We’ve all seen the stereotypical bubbly sorority girl in various movies. If you’re an introverted PNM (sorority slang for Potential New Member) considering sorority recruitment, don’t let this scare you off! Sororities are full of diverse members and there’s certainly a home for you even if you’re not the loudest voice in the room. However, the process of recruitment revolves around meeting and talking to young women from sororities on your campus, so here are some tips to help you shake the nerves off and have an amazing rush week!

1. Prepare for rush as much as possible ahead of time

Study up, ladies! You don’t want to go into recruitment blind. Set yourself up ahead of time for success by learning about the Greek system and recruitment process at your school because aspects of Greek life vary widely in different schools and regions of the country!

Find out when your school holds sorority recruitment, how to sign-up and whether sororities expect to receive information from you such as headshots, resumes and recommendation letters by checking out your school’s Panhellenic Association website. If your school holds any pre-recruitment events, such as “meet the chapter” events or house preview days, go, go, go!

Finally, pick out your recruitment outfits way before recruitment starts. That’s the last thing you need stressing you out during rush. Taking these steps can help calm your nerves by knowing what to expect going into rush, so you’re completely focused on the conversations you’re having with active members of sororities, because as Huffington Post explains, introvertsmay be easily distracted.

Related: What to Wear For Every Step of Rush 

2. Talk to your recruitment guide

At most schools with formal sorority recruitment, you will be assigned a recruitment guide who will basically serve as your mentor during recruitment. Schools have different Greek terms for recruitment guides such as Rho Gams and Rho Chis.

If you’re an introverted PNM, your recruitment guide is your best resource throughout rush! They are sorority members themselves and have undergone extensive training for this position, so they can provide you with all the advice and answers you need.

“I went to college really far away from my house plus I was very shy at that age, so I talked to my recruitment guide a lot during rush about how I was feeling and she was so helpful,” shares Kristin Wolfe, an alumna of Sigma Kappa at Arizona State University. “She helped me come up with interesting things to share about myself and my home state to the different sorority members I was meeting, and these ideas helped my conversations feel so effortless.”

3. Smile, smile, smile

Knowing and using basic, but very important, conversational skills can go a long way during recruitment when you’re talking to active members of sororities. These little tips will keep you better engaged in conversations at the different houses, and show the woman you’re speaking that you’re genuinely interested in her sorority and what she has to say.

Smile! Act like you want to be there, because if you made the decision to rush, you should want to be there. Smiling shows the women you’re speaking with that you’re excited about their chapter, and in return, they’ll be excited about you as a potential member. Making eye contact is very important as well. Eye contact shows you’re engaged in the conversation and not distracted or thinking about another house.

Make sure to show the sorority woman you’re chatting with that you’re interested by calling the woman by her name after she introduces herself, and occasionally throughout the conversation. Don’t reply to anything she says with one-word answers! “I consider myself an introvert who has a hard time with small talk, so after the first day of rush I changed my conversation strategy. I tried to see the girls I was meeting as potential friends and sisters, instead of strangers,” shares Lexi*, a sophomore and sorority member at Lehigh University. “You may start to relate more to the girls this way and then have the types of deeper conversations introverts love.”

4. Prepare interesting answers to questions beforehand

Speaking of no one-word answers during recruitment conversations, you could even think of possible answers to inevitable rush questions ahead of time. You will most likely be asked basic introductory questions by every woman you meet such as where you’re from, what you’re majoring in, if you’re enjoying the rush experience and other basic questions.

Don’t be afraid to answer these questions with more than a “New York” or “Biology” or “Yes." The women you’re speaking to are trying to see if you would fit in with their sisterhood, and that’s going to be very hard for them if you don’t open up about yourself.

Morgan advises anticipating questions such as these and thinking of interesting answers ahead of time, so you don’t feel put on the spot. “Be aware that it’s not an interview. Especially the first couple rounds, it’s going to be a lot of where are you from [and] where are you living on campus. It can feel repetitive. For an introverted PNM, it’s difficult to start conversations, but if you have cool answers to those questions, it might lead to a different conversation. For example, if you’re asked where you’re from, instead of saying Memphis, Tennessee, you can say I’m from a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, so being from a suburb but near a city I had two types of experiences growing up.”

5. Don’t be discouraged if you’re not invited back to a sorority

The recruitment process at any school is a mutually selective process, meaning that you can be not invited back to (commonly referred to as dropped) from a house even if you ranked that house highly. In fact, almost every PNM is dropped from multiple houses.

If and when this happens, it’s very important to not completely shut down. More on this later, but you shouldn’t change yourself or act like someone else if this happens! Everyone, even the girl who seems crazy confident, gets upset by being dropped by a favorite house. You’re not alone and it’s not personal. Sorority women are meeting hundreds of PNMs a day, so they can’t invite back everyone and they may feel some would fit in better at another chapter.

“Chapters are very large, so even if you’re not the in the chapter you originally thought you would be in, there’s going to be someone in that chapter you can click with or befriend. Even if, especially early on in the week, you’re not back in the chapters you originally thought you would really love, give the other ones a chance,” says Morgan Patrick, Director of Recruitment and a senior at The University of Alabama, which has the largest sorority membership in the nation.

6. Relax and destress every night

We’re not going to lie: recruitment days are long and tiring. You will be walking all over the place (probably in heels!) and meeting so many people and making so many decisions. It’s important to remember to take care of yourself and your mental health.

Take time to relax every night after rush. If you have a tried and true tactic to destress, stick to that. If not, try watching a funny Netflix show, reading, writing in a journal, eating some comfort food or hanging out with friends. However, if you’re hanging out with friends, avoid discussing recruitment, especially negatively or comparing which houses you were invited back to. Introverts often find socializing, especially introductions and small talk, draining, so take this time to recharge for the next day.

“After each day was done, I would change into comfy clothes, put on a face mask, and listen to music. I tried not to text my friends about rush either so it was completely off my mind. It really helped me be reenergized each day!” advises Lexi*, a sorority member and sophomore at Lehigh University.

7. Most importantly, be yourself

As an introvert, you may feel pressured to act like someone you’re not to impress sororities. That’s the last thing you want to do! Sorority womenwant to see the real you, just like you expect them to be honest with you about themselves and their sororities. The right house will love you for who you are, not who you pretend to be or think you should be.

“I had a hard time going through recruitment because I’m very intimidated by people who are super outgoing, but I made sure to not try to be someone I wasn’t to impress anyone. Chapters genuinely want to get to know you, and you’ll be way more uncomfortable if you join a sorority that wants the fake version of you as opposed to the real version of you,” says Madelyn Dukart, an Alpha Chi Omega member at The Ohio State University.

Danielle Meller, another member of Alpha Chi Omega at The Ohio State University, adds, “What comes out of your mouth doesn’t have to be cookie-cutter perfect, but at least say it with meaning, passion, and enthusiasm.” 

We wish you the best of luck with recruitment, ladies. Now get ready to find your home!

*Name has been changed

One of the more controversial moves of President Donald Trump's political career (one full of controversy) came on Friday evening when he announced his intention to pardon Joe Arpaio —the former Maricopa County, Arizona sheriff convicted of criminal contempt for continuing to racially profile and detain people he suspected of being undocumented immigrants (despite being ordered by a judge to stop).

Adding yet another layer to the controversy? The former reality star-turned president said on Monday that he announced the pardon on Friday — during the beginning of Hurricane Harvey coverage — because he thought it would have better "ratings." 

While many, including Senate Minority Leader and New York Senator Chuck Schumer, alleged that Trump's timing on Friday was "using the cover of the storm" (AKA a move called a "news dump") to avoid scrutiny, Trump himself said during a press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö that he wanted the story to be big.

“Actually in the middle of a hurricane, even though it was a Friday evening,  I assumed the ratings would be far higher than they would be normally,” Trump said.

The move of pardoning Arpaio did lead to significant outrage, storm or not. 

As the Washington Post reported, Arpaio's reputation as being particularly cruel to hispanic individuals was well-documented. His local paper the Phoenix News Times compiled an exhaustive list of their coverage of his various controversies on Twitter, including allegations that he ran "concentration camp"-like tent-city prisons that had several instances of unexplained deaths of prisoners and documented cases of unnecessarily violent/aggressive treatment from guards. 

Given the widespread condemnation of Trump's pardon from all sides of the political spectrum, the only ratings the President should probably be considering right now are his historically low approval ratings. 

(Photo credit: Gage Skidmore Joe Arpaio via photopin(license)) 

Things got super awkward on the Instagram feeds of Selena Gomez's 125 million followers when the "Bad Liar" singer's Instagram account was hacked by someone who used the account to post nude photos of her ex, Justin Bieber.

According toEntertainment Tonight, the photos were only online for awhile before Selena's team realized what had happened and quickly deactivated her account. When her account was reactivated a few minutes later, the NSFW post was (thankfully) gone.

Making things even more uncomfy is the fact that Justin and Selena dated on and off again through 2014. The photos are the same ones that were taken and published without Justin's consent while he was on vacation in Bora Bora in 2015, so they've already made their rounds on the Internet - but, as a quick reminder, the invasion of privacy on both Justin and Selena's end here is totally not okay.

Luckily, it looks like Selena's team handled the hack quickly, despite the fact that Selena has admitted to no longer running her own Insta anymore.

Anyone with siblings knows that the struggle is real when it comes to sibling rivalry - and according to Kim Kardashian, so do North and Saint West.

On Monday morning, Kim filled in for Kelly Ripa on Live With Kelly and Ryan, where she opened up about the fact that North isn't exactly Saint's biggest fan. "I don’t know if it’s because she’s the older sister - I don’t know what it is,” she told Ryan Seacrest. “She does not like her brother. It’s so hard for me."

Kim went on to explain that while she thought it was a phase at first, North still does not appear to be happy about her role as a big sis. 

"She thinks she’s outsmarting me. She’s like, 'We’re having a tea party, Mom. No boys allowed. Dad can’t come too, then. No boys,'" Kim said. "She’ll slam the door on her brother’s face, and he’ll just start crying."

In the most classic younger brother move ever, according to Kim, Saint will even start to fake cry when North does just to steal the attention.

Aww. While North and Saint may not be getting along just yet, if Kim's super close relationship with her sisters is any indication, North and Saint will eventually be just fine.

Some days you wake up feeling like you're on top of the world. Other days it feels like you've landed on the very bottom with an impossible climb ahead of you. Going through bad days is normal. It's part of the human experience. But it's always important to remember that no matter how terrible one day may seem, these feelings are only temporary. Besides, you wouldn't be able to appreciate the good days if that's all you ever had. Here are some reminders that it's just a bad day, not a bad life. 

1. You're constantly struggling, which means you haven't given up

Whether it be school, work or personal relationships that are causing issues, you persevere. You don't simply lay down and accept fate. You get up and try again.  

2. Your problem-solving skills are constantly being refined

You've tried to fix things by using a method that totally backfired. Instead of admitting defeat, you figure out another way. 

3. You didn't get the internship or job you really wanted, and that rejection didn't destroy you 

You're feeling disappointed and hurt, but you recognize that this isn't the end. You know that better days with other opportunities are coming.

4. Your fridge has no food in it, but you can afford groceries

It's always disappointing when you open the fridge after a long day and there's no food waiting for you. But if you can afford to pay for groceries, you're doing pretty well in life.  

5. You feel like a failure, but you just hope things will get better

That bad test score will not haunt you for the rest of your life. Neither will tripping on stage during a performance or breaking up with your partner. Hope can and will get you through the times you feel like your world is ending and give you the clarity to see that these feelings are only temporary. 

6. You don't like your job, but you have a group that supports you 

Having a support system is crucial for getting through bad days, whether that be your family or friends that feel like family. You know that your family is there to listen to you when you need to vent, offer advice and support you if you decide to take a risk and find a new job. 

7. You had a hard day at school or work, but you can afford to treat yo self

Treating yourself to Starbucks or lunch out on a day when the stress is overwhelming can be just the pick-me-up you need on days when everything feels out of your control. 

8. You feel frustrated and angry when you think about all that's wrong in your life, but you're able to deal with these feelings during a vent session

You may be feeling upset and confused, but if you have the time and ability to do fun things like take a dance class or go out with your friends, you're doing better than you think you are. Your friend can give you constructive advice and a healthier outlook on your problems. And dancing can help bring out those happy endorphins. 

9. You recognize the desire to run away from all your problems, but you stay and face them head on

It's okay to admit that you don't want to deal with issues that cause you unhappiness. But your actions are louder than your thoughts. Staying takes courage and maturity. 

10. You've spent too much time sitting in traffic and are ready to cry

It's okay to cry and let those emotions out. Only when you allow yourself to feel badly can you move on and feel better. 

11. You appreciate the good days so much more and make the most of them

You know firsthand how awful bad days can feel. When the good days roll around, you don't take them for granted.

12. Your bad days have made you determined to take charge of your life

You realize that you alone are responsible for your own happiness. If something goes wrong, it's the universe giving you a silent nudge that something needs to change.

13. You've experienced more bad than good days lately, indicating that good days are on the horizon

Nothing lasts in life. Both good and bad must come to an end. You're going to make it to those good days. 

14. Your fears are causing your bad days, which is a sign you need to dream bigger

Your dreams should always be bigger than you're fears. They should be bigger than what you think is realistic. Only then will you see that you're stronger and more capable than you realize.

15. Always keep the faith that things will get better

It's okay to be sad, but don't let it consume you or make you believe things will never get better. A positive outlook leads to a positive outcome. It's only when you lose that faith that you truly have nothing.

As if we needed to be spending more money on our trips to Target, the store has just announced that it's dropping its very own line of wines - all of which are priced at $5.

Refinery29 reports that the brand, which is called California Roots, will offer five different blends of wine: a chardonnay with tropical fruit flavors, citrus-y pinot grigio, "creamy peach and melon flavors" in the moscato, a cabernet sauvignon with cherry and oak and a red blend that apparently "offers the perfect antidote to the workweek." Need we say more?

In other words, you'll have plenty of options for whatever your heart desires on your next wine night - or, you could just buy every single one, which is totally justifiable considering you can get them all for the price of a single bottle of other wines.

The line drops on September 3 in every Target store that carries alcohol, and obviously, I will be planning my next Target run to *casually* coincide with the release date.

The star of some team, the person always making everyone laugh, the dancer at the party—the guy everyone loves. Our favorite movie star characters have convinced us this is someone who would make the ideal boyfriend – they always do seem to fall in love at the end! Maybe you’re someone who scored a shot with one of these stereotypically-perfect guys, or maybe you haven't experienced this kind of guy because you’re just straight up intimidated by their loud, confident nature.

Guys like this aren’t your only chance to have a movie-like, Insta-worthy, but, most importantly, real relationship. The guy minding his business in the corner of the party could rock your world. He may come off as uninterested or maybe even pretentious, but he's just not as assertive and straightforward as the clichéd movie star “dream guy.” Here are some reasons you should give the shy guy a chance. 

Related: 7 Ways to Stop Falling for the Same Type of Guy

1. You will know him best

There is nothing more annoying than feeling like someone else knows your significant other better than you, or has a closer relationship with them. This will most likely be the least of your worries if you’re with a shy guy, since they don’t open up to just anyone. 

Adam LoDolce, founder of sexyconfidence.com, aims to help the 21st century woman create a love life she, well, loves. “Usually introverts are deeper thinkers,” he says, “and can connect on a much more emotional level once you get to know them.” The most exciting part about a relationship is getting to know the person more intimately; if he’s the outspoken, open-book type...there may not be much to learn. A relationship with a shy guy is more exclusive.

2. He’s a listener

You know those viral social media posts where girls upload a screenshot of a text that reads “this reminded me of you,” with an attached picture? The ones we all gush over and say is #relationshipgoals? Yup—expect this from your shy boo. Since he is a quiet guy, he will be especially attentive to what you’re saying. This leads to him remembering the little things, and sending you a text saying a certain thing reminded him of you, something you so subtly mentioned and are shocked and heart-eyed over the fact that he remembered.

3. He will be all about you

Now, an under-confident guy isn't necessarily desirable, but neither is an overly confident one, given that you may not be the primary receiver of their attention. 

Jessica Morley, who attends USW in the UK, recalls dating one of those "bad boy, confident, look-at-me" guys, and looks back on it thinking, "they are hard work and make you feel like you're competing against each other. I love a chilled out shy guy. That’s my type.”

After being with her “chilled out, shy guy” boyfriend for five years now, she can’t imagine going back to dating the former and this could be the case for you. Dr. Carole Lieberman, M.D., Beverly Hills psychiatrist and author, reaffirms that “a shy guy is less likely to be a ‘bad boy’ who will break your heart, compared to guys who are loud, flirtatious and think they are the coolest thing to walk the planet.”

Finding some new girlfriend probably isn’t a worry of the overly confident fella, so he might not be as focused on building your relationship. For a guy who is naturally shy or hesitant, though, it probably is a hardship of his to successfully communicate interest and start a relationship—so if he likes you enough to do so, you can most likely count on him treating you right.

Related: 5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Gossip About Your Ex

4. You probably won’t be listening to the Lemonade album.

Of course, being all about you is synonymous with not cheating. “Not once when he was out did I worry he was being flirtatious with another girl," Kristin Trevi, a sophomore at Lynn University who has a shy boyfriend, says. "He was barely flirtatious with me in the beginning!”

We’ve all known that kind of girl who purposely takes things out of context, who will turn a friendly encounter into a “her boyfriend was totally flirting with me.” Well, your introverted boyfriend won’t even give your frenemies this opportunity. You may think refraining from talking to girls demonstrates insecurity, but it could actually be precisely the opposite.

“Shy does not equal immature [and] extroverted does not equal confident,” says Justin Stenstrom, life coach and author of the book Giving Shy Guys Game. If a guy is secure in himself, he will be selective, exactly the way the shy, introverted guys are.

5. You feel comfortable.

You know you’re close with someone when you’re able to sit in silence without it being awkward. Don’t get us wrong, though—it could definitely be awkward at first. Dr. Lieberman advises, “It’s best if the first dates with a shy guy are situations where you both don’t have to talk a lot—such as going to a movie or a concert, or going out in a group. Gradually, he will feel more comfortable and more talkative.”

You will soon become accustomed to the shy nature of your SO though, and learn to appreciate the times where you just sit there and get to soak each other in without feeling obligated to start conversation.

6. He’s just so cute.

C’mon, you can’t deny how cute it is when a guy is nervous. Awkward and tongue-tied—simply irresistible! Shy guys express themselves more through actions than words, so they will always be making efforts to do cute, thoughtful gestures for you. “I had a shy boyfriend in high school who was a grade above me,” says Amelia Alexander, a sophomore at Penn State University. “When he was on his senior trip, he wasn’t telling me he missed me in between all the fun he was having. I was kinda upset. Next thing I knew, flowers appeared at my door that he arranged from all the way across the country.” After all, actions speak louder than words.

So what now?

Now that you’re convinced you should give the shy guy a chance, there’s only one problem: he probably won’t initiate anything. LoDolce suggests “breaking the touch barrier,” since the guy will most likely be hesitant to do so, and is also respectful.

Don’t get us wrong—all shy guys aren’t angels. Dr. Lieberman reminds us “You should still be a little cautious, because some shy guys can turn into bad boys once you have dated them for a while, and given them the confidence to think they are too cool for you.”

It’s never good to be too optimistic or pessimistic about any relationship or even a type of guy – everyone’s different. Treat the shy guy like any other, keeping these certain things in mind, and he could definitely rock your world.

They say it takes 21 days to build a habit. In a mere three weeks, we simple humans can repeat a routine to the point of habituation—the most effortless form of behavior. But you can’t build a habit without first making a resolution. So here’s where it all starts: for the upcoming year of college, we’ve put together a list of nine back-to-school resolutions to get you started on your own list of to-dos. Seriously—follow our advice and your upcoming school year will be made in the shade. We can’t promise a date with Ryan Gosling by the end of September (especially now that he's a dad), but we can promise you you’ll be handling a day planner like a champ.

Part 1: The Academic

Get to know your professors beyond introductions

Isn’t it remarkable that you spend upwards of five hours a week with each of your professors—more than some of your best friends—and yet all you know about them is their last name, preferred facial hair growth, and apparent preference for Diet Coke over the regular kind?

Building real relationships (please just not the romantic variant) with your professors starts with simply introducing yourself to them privately within the first couple days of class. From there, attend their office hours, ask questions in class, show up at their public lectures—display an interest in their work, and they’ll probably return the interest in your development as their student. Think of the research opportunities! Think about how much more inclined they’ll be to grant you that extension! Think, collegiettes, of how much more likely they’ll be to excuse that week-long absence when you were in Cabo in bed, sick with pneumonia.

Start keeping a day planner

As the saying goes: “The faintest ink is better than the best memory.” A day planner is the proverbial string around your finger, except a thousand times more effective than tying a string around your finger (seriously, who thought that was effective? What do you do if you can’t remember why there’s string around your finger? What if you can’t tie a knot with one hand? So many questions).

Mostly you just need a day planner so that you can be all, “One moment, darling. Let me just check my schedule,” the next time somebody asks you out. You can’t just go about frivolously accepting every coffee date and brunch engagement you’re invited to--you’re very in-demand, you know. Buy a planner and start acting like it. 

Make at least two friends in each of your classes

Here’s the thing: you need to stop being a loner in your classes, and you need to stop now. Loner is one little letter away from loser, and you are not that. Why did we stop making friends with everyone in our classes? Seriously—in second grade, you invited your entire class to your Backstreet Boy B-day Bash and it remains the wildest rager you’ve ever thrown. Why did those days have to end? Befriend a few people in each of your classes, and you won’t only be covered on things like missed notes, you can also have study parties, which is invariably the best way to study: in party format.

Oh, and let’s not forget the opportunity for commiseration. When you think you’re screwed for an upcoming final, nothing quite pacifies you like a quick call to a friend in your class to hear that she’s totally not prepared either (is that bad?).

Actually show up for morning lecture

We know all your excuses, and we don’t care. You were up late partying. You can just get the notes later from a friend. You don’t learn anything in this lecture anyway. An extra hour of sleep would just be so much more beneficial. Please—your attempts at reasoning away your morning lecture are more tired than you are.

Sure, you’re exhausted, but by skipping out on morning lecture, you’re only creating more work for yourself later, whether it be listening to a recording of the professor, thus adding taking notes to your workload, or scrambling at the last minute before an exam to make up that day’s material, which you just never got around to catching up on. Get up! Greet the day! (Grab some coffee!)

Get excited about learning!

A good education at a North American university is something we should be incredibly grateful for, not consider a task to be checked off on the to-do list of young adulthood. It sounds clichéd, but if you look for the excitement in learning, you’ll probably find it (buried under a few textbooks, probably, but it’s there). It’s all about perspective, and a fresh outlook on your studies will help you become reinvigorated by what you’re doing, not just its necessary role in carrying you to graduation.

Field trips didn’t have to go down with high school. Take your own trips outside the classroom to places relevant to your field. If you’re in an art history class, keep tabs on touring exhibitions and take a road trip to see one. If you’re in a law class, visit the court room and observe cases for an afternoon. A college education is a privilege; try not to forget that.

Part 2: The Social

Find a haunt

Hemingway had Les Deux Magots, Warhol had Studio 54. If you’re going to really be someone, you have to find yourself a haunt and frequent it more than you should. Go somewhere so often the employees know you by name—middle name, even. Spend so much time there that years from now when you tell stories about “the college days” or come back to your college town for a brief visit over a long weekend, you’ll refer to that place as your old “stomping ground” and wax poetic about this one incredible time you had there with that group of friends that one night November of junior year.

Revamp your nightlife

You know that corny magnet on your fridge that’s all, “Never settle for the ordinary!”? Actually start listening to it. Don’t settle for a mediocre social life. Just don’t do it. Mediocre social lives are for mediocre people, and you are most certainly not one. We’re not saying you should go on a bender every weekend and wake up Monday morning on a park bench suspiciously devoid of shoes and all remaining dignity (if you’re going to have a fabulous social life, it’s important you remember it the day after). What we are saying is that we get it: girl is busy. But girl is never too busy for a little socializing here and there, so make it count, even if it’s a simple, quiet night in with board games and a close group of friends. There’s no excuse for a boring evening. Make a night of making your night better than ordinary, whatever that means to you.

Join/Start a club

Clubs just aren’t what they used to be. It used to be that a collegiette had little variety to choose from when it came to school clubs, and hovering above membership seemed to stand the perpetual threat of the hazing paddle, which could shock even the most lionhearted out of taking a chance on Horticultural Society. But that was then. No one’s hazing you these days for dropping into a weeknight meeting of the Wine-tasting Society, or Gamers’ Guild. And if your college truly doesn’t have the club you desire—Harry Potter Fan Fiction Writers, maybe?—start it yourself!

Part 3: The Domestic

Feng shui your room

Feng shui is the promotion of positive energy within a space through adherence to a spiritual set of spatial considerations. More simply, arranging and maintaining your room in accordance with feng shui principles will keep you calm, and calm is good—just ask the thousand-plus people you know with a “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster hung in their room. They would agree.

So where do you begin? Start with bringing a little life into your room with a potted flower. Open your windows. Order things in pairs, which feng shui states appeals to the human yearning for order and unity. Decorate your walls with inspiring images so your dreams are reinforced visually everywhere you look. Most of all, keep your room clean to preserve the chi. A cluttered room makes for a cluttered mind, and you cannot afford to let it get messy up in there.

When you form a resolution you make the decision to render that thing real and concrete and more than a fleeting idea of something you might do at some point, sometime, when you’re done Instagramming that pic of your boat shoes. Heading back to school is a new start unlike any other, and the next great opportunity for a renewed you—specifically, you-as-student, a variation of yourself which could admittedly use a little resolve every now and again.

A shooter opened fire on a public library in Clovis, New Mexico on Monday afternoon, leaving two women dead and four other people injured, the Associated Press reports. 

Clovis City Police Chief Doug Ford said at a press conference on Monday night that the gunfire began around 4pm with police arriving on the scene shortly after. Ford said that the shooter surrendered to police "immediately" after making contact and confirmed that he was still in custody. Ford also confirmed that a young man who was escorted out of the library in handcuffs at the scene was the primary suspect. However, Ford adds that investigators haven't determined a motive for the shooting as of the conference.

Included among the injured, Ford said, were two men and two women — adding that all have been taken to various hospitals in New Mexico and Texas for treatment. He said he couldn't confirm the extent of their injuries, though.

Clovis Mayor David Lansford said "we're all hurting right now" and asked for prayers for the victims and community members before commending the Clovis City Police Department for their handling of the situation.

"We are a strong community, we're a faith-based community and I know that the faith community will rise up and wrap their arms around those that are hurting and those that are in need of care," Lansford said. "...We've been hit hard, but we're a community that will get back up and we will see a brighter day at some time in the future." 

Reinventing yourself can be a lot of fun and can bring a sense of a fresh start to your life. One way to do that is simply transforming your style and wardrobe, and what better way to do that than update your closet from college to career chic? Now that college life is over and you’ve entered or are about to take your first steps in the real world, it’s time to take it up a notch on how you look. Here are a few tips on how you can transform your college wardrobe to a working girl collection.

Determine how you want your wardrobe to look

Let’s start with a plan of how you want your new work wardrobe to look. You can start by gaining inspiration from magazines, Pinterest, Instagram and even your friends. Make a list of styles that you can work with that are appropriate for the industry you're in. You want your pieces to be appropriate for the workplace, but still something you’re comfortable wearing and fits your personality. “The best way to transition into the working world with your style is to avoid ‘fast fashion’ as much as you're able, and invest in quality pieces that will be timeless—a blazer, blouses, a classic tote bag,” says Mara Hyman, USC class of 2014.

Start with the basics

Having the basic essentials is important and can help create a variety of outfits. Basic colors you need for the workplace are white, grey, black, tan and navy blue. These are subtle enough to build on and still look good in the office. Your working girl wardrobe could also consist of a business professional suit, a blazer, dress pants and/or skirt, cardigans, a trench coat, blouses and camisoles and business professional shoes. However, your working girl wardrobe may differ depending on what industry you’re in. For instance, in the medical field your wardrobe would include scrubs and comfortable shoes. Make it into your own by accessorizing with appropriate jewelry that wouldn’t get in the way of your work. For teachers and professors, your attire will vary a lot more and you’ll be able to dress down however you want. Your wardrobe will still have to stay professional of course, but you can play around with different styles and with whatever makes you comfortable.

Related: How to Nail Buisness Casual Beyond the Skirt Suit

Accessorize

Your working girl wardrobe may seem to get a little repetitive, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. All it takes is a little color and your favorite pieces to accessorize your outfits. Soft colors, scarves, subtle jewelry and a fabulous bag can spice up your outfit and still be professional. For example, a little black dress for work can be accessorized with a statement piece necklace and a nice bag with a pop of color, or even a cute pair of shoes can turn a dull outfit into a winner. Having the right accessories will take your wardrobe even further. “I would recommend keeping basic button up shirts and dressy jeans, or black pants in your wardrobe and punching them up with jewelry,” says recent graduate, Madeline Frisk of Oregon State University. “They are great for interviews for any industry.” Accessorizing clothes you already have is easiest when transitioning into your work attire. You know what you’re working with, all you need to do is to make it professional.

 Now that college life is over and the days of throwing on anything just to make it to class on time are behind you, the real world is going to expect a little more out of the way you look. However, you should never have to feel uncomfortable or pressured to change who you are because of your job. Have fun with mixing and matching, add new pieces to what you already have and put your personality into your working girl outfit. You’re going to look and feel amazing in your office!

Let's be real: They didn't even look alike. 

President Donald Trump was taking questions at a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto on Monday, as Business Insider reports, but had a brief bout of face-blindness when dealing with two members of the Finnish press. When Trump asked the Niinsisto to pick the last question, this happened:

Now, it's hard to tell if POTUS is making a joke here, since jokes he's tried to make in the past have frequently been super cringe-y. But the two women (and there were two of them) are Maria Annala and Paula Vilén — reporters for Finnish publications working the U.S. (Not one very fast blonde woman dominating the conference.) 

Annala, however, managed to rescue the crowd from the awkward and made them laugh with her quick wit. 

"We have a lot of blonde women in Finland," she said. Nice save! 

Even though the two reporters were definitely blonde and definitely sitting next to each other, they were wearing totally different outfits —and don't have similar facial features. Like, at all. PBS News Hour correspondent Lisa Desjardins shared a photo of Annala and Vilén on Twitter shortly after:

Steve King, a Republican Representative from Iowa, has some words for the children of undocumented immigrants: Turn on your parents. 

In 2012, Barack Obama signed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive action (DACA), so that the children of undocumented immigrants would not be deported over the actions of their parents and they could work in the U.S. These kids are regularly called DREAMers— because of the DREAM Act that did not pass in 2010. 

King, a vocal critic of DACA, took aim at DREAMers in his latest CNN interview on Monday. This time, he called on DREAMers to turn in their parents as "criminals" and said he believes DACA recipients should be required to sign affidavits that say as much before being given amnesty. Per the interview:

“[DREAMers are] just supposed to turn themselves in 10 years later when they realize how they got here," CNN Host Chris Cuomo asked, not hesitating to question how cruel it would be to demand that of DACA recipients. "You think that is what America’s about, congressman?” 

“If it was against their will, then it had to be their parents who are responsible," King said. "And I’m still waiting for the first DACA recipient to say so and sign an affidavit that says, ‘I didn’t really do this on my own accord, my parents brought me in, they should have the law enforced against them, give me amnesty.’ I’m not hearing that from the DACA people." 

This isn't the first time King has attacked DREAMers in interviews. Last year, in an interview with CNN, King said that "among all of these dreamers, there are some awfully bad people. And these dreamers go on up to the age of 37 or 38 or maybe older" and accused DREAMers of lying about their ages and circumstances.

King's latest comments were quickly called "disgusting and heartless," among other things, from his colleagues in Congress and immigration advocates. 

For many, King's reductive comments distill the complicated life experiences of undocumented people and their families to just a crime. In reality, the situations that lead people to end up living in the United States as undocumented immigrants are incredibly complex. And, really, who would turn in their own parents? 

King fans and supporters of the president came to his defense in the comment section of the Congressman's official Facebook page, saying things like: "Thank you for taking on the Communist Network News" and "Return them to their families in Mexico or whatever country."

King's comments also come in the wake of President Trump pardoning former-Maricopa County Sheriff Jeff Arpaio, who was previously convicted for profiling undocumented immigrants and alleged to have engaged in cruel treatment of Hispanic and Latino prisoners in his jails. ThinkProgress reports that King was initially appearing on CNN to defend Trump for that move, but ultimately did little but demonstrate a considerable level of cruelty toward undocumented immigrants.

The longtime feud between Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and Taylor Swift continues—or so we think? Last week, Taylor released her new single, "Look What You Made Me Do;" then she dropped the intense music video for the song at Sunday night's VMAs—the awards show that started it all. The video, which broke Adele's record for most single-day views on Vevo, contains many Easter eggs that seem pointed at Taylor's beef with the celeb couple (the snakes, the famous "I would like to be excluded from this narrative" line—the list goes on).

So how do Kim and Kanye feel about this? They don't seem phased. "Kim and Kanye don’t care about Taylor’s new music,” a source told PEOPLE. “They find it pathetic that she still tries to keep an old feud going. They are not going to give her or her new music any attention. They have more important things to focus on, like their family." Well, damn. They aren't holding back are they? 

Though Swift's album, Reputation, doesn't come out until Nov. 10, I'm sure the pop star will have more to say about Kim and Kanye after their years of drama. I wonder how they'll feel if Tay brings more dirt to light on this album. Will they stay out of the drama or get sucked right back in? Only time will tell, but it's obvious Taylor is done trying to keep the peace. 

The dating pool in college is already pretty small, especially on more isolated campuses, and by now, you’re probably sick of seeing Tinder taunt you about having no one new around you. It only complicates things when you don’t know which girls on campus are into girls – there’s no secret code, after all. Don’t worry, though; there are plenty of available cuties around. You’ve just already met them!

It might seem awkward to rekindle things with girls you’ve already ended it with or to chat with an acquaintance from two years ago, but look at it this way: You get to skip the small talk. People change a lot in college, so maybe the girl who wasn’t right for you first semester is senior year’s Princess Charming.

1. The Girl From Orientation

Okay, so your freshman orientation was a long time ago. And yes, sometimes you cringe when you think about the people you met there whom you thought would be your BFFs but now you just awkwardly avoid in the hallways. But it wasn’t all bad – maybe it’s time to reconnect with the girl you were flirting with before college life made you way too busy. The next time you see her around, find an excuse to grab coffee and see if she’s just as great as you remember.

2. Your Floormate From Last Year

You've basically lived together, so by now you probably know each other pretty well. After all, sharing a bathroom gets people pretty comfortable with one another! So now that dormcest is no longer a concern, maybe it’s time to get to know each other in a different way. Grab a bite to eat and see where reminiscing leads.

3. The “Is She or Isn’t She?” Girl

You guys have talked and joked, but you were never quite sure if she was really into girls (and maybe she wasn’t sure if you were either). But it’s a new year, and you might just find that it’s worth a shot. Break out those snooping skills, and see if you two are destined to be more than friends!

4. Your Former Lab Partner

You could feel some sparks (ones that weren’t from the Bunsen burner), but you figured it was too complicated; what if you broke up and were stuck mixing chemicals together for the rest of the semester? That’s no longer a concern, and you already know each other well enough that it’s totally not weird to text her to hang out. What do you have to lose?

5. The One Who Got Away

It happens. You were crazy about her, but a stupid fight or a semester abroad really messed up what you had going. If she’s available, swallow your pride and see if getting back together is a good idea or if you were really destined to be a sad Taylor Swift song. The worst that can happen is you stay broken up, but if it works out, you’ll be closer than ever.

6. The Girl You See Everywhere

She’s president of the Pride chapter at your school. You sat near her in your writing seminar. She always seems to be ahead of you in line at Starbucks. Make the plunge and stop skirting around each other; you can’t help but notice how gorgeous she is every time you see her, and you know you have similar interests. Find an excuse to talk, whether through a mutual friend or even by saying exactly what you’re thinking—“I feel like I see you everywhere!”—and see where it takes you.

7. The Cute Freshman

A three- or four-year age difference used to be weird, but in college, a junior dating a freshman isn’t out of the ordinary. It might a little complicated, but it’ll be nice to see a fresh face or two around campus once the new crop of freshmen arrive. Strike up a conversation and flirt your way to a new relationship with a great girl.

8. Last Year’s FWB

Maybe you were too busy for a real relationship, or maybe you were just more interested in hooking up than dating, but last year, it was totally great to have FWB situation. Now, you’re looking to settle down, and you find yourself missing last year’s girl. Maybe feelings complicated things last year, but it’s time to talk about it! Put your pride aside and ask her if she’s interested in starting over.

9. The Girl From Home

LDRs are hard, but when you go home for vacations, it’s nice to have someone you can hang out with (especially if a lot of your high school friends have fallen by the wayside). You had a good thing going before you had to end it and leave for school, so shoot her a message and catch up. If it’s meant to be, it’ll be worth the trouble.

Finding other ladies to date around campus can seem impossible, especially when you think you’ve met them all and the LGBTQ+ community is smaller than you’d like. If you look around, though, you’ll notice all the great girls and see the awesome relationship potential that you may have missed when you first met them. Don’t limit yourself, and definitely don’t be afraid to go out on a limb –  you might just find your perfect match!

The Hellboy reboot is the latest film to face a whitewashing controversy, but this situation is different than ones in the past. The actor at the center of the backlash, Ed Skrein, has given up his role in the film after being cast less than a week ago. Skrein was set to play Major Ben Daimio, a Japanese-American character, but fans didn't respond positively to his hiring. 

Due to the controversy, Skrein made the choice to drop out of the film Monday night, expressing his views on the issue on Twitter. "It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honor and respect that. Therefore, I have decided to step down so the role can be cast appropriately," his statement read. 

Skrein's decision was met with praise from not only fans but also the creator of Hellboy, Mike Mignola. "Thank you @edskrein very nicely done..." he tweeted. 

Props to Skrein for listening to fans' concerns and putting his own career on the line to prevent whitewashing. His respect and awareness of the issue are admirable.

The latest Bachelor Nation breakup continues to unfold as both Vanessa Grimaldi and Nick Viall have spoken out for the first time since splitting up.

On Aug. 25 the former couple released a joint statement to media outlets announcing their split. "It's with a great amount of heartbreak for the both us as we have decided to end our engagement," their statement read. "We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for. We will continue to be there for each other no matter what. This hasn't been an easy decision, however, as we part ways, we do so with lots of love and admiration for each other."

Nick talked to Us Weekly Monday night about how he's dealing with the split. "In times that aren’t great, you have to kind of spend time with your loved ones," Viall said. "I’m trying to stay positive, being around friends and family. It helps me stay positive. And you know, what helps me is just kind of believing in yourself. It’s obviously easy to get insecure and feel bad about yourself. You get in your head about things when things aren’t working out for you."

The former Bachelor said he still loves Vanessa and she's still a part of his life. "I still love her very much. I'm not afraid to say that," Nick added. "I’m always trying to stay busy, especially right now with things. My friends, my family and Vanessa and I are still very much each other’s support system."

Vanessa seemed to second Nick's stance in an Instagram post she shared Monday. Her caption read, "It's okay to feel broken. It's okay to cry. It's okay to lean on a friend. In the end, it will always be okay." 

Whether you loved or hated Nick and Vanessa as a couple, I think we can all agree breakups are hard on everyone involved. I'm glad to see these two seem to be coping and moving on with their lives in a healthy and amicable way.

Lately, we've all been obsessed with Taylor Swift's epic comeback. Regardless of your opinion of her new single, the "Look What You Made Me Do"music video threw enough shade to last the rest of the year…or at least until her album, Reputation, drops on Nov. 10.

Who else has suffered from a bad reputation? None other than The Hills villain Spencer Pratt. Naturally, he's loving "LWYMMD"—probably because he relates to being portrayed in a not-so-favorable light.

When the song debuted, Spencer was all over Snapchat listening to it constantly. Fans of Taylor and The Hills united in praise of the reality star's epic Snaps.

After receiving so much love for his Snaps, Spencer compiled them into a hilarious music video of his own, featuring his pregnant wife Heidi and hummingbirds. 

From the way he snootily sips espresso, to his infamous crystal necklaces, to his incredible dance moves, Spencer's "LWYMMD" video is nothing short of iconic. 

In holy-crap-nature-is-objectively-horrifying news: Fire ants displaced by flooding from Hurricane Harvey are banding together to form some Power Rangers Megazord nightmare raft made of their wiggly live-bug bodies. 

But, really, we're fine. It's fine.

As the Atlanticreported, some brave Texans  on Twitter have noticed the ants performing this scary survival maneuver — where they form living rafts and float through the floods until they reach dry land. One Twitter user shared a photo from his aunt's home in Cuero, Texas where the fire ants have gone beyond "raft" to create a creepy continent of live buggy-bodies. (Sincerely and from the bottom of my heart: Yikes.)

Just in case that's not enough to give you night terrors, these ants level up. Another entomologist, Linda Bui, from Louisiana State University, told The Atlantic that flood victims from Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans encountered these floating ants—and got their fair share of rashes from walking through flood waters. 

“They were like something none of the medical professionals had ever seen,” Bui said. “I was like, ‘Those are literally fire ant stings on top of fire ant stings.’”

Skirts are as versatile as jeans are when it comes to planning a cute outfit to wear! There are plenty of ways to wear a skirt and look fashionable at the same time. You may see jeans as your staple but soon enough skirts will be your staple instead. And here’s a little secret: they’re MUCH better than jeans, pants, and leggings. Skirts are much cuter than plain leggings and add an interesting component to your outfit. They’re also comfier than jeans since they let your legs breathe freely!

1. Leather skirt + white shirt

This is an adorable way to sport the classic black and white combo. Victoria’s Secret model, Taylor Hill, wears her leather skirt well by tucking in a basic white tee. Taylor finishes off the look with black sheer tights and over-the-knee boots. A white shirt and black tights are pretty easy to find but to copy her look you need a black leather skirt, like this one fromForever 21, and a pair of over-the-knee boots. This look is great because it gives you a chic way to wear boots with your skirt without your outfit looking too clunky.

2. Denim skirt + tee 

A simple outfit often looks the most stylish. A denim skirt, black shirt, and shoes of your choice are all you need to get this fabulous look! Try this denim skirt from Zara and pair that with a simple black tee shirt like this one from Target. This outfit is great because you can still wear denim without having to settle on a pair of jeans. Also, the basic tee shirt is cheap to buy and will keep you cool in hot weather.

Related: 7 Chic Ways to Rock a Midi Skirt 

3. Corduroy skirt + tank top

Sticking with the simplicity theme, this outfit screams fashionista. A high neck black tank top pairs well with a corduroy skirt of any color under the rainbow. Finish off the look with any pair of black boots. The black top and shoes go with literally any color, which allows you to choose a color for your skirt that best expresses your unique style.

4. Maxi skirt + sweater

Even when you’re feeling a little chilly, that doesn’t mean you have to turn to pants and jeans! Wear a maxi skirt and a sweater to keep you warm and fashionable at the same time. While you may think jeans are the only cold weather staple, the right skirt can be one too. This outfit is super customizable, since you can mix and match prints and colors for your skirt and sweater. If you're feeling dressy, accesorize your look with a gold necklace or any necklace that calls your name!

5. Marled knit skirt + leather jacket

This all monochrome outfit will have you feeling ready to be in Vogue. All you have to do is find a stylish marled knit skirt and pair it with a leather jacket and pair of white sneakers. The white sneakers keep this look chic without having to sacrifice any comfort. It's perfect for a busy day in the city with lots of walking.

6. Denim on denim

Bring on the denim! The best way to complement a denim skirt is more denim. Wear your denim skirt with a denim button-down shirt for maximum style points. Jeans aren’t the only way to wear denim! This outfit allows you to wear two pieces of denim in a subtle and fashionable way.

7. Plaid skirt + cold shoulder top

A cute outfit with a plaid skirt will give you serious Veronica Lodge from Riverdale vibes! Pair a plaid skirt with a cold shoulder top to create a look that’s both fun and classy. Cold shoulder tops are super in style right now and are popping up all over clothing stores!

8. Tulle skirt + lace top

Tulle skirts are absolutely whimsical. Pair a midi-length tulle skirt with a lace top to look both dressy and adorable. This outfit is wonderful because the layers of tulle will make you feel and look like a princess. Plus, tulle is a lot more fun than denim.

These eight ingenious outfits are clear proof that you can wear skirts for literally any occasion and style them in any way imaginable. Alright, you can know throw out all those uncomfortable, rigid jeans in your closet!

On Tuesday, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump flew into Texas to check on disaster relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey. And while that's all well and good, the Internet is taking issue with FLOTUS's shoe choice, which wasn't exactly the most practical option for someone who is heading to help out with an emergency that has caused massive amounts of flooding and devastation.

The president and first lady were photographed leaving the White House and boarding Air Force One. For the occasion, Melania opted for all black, topped off with a bomber jacket and... stilettos.

While the outfit wasn't anything out of the ordinary for FLOTUS, some people felt it was a bit of an out-of-touch and cringe-y choice.

According to CNN's Kate Bennett, the first lady's communication director later responded to the controversy with a statement, saying, "It's sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes." In fairness, Melania did change into sneakers upon actually landing in Texas - though it's still unclear why the heels were necessary in the first place.

Above all, let's not forget about the thousands of people who have been victims of Hurricane Harvey's devastation - find out how you can help them here.