When Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino blessed us with a revival last year, fans figured they'd be seeing a lot more of Lorelai and Rory Gilmore. At the very least, they expected more than four episodes that left too many unanswered questions at their end.

Sadly, the fate of Stars Hollow might be in jeopardy now that the husband-wife duo have signed a multi-year deal with Amazon Studios to do two seasons of their period drama, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, as well as develop other new series for the streaming platform.

Amazon picked up The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel after the pilot drew great reviews. While Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR, Amazon Studios, called the Palladinos "brilliant" and "wonderfully funny," Amy and Daniel said in a statement, "Amazon is the future of television and we are thrilled to tag along for the ride."

The partnership may do wonders for Amazon, but it leaves Gilmore fans more confused than ever. What does Rory's future hold? Who's her baby daddy? Is she going to be a single mother like Lorelai? Are the "final four words" really the last words that will be spoken between the Gilmores?

Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos previously alluded to the possibility of more episodes. And, even better, TVLine reports the Palladinos' contract with Amazon "includes an 'out' clause that would allow the pair to spearhead a follow-up to last year’s Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life for Netflix." It's no guarantee, but it's certainly an option!

With the show's executive producers and so many of the main cast moving on to other projects, we may be waiting another nine years, six months, and 10 days to see the Gilmores again. But at least all hope is not lost.

With the Season 2 premiere of This Is Us came lots of tears (as per usual), but it also proved one of the show's characters is psychic?! Wait until you hear this. 

Kevin Pearson (played by Justin Hartley) predicted the recent Kardashian-Jenner baby boom. In case you're behind, according to rumors that seem pretty legit, Kylie Jenner is pregnant with rapper Travis Scott, Khloe Kardashian is pregnant with NBA player Tristan Thompson, and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are expecting baby No. 3 via surrogate. The influx of pregnancies in this family is mind-blowing, but something Kevin said in Tuesday night's episode of This Is Us is even crazier. 

Sophie—Kevin's ex-wife turned girlfriend—expressed her sadness for missing his birthday in L.A., mostly because she wanted to see the Kardashians. In response, Kevin said, "The Kardashians aren’t going anywhere, I promise. They’re like gremlins. By next week there will be like a bazillion more of ‘em.” Whoa. Isn't that convenient? 

If the episode was filmed just this week, this exchange wouldn't be so surprising, but the premiere was filmed months ago—way before all this KarJenner baby news dropped. So, is Kevin psychic? Or is this just a coincidence? Probably the latter, but regardless, it is pretty wild.

Fans of the series had their fair share of hilarious responses on Twitter. 

I hope Justin Hartley and the show's writers are applauding themselves. 

This article has been syndicated from Fashion Food Fotos, an InfluenceHer Collective Member. Read the full post here.

Like many people, I struggle with my skin and am pretty prone to acne. Over the last year or so, I’ve been reading and researching everything I can get my hands on that might help my skin, and so far I’ve been pretty successful. I’ve learned how to treat different kinds of breakouts, and I’ve also learned what to avoid to keep my skin clear. And even though I’m breaking out as I write this (yes, it still happens even with all my research, insert eye roll emoji), I feel like on a grand scale I break out less and I’m able to treat those pesky pimples more efficiently. Which means they clear up faster. I’ve written about how to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads previously, so I thought it was time to address the most annoying type of pimple there is. Hormonal breakouts.

They’re a bitch.

The problem is that a hormonal breakout isn’t a traditional clogged pore, like a blackhead or a whitehead. It’s a bacteria that has gotten into the pore and then, due to the excess oil your skin is producing (because of those damn hormones), proceeds to get infected. It’s huge, it’s red, it hurts. And the worst part is that you can’t pop them. There’s nothing to “pop,” so for the love of god please don’t try. I’m a popping addict and I can show you my battle scars from attempting to forcibly remove hormonal acne from my jawline.

So, with that dismal outlook, let’s dive in to the actual tricks and products you can use to treat hormonal acne, shall we?

Ice, Ice, Baby

When you start to feel the beginnings of a hormonal breakout, head to the freezer ASAP. Bacteria can’t survive extremely low temperatures, so you can freeze that sucker and stop the pimple in its tracks by holding some ice on it. I hold a cube up to the pimple (using a paper towel to hold it, otherwise my fingers get numb and I melt the cube too fast) for as long as I can take it, then remove and let my skin warm up a bit. I’ll repeat this around five times, and I’ll do it once in the morning and once at night, just to be sure. Obviously be careful not to give yourself frost bite; as soon as your skin starts to feel numb, or starts hurting, you should take the ice off and let it warm back up. The best part about this trick is that it’s free! Woop woop.

Try cutting out dairy

I used to have crazy hormonal acne all over my jawline. But at the beginning of this year, I did a Whole 30 and my skin, as a result, was GLOWING. I honestly couldn’t remember the last time it looked that clear and calm. After doing some reading on the internet and talking to my facialist, I found that a lot of people’s hormonal breakouts are linked to eating dairy.

You might not be lactose intolerant, but milk (from any animal) has hormones in it. And your body may not be able to handle excess hormones efficiently, which could lead to hormonal breakouts. Going dairy free for a few weeks might help you identify an easy (though sad – I miss cheese) solution to how to treat hormonal acne.

Drink spearmint tea

Drinking spearmint tea regularly has been found to reduce acne’s inflammation. There was even a study done by the American Academy of Dermatology that found that two cups of spearmint tea a day reduced the number of hormonal breakouts in patients by 51 percent over three months. That number is comparable to the 52 percent reduction seen on three months of prescription minocycline. And minocycline is associated with side effects in 20 percent of patients, while spearmint tea is not. *sips tea*

Read the full post here. 

According to the New York State Board of Elections’ records, Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump, registered as a female voter when he cast his ballet in the 2016 presidential election.

Kushner, who is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor (because apparently nobody cares about nepotism anymore) apparently voted as a female when he voted. CNN explains that the White House has refused to comment about this matter.

Nobody really knows why Kushner was registered (and voted) as a woman, seeing as Kushner’s representatives have declined to talk about the matter. However, some people think that Kushner marked his gender as female because he just sucks at filling out forms. Same, Kushner. Same.

Brad Bainum, a spokesperson for America Bridge, a liberal research organization, explained to Wired that “Kushner can't even fill out the most basic paperwork without screwing it up, so it's a mystery why anyone thinks he's somehow going to bring peace to the Middle East. Would anyone but the president's son-in-law still have a West Wing job after repeated disclosure errors and a botched a security clearance form?" Bainum clearly has the receipts that prove Kushner's apparent incompentency to complete forms accurately. 

Regardless, Kushner revealed to congressional investigators that this mix-up with the disclosure errors (apparently, disclosure error are defined as simple oopsies daisies now) was because of a “miscommunication” with his assistant. After all, your assistant makes a perfect scapegoat for everything that falls under your job description mistakes every once in a while, because they’re people too.

Though, we can’t help but wonder why Kushner was given the senior advisor role ifhe’s terrible at filling out paperwork. (Seeing as his job position requires a lot of paperwork. Just a thought.) Granted, maybe that’s why his companies are also under federal investigation.

Nevertheless, can Kushner’s seemingly harmless voting error constitute as voter fraud? In short, there is a small chance that this incident could land Kushner an additional investigation for voter fraud; however, it’s unlikely that he’d be found guilty. Seeing as the ACE Project (The Electoral Knowledge Network) elaborates that in order for voter fraud to occur you need to have intend to use incorrect information on your voter registration (along with other criteria that don't really apply to Kushner’s situation.)

Unless Kushner managed to cast a vote as a female and as a male voter, then there doesn’t seem to be much harm in him registering as a female voter. Or if Kushner somehow, inadvertently posed as a female named Jared Corey Kushner when he registered as a female voter, but that seems like an unlikely scenario. Regardless, we think Kushner is safe (for now) from any voter fraud misconduct.

You know that feeling when you’re with your SO and you’re unashamed of PDA, texting them 24/7 and obsessing over them nonstop? Welcome to the honeymoon stage. It’s at the very beginning of a relationship, and although you and your SO may feel untouchable in your little bubble of bliss, it isn’t permanent. Eventually, you become accustomed to his habit of leaving socks everywhere, or her habit of cracking her knuckles, and the magic of being a newbie couple fades into a routine. Although it’s great to move forward and learn all the little mannerisms of your SO, sometimes it feels like a shock to the system when the honeymoon phase comes to a close. So here’s what to do next to keep your relationship as strong as it was in the very beginning.

1. Re-evaluate your relationship

Sometimes the honeymoon stage is actually just a lust stage. The two of you might have been so caught up in the moment that it seems like you’re perfect for each other when in reality it was just a passing fling. If it seems like there are more negatives than positives after the giddy feelings disappear, then you might be in this predicament.

“It’s always important to be clear on what you want and what you need out of a relationship,” says Jay Hurt, a relationship expert “If this person isn’t meeting your needs and your desires and not putting you first, then you look for those signs and you decide how to move forward.” Your SO should be your biggest motivator and supporter. If they can’t seem to fulfill your needs—and we’re not talking Chipotle runs or back massages every day, we mean actual emotional fulfillment—then it might not be the right relationship for you. So after you are over the obsessive stage, step back and re-evaluate. If they’re right for you, you’ll know.

2. Keep some consistency

Although you might not be jumping each other’s bones every day (if you still do, props to you) that doesn’t mean that you have to cut out the romance altogether. Make sure that you’re still doing the same things that attracted you to each other in the first place. Hurt says that a certain amount of consistency is key. “Continue to do the things that attracted you to each other and that made you get together and fall in love before the honeymoon phase is over,” he says. “Keep working on your relationship.”

Sarah Westbrook, a junior at the University of South Carolina, says not to completely forget the honeymoon phase altogether. “I think it's important to be able to stay romantic. It's good to keep saying nice things to each other and remind each other how much you mean to each other. People can fall into the habit of not doing that after the ‘honeymoon phase’ since you get so comfortable together.” If there’s anything you should carry over into the next phase, it’s a little bit of the romance that started it all. You’ll be able to tackle a lot more of the serious stuff if you have that foundation to build on.

Related: What to Expect in Your First College Relationship (& How to Make it Work)

3. Expect to get (slightly) annoyed

One of the inevitable results of the transition into the next part of your relationship is the fact that the newness and blinded obsession you have for your other half might not be so blinding anymore. There will definitely be times where you feel like pulling your hair out—but that’s totally normal. Peyton Tuccinard, a freshman at James Madison University, says, “You don’t always want to see [your SO] every second—you want to see your friends too. Plus, you don’t want to lose your friends, and time apart means more time to love and miss each other.” Just because you’re dating someone doesn’t mean they’re the end-all-be-all. Just like any relationship—friend or otherwise—there will be times that you get frustrated. Cool down, hang out with some besties and then re-approach whatever subject set you off.

If, however, you are constantly being pestered with texts, your SO is snooping through all your emails or you can’t be around each other without sparking a fight, then the red flags should pop up. Arguing is totally fine, but feeling smothered is definitely not something you need to put up with. If you’re rolling your eyes so much that they get stuck, then it might be time to say hasta la vista.

4. Spice it up

Although it’s important to keep a little consistency, it’s equally important to keep it interesting so you don’t get into a draining routine. Predictability kills, so don’t fall prey to it. Hurt says to “never take each other for granted. You [should] always think of them first. You put their needs first and you put their wants first; that’s how you really you keep the freshness and the newness of the relationship and keep the relationship moving forward.” Obviously, you are still in control of yourself and your body, and putting their needs first doesn’t mean forgoing all of your needs as well. You aren’t required to succumb to their every will and answer at their beck and call, and you are always the one who has the final say over yourself. Instead, try to fulfill their emotional needs by being aware of when they’re having a rough day, or being understanding and willing to compromise in certain situations. Partaking in a relationship means you’re not on your own anymore.

Ingrid Schnader, a junior at Auburn University, also suggests changing your average date night to something more fun. “Find a hobby that you both enjoy—something that will never get old,” she says. “For example, my boyfriend and I always go to antique stores when we're bored. We find the most interesting things and each trip is unique!” Trying new experiences with each other will ensure that you will never stop learning and growing alongside one another, and growing is a huge way to keep the momentum that your relationship needs.

5. Open up to your SO

This second phase of your relationship is where you find out all the good stuff. Instead of sucking each other’s faces every time you lock eyes, you will get the chance to have meaningful conversations and talk about your future plans and goals. You’ll learn all the specifics about your SO that will make your relationship strong. From cutesy things like childhood memories to serious subjects like biggest struggles, these are the conversations that will build up your relationship and allow you to get more comfortable. Revealing your true self is something that only comes with time—and this is when you should do it!

Peyton says that this phase gives her and her SO the chance to be honest in ways they wouldn’t have been before. “When my boyfriend and I got past the honeymoon stage everything became much more comfortable,” she says. “We were even able to talk about certain aspects of each other that bothered us. For example, I’m not afraid to tell him to keep me out of conversations about politics. We don’t exactly see eye-to-eye on the subject, but it’s totally fine for me to say that it makes me uncomfortable, and he gets it.” One of the great parts of getting to open up to your SO is being candid about your feelings—no matter what. You might not feel right bringing more serious feelings up in the honeymoon stage, but the fact that you are comfortable to put everything on the table means your relationship is strong and growing.                           

6. Remember those honeymoon feelings

Post-honeymoon might also seem like the phase of reality, stress and arguments about not answering each others’ phone calls—sometimes it seems like you completely loathe your SO. But you remember your honeymoon days, so use that to your advantage. “I think many couples transition into good relationships when those [honeymoon] feelings continue, and it might not be quite the same but, the feelings do continue, and you’re still in a joyful relationship,” says Hurt.

Shelly Adams, a junior at Shenandoah University, says that those feelings actually helped to bring sparks back into her relationship. “The passion will come and go; you can fall in love with your significant other all over again if it dies down—you just have to put some effort into it!” So don’t think that the honeymoon stage is the peak of romance. If that’s what you want in a relationship, all you need to do is understand what made you feel that way in the first place and find ways to bring it back. Carry the feelings that brought you together into this second phase because they come in handy when the real-world invades.

7. Enjoy it!

Some of the best experiences in your relationship will come after the honeymoon is over. You’re finally comfortable in the relationship and you don’t have to worry about wearing makeup and uncomfortable jeans all the time—welcome back, sweatpants.

Dottie Kramer, a senior at Ohio University, says she actually likes the post-honeymoon phase better. “The honeymoon is kind of fake; you put your best foot forward (always made up, best behavior, etc.); it's a lot of effort,” she says. “I cherish the silly weird moments we have more than anything. The nights where we cuddle up watching junk TV in sweatpants, splitting a whole pizza. Plus, I feel like we've gotten a lot closer, and he's become my go-to guy on a lot of tough conversations (like money, and life post-grad). The relationship only gets better with time!” Post-honeymoon is the time to really get to know your SO. You’ll become closer because you’re more trusting and ready to tackle the good and the bad.

When the honeymoon is over and you’re in part two of the relationship, the fears that accompany it can be scary, but remember why you and your SO fell for each other in the first place. So, tackle the next phase of your relationship—you might be surprised by how much better it is.

Everyone's favorite childhood book and movie series, Harry Potter, is making its Broadway debut soon, but that almost never happened. 

In an interview for CBS's Sunday Morning, J.K. Rowling said at first she didn’t want Harry Potter and the Cursed Child to happen. “I genuinely didn’t want Harry to go onstage. I felt that I was done,” she admitted.

However, she ultimately warmed up to the idea. J.K. credits playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany for persuading her and making the play truly magical.“I’m really glad I was persuaded, because I’m so proud of this play,” she said.

But if you were hoping for a sequel, think again. This play will likely be the end of Harry's story. “Harry’s story, now, I think I’m done. I’m done,” Rowling said.

The play, which debuted in London and won over 22 theater awards, will open in New York on Sunday, April 22, 2018. As fans know, The Cursed Child picks up 19 years after the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. According to the play's website, “it was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.”

“While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.”

Ticket sales begin Oct. 18, so get yours ASAP. I bet they’ll sell out as fast as Hamilton. 

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone refer to a college campus as a bubble, I’d be wealthy enough to pay off some student debt. As college activism becomes more vocalized and documented, people increasingly dismiss colleges as areas with unrealistic “safe spaces” for people not yet ready to face the so-called “real world.” These dismissals provide easy ways to avoid discussing problems or confronting the students demonstrating or speaking up against injustice. By doing so, it decreases a person’s responsibility to face issues and problem-solve, as well as blatantly minimizes students’ voices.

College is a part of the real world. It exists in the world, and nearly all of the same problems that affect the outside world affect the world inside of college. The vast majority of college students are adults — and though we may sometimes act immaturely, we deserve to have our voices heard and respected just as much as any other citizen. 

College activism is more important than people tend to believe, and it has always been integral to social justice movements in the United States. Students have always been at the forefront of social justice movements in this country, and in countries across the world. Campuses have been the starting point for more than a few social movements.

For instance, the Free Speech Movement at the University of California’s Berkeley campus in December of 1964 protested the limitations imposed on students’ political activity. In October 1963, 250,000 Chicago public school students boycotted school to protest segregation, and more than 20,000 students marched in the Chicago streets. The dismissal of student-led protests is not only infantilising and anything but constructive, but is also a refusal to acknowledge the historic importance of student activism.
Many people also like to label college students as sheltered. One New York Times story went so far as to say that “college years…have evolved into an extended period of adolescence during which many of today’s students are not saddled with adult responsibilities.”

However, in researching statistics on students with jobs, one paper showed that in 2015, 43 percent of full-time students and 78 percent of part-time students had jobs (). For people who supposedly have no adult responsibilities, having a job while pursuing education seems shockingly responsible. College students are also largely involved in politics, which is another mark of responsibility. One UCLA study on the voter turnout for the 2008 presidential election showed that three-quarters of first-year students in the sample who were eligible to vote did vote in the election, and more than four-fifths of eligible seniors voted.

 These statistics, while based on information from a limited sample restricted to US college students, demonstrate a population of students who are much more engaged and less sheltered than some would suggest. To further this point, studies show that 70 percent of college students graduate with an average student loan debt of $38,000 in 2017. These students already have experience in the real world, struggling with debt, working jobs and have other responsibilities, on top of pursuing education. That’s not being sheltered, that’s being an adult.

I often see people mocking safe spaces on college campuses, which are areas designed for marginalized students to exist without facing harassment or discrimination. They are intended to function as a way for students to discuss aspects of their identities that they may face discrimination for, such as their sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and race. The most common negative response I’ve heard regarding safe spaces is, without a doubt, the one that references “the real world,” often both insulting people who use safe spaces and pointing out a major flaw in the way in which society functions.

Often someone will say, “Wait until you get to the real world,” or, “There are no safe spaces in the real world,” implying that the person to whom the comment is directed is naive enough to not realize the negative behaviors will continue to exist outside of college. In these same comments, the criticizer acknowledges that society treats marginalized groups unfairly and does, in fact, have a need for social change to extend the idea of safe spaces to places outside of college campuses.

Even disregarding these flaws in the critique, there’s yet another crucial piece to the argument against these types of comments: The commenter often overlooks the fact that a people using college safe spaces are already part of the so-called real world. People who use these safe spaces are part of the real world and — as that generation comes into power and the anti-safe space people moves out of it (because that’s how life works) — safe spaces won’t cease to exist for people after graduation.

When someone sees a need for something, they typically find a way to create a solution. In this case, that would mean creating safe spaces in the real world because the “real world” does treat marginalized groups unfairly. (“Wait until you get to the real world,” indeed, and then continue to make space for yourself to feel comfortable and free from harassment.)

These people who have been “sheltered” are entering the the so-called real world after graduation, and they will be bringing the values and ideals they developed in college with them. College campuses have historically acted as incubators for social justice movements that have then been spread into the “real world,” and they will continue to be important parts of this country’s and the world’s developments into hopefully more tolerant and accepting societies.

If I had been shot, it would have been at Gettysburg. The war, I read, had ended, and it dwelt now in the realm of memory. It was tired. Its books were thick. But I could hear drum beats across the valley, had caught the fading aroma of black powder, and I knew that the war was not over for the men and women who lost it. They meant to dig out their old Confederacy and restore the glory it never had. They would march north and demand reparations for the pain of political correctness. They would demand their supremacy.

They made it to Gettysburg on July 1, 154 years after the first of three days that would mark the war’s bloodiest battle and the Confederates’ northernmost advance, spurred by a rumor that members of Antifa, a militant anti-fascist organization, intended to take to the battlefield and burn Confederate flags.

A number of far-right and Lost Cause organizations, including the KKK, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, and the Mechanized Cavalry, requested permits from the National Park Service to gather and protect their flag and the memory of those who fought for it. Mounted NPS law enforcement officers were on site, as well as the local police.

Antifa never showed. Instead, their posed threat became the rallying cry for perhaps the largest gathering of armed Confederates in Gettysburg since 1863, a conglomeration of Trump supporters and assorted First and Second Amendment warriors equipped with loaded guns from Colt pistols to assault rifles. Some wore body armour and carried knives. All flaunted the Stars and Bars in the most ostentatious display of resentment I have ever seen.

I walked up to Meade’s Headquarters with my friend, another woman Civil War scholar, with only one objective in mind: to show these proud Confederates--one might call many of them Lost Causers--that they could not win by way of fear. I wanted them to know that their rhetoric is not deserving of public land, and that their ancestral ties to the unending Civil War are meant to be observed with modest solemnity and empathy, not celebration.

If I could not convince them to respect existence that was not strictly white, Christian, heterosexual, and their own, I would at least use my safety and privilege as a middle class white person to disrupt their homogenous environment from the inside out. I would be one of many to dissent.

On the subject of slavery as the cause of the war, I knew, and still know, that I could never change their minds. It does not matter on what the top scholars agree, or what the credible books conclude, or what the first-hand documents show because the claim is an affront to the great-great uncle in gray who died defending Virginia and the great-great-great aunt who lived under Union occupation. Slavery is a crime from which they feel excused, yet while they argue for their innocence on the premise that so many years have passed since emancipation was proclaimed, they continue to relieve the war over which it was fought as if it had never been lost. They continue to pledge allegiance to the Confederate States of America and fly their battle flags. I have heard them compare Lincoln to Hitler, an analogy that I'm sure my ancestors, Russian and Ukrainian Jews, would be quick to refute.

Our actions atop Cemetery Ridge that day were not dramatic, and I am not even sure they noticed at first. While various group leaders took turns spitting venom into the bullhorn, fallacies about Black Lives Matter and immigration, I quietly took my friend’s hand, and we stood together in proud defiance, a feminine anomaly before a wall of heteronormative intolerance. She put her arm around me; I kissed her on the cheek. We cheered when they mentioned the feminists and the gays, and when one man asked, rhetorically and unfortunately, what the Civil War was really about, we told them.

When they began to notice us, they laughed, shook their heads, took a few photos, but we were infecting their space, ruining its sanctity and purity, and their glances became less jovial as the afternoon wore on. The crowd roared and the sun beat, and we continued to stand palm in sweaty palm through the painful claims that police brutality against black people did not exist, that feminists should not argue for equality unless they were willing to let their male partners beat them, that Islam is evil and refugees are not welcome. Our two voices in argument could never overpower the sound of the bullhorn and its worshippers, but our two hands together, my lips on her cheek, caused a ripple that rocked their bones and fueled their hate. As the rally wound down, one woman in camo walked past us and proclaimed, “I’m gonna beat those girls. I really want to beat them right now.”

She never did. I was not shot at Gettysburg that day. 

My friend and I did not change any minds. Instead, we became a visible, tangible protest, and I can only hope we served to remind them that their hate is not impenetrable. The more I reflect, however, the more I come to see that the rally and our subtle protest was not about me, nor was it ever meant to be. I could stand atop Cemetery Ridge surrounded by racists with loaded guns, and as much as they hollered about the feminists and the gays and wanting to beat me for holding a woman’s hand, I would always be safe behind my middle class whiteness. But when I watched a back family walk past the protest on what should have been a normal day at the park, an opportunity for their young child to develop a relationship with the past, I became suddenly and hopelessly overwhelmed by the reality of racial America. 

What was a casual Saturday protest for me was a violent nightmare and a traumatic flashback from which marginalized people cannot escape, as it has become the present. While I grew up in a household where it was perfectly fine to be queer, echoes of, “I really want to beat them right now” remind me that I will never understand the scorn of an unaccepting or abusive family member, that sixteen trans women of color have been murdered this year, that some people have been denied the right to serve their country because they are considered a burden.

The LGBTQ community is not a burden, nor are people or color or Muslims or immigrants or feminists. The burden instead falls on the champions of the Lost Cause, those who value their right to hate over an entire community’s right to live. It falls upon the organizations that will not acknowledge that the American Civil War was fought over slavery and the individuals who are blind to the slavery that still persists in America. It falls upon the privileged, like myself, to use the rhetorical space we are given in society to create space and advocate for those who have none.

The KKK and Sons of Confederate Veterans and gunslingers will return to Gettysburg. They always do. I do not imagine they will change their minds, but perhaps they will see two men holding hands, a black family, a Muslim woman in a hijab, and the flag will not feel so comfortable in their hands.

By Cassandra Acker

Someone once said that you can always tell a lot about a person when you look into their bag. For me, my bag consists of the modern woman’s essentials. This includes my phone, pens, coupons and lip balm. But what people would be surprised to find is two planners catered to the same year. My mother would always ask, ‘Why do you carry around two planners?”. I would always reply, “One for business and one for partying.” Which is half true. The thing is, ever since I have decided to go to graduate school, my schedule has become so busy that I need two planners to keep up with it all. It has actually gotten to the point I have to color code everything. Colors make everything more fun, by the way. When someone asks me what I do for a living and I list all my responsibilities, they are initially shocked and then continue to give me credit for balancing it all.

Truthfully, it is not easy. However, time management is a skill that I am perfecting each day. Here are six tips on how I manage it all in the hopes that you can use them to manage your busy schedule.

1. Get a planner

That’s right. Old school but it most definitely works. If you are the type of person that has to write everything down, this can work for you. There are different kinds of planners. There are some that just give you a month at a glance. Some planners give you months and weekly spaces to write to-do lists or small reminders. I would also suggest getting a pocket to mid-size one that you can easily take with you, especially if a professor tells you about a random assignment that was not listed on the syllabus.

2. Get a task-oriented app

If you haven’t heard about this handy dandy app, you should consider signing up for it. Asana is an application with desktop access, where you can create a personal task list and assign due dates for completion. It is also great if you are doing a group project. You can assign certain tasks to people in your group and add due dates to them as well. It is a great way to track progress with everyone and with yourself.

3. Take care of yourself

Making time to do something that you enjoy is important. What I found myself doing at the beginning of my graduate career was saying yes to people and events. You know those Facebook events that you show the world you’re going to but when the day comes you are actually not as interested as you thought you were? Yeah, those situations. The point is that you should always make time for yourself no matter how busy you get. Your body and mind will thank you.

4. Have a good bedtime routine

Sounds elementary, right? Wrong. Remember how you were always told that getting 8 hours of sleep was the magic number? Haha, good luck achieving that. However, the most successful people in the world have a proper bedtime routine. I ran across an amazing bed routine document on Pinterest that told me to start shutting down my body at least two hours before my set bedtime. I would also suggest doing that crazy oil diffuser thing that everyone does. I bought a really good one on Amazon for less than $20 and bought oils from Walmart. Lavender works wonders, my friends.

5. Communicate your schedule to your boss and professors

Communicating with your boss and professors about your schedule can prevent running into schedule problems later. If your full-time job is understanding about your college career, then they will be willing to work with you.

6. Use your lunchtime for schoolwork

Sounds boring, but it works. You get one hour or less to have a break. Use that hour to catch up on some necessary reading or to study for an upcoming exam. I mean, are you really going to study after an 8-hour shift? Probably not, but you can get a head start.

Dressing sexy can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be! That’s why we made this little guide: to show you how to step into dressing sexy. It’s so much more than just showing some cleavage. Despite what you might’ve heard, dressing sexy has nothing to do with looking good to get a man (or a woman). Looking sexy is all about how you feel, and feeling sexy is all about owning who you are, inside and out. So let’s serve up some self-love here and show you how to dress as sexy and gorgeous as you feel.

Start subtle

When it comes to dressing sexy, you don’t have to show a ton of skin, if that’s not what you’re comfortable with. Start out by embracing subtlety. One way of doing this is by picking one part of your body that you want to show off. For example, try a top with shoulder cut-outs. It’s subtle, sexy, classy and most likely, a place you won’t feel awkward exposing. Another way to embrace the subtlety of being sexy is by just feeling good about your outfit.

“In order to feel sexy and confident, you need to feel comfortable in what you’re wearing,” says Megan McGunigle, a junior from Providence College. Which brings us to our next point…

Be confident

Confidence is the most important part of feeling sexy. And if you feel sexy, your look will follow suit, no matter what you’re wearing. But in terms of dressing to feel confident, fit is so important. When you’re wearing clothes that fit you properly, you’re going to feel great just because of that. Shoes are also a great place to explore dressing sexy in a way that doesn’t feel too risky.

“I feel sexy when I am wearing my over-the-knee black boots and jeans,” says Madison Freeman, a junior at Loyola University Chicago. Sometimes feeling sexy has literally nothing to do with what you’re wearing, though. “I feel sexy when I spent all day at work, and I get off to go have drinks on a rooftop with my best girlfriends,” Madison says. Looking sexy has so much to do with feeling good about yourself. 

Related: 8 Ways to Stop Doubting Yourself 

Get comfortable

It seems almost every woman, despite what she’s actually wearing, feels sexy when she’s in an outfit that she likes wearing and feels comfortable in. When you’re feeling self-conscious, tugging and readjusting your outfit, you feel far from sexy. So why not wear something comfortable? We’re not talking t-shirts and sweatpants (though that can be sexy, too). We’re talking about an outfit you feel really, really good in. Like, I-can-rule-the-world-and-still-eat-Oreos-in-this kind of good. And that outfit will be different for everyone. For some women it’s an LBD, for others it’s their favorite pair of skinny jeans. It doesn’t matter what the outfit is, so long as you feel like you can celebrate yourself in it. Natalie Pistone, a senior at Maryville University, says wearing maxi-dresses with a handkerchief hemline makes her feel like a princess.

“Even though this is super opposite of most people’s ‘sexy,’ I feel most comfortable and therefore sexy in higher necklines,” she says. “If I’m thinking about my dress laying right or the scoop-neck being too deep, I’m not going to be able to be myself.” And the best way to look sexy is to feel like yourself.

Step out of your comfort zone

Once you’ve decided to explore dressing sexy, try kicking it up a notch. Of course, you still don’t have to show a lot of skin to do this. It’s all about being open to trying new things. Some of the sexiest outfits are made up of pieces you might not have thought you could pull off. Take it from Ashley Ortiz, a senior at the University of Puerto Rico ­– Río Piedras. “I was looking for formal dresses and came across one with a plunging neckline,” she says. “At first, I hesitated because it showed too much cleavage (for what I was used to), but I ignored that. It was also the first moment I felt sexy but comfortable at the same time, and that’s what it is all about.” 

So if you find yourself at the mall, staring at this one garment and questioning if it would work for you, grab it and take it to the dressing room! The worst that can happen is you’ll try it on and think absolutely not. You might find, though, that this new and exciting top or pants or dress actually makes you look and feel sexy as hell. But this new and exciting style is hard to find within your comfort zone, especially if the word “sexy” does not reside in the looks section of your comfort zone.    

And that’s it! It is just that easy to begin dressing sexy. It might make you feel uncomfortable for a hot second, but once you just go for it, there will be no stopping you and your fashion prowess. 

Although I absolutely love Prince William and Duchess Kate’s family, I bet I’m not the only one wishing for the day that Prince Harry settles down and has kids. In case this wasn’t something you’ve given thought to, Harry just showed off some adorable daddy skills while at Toronto’s Invictus Games, where injured servicemen and women participate in sports. Prepare your hearts for this cuteness.

Refinery29 says that Harry caught the attention of a nearby toddler when watching the Sitting Volleyball Finals from the stands on Wednesday. Sitting next to paralympic athlete David Henson and his wife Hayley, Harry was snacking on popcorn when the Hensons’ young daughter Emily reached over from her mother’s lap and tried to swipe a treat from Harry.

Thus began one of the cutest exchanges I’ve definitely ever seen. The new friends made faces at each other, and Harry pretended to steal popcorn away from Emily. I’m writing off Emily’s occasionally bewildered expression as a sign of her age and the fact that she has no clue who this lovely, popcorn-eating man is.

Understandably, this footage won over several Twitter users, who loved this insight into how Harry must be as an uncle to Prince George and Princess Charlotte. 

It's been a busy few days for Harry, who was also photographed holding hands with girlfriend Meghan Markle earlier this week. He also delivered a surprise speech to Toronto students celebrating WE Day on Thursday, talking about the importance of relying less on cell phones in life. 

"It's more important to look up from our phones, to get out into our communities, and to take real action, to stand up for what you believe in," he told the crowd at the Air Canada Centre. 

The Invictus Games run until September 30. We can likely expect to see Harry again at Saturday's closing ceremonies. Here's hoping that Emily Henson gets a seat near him! 

It’s nearly October, meaning that we can finally binge watch some classic Halloween flicks like the ‘90s hit Hocus Pocus. Whether you love the OG girl squad of the Sanderson sisters or if Max Dennison was your first fictional crush, the 1993 film is undeniably legendary. However, Disney has decided to mess with genius, and it is now planning a Hocus Pocus remake.

HelloGiggles reports that the Disney Channel has begun developing a “reimagining” of the original movie without the involvement of the Sandersons. The move goes against what Hocus Pocus director Kenny Ortega (yes, as in the High School Musical director) said he wanted for the film’s future earlier this year.

“I wouldn’t be open to a remake,” Ortega told HelloGiggles in July. “But, I would be open to rethinking it or going back to the original ladies and saying, ‘Let’s do it again’...In other words, bringing them back for a second story as opposed to bringing them back for the same story.”

Ortega is reportedly not involved in this new project, but a producer and co-writer of the first film, David Kirschner, will return to executive produce the remake. Its lack of Sanderson sisters is particularly disappointing, as actresses Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker have all expressed hope for a sequel in the past.

The internet seems to agree with Ortega’s sentiments about a remake as opposed to a sequel.

Count me in as someone who agrees that this is one remake we definitely don't need. With so few perfectly made movies out there, why not celebrate Hocus Pocus as is and leave the story alone? 

Three months after being shot at a GOP baseball team practice, Republican Representative Steve Scalise returned to work at the Capitol on Thursday, The New York Times reports. Scalise entered the House chamber to huge applause from his colleagues, making a speech discussing his recovery from the shooting and thanking the Capitol Police officers who stepped in when shots broke out on June 14. 

"It shows you if you fight and persevere, you can overcome anything," he told reporters. Scalise then gave a shoutout to Officer David Bailey, who was in the chamber.  "When I was laying on the ground one of the things I prayed for was that David and Crystal [Griner] would be successful in carrying out their duties. When I was laying there not long after the first shots were fired, I could hear a different-caliber weapon. And that told me that they had immediately engaged the shooter." 

The Times reports that Scalise spent the summer in an inpatient rehab center and although he's back at work, he will seek outpatient therapy to fully recover from his injuries. Scalise suffered from a bullet in his left hip and is believed to have survived the initial hit thanks to Republican Brad Wenstrup quickly applying a tourniquet to the affected area. Gunman James T. Hodgkinson ultimately died as a result of injuries from the shooting. 

Scalise also referenced the political turmoil that has escalated in his absence, saying, "We are the people's House, this is the place where those ideas are debated. It is so important when we have those political battles we don't make them personal."

Well wishes for Scalise's return surfaced on Twitter, including messages from President Donald Trump, former Vice President Joe Biden, and former Rep. and gun violence survivor Gabby Giffords.

Scalise commemorated his return with a simple post on his own Twitter account, posting, "I'm back."

Good luck to Rep. Scalise as he continues his recovery!

With Halloween right around the corner, the rush is on to find the best costume. Or better yet, one for each night of Halloweekend! You don’t want it to be too scandalous or expensive – hello college budget – but you definitely want it to be original or at the very least, somewhat clever, so you’ve probably already started brainstorming with your friends. Will it be a classic twist on iconic Disney cartoons? Maybe your favorite character from a must watch show? Or, perhaps, a scarier costume that satisfies your horror-film obsession?

We know how difficult it can be to find the perfect costume, but maybe Halloween makeup doesn’t have to be as stressful. These tutorials will help to inspire your artistic side and hopefully your wardrobe choice too!

1. Fairy Makeup

This magical forest fairy look will have you wishing you could wear this makeup every day. Blue eyeshadow with sparkly accents? Yes please. We love the added jewels as the finishing touch but you can easily make this look unique in your own way too.

2. Masquerade Makeup Mask

Throwback to all the drama that occurred at the masquerade ball in Gossip Girl. This look will always be mysterious yet alluring and now you can try it out yourself! Who knows, maybe you’ll even find your very own Chuck Bass in disguise.

Related: 11 Online Makeup Tutorials Actually Good for Women of Color 

3. Werewolf Makeup

The yellow contacts definitely bring this look to a whole new level of scary. The hairy face might not be your ideal look, but the teased hair is a must. Simple enough to create, this is a great makeup idea for those who like to live a little more dangerously.

4. Classic Skull Mouth

There are so many different ways to create this popular look. The smoky eye and winged liner give it that daring edge you need for Halloween. Make this skull mouth your own by playing around with the design and don’t be afraid to ask your friends for help!

5. Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad

Are you always wishing you were a bit more tan? Well this could be the perfect look to embrace your pale skin. It’s also a great way to unleash your inner crazy self - you know you want to. And if you haven’t seen Suicide Squad yet, you’re missing out!

6. Mermaid Makeup

Need we say more? Mermaids have intrigued us since we were little girls and now we get the opportunity to look like one – hell yeah! The shiny scales are by far our favorite part of this look.

7. “Hooked” Mermaid Makeup (for a scarier look)

This is a slightly morbid twist on the mermaid makeup; it’s not your typical Little Mermaid look. A mermaid caught by a fishing hook isn’t something we’d want to see IRL, but it’s definitely a look we’d want to try! Deceivingly beautiful, what could be better?

8. Halloween Pumpkin

This tutorial is for all you Halloween fanatics. A classic Halloween pumpkin that you can make as scary or as pleasant as you wish. The all-over orange look may seem a tad distasteful but this tutorial shows you how to really make your features pop!

9. Peppermint Princess

Every woman wants to be treated like a princess, so why not be a peppermint princess? It reminds us of Candy Land too, which is another reason to get excited about it. This chilling look can be made even more fun by adding lots of glitter and bright colors! 

We wish you all the best of luck in your costume decision-making. Don’t be afraid to try something new and be daring with your makeup! The outcome will surely be greater than you expect if you follow along with these tutorials.

Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.

But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)

Out of All the Places They Will Go, Dr. Seuss Books Won't Go to This School Library​

To celebrate National Read a Book Day earlier this month, First Lady Melania Trump sent a box of Dr. Seuss books to a school in each state that had a reputation of educational excellence. Boston-based school librarian Liz Phipps Soeiro wasn't pleased with the gift, calling the choice of Dr. Seuss "cliche" and disapproving of the books because their illustrations are "steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures and harmful stereotypes."

In a blog post, Soeiro also recommended children's books that focused on gender and racial inclusion, telling the First Lady that she should have sent books to "underfunded and underprivileged communities" rather than thriving ones. The First Lady's office responded to the remarks, saying, "Turning the gesture of sending young school children books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the First Lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere."

Russia Warns the United States to Back Away From Its Media​

In case anyone was wondering, Russia definitely won't like it if the United States takes any hits at its media outlets, specifically the government-funded television network RT. CNN reports that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova released a statement warning of Russian retaliation if the U.S. tried to weaken these news sources.

"When it comes down to a fight with no rules, when the law is twisted and turned into an instrument for the destruction of a TV company, every step against a Russian media outlet will be met with a corresponding response," Zakharova said at a weekly briefing. 

This warning follows RT's claims that it received a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice saying that RT is obligated to register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, because of its ties to RT America. Zakharova is reported to have described the request as leading to "restrictions on the freedom of speech." 

Keep Calm, but Vodka Ice Cream Is Now a Thing

In a move you didn't even realize you needed until now, the Baltimore-based company Arctic Buzz has announced that it has created an entire line of ice cream flavors that include vodka in them. Producing Cookies & Cream, Key Lime Pie, Raspberry, Coconut, Vanilla and Chocolate, Arctic Buzz has varied alcohol content levels in each flavor (coconut has the highest amount, btw). The ice cream is only being sold at Maryland liquor stores, so you might want to plan a road trip to snag yourself some!

What to look out for...

Today is easily one of the greatest days of the year: National Coffee Day! Check out the list of where and how to get your free cup of coffee this morning to celebrate the start of the weekend.

A collaboration between Union Wine Co. and clothing brand Wildfang will allow you to support Planned Parenthood and drink wine in one delicious move, reports Refinery29.

The team-up between the two Oregon-based companies produced GET IT GIRL wine. Delish describes it as a canned wine that’s “a refreshing blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminern and Pinot Gris that boasts flavors like lime and jasmine.” It comes in a four pack and flat of 24 cans for those who are truly dedicated to both wine and the protection of amazing healthcare.

All of the profits from the wine will go straight to Planned Parenthood so they can continue to provide their crucial services, just a few among many being, “cancer screenings, STD testing, prenatal care, birth control, adoption referrals, HIV testing, and hormone therapy for transgender patients.”

Where exactly did this wonderful idea come from? Wildfang CEO Emma Mcilroy told Delish the two companies came together to collaborate over the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. She said being able to make a positive impact and statement for women’s rights while being able to drink a lot of wine is “a match made in heaven.”

Wildfang also encouraged their followers on Instagram to speak out against the no longer operational Graham-Cassidy bill by calling their senators.

The wine can be bought from the Union Wine Co. website and from some retailers in Oregon, California, New Jersey, and New York. If you feel the need for a great t-shirt to go with your wine and happen to live in the Portland area, stop by Wildfang’s West End Portland store.

Former first lady Michelle Obama, who spoke at the Inbound marketing conference in Boston on Wednesday, did not hold back when addressing female Trump supporters and the implications of their vote.

“Any woman who voted against Hillary Clinton voted against their own voice,” said Obama, the Washington Times reports. (Say it louder for the people in the back!)

Although Michelle and Barack Obama have expressed their wish for Trump to be successful as president, the former FLOTUS didn't shy away from her views on what the results of the election meant in regards to the candidates. "It doesn’t say as much about Hillary, and everybody’s trying to worry about what it means for Hillary and no, no, no, what does this mean for us, as women?" 

She continued to discuss the implications of females who support and voted for Trump. (Spoiler alert: She is not here for it.)

"That we look at those two candidates, as women, and many of us said, 'He's better for me. His voice is more true to me.' To me that just says, you don't like your voice. You like the thing you're told to like." 

Shook. That's all I can say. While women have the right to vote for the candidate that they see fit, it certainly brings to question what the results of this election mean for us women and the future. 

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price said Thursday that he will reimburse the government “for a fraction of the costs of his flights on charter planes in recent months” after receiving sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle for the expensive actions, reports the Washington Post.

House and Senate investigators are working hard to get Price and other Cabinet members to disclose how often they’ve relied on non-commercial flights to get across the United States and overseas. With the budget cuts many of these politicians are seeking, their habit of relying on expensive trips on private aircrafts is hitting a bit of a sour note with many. Price is under especially intense scrutiny. President Donald Trump publicly reprimanded him on Wednesday and suggested he might get fired over all of this. Given the sheer amount of taxpayer money Trump and his family have spent over the past eight months, it’s hard not to see the irony there.

The magnifying glass Price suddenly finds his traveling habits beneath isn’t exactly unwarranted; Politico initially estimated he spent more than $400,000 on the use of chartered jets. On Thursday, they reported his White House approved flights to Europe, Asia and Africa alone cost over $500,000. Price has agreed to pay back $51,887.31 of that.

Charmaine Yoest, his assistant secretary for public affairs, defended his actions, saying he needed the flights around America to get out of D.C. and connect with “the real American people.” She also defended his trips overseas, saying it was necessary travel in regard to global health security issues. While that may be true, especially in the case of his 2014 trip regarding the Ebola outbreak, covering the cost of his wife traveling with him feels slightly less necessary.

He’s not the only one coming under fire for his (mis)use of private air travel, either. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt has taken at least four non-commerical and military flights since mid-February, costing taxpayers more than $58,000. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke took a flight from Las Vegas to his home in Montana that cost taxpayers $12,375 according to a department spokesman. Zinke also used private flights for trips to the Virgin Islands.

Price has apologized for “not being sensitive enough” to his concern for taxpayers, saying he’s fought for them his whole career and that he regrets the concerns his actions have raised over the use of taxpayer dollars.

Like many of us, Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, remains concerned over the juxtaposition between the spending on private travel by Price and others while they simultaneously propose immense budget cuts. In an interview, he said, “Optics matter in politics.”

Is there anything that Rihanna can’t do? After taking the beauty world by storm with her Fenty Beauty Collection, Bad Girl Riri is returning back to her roots in the fashion industry. Last February, models strutted in oversized puffer coats, plush bear backpacks and varsity sweaters in a historic French library, starring in a collection that Rihanna described as “a lot of simple things and a lot of complicated, more exaggerated pieces that combine really well together.” 

She over-exaggerated many of the pieces, which were all too familiar to anyone who wore a uniform through their high school––but with bodysuits, well-fitting track pants and cropped sweaters. Basically, the collection was everything you wished your old uniform was.

Now, the beloved collection is finally off of the runway, and available for purchase! You can shop all items online, but move quickly, because pieces are already starting to sell out!

Here's what we'll be shopping:

1. Fenty Women’s Ankle Strap Sneaker ($190 at Puma)

2. Fenty Printed Bra ($200 at Puma)

3. Fenty Women’s Sleeveless Crop Top ($70 at Puma)

4. Fenty Women’s Hooded Cropped Sweatshirt ($140 at Puma)

5. Fenty Women’s Cropped Turtle Zip Sweater ($180 at Puma)

6. Fenty Women’s Quilted Bomber ($500 at Puma)

7. Fenty Women’s Varsity Tennis Dress ($170 at Puma)

8. Fenty Unisex Mascot Bear Backpack Plaid ($250 at Puma)