Every collegiette looks forward to one thing on freshman move-in day: finally arriving at her long-awaited dorm room and making it a place of her own. Move-in day is when you are finally free to make your own decisions and start your new independent life on campus. But besides the obvious comforter, towels, and school supplies, what do you really need in your dorm room? In order to make the most of your (most likely) tiny and shared space, check out HC’s list of the 12 things you absolutely need in your new home and the seven things to definitely leave behind (sorry, stuffed animals!).

Pick It

1. Breakfast Food

Every experienced collegiette knows that you will not want to go to the dining hall every morning to eat before your 8 a.m. lecture, no matter how good those omelets are. You’ll more likely just want a quick bite to eat to get you through an early morning class. So stock up on cheap and nutritious options like Nutri-Grain and Kashi bars to keep you awake and full during those pesky early-morning lectures. You could also pick up some oatmeal, cereal, or bread and peanut butter at the grocery store before you head to school if breakfast bars aren’t your thing.

2. Black Pumps

Your freshman year of college will include a lot of memories from your weekends out on the town. Whether at a house party, a bar, or a club, you’ll want a basic pair of black heels that go with every outfit and add a little touch of chic to your look. Try a pair like these black platform pumps from DSW for $19.94. But don’t buy heels that are more than four inches tall – remember that you’ll want to be able to walk in them! And make sure they’re not too expensive, either. Some of the places you'll party might not be the cleanest!

3. Nail Polish

When some collegiettes first move in, they think they’ll be in class and the library 24/7. But sometimes, you’ll need to give yourself some “me time” and pamper yourself. And now that you’ve officially achieved “broke college student” status (congrats!), costly manicures are probably out of the question. So bring your favorite Essie colors and manicure tools with you and dedicate yourself to some primping time.

5. A Desk Lamp

When you first walk into your dorm room, don’t be alarmed; we swear it’s not a dungeon! Most colleges have pretty dingy lighting. But with fun lighting, you can spruce up your room and make it 10 times brighter! A lot of desk lamps, especially at go-to college prep store Bed Bath & Beyond, also have organizational features, such as slots for your pens and pencils, space for note pads, and even places to charge your iPod or iPhone. Plus, a desk lamp will make those late-night study sessions much easier on your eyes.

6. A Tote Bag

Every collegiette wants to look cute as they head out to class. So skip the high school backpack and pick up a tote bag that doubles as both adorable and practical. A Vera Bradley Laptop Tote ($61.60) is a must-have to hold all your class essentials and still make a stylish statement. Make sure the tote you bring has enough space to hold your laptop, charger, notebook, folder, writing utensils, your keys, and your ID, and that it has a strong enough strap to hold all of your supplies securely.

7. Cleaning Products

If you are anywhere near the Monica Geller level of neat freak, you will need to buy some basic cleaning products for your dorm room. Mom isn’t around to pick up your messes for you at college (bummer), so it’s up to you to make sure your room doesn’t look like an episode of Hoarders. Buy Lysol to spray down your desk and dresser and keep the germs away, a small vacuum to pick up all the crumbs from snack time that wind up on the floor, and Febreze to keep your small space smelling fresh.

8. Medication

Obviously you need to bring any prescription medication you need with you, but don’t forget the basics, like painkillers and cold medicine. These simple meds are often left behind and you don’t realize you need them until a headache leaves you sidelined from class. So be smart and bring everything you think you’ll need to stay healthy at school!

Also, pick up a first aid kit, like this one from Target for $8.99, that will carry other essentials for minor injuries, like Band-Aids, gauze, and antibiotic ointment. And one more thing: talk to your doctor about birth control. Lots of people start taking birth control during college, and you should start thinking about if this decision is right for you.

9. A Full-Length Mirror

This one goes without saying. You need to check yourself out before you hit the town or head to class, and you need to know how you’re looking as you flip your hair singing to Beyoncé while your roommate is out. Not only are full-length mirrors (like this $5.99 mirror from Target) the best way to check out your outfit, they can also be a decorative way to fill up empty space on your wall.

10. Command Strips and Hooks

Ahh, Command strips: perhaps the one product no collegiette can live without. Are you wondering how you’re going to keep all of your mirrors, framed photos, decorative lights, and more on your walls? The answer: Command strips and hooks. These awesome little storage helpers can hold up almost anything you’ve got. They come in different colors and can hold a range of weights. The best part? If you buy the ones that say “comes off cleanly” on the package, when you take them down, they cause absolutely no damage to your walls. (In other words, your RA won’t fine you for room damage! Yay!)

11. Day-to-Night Tops

As a new collegiette, you probably won’t be hitting the mall or shopping online as much as you did in high school, and your bank account will definitely be dwindling. That’s why you need some cute tops that will easily make the transition from appropriate for class to fun for a night out. “I would recommend bringing some jewelry and adding that to the outfit to transition into night: statement necklaces, bangles, dangly earrings,” says Anna, a senior at Marist College. This $48 top from Nasty Gal paired with a long, glittery necklace will separate you from the pack on a girls' night out, but is still classroom-approved if you toss on a bandeau underneath.

12. Wonder Hangers

One of the great joys of freshman year is figuring out what to do with a space the size of your closet at home. But what do you do when your college closet is even tinier? Like, really tiny. You buy versatile hangers that will conserve space and make organization easy! Stop by Walmart for Wonder Hangers ($6.01) that will make your gigantic wardrobe fit in your closet and stay wrinkle-free. Wonder Hangers triple your small closet space by allowing for more slots to hang your clothes on. Instead of cramming your outfits into the closet, they’ll fit in easily and be more pleasing to the eye.

Skip It

1. Clothes That Aren’t in Season

We were just talking about how itty-bitty your new closet will be. So don’t overstuff it with your winter coat and cozy sweaters when you move in during August. Keep your closet filled with the essentials for the current season and swap them out for cold-weather clothes when you go home on break. The same goes for shoes; no knee-high boots in August! Only keep a few cold-weather items for the next season in case of extreme weather early on; you can swap out your tank tops and shorts for the rest of your winter wardrobe during Thanksgiving break.

2. Stuffed Animals

Sure, one stuffed animal is fine and can be a nice reminder of home. But your entire '90s Beanie Baby collection is excessive. Not only will your roommate think it’s weird, but you can bet guys will be turned off by a litter of stuffed animal puppies on your bed. So keep the majority of the stuffed animals at home and bring along one (if any) for the ride for sentimentality.

3. Your Whole Novel Collection

Sadly, there will be little to no time for reading for pleasure in college. You will be so inundated with textbooks and mandatory reading that the idea of reading a book simply because you want to will seem foreign. Make sure to keep a list of all the books you want to read during the semester, because you will definitely have the time to catch up over winter break and during the summer (rereading the entire Harry Potter series for the 10th time can wait till break). Until then, stick to what your professors tell you to read.

4. Stationery

Although it’s such a sweet idea to think that you’ll send long letters to your besties from home, this often isn’t the case. You’ll find it’s so much easier and quicker to shoot a text to your friend or Skype him or her. Skip the stationery and instead make sure you have a webcam, because at the end of a long, hard day, what you’ll really want is to see your best friend from home’s familiar face.

5. Old High School Textbooks

You know all those textbooks your teachers gave you? And those Barron’s books you bought to prepare for AP exams? Save some space in your dorm and make sure you leave those at home. Your college textbooks will be much more in-depth and cover more information than anything you had in high school. Props to you for hoping the extra books would come in handy, but most collegiettes will find that they’re just not helpful when it comes to their college workload.

6. High School Apparel

Most likely, your new “school uniform” will consist of your new college sweatshirt and some comfy sweats or yoga pants. Don’t regress by bringing every high school sports and drama club T-shirt and hoodie you own. Of course, you can still bring one or two high school shirts to throw back and be proud of your past (after all, it’s your amazing high school experiences that helped you get admitted to college!), but don’t bring every item in your drawer. College is about moving forward and embracing the future, not holding onto your high school glory.

7. Old-School Stereo Systems

Besides the fact that it’s 2014 and huge stereo systems are completely unnecessary, blasting tunes in your room is a clear signal to your RA that something’s probably up in your dorm (noise complaints can get you into trouble). Avoid people thinking there’s suspicious activity going on (and remain friends with your neighbors by turning down the noise level) by opting to bring an iHome instead ($49.99). It’s small and portable, and it’ll also do you the favor of charging your iPhone or iPod. That’s something everyone in your hall can get on board with.

Now that you’ve taken all this in, you pre-collegiettes should have a better idea of what you need (and don’t need) to bring to college. But maybe even more important than all of the material items—be sure to bring confidence and an open mind in order to start the best four years of your life on the right foot. Have fun!

1. The theme song starts and you and your friends sing along, forgetting the disappointment that last week's episode brought.

~*~ Got a secret, can you keep it ~*~

2. The first few minutes are spent silently staring at the screen while you all try to comprehend what’s happening.

3. During a commercial break, you ask your friends what’s going on, and everyone looks around like…

4. One brave friend ventures to give a recap and gets herself confused along the way.

5. Your roommate who doesn't watch the show yells at all of you to shut up.

6. Your friend who only watches once every five episodes asks who Spencer is.

7. *Cue smoldering sexual tension between two characters*

8. "Aww, they finally figured out a clue!"

9. You wonder why you're watching Spencer and Toby hook up for five minutes when there's a murder to be solved.

10. “I think A is definitely Caleb's mom conducting this from Montecito.”

11. You desperately wish that this show would just end.

12. Oh, God, your friend just told you that it got renewed for two more seasons.

13. A+ writing, you guys.

14. Oh, Liars, you’re going into the woods alone at night? Are you new here?

As if making television history as the youngest person to ever host her own talk show wasn't enough, Keke Palmer is making history yet again as Broadway's first black Cinderella.

Following the announcement that she would take the starring role in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella as soon as September 9th, Palmer took to Twitter Monday to express her excitement:

I’m sooooo excited to be doing broadway for the first time, as Cinderella!! DREAMS DO COME TRUE!!

— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) August 4, 2014

The actress is most notably known for her role in Akeelah and the Bee, Nickelodeon's show True Jackson, VP and one of her most recent roles as Chilli in the VH1 biopic, CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story.

"She acts beautifully, she dances, she sings - she's an amazing young woman," Tony Award-winning producer Robyn Goodman told the Associated Press. "I think she's going to be just so lovely."

Of course, this isn't the first time an African-American actress has donned the glass slippers as Cinderella; R&B singer Brandy played the role in a multicultural cast that included Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters and Jason Alexander in the 1997 made-for-TV movie based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's play.

"I feel like the reason I'm able to do this is definitely because Brandy did it on TV,"Palmer says. "In me doing this, it shows everybody that everything is possible."

This version of the fairy tale will bring a little more of a re-imagined twist to the original story, but will also include beloved songs composed by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. 

While Keke Palmer winning the role of Cinderella is definitely a breakthrough, it's only the latest of milestones reached by African-Americans on Broadway with Norm Lewis becoming the first black man to receive the title role in The Phantom of the Opera and Condola Rashad playing alongside Orlando Bloom as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. 

Palmer is set to make her stage debut on this September, and we'll be cheering her on every step of the way!

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that there was an uncontrollable amount of excitement that overcame us when we found out that Boy Meets World was getting a spinoff. There was never any doubt that Cory and Topanga would be together forever and even give birth to kids as awesome as they are. As wonderful as it is to see our favorite couple steer their daughter Riley in the right direction on Girl Meets World, we can’t help but to look back on some of the greatest lessons that Cory and Topanga ever taught us about love.

Lesson #1: Don’t try to change for a guy

Remember when Topanga had frizzy hair and was sort of a flower child? And when Cory and Shawn made fun of her every day for it? Eventually, even through the rain dances and random pieces of advice, Topanga won Cory’s heart. By sticking to her hippie roots and choosing not to change over other people’s opinions, Topanga not only proved the importance of being yourself, but also that eventually, even the strangest people can find love. Never make yourself feel like you have to be something you’re not just to please a guy.

Lesson #2: Love takes time (and a lot of work)

Every power couple has its issues, like the time Topanga almost had to move to Pittsburgh with her parents. Or when they were forced to live in that awful apartment (the one where a guy was shot over a salad) in family housing after tying the knot. Cory and Topanga definitely hit some rough patches, but after painting the apartment yellow and Topanga agreeing to stay in Philadelphia with her aunt, everything always seemed to work out in the end, and the saga of Cory and Topanga continued. Relationships are never easy, but they always seem to work out when two people can prove they want to be with each other.

Lesson #3: It’s okay to give second chances

Who could forget the first time Cory and Topanga broke up? Cory got a little too close to Lauren on the school ski trip and ended up cheating on Topanga. It was hard to watch our favorite couple trying not to be together, and a lot of us hated Lauren for not backing off, but Topanga forgave Cory in the end, their relationship turned out better than ever. Knowing that Cory and Topanga had their happy ending should be reason enough for you to stop giving your friends the side-eye every time they forgive their boyfriends for the mistakes that they make; you may not know the whole story.

Lesson #4: True love requires faith

Some of the greatest lessons we could have learned came from the two-part episode when Topanga called off the wedding after learning of her parents’ impending divorce. Topanga couldn’t stand to risk her relationship with Cory ending the way her parents’ marriage did. But one thing Cory continued to make clear the entire episode was that if a relationship is meant to be, it will work out no matter what. As long as two people put in work and have faith in the fact that they love each other, the relationship will never falter.

Lesson #5: It’s possible to meet your soul mate at a very young age

Okay, so maybe not all of us will be lucky enough to meet our future husband as toddlers as opposed to at a frat party, but Cory and Topanga proved that it’s possible.

Lesson #6: There’s a Cory/Topanga out there for everyone

Cory and Topanga are living proof that it’s possible for two people to be soul mates. Your Cory/Topanga might not be as easy to come by as they were for each other, but you’ll know when you’ve found the right person eventually, and all of the hard work and waiting will have been worth it.

Of course, Cory and Topanga weren’t perfect. However, they proved that even though we might not all be lucky enough to meet the person we’re going to marry as toddlers, love can exist at any age, and it can definitely last a lifetime!

It’s the classic coming-of-age story: Girl turns 16, girl waits five hours at the DMV to get her learner’s permit, girl sits through three weeks of driver’s ed, girl never quite gets the hang of parallel parking but excels at reverse parking and follows the speed limit during her exam so girl gets license, and finally—if girl is lucky—girl gets car.

Having a car comes with many grown-up decisions. For example, what scent of car freshener should you use? Should you put bumper stickers on your car, or would that be tacky? And, most importantly, should you bring your car with you to college? Before you decide, be sure to consider these questions so you know you’re making the right choice.

1. Does your school even allow you to have a car?

Before you start planning wild weekend road trips for the fall, double-check that your school actually allows its students to have cars on campus. Some schools, especially ones in cities with limited parking, prohibit freshman (and sometimes even sophomores) from keeping cars on campus. This information will probably be in a welcome packet. If not, check on your school’s website or call the department of student services to find out.

Even if your school does allow underclassmen to park on campus, you’ll probably need to fill out a form with all of your car’s information. Be sure to check the due dates for these applications!

2. What are the added expenses?

Of course, you have to pay the usual expenses of a car—gas, plus your typical car maintenance (car washes, maintenance and so forth). However, you might have additional expenses. For example, your school might charge you for a parking permit to keep your car on campus—you’ll find out about that when you fill out your paperwork!

Your family might face another expense if you’re on your parents’ auto insurance policy.  When Beth* brought her car to Syracuse University, her parents ended up paying more for car insurance. “Every insurance company is different, but for us the cost of insurance was cheaper when she didn’t drive nine months of the year,” says Mary, Beth’s mother. “People should check with their insurance companies, especially if they’re on as an away status while at school.”

You’re already costing your family something invaluable by leaving for college: your charming, lovable presence. If you can avoid it, don’t add insult to injury with an extra financial burden!

3. Where will you park?

Find out (either by asking someone who goes to your college or by scouring the school website) where students are allowed to keep their cars. You might think it’d be great to be able to drive to class, but it might actually take you longer to walk to the parking lot than it would to trek up the hill to your morning lecture.

Many people don’t drive to class anyway, and a lot of people prefer it this way. “Even though some of my classes are as much as a 20- to 30-minute walk, I'm walking through a gorgeous campus and really don't even realize the time going by,” says Sarah Desiderio, a senior at Penn State. “Plus, navigating the streets with so many pedestrians would almost be counterproductive.” There’ll be plenty of time to get stuck in traffic after you graduate!

Also, consider if your parking lot will be covered. Your school may not have a parking garage for all students, so you’ll need to clear the snow off your car in the winter if you live in a place with a colder climate. Of course, if your school is in Miami, this won’t be as big of a problem. Either way, it’s important to know where your car will be located before you bring it all the way to school, since its placement could be a deal-breaker.

4. Where will you need to drive?

As appealing as you may find the idea of blasting “Life Is a Highway” as you cruise down the street away from campus, take a few seconds to reflect on your upcoming year. Where will you actually need to drive?

Maybe you think you’ll want to get off campus to go to the grocery store. However, if there are lots of amazing eateries on campus, you have a meal plan or if you only have a mini fridge in your dorm, you probably won’t need groceries. Thinking you’ll need to get off campus to have fun on the weekends? Check out your school’s on-campus events and club meetings first to see if you’ll even need to leave to find entertainment and socializing.

Perhaps you have some farther-away destinations in mind. Eliza Lavine, a sophomore at George Washington University, says she only wished she had a car when she visited her boyfriend at his college, which was an expensive four-hour train ride away. “It takes about two and a half hours to drive there, and it’s free (minus gas),” she says. If you’re planning on making several long trips, you’ll probably appreciate the flexibility of having a car. 

You’ll also appreciate this flexibility if you have a job or internship off campus. If you suddenly get called in for a shift or if your job requires traveling, it can be a relief to know you can just hop in your car and get where you need to go.

Getting an off-campus job as an underclassman is uncommon, but having to make the occasional trip to your hometown isn’t. “The only time I really wish I had a car is when break comes around,” Sarah says. “It'd be much more comfortable and convenient to drive myself home, as opposed to taking a bus.” Many girls cite having an easy way to get home as one of the best reasons to bring a car to college.

If your school is less than an hour or two away from your hometown and you think you’ll be coming home for weekends, a car would probably be a good idea. On the other hand, don’t assume you’re going to want to come home all the time. You might love living on your own so much that you’ll be glad not to have an excuse to visit home!

5. Are there other ways to get to where you need to go?

Driving isn’t always the only option! If you’re going to school in a city, you can probably take public transportation.  Eliza, who goes to school in Washington, D.C., found she didn’t need a car to get around the city. “For the most part, I could walk everywhere I needed to go (thanks, D.C.),” she says. “If I had to go to the opposite side of the city for whatever reason, I would take the D.C. Metro, which is super easy to navigate.”

However, “if your campus is in the middle of nowhere and there aren’t many ways to get off campus, get a car on campus,” says Kasia Jaworski, a senior at Villanova University.

Kasia says she never felt a need for a car. “There's a lot to do right off campus that's super close, so it's easy to walk or bike there,” she says. “Villanova University also has an off-campus shuttle that runs on the weekends to places like CVS, Staples, malls with restaurants, etc., so it’s easy to get there, too.” Even schools that aren’t in urban locations offer shuttle buses, so make sure you check it out!

Sarah from Penn State has found that the shuttle buses are a good substitute for a car. “We have buses looping around the campus as well that are free and even some that for $1.50 will take you out to the mall or Walmart,” she says.

In addition to being cheap and convenient, riding the bus gives you a chance to meet people from your school you might not have met otherwise. Who knows what new friends or potential dates could be waiting for you on the school shuttle?

Ultimately, deciding whether or not to bring a car to college is dependent on your school and your needs. No matter what you choose, we’re sure you’ll have amazing adventures on campus and off campus!

*Name has been changed.

After 18 years of living in your parents’ house, moving into your college dorm room can be a jarring transition. Suddenly your room isn’t just yours anymore, the kitchen is covered in dozens of people’s dishes, and you no longer know who used the shower before you(or what they did in there). Instead of sharing your space with people you’ve known all your life, you’ll be sharing it with people you’ve never met, some of whom you probably won’t get along with (hey, we all have our differences, right?).

Rather than endure the exquisitely awkward pain of a conflict with someone you barely know, it’s important to know and respect the rules of the dorm that Res Life doesn’t include in the student handbook. By adhering to these, you can hopefully avoid unnecessary arguments, hold onto your belongings and skip over some of the uglier moments of freshman year.

Rule #1: Don’t keep your door shut all the time. 

No one will want to introduce him or herself to the person who’s always locked in her room, and sooner or later you could find the building to be pretty lonely, no matter how many neighbors you have. Leave the door propped open so that people passing by can say hello and you can actually meet who you’re living with.

Rule #2: Don’t be the roommate who barges into the room without knocking. 

You don’t know what you could be walking in on! Regardless, your roommate deserves a courtesy knock (and so do you), and she won’t take kindly to you constantly bursting in on her privacy.

Rule #3: If the shampoo isn’t in your shower caddy, do not touch it. 

The same rule applies to conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, and especially razors and loofahs. Go to the local CVS or even the campus store, and buy your own toiletries. And if you’re really in a bind, just ask—there’s sure to be some girl with a heart of gold who will let you borrow her conditioner—but ask nicely, and don’t make a habit of it.

Rule #4:Don’t have sex in one of the communal showers. 

People will hear you, they will tell other people, and before you know it, everyone in your dorm will know.  Plus, ew.  Just ew.  There’s a reason you have to wear flip-flops in there.
 
Rule #5: Do not take anything from the kitchen unless you brought it there.

If it’s communal, people will leave food and dishes there. How would you feel if someone stole your expensive mochaccino caffeine-less beverages from the fridge?  Not good, that’s how.

Rule #6: Clean up after yourself...

... or forever bear the pain of your dorm-mates complaining to each other about how messy you are.

Rule #7: Don’t start making out with your latest love interest while your roommate is in the room...

... unless you want to completely alienate and/or repulse her.  She doesn’t want to see that, and you wouldn’t want to be subjected to her PDAs either.  Think about just sitting around, doing your psych homework, only to realize with growing horror that those wet sounds you’re hearing… yeah.
 
Rule #8:Think long and hard before hooking up with someone who lives in your dorm (aka dormcest), especially if they’re on the same floor as you.

Remember that you will probably see him or her every day for the entire school year. Remember that even if it feels good now, it has incredible awkward potential—and since you live together, that awkwardness will spread like wildfire to everyone in your dorm.

Rule #9: There is no complaining on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

If people are playing music too loudly, talking too loudly, or generally distracting you with their revelry.  It’s the weekend, and absolutely no one cares if you want to study. If you really can’t put your books down to join in, take it to the library.
 
Rule #10: “She who boots shall clean up the puke”

If you get sick from drinking too much, it’s on you to take care of the mess. Don’t leave it for the janitorial staff, or expect that anyone else will clean it up. Once you’ve sobered up, go get rid of the evidence, and try not to overdo it the next time.

Rule #11: Everyone has the right to some peace and quiet in college.

If someone in your building is being ridiculously loud, go knock on the door and ask him or her nicely to keep it down. If the culprit doesn’t listen and/or doesn’t care, then you can report him or her, guilt-free. However, the emphasis is on ridiculously. People have the right to talk, even while you’re studying (especially on the weekend—remember Rule #9!). Remember that the dorm is a shared space.

Perhaps most importantly, remember that when a large group of people lives in a small space, everyone seems to know everyone else’s business. Gossip flows like water. So you can be sure that if someone catches you stealing cake from the dorm fridge or swiping toothpaste in the bathroom, sooner or later everyone else will know about it, too.  The best rule is The Golden Rule—treat your dorm-mates the way you wish to be treated. Don’t set yourself up for a year of suspicious looks and scathing whispers. Instead, follow the unwritten rules of dorm life and guarantee yourself a happy school year with lots of new friends.

After toiling for hours hunting for your new digs, the perfect apartment is finally yours. It’s chic and clean, and you’re dying to hang up some cute DIY decorations and thinking about the best ways to display your favorite photos. You think you’re ready to move into your apartment, but do you really have it all? Once you’ve packed all your clothes, bought all your toiletries and stocked up on snacks, check out HC’s list of apartment essentials that you can’t live without—but probably will forget.

For your bedroom

You’re so excited to get your own space in your new apartment. Gone are the days of the one-room double, where you had to shout, “I’m changing!” the second you heard someone’s hand on the door handle. Hopefully the walls in your apartment building are a little thicker, too—if you hear Avicii blaring through the walls one more time when you’re trying to fall asleep, you might just lose it. You’ve obviously got your fabulous duvet and some adorable throw pillows, but make sure you don’t forget these items so you’re not stressed out during your first few weeks in your new pad.

• Vacuum cleaner: You’ll be surprised at how much hair, food and who-knows-what can accumulate on your floor. Your dorm may have had a communal one for the whole floor, but it’s time to get your own.
• Mirror: Not every apartment has a full-length mirror, and you’ll definitely want one somewhere other than the bathroom, especially if you have a roommate who loves to take a long time in there.
• Fan: In the sweltering summer and the awkward time during fall semester when the weather is still oppressively hot, you won’t regret buying a fan that you can plop on the floor and point at your face when you sleep. Fans are also great for white noise.
• Drying rack: We all have those shirts and delicates that we can’t trust with the harsh heat of the dryer, and a drying rack will ensure that you’re not hanging your clothes all over the apartment every time you have to do laundry.
• Extra light bulbs: Make sure you know what kind of light bulbs your apartment needs—not just for the overhead lights in the kitchen, bedroom and living room, but also for less obvious lights, like the oven and your floor lamp.
• HDMI cable/dongle: Because now that you have a living room, you might as well stream Netflix on a big TV.
• Lint roller: Dirt is everywhere. Don’t be the one who walks into class or work with the linty black sweater.
• Sewing kit: You won’t have your mother to fix your buttons anymore—it’s time for you to learn how to fix the seam in your skirt and the snap that fell off your pants.
• Power strips: Between your laptop, clock, phone charger and many other electronics, you’ll need some more room than your apartment may offer!
• Extension cords: Your laptop must be able to get to your bed. This is nonnegotiable.

For your bathroom

You’re finally done competing for shower time with the creepy, hairy guy down the hall, and you’re going to get the peace and quiet you need to master the smoky eye for once and for all. The downside? You have to clean and take care of your new space. You may not have had to clean the bathroom in your house at home, so these bathroom essentials are all the more necessary.

• Plunger and toilet cleaner: We don’t really see a need to elaborate on these, but we just want to put them on your radar. You’ll thank us later.
• Bathroom floor mats: Get these for both inside and outside the shower! Don’t slip and fall on the bathroom floor. Water on the bathroom floor can do a lot of damage, and you (and your security deposit) will be a lot safer if you get bath mats.
• Air freshener: Even the best-kept apartments can get a little musty, or maybe your roommate’s straightener makes the whole bathroom smell like burnt hair. Pick a mild scent that you won’t get tired of smelling.

For the kitchen

What’s the point of having a kitchen—no matter how big or small—if you’re not going to utilize it for all of your cooking and baking needs? Gone are the days when you’re praying to the gods of General Tso’s chicken. You’re in control now. You’ve got the pots and pans, your fridge is stocked and you have all the recipes you could ever want on your Pinterest board. Whether you’re making cake in a mug or a seven-course Thanksgiving dinner, don’t forget these key items in your kitchen.

• Ice cube trays: If your freezer doesn’t have its own ice maker, you’ll definitely want ice cube trays to keep your drinks cold. They’re also extremely, extremely necessary for smoothies.
• Dish rack: If you don’t want to have to dry your dishes all by hand, you’ll appreciate having a rack to let your dishes dry after you wash them.
• Brita pitcher and extra filters: Is the tap water safe in your apartment? Even if it is, you may want to think about investing in a Brita water pitcherfor the sake of taste.
• Oven mitts: You won’t know you need these until your cookies are burning in the oven and you don’t feel like sacrificing the first 20 layers of skin on your fingers to get them.
• Can opener: You’re sick your first weekend in your new apartment, and your roommate bought you chicken noodle soup. The bad news? You can’t open it without throwing it on the floor or trying to stab it with an enormous kitchen knife. Bring a can opener.
• Dish towels: You’ll use these for cleaning the counters, drying your dishes and taking hot things out of the oven.
• Baking soda and vinegar: Don’t waste your money on expensive cleaners when all you may need is a little Arm & Hammer!

For your communal living space

Whether you just met your roommate or you two have been planning to live together since you were five years old, sharing a communal living space requires some planning and, unfortunately, cleaning. Don’t forget these essentials to make sure that you and your roommate have a safe, functional and beautiful home.

• Broom and dustpan: You’ll be surprised at how much dust and dirt can collect under beds, on the floors, and even in closets. Don’t forget a broom and dustpan so your floors can stay dust-bunny free.
• Tape measure: You might need to measure the windows for your curtains, the dimensions for your new TV, or even your waist to see if those fab new pants you found on sale online will actually fit.
• Scissors: They were always the thing you never had to worry about finding at home, and someone at school always had them, but now that you have your own place, pick up a pair at an office supply store.
• Tape and sticky tack: Use it to hang up your new posters and décor. Sticky tack is good for making sure that you don’t damage the walls of your new apartment.
• Batteries: Know what kinds of batteries you might need and stock up! You won’t want to go out to buy batteries for your clock the night before your first day of class.
• Curtain rods: You’ve bought your adorable printed curtains, but you forgot that your apartment doesn’t have anywhere to put them! Make sure you measure the windows before you go to the store to pick up the rods.
• Trash cans (and bags): Not all apartments come with trash cans in place, and there’s nothing worse than having to empty the trash every five minutes because you only have that one tiny trash can for you and your roommate.
• First aid kit: We hope you never have to use it, but you should have a portable one just in case—those five Band-Aids in the bathroom cabinet won’t do!
• Quarters: In the digital age, we sometimes forget that quarters are absolutely imperative for certain things—parking meters and laundry machines wait for no one.
• Box knife: You will need to open a lot of boxes, and “Open Sesame” probably won’t work this time.
• Door mat: Especially if you live somewhere cold and you don’t want your friends tracking snow into your apartment, invest in a door mat—you’ll thank us later when you don’t have to clean as much!
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors: Some apartments have these, but if yours doesn’t, you need to get them!

There’s nothing worse than getting home and realizing that you need to make just one more Target run. You have enough to worry about—between having to use Google Maps to find the nearest Starbucks because you’re no longer close to the campus coffee shop and learning how to put more money on your subway card, you’re a busy girl. Let us worry about the little things, and don’t let forgetting the small stuff keep you from enjoying your first few days in your new apartment! 

Let's face it: Most of your time spent in your dorm room will be spent sleeping. With that being said, there's also studying to be done, friends to entertain and study groups to hold, and while your bed will almost certainly be used as a seat (whether it skeeves you out or not, unfortunately), it's important that you have enough seating for you and your friends (and the occasional uninvited hallmate looking to make a friend). We've rounded up some of the cutest and comfiest desk chairs and lounge seating to ensure that your room is the one everyone will want to hang in. 

1. For getting a workout in at your desk

You've probably seen girls using exercise balls as chairs at their desks to engage the core and improve posture, but those rubber balls are not only dangerous for the clumsy collegiette (if you've ever rolled off of one, you know what we're talking about), they're also not exactly cute, and they definitely won't work with your chic new dorm room. Luckily, PBteen has come out with their Rockin' Roller Desk Chairs ($109 at PBteen) to solve our dilemma. These chairs are basically exercise balls covered in plush fabrics in amazing colors situated on metal frames to keep you from rolling around while you work on your problem set. Genius.

2. For entertaining

Owning your very own futon is an age-old tradition that truly symbolizes your transition from teenager-dom to young adulthood (and also your growing affinity for red cups and dorm parties). We love this College Cozy Mini Futon in Pink ($177.03 at Dorm Co) because it adds a serious pop of color. It can be a sofa when you have friends over or a bed when your sister comes to visit. If you're lucky enough to have space in your dorm room, definitely opt for a mini futon like this, but if you have a common area, then a larger futon is even better!

3. For a chair that doubles as décor

For the more creative collegiette, your standard bean bag just won't cut it. We spotted this Bunjo Hex Bungee Chair ($39.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond) and fell in love with the fun idea and super cute colors. The center of the chair is made of the same material as bungee cords, meaning that it's crazy comfy as well as being super cool. The best part? This chair was practically made to be taken outside, so feel free to catch some rays on the quad while you're studying for that French test.

4. For studying

As seasoned collegiettes, we're going to be honest: those rocking wooden chairs that come with your desk sets at school are heinously uncomfortable and also just an eyesore. How can we be expected to wax poetic about Plato if our backs are cramping up? The solution to this madness is to store your college-issued chair under your bed or in your residence hall's storage area and bring your own desk chair to college. It may seem excessive, but we guarantee you'll need your own desk chair after college anyway, and you'll be saving your neck and back some serious aches over the next four years. We definitely recommend this Lona Mesh Chair in Purple ($76.94 at Target) because the mesh is supportive but still comfy, and the swivels on the bottom mean you don't have to get out of your chair to slide over to your coffee maker (yes, we're that lazy). 

5. For relaxing

An oldie but a goodie, the butterfly chair has been a college staple for decades. We absolutely love this Simple by Design Memory Foam Butterfly Chair in Green ($49.99 at Kohl's) and would definitely use this to add a pop of color to our room. Most butterfly chairs are comfy, but this one is made of memory foam, meaning you might not want to study here, lest you fall asleep mid-Shakespeare (nothing against Shakespeare). This chair comes in tons of other colors, but we're partial to this jewel-tone green color; after all, just because your furniture is functional doesn't mean it can't be decorative!

Part of making your dorm room an oasis on campus is having plenty of places to kick your feet up and relax - that aren't your bed. Before move-in day, talk with your roomie about what kind of seating you want to bring, whether it's a storage ottoman, a futon, a butterfly chair, a bean bag or something a little funkier, to make sure your room looks and feels like a home away from home.

As collegiettes, we have a certain way with words and actions. We can be romantic, passionate, eloquent and sometimes extremely confusing. Others have tried (and failed) to decipher the female language and behavior for years. We often say one thing and mean another, but, perhaps most confusing of all, we expect everyone to understand what we’re thinking. Of course, guys can be confusing too, but here are the most clichéd bad habits we have in our relationships that we really just need to stop doing!

1. Not speaking your mind

It is fairly safe to say that half the time we say, “I’m fine” or, “I don’t care,” it’s the furthest thing from the truth. When you really think about it, “fine” has lost most of its original meaning. An extra charge at the ATM is fine. Pepsi as a substitute for Coke is fine. But saying you’re “fine” when you’re really full of conflicting emotions is not fine. Meanwhile, “I don’t care” is usually synonymous with, “I do care very much.” You sit on the couch as your boyfriend asks if he should shave his favorite sports team’s logo into his hair for the big game, and with steady eyes and a shrug, you say, “I don’t care.” But on the inside, every ounce of your body is screaming in terror, hoping he won’t actually go through with it.

“Females, as typically the nurturer, have the ability to anticipate loved one's needs and then assume their male counterparts can do the same,” says Kim Olver, life coach and author of Secrets of Happy Couples: Loving Yourself, Your Partner, and Your Life.  “This is rarely the case. Males need females to tell them exactly what they want. They are not very good at just figuring it out, no matter how much they like you.”

Taylor, a collegiette at the University of California San Diego, says she tends to get quiet when she’s upset. “My boyfriend, who is very good at communicating and talking things out in person, has a tough time when I shy away from explaining what is wrong in the moment,” she says. “I tend to keep it to myself and then gush out all of my feelings via text, which is wrong.”

Your significant other is there for you, most especially to be a confidant when you’re holding in a lot of emotions. You don’t have to put on a brave face or hide that you’re in fact human and capable of being sad or confused at times. Be honest about how you feel, and it can only get better!

“I know it can be scary to put yourself out there and actually say what you want, but guys in relationships really do want their girlfriend to be happy,” Olver says. “If they can help make that happen by doing something that isn't too inconvenient for them, they often will.”

2. Getting jealous about stupid things

We can’t hold ourselves at fault for the occasional jealous tendencies, but getting upset every time our significant other happens to be in the same room as an attractive person is a little much and can hurt your relationship.

According to Olver, “Jealousy can stem from insecurity. It can come from past experiences of having trust broken. It can stem from an erroneous belief that things will never change; that when someone says they love you, it means they will always love you. And finally, jealousy can occur because we view our partner as our possession. When this happens, we have expectations about how our [SO] will act with other girls.”

Instead of freaking out over the dumbest little things, take a step back and think about if there is an actual threat to your relationship. “This is bad for relationships, but even more important, it is bad for you,” Olver says. “Jealousy never stopped a cheater from cheating, but it can cause someone who's not inclined to cheat to do so. The most important reason to work through your jealousy is that it transforms you into a person you don't even recognize. Realize how valuable you actually are, and you will never need to be jealous again.” 

Stop freaking out about every interaction your SO has with another woman or every occasion when your SO spends his or her time with someone other than you. It’s going to be just fine! Deep breaths, tea and a good talk will cure all.

3. Acting passive-aggressive

Everyone knows “I’m not mad” is code for, “Watch out, I’m trying to keep my cool, but I am about to unleash a tornado of unstoppable rage and I will destroy everything in my wake.” Sometimes we pretend to not be angry so that we can come off as more easygoing or because we don’t feel like confronting the situation. Other times we say it hoping that our significant other will realize that on the contrary, we’re actually mad, and he or she will ask what’s wrong or try to fix it.

“Not telling him usually stems from a fear of losing him. We prefer stuffing our feelings rather than risk telling him what is wrong,” Olver says. “It is important to stop doing this, because if you are upset about something and won't admit it, then how can you both work on the relationship? If your boyfriend isn't interested in how you feel, then he may not be the right guy for you.”

If you’re angry, say it. It’s much easier to address the issue than wait around for your significant other to solve all the riddles you’re throwing his or her way. You’re allowed to get mad, and you’re allowed to admit you’re mad; lying about how you really feel is only going to hurt you and your relationship in the end. Plus, we all know how annoying it is when others are passive-aggressive to us, so let’s start following the golden rule and treat others how we want to be treated! The world will be a much happier (and less sassy) place.

4. Playing guessing games

What we say: “Go ahead; it’s totally up to you.” Translation: “I want to give you the impression that I’m easygoing and that I want you to do what you want to do, but in reality, I want you to read my mind and do exactly what I want.”

Boys can’t read minds, unfortunately. Your relationship shouldn’t be a guessing game. If there’s something you want to do or somewhere you’d like to go, then say so! It’s not fair when your significant other wants to go out and you tell him or her to go ahead while you stay behind, secretly thinking, “Look into my blazing eyes and reconsider your plan of action right now.” It’s like you’re giving your SO fake permission, and it needs to stop!

“This is often done as a ‘test’ to see if our significant other is in tune enough to recognize what not to do, and is a very risky behavior,” Olver says. “Men, on the other hand, say what they mean. They don't have lines to read between. They think woman are similar and actually mean what they say, so when you tell him it's okay, he believes you.”

If you have an idea in mind, then you should always have the confidence and desire to say so. Otherwise, you might end up at some rundown taco joint for your anniversary, and, let’s be honest, that is most definitely not “fine.” If you told your SO that was okay, you can’t get upset about it later, so save yourself some time and frustration and speak your mind from the get-go.

5. Having unrealistic expectations

Having too many or too high of expectations in a relationship isn’t healthy. Of course, everyone wants to be treated like royalty, but eventually you have to come to terms with the fact that your dreams of growing up to be a princess may never come true. “This is behavior that tends to create our own misery,” Olver says. “People need to learn to trust each other to be the persons they've shown us they are.”

Meredith, a collegiette from Ohio University, says she’s had this problem in her relationship. “In my relationship, the times I've been most disappointed are when I expect something from my boyfriend,” she says. “It could be something as simple as a compliment on my new dress or flowers on Valentine's Day. But I've learned it's best to not have expectations, so when he does something sweet, it's a surprise, which makes it so much better!”

You’re setting our significant other and yourself up for frustration if you expect too much out of him or her. “We often have a picture of the ‘perfect’ guy in our heads, and we want our current boyfriend to live up to this standard,” Olver says. “We trust him to be this perfect person, and when he falls short, we blame him.”

It’s better for you to be realistic about what you expect out of your significant other and be honest to him or her about it. Hoping for the occasional spontaneous gesture is one thing, but expecting a hot air balloon ride over a beautiful mountain range might be a bit of a stretch. It’s more important to hold yourself equally accountable to your partner and appreciate the little things.

Of course, no one is perfect, and it’s too easy to slip into these bad habits. However, for the sake of communicating honestly and preserving the sanity of our significant others, it’s time we start saying and doing what we really mean and cut out these bad behaviors. You deserve to speak your mind, you both deserve to be happy and you certainly don’t want to send your SO off running. 

Listen up, Game of Thrones fans! The University of Virginia is now offering a summer English course on the popular television show.

The course, taught by associate professor of English Lisa Woolfork, will explore the HBO show alongside the Game of Thrones books series, A Song of Ice and Fire. 

“One of the goals behind this class was to teach students how the skills that we use to study literature are very useful skills for reading literature and TV in conjunction,” said Woolfork. "Game of Thrones is popular, it’s interesting, but it’s also very serious. There are a lot of things in the series that are very weighty, and very meaningful, and can be illuminated through the skills of literary analysis.” 

During the four-week course, the students read the first novel in the Game of Thrones series, watch episodes of the HBO show and explore themes such as racism, power and honor. At the end of the course, students complete a group project in which they write a new chapter in the series. 

“All of them have to connect in some way to how ‘Game of Thrones’ has sustained itself as a cultural phenomenon,” said Woolfork. “Some are writing a prequel graphic novel; others are working on spoilers. … I want them to consider, ‘How do you track the progress of a book to a TV series to this large phenomena, and how does that transform?'"

The UVA course is following in the footsteps of other pop culture-related college classes popping up all over the country, including a  Miley Cyrus course at Skidmore College and a Beyoncé course at Rutgers University. 

Okay frosted tips, cargo pants and neckties as belts: we’re glad you’re gone and absent in our wardrobes (Seriously, please never come back). But not everything from the early 2000s was as unsalvageable as those flower hair clips with which we all pinned back our side bangs. Here are a few things that have been majorly upgraded since the early 2000s—and wow, are we thankful.

1. Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Then:

Would we have dated him in the early 2000s? Eh, probably not… We’re not sure what’s going on with that earring, and is that a mullet we see? Whatever it is, we aren’t interested in seeing any more of it, even if it involves baby-faced JGL. Plus, our favorite man candy may be able to fill out a tank pretty smoothly nowadays (hello, Don Jon), but back in the day? Yeah, let’s just say he was a little lacking in the muscle department.

Now:

Would we date him now? Yes, yes, a million times yes! Forget dating; we’ve moved on to imaginary marriages and raven-haired babies. Haven’t you? That jawline! That style! That new-and-improved haircut. Joseph Gordon-Levitt grew into our favorite golden boy.

We guess we still loved you when you were a teenager in the early 2000s, Joey, but we can’t deny that your appearance now is an enormous upgrade.

2. Reality TV

Then:

How we felt by the end of the oh-so-obviously scripted and over-dramatic Laguna Beach:

Now:

How we feel whenever we watch Keeping Up With the Kardashians:

Though we don’t know if reality TV has actually gotten less scripted, we can say that we think it’s ten times better now. It’s me—it’s Todd Kraines!

3. Celebrities in denim

Then:

The fashion police went on vacation for this red carpet appearance. Both the outfits (and the couple) are no longer in existence, and we assume we have the style gods to thank for that. Seriously, could the early 2000s have done less to try to destroy denim as a legitimate fashion choice? We don’t think so!

Now:

Thank you, Olivia Palermo #allfixed. In the last ten years, the revival of chambray and arrival of celebrities who actually understood how to dress themselves (sans stylist) have drastically changed the face of the blue jean. Style-savvy collegiettes, rejoice!

We think we’ve all learned in the last ten years that one piece of denim per outfit is the perfect amount. At least we’ve learned from pop royalty’s mistakes.

4. The Internet

Then:

Remember when you basically had to call the Internet on the phone to just log into your Neopets account? How barbaric. Whoever thought dial-up was a good idea, anyway? (Note: anyone who wasn’t using the Internet in the early 2000s probably won’t even know what this item is—is it a space ship? The fabled “Walkman”? Only true 2000-ers will know!)

Now:

“Siri, Google a smoothie recipe, buy the ingredients online and have them delivered to my house. Thanks, doll.”

Who would have thought ten years ago that we would one day be indignant if we didn’t get free wifi wherever we desired it? Dial-up isn’t even worth a nostalgic #tbt.

5. Sneakers

Then:

We can maybe forgive Kim K for endorsing these…but maybe not. For starters, these Skechers Shape-Ups (which were designed to help wearers get toned just by walking in them) actually led to broken hips and broken ankles. For another, they were all kinds of ugly.

Now:

We aren’t sure how we could function if we couldn’t customize every possible piece of fabric in our Nikes. Really, we couldn’t own shoes without neon laces. It’s just not us.

Now, we like our sneakers the way we like our lattés: skinny, stylish, and custom. Oh, and not dangerous to our health.

6. Everything about hair

Then:

From frosted tips to pink tips, in the early 2000s we discovered exactly why hair shouldn’t look like a concoction out of Dexter’s Laboratory (you know, the original Dexter).

Now:

Thank you, Blake Lively. Thank you, Jessica Chastain, Sofia Vergara and Taylor Swift. Sometimes less really is more when it comes to neon hair dye and butterfly clips, and we can’t thank you enough for reinventing the hairstyle scene on the red carpet in recent years. Now our eyes no longer burn when we check out paparazzi shots!

7. Aéropostale

Then:

Nary a mall trip went by in the early 2000s without us making a purchase (or four) at Aéropostale, which was our one-stop shop for popped collar polos, cargo pants and adorable denim minis. Still, when we look back on the styles we rocked back in the day (read: elementary and middle school), we’re ready to admit that they’re definitely no longer worthy of our wardrobes. Styles change, and so have we!

Now:

Have you heard about the biggest transformation in retail history? Aéropostale has launched two brand-new lines, proving it’s grown up (a lot) since the early 2000s. LIVE LOVE DREAM carries adorable loungewear, and AERO NOW supplies this season’s trends.

Gone are the days of the uniform combination of graphic tees and whiskered denim minis; Aéropostale’s new lines let you embody your own style with a combination of classic pieces, recent trends and, of course, loungewear for those movie marathons. We’re certainly glad a lot has changed since our days in the early 2000s, and we’re glad Aéropostale has upgraded, too. We’re all about trading in the tired trends of yesteryear for all-new looks, and we’re drooling over the swoon-worthy, fresh and fun styles gracing the shelves of Aero stores all over!

Luckily, we never have to revisit the early 2000s again (OK, except for when we can’t help but start a Laguna Beach marathon... for the fifth time). It’s all uphill from here, and the future is looking bright!

With class, work and extracurriculars, having a go-to bag for transporting your belongings in style is a necessity. No matter where you'll be rushing off to this semester, we have the perfect backpack or tote to match your personality. Check out HC's top picks for back-to-school bags! 

1. Black and White and Spotted all Over 

For the girl with classic, timeless taste, black and white is always a good bet. Strut to class in style with this backpack from Aero ($32) and turn heads with a pop of polka dots!

2. Crazy for Prints 

Take on walk on the wild side with this Victoria's Secret PINK Campus Backpack ($49.95). Not only is the maroon shade totally on-trend for fall, but we love how the leopard-print accents give this bag a little extra oomph. 

3. Totes Adorable

For the collegiette who's always lugging around her weight in books, a sturdy yet fashionable tote is the way to go. Sophisticated and sweet, this mint bag from ModCloth ($59.99) is totes adorable (see what we did there?). 

4. Add a Little Leather

Give your outfit some edge with this faux-leather backpack from Forever 21 ($32.80). At that price, this chic bag is a must-have for fall!

5. Colorblock Chic

This color-blocked tote is proof that neutrals don't have to be boring! Make a stylish statement on campus with this leather bag from ASOS ($77.39). 

They say it takes 21 days to build a habit. In a mere three weeks, we simple humans can repeat a routine to the point of habituation—the most effortless form of behavior. But you can’t build a habit without first making a resolution. So here’s where it all starts: for the upcoming year of college, we’ve put together a list of nine back-to-school resolutions to get you started on your own list of to-dos. Seriously—follow our advice and your upcoming school year will be made in the shade. We can’t promise a date with Ryan Gosling by the end of September (especially now that he's going to be a dad), but we can promise you you’ll be handling a day planner like a champ.

Part 1: The Academic

1. Get to know your professors beyond introductions

Isn’t it remarkable that you spend upwards of five hours a week with each of your professors—more than some of your best friends—and yet all you know about them is their last name, preferred facial hair growth, and apparent preference for Diet Coke over the regular kind?

Building real relationships (please just not the romantic variant) with your professors starts with simply introducing yourself to them privately within the first couple days of class. From there, attend their office hours, ask questions in class, show up at their public lectures—display an interest in their work, and they’ll probably return the interest in your development as their student. Think of the research opportunities! Think about how much more inclined they’ll be to grant you that extension! Think, collegiettes, of how much more likely they’ll be to excuse that week-long absence when you were in Cabo in bed, sick with pneumonia.

2. Start keeping a day planner

As the saying goes: “The faintest ink is better than the best memory.” A day planner is the proverbial string around your finger, except a thousand times more effective than tying a string around your finger (seriously, who thought that was effective? What do you do if you can’t remember why there’s string around your finger? What if you can’t tie a knot with one hand? So many questions).

Mostly you just need a day planner so that you can be all, “One moment, darling. Let me just check my schedule,” the next time somebody asks you out. You can’t just go about frivolously accepting every coffee date and brunch engagement you’re invited to--you’re very in-demand, you know. Buy a planner and start acting like it. 

3. Make at least two friends in each of your classes

Here’s the thing: you need to stop being a loner in your classes, and you need to stop now. Loner is one little letter away from loser, and you are not that. Why did we stop making friends with everyone in our classes? Seriously—in second grade, you invited your entire class to your Backstreet Boy B-day Bash and it remains the wildest rager you’ve ever thrown. Why did those days have to end? Befriend a few people in each of your classes, and you won’t only be covered on things like missed notes, you can also have study parties, which is invariably the best way to study: in party format.

Oh, and let’s not forget the opportunity for commiseration. When you think you’re screwed for an upcoming final, nothing quite pacifies you like a quick call to a friend in your class to hear that she’s totally not prepared either (is that bad?).

4. Actually show up for morning lecture

We know all your excuses, and we don’t care. You were up late partying. You can just get the notes later from a friend. You don’t learn anything in this lecture anyway. An extra hour of sleep would just be so much more beneficial. Please—your attempts at reasoning away your morning lecture are more tired than you are.

Sure, you’re exhausted, but by skipping out on morning lecture, you’re only creating more work for yourself later, whether it be listening to a recording of the professor, thus adding taking notes to your workload, or scrambling at the last minute before an exam to make up that day’s material, which you just never got around to catching up on. Get up! Greet the day! (Grab some coffee!)

5. Get excited about learning!

A good education at a North American university is something we should be incredibly grateful for, not consider a task to be checked off on the to-do list of young adulthood. It sounds clichéd, but if you look for the excitement in learning, you’ll probably find it (buried under a few textbooks, probably, but it’s there). It’s all about perspective, and a fresh outlook on your studies will help you become reinvigorated by what you’re doing, not just its necessary role in carrying you to graduation.

Field trips didn’t have to go down with high school. Take your own trips outside the classroom to places relevant to your field. If you’re in an art history class, keep tabs on touring exhibitions and take a road trip to see one. If you’re in a law class, visit the court room and observe cases for an afternoon. A college education is a privilege; try not to forget that.

Part 2: The Social

6. Find a haunt

Hemingway had Les Deux Magots, Warhol had Studio 54. If you’re going to really be someone, you have to find yourself a haunt and frequent it more than you should. Go somewhere so often the employees know you by name—middle name, even. Spend so much time there that years from now when you tell stories about “the college days” or come back to your college town for a brief visit over a long weekend, you’ll refer to that place as your old “stomping ground” and wax poetic about this one incredible time you had there with that group of friends that one night November of junior year.

7. Revamp your nightlife

You know that corny magnet on your fridge that’s all, “Never settle for the ordinary!”? Actually start listening to it. Don’t settle for a mediocre social life. Just don’t do it. Mediocre social lives are for mediocre people, and you are most certainly not one. We’re not saying you should go on a bender every weekend and wake up Monday morning on a park bench suspiciously devoid of shoes and all remaining dignity (if you’re going to have a fabulous social life, it’s important you remember it the day after). What we are saying is that we get it: girl is busy. But girl is never too busy for a little socializing here and there, so make it count, even if it’s a simple, quiet night in with board games and a close group of friends. There’s no excuse for a boring evening. Make a night of making your night better than ordinary, whatever that means to you.

8. Join/Start a club

Clubs just aren’t what they used to be. It used to be that a collegiette had little variety to choose from when it came to school clubs, and hovering above membership seemed to stand the perpetual threat of the hazing paddle, which could shock even the most lionhearted out of taking a chance on Horticultural Society. But that was then. No one’s hazing you these days for dropping into a weeknight meeting of the Wine-tasting Society, or Gamers’ Guild. And if your college truly doesn’t have the club you desire—Harry Potter Fan Fiction Writers, huh?—start it yourself!

Part 3: The Domestic

9. Feng shui your room

Feng shui is the promotion of positive energy within a space through adherence to a spiritual set of spatial considerations. More simply, arranging and maintaining your room in accordance with feng shui principles will keep you calm, and calm is good—just ask the thousand-plus people you know with a “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster hung in their room. They would agree.

So where do you begin? Start with bringing a little life into your room with a potted flower. Open your windows. Order things in pairs, which feng shui states appeals to the human yearning for order and unity. Decorate your walls with inspiring images so your dreams are reinforced visually everywhere you look. Most of all, keep your room clean to preserve the chi. A cluttered room makes for a cluttered mind, and you cannot afford to let it get messy up in there.

When you form a resolution you make the decision to render that thing real and concrete and more than a fleeting idea of something you might do at some point, sometime, when you’re done Instagramming that pic of your boat shoes. Heading back to school is a new start unlike any other, and the next great opportunity for a renewed you—specifically, you-as-student, a variation of yourself which could admittedly use a little resolve every now and again.

Let’s play Who Wants to Be an HC Millionaire!

Who is the most popular celeb among U.S. teenagers?

A) Jennifer Lawrence B) Betty White C) YouTube comedy duo Smosh D) Steve Carell

And the answer is… C), Smosh! Wait, what?

Variety magazine surveyed 1,500 Americans age 13-18 and found that the top five most influential figures are all YouTube stars. In order, Smosh, The Fine Bros., PewDiePie, KSI and Ryan Higa topped the charts. The first celebrity on the list is Paul Walker, who died in a car accident last year (In case you were wondering where the celebs of our little poll fall in the rankings, Lawrence is 7th, Carell is 10th and White is 12th).

The teens were asked a “battery of questions assessing how 20 well-known personalities stacked up in terms of approachability, authenticity and other criteria considered aspects of their overall influence.”

10 of the 20 were English-speaking YouTube stars with lots of subscribers, and the other 10 were some of the most well-known mainstream celebrities.

According to head researcher Jeetendr Sehdev's findings, “YouTubers were judged to be more engaging, extraordinary and relatable than mainstream stars, who were rated as being smarter and more reliable. In terms of sex appeal, the two types of celebs finished just about even.”

In their feedback, teens expressed an appreciation for the Youtubers’ intimacy, authenticity, “sense of humor, lack of filter and risk-taking spirit.” Those traits stand in sharp contrast to the heavily controlled and strategically maintained personalities of traditional celebs.

Who do you like more, collegiettes: red-carpet regulars or YouTube sensations?

A new school year means a fresh start in the dating pool at your university. There are new boys, boys whom you’ve been eyeing since last semester and boys who became miraculously attractive over summer break.  Being the hot collegiette you are, you’re probably a little overwhelmed with the amount of guys you have at your fingertips. Have no fear! We’ve created a master list to educate you on the types of guys you should hang out with and the best ways to ask them out. There’s no definitive right or wrong way to ask a guy out, but these tips are specially tailored to fit your potential beau’s persona.

1. The Teacher’s Pet

How to spot him

This is the guy who knows every answer to every question asked in class. He has every professor’s cell phone number saved in his contacts. He gets bummed out if he gets less than an A- on any given assignment. Pursuing The Teacher’s Pet is a great way to combine two important things in your life: school and boys. Who says you can’t have it all?

Your move

Grab a seat near him in lecture (but don’t forget to actually pay attention to your professor!). When your class is over and everyone is filing out, get his attention and ask if he wants to make a study group with a couple of other kids in the class. The study-group approach is a lot less aggressive than proposing a one-on-one study sesh and is a great alternative to simply pretending like you didn’t get that day’s notes. He’ll appreciate your initiative to do well in class, and it’ll be something that you two have in common right off the bat.

2. The Super Athlete

How to spot him

Whether he’s the point guard on the basketball team, the quarterback on the football team or the shortstop on the baseball team, an athletic boy is hard to pass up. Maybe it’s something about the dedication he has to his sport or his great sense of teamwork that makes him seem like a prime dating specimen. When he’s not at practice, you’ll usually see him sitting with his teammates in class or in the dining hall talking about — you guessed it — sports.

Your move

If you’re not well versed in the language of sports, don’t let that discourage you from making a move on him. Just because he’s obsessed with sports doesn’t mean that he wants to go out with a girl who’s also obsessed with sports. A good way to break the ice is ask him how his training is going and if there are any teams he’s especially excited to compete against this year. Showing your curiosity in his sport and giving him a chance to talk about one of his passions will really impress him, even if you’re not a super athlete (or even a regular athlete). Maybe he’ll suggest taking you to a quick dinner in the dining hall after practice sometime next week!

3. The Gym Rat

How to spot him

He might not play on any varsity (or intramural) sports teams, but you can always find him pumping iron in the school gym. He’s always drinking his protein shakes or lifting weights twice as heavy as you are. You’re not sure if he does anything else besides work out, because you’ve never seen him out in the real world or wearing anything besides gym shorts and a tank top. 

Your move

Try to approach him in the gym (duh), but make sure you don’t interrupt him in the middle of a set; that’ll just annoy him (not the best first impression). When you see that he has a free moment—maybe he's grabbing some water—go right up to him and ask him for a good workout for a specific part of your body. Don’t come on too strong and ask for a good butt exercise (that’s a little too aggressive); instead, ask for advice on a good bicep or quad exercise. He’ll be impressed that you’re into staying in shape and be flattered that you’re coming to him for advice.

4. The Frat Star

How to spot him

He loves to be the center of attention, he goes out five nights a week and he’ll be the first one to suggest going to the after-after-after party. Yet, somehow he manages to keep a 3.8 GPA and remain actively involved with the non-partying side of frat life. He’s always ready to meet new people and can have an interesting conversation with anyone he comes across. He’s the social butterfly who will bring you out of your shell and show you an unforgettable night.

Your move

This guy lives and breathes his fraternity, so the best way to get to his heart is through his frat. Ask him about any upcoming events his fraternity is hosting, like theme parties or philanthropy fundraisers. However, seeing him in his natural social environment is fun and all, don’t get us wrong, but you’ll probably want some alone time with this Frat Star as well. See if he wants to go on a one-on-one date to a local sports bar or café—nothing too extravagant. He’s a fun guy who would love to go on a casual date and get to know you better.

5. The Class President

How to spot him

Everyone on campus is convinced that this politics-obsessed cutie is going to be the president of the United States one day. Not only is he the class president, he’s also the president of three clubs, an active member of four student activist groups and the captain of the tennis team. He’s a natural-born leader who somehow knows everyone’s name on campus (yes, all 10,000 of them). Whether he’s taking charge of every group project, organizing events for the various groups he’s a part of or just leading stretches during tennis practice, this boy loves to be in charge.

Your move

To take advantage of The Class President’s sexy authoritarian attitude, give him a little ego boost and compliment him on one of his most recent accomplishments. Of course, any guy would appreciate a compliment from a cute girl, but The Class President will be especially into it because he lives to please his fellow classmates. You could also show him your support by going to one of his clubs’ or activist groups’ events. He’ll love a lady who is encouraging and shows interest in his passions.

6. The Hipster

How to spot him

He’s the mysterious guy you see in your chemistry class who’s always dressed to the nines in some pretty trendy threads. After class, you can find him in the nearest coffee shop with his portable record player, just doing his own thing. With his thick glasses and ironic graphic tees, there’s something totally cute and irresistible about him. You want to get to know the guy behind the Wayfarers and the knit beanie (worn for style, not necessity), and now’s the time to do it!

Your move

Since he prides himself on being the back sheep in a flock of white lambs, he’s not really a traditional dinner-and-a-movie kind of guy. You’ve always wanted to go to that underground comedy club downtown or hear that rock band who parodies the parodies of “Weird Al” Yankovic, and this hipster boy is just type the guy who’s always down for an exciting and new experience. He’ll be excited to check out some of the underappreciated talent and support local artists. If you’re lucky, maybe he’ll let you ride on the handlebars of his purple 1980s beach cruiser to and from the date.

7. The Recently Single Guy

How to spot him

He tried to make it work long distance with his ex-girlfriend, but it was just too hard. After being tied down for the past two years, this guy is single and ready to mingle! He’s jumping back into the new school year with a fearless attitude and is looking for the cutest girls to have fun with.

Your move

Although he’s looking to have fun, he might be a little wary about getting back into the dating scene, especially after a tough breakup. To help ease his nerves, take control of the situation and plan out the entire date beforehand. Taking the pressure off of him to plan your night out will most likely lead to him being more relaxed during the date and willing to open up to you. Whether you’re going to dinner and a movie or heading to a party together, he’ll appreciate not having to worry about the logistics of the date.

Like snowflakes, all boys are different and have special talents, hobbies and personalities. There are countless ways to go about asking someone out, but some ways might be more effective than others, depending on the guy. Also, this list does not include all of the guys that you can go out with. Rather, we’re listing the kinds of guys a classy girl like you should go out with. Notice how there was no Bad Boy or Hot Jerk? That’s because you should stay away from boys like that who are bad news. Instead, go for the nice guys with whom you would genuinely have a good time on a date. 

If you follow Kim Kardashian on Instagram (which, let's face it, most of us do), then you've probably seen a decent number of Kim's highlight and contour pics, in which her now-famous make-up preferences are on full display. The reality show darling loves a super bright undereye area and a razor sharp contour under her cheekbones, and she isn't shy about sharing her secrets for achieving this look on social media.

While it may seem crazy to go through so much effort to fake the appearance of better bone structure, this trick is incredibly effective and can really change the way your face looks. The contour element is meant to create realistic-looking shadows on your face and will make larger features recede, while highlighting will brighten up areas of your face and make them come forward, creating sharper-looking bone structure. Still, contouring and highlighting definitely looks a little crazy halfway through the process (note Kim's Lion King-esque make-up before shot) and can be intimidating to even the most experienced beauty junkie, let alone a make-up newbie. Not to worry: the beauty bloggers at HC have got you covered with this how-to video on how to enhance your natural bone structure and contour like a pro (or at least like Kim K)!

I started by perfecting my base by using a primer and the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Oil-Free in Bisque ($43 at Sephora) to get rid of any discoloration and even out my skin tone. I then went in with a bit of Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-3 ($34 at Sephora) to pin-point conceal any blemishes.

For the cream contouring, I used the e.l.f. Studio HD Mattifying Cream Foundation in Caramel ($6 at e.l.f.) on a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush ($9 at Real Techniques) and applied this to all of the areas on my face that I wanted to contour, including in the hollows of my cheekbones, along my temples, under my jawline, the sides and tip of my nose and under my bottom lip.

To highlight, I used the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc ($45 at Sephora) with my fingers to highlight underneath my eyes in a V-shape, along the tops of my cheekbones, in the center of my forehead, down the bridge of my nose, underneath my cheekbone contour and on my Cupid's bow. 

Once the cream contouring was finished, I went in with a foundation brush and started to blend out the highlighted areas, trying not to mix the lighter areas with the contours just yet. Once the lighter areas were blended, I went in with an e.l.f. Studio Stipple Brush ($3 at e.l.f.) and blended out the contoured areas, making sure not to blend out too far.

I then went in with powders to set all of the cream contouring and highlighting so that everything would last longer. For the contoured areas, I used the fan favorite NARS Laguna Bronzer from the NARS Blush/Bronzer Duo in Orgasm/Laguna ($24 at Sephora) on a tapered powder brush to go over the contours and intensify them. For the highlighted areas, I used the CoverGirl Clean Oil-Control Pressed Powder in Buff Beige ($7.99 at CVS) on the same brush to set the lighter areas and brighten them even more.

Normally you wouldn't want to use a liquid or cream highlighter on top of a powder, but for the sake of this video I decided to show you how to use a liquid highlighter for a more dewy effect. I dabbed the tiniest amount of NARS Illuminator in Copacabana ($30 at Sephora) on the tops of my cheekbones and along my Cupid's bow for an added sheen and healthy glow.

Once you've done all of that, just go in and blend out any areas that need a little more work, add a blush of your choice on the apples of your cheeks and voilà! You're set to be the next Kim K, Kontouring Kueen.

We know stuffing all your belongings into one car is not the most fun way to start college (collegiettes across the country know your pain!). It requires a lot of foresight to pack everything you need for a year away from home—you’re bound to forget something! While we can’t predict your every need, we do have 12 helpful packing suggestions that freshmen don’t usually consider. Our college veterans have weighed in on items they wish they stuffed in their suitcases, and we’ve included the best in this handy checklist. So before you close your car trunk full of shoes and posters (mainly shoes), check out these oft-forgotten college necessities!

1. Safety Pins

Etka Partani, a senior at UCLA, says she took her mom’s box of safety pins for granted before she arrived at college. “I know it seems random, but sometimes they're completely necessary to adjust an outfit or make sure the costume that you threw together for a party doesn't fall off,” she says. You can keep safety pins in a small box with other random knickknacks, such as paper clips and bobby pins.

2. Boot Tray

If you’re going to college in a northern state with lots of wintry weather, bring a boot tray to store your soaked shoes. According to Phyu-Sin Than, a senior at Mount Holyoke College, “It's completely necessary to have if you're going to a school in the north where half the school year is dragging yourself around in the snow.” Try this one from Bed Bath & Beyond to keep your dorm carpet clean and dry (a regular serving platter also works just as well).

3. Bookends

You can rack up a sizable collection of books in your first year, especially with general education classes (American Lit., anyone?). Shira Kipnees, campus correspondent for HC Franklin & Marshall, recommends that freshmen bring bookends to organize their study sessions. “My books always ended up in a fallen mess on the shelf and it would take me forever to find the exact book I was looking for,” she says. You can find cheap bookends on Amazon or invest in decorative ones from Etsy, like these cute bicycle ones for $35.

4. Old T-shirts and Costumes

There will be plenty of theme parties in college, which means plenty of opportunities to unleash your creative fashion sense! Come prepared with the right materials to make the most of these festive events. Emma Miller, a senior at Kenyon College, suggests bringing old shirts you wouldn’t mind cutting, dyeing, highlighting, or doing whatever else to that strikes your artistic fancy. You can also bring old Halloween costumes and accessories or outdated clothes to stock your theme party wardrobe.

5. Electric Kettle/Water Boiler

Emily Willeman, a senior at Western Washington University, suggests bringing an electric kettle for making late-night ramen. Sometimes you won’t feel like walking to the dining halls or they won’t be open when studying late at night and get hungry, so it’s nice to have hot food options in the convenience of your room! An electric kettle is also great for making hot tea or soup when you have a cold or want to make hot chocolate during winter months. Add some Tim Tams to the hot chocolate and invite friends over for a snack social!

6. Brita Pitcher

Not all college dorms have a water fountain on every floor, so invest in a Brita pitcher to filter tap water so you can stay hydrated. If you are lucky enough to have a fountain in the hall, you may want to buy a pitcher anyways so you don’t have to run back and forth for another cup of water!

7. Safe

It may sound paranoid, but you’re better safe than sorry (pun intended). Since college is a completely new environment and strangers may be coming in and out of your room from time to time (depending on how social your roommate is), you’re better off having a secure place to store valuables while you’re out. A safe is a good precaution until you get to know your roommate better and have a better understanding of what’s risky to leave out in your dorm.

8. External Hard Drive

You never know when your computer will crash (yet it always seems to happen during crucial times, like finals week). An external hard drive is a solution to potentially losing all of your hard work. Though some collegiettes use online storage programs (or use the old email attachment method), it doesn’t hurt to have a local copy of your work in case there are Internet connection problems. Be sure that you buy the right hard drive for your computer!

9. Earplugs and Sleep Mask

Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for a roommate who doesn’t snore, head to college prepared for the worst. Even if you are a deep sleeper, it’s better to have these aids at your disposal than to wish you had them while tossing and turning at two in the morning or waking up as the sun rises on a Saturday. Dorm halls have an unpredictable mix of students—some who may not have the same level of respect for others as you do. Earplugs are a safeguard against booming speakers, awkward hallway arguments, disturbing noises through thin walls and anything else you could (literally) lose sleep over!

10. Extension Cords and Power Strips

You don’t want to be tied to working at your desk because your computer charger is too short to reach your bed. Bring an extension cord for free range around your room (or the library). Many dorm rooms also have a limited number of outlets, so pack a power strip to charge all your gadgets, because you shouldn’t have to pick between a functioning phone and laptop! Plus, you will avoid any arguments with your roommate about being an outlet hog. Now you can both dry your hair in peace!

11. Duct Tape

People joke about it being a poor man’s tool kit, but duct tape is incredibly useful, versatile, and cheap! Use it to cover up wires, secure loose items, and solve problems you can’t even imagine right now. It actually works magic.

12. Sporting Equipment

If you were involved in any sports in high school, bring your gear! You don’t want to limit your opportunities on campus, especially if you love the sport and want to play it, even recreationally. “I joined a volleyball intramural team and having my kneepads made it so much easier to get involved in the game,” says Jaclyn Turner, a junior at the University of Maryland. “I also looked really official having the proper volleyball gear!”

Now you’ll be the most prepared freshman on your floor (and your roommate’s savior when she realizes what she forgot!). Happy packing!

Congratulations! You’re almost done with your internship. While fetching coffee and making copies may have been a drag sometimes, you may find yourself feeling a little sad that you’re leaving your cozy cubicle next to all of your fabulous intern friends.

One of the best things about summer internships is the people you meet, particularly the other collegiette interns with whom you worked. Just because your internship is ending doesn’t mean that your friendships with fellow interns have to end as well! Staying connected with your fellow interns can help build your professional network, and you never know how your paths might cross again later on in your careers. Check out HC’s tips for how to stay in touch with your intern buddies while maintaining the balance between professional and friendly.

Why it’s so important to stay connected

While you might want to keep in touch with your fellow interns just because they’re super cool people, there are a lot of benefits to staying connected to peers you met during an internship.

Ultimately, one of your biggest assets as a young professional is your growing network. The more people you can add to that network, the better.

“That intern that you worked with today could be the hiring manager or CEO of a company you would like to work for in the future,” says Neal Schaffer, author of Maximize Your Social and founder of Maximize Social Business. “You never know where you’ll end up, and we never know how our paths might cross.”

Vicki Salemi, career coach and author of Big Career in the Big City, says, “Networking is key to your future. At the end of the day, all we really have are relationships. Not networking and not keeping those relationships alive is not an option.”

Making lifelong friends might be a pleasant surprise from your college summer internship, but staying connected to them professionally can only help you in the long run!

Use Twitter and Facebook for casual conversation

With Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, texting, emailing and more, there are countless ways to stay in touch with people. While it’s awesome that we have so much technology at our fingertips, sometimes it’s hard to decide what the best form of communication is when balancing that professional yet friendly relationship.

According to Salemi, the type of communication you choose should depend on your purpose for reaching out. “If you just want to say hello, then definitely tweet them or Facebook chat them from time to time,” Salemi says.  “If you want a more meaningful conversation [i.e., relating to job opportunities or careers], ask if they’re available for a phone call or reach out via email.”

Katie Naymon, a senior at Johns Hopkins University, stayed in touch with her intern friends from last summer with GroupMe a group-text smartphone app. It allows you to send texts to large groups of people as well as share photos and videos. “We also made a Facebook group,” Naymon says. “It’s been over a year, but we still regularly post articles and comment on things that the group would find interesting.”

Schaffer also recommends social media for casual conversation. “Since we spend so much time looking at our News Feed on Facebook, it’s a great place for interns to naturally stay in touch,” he says. “Facebook is an easy way to share parts of your personal life using various types of media, [like pictures and links].”

Keep it personal and casual on social media when keeping in touch with your fellow interns. Share photos from your family vacation, tweet about your favorite Starbucks drink or post funny articles from your favorite websites (like Her Campus!).

Use LinkedIn to make professional connections

Besides using Facebook and Twitter, most collegiettes also have LinkedIn accounts, which allow you to stay in touch with a messaging feature. It looks similar to your email inbox, but you can also extend and accept invitations to LinkedIn groups.

You can also use your LinkedIn account to improve each one another’s profiles by endorsing the skills of your fellow interns. On your LinkedIn profile, there’s a section where you can add any skills you have. If someone visits your profile (like your fellow intern friends!), he or she can endorse those skills. The more endorsements you get, the more credible your skills are.

Additionally, using LinkedIn with your fellow interns can help you make other connections. There’s a feature on the site that allows you to view other users’ connections, so if you see that your intern friend is connected to an employer or company you’re interested in, you can ask him or her to introduce you!

“On LinkedIn, it’s easy to see who [your friends are] connected with in their network,” Schaffer says. “Or, in an advanced people search, they can end up being the person connecting you to second or third connections. You open up all these secret connections you didn’t know you had!”

While Facebook and Twitter are great ways to share parts of your personal life, LinkedIn is an easy way to make more professional connections.

When communicating online, keep it classy

While social media seems like the easiest way to stay connected with fellow interns, you should always be conscious about keeping it professional. Definitely stay open and friendly on social media sites, but it’s probably better to untag those pictures of yourself from that frat party that happened the other night.

“In one of my books, I talk about creating a ‘public persona,’” Schaffer explains. “That means if you open your Facebook or Twitter page to the entire public, you wouldn’t find any material that would embarrass you or prevent you from getting a job.”

Avoid posting or talking about potentially controversial topics, like politics or religion. If these topics are part of your field or major, keep the conversation professional and avoid starting any heated debates online.

Schaffer says a good rule of thumb is to imagine yourself going to a networking event where you don’t know anyone. What would you talk about there? Things that you would talk about during a professional networking event are also fair game on social media.

“Always ask yourself if you would want that tweet or message on the cover of the Wall Street Journal,” Salemi says. “Keep everything professional … avoid swearing. You can keep things light and friendly and let your personality shine while also keeping it professional.”

Be mindful of your privacy settings and the type of content you put up on your social media pages. Even though you may have gotten close to your fellow interns and consider them good friends, it’s still important to keep it professional online.

So, what should you talk about?

During your internship, it was probably really easy to relate to other interns, considering you had the same schedules, worked on the same projects and were advised by the same boss. But once you’re all back to your respective lives at school, sometimes it’s hard to find things in common. Easy conversation starters could be things about college (you both have that in common!), new internship opportunities (how you met in the first place) or general getting-to-know-them questions (do you actually know what their favorite foods are?).

“You can ask if they have a current internship and what it’s like, what they’re learning in school or how their semester is going,” Salemi says. “Or maybe your professor touched upon something you learned during your internship, and you can mention that when you’re reaching out.”

It’s important to keep your conversations natural, but it’s okay if they involve topics about your shared internship or industry. “If you find an article about how to write a good resume or something about your industry, share it with them,” Schaffer says. “Those are good topics of conversation because that’s the common bond that brought you together in the first place.”

Also, don’t underestimate the power of a like or short comment on social media. “Simply liking updates on Facebook or LinkedIn will keep you on the top of their mind but are minimal efforts,” Salemi says.

Some things to avoid talking about include questions about their income at their new internship, personal questions about their love life (depending on how close you are) or bragging about your new position if they’re still unemployed.

Whenever you’re reaching out, just remember to be natural and friendly. When in doubt, relate back to your shared internship, because you’ll always have that in common!

When you should reach out

While there’s no concrete rule for when you should send your fellow interns an email or post on their Facebook timelines, some times of the school year are better than others.

“Collegiettes are extremely busy, but times other than midterms or finals, when you’re preoccupied, is probably a good time,” Salemi says. “Generally, every month or two is good.”

Another natural time to reach out to your fellow interns is when you start to think about your next job or internship. Schaffer recommends that you reach out to your intern friends as part of your job search. “Contact them if you have an interview with a company they might know about, or maybe when you’ll be in town [to meet with a potential employer],” Schaffer says. “Or maybe there’s a big networking event in a city you’re both close to, and you can invite them to join you!”

You don’t need to be tweeting at them every other day, but you also shouldn’t let six months of silence go by, either. Reaching out once a month is a good rule of thumb. It shows that you’re interested in staying connected, but it’s not overwhelming.

Working side-by-side with other awesome interns can truly make a summer internship great. With these tips in mind, it can be super easy to keep those friendships strong and stay connected with your fellow interns all year long!

Let's face it: being organized in college can make your life way less stressful. When your clothes are in order, your makeup is put away and your necklaces aren't tangled, it seems much easier to tackle whatever life chooses to throw at you that day. Check out our favorite products for organizing your dorm room!

1. Over-the-Door Jewelry Organizer Mirror

Never lose track of your jewelry again! This functional and cute organizer from PBteen ($119) has space for tons of earrings, necklaces and bracelets, so you can display your gems even if you're not wearing them. The mirror is great, too, because you can see how your jewelry looks with your outfit. 

2. Closet Complete Magic Cascading Hangers

Max out the space in your dorm-room closet with these hangers, which each collapse five hangers to the size of one! This set ($10 on Amazon) holds 50 garments, and you would still have way more space in your closet for more clothes.

3. 24-Pocket Over-Door Shoe Organizer

Hang this mega-functional shoe organizer from The Container Store ($23.99) over the inside of your closet door to minimize clutter and maximize the amount of shoes you can bring to school (trust us - this is important).

4. Ultimate Beauty Organizers

When you wake up late in the morning for lecture, you need to have all of your beauty essentials at the ready. This PBteen beauty organizer ($59-89) will keep everything you need to properly beautify yourself in its proper place. 

5. Real Simple Triple Laundry Sorter

Keep your whites, darks and colors separate with this great laundry sorter from Bed Bath & Beyond ($49.99). Your colors will never bleed together in the dorm washing machines - you can even take out each bag individually!

6. Mesh Shower Caddy

The pockets in this cute shower caddy from VS PINK ($14.95) will keep all of your shower essentials organized! From razors to soap, you'll have everything you need to make the dorm showers feel like home.

7. Quirky Cordies Desktop Cable Management

Stop searching under your desk for your phone charger or laptop charger cords - have them all at the ready on your desk with this cord organizer from Quirky Cordies ($11 on Amazon). You'll save lots of time (and frustration!).

8. Woven Desk Organizer and Letter Holder

This desk organizer ($20) and letter holder ($24), both from Urban Outfitters, will keep your desk essentials - pencils, pens, sticky notes and folders - organized and out of your way. 

9. Three By Three Seattle Weekly Magnetic Wipe-Off Board

Don't forget to keep your life organized, too! This magnetic dry-erase board from Urban Outfitters ($30) completes any organizational enthusiast's room. Keep your schedule as clean as your room - no double booking for you!

Life is better when you're organized, collegiettes. When you're shopping for your dorm this summer or packing up your loads of cute fall dresses, don't forget that keeping everything organized will make you happier and make your dorm room look cuter!

We all know there’s no one right way to come out. Some girls trip out of the closet onto their faces, while others bang the door open and strut their stuff – and some never found themselves in the proverbial closet at all. Wherever you identify on the LGBTQ+ spectrum, everyone has his or her own unique process of declaring himself/herself as a part of the community, and everyone has his or her own story that comes with it.

We checked in with a few collegiettes to hear how they discovered their identities and shared that with others. No two experiences are the same, but all are inspiring stories of what it’s like to come out of the closet, be brave and tell others about who you are!

1. J.E. Reich

“Whenever I am asked about my coming-out story, I am always inclined to pause,” says J.E Reich, an Emerson and Brooklyn College grad. “No one has just one coming-out story, because every time you meet someone new, you inadvertently come out again.

“At 17, I wrote a 10-page e-mail to my father, who was in Europe for work,” she says. “I cried noiselessly in a computer carrel in the empty school library during lunch period and figured I was signing my own disownment notice.  He wrote this back, ‘Surprised, but not shocked.  Love, Dad.’ Months later, when I told my mother I was gay, she replied, ‘No, you're not.’

“My step-grandmother, who I had somehow forgotten to tell, came out for me. ‘I don't see why two women can't get married,’ she said to me out of the blue, when I visited her on a trip I took to Miami.  The warm silence said the rest.”

J.E., who is an editor for Medium, an aspiring novelist and a contributor for Thought Catalog, The Huffington Post and The Daily Dot, says that being a writer has given her the opportunity to tell her story again and again. It is part of why she is inspired to keep coming out.

“The more and more I come out, the more I grow to be courageous and true,” she says. “By sharing how I continue to come out, I hope somewhere, someway, someone else will find them and have the strength to come out themselves.”

2. Kayla Goldstein

For Kayla Goldstein, a junior at Florida State University, coming out was a relatively normal experience. Kayla says it just sort of happened after the prompting of her family.

“One day my mom said, ‘Are you a lesbian? Grandma thinks you're a lesbian.’ So I told her I was bi, and we carried on with our day as normal. It really wasn't a very big deal,” she says. “I was always pretty open about [my sexuality] with my peers for as long as I can remember. I didn't really tell my parents because I always found the concept of coming out to be kind of weird. Like, why do my parents need to know what kind of person I'm attracted to?”

Kayla says that being out has prompted her to become even more involved with the LGBTQ+ community, as she desires to help others be accepted and accepting of diversity.

“I was actually the co-founder of my high school's GSA and served as the vice president one year and the president one year,” Kayla says.

As a role model of the group, Kayla is also an advocate for intersectionality awareness and disregarding cisnormativity. Her experiences have pushed her address these important topics within the LGBTQ+ community.

3. Angela Stahl

“The summer before my freshman year of high school, I attended a softball camp at the local college,” says Angela Stahl, a sophomore student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. “During the camp, I started to grow close to two girls. I admired them for their skill level; they were way better than I was. As the days grew on, I started to become confused as to whether I felt so frazzled around these girls because they were older than me and I respected and admired their athletic abilities, or if I had a crush on one of them.”

Though she’d never considered dating a girl at this point in her life, Angela says that she began to realize she would be comfortable in a relationship with a girl and really wanted to give it a shot.

“Practice for the school softball team started a few weeks later, and I started to grow close to the girls on the team,” she says. “The majority of my team identified as either bisexual or lesbian. Homosexuality was the norm. As a crush developed for one of the players on my team, I felt the time had come to tell my friends and family that I felt I should identify as bisexual. I told my mom first. Her response, which I will remember forever, was, ‘Whatever makes your peaches tingle.’

“My dad jokingly requested that I date more girls so that he wouldn't have to worry about a teen pregnancy.  My girl friends had no problem with my sexuality, and the dynamic didn't change.”

Telling the men in her life about her sexuality, on the other hand, yielded a different reaction.
“When I told the boys, it seemed to break down a barrier in our friendship, and we could bond in more ways now than we could before,” Angela says. “If anything, my social status went up, because, at that point in time, my peers viewed bisexuality as, ‘more likely to be open to threesomes,’ which wasn't actually true. But I was okay with the positive attention at the time.

“Once I told all my friends, I felt the need to play the part. I was aiming to be the stereotypical butch. I wore my hair back and stopped wearing makeup and used cologne instead of perfume.

“After dating my first girlfriend, Kristen, I became comfortable with my new identity. I came to the realization that I didn't have to dress or act in any particular way; I just needed to continue to act like myself. My experience was very easy because of all the support I had around me. My school had a large and involved GSA and a permanent transsexual substitute.

“Once I got to college, I realized that the term pansexual suited my preference more appropriately,” Angela says. “I personally think that labeling myself for my sexuality is strange. However, I understand that everyone does not think the way that I do, and some people need to be able to categorize people in order to understand them. For this reason, I continue to label my sexuality.”

4. Kimberly Rosenthal

“My mom will tell you that her and my dad knew when I was five that I might be gay. I’ll tell you that it was seven,” says Kimberly Rosenthal, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point graduate. “When playing house, I was always the guy, and looking back, I realize I basked in the attention from my friends sitting on my lap while I pretended to be Danny from Grease. However, the term ‘gay’ didn’t reach me until high school, and ‘lesbian’ didn’t register fully for me until my senior year in college.

“Everything in hindsight makes sense; the quick glances at girls in the locker room; toxic relationships with men, not because they were awful, but because I didn’t know how to communicate with them; or putting myself out there for a best girl friend.”

Kimberly had always told herself she wouldn’t be opposed to being with a woman, but always dated men.

“I was attracted to men and was happy with them. However, something always felt like it was missing. I blamed it on myself because I knew the men I was with were good, kind and caring people that wanted to take care of me.”

Kimberly didn’t fully realize that she wasn’t completely straight until her senior year of college, when she attended a conference.

“I was joking with a girl and we both made a sly sex comment, and I realized at that moment that women had sex with each other and that I would enjoy being with this girl intimately,” she says. “At the time, I was dating a guy and was happy, so I continued dating him, but acknowledged to him and myself that I was bisexual.

“It was scary taking a leap to queer-ville, because I knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy road. I dated men off and on and was with a few women, but nothing felt comfortable. I was in limbo, and it caused a huge depression in my life that took moving out of the country to move forward from.”

It wasn’t until the age of 26 that Kimberly says she finally fully loved herself and accepted herself for who she was.

“I am a woman that loves a person for who they are, but feel a stronger connection emotionally to women. Some say that is bisexual; I prefer the term queer,” Kimberly says. “This summer, I met an amazing woman that I cannot wait to share my life with. We became engaged on July 31, 2014. Her story, like mine, was about self-acceptance. Our journey together is about building up each other as strong women.”

As these women have shown, no two paths to coming out are the same. While there might never be a perfect time, way or place to come out, we hope that you take pride in your journey no matter what.