Back in high school, you joined the yearbook or newspaper staff, and that was it: love at first sight. You were immediately hooked on the world of journalism. And while your stress may escalate to scary levels more often than not (those last-minute deadlines are killer), you know that you’ve made the right choice. Here are 23 signs you’re a journalism major.

1. When you tell people what you’re studying, you get this kind of reaction:

2. Thirty minutes before deadline, you look like this:

3. But when you see your published work, you’re all,

4. And you feel cool whenever your friends tell you they saw your story.

5. Your classes are awesome, because you’re doing what you love.

6. Plus, you don’t have to worry about this:

7. Or this:

8. But you do have to sleep with this under your pillow:

9. Because if you break an AP Style rule…

10. So you always double-check your work.

11. You write what you think are amazing, Pulitzer-worthy articles for class…

12. …only to have your professors completely rip them apart.

13. You’ve gotten really good at playing phone tag with sources.

14. But when you finally do get a hold of a source, you’d rather do anything than transcribe your 30-minute-long interview afterwards.

15. You feel frustrated whenever you see grammatical errors.

16. Like, really frustrated.

17. You’re obsessed with social media.

18. Breaking news? Yeah, you already heard about it.

19. Newspapers will always be cool to you.

20. You’re simultaneously amazed and frustrated by Carrie Bradshaw’s ability to afford such a glamorous life on a columnist’s salary.

21. Coffee is a good friend of yours.

22. Who else is going to keep you awake till dawn?

23. At the end of the day (or night), you know you’re making the right choice.

The long wait is finally over! College decision letters are trickling in, runs to the mailbox are ridiculously frequent and high school seniors are increasingly jittery. If you've already gotten your acceptance letters, congrats! After you celebrate and do a couple of victory dances, what's a pre-collegiette to do now?

One thing to keep an eye out for is when admitted students days are. Most colleges and universities hold an open house day or weekend event in March or April for accepted students and their families to visit the campus before making their final college decisions. This is a great opportunity to celebrate with fellow accepted freshmen, get to know the school better and gain some much-needed clarity. Check out these 11 tips for navigating this important event and getting the most out of your accepted students day!

1. Pack wisely and prepare lots of questions

This is the first time you're going to meet your potential future classmates and a lot of other important people, so of course you're going to want to look cute and make a good impression! However, it's probably better to ditch your heels and restrictive clothes for a pair of good walking shoes. "Be comfortable and dress for the weather," says Marla Platt, consultant at college consulting service Achieve Coach College Consulting. "Plan on a lot of walking and standing and talking."

Also, make sure to bring a notebook and pen so you're prepared to take notes. With so much happening in such a short amount of time, your brain will thank you later for writing down your reactions to all the scheduled activities you attended, as well as things that you and your family decided to do and explore on your own.

Notes, of course, can't replace photos. Make sure to pack a camera or check that you have enough space on your phone for lots of photos. "Snap some pictures... to capture photos of the school, the surrounding area, etc.," Platt says. "Images can do a lot to evoke remembered feelings that go beyond scribbled notes."

Lastly, but most importantly, come with a ready mind. Think about what you want to get out of this experience and what you want to learn about the school. Platt says it’s important to go prepared with specific questions related to what’s important to you, such as academic advising or the classroom vibe. For example, how does the academic advising system work? Are there any extracurricular activities available in the areas that you're interested in? How accessible are the professors? Preparing lots of questions will make it easier for you to see if this is really the right college for you!

2. Immerse yourself in campus life

The minute you walk on campus, you're probably going to go into sensory overload. There are going to be so many people milling around, colorful balloons everywhere and confusing signs on every square inch of campus.

Let's be honest, it can be a little overwhelming at first. But it's also when you’ll get tons of great information about your college all at once, like a crash course. Typical offerings during accepted students day include student panels, performing arts events, open classes to visit, student organization fairs, financial aid discussions, sports practices to check out and tours. Sometimes you'll even get the opportunity to stay overnight or shadow a current student for a day.

Try to take in as much as you can, paying particular attention to the aspects of college that you are especially interested in. For example, if you're an athlete who has not committed to an institution yet, you may enjoy setting time aside to meet with coaches and potential teammates. Students with documented learning differences should pay a visit to the student services office and have a discussion about the school's resources.

3. Experience the academics

When you're in your classroom visits and having conversations with students and faculty, pay close attention to what the academic life is like. After all, college is the time and place to learn as much as your brain can handle. By sitting in on a few classes, you'll be able to get a feel for the class size, class structure, quality of teaching and the accessibility of the professors without bothering or talking to anyone during class.

After the classes, you might want to talk to the professors to find out more about a particular department you're interested in. Make sure to also spend time talking to current students about the rigor of the curriculum, what they like most about the academic life, how much time they spend studying, what the professors' expectations are of them, the professors’ teaching style and how helpful their professors are outside of regular classroom hours.

4. Visit the career services office

It's never too early to start thinking about your career! Even if you have no idea what you want to do after graduation, it's a great idea to check out the career services office and see what opportunities it offers students. "Definitely connect with career services to learn about how this office supports students in finding internships," Platt says. "Ask about campus recruitment, especially how it relates to your intended area of study."

Ideally, try to connect face-to-face with an adviser at the career center while you're there to find out more about career services. It may also be useful to ask students about how accessible career advisers and counselors are for freshmen and sophomores on campus, since you'll most likely be making frequent visits to the career center!

5. Check out the social scene

The social scene could make or break your college experience, so keep your eyes and ears wide open. Judi Robinovitz, founder and co-owner of Score At The Top Learning Centers and Schools, suggests paying attention to what the other students look like and how they are dressed. "That may sound very shallow, but feeling socially comfortable is almost more important than being academically comfortable because I think that most students can choose their courses wisely enough to make them feel academically comfortable," Robinovitz says.

You should feel secure with the kinds of students you meet on campus during your visit. If you seek homogeneity, make sure that the students are enough like you, and if you seek diversity, make sure they're different enough from you.

It can also be really useful to ask current students about the student culture—is Greek life prevalent? How are the clubs and other extracurricular activities? Is it a party school? You might even want to consider checking out a sports game or party firsthand.

6. Listen to what the students have to say

The best sources for learning about campus life are, you guessed it, the students—both past and current! "Listen to what students say about their academic and social life," Platt says. "Find out how they have grown and developed during their years at the college.  If alumni are available, ask how the college has shaped them and contributed to their success."

It's often surprising how much you can learn from simply striking up a conversation with a random stranger you come across. Platt suggests finding time to speak to random students whom you meet. "It's amazing what a little eye contact and a smile can do to engage others in honest conversations about what they enjoy about their college, the quality of their professors, engagement of their fellow students, etc.," Platt says. "When students are willing to talk with prospective freshmen, that's always a good sign."

Of course, try to catch students when they don't look too busy, like when they’re sitting outside with friends or reading on a bench. When you go up to them, introduce yourself and explain what you're doing on campus, and then politely ask if they might have time to answer a few questions. You might hear some valuable tidbits!

7. Pay attention to the little details

Look around at the enrolled students. Do they look happy and engaged? Platt says students studying in the library are a great clue. "Do they look like they are into what they are working on?" Platt says.

Also observe what the current students do aside from academics. Keep an eye out for what students do for fun and whether or not it matches up with your idea of an enjoyable time. Check out the cafeteria, the gym and the dorms as well. "When I was visiting schools, I paid close attention to the decorations and message boards in the dorms," says University of Rochester junior Katherine Varga. "I saw a bad math joke written on a whiteboard outside someone's dorm room and knew my school was right for me." Sometimes you can make discoveries in the most unexpected places!

8. Balance time with your parents

It's important to remember that your parents are there to support you and help you make some difficult decisions, but it's also great to form your own opinions about the school. "Going to college is part of your growing independence, so experiencing some aspects of the school during your visit without a parent shadowing you at every event can be empowering and help provide some clarity," Platt says.

However, financial aid is something you're going to want to keep your parents in the loop for. If your financial aid awards were less generous than you and your family needed, you'll definitely want to drag your parents over to the financial aid office. Accepted students day can be a good time to meet in person with a financial aid officer and have a discussion about your financial aid package, so call ahead and schedule an appointment as early as possible, and bring your parents so you don't have to deal with these complicated matters alone.

9. Don't make any decisions too quickly

It's so easy to be swept away by all the great people you're meeting and all the connections you’re making, but long-term commitments like choosing a roommate should wait until all the glitz and glamour fade away.

Sophie Dodd, a junior at Middlebury College, says her biggest tip is to not commit to a roommate during accepted students day. "I have a friend who met a girl during accepted student weekend, they hit it off at the ice cream social and by the end of the night they were best friends and arranged to live together," she says. "Needless to say, they ended up hating each other by October. Sometimes it's better to have the compatibility questionnaire match you up than make a rash decision you'll regret!"

The same advice goes for overeagerly picking your friend group or immediately making up your mind about clubs you want to join, activities you want to do, places you want to live and classes you want to take. After all, accepted students day is only a small taste of what's to come, so it's important to stay open-minded. Similarly, don't immediately decide whether you like a school or not based simply on first impressions. Instead, slow down and take the time to think things through.   

10. Try to picture yourself living on campus

When you close your eyes, can you picture yourself on campus, walking to class every day, eating at the dining halls and living in the dorms? Only you can truly know. If possible, stay overnight in the dorms and spend a day acting like a current student. Pay close attention to the size of the campus. Visualize yourself getting from one place to another and navigating the school on a daily basis. Weather is also a big factor. Can you manage hills, especially in winter?

"I didn't realize until I got to Wesleyan that the entire campus is situated on a gigantic hill, and I found myself totally out of breath for my first semester of school!" says Lily Herman, a sophomore at Wesleyan University.

Did you get a sense from your classroom and library visits that you belonged? Outside of academics, can you see yourself engaging on campus? Will four years at this school help you grow and realize your goals? And, above all else, do you have a sense that you are at home here? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself on your visit.

11. Take everything with a grain of salt

As wonderful and exciting as accepted students day may be for you, your college decision should not be based solely on the event. "Sometimes accepted student events can give a false impression of an intensely high-energy campus in which everyone is smiling and glad-handing," Platt says. "It can be easy to be swayed by colorful balloons and welcome banners while enjoying appealing meals that don't exactly represent the usual fare."

On the other end of the spectrum, accepted students day may have been a little too overwhelming for you. It really is a lot to take in! Despite the tours, the swarms of students and parents and the busy schedule, keep in mind that that’s not what everyday campus life is like. If you can, schedule an attentive, quality visit during the regular school calendar so you can assess the campus without the glitz and glam of accepted students day. You'll look at the school differently now as an accepted student than you did when you were an applicant.

"If the vibe of the accepted students day experience is different from the feeling you may have received on past visits, that should not come as a shock," Platt says. "Consider the visit as a view into the wider offerings of the school and what current or past students have to say about their experience. In the end, be your own judge.  If you have applied well and have a few good and financially realistic choices to consider, you should be in good shape."

Now that you have the most suspenseful part of your college application process out of the way (phew!), the decision is in your hands. If you keep an open mind, listen to others, do research and go with your gut, you'll be able to make the right decision.

As spring semester draws to a close, you realize it’s time to figure out where you’ll live for the upcoming school year. So what’s it going to be? Renting an apartment with all of your friends and ignoring your weeping bank account? Or the sub-par supplemental dorm room, which may not be ideal, but is at least affordable?

It’s at this point that some of you smart cookies might snap your fingers as you realize—wait a minute!—RA’s get free room and board! That settles it. You’ll become an RA, and your housing woes will be no more. But hold your horses, collegiettes, because there’s a lot more to being an RA than just a free single room all to yourself.

Being a Resident Assistant is seriously time-consuming, and has the potential to be extremely difficult if you’re not in it for the right reasons (i.e., if you’re doing it to get the free housing). However, there are also a lot of things about being an RA that make the job an amazing experience! Before you sign up, make sure you know exactly what the position will involve:

1. You’re expected to be in your room pretty much all the time.

Excluding the time you spare for classes.  And the time you set aside for your extracurricular activities, although you’re not able to get as quite as involved on campus as you might want to, since your responsibility as a Resident Assistant is supposed to be your principal out-of-class activity. Any activity that could take you away from that needs to be approved by the RA coordinator before you sign up to join. Besides that, you can’t take any impromptu road trips when you’re supposed to be on shift, and any vacation time needs to be pre-approved by the RA coordinator way in advance.

My own RA here at Penn State, Lia Perlata, keeps a “Where Am I?” board outside of her room, dictating that at any given moment, she could be “here,” “in class,” “in a meeting,” “asleep,” “at the gym,” “out,” or “getting food.” It’s like the big clock at the Weasleys’ house in Harry Potter, or a not-remotely-technological version of FourSquare. She’s constantly got to be sure we know where she is, in case anyone in the hall needs something.

2. You’re responsible for dealing with any issues your residents face.

Any time that anyone in the hall needs something, they come to Lia, and it’s her job to help them sort through the wreckage. If you’re not used to this sort of thing, it might be a bit uncomfortable and emotionally draining—depending on the issues, which can range from a roommate conflict, to an academic issue, to a personal difficulty. RA’s are expected to handle any and every physical or mental crisis thrown their way—depression, drug addiction, eating disorders, alcohol poisoning, whatever it may be, the RA is there to help.

And when you put upwards of 50 kids in a hall together, things are bound to get dramatic. Which is where the RA comes in. It’s their job to mediate any fights between roommates, yes, even ones like “I hate when she chews her gum so loudly while I’m doing my homework!”

3. You’ll go through a pretty long training process.

Potential RA’s are trained on how to handle conflicts, briefed on campus services like psychological counseling and tutoring in case their students need them, instructed in emergency procedures, and more. That’s a hefty chunk of the summer spent learning things to help you handle dorm room drama, instead of soaking up the summer sun.

4. Sometimes you have to be the bad guy.

These kids are fresh out of high school, and they’re ready to show it by partying as hard as their tolerance-free freshman bodies will allow them to. It’s your job to stop it! As tempting as it could be to be the “nice RA” and pretend not to see the handle of cheap vodka those girls are sneaking into their room, you have to write them up. Even if it’s not something as bad as possession or underage drinking, you’ll have to ensure that everyone is following the rules. Jessie Nendza, another RA at Penn State, has had to approach people about breaching the dorm’s guest policies, noise violations, and more, and although it’s not a pleasant task, it keeps everybody in line.

5. At times, you will be hated.

No matter how sugary-sweet you were at the beginning of the year, no matter how patiently you’ve answered every question from “Where’s the laundry room?” to “Which classes should I take?” they’re still going to write you off after you write them up for breaking the rules. No one wants to be the one raining on everyone’s parade, and even though they know that you don’t enjoy having to punish them for partying, they’ll still shoot you dirty looks for a few weeks. They’ll respect you in the end, though, and that’s how you know that you’re doing the right thing!

6. You’ll need to model appropriate behavior at all times in front of your students.

Even if you’re 21, you aren’t supposed to be seen drinking, carrying alcohol around, or in a drunken state at all. The girls in that hall, whether they’ll admit it or not, look up to you. If they see you silly and slurring, you’ll lose their respect and any control you have over them.

Now, of course, that’s not to say that becoming an RA is all bad! There are definitely a lot of seriously glamorous perks associated with this coveted on-campus job.

1. You get free room and board, which includes both a big single room to yourself and, at some colleges, the cost of food in dining halls all across campus. Some colleges even offer free parking and discounts on tuition to Resident Assistance on campus, which is a huge plus. And some schools pay RA’s a financial stipend along with these perks, somewhere in the ballpark of $600 per semester. So free housing, free food, free parking, discounted tuition, and you’d get paid on top of it all!

2. You can plan a bunch of fun things to do with your students.

My hall held a “mocktail hour” in the dorm lounge, tie-dyed shirts, had an ice cream social, made bows featuring our school colors to wear at the homecoming football game, and did so many more fun things together, all thanks to the RA’s in our building. As an RA, you’re asked to utilize your creativity and outgoing personality to keep students engaged and interacting with each other. The activities that you coordinate shape those students’ college memories!

3. You’ll get a resume boost.

Being a Resident Assistant amps up your resume and gives you great experience for your career. You’ll learn important skills in leadership, event facilitation, conflict management, counseling, and negotiation, which are essential in the professional world. When employers see that you were an RA, they understand that you possess this skill set, and that gives you a leg up on the career competition.

4. Most importantly,you’re helping people.

Whether or not they’re willing to admit it, freshmen are scared when they first come to a new school. They’ll look to their RA’s for guidance, for a model on how to act and where to go on campus, and for help overall. Resident Assistants are a huge asset to students, and help them to stay afloat as their lives in college threaten to capsize from time to time. Residents are so grateful to have someone to talk to about their issues. Their appreciation alone is priceless! That right there should be enough of a reason for anyone to want to become an RA.

But the free single room doesn’t hurt!

The fashion industry is changing—and it’s doing it at a faster pace than you may realize. Clothes that used to take three months to produce—to design, manufacture, and distribute to clothing stores—are now being produced in just two weeks. “On-trend” fashion, once available to an elite few, is now available to a much larger spectrum of consumers at bargain prices at places like H&M and Forever 21. Known as “fast fashion,” this trend explores how such large volumes of clothing can be produced in such little time.

Some attribute this trend to top-down “process innovations” at big companies like Inditex, the parent company of Zara. Others attribute the trend to the generally sped-up pace of life in the digital age.

No matter what the source, one thing is clear with this new trend: the dynamics of fashion consumption are changing. Clothing looks and feels cheaper, there are lower barriers to gratification, and stylish clothing has become far more disposable than it once was. What do you think, collegiettes? Should the fashion industry slow down the pace and up the quality, or do you enjoy getting the latest trends at discounted prices? 

You may be surprised to find out that your professors could be more helpful than the Internet when it comes to finding a job! After all, professors are experts in their field, so they can be incredibly valuable career resources. From asking for recommendations to getting advice about where to search for a job, here’s how to make the most of what your professors have to offer.

1. Have your professor edit your resume

Once you have your resume perfectly tailored to a position (and you definitely will if you follow this guide), having a second pair of eyes is going to make it even better!

While it may seem awkward to thrust your resume at your professor and ask her to highlight any mistakes, it’s important to get past the intimidation and go for it! Going in for office hours to ask if she can review your resume and give you advice is a great step to show you are serious about your future. While your professor is reviewing your resume, ask her to not only point out mistakes, but also give you tips on what to improve.

“Have several of your professors read your resume,” advises Kate, a Seattle Pacific University student. “I had both my biology and my anthropology professors look over mine and they both pointed out different things. I’m really glad I had both [of them] look over it, as it gave me twice as much help.”

Professors have written their own fair share of resumes, so they will know how to help you make the best resume possible!

2. Ask for a recommendation

Chances are employers are going to ask you for references. While your mom could talk you up for hours and your second grade teacher thought you had serious potential, you need someone relevant to make you stand out in the real world. Professors in your field, especially ones who have held positions similar to the one you want, are great for this.

During your professor’s office hours, ask her to write you a recommendation letter or ask her if she would be willing to be listed as a reference on your application. Explain the job you are applying for and your interest in the position to. Make sure to tell your prof why you reached out to her specifically to write the letter.

Sitting down with your professor and having a real conversation is important. If she’s going to recommend you, she needs to get to know you. Express your career goals and how you plan to use your education to accomplish them. Professors, as well as employers, want to see someone with ambition. Show them that ambition is what you’re made of!

3. Gain networking contacts through your professor

Not only has your professor had experience in the field you’re interested in, she’ll also know a lot of former students who are now working in that field. That means your professor can be a great resource for networking! Whether she knows someone who has your dream job or someone who works at your favorite company, ask your professor to put you in contact with anyone she knows who would be helpful to your career. Once your professor provides you with a contact, make sure to set up a meeting with that person as soon as you can. Finding a job is all about networking, so why not start while you’re still in college?

4. Ask your professor to keep an eye out for you

Visit your professor during office hours, let him know what kinds of jobs you’re interested in and ask if he’ll let you know of any opportunities he hears about. Often employers will contact professors and ask if they have any students who would fit a certain position. If your professor knows you and your skills well enough, he may recommend you for the job or pass the job listing along to you!

“The first week of the semester, I told [my professor] that I had an interest in being a lab technician,” says Lauren, a student at California State University. “Three weeks later when I went in to discuss a test grade, he had a job application for a local lab. I’m awaiting their response any day now.”

Who knew a valuable career resource was standing in front of you, lecturing on an important concept for your final exam? The job market may be intimidating, but if you use your resources, you can definitely overpower it. 

Sick of eating cereal and ramen for lunch and dinner? Want to spend less money eating out and finally start cooking for yourself? Put down that frozen pizza, because HC’s Health Editor, Sammie Levin, is here to share her daily eats so you can get ideas for healthy, satisfying meals that are easy enough for any time-strapped collegiette to make. After you read Collegiette Eats, your taste buds, wallet and waistline will thank you.

Breakfast

When I got my jar of almond butter out of the fridge yesterday morning, I saw that it was almost empty and rejoiced because that meant it was time for... oats in a jar! I prepared my oats as usual (with a quarter cup of oats, a half cup almond milk, a banana, cinnamon and a scoop of ground flaxseed) and then transferred it to the jar of almond butter. I've said it before and I'll say it again: everything tastes better out of a jar. I enjoyed my oats with a glass of iced coffee, which I made in our Keurig using a vanilla flavored K-cup. I added some almond milk and a packet of Splenda to sweeten it. 

Lunch

For lunch, I went to babo, which is a market on campus that's basically like Whole Foods. They have specialty health and local products as well as delicious prepared foods. It was hard to choose what to get because everything looked so good, but I went with Brussels spouts and a kale salad. The sprouts were made with apples and dried cranberries and had a sweet glaze that kind of tasted like teriyaki sauce. The kale salad had tomatoes, pears, dried cranberries, walnuts and pecans. It was a little too heavily dressed for me; I don't like when the kale is drowning in marinade, but it was still yummy. 

When you're getting a meal at a prepared foods counter, it can be overwhelming to decide what to get because there are often so many options (and plenty of unhealthy ones tempting you). For example, there was dense, four-cheese mac and cheese staring me down as I made my decision. My advice when you are in these situations is similar to my advice for tackling all-you-can-eat buffets: First, survey all of the offerings before making your choice so that you don't end up seeing something else you want after and tacking it onto your order, resulting in you eating more than you would have otherwise. Second, make compromises. If your craving for the mac and cheese is too intense to ignore, then pair a serving of it with a salad instead of also getting the fried chicken. And third, be mindful of your portion sizes. Just because it all fits in one container doesn't mean that you have to eat it all in one sitting! Leftovers are your friend, so save whatever you don't finish for another meal or snack later. 

Dinner 

For dinner, I made something that I will definitely be eating again in the near future: soba noodles and edamame with a spicy homemade peanut sauce. This took pretty much no time at all to prepare and it was so satisfying. It tasted just like a peanut sauce from a Chinese or Thai restaurant; I couldn't believe it only took 30 seconds to whisk together! I used the sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen's recipe for Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu. I didn't even have to prepare the soba noodles because they were left over from a soup that I got at a restaurant the night before, but soba noodles only take a few minutes to cook anyways, so this dinner is perfect for a night when you don't have a lot of time but still want a home-cooked meal. Check out the recipe for the sauce below. I loved it on the soba noodles, but it would also taste good on rice, sautéed vegetables (especially broccoli!), tofu or chicken. 

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable stock or water
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha 

Directions

1. Whisk all of the ingredients together.
2. Pour over noodles and stir until coated. I used about half of the sauce on my cup of soba noodles and a half cup of edamame, and then saved the rest of the sauce in the fridge. 

Whether you’re unwilling to venture out into the chilly winter weather or you don’t have the money to blow on a fancy date night, there are some nights that you and your guy just don’t want to leave your cozy dorm or apartment. The next time you’re feeling a date night in but you want to do something more exciting than sit on the couch watching a few hours of TV, try one of these date ideas instead!

1. Be a Gamer

Guys associate video games with chilling out with their bros, so if you can pick up a controller and hold your own against him, it’ll be a major turn-on! Whether you’re playing Call of Duty on Xbox or you’re going old school with some Mario Party on the N64, if you can hit the right buttons, you’re in for a great night. Get some guy foods—wings, pretzels, chips, etc.—and show him that you’re just as much fun as a night with his friends! (Bonus: he gets to kiss you after the game’s over!)

2. Give Each Other Massages

Actually going out to the spa is crazy expensive, so why not get all of the pampering of a spa treatment in your own living room? All you need is to pick up a little massage oil from your local drugstore, put on some relaxing music, and light a few candles. Then melt his troubles away—but make sure he melts yours away, too! Check out this tutorial to become a master masseuse in time for your date night in.

3. Get in the Kitchen

Scroll through your expansive recipe board on Pinterest together (or check out The Food Network’s “Let’s Cook: Best Recipes” board and pick out a recipe that sounds delicious. Go to the grocery store to pick up all of the ingredients, then get in the kitchen and make it together! While the food you’ll eat together at the end is great (hopefully—be careful to follow that recipe), it’s the process of making it together that will help the two of you bond. The mood will be sizzling just as much as whatever you’ve got cooking!

4. Break Out the Board Games

Search in the dorm hall common room or in the toy section at the nearest Target or WalMart to find a fun board game to play! Whether it’s Scrabble or Monopoly, the competition you’ll get going will create some heat between the two of you, which is what makes it so exciting! Bonus points if you play something like Twister instead… and even more bonus points if you turn whatever innocent game you’re playing into something flirty! Strip poker, anyone?

5. Go Theme-Crazy

Pick a theme—whether it’s Cinco de Mayo, A Night in Paris, or Kung-Fu fighting—and go nuts! Everything from the music to the to the drinks and food should go along with whatever theme you choose. For example, if you go with Cinco de Mayo, you could have margaritas and fajitas while watching “Frida” or listening to Juanes and Enrique Iglesias. If you picked “A Night in Paris” theme, you could watch Casablanca while eating baguettes with cheese or Nutella. You could order in from your favorite Chinese restaurant if you’re watching a kung-fu movie, and hang paper lanterns up to feel like you’re on a mini-vacation. This is only fun if you really get into it, so be creative!

6. Belt It Out

Maybe you’d sing at karaoke bars if you were older or if there weren’t so many people watching you. Fortunately, in your own home, neither of those is an issue! You can download an app called iKaraoke that will turn your iPhone/MacBook/iPad into a makeshift karaoke machine. You can sing any of your favorite songs as loudly and as off-key as you want! Maybe start with a few drinks first to lower your inhibitions a bit, and then giggle at each other as you croon your favorite tunes together.

Whether you go for one of these creative ideas or you actually do end up cuddling on the couch and watching TVs for hours, your night in is bound to bring you closer together than spending tons of money at a restaurant or bar. If you and your guy have any ideas for out of the ordinary date nights in that we missed, let us know in the comments!

National student organization United Students Against Sweatshops is launching a tour to get Teach for America off of college campuses.

The "TFA Truth Tour," which began this week, aims to expose the truth about Teach for America, a program that recruits recent college grads to spend two years teaching in an underfunded school. According to the USAS website, "not only does it [TFA] fail to prepare teachers for the classroom, but it is systematically pushing to replace our system of community public education and replace it with an alternative largely controlled by profit-seeking corporations."

Over the next two weeks, the group of student activists, teachers and TFA alumni will visit 15 college campuses to shed a light on TFA's politics. “TFA recruits based on a social justice and community service message,” says Jan Van Tol, a USAS national organizer. “We think that’s deceptive and doesn’t get at what TFA is really about."

According to 2011 TFA Chicago corps member Chad Sommer, there are several issues with the TFA program. Schools can exploit TFA for cheap labor, and many of the schools don't have adequate programs to support the goals of TFA teachers. Because TFA members are under pressure to accept a job offer, school principals don't feel the need to provide any extra funding or training. 

“Forty-nine Chicago district schools closed down. So now ... you have a teacher who maybe is an experienced teacher with five to six years of experience making a decent middle-class living of $60,000 to $70,000 a year who has to compete for a job being offered to a corps member for $32,000,” Sommer says. “That’s the mechanism that undermines the labor market in big cities like Chicago.”

USAS's "Truth Tour" is part of a larger campaign to ultimately remove TFA recruiters from college campuses. 

Are you looking to expand your Twittersphere, collegiettes? Here are a few Twitter accounts that we think will make a great addition to your newsfeed.

1. Trendy Problems (@TrendyProblems)

Being unreasonably knowledgable about nail polish colors and celebrity babies is my identity. #trendyproblems

— Trendy Problems (@TrendyProblems) March 21, 2014

If Cher from Clueless had a Twitter account, this would be it!

2. your away message (@YourAwayMessage)

My sister woke me up from my nap. Xxxx back to sleep xxxxX Leave plans for later.

— your away message (@YourAwayMessage) February 28, 2014

Channel your inner middle schooler by reading classic away messages guaranteed to make you LOL.

3. Instagram In Words (@Wordstigram)

Picture of lots of loose papers, textbooks, Starbucks and something on Netflix in the background captioned "Finals"

— Instagram In Words (@Wordstigram) March 15, 2014

Each tweet puts an Instagram cliché into words (many of which you’re probably guilty of posting!).

4. Little Motivator (@littlemotivator)

The choices you make today will be in your biography tomorrow. Make interesting choices and you will have an interesting biography.

— Little Motivator (@littlemotivator) March 22, 2014

If you’re in need of something short, sweet and sincere to brighten your day, this is the perfect account to follow.

5. TweetMyJobs (@TweetMyJobs)

Quote of the Day: "“You'll never know the the outcome unless you just go out there and just do it.” - Jonathan Anthony Burkett"

— TweetMyJobs (@TweetMyJobs) March 23, 2014

TweetMyJobs's tweets include everything from resume advice to real job postings.

6. The 90s Life (@The90sLife)

Nothing like getting an embarrassing dare while playing Girl Talk pic.twitter.com/TFSvw4MM4D

— The 90s Life (@The90sLife) March 23, 2014

This account will take you on a nostalgic field trip back to your childhood.

7. Poor Little It Girl (@PoorLilItGirl)

Springtime is all about the Little White Dress from @Gap! http://t.co/FfdW7VagJn

— Poor Little It Girl (@PoorLilItGirl) March 24, 2014

If you’re a college girl on a budget, Poor Little It Girl—run by Florida State University graduate and former fashion magazine editor Cathy Anderson—will be your new best friend.

8. Women’s Health (@WomensHealthMag)

The fitness class that burns more calories than cycling: http://t.co/OT014cZDcU

— Women's Health (@WomensHealthMag) March 23, 2014

From fitness and nutrition to sexual health, this account will give you all the guidance you need to be healthy and happy.

9. OMG Facts (@OMGFacts)

There is a population of radioactive wild boars in Germany, caused by Chernobyl disaster two decades ago, and their number is rising

— OMG Facts (@OMGFacts) March 19, 2014

Did you know that Friday the 13th superstition costs businesses between $800 and $900 billion? Or that laughing for 15 seconds adds two days to your life span? Follow this account to learn all the enlightening minutiae you’d ever want to know.

10. Disney Words (@disneywords)

In dreams, you will lose your heartaches. Whatever you wish for, you keep. –Cinderella

— Disney Words (@disneywords) March 24, 2014

If you like sappy quotes and Disney, then you’ll love this adorable Twitter account.

11. Her Campus (@HerCampus)

FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!!! #finally#worstwinterever

— Her Campus (@HerCampus) March 20, 2014

We couldn’t leave ourselves out of this, could we? For giveaways, article links and girly tweets, be sure to follow Her Campus on Twitter!

There’s nothing more exciting than the start of a new romance — after all, they don’t call it “the honeymoon phase” for nothing! Butterflies in your stomach, glowing every time you get a text, getting to know your SO (significant other) over late-night pillow talk, flaunting your new arm candy all over campus... it may not be as blissful as your relationship with Netflix, we know (few things are), but what’s not to like?

Unfortunately, revving up a new relationship can also mean rehashing old ones. At some point, your and your partner need to decide if you’re going to share about exes, old feelings and sexual history, just so you know all the facts. It can be uncomfortable, awkward and just plain hard (“Because I love hearing about my SO’s former flames,” said no one ever). Check out our tips before having the talk to save the situation!

Decide if it’s the right time for “the talk”

Come on, you know you’re curious! It can be super tempting to ask for all the details of his or her past exploits so that there are no surprises down the line. Plus, having that open, honest line of communication is one of the best ways to build up trust in your relationship. Sometimes, though, ignorance is bliss, so you’ll want to be prepared.

So how do you know it’s time to have the talk? If you find yourself wanting to know more about his past, worrying what to share (or what not to share) about your own or deciding that you’re ready to move things further physically with your SO, it’s probably time to chat. Make sure to talk in a quiet, private place and give yourself a large window of time; you don’t want to cut it short because you have to rush off to class!

But what if your partner isn’t as excited about having the conversation? He or she might not want to hear about your history (we get it, jealousy sucks), or might be worried about sharing his or her own (cue embarrassment). Psychotherapist Tristan Coopersmith says that fear is probably to blame. “Whenever there is resistance, there is fear,” she says. “Talk with your partner about their fear of having the talk and use that info to build vulnerability and trust… Which in and of itself may create a safer space to have the talk.”

Dale Lavine, our resident Real Live College Guy, explains that fear played a role in his own hesitation to have the talk with his then-girlfriend. “With my ex, I was pretty reluctant to have the ‘numbers’ talk simply because as far as I knew, she was more experienced than myself,” he says. “That's kind of a weird thing for guys to deal with because—at least for me—it was normal for guys to get around more than girls. So when your number isn't as high as hers, a few things go through your mind.”

Luckily, even though Dale was “shocked and slightly turned off” at first after talking, he appreciated the honesty and got through it just fine.

At the end of the day, you have to decide together whether the two of you want to dig up old exes and sex—touchy stuff—so making sure you’re both on board before launching into all the gory details is key. The last thing you want is to do is sabotage the relationship by making him listen to stories he doesn’t want to hear, and vice versa!

Establish ground rules

When you’re telling your SO how experienced (or not) you are, you’re talking about your ex or you’re even explaining that you were once in love (or once thought you would be together forever), it’s almost impossible to know what’s relevant info and what’s plain old TMI. To avoid hurting each other’s feelings, establish ground rules about how the convo will go. “During sensitive conversations like this one, couples need to feel safe,” Coopersmith says. “Setting up boundaries helps create a safe arena for protected communication.”

Nicole Gartside, a sophomore at NYU, set ground rules: “My ex-boyfriend and I decided after a month of so of dating that it was time to have ‘that conversation,’” she says. “But the rules were this: we'd get it all out now, talk about it all just that once, but then not talk about it again after that. It was awkward, most definitely, but we promised for that one time, we'd be totally honest and answer each other's every question.”

So before you go down the rabbit hole, sit down with your partner and agree on some limits. Take Coopersmith’s suggestions:

• “No sharing of numbers… There is NO good that comes from this!” You can still talk about relationships and sexual history without sharing precise numbers, which automatically lead to comparison.
• “Be kind! Be empathetic. Be who you would want them to be for you… supportive and loving.”
• “Don’t ask questions you aren’t prepared to hear the answers to.”
• “Remember that someone’s past isn’t always an indicator of who/where they are now.”

Obviously, you don’t need to state the rules like you’re laying down the law. To avoid making the talk seem way more dramatic than it needs to be, remind your SO that you just want to get it out of the way so you can go back to having your usual fun!

Be honest...

While it can be hard to open up about your past—or say something you’re worried might make him or her see you differently—you should stick to the Golden Rule and treat your SO the way you’d want to be treated (because the Golden Rule always rules!). Would you want to be lied to? Probably not, which means you shouldn’t lie to your partner, as tempting as it may be to fudge the less-than-flattering details.

Besides, Coopersmith says that lying won’t get you far, anyway. “If the truth doesn’t reveal itself in this conversation, it will eventually, and when it does, it will come with a challenging overlay of why you weren’t honest the first time,” she says. “If you find yourself unwilling to be forthcoming, dig deep to uncover why. Are you not resolved with your past relationship? Do you carry shame? Is there regret?”

Figure out what it is that’s holding you back from telling the truth, and then ask yourself if it’s really worth risking your brand-new, totally exciting, super-hot relationship (We’re going to go out on a limb and guess that it’s not...).

After establishing her honesty-only policy with her man, Nicole learned a lot: some good, some bad. “For me, it was a hard thing to do because he was actually the first person I'd had sex with, but I hadn't told him before we'd had sex. But it turns out he'd had sex with a LOT of women,” she says. “While, yes, it was kind of weird, it was very cathartic and nice to know that there weren't going to be any surprises later in our relationship.”

Like Nicole, you can take the big reveals in stride; you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into when you continue dating him or her, and down the line, you’ll be thrilled that your SO won’t be dropping any big bombshells on you anytime soon.

...But don’t overshare

Once you get started talking about a particularly evil ex or a hilarious hook-up story (remember that one time in the library?), it can be hard to stop. First of all, the guys of your past probably gave you a lot of scintillating stories to tell. Second, it’s tempting to share every detail so you don’t feel like you’re withholding info from your current boyfriend. Still, it’s important to know where to draw the line, for his sake. There are some things your boyfriend should never know.

Dale advises, “I wouldn't suggest lying about [your number], but unless it absolutely has to come up, I don't know that I'd suggest talking about it.” The same rule applies for other past details you would rather not revisit—something that still hurts to talk about, or something you’re worried will make your current partner feel inadequate. A good way to go about this is to answer truthfully if he asks about a touchy subject, but don’t offer up the info yourself if you’re sure it’ll cause tension (and you didn’t think it was relevant enough to share in the first place). If you really don’t want to share something, explain exactly why to your SO, and make sure it’s clear that you’re not trying to hide anything; you’re just not taking the conversation to a painful place.

Coopersmith agrees. “A good rule of thumb is to only share what would be HELPful, which usually eliminates what may be HURTful,” she says. Don’t get carried away with the details, and go back to your ground rules to know how far is too far. For instance, does your SO seem like he or she really hates hearing about you with other people? In that case, maybe don’t go into too much detail about your past sexual encounters (like how your previous lover made you feel, if he or she was good in bed, and of course, never, ever comparing size!) or talk too long about what it was like to be in love. Instead, state the essential facts and move on.

“Also, make sure to never mention faking it with guys [or girls] in the past!” says Erica*, a senior at the University of San Diego. “Then they’ll worry that you’re doing it with them, too.” Even if you think it might make your SO feel a bit better—hey, who doesn’t like to hear that their SO’s ex wasn’t great in the sack?—you should stay away from touchy topics like these, as they can easily lead to comparison.

On the other hand, if your new arm candy understands that it’s hard not to overshare a bit sometimes, feel free to say whatever you need to get off your chest. That’s exactly what happened to Chelsea*, a junior at Vassar College. “My current boyfriend and I started dating after we had both gotten out of five-year relationships with our high school sweethearts,” she says. “Basically, we both grew up with our exes. So it's really hard not to bring them up! The most important thing to remember is to not make the other person feel compared to your ex.”

Decide if you can revisit the conversation

While you probably worked hard to sit down with your SO and get this conversation out of the way, you probably didn’t say everything you needed to say (or hear everything you need to hear). That’s the problem with limited time (thank you, pile of homework waiting on the desk), plus it can be difficult to know in the moment what you’ll later wish you’d asked. So the question remains: can you bring it up again?

Your decision will pretty much depend on your relationship. If the two of you love to share and don’t mind hearing about each other’s pasts too much, you’ll probably want to leave the topic open for conversation.

Coopersmith offers her own suggestion: “Healthy relationships depend on open communication, so this topic is no different than any other. Keep it open.” Still, there’s no perfect way to do this, and every collegiette (and couple) is different! While an open conversation worked for Chelsea and her boyfriend, Nicole and her ex opted to not bring up the convo again after their talk.

As you’re wrapping up your talk, make sure to ask your SO how he or she feels about revisiting it. As long as the two of you are on the same page about it, whatever you decide, you’re in the clear!

Talking about exes can be hard for any collegiette, but it can get even harder when you have to talk about them in front of your awesome new boy toy or lovely lady (whom you would rather be kissing than having a heavy talk like this with, obviously). Establish your rules, be open and honest and then reward yourselves with something fun and out of the ordinary, like indulging in dessert at a local café or snuggling up for a funny movie. At the end of the day, you’ll feel closer than ever.

Being fit and living a healthy lifestyle is ideal for any collegiette.  However, if you’re not a fitness guru it can be tricky to find ways to give a boost to your workout.  It can be easy to slip into the same routine each day! Her Campus has five quick and easy ways (complete with some sweet workout moves) to take your fitness to the next level. 

1. Put Some Weight Behind It

A cardio workout is pretty straightforward.  Treadmills or elliptical machines aren’t too intimidating, so it can be easy to get into a routine of hitting them up and nothing else.  As collegiettes, we often ignore the importance of using weights, as they are stereotypically a “guy” workout.  This is a mistake! “I know that lifting weights will get me closer to my ideal body,” says Kaleigh from Louisiana State University, “but I would have no idea how to approach a weight machine.  They probably are simple, but I feel like I’d make a fool of myself if I tried to figure them out!”

The Trick: You don’t have to approach the machines to get some good strength training in.  (But if you’re feeling brave, check out this article from Her Campus about the weight machines at the gym!).  Start simply by doing combination moves with manageable 5-8 lb. dumbbells.  Mary Perez, a personal trainer from IronWorks Fitness in St. Louis, has three easy dumbbell moves that will be sure to work you out:

Squats with Dumbbell Curls
Works: Legs, glutes, and biceps

Grab two dumbbells in each hand.  Stand in front of a flat bench or chair with feet flat and your legs shoulder width apart.  Bend your knees and “sit” back, with abs in and shoulders steady towards the bench.  Keep your knees behind toes and legs parallel to the floor.  With the bottom of your glute, tap the bench/chair and on the way up to standing, curl the dumbbells to chest level, then drop arms back to sides.*

Bent Over Rows with a Kickback
Works: back, shoulders, and triceps

Begin by standing in a stationary lunge position; your left leg back and your right leg bent with a flat back.  Balance by resting your right arm on your right leg and hold one dumbbell in your left hand.  Lift your left arm up into a row (bent at 90 degrees) by bringing your elbow back and squeezing your shoulders as your left arm comes back.  Hold this row position steady and then perform a kickback by extending your arm backwards as if you are passing a baton behind you.  Squeeze at the top of the position and reverse the movement by returning your arm into the row position to return to starting position. Make sure you are squeezing your shoulders as your arm comes up.*

Pullover with Pelvic Bridge
Works: Shoulders, chest, abs, and glutes

Lay down face-up on a mat. Grab one dumbbell with both hands and place it on the mat at the top of your head.  Keep your knees bent about hip width apart and your feet flat.  Begin by pulling abs in and slowly lifting the dumbbell off the floor (as if you are pulling a sweater over your head) towards your abs and lifting your hips up into a bridge position.  Hold this for 2 counts and then slowly lower the dumbbell and your pelvis back to floor.*

*Do all of these moves 2-3 times with 12-15 repetitions each time.

2. Bring a (Hot) Buddy

It’s really easy to say to yourself that you’re going to work hard at the gym.  It’s another thing to tell your friend that you’re going to work hard and then have her there to call you out if you don’t!  Having someone as a workout buddy is one of the best motivators a girl can have.  You’ll be able to help each other and hold each other accountable when you commit to a healthier lifestyle. 

The Trick: There’s no greater motivator than a guy you’re trying to impress.  Lots of girls bring their girlfriends along to the gym to make the activity more fun and social.  But have you ever thought of bringing your boyfriend or crush?  “I didn’t want my guy to see me all gross and sweaty,” says Laura, a junior from Indiana University, “but I got over it and anytime we work out together is easily the best workout of my week.  Plus, he thinks I’m cute when my cheeks are all rosy from getting hot!” Bringing a guy you like to your workout will force you to push yourself.  You don’t want to get left behind on the track when you could be jogging next to him and making conversation!  The key here is not to push yourself too hard though.  Know your limits because passing out in front of him is far more problematic than slowing it down a little!

3. Water Makes You Go Harder

There is no greater favor you can do for your body than drinking a lot of water before, during, and after your workout.  After all, your body is made up of water above anything else!  This is a simple concept, and you’ll hear repeatedly that you need to get a certain amount of “liters every hour.”  But who has time to measure out and keep track of how much water you’re drinking?  And what if you aren’t a fan of drinking water to begin with?  Part of what makes working out difficult is the pain that comes with working too hard.  Without water, you’ll be feeling it much sooner.  It doesn’t have to be difficult to stay hydrated, luckily! 

The Trick:  According to fitday.com, start with one glass of water before you begin your workout and drink an additional glass during your workout every 20 minutes (which can of course be sipped throughout those 20 minutes as needed).   Watch out for nausea, chills, or dizziness, as these are signs of dehydration.  As for the water haters, you’re in luck.  Many fitness professionals agree that sports drinks can be more beneficial than water when working out.  Sports drinks will make you thirstier and more likely to drink more.  They also aid fluid retention and decrease your chances of hydration.  Drink up collegiettes!

4.  Work in a Circuit

“I have an awkward time break between classes,” says Danielle, a freshman at Baylor, “I usually jog for about 30 minutes during that time but I always wonder if I’m really working out enough.”  It’s great to squeeze in some exercise whenever you have free time.  But, if you’re looking for more, there are plenty of ways to maximize the time you have to get a great overall workout.  

The Trick: Small exercise circuits.  “(Where I work), many of our clients have busy and important work schedules to maintain and stay on top of, so efficiency is critical.” says Dan Ellis, a trainer and coach from EFT Sports Performance in the Chicago area, “Grouping 3-4 exercises together in a small circuit not only allows you to get your heart rate going, it allows you to better use your time to exercise one area of your body while another recovers.  For example, a 4-exercise circuit might consist of exercise for upper body, lower body, core, and a related functional stretch.  Two to three of these circuits per workout will allow you to get more work done in the same amount of time, instead of sitting around resting in between sets.” 

5.  Get Pumped Up

Here are several little things you can do to personally push yourself.  Make your setting and mindset workout-friendly before you even begin.  You’ll be much more likely to go back to it day after day.

The Trick:

• If the gym you go to has a television and you find yourself watching “Friends” re-runs everyday, it’s time to kick it up a notch.  If you usually listen to your favorite acoustic playlist, it might be best to save that for your walk to class.  Instead, aim for pump-up music like hip-hop or rock.  The faster tempo will motivate you to move faster with the beat.
• If it’s a beautiful day and you’re sick of being in the library, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!  Find a local park you haven’t been to, or a neighborhood with beautiful old houses and then get to it!  The new scenery will make a jog or biking trip more enjoyable and getting away from the norm will help your mental health too.
• Don’t limit yourself to the treadmill or elliptical.  Many schools have basketball/volleyball courts or swimming pools open to students.  Adding variety to your workout equals a greater chance that you’re working out parts of your body that usually get less attention. 
• Get a workout without an actual workout.  Ankle and wrist weights start at about $19 for a pair at Amazon.com. Strap them on when you’re walking to class, at work, or just lounging around home.  The added resistance  will make a difference!  

There you have it, collegiettes!  The most important thing to remember is this:  exercising is great for your short-term appearance, but also vital to your long-term health.  It’s difficult to fit it in sometimes, but it isn’t difficult to make the time you have count. Take full advantage of these tips and rock it out!  If you can find a way to have fun while you do it (or even look forward to it), even better!

Is Malaysia Airlines flight MH370’s story drawing to a close? That seemed to be the case on Monday when Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak stated that the aircraft and all aboard were officially “lost,” drawing grief and denial from passengers’ relatives. Elsewhere, a mudslide near the town of Oso, Washington claimed at least 25 lives as rescuers found themselves hampered by heavy rain. In Turkey, the government has barred access to Twitter and YouTube following leaks that uncovered possible Turkish intentions for a war against Syria.

Welcome back to NEWSFLASH, giving you the week’s biggest stories!

Malaysian Prime Minister Announces MH370’s End

Weeks of fruitless searching prompted Malaysia’s Prime Minister to officially declare flight MH370 as “lost.”

Najib Razak held a press conference on Monday to announce that MH370’s journey terminated in the Indian Ocean.

“This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites,” said Razak.“It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.”

For relatives of the plane’s passengers, the announcement should have delivered closure after weeks plagued with questions and contradictions. Instead, the statement angered many, leading to accusations that the Malaysian government was lying and covering up the truth.

Relatives of MH370’s Chinese passengers issued their own counter-statement declaring that Malaysian officials have “continually and extremely delayed, hidden and covered the facts, and attempted to deceive the passengers’ relatives, and people all over the world.”

International search crews still roamed the waters following the Malaysian government’s announcement. No more leads have appeared that would explain why the aircraft was intentionally diverted from its Kuala Lumpur to Beijing route.

Deadly Mudslide Takes 25 Lives In Washington State

A massive wall of mud thundered and ploughed through houses near Oso, Washington last weekend, resulting in fatalities as rescue crews struggled to sift through the wreckage for survivors.

Last weekend’s mudslide claimed at least 25 victims with 90 others still reported missing. A month of heavy rain leading up to the mudslide saturated the ground, causing mud and rock to loosen and gradually dislodge.

Rescuers now face a mass of mud, rain and ice in their attempts to find survivors. The bad weather and quicksand-like mud have prevented teams from reaching people still stuck in the quagmire.

The number of missing people was initially as high as 220, though the figure was lowered as officials found survivors and reported having miscounted some of the missing. At least 90, however, are still thought to be trapped in the mud.

A vigil was held Thursday for the 25 people who were lost in this tragedy.

Turkey Cracks Down On Twitter, YouTube

Rumors of war between Turkey and Syria drove the Turkish government to initiate a Twitter blackout and nationwide YouTube ban.

Turkish citizens are no longer able to access either site, the consequence of a month-long series of social media leaks exposing conversations that took place in the top echelons of Turkey’s government.

The string of recordings taken by an unknown source reveal discussions among Turkey’s top military and intelligence officials about the possibility of war with neighboring Syria.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and foreign ministry officials have condemned the leaks.

"Monitoring such a meeting of a highly confidential nature which was held at a location such as the office of the Foreign Minister, where the most sensitive security issues of the State are discussed and releasing these conversations to the public are a despicable attack, an act of espionage and a very serious crime against the national security of Turkey," declared Turkey's Foreign Ministry in a statement.

While the Turkish government claims that some of the conversations have been edited, Erdogan has confirmed the authenticity of some exchanges.

Turkish television and radio stations are banned from airing the recorded discussions.

You know that you’ll suffer physical effects if you eat poorly, miss out on sleep, overdose on caffeine or drink too much alcohol, but are you looking out for behaviors that compromise your psychological well-being, too? You may be unknowingly compromising your mental health with your habits. Here are seven risky behaviors you should avoid to protect your mind.

1. Drinking too much caffeine

Maybe you think you need to drink all four of those cups of coffee to keep you awake, but it turns out that having too much caffeine can have a negative effect on your mental health.

“Coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks all contain caffeine, which some people use to boost energy levels,” says nutritionist Patty James. “However, in large quantities, caffeine can increase…symptoms of depression and sleep problems.”

She says up to 300 milligrams of caffeine a day is okay (about the equivalent of one and a half cups of coffee, or four to six cups of black tea—green tea is less caffeinated, so you can drink more of it), but once you start feeling jittery and restless, you are over-caffeinated.

To cut back on your caffeine intake, you can gradually decrease the amount you drink per day and examine your diet for other sources of caffeine, such as chocolate, pain relievers and energy drinks. You can also try to boost your energy more naturally, such as by catching up on sleep or hitting the gym.

2. Pulling all-nighters

Pulling all-nighters isn’t necessary for anyone on a regular basis, and it’s bad for your health even if you do it only every once in a while. It’s best to plan out your homework schedule in advance and split work up among different days rather than try to do a big assignment in one night.

Colin Espie, sleep expert and co-founder of Sleepio, an immersive online sleep improvement course, says that a lack of sleep will affect your emotional processing and mood.

Sympathetic to the amount of activities and responsibilities collegiettes are expected to juggle, Espie offers suggestions for time management at the end of the day. “Put the day to bed,” he says. “Whether you are worrying about an upcoming test or planning an event in the distant future, these kinds of thoughts often require concentrated attention, which is why they are best dealt with during the day, when you’re awake!”

He also recommends taking 60 to 90 minutes to wind down before going to bed. “Avoid doing any work or any intense activity and take some time to relax before you start your bedtime routine,” he says. You could wind down by reading a book, listening to music or taking a bath.

3. Not eating enough

Regularly bypassing meals by using stress, lack of time, “no appetite” or anything else as an excuse can be extremely detrimental to your well-being, both physically and mentally. Rachel, a senior at UCLA, says skipping meals has affected her mood in the past.

“I was being really snappy with my friends and family,” she says. “I didn’t realize until way later that my mood was correlated with whether or not I made time to eat full meals.”

Skipping out on full meals makes you feel physically weaker and more tired, but it can also affect your mental health.

“Skipping meals, especially breakfast, leads to low blood sugar and can causes low mood, irritability and fatigue,” James says. “If you feel hungry between meals, you may need to include a healthy snack such as nuts and seeds [or] fruits and vegetables.”

One way to make sure you’re eating enough is prepping meals when you’re less busy (such as on the weekend) to make up for the little time you have during the week. For example, you can prepare overnight oats on a Sunday night so that you have breakfast ready to go on Monday morning to start your week off right. If you feel as though you aren’t getting enough nutritious food to eat, be sure to see your school’s health center, which will be able to direct you to a doctor or nutritionist to help you readjust your diet.

4. Staying in unhealthy friendships

Though it may seem obvious to avoid people who bring you down, it’s surprising how often collegiettes find themselves in friendships (and relationships) that make them stressed, anxious or upset.

Irene S. Levine, psychologist and creator of The Friendship blog, says being in passive-aggressive, angry or jealous friendships can be detrimental to your self-esteem.

She says you can tell if you’re in an unhealthy friendship if it’s imbalanced—one person is more invested in the relationship than the other. “The other person may be unreliable, unpredictable, untrustworthy, negative [or] self-involved,” she says.

Levine notes that while all relationships involve give and take, if a relationship is characterized by one-sidedness, it can’t be very gratifying. As a method of detaching yourself from a negative friend, she suggests hanging out with him or her less often and for shorter amounts of time or only seeing him or her as part of a group.

If this doesn’t work, Levine says, you should take responsibility for ending the friendship. “You can simply say you need more time for yourself,” she says.

Erica*, a sophomore at UCLA, became great friends with a girl right after she moved to college. Over time, she discovered the girl was “jealous and needy,” and Erica felt as though she was putting much more into the relationship than she was receiving.

She eventually ended the friendship, which she says was both relieving and difficult. “My advice is to choose your friends wisely and not trust the first person who comes your way,” she says. “Building strong friendships in college is a process!”

5. Spending too much time online

We all know how funny those Jimmy Fallon videos are, how easy it is to lose track of time on Facebook and how warm and fuzzy Upworthy makes us feel—but spending too much time online can affect your mental health.

“I used to get really down when I would spend a lot of time on Facebook and see my friends looking like they were having more fun than me,” says Juliette*, a junior at the University of Texas at Austin.

A 2013 study led by a University of Michigan psychologist found that time spent on Facebook is directly correlated to happiness; the more time you spend on Facebook, the more likely you are to be unhappy.

Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychologist, says that it’s easy to waste time and lose self-esteem due to too much time spent on social media. She cautions collegiettes against spending too much time online, noting that this leads to “social comparison, tracking old flames… and subsequently also getting distracted from [your] work.”

Of course, Facebook and other social media platforms are great for keeping in touch with friends and staying up to date with current events (and some good-natured Facebook stalking), but once you feel yourself beginning to get frustrated or sad because of what you’re seeing—or not seeing—happen on your feed, it’s probably time to shut off the computer or put down your phone for a while.

It’s easier said than done, obviously, which is why apps like Self Control (for Macs) and Cold Turkey (for PCs) exist to help you limit the time you spend on certain websites. 

6. Having unsafe sex

Durvasula says having unsafe sex can lead to significant psychological stress, noting that the unintended physical consequences such as pregnancy or STIs “can generate tremendous stress, fear, anxiety [and] shame for women.”

Sarah*, a sophomore at McGill University, experienced incredible anxiety when she had sex without a condom and spent the next month worrying about being pregnant. “It was a really stupid thing for me to do,” she says. “Even though I didn’t end up pregnant, I was an emotional wreck for the month that I thought I might be.”

Do yourself a favor and don’t take any unnecessary chances with your sexual health—it could affect you both physically and mentally, and it isn’t worth the risk.

“[College] is a time for experimentation, But keep it safe through condom use,” Durvasula says.

7. Binge drinking

You may have already experienced the unfortunate physical effects of drinking too much alcohol, and it’s safe to say you’re probably not a fan of spending your night with your head bent over the toilet bowl—but did you know how much binge drinking affects your mental health?

For women, binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks every two hours. Dr. Kim Dennis, CEO and medical director of Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, says that “drinking more than one alcoholic beverage a day is too much for a college woman.”

In the short term, alcohol can make you feel tired or sedated, Dennis explains. “This can lead to disorientation, confusion, blackouts or passing out,” she says. “Longer-term mental health effects of drinking include depression (it is a depressant!) and worsened anxiety (rebound anxiety when you are not drinking alcohol).”

What can you do to cut down on your alcohol consumption? “Seek non-drinking social activities—sports, arts and crafts, attending musical or theatrical performances without drinking,” Dennis suggests. We have a list of seven fun things to do that don’t involve drinking to get you started. Dennis adds that if you think you have a problem with drinking, you should seek help from a professional counselor or attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, which she says provide a very open environment for college students.

You probably think about maintaining your physical health on a regular basis, but remember that your mental well-being deserves your attention, too. While staying mentally healthy is an ongoing, lifelong process, our tips should help you hit the ground running!  

*Names have been changed.

Say what? For those looking for a quick, steamy hook-up without the hassle and awkwardness of trying to get busy in the back of a car, The Hook-up Truck is here to help.

This "modern dating solution for safe sexual adventuring" is a box truck that can be rented for dispatch or pre-booking for festivals, weddings or holiday parties. It also features temperature control, complimentary birth control and STD preventatives and a camera-ready option.

According to SF Weekly, the truck can be rented through the website for $75 for 30 minutes if you come to the truck's scheduled location, or $150 for 30 minutes when the truck comes to you. Users also need be at least 21 years old and register online with a credit card.

The mobile hotel room was created by artist Spy Emerson, who came up with the idea after being introduced to the hook-up site Grindr. She says that visitors should "think of the Hook-up Truck as if it were a cross between a taxi and a cheap motel." Emerson also explained that the truck is part of a larger art project. 

"I will be photographing our experience, and any willing volunteers who use the truck and want to be a part of the exhibition," she says. "I plan to mount an exhibition of photos, film and the truck itself at the end of the year."

As of now, the truck is located in San Francisco, but it may also be parked at the Electric Daisy Carnival, Coachella and Art Basel in Miami.

As you apply for summer internships, you’ve probably gotten a ton of advice that all centers around one concept: it’s okay to be creative with your resume, as long as you keep it professional.

Leah, an aspiring account service intern, has taken the concept of a creative resume to a new level by sending employers a LEGO version of herself in a packet that explains her skill set and experience. 

When employers and career counselors everywhere are emphasizing the importance of professionalism, you may be wondering why someone, especially someone who’s exploring the field of account management, would take such a big risk.

“I wanted a fun way to stand out to agencies and get my resume out of the trash can,” Leah explained in a photo gallery on Imgur. While we're not sure how agencies are reacting, Leah is certainly standing out to the online community. Her photo of the finished product has already gotten more than 2,000 comments on Reddit!

What do you think, collegiettes? Is Leah’s resume super creative... or a little too crazy? Let us know in the comments section below! 

Name: Graham Richardson

School: UCSD

Major: Cognitive Science

Year: Sophomore

Where is your hometown? Sacramento, CA.

What are some hobbies of yours? Writing music, listening to music, and playing guitar and singing with my band "Huj."

What is your relationship status? Single.

What is your idea of a perfect vacation? One where I get to fly in a helicopter. Helicopters are cool.

What is your favorite type of food? I love food. Hard to choose one food. But you said type, so I guess breakfast food? You really can't go wrong with breakfast.

If you could date a celebrity, who would you date? Either Tina Fey or Ariana Grande. Weird, I know. But both of them are quirky, talented, and beautiful.

How would you describe yourself in one word? Driven.

Name:Will Gibbs

School: Bucknell

Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.

Major: Econ.

Class Year: 2016

The Basics:

Favorite Book: Le Petit Prince

Favorite Movie: “Fight Club”

Favorite Store: Jack's Surf Shop

Most Played Song on your iPod: “Hang Out” by Radical Something

Favorite Class at Bucknell: Philosophy of Laughter

Campus Activities: Concert Committee

Campus Posse: The Gentlemen of Kappa Sigma

General Interests: Drawing, going to the beach, hanging out with friends

Little Known Fact: Been skydiving

Girls, Girls, Girls:

Relationship: Single

What Do You Look For In A Girl: cute, easy to talk to

Female Turnoff: Stage-5 Clinger

Celebrity Crush: Ariana Grande

Best of the Rest:

Proudest Accomplishment: Selling a painting

Where Do You See Yourself In 10 Years: Back in LA with a good job and a nice girl

Three Words To Describe Yourself: Fun, chivalrous, adorable

Name: Brad Dobbins

School: UNCW

Year: Senior (graduating Fall 2014)

Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.    

Major:  Physical Education Health (K-12)

Relationship Status: Single

Activities: Pi Kappa Alpha

In his free time, Brad Dobbins enjoys weight lifting, dancing, going out, playing football, soccer and basketball. You can also find him working at the Country Club of Landfall as an assistant tennis professional when he is not hanging out with his Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike) brothers. Ladies, he’s single so read on to learn more about our Campus Cutie!

HC: Who are the most influential people in your life?

My father, because his values and beliefs have molded me into the person that I am today. And my fraternity, because of the experiences I have had with all my friends.

HC: What is the best piece of advice you have ever gotten?

Stay humble and never get complacent.

HC: What qualities do you look for in a girl?  

She would have to be attractive, have a great personality, be athletic and funny.

HC: Describe your ideal first date?

It depends on where we are, if we are in Wilmington, we would go to Oceanic. If we were in Raleigh, we would go to Angus Barn. We would then go to a Carolina and Duke basketball game!

HC: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?

I would go to Spain because it is such a beautiful, diverse and interesting place.

HC: Do you have any pet peeves?

Yes, the thing I hate the most is when people don’t commit or fulfill their promises.

HC: Who is your celebrity crush(s)?

Minka Kelly, Ariana Grande and Mila Kunis

HC: What is your favorite Movie?

500 Days of Summer

HC: What is at the top of your bucket list?

To go to California, and be featured on television or in any type of movie.

HC: What is your most memorable memory at UNCW so far?

Joining my fraternity.

Name: Branden Chase

School: University of Tampa

Year: Senior

Major: Business Management Information Systems

Hometown: Hauppauge, New York

This week’s cutie brings the New York businessman energy to UT’s campus, with the style and the mindset to match. Branden Chase is on his way to success (and he is available for anyone who’s down for the ride I might add). We found him most certainly worthy of the title of UT Campus Cutie.

HC: Are you single, in a relationship, or complicated?

BC: Very much single.

HC: What is your favorite part about the University of Tampa?

BC: My favorite part is the elaborate architecture and unique vibe around campus.

HC: Who is your celebrity crush?

BC: Ariana Grande

HC: What is your dream job?

BC: My dream job is yet to exist (He is an entrepreneur).

HC: If you could be a cartoon character who would it be?

BC: I'd be Archer

HC: What quote do you live by?

BC: “If you want something you've never had before you have to do something you've never done before.”

HC: How would you describe your style?

BC: My style is New York.

HC: What traits do you look for in a partner?

BC: Someone that can hold a conversation yet knows when to preserve the silence.  A woman with good taste in food yet conscious of her figure. A strong person of ambitions and confidence, yet a less serious side as well.

HC: What sports/ organizations/ fraternity are you a part of?

BC: A brother of Theta Chi fraternity, Cofounder, Secretary, Treasurer of the Investment Club at University of Tampa (Financial Management Association), Director of public relations and web services for UT Student Government, Acquisitions Intern at Progress Residential, a $2 Billion real estate investment hedge fund in downtown Tampa.

HC: What do you think is your best trait?

BC: I believe it to be my mindset. I feel fortunate and thankful for the way my mind operates. A mind is a beautiful thing.

HC: What’s the story behind the suits?

BC: Perception is one of the most important aspects in regards to human interaction.  There's a direct correlation between how you are perceived and how you are treated.  You also never know when you'll need to make a first impression so it's vital to dress for the job you want under the right circumstances.

Name: Ian Berude

School: Tulane 

Age: 20  

Year: Sophomore  

Major: Evolutionary Biology & History with a minor in Italian  

Hometown: Monroe, Washington 

Now that you know the basics, let's get to Ian a little better & check out for my commentary in the Italics!

Relationship Status: Single (And ready to mingleeeee)

Hobbies: Hiking, Skiing, Basketball, Traveling 

Favorite Movies: There are too many great movies, however recently, I really enjoyed Hunger Games: Catching Fire. But I also love most all Rom-Coms and Thrillers (Any guy who is down to watch a Rom-Com is a keeper)

Favorite Quote:“It’s too easy to give up on the things that are hard to accomplish” -Chris Johnson 

Favorite Holiday: Christmas: Nothing beats being cozy and delicious holiday treats.  

Favorite Foods: Italian or anything off the grill! 

Are you involved with any clubs or organizations? Club Lacrosse, TUCAN, Green Club (well...I get their emails and am invited to their events). 

How would you describe yourself using three words? Caring, cheerful, and social. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Most likely in some form of graduate school whether medical school or law school, preferably back in Seattle. 

If you had one superpower what would it be? To be able to fly. 

Favorite song to dance to at a party: Oh goodness...There are too many good ones, but definitely “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira. (He's not kidding: Ian dancing to Hips Don't Lie) 

If you could trade places with someone who would it be: Definitely Ryan Reynolds...he’s had hot wives...been in good movies.   

Where in the world would you like to visit? There are a lot of places I’d really like to go to, but New York City is definitely at the top of my list. 

What are some must-have’s you look for in a girl? Someone who is kind-hearted, good at communicating their feelings, and someone who is down-to-earth, but also loves to have fun. 

What are your turn-offs? Someone who is manipulative or dishonest, or someone who can’t hold a conversation. 

How would you feel if a girl were to ask you out? I’d be honored that a girl would take that much interest in me and I would admire their initiative. 

What’s your idea of a perfect date? Well with the right person, anything can be perfect. (ARE YOU SOLD YET???)

If you could date a celebrity who would it be? Jennifer Lawrence, or maybe Ariana Grande. At the moment I’m down for either. 

Favorite sports teams: Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Sounders, and the Saints 

Have you ever been told you have a celebrity look-a-like? I’ve heard Andy Samberg, but I don’t necessarily agree with that. 

Most embarrassing moment on Campus: Going for a swim in the fountain by Stern. Seemed like a good idea at the time...

Hidden talent: I can play the trumpet and piano. (He's basically Billy Joel)

What advice would you give to girls about guys in general? Cut us some slack when possible. We can be pretty immature, so don’t take everything personally. A lot of times, we can’t be perfect.  

When would you say guys look for relationships? It all depends on the guy. Some wouldn’t touch a relationship, whereas others, like me, prefer them. I guess it just depends where you are at in your life.  

What was your reaction when asked to be Campus Cutie? Quite surprised. I never thought I’d get it, but it was humbling that someone thinks I qualify for it. 

Name: Christian James Brandetsas

School: John Carroll University

Year: 2016

Major: Accountancy

Hometown: Mentor, Ohio

Photo Credit: Facebook

Relationship Status: Single

Best Feature a Girl Can Have: A Beautiful Smile

Campus Clubs/Organizations: CLC Leader, SHRM (Society of Human Resource Management), JCU Conservatives, Admission Speakers Bureau, Student Alumni Association

Favorite Spots on Campus: In front of Murphy before the renovations, Dolan patio, the view of the Clocktower from the football field

Favorite JCU Memory: Surprise birthday party in Sutowski last year

Favorite JCU Professor: Dr. Jacob King (EN 111)

After College: With a girlfriend and working for one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms in Cleveland

Dream Job: Being the best father in the world

Comfort Food: Green Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Celebrity Crushes: Carrie Underwood and Ariana Grande

Favorite Pick-Up Line: You Tired? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day

Favorite Car: White 2013 Ford Fusion

Favorite Store as a Kid: Dick’s Sporting Goods

Favorite Vacation Spot: Hilton Head, SC

Favorite Country Song: Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye by Luke Bryan

Favorite Article of Clothing: White Izod Sweater

Name: Kelly Ryan Machuca

School: WVWC

Year: Freshman

Hometown: Bradenton, Fla.

Activities: I was a world champion martial artist in 2010. I play the guitar, and I also play baseball.

Nickname: Chukes, Kung Fu Panda, Machete

Relationship Status: Single

Favorite Food: I'm seriously up for anything. I'm not picky at all. If I had to choose, it'd probably be some sort of Chinese food.

Favorite Movie: It's a tie between "Saving Private Ryan" and "Up."

Best Pickup Line: You may fall from the sky, you may fall from a tree, but the best way to fall is in love with me. 

Dream Date: I would love anything from the most extravagant, to the simplest of simple. I mean, in my mind, any date that I can actually spend time with someone I care about or love sounds like a dream come true to me.

Celeb Crush: Ariana Grande

Country or city girl: You can never go wrong with a little bit of both worlds.

Pet Peeve: Intolerance to other's differences.

Turn-on: Being confident, sociable, caring, truthful, goofy, and accepting of who I am as a person.

Turn-off: Being snooty, ignorant/arrogant, or extremely confrontational.

Name: Trey Foster

School: UNL

Year: Sophomore      

Major: Marketing Minor: Psychology

Hometown: Lincoln, NE

Campus Involvement: Nebraska football team, SAAC (student athlete advisory committee)

Relationship Status: single

HC: What is one thing most people don’t know about you?

Trey: I have three dogs but want to get another and my real name is Jesse James Foster III.

HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Trey: Hopefully married and working in sports psychology.

HC: What characteristics do you look for in a girl?

Trey: cute smile, likes to stay fit, and is someone my friends like to be around.

HC: What’s your biggest turnoff?

Trey: terrible laugh, bad breath, and hates sports.

HC: We all have embarrassing moments... can you share any of yours?

Trey: Well honestly don’t get embarrassed that easily, but I remember running track in high school and literally running off the track so sadly enough I guess I can’t run in a straight line…

HC: What does your ideal date night look like?

Trey: go to the movies, go eat, and maybe go out with friends for the night.

HC: For all the ladies on campus with their eye on you, are you crushing on anyone currently yourself?

Trey: I’m actually crushing on a couple girls so we’ll see what happens.

Okay, Think Fast!

Celeb Crush: Ariana Grande and Sofia Vegara

Favorite Sports Team: Philladelphia Eagles

Favorite Hobby: hanging out with friends, playing video games, and playing with my dogs

Best Pickup Line:  “If I had describe you in one word I’d just use five letters, U-R-A-Q-T!”

Name: Stan Tisdell

School: Merrimack

Year: Junior 2015

Major: Health Science, Concentration in Nutrition

Hometown: Providence, RI

Relationship Status: Single 

Interests/Activities: Basketball, soccer, hockey, video games, running, bro-ing out, cornhole, TKE

What do you look for in a girl? Confidence, inner-beauty, intelligence, must have a sense of humor, but also must know when to be serious

Best date you’ve been on? This past summer, went to go see The Internship and we then walked around Patriot Place and looked at the stars.

Biggest turn ons? Right amount of confidence, inner-beauty, the girl has a good relationship with her family, intelligence, sense of humor

Biggest turn offs? Way too much confidence, way too little confidence, not too intelligent, the girl has a not so good relationship with her family (I don't wanna play the role of Steve Harvey in a Family Feud...see what I did there), no sense of humor

Best pick up line…does it work? "I'm beginning to sense a little chemistry between us"...it never works

First thing you notice in a girl? Her beauty, inner and outer

If you could trade places with someone, who would it be? Georges St. Pierre

3 things you would bring with you to a deserted island? A chef, a survivalist, and a TV

Where is the best place to meet girls on campus? The gym, they gotta see you lift things up and put them down

Embarrassing confession? I can't rap nor rap battle

Blondes or brunettes? Both 

Most romantic thing you’ve done for a girl? Bought a girl starbursts and a stuffed animal for Valentine's Day back in the day

Favorite song to dance to at a party? Can't Hold Us

Celebrity crush? Ariana Grande 

How do you like to spend your weekends here? Chill with my friends, shoot some hoops, and then party

Best way to win you over? Be yourself

Fun fact? I'm the first person in my family to be born in America. My parents and my siblings, except for my little sister, were born in Liberia 

Best compliment you’ve received? That I am the Best in the World, just kidding. I was told that I have some fresh shoes.

Life motto? No pain, no gain

How do you feel about being this week’s campus cutie? I feel really honored

Name: Michael "Mikey" Saoma

School: VCU

Year: Freshman

Age: 18

Birthday: August 16th 

Zodiac: Leo

Relationship Status: Single

Birthplace: Aussie-town aka Sydney, Australia 

Hometown: Richmond, Virginia 

Major: Business

Reason for coming to VCU: My reason for coming to VCU is mainly because of its urban feel. It reminds me of New York and I have a weird freakish obsession with New York, even though I’ve never been there. VCU is the closest thing to that. Also, the diversity--I like for people to be different and not all replicas of each other.

What’s a fun fact about you? A fun fact about me is I am half Native American from the Halawa-saponi tribe and half Lebonese.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Well I’ll tell you where I don’t see myself—working in an office. I see myself doing something that’s not the norm—possibly something in the music industry. I might be famous one day, guys.

What is your dream girl like? My dream girl has a brain, first and foremost. They have to be more than a pretty face…but a pretty face doesn’t hurt. I like a Hispanic or Middle Eastern kinda look, dark hair and dark eyes. In short, Ariana Grande.

What’s your idea of a romantic date? McDonalds! Just kidding! I would take someone somewhere in one of those no-name places in Carytown. Then, we could come home and watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer (aka, the best show ever!).

Favorite childhood memory: When I was five, I went to Disneyland and it was the coolest thing in the world! I was too scared to ride any rides, but it was still an amazing childish experience.

What’s your biggest fear? Um, to end up alone, I guess. If something ever happened to my closest friends or my family, I don’t know what I’d do. As long as I have people around me, I’m happy.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? NEW YORK CITY! But if we’re talking outside of the United States, I would go to Lebanon.

How would you describe yourself in 3 words? Funny, Caring, and Supportive 

Name: Patric Young 
School: UFL
Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida 
Major: Telecommunications (Production) 
Year: Senior 
Age: 21 

Relationship status: Single; “I’m just being patient — trying to stay focused on life and not really going to force myself into a relationship I’m not ready for.” 
Hobbies: “I love doing things for people. I love serving — helping others out in any way that I can. I love just hanging out with friends -- just being around people I know where they’re going to laugh. I do love playing video games, of course what guy doesn’t?" 
Are you involved in any organizations on campus? “Athletes in Action and No Southern Accent, an a cappella group. We just started rehearsals this week, and we are going to perform next gameday — Tennessee. 
Favorite sports teams: “Jaguars — I just like good football; baseball: I’m a Red Sox and a Rays' fan. I can’t be both can I? Is that possible? I just like the Red Sox and the Rays.” 
Favorite places in Gainesville: “Dragonfly. They have the best sushi -- the best food. If you come with me to Dragonfly, you will not be disappointed. Mi Apa is definitely up there. The Jones; 101 Brunch.” 
Favorite foods: “I love the Bang Bang Shrimp from Bonefish Grill. Dragonfly’s Dragonfly Roll — nothing compares to that. The Jones Buffalo Burger and breakfast wise— Peach Valley’s Apple Fritters. “ 
Favorite movies: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Jack Reacher, Black Swan “Stuff like that that’s so original that you really have no idea what direction it’s going to. Movies that aren’t predictable are the type of movies that I like."
What are the top 3 qualities you look for in a girl? “She has to be a Christian... She has to. She has to be open-minded and trusting.” 
What would your ideal girl be like? “I need someone that’s just supportive — would let me lead our relationship the best way that I can. I mean, I know I’m not going to be perfect, but I’m going to steer us in the best direction that I can. Someone that is playful, mature; gotta love sports, of course.” 
What’s your idea of a perfect date? “Oh man, I haven’t really thought about that. I guess it would be if I made plans to go out to a nice dinner or something like that. Actually, no— my perfect date idea would be something that lasts all day long — maybe, I would come over and cook breakfast and then maybe we could watch a movie or something like that during the day. Then I would leave and get some type of picnic ready and surprise her with that — we would go out and do that and maybe go for a walk or something like that.“  
Did you always want to play basketball? “I don’t know; I first played baseball — up until 10^th grade — and I wasn’t always that good at basketball — I couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time. I don’t know if I really dreamed of being a professional at a sport, it was just something I did. It was like my idol — my life revolved around my sport and I just always couldn’t see myself doing anything else, even though I was pretty good with my academics.” 
What has been your worst and best pick-up line? “I don’t use pick-up lines; pick-up lines are terrible. I really don’t think I’ve ever used a pick-up line ever in my life because they’re terrible, and they’re lame." 
Do you have any secret talents? “I can sing."
Who is your celebrity crush? “I’ve got a little crush for Ariana Grande right now. I’ve got a little thing for her -- just by the way she can sing. Even though she’s a married woman, Paula Patton. Beyonce is always in the top 5. I’m sure there’s more, but I like to keep it more realistic” 
What are some of your turn-offs? “High-wasted shorts. I don’t know; I’m just not a fan. Someone who talks too much and can’t tell when they are talking too much; Bad breath — that’s gotta be everyone’s. 
Personality wise? “Cockiness, people that are too flamboyant about what they have. I don’t like that at all. Girls that are selfish or don’t think about other people — just think about themselves.” 
What is your favorite song right now? “Ariana Grande of course — 'The Way' with Mac Miller.” 
Where do you see yourself in 5 years? “I’ll have my degree, so I will be working. If not in the NBA — NBA is my goal — I don’t know where in the NBA I’ll be as far as city, but hopefully stay in Florida to be close to my family. Somewhere the income tax is not like 30 percent for people that have made money. Maybe San Antonio would be nice — I like their system, and they’re a pretty good team.” 
Have you had any embarrassing moments on campus? “I have plenty. I’ve fallen off my teammate’s scooter freshmen year, and I didn’t tell him I fell off, so his scooter was kind of messed up after that. One time, my friend gave me a ride on her scooter, but she let me drive because she’s really small -- it would be really hard for her to turn with me in the back. So, I was turning in under the stadium and I didn’t see a bike coming, and a bike ran right into us. It wasn’t funny, but it was funny.” 
What advice would you give to other Gators or future Gators? “Don’t waste your time getting caught up in the lifestyle. These four years are about enjoying the college experience, but more importantly it’s a stepping stone for you and your future.  Use up every opportunity that you have; network with people, make connections for your future, and just don’t take any day for granted; Don’t overextend yourself to other people; it will wear you out. The truth is: you can’t please everyone. “ 
What advice would you give to girls about guys? “For young ladies — I would say: don’t settle for less than you think you deserve because he is out there. It just takes guys a lot of time to grow up. And just find your identity, who you want to be, and pursue to be that with all your heart.” 
What did you think when you were asked to be campus cutie? “What did I think? I was like… I need to get a haircut. I can’t take a picture looking kinda rough… I felt really nice. It was humbling. I was thankful and grateful to be acknowledged as one of the hottest men on earth... on campus.”

It’s the end of a hot date, and you’re back at his place. His hands are running through your hair, yours are inching up his shirt. Emotions are flowing free, tangled with kisses and hormones. It could be true love. It could be a random Saturday night affair. But let’s call it what it really is.

It’s a hook-up, and it’s exciting. Heck, if your dry spell has left your love life more arid than the Sahara, it’s downright thrilling. But as swept up in your hot ‘n’ heavy make-out sesh as you may be, there are certain things you must remember to keep in check, one being what you say.

Allow us to break it down for you. Ooo-ing and ahh-ing — go for it. Nonsensical strings of complimentary adjectives — sure, why not? Repeating his name, over and over — yah, we can get behind that. But any of the phrases below — that’s where we draw the line.

Read on to find out 11 things you should never, ever, say mid-hook-up.

1. “My ex was a better kisser.”

Look, you know there are girls in his past, and he knows there are guys in yours. But comparing the present to the past is a major no-no. It’s ok to think your previous beau had the lips of a Grecian god, and that this guy’s are, well, nowhere near god-like. Just keep the traitorous thoughts in your head, and direct his technique instead of bashing it.

2. “And this makes 100!”

Um, do you want a medal? The deets of your past, like the specifics of your ex-beau’s tantalizing tongue tactics, are completely unnecessary, especially when unprovoked during a casual hook-up. If your relationship progresses, the “what’s your number” discussion will certainly come up sooner or later. Leave the sharing until then — and if your total is this high, may we suggest the divide-by-four-and-subtract-ten trick?

3. “I hope my boyfriend doesn’t find out about this.”

While we don’t typically condone cheating, we’ll hold the judgment and simply address the awkwardness of this statement. Expressing doubts about the current situation you’ve found yourself in is an immediate turn-off. And when those doubts concern your potentially relationship-breaking lies, it’s enough to make your current conquest run away. Secrets can be hot, but worry isn’t. If you’re that uncomfortable with what you’re doing, put the kibosh on it until the coast (and your relationship status) is clear.

4. “Hold on, I need to tweet this.”

We’ve warned you of the dangers of oversharing the details of your relationship on social networks before. (RIP Ashton and Demi.) Stepping on the brakes mid-hook up to share how “lucky I M 2 have found this guy :) :) <3”is TMI at its worst. Ladies, it’s Twittervention-worthy. If you must craft a 140-character summary of your mind-blowing kissing buddy, do your best to wait until his lips have unlocked from yours.

5. “Oh my God, yes! Jeff! Jeff!” (His name is Matt.)

We know you may have met a lot of inquiring suitors over the course of the night. A couple vodka-cranberries later it’s tough to keep your name straight, let alone that of the guy you ended up with. But for the love of all things classy, do yourself a favor and make sure you’re 100 percent certain of his name before letting it roll off your tongue. When it doubt, keep your lips locked on his sexy pout.

6. “Are you sure I’m doing this right?”

Faking it isn’t bedroom advice we usually dole out. But repeatedly asking for reassurance kills both your confidence and his mood. Our take on this situation? Skip the third degree and fake it ‘til you make it. If you’re still skeptical of your performance, use all of that super-duper college knowledge and read his body language. You can thank us and your psych 101 teacher later.

7. “Does this mean we’re Facebook official?”

We’ll try to break this to you quickly and with minimal pain: No, it doesn’t. While it hasbeen said that if you want to know if he loves you so, it’s in his kiss, make no assumptions or inquiries during your late-night smooch marathon. Forget or disregard this tidbit, and you will forever be known as the Stage-Five Clinger of his inner circle, a title we sincerely hope you get through college without receiving. (And can we advise you to decrease Zuckerberg’s influence on your love life? That dude’s hogged enough fame already. Don’t let him steal the spotlight in your relationship, too.)

8. “Did I take my birth control today?”

Despite whatever amount of Baby Fever you are currently experiencing, let us assure you that your hook-up buddy does not share in your sentiments. His fear at hearing you utter these seven little words will put a giant, ugly damper on the evening’s happenings. Do yourself a favor: channel your inner Girl Scout, and always be prepared. Unless, of course, you’re curious to see a guy go from “Hell, yes” to “Hell, no” in two seconds flat. Then, by all means, blab away.

9. “Let’s break up.”

We get it – saying goodbye is never easy. But while men have proven they are truly the worst at handling break-ups (we’re looking at you, Jack “Post-It Note” Burger and Joe “25-Second Phone Call” Jonas), suggesting a split while straddling your guy is not the right way to stick it to the male species. Talk about sending mixed signals. Save the serious discussions for outside the bedroom. And, hey, if he’s down for some post-break-up nookie, go for it. Just don’t leave him with no choice.

10. “You’re thinking of someone else, aren’t you?”

Nothing makes a guy lose interest in a girl quicker than said girl exhibiting zero self-confidence. We hate to go all Oprah on you, but as long as you haven’t handcuffed him to the bedposts against his will, give yourself the credit of thinking he is enjoying your company. Shy of having Jessica Alba strut through the door, we’re betting your kisses will keep him pretty satisfied and occupied.

11. “Did you eat onions for dinner?”

Yes, being able to tell what your guy had for dinner while kissing him is the pits. At this point, though, he’s probably as aware as you are of the fact that the chipotle taco salad with extra grilled onions was a poor choice for a Friday night meal. Rather than call him out, reach into your purse, pop him a breath mint and get on with your hook-up.

Second chances are awesome, but saying one of these things mid-hook-up means you can pretty much kiss yours goodbye. Here’s to hoping you get through your next one without a hitch!

Even the hottest celebs were once awkward, gawky teenagers, as we learn through their countless hilarious #tbts on Instagram and Twitter. Others post pics of themselves as adorable babies and toddlers, making us swoon over their cuteness and soon-to-be star power. The best of the best celebrity Throwback Thursdays are ones we could revisit over and over again.

1. Beyoncé

Not only did she wake up like this, she was born like this. #flawless

2. Lauren Conrad

The Hills star had the same adorable cheeks as a child as she does now. We’re also obsessed with her scrunchie.

3. Harry Styles

Story of my Life. pic.twitter.com/C1X1eoreG8

— Harry Styles (@Harry_Styles) October 10, 2013

The One Direction singer was just as cute as he is now when he was a kid. Look at those eyes!

4. Ashley Benson

Okay, seriously, what elementary school kid has hair this fabulous? Of course Pretty Little Liars actress Ashley Benson did!

5. Kim Kardashian

Before she was mega-famous, Kimmy K was a precious tot, shown here with her sis Kourtney.

6. Lucy Hale

The actress shows that's she's always been that adorable with this holiday-themed #tbt!

7. Nina Dobrev

The star of The Vampire Diaries showed the world this pic, which left us saying “aww!”

8. Rashida Jones

School photo #2. 1985. The hair?! Also, deal with your collar, Jones. Not my best moment. #SeeMyMovie#CandJForeverpic.twitter.com/lnssWLF0

— Rashida Jones (@iamrashidajones) August 1, 2012

This pic of Rashida reaffirms that everyone, even celebs, has awkward school pictures lurking in their pasts.

9. Michelle Obama

The First Lady of the United States shared this adorable snap of her and Barack pre-White-House days. So cute!

10. Jessica Biel

Justin Timberlake's wife looks hilariously awkward in this #tbt. We're diggin' the braids and the weird plant she's holding. 

11. Lori Loughlin

You probably know her as Becky from Full House and recognize the toddler in her arms as one of the Olsen twins. This throwback pic makes us want to watch Full House reruns over and over again.