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

DO plan ahead.

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

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

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

DON'T schedule every minute of the day.

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

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

Related: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Overschedule Your Life

DO make the most of the club fair.

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

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

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

DON'T sign up for a million clubs.

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

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

DO put yourself out there!

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

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

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

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

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

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

DO have fun!

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

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

DON'T let FOMO get you down.

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

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

DON'T party too hard.

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

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

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

The governor of Virginia declared a state of emergency in Charlottesville, home to the University of Virginia campus, as a march of white nationalists in the city turned violent on Saturday, The New York Times reports.

According to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, the violence was caused by "mostly out-of-state protesters" who had come into the city for the "Unite the Right" white supremacist rally to protest a plan to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee from a Charlottesville park.

While the rally wasn't scheduled to begin until noon, The Washington Post says that protesters were being ordered out of the city as early as 11 a.m. as things turned violent. Many attendees were reportedly waving Confederate flags and chanting Nazi slogans such as, "You will not replace us,” and “Jew will not replace us." Meanwhile, tensions escalated as counterprotesters increased in numbers, shouting things like, "Nazi scum," at white nationalists.

According to the Times, it was at that point that police retreated, and several people, including a UVA police officer, were injured as fights broke out.

"I am disgusted by the hatred, bigotry and violence these protesters have brought to our state over the past 24 hours," Governor McAulitte told the Washington Post in a statement.

Tensions began earlier on Friday night when thousands of white supremacists and neo-Nazis gathered with torches on the UVA campus to chant hateful messages, where they also clashed with counterprotesters.

University of Virginia President Teresa Sullivan "strongly condemned" Friday's protest on campus, saying in a statement, "I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the hateful behavior displayed by torch-bearing protestors that marched on our Grounds this evening. I strongly condemn the unprovoked assault on members of our community, including University personnel who were attempting to maintain order."

The city of Charlottesville has been bracing itself for the march all week, and Airbnb even cancelled bookings made by many of the rally's attendees, accusing them of violating the company's anti-discrimination policy.

A Denver judge has thrown out radio DJ David Mueller's case against Taylor Swift, which accused the singer of setting out to get Mueller fired from his job after he allegedly groped her, ruling that she "did not act improperly."

According to Refinery29, U.S. District Judge William Martinez determined that Mueller hadn't shown that Swift had set out to have him fired or ruin his reputation over what Mueller called false claims of sexual assault. He was suing Swift for $3 million after she claimed that he groped her during a meet-and-greet and photo op back in 2013. In response, Taylor has countersued, hoping to serve, "as an example to other women who may resist publicly reliving similar outrageous and humiliating acts."

Unfortunately for Taylor, the legal battle over the incident isn't quite over yet. Identical charges against Swift's mother and radio manager will go to a jury on Monday, and Swift's case against Mueller for a symbolic $1 for sexual battery will still be heard sometime next week.

"I couldn't be more proud to represent somebody like Taylor Swift who's willing to step up in a situation like this," Swift's attorney Douglas Baldridge said following the decision on Friday, Cosmopolitan reports.

While there is still more to come, the tossing of Mueller's case is a step in the right direction for Swift to take a stand for the rights of all women who have been victims of sexual assault.

Summer is drawing to a close, and for many pre-collegiettes the end is near. Not just the end of barbecues, summer jobs and lazy days at the pool, but—for girls who have just finished their summer after high school graduation—the end of life as they know it before college.

The last week before move-in day and Welcome Week is unbelievably hectic for just about everyone. But as you pack boxes and make deposits and stroll through the aisles of Target, don’t forget to add one more item to your list: saying goodbye.

While it’s tough to part with the friends and family you’ve known forever, saying goodbye is also a great opportunity to strengthen friendships and show people just how much they mean to you. Keep reading for tips from collegiettes across the country on unique ways to make your farewells both fun and meaningful. 

Put a new spin on your group get-together.

While personalized goodbyes are essential for the people you’re closest to, it’s perfectly all right to say goodbye to some people in groups. Make a list of people you want to see before you leave and throw a party. (Just make sure you check when everyone will be leaving, and don’t schedule it for the week before you go—everyone will be too busy to breathe by then).

You’ll probably get a stack of invitations to similar get-togethers as the summer winds down, so it’s important to keep your event fresh. Sarah Ramirez from Fordham College at Rose Hill suggests coming up with a clever theme, like the nautical-themed “Bon Voyage” party she hosted with her best friend.

You can also just get creative. Felicia Tickle, an Appalachian State University grad, had everyone at her goodbye bash sign a giant poster with memories and advice, which she later hung in her dorm.“It was basically like a giant yearbook I could frame,”she says.

If you choose to host a goodbye party, make sure to send invitations at least three weeks in advance—it’s a busy time for everyone, and you don’t want to get crowded out of the calendar by other obligations. Choose your guest list carefully; not everyone has to know each other well, but it is an emotional event, so it makes sense to choose close friends and people who generally get along.

Hold your party in an open space where everyone can spread out—try your backyard or even a public park. Set up a table for each of your guests with scrapbook paper, glue sticks, ribbon, and other DIY goodies. Let them supply the photos and memories, pair everyone up, and have fun making goodbye posters to adorn those cinderblock dorm walls.

While at your goodbye party, it’s also a great time to get your friends together for a few group photos. Talk to your most photography-inclined friend in advance, and let her bring her equipment and take a few shots for everyone to hang up in their dorm room or apartment. Just make sure someone else takes over the camera for a while, so your photographer isn’t absent from all the pictures!

Take time to show people how much you care.

As your life changes drastically, it’s the perfect time to embrace your creativity and show the most important people in your life how much they mean to you.

For Cameron Simcik, a Bucknell University grad, that meant putting her feelings into (written) words. “Before I left for college, I wrote my siblings, parents, and close friends each a letter,” she says. “I felt like it was important to let these people know how they helped me get to where I was and what part of them I was bringing with me to this next chapter in my life.”

For another collegiette, Harvard University student Madeleine Frank, it meant passing on an uncommonly personal type of advice. Madeleine kept a diary during her freshman year of high school, and just before she left for college she gave it to her younger sister, who was about to enter her own freshman year. “I thought reading it would help her get through some of the challenges that high school brings,” she says.

And for Ithaca College collegiette Carly Sitzer and her best friend, handmade gifts were the way to go.“She made me a scrapbook, which read like a fairy tale of our senior year, and I decoupaged the frame of a mirror with pictures of us,” Carly says. “It’s something I’m sure we’ll hold onto forever to remember that last year together before college.”

Start a new tradition, or take an old one with you.

Just before they left for separate colleges, Jaime from the University of Alabama Birmingham and her friends were walking around their neighborhood. While they were out, they stumbled across a new friend—a garden gnome named Murphy, playfully kidnapped from a neighbor’s yard. These days, the group shares joint custody of Murphy and takes care to document his adventures across the country.

“My friend going to school in Miami got Murphy for the first semester and took pictures of him smoking a cigar on a yacht and relaxing on a hammock,” Jaime says. “When I got Murphy next, he got pictures taken of him eating barbecue and on the golf course in Alabama. We all send the pictures to each other and it’s an easy way to keep in touch, even though we’re far away.”

While you don’t have to kidnap a garden gnome (an action Jaime doesn’t condone, by the way) it’s easy to start up a similar tradition with your high school friends. Just go to the store and find something silly—a plastic flamingo, a stuffed bear, anything—and start up a new tradition. You could also go the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants route and choose a clothing item to swap—you may not be able to find magical pants, but a shared bracelet or scarf should do the trick.

More serious traditions are also a great way to send off the high school years. Brianna Linden from Appalachian State University chose to say goodbye to regrets as she said goodbye to her friends. Each girl in her group of friends made a list of high school memories they wanted to let go of, from bad boyfriends to bad eating habits. Then they built a fire and threw the lists in. “It was a way for us to signify moving on from our bad habits and circumstances from high school so we wouldn’t involve them in our college lives,” Brianna says. “It was a memorable, bonding and liberating experience.”

While you’re starting new traditions with your friends, make sure to get together with your family and pack up a few old traditions to take with you. If you’ll have access to a kitchen, ask your mom to teach you how to make your favorite home-cooked recipe. Or make a collage of your favorite old family photos. During your first few weeks of school, it’ll be comforting to have them with you.

One collegiette, Clemson University grad Alyssa Rabon, chose to bring along memories of the food she grew up with. “My mom and I always cooked and baked together when I was in high school, so my favorite thing we did before I left was compile a cookbook with all my favorite recipes of hers,” Alyssa says. “Even though I hardly used it freshman year because I lived in a dorm, it was still a really nice way to make sure that I didn’t leave home behind once I left for Clemson. And I use it all the time now that I live in an apartment!”

Take advantage of social media to stay in touch.

In the plugged-in age of new media, and there’s no excuse for falling out of touch with your friends.

Appalachian State University grad Meghan Hare found that keeping in touch with high school friends was as simple as sending a Facebook message. Right after they all left for college, Meghan and her friends started one Facebook thread, which they use to update each other on day-to-day developments in their lives. Years later, the thread is still up and running.

Start a private Facebook group for your high school friends—this way you’ll be able to exchange messages, chats, photos, videos, and other updates without clogging the newsfeeds of your mutual acquaintances. 

Facebook is also a great way to make sure you’ve got plenty of events planned before everyone heads off to school. At the beginning of her last summer, Boston University student Kelsey Mulvey created a Facebook group called “The Last Hoorahs.” Through the group, she posted event invitations to dinners, movies, and beach trips throughout the summer.

“I feel like maintaining friendship is crucial because your family will always be there, but your most important friendships can fade once college rolls around,” Kelsey says. “Creating good memories over the summer secures those friendships more.”

How are you planning on saying goodbye to your high school friends?  Leave a comment!

It’s the classic coming-of-age story: Girl turns 16, girl waits five hours at the DMV to get her learner’s permit, girl sits through three weeks of driver’s ed, girl never quite gets the hang of parallel parking but excels at reverse parking and follows the speed limit during her exam so girl gets license, and finally—if girl is lucky—girl gets car.

Having a car comes with many grown-up decisions. For example, what scent of car freshener should you use? Should you put bumper stickers on your car, or would that be tacky? And, most importantly, should you bring your car with you to college? Before you decide, be sure to consider these questions so you know you’re making the right choice.

1. Does your school even allow you to have a car?

Before you start planning wild weekend road trips for the fall, double-check that your school actually allows its students to have cars on campus. Some schools, especially ones in cities with limited parking, prohibit freshman (and sometimes even sophomores) from keeping cars on campus. This information will probably be in a welcome packet. If not, check on your school’s website or call the department of student services to find out.

Even if your school does allow underclassmen to park on campus, you’ll probably need to fill out a form with all of your car’s information. Be sure to check the due dates for these applications!

2. What are the added expenses?

Of course, you have to pay the usual expenses of a car—gas, plus your typical car maintenance (car washes, maintenance and so forth). However, you might have additional expenses. For example, your school might charge you for a parking permit to keep your car on campus—you’ll find out about that when you fill out your paperwork!

Your family might face another expense if you’re on your parents’ auto insurance policy.  When Beth* brought her car to Syracuse University, her parents ended up paying more for car insurance. “Every insurance company is different, but for us the cost of insurance was cheaper when she didn’t drive nine months of the year,” says Mary, Beth’s mother. “People should check with their insurance companies, especially if they’re on as an away status while at school.”

You’re already costing your family something invaluable by leaving for college: your charming, lovable presence. If you can avoid it, don’t add insult to injury with an extra financial burden!

3. Where will you park?

Find out (either by asking someone who goes to your college or by scouring the school website) where students are allowed to keep their cars. You might think it’d be great to be able to drive to class, but it might actually take you longer to walk to the parking lot than it would to trek up the hill to your morning lecture.

Many people don’t drive to class anyway, and a lot of people prefer it this way. “Even though some of my classes are as much as a 20- to 30-minute walk, I'm walking through a gorgeous campus and really don't even realize the time going by,” says Sarah Desiderio, a senior at Penn State. “Plus, navigating the streets with so many pedestrians would almost be counterproductive.” There’ll be plenty of time to get stuck in traffic after you graduate!

Also, consider if your parking lot will be covered. Your school may not have a parking garage for all students, so you’ll need to clear the snow off your car in the winter if you live in a place with a colder climate. Of course, if your school is in Miami, this won’t be as big of a problem. Either way, it’s important to know where your car will be located before you bring it all the way to school, since its placement could be a deal-breaker.

4. Where will you need to drive?

As appealing as you may find the idea of blasting “Life Is a Highway” as you cruise down the street away from campus, take a few seconds to reflect on your upcoming year. Where will you actually need to drive?

Maybe you think you’ll want to get off campus to go to the grocery store. However, if there are lots of amazing eateries on campus, you have a meal plan or if you only have a mini fridge in your dorm, you probably won’t need groceries. Thinking you’ll need to get off campus to have fun on the weekends? Check out your school’s on-campus events and club meetings first to see if you’ll even need to leave to find entertainment and socializing.

Perhaps you have some farther-away destinations in mind. Eliza Lavine, a sophomore at George Washington University, says she only wished she had a car when she visited her boyfriend at his college, which was an expensive four-hour train ride away. “It takes about two and a half hours to drive there, and it’s free (minus gas),” she says. If you’re planning on making several long trips, you’ll probably appreciate the flexibility of having a car. 

You’ll also appreciate this flexibility if you have a job or internship off campus. If you suddenly get called in for a shift or if your job requires traveling, it can be a relief to know you can just hop in your car and get where you need to go.

Getting an off-campus job as an underclassman is uncommon, but having to make the occasional trip to your hometown isn’t. “The only time I really wish I had a car is when break comes around,” Sarah says. “It'd be much more comfortable and convenient to drive myself home, as opposed to taking a bus.” Many girls cite having an easy way to get home as one of the best reasons to bring a car to college.

If your school is less than an hour or two away from your hometown and you think you’ll be coming home for weekends, a car would probably be a good idea. On the other hand, don’t assume you’re going to want to come home all the time. You might love living on your own so much that you’ll be glad not to have an excuse to visit home!

5. Are there other ways to get to where you need to go?

Driving isn’t always the only option! If you’re going to school in a city, you can probably take public transportation.  Eliza, who goes to school in Washington, D.C., found she didn’t need a car to get around the city. “For the most part, I could walk everywhere I needed to go (thanks, D.C.),” she says. “If I had to go to the opposite side of the city for whatever reason, I would take the D.C. Metro, which is super easy to navigate.”

However, “if your campus is in the middle of nowhere and there aren’t many ways to get off campus, get a car on campus,” says Kasia Jaworski, a senior at Villanova University.

Kasia says she never felt a need for a car. “There's a lot to do right off campus that's super close, so it's easy to walk or bike there,” she says. “Villanova University also has an off-campus shuttle that runs on the weekends to places like CVS, Staples, malls with restaurants, etc., so it’s easy to get there, too.” Even schools that aren’t in urban locations offer shuttle buses, so make sure you check it out!

Sarah from Penn State has found that the shuttle buses are a good substitute for a car. “We have buses looping around the campus as well that are free and even some that for $1.50 will take you out to the mall or Walmart,” she says.

In addition to being cheap and convenient, riding the bus gives you a chance to meet people from your school you might not have met otherwise. Who knows what new friends or potential dates could be waiting for you on the school shuttle?

Ultimately, deciding whether or not to bring a car to college is dependent on your school and your needs. No matter what you choose, we’re sure you’ll have amazing adventures on campus and off campus!

*Name has been changed.

Why colleges cannot lower tuition. [The Washington Post]

Genuinely funny Twitter comebacks. [BuzzFeed]

The neighborhood university. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

College football's inevitable end. [Inside Higher Ed]

Behind the crazy headlines of the Trump presidency. [The New Yorker]

The death of "alternative energy." [World Positive]

What hairstylists know about domestic violence. [The Cut]

Have smartphones destroyed a generation? [The Atlantic]

Why we need female representation in film. [refinery29]

Most famous dogs of all time. [Daily Journal]

Starting college is a daunting experience, and your first day can often be the most daunting. But it doesn’t need to be! While many people think that the first day is the most stressful, we’ve come up with some tips to make sure that your first day is as fun and as easy a transition into college life as possible.

1. Leave your dorm room door open.

An open door policy is the quickest way to get people to introduce themselves. Open door = friendly resident who wants to chat. If you’re looking to make friends quickly, then be sure you pack a door stop to wedge your door open! People will drop in and say “hi” as they move in, and this also lets you know when your dormmates have moved in.

And if you need help with your unpacking, you’re likely to get helpful dormmates asking if they can help with anything!

2. Unpack your things as soon as you can.

There’s one sure way to make yourself feel homesick, and that’s to not move into your dorm room properly. If you've ever tried living out of a suitcase for a few weeks, then you know that it can be a complete nightmare. The best thing that you can do is to get rid of all your boxes and give the empty suitcases back to your parents. Set your room up the way that you want it, and make sure you have all your homely touches displayed where you can see them; this way, your dorm room feels like a little piece of home and not the empty shell that it was!

3. Explore your campus!

Once you’ve unpacked and made yourself feel a little more at home, go and explore your new surroundings! Whether you head straight to figure out where your classes will be or you’re more interested in seeing the recreational facilities, try to orient yourself and see a bit more of the campus. You’ll be feeling at home in no time!

4. Don’t spend your first night alone.

And no, before you get the wrong idea, we are definitely not suggesting that you hook up with someone on your first day! Whether people on your halls are going to a party or they’re all staying in with a chick flick and some popcorn, be sure that you’re not in your room alone the first night. Even if you’re really tired, go and meet some new people before saying you’re super tired and need some sleep.

5. Meet as many people as possible…

Be prepared to meet as many people as you can in your first day. Everyone is going to be smiling and keen to make new friends, so be sure to take advantage of this! Don’t judge anyone yet, and don’t automatically decide who your friends are going to be—just take it easy and play it by ear.

Just be sure that you introduce yourself to as many people as you can! Whether you go around your hall knocking on doors, or are just hanging out with people who knocked on your door, be sure that you spend time with other people who have just moved in.

6. …but if you don’t make any good friends, know that it’s okay!

So you don’t think you’ve met anyone who is going to be your new BFF? Don’t panic! It’s just the first day. Honestly, most college students change friendship groups a few times before they settle into one that suits them. The people you meet on your first day don’t have to be your new friends; in fact, it’s highly possible that they won’t be.

You have four years to make new friends, so don’t be disheartened that you’ve not settled in on your first day. Many collegiettes continue making friends until the end of their senior year. Just keep reminding yourself: it’s only day one!

7. Let your mom fuss over you.

Your mom is going to want to fuss over you. A lot. When she asks to help you unpack, or to vacuum your room, just let her. Remember that this is stressful for her as well—she’s just packed you up to live on your own for the first time! Your parents might even want to take you out for lunch or dinner. While we just said that you should meet as many new people as possible on your first day, you might also want to make the most of your family time. You can spare an hour or so for a meal with your family—and just think how happy it will make your parents feel!

8. Know that everyone is as nervous as you are.

The other college students you meet might be beaming, but that doesn't mean they're not panicking on the inside. This is an entirely new experience for everyone, so don’t think that you’re the only one who is either homesick or worried about not making friends. It would take a very strong person to move into a new setting and have no worries at all.

The other thing is, everyone is just as eager to make new friends—so don’t worry about knocking on someone’s door and saying hi. They’re likely to appreciate that you made the effort.

9.  Pack snacks—everyone loves cookies!

It’s great to have a box of cookies or chocolates in your dorm to offer to your dormmates when you first move in. If you do go around your halls knocking on doors, it’s nice to have something to offer people. Your food of choice doesn’t have to be anything fancy; even just M&Ms will be very well received, especially after lifting all those heavy boxes!

10. Make sure you have a noise-canceling device.

It’s possible that your halls will be noisy and that you're not used to this, so it might be a bit more difficult to get to sleep. The worst thing to be during Welcome Week is exhausted: it’s a long week, so don’t make it harder by not sleeping properly.

Earplugs might be enough for you, but if they aren’t, there are a few things you can try. If you like listening to music at night, invest in some noise-canceling headphones. If you don’t want to sleep with headphones on or earbuds in, then you might want to pack a white noise machine. Clara Beyer from Brown University says that “it’s like having a little fan next to your ears. At first you notice the noise, but then you’re quickly able to tune this out. It made it so much easier for me to sleep in my first week at university!”

11. Wear something you’re comfortable in!

So you’re freaking out about what to wear? Wear something that you’re comfortable in, but also something you feel you look good in. If you feel confident, it's likely to come across in your body language and your gestures. Remember when you’re choosing your outfit that you’re going to be moving boxes for most of the day and unpacking, so make sure you’re wearing something practical. We would recommend putting the high heels away for now, collegiettes!

12. If it isn’t the best day, don’t worry! You have four more years!

If you haven’t had the best first day, don’t worry about it! There are many people who don’t love their first day of college but still go on to have a great four years at college, so don’t put too much pressure on these 24 hours. Just think, you’ll meet even more people tomorrow, and one of those people could be your new best friend! Tomorrow is another day, collegiettes, and it could be a much better day!

Your first day, and in fact the entire Welcome Week, is a very stressful experience—and many people don’t have the best time. But it's okay! You’ll settle in soon, especially once you’re in the routine of classes and have met people with similar interests in your classes and through the extracurriculars that you choose to join. Try and make the most of your first day with these tips, but don’t panic if it isn’t perfect!

A woman died on Saturday when a car slammed a group of counterprotesters at Charlottesville’s increasingly violent white nationalist march, CNN reports. 32-year-old paralegal Heather Heyer was among the crowds speaking out against Ku Klux Klan members and neo-Nazis who initially promoted their march as a “Unite the Right” rally.

According to Heyer’s childhood friend who spoke to The Washington Post, Heyer would defend students being teased on the school bus while growing up. “People will remember her name and remember what she died for,” said friend Felicia Correa. “She, in a sense, died for her country. She was there standing up for what was right. I just want to make sure that it wasn’t in vain.”

Heyer’s mother Susan Bro echoed Correa’s sentiments. “She always had a very strong sense of right and wrong,” she told Huffington Post. “Somehow I almost feel that this is what she was born to be, is a focal point for change. I’m proud that what she was doing was peaceful, she wasn’t there fighting with people.”

The man responsible for driving the car into the crowd of counterdemonstrators has also been identified. The New York Times reports that 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. has been arrested and charged with “second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in a death.” He drove his gray sports car into a throng of counterprotestors celebrating when white nationalists had left the area they were in. The force of the car sent at least two people flying into the air and, in addition to Heyer’s death, at least 19 were injured as a result of the crash. The Department of Justice has also announced that it will open a civil rights investigation regarding “the circumstances of the deadly vehicular incident.”

The city also faces the deaths of two Virginia State troopers who were killed in a helicopter crash near Charlottesville, CBS News says. Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates crashed seven miles southwest of the city, which had an increased police presence after Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency.

President Donald Trump responded to the violence on Saturday, but faced criticism for not addressing the white nationalists’ acts directly.

Admit it: we all want to be the fly on the wall of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ home. This power couple makes me believe in true love, and I’d be lying if I said I never considered asking them if I could be their daughters James and Ines’s nanny. While it may be difficult for me to become part of the family’s life, it seems that not even their celebrity friends are immune to wanting to be Blake and Ryan. Ryan’s The Hitman’s Bodyguard costar Salma Hayek is the latest to join the Lively-Reynolds clan’s fan club, Cosmopolitan says.

As seen on her Instagram, Salma stopped by the couple’s house for a chill night that I’m hoping involved Blake’s homemade desserts. In her photo, she’s posing with Baby Ines while stirring whatever’s in a pretty gorgeous-looking pot. Basically, if this pic teaches you anything, it’s that Blake and Ryan’s kitchen is every Pinterest dream come true. Ryan appears in the background, looking like he has Ines’s attention.

“When your friends invite you for dinner and you end up doing all the work,” Salma wrote as her caption. 

I don't know what element of this photo I love most. Is it Salma fawning over Ines? Is it Ryan being such a proud daddy nearby? Could it be that picture-perfect kitchen? If I was invited for dinner there, I'd probably pull a Salma and want to cook everything too. 

Either way, it's good to note that Salma labels the picture as a throwback, so this little get-together may have happened awhile ago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more celeb hangouts in that kitchen very soon.

Tbh, we’re all still a little heartbroken over the news of Chris Pratt and Anna Faris’s separation. In response to this tough reality, Kristen Bell—one half of another admirable power couple with husband Dax Shepard—talked about how difficult maintaining a celebrity marriage can be.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Bell spoke to E! News about the couple’s breakup earlier this week. “I think there’s a little bit of lack of acknowledgement about really loving something that was,” she said. “If there are two people that decide not to be together, it shouldn’t really be a heartbreak for everyone.”

Similar to Pratt and Faris in the past, Bell is known for being pretty adorable in her longtime relationship with Shepard. Who could forget their homemade music video? They’ve also made it clear that their marriage isn’t as effortless as it looks, having discussed going to therapy in the past.

The therapy must have helped Bell view marriage very maturely, given her view on people getting divorced. “You should say, ‘Oh, they tried. But that doesn’t discount the lovely years they had together,’” she explained. “If I ever get divorced, I’m still going to be like, ‘Wow, I loved being married to that man.’ It’s a little more nuanced, I think, than people want to acknowledge. I think it’s the truth.”

Bell also emphasized how actors’ schedules can often get in the way of being with their families. “The reality is when you’re working in this industry you’re sometimes shooting a movie in China for four months,” she said. “You’re away from your family for four months. I think it’s more the separation than anything that can weigh on people.”

One of our Hollywood dream couples splitting up is definitely upsetting, but Bell’s explanation definitely puts the situation in a more positive light. We wish the best of luck to Pratt and Faris during this difficult time.

Oh, freshman year. It's the most exciting time of your life! You can wipe away your high school past with a new group of friends and completely recreate yourself. You can stay out as late as you want and eat as many desserts as you want without parents nagging. And no one is around to tell you not to leave that 10-page paper to the last possible minute, so you can procrastinate as much as you want. The world is your oyster, and every decision is exclusively yours to make!

But beware, collegiettes – this newfound freedom can lead to some mistakes. With so much independence, you’re bound to make a misstep somewhere along the line. We asked collegiettes to share their freshman year regrets to help you learn from their mistakes.

1. Losing the balance between your college life and your home life.

One of the most common problems collegiettes have during their freshman year is trying to balance all the new relationships in their life. With new friends at college, old friends back home, families trying to check in and an overload of schoolwork piling up on your desk, it’s hard to give everything and everyone the attention they need. Remember that even with all the excitement on campus, Mom and Dad need some time with you, too.

“I think my biggest mistake… was not keeping in contact with my parents and home friends as much,” says Anna, a senior at Marist College. “It's so easy to get carried away at school, especially with your new friends, difficult classes and weekend activities. Mom and Dad need a little reassurance that you're alive [and] well and still love them.”

Luckily, there’s an easy fix here. Set aside time once a week to give the parental units a quick phone call. There’s no need for a lengthy Skype chat; just give them the chance to hear about what's going on at school. Your going away to college is an adjustment for them too, and they’ll be excited to share in your new accomplishments at school. Collegiette or not, you’ll always be their little girl.

2. Prioritizing your social life over your schoolwork.

In college, the pressure to do well in class and make friends outside the classroom can lead to time management mistakes. Do you stay home and study, or do you head out to the frat party with the girls down the hall from you?

“When you first get to school and you want to make friends and you want to go out, you have to keep in mind that you do have schoolwork,” says Meghan, a senior at Iona College. “I wanted to go out and not miss anything. But your friends will always be there, and you need to learn to balance school and your social life.”

You can avoid feeling panicked during a test that you didn’t study for because you were too busy having fun by allotting yourself certain nights to go out a week. Plan out what nights you can hit the town and which you need to stay in to study by checking your syllabus ahead of time for assignments and tests. Tell your friends you would love to spend time with them, but you really need to write a paper that night. And you can always grab a couple of people from your classes and head over to the library for a study session – coffee and gossip breaks are bound to lead to friendship!

3. Studying the same way you did in high school.

In high school, you may have found that the slightest bit of effort was enough to keep your GPA sky-high. But college is an entirely different animal. Simply skimming through your notes won’t be enough to get you a passing grade on a college test. Participation is often a part of your grade in a college course, so daydreaming won’t fly as well as it did when you struggled through high school senioritis.

It’s inevitable that you’ll have one class that you’ll struggle with. But know that in college, it’s up to you to push through it and do well. You have the ability to make elaborate outlines for tests and papers, set aside specific library study times for yourself and reach out to classmates for help and group study sessions – so do it! Don’t sit around gloomily and dwell on bad grades when you could be working to fix them.

4. Attempting to do it all.

Wake up. Go to the gym. Shower. Run to class. Library time. Group project meeting. Class. Quick snack. Dance rehearsal. Test cramming session. Go out? One of the great struggles of freshman year is dealing with managing a schedule that used to be monitored by your parents. No one is around to tell you if you might have put too much on your plate, and this can lead to taking on way more than you can handle.

“I think my biggest regret was not knowing my limits,” says Nicole, a senior at Marist College. “Everyone says college is the perfect time to try new things, which I would not argue with; however, you can't burn the candle at both ends. I tried too hard to be an amazing student who was super involved while going out every weekend or more. My advice would be to take freshman year with an open mind, but remember to take care of yourself first.”

There’s no rush to join every single club and go to every single event on campus. Slowly see what you’re interested in and see if you can handle the demands of what you want to do. Eventually, you’ll learn what you can and can’t handle and how much you can take on.

5. Partying too hard.

A huge part of freshman year is attending the many parties that college life has to offer. They’re bigger, better and filled with way more cute guys than your average high school party. But many freshman collegiettes struggle with knowing their own limits and partaking in dangerous binge drinking. College women are 50 percent more likely than men to exceed both the daily and weekly drink limits recommended by the National Institutes of Alcoholic Abuse and Alcoholism (scary!). This can lead to embarrassing nights that you can’t remember, regrettable hook-ups and even more dangerous situations, like alcohol poisoning.

“One of my hardest adjustments as a college student was learning limits and boundaries when it came to partying and drinking,” says Melissa, a senior at the University of Delaware. “My first night at the University of Delaware was definitely a ‘learning experience.’ It was my first time to a frat party with tons of new people and free alcohol everywhere I turned. As the night went on, I found myself throwing common sense out the window and doing some things I definitely regretted the next morning.”

As scary as some mistakes can be, they can always be learned from. “I realized it is so dangerous to get out of control and unaware of my surroundings, especially because it was my first night as a freshman and I didn’t know who my true friends were yet,” Melissa says. “I learned from my drunken antics to become more responsible and not depend on anyone to be there for you if you need help in a dangerous situation. It is so important to have responsible fun while still focusing on what you are [at college] for–a degree.”

Know that it’s always okay to have a girls’ night in with some pizza, nail polish and movies if going out isn’t your thing. But if you’re heading out on the weekends, always bring a friend and stick together throughout the night. Going out should be about meeting new people and creating amazing memories, not risking your health or your life by not knowing your limits. Take it slow and set boundaries for yourself before the night even begins. If you tell yourself in advance, “I’ll only have two drinks,” or “I won’t hook up with anyone,” you’re more likely to keep your own promise to yourself than throwing caution to the wind and having an “anything goes” attitude. Always eat a full dinner if you know you’ll be consuming alcohol (skip the salad in favor of carb-heavy pasta), and alternate alcoholic drinks with water throughout the night. You’ll thank yourself when you wake up in the morning hangover- and regret-free.

Take the advice of these collegiettes with you during your freshman year of college. Life is about making mistakes and learning from them, but you’ll be ahead of the game by heeding the wisdom of collegiettes who’ve been through it before. Have fun, good luck and be smart!

When you have a best friend, it's like being on a different planet with just one other person. You guys have your own language, and you convey exactly what you're thinking with just a look. Your best friend is the person that you text immediately when something embarrassing happens to you (if she's not there with you). If you are really best friends, you've definitely shared these embarrassing moments. 

1. Your first bikini wax

2. Your ugly Snapchats​

3. Every time you trip in public

Act casual.

4. When you get drunk and decide you can dance and sing

5. When your crazy uncle posts on her Facebook wall 

6. When you get your period in public and don't have a tampon 

She'll be there for you.

7. When the cute barista tells you to enjoy your coffee and you say, "You too"

8. When you have food in your teeth and she's the only one who tells you

9. When your skirt is stuck in your undies 

10. When your crush says "hey" and you respond with "Good, thanks"

11. When you make a typo in the group chat and she makes it into a meme 

12. The terrible photos of you as a child that she has saved on her phone

Plz spare me.

13. When she brings up your regrettable crushes/hookups

14. When you roll up to work hungover and she mocks you mercilessly

15. That time you got too drunk and she had to hold your hair

I wish I could say it only happened once.

16. When you have to pee SO bad and she keeps making you laugh on purpose

Until you pee your pants.

17. That time you ripped your pants after eating too much sushi

And she was SO helpful and considerate.

18. When you go out for dinner in matching outfits on accident

It has to be documented on Insta immediately.

The start of fall semester always comes with the excitement of moving in to your new place—minus the actual moving in part. Whether your school is down the road or across the country, the hassle of hauling your stuff around has hardly gotten easier since freshman year: 50 pounds of luggage doesn’t feel any lighter, your pile of stuff hasn’t gotten any smaller, and you still haven’t figured out that Undetectable Extension Charm. We know you’re frustrated, and our nerdy Harry Potter references probably aren’t helping. But don’t drop out just yet—first try Her Campus’s tips and tricks for making move-in day as painless as possible.

Be ready

Good things may come to those who wait, but an easy trip to your first day back at college isn’t one of them. If there’s anything you know you can do before move-in day to prepare, get it out of the way now. Go through the stuff you threw in your basement when you moved out last spring—throwing out and replacing old or broken items and amenities now will save you the hassle of hauling them all the way to campus and hunting for necessities there. Forward your home mail to your campus mailbox, and make sure any textbooks you ordered online arrive at the right place depending on their delivery dates. Preparing well now will save you time and space—both of which you should worry about in physics class, not your new apartment or dorm.

Pack right

“Be super light with packing,” advises Annie Robinson from North Toronto Collegiate Institute. “If you don’t need it, don’t pack it. Be ruthless with whatever you don’t need.” The easiest way to make sure you don’t over- (or under-) pack is to write a list of everything you truly need before you get started—and be honest with yourself! It’s okay to pack the classic essentials and your newest back-to-school fashion finds, but as a general rule, avoid packing anything perishable, messy, or easily replaceable. Harper Yi from at The College of William & Mary moves by the principle, “Just buy it when you get there.” There are exceptions, says Harper, but only the well-justified ones fly, like specific items you can’t get at school. “I only pack Asian food that is easy to find where I live [at home] since there are tons of Asian grocers back home, but none near my campus,” she says. Check out OneBag.com for additional tips on how not to set foot on campus with loads of luggage Elle Woods-style.

Keeping your bags light is a start, but “professional” packers know to pack strategically, too. Tempted to throw all your stuff into your suitcase and deal with the inevitable wrinkles in your favorite top later? Resist the temptation and instead use those critical thinking skills you keep chatting about in cover letters to streamline the move-in process.“I packed my clothes on their respective hangers,” says Emmanuel College collegiette Hyanna Cardoso. “It took me less than an hour to move into my dorm. I just removed them from my closet [at home], folded them in half, placed them in a box (in order of my closet) and voilà!”

Get help

Take advantage of the resources around you. One tried and true option is to rent a U-Haul, but an even easier answer might be right in front of you. Many schools offer services to help students with move-in day, like storage space and golf carts (or attractive members of the football team). Look for off-campus resources, too—Katherine Mirani from Northwestern University found a particularly convenient program while shopping for the start of the school year: “I used this Bed Bath & Beyond program where you can pick out the stuff you want at a store in your hometown/city, then pick up the stuff at the store closest to your school. It worked out really well and saved me a ton of shipping issues.”

Even if you’re working solo, there’s no need to bear all the weight.“I always used a moving dolly to haul around my stuff,” says UNC-Chapel Hill graduate Michelle Lewis. “It makes [moving in] a lot easier than carrying everything.”

Dress the part

Just when we were starting to daydream of the perfect move-in, Harper snaps us out of it with more of her sensibility. She makes a point to “not try to look cute on move-in day. You’ll be carrying stuff in, probably in the August heat, and if you try to impress everyone with how cute you look on move-in day, you will inevitably have makeup running down your face and sweat-soaked clothes.” Well, that daydream turned into a nightmare. A better approach, says Harper, would be to “wear sensible clothes, get your stuff moved in, take a shower, change, and then get ready to mingle.” That doesn’t mean you have to dress like Yoda—just adopt the same attitude you would while studying: choose something comfortable and functional that still looks cute enough to wear around campus on your first day back.

Make space

Space Jam isn’t just the movie we miss most from the 90’s; it’s also what we call an unfortunate side effect of poor planning and a move-in malfunction. To avoid claustrophobia and a scene from Hoarders, try the following tips for making the most of your tiny dorm or apartment.

• Either before you leave home or once you get to campus, check out local convenience stores or specialty shops like the Container Store for neat space-savers and stackable crates.
• Loft your bed for extra storage or desk space underneath. Ask your RA or the residential life office to provide the necessary tools.
• Invest in products like the Space Bag, which sucks up all the air surrounding your clothes and reduces the space they hog in your closet.
• Consolidate your items. Useful tech gadgets like surge protectors, for instance, can save you time you’d otherwise spend untangling wires and searching for outlets.
• Be creative. As Harper advises,“Maximize zero space. Your rain boots? You can stuff socks into them. Your shoe boxes? Put some camisoles in them. This saves space and trips down to your car when you move in.”

Settle in

The exhaustion that follows a hard day’s work may tempt you to throw up your hands in frustration with your first-world problems and retire early for the day. But trust us—now is the time to get settled and make your space livable, while you’re in the move-in mode and you still have the time. Use organization methods like color coordination to keep your stuff straight, and label your boxes and drawers to save yourself prep time in the morning, especially for the first few weeks while you get used to your new place. And have fun! Each new school year brings another chance to decorate the walls with your personality. Annie suggests Dormify.com for “interior design must-haves and advice.”

Our six tips are sure to make your first day back less of a hassle so you can get your real school year started sooner. So stop dreading move-in day. Follow our recipe on how to make your first day back easier and we guarantee you’ll like the way you move.

Name: Carolyn Aronson

Job Title and Description: Founder, CEO and Owner of It’s A 10 Haircare

College Name/Major: Oakland Community College (Assoc Degree, Applied Science); 1 year University of Michigan BBA program

Website: www.itsa10haircare.com

What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?

My current job entails overseeing all aspects of my professional hair care brand that's distributed worldwide.  There's no such thing as a typical day for me as every day brings new creativity and new challenges.

I pay attention to everything from organizing the operational aspect of manufacturing production and distribution of our 70 some SKUs of professional hair care, to the marketing advertising and social media outlets that assist in building the brand as well. I’m also involved in the formulation of each and every product that is created for the brand, as well as developing the positioning and creative features that supplement each SKU.

There is not a position in my company that I have not done at one point or another myself. I’ve done everything from processing and shipping orders, operating the accounting/book keeping systems, building the website, choosing marketing materials, designing product packaging, worldwide compliancy, etc. etc. I pretty much have my hands in every aspect surrounding this brand.

What is the best part of your job?

One of the best parts of my job is the freedom of creativity. I absolutely love what I do and love the creative aspect that goes along with it.

Being a successful person period is not easy, let alone a Hispanic woman. It’s a 10 Haircare is one of the few Hispanic woman-owned, solely-owned professional hair care brands in the world. I feel very fortunate having achieved what I have achieved. I'm all about handing the torch and not only putting women in positions of power, but hopefully inspiring them by example and sharing my path of experience for others to learn from. I believe in building strength through sisterhood rather than breaking each other down.

What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

When I was eight, I knew I wanted to be a hairdresser. I was blessed at a young age to know my purpose in life was to give people the empowerment of changing their appearance. By 16, I was working on my license to become a cosmetologist and by 18, I was a hairdresser. My first entry level position was apprenticing under a busy hairdresser at a high-end salon. I tried to find the best salon apprenticeship program I could fine from the very beginning and just became a sponge, soaking up as much information and experience as I could. I did hair by day and went to college at night because I knew I wanted to own a salon someday and needed a business background to be a successful salon owner. I knew blending the creative side with the business side was going to be vital.

What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?

My mother is 85 and was a Columbia University graduate. She adopted me when I was two, and we couldn't have been more different. She always told me, “I don't care what you want to do in life, but find it, be the best at it and don't let anyone ever take it away from you. You always must have an ability to be self-sufficient.” Now that's EMPOWERMENT! 

What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

I've been in the hair product manufacturing industry for over 15 years. The first company I had for over four years completely failed, I lost everything and had to start over. What I learned from that experience is to never give up and that to succeed I needed to learn how to work smarter, not harder. Prioritizing and perseverance are major key factors to success. Learning how to prioritize and manage your time is crucial, as well as having the perseverance to always find a way to make your goals happen.

What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

The first surreal moment in my career happened when I was in JFK Airport in New York City and saw my products inside one of the salons in the terminal. At that moment, I knew I had made it. Like Frank Sinatra says, if you make it there you know you can make it anywhere - New York, New York!!!

What do you look for when considering hiring someone?

There are two things that I look for when hiring somebody: Their energy level and how quickly they think on their toes, as well as their experience.

What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?

• Young girls have limitless potential. What the brain believes, the body can achieve, from any walk of life. As a young girl I knew what I wanted to do in life and by my teen years I was planning how big and far I wanted to bring it. Dream big, then work backwards from there. That’s my mantra. 
• "This too shall pass". You will survive much more than you ever thought you could. When you are young and in your 20s and things go awry, at that moment it seems very devastating but you would be surprised what you can live through.
• "Some of your best deals are the ones you did not make." Don't rush to do anything and trust your gut! When a deal falls through it usually ends up being for the best. Try to move past the disappointment and just keep your eye on the end goal. A vision and goal in the future is your biggest asset in business. 
• When I was young saving was not a priority until my father taught me about it. Saving is preparation and preparation is the door that opens when opportunity comes your way. If you are not prepared, you may miss vital opportunities that are stepping stones to bigger deals. If you don't have the funds to invest to grow your empire you may miss out. Growing starts by being prepared. 

What's the one thing that's stood out to you the most in a resume?

There are both good and bad things that can stand out in a resume. Somebody who frequently changes jobs is always a warning sign to me.

A positive thing that would stand out to me in a resume is a cohesive growth pattern of one's career. There's a big difference between changing jobs because you were moving up in your career and going from job to job because of discontent.

If you’re anything like me, ABC’s TGIT nights are something you've looked forward to for years. Forget about that five-page paper due tomorrow—there’s a three-hour Shonda Rhimes marathon on tonight! Whether it’s How to Get Away With Murder, Scandal or Grey’s Anatomy, I’m sure Shonda Rhimes’s producing and writing skills have had you glued to your laptop or TV screen at some point.

Although Rhimes started building her primetime empire a long time ago, she might have just made her most dramatic career move yet: a major network shift from ABC Studios to Netflix. This news doesn’t come as a complete surprise since over the past year she’s expanded her production company significantly by hiring new executives and building a viewer database on her website. These may have been hints that she was preparing to break off her long-standing relationship with ABC. (She's worked with The Walt Disney Company, which owns ABC, ever since she wrote the script for The Princess Diaries 2 over a decade ago.)

In a statement, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos applauded Shonda’s work and said he believes she'll make a great addition to the company. “Her work is gripping, inventive, pulse-pounding, heart-stopping, taboo-breaking television at its best. I’ve gotten the chance to know Shonda and she’s a true Netflixer at heart…We’re so excited to welcome her to Netflix.”

Shonda also shared a statement about the big business decision. “Shondaland’s move to Netflix is the result of a shared plan Ted and I built based on my vision for myself as a storyteller and for the evolution of my company. Ted provides a clear, fearless space for creators at Netflix. He understood what I was looking for—the opportunity to build a vibrant new storytelling home for writers with unique creative freedom and instantaneous global reach provided by Netflix’s singular sense of innovation. The future of Shondaland at Netflix has limitless possibilities.”

Don’t worry, TGIT fans—this network change doesn’t mean our favorite night of the week is getting canceled. Shonda will continue to work on all her current ABC shows, including an upcoming Grey's Anatomy spinoff, and they'll continue to air on ABC. She'll just be creating all her new shows through Netflix.

We may have to wait for Shondaland's Netflix debut, but ABC's fall lineup has already been released, so mark your calendar and get ready for more nail-biting, gasp-inducing late nights, brought to you by the inimitable Shonda Rhimes. I can't wait to see what she does next. 

Whether it’s the cute baseball player down the hall, the artsy English major one floor up or the lacrosse-penney-sporting-Natty-drinking bro just two doors down, let’s face it: your college dorm is teeming with hotties of every race, creed and hair color. Incoming freshmen get ready: living with guys is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. But is it wise to tap into this veritable meat market knowing there’s a risk of bumping into a foiled hook-up every time you want to walk down the hall to take a shower? Have no fear, darling co-eds. Use these fixes for common dormcest pitfalls and you’ll be plunging headfirst into intra-dorm relationships before you can say, “Hey, I live on North Campus too!”

The Pitfall: Mismatched Expectations

It’s going to be tempting to jump into romance as soon as you get on campus and realize you have hot guys living next door—even the girl with the most self-control can have trouble resisting such romantic convenience.  But take it from Kelsey*, a collegiette who got involved with a guy in her dorm right off the bat: it’s better to wait.

“Right away I thought Tyler* was cute. After our first meeting, I started to see him all the time around the dorm. We ‘hung out’ quite a few times in the next couple of weeks, but it was nothing more than friends with benefits. One time, we were messing around and he wanted to have sex but I said no.  He understood, but after that incident we were completely awkward around each other.”

When a gal gets involved with a guy quickly, it can be difficult for both parties involved to know what the expectations for the hook-up are.  It’s especially important to get these straight with a guy in your dorm—the possibilities of after-hookup awkwardness are that much greater (think a 24/7 Walk of Shame). 

The fix?  Spend a couple weeks just getting to know the guys in your dorm before you take it to a physical level — you’ll have a better sense of what they’re looking for (and what you’re looking for too).  And hey, there is no crime in looking!

Related: How to Navigate Welcome Week Like a Pro

The Pitfall: He Sees You at Your Best . . . and Your Not-So-Best

You know the feeling you get when you decide you’re interested in a guy: you’re consumed by the constant compulsion to touch-up your lip gloss, you put your girlfriends on a 24 hour “crushwatch” (so you can look like you are NOT trying at all times) and you actually start waking up to shower before class.  While we’ve all succumbed to this Secret Girl Behavior (which we guess is no longer secret), living with the guy you’re interested in poses a whole new set of challenges.  Your same-dorm stud will without a doubt see you at least once in each of the following situations:

1. walking to the shower in your towel, acne medication (or worse) in hand,

2. coming upstairs to your room at 3 am with a huge pepperoni pizza and no visible friends to share it with, and

3. having a loud and embarrassing phone conversation with your mother in the stairwell (“MOM, I told you I do NOT EAT TUNA FISH!  STOP SENDING IT TO ME!”)

The fix?  Well, there really isn’t one.  Living in close proximity to the boy of your dreams means that he’ll get pretty comfortable with your less-than-perfect habits pretty quickly.  Learn to crack a joke when he catches you, and at least this way there are no surprises about you in store for him down the road.

The Pitfall: Non-Exclusivity and Shared Living Space

So you’ve started getting busy on a semi-regular basis with a hottie on your hall.  Congrats!  While a late-night rendezvous is much more convenient when only a few yards separate you from your boy-du-jour, there comes a time when you (or he) may long for a romance outside the dormitory walls.  So what do you do when your dormcestual dude catches you coming back with another guy?  Or you see him coming back with another girl?  Without the promise of exclusivity, these can be quite the sticky situations.

The fix?  If you see your guy bringing back another girl, you’ll want to quietly and calmly go back to your room, or better yet, a girlfriend’s room.  This is not the time for loud, confrontational displays a la The Bad Girls’ Club.  If in the morning you find that you are still disturbed by the thought of your non-exclusive guy with another girl, it may be time to grit your teeth and have "the talk."

Now if your guy sees you coming back with, well, another guy, be prepared for him to be upset.  Again, try to avoid any scenes.  You’re not technically in the wrong, so leave it up to him to say something later—but know that he may not have anything to say to you at all.  Remember that the proximity inherent in dormcest can be a cost as well as a benefit, since there’s really no avoiding each other.

The Pitfall: Keeping Dormcest Relationships Fresh

Real, exclusive, dormcest relationships can and do work.  But they require a bit of an extra effort to reach normalcy.  For example, it’s not normal to move in with a guy after dating for two weeks, but when you already essentially live together, it can be hard to find that separation you need in the early stages of the relationship.  Ava* reveals that her biggest problem with her boyfriend who lived in her dorm was that “we went from zero to living together in the span of about a week.”  Charlotte* echoes her sentiment: “Being in the same dorm meant the only time my boyfriend and I had to spend apart was when we had class.” 

It’s easy to get caught up in such a convenient romance, spending Friday nights cuddled up with your guy watching Friends reruns while your actual friends are out wondering if you’ve chosen to study abroad this semester without telling them. 

The fix? Make an effort to develop friends and interests that take you out of the dorm—that way if your romance ends, your life won’t!  Relationship expert Dr. Shoshanna advises against falling into “dead routines” in a relationship.  If every Saturday you and your guy spend the afternoon playing video games with his friends on his hall, eat dinner in your dorm’s attached dining hall and watch movies in your room at night, break out!  Take a walk around campus in the afternoon, try a new restaurant, go to a party you normally wouldn’t attend.  It will keep you and your romance fresh!

Related: A Freshman Girls Guide to College Dating

The Pitfall: Dormcest Doesn’t Last Forever

If your dormcestual relationship has an unhappy end, it can be tricky to navigate the post-breakup waters.  If you’re close to the end of the year, congrats!  You won’t have to awkwardly co-habitate much longer.  But if you’re not so lucky, seeing your ex-flame at (literally) every turn can really take a toll on your psyche.

The fix?  Throw yourself into activities outside the dorm.  Do the same things you would do at the end of any relationship, but especially try to put yourself into situations where you won’t be spending excessive amounts of time wallowing in your room, only to bump into your ex walking to the vending machines to get a soda when you venture out of your room sporting your rattiest sweatpants and mascara tears.  If you’ve really got to do the full-on waterworks-while-watching-The-Notebook-and-eating-a-pint-of-Ben-and-Jerry’s routine, consider moving the party to a girlfriend’s room in another dorm. Speaking with a friend earning their counseling degree might also be helpful. Above all, keep your head up, and know that there are infinitely more eligible bachelors outside your dorm than in it.

Now, perhaps you’re thinking, with all these pitfalls, why would I ever want to brave dormcest territory?  Girls, it really can be sweet, all risks aside.  Here are the top five perks of dormcest:

1. Your fingers will never freeze in sub-zero January temperatures on your way to see your boy-toy.

2. You probably have a lot of the same friends that live in your dorm, thus, making social plans together is easy.

3. Good day, bad day: He’s always going to be down the hall (or up the stairs).

4. If your man is of the Spencer Pratt variety, it’ll be much easier to keep tabs on him.  (But please don’t put up with these shenanigans in the first place.)

5. You’ll never have to do the Walk of Shame across campus.

*Names have been changed.

She is a chronic overthinker. She is meticulously observant, unquenchably curious, and perpetually trapped in her own thoughts. She overanalyzes, underestimates and always arrives 20 minutes early. She prefers dreary days to sunny ones, slow songs to fast ones, romantic movies to funny ones, and she is "fine!" She is always fine.

She is precise. She is logical, she is reasonable. She tucks her emotions safely away, conveniently detached, nonchalantly unavailable. She is out of reach, out of their league, off the market. She is fiercely independent, she didn’t need him anyway, she’s better on her own. She is in love with him. She would like not to care, but she does, and since she can’t help it, she decides to be fine. Pull yourself together. He doesn’t feel the same way. Chin up. Wipe away the tears. Forget the wounded ego. You’re tougher than that. Smile.

She deals with the drama and moves on. She doesn’t let fear stop her or heartbreak paralyze her. No, she is in control. She doesn’t stumble. She doesn’t fall. She doesn’t break down. She is always fine.

She is never aimless, never directionless, always charging forward. She kicks herself, full speed ahead: You have a plan, and they have expectations. She doesn’t buckle, she doesn't hesitate. She buys a day planner. Figure it out. You're fine. Just 1,000 more words. Just get it done. Getting your degree isn't that hard.

She always listens, always notices when something’s off. She is a pillar of strength. What problems could she possibly have? She has it all figured out. She can do it all. She can be there for everyone. She just has to tell them they’ll be fine. Like her. She’s always fine. She has her shit together. Everything is totally, totally under control. She is invincible.

She has a routine (wake up, shower, school, work, dinner, sleep, repeat). It’s fine. Everything is fine. She’s fine. She has a good job, good life. Why wouldn’t she be fine? She’s a rising star, newly promoted, up and coming. She’s almost famous, an inspiration, immensely talented. You must be so proud. Congratulations. 

She feels lost. Alone. It’s okay though. It’s just a rough patch. You're just tired. It’ll get better. She’s always fine. Always fine. Fine. Always.

It’s a tragedy when a woman has a miscarriage, so I can’t even imagine what Bachelor alum Vienna Girardi is going through right now. After announcing her pregnancy on Instagram in June, Vienna lost her twin girls at only 18 weeks to Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Not only was she hospitalized for the miscarriage, but she almost lost her own life.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Jake Pavelka’s former fiancée explained the ordeal and asked for privacy during her grieving process. “On Aug 3rd, I went in for an ultra sound bc the Perinatologist notice one of my twins had more fluids than the other which was the first sign of TTTS (Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome) this is when one twin takes more nutrients than the other,” she wrote.

Despite being told her condition was improved, Vienna's water broke when the amniotic sacs ruptured, forcing her to rush to the hospital and try to save the twins. Her doctor warned that the only way to save her own life from possible infection was to deliver the babies, even though their survival rate was less than 5 percent.

“As any mother would do I did everything to save them but their hearts stopped beating on day two which is also when I went into septic shock with 104 fever,” Vienna explained. “My little angels went to Heaven on Aug 5th and I was rushed into the OR for emergency surgery and was in the ICU for 4 days.”

Richard Harlow, Vienna's longtime friend and rep, told PEOPLE, “Her heart is heavy. Having cried with her, I can honestly say this is one of the worst things I’ve experienced with my close friend and client of 7 years. It’s a devastating experience. She wants everyone to know how much she loved her little babies.”

All we can do now is give Vienna privacy to grieve and try to support her through this tough time. 

We all know President Trump is a man of many words—or should I say of many tweets? He's almost always squeezing his thoughts into those 140 characters when something upsets him, but he stayed eerily quiet during the protests and riots in Charlottesville, Va. this past weekend. The protests took an extremely tragic turn when Nazi sympathizer James Fields drove his car into a group of counter-protestors on Saturday. The 20-year-old is being held without bond for injuring 19 people and killing 32-year-old activist Heather Heyer, according to The New York Times. 

Heyer was a beloved member of her community who died standing up for what she believed in. Her friend, Marissa Blair, witnessed her friend in her final moments: “Heather was such a sweet soul, and she did not deserve to die,” she said on Sunday. But Trump, the president of the United States, has yet to publicly mention her name, referring to her only as a "young woman" on Twitter.

According to CNN, Trump's only statement about the whole ordeal was, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides. It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time."

The phrase 'many sides' sparked controversy from all over, including a tweet from former-Vice President Joe Bidden. 

Jennifer Aniston is no stranger to body shamers and haters. In a new Vogueinterview, she's reminding everyone of her IDGAF state of mind. The actress not only addresses body shamers and "childless shamers," but she also looks back on how Friends made her the "OG" of the Free the Nipple movement. 

"Yeah, I don’t know what to say about that! It’s just one of those things, I guess," Jen told Vogue. "I wear a bra, I don’t know what to tell ya! And I don’t know why we’re supposed to be ashamed of [nipples]—it’s just the way my breasts are! But hey, OG, I’m not going to complain!" You go, girl.

While on the topic, she also addressed tabloids and their constant criticism. According to Jen, people are always weighing in on her relationship and why she doesn't have children. Her response to how she handles the hate is absolutely everything.

"In my own brain, I’ve shifted my perspective, so who gives a shit! If you’re going to walk out and have your nipples showing, or your belly is a little bloated, or you’re not at the weight you want to be—you are perfect no matter what you are and no matter where you are and who cares! You have to tune out the noise, which is fine by me, because I just know that I’m happy and healthy and doing everything I can to be good in the world and to the people I work with," she said.

Jennifer Aniston is someone everybody should take advice from when it comes to handling unfair criticism and shaming. I'm so glad we have a woman like her to remind us that it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about our bodies and our choices.