If you're a HC reader, you know that last Saturday April 26, we hosted Her Campus's first-ever National Pre-Collegiette Conference at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, the collegiate capital of the world!

After having an amazing time the past two summers at our National Intercollegiette Conference for college women in NYC, we decided it was time to let the pre-collegiettes in on the action, too, with a special conference tailored just for them (and their moms!).

On Saturday, attendees arrived at the conference and started the day with breakfast from Maia Yogurt (yum!) and received sweet goody bags full of loads of fun products including a super cute See Jane Work Notebook from Office Depot for them to take notes in throughout the day, Intel blue nail polish (more on Intel later!), a free burrito card from Chipotle (them too!), bags of popchips (our fave), Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes, DHC Skincare deep cleansing oil, coupons and special offers from Wrentham Premium Outlets, and a Wrentham Premium Outlets tote.  The day was off to a good start!

After a welcome address by my co-founder Windsor, attendees were off to the first two panel and workshop sessions, where they could pick from panels including "Who Gets In and Why: Inside Highly Selective Admissions" (led by a Tufts admissions officer), "Packing for College 101: What to Pick & What to Skip" where real college girls dished on what they wished they had and hadn't brought with them freshman year, "Making Healthy Choices: How to Fuel Your Body Right in College", led by a college nutritionist, and many more.  In between panels, attendees munched on yummy snacks thanks to Neuro, popchips, and Hint Water.

After two sets of panels and workshops, it was time for lunch!  Chipotle provided lunch for the entire conference, with massive mouthwatering make-your-own-burrito (or bowl) spreads, which included their new gluten-free and vegan Sofritas option which we were pumped to try!  It goes without saying that lunch was *delicious*, and made us even more excited for the free Chipotle burrito cards that were in our goody bags!

Once we had sufficiently filled up on Chipotle (is there ever such a thing?!) to power us through the rest of the day, it was time to head into the auditorium for our keynote speaker, Jessica Bashelor, founder and owner of The Handle Bar Indoor Cycling Studio in South Boston and Fenway, and a Northeasterm 2010 grad herself!  Jessica talked about how her college process started out rocky when Northeastern was the only college she was admitted to, and how once there, she changed her major and intended career path more times than she could count!  After jumping around a bit after graduation including a sales and marketing gig at an activewear start-up and a return to waitressing, she got the idea to found The Handle Bar, and got to work in order to make it happen.  Since opening its first location last summer, The Handle Bar has been wildly successful, and in April of this year they opened their second location!  Jessica stressed to high school girls (and their moms!) that it's ok if you don't know exactly what you want to do yet, as long as you keep working hard and looking for what you're passionate about.

At this point, I want to call out our *amazing* conference sponsor Intel, who powered this year's conference!  For those of you who don't know, Intel makes the processor or "brain" inside so many of our laptops, tablets, desktops, phones and other technology devices we use every day. Intel showcased a variety of products at the conference (tablets, portable all-in-one PCs and 2 in 1 devices that are a tablet and laptop in one), so that attendees could check out the latest in must-have tech and see which device is best for them as they prepare for their journey into college life!  Intel powers some of the coolest new technology devices on the market that you NEED as you head to college – to not only be productive as you get your studying done, but also to keep you connected to family and friends and entertain you in your downtime.

After lunch, it was time for our third panel and workshop block!  Attendees picked from panels including "From College to Career: How to Land Internships in College" and "So You Want To Be An Entrepreneur?: Starting A Business In College".

Throughout the day, attendees were Facebooking, tweeting, and Instagramming up a storm as usual (with #HStoHC), but especially so because their social media posts gave them extra shots at scoring our amazing raffle prizes at the end of the day!  Attendees could "cash in" their qualifying social media posts at our Social Currency Station for extra raffle tickets for the prize of their choosing, which were: 2 devices from Intel (a Sony VAIO Tap 11 2 in 1 device and an Intel-powered Toshiba Encore 8” tablet), catering cards from Chipotle (to host a Chipotle party for 20 people!), bags from LeSportsac, and Navajo sandals from Jack Rogers.  Fingers crossed!

After the third set of panels and workshops, it was time for a fashion show where we schooled (pun intended!) pre-collegiettes on what to and what NOT to wear to different events in college, and how to transition their wardrobe so they wouldn't look like a high-schooler when they got to campus!  We showed what to wear to class, to the gym, to sports games, to college formals, and more, with real college girls and our staffers as the models!

Last but not least, it was time to announce the raffle prize winners!  5 lucky ladies scored Chipotle catering cards, 2 scored Intel-powered devices, 5 scored LeSportsac bags, and 1 scored a pair of Jack Rogers Navajo sandals!  Pining for your own Intel-powered device (we are too!)?  Not to worry!  We'll be hosting a giveaway for an Intel-powered 2 in 1 device in an upcoming HC Study Break email blast, so be sure to sign up and check your email!

All in all, we had an incredible day, meeting pre-collegiettes and their parents, and getting them even more pumped (and prepared!) for college applications and college life!  We loved getting to meet so many of our High School Ambassadors and Her Campus Blogger Network members in person, and we loved working with our partner Intel to put on this conference!

Couldn't make it to the conference this year?  Look out for information on next year's conference in our HC Study Break email blasts, and in the meantime, check out Her Campus's High School section and our Complete College Guide!

You plan on pulling an all-nighter for your final tomorrow, which means you need to pregame your study session with a ton of caffeine.

Now that you're hyped, you think your study sesh is going to go something like this:

But after zooming through a few pages in your textbook, you realize you can’t recall anything you've read.

And when you do process the material, you realize it's incredibly boring and say:

But then your study buddy calls you out:

And you're like:

But most of the tabs on your browser are online shopping websites.

And since you and your friend are working in your room, it's tempting to go sit on your bed…(where you could take a nap, but just a short one!).

Once you’re in your cozy pile of blankets, getting back on track is a struggle.

The only thing that can wake you up now is a midnight snack.

But you pass on pizza delivery because you don't want to pick up the phone and there's already a box of Pop-Tarts sitting in your room.

After another half an hour of lounging around, you manage to crank out a few pages of notes at 200 WPM to make yourself feel productive.

But when you read what you wrote, you’re like:

So you ask your friend:

She helps you out and you “study” for a few more hours until your brain can’t hold any more information.

On your way to your final the next day, you're feeling confident...

...until you see people crawl straight out of the library, like:

So you start panicking about if there were chapters you forgot to study.

But your test is in 10 minutes and there is no time to review.

So instead, you calculate the lowest possible score you need to maintain your current letter grade,

And trust that the curve will give you enough of a boost.

Because at this point, worrying is useless.

So you embrace the fact that you don't know a lot of the material.

Because chances are you aren't even going to use your major in the real world.

Here's to the rest of finals week! Good luck, collegiettes!

When we make mistakes, we learn a valuable lesson and can warn others to not do as we did. However, there a few mistakes every collegiette must make for herself before she can know better. Here are a few blunders that every collegiette experiences at some time in her college career. 

1. Signing up for an 8 a.m. class on Mondays.

2. Deciding to drink the jungle juice without knowing what's in it. 

3. Getting way too dressed up for a casual party.

4. Getting way too into a theme party when everyone else decided not to dress up. 

5. Ordering an entire pizza for yourself at 2 a.m.

6. Starting a 10-page paper at midnight the night before it’s due.

7. Skipping class to have a Netflix marathon. 

8. Sleeping in too late at a hook-up’s place and doing the walk of shame through a busy campus.

9. Having a very public make-out session. 

10. Forgetting to study for a midterm.

11. Pulling an all-nighter to work on an assignment (or catch up on your TV shows). 

12. Going to a fitness class you thought would be manageable (that turns out to be way too challenging). 

13. Spending a crazy amount of money at a bar.

14. Drinking too much the night before an early class or important commitment. 

15. Pregaming too hard before going out for the night. 

16. Signing up for a free credit card (and subsequently racking up massive debt). 

17. Getting hung up on a crush who simply isn’t worth your time.

In case you were worried about not having enough ways to communicate with people, Snapchat has been upgraded to include real-time text and video chatting.

To use the text-messaging feature, users simply swipe right on a friend's name to start chatting. As always, messages will disappear after being viewed, but users can tap the screen to take a screenshot. If your friend is actively reading your text messages, you can tap and hold down the blue button to begin a video chat. 

Snapchat will alert you when a friend is "Here," or online. The app also allows you to flip between the front and rear cameras and send a one-way video stream. 

"Until today, we felt that Snapchat was missing an important part of conversation: presence," said Snapchat in an official blog post. "There’s nothing like knowing you have the full attention of your friend while you’re chatting."

Check out this video to find out more about Snapchat's new features.

Exams, final papers, summer internship searches, travel plans—there are tons of end-of-year stresses for every collegiette, and deciding whether or not to stay with your boyfriend over the summer is definitely one of the worst. If you’re fortunate enough to be from the same place as your partner, you probably don’t have much to worry about. But for those of us who aren’t so lucky, it can be tough to figure out if it’s worth sticking it out for the whole summer.  Here’s what to do!

Know What You Want…

We always change our mind about which fro-yo toppings we want or our feelings about Miley’s behavior, but when you’ve figured out what you want your relationship to be like over the summer, you shouldn’t keep changing your mind.

It’s easier said than done, but before beginning a conversation with your SO, be sure that you’re at least leaning in a certain direction about what you want to do.  Take some time before you have the talk and really think about what you want and what would be best for you.

Lauren*, a sophomore at McGill University, has to decide soon if she wants to stay with her boyfriend or not. “I think I do, but I keep going back and forth thinking about positives and negatives,” she says. “One minute I’m sure I want a summer free of commitment, and the next I know I’d be happier staying with him.”

Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychotherapist, suggests you try not to make any unnecessary sacrifices on either the job end or the relationship end of the spectrum.  

“College is such an important transitional time… [Pursuing both goals and relationships] can be a tough balance,” she says.

It’s important to be honest with yourself about where you see the relationship potentially going in the future. If you see a future together in the fall, try to keep the fire burning while you’re apart. On the other hand, if you’ve been having a great time but your interest in the relationship is waning, there’s no point in dragging out the ending. Have the conversation before you head out for the summer to give both of you the freedom to pursue other interests.

…But Keep an Open Mind

While it’s great to have a strong idea of what you want to come out of your conversation with your SO, it’s important to stay open to possibilities and to listen to what your SO has to say on the topic.

April Beyer, matchmaker and dating and relationship expert, says you should always listen to what the other person has to say, because it could influence your decision to stay in the relationship or get out of it.

“Unless you’re 100 percent sure you don’t want to maintain that relationship… having a conversation with your boyfriend might lead you to a completely different [decision],” she says. “It takes two to tango.”

Jessica, a junior at the University of Michigan, says that last year she wasn’t sure she wanted her relationship to continue over the summer.

“We have a really long summer break, like four months, and I was pretty sure I wanted to try long distance, but I wasn’t sure about his commitment, so I was preparing myself to tentatively bring up the breaking-up option,” she says. “We finally had the talk, and the amount of dedication and love he showed me in that conversation made me much more confident in our mutual ability to deal with the distance.”

Evaluate the Quality of the Relationship so far

So how do you know if you should be staying together? Unfortunately, it’s different in every case, and there’s no surefire way to know that your relationship can withstand the summer. However, there are important things everyone should consider, like the amount of time you’ve been together, the amount of trust you’ve built and how deeply committed you are to each other.

Carole Lieberman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets, suggests you ask yourself some questions.

“The longer he’s been sending you loving texts, giving you romantic gifts and saying ‘I love you,’ the more reassured you can be that it will last,” she says.

If you can’t make up your mind one way or the other, Beyer suggests writing down a list of pros and cons of staying together over the summer. She says you should try to figure out why you’re unsure about it: “Is it that I want freedom? I’m not sure how I feel? The relationship feels unstable? Is it too much pressure?”

Beyer says that relationships take a lot of thought and care. “Nothing is ever black and white in relationships,” she says. “If you question why you’re questioning, that will lead you to the answer.”

Beyer also notes the importance of the quality of the relationship and the time that’s been invested in it. “If both [of you] feel that [you] have a relationship [you’re] both invested in and it’s working really well, the summer is not that long,” she says.

She also makes an important point in her advice about potentially deciding to stay together: “It has to be mutual,” she says.

There’s no point in guilt-tripping, bribing or even convincing your guy against his will that the two of you should stay together for the summer. Respect his own views about the relationship, because chances are if you have to convince him to stay in the relationship (or vice versa!), it won’t last very long.

Think About the Logistics

It’s obviously crucial to make sure you’re taking both your feelings and his feelings into account when making the “are-we-going-to-try-long-distance” decision, but you also have to think about potential long-distance logistics.

“Long-distance relationships can be emotionally challenging, expensive and frustrating,” Durvasula warns. “It may be … impractical to keep seeing each other.”

If you do decide you want to continue the relationship, Durvasula suggests you make a plan for it. “Tensions can rise when neither of you know what happens next,” she says.

Some possible plans include setting up Skype dates and finding a weekend to visit each other during the break, which helps you get to know each other on new turf and explore cities and childhood hangout spots together.

Spontaneity and surprises are always great, too. Spur-of-the-moment phone calls or FaceTiming can help you both stay connected. Surprise him with care packages full of his favorite treats and mail him thoughtful letters to keep the spark alive while you’re not together.

Tackling a long-distance relationship is no easy feat, but at least you can breathe easy knowing you’ll be back in the same place in the fall. Everyone’s situation is totally different, so in the end, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer—it’s on you two to make the decision for yourselves. Make a joint decision that will make you both the happiest in the short term and the long term!

*Name has been changed. 

We’ve all seen the movie The Devil Wears Prada and witnessed the terrifyingly rude antics of Miranda Priestly. With comments like, “By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me,” and “Is there some reason that my coffee isn’t here? Has she died or something?”, no wonder interns are constantly on edge. Striving to satisfy a high-maintenance boss might create unnecessary tension between interns. Work environments are potentially cutthroat and competitive as is, but throw in a distant, condescending boss who is prone to play favorites and making friends with coworkers might seem like an impossibility.

On the flip side, you might run into an Emily – your fellow coworker whose desk is right across from yours. Emily seems heartless and cold – her only intention is to win over the boss. She could care less about you, your job, or even your name. The snarky comments are endless: “I’m sorry, do you have some prior commitment? Some hideous skirt convention you have to go to?” OK, so that may only happen in the fashion industry, but the negativity is possible in any work environment. So how do you deal with the competition that a Miranda-esque boss and an Emily-esque intern bring to what should be a fantastic summer experience?

Get Your Head in the Right Place

The Washington Business Journal reported that in a poll conducted by staffing company OfficeTeam, almost half of senior executives polled said that they believe employees are more competitive with their co-workers today than they were 10 years ago. Human competition is a natural phenomenon, but too much competition can be detrimental to one’s health, experience and overall enjoyment. Luckily, it is possible to completely prevent a Devil Wears Prada situation if collegiettes go into their internship experiences with their heads in the right place. Making the most of your summer internship involves being open to meeting new people, handling strange situations, and embracing the unfamiliar. Even if you are already stuck in a competitive fight with a fellow intern, there are always ways to remedy the situation. Summer internships are all about the experience and competition should never hinder the learning experience. Whether your boss is a Miranda or your fellow intern is an Emily, you can still make the most of your summer and turn any intern foes into your new, best friends all with a simple attitude change of your own.

Ally Koss from Northeastern University had a positive internship experience working as a graphic design intern for the Boston Bruins. She credits the fantastic, no-competition, and friendly experience to the attitudes of all of the interns. Ally said, “We had a new intern come in during May for the summer term when I had already been working as an intern for four months. I didn’t view her as a threat, but rather as a co-worker and a support system. Since I had already been there for a few months, I tried to help her get acclimated and learn the ropes. After a while, we became really good friends and we still keep in touch a year later.”

Ally embraced the new intern with open arms and an open mind instead of seeing her as an immediate threat to Ally’s own personal success. Ally explains, “Rather than viewing each other as ‘competition,’ I think she and I learned from each other and used each other for advice. It’s natural to want to be the ‘best’ intern, but if you view your internship as a learning experience, it’s much easier to not feel threatened by people and get the most out of your co-workers.”

Stay Polite and Civil, No Matter the Situation

Sometimes it is going to be impossible to alleviate all competition in the workplace. In an ideal office environment, sure, everyone would be completely equal and all around friendly. Unfortunately, that isn’t how it works in real life. If you are forced to deal with a competitive intern, don’t give in to any of their negativity or vicious competitive nature. Be the bigger person and always stay friendly and cordial. If you learned anything from The Devil Wears Prada, it would be to not give an unruly co-worker the satisfaction of having the upper hand. Stay classy, stay real, and most importantly stay true to yourself.

If this competitive coworker realizes that you aren’t out to get her, then she might be more willing to treat you nicely. Once you position yourself as a non-threat, try incorporating some friendly, casual conversation into your daily interactions. The conversation should stay away from any “work talk,” but should instead focus on a subject that has no competitive nature.

Your maturity and cordiality might not always do the trick. When manners don’t get you anywhere, what should you do? Collegiettes submitted some tricky intern situations that they have experienced. Louis Gaglini, the associate director for Employer Relations at Boston College, shares his tips for making the best of each scenario.

Scenario 1:

You show up on the first day of your fabulous magazine internship to find out that you will be working in a department separate from the rest of the interning team. You become unintentionally isolated, struggling to make connections with other interns. How are you going to meet people and make connections if you are working alone?

Gaglini reminds us, “There are no guarantees that internships will come with colleagues or partners. Stay focused upon the purpose of the internship – to gain exposure and visibility. There will be opportunities to regroup and catch up with fellow interns over lunch and after hours. Remember that the most important people to meet and with whom to make connections are those with influence.”

So while you may not be directly working with other interns in the office, use lunch breaks, coffee breaks and after-hours drinks to cultivate friendships. While you are working, focus on networking with your superiors, as they are the ones who will be able to help you the most in the long run.

Scenario 2:

After working extremely hard Monday through Friday to put together a last minute presentation for your boss, your fellow intern takes credit for all of your work. What should you do?

“Unfortunately, this happens sometimes,” Gaglini explains. “Usually the person managing the assignment or project knows who did the work, but will not want to place the interns in competition with each other. Simply go to that manager at the appropriate time and remind them how much you enjoyed working on the project or assignment and explain why. You don’t have to outwardly take credit, but reminding them of how much you enjoyed working on the project will consequently remind them of the work you did.”

The bottom line is to be subtle. It is important to make your feelings known, but remember the importance of appearing calm, collected, and together while at work. Don’t let your emotions cause you to act rashly. Instead, do as Gaglini suggests and gently remind your superior of the work that you have been doing. Not only will you get proper credit for the project you worked so hard on, but also communication with your manager will undoubtedly strengthen your relationship.

Scenario 3:

You are working with one other intern and unfortunately, this intern just doesn’t pull her weight. You feel as if you are working two full-time jobs, trying to make up for the unproductivity of your fellow intern. While you slave away all day, your coworker comes in late and leaves early, takes incredibly long lunch breaks, asks you to cover for her and to help with tasks that were specifically assigned to her. What is the best way to handle this situation?

Gaglini comments, “Strong managers will put a stop to it, but weaker managers don’t really know how to handle it properly. First of all, hold your ground and DON’T cover for anyone else. You have nothing to gain. If you are assigned a project jointly, insist that she pull her weight privately or let her know that you are going to take charge of it. Your work will eventually show through.”

This may not always solve the problem. Gaglini continues, “If the dynamic continues and your manager is not addressing it to your satisfaction, you may have just learned that this could be a place where you do not want to work beyond this one internship. Sometimes, that makes for a good experience – when you can find out something negative before it is too late to turn away.”

Scenario 4:

You wander into the break room to grab some water and are greeted by a fellow intern gossiping about you and your coworkers. Talk about an awkward situation. Should you address the intern or just let it slide?

This is a serious situation that should not just be shrugged off. Gaglini explains, “This is a form of workplace bullying. This type of person will eventually self-destruct. The key is to not get caught up in her game. Of course, if you observe or have some other tangible evidence of her talking about you, rely upon your Human Resources people. There are policies in place, and as an intern you have rights in the workplace to be treated fairly and with respect. If you get into her mindset, it can become a one-on-one battle, and some people will view you as part of the problem.”

Always remember that the HR department is there to help you. Don’t be afraid to talk to them if any serious problems arise among interns. Obviously HR can’t do much about petty squabbles or a heavy workload, but when things escalate to a point where they are affecting the quality of your work, consider making an HR visit.

Work WITH Rather Than Against Your Fellow Interns

While it might be your first instinct to turn an overly competitive fellow intern into your archenemy, this definitely isn’t the best choice. It is important to realize that no matter what, all interns are in the same position, so why not work with your co-workers? Just think of all the amazing things a group of cooperative interns could accomplish versus five interns who are in a constant state of competition with each other. And if you have a crazy boss, you are going to need all the support you can get.

One collegiette, who wishes to remain anonymous, had an internship last summer at a fashion magazine where her boss was very Miranda-esque. The collegiette explains, “Because of the nature of my internship, I was isolated from the other interns. That is until one day I was alone in the elevator with another intern and we quickly realized that we had some mutual college friends. We struck up a conversation, which made it so I was comfortable enough to ask her how she felt about the environment of the magazine, and she said she felt similarly treated by her boss. Rather than having a competitive moment, it was a moment for me to feel less alone and realize that no, I wasn’t a useless idiot, but that this was just the way things were run at this particular institution.”

Joining forces can be a good thing, either for emotional and moral support or collective brainstorming. It can be easy to lose sight of this in a competitive environment, but it is definitely something worth considering. And remember, competition is natural and you aren’t at your internship to make friends, but rather to gain professional experience. As Gaglini explains, “The greatest competitive hurdle is now over… You got the internship over all of the other candidates. Now it’s time to become a colleague. Competition is natural and works in some organizations, but not all. As an intern, your focus should be to gain experience, visibility and exposure. Friendships will come and do not need to be forced.”

Use your internship to improve yourself and your own experience. Gaglini emphasizes, “This is a great opportunity to mature as a young woman and a young professional. The successes will encourage you and the near misses will strengthen you. Save the competition for the industry competitors.” Sounds about right to us.

Countless snow days. Unconventional U-turns. Sixty-degree weather in July. We’re the Great Lake State, and despite its downfalls (yeah, there are a few), let’s face it—we couldn’t be more proud to be Michiganders (or Michiganians, if you’re a hipster like that). Here are 12 things we all have in common.

1. You’re prepared for ANY weather at ANY time.

It could very well be 80 degrees and sunny in April. Or maybe sleeting in August. We all understand that Michigan’s weather is fickle—and that’s putting it lightly. So we’re always armed: Puffy coats, tank tops and rain boots all share space in our closets at any time of year. Because a Michigander just never knows.

2. You’ve heard/used the term “Pure Michigan” at least once.

You’re familiar with the slogan—the Wolverine State is all about its purity (although, what does that even mean? Is the Mitten wearing a metaphorical promise ring?). Maybe you’ve even “liked” Pure Michigan on Facebook. Because we’re not just Michigan. We’re Pure Michigan.

3. You’ve hit a mailbox, tree or other inanimate object while driving in the snow.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s kind of an “oh well” situation, because it’s bound to happen. At least, in Michigan it is. After all, these roads are not easy to navigate when they’re covered with six inches of snow and another layer of ice. All we can do is go 25 mph and cross our fingers that we don’t crash into anything. Ugh.

4. You vehemently deny your “Michigan accent”— Michiganders don’t have accents. Duh.

Your great-aunt from the South always has some comment to make about your “cute Michigan accent.” NO, Great-Aunt Lydia, I don’t have an accent—you do. The accent debate is a never-ending battle. And for the record, we really don’t have accents. And that’s final.

5. In high school, you participated in all the weird snow-day superstitions.

You wore your pajamas inside out and backwards. You put a penny and/or spoon underneath your pillow. And maybe you even flushed ice cubes down the toilet. But it was all worth it when woke up at 5 a.m., turned on the news and saw your school’s name under the “School Closings” list. Because snow days are what compensate for minor Michigan disadvantages, such as number three on this list.

6. You’re absolutely outraged when out-of-staters consider 50 degrees to be cold. No. Just… no.

“It’s freezing here!” your cousin from Cali tells you on the phone. “Like, 50 degrees!” You pause, just basking in the absurdity of that statement, and then you hang up the phone and shake your head and fist because the idea that 50-degree weather is cold is, like, RIDICULOUS. Sadly, they’ll just never understand.

7. When attempting to pinpoint where a Michigan city is located, you automatically hold up your hand.

Because everybody knows that Michigan is in the shape of a mitten, and so identifying a location in this state is easy as pie. Psshh, who needs a map when we can use our hands? “Waterford is right… there!” you say as you point to a place on your palm. “Oh, okay,” your friend nods in complete understanding.

8. You know that non-Michiganders find our U-turns to be strange, but you’re totally used to them.

Ahh, the “Michigan left,” or more commonly known as the “Michigan U-ey.” We Michigan people completely understand it—it’s quite simple, really—but apparently it’s “weird” to everyone else. Whatever. They’ll quickly adapt to our oddball road layouts.

9. Sometimes it’s so cold you actually cry, and not necessarily on the inside.

30 degrees in January feels like spring to you. And while you’ve developed pretty thick (albeit chapped) skin, sometimes those frigid temperatures still break down all of your barriers. Go ahead and cry. #NoShame

10. You get all defensive when people start bashing Detroit.

Yeah, it’s a little run-down these days. But out-of-staters just don’t understand. Detroit is home, no matter the condition. Plus, there’s still really cool stuff to do there, like visit the Motown Museum or Detroit Institute of Arts. And speaking of the city…

11. You brag about Eminem’s roots. Frequently.

You’ve seen 8 Mile (probably multiple times), and you still get really emotional and may even shed a tear or two throughout because IT TAKES PLACE IN OUR HOME CITY. Mad pride. P.S. We’ll always <3 you, Eminem. You’re one of us.

12. And finally, you’ve died and gone to heaven after tasting Mackinac Island fudge.

There’s nothing quite like it. Mackinac Island fudge is pretty much every happy thing you can think of times three compressed into a little edible square. We Michiganders actually feel sorry for those who haven’t been able to experience this particular sweet bliss. See, being a Michigan native really does have its perks: fudge. End of story.

Are you and your fellow collegiettes looking for a fun movie to watch during your next girls’ night out? It’s your lucky day! Elizabeth Banks’s new romantic comedy, Walk of Shame, just hit theaters today. The movie tells the story of an aspiring news anchor whose one-night stand leaves her stranded in downtown Los Angeles without her phone, ID or money… eight hours before a big job interview. Even cooler? Her Campus had the chance to chat with Elizabeth about the film and her character, Meghan Miles, as well as what it’s like to be a leading lady in Hollywood.

Her Campus: Do you think men ever have to put up with the “walk of shame”?

Elizabeth Banks: Yes, guys of course can have a walk of shame! But I think it’s all about your feelings about yourself. Meghan Miles doesn’t really feel particularly shameful about what happened [in the movie]. [The film] is about a woman at a crisis point wanting control of her life and this night, and it’s all about how to take control back into your own life. That’s the feeling I think she’s having, just that desire for a whole new life.

HC: You’re shooting all over Los Angeles for this film! What was your favorite part to shoot, and how was it touring all over LA?

EB: LA is my home, so it’s rare to make a movie at home and it’s even more rare to make a film in LA. And even more fun than that is spending a lot of time in downtown LA, which is where we shot probably 85 percent of the movie. It’s sort of like a hipster haven right now. There are so many great restaurants! My favorite thing about making this movie was the good food. But I didn’t eat a lot of it; I don’t know if you saw the dress [I wear in the film], but I was on a diet for the entire movie.

But I really enjoyed finding out more about the city in which I live and finding lots of great restaurants. We had a lot of fun evenings of hitting the bars and really living this character!

HC: Do you relate at all to your character Meghan Miles?

EB: Of course! You have to see a little bit of yourself in every character you play and bring some of your own experience to it. I spent my early twenties in Philadelphia and New York, where I had a lot of fun nights. I spent a lot of late nights walking home from places and literally ‘finding my way,’ and that’s what this movie is about.

I think [we’ve all been there] when you’re at that stage of your life when you’re not sure what the rest of your life is supposed to look like or when you don’t have an idea of what you want your life to be. I think that’s relatable to everybody. It’s certainly relatable to me. I’ve definitely had some setbacks, big moments and questions of, “Am I going in the right direction?” when a door closed and [I was] looking for that open window. Those are all the things that Meghan and this 24-hour period in her life are a metaphor for: this journey that we’re all on.

HC: What are your thoughts on the idea that a woman can’t carry a film?

EB: I have very complicated thoughts about it. I think that, first of all, you have to make funny, good movies. I think this movie is really fun and funny. It’s really relatable, and we made it for the right audience. I love the tone of it and I had a lot of fun making it. I’m excited for people to see it. The rest is out of our control in the business. But I think Johnny Depp worried about Transcendence, you know? Some movies work, and some movies don’t work. We’re all doing our best to entertain.

Of course I think there’s always talk in the media about movies for women. I’m directing the sequel to Pitch Perfect, and the only reason we get to make a sequel is that Pitch Perfect was a hit, and it was a whole group of women. So I think when you put out a good product and you give audiences somebody to root for, that can be a winning formula whether it’s led by a man or a woman.

HC: What attracted you to working on this particular film?

EB: I just felt like I knew who Meghan was, and I thought I could be funny. I mean, it really comes down to that. I really wanted to do a role that used my abilities as a comedienne; I don’t get to do that very often! Or if I do, it’s usually in support of funny men, and I love my funny men, but I really relish the opportunity of being able to play this character and present a complicated girl who’s figuring out what to do with her life and who’s really a good girl at heart. I felt like she was a really free character, and I wanted to delve into that.

HC: Were there any previous performances that you used to help your character in this movie?

EB: Well, this movie really owes a lot to Martin Scorsese’s After Hours starring Griffin Dunne. I absolutely love that movie, and one of the reasons I loved this movie was because I saw the parallels. I loved updating it to downtown LA and giving [Meghan] all these fun characters to interact with and throwing all of these obstacles in her way.

HC: In the film, Meghan is a good girl one day and a daring woman on an adventure the next. Which side of the character would you say is most like you?

EB: I think life should be an adventure! I think that’s what Meghan learns. I think if we all approached every day as, “How can I get out of my comfort zone?” life would be a lot more interesting.

Want to see more of Walk of Shame? Check out the trailer below!

Classes are almost over, collegiettes—which means so are your excuses that you’ll get yourself into shape once you have more time! Whether you’re looking to tone up or just clean up your diet, here are a few tips for getting ready for bikini season.

1. Commit to getting fit.

No more excuses! Set a gym regimen for yourself for certain days of the week and stick to it. If your school offers group fitness classes, pick a few classes that you’ll commit yourself to going to each week. If you treat these fitness classes like your other classes, going to the gym will be a routine rather than a burden.

2. Drink more water.

Not only is water great for you, but it will also keep you feeling full without the calories. It also lets you flush the toxins out of your body (which sodas and juices won’t do!). Carry a bottle of water with you all day and keep on sipping.

3. Amp up your strength-training regimen.

Do you usually stick to the elliptical or treadmill at the gym? Mix up your cardio routine by working with some free weights. Lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike for an hour after a workout—plus, for every three pounds of muscle you build, you’ll burn an extra 120 calories a day because muscle takes more energy to sustain.

4. Indulge without the bulge.

Sometimes we just need some extra energy to carry us through our day and keep us on track with healthy habits despite the endless temptations we're faced with at college. LUNA bars are healthy snacks that will help you keep up a balanced diet. Our favorite treat to satisfy a sweet tooth: the Chocolate Peppermint Stick LUNA bar! You can get more info about LUNA products here.

Get motivated and make a plan, and your body will start looking and feeling better in no time!

Name: Sylven Yacas

School: VCU

Year: Sophomore

Name: Matt Rozzana

School: UC Riverside

Describe yourself in 3 words: Kind, Thoughtful, and Sarcastic.

Tell me one interesting or weird thing about yourself. I watch movies so many times I can recite at least one scene from every movie I've ever seen.

What's your favorite movie? The Wizard of Oz.

And your favorite food? Chicken Parmesan.

So what's the perfect date night for you? Disney movie marathon with In-N-Out.

And what you look for in a partner? Someone with a sense of humor and a drive

And what's the ultiamte deal breaker for you? Cheating.

Name: Andrew Hartley

School: C Mich

Hometown: Riverview, MI

Age: 20

Major: Accounting

Relationship Status: Taken

If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring?

Beer, a raft, and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Boxers or Briefs?

Boxer briefs.

Where is your favorite place to hang out on campus?

South Point because that’s where the party’s at.

Blondes or Brunettes?

Blondes.

What is the craziest thing you have ever done?

Getting drunk with my friends in Detroit parking garages.

What qualities do you admire in the opposite sex?

Honesty, intelligent, funny, sarcastic, and good-looking.

What is your favorite movie:

The Departed because Jack Nicholson is a legend.

Any awesome or hidden talents:

I can play the piano.

What is your ideal or dream date?

Dinner at a sweet Italian restaurant because I love Italian food, and then a Red Wings game in the club suites.

Who is your Hollywood crush?

Rachel McAdams because she’s gorgeous.

Name: Kieran Crew

School: Bournemouth

Course and year: BA Business Studies, first year

Home town: Bristol

Relationship status: Single 

Describe yourself in 3 words... Outgoing, funny and sarcastic

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why? I would want to be a lion, because I'm a predator...

Tell me about your most embarrassing moment! I drank too much on the first night of freshers which caused me to have major beer goggles!

What are you scared of? Boscombe! 

Best night out in Bournemouth? Lost Garden on a Monday

Where are we likely to find you? Cranborne House or pretty much all around Bournemouth. Definitely at the beach if it's sunny! 

What would your ideal date entail? Urban Reef, balcony, beach view, three course meal and cider (Thatchers!)

Best moment of uni so far? Last weekend, because all my female flat mates went home! 

What is your worst habit? Sexist banter...

What is your favourite song? Dancing In The Moonlight by Toploader 

Are you a boobs, bum or legs man? All of them, must be a 10/10! 

Why should a girl date you? Why not?! I'm joking...

Name: Dan Banks

School: UT

Age: 21 

Classification: Junior

Hometown: Suffield, Connecticut 

Major: Business Management 

Relationship status: Single, but on the prowl!

Favorite pick-up line: “Roses are red, violets are blue.. please love me!”

Music taste: Folk rock; favorite band is Fleetwood Mac

Who is a person you admire?: “My grandfather because he joined the military and started a life for himself at a young age. He also overcame the struggles of poverty and now has his own company.”

Who is your celebrity crush?: “Definitely, Blake Lively.”

Best feature a girl can have: “Pretty eyes are a great physical feature, but she also has to be spontaneous and affectionate. Definitely, not someone who is high maintenance.” 

Favorite place to go in Tampa: Oxford Exchange and Yard of Ale 

Plans after graduating: “After graduating I want to take time and travel around South America. After that, I plan to move back home and work for the family business, which is a golf course.”

Five words to describe yourself: Sarcastic, easy-going, motivated, ignorant, and extremely sexy 

Most embarrassing moment:  “The most embarrassing moment happened when I was at the Ritz Carlton. I was running through the lobby in my birthday suit.. if you know what I mean.”

Name: Kyle Hutchinson
School: U Maine
Hometown: Dixfield, ME
Relationship Status: Single
Sign: Aquarius

Twitter? Maybe someday

Campus Life
Major: Premed/ Biology
Favorite thing about UMaine: The people.
How are you involved on campus:  Beta Theta Pi
Favorite place to eat in Orono: The Roost
Campus posse (name some friends):  Nick Woods, Ryan Hall, Brandon Jonaitis, John Fassak.

Best place to meet girls at UMaine: At the library, obviously.

Why did you choose UMaine: Great Parking

Best Professor: Brian Olsen

Best Class: Medical Physiology
Worst Class: Organic Chem
How do you like to spend your weekends here: Out with friends

Miscellaneous
What is on your ipod's top rated: Timeflies Tuesday/ Macklemore
Boxers or Briefs: Boxerbriefs
An embarrassing confession: I buy women’s shaving cream.

Guilty Pleasure: Strawberritas
Ski or Snowboard: Snowboard
Salty or Sweet: Sweet
Cats or Dogs:  Dogs
Dream job: Pediatric Oncologist
Biggest Pet Peeve: Bad Tippers

Favorite Charity: Boys and Girls Club
Three words to describe yourself: Crazy, Sarcastic, Honest

Favorites
Favorite song to dance to at a party: And We Danced- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Favorite food: Chinese
Favorite Beer: Pumpkinhead
Favorite App (game or otherwise): Snapchat

Pick up line: Do you sleep on your stomach? Oh, can I?

The Nitty Gritty
Craziest place you've ever had sex: Dorm Showers

 How do you let someone know you're interested in them: I poke her on Facebook
What do you look for in a girl: A sense of humor
Deal-breaker: Overbearing

Celebrity Girl Crush: Kate Upton
Celebrity Man Crush: Ryan Reynolds

Name: Piotr Jurgielewicz

School: Drexel 

Birthday: August 3

Age: 20

Year: Pre-Junior (2015) 

Major: Biology

Hometown: Suwalki, Poland

Relationship Status: Taken

Astrological Sign: Leo

Hobbies/interests: Hiking, photography, and music.

What clubs/organizations are you a part of on campus? Polish Club, Alpha Pi Lambda, and I work at the writing center.

Biggest turn-on: Dark skin.

Advice you would give a girl trying to impress you: Be yourself.

Celebrity Crush: Scarlett Johansson

Three words you’d use to describe yourself: Sarcastic, uhm, I need two more words? Adventurous! And…ambitious.

Future career goals/ambitions: Pediatrician

If you had to pick a song to be the theme song of your life, what would it be: It’s My Life – Bon Jovi

Most embarrassing song on your iTunes: Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira

Favorite movie quote: “That's when you know you've found somebody special. When you can just shut the fuck up for a minute and comfortably enjoy the silence.” Pulp Fiction

Guilty pleasure: Game of Thrones

Best pick-up line: If I were an enzyme I’d be helicase, so I could unzip your jeans.

What is something most of Drexel doesn’t know about you: I never went to 5^th grade.

Why did you not go to 5^th grade?: When I moved from Poland the middle school was closer than the elementary school.

What’s something on your Drexel bucket list: Get better at rock climbing!

Name: Jesse Cohen

School: PSU

Major: Energy Engineering

Hometown: Lower Merion, PA

Year: Junior

JC: I look for a good sense of humor, daddy problems, a girl that doesn’t care about size, a girl who pulls out her wallet after dinner, and leaves the door open when she pees.

HC: Who’s your celebrity crush?

JC: Adele, that’s a real woman.

HC: What are 3 things you cannot live without?

JC: My dog, my “Hey Girl” Ryan Gosling diary, and Charmin Ultra Soft.

HC: If your life had a theme song what would it be?

JC: It Wasn’t Me – Shaggy

HC: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

JC: Paraguay.

HC: Give me your best pick up line?

JC: My breath smells really bad in the morning. You wanna sleep over?

HC: What’s your favorite penn state memory and why?

JC: When I fell in love with an exotic dancer, Kylie, at The End Zone. I know my mom would really like her.

Name: Kacey Lopez

School: Point Park

Age: 21

Year: Senior

Hometown: South Brunswick, NJ

Major: Photography

Activities/involvement on campus: Action Sports Club

Relationship status: Single

Sign: Pisces

Hobbies/interests: Photography, skateboarding/snowboarding, sleeping, showering, and consuming

Hidden talent: Lucid dreaming

Dream job: Astronaut/space explorer

Life motto: Hakuna Matata

Boxers or briefs: Boxer briefs

Favorite movie: Cool Runnings

Favorite music: If you loved music like I do, you would not have a consistent preference

Favorite teams: USA, Canada

Celeb crush: Alice Eve

Biggest turn on: Wit

Biggest turn off: Ignorance

Ideal date: Scuba diving in Mexico

Fun fact: NASA’s New Horizons mission is scheduled to arrive at Pluto in 2015. From there, it might be able to penetrate the mysterious Kuiper Belt, where no spacecraft  has gone before!

If you could be any fictional character, who would it be and why? Deadpool because of his accelerated healing factor and hand-to-hand combat skills

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where and why? I’d really like to snowboard in the Swiss Alps

Well ladies, if you like outer space & action sports, this suave and sarcastic cutie might be the guy for you! Keep an eye out for Kacey on campus. 

Name: Matt Sarcona 

School: SJU

Where from? Northport Long Island

Studying? IHS major

What do you want to be when you grow up? Physical therapist

Activities on campus? Lacrosse is my only activity cause it takes up so much time.

Three words to describe yourself? Smart, sarcastic, and compassionate.

What do you look for in a girl? I look for a girl that has a good personality and can cook me big delicious meals.

Celeb crush? Selena Gomez

Something you love about girls? I like that girls entertain me.

Something you don’t understand about girls? I will never understand anything about girls even though I try to..

What makes you happiest? I’m happiest when I’m playing golf.

Something on your bucket list? I’d like to climb Mount Everest.

What’s your personal style? My personal style is wearing whatever is most comfortable and generally I wear a hat.

What do you like that girls wear? I like when girls, especially April Savarese wear high waisted jeans.

Favorite movie? Wall-e

Ideal first date? An ideal first date would involve an aquarium and pizza as well as a long walk on the beach.

Name: Brian Story

School: Eckerd

Graduation Year: 2015

Hometown: Phoenixville, PA

Relationship Status: Single

Major: Creative Writing

Three words to describe yourself? Quirky, serious, sarcastic

Who is your Celebrity Crush? Honestly I have no clue. 

What is your Biggest Turn Off? Self centered people in general

Favorite qualities in a girl? Independent, likes to hang outside, goofy sense of humor

Dream Car? Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Favorite Spot On Campus? I’m gonna have to say waterfront

What’s your idea of a perfect first date? I've never gone paintballing, but I think it would be really awesome to do that.

Most Awkward Romantic Experience? I’ve had a dad walk in on me. That was bad. 

Favorite Campus Event? Probably Another Man’s Trash shows. 

Why do you think you are a campus cutie? Frankly I have no clue; I must have a lot of people fooled.

Favorite pick up line? Rule: One just does not use pick up lines.

Favorites
Favorite food:  Ethiopian cuisine
Favorite movie: Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Favorite TV show: Tied between Top Gear and How I Met Your Mother
Favorite book: Cider House Rules by John Irving
Favorite animal: I’m gonna have to go with a mutt or rather mixed breed type of dog

Name: Dom Belcher

School: Bournemouth

Course and year: BAMMJ, first year

Hometown: Witney, in Oxford

Relationship Status: Single

Do you have a nickname? Well, Dom I suppose, although it’s an abbreviation of my actual name! Back home, I occasionally got called Maynard, as the guys thought I looked like Conor Maynard without my glasses on!

What are three words to describe you? Creative, outgoing and then probably sarcastic

What hobbies or activities do you take part in? Play guitar, sing a little, play football and squash

Are there any societies that you are a part of? I present a radio show for Nerve media

Where are we most likely to find you? Either Dylan’s, at my flat playing guitar, or possibly down Sharkeys playing Pool!

Favourite place to go on a night out? TOAST! Halo has been decent, too, though!

Favourite place to get food after a wild night out? Ermm, I think Subway surprisingly!?

What has been your best moment of uni so far? Being put to bed as a half-naked drunk cowboy on my 19th birthday -- although the morning after wasn’t so good!

What would be your ideal date? I like home-cooking, but other than making dinner for a girl, probably go for a few drinks in a nice bar like Sixty Million Postcards.

Give us your best chat up line?! Have you got a map? Because I’m lost in your eyes. Haha not that I’ve used that line yet or anything.

What do you have to offer for the ladies of Bournemouth? Hopefully lots of laughs, a good group of people to hang out with, someone who can cook, loves music, and I don’t take myself too seriously – that’s what I can offer!

Are you a boobs, bum or leg man? Tough call … probably a legs man!

Name: Liam Yates

School: Bournemouth

Course and year: BA Business Studies, first year

Home town: Trowbridge

Relationship status: Single

Do you have a nickname? Yes, my friends at home call me 'Yahtzee', I'm not quite sure why, it just stuck!

How would your friends describe you? Intelligent, sarcastic, generous and active

Where are we likely to find you? At the football pitches and occasionally out in the clubs

What has been your favourite moment of uni so far? Getting into the varsity Futsal team

What type of girl do you go for? I don't really have a 'type', anything goes!

Ok, so what do you look for in a girl? Initially, physical attractiveness, but they also have to be able to hold a mature conversation!

What would be your ideal date? A crazy night in! I'd cook, we'd watch a film, then maybe have a cheeky spoon...

What is your favourite restaurant in Bournemouth? The Print Room is the best place I've eaten

What is your drink of choice? Water! Although I am partial to the odd jager bomb

Give us your best chat up line! Grab your coat, you've pulled!

What are your plans for after uni? To get a successful job in London and do a bit of travelling, possibly in Africa, Australia or America

What do you have to offer the ladies of Bournemouth? Charm, fun and a kind heart

Spring semester is finally winding down, and it’s time to prepare to leave campus for the summer. Whether you’re going home for a few relaxing months off or you’re headed to a major city for an incredible internship (or somewhere in between), there are a few loose ends at school you need to tie up so you can focus on the summer months ahead. Do you have a friend with benefits that you’d like to be more? Is there a cute guy in your class that you’ve been crushing on? No matter what your situation, Her Campus has the answers tosealing the deal in any ambiguous relationship!

Situation #1: I Have a Friends With Benefits Situation That Needs to Change

Friends with benefits relationships are typically a great way to have fun with a guy when you’re not necessarily interested in having a committed relationship. However, after spending so much time together, there’s a chance that you’ll end up wanting to date your guy. Or, you’ll tire of the situation altogether and want to end things. In either scenario, what’s a girl to do? We spoke to college girls across the country who have been in this position before to see how they handled the situation!

“I probably didn’t handle this very well, but once I was done with my friend with benefits, I kind of just stopped talking to him altogether,” says Claire, a student at the University of Missouri. “I ignored his texts and calls and avoided him on campus. He got the message, obviously, but it was really mean!”

“I really wanted to start dating my friend with benefits, but I wasn’t sure where he stood on the idea,” says Taylor, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. “So I started to casually ask him to do date-like things and finally, after awhile of that, I flat out asked if he wanted to date. It worked!”

“My ex and I had broken up, and then we started to be friends with benefits,” says Jenny, a student at the University of Southern California. “It was super tough and finally I gave him an ultimatum: either get back together or get out of my life. We got back together for a little while, but it didn’t end up working in the end.”

So what are some dos and don’ts from these girls’ experiences?

• Do stand your ground and ask for what you want, but don’t let him walk all over you.
• Do tell him how you feel, and don’t just cut him out of your life with no explanation.
• Do force him to see you in a different light by going on dates, but don’t let this placate you from asking for what you want.
• Do give your ex a second chance, but don’t set your expectations too high.
• Do be honest about what you want, but don’t settle if it’s not what he wants.

Situation #2: I Like a Guy, But He Has No Idea How I Feel

It seems as though nearly every relationship starts this way: you like a guy, and he doesn’t know it yet. With the semester coming to an end, it’s the perfect time to let that cute guy in your Chemistry class know that you like him. What do you have to lose? And while it can definitely be difficult to put yourself out there, it’ll be worth it to lose the ambiguity. We got the scoop on what other girls did when this happened to them:

“I had a massive crush on this guy, but I had absolutely no idea how to tell him,” says Jen, a student at Washington University in St. Louis. “Eventually, I worked up the courage to invite him to a party at my friend’s house and at the end of the night I flirtatiously (at least in my mind) told him that I’d had a crush on him all semester. It worked – we started dating soon after!”

“There was a huge end-of-semester project in one of my classes, and we had to pick groups,” says Meghan, a student at the University of Kansas. “I strategically sat near my crush in the classes leading up to when we chose groups so that when the day came, I could casually ask him to be in my group. We ended up spending a ton of time together and had a casual thing. It was worth it!”

So what can you take away from this?

• Do make yourself noticeable, but don’t make it too obvious.
• Do take a leap of faith, but don’t show your hand all at once.
• Do create a need to spend time together, but don’t force yourself onto him.
• Do be upfront about how you feel, but don’t move too fast.

Situation #3: Get Closure with An Ex-Boyfriend

Since you were probably really close to your boyfriend while the two of you dated, it’s only natural to want to continue to spend time with him after you break up. Many times, however, this is not the best idea for you or your ex-boyfriend. It stirs up old emotions and doesn’t make it easy for you to move on. With the end of the school year approaching, it’s time to make a move with your ex: either cut all ties or get back together, but make sure that you rid yourself of any and all ambiguity either way. Here’s how other girls dealt with their pesky ex-boyfriends:

“After going back and forth for awhile, talking and spending time together again then not hearing from him for awhile, I decided it was time to end all communication since we were both getting hurt,” says Elizabeth, a student at the University of Missouri. “I asked him to stop communicating with me so that I could move on. It was really hard at first, but I knew it was for the best so I stuck to it, and I am much happier now.”

“My ex-boyfriend and I were so off-and-on that it was difficult for me to actually move on from him,” says Melissa, a student at Indiana University. “I was so caught up in our relationship that I didn’t even realize we weren’t actually in one. Finally, I told him that I was done, and I stopped answering his texts and calls. It was abrupt, and he didn’t take it well, but I was finally able to move on with my life.”

“My ex and I continued to hang out and talk a lot after our break-up,” says Hannah, a student at the University of San Diego. “He was also hanging out with other girls, though, and that really hurt so I forced him to make a choice between being single or being committed to me. We got back together, and we have been happy ever since. I think putting my foot down showed him that he couldn’t treat me so poorly anymore.”

How do you follow their advice in your own life?

• Do what is best for you, and don’t worry so much about his feelings.
• Do stand up for yourself, and don’t allow him to treat you poorly.
• Do cut off all communication or get back together, and don’t be wishy-washy about what you want.
• Do ask for what you deserve, and don’t stand for anything less.

So there you have it, collegiettes. While uncertainty of any kind in a relationship can be a challenge, there are ways to make something happen in your relationship before the end of the semester. Just follow in the footsteps of your fellow collegiettes, and keep in mind our dos and don’ts, and you’ll have what you want in no time!

This week, the Malaysian government released a preliminary report on the MH370 disappearance, a report that failed to offer any more insight or suggestions about the plane's disappearance on March 8. The U.S. Department of Education also released a list of colleges under Title IX investigations for mishandling sexual assault cases on campus. Finally, a failed execution in Oklahoma reportedly left a prisoner writhing in pain before his death, prompting a state investigation.

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

Malaysia Releases Preliminary Report On MH370 Search

The Malaysian government released a preliminary report on MH370’s disappearance, revealing miscommunications that stalled the search process.

The five-page report noted that air traffic controllers failed to notice that the plane vanished until 17 minutes after its disappearance. The document also revealed that it took Malaysia’s government four hours after the plane went missing to call for an official search and rescue operation. 

Other details were released in addition to the preliminary report, including audio recordings of conversations between air traffic controllers and the cockpit.

MH370 disappeared on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane reportedly rerouted back toward Malaysia but then disappeared shortly thereafter. Weeks of searching have failed to produce any leads, leaving the MH370 case a mystery.

55 Colleges Under Title IX Investigation

The U.S. Department of Education released Thursday a list that names 55 colleges and universities under investigation for Title IX complaints.

The list includes public and private universities, including Ivy League schools Harvard University, Dartmouth College and Princeton University. Other such prestigious schools as the University of Chicago, College of William & Mary and Carnegie Mellon University are also a part of the list.

According to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, the colleges are under investigation for violating the gender equity law Title IX as a result of allegedly mismanaging harassment and sexual assault cases on campus. The Title IX complaints were filed by individuals on campus.

The list’s release has been applauded as a step to effectively address sexual assault crimes on campus.

“We hope this increased transparency will spur community dialogue about this important issue,” says Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights, in a statement. “I also want to make it clear that a college or university’s appearance on this list and being the subject of a Title IX investigation in no way indicates at this stage that the college or university is violating or has violated the law.”

Student victims and activists have long criticized school administrations and the Education Department for neglecting to properly investigate sexual assault incidents on campuses and for not disclosing more information during prior reviews.

Botched Oklahoma Prison Execution Raises Questions

The attempted execution of prisoner Clayton Lockett has fired up the ethics debate surrounding the death penalty in the United States.

According to some witnesses, Lockett writhed in pain after the vein through which he was administered the necessary drugs collapsed. About 45 minutes after he was given a reportedly new and unused drug combination for the execution, Lockett died from what is presumed to be a heart attack.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has ordered an investigation into the botched execution after the state’s Department of Corrections issued a timeline of the events that transpired.

The timeline does not indicate that Lockett was writhing in pain and looked to be conscious about 16 minutes following the first injection, as witnesses stated. About 20 minutes into the execution, the curtain was lowered and witnesses were no longer able to see the proceedings. 

At a briefing Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney expressed the White House's disapproval of the execution.

"We have a fundamental standard in this country that even when the death penalty is justified, it must be carried out humanely,"Carney says. "And I think everyone would recognize that this case fell short of that standard."

Lockett and another prisoner, Charles Warner, had challenged Oklahoma’s Department of Corrections for refusing to reveal the drug combination it would administer in their executions. 

Warner had been scheduled to be executed the same night as Lockett, but following the incident, his execution has been delayed.

For some reason, a love of all things tiny runs wild through every girl’s veins. Anything miniature (or, really, just smaller than it usually is) makes our hearts start to beat really fast, and all we can think is, “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” We love mini versions of basically everything, but there are a certain things that are even better when they’re shrunk down. The smaller something is, the bigger its cuteness factor!

1. Cupcakes

Mini cupcakes are like bite-sized bits of heaven. With the perfect frosting-to-cake ratio, you can pop one in your mouth without worrying about getting your hands sticky from excess icing. Plus, with mini cupcakes, you can have more than one, trying lots of different flavors, without feeling guilty. 

2. Dogs

It’s pretty much an absolute truth that puppies are the greatest things to walk the planet.  Even better than puppies, however, are dogs that stay small even as they reach adulthood. It’s like having a puppy forever! Talk about the perfect cuddle buddy.

3. Reese’s Cups

Mini Reese’s Cups are our weakness here at HC. They’re a little dangerous (suddenly you’ve eaten 10 and you don’t know how), but so yummy. Unlike normal-sized Reese’s, the fun-sized ones have the perfect amount of peanut butter inside. So amazing.

4. Nail Polish

Can't pick the perfect spring color? No problem! With mini nail polishes, you can buy multiple colors without spending as much money! The little bottles make us want a million of them. We'll paint our nails a new color every day!

5. Clementines

Unlike oranges, which are impossible to peel and leave our hands sticky, clementines are the perfect citrus snack. They peel super easily and are just enough food to satisfy our midday cravings. Plus, they’re just so much cuter than their larger cousins. Maybe that’s why they’re called Cuties!

6. Toiletries

There’s no way we’re the only ones who fawn over travel-sized toothpastes and shampoos in the drugstore aisles. If it was cost-efficient, we’d stock our cabinets with TSA-approved travel toiletries… too bad it’s less expensive to buy in bulk! Guess that means we just need to go on more vacations that require air travel.

7. Cookies

Okay, don’t get us wrong; we don’t discriminate against any type of cookie. Big or small, chocolate chip or snickerdoodle, we'll welcome cookies into our mouths graciously. That being said, there’s something so perfect about a mini, warm cookie that goes down in one bite. Both gooey and crunchy, they’re definitely our favorite treat!

8. Cats

Regardless if you’re a cat person or not, tiny kittens may just be the cutest animals on the planet. Their big eyes and little noses and mouths make them look like cartoon characters, and we just want to snuggle with them.

9. Baby Clothes

We love babies, but we also are obsessed with tiny baby clothes. Have you ever held up a onesie and died at how amazingly adorable it was? Little baby pants, shoes and accessories fit into this category as well. Not that it makes us want a baby (not yet, at least!), but we still think the clothes they wear are pretty stinking cute.

10. Donuts

Mini donuts beat out regular donuts every single time. Especially when they're hot and coated in sugar, these state- or county-fair staples are surefire winners.

11. Tiny Hamsters Eating Tiny Burritos

You may think we’re crazy, but just watch this video and you’ll get why this is the most magical thing that’s ever happened.

It's official. Everything's better in its mini version. 

No matter what job, internship or co-op you’re applying for, your resume is a way for employers to get a glimpse of the awesomeness that is you. But getting those fonts, header sizes, margins and indents just right can drive anyone crazy. That’s exactly why it can be nerve-racking for collegiettes writing a resume for the first time; you have to get your experience, skills and academic history across in a manner that is both professional and sets you apart.

Before you go all Legally Blonde and resort to pink, scented paper, check out these five free online tools and apps that will take you through all the steps necessary to make an awesome resume!

1. Resume.com

The cookie-cutter resume is far from dead! Rick Gillis, author of The Real Secret to Finding a Job, believes that sometimes choosing a more classic format will allow the spotlight to shine on your super impressive skills. “It’s like writing a book. Every book looks the same, but when you open it up, some of them just speak to you and others don’t,” he says. “A fairly boring-looking document that is rich in content is where it’s at.”

Just because you’re opting for a standard resume doesn’t mean you’re doomed to stick to the template on your school’s career services website. For a professional looking document, Resume.com lets you input your information into a clean-cut format without dealing with the nightmare that Microsoft Word can be. Resume.com takes you step-by-step and then allows you to choose a template so you won’t have to worry at all about formatting. An awesome feature on the site is the “helpful examples” that appear on the screen for each section of the resume, just in case you’re not sure what category something fits into.

You can download your creation as plain text and print it out, but you also have the option of sharing it as a link via email. Resume.com even helps you start out your job search while you have your newly designed resume handy; you can view thousands of job postings right on the website!

2. ResumeBear

ResumeBear is another no-nonsense site (it’s also available as an app for Apple and Android devices) that walks you through inputting all of the important information you’ll need to include on your resume. Once you’re finished creating your resume, there is a convenient button that allows you to send it directly to an employer in a variety of formats (PDF, Word Document, HTML).

ResumeBear is highly sophisticated; it embeds tracking information within each document you’ve created on the site. It does all the stalking for you by telling you how many of the people you’ve sent it to opened, downloaded or forwarded your resume. You won’t have to wonder about whether or not you’re getting noticed, since the site will send you text-message or email notifications letting you know exactly who has been checking you out!

3. Résunate

Résunate can help you with more than just the formatting of your resume. It acts as a combination resume builder, career coach and trusted BFF by giving your document a 1 to 10 rating on how closely it matches any job description you provide. It even offers suggestions for effective wording that will appeal to recruiters based on what you’re applying for.

“I'm a big advocate of customizing each resume toward particular jobs or companies you’re applying to,” says Tom Dezell, author of Networking for the Novice, Nervous, or Naive Job Seeker. No more sending a resume touting your summer working at a fast food chain to a Big Four accounting firm! You can also have it “focus” your resume if you’re applying to multiple companies, meaning it will include only information that is relevant to the job you’re applying to for up to 25 different job categories. Beyond that, there are options to upgrade to a premium membership for some more custom tailoring. 

4. Sumry

If you’re looking to turn heads with a more visually appealing presentation of your experience, Sumry is a great site to use. Its customizable format is presented as a vertical timeline, letting you tell the story of your life linearly. Pick a background color, upload your go-to picture that says “I’m not trying too hard, but I actually spent two hours posing for this” and list any qualifications you’d like to include. Ultimately, Sumry gives you a resume that looks polished, personal and super impressive.

Dezell stresses that this type of resume can be particularly effective when applying for certain types of jobs. “If a student is applying in a more creative-oriented field, like graphic design, the employers will want to see more creative license on the resume,” he says. So don’t be afraid to take advantage of all of the customization tools and use a little color if you’re looking for work in a field that values originality.

Once you’ve made your resume, Sumry makes it easy to share it with recruiters by providing you with an option to input a cover letter and enter an email address that the site will send out for you directly. There are also built-in options to share your resume on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. It’s literally too easy not to take advantage of, and there’s nothing wrong with a little shameless self-promotion!

5. re.vu

For the collegiette who marches to the beat of her own drum, re.vu takes creative visualization to mind-blowing heights. The site’s mission is to represent “the whole person,” more so than a Word document can.

You’ll create an interactive profile page that features all the important parts of a resume (experience, education, etc.), but those parts can also be mixed in with pictures of yourself, charts and text. re.vu can even generate your very own infographic based on data you provide. Want to show how many publications your work has been published in, or how many continents you’ve visited? As the site says, if you can quantify it, they can make it visual for you. All you have to do is input your information into a table, and it will create your very own eye-popping infographic with charts and tables. The stunning typography and graphics at your disposal will have you swearing off 12-point Times New Roman font forever.

Once you’re done, you can share the link to your profile via email, or you can take advantage of the built-in buttons to share the link directly to social media. In addition to tracking how many views your profile has, it will tell you the average amount of time a visitor spends on your page so you can gauge potential employers’ interest. 

Creating a resume from scratch can be frustrating, but these online resume tools are a great way to get you started. Different sites have more to offer depending on the type of position you’re applying to, so be sure to consider what the employer is looking for. Whether you choose to go creative or classic, these sites will give you all the help you need to show employers that you mean business!

It's 10 o'clock on a weekday night and the things you have to do are quickly piling up. What's probably on your mind? Food, of all things. And you're not even that hungry!

We've all been there and done that. College can be stressful, and one way collegiettes try to let out some stress is to stress eat. Unfortunately, your body won't be too happy about all that unnecessary food. Luckily, Her Campus is here to help you conquer your cravings. Check out these seven tips to avoid stress eating!

1. Figure out your stress-eating patterns

The annoying thing about stress eating is that a lot of the time, you don't even realize you're doing it! So it's useful to pay attention to when and where you tend to stress eat. If you notice any patterns, be on alert when you're in similar situations.

The first step is to identify your personal triggers. Is there a specific place or situation (like social gatherings or study sessions) that makes you reach for food? Do stress or boredom make you turn to food for emotional relief? Do you eat to suppress uncomfortable emotions like anger, anxiety or shame?  To identify these patterns, try keeping track of the times you want to overeat with a food-and-mood diary. Every time you reach for comfort food, ask yourself what triggered it.

"The only way to really see what our patterns are is to be able to be internally calm enough to watch them happen rather than being in the middle of acting them out," says yoga and meditation instructor Annie Mahon. "We have to learn how to take a pause so that we can decide how to best handle a moment of stress instead of just doing what we always do, which is often unhealthy."

Once you’ve identified your patterns and triggers, you can be more mindful in these situations so you can minimize the temptation to use food as a way of coping with stress and other emotions. If you’re more prone to stress eat when you’re studying alone in your room, go to the library or a café or get a group of study buddies together.

2. Ask yourself, "Am I really hungry?"

Every time you reach for food, ask yourself how physically hungry you are on a scale from one to 10. Six to 10 means you're probably physically hungry, but any low numbers should raise a red flag. Unlike physical hunger, emotional hunger comes on suddenly, causes cravings for specific comfort foods, isn't located in the stomach and often leads to mindless eating and post-consumption feelings of guilt.

UCLA sophomore Iris Goldsztajn uses a similar technique to differentiate between wanting to stress eat and actually being hungry. "I anticipate that I'm going to want to [stress eat], so that I can recognize it and talk myself out of it," Iris says. "Then, when I feel like stress eating, I ask myself if I'm actually hungry. If I'm not, I have a ... cup of tea to trick myself. If I am hungry, I think about it first and measure out a healthy snack beforehand, because if you just eat out of the pack, you know you're going to finish it."

The best time to eat is when your stomach feels fairly empty but not hurting with hunger pangs. By eating before you feel signals like irritability and light-headedness, you'll be able to ward off those stress-eating habits!

3. Choose your foods wisely

So you're in the middle of studying, and suddenly, you just really need that sugar fix. What's a girl to do? Probably grab the bag of gummy bears or cookies on her desk and begin snacking... and snacking... and snacking.

"Don't fall into the sugar or ‘comfort-food’ trap to assuage stress," says nutrition specialist Jason Boehm. "Do your best, but don't get bogged down with the [stress]. You will get through this!" 

If you really have to eat, try going for some fruit instead of munching on extra-sugary sweets. "I remind myself to eat healthy because 'empty calories' like chips and cookies don't give your brain the fuel it needs to get through studying," Iris says. Mandarin oranges are low in calories, will satisfy your sweet tooth and will keep your hands busy. Peeling the orange and smelling the scent can also be calming on those frazzled nerves, while the vitamin C in the fruit will help strengthen your body's immune system in times of stress.

Craving something salty and crunchy? Try keeping some nuts and seeds around. Pistachios are are packed with fiber and healthy fats. They also regulate your blood sugar, so you won't experience the dreaded crash after a sugar high like you would with fatty, sugary foods. However, it’s easy to overdo it with nuts, so prevent that by measuring out quarter-cup servings into Ziploc baggies instead of snacking straight from a big bag.

An even more foolproof plan is to simply get rid of all the food that you normally can't resist. Have a lot of sweets in your room? Give them to a friend. Tempted by snacks from the vending machines in the library? Instead of bringing money with you, try bringing your own healthier snacks.

"Not keeping junk food around is a great strategy because it gives us that moment of pause between reaction (I'm stressed, need something to eat) and acting out (eating the candy or chips)," Mahon says. "If you have that moment of pause, and you have a little bit of a mindfulness practice, you might be able to decide to do something different, like a sun salutation, going for a walk or taking a short nap instead."

4. Take a breath

Studying can get a bit overwhelming at times, and a study break can be the most effective way to reenergize. "Students can set aside even five minutes a day to sit still and follow their breathing," Mahon says. "Every time their mind wanders, they bring their mind gently back to the feeling of breathing in and breathing out."

A quick breathing exercise is a great, healthy way to clear your mind. By slowing down your breath, you can trick your body into thinking that you're going to sleep, which will cause your body to relax. Try closing your eyes, slowly breathing in and out and repeating your breaths 10 times. You'll be calm in no time!

5. Have a spot of tea

There's nothing like a warm cup of tea to calm exam nerves. In fact, black tea is known to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that can cause weight gain.

"Drinking certain calming herbal teas can be helpful … green teas or other caffeinated teas would not be calming, but might help you focus more on your work," Mahon says. "Feeling the warm cup in your two hands and then sensing the smell and taste of the tea as you prepare and drink it is another way to practice coming back to the present moment."

Take a break from multitasking and throw in some deep breathing exercises while you're at it to lower your cortisol levels.

6. Exercise

Physical activity really does wonders! It lifts your mood, generates energy and reduces stress. Walking is especially good for conquering stress eating because you’ll have some time to work through your problems and practice moving meditation. Exercise can also help you refocus your mind on your health goals. After you've gone on a run, you'll probably feel less likely to undo your efforts with cake!

"My suggestion for a study break would involve movement as well as breathing because studying is such a sedentary activity," Mahon says. "I would do walking meditation (walking while paying full attention to your steps and your breathing) or yoga or even cranking the tunes and dancing around your room. They can also use walking meditation as they walk between exams and studying to help bring them back to the present moment." 

7. Catch some z’s

On a typical day in college, it's totally normal to see collegiettes working in libraries into the wee hours of morning. Unfortunately, four hours doesn't exactly count as getting enough sleep, and that may actually be contributing to your stress eating.

Boehm believes that getting enough sleep and exercise during finals period is crucial to preventing stress eating. "You feel better and think better with enough sleep and exercise," Boehm says. "And when you're not hungry, you're less likely to reach for sugary junk foods."

Lack of sleep is directly linked to stress, overeating and weight gain. Feeling tired can increase your stress levels. Also, your levels of the hormone ghrelin, which affects when you feel hungry, go up when you don't get enough sleep, which makes it harder for you to satisfy your food cravings and causes you to keep eating. A solid eight hours of sleep every night will do wonders!

The next time you find yourself reaching for some junk food to snack on while studying, think twice about your stress-eating habits. With these tips, you can say goodbye to all those seemingly self-emptying bags of gummy bears and boxes of cookies and hello to conquering your cravings!  

Put up your hand if you love to travel. Now, raise your other hand if you’re an independent woman. Yes to both? How can it not be? You’re a fierce collegiette—fearlessness practically runs in your blood, and you are so not the kind of girl to let a little thing like lack of a travel partner hold you back from a wild, frivolous, and occasionally illicit adventure.

That being said, travel is so much more than simply going. To travel solo the right way, you need to know how to go, and how to go about going. The fun part of mapping your journey is determining the what, when, and where—but being fully versed on the how will prepare you for what to expect when the ‘who’ is you, and you alone!

So whether you’re still in the dreaming process, or you’ve already booked your single ticket, or you have been there, done that, bought the kitschy souvenir shop t-shirt long ago, Her Campus has got you covered on how to fly solo (literally).

Pre-Trip

Find the right (-for-you) hostel

Contrary to what the mediocre 2005 Eli Roth horror film might have you believe, hostels do not, in most cases, feature a subterranean torture chamber. So while safety is obviously your number one priority while traveling alone, you shouldn’t let that cause you to fall into the belief that you’re better off just booking the Hilton. On a collegiette’s budget, staying in a hostel is often your best bet, and you’ll be able to find reviews for any that you’re considering online. Hostelz.com has an excellent comprehensive and uncensored review forum, so you can base your decision off the stories of those who’ve trekked before you. The website also features over 47,000 listings in more than 9,100 cities, including price comparison between places and each hostel’s contact information. Bookmark this database on your browser!

When comparing accommodations, though safety and price should always remain two pillars of your choice, Veronica, a collegiette at McGill University, recommends booking hostels that also feature a communal area for guests. “Traveling alone, I found that the very best hostels were the ones that had bars or good common rooms. Obviously, it was nice to have it right there, but mostly, it’s the best place to meet people. With a common room or bar where people actually hang out, it’s so much easier to sit and chat with someone for a while, and then go out together!"

Before leaving for your trip, create a shortlist of three to five potential hostels to check into in each city you visit. Your first choice may not always be available due to full occupancy or temporary renovations, so it’s wise to have a couple back-ups in place. Also, just because a hostel markets itself nicely online doesn’t mean you should necessarily trust the rating over your instinct if the place looks questionable upon arrival. Veronica learned that while the safe choice may not be the economical one, it’s always the best to make. “Don’t be afraid to change up your accommodations if they’re sketchy! I lost maybe two nights’ worth of money by changing one of mine after checking in, but it just really wasn’t cool.”

Determine how you’re getting around

When we’re all wildly successful international business women, we’ll have black Lincoln Town Cars and chauffeurs idling outside the airport for us upon arrival and our business trip stipends will include the cost of Rent-A-Porsche. While you’re still on the rise to this status, however, you’ll need to procure another way of getting around. If you’re really lucky, an attractive and eager local boy will offer to carry you around bridal style wherever you request, but when Casanova gets tired, you’ll need to find a back-up mode of transpo.

In most cities you visit, you’ll have multiple options of public transportation all for comparatively minor fees. Depending on the length of your stay, it may be wise, if the option is there, to purchase a week pass for whichever public vehicle you decide on, be it the subway, the bus, or the tram. Laura, a student at Carleton University, sees another benefit to forgoing the rental car or taxi. “I love paying a few dollars and hopping on a tram in a big European city and seeing where I end up! You can see so much of the city this way for a lot less than it would cost on a tour. I also love people-watching while on public transit. You can learn so much about a culture through its people!”

Overall, while most cities will provide you with myriad transportation options, arguably the best, (and fee-free), way to get around is simply hoofing it. And when it comes to powering your own way around the city with the ol’ 1, 2, Step, Veronica sees nothing but advantages. “Walking gives the huge benefit of having the freedom to get lost—(which is exciting), go at your own pace—(there's no stress), spontaneously change plans if you pass something interesting—(which you definitely will), and stay in shape—(after delicious filling meals, or all the nights out, depending on who you are).”

Consider a tour

So maybe you’ve decided to “go it alone”, but that doesn’t mean you have to remain alone constantly when you skip off to your destination du jour. Au contraire, if you’re dreaming about getting lost along the cobblestoned streets of Paris, but are a little intimidated by the thought of actually getting seriously lost and winding up so far from where you started, the people aren’t speaking French anymore, maybe a tour is the option for you! The great thing about a tour is that it allows you to enjoy all the fun parts of traveling without the headache of logistics like where you’re sleeping that night, how you’re supposed to meet people, and how you’re getting to that place everyone is telling you you positively haaaaave to go—(“Collegiette, meet the rest of your tour group. Tour group, fab collegiette.”)

Contiki, a Her Campus favorite and the leading youth travel company, offers hundreds of tour options specifically designed for 18-35’s so you can stop worrying about inadvertently signing up for that Senior-N-Single tour of the Riviera you mistakenly thought meant senior year. Close call. In addition, booking with a company like Contiki is great for the cash-strapped collegiette looking to travel solo, because there are zero mandatory single supplements—a nasty little fee many travel companies attach to single bookings to account for the partner you aren’t bringing along. It sounds ridiculous because it is. Why be penalized for going solo?

Michelle Murray, director of sales and marketing at Contiki Vacations, points out, “Tours make it really easy to meet and make friends with other like-minded people from around the world. You’re traveling together, sharing amazing experiences and bonding while having a fantastic time. Tours also take planning headaches out of the equation by taking care of accommodations, transportation and other details so travelers can enjoy the sights, activities, local foods, and amazing cultures without any worries.”

Have a contingency plan for emergencies

Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. The more you prepare ahead of time for the absolutely cataclysmic, the better off you will be in the moment if or when something does go wrong on the road, and you have no hand to grab onto but your own. Murray encourages collegiettes to “take it all in [because] traveling is a journey filled with unexpected moments, great adventures, and life lessons. Don’t let any of it go unappreciated.” But that being said, “Use your street smarts, be safe, and show respect for the local culture and people.” While you can’t prevent the unexpected, you can prepare for the chance of it ahead of time, so before leaving, make sure to:

• Make copies of your travel documents: As a precaution against loss or theft, leave copies of important travel documents with your family back home. If possible, scan all of your important travel documents and send them to yourself at an e-mail address that you can access abroad anywhere you go with internet.
• Organize travel insurance: Ensuring you have travel health insurance that covers all medical expenses for illness and injury is crucial before departing for another country. Your basic comprehensive plan will include loss or theft of valuables, damage to baggage, and flight cancellations or interruptions.
• Register with STEP: STEP, which stands for Smart Traveler Enrollment Program is a free service provided by the government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, another country. After creating an account with the program, you can enter all of the details regarding your upcoming trip so the Department of State can assist you better in the case of an emergency while abroad be it legal, medical, or financial. If you’re from outside of the U.S., your country will have a similar program, so do a little research to find out where to register.
• Carry an emergency contact card: Create a contact card to carry on your person at all times which includes the coordinates of the nearest American embassy or consulate in your destination country, in case you run into trouble. Also list two emergency contacts back home to be contacted should you be unable to make a call yourself. Keeping all of your emergency contacts in the same place is key to dealing with an emergency effectively and efficiently.

During Your Trip

Stay safe

Wherever you are in the world, be it Dublin or Da Nang, appearing confident while wandering the streets will help you stay safe while still getting the most out of your experiences. It’s a common mistake to think that advertising your tourist status will garner you assistance from accommodating locals. To the contrary, a displaced tourist is a prime target for crime, from pick-pocketing to something more serious, like identity fraud, or worse—(so keep a gorilla grip on your passport at all times!).

Kayla from the University of Maine remembers the experience of being alone at night in Paris and how she dealt with being lost. “I got a little lost on the way back from the Eiffel Tower at night, and though I speak a little French, it was scary. The metro stopped running and I ended up having to take a taxi back to my hotel, but if I’d looked as lost and freaked out as I was feeling, I would have been a major target. Criminals tend to prey on women, particularly those who look like they’re out of their element. Know where you’re going before you head out, and if/when you do get lost, play the part of a savvy city woman and walk with your head up and a strong stride.”

Take cues from the locals regarding local customs and manner of dress. No matter the dress code, keeping your valuables protected is always is always fashion, so opt for a crossbody bag instead of a shoulder bag, which can be snatched easily. That being said, wearing shorts, a fanny pack, and sneakers will highlight your tourist status in glaring fluorescence—not to mention the mortifying fact that you’ll be wearing a fanny pack and sneakers. Believe me, you’ll regret that duo when the photos are developed.

Tap into the international travel community

As soon as you lose your solo travel V-card, you’ll come to comprehend the enormous and dynamic international travel community. It’s both incredible and humbling to realize how many people like you have similarly embraced an instinctual urge to get up and go, regardless of whether anyone else goes with them. And just like you, these independents are going to want to experience all the joys and secrets of your chosen destination, and may be interested in some tandem touring.

Beyond the company, alone, hopping off the beaten path with somebody else can have its practical advantages, too. Perhaps you want to split the cost of a private boat tour around The Broads in Norfolk, England? Maybe you’d like to go halfsies with someone on that enormous empanada from a farmer’s market in Lisbon. Maybe you need another player for a game of pick-up cricket in New Delhi or else your team is definitely going to be at a disadvantage and wouldn’t that be the worst?

Several years ago, while lost in the Louvre with a friend, we stopped to check a museum map for a moment, and got chatting with some Norwegian students visiting Paris from a city just north of Oslo. Deciding that six heads were better than two, we embarked together in search of the elusive Venus de Milo, whom we found two hours and half the museum later, in all her armless glory. I’ve since kept in touch with several of them on Facebook and years later, I know that if I were ever to find myself on a Scandinavian tour, I could count on four friendly faces to show me around. Foster the friendships you make with the expatriates you meet on your travels because they’ll be ones to tap into in the future for companionship and couch-surfing when you’re on the road again!

Document everything!

As amazing as the experience of traveling is, it can sometimes be a bit of a sensory overload. So many experiences are packed into the numbered hours of each day’s itinerary, it may be overwhelming to take it on alone, however much fun you’re having. Make time each day to update a travel blog or scribble a quick entry in a travel journal. Veronica points out, “Not only does [journaling] give you something to do on train rides, but it is the best thing for the travel withdrawal you will have when you’re back home.” If you go the online route, Tumblr and Google’s weblog platform Blogger provide foolproof platforms for the amateur journalist, so you have no excuses not to get your blog on, girl.

Wear down the capture button on your camera. Take so many pictures you could put the stills together and practically make a film. While it’s important to document your journeys in writing, a picture really says a thousand words and when you’re tearing apart your vocabulary in attempts to describe to someone that je ne sais quoi of the view at the top of la tour Eiffel, you’ll be grateful you can just pull out a photo instead and be like, “See what I mean?!”

In addition, the art of taking a photo of yourself without cutting off part of your face or giving yourself maje’ double-chin is a skill to be mastered, pre-trip. When you’ve spent the last two hours hiking to the top of Mount Batur in Bali at four in the morning to watch the sunrise over Penelokan, taking a few selfies is not only forgivable, but necessary.

Embrace your newfound freedom

Whether you’re in Madrid or Marrakech, trekking on your own allows you to get chummier with the locals than if you were surrounded by a safety net of fellow travelers, so get to know some before you leave! Pretend for a moment that whichever city you’re visiting is a fabulous evening soirée and the locals of the destination guests at the party. If you’re traveling with a pack of fellow journeymen, just like if you go to a party with your entourage already in tow, you won’t meet new people like you would flying solo. Take advantage of your single status and mingle with the people who know your exotic locale best—the people who call it their hometown!

While linking up with other travelers is great, embrace the time you have to yourself in a foreign land as one of self-discovery! Alain de Botton, a travel writer and philosopher points out in his book The Art of Travel that “Our responses to the world are crucially molded by the company we keep, for we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others... Being closely observed by a companion can also inhibit our observation of others.”

Laura admits that while some elements of solo travel may be foreign at first, ultimately you get used to the alone time and come to love it. “One thing I didn’t like at first was going to restaurants alone. But when you are traveling solo, this is pretty much a non-negotiable. I have grown to love eating alone though. I don’t focus on the fact that I don’t have anyone; instead, it gives me time to sit and think, plan my next excursion, or read the tourist pamphlets they give you at the hotel.”

Being alone gives you the opportunity to shed the comfortable shell of your identity and see what kind of girl appears when you’re not locked into the expectations of the people you know to be, react, and think a certain way. Traveling alone allows you to connect on a deeper level to the world around you, and it may be a surprise to find the face reflected back at you in the River Seine while wandering the Left Bank by dusk appears different than the one you remember practicing selfie pics in your bedroom vanity before departure.

Never compromise

Go to sleep when you want. Wake up when you want. Eat when you want. Chat up that golden-bodied Spaniard Javier on the Barceloneta beach for as long as you want. No compromises. Ever.

This is the joy of traveling by yourself.

In honor of the recent 10-year anniversary of Mean Girls, we dedicate this article to our favorite ditzy, Taco-Bell-loving blonde. Read on to find out if Karen Smith is actually your spirit animal.

1. You say exactly what's on your mind. 

2. Your logic can be a little off the mark.

3. You admit when you're wrong.

4. You have trouble keeping secrets. 

5. Your favorite color is pink, obviously.

6. You may not be the sharpest crayon in the box,

7. But you make up for it with your plethora of hidden talents.

8. It's like you have ESPN or something.

9. Halloween is your favorite holiday.

10. Lying isn't one of your strong suits.

11. You get excited about the little things in life. 

After months of filling out tons of applications and sending emails to employers all over the country, you finally landed your dream internship! You’ve already spoken with the internship coordinator and have all of the details. The only thing left to worry about is where you’re going to live, and that shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

Unfortunately, finding housing in places like New York City can be really tough, especially when saving money isn’t really your forte. Don’t worry; we’ve got all the info you’ll need to find a great place this summer. Here are some options to look into before June!

Educational Housing Services

Educational Housing Services prides itself on offering tons of housing options for students interning in New York for the summer. Whether you’re interning in Upper Manhattan, Midtown/Queens or Brooklyn, Educational Housing Services (EHS) has tons of options for you to choose from. Not only are dorms available, one of their residences is located within The New Yorker Hotel!

On the site, you can choose which part of New York you’re interning in. Then, fill in some basic information about yourself and how many people you’d like to stay with. Within the next few minutes, EHS will send you an email with options selected just for you and payment information! Each room comes fully furnished with a bed, a desk, Wi-Fi access and 24-hour security.

Concerned about how you’re going to get around in the Big Apple? EHS has information about transportation to and from your internship as well as how to master the crazy art of hailing a cab. With subway and bus routes online, EHS is definitely a great option to research while searching for housing.

Other University Housing

Tons of universities open their residence halls to students from across the country every summer! New York University offers summer housing to non-students starting at $181 per week, but in order to stay in the less expensive dorms, you must purchase a meal plan, which can get a bit pricey ($130-$160/week).

Interning in Chicago this summer? The University of Illinois at Chicago offers summer housing to interns for $45 per night for the first three weeks. The longer you choose to stay, the lower your daily rate is. Located in the heart of University Village, UIC’s Thomas Beckham Hall opens its doors to interns and offers the opportunity to network with students from around the country.

Laundry, cable television and Internet are available for interns staying at UIC as well. Less than a mile from downtown with pay parking available, the University of Illinois at Chicago is a very feasible option for students interning in the Windy City!

Airbnb

If you’re completely against staying in a dorm this summer, check out Airbnb for some awesome subleasing options! The people who list their rooms on this website sublease everything from one room to an entire apartment. Plus, listings are offered for a range of time limits. Whether you’re staying in your city for a month and a half or the entire summer, Airbnb has tons of options for you to choose from!

While Airbnb does not routinely perform background checks on its users, the site offers a number of features to build a safe community such as a secure messaging system, user reviews and identification verification. Airbnb has specifically created a secure payment system to ensure that money is fully collected and safe.

Plus, this website gives you the opportunity to view the rooms you’re about to sublease before you book with tons of pictures! Each listing, along with pictures, comes with info about which subway route to take or which bus to hop on, what stores are in close vicinity and the other tenants in the apartment. If you have a strict budget you’re looking to adhere to, Airbnb allows you to customize your housing search by price so you’re only shown options that work for your specific price point!

Landing that internship that you love is only half the battle. When it comes to finding housing in larger cities, start researching early! The earlier you start researching, the more options will be available and they’ll definitely be a whole lot cheaper. Plus, you’ll be much less stressed out!