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15 Signs You DGAF About Valentine's Day

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Ah, Valentine’s day. Love is in the air. The birds are singing; the flowers are blooming, and you—well, you literally couldn’t care less. Here are 15 signs that you DGAF about Cupid’s holiday!

1. The only thing you’re counting down are the days until all that chocolate goes on sale

2. You get confused for a second when your friends start talking about the upcoming holiday

They know Easter isn’t for a while, right?

3. People complaining about needing a date annoy you

4. You’re excited to binge watch Netflix roommate is gone for the night...

5. ...Or you’re dreading the upcoming sexile

But hey, you can always take your pajamas and laptop to the library!

6. Valentine’s-related Twitter and Instagram hashtags are lost on you

Pretty much the only trending tag that fully makes sense to you right now is #NationalPizzaDay

7. You’re pretty sure you're more excited for President's Day

8. You know a last-minute Tinder Valentine's Day date isn't something you want to try out

A Valentine's date seems like a lot of pressure to put on a stranger. 

9. Taking a page from Leslie Knope, your Galentine’s Day preparations are well underway

10. With all the pressure already on you because of midterms, you’re glad you don’t have to go out and buy a gift or plan a date

11. If you’re in a relationship, you and your S/O are glad to be chilling out super casually this weekend

12. The overly pink and heart-themed designs are everywhere, from the mall to the drugstore, and it’s making you feel a little bit Scroogey about the holiday

13. You’re still wishing Cupid’s arrow would land on someone... Like maybe the entire financial aid department at your school

14. You don’t bother ordering flowers for yourself today. You treat yourself on the regular

...Buuut maybe it would be nice to splurge a little extra today!

15. Pity party? More like pizza party

Can everyone stop with this “Single Awareness Day (S.A.D.) nonsense already?!


Mike Pence & Kim Jong-Un's Sister Ignored Each Other at the Olympic Opening Ceremony & Twitter Had Things to Say

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Attending the 2018 Winter Olympics as the official representative of the United States, Vice President Mike Pence did not acknowledge North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister at Friday night's opening ceremony, despite sitting close to each other. TIME reports that Pence and his wife Karen were seated in front of 30-year-old Kim Yo Jong, whose ceremony attendance made her the first member of North Korea's ruling family to visit the South since 1953. The tension was palpable between the two representatives, causing a stir among Twitter commentators. 

Although Kim Yo Jong previously made headlines for inviting South Korean president Moon Jae-in to visit her home country, American viewers took the most notice of the awkward vibes Pence and Kim Yo Jong gave off at the opening ceremony. Before the ceremony, Pence first declined an invitation to go to a dinner attended by Kim Yong-nam, who is North Korea's ceremonial head of state.

Later on, Kim Yo Jong launched the face of a thousand memes when her blank expression was seen as Pence applauded ceremony procedures in front of her. 

Although Kim Yo Jong reportedly stood when Team USA entered Olympic Stadium during the Parade of Nations, Pence and his wife remained seated when North and South Korean athletes arrived under one unified flag. Given that this was the first time Korea entered the Olympics as a single nation since the 2006 Turin Games, many didn't take his snub lightly. 

The Associated Press reports that Pence has previously described North Korea's decision to join South Korea in the Parade as trying to "hijack the message and imagery of the Olympic Games" with "propaganda." The U.S. administration has warned South Korea to tread carefully in this partnership with the North, and anyone keeping up on the news knows that President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un haven't been getting along recently. While the White House stressed that Vice President Pence only stood and cheered for the United States at the opening ceremony, experts on Asian culture tell the Associated Press that failing to stand for Korea could be interpreted as disrespecting the host nation. 

Those defending Pence's actions have pointed out that him choosing to stand could have been wrongly taken as support of North Korea's poor record of human rights. 

We'll have to wait and see if Pence has any more awkward encounters with North Korean officials over the course of the games. The Olympics continue airing in primetime on NBC until Sunday, Feb. 25. 

7 Pinterest-Worthy Valentine’s Day Crafts

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Regardless of whether or not you’re in a relationship, Valentine’s Day can be super fun. With all things glittery, red, pink and, of course, heart-shaped, February is a blast. Don’t all of the cute Valentine’s Day store decorations make you want your apartment or dorm to be a little more festive, too?

Check out these fun and simple crafts, which you can do with just a few easily accessible supplies. Whether you’re giving them as gifts or just decorating your dorm, making these crafts is a fun way to have a girls’ night in with your friends.

1. Homemade Valentines

Valentine cards are probably the most widely recognized part of Valentine’s Day—remember passing the ones with cute Disney characters on them out in elementary school? Up your game by making your own cards this year for your family, friends or boyfriend. It’s a cute way to show them how much they mean to you and a great excuse to improve your scrapbooking skills. Card-making is more fun and effective if you get a group of friends together, because that way you can share supplies like heart punches and glitter glue, so plan a day where a few of your friends can catch up and make valentines together.

Tools and Materials

  • Colored construction paper
  • Markers or colored pencils
  • Scissors
  • Glue sticks
  • Glitter glue pens

Classic Valentine Card Instructions

Elementary school art might have included drawing a heart on paper, but you can do a lot better than that.

  • Cut a variety of colored hearts, and glue them onto the card to create a collage.
  • Decorate the individual hearts with glitter glue or color different patterns on them to show how much effort you put into the card.
  • If you have access to buttons and ribbon, bows would make a great accent to the outside of the cards, too. Get creative!

Or, if the idea of cutting a template and gluing a bunch of hearts together makes you sweat, try this cute and easy valentine idea we found on Pinterest.

You can get the popcorn holder at a dollar store and can find candy hearts almost anywhere this time of year. All you need is a hot glue gun to get everything to stick, and the result is adorable.

Popup Valentine cards

If you’re ready to take your valentines to the next level, try making popup cards. MarthaStewart.com has step-by-step instructions for making crafts like accordion cards and illustrated cards, so you can choose the project that fits with your skill level.

We love the accordion card since it’s easy to make—here are Martha Stewart’s instructions, taken from her website:

Tools and Materials

  • Card stock, scrapbook paper, and envelopes
  • Pens and pencils
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Craft knife
  • Self-healing cutting mat
  • Double-sided tape
  • Hole punch
  • Bone folder

Accordion Card Instructions

  • Print a template (which can be as simple as the outline of a heart shape) on cardstock; cut and trace onto the paper for the folded piece. If making one card, print directly on desired paper.
  • Fold along score marks. Then unfold, cut out and refold.
  • Position the folded piece inside base card so it pops. Secure with double-sided tape.

2. Crayon Hearts for Windows

If you’ve always loved stained glass or just want a way to make your room look a bit more inviting, these crayon hearts are a festive way to spruce up your space. All you need are a few pieces of wax paper, some crayons and an iron, and you’ll have plenty of hearts in no time. Here are the instructions for these lovely crayon hearts.

Tools and Materials

  • Wax Paper
  • Crayons in festive Valentine’s Day Colors
  • Iron
  • Handheld Pencil Sharpener
  • Kraft paper

Crayon Heart Instructions

  • Begin with a 12-by-16-inch sheet of waxed paper. Fold it in half along its length; unfold.
  • Deposit wax-crayon shavings (made with a handheld pencil sharpener) evenly but not thickly across one half of the paper. Fold the clean half of the paper over the shavings.
  • Crimp the three open edges with a 1/2-inch fold to hold the shavings.
  • Protect your ironing surface with kraft paper. Place the waxed paper on the kraft paper, and cover it with another sheet of kraft paper.
  • Iron lightly on medium heat, checking after every few passes.
  • Stop when all the shavings have melted; let cool.
  • Next, trace and cut out hearts of various sizes. String each heart with a silk thread for hanging.

3. Hanging Heart Wall Art

If you don’t have crayons or an iron, this heat-free project is a great alternative. Wall art is perfect for decorating a small space, and it will add instant holiday spirit to your décor.

Here are the instructions, taken from Making Home Base:

Tools and Materials

  • Card stock in various colors
  • Scissors
  • Twine
  • Hot glue
  • Old frame found around the house or from a vintage store or thrift shop

Heart Wall Art Instructions

  • Create cutout hearts from the cardstock pieces. You can leave them in solid colors or add stripes and other patterns—it’s up to you and your decorating style. For her project, Chelsea of Making Home Base used a combination of patterned and solid hearts.
  • Place cutout hearts in the frame to position them.
  • Place the string over the top of the hearts and start gluing. On the site, Chelsea recommends gluing two heart cut outs together so that you don’t see the glue or string on one side if they get turned around.
  • Glue the strings in place onto the frame with hot glue.

4. Decorating with Candy

There are so many Valentine’s Day-specific candies that it would be a shame not to use them in a Valentine’s Day craft. Also, having a few treats around will make you everyone’s favorite hostess next time your friends visit your dorm room or apartment.

Try Lauren Conrad’s idea of putting candy hearts in a Mason jar and wrapping the lid in a festive ribbon. This requires very little effort and will add instant Valentine’s Day charm to your room. Conrad makes the jar even sweeter by adding a tag with a penny and a note about being lucky in love, making this a quick and easy gift to give your friends. Here are the instructions, taken from Lauren’s blog:

Tools and Materials

  • Penny
  • Red or pink ribbon
  • Mason jar
  • Hot glue gun
  • Gift tag
  • Bag of Sweethearts or your other favorite Valentine’s Day candy

Lucky in Love Jar Instructions

  • Using the hot glue gun, glue your lucky penny in the middle of the tag (heads up, of course).
  • Next, take a letter stamp set or a Sharpie and write the message “Here's to getting lucky in love” onto the gift tag around the penny.
  • Use the ribbon to tie the tag onto a Mason jar and fill it with Sweethearts or your other favorite candy.

5. Felt Fortune Cookies

Martha Stewart’s creative mind is at it again with her felt fortune cookies, which unfold to include a personal message and a treat for the recipient. Everyone loves opening fortune cookies, and your friends or party guests will love that you took the time to make this thoughtful gift. Plus, they include candy!

So, ready to get crafty? Here are the instructions for the fortune cookies, taken from MarthaStewart.com:

Tools and Materials

  • Felt sheets in various red and pink shades
  • Fabric shears
  • Fabric glue
  • Wire cutters
  • Floral wire
  • Ribbon or paper with printed message
  • Small, individually wrapped candies

Fortune Cookie Instructions

  • Use fabric shears to cut a 4 1/2-inch-diameter circle from a piece of felt. Cut a piece of matching ribbon slightly shorter than 4 1/2 inches. Use wire cutters to cut a piece of floral wire slightly shorter than the length of the ribbon.
  • Using craft glue, affix the wire to the middle of the felt circle. Glue the ribbon on top, covering the wire. Let dry for 30 minutes.
  • Fold the felt circle in half, using the wire as a guide so the ribbon is inside the cookie. Next, angle the sides toward each other, bending the wire at its halfway point and forming a fortune-cookie shape.
  • Assemble the fortune cookies. Carefully peel back one flap of the felt cookie and insert a paper fortune and a few candies. Fold the flap back over to close cookie around contents.

6. Heart-Filled Gift Box

If you want to show your friends or boyfriend how much you care about them, why not give them this adorable box filled with dozens of heart cutouts? The best part about this project is that it is super easy to create, so if you’re not great with arts projects you’ll love this one from The House That Lars Built.

Here are the tools and instructions, which, along with the photo, are taken from The House That Lars Built:

Tools and Materials

  • Medium-sized gift box
  • Scissors
  • Cutout hearts made from construction paper in various colors

Heart-Filled Box Instructions

  • Glue a large heart on each side of the box’s exterior. You can also write the person’s name or a Valentine’s Day message inside the hearts.
  • Fill the box with the heart cutouts. It’s as simple as that! For a more heartfelt version of this craft, write a reason why you love the recipient on each heart.

7. Decorated Wine Glasses

Wine glasses are the classy way to consume any beverage, alcoholic or not, and there’s no better wine glass than a personalized one. You can make these with your friends at a Valentine’s Day get-together, or you could make them for your friends in advance as Valentine’s Day gifts in lieu of traditional valentine cards.

For the glasses themselves, you can find affordable packages of clear, plastic wine and champagne glasses at most party supply stores. They’ll be easy to work with, and you won’t have to worry about breaking glass during your craft making.

Tools and Materials

  • Plastic wine glasses
  • Permanent markers
  • Enamel paint
  • Fine paintbrushes

Decorated Wine Glass Instructions

Here are the instructions for painting your wine glasses, taken from WikiHow:

  • Sketch your designs onto the glass before you apply paint. The design can be hearts, flowers, your friend’s name—anything you want to include that signifies Valentine’s Day. This will help you avoid mistakes before you start painting, and according to WikiHow, you can remove mistakes with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
  • Fill in your sketches with paint. You may need to add multiple coats to ensure that the paint won’t chip off after a few uses of your wine glass. As with the sketches, you can use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to get rid of paint mistakes.
  • Let your wine glasses dry for a full 24 hours before heating them.
  • Now, it’s time to heat the glasses to set the paint. Line a cookie sheet with foil and turn your oven to 350ºF. Immediately put the glasses on the lined sheet and place them in the oven without waiting for it to preheat—the gradual warming will prevent the glasses from cracking.
  • Set a timer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat after 20 minutes, leave in for a further 10 minutes, and then remove the glasses after the 30 minutes.

Whether you want to give a valentine to the guy you’ve liked for months make a gift for a friend, or decorate your dorm room, these craft ideas will impress all of your friends.

Gina Rodriguez Directed Her Own TV Sex Scene & She Wanted to Make It as Positive as Possible

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It's no surprise that Gina Rodriguez is a Hollywood queen who deserves all of the success that comes her way. She's been vocal about her struggles with anxiety, while her production company has taken on projects centering on feminism and Latina representation. In another BAMF move, Rodriguez recently directed her first episode of her CW show Jane the Virgin, which aired this week, and that particular episode called of her first direction of a sex scene. She spilled about the experience and, no surprise, she worked to make the filming environment as comfortable as possible. 

Discussing her directorial debut with TV Guide, Rodriguez shared how having control over the scene changed her perspective of putting it together. "I think that the male gaze on the female body is very different than when you have a female gaze on this kind of scene, because I knew what was going to make me feel comfortable," she said. "I knew how it was going to make me not only comfortable, but make me feel beautiful, make me feel confident, make me feel sexy."

In the Feb. 9 episode, Jane found herself in a sexy moment with her on-and-off-again fling, Rafael. Seeing as actor Justin Baldoni has publicly shared his own struggles with body dysmorphia, filming the scene also emphasized Rodriguez's need to make her scene partner feel equally comfortable. The emotional insight into Baldoni's insecurities gave Rodriguez a unique perspective on the scene overall.

"I was able to give that to my male co-star when, stereotypically, people wouldn't think that men go through this experience," she said. "They don't feel confident in front of the lens all the time. They don't feel manly or buff or ripped. I was able to show Justin just how handsome and masculine he was and could be and really wanted to feel."

Kudos to Rodriguez for always reminding us that everyone, regardless of gender, faces body insecurities. We hope that she directs more episodes of Jane the Virgin in the future and inspires more women to pursue directing opportunities! 

10 Ways to Get a Date by Valentine's Day

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Don’t you miss those grade school days, when every person in your class had to put a hand-addressed Valentine in your red-paper-pasted box? Now, only the smug coupled-up people among us are guaranteed some attention on Valentine’s Day, and even they complain it’s not enough ("They didn’t get me the right kind of flowers!"). So why bother with it? Well, because it’s kind of fun to get all dolled up and go somewhere romantic, imagining for weeks beforehand how it will be the best night of your life. What do you do if you haven’t got a date to look forward to yet? Make one. Here are 10 foolproof tips to make sure you’ve snagged a body to sit across from at the fancy restaurant of your choice.

1. Mix some red into your daily ensembles

This study (you really needn’t bother with reading the full thing) shows that when collegiettes wear red, college cuties pay more attention to us. Okay, maybe they didn’t use those exact terms, but that’s the gist of it. Wearing the color may entice boys to “sit closer” to us and ask us “more intimate questions.” One “intimate question” being, “Will you allow me to pick you up in my horse-drawn carriage on February the 14th?”

2. Gab like a guy

You may be thinking about the perfect candy-red shade of lipstick to wear on the big night, but no dude is. Engage your crush by bringing up any topic free of conversation hearts: how March Madness is impending or how your favorite sitcom is (finally) back from hiatus. He’ll notice you’re a cool chick, not one of these crazed, date-hungry psychos that seem to be walking around campus (not us, not us).

3. Increase the intimacy

If you have your sights set on a certain valentine, show him you’re open to more than just a weekend hookup or casual conversation in class. Former Real Live College Guy Joey admits, “I immediately have my interest piqued if a girl begins to touch me at all, even something like picking a crumb off my sweater or touching my arm when [I’m] talking. Become more open and available.” Joey also recommends asking your dude if he has plans for Valentine’s Day weekend WITHOUT mentioning Valentine’s Day. This shows you’re open to hanging out but takes away some of the pressure.

4. Be alluring

If you’re dead set on snagging someone you’ll want to up the ante when it comes to dressing for class and extra-curricular activities, like frat parties and basketball games. Boy Expert Cher, of the timeless classic Clueless, once said, “Sometimes you have to show a little skin. This reminds boys of being naked, and then they think of sex.” This may not be your exact end goal, but ditching a few of the bulky winter layers we’ve all been buried in lately couldn’t hurt.

5. Get a group together

The solo-date can be terrifying if you’re on it with someone you don’t know that well (seriously, any restaurant you go to will be full of people who ARE in love). If you’re not ready for it, Anna, from The College of William & Mary, recommends grabbing a group of girls and guys and heading to the latest horror flick. “It’s a good excuse to cozy up to your crush during the scary parts,” she says.

Related: 7 Romantic Valentine's Day Ideas 

6. Get set up

It’s a huge risk, but ever-hopeful collegiette Sarah, from Colby College, says that it’s worth the reward. “Getting set up is romantic because it can be great or the most awkward experience ever. Valentine’s Day is miserable if you’re single, so take the chance!” Go ahead and ask your friends or sorority sisters if they know any eligible people who would like to meet up on a day that just so happens to be the 14th. It could be a story for the grandchildren! And if you don’t have anyone to set you up? Check out HowAboutWe.com, which allows you to pick a fun guy AND a fun date idea . . . what could be better?

7. Take advantage of the weekend before

Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, so use the weekend before to get out and mingle! Dating expert and publisher of OnlineDatingMagazine.com, Joe Tracy, advises to simply “be out there.” He says that the best way to get asked out is to “be self-confident and always look your best. Smile at people and say ‘hello’ when you pass them on campus or off.” Hit up the spots where you know your crush will be hanging out, or better yet, make plans to meet up with them. If you take the initiative first, they may surprise you by asking you out for Saturday.

8. Go for a friend

Maybe you don’t see your best guy friend as a romantic option, but he could be a ton of fun. Collegiette Remy, from William & Mary, recalls, “Last year, my guy friend and I went to one of the only romantic restaurants near campus and just mocked, quietly of course, other couples. I’ve never had a better Valentine’s Day.”

9. Guilt him into it

When I asked my current boyfriend how I managed to get him to ask me out last V-Day (we weren’t officially dating then), he told me he felt like he basically had to because of all the hints I dropped. Really romantic, right?? We’re still dating, so I guess the “guilt trip” can work, although it doesn’t make for a great story.

10. Just ask him out!

If you want the date, Former RLCG Joey says, “Don't be afraid to ask him out. Guys admire initiative, especially if they're shy. This isn't the 16th Century . . . girls don't have to be courted.” If all else fails, make the romance happen yourself.

Well, what are you waiting for? Go pick out your outfit, get a heart-design manicure and slap a picture of Cupid up on your dorm room door. You can officially get in the spirit, because you’ll have a date for the big day. And if you don’t? Joe Tracy advises spending the day racking up “good karma” by helping those less fortunate. Sounds like a plan to me!

5 Valentine’s Day Dessert Recipes That Are Too Sweet To Resist

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Nothing says “I love you” like homemade sweets… but you’re not exactly Martha Stewart. Don’t panic. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up five recipes that are easy to make in your campus apartment. Whether you’re making a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner for you and your S.O. or you’re just a single collegiette with a sweet tooth, you can dig into thesedelectable Valentine’s Day desserts on February 14.

Rice Krispies Treat Hearts

You know those heart-shaped candies with the sickly sweet endearments stamped on them? The ones your mom always sends you every year in your care package that you never eat? Well, now you finally have a use for them with this super easy V-Day-themed Rice Krispies treat recipe!

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon red food coloring 
1 10 ounce bag large marshmallows
6 cups of Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup of conversation heart candies
8 ounces vanilla flavored candy coating

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in a microwave for two minutes on high heat. Remove and stir and heat for another two minutes or until the mixture is smooth.
  2. Once the butter and marshmallows are combined, stir in the food coloring.
  3. Then add your Rice Crispies cereal.
  4. Mold your mixture into a large square on wax paper or a cookie sheet. Then, using your cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped pieces.
  5. Melt your candy coating in a small saucepan and spread a thin coating of it on the hearts. Then cover with sprinkles.
  6. Insert lollipop sticks at the bottom of each heart and serve.

Cocoa Espresso Truffles

These luxe little truffle treats are a bite of heaven! While they take a little more waiting (the chocolate needs to be refrigerated to form), whip up a batch of these truffle bites with your sorority sisters for a single girls’ V-Day bash! These espresso-coated candies are perfectly paired with coffee, so share a cup with your bestie and the two of you can gripe about that cutie from last weekend’s party who never texted you back.

Ingredients 

1 cup of heavy cream 
1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder 
1/2 pound of semisweet chocolate drops 
1/2 pound of bittersweet chocolate drops 

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 
1 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 tablespoon of coffee liqueur (optional) 

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, heat the cream and instant espresso powder over medium heat, stirring until the mixture bubbles around the edges. Remove from heat, add the chocolate and stir until fully melted. Add the liqueur and vanilla and stir. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate it until firm (at least four hours).
  2. Using a small scoop or a teaspoon, drop one-inch balls of the chocolate mixture onto a wax-paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate these until they are firm, about 15 minutes.
  3. Place the cocoa powder in a shallow bowl. Roll the chocolate balls in the cocoa, then transfer to a wax paper-lined baking sheet and refrigerate. Let them set in room temperature before serving!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Rich and velvety... what could be a more perfect dessert to share with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day? Red velvet cakes, pies and cupcakes are classic, so we borrowed this easy recipe for red velvet whoopie pies.

Ingredients

Cookies

1 box Betty Crocker SuperMoist devil’s food cake mix
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of red food color
1 box (4-serving size) of chocolate instant pudding and pie filling mix

Filling

1 cup of softened butter
2 cups of marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of fresh berries

Directions 

  1. Beat the cookie ingredients in a large bowl, with electric mixer on low speed until moistened; beat 1 minute longer on high speed. Drop batter onto a cookie sheet (which should either be lined with parchment paper or sprayed) with each cookie being two inches apart.
  2. Bake the cookies for 13 to 16 minutes at 350°F. Cool two minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
  3. Beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. For each sandwich cookie pie, spread about 1/4 cup filling on bottom of 1 cooled cookie. Top with blueberries and raspberries before sandwiching the filling with a second cookie.

White Chocolate Cranberry Cupcakes

The white chocolate flakes remind us of snowy winter days on campus (perfectly fitting for this time of year) and the cranberries give the otherwise fluffy, light cakes a tart bite of flavor. Delish! Don’t believe us? Check out this recipe from for white chocolate cranberry cupcakes and make them yourself!

Ingredients

Cake

1 box of white cake mix
2 egg whites
1 egg
1/3 cup of oil
1 cup of buttermilk
1 cup of sour cream
1 orange for zest
2 cups of chopped cranberries

White Chocolate Ganache

¾ cup of white chocolate chips
2 ½ tablespoons of heavy cream

White Chocolate Buttercream

8 ounce of softened cream cheese
½ cup of softened butter
2 tablespoons of white chocolate instant pudding powder
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3-4 cups of powdered sugar

Directions

  1. Gently stir the egg whites, egg, oil buttermilk, sour cream, zest and cake mix, then add chopped cranberries. 
  2. Fill the cupcake liners ¾ full and bake for 14-18 minutes at 350°F.
  3. When the cupcakes are almost cool, make the white chocolate ganache by melting white chocolate and cream together in the microwave.
  4. Once your cupcakes have cooled, dip them in the ganache and let them set before piping buttercream.
  5. To make the buttercream, beat the cream cheese and butter for four minutes. Add pudding mix, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. 
  6. Pipe onto your cupcakes and top them off with sprinkles!  

Sweetheart Chocolate Martini

For collegiettes over 21, this liquid dessert is just the thing for Valentine’s Day, whether it’s a girls’ night or date night! Here’s a toast to getting your happily ever after this semester!

Ingredients 

3/4 cup of half-and-half  
8 ounces dark chocolate liqueur 
2 ounces of vodka  
ice cubes  

Directions 

  1. In a pitcher, stir together the half-and-half, chocolate liqueur, and vodka.
  2. Place ice cubes in a martini shaker.
  3. Add liqueur mixture and shake.
  4. The mixture makes four to six drinks.
  5. Garnish with drizzled chocolate or candy hearts!

Randall & Kevin's Relationship Was the Surprise Highlight of the Latest 'This Is Us'

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For me, the This Is Us episode “The Car” was even more emotional than “Super Bowl Sunday.” A sad Mandy Moore tends to get me weepy no matter what, and the teenage Big Three have become such believable representations of their adult counterparts that it’s so easy to imagine them as the same people with these shared memories. While the entire Pearson quartet shined in this chapter of their grief, I’m still not over the way Randall and Kevin were portrayed during Jack’s funeral and the other flashbacks of their relationship as teenagers.

From a viewer’s perspective, we know that the greatest adult conflict between the brothers was Kevin receiving a DUI with Randall’s daughter in the car. Even after Randal’s initial angry reaction, he chose to be forgiving toward his brother, citing Kevin’s comfort of him during Randall’s huge anxiety attack as the reason why.


While their natural personalities have clashed now and then in the present-day timeline, Randall and Kevin’s relationship is infinitely better than when they were teens, and “The Car” explored the lowest lows of that time in their lives.

Kevin is first seen in “The Car” struggling with his tie, torn between the recent memory of trying on suits with Jack and his bubbling guilt over missing his family’s most traumatic moment together. A stiff and buttoned-up Randall sat in the passenger seat next to Rebecca, foreshadowing previous hints that Randall stepped up as his mother’s comforter after Jack’s death and in Kevin’s absence. When Kevin tossed the tie away in frustration and said he wouldn’t bother, Randall was astonished that he wouldn’t wear it to Jack’s funeral, flashing back to wearing ties alongside Jack as a child.

This brief moment showcased the huge difference between Randall and Kevin at this moment.

Randall always saw Jack as the ultimate, traditional provider, wearing ties to work and coming home to shower adoration on his wife and kids. I lost it when Randall told the crowd of mourners that he hoped to love someone the way Jack loved Rebecca, because he does, and Beth entered his life so soon after this.

It’s clear that the greatest thing Randall admired about Jack was his boundless love for his family, and he emulated this as an adult with his Super Dad tendencies and, yes, him relishing the wearing of a tie to work.

Kevin, on the other hand, had a clearer perspective of his dad’s flaws and his struggles with alcoholism. In the few weeks before Jack’s death, Kevin continuously feuded with his parents, making his relationship with his dad a hotwire. Decades later, Kevin faced the same addiction issues, suggesting that this dormant similarity between them added to their frequent clashes. Perhaps even as a teenager, Kevin saw himself in Jack’s old rebellious side, living on the edge.

Randall was stunned when Kevin said that Jack wouldn’t care about his tie, proving that each boy related most with vastly different sides of Jack.

Seeing Randall act the part of the family patriarch at the funeral caused Kevin to lash out, yelling at Randall for wearing Jack’s watch without asking him. Desperate to make sense of the fire he missed, Kevin accused Randall of not being man enough to stop Jack from going back into the burning house. Logan Shroyer and Niles Fitch have done an amazing job of incorporating little ticks of Justin Hartley and Sterling K. Brown into their work, and they displayed Kevin’s outrage and Randall’s calmness in ways that fit the adults’ personas perfectly.

In addition to their tumultuous relationship exploding at the funeral, another flashback showed a similar moment in which Kevin and Randall feuded when Jack taught them how to drive. Their tension inspired a talk from Jack about brothers needing to rely on each other, which scarily fits the family's impending situation. 

Later, after Jack’s funeral, Rebecca reminded them that neither of them had to be the man of the house, and the relief of that pressure of maturity seemed to allow for a truce between Kevin and Randall as the episode ended. 

 

Although this funeral reconciliation definitely wasn't the final healing point between the brothers, it shared the first glimpse of the Kevin and Randall we know today. Randall is a steady soother who speaks up when he needs to, while Kevin shuts down during conflict, often hurting those he loves most.  As much as Jack and Rebecca's stories were a highlight of the episode, this insight into Randall and Kevin's bond was even more rewarding to see. Jack may be dead, but we haven't even touched the surface of the rest of the family's stories. 

Links We Love 2.11.18

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When does your hair grow the fastest? [Women's Health]

Why young Americans are having less sex. [Politico]

All of your Olympic questions answered. [The New York Times]

Valentine's Day gifts for cat lovers. [PEOPLE]

25 free ways to practice self-care. [Pure Wow]

Have a date with yourself this V-Day. [Elite Daily]

A definitive ranking of every Olympics mascot. [The Ringer]

The Amazon-ification of Whole Foods. [The Atlantic]

Leslie Jones' best Winter Olympics reactions. [The Hollywood Reporter]

What will it take for YouTube to kick off Logan Paul? [USA Today]


All 71 People on Board Are Dead After a Russian Plane Crash Near Moscow

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A Saratov Airlines flight crashed in a snowy area near Moscow on Sunday, killing all 71 people on board, CNN reports. The six crew members didn't note any problems with the Antonov An-148 aircraft before the flight took off. Along with the fatalities of the crew members, 65 passengers, including three children aged 17 and under, have died. 

According to Russian state news agency Tass, the plane took off from Domodedovo Airport in Moscow with plans to land in Orsk, a Russian city close to Kazakhstan. Officials lost track of the plane soon after its takeoff and are still unsure of what elements led to the plane's crash. 

With the Moscow area experiencing more snowfall than it has in decades, the harsh weather isn't being ruled out as a factor in the crash. Officials from the Investigative Committee of Russia have now launched a criminal investigation of the incident, and will likely turn to the plane's flight data recorder for any hints of what went wrong.

They may also closely observe the debris at the crash site, which is about 25 miles from the airport and reportedly covers 0.6 miles of terrain. 

In a statement shared via a spokesman, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he "expresses deep condolences to all those who lost relatives and friends in this disaster."

Our heartfelt thoughts are with the victims of the crash and their families. 

4 Shows to Binge-Watch If You Don’t Have a Valentine

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Hallmark is filling the stores with colorful packages of chocolate and countless plush animals waiting to scream "I love you." As cutesy as this commercialized day of love is, not everyone has a valentine. So instead of going out and waiting for some Romeo to throw rocks at your window or show up with roses on your doorstep, buy yourself a giant box of chocolates, get comfortable and snuggle up close with your real bae—yes, Netflix. 

1. Parks and Recreation

Parks and Rec is the show that will make you feel complete. Because of the mockumentary and conversational style of filming, the show allows you to develop a true relationship with its characters. As much as you will love and hate them all, it will provide you with stomach-aching laughs and tears, wishing you had your own Leslie Knope.

2. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

No, this show isn’t about you, your sister or your best friend. But if you enjoy characters that are sarcastically blunt, fantastic musical numbers and knowing you aren’t the only one probably stalking your ex, then this is the show for you.

3. Pretty Little Liars

If you can’t tell, we are obsessed with PLL. Why waste your time getting pretty and primped when you can relive the torture of adolescence—love, sex and cyberbullying from someone who is bound to be a murderer?

4. Grey’s Anatomy

Grey’s provides the perfect emotional roller coaster of drama, heartbreak and medical knowledge to make you want to go to school for an additional five years in order to become an actual doctor. Using Valentine’s Day to binge will have you caught up in no time.

There are many shows that you can get queued up on Netflix or anywhere on the internet for the upcoming Valentine season. The ones listed here are just a few with enough comedy, drama and variation of season length to get you through Feb. 14. Don’t worry if you end up curled up alone in bed with your chocolate and tea. It just means there's more room for pillows and your furry friends!

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A Professor at Southern New Hampshire University Has Been Replaced After Telling an Online Student That Australia Isn't a Country

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An online adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University has been replaced after incorrectly telling a student that Australia isn't a country, Boston.com reports. Offering over 200 online degree programs, SNHU's website promises instructors "who balance real-world expertise with a passion to educate." Understandably, this instructor's faux pas doesn't exactly align with that description, hence her dismissal. 

The professor assigned a 27-year-old student in Idaho to compare American social norms to that of another country. According to BuzzFeed News, student Ashley Arnold is a stay-at-home mom working on her sociology degree with SNHU. Her instructor, who reportedly has a PhD in philosophy, didn't appreciate it when Arnold chose to research social media norms in Australia because, as the professor said, Australia is a continent but not a country. 

Um, what? 

The teacher failed Arnold's assignment because she insisted that Australia wasn't a country, thus inapplicable to the project. However, Australia is both a country and a continent, and Arnold wrote an email to her professor explaining that she believed the grade was a mistake. The teacher refused to budge, but said that she would reevaluate the paper to see if Arnold "earned more credits than I gave you."

In Arnold's reply to this, she included a link to the "About Australia" page of the country's government website, writing, "Australia is both a country and a continent. It's the only country that is both. I provided a resource in the first email that clarifies that for you...Again I mean no disrespect but my grade is affected by your assumption that Australia is not a country when it in fact is."

Arnold finally filed a report with SNHU about her teacher's grade and received a B+ after the professor reread her project. However, she never apologized for her own mistake, and SNHU announced on Friday that that the professor had been replaced. The staff apologized to Arnold and reimbursed her tuition for the course. 

Kudos to Arnold for persisting in convincing her teacher that her grading was inaccurate. Here's hoping that she doesn't have to do the same with future instructors! 

This 'Grey's Anatomy' Actor Thinks Her Character Could've Saved Jack on 'This Is Us'

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Given that Jack died in a far more calmer and unexpected way than we expected on This Is Us this past week, the loss of him just feels that more heartbreaking. Seeing as the neglect of the hospital staff seems to be a major factor in his death, another TV doctor has weighed in on Jack's cardiac arrest and what could have prevented it. Sarah Drew, who plays April on Grey's Anatomy, feels that April would have had the smarts to properly catch onto Jack's symptoms.

Refinery29 reports that, after a fan tweeted that Dr. April would've known what Jack's smoke inhalation mean, Drew responded, saying that she agreed and referencing to the circumstances that got April fired in Season 6. 

As any loyal Grey's Anatomy fan would know, April was only an intern when she failed to closely analyze a woman who received burns in a hotel fire. As a result, the woman died of smoke inhalation, just as Jack did, and April was fired for her negligence. You never make the same mistake twice, so if April had the power to travel back in time and find the right Pittsburgh hospital in the '90s, it's quite possible that she would know how to save Jack.

It's not just TV doctors who feel that Jack's death was easily preventable. Real life nurses have also weighed in on how Jack's deadly symptoms were so glaring that it was foolish for a doctor to not observe them. However, I can't help but get over that even casual TV fans knew enough to determine where Jack's doctor went wrong. 

BRB, I'm ready to cry over Jack's death all over again. 

Why It’s Okay to Never Settle for Less Than Your Dream Job

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With graduation right around the corner, the scramble to find an amazing job opportunity with that newly earned degree is in full swing. You’ve spent hours perfecting your resume, editing your cover letters and checking your email for interview offer—but how do you choose which job to actually accept? Dreams of your perfect job have been building in your head with every study session and hard exam you’ve taken during your undergraduate career—you couldn’t possibly settle for anything less than that, right? 

Be realistic and assess your dream job

Now, there’s nothing wrong with having high goals and expectations for your first job post-grad, but it’s important to remember to be realistic. According to the Director of External Relations at Hofstra University, Darlene Johnson, a typical job search lasts six to 12 months and finding your ultimate dream job during that period might be tough in a competitive market and a general lack of experience in your desired field. The key to finding the right job is assessing the overall view of your dream job and being willing to make adjustments as needed.

“While you might have an idea of the ‘perfect job,’ be open to other possibilities,” Johnson says. “Your first job is a time to learn as much as possible and that first job may teach you what you need to pursue other opportunities.”

Search for your right-now dream job, not your long-term one

I know what you might be thinking. It can’t be your dream job if it’s not exactly what you’re looking for. But that’s not exactly true. Instead of looking for your long-term dream job right after college, sometimes it’s better to look for your after-graduation dream job instead. Who knew there could be so many different types of dream jobs?

“A dream job is many different things to many different people,” Johnson says. “For some, earning a certain salary can make a job a dream job, for others it’s the opportunity to help people in the community. The key is knowing what makes a job a dream job for you. Take stock of your own values and what would make you happy to go to work each day.”

Experiment with internships to find what you love 

Despite a lack of experience, there is one big benefit to being a new college grad: you have unlimited options for where your career can take you. Being able to experiment with different internships while in college can set you up for success when trying to narrow down your potential job opportunities. In fact, Andrew Hindes, president of The In-House Writer, a Los Angeles-based training and marketing copywriting company, believes internships play a huge role in landing a great job after college.

“First of all, they give students a chance to try out different occupations, industries and companies,” Hindes says. “They also give them a big leg up in the job search once they graduate, because they not only have some experience, but if they apply to a company where they have interned — assuming all went well— it puts them ahead of other people applying because they are a known commodity.”

While internships are a great way to start making connections outside of those that are strictly college-affiliated, they also allow you to tiptoe into a real-world setting within your desired industry. They allow you to see first-hand what your future career could be – which can help you either eliminate certain areas from your job hunt or narrow down desirable aspects of certain jobs. Having multiple internships before going on a big post-grad job hunt can ultimately lead to knowing exactly what you want in your career, making it even easier to find a job you love – maybe even your dream job. “The more you know about yourself and the jobs available to you, the greater chance that you will find yourself in a dream job,” Johnson says.

Related: Didn’t Get That Internship? Here Are 5 Career-Boosting Alternatives

Find a job with potential promotions

Despite never wanting to feel like we’re settling for a job that isn’t quite the so-called “perfect” one, sometimes it seems like the only option. Maybe your perfect dream job isn’t out there yet, or maybe you just aren’t quite qualified for it yet – but that’s okay. There’s plenty of time to start at a lower position and work your way up the ladder. Instead of looking at it like accepting a job that is less prestigious than you’d like, think of it as a stepping-stone to achieving that dream job in the future.

“While I would not suggest that a student settle, I would always suggest that a student keep an open mind and look at all aspects of a position,” Johnson says. “The position offered may not be considered a dream job, but it may give the recent graduate the opportunity to learn and grow within her field, thus making landing that dream job within reach after on.”

Never doubt yourself and what you can achieve

However, sometimes the matter isn’t even about aiming too high in regards to which jobs we think we are willing to apply for – it’s actually the opposite. Many graduating women are too afraid of rejection, so they never even send in their applications, which is a problem CEO and Founder of The Brand Girls Rachael Bozsik deals with often. Her company works on making college clients view their professional selves in a different light by transforming the way they think about themselves and their professional potential.

“Many college women feel as if their dream job is out of reach,” Bozsik says. “Whether it is working as a neurosurgeon or working at Vogue, and will only apply to a position when they feel they are 100 percent qualified.” She believes this can be an applicant’s first mistake caused by a lack of professional confidence. “In order to land your dream job, you must truly know who you are and why you are a valuable asset to a company over the thousands of other applicants,” she explains.

Evaluating yourself and your personal goals is extremely important during the hunt for your dream job, and so is the evaluation of your future job. Sometimes the definition of your dream job needs to be adjusted to fit what you’re needing right now, not what you need/want long-term.

“You need to also think about the full picture: an awesome job that challenges you and excites you, wonderful, smart colleagues and a boss who has your back, working for a company that values and recognizes – and also rewards – its hard-working, diligent employees – these are all equally important factors,” Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster says.

Be willing to work for it

Your first job out of college doesn’t have to be your forever job, but it shouldn’t be a complete waste of your time either. Salemi believes everyone deserves to work at whatever their dream job should be, as long as they are willing to put in the work for it. 

“Be relentless in the pursuit but don’t pass up opportunities for the really great jobs that are out there, especially when you’re just starting out,” Salemi advises. “It took me years to land in my dream job – my current role of empowering people and sharing my insights from my recruiting days – so if you don’t find it in your twenties, keep pursuing rewarding, challenging, fun work along the way. And take it from me, you’re going to be okay.”

You should never feel like you need to give up on your dream job, especially if you’re a motivated college student. Instead of setting your sights on one particular position, try making a list of the general aspects you want your new job to have. For example, if you want a company with great values, search for companies that put those shared values first. As long as you keep your options open, you’ll be working at your dream job as your first post-grad job in no time.  

13 Nail Art Ideas for Valentine's Day

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As Valentine's Day approaches, whether you've got a romantic date planned or a girl's night scheduled, you should treat yourself with a manicure. Nothing says Valentine's Day like lots of hearts and pink. Plus, we've got inspiration for the nail art pros and the beginners, too!

1. L-o-v-e

This design from My Cherry Nails is simple and sweet. Valentine's Day is all about love, so why not spell it out? You can even get away with using just a toothpick for the writing.

2. Balloon Hearts

Everyone loves balloons for special occasions, including Valentine's Day! Nail Treasures reminds us with this adorable design. It will definitely add some whimsy to whatever you wear V-Day weekend!

3. Love Letters

Send yourself some love letters this February with this minimalist design from Cindy's Cute Corner. Red can act as your pop of color, or you can mix it up with lots of different shades!

4. Polka Dot Love

Luster Lacquer gives us this cute idea to play up the polka dots with a design that reminds us of cartoons and pop art! And who doesn't love that combination? It seems simple enough—use either fancy nail art tools or a Q-tip.

5. Accent Hearts

Nailside uses an accent nail to make some simple hearts really pop, which is a great way to go if you're still getting the hang of nail art. It looks sophisticated, but there's way less stress involved!

6. Tatted Up Valentine

We love Nail Storming's design so much that it totally makes us want to get a V-Day tattoo…but we'll settle for the nail art. If you have the right skinny brush or toothpick, you can nail this look!

7. All That Glitters is Gold

If you're a girl who loves all things glitter, you definitely need to try this design out. Ruth's Nail Art provides great inspo for celebrating this day of love with lots of shimmer! (Just be careful scrubbing the polish off when the time comes—removing glitter polish could damage your nails.)

8. Minimalist Sweet Hearts

Yes Missy! gives us a cute twist on our favorite Valentine's Day treats from our elementary school days (and maybe today, too). You can change up the colors, giving yourself a fun play on a French manicure.

9. Hearts for Beginners

If you're new to nail art, this is a great place to start! Add a bit of flair to some nude nails with the help of Lekker Lacquer.

10. Triple Word Score!

We're obsessed with this nerdy Valentine's nail design from One Nail to Rule Them All! It may take a steady hand or some nail stickers, but you can totally recreate this look.

11. Velvet Hearts

Divine Caroline has changed the nail scene with this velvet nail art. The secret ingredient is actually flocking powder; it gives you a manicure that's soft and sweet!

12. Aqua Love

Vic and her nails has got you covered if you want to create some untraditional nail art for Valentine's Day. We love the idea of aqua nails to stand out against all of the reds and pinks around you in February.

13. Anti-Valentine

Not everyone agrees with what V-Day stands for. If that's your opinion, take a page out of Petite Marine's book and sport some sassy hearts on your nails.

Collegiettes, try out some nail art and show us the results! We'd love to see which you rocked and how you made the designs your own.

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How She Got There: Arden Rose, Actress, Writer & YouTuber

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Name: Arden Rose
Age: 22
Job Title and Description: Actress, Writer, and YouTuber
Instagram Handle: @ardenrose

What does your job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?

AR: That's a tough one. It seems like I have a bunch of different job titles and descriptions. If you want to call me a YouTuber, then I guess I'm a YouTuber––as well as an actor, producer...I kind of do everything! YouTube requires that I produce, record and edit all my videos, and I also like acting in things that I might not have produced myself. So everything! I do everything. And all these different roles means that every day is a little bit different. It varies based on what I'm focusing on for the day. 

What is the best part of your job?

AR: The flexibility - being able to do things at my own pace on my own schedule. It's nice to be able to kind of pick and choose what I want to do/what I don't want to do, and hone in on my favorite things. 

Working in the non-traditional, new media sphere, are there any unique challenges you’ve faced? How did you deal with them?

AR: With choosing my own hours and being able to do my own thing, you can also get lazy and not want to do anything - and you know that no one is going to stop you from that except yourself. But I think if you're going to be self-employed, or "fun-employed" a.k.a. unemployed, you have to find a way to make your hours count. You have to be able to motivate yourself without having a boss to tell you what needs to be done. I guess that would be the biggest difficulty, setting those boundaries yourself. 

What was your first job and how did you get it?

AR: My first job was actually YouTube, as I started doing YouTube when I was fourteen. It was just something that developed when I was really young, and I never believed it was ever going to necessarily be a job. I always just assumed it would just be something fun that I would do on the weekends when I had time. And then, a couple years later, YouTube started monetizing, which meant I could get paid for my videos. So that was my first "real" job. 

What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?

AR: Since I work in a field where you really have to be your own motivator, I try to live by the philosophy of, "Your worst day is only a day that you create for yourself". If something is going wrong, or something is messed up, you can either react negatively, or you can overcome it and make your day better because of it. 

What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

AR: I used to never give myself enough time to do anything––like getting ready for a meeting, or if I had an event to go to, I would always cut my time in half because I felt like I wanted to relax or not really get ready. I found that I would stress myself out more trying to give myself downtime instead of actually getting whatever I needed to get done done. So, I guess my biggest mistake would be procrastination! But I learned quickly how to cut that B.S. out. 

What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

AR: I've definitely had a couple moments where I've kind of stepped back and thought, "Wow, it's really cool that I'm finally able to do something like this." I remember the first time I was able to have a meet-up at VidCon, and I was so surprised at the number of people who came by to say hi. It was definitely surreal. You're not used to actually seeing the people who watch your videos or listen to your podcast in person. You kind of trick yourself into believing that no one is really watching, and so it's really crazy to actually have people in front of you who want to meet you. 

The second moment would probably be winning at the Streamy Awards. I never thought that anything I did in acting would actually get me up on stage winning an award! 

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

AR: The biggest thing is, you have to learn how to be your own boss. You have to be the C.E.O of your own company, you have to be the boss lady who isn't afraid to step on toes to get things done. You have to be your biggest advocate in a room, you can't be self-deprecating or cut yourself down. You have to be the person that's strong and able in the room. 

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HC Wake-Up Call: Three Are Dead in a Grand Canyon Helicopter Crash, Justin Trudeau's Motorcade Involved in a Minor California Crash & Snowboarder Wins the U.S. Its First Gold Medal in PyeongChang

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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.)

Three Are Dead in a Grand Canyon Helicopter Crash

Three people died when a sightseeing helicopter crashed on late Saturday afternoon within the Grand Canyon, CNN reports. In total, a pilot and six passengers were riding on the aircraft, while four survivors were rescued in the early hours of Sunday morning.

The rescue of the survivors was delayed due to dark and windy weather conditions, but the remaining passengers were taken to a medical center afterward. 

The sightseeing company, Papillon Airways, described itself as "the only way to tour the Grand Canyon," flying about 600,000 passengers a year on tours of the Grand Canyon. 

Justin Trudeau's Motorcade Was in a Minor Crash

Keep calm, but Candian prime minister Justin Trudeau was unharmed after his motorcade was involved in a minor accident in Simi Valley, California. The New York Times reports that the government motorcade had just left the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute when a police motorcycle blocking the road was hit by a passenger vehicle trying to make a left turn. The police officer riding the motorcycle fell into another police vehicle in the motorcade, but the upset didn't disturb Trudeau's car. 

The injured police officer was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and, although the female driver of the passenger vehicle wasn't given a summons, authorities believe that she will likely be found at fault in the crash. 

Trudeau was in California for a four-day trip to the United States focusing on the two countries' economies. 

U.S. Wins First Gold Medal in PyeongChang Olympics

17-year-old snowboarder Red Gerard won the United States' first gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. Gerard snatched up the gold in Saturday's men's slopestyle event, becoming the youngest U.S. snowboarder to win an Olympic medal. As of now, he's also the youngest gold medalist in snowboarding out of all involved nations. 

What to look out for...

Today is known as Clean Out Your Computer Day, which is a message that we definitely need to take more notice of. We forgot just how much is stored on our computers, so now is time to delete any duplicate or junk files and organize important documents. 

Beauty Alert: Anastasia Beverly Hills Has a Brand New Palette Dropping on Valentine's Day

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In a stunning move by Anastasia Beverly Hills, their upcoming Soft Glam palette will be released a month early on February 14, making the launch all the sweeter. ABH initially planned to launch the palette sometime in March, but after suffering a leak on Instagram, the cosmetic brand decided to take it in stride and go forth with the early announcement and release, telling their followers, "we want a chance to show those of you that haven’t yet seen the leaked photos." 

Moving away from the bright, supersaturated hues that have been dominating the industry for the past year, the Soft Glam palette is full of warm neutral hues. With a nice balance of both matte and shimmer shades, there's something there for full-face glam divas and barely-there girls. Just check out these gorgeous swatches! 

@norvina on Instagram

ABH fans will notice seven new shades in the palette, including Tempura (a matte bone color), Cyprus Umber (a rich, milk chocolate), and Rose Pink (a shimmery bubble-gum pink). The rest of the shades were handpicked by Anastasia Soare herself from her favorite eyeshadow singles. So basically it's the best of both worlds. 

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Just another reason to celebrate Valentine's (or Galentine's) day this year! 

Header Image: Anastasia Beverly Hills / Instagram

Want more beauty inspo? Follow @HerCampusBeauty on Facebook, and tune into @HerCampus on Instagram for endless beauty stories!

The April Kepner We Know Today is Like a Brand New Person, & We Need to Talk About It

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A lot of characters have come and gone throughout the last 13 and a half seasons of Grey’s Anatomy. Some I was more than happy to see go, while others I still miss to this day. While a few have made reappearances, most of them didn’t stick around the second time. I couldn’t be happier about the show’s choice for the one that has, but she’s not the same doctor she was in the beginning.

We’ve come a long way from the April Kepner we used to love to hate, the goody two shoes intern who drove everyone nuts, who cried when her little red book was swiped by Lexie Grey, and who failed to gain the respect of her fellow residents when she was declared Chief Resident at the end of the show’s seventh season.

Today, despite all of the hiccups in both her personal and professional lives, April is a fully-fledged kickass trauma surgeon. She’s seen her best friend die, failed her boards, she’s lost her job at the hospital and been rehired (twice!). She lost her first-born and got divorced, and she’s been through two wartime tours. She is so much stronger now than she was back then. 

April still has her moments today where we see reflections of her old self, such as when she betrayed Meredith and Richard by stepping into the role of Interim Head of General Surgery, turning on a dime when it meant she’d get to jump ahead, but even in those moments she advocated for herself in ways that she never would have before all that she’s been through.

She’s gone from crawling up Derek Shepherd’s ass, from being embarrassed about her lack of sexual history yet defensive of her relationship with God to running her own surgical competition, sleeping with an intern and questioning the existence of God.

I fully came to appreciate the new April in the episode “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," when, exhausted, she arrived to find a hoard of eager doctors awaiting the rules of the new surgical innovation contest. They were indignant at the mention of the required written proposal and questioned April about the judgements, leading her into a heated moment defending her strategies.

On one hand, these reactions seem a bit extreme, even annoying in their own right. On the other, in this, the age of the woman, these are the reactions that we need to be encouraging — no more "just" doing anything, no more sacrificing your own opportunities in the name of someone else, no more standing for being called a bitch for speaking up. April grew up, from that spineless baby surgeon to a self-assured boss babe, and she is flourishing.

Does that make you uncomfortable? Then it's time for you to grow up, too.

5 Safe Sex Tips for Spring Break

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Spring break is pretty much the highlight of the spring semester—and, let’s be real, probably the entire school year. You might not be running around with James Franco all week à la Spring Breakers, but you’re definitely expecting to have a good time. During your week of partying (hey, we don’t judge) and mingling with a whole new pool of cuties, it’s pretty likely you could find yourself hooking up with someone.

While we all wish we could make ourselves believe that we’ll be regret-free by the time we’re road-tripping home, hookups can easily lead to a lot of regret, especially if you’re not careful. Follow our tips for staying sexually safe over the break and you’ll be less likely to come home from your break with, uh, an itch.

1. Have a plan with your friends

Remember how, in grade school, you had designated meeting spots to go to in case of a fire or other emergency? Good news, ladies: It’s finally time to put those skills to good use.

In a crazy beach town or all-inclusive resort, there’s a ton of things to do and lots of people to do them with. Since you’ll be meeting new people (particularly potential hook-ups), you probably won’t end up staying with your group of friends the entire time. It happens. What’s important is that you guys have some kind of plan for making sure that, at the end of the day, everyone is together and in one piece.

Dr. Ramani Durvasula, PhD, a psychology professor and licensed clinical psychologist, says staying connected with your friends could prevent you from making a dumb, drunk decision. “Keep checking in with friends so you’re not hooking up while too intoxicated,” she says. “That’s when bad decisions are often made.”

Plan to meet up at a spot for lunch and make everyone chug a bottle of water. Plan on seeing your friends back at the condo at the end of the night, unless someone has (soberly) specified otherwise. No matter your plan, make sure you stick to it. Not only is it more fun to keep up with your friends (Hello, you each have to have a different cute picture of all of you to Instagram!), it’s also way safer.

2. Remember contraceptives

Maybe you’re anticipating hooking up during your trip, or maybe you’re not. Either way, bring condoms. According to Dr. Durvasula, you should definitely not rely on the guy to have them. “Condoms are essential and women should be the ones holding them,” she says. “Ideally, the man has them with him, too—but don't let his convenient oversight put you in a bad position.”

Iris, a junior at UCLA, says she’s bringing condoms to her spring break trip to Cabo San Lucas even though she doesn’t plan on hooking up with anyone. “I always carry condoms, because it’s better to err on the safe side,” she says. “You really have nothing to lose—especially since you can get them for free everywhere on college campuses.”

Condoms are an important part of safe sex at all times, but they’re especially important if you’re not in a committed relationship. Spring break hookups, while spontaneous and fun, are usually random and unexpected. You probably won’t know how many people your hookup has been with, or even if he or she has an STD.

In addition to having condoms, you should also be diligent about taking your birth control, if you use it. Obviously, it’s a lot harder to remember to take it when you’re so hungover you can barely move from wherever it is that you fell asleep the night before. If you regularly take birth control to prevent pregnancy, though, it’s crucial that you remember to keep consistent throughout the week.

If you find yourself hooking up with someone (or multiple someones) during your break—even if you’re using condoms—keeping up with your birth control is the best way to protect yourself from an unwanted pregnancy. “Ideally the combination of condoms and another consistent method of contraception is optimal,” Dr. Durvasula says. You heard the woman: Get your butt out of bed (or off the beach) and take it, if you’re on it. Trust us, you’ll be glad you did.

3. Watch how much you drink

When you’re out in the sun all day, losing track of everything from the time to your cell phone, it’s a good idea to monitor your alcohol intake, as un-fun as that may sound. Susan Kirtz, health promotion coordinator at the University of Texas, says she knows that spring break “includes heavier drinking and increased sexual activity compared to everyday campus life.” That’s why you need to pay attention.

According to Kirtz, watching your alcohol intake during the week doesn’t just have to be counting your drinks; she offers several ways to make sure you’re not getting too drunk. “Stay with the same group of friends [when you’re drinking], eat before and while drinking and alternate alcoholic with non-alcoholic beverages, like water,” she suggests.

Kirtz also mentions the ugly truth we all know: Increased drinking means an increased chance of unprotected sex. The more careful you are about making sure you’re sober enough to make smart decisions about sex, the less likely you are to wind up forgetting to use a condom.

4. Get an STI test

By the time you finish a middle school health class, you probably know something about (or have seen pictures of) the terrible signs and symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases. STDs are scary—but they’re also largely talked about and preventable. STIs—sexually transmitted infections—are generally less talked about, but still just as pesky. STIs can range from a yeast infection to chlamydia and gonorrhea.

Dr. Durvasula recommends that all sexually active college students get tested after every new partner for STIs—and especially after a spring break trip, when there’s a pretty good chance you have no idea what your partner’s sexual history is. “With STIs, early detection and treatment are important,” she says. “HIV can take six months to show up on testing, and some STIs such as HSV (Herpes) require blood work that often needs to be [separately] requested.”

Don’t be fooled by thinking that sex is the only way to get an STD—there are several other sneaky culprits that can leave you with an itch (or worse). While there’s almost no way to completely prevent yourself from ever getting a disease or infection, you can decrease the risk by using condoms and getting tested just to be sure. You never know who else that blonde from California (or was it Colorado?) you met on the beach has been with.

5. Know your limits

With all of the hype surrounding spring break, it’s easy to get super excited and set high expectations for what your week will be like. Once you’re in the middle of it and everyone around you is partying like there’s no tomorrow, you might feel the need (and desire!) to keep up and find a hottie to have some fun of your own with. There’s no harm in that—but Dr. Durvasula warns not to do anything you’re not comfortable with, as research shows that hookups aren’t exactly great for women’s self esteem.

“One-night stands are risky, not just medically but also psychologically,” she says. “Sex is great, but if it feels like it was while you were intoxicated or you weren't in your clearest state of mind, it can leave you wondering.”

Hooking up doesn’t always mean sex, but you should feel free to draw your own lines of what you’re okay with regardless of what your friends are doing. “Communicate with your partner,” Kirtz advises. “Before things heat up, talk about your sexual boundaries. The conversation may be uncomfortable, but you’ll be glad you took control of your own sexual health.”

Know what you’re okay with doing, and don’t feel pressure to push the limits over break. As Dr. Durvasula reminds us, “having sex is not a competitive sport, and she who has the most partners does not win.” She explains, “It's ok to say no—and even to go home not having kissed a boy with just a healthy, sunny glow.”

Make a plan to stay safe—and have your friends keep you accountable. If you’re prepared, you’re less likely to encounter any bad situations—and more likely to have the time of your life over break!

Gigi Hadid Clapped Back At Body Shamers Who Think She's 'Too Skinny'

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After serving looks over the weekend at New York Fashion Week, Gigi Hadid spent her Sunday serving facts to Twitter trolls who criticized her weight, PEOPLE reports. Rather than focusing on the fashion, body shamers called the model out on being "too skinny," but Gigi wasn't about to let it slide. 

Gigi took to Twitter to put critics in their place, explaining that her fluctuating weight is due to Hashimoto’s disease. 

The model went on to explain what her diagnosis has put her through, including a change in diet and various medical treatments to balance her symptoms. She even admitted that she is "still learning and growing" with her body, proving that professional models have insecurities just like everyone else. 

After detailing the medical reason behind her thinner physique, Gigi called out haters for making snap judgments and false assumptions about her body.

Ending the thread on a positive note, the model reminded her followers to have empathy for others.

Though Gigi didn't owe anyone an explanation, she took it upon herself to teach haters an important lesson about body positivity, showing the world that she stuns both on and off the catwalk. 

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