After working hard for four years of high school, taking the SAT, completing who knows how many applications, and finally receiving your college acceptance letter, it’s tempting to treat your college admission as the go-ahead for full-force senioritis. But before you slack off completely, remember that it’s still possible for colleges to rescind your application after you receive your acceptance letter. If you don’t believe it, then those of you who stopped reading your letter after “Congratulations!” should take another look. If you read carefully, it probably says something along the lines of your admission being “conditional on the successful completion of the final year of high school.”

To decipher what this really means, Her Campus spoke to experienced collegiettes, high school seniors, and a college admissions expert about post-admission college rejection and ways that it could happen to you.

1. Stop caring about your grades

Colleges won’t usually rescind your application for a slight slip in your grades, but letting them plummet is another story entirely. “A college’s acceptance is conditional on completing the senior year at the same level of performance as when the student was admitted,” says Christine VanDeVelde, author of College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step. “A significant change in the academic record, such as a notably lower grade in one or more classes, might make a college reconsider.”

But how would your college even find out about your grades dropping? “Colleges receive an end-of-the-year report from your guidance or college counselor, and they can tell when you took your case of senioritis a bit too seriously,” says Lily Herman, co-founder of The Prospect, a college admissions website. “Colleges take different actions depending on the severity of your grade slippage. Sometimes, if your grade dropped significantly in only one class, the college will put you on academic probation, in which case you’ll need to prove yourself by earning good grades during your first semester. However, an overall drop in grades could very likely result in your acceptance being rescinded.” According to a study by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), colleges say final grades are the reason for revoking admission 68.7 percent of the time.

If it’s too late to reverse a slipping GPA, however, don’t sit around hoping the school won’t notice. Instead, be proactive! “San Diego State University states very clearly on their website that seniors cannot receive below a C in any class, even gym, or they have the right to rescind a student’s acceptance,” says Nicole Gilmore, a student at the school. “Earlier this year, I had a 68 in my calculus class and was freaking out, so I contacted an adviser at SDSU to let them know. It turned out that they were happy I was honest with them instead of trying to hide the grade, so they let it slide.” If worse comes to worst, be completely honest and ask an academic adviser if there’s anything at all you can do to preserve your admission at the school.

2. Break the law

This may seem like a no-brainer, but if you care about enrolling in college, absolutely avoid doing anything illegal—even if you think “it’s a one-time-only thing” or that you’ll “never get caught.” “Suspension for drug or alcohol use might make a college reconsider,” says VanDeVelde.

3. Get in trouble with your high school

School rules should also be treated with extreme caution. “A lapse in judgment or integrity, such as cheating, plagiarism, or any disciplinary action for behavioral issues, might make colleges reconsider,” says VanDeVelde.

Also, be careful of what you post on Facebook and Twitter. “During my junior year of high school, there was a scandal in the senior class involving a Gossip Girl-esque Twitter account,” says Herman. “The colleges of the seniors involved received notices along with the high school's end-of-year report saying that they'd been through a disciplinary hearing and had sanctions brought against them.”

Never give anyone (students, teachers, administrators, or otherwise) a reason to put something on your record. “The seniors’ acceptances were not rescinded, but one or two of the ‘ringleaders’ were put on strict disciplinary probation by their respective colleges,” says Herman. “Basically, if they were caught doing anything wrong or illegal during their freshman year of college, they'd be expelled.”

In the case of college admissions, your high school record is just as important as your criminal record.

4. Go crazy during pre-frosh weekend

If you’re invited to visit the university after your acceptance, display the behavior of someone who deserves to be a student there. Students are a direct reflection of the university they attend, and any misconduct during accepted students (“pre-frosh”) weekend is a red flag in admissions officers’ eyes.

“There can be severe consequences for behaving badly at a pre-frosh or admitted students weekend event,” says Herman. “To some extent, university administration officers are aware that current students will try to get the pre-frosh intoxicated during their stay. But going too far can lead to poor results.” Think about it: does a college really want a student who doesn't even respect the school enough to behave before she is even a student there?

Annie Pei from The University of Chicago saw others make poor pre-frosh weekend decisions before her freshman year. “During my senior year of high school, two or three accepted students got their acceptances rescinded because they drank so much at a party held by one of the frats that they were sent to the ER,” she says.

Rather than be tempted by underage drinking, stick to alternative ways you can have fun and be social during pre-frosh weekend by exploring the campus and the surrounding community. If you do decide to go to a party, stay sober while you dance the night away with your host or pre-frosh posse. The Big Brother eye of the admissions office is still watching over you, so treat admitted students weekends as another phase of the interview process. Disciplinary issues are no joke, so be on your best behavior.

5. Quit your extracurricular activities

Once you’re accepted to college, it’s tempting to trade in the extracurriculars that led to your acceptance for extra hours at the mall with your friends. However, many colleges may require your guidance counselor to submit a short update on your involvement along with your end-of-the-year transcript.

“Extracurriculars aren't usually the only reason that a college rescinds an acceptance,” says Herman. “But combining a general lack of motivation with poor grades could paint the picture that you totally slacked off after getting into college.” Don’t change who you are as a student just because you’re no longer impressing colleges with a resume. Fulfill your commitments in any clubs or groups you’re involved in so you can not only maintain your acceptance, but also leave a legacy at your high school before leaving one at your college!

What to do if you receive a warning

If you’re in trouble with the university, you will most likely first receive a warning letter. Especially in the cases of slipping grades or lack of extracurricular involvement, the school will probably ask you to explain your situation or reasons for a slip-up in academic performance. “If a student experiences a decline in GPA or a disciplinary issue, let the college where you've been accepted know about it with a phone call—the sooner the better,” says VanDeVelde. Avoid excuses and take the responsibility to own up to your mistakes. Explain what you’ve done to solve the issue as well as all that you’ve learned from it. If your drop in performance is due to a difficult family situation or extended illness, you may need to write a letter or submit documentation explaining your situation.

Once you’re accepted to college, don’t let senioritis blow your chances at an incredible four years and a college degree. You’ve worked hard for this long, so keep it up, future collegiette. You’re almost there!

To us collegiettes, there are few things more irritating than chipped nail polish. It always seems like right after we paint our nails, the color immediately starts flaking away, and this struggle is only heightened during the summer. From days at the beach to swimming in pools, it seems like the last thing polish wants to do is stay on your nails. With the help of celebrity nail stylist Whitney Gibson, HC is here to take you through the steps to ensure a long-lasting manicure.

1. Clean your nail beds

The first step to giving yourself a great manicure is to make sure your nails are as clean as possible. According to Gibson, it’s important to remove all the oil and residue from your nails because “oil will cause your polish to streak and chip.” The oil and residue can come from things like natural body oils, oils from creams and moisturizers and remnants of old polish. A simple rinse in the sink isn’t going to cut it!

To really clean your nails, Gibson suggests using a nail cleanser like Sephora’s Formula X Nail Cleanser ($10.50). Just lightly swipe the cleanser onto your nails and it will quickly evaporate, leaving the nails clean and dry. Use this after you’ve removed all your previous polish to really clean your nails.

2. Always use a base coat

Applying a base coat is an essential step because it both protects your nails from the nail polish and helps the polish last longer. “Base coats have special formulas that adhere the polish to them and can prolong your manicure by days,” Gibson says.

Sephora’s Formula X line also carries a superb base coat ($10.50).

3. Apply multiple thin coats of polish

After the base coat dries, apply two thin coats of the polish color of your choice. Thin coats mean less drying time between coats, and they’ll help avoid the dreaded nail polish bubbles that appear if you apply another coat before the first one dries.

“You want to do thin coats because they will dry more evenly and have more flexibility, which will help with chipping,” Gibson says. Make sure to apply polish evenly so there’s no clumping.

4.  Reapply topcoat every three days

Perhaps the most important step to a long-lasting manicure is the final step, the topcoat. “The topcoat is your nails’ last line of defense and will really protect the nails from the tiny hairline cracks that lead to chips,” Gibson says.

Gibson suggests applying a thin layer of topcoat every three days or so to keep your nails looking like new.

Sephora’s Formula X Shine Top Coat ($10.50) is a great choice of topcoat. If you want to purchase Sephora’s Formula X nail cleanser, base coat and topcoat, it comes in a four-step system (including the nail color of your choice) called Formula X’s The System ($32).

5.  Try out a gel manicure

Should you forgo traditional nail polish for gel? “Regular nail polish dries as its solvents evaporate,” Gibson says. “Gel polish will not dry unless it is cured under a UV or LED light.” So what does this mean in terms of pros and cons of gel polish?

The pros

When done right, gel manicures won’t chip for two to four weeks. They’re “perfect for people who travel or just don’t have the time or patience to get a manicure every week,” says Gibson.

Your nails will look super shiny and the gel polish can even be used to extend the nails in a similar way that acrylic nails do.

The cons

To remove gel nails, you either have to file them off, soak them off with acetone or get them taken off by your manicurist. “Because of the semi-permanent nature of the process, removing the gels can be very damaging to your natural nail and can leave your nails weak and thin,” Gibson says.

Her final recommendation is if you want to use gel polish, then you should go to a professional for both application and removal since the process can potentially be very damaging if done incorrectly.

Days at the beach or the pool are no match for these amazing tips for how to achieve a long-lasting mani! Keep them in mind next time you debate going to the salon – learning how to do a killer manicure can save you time and money, which are both precious things for us collegiettes.

It can be a little embarrassing to admit to people that your parents met through an online dating website; after all, despite that fact that a large portion of people date on the web nowadays, it's still considered sort of taboo. But what if your parents meeting online could actually be a perk? The kind of perk that could win you $50,000 in scholarship money?

It turns out Match.com is doing just that. The site just launched the MatchMade Scholarship Contest, which is dedicated to over one million babies that have been "made" by Match (indirectly, of course. Your parents did most of the work...yikes). Yes, you heard us right: Your parents meeting on the Internet (and doing the dirty deed sometime afterwards) can win you an entire year of college tuition. All you have to do is enter the contest by submitting a video in which you recount your parents' Match story, everything from their first messages to their first date to their happily-ever-after ending. Any Match baby between the ages of 13 and 20 is eligible to enter.

So, what do you think, collegiettes? Is this scholarship contest cute or a little... weird? (After all, we don't know anyone who likes thinking about their parents doin' it!) Share your thoughts in the comments!

On Wednesday afternoon, former chief advertising executive Seth Matlins presented Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Lois Capps (D-CA) with his petition on Change.org against overly photoshopped ads.

The petition, titled “Stop Photoshopped Ads from Hurting Our Kids,” encourages the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to pass the Truth in Advertising Act, which is a bill that would require the FTC to create strategies to reduce the amount of excessively photoshopped images in advertisements.

“The act is the outgrowth of something we've been working on for almost three years, and the act is a congressional bill with bipartisan sponsorship that asks the Federal Trade Commission to develop legal framework for ads that drastically change the people in them,” said Matlins in a recent interview with Fashion Times.

In his petition delivery speech on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Matlins claimed that the excessive use of Photoshop in advertisements is making children sick.

“The fact is this… advertising that 'photoshops' the people in it into someone they're not and never can be – is causing an epidemic of false and unrealistic expectations about what our children can and should look like.  Chasing these expectations without ever being able to catch them – because they aren’t real – is in turn creating a widespread emotional, mental, and physical health crisis, one including eating disorders, which have the highest mortality rate of all mental illnesses.”

The petition has already garnered the signatures of almost 30,000 supporters on Change.org. 

So, are we getting closer to the day when we won't open the pages of a major magazine – or turn on our televisions – to find images of wrinkle-less, thigh-trimmed transformations of real women? It may finally be time to see truth in our advertisements, rather than glorified fiction.

How many times have you been casually seeing or constantly texting a guy, but are totally confused as to what he wants? Is he just being friendly? Does he want to continue to hook up, but only if zero strings are involved? Or does he actually want a girlfriend? With so many mixed signals floating around, it can seem impossible to figure out whether or not he’s interested in being your boyfriend. Her Campus talked to some real college guys to help you spot the signals that say he’s just not interested in a relationship (or at least not in one with you).

1. You’ve never met any of his friends.

And, no, running into him at the dining hall and having him reluctantly introduce you to his roommate for two seconds does not count. Greg, a student at New York University, says that if he is considering making a girl his girlfriend, he’s definitely going to introduce her to his best bros beforehand. “My friends’ opinions are really important to me, so, if I’m going to be dating someone, I want to make sure they meet her,” says Greg. “But if I don’t really care about the girl, I don’t really care about her meeting my friends.” If you haven’t met his friends yet, suggest that you all get together one night. If he seems reluctant, it might be a red flag.

2. He only calls you after 2 a.m.

Yes, this seems like an obvious one, but it’s shocking the excuses we make for a guy when we like him, isn’t it? It’s true that college is a crazy busy time and occasionally the only time that works for you two to see each other might be into the wee hours of the night, but it shouldn’t be every time. Let’s face it — no one is busy every minute of every day, right up until 2 a.m. on a Friday night. Daniel, a self-proclaimed “former player” at Florida State University, says that he realized he was finally ready to settle down with a girlfriend when he found someone that he wanted to hang out with when the sun was still out. “I never wanted to sacrifice any of my time doing my own thing for a girl until I met my girlfriend,” explains Daniel. “Even if I just had an hour between work and class, I’d want to see her and would do everything I could to see her.”

3. The deepest thing you know about him is that he has a sister, but you don’t even know her name.

Sure, you spend tons of time together and, yeah, you’re always talking, but about what? If your conversation isn’t going much deeper than your favorite episode of The Office, then you might need to reevaluate the situation. Think about it in terms of your friendships. Who do you value more: your girlfriends who you can tell literally any and every secret to, or your girlfriends who you meet for coffee once every other week to talk about summer internships and the weather? If you guys have been hooking up for a while and he’s still only interested in keeping the conversation light, it could be a sign that he’s not interested in making you his girlfriend.

4. He doesn’t remember any details about you.

I was once dating (and I use that term as loosely as it can be used) a guy for about three months and couldn’t figure out if he was interested in taking things to the next level. The signals he sent out were mixed. I didn’t understand why he was hanging out with me almost every night but froze up whenever the word “relationship” came up. One night we were at a party and it just clicked. He introduced me to one of his friends and said that I would be interning at Vogue that summer. “No,” I responded. “I’m interning at Seventeen.” The fact that he couldn’t remember one of the things I was most proud of (and had been mentioning for months, and had called him about in a fit of excitement upon finding out) was such a red flag. Of course, sometimes people are just forgetful. If he forgets whether you work until 7 or 8 it’s not necessarily an indication that he doesn’t care about you. But when he forgets the big stuff? That might be an indicator.

5. He disappears for weeks at time and then acts like nothing ever happened.

Things will be going great with a guy — you’re texting consistently, hanging out often, and Facebook chatting daily — when all of a sudden he goes totally off the map. It would be an impressive magic trick if it weren’t so annoying and utterly confusing. Do people get busy and overwhelmed, especially in college? Absolutely. But take some advice from Daniel (the “former player” from before), who says that even when he’s crazy stressed, he’ll make time for a girl he cares about. “When I first started hooking up with my girlfriend it was right before finals, so I knew I wouldn’t be able to see her a lot,” he says. “But I still wanted to make sure she knew I cared about her. I let her know that the next few weeks were going to be crazy, but made sure to figure out times we could hang out. Seeing her was the highlight of my stressful week.” When your guy (finally) does return from his stint at who even knows where (seriously…where does he go?), don’t just pretend nothing happened. Of course, saying, “I sent you three texts, four FB chats, and called you twice!” also won’t get you very far. Especially if his Houdini act becomes a regular thing, mention — casually — that it bothers you.

6. He tells you — point blank — that he doesn’t want to be your boyfriend.

I know, I know. This seems so obvious that it doesn’t even deserve to be on this list, right? Unfortunately, even the smartest of collegiettes have found themselves thinking they can change the situation with guys who have said, quite simply, that they’re not interested in being their boyfriends. Hearing those words can be a blow to your confidence, but they are ultimately a blessing in disguise. Don’t see a clear rejection as an opportunity to Jedi mind trick a guy into liking you — see it as a chance to move on from a situation without any questions starting with “what if.”

Both Daniel and Greg agreed that everything is circumstantial (except for a flat out rejection — that only means one thing). Just because the guy you’re seeing forgets you’re a vegetarian or hasn’t introduced you to his group of friends doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not into you. If you find yourself lost in mixed signals, Daniel and Greg agree that it’s fine to pull over and ask for directions. “If you’ve been seeing a guy for a few months and you’re not sure if he wants to be serious, just ask him,” says Greg. “If he hesitates at all, he doesn’t want to be your boyfriend.” Remember: you want a guy that jumps at the chance of being “In a Relationship” with you, not someone you tricked into being your boyfriend after months of guessing games. Sure, all the above things are annoying and potentially selfish on their part, but if you keep giving him chance after chance after chance, you can only share the blame for your heartache if it doesn’t work out. After all, there definitely is a guy out there who wants to hang out with you when the sun is out and won’t wait three weeks to do so.

In the past, my summers could be described with various indulgent captions such as “raspberry-soaked,” “languidly hazy,” or “vibrantly precarious” (the last of which referring largely to an incident involving bridge-jumping in Minneapolis). This summer, however, as an intern in New York City making less than minimum wage—I know, I thought that was illegal, too—I’ve had to step it up a little bit; no more long, lazy seasons for me. My days may be less carefree and my disposable income may be virtually non-existent, but that certainly doesn’t mean that my style has to suffer. Thanks to these five summer staples, broke has never looked so chic (if I do say so, myself).

1. Denim cutoffs

I’m one of those people who is helplessly devoted to DIY, a hobby of which my favorite denim cutoffs are a product. They had a past life as a pair of Levi’s bootcut jeans until I swiped them from the rack at Savers for a cool $5.99, took a pair of sewing scissors and a razor to them, and proceeded to wear them basically every day. Denim cutoffs have the tendency to be way overpriced if you buy them off the rack, so my advice is to follow this article to create a pair in the comfort of your own home. They’re the perfect summer go-to because they basically go with anything and keep you cool when it's uncomfortably hot outside.

2. Pretty sundress

The trick to finding the perfect summer sundress is to focus on the cut of the dress. Once you find one that fits your body type perfectly, then congratulations! You’ve hit a home run. My personal home run came in the form of a birthday present from Madewell (according to the website they don’t carry the exact dress anymore, but this one is a pretty close alternative). It’s magenta, which I can dress down with a denim jacket or dress up with wedges. It doesn’t show too much cleavage but makes my waist look smaller than it actually is, and I throw it into my outfit rotation at least once a week.

3. Ray-Ban Sunnies

After years of losing or breaking ill-fitting sunglasses from Target, when I got to college I decided to become a big girl and buy a pair of Ray-Bans. My aviators are perfect for hiding a face without makeup, making me look way more legit than I actually am, and, obviously, keeping the sun as far away from my eyes as possible. I never leave my apartment without them.

4. White Converse low tops

Running around New York City is not for the stiletto-heeled. On my way to the subway, I wear my Converse, and then slip into heels once I get to the office. They’re one of the top-selling shoes of all time for a reason, and are so comfortable that some days I forego heels all together in favor of these little pieces of canvas sneaker heaven. I have the inclination to buy a new pair every eighteen months or so because mine get so trashed, although my boyfriend makes a point of telling me that you can throw them in the washing machine if you need to. They’re a summer staple because they’re lightweight enough to wear anywhere, go with almost everything in my closet, and prove that basics are probably the coolest things you can wear.

5. Heeled sandals

The perfect pair of heeled sandals will take you a long way. Mine are nude, with a stacked heel and ankle strap. They are actually comfortable enough to wear all day at my internship, even when I’m running around and doing intern-y things like putting together baby strollers (true story). After hours, they’re perfect for going out, and, as a true staple should, jazz up any outfit to make it party-appropriate. I’m not going to lie and say I got them at some super chic boutique in SoHo because, in reality, I got them on sale at Old Navy and have no regrets. They’re currently on sale for $28, so if you want to snatch some up, do it now! If you want a staple that will last you longer than the summer (I admit, mine probably won’t make it past August), I’m obsessed with J.Crew’s version, which will run you $228 but will definitely give you years upon years of pure chic.

What are your summer style must-haves? Tweet at @HerCampus to let us know!

There are few opportunities more exciting than a summer backpacking trip through Europe. Before your journey, it’s important to make sure you’re prepared, but it may seem a bit daunting to know where to begin. Luckily, from lodging to transportation, we’ve got you covered. Check out HC’s travel tips to make sure you make the most out of your summer backpacking experience!

Mapping a route

There are about 50 countries in Europe, so when you’re determining a route, the options are almost endless! If you have no idea where to begin, visit Triptuner. The site provides six basic questions to match you with locations that will best suit your traveling needs. Just specify Europe as your location and slide the “tuners” to adjust the type of trip you are looking for. The site asks questions like: Do you want a relaxing or active trip? A remote or urban destination? A beach or mountain location? After you answer each question, the site suggests locations that match your interests. Triptuner is the perfect starting point to get general ideas for cities you may want to visit.

For more detailed help with route planning, check out Mygola, a site that helps users create custom trips. You can choose a trip from their itineraries and then customize the trip (you can add or delete cities to your heart’s content) to create your dream trip. The site allows you to plan your trip day-by-day, provides the option to book everything you’ve planned right then and there and even gives you the option of asking a travel expert for advice!

When planning, you may wonder if you should hit a different city each day or spend several days in each city. It’s completely up to you! If you spend a short amount of time in many cities, you’ll get to see a ton of different places, but you won’t have time see everything in every city, and you’ll constantly be traveling.

“I felt rushed everywhere,” says Sarah Kahwash, a recent graduate from Kenyon College who traveled to Bristol, London, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Thessaloniki, Paris, Nice and Lille. “Realistically, nobody can exhaust all the wonderful things a city has to offer in a week or less. But my objective was to visit many interesting places, so I went for breadth as opposed to depth.”

Research travel blogs like Bakpak Travelers Guide andTravelettes to read about what others have learned when traveling so you can make the best decisions when planning your own trip. Bakpak Travelers Guide has information on choosing a route, a free downloadable guide about European hostels and two-week trip ideas.

Travelettes, a blog written by young women who have traveled the world—they bill themselves as backpacking in heels, which we really wouldn’t recommend trying—contains posts with what they’ve learned while traveling in Europe, including their take on the best European cities and hotels!

Pre-planned trips

If you decide that you don’t want to plan everything by yourself, consider going on a group trip like those offered from EF College Break or Topdeck.

Going on a group trip will mean you won’t have stress about planning out every detail of your route, and you’ll be traveling on a trip planned by travel experts. “I did a 22-day Europe Unplugged Adventure trip with Topdeck tours,” says Kelly Dood, a junior from St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, Canada, who has backpacked through Europe on her own and with Topdeck. Of her group trip experience, she says, “It is excellent if you love camping and enjoy both the tourist and the real-life experience of the places you visited.”

Budgeting

We didn’t need to go to college to learn that money doesn’t grow on trees (sigh—if only). You may be able to plan the perfect 30-day, 30-country trip, but can you afford it? You’ll need to determine realistically what you can afford.

“I saved about $3,000 for my trips,” says Brooke Kamenoff, a recent graduate from Northeastern University. “I generally spent anywhere from $150 to $550 on weekend trips, which includes flights, lodging, food, etc.​ I went to London, Paris, Lisbon, Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels and Amsterdam.”

Determine your overall budget for the entire trip, and from there, make allotments for transportation, lodging, food, attractions and other expenses. Then, see if you can realistically meet your budget with the travel plans, and adjust accordingly.

“Plan ahead, look for good deals on flights and hotels, buy food at reasonably priced stores and markets, take pictures instead of buying souvenirs,” Sarah advises. “My advice for budgeting trips would be to distinguish clearly between necessities and luxuries. I was willing to spend as much as I needed to feel safe, so when I went for hostels and motels, I tried to research their reputation and surrounding area.”

While traveling, you should also check exchange rates often by tracking them online, as the American dollar can be worth more or less than other currencies from day to day. Avoid currency exchange booths in high-traffic areas, such as airports or bus stations, as these booths tend to offer customers extremely high rates.

“If you are fortunate enough to have a credit card, your best bet is to talk to your provider about the cheapest and easiest way to withdraw cash abroad,” Sarah says. Many banks charge transaction fees or ATM fees in foreign countries, so check with a representative at your bank to find out what fees you may incur while traveling. Some banks have international partners, so you may be able to use a partner bank—whether you use their services or ATMs—without additional fees.

There are also credit and debit cards that do not have foreign transaction fees, like theBank of America Travel Rewards Card,which has no foreign transaction fees, and the Charles Schwab Bankdebit card that rebates all ATM fees. Check out this list ofcredit cards with no foreign transaction fees to see if your card is on the list, and if it’s not but you are planning on doing a lot of foreign traveling over the next several years, consider getting one.

Packing

Packing for a long-anticipated trip through Europe can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be!

For starters, if you’re going to backpack through Europe, you’re going to need a good backpack. “I have a pack I take on hikes with me,” says Erin Appenzoller, a recent Emerson College graduate. “When I backpack through Europe and bounce from hostel to hostel, I like to have that with me. It’s so much easier than trying to travel with a suitcase.”

Erin, who recently spent several weeks backpacking through Portugal and Spain, recommends looking for backpacks at Eastern Mountain Sports, REI and Amazon. Check out REI’s backpack guide for tips on how to choose the right backpack for you.

After you’ve determined what bag to bring, deciding what to put inside of it is another battle in itself, since it’s likely that just the thought of packing light makes you cringe! While you may have enough shoes to fill an entire duffel by themselves, it’s not practical to lug around items that you don’t need.

“There’s no reason to bring a different outfit for every occasion,” Erin says. “Whenever I go away, I always bring a limited number of shirts, pants and shoes, then mix and match.” Last summer, when traveling for two weeks in Europe, Erin brought:

• Two pairs of jeans
• Two pairs of shorts
• Five shirts for daytime
• Three shirts for nighttime
• Two dresses
• Two jackets

“That gave me more than enough options,” she says. Bring clothes that you can mix and match so that you can create different outfits. You’ll also want to check past temperatures for the month you will be traveling to get an idea of what type of weather to expect and pack accordingly.

It might be difficult, but limit yourself to only bringing a few pairs of shoes. You should bring practical walking shoes, a pair of cute yet comfy shoes for going out and a pair of sandals that can double as shower shoes.

As for other necessities, we suggest packing:

• Medications (be sure to bring enough to last your entire trip)
• Makeup
• Toiletries
• Umbrella or raincoat
• Camera
• Outlet adapter

You might want to leave your hairdryer, curling iron or straighter at home, as they tend to be bulky and weigh down your bag. Limit what valuables and electronics that you bring—take only what is absolutely necessary.

Transportation

You’re going to be traveling a lot. Because there are so many different types of transportation available, you should research all your options to ensure you get the best deal when traveling between cities and countries.

Trains

If you want to travel by train, consider buying a country or even multi-country train pass. There are different types of options available, so make sure you determine how much traveling you plan to do in order to buy the type of pass that best fits your needs.

Visit Seat 61 for advice about what type of train tickets you should buy. This site also provides country-specific links so that you can easily find different railway companies in each country you are traveling to.

If you want to do a lot of traveling, you may want to buy a Eurail Global Pass, which provides you with the option to travel between 24 countries in Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey, to name a few. A 15-day youth global pass (for those 25 and under) for continuous travel costs $528, and a monthly pass costs $838. With this ticket, you can travel on trains run by participating railway companies, and while you don’t need to buy any other kind of ticket, on some trains you will need to make a reservation to ensure that you have a seat.

If you are only going to be traveling within one country, you can get a specific pass for that country. For example, an Italy pass starts from $305, Spain starts from $253 and a Benelux Pass starts from $172 for travel between the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium. Eurail also has regional passes for traveling to countries next to each other; tickets vary in price depending how many days you want to travel. You can also get a discounted pass called a SaverPass if you are traveling with friends! The pass allows 15 percent off for adults traveling with two to five other people.

If you want to constantly travel, you should choose a Eurail pass that allows you to travel on consecutive days. If you want to travel every few days, you should choose a Eurail pass with a flexible validity period so you can choose which specific days you want to travel and only pay for the days you do travel.

“The pass was really helpful if we were doing day trips to a couple small cities and towns,” says Kasia Jaworski, a senior at Villanova University who used a Eurail pass when traveling in Italy last summer. “I would take the train up to four or five times a day. I never had to worry about train/bus times or buying a ticket online before and then realizing we weren’t going to make that train/bus. It gave me a ton of flexibility, and it definitely saved me a ton of money!”

Pro: Train passes allow flexibility for constant and spontaneous traveling, so they’re great if you want to be doing a lot of traveling. You also won’t have to waste time going through airport security.

Con: Passes will only save you money if you’re doing a lot of traveling.

Buses

Two reliable European bus lines are Eurolines and Busabout. Eurolines can offer tickets for as low as one euro, and those under 26 receive a discount. The company also has a 30-day pass that offers unlimited rides between 50 cities for 250 to 385 euros depending on the month. With Euroline, you have to book your first destination in advance and then you have the freedom to book as you go, and thus, you can travel at your own pace. Busabout has similar multi-route deals; however, this bus company is slightly less flexible because it requires you to travel along predetermined loops, meaning you have to visit specific cities in a certain order. However, you can stay in each city for as little or as long as you’d like. One trip option is their North loop bus route between France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria for $735.

Pros: A bus is often the cheapest means of transportation from point A to point B. Bus passes are good for seeing a lot of places in a short amount of time.

Cons: Buses are often cramped and uncomfortable, and the cheapest buses tend to only go to the most popular destinations. Buses are the slowest means of transportation (but they’re faster than walking!).

Airplanes

Europe has two great budget airlines that offer round-trip flights for insanely low prices: Ryanair and easyJet. After backpacking throughout Europe, Kelly recommends Ryanair, which offers roundtrip flights for as low as 10 euros!

Since you’ll want to find the best deal out there, compare prices of multiple airlines by using sites like eDreams, KAYAK and Skyscanner. “Keep your eye on flights and set up alerts for when they drop,” Kelly advises. “I’ve had friends get flights from London to Croatia for $0.01 with $9.00 in taxes, so it’s definitely worth the extra time to check.”

While budget airlines may become your new best friend, be aware that budget airlines tend to fly into airports that are located outside city centers, which might actually make it more expensive to fly into them once you add in the cost of transportation from the airport to the city you are going and back again. “My Ryanair flight to Paris flew into an airport that required us to take about a two-hour bus ride just to get into the center city,” says Therese Burke, a sophomore at Saint Mary’s College. “Make sure you plan for transportation from the airport.” 

If you don’t have a specific destination in mind but you know you want to plan a trip, try downloading Adioso, an app that allows you to search flights to “everywhere” that will give you options of the cheapest flights possible to different locations. The app is built for the flexible traveler: for people who don’t have specific dates in mind to travel or where they want to go.

Pros: Airlines are the fastest way to get from point A to point B. Budget airlines make it possible to score cheap flights.

Cons: You’ll usually have to book flights well in advance to get the cheapest deals. Budget airlines tend to have major restrictions on the amount of baggage you can bring, so if your bag is oversized, you may be slammed with additional fees.

Lodging

From staying at a five-star hotel to crashing at a stranger’s house for free, there’s a myriad of different lodging accommodations available for whatever price range you may be looking for.

Hostels

Hostels can be a backpacker’s best friend, as hostels provide travelers with cheap lodging. Use sites like Hostelworld and HostelBookers to find the cheapest lodging options available. Multiple-occupancy rooms (a single room that strangers share that has multiple beds) tend to be the cheapest. Some hostels include a free meal with the price of your room, which can help you save on food costs, too!

“If you’re looking for a cheap place to stay for a night or two, usually in the center of the city, hostels are a good option,” says Sara Splitter, a senior at the University of Notre Dame who’s traveled to Austria, France and Italy. “They can, however, nickel-and-dime you for things like towels and sheets, which is why I would only stay for one or two nights.”

Hostels vary greatly on the amenities that they offer, so research what each hostel offers in advance to make the most of your money. When choosing a hostel, consider:

• Location: Is the hostel located in the center of the city or near other attractions? If it’s on the outskirts of a city, how much would transportation cost to and from the center of the city? Is the hostel in a safe part of the city?
• Security: Are lockers available for you to keep your valuable items safe? Do you have to bring your own lock?
• Linens: Are linens included? If not, how much per night does it cost to rent sheets and towels if you don’t want to bring your own?
• Cleanliness: Pay attention to cleanliness reviews. If you read multiple reviews about cleanliness problems, you may want to consider a different choice (you want to avoid staying somewhere that might have bed bugs or rats!).
• Extras: Does the hostel provide any free meals? Does the hostel have a free city tour? Free Wi-Fi? Is there air conditioning?

While finding a cheap option is probably one of your top priorities, price shouldn’t be the only factor that you consider. “Sometimes the cheapest option isn’t the best option,” Kasia says. “I would definitely recommend spending a little more money for clean, acceptable lodging!”

Airbnb

Airbnbhelps users find a place to stay in 192 countries. It allows people to rent out spaces that they own (the site has over 600,000 available) to travelers for a range of prices. You can find accommodations ranging from an apartment for a night to a villa for a month.

“The personal relationship is awesome,” says Sara, who used Airbnb in Rome, Vienna and Siena. “Your host is nearly always available to answer questions about the city or transportation or restaurants nearby.”

The site has a layer of safety, as both guests and hosts are verified through the site via social networks and official IDs. “Even though I’m crashing in the home of a stranger, I feel safe because of the extent to which the website checks everything out,” Sara says. “The other thing to remember is the host is opening their home to a stranger, so they probably feel just as nervous as you do!” 

Brooke also had a positive experience with Airbnb. “I stayed in an Airbnb with friends where we were in a private room in an apartment with locals,” she says. “They gave us great ideas on what to do and were great resources when visiting the city. They also recommended that we rent bikes in Amsterdam and bike everywhere—it was absolutely one of my favorite experiences.”

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is a site that allows users to become connected with hosts in any country in the world—and the best news is it’s free!

“CouchSurfing basically allows you to create a type of social media profile,” says Avril, a senior at Florida International University who couchsurfed in Spain and Israel. “You can add information and pictures of yourself. No monetary exchange is made during your homestay with the host you chose, and you communicate with the person online before you show up to coordinate duration of stays.”

To stay safe, couchsurf with a friend and take the time to read other users’ reviews on the site and pick hosts who have an established reputation. “What really made me feel safe about the process was that there would be reviews from previous couchsurfer profiles to rate hosts,” Avril says. “I used Google [Maps] to make sure I was in a safe area, and always made sure to have emergency contacts.”

Kelly also used Google to look for additional information about the hosts she was going to stay with. “I always checked the reviews and Googled the families’ names; sometimes newspaper articles would come up about small village news and stuff like that,” Kelly says. “Couchsurfing was a little intimidating at first, but once I stayed with a few people, I definitely loosened up about it. Now I recommend it to everyone!”

Above all, trust your instincts and don’t stay anywhere you don’t feel comfortable. Have a backup plan with a place to stay (such as a nearby hostel) just in case.

WWOOFing

WWOOFing, or World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, is an organization that allows travelers to volunteer to work on a farm in exchange for food and lodging. The length of your stay varies depending on the job and the arrangement you make with your host; some are only for a few days, while others can last over a month.

This is a great option for nature-loving collegiettes, especially in the summer when the weather can be beautiful! Check out this HC article on WWOOFing to learn more.

Safety

While you should be adventurous and get out of your comfort zone while traveling, you should always make sure that safety is still your number one priority. “Don’t walk down alleys at night, but even during the day unless it’s very visible, and don’t accept drinks from strangers,” Kelly advises. 

Erin says safety is her top priority when she looks for hostels. “It’s important to remember you’ll be sleeping in a room with strangers,” she says.

Take advantage of hostel lockers when they’re available to keep your important belongings safe, but definitely leave expensive and sentimental belongings at home. “I bring a really durable key lock to keep my pack safe when I’m in between cities. Then, I lock my pack away in my hostel locker wherever I’m staying,” Erin says.

To stay safe abroad, Sarah says, “I tried not to carry too much cash. As for passports, boarding passes, etc., I kept them in my hand purse so that they were immediately accessible, and I checked they were there before leaving or arriving anywhere.” Be aware of your surroundings, and be especially vigilant for pickpockets in touristy areas.

Make sure to know how to dial the police in whatever country you are traveling in—911 isn’t the go-to number in all countries, so have your country’s emergency contact numbers on hand. If you’re going to be traveling on your own, check out HC’s tips for traveling solo for more tips on how to stay safe when traveling alone.

Exploring

In the end, it’s all about making the most of your Eurotrip. Take more pictures than you think are necessary and break out of your comfort zone—visit cities you’ve never been to before, try food that you’ve never tasted and have a conversation with someone from a culture that you know nothing about!

Don’t be afraid to start conversations with local storeowners, your hostel owner or even other travelers. “Start one [conversation] yourself,” Kelly advises. “I met people through the hostels and at cafes and museums. The hostels always had lounges to watch TV or cook food, and eventually conversations would start up.”

You may be surprised how many interesting people you can meet when traveling, and other travelers are often some of the best resources you can go to for travel advice.

Doing research online ahead of time can help you make the most of the time you have in a city. Stay.com sorts hotels, restaurants and attractions by popularity, price and location. The ones you select get compiled into your own personalized guide, and the site even plots your destinations on a map. USE-IT has guides and maps made entirely by young locals. “It has the best advice for where to eat and what to do when you’re traveling through less popular cities,” Sara says.

Be flexible and, above all, have fun! No matter what curveballs may come your way while traveling, learn from them and go with it. Chances are you will face a roadblock or two—a flight might get delayed, a major attraction might be closed or the hostel you wanted to stay at might be booked—but that doesn’t mean you still can’t have a perfect trip.

“Don’t be afraid to get lost,” Kasia says. “Explore, and if you get lost, you might stumble upon a great restaurant or shop that you wouldn’t have found otherwise! It’s all part of the experience.”

Remember that movie Horrible Bosses? When you actually have one, it seems a whole lot less funny than the movie. Having a boss who yells at you and makes you feel bad every day is hard to deal with. It can be hard to deal with a job where your boss is awful, but you can do it! Here’s how to deal with having a boss who is truly terrible.

1. If you’re nice, he or she may be nice back

It’s really difficult to be nice to someone when he or she is the reason you dread going to work, but it can pay off in making your job a little better. “My boss was actually the rudest woman I've ever met. I didn't quit, but instead reminded myself it was nothing personal and kept my patience with her by being overly nice,” says Sydney, a collegiette at Washington University in St. Louis who dealt with a bad boss. “That way, she couldn't help but be nice.”

Just by putting on a smile and having a positive attitude, you can make your job a bit more bearable and make your boss a little less terrible.

2. Have a one-on-one conversation with your boss

Sometimes your boss is unaware of his or her behavior, so it’s best to bring it up to him or her in a private meeting.

“Power can corrupt, and many people in positions of power don’t realize they are treating their employees badly until it is brought to their attention,” says Colleen, a human resources representative.

Ask your boss if you can have a meeting with him or her and bring up that you feel that you are being treated unfairly. Explain how you feel and that you hope he or she understands that you still want the job, but you would like to be treated a certain way. Be sure to word it gently and respectfully: “I love working here, but I don’t feel I’m being treated nicely. I would love to feel a little more comfortable in this environment.” Most likely, your boss will work towards treating you better.

3. Talk with your boss’s boss

If your talk with your boss doesn’t work out, there’s another option to hopefully changing his or her behavior—talk to your boss’s boss.

“It is a boss’s job to keep their employees happy so they do good work,” Colleen says. “If one employee is unhappy, there are probably several more. If you are having a problem, go to the overall manager and explain your problem. They want what is best for the company and will take action to correct the problem.”

Hopefully after your talk, your boss will act a little nicer, as it now weighs on his or her job!

4. Remember that it’s only temporary

If you’re an intern, a summer can feel like a lifetime when you have to deal with rude bosses. However, it’s only a few short months, and you can make it!

“I stuck it out by just telling myself that I have to do things I don't like in life and that it is just temporary,” says Gabrielle, a sophomore at Georgia State University.

While it may be hard to stick through with it, just remind yourself that you’ll only be at your internship for a little while, and then you can move onto bigger and better things!

5. Keep in mind that you’re there to make money

We all know the point of a job is to make money, and no rude boss is going to make the importance of paying rent go away. Sticking through with a horrible boss can be incredibly difficult, but if you focus on the fact you’ll be able to buy a cute dress at the end of the week with your paycheck, the weeks will go by a bit faster.

“I remember telling myself that the commission was awesome,” says Tiffany, a University of Alabama student, of her own horrible work experience. Just keep imagining all those cute tops you can buy before you quit!

6. Think of the experience

You might need this job on your resume so you can land a better job in the future. Sometimes to get a job you want, you have to deal with the terrible jobs for the experience.

“After a year at a small newspaper making photocopies with my mean boss, I was able to use that experience to get a job at a magazine. It’s the best job ever!” says Savannah, a senior at Syracuse University.

By focusing on the great job you could get after this job, your boss’s attitude won’t seem quite as bad.

7. Reach out to human resources

A strict boss is one thing, but an abusive one is another. If your boss is bullying you, harassing you or making you feel seriously uncomfortable, reach out to human resources at your company and file a complaint. No amount of experience or money is worth dealing with an abusive supervisor.

What if you want to quit?

You don’t deserve to be treated badly, and sometimes quitting may be the best move for you. Your manager bullying you, berating you, harassing you or making you perform tasks that make you uncomfortable are all adequate reasons for leaving. So, if quitting is the only option for you, here’s how to do it:

1. Put in your two weeks notice

Before you can be treated any worse, put in your two weeks; giving time for your employer to find a replacement for you shows that you’re mature and responsible.

2. End on a positive note

“No matter what happens, always try to end on a positive note, because you'll want that employer as a reference!” Tiffany says. Even if you won’t be working at that company anymore, ending on a positive noteis important if you want a reference in the future, which you definitely will!

Having a rude boss is never easy. After reading these tips, though, you should be able to make it through with your head held high! And if you need to quit, don’t be afraid to do it. Either way, have an awesome summer—don’t let anyone (not even a horrible boss) get you down.

We all know that warming up and cooling down are essential for a good workout experience, but what about the things you do before hitting the gym? From eating right to stretching, those few minutes before you power on the treadmill can help you make the most out of your workout. Whether you’re a varsity athlete or a recreational gym girl, keep these tips in mind for the best workout you can have!

1 hour before your workout: Eat right!

Should you eat before working out, or just not eat at all? Should you scarf down a meal or just settle for a small snack? Among the biggest dilemmas we face before working out is the question of how much, when and what we should eat. While your food intake ultimately depends on your own body’s needs and the intensity of your workout routine, make sure you get enough sustenance prior to your workout.

“Never work out on an empty stomach, you won’t have enough energy and you’ll most likely feel sick,” says Jessica John, head personal trainer at the University of Chicago. “About an hour or so before you work out, eat a snack or a small meal, especially one that’s got carbohydrates and protein.”

Carbohydrates, whether simple or complex, give you the energy you need to last through your workout. John suggests stocking up on fruits and grains, both of which are good sources of carbohydrates, as they’re light and provide you with energy. Couple this with protein-rich foods, which help build muscle while keeping you full, and you’re well on your way to a great workout!

“What I have found works for me before any kind of workout is having Greek yogurt,” says Kelsey Damassa, a 4-time half-marathon and Boston marathon runner and recent grad of Boston College. “If I don’t have Greek yogurt lying around, some other good pre-workout snacks are bananas with one teaspoon of peanut butter, toast with peanut butter, or a protein bar.”

30 minutes before your workout: Hydrate!

Drinking enough water, as we all know, is essential to maintaining good health during a workout. But instead of replenishing as you go, make a point of hydrating before your workout as well!

Generally, one glass of water prior is enough to get you started. While you want to make sure you’re well-hydrated, you also want to make sure that you don’t over-drink, which can leave you feeling bloated. Depending on the intensity of your workout, you may want to adjust the amount of water you take in before diving into any physical activity, so long as you can strike a balance between too little and too much liquid.

For those of you looking for a little more flavor for your pre-workout beverages, there are also options for you! While water serves as a staple for any workout, it doesn’t hurt to try new recipes that give you the same hydration factor, but with a little more oomph.

“Hydrating is all about getting those electrolytes, and there’s definitely a few healthy ways to go about this,” says John. “Smoothies with vegetables are great. There are tons of recipes you can check out that will fill you up and give you enough electrolytes for your workout.”

But, John cautions, try to stay clear of energy drinks like Gatorade and Powerade. They may offer the necessary electrolytes for you to stay hydrated, but they also come with their own pitfalls.

“What a lot of people don’t notice with energy drinks is that they’ve got so many calories. This means that you won’t be burning as many calories as you would like to and, in fact, you’re actually going to end up with an excess of unburned calories in your body.”

15 minutes before your workout: Get dressed!

No matter how intense your workout routine is, never neglect to wear proper workout attire for your activities. Before you step out the door, make sure you’ve selected workout gear that is comfortable and sensitive to your body’s needs!

Breathable shirts and shorts are good choices, along with tanks and sports bras that give enough support. Stretchy materials also allow for movement and breathability, letting you push and extend your muscles enough to fully exercise.

“Something else that you may want to look into is moisture wicking shirts,” adds John. “Cotton shirts really trap sweat, which doesn’t allow you to cool down as much, but with wick shirts you can really get that cooling effect.”

Most sportswear brands carry moisture wicking shirts, which usually cost around $20-$60. If you’re a fan of moisture wicking fabric, it’s also possible to buy tanks, shorts, and jackets within the same price range, all of which allow your body to breathe and cool down as much as you need it to.

But comfort aside, the right selection of workout attire can also prevent injuries from popping up in the long-run. For instance, a good pair of shoes can save your heels and knees from sustained injury. So when you next shop for workout attire, it doesn’t hurt to research products you’re interested in or, if you’re in the store, don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Though it’s easy to dress for a workout, it’s still worth the time to think about what clothes will give you the most moving and breathing space. You may not need to have a closet-full collection of yoga pants and running tanks, but ensuring that you have suitable options for every routine you plan will let you feel your best going through it!

10 minutes before your workout: Stretch out!

You probably incorporate some stretches into your warm-ups and cool-downs, but having a set stretching routine is essential for making sure that your muscles are well-prepared for the task at hand. To prevent any serious injuries, put in a solid few minutes, even before you warm up, dedicated solely to stretching out.

Stretching relaxes your muscles, leaving you much more able to move around as opposed to having tight muscles, which restrict movement. What’s more, stretching before a workout also decreases your chances of pulling or, worse, tearing a muscle, a risk that increases the tighter your muscles are.

“I always spend five minutes stretching before I run, mainly focusing on my legs and torso,” says Kelsey. “[So think] quad stretches, ankle rolls, hip openers, and torso twists.”

Depending on your workout, be sure to concentrate on other parts of your body as well. Back, side, and shoulder stretches will also help reduce the chance of injury while you work out. But like any physical warm-up, make sure you don’t push yourself too hard! Overstretching also leaves your muscles at risk of injury so stretch out, but be gentle.

2-3 minutes before your workout: Get in “The Zone”!

Physical preparation for a workout may be important, but having the right mentality before hitting the gym will help just as much in letting you get the most out of your workout. In order to achieve the intensity level you want, take some time to motivate and inspire yourself prior to exercising.

Kelsey suggests going through your playlist and selecting one “pump up” song for the occasion that will get you into the mindset of working out. While the song choice is completely in your hands, try listening to something upbeat and fast rather than a slower song, which could mellow you out. Not sure which song to pick? Look around fitness websites like FitSugar where you can find music suggestions along with workout tips.

But most of all, make sure to also take the time to evaluate your workout objectives. Before the workout even begins, set your own personal goals and consider how you’re going to achieve them. Visualize your routine in your head, go through the motions, and mentally tell yourself how you will go about your workout. That way, you’ll be in the right mindset by the time you begin.

Being well-prepared before any sort of physical activity can really help you settle in to your workout, leaving you satisfied long after you’ve finished your cool-down. The right food, drink, gear, muscle preparation and mentality will let you maximize the intensity of your workout while still remaining comfortable. Keep these tips in mind, prepare well and we guarantee you’ll get the most out of your next trip to the gym!

If humor is a sign of intelligence, these graduating seniors are definitely going places. Check out these 11 hilarious yearbook quotes! 

1. 

Truly iconic.

2.

We couldn't agree more.

3.

Well, at least she's honest!

4. 

Inspiration can be found in the strangest of places (and people). 

5. 

An adorable celebrity throwback and a hilarious senior quote in one!

6. 

There are few quotes more inspirational than this one.

7. 

We all knew this kid in high school.

8. 

This girl is asking the hard-hitting questions.

9. 

Mean Girls quote for the win!

10. 

Kid's got game.

11. 

Matching sibling quotes from our favorite pair of TV siblings.

Your time of the month has come and gone with no signs of a visit from good old Aunt Flo. If you’ve already ruled out pregnancy, you’re probably wondering what the deal is. Before you have a full-blown freak-out, know that plenty of girls experience missed periods—scientifically known as amenorrhea—for a variety of reasons. The most important thing is to figure out what the cause is behind your missed menstruation and to get your body back on track as soon as possible. We talked to Dr. Traci Brooks, Director of Adolescent Health Services at Cambridge Health Alliance, to get the scoop. Here are some of the most common reasons why collegiettes tend to miss their periods.

1. Increased Stress

If you have been going through a stressful few weeks (maybe you just started a new job or internship) and your period seems to have disappeared, it could be due to a temporary bout of increased stress. A collegiette at Hiram College knows all too well how stress can affect the regularity of menstruation. She explains, “I get on a roll with taking a lot of classes and planning the future that it wears me out sometimes. I’ve been doing full semesters year-round to finish my B.A. and I have trouble relaxing, so my period will be delayed occasionally. It makes me nervous when that happens, especially if I just spent some ‘quality time’ with a guy, so I’ve started keeping track of my periods. I think my body has gotten used to my crazy schedule, so my periods are fairly regular now.”

Dr. Brooks explains, “Stress hormones, like cortisol, are overproduced, and this keeps the brain from producing the necessary hormones, making it so ovulation and the subsequent production of estrogens and progesterones do not occur.” Basically, without the appropriate hormones, no menstruation will occur.

Once stress levels are back to normal, menstruation usually will return relatively quickly, either delayed by a couple of weeks or an entire cycle. Dr. Brooks has seen many cases where patients report getting their menses back as soon as the main stressor is lessened. And don’t let the stress of not getting your period stress you out even more! Check out these 10 ways to reduce stress so you can stay calm.  

2. Excessive Weight Loss

Losing too much weight for your body type can cause you to miss your period. How much is too much weight? Dr. Brooks explains, “Weight loss of more than 10% of ideal body weight can cause amenorrhea.” So if your ideal body weight is 130 pounds, losing 13 pounds could put you at risk for missing your period.

A person’s ideal body weight depends on a multitude of factors including age, height, skeletal structure, and metabolic rate. It sounds complicated because it is. However, using one’s body mass index (BMI) is a great way to determine one’s ideal body weight. BMI is calculated by weight in kilos divided by height in meters. An ideal BMI ranges between 18.5 and 24. Dr. Brooks suggests another rough estimate for ideal body weight, which consists of measuring your height and using 100 pounds for the first five feet, then adding an additional five pounds for each additional inch. Using this method, a 5’3” woman would have an ideal body weight of 115 pounds.

 Dr. Brooks also warns that women tend to be nutritionally deficient if they are losing too much weight. She explains, “When a woman is at a nutritional deficit, she generally has a low fat intake, which can lead to decreased body fat mass, resulting in amenorrhea.” According to the Center for Young Women’s Health at the Boston Children’s Hospital, this is generally why individuals with anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or other disordered eating tend to have amenorrhea.

It truly depends on the individual when it comes to menses returning. The best way to determine your unique situation is to seek a doctor’s opinion. However, Dr. Brooks does emphasize that women are more likely to lose menses with quicker weight loss than weight loss that takes place over a longer period of time.

3. Excessive Weight Gain

In the same way that excessive weight loss causes amenorrhea, so can excessive weight gain. Dr. Brooks explains, “Too much weight gain can cause excess estrogen storage in fatty tissues which then gets partially converted by the body to androgens which can cause thinning of the uterine lining and decreased ovulation.” Additional side effects of excessive weight gain include acne, increased facial and body hair, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The easiest way to bring back your menstrual cycle is to simply lose any excess weight, so that you reach your ideal weight. Meeting with a nutritionist or dietician would be ideal to ensure that you are going about the weight loss in as healthy a way as possible. These 10 tips for healthy weight loss can also help you get going in the right direction.

Again, there is no exact formula as to when your period will return so the best thing to do is to seek your doctor’s professional opinion based on your particular situation.

4. PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (known as PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that usually manifests itself once a woman begins menstruating. Like the name suggests, PCOS is characterized by small cysts in the ovaries and occurs due to an imbalance in the female sex hormones. Women living with PCOS typically have irregular menstrual cycles, excess hair growth or acne, and are often overweight. PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women and according to a study by Dr. Robert Barbieri and Dr. David Ehrmann, accounts for approximately 20 percent of cases of missed periods. In most of these cases, women experience oligomenorrhea, where they get their period infrequently, usually 4-6 times a year.

If you think you might have PCOS, there are three signs to look for. The first criterion is known as hyperandrogenism, which manifests itself as acne or excessive hair growth. The second criterion is missing your period and the third criterion is polycystic ovaries, which can only be discovered through an ultrasound. If you suspect you may have PCOS, see a gynecologist to get checked out.

5. Over-exercising

An excessive increase in exercise typically has a similar effect on your menstrual cycle as excessive weight loss. This is because over-exercising usually is one of the causes behind weight loss of more than 10% of an individual’s ideal body weight. Dr. Brooks labels the effects of increased exercise and excessive weight loss as the “female athletic triad,” which consists of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis/osteopenia.

There are certain kinds of exercise that increase the risk of not getting your period. Women who participate in long distance running, ballet, gymnastics, and figure skating tend to experience what is known as athletic amenorrhea. Dr. Brooks explains, “Exercises that really emphasize body type and small size are known to cause amenorrhea. Crew has also been known to be a problem, but really any exercise that gets a woman’s body mass down more than 10% is an issue.”

If you are a college athlete, a marathoner, or just like getting your sweat on, there are things you can do to help regulate your period. Dr. Brooks suggests maximizing calcium and vitamin D intake. She also advises, “Athletes should be followed by a physician routinely as well as have a bone density scan and consequent program created for them.”

6. Chronic Illness

Women with certain chronic illnesses are more likely to experience irregular or missed menstrual periods due to low weight or a flare in illness. Dr. Brooks shares that diseases such as Crohn’s disease, diabetes, ulcerative colitis, lupus, cystic fibrosis, sickle disease, and certain types of cancer are likely to affect a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Harper from The College of William & Mary experienced amenorrhea while having mono. She recalls, “Back in high school I had a bout of mono and for like 3-4 months afterward I didn't have a period. The doctors were drawing a lot of blood out of me for testing since the mono had affected my liver. I'm also borderline anemic and had a lot of infections that summer due to my weakened immune system. It was a really huge mess.”

So, if your period is usually regular but then you come down with something like mono and it disappears, it may just be a matter of waiting until your immune system is back on track to know if the sickness is the culprit. However, if you have a chronic illness that’s causing you to miss your period frequently, then talk to your doctor or a gyno about ways to regulate it.

Seeking Treatment

If you have irregular periods or just out of the blue stopped getting it and are unsure of the cause, definitely make an appointment to see your doctor. In fact, even if you think you know the cause, make an appointment because you could be experiencing other serious side effects like decreased bone density. Your regular doctor and your gynecologist are both trusted options, so Dr. Brooks suggests choosing whichever doctor you feel like you have a more established relationship with. According to Dr. Brooks, the long-term effects of amenorrhea include osteopenia (decreased bone density), osteoporosis (thinned bone) and stress fractures from having low estrogen levels. If amenorrhea goes untreated for too long, infertility might arise as a serious problem, so it is best to take care of the issue before it worsens.

Once the cause is identified, treatment is generally simple. According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, the type of treatment depends upon the cause. Some common forms of treatment include changing exercise patterns, seeing a nutritionist, talking with a counselor about stress, or hormone treatments involving progesterone, estrogen, or birth control pills.

No matter what your situation turns out to be, know that there are other collegiettes experiencing the same thing and with treatment, your period can return back to normal.

6 things you didn’t know about The Little Mermaid. [YourTango]

This is the definition of a Tinder fail. [Total Frat Move]

16 things every girl forgets to thank her brother for. [Thought Catalog]

Someecards that only your BFFs would understand. [TresSugar]

Wine and cheese pairing 101. [Spoon University]

America’s moststressed states. [Newser]

17 things you didn’t know about McDonalds. [BuzzFeed]

Why the student loan market is absolutely insane. [Businessweek]

100 things straight, white females like. [BroBible]

Why is toilet paper always white? [Today I Found Out]

Our favorite childhood cartoon (and our parents' cleaning utensil of choice), SpongeBob had an infectious personality that was as genuine as it was annoying. He taught us how to be a good friend and 100 ways to irritate our next-door neighbor. Though our days spent watching this hilarious series have passed (okay, maybe not completely... ), we've learned many valuable lessons from this children's show that remain relevant to our adult lives today. Get ready for the nostalgia (and maybe the feels) as we take you through 12 of our spongy friend's best life lessons.

1. Always own up to your mistakes and prepare to face the consequences.

SpongeBob: Squidward… I used your clarinet to unclog my toilet!

2. Believe in the power of “mind over matter” (even if it fails you sometimes).

SpongeBob: [thinking] I don't need it. I don't need it. I definitely don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need it.

[pause]

SpongeBob: [shouts] I... need... it!

3. Be prepared for any challenge and let your confidence resonate.

Patrick: Who's ready?

SpongeBob: I'm ready!

Patrick: Who's ready?

SpongeBob: I'm ready!

Patrick: Who's ready?

SpongeBob: *I'm ready!*

4. Make your own happiness and don’t let the judgment of others discourage you from doing what you love.

Squidward: SpongeBob is the only guy I know who can have fun with a jellyfish… [shouting] for 12 hours!

5. Strive to be the person that makes the world a better place.

Mermaid Man: Now, who wants to save the world?

Spongebob: I do!

Patrick: I do!

Sandy Cheeks: I do!

Squidward: I don't.

6. Live life with a sense of fascination for the little things.

SpongeBob: [in a mattress store] Wow, look at all these mattresses! How many do you think here are?

Patrick: [looks around the store] 10.

SpongeBob: Cool.

7. Know what you want in life and be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it.

SpongeBob: Hi, Kevin. I'm your biggest fan.

Kevin the Sea Cucumber: That's nice. Security!

SpongeBob: No, no! I'll do anything you want!

Kevin the Sea Cucumber: Go jump off a building.

[SpongeBob jumps off building, returns]

SpongeBob: Anything.

Kevin the Sea Cucumber: Punch yourself in the face.

[SpongeBob punches himself with a boxing glove]

Kevin the Sea Cucumber: Doesn't that hurt?

SpongeBob: [Puts on a metal gauntlet with spikes] Do you want it to hurt, Kevin?

8. Lesson: Remember your manners, especially in unpleasant situations. 

Spongebob: Excuse me, sir, but you’re sitting on my body, which is also my face.

9. Ignore cruel and negative people and help your friends do the same.

Patrick: Are they laughing at us?

Spongebob: No, Patrick. They’re laughing next to us.

10. Optimism does wonders for dealing with brick walls.

SpongeBob: Isn’t this great Squidward? It’s just the three of us. You, me, and this brick wall you built between us.

11. Respect other people’s differences, even if they don't make sense to you.

Squidward: Do you have to stand so close? You’re making me claustrophobic!

Patrick: What does claustrophobic mean?

Spongebob: I think it means he’s afraid of Santa Claus.

Patrick: Ho, Ho, Ho!

Spongebob: Stop it, Patrick! You’re scaring him!

12. Cherish every moment of your life.

SpongeBob: You never really know the true value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.

What do you think was the best SpongeBob quote? Tell us in the comments below!

Dads are great in so many ways, one of which is being able to come up with the corniest jokes imaginable. In honor of Father's Day, here are 13 of the greatest groan-worthy dad jokes!

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It was 2007, I was 17, and I had just started my senior year of high school. I was starting to think about my SATs and which colleges I wanted to apply for, and I was also looking forward to another year of competing in my area’s beauty pageants and going to prom.

I was only a few months into school when I woke up one morning and couldn’t feel the right side of my body. I thought that it was just a pinched nerve, so my parents took me to see a chiropractor. However, after a few days, it still hadn’t gone away; it was actually getting worse, and I was really worried.

After a month of seeing doctors and a lot of tests, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, or MS. I had no clue what MS was, and when I searched online, all the information was pretty scary. I could end up in a wheelchair, go blind or lose some of my brain function.

Once I was diagnosed, I started seeing a neurologist and he gave me more information about MS. I learned that it’s a disease that affects the part of the body called the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. My neurologist told me that the cells in my body that usually keep me healthy were getting confused and were attacking the coating that protected the nerves in my brain, which is called myelin. Beyond the initial numbness, I would later experience a number of different symptoms, which would come and go, including difficulty moving my legs and hands, issues with walking, extreme fatigue and migraines. At one point early on, I wasn’t able to write because of difficulty holding a pencil. These symptoms would be unpredictable, and they would continue throughout my life. I was told that no two people with MS have the same experience—the disease manifests itself differently in each and every person who has it. I was put on an injection treatment, and while my MS couldn’t be cured, the treatment could help slow down my disease.

I went through a huge depression after I was diagnosed with MS. I didn’t know how I could go on and do the things that I loved. During this time, I was accepted to Newberry College and had already sent off my forms to save a dorm room. But I had no idea if I would even be able to go to college with my MS.

A lot of everyday stuff became hard. There were days when my MS caused me to feel so tired that I’d need help getting around the house after a long day of school, but I learned to work around it, and eventually it became another routine. What really ended up getting me through was competing in beauty pageants. I was still competing when I was diagnosed, and once the numbness on the right side of my body wasn’t as bad, I started to feel well enough to keep competing. I used my personal experiences and struggles with MS as my platform during beauty pageants as a chance to help raise awareness about the disease. I learned through my journey that a lot of people didn’t know what MS was or why I was changing because of it. I had to educate my friends, teachers and family.

With MS as my platform that year, I won Miss Union, a scholarship pageant through Miss South Carolina and Miss America that promotes giving back to the community and helps young women with college scholarships through service.

It was easier once I had my support network in place, but going to college the next year was still really daunting. I was scared by the idea of moving away from home. With my MS, I could have relapses; those days were hard, but I also knew it was something that I could get through with my parents and my friends right there. Still, when I graduated high school, I wanted to give college a try because all my friends were going away and I didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity.

Like most schools, Newberry had a week-long orientation for the incoming freshman class, and this was the first time I would be away from home. Because the first day of orientation started on a day when I had to take my injection medication, I needed to stay with my parents—that way my parents could monitor any effects of the treatment (it often gave me a flu-like feeling) and made me feel safer, since this would be the first time taking my injection away from my home. I found the hardest days were around when I took my treatment. I would feel like I was coming down with a cold–very achy and tired. Being with my parents those first few days definitely meant that I missed out on a lot of the experiences from orientation. 

My roommate was a girl who went to high school with me, so she knew about my MS already; that made things a bit easier. During that first night at college, after orientation and after my parents left, I had to take my injection and it made me very sick. I thought, “How am I going to live a college life if I’m sick all the time?” That first week without my parents was hard, but I eventually got settled. Like in high school, I developed a routine and started to focus on the positive things – I was in a new place with new people, and I wanted to join in and do everything.

Because stress is one of the main triggers for my MS and can cause me to be severely fatigued or have numbness in my limbs, it took time for me to adjust to college life in general. I had a new schedule of classes, I had around-the-clock social activities and I was living in a dorm, not at home. I made a group of friends who knew about my MS, and they were super supportive. Seeing how understanding they were of my MS and how supportive they were when I had to deal with my injections or symptoms was awesome.

I was also fortunate that Newberry College was close enough to home so that I could still have the support from my family, but it wasn’t too close. It was a good balance for me, and looking back, having home so close made me feel better about everything.

That first year I joined a sorority, Sigma Sigma Sigma. My sisters became my family away from home. There are three sororities at Newberry, and they are all filled with great women. It was difficult during recruitment week to decide where I wanted to go, but what stuck out about Tri Sigma was that I felt immediately like I was ‘home,’ that this was where I needed to be. Being part of a community made my college experience more fulfilling. My sorority opened me up to a new world of volunteering and getting involved with the community. My sorority sisters also supported me in my pageants, which I still didn’t want to give up.

Throughout my four years of college, I had a couple of minor MS relapses, but I remember very clearly one really major relapse during my sophomore year. It was hard for me to walk at one point, but I was able to get around with the help of my friends and sisters. During this time, it was very important for me to take care of my physical and mental health. I learned a lot about myself and my new limitations with MS, but I also learned how to work around these limitations and what I could still do or accomplish.

For example, I might not be able to train for a half marathon, but I could still go out dancing with friends every once in a while or do other types of exercises. It was all about balance for me and my MS. It was also very helpful for me to have open conversations with my neurologist to make sure that I was on the right treatment for me. Because of those conversations, in 2009, my neurologist put me in a clinical trial for a once-daily oral therapy, Aubagio. I have been on that treatment ever since and it has helped me manage my MS in a way that works for me.

In my senior year, it was a great honor for me to win Miss Newberry College, an annual pageant that allows women to showcase their self-confidence and talents as well as show support for their fellow competitors. Each year, Miss Newberry College has the opportunity to go on to compete in Miss South Carolina. When I started college, I had no idea if I could even get through all four years, but I did and I was still able to do what I was passionate about. It was such a great personal achievement! With college coming to an end, it was time for me to think about my next move–-not only as a person living with MS, but also as a soon-to-be young professional in the working world. 

What I decided was that I wasn’t going to let my MS define me. I still wanted to be active in the community and also find a job that meant something important to me. I now work as a sixth-grade English teacher for Newberry Middle School. I’m still involved with volunteer work with my sorority as an advisor, and I’ve also found a lot of support in the MS community and have become a patient advocate.

College was hard, but I have to say that having MS really helped me determine whom I was and what I wanted to do in a way that I couldn’t have ever imagined. It really showed me what I could accomplish and challenged me in a way that has helped for my life after college. It made me realize that I am more than my MS!

Do you have a story to share? Submit your story to Her Story! 

Moving day can be summed up in three words: hectic, awkward, and exciting. You’ll definitely get your workout in for the day by carrying all of your awesome new dorm décor from your car to your new home away from home. You’ll also be bombarded with all kinds of information, and, in the span of only a few hours, meet tons of new people—one of whom will be your roommate. Get prepared for living with your new roomie by getting answers to some of these basic questions before stepping foot on campus or in the dorm.

1. What are you bringing for the room?

This is one of the most important questions to ask your roomie before you move in. You wouldn’t want to arrive on moving day to find out you and your roommate are now the proud owners of two microwaves and no mini fridge! Make sure to coordinate well in advance to make sure one of you isn’t stuck buying and bringing most of the big-ticket items like a fridge, microwave, TV, rug, or mirror, as well as double-check to make sure you won’t have duplicate items. This planning is super important, as many dorms restrict the number of large items you can keep in one room. Keep in mind that space will also be limited in the dorm, so you won’t want two fridges, even if there’s no official rule limiting the number of items per room.

2. Is anyone coming with to help you move in? What time will you be there?

It’s also a good idea to coordinate move-in schedules. If one of you is short a set of hands or needs help carrying in large items, you might want to see if you and your new roommate can help each other out and move stuff in together. If you’re planning to bring the whole fam with you to help set up your new space, you might want to make sure a large group won’t be in the way of anyone your roommate is bringing with her. Touch base and find out when and who will be helping your roommate move in, and share the same information with her to ensure you won’t have a mini traffic jam in your room or the hallway.

3. What are you thinking in terms of dorm décor?

Make sure to talk to your roommate before you hit the stores to find all kinds of awesome dorm decor to fill your room with. Find out if she was planning on or interested in coordinating colors or patterns. It’s also smart to discuss whether one of you has anything large or bulky you’re planning on bringing that could take up a lot of space, like a large poster or an extra chair or futon.

4. Did you do any clubs or activities in high school?

Discussing past activities and interests will help you and your roomie figure out if you have any common interests that could translate to college. You were both debaters? Awesome—you just found someone to go check out your college’s team with! It’s also an easy, no-pressure question that can help you two break the ice and get to know each other better.

5. Are any of your friends going here?

Meeting people through your roommate is a great way to start broadening your social circle in college, especially early on in the year. Find out if she knows anyone she could introduce you to, and be willing to do the same if you know others at your college or university. Asking a question like this is also an easy way to find out whether or not your roommate plans to use the room often for socializing, and then you can discuss any potential issues or problems that might crop up as a result.

6. How do you picture us using the room?

It’s always a good idea to set boundaries to make sure both of you get to enjoy your dorm the way you hoped to. Most collegiettes do a mix of hanging out, studying, and sleeping in their dorm rooms. Work together with your roommate to figure out if there are times when one or both of you would prefer to keep the room as a study space, as well as how comfortable you are with the room being a spot for a group to gather or relax in. You also might want to bring up topics like how often and how late you’re comfortable having friends in the room, as well as what you plan to do if a guy wants to stay the night. Bringing this subject up early on can help you avoid potentially messy situations down the road. Make sure you also discuss whether or not you’re comfortable letting the other person use your stuff, and how you’ll handle the situation if something goes missing or gets broken.

7. How do you like to study/sleep/relax?

It’s also a good idea to discuss in detail how the two of you prefer to go about day-to-day activities. After all, the dorm room you’re sharing will be your home for the next nine months on campus. Clarify things like whether or not you need music or white noise to fall asleep to, whether or not noise and distractions are acceptable when studying or if quiet is preferred instead, and how comfortable the two of you are with overnight visitors on weeknights. Don’t be afraid to be honest about how you prefer things, and set up the expectation that both of you will stick to what you’ve shared and agreed to set as room rules.

8. Know any cool campus secrets or traditions?

Instant roomie bonding alert! Find out if your roommate is as excited as you are to partake in some crazy freshman orientation tradition, rub or touch the lucky object on campus, go try some other cool tradition, or check out a hot spot near the school. It’s an easy way to continue getting to know your roommate, especially in the first few days when the two of you won’t know many other people on campus yet. Having something fun planned also gives you something to look forward to and can ease some of the pre-move-in or pre-college jitters!

9. Is there anything that can’t be in the room?

Get the year off to an excellent start with your new roommate by clarifying whether or not there’s anything one or both of you are absolutely not comfortable with having in the room, or can’t have in the room for medical reasons. For example, if your roommate is allergic to peanuts, you probably shouldn’t be whipping up a PB&J every day in the dorm. It’s hard to get used to living with someone else who has a totally different idea of what’s acceptable and what’s not in such a personal space, so make sure you’re clear about what you absolutely cannot tolerate. (Be polite about it, though! Your roommate is more likely to agree with your preferences if you ask nicely and explain why each one is important to you.)

10. Should we put any of this in writing after arriving?

If you’ve found a lot of points where you disagree, especially about important things like visitors in the room, overnight guests, cleanliness, or sleeping habits, it might be a good idea to write out a roommate contract. Some schools even require students to complete one, so make sure to check in with an RA once you’ve arrived to discuss contracts if your dorm requires one.

Your dorm room is a small but key part of your time at school. It’s important that it remains a space you feel comfortable and welcome in at any time. Working through these 10 questions right away will clear the air and make sure the both of you are proud to call the dorm your own!

When you’re scrolling through your Twitter feed (and thinking this), there are probably a few characters who catch your attention – and we’re not talking about the 140 that make up a tweet! Just like a family reunion, no Twitterverse would be complete without a few nuts. Although not all Twitter feeds are made equally, there are a few classic categories that most tweeters fall into. Here are the nine tweeters you definitely follow!

1. The Boyfriend-Obsessed Tweeter

“I’m so lucky to call this guy my boyfriend. I love you babe!! #hesakeeper #blessed”

As you would expect, The Boyfriend-Obsessed Tweeter tweets solely about her man, with a few romantic quote retweets thrown in for good measure. While a tweet here and there about your significant other is perfectly acceptable, this tweeter takes her (virtual) affections to a level that some would consider unhealthy. When the couple calls it quits, it’s best to stay away from Twitter for a while, as you’ll soon have an Emotional Tweeter taking over your feed (see number two).

2. The Emotional Tweeter

“You’re supposed to have my back, not stab me in it. #done”

When anything at all dramatic happens in the life of The Emotional Tweeter, you’re going to be the first to hear about it. If this person goes through a bad breakup, watch out, because your Twitter feed is guaranteed to be flooded with emotional song lyrics, angry subtweets and retweets of photos with captions like, “#ThisCouldBeUsBut you’re a tool.”

3. The Party Animal

“Bout 2 go hard tonight with the crew! #turndownforwhat”

Not only does this person enjoy drinking copious amounts of alcohol and throwing Project-X-style ragers, she loves tweeting about her exploits even more. For The Party Animal, every night is a Friday night. You’re likely to see this person excitedly tweeting about all the booze she’s about to consume, saying “turnt up” as much as possible and, of course, crafting unintelligible drunk tweets in the wee hours of the morning.

4. The Fitness Fiend

“My legs are killing me after doing all of those reps yesterday, but I’m back on that gym grind. #motivation #fitness”

Fitness fanatics love to tweet about three things: getting ready to go to the gym, being at the gym and leaving the gym post-workout. With their healthy meals, sweaty gym pics and motivational fitness quotes, these tweeters will make you think twice about spending the day in bed watching Catfish marathons. They may be obsessed, but we have to admit that their tweets secretly motivate us to get our butts to the gym (after one more episode).

5. The Oversharer

“My class starts in 15 minutes, but I’m debating going home to take a nap because I got literally no sleep last night, ugh. #decisions”

For The Oversharer, “can’t stop, won’t stop” is basically her motto when it comes to tweeting. This person is the Holden Caulfield of the Twittersphere; her tweets are like a stream of consciousness, detailing everything that she says, does or thinks at every moment of every day.

6. The Subtweeter

“Honestly, some people just need to get over themselves... #truth #selfobsessedmuch”

Ah, The Subtweeter. Much like The Emotional Tweeter, this person directs her anger into passive-aggressive tweets about people who have double-crossed her. She never comes out and directly says who she’s talking about, but most of her friends (and the object of the subtweets) know who it is anyway. It’s the modern way of talking behind someone’s back, but for the whole Twittersphere to see.

7. The Overly Enthusiastic Tweeter

“OMG this is the BEST NIGHT EVERRRRR!! JJJ<3 <3 #girlsnight #partyhard #happytweet”

The Overly Enthusiastic Tweeter is instantly recognizable from her use of excessive hashtags, countless emojis and sentences composed of entirely capital letters. In the midst of an otherwise dull Twitter feed, her loud, colorful tweets stand out because she’s just REALLY EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING, OKAY?!!

8. The Personal Brander

“Make sure to check out my blog and find me on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+!”

The Personal Brander has a tendency to confuse Twitter with LinkedIn. Between constantly tweeting and retweeting higher-ups in her industry and plugging her blog or online portfolio like crazy, The Personal Brander can make you feel like you’re following a business instead of a person. We’re all for personal branding, but when it comes to tweeting, moderation is key.  

9. The Comedian

“If making eye contact with a guy while trying to lick soup off your sweater is flirting, then yeah, I’m really good at flirting.”

The comedian is one of the most entertaining tweeters to follow, because her tweets are always good for a laugh in the middle of your boring 8 a.m. lecture. When Miley Cyrus’s VMA performance took over the Twittersphere, this was the person who came up with the perfect on-point tweet. Whether it’s a joke, a witty quip or a relatable, funny story, the comedian is sure to add some much-needed humor to your feed.

From The Comedian to The Fitness Fiend, the Twitterverse is a melting pot of different kinds of personalities. Which kind of tweeter are you? Let us know in the comments below!

Name: Kaitlin Cubria
Age: 24
Job Title: Entertainment Editor at Teen.com
College/Major: Hofstra University/Public relations major with minors in journalism and speech communication
Twitter Handle: @KCubes 

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

Kaitlin Cubria: My first job out of college was as editorial assistant at Alloy Digital for Teen.com, gURL.com and Alloy.com.

In April of my senior year at Hofstra, a former supervisor from my web internship at Seventeen messaged me online and asked if I would consider a position at his new place of employment, Alloy, upon graduation. He said it would involve a great deal of what I enjoyed about Seventeen—but as a full-time employee! I immediately sent him my resume, interviewed with his boss and the rest is history.

What’s a typical day like for you? What does your job entail?

KC: Teen readers are especially interested in music, movies, celebrities and TV, so on most days, I pitch, write and edit news and feature content pertaining to those facets. And I love every second of it!

What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?

KC: I wish I knew that, as a member of the media industry, you wear many hats. You don't just have your one position, your one job title. For example, as a web editor, you can also wear hats for video producer, brand representative and reporter. I think it would be helpful to know this in college, so you can at least sign up for classes in those different arenas rather than pigeonhole yourself into just one sector of the industry.

Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?

KC: Dan Koday—he was one of my supervisors from my intern days at Seventeen.com turned supervisor at Teen; he’s the one who snagged me an interview at Alloy. Dan signed me up for my first press trip, sent me off on my first red carpet and trusted me to go to another country for a set visit after less than a year on the job ... He had faith in my abilities from the get-go, and that was only after working with me as an intern for three months! I credit him for literally everything.

Is there a quote you live by?

KC: "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucius

What is the best part of your job?

KC: The interview opportunities! I've met the most interesting people on the job that I don't think I ever would have had the chance to meet had I not been in the position I am in today, at least not as early in the game.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Do you have a dream job?

KC: Still working in the digital world in some way, shape or form. In all actuality, it may even be a position that hasn't even been invented yet. You can't say it can't happen; it's not like you could've aspired to be a social media manager 10 years ago. Since I was a kid, though, my dream job has forever been editor-in-chief at Seventeen.

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

KC: Keep in touch with the people who know your work, and more importantly, your work ethic best. Never burn bridges, because these are the ones who can speak to your abilities when it comes time for recommendations or even potential job opportunities.

Along the same token, get in touch, especially with the people within your own network. I've been contacted by members of my college community asking if we can go out for coffee sometime so they can learn more about what I do, what the industry's about, the works. There are a fair amount of professionals who are willing to lend a hand whenever possible. However, don't immediately jump the gun and ask, "Are there any jobs at your company?" That's a faux pas.

Starbucks has partnered with Arizona State University to offer free online college education to 135,000 of its workers.

Employees who work at least 20 hours a week and enroll online as college juniors or seniors will receive full tuition reimbursement. Freshmen and sophomores will be eligible for partial tuition scholarships and need-based financial aid. Surprisingly, Starbucks is not requiring these students to stay on with the company. 

“Starbucks is going where no other major corporation has gone,” said Jamie P. Merisotis, president and chief executive of the Lumina Foundation. “For many of these Starbucks employees, an online university education is the only reasonable way they’re going to get a bachelor’s degree.”

Workers will be able to choose from 40 different educational programs through ASU. According to Starbucks spokeswoman Laurel Harper, about 70 percent of the company's workers are students or aspiring students. 

“In the last few years, we have seen the fracturing of the American Dream," said Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz in a statement. "There’s no doubt, the inequality within the country has created a situation where many Americans are being left behind. The question for all of us is, should we accept that, or should we try and do something about it... Everyone who works as hard as our partners do should have the opportunity to complete college, while balancing work, school and their personal lives.”

Starbucks: good for coffee and a college education!