According to CNN, Hope Hicks will temporarily take over as the White House communications director until a replacement for the position has been found. If you haven’t been paying attention to the Trump administration, or you’re still confused on WTF is going on with the WH communication department, Hicks is taking over for Anthony Scaramucci, aka the Mooch, who took over for Sean Spicer. Apparently, the communications director role has a pretty speedy turn-around rate.

Because Spicer and Scaramucci have both stolen the spotlight from the rest of the WH communications team, you might not know that Hicks has already been an integral member of the communications department for a while now. According to Cosmopolitan, Hicks started her political career as President Trump’s campaign press secretary.

Though Hicks didn’t have any previous political experience, Business Insider explains that she was hired as while she was previously employed by the Trump Organization.

After her stint as Trump’s campaign press secretary, she was eager to accept another position on the WH communications team. According to Politico, Hicks earned the role as director of strategic communications in December 2016.

Though Hicks didn't have any political experience prior to her involvement with the Trump campaign and presidency, she's made an impressive rise since then. She’s only 28, but USA Today explains that she is already one of the highest-paid WH administration officials, making $179,700.

Since being named the interim communications director, she is still expected to complete her duties as assistant to the president and director of strategic communications. Though Hicks is going to be working triple time, we’re ecstatic that Hicks is stepping in as communications director (albeit temporarily).

Let’s face it, communication between the White House and the press has been, well, a shit-show muddled to say the least. This is a problem, because the press communicates this vital information to the public—which includes the citizens that make up the United States, who should be updated on what's going on in their government.

While we still don’t know if Hicks will be able to communicate to the press more efficiently than Scaramucci or Spicer, at least we know that her transitional role will less dramatic, seeing as she already has experience in the WH communications department. Meaning, she's already got this ish on lock. Plus, we know that Hicks won’t try to hide in the bushes to avoid the press (hopefully, anyway).

With all of the headlines about Taylor Swift's current legal issues, the last thing we're thinking about is her ever-present ~drama~ with Kanye West. Although it might seem like a thing of the past (at least for now), their most recent feud, which took place over social media, sparked changes in the way Instagram screens excessive spam comments made on a users' page. 

In case you need a refresher on what last went down between Kanye, Kim and Taylor, it all revolved around Kanye's song "Famous," in which he called out Taylor with the infamous lyric, "I made that bitch famous." Granted, I would be a bit upset if he said that about me, too. 

According to a recent Entertainment Weekly article, the conflict has been more influential than we ever thought it would be—it's literally changing how we comment on people's Instagram posts.

In a Wired profile, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom declared his intention to “clean up” the internet. One of the ways he's cleaning the platform up is by limiting users from posting a block of emojis—regardless of whether they're considered positive or negative emojis—on a verified user's profile.

Remember when Swift was having conflicts with Calvin Harris and Katy Perry, along with the Wests, last July? Her Instagram posts were flooded with snake emojis until, suddenly, they were gone. That's because Instagram used this situation to test out a function that would delete certain words or emojis from your feed—a function that was later made available to all users.

According to Vanity Fair, a new notification now pops up when a user tries to post a block of emojis which reads, "This comment has too many special characters. Edit your comment before posting. We restrict certain content and actions to protect our community.” It also allows the user to report a problem if they believe they received the message in error. 

Tools such as this can be tricky since they affect users' free speech. However, according to the author of Systrom's Wired profile, Nicholas Thompson, “Freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to shitpost. [Systrom's] network isn’t a public square; it’s a platform people can choose to use or not.” 

Kimye and Taylor might not have thought they were changing the world when they were arguing over social media, but they kind of did. Well, maybe not the world, but they definitely changed Instagram! 

You’ve decided on a major, but you’re all over the place when it comes to picking a minor. There are so many options! Should you go for something that’s purely fun, or should you study something that ties into your career goals? Here’s your chance to find out which minor is right for you based on your go-to school supplies.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

By Kaitlin Bartlett

In the past 24 hours, I have given a disturbing amount of thought to Taylor Swift’s underwear. Or rather, her lack of underwear. The logistics of the entire situation surrounding her alleged assault at a 2013 meet-and-greet sent me combing through Twitter for articles and live tweets and photos.

“He grabbed my bare ass,” Swift told jurors Thursday, explaining that DJ David Mueller groped her “underneath [her] skirt” while posing for a photo op backstage. Even as a self-proclaimed feminist and Taylor Swift fan, my first instinct was to wonder why she wasn’t wearing underwear. I wondered about the fabric of her dress and its potential to show panty lines, and I scrolled through Twitter until I discovered the picture in question.

And then I froze.

The bold red circle signifying where Mueller’s hand met Swift’s body was unnecessary; my eyes found it immediately. It’s difficult to mistake the angle of his arm as brushing her rib or back. It clearly hovers behind her rear end. Paired with Swift’s body language, how she’s angled toward Mueller’s then-girlfriend and away from him, the photo told me enough.

I was horrified by my initial reaction of wondering if she could have prevented the incident. I trusted Swift’s testimony, but for a split second her word hadn’t been enough for me. I’d needed evidence. Wondering about a woman’s clothing or demeanor is the same as the “But was she drunk?” question often posed in assault cases, where the victim is required to prove she could not have prevented the assault. We ask victims to provide evidence about the ruffling of their skirt before we’re willing to believe their story. Swift has a literal photograph of her assault, yet we still question her.

Even so, Swift’s stance in the courtroom was unflinching. “I am not going to allow your client to make me feel like it is anyway my fault, because it isn’t,” she said to Mueller’s attorney during the cross-examination. She is countersuing Mueller for $1—in contrast to his $3 million—to show women they can “always say no,” even if they don’t react the way society wants them to.

Swift is receiving pushback on social media by people who believe she’s dramatizing the incident. Jokes about her “not having enough ass to grab” or writing a song about the incident for her next album fill up the comment sections of news articles. I’ve even read debates about the severity of the assault with the sentiment of “Well, it was inappropriate, but it wasn’t rape, so why is she going through all this legal trouble?”

Any non-consensual touch is assault. We need to retrain our brains as a society to filter out the background chatter about clothing worn and whether the woman screamed “No!” By bringing her voice—and national attention—to this issue, Swift is furthering the discussion of victim-blaming and consent.

I’m curling my hands into a heart for Taylor Swift today, thankful for her decision to fight for herself and on behalf of other women afraid to speak up. 

In a time where everyone has so much stress (side hustles, school and full-time work, you name it), parts of society have started to raise awareness for self-care tactics. Self-care, body positivity and increased kindness are all phrases used to refer to strategies that are meant to promote an overall mental and physical well-being and state-of-mind.

We spoke with Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN and author of Body Kindness, to discuss how to incorporate healthy, body-positive habits into  your regular routine.

The main components to living a kind, heathy lifestyle can be hard to define. However, Scritchfield says to start off by figuring out what works. “Create a definition of health that works for you. It's about your choices and feeling good — not appearance. But there are times when you don't feel good and that's totally normal. So then it's about self-compassion and non-judgment. Talk to yourself like you would a good friend. Treat your body with kindness,” she says.     

There are so many different ways to treat your body with kindness, so we’ve compiled five tips that will hopefully give you the tools to build both your mental and physical confidence.

1. Think about your actions

It’s not only the way you interact with yourself that’s important. Thinking about the way you interact with other people, whether it be in person or through social media, can have an impact on the role that body kindness has on your life. Subscribing to body-positive bloggers and keeping up with companies that embrace body positivity are great, and can help normalize you to the idea of accepting the way your own body looks. However helpful doing this may be, it’s also important to think deeper about what body positivity and kindness means to you. One way you can do this is by stepping back and evaluating how the celebrities you follow on social media make you feel. When you look at their Instagram, do you feel empowered? Or do you feel kind of put down? If something in your life (even something like the people you follow) isn’t bringing you a sense of positivity- you may want to reconsider keeping it around.

“People have been working on fat activism since the 1950s and we still have a long way to go,” Scritchfield says. “I don't think we should stop at a ‘just love your rolls’ selfie. We should really think about our common humanity and what it means to judge people by their appearance. It's not helpful and it doesn't improve health and well-being.”

If you’re someone who tends to make comments to yourself or others regarding how people look, it may be better to start reevaluating the way you think about things. Rather than focus on the positives or negatives of the way someone looks, try and find out more about them. Instead of just giving a compliment, start a conversation about the thing that you liked. Similarly, if you feel yourself starting to judge someone based on their physical appearance, take a step back and take stock of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.

2. Remind yourself that there’s more to your identity than the way you look

It’s easy to get caught up in how you perceive your own physical appearance. Though the opinions of others shouldn’t be the base on which you perceive yourself, it may be helpful to evaluate physical attributes that others may like about you, that you don’t really connect with.

If someone compliments a part of your physical appearance that you’re not confident in, it may be beneficial to let those compliments give you some confidence.

“I like to point out parts of my body that people like (and I personally don't like) and to tell myself that I am lucky because people want what I have. I eventually start to love them,” says Jessica Morley, a first year student at the University of South Wales in Britain.

Doing this will help build your physical confidence and open up your mind to look at some of your attributes in a different light- from the viewpoint of others.

3. Unplug and get some sleep

It’s no secret that a lot of us are sleep deprived. The demands of work and class are bound to cause some light nights and caffeine overloads. Sleep deprivation mixed with constantly being plugged-in can tire out your brain and ultimately cause you to overthink just about everything — including the lives of people who you’re friends with on social media. This can distract from getting the sleep you need in order to maintain a sense of mental balance.

“We tend to ‘compare and despair’ when we look at everyone's supposedly amazing lives on social media,” Scritchfield says. “You have to set boundaries on your time. Start with sleep. I recommend you don't have any devices in your bedroom and you get in bed one hour before you want to be sleeping for an 8-hour night, which most people need to have productive days.”

We hear time and time again that staying plugged in all the time can subconsciously play a negative role in the way our brain works, so it makes sense that one of the best ways to take care of yourself is to take a break from being on your phone.

3. Own the compliments you get

When you’re having a less-than-great self-esteem day, it’s easy to dismiss any compliments you may get. Being so quick to brush off compliments may decrease your ability to fully recognize how great you are.

Amanda Goeke, a senior at Carthage College, suggests doing the exact opposite, “When someone gives me a compliment on my physical appearance, I always take it with acceptance and grace rather than shooting it down.”

This advice works for physical appearance, as well as for compliments that may not be about the way you look. Is someone complimenting how on-top of everything you are? Own it.

Giving compliments can be a two-way street. Generally, giving compliments to other people can open you up to building new connections with people, and help give you a more positive outlook on the way you interact with people. Everyone’s heard of the golden rule- treat others how you want to be treated. So, you should go forth and do the same.

Related: 7 Ways to Practice Self Care 

4. Say some affirmations

Affirmations can be a great way to ingrain deeper, lasting thoughts into your mind. Affirmations are often talked about in regards to how they can help build your confidence or even help you succeed at new endeavors, so it makes sense that they would be a good way of practicing self-care.

“I like to remind myself that there's literally no other person 100 percent exactly like me on the planet. Our uniqueness is truly incredible and that makes us special,” says Stephanie Huynh, a sophomore from Lehigh University. Smaller, more on-the-fly affirmations can be something as simple as, “you’ve got this” or “you can do it”. Even written affirmations, like song lyrics or quotes (I have on next to my mirror that says “you don’t grow when you’re comfortable”), have the power to transform the way you think.

Affirmations like Stephanie’s can be incredibly helpful in rewiring the little voice in your brain that tries to push its’ doubts through. Repeatedly reminding yourself of the traits that you enjoy about yourself, or even your own uniqueness, you’re more likely to feel ready to take on the day and be your best self

5. Take care of yourself

Something that may get overlooked when beginning your body positive journey is possibly the most simple way of practicing body positivity- simply taking care of yourself. We're all for treating yourself, but the primary way to make your body and your mind happy is to take care of them.

“Body positivity doesn’t mean just letting yourself go and having all the pizza or chocolate that you want, while telling yourself it’s okay. You still should eat healthy foods, exercise, have regular checkups and so on. And you should still take care of things that you don’t like about yourself that can be fixed. For example, there are many products on the market to treat acne, but there is nothing you can do about big feet. So, make an honest appraisal of yourself to fix what you can, and then just accept the things you can’t change,” says Carole Lieberman, M.D., Beverly Hills psychiatrist and author.

Making an honest appraisal of yourself isn't limited to evaluating what you can change about your appearance. It's also important to appraise your mental health. If your mental health is struggling, be sure to talk to someone about it and book an appointment with a therapist or psychiatrist. Seeing a professional can help you work out any mental blocks you may be having, as well as work on any other aspects of your life that may be bothering you.

6. Make a conscious decision to get started

The first step in your body positivity journey is to actually implement new ways of body positive thoughts and actions into your regular routine.

“You have to have a goal in mind, but people tend to make a lot of mistakes with goal-setting. In my book, I provide a whole framework for goal-setting do's and don'ts based on human psychology and behavior,” Scritchfield says, offering the example, “Don't set a dead person's goal —  something a dead person can do better than you — like I'll never eat chocolate cake again.” Instead, Scrichfield recommends describing the action you want to take. “It should be interesting and challenging, but not overwhelming. Take action repeatedly and it will become a habit,” she say.
When making the decision to live a more kind body positive life, it will help if you have a support system with similar goals. “It helps to form a group of friends who believe in body positivity, so you can support each other,” says Lieberman.

Though it may seem enticing to start practicing every type of body kindness at once, don’t jump into your goals right away. Give yourself time to think through the plans you have and the actions you want to take.

Life is stressful, and it’s important to take care of yourself. Embracing plans to be kind to yourself and practice body positivity can help you destress.

This article has been syndicated from Cocktails and Ambition, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

Good books have a way of  inspiring, motivating and teaching how to navigate through different stages of life. Graduating College or University is an entirely different experience and new stage of life. Unlike high school graduation where the next four years of your life had somewhat of an expected roadmap, college graduation doesn’t always come with the same security. It can be a bit daunting and depressing to make a decision on what direction to take when there are so many options ahead of you.

As I am currently in this phase of life, what I have found to be motivating is surrounding myself with people who are determined to make something for themselves, as well as reading some good books for post grads (TONS of them!).  Some of these books are career oriented and many are self-help books to help get me out of my pool of self-pity, go out into the world with a bit more insider knowledge, ready to kick ass. So, I’m sharing four of my favorite “get your ass up and make something of yourself” books with you.

1. Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht

This is one of the many good books for for recent graduates just starting out their careers. It deals with workplace etiquette, such as how to call back for a job, doing a proper follow-up, email etiquette (which I can personally attest to using at my job after reading her book), as well as a list of to-dos before applying for a job. Aliza also inspires with her personal journey with how she got to where she currently and the importance of building good relationships and having a good attitude at work. that although small will go a long way to set you apart in your field.

2. Nice Girls Don't Get the Corner Officeby Lois P. Frankel

Another one of my favorites,  Nice Girls Don’t Get The Corner Office deals with undoing all the subconscious things that we have been programmed to do as women that actually sabotage our careers. If you have plans on breaking the glass ceiling this book is a place to start. Not only is it helpful for all the career girls out there but it also has great advice that can be useful in all facets of life such as learning to work smart not hard, speaking up and asking for the things you want instead of waiting for it to be handed to you.

Read the full post here. 

If you're seriously dedicated to your zodiac sign, this one's for you. Perhaps you're a Virgo or a Leo. Regardless, you measure up to basically every quality and horoscope prediction you've read online. You feel like it's an important part of who you are, whether or not there's actually any truth behind it. If you're committed to your sign, then you'll definitely understand these 15 things. 

1. You always bring up your zodiac sign when you talk about yourself 

Especially if you're a Leo. 

2. You know what traits set you apart from other signs 

Taurus ladies are strong, independent women who don't need men! 

3. You know which signs you’re most compatible with 

I'm a Libra; you're a Capricorn. Basically, we're soul mates. 

4. You regularly take zodiac personality quizzes   

There's no greater achievement than taking a quiz to find out what dog you would be, based on your sign.

5. You feel an odd sense of superiority over others for identifying with your sign 

I read my horoscope every morning, and I'm in tune with my sign's energy. Get on my level. 

6. You feel bad for the people who don’t relate to their sign or understand why you care about yours

Maybe one day you'll understand why you need to find that balance, lost Libra. 

7. You get annoyed with people who say that zodiac signs and horoscopes are all fake  

You don't need that kind of negative energy in your life.

8. You look forward to reading your horoscope in magazines and try to convince others to do the same

How else will you know whether or not to avoid going out on the 14th when Jupiter is aligned with Mars?! 

9. And you get genuinely paranoid when your horoscope for the month isn’t a good one 

You can't be too careful, especially when you read that this month will be bad for "money and friendships." 

10. You feel slightly betrayed when your horoscope doesn’t measure up to what it said it would be

I was supposed to meet an attractive businessman during a full moon and fall in love. What gives? 

11. You’re always amazed by how much your personality matches your sign 

It can't just be a coincidence when a Virgo is incredibly organized or a Scorpio is holding a grudge. 

12. You want to buy anything that has your zodiac sign on it  

A $200 rose gold Aries necklace that you saw on Pinterest once? Gotta have it.

13. You read things about your sign in order to understand more about yourself 

Self-discovery is basically all about finding out what traits make a Cancer a better employee in the workplace. 

14. You may or may not use it as a way to make decisions 

It's always important to ask yourself whether or not that new job is really the best choice for a Pisces. 

15. You feel proud when you discover certain celebrities or fictional characters share your sign 

At the end of the day, your zodiac sign is part of who you are and you're damn proud of it. 

Growing up means experiencing a lot of new things and learning more about yourself, which often entails discovering your sexual orientation. Sometimes that can be confusing to figure out, but with all the resources we can access (thank you internet and technology), it should be an exciting time, not one to stress about. You’re already a badass college student taking on the world so discovering your sexual orientation should be more fun than worrisome. Here are a few ways and resources to help guide the process.

1. Understand the different sexual orientations

There are many kinds of sexual orientations. The most commonly known ones are heterosexual (people who are attracted to the opposite sex), homosexual (people who are attracted to the same sex) and bisexual (people who are attracted to both men and women). Although these are all typically the most known on a widespread level, there are actually ten different sexual orientations. Don’t let that overwhelm you though. Sex therapist and counselor, Christina Spaccavento says, “We are all unique individuals and no one person is the same, so I recommend that each person be free to define them self in a way that fits with them and their unique set of personal experiences and emotions.”

When it comes to sexual orientation expressions she explains, “There are various terms for people’s sexual orientation such as straight, gay, lesbian, bi, queer or asexual and any of these terms may fit well for some people. But for others, these terms can be limiting. If this is the case, it can be helpful to use terminology that allows more space for exploration such 'open' or 'fluid.'”

2. Take your time

This discovery process is personal to you and can take as long–or as little–as you feel comfortable with. Ms. Spaccavento encourages, “Firstly, it is important to know that it is normal to have feelings of attraction to the same gender or sex. Doing some reading and research about alternative sexual orientations can be really helpful (only use trusted and reputable sources such as local community group and government sources).” This is extremely important when discovering sexual orientation because the more time and research put into the discovery, the less confusing and more confidence boosting it will be!

Another way to make this process easier is to acknowledge your feelings and accept the way you’re feeling. Autumn Dube, a recent graduate of Emmanuel College, says, “It can be both scary and frustrating when you start to question your sexuality. One of the best things you can do is to not fight what you're feeling. It may seem easier to try to deny your emotions or tell yourself it's just a phase, but in the long run this denial does more damage than good.”

She adds, “It's natural to question what you're feeling, but it's not healthy to stuff down your emotions. You will learn to accept yourself as time passes, and you will find incredible support along your journey, but just remember it's okay to be confused from time to time. Your feelings and sexuality are valid, whatever they may be.”

3. Talk to someone

One of the best things to do when you’re confused is talk to someone! Ms. Spaccavento recommends, “Making contact with local community groups that offer support and discussion groups and events can be a great way to start to meet like minded people as well as explore any feelings of confusion that may arise. And of course, if you become distressed or confused, reaching out to an experienced and trained therapist can be a safe way to begin to explore your feelings…Talking to trusted and safe friends that have alternative sexual orientations can also be really helpful and of course, getting out there either in-person or online to meet others can also be a great way to explore.” Getting to know other people in the LGBTQ+ community can be so beneficial. Some might be going through the same thing as you while some might be past that point and could pass along advice or stories of their own experiences.

Throughout this time, the most important thing to remember is that this is completely normal. Almost everybody questions their sexuality at some point in their life and understanding those feelings is only going to make you feel even better about yourself. Self-acceptance and having patience with yourself is going to be a key part in your journey. Go forward with pride, collegiettes!

Another summer has come and gone, and with the next academic year quickly approaching, we’re trying to figure out what this year of college will bring us. While we’re still fantasizing about finally achieving our summer bod or meeting our soulmate, we’ve compiled this list of expectations and (too true) realities for going back to school—college edition.

1. Buying school supplies

Expectation:

You probably think that with every new school year comes a whole new set of pens, pencils and adorable notebooks, right? You know, the ones that you see all over Tumblr reblogged onto the studyblrs, or the colorful Kate Spade notepads that you keep repinning.

Reality:

The truth is, you’re a broke college student just like all the movies said you would be. No, you can’t afford to buy those Moleskine notebooks that all the hipsters use, and you probably still get excited when you find a pen someone left behind in the section before yours. In reality, the only new supplies you’ll be buying are highlighters and index cards for the excessive amounts of flashcards you always tend to make.

2. Meeting your soulmate

Expectation:

New year, new people—or at least, that’s what we tell ourselves every night before the first day of school. Your high school hopes and dreams of meeting that cute transfer (or rekindling an old flame) carry on into college, and you anxiously await your first encounter with “the one” as soon as you turn 18. It happens in the movies, so why couldn’t it happen to you, right?

Reality:

Wrong! Turns out, the only thing on your mind on your first day of a new year at college is whether you should take that gen ed class pass/fail. Why would you even consider finding a soulmate when you can barely remember where you left your student ID, let alone the hundreds of key terms for that one Art History lecture to fulfill your last requirement?

3. Weekend plans

Expectation:

College: a big kid’s playground where 18-23 year olds party hop till they drop. Now that you’re into your young adult years (but not quite grown up yet), you’re probably going to have nightly invites to the hottest parties—and you’ll always have a date. 

Reality:

In reality, your Friday nights will consist of staring at a screen until your computer overheats—either from marathon-ing too much Netflix or cramming for your week three midterm. Weekends will be your time to recharge, and if you can squeeze a Thirsty Thursday in, it will be right after you electronically submit that essay way too last minute.

4. Food

Expectation:

You probably think that college is the place where you can eat cereal and ice cream for dinner every night and French fries are in constant supply. You get excited over the idea of mixing Cocoa Puffs with coffee ice cream and your parents can’t do anything about it.

Reality:

The truth is, the food in the dining halls isn’t everything you’ve been dreaming of. For the first few weeks, you are in awe of the variety, but by week four you realize that you miss your parents' cooking even more than you thought you would. Better rethink that unlimited meal plan because you’ll be craving buttermilk waffles and homemade dinners your mom and dad always told you to finish (but you never wanted to).

5. Dorm room aesthetics

Expectation:

You’ve been searching Pinterest for dorm inspiration since you were a second semester senior in high school. You’ve scoured the Anthropologie website for Tumblr-worthy bedding and your phone is filled with lists of websites where you’ve found the best twinkle lights.  Even your laptop case has to match the bohemian-princess theme you’ve decided on.

Reality:

In reality, you’ll be living in a shoebox for the next year. You may be on the bottom bunk, and you don’t have nearly as much wall space to display those 50 Polaroid pictures you’ve taken this summer. But even though your room is way smaller than you imagined, you will still try to make it your own safe haven, free from (some) weeknight distractions.

6. Homework

Expectation:

Syllabus week? No problem! Why would your professor assign homework during the first week of a new semester? I mean, they don’t want to have to start grading papers this soon…

Reality:

You have assignments before you’ve even moved into your dorm. You’ve received emails about the textbooks you need since three weeks before the year started, and you have an online quiz due on the second day of class.  Study group at Starbucks, anyone?

8. Friendship

Expectation and Reality:

College is the place where your life truly starts. It is where you truly find yourself and meet life-long friends who will stay with you throughout the years of midterms and breakups, coffee dates and all-nighters. This is what you expect it to be, and this is what it really is. Whether you’re just starting college for the first time or you’re beginning the first day of your senior year, you tend to expect something entirely different than reality, but sometimes reality ends up being a whole lot better than you expected.

Late August is just around the corner, which means move-in day with your BFF. You couldn’t be happier. From the day you signed your housing agreement, you knew your roommate horror stories of freshman year were over.

While this may be true, don’t jump to conclusions just yet. Living with your BFF might not be as effortless as hanging out with her. If you don’t take the time to set boundaries and outline a few rules now, your roommate-BFF could become your roommate-ex-BFF, fast. To strengthen your friendship and lock in a great school year, it’s important to set some roomie guidelines and stick to them. But don’t worry––HC’s got your back. Follow our steps and living with your bestie will be smooth sailing this year.

Set Ground Rules

When you live with your best friend, you will always learn new things about her, no matter how well you knew her before. Maybe she cuts her toenails in the middle of the living room floor. Maybe she’s a stickler when it comes to washing dishes. Maybe she sings “Time After Time” whenever she cooks. And believe me, listening to a girl sing to her eggs when you’re trying to cram on the morning of a big exam can take some adjusting to. Unfortunately, there is no way to put this adjusting process in slow-mo; like it or not, from move-in day on you will be bombarded with your BFF-turned-roommate’s habits (good and bad), and she with yours.

Living with your bestie is going to bring on almost as many surprises as living with a stranger would. But unlike moving in with a rando, moving in with your BFF gives you a head start on communication. So even though your roommate is your best friend and you get along great, take the time to set ground rules before the semester begins—it’ll be so much easier to make concessions with her than it would be with a total stranger. Trust me: later in the semester when you see your friends struggling with their roommates’ weird habits, you will think to yourself, Well, they should’ve talked about these issues beforehand!

Related: 15 Stupid Fights All Roommates Have

How to Initiate the “Ground Rules” Conversation

After you’ve moved your boxes in to your new place, take a look around and say to your BFF:“Hey, I think it’d be great if we could sit down for ten minutes and chat about our expectations for this place, and set a few ground rules. This way we can avoid having minor conflicts blow up into huge fights!”

Here are some good points to bring up:

• Will we borrowing each other’s clothes? Do we have open closets or should we ask first?
• Will we be sharing food, or using separate shelves?
• Who will clean what?
• How will we handle visitors (especially boys)?
• What does your course load look like this semester?
• How will I know when you need some alone time?

While having this conversation will not prevent ALL conflicts, it gives you and your BFF an idea of how to be respectful of each other’s needs. Just remember: while these rules are a way to ease yourselves into your new living situation, they aren’t set in stone. Prepare to be flexible throughout the year, and adjust them (pending a discussion with your roommate) if your habits begin to get on each other’s nerves.

Communicate (Out Loud)

One way to minimize tensions that arise in your living space is to communicate.  If you feel your toes are being stepped on, don’t be afraid to reach out (respectfully) to your bestie. And no matter how uncomfortable you feel telling your BFF that something she does bothers you (you never had problems before!), you need to talk to her, out loud. This means no angry texts and no nasty messages on the wipe-off board! Even though your roommate knows you well, she won’t be able to read your passive-aggressive messages much better than any other person.

Why is communicating well so important when you room with your BFF? Poor communication between you and your bestie can mess with your social life, both inside and outside your apartment. Rooming with your best friend usually means rooming with someone from your main group of friends, and drama with her could mean drama with everyone. Take it from one anonymous Her Campus contributing writer: “I used to live with three of my besties. We always had typical roommate issues, like arguing over dirty dishes, but one day one of my roommates, and I got in an argument and stopped talking. It put our other two roommates in the awkward position of middlemen. After that argument we four could never go out food shopping together, let alone go out for dinner like we used to.”

So please, future BFF-roommate, always keep these words in the back of your mind: I will not internalize my roommate grievances. I will not leave angry messages on Post-it notes. I will not give my roommate the cold shoulder. I will tell her, calmly, what bothers me. Later, when we’re old ladies, we will laugh about this!

Learn to Take Criticism

Just as important as voicing your concerns over your roommate’s habits is listening to your roommate’s grievances about yours. Sure, it’s human nature to feel offended or hurt that she’s annoyed by something you do. But the sting will fade away. Remember, your roommate is not attacking you personally—she just wants you to make minor changes to better suit you both.

Sobe attentive. If your roommate suddenly stops speaking to you or seems distant, find a quiet moment when you know she’s not studying and ask her if you’ve done anything to bother her.

Grow Separately Without Growing Apart

A famous quote says, “The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” College is a major point in your life where you and your bestie may do just as this quote suggests: grow separately. But how do you make sure you don’t grow apart? There are two things you need to do to make sure you and your BFF stick to each other like glue, but without all the sticky mess: lead separate lives while making time to bond.

Expand Your Circle of Friends

And I’m not talking about Google+, here; I’m talking about getting out and doing things with people besides your roommate, even though she’s your best friend. Susan Fee, author of My College Roommate is Driving Me Crazy! writes on her website, “Hanging out with your best friend can hold both of you back. All it takes is one, ‘You didn't used to be that way,’ to feel trapped.” Your roommate best friend can quickly become your only friend if you don’t put in the effort to branch out. One Her Campus campus correspondent who chose to remain anonymous says, “My roommate and I did completely different things and were very busy, so when we came home at night, we loved seeing each other and appreciated each other's company. We could talk about our days and have fun, and cook dinner.” So join a club your roommate’s uninterested in or start playing Ultimate while you’re roomie’s at crew practice; you’ll only have more to talk about when you get home.

Plan special roomie sessions with your BFF, like Sunday dinners or movie nights. This way, no matter how busy your individual plans keep you, there will always be room for each other in your schedules. This worked great for us and our BFF roommates: we used to clear our schedules one night a week to cook dinner together. There were no complaints on our end, because not only did we get to chat with our chemical engineering roomies during one of their rare study breaks, but we also got to fuel up on food I never would have been able to cook for myself.

Coming home to your BFF’s familiar face can be comforting, but it takes hard work to maintain this comfort. By laying your expectations on the table in the first place, accepting the fact that conflict is inevitable, employing direct, respectful communication and making time for both personal growth and bonding, you, my friend, have become the best BFF roommate you can be. Let the late-night study sessions and pizza runs begin!

When you're the star of one of the biggest reality shows on television, little is kept private, no matter how much you want it to be. And when you're in the midst of a controversy, viewers expect answers—when they don't get any answers, a lot is left for speculation.

One major example of this is Kendall Jenner's Pepsi ad, which left many people pissed off. In April the ad was met with backlash and pulled almost immediately after people accused Kendall and Pepsi of appropriating nationwide movements and marches such as Black Lives Matter. While Pepsi did apologize for the distasteful ad, mum was the word for Kendall, who made no official statement or apology. (A source did claim she was "devastated" by the backlash.) Now, months after the controversy erupted, we're learning more about Kendall's reaction to the backlash and why she didn't want it to air on Keeping Up With the Kardashians. 

In an oral history of KUWTK from The Hollywood Reporter, Kim Kardashian and Kendall gave a little more backstory on what exactly was going on with Kendall during this time. "I'm the most private one," Kendall explained. "If there's a moment I don't want anyone to hear, I talk to myself or talk to someone in another room."

"We're not perfect, but you see these things in the media, like Kendall and [her Pepsi ad that was accused of trivializing Black Lives Matter], where I see her at home crying, but in the media she looks another way because she's not addressing it," said Kim. "I'm just like, 'This is wrong. You need to speak up.' She was like, 'I don't ever want to show that footage of me crying.' She was trying to not make excuses or be dramatic, but that was what she was going through at the time." 

Being on a reality show throws a lot of difficult situations and personal issues into the spotlight, and some of these moments are difficult to show, Kris Jenner noted. "There are moments when it's hard to leave something in because it's vulnerable and it exposes us to a deeper level of emotion, and sometimes that's hard to share." 

While it certainly isn't okay to trivialize movements of such magnitude, at the end of the day we're all human, and humans make mistakes—especially when their entire lives are in the public eye.

This post has been syndicated from STYLESILIKE, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the original post here. Follow STYLESILIKE on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

I had the privilege of attending a truly special event last week, in celebration of The Glass Castle. Starring Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts, Max Greenfield, Sarah Snook, and Robin Bartlett, this new film is based on the best-selling memoir by Jeannette Walls. Lionsgate has put forth a triumphant story of a woman who both deeply loves her dysfunctional family yet also realizes she must grittily depend on herself, in order to survive & succeed in life. The film covers the family at three different points in life. In honor of the film’s premiere, I was invited to The Whitby Hotel for a private luncheon & Q&A with Jeanette, Brie, & Naomi. Our Q&A was moderated by Rookie Mag creator, Tavi Gevinson.

Steph attended as my guest (as you can see in the photos above). I love that photo of Jeannette with her arms raised ecstatically in the air; it represents the dynamic energy all four women exhibited that afternoon. Jeannette, as the author, gave deep insight into her own life, yet she was quick to praise the team that created the film. For example, she complimented the director, Daniel Cretton, saying “It’s real easy to make fun of drunks and make fun of crazy homeless people, and he was never going for the cheap shot. It was just brilliant from day one.” She praised the actors next, “It was stunning to me… [and] they leave me in the dust when it comes to observation about character. They’re fearless about the way they surround somebody psychologically. It just took my breath away.” Several times throughout the afternoon, it was evident that there were tears in Jeannette’s eyes. While Jeannette spoke, Brie & Naomi were strongly affected by her strong eloquence.

Brie, who plays Jeannette in the film, spoke intriguingly about playing characters where there is still mystery to be uncovered – the challenging fulfillment of an actor. She discussed how she takes on a role knowing that she is “still grasping for something and that there’s tons of room for surprise, that she can even surprise [herself].”  She continued, “Ultimately, [the line through] every film that I want to make is just complicated and contradictory, and that’s what life is. And those are the characters that I enjoy watching. Those are the characters that I want to see the screen because that’s the people that I know.” Naomi, who plays Jeannette’s mother, Rosemary, described the film as “a cathartic journey”.  She kept a journal which she covered in Rosemary’s paintings and cut out the emails that they sent back & forth to each other. She reinforced how her own experiences shaped this character. She said, “It wasn’t all just about Rosemary, but [also] my mom and what a powerful figure she has been in my life.”

When I was handed the microphone, I began by thanking all four women, expressing,”It’s always a privilege to be in the presence of powerful women who utilize their voices in storytelling.” After watching a screening last week, I asked the following question.

“I love how you spoke about the nuances in the film and the complex characters, and I wanted to know [about], both as someone who lived through that and having to play those roles, the tension between self-preservation and care for others. Because I was thinking about that theme throughout the entire film, and I would just love to hear your experiences.” 

Jeannette replied almost immediately, “That is such a good question. It’s something I’ve wrestled with for most of my life because I’m a survivor, and the toughest scenes for me, one of the days that I was on the set was when the Maureen character told the Jeannette character that she was leaving New York and I burst into tears. Because I tried to get her to stay and we–‘Oh, we take care of each other.’ And she said, ‘No, we don’t.’ And I just–I burst into tears and Brie had to come out and like–you know?… It was very weird being comforted by me. But, we survivors, a lot of people say, ‘How could you forgive your parents?’ And the person I had to forgive was myself, because we who pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and have to make some tough choices to get by, I think of myself as selfish.

And that was one of the transformative things about watching this movie was seeing Brie Larson making these tough choices. I loved her and was, like, rooting for in a way that I never loved or rooted for myself. So it was kind of magnificent. What you said, that really hit home because it’s something that’s one of the reasons I thought people would hold me in contempt when I told my story and they don’t.I think we’re our own toughest critics sometimes. That you know, I thought that being a survivor, you do carry around survivor guilt.”

Brie continued, “Every time I see it, I cry. I cry. I think it’s something that–going back to kind of what Jeannette was saying before, too, the actors are very porous. I feel super-porous. I feel like energies and people and noises are–I’m very sensitive to them and sometimes I can get too serious because I get very worried about how other people are feeling and what they’re thinking… And it’s something that I used to beat myself up over. I still beat myself up over it. I’m not immune to it anymore, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just gooey ad I want to stay gooey.

I don’t have any interest in shellacking myself or making myself harder to protect myself from things. I will always be curious. I will always be sensitive and that’s what makes me good at my job. And it’s what makes me me, and throwing that away would mean, like throwing away all of the inner workings that make me who I am. And that just seems kind of bizarre.

So my empathy is the thing that has brought me closer to people, has brought me all over the world and in crazy situations and beautiful situations. It’s also the thing that can leave me feeling kind of raw and vulnerable at the end of it. And so as I’m 27 and starting to learn more about myself and how to take care of myself, because I’m now my mother and father for myself, it’s figuring out how to do that and feel strong in that. And feeling strong and knowing when a boundary has been crossed or I’ve reached a certain limit and not beating myself up over it when I don’t find perfect balance, because I don’t think balance really exists. It’s just a concept to strive for that’ll never really happen…

Naomi followed, “Yes. I totally agree with that you’re saying, Brie. You have to have a thin skin, because you have to be able to tap into the truth of these people and be sensitive and absorb what’s going on with the human psyche and you have to study it and feel it. Although it’s weird, because when you’re trying to grow in this business and you’re getting rejection after rejection and it just hurts. It’s just constant wounding, you feel like, “Oh, I wish I had a thicker skin because I need to not take it all on so personally and think when they’re telling me I’m not funny or I’m not sexy or I’m not intense.”

You get these feedback reports that they land on your heart and you’re just like, “Ah! Next time, I’m going to be this,” and “What did they want? Who shall I be? How can I please?” You know, and then you’re just so far away from yourself, and that’s what I keep coming back to Rosemary, who is just always about “Embrace who you are and love who you are,” and “Who cares what they think?”And despite the fact that she wasn’t doing certain things that we consider conventional parenting, those are really valuable lessons to take with you, and I think she did that with you guys so beautifully.

Jeannette ended by saying, “Yes. An incredible gift.”

To me, this simple acknowledgement summarizes the entire message of The Glass Castle  – to find beauty in the struggle. It is easy to imagine living a life of poverty & struggle & chaos, and as a result, see the world forever through a bitter lens. Yet, Jeannette’s story stands firmly in defense of hope, of forgiveness, & of believing in yourself. She discussed how she had to her to tell her story because her mother urged her to tell the truth. Despite “the jagged joy” of her child, she realized, “If there’s something so horrible and painful, you cannot imagine putting it down in words, that means you must, because it’s pivotal.”

If you are interested in watching the entire Q&A from the event, Click here. I highly encourage all to view this moving tribute to their complex family & her individual struggle. It is in theaters now. Thank you again to Lionsgate, Brie, Naomi, Jeannette, Tavi, and Her Campus Media for this opportunity. I am truly grateful.

Read the original post here.

Amidst the controversy and tragic events that took place in Charlottesville last weekend, President Trump's statements—or lack thereof—have landed him in a questionable position (yet again). Even though he addressed the protests in a bizarre press conference during which he blamed "both sides" for the violence, he seems to be siding with the white supremacist groups who are upset about the removal of historic Confederate statues and monuments. 

In a thread of tweets on Thursday morning, the president said he was sad to see the statues removed, and questioned whether it would lead to the removal of other important American figures like Washington or Jefferson.

Even though Trump didn't outright state he was supporting the white supremacists who want to preserve the Confederate statues, critics are saying his tweets are receiving extreme praise from these same white supremacist groups.

One of these critics was Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, who took to Twitter to express his concern over Trump's reaction. He wrote, “Because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation—as our President—please fix this."

These statues represent leaders who literally wanted to secede from the United States so they could keep enslaving black people. If there's no place for those laws or viewpoints in our country, why should we still allow these statues or monuments to stand tall in our cities and perpetrate these messages?

Former president Barack Obama has mostly stayed out of the spotlight since he left office in January. But he occasionally pops back into the news—whether it be for his sass or his (lack of) fashion choices or his profound statements on current events.

After the appalling and disheartening events in Charlottesville, Va. this past weekend, Obama shared a few words from Long Walk to Freedom, the autobiography of anti-apartheid and human rights advocate Nelson Mandela, according to NPR.

The full passage reads:

"I never lost hope that this great transformation would occur. Not only because of the great heroes I have already cited, but because of the courage of the ordinary men and women of my country. I always knew that deep down in every human heart, there is mercy and generosity. No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the grimmest times in prison, when my comrades and I were pushed to our limits, I would see a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, perhaps for just a second, but it was enough to reassure me and keep me going. Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished."

As MarketWatch reports, as of Wednesday morning, it was the most liked tweet of all time with 3.2 million likes and 1.3 million retweets. Second on the list was Ariana Grande's initial response to the Manchester attack, and the third was the famous Oscar selfie. Moreover, the top 10 tweets are dominated by Obama. He has 6 tweets in the top 10, from both his personal account (@BarackObama) and his presidential one (@POTUS44).

It’s not hard to see why this tweet has gained so much popularity. It’s mature, hopeful, and brief yet powerful. And it likely gave a lot of people a boost at a really demoralizing time.

As Twitter has shown us, our words have the power to spur people to create change. As Susan Bro, the mother of Charlottesville victim Heather Heyer recently said at her daughter’s memorial service, "We are going to be angry with each other. But let's channel that anger not into hate, not into violence, not into fear," Bro said. "Let's channel anger into righteous action."

Don't tell the Sanderson sisters! Vinessa Shaw, known and loved by many as Allison in the 1993 Disney film Hocus Pocus, has shared that she's expecting her first child, and her pregnancy announcement is honestly too cute for words. 

In a photo posted to Instagram, Shaw is all smiles with her graphic designer husband Kristopher Gifford, who designed the adorable backdrop that reads, "Great news! I am pregnant." Vinessa captioned the heartwarming photo, "Great News! We are proud and excited to share that we are expecting a little one early next year!...My hubby is a graphic designer, so I hope you appreciate his cheekiness."

And what a talented graphic designer he is—Gifford modified photos that were taken at the end of last month at the Warner Bros. Emerging Film Directors Workshop. How sweet!

Of course, being the star of such an iconic Halloween film, the star wasn't about to announce her pregnancy without adding a little hocus pocus to the mix. She took to Instagram again with a fun graphic of the Sanderson sisters that must have brought up a lot of nostalgia—positive pregnancy test and all! Vinessa wrote, "Maybe I should have used this for my pregnancy announcement?? #anythinggoes"

And what's a Hocus Pocus pregnancy announcement without a classic movie reference? "Winnie, I smell... a child," the graphic reads, along with the infamous line, "It's just a bunch of Hocus Pocus."

Is anyone else dying for October to come so they have an excuse to watch Hocus Pocus on a loop? 

KJ Apa stole our hearts the second he appeared as Archie Andrews on Riverdale. America instantly fell in love with his humor, charm and—let's be honest—his ridiculous washboard abs. At only 20 years old, he's actually convincing as a high school character and has been one of the breakout stars of the series. (I'm already counting down to the premiere of Season 2.) Since this down-to-earth celeb is pretty new to Hollywood, there's still plenty to learn about him, so here are a few fun facts—just in case you didn't find him swoon-worthy enough already. 

1. He's from New Zealand

Despite sounding totally American as Archie, KJ isn't from the U.S. Far from it. (Very far.) He was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, and has the accent to match. Check out the interview below to hear him speaking with his natural Kiwi inflection. 

2. He's not a redhead

His natural hair color is dark brown, and embracing Archie's iconic red hair was quite the ordeal.

"It’s pretty gnarly, man. I had to go to the salon every two weeks to get it dyed and bleached and stuff," he told Vulture. "It was really painful the first and the second time I got it done because they do my eyebrows as well. They ended up bleaching my eyebrows, and I had two holes—they burnt into my skin. I was like, 'Oh, my, we’ve got to sort this out.' Luckily, I haven’t had that again." Apparently the first time he went ginger it took ten hours.

3. He can play the guitar…and even took it to his Riverdale audition

KJ explained to Los Angeles Confidential Magazine, "It was scripted in the pilot that he likes to write music and stuff. I remember in the screen test I took my guitar and just casually walked in. I told them I was going to play them a song before I did the scene. They didn’t really have a choice and I just did it." Producers said later it was a sign that he was perfect for the role.

4. He released an album titled The Third Room

He released a new track on YouTube this March. (Fun fact: His dad is playing the keyboard accompaniment in the background.)

5. He's modest

He told The New Zealand Herald, "The show's called Riverdale, it's not called Archie, you know what I mean? I don't think I'm of any more importance than these other three leads [Betty, Veronica, and Jughead], we're all on the same level."

6. Riverdale wasn't his first TV show

In fact, the first time KJ acted on-screen was in a New Zealand soap opera when he was 16. On the show, called Shortland Street, he played a character remarkably similar to Archie: a high-school athlete named Kane who dabbles in music. He even got the chance to do a scene with Ed Sheeran when the British singer-songwriter made a guest appearance.

7. He was also in A Dog's Purpose

The controversial A Dog's Purpose was his first feature film, and he played the teenage version of the main character, Ethan, who loves his dog Bailey and falls in love with his high school girlfriend, Hannah. Though the film's love story is adorable (Football games! A county fair!), this behind-the-scenes detail was a little less cute. "I had a thing with Britt [Robertson] where we had to do this kissing scene in the car," he explained to Vulture. "It was scripted that the dog comes up in between us while we’re kissing and starts licking her face, and the only way to get the dog to do that was by rubbing chicken sauce on Britt’s cheek. So that was kind of strange. Kissing while having chicken grease all over your face. It was real hot."

8. He wasn't a fan of the Archie Comics until after he got cast

"I wasn't too familiar with Archie, mostly because I wasn't really exposed to him over in New Zealand. In fact, I wasn't exposed to him at all, but I think before I went into the audition and when I had found out that I was going to be auditioning for this character, I definitely did some research and I realized how big of a deal it was," KJ admitted to Moviefone. Makes sense, since Archie Andrews is known as an all-American character (and was an entire ocean away).

However, "I think me not being a massive fan of the comic was beneficial in a way because I could have the script for the pilot as my main focus," he told Teen Vogue. Since the franchise has been around 75 years, Riverdale is just a little different from the original comics anyway.

9. He has a doppelgänger

KJ has run into former Glee star Myko Olivier a few times, and the resemblance is absolutely uncanny, despite the fact that they were born more than 10 years apart. As Myko suggested in one Instagram caption, maybe Riverdale needs a long-lost brothers storyline? Someone make this happen!

10. His dad is a Samoan chieftain

NBD. "My dad's father was a high chief…and the family agreed my dad would take over his chief title: Tupa'i," he explained. He even got a tattoo on his right shoulder to commemorate his heritage (visible in this Instagram post). According to the New Zealand Herald, Apa's tattoo has specific designs unique to the village he's from, as well as some symbols representing their family.

11. KJ is close with his on-screen Riverdale dad, too

"It just clicked," KJ told HelloGiggles when describing his first rehearsal with Luke Perry, who plays Archie's dad Fred on the show. He even met Luke's real son—after waking up from an accidental nap on Luke's couch.

"I learn so much from him, just from personal things, life stuff. We'll talk about heaps of stuff and it really helps me. He gives me advice," he told Moviefone. Too cute!

12. One of KJ's friends has been photobombing all his photos with fans, and it's everything

I'm dying. 

13. His bromance with costar Cole Sprouse is the stuff of legends

It's basically official now that they aced their Netflix "Bromance-O-Meter." Between roasts and fits of laughter, the two proved how well they know each other, from celebrity crushes to the TV shows they're currently binge-watching. Whether they're reading complimentary tweets to each other (and confirming they've told each other "I love you"), sharing ugly photos of each other online or road-tripping through the desert, these two are #goals. Can I join?

While getting ready to go through sorority recruitment is super exciting, it can also be extremely nerve-wracking. Between planning outfits and worrying about how you’ll stand out to the women who you’re dying to become future sisters with, the process can get a little stressful. What's the best way to feel confident, calm and collected throughout recruitment? Picking a makeup look that makes you feel like your amazing self. Whether you’re shy and mysterious or bubbly and talkative, these makeup ideas with have you feeling ready to go on rush day one.

1. Bubbly and outgoing

You’re always the life of the party and definitely not afraid of attention, so your makeup look should be just as attention-grabbing as you are! Opt for accents of powerful pink – but instead of going full force ahead with the color, line only the center of your top lashline with pink glittery or shimmery eyeliner, like Urban Decay’s Heavy Metal in Junkshow ($20), layering it over your favorite jet black eyeliner for a bit of balance.

2. Edgy and mysterious

As someone who tends to be on the shyer side and gives off mysterious vibes, you’re probably generally drawn to darker colors when it comes to your makeup look–nothing super bold or bright. Instead of your go-to plum lip, which may not be a great option for recruitment’s more casual rounds, try an edgy, deep brown smoky eye. Use a shadow palette like the Lorac Unzipped Eyeshadow Palette ($42), which has a range of deep brown shades you can use to get a sultry, smoky look.

3. Fashion-forward and trendy

You’re a risk-taker when it comes to fashion, so you already know your rush outfits are going to be on-point. Keep things simple, yet on-trend, with a simple, sleek cat eye. A waterproof liquid eyeliner pen like Stila’s Stay All Day ($22) allows you to get the look in one quick swoop so you have more time in the morning for outfit-planning. Plus the waterproof formula means it’ll stay put when you’re sweating it out in the August heat.

Related: How Being in a Sorority Changed the Way I Think About Beauty

4. Laid-back and honest

As the girl who has no problem chatting up anyone, and was blessed with a cool, calm and collected attitude, you’re not trying to be super over-the-top with your makeup look. If anyone can rock the no-makeup makeup look you can – so go for a dewy look that will make your skin look amazing. Try a bronzer in the hollows of your cheekbones (such in your cheeks to find them!), like NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer ($40), and finish the look with a shimmery highlighter just above it on your cheekbones and browbone. Glossier’s Haloscope in Moonstone ($22) will get you that runway-ready skin you’re after.

5. Ambitious and energetic

You’re super busy and on-top-of everything, so you don’t have tons of time for a full face of makeup – but it’s not like you’d ever shy away from a bold beauty look either. To make a statement while still saving enough time to juggle your full class schedule, packed social life and internship, opt for a bold lip in bright coral or pink, like NARS Lipstick in Heat Wave ($28) and keep the rest of your look simple.

A rental van driven by terrorists plowed into a crowd in a tourist area of Barcelona on Thursday, killing at least 13 people, NBC News reports. Also injuring more than 100 people, the van drove down the city’s pedestrian-heavy Las Ramblas street before its driver abandoned the vehicle. According to The New York Times, two people were later arrested, but neither of the men was the van’s driver, who is still on the loose. An ISIS-affiliated Amaq news agency claimed responsibility for the attack, but has yet to show any proof of its involvement.

Catalan Police Chief Josep Lluis Trapero says that one arrested suspect was Moroccan and the other was from the Spanish area Melilla, CNN reports. Trapero also revealed that Wednesday night’s house explosion in the city of Alcanar, about 120 miles away from Barcelona, is somehow tied to the primary attack.  

An eyewitness reported that the van was driving around 50 mph through the pedestrian plaza, making it clear that the driver’s aim was to harm passerby. 17-year-old Pablo Morante told NBC News that he was on a bus when he noticed a van on the street “doing movements to hit as many people as possible.” “We were all scared,” he said. “So many people were running in every direction, and there were a lot of police cars and police with guns. People got off the bus and started running.”

Following the area’s initial outbreak of confusion around 5:30 p.m. local time, police officers tried to move people out of the area. Authorities also told those nearby to stay inside until the situation was stabilized. The Times claims that taxis offered free rides to those stranded in the city, and although all Barcelona public transit stopped, transportation was reportedly free in areas where trains and buses were still running.

This incident is the deadliest terror attack in Spain since the Madrid train bombings in March 2004. It’s also difficult to ignore that this is the sixth European attack involving a vehicle in the past 13 months. In a move that is becoming all too familiar, several world leaders took to Twitter to offer their condolences. President Donald Trump was among these leaders, advising people to "be tough and strong" in light of the attack. Former President Barack Obama also offered some well wishes.

Sadiq Khan, London's mayor, faced similar terror attacks in his own city earlier this year.

Vice President Mike Pence also addressed the attack at an event.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy Brey said, "I want to also express my solidarity with all of Spain to the city of Barcelona, today hit by jihadi terrorism, like other cities have been in the world." 

According to ABC News, Catalan officials have revealed that the area will observe three days of mourning in honor of Barcelona's victims. Our thoughts are with Spain as the country mourns its losses and continues its investigation of this event. 

I don’t know about you, but I needed some good news today, and I’ve totally found it. Malala Yousafzai, now the world’s youngest Nobel Prize laureate after fervently advocating for girls’ education, has announced that she’s heading to Oxford University soon. This is so well deserved.

The New York Times reports that the 20-year-old shared her big news on Twitter, posting a screenshot of her acceptance notice.

"So excited to go to Oxford!" Malala wrote alongside the screenshot. "Best wishes for life ahead!" 

The young activist relocated to England's Birmingham with her family following medical treatment of wounds she received when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head for supporting girls' education. Since then, she has led the Malala Fund, which strives to help "every girl...learn and lead without fear," and published her powerful memoir I Am Malala. 

Malala had hints of an future at Oxford back in March, when she received a conditional offer that would be fulfilled depending on her A-level results, or the United Kingdom's slightly more complex equivalent of SAT exams. She was accepted into the university's Lady Margaret Hall college, which the former prime minister of Malala's native Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, also attended.

Malala will take on a degree of philosophy, politics and economics, a program that's known for its notable alumni. Bhutto, former UK prime minister David Cameron and even actor Riz Ahmed have completed the degree. I think it's safe to say that Malala won't have any trouble living up to these names! Before she hits the book at Oxford, she'll travel throughout the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to meet with other girls facing difficulty in their paths to receiving education.

 Understandably, people have flocked to wish Malala congratulations on Twitter, including J.K. Rowling. Nbd, right?

Congratulations, Malala! I can't wait you to see you do even more amazing things in the future. 

We literally just saw Bachelor in Paradise alums Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert at fellow BiP couple Carly Waddell and Evan Bass’s televised wedding this past week. Tbh, I may or may not have squealed at Jade’s adorable pregnant belly. Believe it or not, but that baby bump is no longer: PEOPLE reports that the couple’s daughter, whose name hasn't been released, arrived on Aug. 17, a month before her due date.

Both Jade and Tanner shared sweet family photos on their Instagrams, assuring fans that their daughter was safe and healthy despite her early arrival. 

"She arrived on her own terms, quickly and four weeks early, but she is perfect in every way, healthy and doing well," Jade wrote alongside her photo. "Precious little girl, there are no words to describe the feeling of holding you in our arms for this first time and looking into your beautiful eyes. We love you so much."

Proud dad Tanner's message to Baby Tolbert was short, but equally heartfelt. 

"Love my girls," he said. "Best day of my life."

Jade and Tanner first met on Season 2 of Bachelor in Paradise and were engaged by the end of the season. After getting married in a televised ceremony in January 2016, the couple announced their first pregnancy back in March. Their daughter already has her own Instagram account, Baby Janner, where her parents shared a few bump photos throughout Jade's pregnancy. 

Congrats to the new family of three!