year will have zipped by and you'll nostalgically watch the Class of 2019 do it all over again. Have a blast!

Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has a new number one fan. Zac Efron, everyone's childhood crush, is falling for America's favorite gymnast via Twitter. The pair have been flirting it up over the past week as Simone prepared for the gymnastics finals in Rio.

When Zac congratulated her on qualifying for the finals, Simone responded with the class that only a true fangirl possesses. 

Simone also responded to Zac directly, tweeting, "Thanks Zac! I hope you can watch Team Final tomorrow night."

Their social media love affair first began back in March when Ellen DeGeneres gifted the gymnast with a Zac Efron-printed leotard. The magic continued when Simone told NBC about the Zac Efron cardboard cutout—which she used to kiss on the cheek—that occupies her bedroom. 

Finally, Tuesday night, Zac cheered on his girl and made sure everyone knew he was watching Simone get her head in the game.

Looks like Zac doesn't need Tinder to find love after all.

Are you a high school student looking for a new amazing opportunity? You’re in luck—the Her Campus High School Ambassador Program is now accepting applications! If you are interested in journalism, digital media, marketing, public relations or writing, this position is perfect you.

Being an ambassador has so many perks—like gaining valuable work experience and making awesome new friends, to name a few. Need more convincing? Read on for 7 reasons why you should apply to be a Her Campus High School Ambassador now!

1. The assignments are totally manageable

Assignments are given on a weekly basis. Typically, they are assigned Monday morning and are due the following Sunday night. All of the assignments can be handled by any pre-collegiette and can be completed with ample time to spare within the week. You can even reach out to other members of the High School Ambassador program if you need help. Plus, once you’re finished you’ll have some fantastic new clips to add to your portfolio!

2. You'll be part of an amazing network and meet tons of other brilliant teens 

The High School Ambassador program consists of high school students from all over the globe. Whether you chat in the Facebook group or you end up peer editing each other’s work, you are guaranteed to meet teens who are hardworking, focused and ambitious just like you. The program’s Facebook group is a great way to keep connected, to share your ideas and thoughts, or even to ask for help with your assignments. You’ll become part of an incredible and supportive community (and you’ll all totally like each other’s HC-related social media posts, of course).

3. You will be exposed to even more opportunities beyond Her Campus

With the wide variety of connections and partnerships within the Her Campus community, you will be exposed to so many exclusive opportunities. For example, in the past, ambassadors have been offered the chance to join Keds' online fashion community. Fashionistas were selected to work with Keds to inspire new styles and exchange opinions. Being an ambassador will open up doors that will provide you with these kinds of exclusive opportunities and help you achieve your professional goals.

4. It looks awesome on your resume

Mentioning that you were an ambassador for the #1 global community for college women will certainly give your resume a boost! College admissions officers, internship hiring managers and potential employers will all be impressed to see that you have gained professional experience in your field of interest prior to graduating high school. And when you list all of the skills you’ve acquired through your position as a High School Ambassador, your resume will definitely stand out from the rest!  

5. The skills you learn are beneficial and practical

The program covers areas such as marketing, journalism, writing, editing, blogging, public relations and design. These areas are crucial to thrive not just in the media, but in any industry! It’s not often that students are able to obtain these skills as early as high school, so take advantage of this opportunity while you can. Past assignments for this program have included writing articles, developing marketing plans and pitching product ideas. The assignments are practical and will provide you with relevant and meaningful experience. So when you get your first college internship, you’ll already have all of these skills up your sleeve!

6. You're eligible for discounts at Her Campus conferences

Whether it’s Her Conference or Her Conference: High School, if you're a High School Ambassador, you can bank on discounted tickets. Plus, you'll get the chance to meet all of the people you've been chatting with in the Facebook group IRL! You’re welcome.

7. You'll be a part of a company that has been recognized by Glamour, Forbes, The Huffington Post, Lucky, Cosmopolitan, Business Insider and so many other prominent publications.

That’s right; Her Campus has been recognized by all of these famous media outlets and then some. Her Campus was even ranked as one of the best 100 websites for women in 2013. This global community has over 6,000 contributors and over 250 campus chapters around the country (and in the U.K. and Brazil!). Her Campus is growing and expanding every single day—and you have a chance to be a part of that.

The High School Ambassador application closes on September 1, 2016. Be sure to submit your application, and spread the word to your friends and peers! We are so excited to meet our ambassadors for the 2016-2017 school year. Good luck, pre-collegiettes!

For years, reality TV has provided us with laughs, tears and major shockers. It's also given us stars we love and stars we love to hate. But let's not forget about the people who are labeled the villains of reality TV. You know, the ones who are obnoxious, stir up trouble for everyone and leave a bitter taste in your mouth. For avid fans of The Hills, the villain that automatically comes to mind is Spencer Pratt (and rightfully so). However, if you have tuned in to the most recent seasons of The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, you're aware of the fact that Chad Johnson is the clear enemy of most contestants.

Now, the two villains are in cahoots, as revealed during After Paradise (Bachelor in Paradise's after show). One of the biggest WTF moments from Bachelor in Paradise was the moment when Chad called Sarah Herron a "one-armed bitch" during the season premiere. Since then, Chad's actions have only solidified his image as the reigning antagonist. Even though Chad has apologized for his offensive words and claimed that certain footage was cut from the show, people still aren't convinced. 

Believe it or not, there actually is one person who is on Team Chad—and it's Spencer Pratt. Shocker, we know.

During After Paradise, Spencer made an appearance via video chat, coming to Chad's defense. Like Chad, Spencer can relate to the villainous image people have come to associate him with. 

Spencer believes that Chad was "pushed" into the role. TBH, we don't think Chad needed any help categorizing himself as a villian. As if that didn't prove that a bromance is brewing for Chad and Spencer, this tweet will: 

Looks like a match made in (villain) heaven. 

Donald Trump is stirring up chaos yet again, this time by maybe threatening Hillary Clinton's life, according to CNN. In a speech Tuesday, he said, "Hillary wants to abolish—essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, if she gets to pick, if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. Although the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know." Many listening to the speech were alarmed by this line, interpreting it as a threat—But of course, Trump defended the comment as only being a call for Second Amendment supporters to unify and vote as a group.

Clinton Campaign Manager Robby Mook was not happy with the comment. "This is simple—what Trump is saying is dangerous. A person seeking to the be president of the United States should not suggest violence in any way," he said in a statement. 

Trump's comment certainly sounded like a call to violence—He seemed to be talking about stopping Clinton after she was elected, for example, which would invalidate the voting argument. Even worse, the rest of his statement is innacurate. Clinton has never said that she wants to abolish the Second Amendment, but rather that she advocates for tighter gun control laws, including more detailed background checks and a ban on assault weapons, Bloomberg reports.

This is far from the first time Trump has made a comment that was 'misinterpreted.' General Michael Hayden, former head of the CIA, told CNN that if anyone else had been overheard making a comment like Trump's, they would likely be questioned by the Secret Service in no time. He also pointed out that "you're not just responsible for what you say. You are responsible for what people hear." Hear that, Mr. Trump?

On Wednesday, an anonymous Secret Service official told CNN that the agency spoke to the Trump campaign about the comments. But then another anonymous federal official told Reuters that they had not spoken to Trump. Trump himself claims that conversation never happened.

Trump's off-the-cuff speaking style has caused a lot of trouble during this campaign, leaving many to wonder if he really has what it takes to be the leader of the free world. Maybe he needs to stick with reading off the teleprompter.

Blake Lively is adding herself to the list of celebrities who hate society's fascination with the “post-baby body.”

In a recent interview with Australia's Sunrise, Lively talked about how she physically prepared for The Shallows only eight months after having her daughter, James.

When asked about public interest in how celebrities get their figures back after pregnancy, Lively made her distaste for the “post-baby body” craze known.

“It’s so unfair, it’s so celebrated: ‘This is what someone looks like after having a baby.’ And I think a woman’s body after having a baby is amazing.”

We are in total agreement! Lively is pregnant with her second child now, so we imagine she will have even more to say on the subject after baby's arrival.

The American Bar Association created a new rule Monday in support of women in law, according to The New York Times. The ABA voted that it is considered professional misconduct for a lawyer to discriminate against or harass anyone in the courtroom based on race, religion, sex or disability, among other criteria. The rule will bring some accountability to a profession where lawyers have often used their words or phrases in a demeaning way in an effort to bring down opposing female counsel.

Though multiple state bars have already put similar rules in place, there was never a rule against this kind of discrimination on the federal level until now. Myles V. Lynk, the leader of the ABA's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibilty, told the Times, "The states have not waited for the ABA to act. They have been laboratories of change. It is time for the ABA to catch up."

Many woman lawyers are excited for this change, having spent years hearing words like "honey" and "darling" in the courtroom, as well as even more overt sexism. For example, lawyer Lori Rifkin recently asked her male opposing counsel to stop interrupting her during witness questioning, to which he replied, "Don't raise your voice at me. It's not becoming of a woman," according to the Times. This was considered a sexist remark by a federal magistrate, who fined the lawyer for his behavior—One of the rare instances of punishment for discriminatory behavior.

Now, penalties for these types of actions will include fines or suspension from practicing. The punishment will be determined by state bar associations and will depend on "the severity of the offense," the Times reports.

Critics of the new rule argued that it was too broad and would limit a lawyer's right to freedom of speech in the courtroom, and amendments were added so that lawyers can argue they didn't know their words were discriminatory to avoid punishment. However, the guidance for the rule does define discrimination and harassment, and lists the places where lawyers could potentially discriminate or harass: For example, "interacting with witnesses, coworkers, court personnel, lawyers and others,""managing a law firm," and "participating in bar association, business or social activities in connection with the practice of law." These guidelines should help to clarify to lawyers what they can and cannot be punished for, making it harder for a lawyer to claim he did not know the rule would apply to a certain situation.

This new rule is a promising step for not only woman lawyers, but also feminists around the country. For too long, women in the courtroom have not been treated with the respect they deserve. Now we're that much closer to a justice system that treats everyone equally.

We're all fans of the United States gymnastics team. Their grace and athleticism never ceases to amaze us, and they are absolutely killing it in Rio. 

But it looks like three-time world champion gymnast Simone Biles has found herself yet another celeb fan in North West. 

On Monday, Kim Kardashian tweeted about North's joy while watching Simone compete. (We feel you, North.)

Simone then took time out of her busy competition schedule to respond. 

Their conversation went on for several tweets, and we honestly couldn't look away.

Is there potential for matching leotards? Maybe the Olympic Games are in North West's future? Only time will tell. 

Snapchat is in trouble yet again, this time for a filter that many saw as a racist Asian caricature, according to Mic. The filter distorted the user's face, also giving them slits for eyes, reddened cheeks and enlarged teeth.

People immediately took to social media, calling the filter “overly-racist” and clearly “targeting Asians.”

Snapchat told Verge that the filter was inspired by anime and meant to be entirely innocent. However, the resemblances to stereotypical ‘yellowface’ caricatures are undeniable, and Snapchat agreed to remove the filter for good.

This isn't the first time Snapchat's had to apologize for a filter—They were accused of "digital blackface" for their 4/20 Bob Marley filter, and many criticized the seemingly "pretty" filter for lightening people's skin. It might be time for the app to take a closer look at their creative process, as the right team could probably easily catch these offensive filters before they make their way to the public. The Guardian reports that Snapchat has repeatedly declined to release numbers on the diversity of their employees.

Of all the crazy Pretty Little Liars theories we've heard, Ian Harding's just might be the craziest. Harding, who plays Ezra Fitz on the show, told The Hollywood Reporter all about his ideas for plot twists which would make even A proud.

Ian would love for the final scenes of the series to reveal that the entire thing has been nothing more than a dream. Viewers would then see an elderly Ezra and Aria done up in prosthetic makeup, surrounded by their children. Touching.

Ian's second idea is much worse. “Maybe something horrible happens and we don’t know what happens to the girls, like they all drive off a cliff. And then the camera pans out and I’m laughing maniacally,” he says.

Only furthering our suspicion that we still can't trust Mr. Fitz, he adds, "I think it would be fun if we found out Ezra was behind it the whole time." 

We may not know who Uber A is yet, but we do know nobody should leave Ian Harding in charge of the PLL ending. 

Regardless of if you’ve spent the summer working at your dream internship, grinding at your 9-to-5 or posting enough vacation pictures to put the Kardashians to shame, the glorious time that we know as summer vacation is slowly but surely coming to an end. Mid-to-late August is a time for trading in your favorite bikini for your go-to lecture leggings and your beach reads for textbooks.

Whether you’ve been looking forward to the first week of school or it’s a narrative that you would very much like to be excluded from, here are some of the highs (and lows) of kicking off fall semester.

High: First week = syllabus week

Whoever said syllabus week isn’t the best week of the semester was seriously disturbed. We all know that it doesn’t get better than no homework and getting out of your morning lecture early enough to go back to sleep. Syllabus week lets you live your best life, so take advantage of it! It’s the one week of the semester that you won’t regret staying up until 2 a.m. catching up on summer stories with your roommates.

Low: Moving your stuff into your dorm/apartment

Move-in day will make you regret buying anything and everything that now needs to somehow end up in your dorm room or apartment. Knowing that you have to unpack everything that you, at one point, spent time packing is definitely a stress-inducing situation.

How to Deal:

Not only is trying to unpack everything you own in one day unrealistic, but it’s also not very much fun. To ensure that the day goes as smoothly as possible, make a list of everything you want to bring and plan ahead! Check with your roommates to see what day and time they will be arriving. If they had planned on moving in on the same day as you, plan to help each other. The more hands you have the easier the process will be.

Multiple trips are never enjoyable, but they are often very necessary. Look into buying or renting a portable dolly so you and your family don’t have to worry about lugging your extremely heavy (but definitely necessary) fall wardrobe back and forth on multiple trips. Check out this Amazon dolly for under $40!

Related: 6 Ways to Make College Move-In Less of a Hassle 

High: Seeing your college friends again

Sure, it was great seeing your roommate Snapchat her way through her summer abroad in Italy and checking your college BFF’s Instagram to see her latest posts from her internship, but nothing beats being back on campus with your squad. The first week is a time for sharing summer stories, talking until 1 a.m. and reconnecting with all of your friends that you didn’t get to see over the summer.

Low: Dealing with your roommates

Whether you’re living with your best friends or complete strangers, dealing with roommate drama is just a norm of college life. And unfortunately, there is no syllabus week-like grace period when it comes to arguing over whose turn it is to wash the dishes.

How to Deal:

In order to start the year off on a good note, try having a conversation within the first few days where you lay out the dos and don’ts of the semester so that everyone can start off on the same page. Whether you discuss managing living expenses, house rules or just how often your roommate is allowed to have her SO over, definitely have the conversation ASAP to avoid any unnecessary arguments.

Related: The Roommate Contract You Actually Need

High: Showing off your new wardrobe

If you start planning your outfit for the first day of classes weeks before classes actually start, you are not alone. At the start of every semester, the campus is your runway, and you are more than ready to strut your stuff and show off the fabulous new additions to your wardrobe.

“One of my favorite parts of starting a new semester is picking out the outfits I'll wear for those first few days,” says Shelly Adams, a junior at Shenandoah University. “Wearing something new always gives me a boost of confidence—and I usually need it!”

It’s also awesome to know that you can look great without breaking the bank. “I would say the best part for me about starting off a new term is buying a few new pieces to refresh my wardrobe,” says Madeline Frisk, a junior at Oregon State University. “I try to go by the rule that I consign/donate a piece before I buy a new one. That way, my closet stays feeling fresh year-round.”

Not only are fashion week-worthy outfits an incentive to approach your first week back with your best foot forward, but it is also the perfect time to wear your favorite pieces before you remember how comfortable your leggings are.

Low: Dealing with “lasts”

For every freshman enjoying their first week, there is a senior dreading their last first week. It can really put a damper on an otherwise exciting few days knowing that you are facing the beginning of the end of your time as an undergrad collegiette. However, as the saying goes: When one door closes, another opens. You shouldn’t waste your last couple of semesters focusing on the fact that you are facing your “lasts,” but rather really take the opportunity to create memories that will outlast your time in college.

“As a rising senior, I am very much dreading beginning my ‘year of lasts,’” says Lexi Bollis, a senior at Kenyon College. “It will be my last year of undergrad, last year with Her Campus, last opportunity to learn from the wonderful professors at Kenyon, last choir concert…the list goes on. However, at the same time, I know that senior year is going to be a ton of fun. I have the opportunity to take great classes and make lasting memories with my friends.”

How to Deal:

Instead of dwelling on the fact that your time at your university is almost over, focus on making the most of it. Get together with your friends at the beginning of the semester and create a bucket list. Try to cross everything off of your list by your last finals week. You’ll be so busy blowing up your friends’ Snapchat feeds with all of your bucket list activities that you won’t have time to be upset!

High: A fresh start

Each new semester offers a completely fresh start. You have a new schedule, new classes and a new opportunity to make yourself proud and live up to your potential! Establish a goal for yourself at the beginning of the semester and see it through. On the first day of school, you have a clean slate from syllabus week to finals week to make the semester whatever you want it to be—and that is definitely something to look forward to.

Low: Learning your new schedule

It seems like just when you have your schedule down pat, it’s the end of the semester and you have to mentally prepare to walk to the wrong class on autopilot for at least the first week of the new semester. Figuring out where your classes are, how far your trek across campus is and how early you need to wake up to be on time is a lot to handle in your first week.

How to Deal:

A day or two before the semester starts, grab a few friends and go find your classes. It is much less stressful to do a test run instead of running around campus on the first day of class because you have no idea what room you’re in, let alone what side of campus you’re on.

High: Lots of free stuff

The first week back is typically synonymous with lots of free goodies, from food to T-shirts. Clubs, organizations and your college are all trying to make a good first impression, and who are you to decline their generosity in the form of pizza? Between all the sign-up sheets and freebies, you might just find a new organization to join, too!

Low: Buying textbooks

“I can’t wait to see all the new textbooks I need for this semester,” said no one ever. No one likes to spend money on things that they don’t really want anyway, and textbooks definitely fall under that category. They’re expensive, heavy and half of the time the professor uses the textbook for all of two class sessions.

“I'd say the worst part is having to buy textbooks,” says Madeline. “I normally rent mine or buy them for cheaper on Amazon or Chegg if I can, but some textbooks you have to shell out the big bucks for if they're custom university editions.”

How to Deal:

Try not to buy your textbooks at full retail price whenever possible. Usually paperback copies and e-books are the less pricey options, and they work just as well—especially if you don’t really plan on using them.

High: Renewed freedom

While it was great spending some quality time with your family for a month or two, you are definitely ready for some much needed independence. It was getting a bit old having to all but write a dissertation on your whereabouts after a late night out. After a whole summer away, you’re more than ready to take on every party and group outing that college life has to offer.

Low: Return of poor time management skills

With great power (AKA that freedom we were talking about earlier) comes great responsibility. After an entire summer where you may or may not have refined your time management skills, it can be difficult to use them to make sure you have your life together on the first week. During syllabus week, it seems like a great idea to stay up all hours of the night and decline to get a head start on the reading for your English class. In fact, you probably won’t even start feeling the weight of your first week decisions until the end of said week.

“My least favorite part about the first week back would have to be the free time that disappears the moment classes start,” says Chloe Castleberry, a senior at the University of Missouri – Columbia. “I love being busy, but once classes start, it is sometimes hard to go from no-school mode to school mode.”

How to Deal:

Give yourself guidelines the first week that will make the rest of the semester easier for you. If you know you have an 8 a.m. lecture, don’t let yourself get in the habit of staying up until three in the morning the first week. If you know that you’re not the best at staying on top of your reading assignments, set aside an hour or so each week to get it done. The habits that you establish during the first week of classes will stick with you for the rest of the semester—so they might as well be good ones!

By the time you get to college, the first week of school is definitely nothing new. There are always ups and downs, but usually everything has a way of working itself out in the end. Focus on enjoying the fun and positive things that the first few days bring! And for all of the not-so-fun things, keep these tips in mind to ensure a great start to your semester.

Have a fantastic first week, collegiettes!

"Wait, you don't get out until late June? And you don't start until late September? Why is your school so weird?" With courses squeezed into 10-week time periods and a schedule that forces you to say goodbye to hanging with your home friends, students at schools on the quarter system have an unusual college experience. For those of you who watched all of your semester-school peers go off to college freshman year while you shamelessly stalked their social media for the month of September, here are 16 things you'll relate to:

1. You've sat at home alone while everyone else is at school…

2. …and watched everyone get out for summer vacation a month early.

3. Speaking of, you've struggled to find a summer internship.

No, I cannot start in late May.

4. You know the horror that is week 5...

5. ...and week 9...

6. ...really, you're always in midterm season.

7. Your friends from other schools think you have it easy, since you only take four classes at a time.

8. You feel like you're always buying new books and returning old ones.

9. You spend less time in the classes you love...

10. ...but also in the classes you hate.

11. You can read hundreds of pages in one sitting.

12. A second major? No big deal.

13. Spring break is actually a break.

14. You hardly ever know exactly how you are doing in a course until it's over.

15. You're an expert at taking finals, since you have them three times a year.

16. But you're also an expert at making the most of syllabus week.

See you in late September!

Whether you’re a freshman or a senior, whether you go to a huge university or a small college, you’ll notice that some things about college never change. While it’s not normal to see people sleeping in public or listen to a person you can’t understand for an hour and a half in the real world, these oddities make up every girl’s college experience.

1. Getting lost on the first day of classes

You’re excited for this psychology seminar, but it seems that either you've accidentally stepped into Narnia or they added this part of campus while you were gone for the summer. Now you look like a freshman with your map open on your iPhone.

2. The latecomer

This class is only an hour long, and this guy is waltzing in 30 minutes late with coffee in hand. He also tends to be the one who leaves 30 minutes before the exam period is over. You’re tempted to trip him on his way in.

3. The sleeper

This guy is there for every lecture, but he’s in his third REM cycle by the time you’ve gone over the syllabus. Why does he even bother?

4. That couple

Your entire group of friends been secretly wishing that they would break up ever since their eyes locked across the room at orientation. You would love to date that guy, but you're pretty sure you're already slotted in for bridesmaid duty five Julys from now.

5. Your personal ubiquitous stranger

Seriously, is this person following you? You might as well introduce yourself now, because you see this person in class, at the dining hall and just walking around campus all. the time. It's either destiny or stalking. We'll go with destiny...

6. The incomprehensible professor

Whether he or she whispers, shouts, speaks with an accent or mumbles to the floor, you might as well not even go to lecture, because the only thing you can understand from this person is that your Facebook News Feed isn’t refreshing fast enough.

7. The hot TA

Everyone is counting down the seconds until the semester is over so they can ask this guy out. Hot and applying to med school? Yes, please!

8. That class no one can get into

Whether it’s wine-tasting, puppy-petting or social dance, every school has that one class everyone wants to take… and no one can actually get into. Good luck in the lottery next year, ladies.

9. That time of year when everyone is sick

That one sick person sneezes in the dining hall, and suddenly your entire school has caught the plague, usually in the dead of winter during finals week. Perfect.

10. Your party friends

There are those people you see every time you’re out—and nowhere else. “Oh my God, it’s you!” “Oh my God, it’s you!”

11. You're always glad to be back

Whether your parents have been driving you crazy or your summer job bored you out of your mind, it's always good to be in the land of unlimited dining-hall food, neighbors who are also your friends and class that is (usually) kind of, sort of optional.

Many across the nation watched in shock on Wednesday as a man was seen climbing the side of Trump Tower using suction cups.

The 20-year-old Virginian caused quite a scene at the tower, with worried onlookers, reporters, and rescue workers.

Attempts to remove the man from the side of the building went on for several hours, as police erected ladders, took out windows, and even inflated a large cushion, in case the climber fell. He made it to the 21st floor before finally being rescued, according to ABC News.

After finally being removed from the building, the man surrendered peacefully, and was taken to a local hospital for a mental evaluation. Upon discharge, he will likely be charged with criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct, USA Todayreported.

Although the climber’s name has not been official released, the trending hashtag #SteveFromVirginia emerged late Wednesday evening, after police found a YouTube video from earlier this week of the climber discussing his plans, BuzzFeed reported. According to police, the man simply wanted a personal meeting with Donald Trump himself.

“Believe me, if my purpose was not significant I would not risk my life pursuing it,” the climber said in his video. He also pledged his support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Trump’s response to this chaotic event? A simple tweet:

“Great job today by the NYPD in protecting the people and saving the climber.”

In light of the April 2015 “sit-in” protest outside of his office in the administration building, Nicholas Dirks, the chancellor at University of California Berkeley, has installed a $9,000 escape hatch in the hall outside of his office. According to the school newspaper, The Daily Californian, the newly-installed door functions to “provide egress to leave the building,” in case another protest were to occur.

According to RTNews, the installation of the escape door was ordered more than a year ago, but the project was finally completed just last month. Reportedly, it was funded by specific monies allotted toward “risk prevention” by the university.

University spokesman Dan Mogulof denied the term “escape hatch,” in an interview reported on RT News, saying that the wording was the “concoction of a 19-year-old headline writer…It’s a door.”

Mogulof did confirm that the door was installed for security reasons, but many students are saying that it is simply unnecessary, especially after the erection of a $700,000 fence around the administration buildings.

“There has to be other ways to handle student concerns and protest than simply building ways to avoid them,” said student union senator-elect at UC Berkeley, Chris Yamas, to the campus paper, according to FOX News. “The chancellor seems elitist and out of touch, and inaccessible to the students.”

Yamas added that in all the years of protests at the university, a chancellor has never been physically harmed.

Unfortunately, students may have to do some more digging to find out who is really behind all of this controversy.

“I can’t say more categorically that [Chancellor Dirks] had nothing to do with this decision,” Mogulof stated. “He’s got more important things to do than approve or disapprove the installation of a door.”

French winemakers are warning that a champagne shortage is just around the corner because of “frost, rot and mildew,” according to Decanter, a wine review and news source. Um, is it just us, or is this a sign that the world is ending? Is it because of global warming? Is it because of Donald Trump?!

Because of unexpected cold weather and storms as well as a “mildew epidemic sweeping through Champagne,” over two-thirds of grape buds were rendered unusable. Of grape vineyards, 99 percent were reported to have “mildew symptoms” by an organization that keeps watch over winemakers and their facilities.

What are we supposed to do? All this news makes us want to do is drink (champagne) to forget!

This slight tragedy, which winemakers are calling the “toughest [growth season] since 1956” will result in less champagne on store shelves in the coming months. Thankfully, prosecco still exists, and, Cosmopolitan reports, “most [winemakers] have some sort of reserve that can be used” when grapes don’t yield what they are expected to.

We can only hope that champagne will be back in time for New Year's. Until then, we just have to buckle down and celebrate frugally, while dreaming of champagne showers and cork-popping horror stories.

Convicted rapist Austin James Wilkerson will not serve prison time for raping a fellow female student at the University of Colorado in March of 2014, the New York Daily News reports. Patrick Butler, the judge for Wilkerson’s trial, said that the decision not to send the rapist to prison was “to find out whether he truly can or cannot be rehabilitated.”

After a St. Patrick’s Day party in 2014, Wilkerson told the victim’s friends that he was going to make sure the intoxicated victim got home safe and didn’t have to return home by herself. During the trial of Wilkerson, the victim stated that “When I’m not having nightmares about the rape, retaliation or a retrial gone awry, I’m having panic attacks. Some days I can’t even get out of bed.”

According to the Guardian, Wilkerson would have been facing four to 12 years in prison had the judge elected to punish him in that way. Instead, Wilkerson will be on a "work release" for two years and have 20 years of probation. A work release sentencing will allow him to do things in the regular world during the day, like work or go to school, while returning to county jail at night.

In court, Wilkerson himself admitted explicitly that he “sexually assaulted” the female student, and apologized for what he had done to her.

"No words I can say could ever take away the pain and fear that I have caused," he said in court, according to the New York Daily News. "Nothing I say can make it better, but I am so sorry."

Various news sources have reported that Wilkerson changed his story of the night of the crime after he was brought to trial. In a letter to the court asking for a light sentence for Wilkerson, someone wrote that “The most traumatic incident that Austin has faced is this sexual assault case," according to the Guardian.

You know how to avoid trauma? Don’t rape someone. Don’t feign good intentions by lying about keeping someone safe. Don’t give improper punishments for horrible, life-altering crimes. Imagine if the rapist weren’t a young, educated white man. What if it was a black man, or a 50-year-old, or an LGBTQ+ person?

In the U.S., where we pride ourselves on the ability to deliver justice, individuals of differing identity are treated differently by the law. Brock Turner, another young, educated white man, saw the same unequal treatment work in his favor just a few short months ago.

We can’t let Wilkerson or Turner enjoy 15 minutes of fame because of the atrocities they each committed. We can honor the victim of this rape by making active efforts to reform our justice system and end rape culture.