It's been a great summer away, but you are definitely ready to go back to college. You didn't realize how much you would miss it, and now you long to be back on campus (not like you started a countdown or anything...). Check out our oh-so-relatable reasons why you can't wait to go back to college:

1. You desperately crave freedom

If you're living with your parents during summer break, it has probably left you feeling a little confined. College allows you to do what you want, when you want and make your own decisions—without having to justify every single one to your parents.

2. Your parents are (slightly) overbearing

Of course they only do it out of love, but it can be a huge adjustment from college to being back with parents. 

3. Campus life is always buzzing

There is always something to do, an event to go to, free food to be eaten and friends to meet. 

4. Campus in general

Leaving campus reminds you how gorgeous and underappreciated it really is. Also, you are ready for a much-needed change of scenery.

5. Having friends less than five minutes away

Having your entire friend circle split across the state (or even the country) makes you miss having them just a phone call or walk away.

6. Sports and tailgates

Football season is a favorite, and you are so ready for the barbecues and game day attire.

7. You have a brand new wardrobe that you’re ready to rock

You have accumulated an impressive back-to-school wardrobe that is just waiting to be worn all over campus.

8. You miss big school events

Whether it is a guest lecture, concerts or homecoming events, you miss the fun (and free) events.

9. You can't avoid running into people from high school

Even though you have drastically improved since high school, the past is just that and running into old acquaintances isn't exactly your favorite thing.

10. You miss the steady social life

Whether it be parties, happy hour or going out to dinner, your social life at school is fab—at home, you curl up in bed checking social media. 

11. Skype just isn't cutting it anymore

You want your best friend, and you want her now. Skype and Facetime are better than nothing at all, but you can't wait until she is back by your side. 

12. Being able to eat what you want, when you want

If you are staying with your parents, they might give you trouble about what you are eating. While they might be right about eating better, a milkshake or large fries once in a while never hurt anybody.

13. Constant coffee runs

Whether you run on Dunkin' or Starbucks, you miss the constant supply of caffeine. Coffee trips, like the coffee itself, are neverending throughout the semester.

14. You feel like you're 15 again

Sure, you love having your parents to help with laundry and cook (edible) meals. But, it also leaves you with the feeling of being back in high school, and wanting to do things on your own again (okay, except laundry).

15. Having the option of the dining halls

Okay, so you don't actually miss the food at the dining hall, but you miss it as an easy way out of cooking. It might be a bit overpriced compared to off-campus options, but you don't have to change out of your pajamas and it is open until the late hours of the night, so it is clearly well worth it. 

16. Scoping out campus cuties in your classes

You might not have enjoyed the class subject, but the swoon-worthy classmate that you scoped out at the beginning of the semester made the class a bit more bearable.

17. You even miss classes in general

Now is the time when you are finished with introduction classes and start the core classes for your major, which you are (not so) secretly really excited about.

18. You miss trying new things

Being at home for the summer limits you to be one person, but being away at school gives you the freedom to experiment. Whether you want to try going vegetarian or revamp your personal style, it is the perfect place to try new things.

19. You miss the growth and discovery

You grow more in four years in college than you could even fathom before. Sure, you continue to grow at home, but the real growth and discovery of yourself usually happens away from home.

20. Always meeting new people

Between classes, extracurricular activities and social events, you are always meeting new people at school. 

21. Opportunities to get involved

There are hundreds of different ways to get involved on your campus, which could sometimes lead to you discovering your true passion!

22. Late night pizza deliveries

Because your parents would totally judge you for ordering a large, extra cheese pizza at 3 a.m. 

23. Pulling all nighters

Yes, they are brutal and leave you feeling awful the next day. But usually, they result in a great exam grade or lasting memories with friends, which is something that you will only experience in college.

24. Exploring and going on adventures

You might finally try that local coffee shop that everyone has been raving about, or go on a spontaneous long weekend trip with friends. It is a time to explore and find new places that are both local and farflung.

25. All of the school spirit 

You miss everybody bleeding your school colors and always throwing up your symbol. It is the norm, and you do not have to compete with other schools like you do with friends from home. 

26. It has become your second home

You have started referring to both where you are from and your college town as home, because they both are. You love both equally, and they will always be home to you. But your college campus holds a special place in your heart, and you can't wait to go back. 

Taylor Swift is known to cause quite a stir on social media, especially when it comes to her Kanye West drama, but I'm not really sure what's behind the buzz this time. On Friday morning, she left all of her profiles with ~blank spaces~ by deleting her profile pictures and many of her posts.

Along with her deleted profile picture, she deleted all her Instagram posts and unfollowed everyone on her account.

Her website was even wiped clean, with only a simple black screen left. 

Even though we have no idea what's behind this sudden emptiness in Swift's social media, fans are quick to assume it's just the calm before the storm of yet another T. Swift music takeover.

Billboard reports Taylor typically releases a new album every two years, so this move might be getting the world ready for what's next. It has been two years and 10 months since the release of her last album! Fingers crossed. 

Now we just have to anxiously await her next move. Let's hope it happens soon! 

Your college career is about to take off, bringing about changes in scenery, new friends and exciting experiences. In the midst of all of the excitement, you also need to consider the changes you’re going to come across in the classroom, especially how you’ll interact with your professors.

A collegiette’s relationship with her professor is a lot different than a high school student’s relationship with her teacher. Professors “treat students as young adults because [that’s what] they are,” says Desiree Hanford, a journalism lecturer and the Journalism Residency Coordinator at Northwestern University. You’re expected to keep up with all the coursework and be diligent about asking for help if you’re falling behind, since professors will rarely keep tabs on you and your assignments. But while being proactive about asking for help is crucial in college, the thought of doing it—or even forming a relationship with your professor at all—can be intimidating. But have no fear, incoming collegiettes! We rounded up a few tips you can put to use so you can form a solid relationship with your professors, who can be fantastic resources when you’re looking for jobs, internships and other opportunities.

1. Know how to address them

Mr., Mrs. or Ms. so-and-so is typically not the best way to address your professor. Nate Kreuter, an assistant professor of English at Western Carolina University, says that your safest bet is to address your professor as “Professor” followed by his or her last name. If you’re communicating with her by email, the signature on her response will give you an indication of how she prefers to be addressed, so use what she specifies in all future correspondences, whether it’s “Professor,” “Dr.,” or a first name. The way your professor lists her name on the course syllabus may also help you figure out what to call her. If she prefers to be called by her first name, however, that probably won’t be indicated on the syllabus, so pay attention on the first day of class to see if she makes any specifications. You should follow these instructions with lecturers as well.

When addressing a teaching assistant, you can most likely use a first name, as these individuals are likely not much older than you. However, address them as “Mr.” or Ms.” so-and-so if you contact them before class in case they prefer a more formal interaction. In your first class session, your TA will indicate her preferred name when introducing herself, so you can feel safe sticking to that.

2. Introduce yourself at the start of the semester 

Putting a name to a face will help your professor remember who you are, laying a foundation for a meaningful professional relationship.  It will also help you get past any fears you may have about chatting with her later in the semester. You can introduce yourself after one of the first lectures. Don’t do this before a lecture, however, because your professor will likely be focused on preparing for the class, says Julia Mossbridge, a research associate in the department of psychology at Northwestern University who has also taught courses.

When you introduce yourself, don’t just leave it at your name. “It’s always awkward when a student approaches me and just tells me their name and that they are looking forward to the class,” Mossbridge says. “I am generally flattered, but I know that I’ll forget her name because there was no real content to our conversation. If, however, the student approaches me after a lecture… to ask a question or make a comment, we usually get into a real conversation and I remember her much better.” Listening closely to class lectures and discussions is a fantastic way to come up with some ideas for conversations to have with your professor after class. Plus, it shows you’re interested in the course—something professors always love to see!

3. Sit in a seat in class where you’ll pay attention

In order to build a sound relationship with your professor, it’s important to be respectful and attentive to her in the classroom. By not paying attention in class, you’re essentially telling your professor that you don’t care about the work she put into planning a lecture or discussion for you and your classmates. Plus, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you fall asleep for an hour or spend the entirety of the class whispering with the friend next to you. If you can’t give respect to your professors in the classroom, they’ll be less inclined to form a relationship with you in other settings.

So how do you make paying attention easier in class? Sit somewhere where you likely won’t be distracted. Some students can pay attention just fine in the back, but up front, you’ll be less likely to become mesmerized with whatever is on the computer screens of your classmates in front of you. Also, if you find yourself tempted to chat with friends sitting nearby, it may be wise to put a bit of distance between yourselves until class ends.

There’s also another bonus to picking your seat wisely.  For some professors, where you sit can influence how well they remember you. Joan Linsenmeier, a faculty member in Northwestern University’s department of psychology, recommends that students sit in seats where professors can make eye contact with them in class. “In a small classroom, all seats may be just fine,” Linsenmeier says. “In a lecture hall, I think that the outer seats in the first few rows are not good choices. … [The students in these seats] are the ones for whom I’d have to turn my head most—thus, turning away from much of the class.”

In addition to helping some professors remember you, eye contact is also a good indicator that you’re paying attention. You really can’t go wrong with making yourself more visible! 

Related: 7 Things Professors Expect You to Know on the First Day Of Class

4. Nix the phone and Internet in class

Spending the majority of class on your phone or on the Internet is a fantastic way to make sure your professor will remember you—but not in a good way. Many college professors will give you the privilege of using your laptops to take notes during class, and you should be using them for that purpose only!

Checking your email and Facebook notifications not only hinders your ability to absorb the information you need to know for your exams and assignments, but it’s also disrespectful to the professor, who put in a lot of time to prep for the lecture or discussion. She WILL be able to tell when you’re smiling at a cat gif and will remember that you weren’t listening in class, something that will hinder any sort of professional relationship you want to form later on outside of the classroom.

All of this goes for phone use, too. If you need to use your phone during class because of an emergency, then step outside. There’s really no better way to tell a professor you’re not interested in the class than by scanning your phone and the Internet throughout your entire time in the room. If you’re not respectful to her, then she won’t be likely to want to get to know you. Do your professional relationship a favor: shut off your phone and turn off the Wi-Fi connection on your laptop until class is over.  

5. Ask questions in class, but don’t waste time  

When you’re listening to a lecture or discussion and something comes up that you don’t quite understand, you should feel free to ask the professor for clarification. “If you don’t understand a concept that the professor is trying to convey, chances are other classmates are also lost, and asking a question would reflect your initiative, help your professor explain their point and help your classmates learn,” says Jeanette Ortiz, a lecturer in the Northwestern University School of Communication.

But be careful not to ask questions that are explicitly answered in your syllabi or other course materials. This is “tiresome” and “shows a lack of maturity,” says Tom Klinkowstein, a professor of New Media Design at Hofstra University. If you have questions about an individual situation rather than the class material, such as making up missed coursework, then ask about that after class or during office hours. “The more questions, the better, as long as they’re questions that show curiosity and show respect for other people’s time,” Klinkowstein says.

That being said, don’t just ask a question for the sake of standing out, Ortiz says; ask a question when you’re genuinely interested or confused. Professors can tell when your question is rooted in a desire to impress them instead of in real curiosity. “Have you ever tried to ‘appear’ engaged when you’re telling a story? It’s obvious, right?” Mossbridge says. “Professors have the same skill as you do when determining when a student is [not engaged], but it is honed about 1,000 times better, because we get lots of practice. Be authentic, or don’t go to class.”

6. Go to office hours

If you have questions that can’t be answered succinctly during class, are not directly related to course material or that pertain specifically to you, heading to office hours is a great option. Most professors list their pre-scheduled office hours on their syllabi, but if those times don’t work for you, email your professor to make an appointment.

There is no optimal number of times to go to office hours, Mossbridge says. Instead, she says, go as often as you need help. Just make sure to be prepared with specific questions any time you go. “If a student stops in during office hours to discuss a specific topic, the student should do their research in advance so the professor and student can make the best use of their time together,” Hanford says.

It may seem intimidating to meet one on one with a professor during office hours, but don’t be afraid to take the leap! Even if professors may be more inclined than your high school teacher to treat you like an adult, that doesn’t mean they expect you to be perfect. “Before you get intimidated, it’s good to remember that most professors recognize that adults, like kids, make mistakes and can misunderstand ideas. The very professor you may be intimidated by probably just asked a colleague this morning to explain something to her,” Mossbridge says. So if you bombed an exam, missed a couple classes or just don’t understand what the heck your professor is talking about, head to office hours and speak up!

But that being said, do have a good reason to go to office hours. “Office hours should be used mostly for discussing academic questions, or for continuing a prior conversation,” Ortiz says. “It is unusual for a student to attend office hours to simply ‘hang out,’ which may annoy professors, or give them the impression that the student is excessively needy or trying to gain some advantage.” So, collegiettes, only meet with your professor if you have a specific plan of action. If not, then don’t waste her time!

7. Say hello outside of class

Believe it or not, professors are people, too, so you’re bound to see them outside of class in hallways or around campus. When this happens, don’t be afraid to say hello. If you’re passing them in the hallway, a quick “Hi, how are you?” should do the trick. If you have a longer encounter with one of your professors, such as standing in line at a campus coffee shop, you can make small talk. Chat about the weather, ask if she enjoyed her weekend or comment about your busy week. The exchange doesn’t need to be long—a couple minutes is fine—but when you get your coffee and head out, say a quick goodbye if your professor is nearby and not chatting with someone else.

If you initially encounter your professor in a conversation with someone else, however, use your judgment to determine if you should interrupt. If your professor makes eye contact with you, feel free to give a wave and quick hello, but continue on unless she takes initiative to lengthen the exchange. If she’s immersed in her conversation, however, don’t go out of your way to interrupt. You’ll likely see her outside of class sometime again.

8. Look for ways to interact with professors outside the classroom

A great way to interact with your professors in different settings is to get involved in a lab or project they’re leading. “If all of your academic questions have been answered and you would like to continue working with a professor, then you may want to consider getting involved in their research or setting up an independent study,” Ortiz says. She recommends inquiring about opportunities right away via email, before or after class, or during office hours. If you decide to shoot your professor an email, introduce yourself and identify what class of hers you’re taking. Then, let her know that you’ve been looking at her research, it sounded interesting to you and you’d be interested in learning about any opportunities to work with her. But before doing this, make sure to actually read up a bit on the professor’s work to ensure that it interests you, or else you both may be in for a less-than-ideal experience working together! And at the end of your email, always remember to thank your professor for her time.

Keep in mind that when looking for research assistant positions, it’s possible that there may not be any openings for at least another semester. “[Students] need to understand that it may be weeks, months, another semester before such a thing becomes available that’s [relevant] to their interest,” Klinkowstein says. Because of this, he recommends expressing your interests early so you can be kept in mind for any openings that come up later on.

But while you’re waiting, Ortiz says you can still learn about the professor’s research. “If the professor does not have space available on any projects, students can ask to attend lab meetings… in order to build a base of knowledge in the professor’s research area, and ask to be considered for a project during the next academic term,” she says.

If you don’t find a lab or project that fits your interest, an equally great way to get to know your professors is to get involved in an organization where you have the opportunity to mingle with them. “One of my clubs has a faculty and student dinner once a month where we invite a lot of faculty in different departments to join club members for a dinner,” says Franklin & Marshall College junior and HC Campus Co-Correspondent Shira Kipnees. Shira says these dinners have helped her develop solid relationships with her professors in a setting other than class. “We can talk about a variety of topics not related to topics within the classroom, and they often get to know me better and help me pick better classes or help me figure out how to better prepare for my future,” she says. “One professor who I interact with a lot at dinners actually became one of my advisers and helped me plan out my whole major.”

If faculty/student dinners don’t sound like your cup of tea, you can also get to know your professor better through attending lectures, discussions or readings they may be holding. Klinkowstein encourages his students to go to those that interest them. “There’s a lot of opportunities for outside lectures, some of which I organize,” Klinkowstein says. “Most students do not understand the importance of finding a way to go to that. … I encourage them to see the university more holistically than ‘I go to this class, I go to this class.’” To find out about interesting academic events, sign up for department email listservs, look online at department calendars, peruse bulletin boards in academic buildings or ask your professors.

Life on a college campus can be quite stressful, especially when adjusting to a whole new class structure. But if you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to ease the transition and focus on expanding your knowledge. Have a great first semester, incoming collegiettes!

Mean Girls queen Tina Fey appeared on SNL’s Weekend Update: Summer Edition Thursday to condemn white supremacist rallies that took place in Charlottesville last weekend. Sporting a University of Virginia sweatshirt in honor of her alma mater, she declared that she was heartbroken by the “evil forces” that invaded the city and even more disheartened by the complacent remarks made by President Donald Trump.

Tina lamented, “Donny John comes out and he says that he condemns violence on many sides, and I’m feeling sick because I’ve seen Raiders of the Lost Ark and I wasn’t confused by it. Nazis are always bad.” In her almost seven-minute rant, she also called out Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, so-called independent militias across the country and hoards of Republican voters who obsessed over Hilary Clinton’s emails during the 2016 election.

Although the rant was funny—as Tina always is—it was also passionate. She urged good Americans to avoid upcoming rallies. “I don’t want any more good people to get hurt,” she said pleadingly. Instead, she had some strange advice for anyone feeling frustrated or overwhelmed by recent events. “I know a lot of us are feeling anxious and we’re asking ourselves, ‘What can I do?’ So I would urge people this Saturday instead of participating in the screaming matches and potential violence, find a local business that you support—maybe a Jewish-run bakery or an African-American-run bakery. Order a cake with the American flag on it, like this one, and just eat it.”

She proceeded to do just that, all while unabashedly condemning the actions of neo-Nazis. She made the stark comparison between how peaceful protesters at Standing Rock were treated for protecting land that was rightfully theirs to how law enforcement reacted to the torch-bearing mobs armed with semi-automatic weapons that took to the streets of Charlottesville demanding their country back. She didn’t miss this opportunity to remind us all that “their country” was actually stolen from the Native Americans. Seriously, she did not hold back.

She urged co-hosts Michael Che and Colin Jost and the audience not to yell at the Klan, but to “yell it into the cake.” She even named her grassroots movement “sheetcaking,” saying that women have been doing it at least once a week since the election. Fans on Twitter immediately quoted her, praising her sense of humor and her awareness.

But not everyone found her contributions amusing. Many took to Twitter to accuse Tina of making light of a serious, violent and even deadly situation, while some argued that she was only further silencing marginalized people.

While I agree that this week’s events should never be glossed over, I think Tina’s message was clear. It’s not about cake. It’s about finding a safer, more effective way to make your activism count. She’s right; a screaming match with the Klan in the heart of New York City can only lead to more violence and more lives lost.

Now that The Bachelorette has wrapped and Rachel Lindsay has run off into the sunset with the nation’s second choice, Bryan Abasolo, the hunt is on for the next Bachelor. Sure, Bachelor fans would be quick to swoon over Lindsay’s leftover, Peter Kraus, but the show's producers? Not so much.

Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss tweeted some serious shade at the chronically non-committal Peter on Thursday. Fleiss hinted that someone like Kraus just isn’t what the show is after. “Do we really want a Bachelor who isn’t ready to settle down with a woman he loves? Hmmm. Not what #thebachelor is all about….”

Although Peter was a fan favorite, he wasn’t ready to pop the question, which was a total non-starter for Rachel and apparently for the people who call the shots on the show. An unnamed source shared their insight with PEOPLE on why Kraus would probably never grace the small screen again as part of the franchise, calling him “every Bachelor producer’s worst nightmare.”

The source added, “The fact that no one could talk Peter into buckling under and just giving her the ring—and that he wouldn’t play along—absolutely enraged the higher-ups at the show. Including Fleiss, definitely. He is totally on their s— list forever, and there is no way they will reward him with a shot at The Bachelor. No way.”

Some viewers aren’t entirely convinced that this decision was totally up to Bachelor execs. In fact, there's been speculation that it was Kraus who turned them down and that all of this is just childish backlash to hide their embarrassment.

Spoiler guru Reality Steve tweeted, "This is what I'm hearing: They absolutely want Peter as the 'Bachelor.' Hearing he told them no. Now they're leaking stuff to People...pretending they never wanted him in the first place. BS. They want him, he said no apparently, & now they turn the narrative around."

For now, the jury is still out on who the next Bachelor will be, but the show is set to premiere early next year.

College is a time to meet new people and try new things. From endless dining hall lines to club events to random orientation meetings, college was designed to help you bond with those around you. You never know when you’re going to make new friends, and it usually happens when you least expect it! Here are seven unexpected places where you could find your new college friends.

1. The Elevator

By the end of the semester, you’ll become well acquainted with a lot of the people living in your residence hall. Many of those relationships will begin in the elevator. From people who live on floor two to the residents of floor eight, almost everyone will need to take a ride in this machine at some point.

Rachel, a senior at University of Tulsa, saw her eight-second ride in the elevator as a chance to meet someone new. “Someone once got on the elevator with his bike, and I was totally squished to one side [of the elevator] with this guy,” she says. “It turned out that the guy was in my history class…and I got a new study partner.” While that might have been a crammed elevator, it certainly made room for a new friendship!

Rather than suffering in awkward silence, try to comment on the situation to ease the tension in the elevator. Try making a remark about something the person is holding or wearing, like, “Hey, that’s a pretty cool bike. Where did you get it?” Even volunteering to push the button and asking which floor the other person needs can make you seem more approachable and open the door for conversation.

2. The Dining Hall

Most collegiettes tend to eat around the same time every day. Besides regulating your diet, sticking to your routine will allow you to see some familiar faces around the salad bar and in the pizza line. Eating dinner around 6 p.m. every night and going to the same dining hall just because of its convenient, next-door-to-your-dorm location can result in some unforeseen friendships. Soon, an encounter like, “Hey, I think I’ve seen you here before. I’m Jessica. I live in the dorm right next to this dining hall,” can occur at the dessert table with someone else who also gets dinner around 6 p.m. And maybe you’ll even end up getting dinner with one of those familiar faces in the future! You never know.

Related: 17 College Situations That Always Require Coffee

3. Your Favorite Study Spot

Like the dining hall, by continuously going to the same place to study, you’ll begin to see the same people. If you always study at the on-campus coffee shop after your chem lab every Monday and Wednesday, you might run in to the same people who are also always studying at the time.

“I met one of my good friends Leah at a Panera once. She was sitting at the table next to me, and it turned out she went to the nursing school that’s next door,” says Sarah, a fifth-year student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. “We ended up having lunch together… and we still keep in touch.”

Even though you might not go to the same school as that person, you don’t have to rule out a potential friendship! By keeping an open mind, you can make some lifelong friends. Just make sure you’re not in a designated silent section of the library before you decide to break the ice and strike up a conversation. If someone looks immersed in their studies, let them focus.

4. The Laundry Room

While the laundry room isn’t the most glamorous place on campus, it’s one place that everybody is guaranteed to frequent (at least, we hope so!). And that makes the laundry room the perfect place to meet people. Between switching out loads and folding your T-shirts, there’s plenty of room for some decent conversation.

Alyssa, a junior at Butler University, was putting her clothes into the dryer when a friendship stumbled into her lap. “I met someone in the laundry room named James,” she says. “We kept running into each other there the first couple weeks of school… He was smart and hilarious at the same time. I ended up becoming friends with him and his two guy friends.” Match made in the laundry room.

And who knows, you might even be lucky enough to attend a party in this unexpected, fresh-smelling location! Amanda, a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago, met one of her friends at a laundry room party. “I started talking to [my friend] Claire at a birthday party thrown in my dorm laundry room,” she says. “There was incredibly loud, old 1970s tunes blasting in the tiny laundry room… around 30 people were dancing on eight washers and dryers. Just a laundry room full of honors kids blowing off steam right before finals.” From providing the machines to keep your clothes clean to providing the space for one unique birthday party, laundry rooms are the perfect unexpected place to branch out.

5. Riding the Bus

Depending on where your dorm is located, you’ll probably spend a lot of time on the bus to and from class each day or even to and from a night on the town. But you can even meet some interesting new people on your journey to and from your hometown for breaks.

Morgan, a junior at the University of Missouri, did just that. “I met a girl on the shuttle back to Columbia, MO, after winter break,” she says. “She happened to be from Texas too and was in a long-distance relationship with a guy who went to A&M like [I was], so we bonded over that.” Just when you think you’re done making friends, there’s always room for one more. They could even be sitting next to you on your next bus ride home and have a plethora of things in common with you!

6. Tutoring Sessions

Seeking out extra help with a tutor in college can be beneficial to you in multiple ways. Not only will you gain clarity on some fuzzy concepts you just didn’t understand from that last Econ lecture, but you’ll also have so many opportunities to get acquainted with a new pool of people.

“In math lab, this guy sat next to me and just said, ‘Hi!’ all cheery,” says Katy, a University of Mississippi junior. “I was kind of scared, but then he asked, ‘How are you? Who do have [for math]? What math are you taking?’ There's an unwritten rule to be silent in math lab, so it was kind of comical. He was really nice and plays rugby, and I play ultimate [Frisbee], so we see each other at the fields a lot.” Even in a potentially stressful math tutoring session, you can still make a friend. Sometimes the friendships even find you!

7. Spontaneous Late-Night Outings

With fourth meals comes a culture of spontaneous late-night activities. College kids are up so late that it only makes sense to squeeze in another bite of food and a maybe a fun memory or two before you hit the hay. And it’s during these late-night dashes for sustenance when friendships can form!

Beth, a junior at Illinois Wesleyan University, made a friend on a Taco Bell run one night. “My friends and I had just gotten back to our floor [at our residence hall] when we realized we were starving—and not the kind of starving that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich could solve. We needed real food,” she says. “So we went to Taco Bell, and there was a huge group of girls there from some 1920s-themed party… I ended up exchanging numbers with one of the girls in line because we were both from the same suburb of Chicago.”

Everybody comes to college looking to branch out and meet new people. By taking advantage of this fact, you could walk away from your time in college with some newfound knowledge, a degree, and a few unexpected friendships. Just don’t discriminate as to where these friendships are formed, because the location could simply be the beginning of the story of your awesome friendship! Friendships may come when and where you least expect it, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

As pre-collegiettes quickly approaching your first year at college, it’s normal that your nerves and worries are kicking into high gear. You’re about to enter uncharted territory, an entirely different world than high school, socially and academically. That said, the first week of college is a complete blast and you’re going to love it. This is the time to put yourself out there, meet a huge variety of people, and start school on a high note. Most importantly, though, the first week is the time to be a carefree and happy collegiette!

…but wait, pre-collegiettes. Before you get too giddy, notice that I said carefree… not careless. Yes, a carefree collegiette may be(and obviously is) chill and cool, but most of all she’s definitely classy.

So, we’ve prepped you on proper dorm etiquette and navigating your first frat party, but now it’s time to hit you with an all-too-necessary list of things NOT to do that first week on campus.  

1. Hook up with multiple guys in the first week

Welcome to the realm of college boys. You’re far away from immature high school boys with teenage acne and cracking voices. To put it as simply and politely as possible, just because you now believe what your mom said about there being many fish in the sea doesn’t mean you have to catch as many as you can. If you’re patient the first week and actually make a habit of getting to know the guys you meet before getting intimate’ with them, then your chances of catching a keeper improve significantly.

2. Pick teams 

Avoid hanging out at the same place every night—don’t spend all your time in the same guys’ suite/frat house/hockey house. You get the picture: don’t pickone and only one nightly hangout spot.

We get it—you don’t know many people yet and having a familiar place to go is comfortable. But we promise you that if you keep an open mind and don’t limit yourself to one place and/or one group of people, you’ll be more comfortable at your new school in the long run. This is thetime to branch out and, trust us, it’s harder to branch out and randomly introduce yourself to people the further into the school year you get.

3. Pick your besties

Why do we mention this next, you ask? To emphasize, underline and highlight the point thatyou can’t be closed-minded when it comes to meeting new people. You cannot, should not (and will not, right, collegiettes?) choose your best friends and play ‘favorites’ the first week at school.

As HC Contributing Writer Tarina says, “The first week is an opportunity to hang out with lots of different people and see who you really click with.” Don’t let one person or one group of people hold you back from meeting more. “Plus, a girl’s circle of friends changes up a lot during the first year of college, so it’s important to mingle a lot from the beginning to get to know a variety of people,” Tarina says.

Related: A Freshman Girl's Guide to College Dating

4. Run your mouth

Don’t talk about people you just met (or worse, people you have yet to meet) behind their backs. This is probably one of the easiest ways to repel friends, not make them. Enough said.

5. Get dolled up the first day

Don’t get overly dolled up for your first day of class. Thisisn’t the first day of freshman year in high school where you try to impress your classmates by having the cutest outfit or being the best dressed. Dress for yourself: wear what makes you comfortable, and wear it with confidence.

That said, while you want to make a good impression on your peers and potential future friends, you can’t forget about the other important group of people you’re meeting for the first time: your professors. Even though we say you should dress comfortably, do not wear sweatpants or pajama pants on your first day of class (or any day of class, ideally). This is a dead giveaway to teachers that you just don’t give a sh*t.

6. Be a homebody

You didn’t move away from home just to go running right back (metaphorically speaking) to your mom and dad. Try to avoid the urge to call home every time a problem arises. For example, before you pick up the phone to ask for the step-by-step directions about how to do your own laundry (yes, you are a grown-up now—wellsort of), try asking someone in your suite or hall if they want to brave laundry day together. Chances are, you’re probably not the only one who is unsure about whether to wash in hot or cold water.

7. Make too many “friends”

The majority of collegiettes agree hands down that you should not friend everyone in your freshman class on Facebook. As HC collegiette Bianca puts it: “Going on a crazy Facebook-adding spree during orientation will not only creep people out, but you’ll end up never seeing half of the people again. Try and be selective with your friend requesting and add people you truly think you’ll become friends with!” We couldn’t agree more.

Related: 15 Things You’ll Learn Your First Semester of College

8. Underestimate the juice

Don’t mistake the jungle juice for regular juice. If right now is the first time you’ve ever heard of this infamous concoction, just remember this: jungle juice is not a Welch’s flavor. That said, HC collegiette Jenna warns that even if you may be caught up in the excitement and folly of college parties, “don’t get too drunk and make a fool out of yourself.” 

Honestly, the last thing you want is to do something embarrassing in front of people you just met. For example, it wouldn’t be ideal to get totally smashed and decide to take your first keg stand in a mini skirt… and a thong. Even(especially) if you don’t remember it, everyone else will. Take Jenna for example: To this day, “I still remember ‘the kid who puked all over me and so do many other people!”
 
Which brings up another important point—not only can drinking above and beyond an appropriate amount severely impact your judgment, it can also significantly affect your stomach. Just like the keg stand scenario, you can be just as easily remembered if you as 'that freshman girl who was so bombed she got sick all over the dance floor'. Be smart—it shouldn’t be too hard, youdidget into college.

9. Fear the front

Again, this isn't high school. The front row of class isn’t reserved for “nerdy losers,” “brown-nosers,” “teacher’s pets,” etc. Don’t fear the front row! In fact, you’re probably better off sitting up front because those who don’t are going to wish they were you come midterms and finals. Trust us, sitting in a spot where you’ll actually be able to pay attention will only benefit you during exam week, when others are scrounging to learn a semester’s worth of material.

An added bonus? Less stress = a better, happier attitude with which to meet new people! So remember, less stress does not come from not doing your work. Sitting up front helps you absorb the material, which helps you stay on top of your work, which means less stress, which means a happy you!

10. Be a snore

Don’t develop a sleeping disorder. Whether it’s oversleeping or not sleeping at all, it’s important that you try to nail down a solid sleeping schedule that first week. Bad habits are harder to break once they’ve begun, so don’t get in the habit of going to bed every night at 3 a.m. the first week. Sleep has to happen sometime and if you don’t sleep at night chances are you’re going to crash during the day, sleep through class, and probably miss out on some fun daytime activities with your new friends as well.

Former HC collegiette Stephanie says, “I pushed myself too hard and was way too busy before moving in to college. When I finally got to campus, I was exhausted and ended up sleeping a majority of that first week. Don’t do this. I ended up missing out on a lot of campus stuff and opportunities to meet people that I wish I’d been awake for and my roommate thought I was a weirdo.”

11. Drastically change your ways

In the end, you really don’t have a lot to worry about as long as you’re being yourself. Who else would you be, right? It’s as simple as it sounds: don’t drastically change who you are the minute you step on campus. It’s true that college can be the perfect time to“reinvent” yourself, but whoever coined this phrase needs to include an addendum to clarify that what this really means is you have a clean slate to be yourself in a new place and with new people. If you choose the first week to completely shed your values, and whatever else makes you you, you’ll be more lost than ever. Reinvent the way people see you? Go for it! Just up and trade yourself in for a ‘newer’ you-model? Just nope.
 
So, there you have it, a couple of things that we at HC say you should NOT do the first week on campus! Even if you choose to ignore this beyond enlightening list of things to do, at least remember: the one thing you must do the first week at college is, as the saying goes, let your true colors shine.

Chief strategist Steve Bannon left his role at the White House on Friday following debate about his influence on President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the president’s response to the Charlottesville violence. The New York Times reports that Bannon’s departure may be linked to Trump saying that “both sides” in the white nationalist march are to blame for its deadly results. Having run the conservative website Breitbart News as "the platform for the alt-right," Bannon has been suspected of supporting white nationalism. 

“White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and Steve Bannon have mutually agreed today would be Steve’s last day,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders revealed in a statement. “We are grateful for his service and wish him the best.”

Throughout the last few months of Trump’s presidency, Bannon gained a reputation as someone who often clashed with other staff members. Trump was even getting tired of Bannon, apparently believing that he thought Bannon was leaking information to the press. The tension grew to the point of both men leaning towards Bannon’s exit before a final decision was made. The former chief strategist reportedly submitted his resignation notice on Aug. 7. 

Bannon hinted at his departure on Friday morning, fueling the media’s speculation about the end of his time at the White House. He called the upcoming day "fascinating" on his Twitter account. 

Following the official announcement of his news, Bannon took to Twitter again, basically seeming to tell us that he made an impact regardless of how things played out. "If you stay true to yourself, your vision and your own values, you can power through and make an impact on modern life," he wrote. 

Despite reports of their uneasy relationship, Trump thanked Bannon for his service in a bit of a peculiar way. Flashback Friday to the campaign season, I guess?

According to CNBC, the stock market even went up following the announcement. Traders at the New York Stock Exchange allegedly cheered when they heard about Bannon's departure, but staff members later said that part of the cheering was for a colleague leaving the company.

The Times also pointed out that, among the group of White House officials sworn in back in January, at least eight people have now left the Trump administration. However, Bannon seems to be okay with the change—he had returned to his position at Breitbart News by Friday night. 

"In many ways I think I can be more effective fighting from the outside for the agenda President Trump ran on," Bannon announced. "And anyone who stands in our way, we will go to war with."

It’s been a good week for Disney Channel throwbacks. Raviv Ullman of Phil of the Future revealed he once made out with Kim Kardashian and Hannah Montana’s Jason Earles had fellow former Disney stars at his wedding. All of that great news must have been foreshadowing the latest Disney alumni announcement. The singing sister duo Aly (Raviv's costar on Phil of the Future) & AJ, whose “Potential Breakup Song” you totally still jam to, have released their first new single since their 2007 album Insomniatic. Um, how great is this?

Refinery29 reports that the song “Take Me” is now streaming on Spotify and Soundcloud. Once known as 78violet before changing their name back to Aly & AJ, the sisters released a post on their joint Twitter account thanking fans for their massive support and explaining how much this song meant to them. 

"That feeling we get when performing, when writing, when working together is unexplainable," the message read. "We lost that feeling for a good long time. The idea of trying ourselves again as adults has been overwhelming and at times paralyzing. We lost the passion to create. That passion came back. We knew it would but we didn't know when. And now here we are."

 In another press release reported by Refinery29, AJ Michalka admitted that she and her sister struggled in creating music they genuinely loved versus trying to be mainstream artists. "We still had so much to prove to people, even though we had made a mark in the industry," she said. 

Well, it's definitely evident that the girls' passion for their work is back in full force. You can listen to the funky, upbeat "Take Me" below. I'll definitely be putting this on repeat!

A planned “free speech” rally in Boston ended on Saturday without the intense violence seen at Charlottesville’s white nationalist march only a week before, The Boston Globe reports. Despite thousands of counterprotesters, a confrontation between crowds and police, and 20 arrests made mostly on charges of disorderly conduct, the event was relatively peaceful.

In the aftermath of the Charlottesville march, Boston mayor Marty Walsh insisted earlier this week that hate groups wouldn’t be welcomed at the rally. Posting on Twitter, he wrote, “Hate will not be tolerated in our City.”

Holding its rally at Boston Common, the group Boston Free Speech Coalition invited "libertarians, conservatives, traditionalists, classical liberal, Trump supporters or anyone else who enjoys their right to free speech." A statement on the group's Facebook page also clarified that it was not related to the organizations that ran the Charlottesville rally. "There is a lot of misinformation in the media slandering our name...THIS COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!" the message read. "We welcome all individuals and organizations from any political affiliations that are willing to peaceably engage in open dialogue about the threats to, and importance of, free speech and civil liberties."

CNN reports that the counterprotesters comprised of members of groups such as Organize Boston against Trump, Boston Democratic Socialists of America and Black Lives Matter. Although counterprotesters and supporters of President Donald Trump occasionally shouted at each other, police kept the two sides separate through a buffer zone, avoiding huge conflicts. 

While the actual rally ended ahead of schedule in the early afternoon, media reported that many counterprotesters were still in Boston Common, leading to the aforementioned police confrontation. As officers escorted rally participants into vans to leave the area, other police officers had to hold back counter-demonstrators chanting, "No Trump! No KKK! No fascist USA!". The Globe writes that people began asking the police, "Who do you serve?," and even chased after the departing vans. Having to restrain some people by wrapping plastic zip-ties around their wrists, police eventually made arrests due to "a number of people causing small confrontations."

As for the rally itself, sources claim that not many of the scheduled participants, which included at least two people with links to extremist beliefs, actually spoke to the crowd. Samson Racioppi, a libertarian candidate for Congress, tells The Globe that the event felt disorganized and that he "kept on getting redirected around the Common." 

John Medlar, one of the rally's organizers, believes that "media hysteria" caused white supremacists' interest in the free speech event. "This is our platform, our message," he said. "They use the First Amendment as shield for themselves but they won't stand up and defend the First Amendment for the people that they oppose."

Given that the country is still recovering from the result of the Charlottesville march, it's good to know that, despite differing opinions, the rally ended without any serious damage. 

When it comes to transitions and new experiences, your late teens and early twenties have all the other decades beat. Think about it—most college students see their living situation change every time a summer break or a new academic year comes around. For many collegiettes, the first and biggest of these transitions takes place in an on-campus residence hall, complete with a random roommate, an 8x10 dorm room and a resident advisor.

Eventually, though, it’ll be time to leave all the fun and frustration of dorm life behind for a new life off campus. You’ll replace the cafeteria’s Chicken Finger Wednesday with Grocery Shopping Thursday, and you’ll swap out your RA for a landlord. The transition from life on campus to life in an apartment or house is a pretty big one in its own right—luckily, Her Campus has you covered with the ten most important things to keep in mind when you decide to venture off campus.

1. Living with landlords - know your rights and document everything

While living on campus, you rarely deal directly with the people who own your space. This, of course, will change when you move off campus. From the moment you sign your lease to the day you turn in your key, make sure you know how to interact and communicate with the landlord who’s leasing his or her property to you.

From the very beginning, make sure you’re documenting everything you possibly can. Any verbal agreements with your landlord need to be in writing as well, says Allison Lantero, a Boston College graduate who took her landlord to small claims court and won.

Allison and her roommates decided to take their landlord to court after their security deposit was only partially returned, with no detailed receipt and no bank statement for a $1,200 damages charge. They won the case, but Lantero says it would’ve been easier if every stipulation of their lease had been in writing—some agreementswere made over the phone and couldn’t be documented in court.

“If it’s not in writing within the legal document of the lease, it’s not enforceable,” says Kendal McDevitt, former coordinator for the Office of Off-Campus Community Relations at Appalachian State University. For any agreements that are not written into the physical copy of the lease, McDevitt recommends writing them in, and having each roommate as well as the rental company initial the changes. “First, go through the apartment and document the condition of rooms and appliances. Some apartment complexes provide handouts for this. If not, take a blank sheet of paper in with you and write down damage of anything you see. Second, take pictures of the apartment in its original condition. Keep a copy of the pictures yourself and submit a copy to the rental company,” McDevitt says.

Still confused about your rights as a renter? “Have a lawyer look over the lease for you,” says Chelsea McLeod, a recent grad of Rhodes College.

Related: Rooming With Your BFF: A Guide to Your Best, Most Drama-Free Year Yet

2. Start thinking like your mom

No, this doesn’t mean you have to start worrying about yourself(and calling yourself multiple times every day). But your mom did handle the ins and outs of your childhood home for at least eighteen years, so it might not be a bad idea to tap into her superpowers.

First, put some thought into your surroundings. Remember how your mom hauled dozens of plastic tubs down from the attic so she could redecorate the house for each holiday season? It may seem tedious, but little touches go a long way toward making a house feel like a home. So if you’re allowed to paint the walls of your rental or apartment complex, paint them! If your living room furniture is mismatched, go online and learn how to make fun covers for couches and chairs. If you’re artistic, buy wooden initials - they’re cheap at stores like Michael’s and A.C. Moore - and paint them for your room. Just make sure you clear any big changes with the roomies.

Second, remember that it’s now your job to keep your home stocked and supplied. Collegiettes who were asked about items they forgot to pack mentioned paper towels, vacuum cleaners, floor mops, toilet paper, brooms, tool kits, toilet plungers, pasta strainers, and bathroom mats. Add these items to your list, and sit down with your roommates to brainstorm other basics you may be missing. 

And don’t forget to pack beyond the basics as well.“I noticed what separated other people’s apartments from mine from feeling like home is everyone else had a much more decorated place with candles, posters, and plants,” says Jessica Len, former Her Campus Campus Correspondent at UC Davis.

In addition to year-round decorations, other collegiettes  suggest getting into seasonal decorating. Cut and decorate a Christmas tree with your roommates or make a spring wreath for your door. Do whatever you can to make your new place one you’ll want to remember.

3. Learn to grocery shop and cook some simple staples  

One drastic difference between dorm life and apartment life revolves around one of the things college students love most: food. While living on campus, you’ll typically have a meal plan that grants you access to cafeteria meals, no cooking or grocery shopping required. Off campus, unless you feel like trekking to campus every time you feel like a snack, it’s likely a little bit different. Before you move into your apartment, make sure you’ve discussed the food situation with your parents—namely, who’s paying for what—and make a trial grocery store run while they’re still in town.

It also helps to learn a few simple meals before moving into your apartment, so that after a long day, or after your Julia Child masterpiece burns/collapses/explodes, you can whip something up quickly. If you’ve never cooked before, ask a parent or a family friend to show you how to roast chicken or boil rice. If you know the basics but need new ideas, add a new cookbook to your Kindle. There are dozens of cookbooks tailored to college students in all sorts of living situations, or check out some of HC’s recipe ideas here, and here. 

Related: A Collegiette's Guide to College Football

4. Learn some simple cleaning fixes

You may have been cleaning your room for your whole life, and you might have even Swiffered your dorm room once or twice, but cleaning an entire apartment is a whole different story. Before you find yourself knee-deep in dust and dirty dishes, make sure you have a cleaning schedule for yourself. You can clean your bedroom on Saturdays and your bathroom on Tuesdays—it doesn’t matter, just make sure you know what needs to be done and when you need to do it.

It’ll also save time (and take some pressure off your wallet) tolearn a few simple home-cleaning fixes—this is another area where asking for Mom’s know-how comes in handy. Instead of buying expensive cleaners, clean countertops, refrigerator shelves and other surfaces with white distilled vinegar. Dilute it with water, about one quarter cup of vinegar to every gallon of water. And instead of using up expensive paper towels to clean your windows, pick up a stack of free campus newspapers - the newsprint will remove smudges without leaving any streaks.

5. Stay plugged in to your campus

When you were living in the dorms, it probably wasn’t hard to feel like a part of the action on your campus. After all, it’s literally where you slept and worked and ate. After moving away and embracing the off-campus lifestyle, though, you may feel a little detached from the undergraduate community at your college or university. For Appalachian State University grad Jordyn Coats, whose studio apartment isn’t in her university town, keeping up with extracurricular activities has been the key to staying involved. “I play roller derby with some amazing women at least every other day,” she says, referencing the year-old competitive roller derby team she founded. Whatever your niche is, from intramural sports to knitting club, don’t drop it because the meetings are no longer quite as close by. If you’re only on campus when it’s time for class, you won’t feel as connected to or invested in it.
 
Even if all doesn’t go as planned, make every effort to get to know yourself better during your first off-campus experience. If you’re working too much to pay your rent and not using half of your apartment’s fancy features, find a less expensive place next time. If your roommates are always studying but you’d rather be loud, seek out friends and roommates who feel the same way. As a collegiette, it’s the perfect time to learn what works for you. Soak up all the knowledge you can from your off campus living experience, and make the next one even better.

Your first semester at college is going to be full of surprises and lessons. Things are going to happen that you never would have expected, and you are going to learn more about yourself and adapt, change and grow in the process.

But don’t get scared! Your first semester is also going to be one of the most fun times of your life. Plus, it will be much less intimidating if you know what to expect. So to help you prepare, here are the 15 things you are sure to learn during your first semester—and what you should take away from them!

1. You won't wear a fraction of the cute clothes you brought to college

Most college girls give this piece of advice to their friends, siblings and classmates, but few actually take it seriously. Read our lips: You will not wear all the clothes you are trying so hard to stuff in a single suitcase.

“I literally packed my entire closet, and by fall break I had already taken a huge portion of it back home,” says Kate Lowes, a sophomore at the University of Dayton. “From all the college apparel they give away to the fact that people basically live 24/7 in sweatpants, there was no need for the majority of the stuff I brought. I realized that I should have packed more of the basics—like tennis shoes, yoga pants and sweatshirts—rather than all dressy outfits.”

What should you take away from this? Quality over quantity. For example, with how much you’ll likely be wearing leggings, it may not be a bad idea to invest in a durable pair.

2. The laundry room is a dog-eat-dog world

No matter how nice your dorm-mates may seem, the kindheartedness and pleasantries all end in one place: the laundry room. If you’re not on top of your game in the laundry room, you’ll probably experience what many a collegiette before you had to go through. From stolen clothes to your laundry getting dumped on top of a machine because you were just a minute late getting it out of the dryer, it’s best to follow a strict schedule in the laundry room. Be timely, be quick and, of course, be courteous to others.

3. There is great beauty in a free and reliable ride

For most collegiettes, freshman year means saying goodbye to your beloved car from high school as well as your parents driving you everywhere free of charge. You’re either going to have to put your faith in the campus shuttle system to actually run on schedule or you’re going to have to keep your car on campus and become the honorary campus driver for everyone and their brother. And that means watching your shopping money get eaten up as you keep refilling the gas. Either way, you’re going to realize how good you had it being able to borrow your parents’ car on a full tank and bring it back on empty like it was no big deal.

Bringing your car to campus, however, is not always a bad idea. In fact, “I think it will be one of the best decisions I make for this upcoming school year!” Kate says. Having a car on campus gives you an easy way to get groceries or go to work, and it’s also a great way to escape whenever you need a breath of fresh air. If bringing a car to campus works for you, then go for it!

4. Shower shoes are not a suggestion—they're a requirement

College showers are breeding grounds for bacteria. You’ll learn soon enough that shower shoes are an absolute must if you’re living in a dorm, especially if your campus cleanliness leaves something to be desired. Wearing flip-flops in the shower will keep your feet and your floormates’ feet safe, which will add to the overall health of your floor.  Not to mention that you will soon become “that girl” if you’re the only one going barefoot down the hall in your towel. Bottom line? Wear those flip flops!

5. Your first home-cooked meal of your first college break will probably make you cry

Coming home for your first break from college will make you realize that there is nothing better than a home-cooked meal.  “Thanksgiving really did it for me,” Kate says. “Just being with my family and having my parents make dinner like they used to every night was so comforting. It was a way for me to feel so at home...and escape from the same cafeteria salad I had been eating for weeks!”

As heartwarming as it is to come home to a familiar meal, college is a great time to work on providing for yourself and getting creative with what’s available in your campus cafeteria. If your school doesn’t have the healthiest choices to pick from, then get creative in your dorm! See what kind of appliances are allowed in your room and rack up a great list of dorm recipes to use on a daily basis.

6. You won't stay besties with the girl you attached yourself to during orientation week

The girls in your Facebook albums and Instas are going to be way different in December than they were in August—and that’s okay. You shouldn’t feel like the girl you instantly became best friends with because you both were paired up for some orientation week activity (and were also both in a mad rush to find someone to sit with at lunch) has to be your best friend for the next four years—or even the next four months.

True friendships grow organically and can’t be forced because you room with or have the same class as someone. Marie Mikhail, a sophomore at John Carroll University, has some great advice. “Start making new friends right away,” she says. Although it’s somewhat scary to think about, it really is as easy as just introducing yourself to people on your floor or in your dorm and figuring out whom you really click with. Some of the best relationships are created with your roommates and neighbors. Don’t underestimate the comfort they can bring to your life. Get to know and love them, even if they aren’t your BFFs!

7. Not everyone's standards for personal hygiene are the same

You probably haven’t lived in such a confined living space with so many people until your first year of college. Unfortunately, the people who live on your floor won’t all have the same definition of the word “clean,” and without awkwardly pointing out to them that they ought to be more hygienic (which you really shouldn’t do), there’s not much you can do.

There’s nothing more disgusting than watching someone leave the bathroom without washing her hands, cough without covering her mouth or not wash her hair for weeks on end. It’s even worse if that person is your roommate. But you will learn to live with it. Buy some hand sanitizer and suck it up, ladies.

8. College isn’t always exciting

It really only takes until the second or third day for you to realize that college is nothing at all like how it is in the movies. College is not a constant state of partying or perfectly sunny days on the quad.

“We all hear about the fun parties and activities … but ask any established college student and they will tell you about the immense amount of studying that must be incorporated daily,” Marie says.

While you can definitely push yourself to stay busy (and free yourself from the library) by joining organizations and clubs or even going Greek, you should also be prepared for the somewhat repetitive daily routine you will grow to have. Included in this is a lot of Netflix and, yes, sadly, studying.

9. You will realize you took having your own room for granted

Except for the maybe the quad, a college campus is typically not full of wide-open spaces and private rooms for your leisurely use. Rather, it is full of cramped dorms, busy common rooms and jam-packed libraries. You will never appreciate your childhood room more than when you enter your first midterm week and find yourself fighting for a study spot not populated by half the student body. Should that ruin your college experience? Absolutely not!

From cute DIY projects to color-coordinating decor with your roomie, there are so many ways to make the most out of your dorm room. Marie decided to take the opportunity to turn her cramped dorm room into a festive home away from home. “My roommate and I used every holiday as the perfect excuse to spice up our room with decorations,” she says. “For Christmas, we decked out our room with hanging ornaments around the room, lining the walls with lights and wrapping our door with holiday wrapping paper.” What better way to bond with your roomie and make your living space a little more fun?

10. There are good professors and there are very, very bad professors

You should always firmly believe that you are the greatest influence on your grades, but by the end of your first semester, you’re going to learn that there are some professors who aren’t making things easy for you. While no professor would purposefully tank your grade or have a vendetta against you making it on the dean’s list, many have higher expectations than your high school teachers had. This makes it quite hard to attain the straight A's you’ve always been used to receiving.

The best thing to do is to take advantage of (accurate) professor review websites and figure out what type of learning environment and professor works best for you. “Don’t just blindly sign up for your classes based on the times you want,” Kate says. “Be sure to actually check which professor teaches the class and whether or not his or her teaching style will be beneficial to you.”

11. Everyone comes from different backgrounds

You aren’t going to college with all the same people you went to high school with—and you shouldn’t expect the same types of people to be there. Not everyone is the same, comes from the same background or will be interested in the same things as you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be friends. In fact, some of the best friendships can come from people who have had very different experiences from each other.  Take advantage of all the new experiences you’re going to have and don’t limit yourself—try to meet as many people as possible.

12. Work piles up quickly if you don’t prioritize

You’ll realize during your first semester that you really cannot push things off or procrastinate in college. The time between the beginning and the end of the semester is broken up by midterms, tests, quizzes, projects and your social life. That basically means that if you’re not on top of homework, studying and outside reading, you’ll find yourself scrambling to catch up.

“Without planning and organizing in college, life is practically chaos,” Marie says. “If you don't plan ahead and organize your work, it is easy to find yourself missing deadlines and not being as successful as you had planned.”

So what does all this mean? College is obviously a time for fun, friends and Friday nights, but it’s also a time that will shape the rest of your life.  Basically, you need to figure out what the best balance of school life and social life is for you. Oh, and it would probably be a good idea to invest in a planner.

13. Finding the friend who will house you when you’re sexiled or let you cry on her shoulder will make all the difference

At some point or another you’re going to have an “I miss my parents” breakdown, an “I shouldn’t have hooked up with that guy” breakdown, an “I don’t know what I’m doing with my life” breakdown or an “I’m drowning in homework and my roommate always snores and I've been living in sweatpants and I need my dog” breakdown. It’s only natural. While the first few breakdowns will probably entail you trying to hide your sobbing from your roommate, life gets a whole lot better when you find that one girl or that group of friends who will be there to support you and will always help you eat your feelings by scarfing down a pizza with you on a weekday at midnight. But just remember, getting frustrated, having breakdowns and getting stressed out is totally normal in college. And that’s what your friends are there for.

“College is such a transitional period for everyone, and with this period comes many new adjustments,” Marie says. “It is very important to have a friend that you can vent to and confide in. At the end of the day, it is comforting to know that there is someone there for you who will listen and understand you.”

14. Social media will make you believe that everyone else is having a better college experience than you

It’s really unavoidable: you're eventually going to become envious of how great of a time it looks like your peers are having. This primarily comes from what you see on social media; pictures can deceive you into thinking that everyone else has more friends than you, is more popular than you or is making more of their college experiences than you are. Social media can make you feel left out and can even make you question if you picked the right school.

So, what should you do? If you find that Instagram and Facebook are making you feel down, try a social media detox. Try to remember that likes, favorites and retweets don't dictate your social standing, and, most importantly, realize that you cannot allow envy or worry to lessen your college experience. Put down your phone and go make some memories of your own!

15. College flies by

No matter how painful finals week is or how slow some days seem to go, your first semester flies by at a crazy speed. You’re only a freshman for a short period of time, and in just a few more short years, you’re going to be a graduating senior wondering where all the time went.

“Before you know it, all of the activities, the seemingly never-ending work and all of the fun memories will be over,” Marie says. “So make sure you enjoy the ride while it lasts!” We couldn’t agree more!

Sasha and Malia are getting backlash for being regular teenagers. [Bustle]

Could the love hormone help with PTSD? [Ozy]

The problem with assuming other people are perfect. [Psychology Today]

Conversation starters for first dates. [refinery29]

The most beautiful college campuses in the world. [Cosmopolitan]

Why McDonald's apple pie is so delicious. [Thrillist]

Custom Starbucks shoes. [Teen Vogue]

What happens when you eat an avocado every day. [Women's Health]

I lost my son to the alt-right. [The Cut]

10 new artists you need to know about. [Rolling Stone]

ABC’s Modern Family has been around for so long that it’s hard to imagine any other actors playing members of the show’s eccentric family. Although the show may not be as popular as it was in its early years, it’s still up for Outstanding Comedy Series at the Emmys this September. Playing dorky dad Phil Dunphy, Ty Burrell is also nominated for Supporting Actor in a Comedy for the eighth year in a row. Given his success, it’s so weird to think of someone else being Phil, but Friends’ Matt LeBlanc just revealed that he was offered the role back in 2009. Can you picture Joey Tribbiani as a family man?

Entertainment Weekly reports that LeBlanc talked about his past with the show in an interview with USA Today. Modern Family’s pilot script made its way to him after ABC was hesitant to hire Burrell, the producers’ top pick for the role.

“I remember reading it thinking, this is a really good script, [but] I’m not the guy for this,” LeBlanc said. “I’d be doing the project an injustice to take this. I know what I can do, I know what I can’t do. Plus, I’m having too much fun laying on the couch.”

Well, it’s good to know that LeBlanc really is Joey at heart and loves his couch time.

Although he wasn’t meant to be a Dunphy, LeBlanc later contributed to the show in a special way. According to USA Today, in 2012, the cast was struggling with salary negotiations. Back in the day, the cast of Friendsmade headlines for successfully insisting that all six of them were paid the same salary. When he and his Modern Family castmates wanted salary leverage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson called LeBlanc for advice (anyone else just picturing Ferguson’s Mitchell talking to Joey now?).

LeBlanc said he told Ferguson, “You have to walk out, or they won’t take you seriously. If you stick together, you have power.”

My mind’s blown at the thought of Joey settling down and becoming a suburban dad, and I'm not the only one shaken about this news.

However, I think it's adorable that LeBlanc was still able to help the Modern Family cast that way. 

It’s sweltering hot. The cute guy that seemed so sweet when you were flirting with him at the tailgate has transformed into a raging beast, screaming “Pass interference!” at the refs until he’s red in the face. The band erupts into the fight song and you have no idea why. The cheerleaders are flipping around and shouting something about “first and 10” and then you could have sworn the other team had the ball but all of a sudden the people around you are screaming “Touchdown!” and jumping up and down and What. Is. Going. On?!

Sound familiar?

College football is fun when you’re painting up with your friends or tailgating with gorgeous guys, but when the actual game starts, it’s easy for non-sports-nut collegiettes to get completely lost between the flags and positions and numbers and just wish they had stayed home instead. But don’t lose hope yet — even if the words “first down” mean absolutely nothing to you right now, HC’s handy football guide will turn you into a pom-pom-waving, screaming football fanatic in no time. Go team!

The Field

Football fields are big. This is not news (why do you think football players’ leg muscles are so huge?). What may actually be news to non-sports-savvy collegiettes is that football fields are different sizes depending on whether it’s a college, NFL or high school field. A college football field is 120 yards long and 53 1/3 feet wide. The two shorter ends of the field where the goalposts are located are called the end zones, which are 10 yards deep, while the longer edges of the field, where the players sit while they’re not playing, are called the sidelines. There are lines drawn every five yards across the field leading up to the 50-yard line in the middle, with the lines at each end zone starting at 0 and going up toward the middle.

The Clock

Football is played in four 15-minute quarters. But wait — how the heck do games last for so long, then? Well, the clock stops between each play for the teams to reset their positions, and there is a 20-minute halftime between the second and third quarters, so games get stretched out a little longer than an hour (try three or more). Each team also is allowed to have three 30-second timeouts per half so that the coach can talk to his players or challenge a call made by a referee, although the teams are not required to use all of their timeouts in a game. The clock counts down, so at the start of each quarter the clock will read: 15:00.

The Players

Each team is allowed to have 11 players on the field at a time, although most college teams have many more players on the actual roster — it’s not uncommon for a team to have more than 100! One reason college teams have so many players is because they have three different groups of players (and a lot of backups) that go on the field at different times: offensive players, defensive players and special teams. The offense is on the field when their team has the ball. They’re the guys that try to run the ball down the field and score points. The defense, which is on the field when the opposing team has the ball, tries to stop the opposing team’s offense from scoring points. Special teams are players who are put out for specific tasks such as kicking field goals or punting the ball to the other side of the field if the offense is stopped (they also have the coolest name, probably to make up for the fact that they don’t get to be on the field as often).

There are a ton of different football player positions, but the most important one to remember is the quarterback. A play starts with the offense and the defense setting up in lines facing each other. One of the offensive players hands the ball backwards between his legs to the quarterback (this move is called the snap), who then decides whether he is going to hand the ball to someone else, throw the ball to someone else or run with it himself. This is why the quarterback is so important: he (or she!) is the leader of the group on the field who takes direction from the coach and tells the other players what to do. (Also, is it just us or is the quarterback always the hottest guy on the team? Confidence is sexy.)

Helpful hint: There is an invisible line (use your imagination here) between the offense and defense called the line of scrimmage that no player is allowed to cross before the snap happens.

Related: This Incoming College Student Wants To Be The First Female NFL Player

The Goal

The goal of football is to score points (obviously?), either by making a touchdown or kicking a field goal. A touchdown, which is worth six points, happens when one team’s offense takes the ball all the way into the other team’s end zone, either by running the ball or passing it, without getting stopped by a defensive player on the other team.

Once a team scores a touchdown, they have two options. They can try for a field goal, where they kick the ball between the two goal posts and get one extra point, or they can try for a two-point conversion, where the team sets up at the two-yard line and attempts to score another touchdown for an extra two points in addition to the six points they got from the first touchdown. Teams typically choose the field goal because it’s easier, unless they’re running out of time and really need two extra points instead of just one.

A team can also kick a field goal from any point on the field without scoring a touchdown for three points. Teams usually go this route if they are on their fourth down and don’t think they will be able to make a first down.

Downs

We didn’t confuse you too badly with that last sentence, did we? The “down” lingo is typically where collegiettes who weren’t religiously raised on football Saturdays get confused, but it’s actually a simple concept. A down is basically a play. Each offensive line has four chances to move the ball ten yards down the field, whether by passing or running the ball (carrying it with them), without being stopped by the other team (tackling the player with the ball). When one team gets the ball down the field at least ten yards from where they started (the line of scrimmage) without being stopped by the other team’s defense, it’s called a first down. If the offense gets a first down, they keep trying to get the ball down the field until they either score a goal or are stopped by the other team before they get another first down (make it 10 more yards).

If the player with the ball is tackled by a defensive player, they start from where they were tackled and try to get the ball the rest of the ten yards. After four unsuccessful tries, the ball goes to the other team. The other team can also catch the ball in the middle of a pass, called an interception, in which case the ball would immediately switch hands to the other team. Easy enough, right?

So when you hear the cheerleaders shouting: “first and 10, do it again,” they mean that the team has made it down the field 10 yards and has another 10 yards to go before they get another first down. Same goes for second and five (second try and they have five yards to go before a first down), third and two (third try, two yards to go), and so on. Still following? Good.

Common Fouls

Fouls are typically what causes those seemingly nice college guys to turn into snarling, furious animals bellowing at the referees. Despite what the enormous muscled guys literally slamming each other into the ground may lead you to believe, there are actually some things you’re not allowed to do in college football for fear of injuring a player or giving your team an unfair advantage. The referees (the people wearing black-and-white striped shirts) signify that a foul has occurred by throwing a yellow flag on the field where the foul occurred. If the announcer says that “there is a flag on the play,” he means that a referee has called a foul. Here’s a quick list of some common fouls that could happen during a game so you can impress that guy next to you by screaming at the ref before he can.

The Foul: Encroachment

What it is: Remember how you can’t cross the line of scrimmage before the snap? If a defensive player does it and touches an offensive player, it’s a penalty.

What happens: The offense gets to move forward five yards; therefore, they will have five less yards to cover to get a first down.

The Foul: False start

What it is: An offensive player makes a movement before the snap.

What happens: The offense has to move backwards five yards.

The Foul: Holding

What it is: An offensive player holds a defensive player so that the defensive player can’t tackle the player with the ball.

What happens: 10-yard penalty.

The Foul: Offside

What it is: A player (or any part of him, really) is beyond the line of scrimmage before the play starts.

What happens: 5-yard penalty.

The Foul: Pass interference

What it is: Here’s where it gets confusing. Yes, defensive players are supposed to prevent offensive players from getting the ball, but they can’t make contact with the receiver (the player who a pass is intended for) before the ball gets to him. That’s called pass interference, and it’s a foul. The defensive player can, however, touch the receiver after he touches the ball. The defensive player can also intercept the ball without touching the receiver.

What happens: 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down for the offense.

The Foul: Personal foul

What it is: Any action that appears to be done in order to intentionally harm another player (you can’t just punch each other, guys).

What happens: 15-yard penalty. If the foul is particularly nasty, a player can be ejected from the game.

Congratulations on officially becoming a collegiette football expert (or at least more knowledgeable about football, anyway)! Now go paint up or don a jersey in your school’s colors, jump up and down in the stands and school your guy friends on the rules of America’s favorite college sport (“It’s ‘offside,’ not ‘offsides,’ Brad.”). Who says girls don’t get sports?

Despite Bachelor Nation’s summer kicking off ominously with the Bachelor in Paradise controversy, the last few months have played out happily for other franchise members. Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay ultimately found her match in Bryan Abasolo (and we’re still anxiously wondering who the next Bachelor is, nbd). BiP alums Jade Roper and Tanner Tolbert welcomed their daughter, and BiP’s Carly Waddell and Evan Bass got married and soon announced they were expecting their first child together. Now, Carly and Evan have revealed that they’ll welcome a baby girl early next year, Bustle reports.

The couple both shared a look into their gender reveal party on Instagram. Evan, who already has three sons from a previous relationship, posted a video of his son hitting a pinata to see what color of confetti was inside. In the clip, the group goes crazy when they see pink paper and know that a girl is on the way.

"We are pleased to announce the release of our baby girl Bass in February 2018," Evan playfully wrote. "My book, "Raising Girls and Where to Buy a Shotgun for her Prom" will be released shortly thereafter followed up by my fashion blog YouTube interactive."

Former BiP cast member Ashley Iaconetti commented on Evan's video, telling her friend, "I can't wait for you to be a dad to a girl! You were meant for it!" After reading Evan's heartfelt Hollywood Reporter article about why BiP shouldn't be cancelled, I can totally see this guy being a total sucker for his daughter.

Carly shared a family photo from after the reveal, writing, "I'm not the only girl anymore! Woo Hoo!"

Before news of the baby's gender broke, Evan told Us Weekly that his sons were ready for a sister to join their family. "They really want it to be a girl," he said. "If it's a girl, we're going to protect her together. We're a family of boys, and Carly and they want that little girl."

He also told the magazine that he and Carly actually found out about her pregnancy days after they were married in Mexico earlier this summer. "She was late," Evan revealed. "I was like, 'You're really funny. Let's go to a Mexican drugstore and get a test.' We go into this drugstore and after she went and took the test...[she] was like, 'I don't know what that means. It's in Spanish.'"

In true, awkward Carly-and-Evan fashion, they had to Google what the result of the pregnancy test meant in English. If watching their wedding on TV wasn't enough to prove that these two are meant for each other, that sole detail is enough proof for me. 

Congrats to this growing family! I'm totally expecting play dates with Jade and Tanner's daughter. 

After participating in Charlottesville’s white supremacist march, a 18-year-old student has decided to leave Boston University because of threats he received for attending the deadly event. TIME reports that Nicholas Fuentes called both his campus and the city of Boston “very dangerous” for someone with his beliefs.

“I was supposed to be entering Boston University for my sophomore year,” Fuentes said in a video interview with TIME, “but in response to recent death threats and threats against my physical safety, I decided that might not be the best idea.”

Fuentes, who told The Boston Globe he attended the rally to protest immigration and multiculturalism, also spoke about how surprising he found the public’s reactions to his attendance. “It’s disturbing to me the level of hate that people have been able to express and been able to feel against someone they’ve never met,” he said. “They say that we’re the hateful ones, that we’re the bigots, and I get messages all day long from people I’ve never met telling me what a terrible person I am.”

Fuentes runs his own political YouTube channel and reportedly received 15 death threats through email and social media since the Charlottesville march. Telling The Globe that he wasn’t a white nationalist or racist, he claimed, “The rally was about not replacing white people.”

According to The Chicago Tribune, Fuentes was already considering leaving BU because of other issues he had with the school, including its urban environment. He plans to start attending Alabama’s Auburn University in the upcoming spring semester, but Auburn officials couldn’t reveal if his enrollment was actually official.

“I think I will be happy there and I will be safe,” Fuentes told The Tribune. “It’s solidly red territory.”

Despite Fuentes playing the role of a victim, there’s some speculation that he purposely tried to make controversial remarks in order to build up his social media brand. Bill Allan, who works as the television services supervisor at Fuentes’ high school, told The Tribune that Fuentes aired his own TV show several times at the school. His political beliefs also seemed less extreme back then.

“I think the biggest change was he went from conservative values to very deep to the right,” Allan said. “None of the stuff he produced [in high school] was even close to the level he’s at now...When you pour gas on the fire, you should know you could get burnt. It was the backlash at BU that propelled his social media presence.”

Boston University President Robert Brown wrote a letter opposing the Charlottesville events in anticipation of Boston’s “free speech” rally, but did not address Fuentes’ withdrawal from the school. “It is clear to me, and I believe it a view that is broadly shared in our community, that a claim of inherent racial or ethnic superiority is abhorrent,” he said. “We must, I believe, explicitly denounce white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups that make such claims.”

Fuentes addressed his decision on Twitter in a slightly bizarre way, posting screenshots of articles covering his news and saying he had been busy "stunting all over your life." Um, that doesn't sound like someone who supposedly just received more than a few death threats. 

Fuentes will reportedly take off from school for the fall semester before returning to college. 

Two months ago, heads buried in books, cramming for finals and craving lazy sun-filled afternoons, we were pretty darn well ready to pack up and dive into our summertime fantasies. Behind the pages of our econ textbooks, the idea of fabulous new internships, various vacations and European adventures, annual summer flings and—let’s not forget—homemade meals you don’t have to swipe an ID for, seemed all too appealing.

Two months in, we’re over it and itchin’ to head back to campus.

Whether your hometown is boring you to tears, or your stressful internship has you desperately missing a college schedule(read: no Friday classes, ever) we all have our own reasons for counting down the days ‘til September. Here are collegiettes’ top 20!

1. Sharing the Same Address as the BFFs

Turns out that in the real world, all your faves don’t actually live down the hall from you. Sigh. Arranging get-togethers between summer jobs, long commutes and vacations is a mess. How much cooler was it to grab the girls for dinner simply by swinging by their adjacent rooms, instead of the tangled mess that is trying to plan get-togethers during the summer?

2. Living at Home Has Us Feeling Like We’re 15 Again 

Back to sneaking in after-hours? After getting in the groove of living on your own, it’s totally frustrating to go back to curfews and helicopter parents. (And trying to protest that you actually stay out a lot later back at school doesn’t really seem to help matters).

3. Campus Meal Plan = Much-Needed Choice and Convenience!

Sure, we’re often bitter about the cost-per-meal ratio, and we all love to hate on the oft-wilting lettuce and greasy fries, but when it comes down to it, we secretly adore the dining hall. If we want to have an omelet and toast for dinner, or samples of three different types of cookies for dessert, we better darn well have that option. It’s better than a soggy Starbucks wrap on our way home from work!

4. Actual Motivation to Work Out

With free access to top-notch facilities, we had no excuse during the school year for skipping out on the gym—and one really good one for checkin’ out the basketball team mid-workout.

5. Boys, Boys, Boys

As we’ve probably all learned, it’s a lot easier to meet guys on campus. From flirting with your charming chem lab partner to always running into that neighbor down the hall from you, there just seem to be way more possibilities for romance in college. (Vastly older summer co-workers aren’t really cutting it for us).

6. Hometown Parties Just Don’t Compare to College Nightlife, Period

Between Thirsty Thursdays, Friday-night frat parties, and the knowledge that there’s probably a great party going on anyday of the week on campus, our summer social lives in comparison seem kind of, well, lame.

7. We Desperately Miss Our Favorite Hangouts

Whether you’ll be a sophomore or a seasoned senior, you’ve likely spent a lot of time scoping out a whole range of favorite haunts and hangouts around campus. Our college towns have become like second homes—and we’re officially homesick. Here’s to regaining our seat at the local coffee shop, hitting up our beloved boutiques and cheap eats again—even getting back to that perfect campus study spot we swear is the only place where we can actually focus.

8. Our Inner Intellectual is Wilting

Truth is, we’re actually feeling a bit nostalgic for class. Inspiring professors, incredible courses and that personal satisfaction you can only get from acing a paper for a class you’re completely passionate about are much better alternatives to making copies and fetching the office coffee all summer long.

9. The College Schedule…or Lack Thereof

Summer has many of us working 9 to 5—and yearning for the days when a 10 a.m. once a week felt like a killer. The ability to form a sched around your personal body clock just might be one of the greatest perks of college life.

10. Milestones Are Ahead

Turning another year older has its perks—from finally being able to (legally) check out the university bar life, to getting better campus housing picks and scoring prime class times (as in no mornings…see above). Plus, actually getting to take classes in your major is way more exciting than the usual drab “intro”s and 101s.

11. We’re Months Behind on Gossip

Sporadic texting, Skype and Facebook stalking just don’t cut it. We can’t wait to catch up with our college girls for real in the fall and get all the dirt on their latest adventures—especially from those who were studying abroad in the spring.

12. Spontaneous Dorm Makeovers

Admit it: your room at home is pretty much a shrine to the past—and probably hasn’t changed since the early 2000s. Heading back to school means news digs and more flexibility to regularly redecorate with fresh designs. Sure, your dorm room may be the size of a postage stamp, but really, isn’t that half the fun? Get creative!

13. Space from Home

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and during the semester we were quite sentimental about our families and friends back home. But going back to living with the ‘rents, dealing with pesky siblings and remembering why we stopped hanging out with certain hometown friends in the first place can make us all(sheepishly) crave that distance again.

14. Being True To Your School

As cheesy as it is, school pride definitely helps to make college, well, college. Between belting out the fight song at a pre-game pep rally, indulging in crazy traditions (naked quad runs, anyone?) or even just participating in a friendly intramural softball game, there are just certain things that we won’t really get post-grad. Admit it—cheering on your hometown MLB team just doesn’t bring the same kind of passion we feel come college football season. Rah, Rah, Rah!

15. We Secretly Enjoy Over-Achieving 

If you’re the typical collegiette, you’re involved in a million things on campus—and being away from it all is actually stressing you out. Summertime has us stuck in the office mailroom; we’ll feel a lot more confident once we’re back to our Editor-in-Chief/Student Council President/MVP positions!

16. A Much-Needed Change of Scenery 

Whether you’ve been braving the concrete jungle this summer as an intern, or stuck back in strip-mall suburbia, it’s easy to get nostalgic for the blooming flowerbeds, grassy quads and fall foliage of your campus. Plus, being able to walk everywhere means you actually get to enjoy it.

17. We Heart the Campus Activities Board

Back on campus, there seem to always be a million events going on at once—and even better, most of them are free. University-sponsored events like outdoor concerts, formal dances, and poetry slams and comedy acts kept us oh-so active—and free or discounted tickets on local museums and plays kept us cultured and within budget!

18. Movie Nights––or, How We Find Ways to Procrastinate 

Silly traditions often get us through those miserable late-night study sessions. We so miss the bonding, camaraderie and guilt-free midnight snacking. The bleary-eyed cramming part? Yeah, not so much…

19. Studying Abroad is Just Around the Corner

How could you not look forward to a 4-month-long credit-earning vacation—er, study session? For those who are so lucky as to be studying abroad this year, get psyched for heading overseas and enjoying one of the absolute highlights of your college career. ¡Vámonos!

20. Pant Suits are Stifling Our Fashion Freedom

Office dress codes are crampin’ our style; we’ll be glad to return to the days of wearing what we want. Whether you simply slip into sweats before lecture, or enjoy putting together crazy, trendy pieces just for the fun of it, we all love college fashion for the same reason we love the dining hall—choices.

We all know about the mania surrounding the hit HBO show Game of Thrones. And if you're one of its millions of fans, you're dying to watch it each week, waiting to see who will be killed off next and who will win the Game of Thrones. Though we've met a lot of great characters, we've also met a lot of terrible ones we just wanted to throttle. Here's a definitive ranking of those annoying characters, and obviously, there are tons of spoilers ahead.

23. Ned Stark

His was the first death that really mattered and was what really got the plot going, but honestly, it could have been avoided if he hadn’t been so determined to tell the truth. He was a man of truth, but it was so frustrating watching him say goodbye to his chances of surviving for the sake of his family, at least, all because he refused to keep his mouth shut.

22. Robert Baratheon

If only he would have stopped drinking and sleeping with other women long enough to see what a manipulative liar his wife really was and see the truth that Ned figured out on his own, Westeros would be a better place. Too bad that boar got the best of him.

21. Bran Stark

Ever since he became the Three Eyed Raven, Bran has been detached and downright cold to the people he once loved. Plus, he could be less creepy about the fact that he sees all—like when he told his sister Sansa that he basically watched Ramsay abuse her. Creepy.  

20. Sansa Stark

Sansa’s place on this list mostly accounts for her first couple seasons, especially when she had a blind crush on Joffrey and didn’t see him for the sociopath he was. Once she realized he was actually the worst person in Westeros and stopped defending him, she started redeeming herself. But I’ll never forget that she got Lady killed.

19. Jaime Lannister

First, his relationship with his sister is totally creepy. Second, he’s the reason Bran is a cripple. Third, he keeps justifying his sister’s actions when she’s obviously on her way to becoming the next Mad Queen, if she’s not already there. Open your eyes, man.

18. Ygritte

I will forever ship her with Jon Snow, but it was kind of annoying how she expected him to forget the vow he made to the Night’s Watch and run away into the sunset with her and the other wildlings. Plus, she shot him with a ton of arrows and that was pretty rude. RIP Ygritte.

17. Oberyn Martell

He was SO CLOSE to killing the Mountain in Tyrion’s trial by combat, but because he couldn’t stop running his mouth during the fight to try to get him to apologize for killing his sister, he got his skull bashed in. SO CLOSE.

16. Talisa Stark

Her romance with Robb was sweet and all, but she had a holier-than-thou attitude at first, and her love affair with Robb got him and his mother killed at the Red Wedding. You didn’t think the Freys would have a problem with you showing up on their doorstep after stealing Robb away? Really?

15. Robb Stark

As much as we all love the Starks, the fact is Robb was an idiot for breaking his promise and marrying Talisa instead of the Frey girl he was promised to. The Red Wedding was brutal, but what kind of idiot thinks that bringing his hot new wife to the Frey wedding that was supposed to be his own was going to go well?

14. Roose Bolton

He fought for the Starks at one point but betrayed them in the worst way at the Red Wedding, changing sides when it seemed convenient. Plus, he’s the reason Ramsay exists, which is bad enough. You shouldn’t have reproduced, man.

13. Theon Greyjoy

Theon was okay until he betrayed the Starks, and although he was definitely more than adequately punished for his betrayal and is still suffering the consequences of Ramsay’s torture, he was still really annoying and cocky for a while.

12. Tywin Lannister

Was there ever a time when he was actually nice to his kids? As bad as Cersei is, it was annoying seeing him look down on her because she was a woman when she’d proved she was more than capable enough to be treated like a man, and don’t even get me started on how he treated Tyrion for being a dwarf. I’m pretty sure the only sibling he actually liked was Jaime.

11. Stannis Baratheon

He did have a claim to the throne, but his biggest mistake was trusting the witch Melisandre and basically screwing over everyone he loved until his death. Plus, what kind of asshole kills his brother and his only daughter to get to the throne?

10. Melisandre

Speaking of Melisandre, she spent several seasons manipulating Stannis and then casually burned a child at the stake—ALIVE—as a sacrifice to her god. Oh, and when she takes off her necklace she looks like she’s actually hundreds of years old, so that’s weird, too.

9. Ellaria Sand

As much as I hate Cersei, going after her daughter, who was completely innocent and in love with the prince from Dorne, was completely uncalled for and got Ellaria’s own daughter killed. Her attitude after watching Oberyn get killed—not murdered as she said because he willingly partook in a trial by combat—was frustrating to watch, as was her insistence on declaring war on King's Landing.

8. Shae

Not only did she break Tyrion’s heart, but she also cruelly betrayed him when he would have done anything to keep her safe and made him out to be a murderer. She got what was coming to her when he got his revenge. No ragrets.

7. Euron Greyjoy

He hasn’t even been on the show as long as most of the people on this list and he’s already more annoying than most of them. He gets props for that, but it doesn’t do anything for his terrible, arrogant personality.

6. Viserys Targaryen

He sold his sister off to Khal Drogo in his efforts to reclaim the Iron Throne and was such a jerk to Danaerys—and in general—that when he had molten gold dumped on his head as a “crown,” no one actually felt sorry for him. There’s your precious crown, Viserys.

5. The High Sparrow

No one sums up the holier-than-thou attitude better than the High Sparrow. It was Cersei’s fault he rose to power, but it was frustrating to watch him use religion to punish people for their “sins” and especially for trying to protect their families.

4. Littlefinger

Nothing was more enjoyable than watching Jon throttle him for being such a creep. He was in love with Catlyn for years, and when he couldn’t have her, he set his sights on her daughter, Sansa, pretty much as soon as she hit puberty. He may not be the most annoying on this list, but he’s definitely the creepiest.

3. Cersei Lannister

While you would think Cersei’s worst traits are her evilness and lack of morality, her overconfidence in herself is actually more annoying than all of the horrible things she’s done to people. She believes no one can bring her down and thinks she’s more clever than she actually is, which will make her (hopeful) downfall that much sweeter.

2. Ramsay Bolton

Ramsay was a lot like Joffrey and delighted in torturing people, but he was less of an insufferable brat, which made him just barely miss the top spot on this list. With the horrific things he did to Theon, Sansa, his own family and who knows how many other people, no one was sad to see his own dogs eat him while Sansa watched.

1. Joffrey Baratheon

The number one spot on our list is the one person everyone was happy to see die, even if his death by a poison called the “Strangler” was pretty gruesome. Joffrey was most likely a clinical sociopath and lived for seeing people get hurt, especially if it was by his hands, and he got away with everything just because he was a prince and then a king. Honestly, good riddance, you little brat.

Between tangled necklaces, wrinkled clothing and shampoo spills, packing for school can be a total nightmare. But not anymore! With these awesome packing hacks, you won't believe how easy moving back to campus will be.

1. Roll your clothes to save space

We've been folding our clothes for as long as we can remember, but apparently rolling them is actually the way to go! Save space and avoid creases with this easy trick.

2. Use shower caps to protect your shoes

Finally something to do with all those hotel shower caps you've been hoarding!

3. Thread chain necklaces through straws

Say goodbye to tangled chains!

4. Roll larger necklaces with toilet paper

This trick prevents tangles and takes up very little space.

5. Use a button to avoid losing your earrings

This is life-changing!

6. Keep your clothes fresh with a dryer sheet

With this basic hack, you can throw on your favorite dress as soon as you get to campus.

7. Protect your clothes from shampoo spills

Place plastic wrap over the top of your cosmetic bottles (but under the cap) and you'll never have to deal with that mess again.

8. Pack your clothes in a trash bag

If you're driving to campus, use this amazing hack: pack your clothes with their hangers directly into a trash bag. This will save you so much time both when packing and when moving in.

9. Pack socks in your shoes

We love this trick: it will maximize space AND keep the shape of your shoes intact! Don't forget to pack your shoes on the bottom of your suitcase with other heavier items.