The Daily Beastreports that a woman who attended George Washington University with comedian T.J. Miller, has accused him of sexual and physical abuse. Since then, another woman has come forward, accusing Miller of spiking her drink, and Comedy Central has canceled his series The Gorburger Show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The original accuser, who wishes to be unnamed and is referred to by The Daily Beast as "Sarah," has stayed silent all these years in fear of retribution, but says she found courage in the wake of the countless Hollywood sexual assault allegations. She and Miller had been in the same comedy troupe in college. She dated Miller for a short time in 2001, when she claims he punched her in the mouth, choked her without consent and sexually assaulted her.

"We started to fool around, and very early in that, he put his hands around my throat and closed them, and I couldn't breathe," Sarah told The Daily Beast. "I was genuinely terrified and completely surprised. I understand now that this is for some people a kink, and I continue to believe it is [something] that should be entered into by consenting parties. But, as someone who had only begun having sexual encounters, like, about three months earlier, I had no awareness this was a kink, and I had certainly not entered into any agreement that I would be choked."

The Daily Beast reports that at the time, her roommates told the student court at GWU during an investigation that they had heard a lot of violent thudding and had seen bruises on her. They stopped to ask her if she was alright and offered to take her to the police, which she declined. The university expelled him after he graduated, in an attempt to "please both parties."

Miller and his wife have released a statement claiming it’s “unfortunate that she is choosing this route as it undermines the important movement to make women feel safe coming forward about legitimate claims against real known predators. We stand together and will not allow this person to take advantage of a serious movement toward gender equality by allowing her to use this moment to muddy the water with an unrelated personal agenda.”

Later, Twitter user @darent85 came forward with her own account of Miller's behavior, detailing an incident in which Miller drugged her drink at a bar. Five to six years ago, she says she was at an open mic night with friends when Miller began to hit on her. She stepped outside when she thought her friend would be guarding her drink, but when she came back, the bartender told her Miller had been tampering with it.

"The whole time Miller watched me and asked me at least three times how I was feeling," Dalia wrote in her tweet. "I can only assume it was to see if any drugs that had been flipped me had taken effect."

After these allegations broke, Comedy Central canceled The Gorburger Show after one season — although a Comedy Central representative says the decision came before the allegations. The animated show starred and was produced by Miller, and ran from April 9 to June 4 this year. However, Miller still has many film releases coming up including Ready Player One, How to Train Your Dragon 3, Underwater and Deadpool 2.

Miller has reportedly joked about assaulting women in private to many of his fellow comedians. He even has allegedly made jokes about punching a woman in college. Other female comedians have warned each other about Miller’s abusive past over the years, and as a result, many female comedians have refused to work with Miller.

T.J. Miller is now another celebrity on a long list of those with sexual assault allegations against them. Something must be done to stop this endless pain of sexual abuse, so hopefully we can see a safer, happier future for women.

Not only is Kylie Jenner is reportedly pregnant, but she already she has a favorite name picked out.

"Kylie has a favorite name for her baby girl, but isn’t sharing," a source close to the star said, according to People.

While he or she didn't offer any further details on what Kylie's favorite name may be, the source did say that the 20-year-old Kylie Cosmetics founder and Kardashian-Jenner sister is "doing well."

"She has expressed some concerns about giving [birth] and the recovery, but she isn’t freaking out," the source says. "It seems more like first-time mom concerns."

Jenner has continued avoiding the spotlight throughout the pregnancy, posting mostly photos from her shoulders-up on Instagram — and she didn't even appear in her sister Kim Kardashian’s, Instagramed Christmas family photo shoot.

And she’s not just staying away from her fans. Jenner reportedly has people come to her house for everything she needs, such as getting her nails done. "She rarely leaves her house, and it’s mostly for doctor’s appointments," the source told People.

But that doesn't stop Jenner from setting up her baby-to-be’s pink nursery. The source added that she's been doing plenty of online shopping to decorate and prepare for the baby's arrival.

Three of the Kardashian-Jenner sisters are apparently expecting a baby in the coming year. Kim is having her third child through a surrogate, and Khloe is also reportedly pregnant with her boyfriend Tristan Thompson, NBA athlete.

I guess we’ll all have to keep waiting to find out more (including Kylie's chosen name) until February when Kylie's baby is supposedly due.

We all know Zendaya is no stranger to experimenting with ingenious styles, but at last night’s Sydney premiere of The Greatest Showman, she totally rose above the rest in a majestic monarch butterfly dress.

The strapless butterfly-winged dress came from Moschino's Spring 2018 collection, a runway collection channeling the beauty of nature through butterfly-themed and floral motif pieces. Zendaya's dress enraptured many with its realistic orange and black monarch wings spread across a fitted bodice, complete with a straight flowing skirt with a saucy leg slit to give the dress a touch of bold elegance. She paired the show-stopping gown with some simple, black Stuart Weitzman high heels, a shining gold eyeshadow and a classic flapper hairstyle.

With how bold the dress is, it's easy to mistake it for a tacky circus costume––which wouldn't be so out of place considering the movie theme––but unsurprisingly, she works it with flying colors (no pun intended). So here's yet another tally on Zendaya’s “Slay in Anything” scoreboard.

Rep Image: Zendaya / Instagram

The end of 2017 was filled with women in showbiz taking back power. One of these women was E! News anchor, Catt Sadler, who just left the E! team after learning that her co-anchor with similar responsibilities made twice her salary. You read that right: as Sadler said in a blog post, "In fact, he [Jason Kennedy] was making close to double my salary for the past several years."

Sadler has been at E! for over a decade. She recently added her own show Daily Pop to her responsibilities as a co-anchor of E! News. Her decision to leave came after the discussion of her contract renewal with the E! team and after she and her team, "asked for what [she] knew [she] deserve[d] and were denied repeatedly."

Sadler's choice was met with a massive outpouring of support. Many have tweeted their reassurance and encouragement:

Jessica Chastain, a vocal advocate for women’s equality in media, also tweeted her support:

Sadler isn’t done yet. She ended her blog post by saying, “I will find more work.  I will create content with meaning.  I will continue to pursue my passions while making my children proud.  The way I see it, I have an obligation to be an agent for change...This chapter is over and a new one begins.”

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.

By Fiona Flores

“You really want us to be serious? Imagine what all of my friends would say. I’m almost four years older than you. I already finished college and you are just starting…”

These are the exact words I said to my SO after two weeks of dating when we started talking about if we could become something more. Yes, it was a horrible thing to say, I admit it. But in that moment, I wasn't thinking straight. I was actually scared. Scared of what could happen if I admitted that I was actually falling in love with someone who was younger.

Let me clarify: I had never dated someone younger than me. I always searched for older men because I thought they were more mature and knew what they wanted from their lives (LOL!). I was usually attracted to older men because they gave me a sense of security. I thought that being with somebody who had his life figured out was going to help me figure out mine. Turns out that wasn't the case, and all of those relationships ultimately failed.

When I met my current boyfriend I wasn’t really looking for love ,and I wasn’t looking for love with somebody who was younger than me. But then I found myself attracted to his jokes, his appearance and the way he treated me. Weirdly, he treated me in a way none of the boys I have dated before had. He was very nice, he would listen to my “I just graduated and I don’t know what to do with my life” speeches. He was patient, kind and smart, all the things that I really needed.

The only problem was his age. I was 23 when I met him and he was just about to turn 20. I could already imagine all the cougar references people might make. I couldn’t help worrying about what people would say or think about me. The perfect man I used to imagine was the one who already had a “life” in which I could just fit myself into. As we all know, though, life has a funny way of changing our plans. So when I found myself attracted to someone who didn’t really fit in my ideal world, I tried to run away. I tried to pretend that it wasn’t a big deal, but deep inside I knew it wasn’t like that.

Was I really going to walk away from the only man who had shown honest feelings for me, just because he was younger? Would I be able to live without regrets whenever I thought about that decision? When I realized that the answer to all of those questions was “no,” I did what I already knew I would. I decided to give it a try and surprisingly, it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. It’s the first time I feel that I am growing up in a relationship (despite our occasional fights), and it’s also the first time that I truly feel loved by somebody else.

I also found out that by dating somebody who is younger my life has become a little less stressful. The energy he puts in my daily routine makes me want to try something new every day. Apparently, dating younger men can bring a lot of benefits to you.

I believe that love is difficult, no matter what our age is. But I also believe that if we allow ourselves to really fall into it, really good things can happen to us. 

Selena Gomez fans were shook when they found out that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are reportedly back together. But one Gomez fan isn’t a Jelena supporter: Mandy Teefey, Selena’s mom. Her lack of support may have resulted in the two unfollowing each other on Instagram.  

Selena and Justin are back together and, apparently, have been seeing each other everyday. It’s been reported that Teefey has been against Bieber and Gomez dating for some time, and that the situation has caused her so much stress that she checked herself into a hospital. Justin was also not invited to the Gomez family’s holiday celebration, a source told People.

"Selena’s family is still not happy about her seeing Justin. Selena doesn’t bring Justin to any family events. Selena is spending Christmas with her family. As of now, Justin is not invited."

The mother and daughter are very close and are both co-producers of the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why, which has gotten renewed for a second season. 

Mandy still follows The Weeknd, Selena’s former beau. Maybe Mandy is still holding out hope that Justin and Selena won’t last. She wouldn’t be the only Selena fan:

Who knows, maybe Selena and Justin will stay together and prove to fans and family that they’re worth it. Or maybe they’ll just break up...again.

Acne on its own isn’t fun, but add acne scars on top of that and it can be a full-blown nightmare! Dr. Elizabeth Hale, Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at NYU Langone Medical Center, says "Acne scarring is an unfortunate consequence of normal acne. It results from inflammation in the skin and it can be made worse if the person with the acne tries to pick or otherwise manipulate their skin. Initially, acne scars appear red due to skin inflammation but overtime, associated breakdown of the skin collagen can lead to indented, rolling, or ice pick acne scars.”

Blemishes can make you feel insecure and cause you to hide your face when you should be feeling confident instead. They are an issue for so many people but thankfully, there’s many ways to prevent and treat acne scars.

If the scars are still red

When scars are new and still red, Dr. Hale suggests a specific laser treatment called the pulsed dye laser. According to her website, CompleteSkinMD.com, the pulsed dye laser can “suppress inflammation, destroy the bacteria that is causative in acne and reduce the redness that characterizes [acne scars].”

Depending on the scarring, multiple treatments may be necessary. When it comes to insurance, different insurance companies provide coverage depending on whether they consider it medically necessary. Be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if your treatment will be covered! 

If the scars are extremely indented

In the case of extreme scarring that’s caused indentation, Dr. Hale says those scars will “respond to fractional laser resurfacing, which often requires multiple treatments.” Fractional laser resurfacing rejuvenates the skin and helps the skin produce new collagen. The treatment is prolonged but achieves significant results. This treatment is another one to check with your insurance company to see about coverage.

If there is significant collagen loss

For significant collage loss due to acne scars, Dr. Hale advises the use of dermal fillers. She says they “can be used to improve the indentations.” Fillers can improve the hollows that acne scarring creates by “stimulating collagen production.” This “provides more global volume replacement and rejuvenation” states CompleteSkinMD.com. 

When treating acne and acne scars, you should consult your doctor or a dermatologist. Dr. Hale recommends to “see a dermatologist who can prescribe appropriate treatments to help improve the acne scarring.” They will be able to analyze your skin and what you need.

Related: Should You Get Accutane? We’ve Weighed The Pros & Cons

Your skin is going to reflect how you treat it. If you’re constantly touching your face and picking at blemishes, you’re going to keep irritating it, spreading bacteria and stopping it from healing. To prevent further scarring (“Prevention is key!” says Dr. Hale), it’s necessary to take really good care of skin (you can even do it while napping!). Keep unnecessary dirt and oil off your skin while using salicylic acid (like this one by Neutrogena for just $8!) to cleanse the face and the healing process will happen faster and more effectively. Bye acne scars!

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a tax bill that would cut $1.5 trillion in taxes, NPR reports. After passing the house for this second time (notably without any Democratic support and 12 Republicans voting "no"), it is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk.

If you haven’t heard about the tax bill, it's been widely criticized for how it benefits high-earning companies. NPR explains that the tax cut would reduce corporate taxes to 21 percent, for select companies (that are already flourishing and arguably don’t need a tax break.)

However, Trump has tried to reassure US citizens that this tax bill will have a positive impact: “The Tax Cuts are so large and so meaningful, and yet the Fake News is working overtime to follow the lead of their friends, and the defeated Dems, and only demean. This is truly a case where the results will speak for themselves, starting very soon. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!” Trump tweeted. (Though it may have been nice for him to actually elaborate how the tax cuts are “so meaningful.”)

According to NBC News, the bill passed through the House with a 227-203 vote, where the Senate later approved the bill in a 51-48 vote. Judging by Trump’s favorable tweets and comments regarding the bill, he will likely sign it.

Until then, Trump has us in suspense on when he will sign the bill.The Washington Post reports that Trump might want to wait until the New Year to ring in this new bill.

Because of the Pay-As-You-Go (or PAYGO) budget rule, it could enforce cuts for Medicare and other necessary programs. Eventually Congress will have to vote on the future of PAYGO to prohibit this new tax bill from impacting these vital programs. However, there would need to be 60 votes against this budget rule in order to change its ruling or abolish it entirely. (As the Post explains, Republicans currently only make up 51 votes.)

Nevertheless, many people have mixed reviews about this tax reform, because it’s being scrutinized for favoring wealthier families and businesses.
 

Despite the mixed review regarding this GOP tax bill, Trump still has us in suspense as to when he’ll inevitably sign this bill.

Madame Tussauds is known for their beautiful and elegant wax figures of celebrities and well-known personas. Walt Disney World is credited for their large roller coasters, beautiful Disney Princess castle replicas and now, for their newest addition to their Hall of Presidents: President Donald Trump.

However, Tussauds should consider adding professional trolling to their list since driving the Internet wild with their comments about Disney’s creepy robo-Trump figure that was unveiled to the world on Tuesday.

Deciding to add insult to injury over the criticisms that Disney's Trump looked a little haggard, Tussauds Orlando took to Twitter, tweeting a side by side photo comparison of their wax figure of Trump to Disney’s version.

Captioning the image “ME AT THE START OF 2017 VS ME NOW," they pretty much said all they needed to say.

The tweet caused quite a reaction out of Twitter users, and according to People, the animatronic was considered a rough looking John Voight.

According to The Hill, every President in the Hall has a speaking role, and Trump’s speech is meant to address the U.S. Constitution and achievement of American Spirit.The Disney attraction is set to reopen after an 11-month closure, as Mediaite reports, with Trump’s speech set to be the opening attraction.  

Cardinal Bernard Law, who was the archbishop of the Boston Catholic church before allegations arose that he protected abusive priests, died on Wednesday at the age of 86, according to the New York Times.

The Vatican announced in a news release that Law had died in Rome from illness, according to CNN. Law served as the archpriest of the Papal Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome after resigning in 2002 from the archbishop position in Boston, said CNN.

When Law came to Boston in 1984, he was seen as one of the most influential churchmen in the country, as he communicated with presidents and the pope at the time, Pope John Paul II. The New York Times referred to him as a “force in politics” and many people thought he could potentially be the first American pope.

In Boston, Cardinal Law became involved in the political and social structure of the city. He was such an influence on advocating for tolerance that in 2001, he placed fourth on Boston magazine’s power list, according to the New York Times.

However, on Jan. 6, 2002, the Boston Globe ran its first Spotlight story on how Cardinal Law covered up sexual abuse in the Catholic church for years. One of the priests, Rev. John Geoghan, had a long history of sexually molesting children, and under Cardinal Law had been moved around to multiple churches instead of being removed, according to the Boston Globe. This story of Cardinal Law protecting the priests soon developed into an award-winning movie released in 2015, accurately named “Spotlight.”

After public outcry and, according to the Boston Globe, 58 priests publicly calling for resignation, Cardinal Law resigned from his position in Dec. 2002. Cardinal Sean O’Malley succeeded him in 2003, according to the Boston Globe.

“Cardinal Law served at a time when the Church failed so seriously in its responsibilities to provide pastoral care for her people,” said Cardinal O’Malley in a statement regarding his death.

Law was then appointed to his position in Rome, which upset many victims and members of the church. According to USA Today, Law was the first famous cardinal exposed for his cover up of the sexual abuse, yet he was not punished by the Vatican and instead given a new position.

CNN reports that an entire network of survivors of sex abuse by priests are angry about how Law will be commemorated with a full cardinal’s funeral on Thursday at Vatican City. According to CNN, the network has asked Pope Francis to consider the victims and instead focus on protecting children and those who have been abused, rather than enablers.  

Content warning: sexual violence

Over the last few months, many survivors have broken their silence about the sexual abuse and harassment they’ve endured. While the #MeToo movement has given so many individuals their voice, I couldn’t help but feel like I was still whispering.

Though I’ve shared my some experiences with sexual harassment in other Her Campus pieces, I was still afraid of sharing some of my other, more traumatizing, stories. I was afraid of being judged, being victim blamed and reliving that same pain (even if I still relive these experiences every day), but I’m choosing to share some of my other #MeToo stories in hopes that others will be inspired to continue to fight against sexual perpetrators.

While I could share a list of the dozens of times I’ve been sexually abused, that won’t help me or anyone who’s reading this article. I’d rather use these stories from survivors, along with my own survival stories, to illustrate the lessons that we’re forced to learn—and how we survivors are forever changed, regardless of how much time has passed. 

Related: I’m Finally Breaking My Silence On The #MeToo Movement
 

1. How to be hyper-vigilant

As a child my mother adapted her own version of Memory for us to play as a family. Instead of trying to find the matches to the same cartoon apple or ice cream cone, my mother would tape photos of people on the card. But instead of using the same image for these individuals, she would adhere different photos of the same person, and I would have to find the matches.

I didn’t realize that this wasn’t the traditional way to play Memory until I was a bit older. When asked why we couldn’t play the “regular” Memory, my mother explained to me that as women “we need to have better memories and be aware of our surroundings, including the people around us.” (Granted, everyone needs to be hyper-vigilant to be able to notice someone following them or to be able to identify their abusers.)

My mother only vaguely talks about why she came up with this adaptation, but this game molded my childhood and my adulthood. While I still try to maintain my pseudo-photographic memory using my own version of my family’s game of Memory, I know that this unconventional game has helped me protect myself—even if I don’t always feel safe.

2. Fight to be taken seriously

Two years after I mastered the adapted version of Memory, my mother and I went to the mall in the city. It was the summer, so we were preparing for a new school year—new notebooks, new clothes and new lessons. Normal excursions that most families are able to complete without any imminent risk.

While shopping in a bookstore, my mother was groped by a random man. She immediately told an employee, who called security.

The mall security had escorted the man out of the store, so we could continue our shopping. Towards the end of our outing, we ventured to a Dillards, where I noticed that the same man who assaulted my mother was at the jewelry counter.

Though my mother and I quickly boarded the escalator to get away, he got on the escalator, immediately behind us. I don’t remember exactly what obscenities he called my mother, but I do remember him pushing me, a 7-year-old, down the top of the escalator.

I also recall the back of my skull hitting the grooves of every step on the way down (until another person caught me toward the bottom of the escalator).

While I don’t remember the hospital visits that followed or how many stitches I received, I can’t help but think that if security had removed that man from the mall, then maybe I wouldn’t have been physically assaulted. Sexual abusers are just that—abusers. They abuse their power in any way they can, yet security didn’t take his abuse seriously. Because of that, the situation escalated.

I still have a scar where my neck meets my skull. But I’m glad it’s still there, because it reminds me to continue fighting for myself and others. Ultimately, we should need to battle to have our claims taken seriously, especially when these sexual crimes can often also be physically violent and even deadly.

3. Sometimes friends don’t always have your best interests in mind

When I was a sophomore in college, I was raped. He was a friend of a friend, and despite my newfound voice I’m still afraid to type his name.

Although I lived in a secure dorm at the time and the building was locked during the evening, that night he had waited outside my residence for someone to leave or exit and presumably snuck in as the front entrance was closing or politely asked to be let in.

He found out where I lived from a mutual friend, and he waited at my door as I was in dorms’ kitchen, cleaning a coffee mug. The other details of how and what happened are unnecessary, and I don’t need to share every detail of my stories to validate what happened to me (after all, these are my stories to tell, and nobody can take that away from me). 

Regardless, even the most docile classmates or coworkers can be dangerous. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t feel ashamed for reporting our friends or family for hurting us.

4. It’s okay to get help

Growing up seeing my mother and sister survive their own sexual assault and harassment, I noticed that they never talked about it in detail. They never mentioned it much in general, so I initially thought that I was weak for not being able to overcome my own sexual traumas—especially since they happened years ago.

I’ve finally grown strong enough to understand that it’s okay to need and want help. And seeking therapy or counseling doesn’t make you feeble, because being vulnerable doesn’t mean that you are somehow less than.

Even if you aren’t convinced that can help you with your situation, talking to a therapist can help prevent the residual emotions and trauma from your sexual assault from impacting other aspects of your life—like your courses, work and relationships.

Talking to a therapist, someone who is pretty much a stranger, can give you power in a powerless situation. I’m not ashamed anymore to admit to regularly see a therapist, but I am ashamed that we still need lessons like these to continue to survive.

It took me awhile to learn how to speak again, but I know that I still have the privilege to have my voice heard. Hopefully that privilege can help others learn to survive and cope with their own sexual assault and harassment.

If you thought you had a lot of reading to get through during finals week, Congressional leaders may have had you beat. The proposed GOP Tax Bill that Congress began voting on this week, consists of 429 pages in the House Bill and 479 pages in the Senate Bill and outlined far more than just a new system of tax brackets. Everything from plans to tax graduate students tuition wavers as income to reducing the corporate income tax, the most highly-debated and concerning proposal in the 908 page bill, is what many refer to as the "destabilizing" of Obamacare. 

Obamacare, also known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into law in March of 2010 by President Barack Obama. The plan required all Americans to purchase health insurance, or pay a penalty if they wanted to opt out. The plan, while not bulletproof, did put access to healthcare in reach for millions of Americans.The LA Times reports, “In California alone, the percentage of uninsured working-age adults has plunged to 10% from 24%. Nationwide, the uninsured rate fell to a record low 8.8% last year.” 

So what does the new GOP tax bill mean for Obamacare?

In short, the bill repealed the individual mandate requirements of the Affordable Care Act. Meaning that, if you opted to pay a penalty to excuse yourself from buying health insurance under Obamacare, you no longer have to pay a penalty and can simply be uninsured. However, this means that the rate for those who do choose to purchase health insurance will increase.

What’s tricky about this is the cost of health insurance will depend on how many people enroll, thus making it virtually impossible to know the exact cost in which health insurance will be.

 "If only sick people enroll, the market falls apart. Imagine what would happen to homeowners’ insurance if only people in the canyons bought policies," Dana Goldman, director of USC’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics told The LA Times. "The mandate is designed to make sure the market doesn’t fall part.”

While young adults see themselves as virtually indestructible and no one plans to get in a car accident or fall ill, having health insurance still makes sure that you are protected if those occur. By destabilizing Obamacare and not enacting an individual mandate that requires everyone to pay some form of health insurance, premiums will increase.

“Allowing people to wait until they become sick before they buy insurance just makes the market unsustainable," Michael French, a health economist at the University of Miami said. "It means the only people covered are sick people, and that make insurance too expensive.” 

However, Republicans and strong proponents of the new tax bill have argued that, with the destabilizing of Obamacare, tax cuts will increase because of the savings the government will receive in not spending money on Obamacare subsidies. And if you’ve read anything about the GOP’s tax cut plans, you would know those cuts are for the wealthy. Which ultimately has added more fuel to the critic’s fire. 

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that by 2027, 13 million people will be without health insurance simply because they do not want it, or because they cannot afford it. Politico reports that immediately following President Donald Trump taking office in January of 2017, there was not the usual surge in enrollment. And while the final numbers for 2018’s open enrollment have not been released “all signs point to a drop-off.”  

The fate of Obamacare is virtually unknown at this point, but many experts are saying it will take a Christmas miracle for this bill to not be passed through as it heads to President Trump's desk— and if it is, millions of Americans will be unable to afford access to healthcare. 

After speaking as one of several U.S. gymnasts to have experienced sexual abuse from former team doctor Larry Nassar, 2012 Olympian McKayla Maroney now claims that USA Gymnastics officials forced her to sign a confidential financial settlement and remain quiet about her experiences with Nassar, The Los Angeles Times reports. Maroney filed a lawsuit against the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Gymnastics on Wednesday, almost two weeks after Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges. Other defendants also include Nassar and Michigan State University, his former place of employment. 

Maroney was allegedly driven toward the confidential agreement in December 2016, following difficult years "from psychological trauma of her sexual abuse at the hands of Nassar and in need of funds to pay for psychological treatment,"her lawsuit says. The confidential settlement was meant to "further conceal and shield from public scrutiny, outside investigation and law enforcement, the true nature of Nassar's horrific sexual abuse of minors."

Accompanying her own suit was a similar one that her parents filed this past June under fake names. Maroney's attorney John Manly, who was not the lawyer that oversaw the initial agreement, called the confidentiality settlement "an immoral and illegal attempt to silence a victim of child sexual abuse."

The USOC claims that it did not know about the confidential settlement, but on the contrary, USA Gymnastics says that Maroney's then lawyer, Gloria Allred, was the one who approached the organization about the "concept of confidentiality." According to USA Gymnastics, the agreement "was in accordance with state law, despite what has been alleged." 

While USA Gymnastics seems to want to play the innocent card, Manly suggested otherwise, telling NBC News that the organization wrote the agreement in order to "keep their secret from the public.""Ms. Maroney did not want to enter into an agreement where she could not even speak to her brother and sister or friends about what happened to her," Manly said. "Under the terms of that agreement, she couldn't even speak to a future fiancé without the threat of being sued."

None of the legal documents reveal how much Maroney was paid in exchange for secrecy, but the Times reports that inside sources believe she received $1.25 million. She now aims to nullify the original settlement, thus continuing her mission to end silence about sexual abuse in the sports industry. 

We know how busy you are during the holidays, so we want to help! Win this amazing bundle of gift cards that's bound to satisfy everyone on your list! (Or you can spend them all on yourself. No judgment.)

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There is something for everyone! Enter now to win this bundle of amazing gift cards!

Rest easy, Kardashian fans, because you now can stop analyzing every family member's social media for confirmation of Khloé's long-rumored pregnancy. PEOPLE reports that Khloé took to her own Instagram account on Wednesday to finally confirm what we've all assumed: she's a mama-to-be! 

In a gushing post that is quite different from the Kardashians' usually brief or vague social media messages, Khloé wrote alongside a photo of her baby bump, "My greatest dream realized! We are having a baby!"

First saying that she had to trust in God and His timing for her pregnancy to happen, Khloé quickly turned the focus of her message to her boyfriend and baby daddy, Tristan Thompson. "I still at times cannot believe that our love created life!" she said. "Tristan, thank you for loving me the way that you do...most of all, thank you for making me a MOMMY!" 

Khloé, who is reportedly expecting a boy, also thanked fans for their positivity, even though her news was unconfirmed for the longest time.  She wrote, "I know we've been keeping this quiet but we wanted to enjoy this between our family and close friends as long as we could privately...Thank you all for understanding."

Calling impending motherhood "the best bundle of feelings I've ever felt in my life," Khloé received praise from Tristan in her photo's comments section. 

"Girl, you look better now," the basketball player wrote. 

It sounds like these two are more than ready to welcome their new baby. Now all Kardashian followers need for a lovely holiday season is confirmation of Kylie Jenner's pregnancy. 

Okay, we all know that one person who tends to share WAY TOO MUCH on social media. Then the time comes when you see the one picture of their ring. Your heart stops beating. The earth starts to move. The time has come. They got engaged.

Maybe you’re single and you don’t think it’d ever happen to you, so you don’t sweat it. But maybe you’re in a pretty serious relationship and you see it happening sometime in the near future. After the excitement of the thought subsides, your first impulse is how you’d share it on social media.

No, I’m not implying that you’re a millennial and we share EVERYTHING. You may have family members who weren’t able to make it to the engagement, or friends from out of state that wanted to see pictures. It’s easier to just post everything up so everyone can see it, rather than sending stuff one-by-one to a million curious people. So how do we stop ourselves from over sharing or sharing too much of this special moment?

It’s about the proposal—not the ring

It seems like everyone’s first thought is to post their hand with that shiny rock on their left ring finger. It’s almost like you’re flaunting the ring more than your future husband or wife. Being proposed to is probably one of the most special moments in your life—and your first instinct is to post a picture of the ring? Come on.

Chelsea Nicole, a junior at Iowa State University, had some advice from an outsider’s perspective. She had a better alternative to pictures of oversized rocks.

“While photos of you and your SO might seem like you’re still bragging about your engagement, I think of it as a cute way to show off a new step in your relationship in a healthy way, rather than showing off material aspects like the ring,” She says.

Sharing special moments with your SO rather than the ring they bought you says a lot about the kind of relationship you have with that person. Sharing the ring first will give everyone the impression that the most important thing about this new step in your life is the rock it came with.

Related: 6 Relationship Things You Should NEVER Post About on Social Media

Cut back on posting a billion pictures

A couple of cute pictures showing off your look of surprise or your first kisses together as finances is pretty cute. Have a full stop right there. There’s no need for the thousands of photos taken that day. Granted—it all depends on where you’re posting them. Facebook is fine because you can group a whole bunch of pictures together. Instagram? Not so much. You don’t want your friends sliding through 50 pictures in just one post. Know your audience and where you’re posting.

“My sister and her fiancé didn't change their relationship status to ‘engaged’ or put up a bunch of pictures; he did one post with three pictures in it with no captions, and that was all,” Katrina Dejagger-Kennedy says. “She changed her profile picture to one of the photos and that was all she did. Which I thought was classy and understated – sharing the news but not shoving it in people's faces.”

This was a great way to share the news without saying too much. ‘Okay, we’re engaged, here’s how, thanks a lot for your well wishes.’ Boom. Simplicity at its finest. Maybe you want to share a bit more pictures, and that’s okay too. But post them all at once and leave it. Spreading and sprinkling pictures of the moment around for a year after the engagement is a bit much.

Does EVERYTHING have to be on social media?

If you overshared your engagement, chances are you overshare a lot of other things. Social media is meant for your great aunt and uncles or distant cousins to see pictures of you and see how your life is going. An engagement is a great thing to share on social media—your friends will be so happy for you and family will be excited for the wedding. But remember its about the meaning behind the event rather than the likes you’ll get on the pictures. Just keep that in mind before you hit the post button.

“How to not overshare proposals: spend more time with the one who proposed. Why are you even sharing this when you finally locked it down for yourself?” Says Afif Samir Nasreddine, a grad from University of Florida.

It’s true—After he/she proposed the pictures are IMMEDIATELY posted up. Why? People don’t have to know the very second you get engaged. Enjoy the moment with your SO and celebrate with those who were able to make it to the engagement.

Related: 5 Ways Social Media is Hurting Your Relationship

I’m not saying that being proposed to should be kept hush hush. Sharing the happy news is great! A lot of people will be happy and excited for you. Just be aware about what you actually want people to know. Remember, that moment is about you and your fiancé, not about your 200 Facebook friends. On the other hand, screw it. It’s your day and you’re allowed to be happy and show it off.

2017 was Ed Sheeran's year. He was nominated for Grammys, he was MTV's VMA Artist of the Year and his song "Shape of You" was the most streamed song on Spotify globally in 2017. Even though he is one of the biggest superstars at the moment, he procrastinates just like us. It turns out that our favorite redhead can have a short attention span when writing his music. We all have our own ways we deal with focusing on the task at hand, but Ed Sheeran's is slightly unique.

According to PEOPLE, his songwriting partner, Johnny McDaid, said that he gave Sheeran a suitcase full of Legos and told him to get to work building something to help him focus. Speaking to the New York Times about getting Sheeran to concentrate on the song, McDaid said, "One of the things I did to try and keep him in the room when I would be working on a track, I’d have like a suitcase full of Legos I’d pull into the hotel room and say, ‘There you go. You build that.’” 

While writing songs can occasionally be easy for talented artists like Sheeran, it must be hard to constantly come up with ideas to create a cohesive album. We all grew up playing with Legos, so it makes sense that something like that would help bring his mind back to a place of routine and relaxation to help him get his work done. He loves Legos so much that he even has a tattoo of one on his arm!

Once Sheeran got going with those Legos, it reportedly only took the writing duo 90 minutes to write "Shape of You," or the catchiest song ever. It makes me think about what we all do in 90 minutes. Take a nap? Watch Netflix? We should all take note that we could be writing one of the most popular songs of the year the next time we have 90 minutes free. 

Whether or not you love Legos like Sheeran, go give "Shape of You" another listen! It is 100 percent just as good as the first time you heard it. 

Compared to most of Bachelor Nation's followers, I consider myself an OG Bachelorette fan, aka my knowledge of the franchise goes back to around 2011. Thus, I'm pretty familiar with upcoming Bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. and his appearance on The Bachelorette in 2012. Few people from this era of the show have remained relevant, so I'm thrilled that the casting of Arie has allowed for his Bachelorette, Emily Maynard Johnson, to make a brief return to the spotlight. She recently spoke to PEOPLE about Arie starring on the show so long after they were together.

"I've been rooting for Arie to be the Bachelor since my season ended—he's a great guy," Emily said. 

Emily, who picked Jef Holm over Arie on her season, is now married to a man she met who shares her love of faith, which she honestly deserves after her tumultuous experience with the show. Although she won The Bachelor in 2011, then single mom Emily's relationship with two-time Bachelor Brad Womack (aka the original Nick Viall) fizzled out, and her time with Jef didn't last long. When she married husband Tyler Johnson in 2014, she told PEOPLE, "For so long I felt so embarrassed and ashamed about that TV stuff. The grace that my faith has given me to wipe that all away and not find worth in that and find it through God, Tyler has been a great example of that for me."

Although Emily hasn't spoken to Arie since their season ended, she says that his turn as the Bachelor will be "great TV." However, it definitely won't be a go-to pick for her Monday night TV. "I feel like it would probably not be appropriate," she said. 

I still have my doubts about Arie being an entertaining Bachelor, but I'll take careful note of Emily's words!

If you’re applying to schools early, you’re likely to be feeling anxious about recent or upcoming deadlines, as well as the prospect of upcoming acceptance or deferral letters. First of all, congratulate yourself! You’re dealing with the college process at the speed of light, and that certainly doesn’t come without its challenges.

Current collegiettes have been there, done that and lived to tell the tale. We’re here to help you combat any and all early decision-related anxiety, as well as confront everything you’re dealing with if you’ve already heard from schools. Read on for assurance of all kinds with a collegiette stamp of approval, as well as some expert words of wisdom.

If you haven’t gotten any letters yet...

Breathe, you’re going to soon! Seeing everyone around you hear back might make the world feel like it’s closing in, but you will hear from your schools. The waiting part of the college application process is the worst, but there are steps you can take to calm yourself down.

Take yourself out of the stressful environment of school and separate yourself from everyone else who has already heard back. Removing yourself from this pressure cooker will make you feel infinitely better. Being mindful in this way will make you realize that stressing isn’t going to make the news come faster, so step back and just appreciate the work you’ve done so far.

Sometimes, a delayed decision letter might simply be a matter of where you are and when mail gets delivered. It doesn’t mean that you won’t get in or that you’ll never go to college! "You pretty much just have to wait," says Michelle Podbelsek, Co-Director of College Counseling Associates. "Colleges will only release decisions on their timeline [and] you can ask, but if it is not released, it usually means the decision is not yet made." So don't worry!

Try to keep your mind off it as best you can by focusing on other things. “Get your other applications done while you wait to hear back,” says Sally Springer, Ph.D., college process expert and co-author of Admission Matters: What Students and Parents Need to Know About Getting Into College. “You don’t have to submit them, but having them ready to go if they are needed puts you in control of the process.” Concentrate on your other school work, activities and regular life.

If you’re still feeling anxious, there are plenty of resources at your disposal. Talk to your college guidance counselor, to the local representative for the school you’re waiting to hear from or to someone in the admissions office. Don’t be afraid to be annoying —it’s your future we’re talking about!

If you receive a deferral letter or get rejected...

It’s perfectly okay ––truly! People get rejected and deferred from schools every year and they manage. There’s still time for you to change your plan if you were counting on one place, and the school you ultimately choose could end up being your dream school. Don’t get down on yourself. What’s done is done, and it’s up to you to learn from the experience and move forward.

If you were deferred, remember that this is not a rejection! “Schools defer students for many reasons: to see fall semester grades, to get a better sense of the applicant pool...or because they consciously hold back from admitting too many in the early round,” says Springer. Try not to take it too personally.

You can even look at this as a chance to do-over part of your process. “You can’t resubmit your application, but you can add to it,” says Springer. Write a letter of interest if you are still really into the school, and consider sending supplemental application materials like previous art you’ve done or papers you’ve written. Consult your college guidance counselor here to determine your next steps.

If you were rejected, it’s completely fine to grieve over bad news about a school. "Try to distract yourself and let time pass," says Podbelsek. "A dream school may seem like the best and 'only' option at first, but as time passes, [you'll realize] there are many great colleges and other options."

Rejection is difficult and what’s important here is to not let it impact the rest of your attitude towards college or your attitudes toward your friends. You may be feeling super cynical, but keep in mind that other people aren’t necessarily in the same situation.

Remember who you are, and that if a school doesn’t recognize how fantastic you are, it’s probably because there’s a better place out there for you. If it’s not meant to be, it’s not meant to be. There are more schools you’re waiting to hear from, and your entire future isn’t over just because one school said no. You have your whole life ahead of you, college is just a little blip!

Related: 7 Ways to Celebrate Submitting Your College Applications

If you receive an acceptance letter...

The past several months or maybe even year have been a whirlwind, and you’re through the worst of it. That’s no small feat, so just take a second to literally thank yourself and those who helped you get where you are. You’ve made it.

It’s time to celebrate! You did it. Buy yourself a cake or treat yourself to a night off or a shopping spree —seriously! This is a big deal. There were certainly points at which it felt like everything was pointless or you wouldn’t make it all the way through, and you did.  

You are in the very lucky position to potentially be done with applying to college. Remember this, and try to keep up the positivity for friends who are still going through it, but be careful and sensitive. “I encourage everyone to save overt bursts of emotion, whether shrieks of joy or tears of disappointment, for a private setting,” says Springer. Obviously, you don’t want to rub anything in their face, and this process is enormously delicate and subjective.

What’s next? Now it’s decision-making time on your end. There’s plenty of research to do and action to take even after you’ve already gotten in. Make a schedule of the deadlines by which you have to let the school know whether you’ve chosen them or not, and get all of the necessary information you need to make that decision.

You might also want to take another visit. If you're not in a binding situation, you still have to think hard about your ultimate decision of where to go. "If time has passed you need to check your current feelings," says Podbelsek. Talk to people you know at the school, research financial aid and other details about the campus and culture!

Maybe your plan is just refocusing on the rest of high school. You can finally relax and enjoy your senior year. You do you!

If you’re not in a situation where you’re bound to a school, you can even decide to take your time with your decision. “I still didn’t commit to a college until the very last minute,” says Abby Piper, a junior at University of Notre Dame. “In my case, getting the earlier acceptance letter didn’t really alter my decision that much.” Whether you end up going to this school or not, just feel good about having a certain percent of the process under your belt.

Plus, remember that a school’s name or credentials aren’t what makes it a great place. It’s up to you to get to college and make the experience your own! “The important thing to remember throughout the process is that while there are no perfect schools, there are many schools where a student will be perfectly happy,” says Springer.

In any case, remember that where you end up does not determine who you are as a person, let alone the rest of your life. If you don’t realize this now, you will, trust us! College is what it is, four (give or take) years of your life, and that’s it. Beyond that, it’s what you make of it, regardless of where you are.

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.)

North Korean Soldier Abandons Country & Crosses Border to South Korea

CNN reports that a "low-ranking" North Korean soldier defected (or abandoned his original country for another) to South Korea early Thursday morning. The soldier crossed the demilitarized zone separating the two countries, marking the second defection in less than two months. Unlike the first scenario, in which the escaping North Korean solider was shot multiple times, the solider wasn't shot, but South Korea soldiers sent warning shots when enemy soldiers searched for the escaped man. Four North Korean military members have defected to South Korea this year.

School District Superintendent Resigns After a Teen Football Player Is Allegedly Sexually Assaulted in His Home

The superintendent of an Oklahoma school district resigned after receiving allegations that a high school football player was sexually assaulted by his teammates at the superintendent's home, The New York Times reports. Robert Kyle Wood, superintendent of Bixby Public Schools, hosted a football team event at his home in September, when three teammates held down a 16-year-old player and another sexually assaulted him with a pool stick. While the contact led to the student bleeding, another teammate recorded the encounter on his phone while other boys watched and laughed.

The injured teen claims that a similar incident occurred at Wood's home in 2016. After the school board asked Wood to resign, he announced his retirement in a statement provided by his lawyer Paul DeMuro. "In light of recent events, Dr. Wood decided it was in the best interests of the Bixby School District, the Bixby community and his family to step away at this time," the statement said. "Although this has been a challenging time for Dr. Wood...recent events cannot erase Dr. Wood's many accomplishments as a lifelong Oklahoma educator, including his successful 11-year tenure as Bixby's superintendent."

In addition to Wood stepping down, several football players were either benched or kicked off the team for the rest of the season.

Cracker Jack Has a Popcorn That Tastes Just Like Sugar Cookies

I have to admit that I'm pretty sure I've never had Cracker Jack popcorn. However, now I have a season to hunt it down. PopSugar reports that Cracker Jack has actually produced a Holiday Sugar Cookie Popcorn for the past few years, and I'm experiencing delayed FOMO. Consisting of vanilla candy-coated popcorn with red and green sprinkles, the special product appears to only be available during the holiday season. Time to hit the grocery store!

What to look out for...

Today is the Winter Solstice, meaning that we'll experience the shortest day and longest night of the year. This kicks off the official start of the winter season, so try to get some sunlight exposure if you can!