This article has been syndicated from The Bloomly, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

My name is Rebecca and I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram. Instagram has somehow changed from being a fun way to share what's happening in my life into a chore.

According to Time Health, "studies have suggested that young people who spend more than two hours a day on social networking sites are more likely to report psychological distress." While it seems to be a general trend that all social media promotes negative mental health, to me and the rest of the world, Instagram stands out in particular.

As a few months ago, in May, a study published by the Royal Society for Public Health and the Young Health Movement announced that Instagram was ranked worst social media platform for young people's mental health and this didn't come as a shock to me.

Why wasn't I surprised? In my own life, I have been seeing the mental strain that comes along with social media, experiencing it on almost a daily basis. I've been constantly feeling mixed emotions about it. I love it, but at other times I completely hate it what it's doing to me.

A while ago, I tweeted out something about my mixed feelings for Instagram and it seemed that a lot of other people felt the same way. 

Seeing that I wasn't the only one in the midst of an intense battle of love vs. hate over Instagram, I decided to give each side their moment and explain the pros and cons. General consensus seems to be that yeah, sometimes Instagram makes me feel terrible about my life, but at the same time, I'm a) totally addicted and b) love the positive benefits of Instagram in my life. 

Why Instagram Is Ruining My Life

I struggle with the fear of missing out. 

The fear of missing out is literally exactly how it sounds. Looking at social media, you see the lives of other people and you see that they're having fun. Without you. This spurs, you guessed it, the fear of missing out on all of the fun. For me, this is most difficult when I see my friends and/or people that I know in person on social media going to social events that maybe I a) wasn't invited to, b) decided not to go to, or c) is so completely amazing that I would never even imagine going to.

It's most difficult in these situations for me personally because with social media influencers, I know that their lives will always be exciting on social media because that's their job. However, with people that I know personally, they're more like me. I know where they went to school and what classes they're taking. They're people that I can relate to more based on what I already know about them. I feel that connection with them and I know that we're somewhat similar.

However, knowing that these people are just like me, seeing posts online of them doing extraordinary things or going to fantastic events makes me feel like I'm a) slacking in my life or b) just pathetic and not cool. If we're all supposed to be in about the same place, we're about the same age, we have similar skills, we maybe even took some of the same classes and went to the same school, but here they are, doing more than me.

Read the full post here.

Pooping is one of the most unspoken commonalities on the planet. Why? Because, well -- it honestly stinks. If you’ve ever wondered what exactly your poop means, we’re here to talk sh*t and we’ve recruited Dr. Greg Scott of the Center for Natural Healthcare & Nutrition to help. Read below for seven things you didn’t know about your poop.

1. You should be pooping about twice a day

Whether you have a set sh*t schedule every day (literally) or feel like you just go whenever you gotta go, frequency is actually important when it comes to your gastrointestinal health. According to Dr. Scott, pooping about twice a day is considered normal and healthy.

If you find that you are over or under the daily norm, don't worry! You are not alone and there are a few explanations. "If your average is once a day or less, this is likely a sign of constipation," Dr. Scott says. "Some people are chronically constipated." Common causes of constipation are a lack of fiber, poor digestive processes, excessive consumption of antacids, congenital megacolon, eating disorders and irritable bowel syndrome.

Dr. Scott adds that other exceptions to the daily norm may be considered if an individual is not eating enough food, or is on some type of liquid diet.

2. Any shade of brown is a good thing

This probably goes without saying, but if your poop is any color but brown, something might be wrong. “Your poop should be brown, well-formed and not too hard,” Dr. Scott says. If your sh*t falls into these categories, congratulations! Your bowels are normal.

So, what does it mean when your poop is discolored? A variety of things, Dr. Scott notes. Black or red poop can be caused by anything from an upper gastrointestinal bleed, to lead poisoning, to eating too many blueberries or tomatoes. Similarly, green poop is usually the result of eating too many leafy greens, but may also be the sign of an increase in bile output. 

Dr. Scott warns of two discolorations to watch out for: gray and yellow. “Gray is always abnormal-- a sign of liver, gallbladder or pancreas problems,” he says. “Yellow is almost always abnormal and causes include an increase in bilirubin or parasitic infections.” Yikes! Make sure to consult with a doctor if you ever come across these colors.

3. Healthy poop starts with a healthy diet

Like many other signs of good health, the sign of good poop begins with your diet. Refined foods like flour and sugar (a.k.a. junk food) do not promote gastrointestinal health, Dr. Scott notes.

If you are struggling on the toilet, a fiber-rich diet is your best bet. “If you just can’t get enough fiber on a daily basis, it is worthwhile to consider a fiber supplement,” Dr. Scott says. “A daily probiotic or eating probiotic-rich foods will also help keep you healthy.” Pickles and yogurt are two great options for this.

Related: 7 Things Your Pee is Trying to Tell You

4. The bacteria in our intestines dictates our bowel movement

Here’s some news for you, collegiettes. Between 25,000 to 40,000 different species of bacteria live in our intestines! And, according to Dr. Scott, there is growing evidence that these bacteria largely dictate our health patterns, including the way we poop.

This is why it is so important to keep a balanced diet. “Overgrowths of certain types of bacteria are more likely to be found in people with diseases like depression, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune diseases and maybe even colon cancer,” Dr. Scott says. “So really, our goal should be to keep our intestinal bacteria happy.” It’s important to remember that the food you eat fuels your organs.

5. Diarrhea could be the result of too much fiber

Since you were young, you were probably taught that constipation is caused by a lack of fiber ––and this is absolutely true! “Fiber will help add bulk to the stools, while also making them semi-soft,” Dr. Scott says. “This creates a stool that is easy to pass through the intestines.” Dr. Scott recommends 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.

But, what is the result of having too much fiber? Possibly an upset stomach. “If you take too much fiber beyond [the daily amount], you may actually experience diarrhea,” Dr. Scott says. 

6. There are seven standard poop shapes  

The Meyer's Scale is the general guide that doctors use when it comes to talking about the shape of stool. According to Dr. Scott, sausage-shaped poop is ideal and can be cracked on the surface or smooth and soft. Sausage-shaped stool that appears lumpy, or stool that comes out as soft blobs are also acceptable.

Dr. Scott says that your poop should easily pass through your body. "If it is pencil thin or ribbon like, this should be considered a sign of intestinal inflammation (which may have several causes)," he says. "There really shouldn't be any abdominal pain or even excessive farting. To take it one step further, a healthy gastrointestinal system will help keep your feces not smelling terribly bad." Gross, but informative.

If your poop is hard to pass and comes out as separate, hard lumps, you are most likely constipated, Dr. Scott adds. Alternatively, mushy or watery poop are two sure signs of diarrhea. Look out for any consistent abnormalities and reach out to a medical professional if you are concerned.

7. Coffee really does make you poop

Many people champion the pooping-power of coffee, but is there any truth behind the common belief that a cup of coffee makes you poop? Actually, yes!

According to Dr. Scott, the caffeine in coffee is a neurological stimulant. "The intestines have their own nervous system called the enteric nervous system," he says. "Caffeine stimulates the ENS to cause intestinal muscle contractions and thus the need to defecate." Finally, we have some reasoning behind our daily coffee-induced poop. 

While many people shy away from sh*t talk, we encourage it! Knowing about your bodily function is always a good thing, collegiettes. Next time your poop is a little bit irregular, rest assured that you may have some clarity as to why.

Down to it's last abortion clinic and facing a legal battle with anti-choice Governor Matt Bevin on the federal level on Wednesday, Kentucky could potentially become the first state to have no licensed clinics performing abortions in the United States, NPR reports. 

The final clinic is the EMW Women's Surgical Center located in downtown Louisville. They're currently at odds with a state law that calls for the clinic to work with local hospitals and ambulance service for patients in case of emergency, as NBC News reported. While EMW stated that they have had a longstanding relationship of that kind with a local hospital, they added that they were told by Bevin's administration earlier this year that those prior agreements weren't enough. 

Representatives from the clinic called the move "blatantly unconstitutional" and are seeking an injunction to keep the clinic from being forced to close — and, if they fail, they predict what could dire circumstances for the women of Kentucky who are already struggling to have affordable, accessible healthcare. 

"Kentucky women would be left without access to a critical and constitutionally protected medical procedure," EMW representatives told NBC News.

Moves like this from the Kentucky Governor's office are what are frequently knowns as Targed Regulation of Abortion Providers or TRAP laws. Simply put, they are laws or restrictions that are put soley on doctors who provide abortions that aren't implemented for other sorts of procedures — including more invasive ones. 

In 2014, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) wrote that these state regulations create obstacles for underserved women and are frequently established "under the guise of promoting patient safety, single out abortion from other outpatient procedures and impose medically unnecessary requirements designed to reduce access to abortion."

ACOG also writes that abortion is an overwhelmingly safe procedure and that these regulations are often misleading about that fact:

"Although abortion is legal in the United States, it has become increasingly marginalized from mainstream medical care. It is often the only essential health care service not offered by a woman’s usual health care provider and within a woman’s usual health care system," according to ACOG. "Where abortion is legal, it is extremely safe. The risk of death associated with childbirth is approximately 14 times higher than that with abortion. In the United States, 88% of abortions occur within the first trimester, when abortion is safest. Serious complications from abortions at all gestational ages are rare."

EMW's attorney Donald L. Cox told NBC News that the state's moves are "absolutely just another attempt to ban abortion in Kentucky.”

Amanda Stamper, a spokesperson for Gov. Bevin, told the Associated Press that the Governor stood by the requirements, stating that "essentially all health care facilities in Kentucky are required to have such agreements, and it is telling that the abortion industry believes that it alone should be exempt."

Supporters of the clinic, however, are desperate to see it remain open. As the last remaining surgical center to provide the service in the state, women from across the state seeking abortions (a legal, constitutionally protected procedure) are required to drive to that single location (at times taking hours to get there.) And, as reproductive health research group the Guttmacher Institute notes, the state already has restrictions in place requiring people seeking abortion to wait 24-hours and receive state-mandated counseling before having their procedure (which can be particularly damning for low-income people and mothers who might need to take time off work or arrange for childcare or travel).

TL;DR:  Even with this lone clinic in the state, people seeking abortions are already facing some serious barriers toward safe and affordable care that these latest requirements would only exacerbate.  

Citing last year's Supreme Court decision in Whole Women's Health vs. Hellerstedt that ruled against states putting an undue burden on on abortion access,  Dr. Ernest Marshall, one of EMW's founders, set forth two possibilities for the future of the procedure in his state: "Will we build on the momentum of last year's Supreme Court decision upholding abortion rights? Or will Kentucky be the harbinger of a future where the right to abortion only exists if you live in the right zip code?"

It's official! After months of speculation, sources have confirmed to PEOPLE that the Kardashian-West family is expecting a third child via surrogate.

Reports began to circulate in June that Kanye West and Kim Kardashian had hired a surrogate to carry their third child due to Kim's previous high-risk pregnancies. Kim has been very vocal about wanting more kids but has also used her platform to speak out about her health concerns and the serious risks of having another child herself. She even wrote a detailed, heart-wrenching blog post about preeclampsia and placenta accreta, the two conditions she suffered from.

Now, Kim and her family can put all worries aside and look forward to another baby arriving. "The entire family is over the moon. Kim had been looking for a surrogate for months until recently when she found the perfect candidate," a source told PEOPLE. "Given her health scares in the past, Kim felt the need to hire a surrogacy agency that helped serve as the liaison in finding a healthy woman who would be a great surrogate option for her and Kanye. Both of them have been super involved in the process."

I can't even begin to imagine how excited the Kardashian-West fam is, and I wish them all the best!

It's not a secret that President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka have a special bond. Folks of Weird Twitter™ are particularly fond of pointing out their special relationship and making it just a little bit weird (and a little bit Game of Thrones-y).  So, on Wednesday, when Trump was giving a speech on tax reform in North Dakota and mentioned something just a little bit off while discussing how his daughter likes to accompany him on trips, the Internet lost it just a tiny bit. 

“Look at Ivanka. Come on up honey. She’s so good,” Trump said as he called Ivanka on stage and hyped her up to the crowd. “She wanted to make the trip, she said, ‘Dad can I go with you?’ She actually said ‘Daddy, can I go with you?’ I like that.”

(FYI: It's that last part that made it weird.) 

Now plenty of older girls and women privately call their fathers something like "Daddy" and fathers who want to think of their kids as little forever are allowed to think it's sweet. 

But, there's also a kinky (but sort of mainstreamed as of late) sub-culture that exists that makes the Internet prone to [Side-Eye Emoji] this sort of exchange. Add in Trump's comments about his daughter's looks in the past, his "pussy-grabbing" past and the fact that Ivanka is 35 years old and it's a recipe for sexual innuendo.

Also: Deeply uncomfy. 

And, like, look: Nothing wrong with loving your parents and we aren't kinkshaming. But there are probably some better ways that conversation could've been framed — for the Internets' sake. 

When it comes to a fandom like Taylor Swift's, there are eagle-eyed fans galore and analysts so good you'd swear it was their job. Now that Taylor has released the second single off her new album Reputation, Swifties have even *more* amazing material to work with. While many have speculated the "...Ready for It?" lyrics point to Taylor's ex Harry Styles, one extremely thorough Tumblr post came through to explain how the lyrics may have actually been inspired by Taylor's current bae, Joe Alwyn. And the juiciest part of all? Taylor liked the post!

Tumblr user jencita seriously went to town on the "...Ready for It?" lyrics, breaking the song down verse by verse and thoroughly explaining certain words and phrases in connection to Taylor's life, past and present. This post will seriously leave fans absolutely shook.

Taylor has been known to be active on Tumblr and like posts, especially now that songs from Reputation are being released. Although Taylor has yet to speak out herself about the meaning of the song, liking this fan theory has to mean something, right? Right?!

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, so it’s no surprise that you’d want them to be as big, bold and beautiful as possible. Sure you know how to throw on some eyeliner and swipe on some mascara, but achieving that doe-eyed look takes a little more than that. So we talked to Alicia Hunter, eyelash extensionist to celebrities like New York Housewives’, Sonja Morgan and former Bachelorette, Ally Fedotowski, to find out the best ways to make your eyes pop.

1. Lash extensions

Semi-permanent eyelash extensions are all the rage, and they’re perfect for anyone who loves luscious lashes but hates using mascara. An extensionist will apply lashes individually, and with proper care they should last a few weeks. If that isn’t for you though, you can always use the strip falsies, which are typically much cheaper and can be easily applied and removed. Hunter says to look for specific types of falsies that will enhance your eye shape and make them appear bigger. “For strips, I love Ardell's Demi Wispie,” says Hunter. “It is natural-looking enlarges the eye, and the ‘cat-eye’ shape of the strip (shorter inner-eye lashes gradually increasing in length to the outer-eye lashes) makes eyes appear wider-set, which is sexy.” By adding fuller lashes, your eyes have the perfect frame to make them appear bigger and more voluminous.

2. Eyeliner

Eyeliner is always a nice finishing touch to any look, but the way you apply it can make a huge difference. “If you use a heavily pigmented dark shade, you can achieve a super smoky look without liner,” says Hunter. “However, for more foxy drama, adding liner over the line where the lash strip is affixed is an excellent way to ramp things up and also to camouflage the glue line.” If you want even more drama, opt for a winged look, to help mimic the ‘cat-eye’ look.

3. Enhance your brows

By filling in your brows, you’ll draw attention towards your eyes. The trick is to accentuate what you have—you don’t want to overdo it with too much filler. By adding a little color to your brows, you frame your eyes, making them the center of attention. Try out different pencils, powders or eyebrow mascaras to see what works best for your brows.

Related: Your Guide to Wearing False Lashes Like a Pro

4. Waterline liner

Using a flesh colored liner on your waterline is a great way to wear minimal makeup while still accentuating your eyes. “Lining the water-line with a dark liner or a shimmery lighter color also makes the eyes pop and can even make the whites of your eyes appear brighter!” says Hunter. Light liners are great for an extra pop during the day, while the darker liners are a great addition to a smoky look. Apply dark liners from the outer corner to the middle of your waterline to make your eyes appear wider and bolder.

5. Highlight the corners

Opt for a white liner or iridescent powder for the inner corners of your eyes. Not only does it create a brighter effect, it creates the illusion of larger eyes. The light color opens up your eyes for a rounding effect.

6. Use lighter shades on the lids

When applying eyeshadow, you want the middle part of your eye to have the lightest color, creating the illusion of a larger, rounder shape. “Using a lighter shade such as a taupe or pearly nude on the entire lid,” Hunter tells us. “Then smudge a much darker pigmented-shade, such a deep rich brown, slate, navy, or dark green in the mid and outer crease. Blend the darker shade upwards and outward at the lid's to create a large and sexy cat-eye.” An easy way to remember how to apply shadow is to go from lightest on the inner corner to darkest on the outer corner.

Whether you’re going for a full glam or dewy look, your eyes will look bolder and bigger than ever before. And if anyone asks…it’s natural *wink, wink*

Can we just agree that Reese Witherspoon is someone we should all aspire to be more like? Apart from starring in fun classics like Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama, the actress is a total boss, running her own production company and releasing female-dominated projects such as Wild, Gone Girl and Big Little Lies. Now, she has stepped forward with a call for even more women chasing their ambitions to include their stories in Hollywood.

In a recent essay she wrote for Glamour, Witherspoon addressed her experiences in Hollywood as an ambitious woman, recalling movie sets on which she was one of the only women present. Discussing her jobs 15 years ago, she wrote, “I would arrive on set to realize I was the only girl with a speaking part...I was literally surrounded by 150 men. I remember thinking it was odd that women made up half the population but such small percentages of roles in Hollywood, on and off the screen.”

Witherspoon compared those early days to her recent years, which brought her work on the upcoming female-directed films A Wrinkle in Time and Home Again. “TV and streaming together are definitely changing the game for female roles,” she pointed out. “Today 38 percent of major characters on TV are women...With the gates opening for women’s stories, you just feel like so much is going to come out of this time for women.”

Witherspoon also shared how she’s been exposed to minority women’s own industry struggles thanks to her Wrinkle in Time costar Mindy Kaling. When Kaling told her that she’d never done a project she didn’t create for herself, Witherspoon “thought, ‘Wow...I used to have parts that just showed up for me. I can’t imagine how hard it is to write your own parts and simultaneously have to change people’s perceptions of what a woman of color is in today’s society.’”

The essay focusing on ambition and women in media came as a response to a 2015 speech Witherspoon gave atGlamour’s Women of the Year gala. Back then, Witherspoon said that she didn’t see ambition as a dirty word. Now, she’s focusing on why women shouldn’t be afraid of ambition and create their own opportunities.

“You can complain about these things,” she said in the essay. “You can get stuck in the emotion of it—and sometimes I do, and I get really angry...But my mother always said to me, ‘If you want something done, do it yourself’...All we can do to create change is work hard.”

The essay is packed with wise words from Witherspoon that are totally applicable to any kind of career field. Other advice in the piece includes “running away” from men who don’t like women’s ambition and, most importantly, learning to help people admire ambition in men and women. Um, can we make this essay mandatory reading?

If you’d like to take anything away from this work, I think it has to be one Witherspoon’s closing remarks about ambition. “We have to do our part to change the idea that a woman with passion and ambition is out only for herself.”

Props to Witherspoon for always being a wise, classy lady helping women shine in film and TV!

College is the best and most stressful four years of your life. It's a weird phase between living it up and studying until your eyeballs pop out of your head. If you're in college or recently graduated, these 18 memes will definitely make you laugh (or at least cry-laugh).

1. These four years really do fly by 

2. When you have nothing to lose  

3. Definitely forgot something  

4. I've never related more

5. Evaluations are anonymous so…

6. It's hard to go with your gut in college 

7. k thx 

8. College is not all fun and games 

9. But seriously 

10. College is an endless emotional roller coaster 

11. Sleep? What’s that? 

12. #same

13. Anyone else understand the struggle?

14. Yes it will 

15. That's basically eight hours, right?

16. Seniors be like

17. SIT DOWN

18. Couldn't have said it better myself 

Long distance relationships are really difficult and definitely aren’t for everyone. However, when you do decide to embark on that journey with your SO, it’s important to know what you’re getting into and how to do it successfully. Having productive arguments is an essential part of having a healthy relationship because it deepens the level of trust between you and your SO. Obviously you don’t want to be arguing 24/7, but just because fights are unavoidable, they don’t necessarily have to be painful.

1. Be transparent and direct in communication

Couples in long distance relationships often let small details slip through the cracks to avoid arguments, but this can ultimately lead to more unnecessary arguing and misunderstanding. Jay Hurt, author of The 9 Tenets of a Successful Relationship, recommends being transparent instead. “Transparency encourages a deeper level of trust,” he says. “Communication adds clarity so go to the point of over communicating. Be crystal clear on both people’s expectations and intentions and how to move forward. Communicating in this way enhances trust in each other.”

In addition to being transparent, it is also extremely important to be direct. Dr. Ish Major, host of We TV'sMarriage Boot Camp Reality Stars, says being very clear and direct in communication is key to solving an issue.

“The direct approach is the best and most healthy way to handle an argument in a long distance or any relationship. Communication is always the big issue in relationships, in a long-distance relationship the chances for misinformation and miscommunication is magnified times ten!”

His method for working through an argument has three steps. “So in this case you have to do everything you can to cut down on the chances for any miscommunication. Do not wait, that only increases your chances for more false scenarios and hurt feelings that may or may not be warranted. Pick up the phone, dial the number, talk, don’t text, follow this protocol:

1. Tell him what he did wrong
2. Tell him how it made you feel
3. Tell him what to do to fix it

The end. You brought the situation some much needed clarity and now you can make an informed decision about staying in this relationship and moving forward.”

2. Pause and figure out the underlying issue

Sometimes it can feel like the arguments that are happening in a long distance relationship are petty and can even leave one person – or both­– feeling like they don’t know why exactly they’re fighting at all. Both Hurt and Dr. Ish say that constant petty arguments often signify a deeper issue.

Dr. Ish explains, “When couples constantly argue about little things that tells me they have much bigger problems. If you’re taking every opportunity to find fault with the person you’re with that means you’re not very happy with them. Don’t confuse the issue. Take a step back and ask yourself this one important question: ‘What else could this mean?’ This question will honestly save every relationship you’ll ever have! Ask yourself, ‘Am I really this upset about him being late or rude or insensitive or the way he dresses or his wandering eye or is there a much bigger elephant in the room.’”

Hurt agrees, saying, “Petty arguments are a symptom of a deeper issue. Be considerate of the other person’s feelings and what they’re going through. What’s going on with them? Try to see through the other person’s lens to better understand the situation.”

Molly Crum, a James Madison University graduate, says “I was in a long distance relationship for two summers with my boyfriend. I recommend getting to the root of the cause of the argument. For example, are you really mad that he took an hour to text you back, or is it that you’re feeling neglected, under appreciated, need more communication, etc.”

It might be that neither of you even know why you’re actually fighting, so you might need to take a step back to examine your true feelings.

3. Don’t give up on each other

Sometimes arguments lead to ending a relationship, but they don’t always have to. You made the decision to be in a long distance relationship because you love your SO and made a commitment to them. Dr. Ish suggests the three rules of engagement when arguing.

“1. One team: Realize that you’re both on the same team and want the same thing…to make each other happy. Attack the issue, not each other

2. One topic: Only fight about one thing at a time. Couples have a tendency to bring EVERY unresolved issue from their past into every argument and nothing ever gets resolved and it’s frankly a dirty way to fight. Stay focused on the one issue and you have a much better chance of actually resolving the issue.

3. Stay in the game: This is critical for a long distance couple because it’s easy to either get off the phone or stop texting until things ‘cool off’. But when you come back, the issue is still there; unresolved. Stay in the game long enough to reach some sort of resolution where you both feel okay about moving past it or simply agreeing to disagree for the moment.”

Indiana University graduate Sarah McDaniel says, “From my experience, trying to resolve the problem as soon as it arises, and preferable not in texting form, is the best way to handle arguments. I spent a semester studying abroad and my then boyfriend (now fiancé) found that things went much smoother when we took the time to FaceTime or call to work it out, rather than having angry, passive aggressive texting conversations all day!”

Always remember why you got into the relationship in the first place. You and your partner have so much love for each other and that’s not worth throwing it all away over an argument when you’re miles away. It’s okay to miss each other and be upset about it but try to think about the next time you’ll see each other and how great that will be. Stay positive and hopeful, and consistently remind each other how much you love each other. Arguments will become much easier and your relationship will thrive!

Amidst Hurricane Harvey recovery operations and the wait for the upcoming hurricanes’ aftermath, Democratic leaders in Congress have announced that they agreed on a deal with President Donald Trump that includes a three-month bill that will help prevent a government shutdown, BuzzFeed News reports. The possibility of a government shutdown due to Republicans and Democrats disagreeing about a new budget first emerged in April. This new deal will allow the government’s prevention of shutting down until Dec. 15. At that point, Congress will meet again for more discussion on the matter.

In a White House meeting that included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, raising the debt ceiling and the passing of Hurricane Harvey relief aid were also agreed upon by both parties.

“The nation can breathe a sigh of relief,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted. “We’ve avoided default and we’ve avoided a government shutdown, both of which would cause damage far into the future.”

While Republicans Ryan and McConnell were against a shorter extension of the debt limit, President Trump actually agreed with the Democrats about keeping the deal within three months. “There was an expected standstill in the meeting on this point,” a source told BuzzFeed, “and the congressional leaders were basically going to agree to disagree, and then unexpectedly the president said basically let’s just all agree and do three and three. Three-month CR and three-month debt limit with Harvey.”

Although the unexpected agreement is a positive blip in the current administration, tailoring to Texas’s desperate need for post-Harvey relief, other sources say that the deal only delays deeper discussion about how to spend government funding. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, another prominent Republican in the Senate, said, “This basically kicks the can down the road for three months. But it does give us time to make the case for tax reform and to do other important things.”

While Trump agreeing with Democrats is an unusual move, it's comforting to know that both political parties were able to come together and support a relief package for Hurricane Harvey victims. 

Less than a week after the conclusion of Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma touched down upon Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Wednesday, leaving behind a significant impact and heading towards Florida. According to The New York Times, the Category 5 Irma is well on its way to becoming one of the most destructive storms ever, already making direct hits on Barbuda, St. Barthélemy, St. Martin, and Anguilla.

The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico also saw strong winds and rainfalls, leading to at least one death in Puerto Rico during storm preparation. In addition to several deaths reported in other affected regions, Irma destroyed 95 percent of buildings on the small island Barbuda. TIME reports that the hurricane ultimately left nearly 900,000 peole without power. 

Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, was surprised about the latter's destruction, especially because Antigua emerged from the storm relatively unharmed. "Hurricane Irma would have been easily the most powerful hurricane to have stormed through the Caribbean and it is extremely unfortunate that Barbuda was right in its path," he said in a statement. 

More than half of Puerto Rico was left without power, while a significant amount of the population also lost access to water. The Times reports that the U.S. territory would suffer tremendously from mass destruction due to its current economic crisis.

The storm is expected to hit Florida, which has already declared a state of emergency, by Sunday. According to The Washington Post, forecasters are most concerned about the Florida Keys region, which lies directly in Irma's path. Mandatory evacuations from the area began on Wednesday. School districts in the state's southern counties have already cancelled the week's classes, and the Miami Dolphins' season opener on Sunday is expected to either be rescheduled or moved to a safe location. Airlines have even played the hero, offering discount flights out of Florida.

Gov. Rick Scott of Florida has regularly communicated with residents via his Twitter, assuring followers that federal, state and local leaders were cooperating together. Although Irma's greatest threat to the United States lies in Florida, it's expected to continue through Georgia and the Carolinas by next week.  

Meanwhile, ABC News reports that another storm, Hurricane Jose, has reached a Category 1 level, but no warnings about it have been released. A third hurricane, Katia, is also forming in the Gulf of Mexico.

Charities such as Direct Relief, Heart to Heart International and more are still accepting donations for Hurricane Harvey victims. 

Our thoughts are with those already affected by Hurricane Irma and those in Florida preparing for the storm. Stay safe! 

To Rush or Not to Rush… Last weekend, my best friend from home came to visit me at school and stay in my sorority house. Her first comment upon entering was, “I go to an all-girls school, but I just couldn’t take all this GIRL all the time!” At first, I didn’t get what she meant. How could someone who goes to an all-girls college not understand what it means to live with girls? Isn’t it the same thing? But after looking back at the past eight months of my life, I realized I’ve entered a crazy, alternate-universe girl world, and I’m not leaving until I graduate. In this column, I will try to explain the mysteries of this alternate-universe, covering such alien topics as rush, formals, and frat parties. Hopefully, I can shed a little light on this mysterious realm that is Greek Life for those who live in the real world and those who are thinking about joining this one.

And now for the topic of my first column: To rush or not to rush?

Before I left for college, I was sure I didn’t want to rush a sorority. From what I had heard, sorority girls were catty, competitive, hard-partiers who made you stay up all night and eat live goldfish to become a member. But my experience so far has proven them to be nothing more than normal girls who happen to all share a common social experience, kind of like being on a sports team or in a club at school. I’ve come to learn there is no such thing as a “typical sorority girl”, or even a “typical sorority”—every single girl in every single sorority is totally different, and it isn’t fair to assign stereotypes to any chapter or to dismiss the Greek system in general as shallow and superficial.

I think if you are even thinking about rushing you should seriously consider going through with it because what do you have to lose? If you decide you don’t fit in anywhere, you can drop out at any time or choose not to pledge. And if you do feel like you fit in at a particular chapter, then you are in for an amazing experience and a whole new group of friends. Sororities provide opportunities not only for parties and guys, but also for philanthropy, help with your classes, intramural athletics, and career connections. But most of all, they help you find a group of girls who you can totally be yourself with because you all had enough in common to feel comfortable at the same chapter. This is exactly where many rushees go wrong—they try to fake their way into a house where they don’t feel comfortable, just because they had heard it’s a “better” house with “better” parties and mixers with “better” frats. As someone who made this mistake myself, I cannot urge you more strongly to BE YOURSELF during rush.

As a freshman in college, totally clueless about the esoteric world of Greek Life, sorority girls became like celebrities to me. Everywhere I went—class, parties, the coolest salad place for lunch—I saw sorority girls, carrying tote bags emblazoned with alien letters, or else dressed to the nines at frat parties and having way more fun than all the freshmen. I wanted nothing more than to fit in with these glamazons, to carry my own tote bag and to roll into a frat house like I owned the place instead of fighting with the bouncer to be let in. I decided the best way to go about this was to treat rush like another three-credit class. My roommate and I immediately began researching—we learned the Greek alphabet, we talked to guys at frat parties and girls at other schools, we trolled Facebook for more hours a day than we did our reading. Each day, we scrutinized the sorority girls walking around our campus, trying to fit a face to each of those ubiquitous embroidered bags. We made lists ranking the chapters, assigning blanket stereotypes to each one: “Kappa Kappa Gamma—Party Girls, Alpha Phi—Preppy Girls, Alpha Xi Delta—Smart Girls.” We even studied the other freshman girls around us, trying to gauge how we fit in comparison to the hundreds of other “potential new members”. Finally, by the time rush came around, we knew absolutely everything there was to know about our school’s eleven Panhellenic chapters…or so we thought.

As I went through rush, though, I realized that all my research was in some sense a waste of time. You can be as fake as you want, greeting each girl who rushes you with a giant smile and the bubbliest “oh my GOD I LOVE RUSH SO MUCH!”, but being fake will only land you in a house with girls you have to be fake with for four years. Do you really want to be in a sorority where you have to put on a pound of makeup and blow-dry your hair every day so no one knows what you really look like? Getting caught up in the “rankings” and trying to pledge a “top house” just for the sake of it will cost you a lot of effort and probably a lot of grief. After all our worrying, all our scrutinizing, all our list-making, all our fake-smiling, my friends and I all ended up in the houses we would have been most comfortable in all along. And that makes Girl World a lot more manageable in the long run.

If you haven't been watching the Bachelor franchise since at least 2012, you're probably waking up to some very confusing news. After weeks of speculation, the new Bachelor was announced, and the lead is not even close to who you thought it was going to be.

Arie Luyendyk Jr. was announced as the Season 22 Bachelor on Thursday's Good Morning America. Arie competed on Emily Maynard's season of The Bachelorette—that was Season 8 of the spinoff if you're keeping count—and made it all the way to the final two. At the time, Arie was a fan favorite, but Emily ultimately ended up engaged to Jef Holm, which didn't last.

This is the second year in a row that ABC has chosen a Bachelor who did not appear on the most recent season of The Bachelorette. While fans desperately wanted Rachel Lindsay's runner-up, Peter Kraus, to fill the coveted slot, there has been much back and forth about whether he even wanted the gig. (And in my opinion, bless Peter for staying the heck away from this mess.)

Arie's journey to find love will premiere some time in January, so that's plenty of time to figure out if you care enough to tune in.

Three Taco Bell employees — two aged 19 and one aged 23 — fatally shot an armed robber inside a Cleveland, Ohio Taco Bell on Wednesday, according to Cleveland.com.

The three employees, all of which have not yet been identified, were armed with guns and fired them around 2:45 p.m. after two robbers entered the store, forced them to the ground at gunpoint and proceeded to demand money from the cash register, the Daily Mail reports.

The employees fired several shots, shooting the first robber six times, while the second robber escaped, Cleveland.com reports. The Taco Bell employees then called 911 and told operators that shots had been fired, according to the Daily Mail. When the police arrived, they found the first robber unconscious on the group with a gun in his hand. Police reports state that the attempted robber died after being transported via ambulance to MetroHealth.

Meanwhile, the police are still searching for the second robber, Cleveland.com reports.

Arthur Giles, the franchise owner of the Taco Bell where the shooting occurred, told the Daily Mail that the employees acted in self-defense and that his franchise is cooperating with the police.

“Everyone at the store is okay, from my understanding," Giles told Cleveland.com. "All the employees and all the customers are safe."

Under Ohio state law, while not legally required, business owner are allowed to prohibit individuals with concealed carry licenses from bringing their guns on business property, the Daily Mail reports. It is, however, unknown whether Giles allowed his employees to carry their guns.

“Taco Bell and Sigma Bell, LLC., the franchise owner of this Cleveland, Ohio location, are shocked this happened at the restaurant. Our franchisee is fully cooperating with the Cleveland Police Department in their investigation," Taco Bell said in a statement. "The employees are very shaken up from today's events, and our franchisee is offering them counseling."

This article has been syndicated from Diary of a Debutante, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

According to Fortune, now-a-days successful women entrepreneurs are not only matching their male counterparts; in many ways they’re outperforming them. As a reference point, a study of global entrepreneurs found that companies helmed by female entrepreneurs in 2016 had 13 percent higher revenues than those run by men, and finished nine percent above the average for all entrepreneurs surveyed. Even with all of our success, there’s still much we need to learn in order to close the workplace gender gap, especially with the rise of millennial entrepreneurs, or “millennipreneurs,” who are starting more companies, managing bigger staffs and targeting higher profits than our baby boomer predecessors.

To accommodate this boost in ambition and confidence, I’ve researched which books some of the most successful female CEOs consider to be their favorite career books of all time (with the help of Forbes and TechCo). These seventeen reads will keep you motivated, inspired and aware of how ridiculous all 89034 of your excuses for not charging what you’re worth sound. 

1. Power Your Happy: Work Hard, Play Nice, and Build Your Dream Life by Lisa Sugar

Lisa Sugar founded PopSugar in 2006. How did she do it? By figuring out what her dream job was, taking risks and believing in herself. In Power Your Happy, she shares her personal and business story with the same great accessible writing style that made PopSugar such a huge success. She gives advice on a variety of topics– from starting a company to handling breakups to becoming the world’s best boss. If you were a fan of Leave Your Mark by Aliza Licht, you’ll love this business memoir, as well. 

2. Get Over Your Damn Self: The No-BS Blueprint to Building a Life-Changing Business by Romi Neustadt

If you loved You Are a Badass, you’ll love the no-BS vibe of this book, too. In Get Over Your Damn Self, Romi Neustadt offers you the same direct, anti-nonsense coaching she’s given to tens of thousands to help you acquire the skills to confidently connect with anyone about your business, create a lucrative and efficient turn-key system of operations, and manifest the power that’s already within you to build the life you’ve been wanting– all while molding your mindset so you stop over complicating it all and stop letting the negative voices in your head win.

3. I Am That Girl: How to Speak Your Truth, Discover Your Purpose, and #BeThatGirl by Alexis Jones

In a crazy, media distracted world, I Am That Girl explains that the important questions often get lost. Examples are of these questions are as follows: What’s your passion? What’s your purpose? Who do you want to be? With the support and avid advocacy of Hilary Duff, Kristen Bell, Sophia Bush and a handful of other famous actresses-turned-girlbosses, Alexis Jones has built a career listening to and helping girls around the world figure out those questions in order to inspire them to think for themselves, speak their truth and discover their true purpose.

Read the full post here. 

Fall is all about pumpkin everything, and when it comes to beauty offerings, the limit does not exist. Pumpkin products do a lot more than just smell yummy: they're actually really beneficial to your skin because of their enzymatic properties. Basically, it's time to live your PSL dreams and stock up! Check out some of our fave pumpkin buys that will last you well through December. 

1. Pumpkin 24k Gold Sheet Mask ($8) 

2. Spiced Pumpkin Cider Body Cream ($13.50)

You might turn into a pumpkin, but isn’t that the pumpkin spice dream?

3. Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte Body Scrub ($16.50)

4. Pumpkin Enzyme Mask ($58) 

5. Pumpkin Enzyme Peel ($35)

6. Pumpkin Cheesecake Lip Balm ($4)

The closest you can get to pumpkin cheesecake without actually eating it. 

7. Mud Mask with Organic Pumpkin Puree ($22) 

Go out and get all your pumpkin buys before they’re gone! If you’re interested in making your own pumpkin mask, check out this recipe for one.

While sorority rush is different at every college, there are a few insider tips that will always land you a spot in the chapter of your dreams or help you recruit the best of the best. That’s why we’ve partnered with GreekU to share the full scoop so that you can get next level during recruitment week. Happy rushing collegiettes!

If you’re going through rush…

Welcome to sorority rush! We promise it’s not as daunting as it may seem at first. In fact, this week is the perfect opportunity for you to show off your personality and start connecting with lifelong friends, so enjoy the process instead of letting your nerves get the best of you, and follow these three tips to find your perfect sisterhood.

1. Have an idea of where you’d like to pledge ahead of time

While it’s always a good idea to keep your options open, it doesn’t hurt to have a couple sororities picked out before rush even starts! To do this you can contact chapter representatives before the school year begins and ask for an informational interview, or browse around that sorority’s website to get more information. While it’s important to wait till recruitment is in full swing to feel out where you think you’ll best fit, knowing your favorite sororities in advance will give you extra opportunities to impress.

Educate yourself on the chapters you’d most like to land a spot in! That way during conversations and interviews with current members, you can show off your dedication and passion by talking about that sorority’s history and discussing some of your favorite things that chapter is known for. Before you know it, you’ll be decked out in Greek apparel sporting the letters of your new sisterhood!

2. Show off your authentic personality

Sure, you may be rushing with hundreds of other girls, but that doesn't make you any less special! Whether you’re an introvert or extrovert, quirky or artistic, this is the perfect time to show current members all the wonderful sides of you and what you can add to their chapter. The best way to do this is to make more than just small talk during your conversation. When you’re meeting current members, go beyond the surface. Ask them personal questions, and find ways to connect on everything from family to movies to favorite subjects. Your passion for meaningful conversation will surely earn you a spot in your dream chapter!

If you're a chapter recruiting new members...

When you were going through rush, you probably breezed through enjoying all the events without realizing how much work actually goes in to hosting recruitment. It takes dedicated hours, planning and teamwork to host a week that sets your chapter apart, so follow our three insider tips to make recruitment go off without a hitch.

1. Start planning way in advance

Trust us, to have a next level recruitment week you and your sisters need to start planning as far in advance as your schedules allow. Since you’re basically hosting multiple parties for hundreds of girls, one right after the other, it’s going to take your whole team to put this on. So that exec isn’t doing all the work alone, assign each committee to a different event, that way everyone has a part in the orchestration. Plus, all the effort you put in will really prove to potential new members that you care about their interest and that they’ll be joining a competent chapter that’s capable of executing large-scale parties throughout the year.

2.Spruce up your house with Greek decor

When girls come through, they want to see a house they can eventually call home, and that’s why house tours are one of the most cherished parts of recruitment. Decorate your house with Greek decor for that extra punch for chapter pride! Since potential new members will love seeing your chapter letters displayed on accessories like wall tapestries and throw pillows, your house will definitely stand out during recruitment.

3. Be prepared for long days

If you can remember how long rush week felt when you were a freshman, it is going to feel even longer when you’re recruiting. To prevent mid-day slumps, you need to keep your body healthy and comfortable. Make sure to wear shoes that are stylish yet comfy for standing and walking, and keep functional Greek merchandise like a water bottle and a tote bag nearby­­––don’t forget to pack snacks and change of clothes if you need it. Consider recruitment conquered! And for girls going through rush for the first time, this tip is still so relevant. On both sides, do what you can to last through a long day.

We hope our tips help you kick off recruitment ahead of the pack, and that by the end of the week you’ve made tons of new friends and memories. No matter where you end up and who you accept to your chapter, sisterhood is such valuable part of college that you’ll never forget. And with that, have a wonderful fall recruitment ladies!

“I wish I had her body.” 

“I really need to lose 10 pounds.”

“Tell me honestly, is she skinnier than I am?”

These are only a handful of body-image related thoughts that almost every girl struggles with during her lifetime. It’s like the concept of ‘skinniness’ is some form of social currency that we’re trained to aspire towards, when in reality, living a healthy lifestyle is what our primary concern should be. Slowly, this is starting to change, but we realized there are a lot of misconceptions among college women about how to lose weight the healthy way. We talked to experts and collegiettes alike to find out the five most common reasons why your attempts to eat clean aren’t going too well. 

1. Your prescription medications are interfering with your weight

If you’ve been gaining weight or struggling to lose weight since starting a new prescription, you may want to reach out to your doctor to see if your prescription really is the culprit.

For example, when Megan Salavantis, a junior at Sienna college, was struggling with weight gain issues herself, it took some digging to figure out the problem wasn’t entirely in her control.

“It was only by doing some research that I found out my life-sustaining medication makes me put on weight,” Megan says that her medication and her lifestyle choices combined were what made losing weight difficult, but not impossible. 

If you’re currently taking prescription medications (or if you’ve recently started) and you can’t explain why you’re suddenly gaining weight or struggling to lose weight, reach out to your doctor with your concerns to figure out if that’s actually the case. Even if you do suspect that your meds are messing with your weight, make sure it’s your doctor who directs changes to your prescriptions—it’s never a good idea to change up or stop your medications without your doctor’s direction. 

2. The ‘healthy’ foods you’re eating aren’t really healthy

Health fads, like subsisting off of green juices, subbing out real meals for protein bars, and choosing artificial sweeteners over natural sugars all sound like smart ways to eat clean, but they’re really not. According to Yevgeniya Libkhen, licensed dietician, nutritionist, and holistic health consultant, choosing these supposed ‘health’ foods often derails her clients’ attempts to eat clean and healthily. 

In the case of our first example, ‘green’ juices, these beverages seem like the healthy and smart choice since they often list healthy green vegetables like kale and spinach on their ingredients list. But Yevgeniya was quick to clarify for us that in most cases, these beverages “are nothing more than a mega-dose of sugar”. According to her, this is because the fiber from these vegetables (which is filled with the nutrients that make them superfoods in the first place) is stripped during the juicing process, and many manufacturers sweeten each juice to make it taste better. She says that while a green juice is certainly a healthier alternative to downing a soda, it’s not the healthiest choice you can make. She explains that a  smarter choice is making your own green smoothies at home with whole vegetables, that way you retain the fiber and nutrients of the vegetables while also making a cold and yummy snack. 

Yevgeniya also gave us some insight on why protein bars and artificial sweeteners aren't the best choices for your clean-eating lifestyle. 

According to her, unless you’re a high-performing athlete, you really don’t need to consume more than 15 grams of protein per meal—and many protein bars contain well over 20 grams of protein. She says the reason this isn’t a good thing is because consuming an excess of protein in a meal can create an imbalance in the nutrients you’re taking in, which can then cause your body to store those calories as fat, instead of quickly metabolizing them for energy. 

Lastly, she says that artificial sweeteners are the biggest culprit of weight-loss sabotage because they’re actually way sweeter than natural sugar is. To put this in perspective, she explained to us that aspartame (found in brand name sweeteners like Truvia and Splenda) is 200 times sweeter than sugar, while natural sugar alternative Stevia is 40 times sweeter than sugar. She explained that consuming these sugar alternatives regularly can actually condition your brain to crave sweeter foods, which can seriously derail your healthy eating habits. 

While health fads like these might seem easy and convenient in the moment, Yevgeniya says that nothing is better than sticking to the basic rule of thumb of making sure that at least half of every meal you eat is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables is (and will always be) the best way to make sure you’re getting the most vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are essential for you to be as healthy as possible. 

3. You’re not eating enough

Glen Tobias, a Registered Dietician at Atlantic Sports Health and nutritionist for the New York Jets explains that he has seen many people set themselves up for failure by failing to consult a professional in favor of creating their own super restrictive diets that don’t provide the nutrition and energy they need.

“Our job is to make sure you are healthy, have energy and lose the fat you want to. The minute they deviate from these crazy diets they feel they have failed; this is not necessarily true. As long as you are doing better today than you did yesterday, is a win.” He says that an R.D. can help you create a reasonable diet plan and also help you stay strong mentally. 

Sophia Walker, a junior at Bowdoin College, says that one dangerous fasting diet trend that has been popular with college students was detrimental to her efforts to lose weight and live healthier. 

“I have a lot of friends that really like the ‘fast’ diet, and I've tried it out too. Basically the fast diet is that you ‘fast’ for 24 hours. You eat less than 500 calories on two days per week, and you can eat whatever you want on the other days. Supposedly fasting will help you burn more calories, and prompt you to eat less.” Instead, the ‘fast’ caused her misery on her fasting days and caused her to overeat on non-fasting days. 

While the 'average' recommended calorie intake for women can range from 1,200 calories to 2,400 calories based on many factors like your body composition and activity level, a good rule of thumb is: Instead of severely depriving your body of calories by going on a super restrictive diet (which is incredibly unsafe) try Yevgeniya’s advice of making sure at least half of each of your meals is made up of vegetables. She says that eating more vegetables can minimize those pesky blood-sugar spikes (read: hangry-ness) that make you cranky and hungry for super carby and salty foods. 

Related: 9 Healthy Road Trip Snacks

4. You’re not managing your stress well

Any college student knows that stress can and will derail your happiness, sanity, and health. But did you know that it’s most likely the reason you’re struggling to lose weight? 

According to nutritional biochemist Dr. Shawn Talbot, increased production of cortisol (the ‘stress hormone’) is what’s responsible for those cravings for high calorie “comfort foods” when you’re stressed out. He adds that research studies have shown that even the thought of dieting can cause stress, and make your weight loss goals more difficult to attain. This is why it’s so much better to instead focus on eating clean all around rather than following a restrictive diet plan. 

Dr. Talbot explains that you don’t have to cause yourself stress by overthinking your diet or restricting ‘all’ of a certain food from your diet. He also adds that by getting more sleep (a whole 8 hours as opposed to a meager 6), you can decrease your cortisol levels by 50 percent. 

Imagine how much easier the rest of your life will be if you just focus on getting more sleep and being rested!

5. You’re too hard on yourself

By far the biggest obstruction to living healthier and losing extra weight is the simplest one to fix: the wrong mindset. According to Dr. Jennie Johnson, co-founder of Living for a Healthy Heart most people don’t understand it really only takes small changes to lay the foundation for a healthier diet. 

“Rather than add an apple to their diet each day or change to a smaller plate the individual may make drastic changes that will be too difficult to maintain and far too often fail,” Dr. Johnson says.

In other words, you don’t have to (and shouldn’t) try to work out intensely every single day and subsist off of salads in an attempt to correct months or years of poor eating habits and no exercise. Starting with small changes, and working up to revamping your lifestyle over time, is really the way to go. 

Sophia agrees, “I've lost 20 pounds over the last year by changing my mindset about food and exercise. I've also started power lifting this year, and it's helped me change my mindset from a place where I feel lazy and like a failure to a place where I feel incredibly cool and badass at the gym.”

Like Sophia, you should focus on what you get out of eating better and exercising more—like feeling strong and being proud of the changes you’re making, instead of focusing on what you’re giving up. 

Losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle is easier than you think! Now you know what obstacles you might encounter—and how to overcome them, once you start making those first steps. 

How is it that one of the most watched women in the world has successfully hidden not one, not two, but all three of her pregnancies from the public's ever-speculating eye? Since she and her royal husband started building their family, Kate Middleton has kept outside sources from breaking her baby news before she could. Earlier this week, the world was shocked when Kensington Palace confirmed that the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William are expecting their third child together. As we dwell in royal bliss for the family, I can't help but wonder: How does Kate keep her baby bumps a secret? 

During this third time around, people are starting to notice a pattern that may be the Duchess's way of keeping her pregnancies under wraps. As Cosmopolitan reports, the soon-to-be mom of three distracts the world from her growing belly by altering—wait for it—her hair. 

Some basic research led Evening Standard reporter Kate Proctor to believe that Kate suddenly changes her 'do right before she announces her pregnancies, as she did when she was expecting Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Just about everything the Duchess does is front page news, so a fresh cut is sure to divert the world's attention from the bigger news at hand.

Flashback to 2012, when Kate was sporting her gorgeous long locks and everyone was sitting on the edge of their seat waiting for a royal baby. 

The week before the couple announced their first pregnancy, Kate switched up her hairstyle by adding some bangs.

The cut sparked an international hair sensation, giving the Duchess time to announce her first pregnancy when and how she planned. And just a few weeks ago, before news of her third pregnancy broke, Kate trimmed her wavy tresses and debuted a shorter look at this year's Wimbledon tournament. Coincidence?

Kate may be onto something. The more we focus on her bob, the less we focus on her bump.