In light of growing efforts to end sexual violence, colleges and universities across the nation are struggling to combat the unsettling reality of sexual assault on college campuses. Unfortunately, researchers have yet to find a substantially effective method of reducing campus rape—that is, until now.

Dr. Charlene Senn of the University of Windsor, alongside her team of researchers, has just proven the promising success of a new sexual assault prevention program. Published in The New England Journal of Medicine, this new study has made groundbreaking leeway into discovering what it takes to keep women safe on college campuses.

According to the study, Dr. Senn and her colleagues created the "Enhanced Assess, Acknowledge, Act Sexual Assault Resistance" program with the goal of providing young women with the emotional, risk assessment and self-defense skills necessary to prevent potential sexual assault. More specifically, Senn's program focuses on the fact that most college sexual assault victims are raped by an acquaintance, and so in order to be protected, women need to recognize when an interaction with an acquaintance poses a potential risk. Therefore, the sample of young woman piloting the program were taught how to assess different situations for clues of possible danger, as well as how to successfully defend themselves against perpetrators that they knew and would therefore normally feel uncomfortable confronting or accusing of inappropriate behavior.

According to nymag.com, Senn addressed another prevalent issue in her program that currently stands in the way of safe decision making—the socialization of women. According to Senn, women are consistently taught to be polite, accommodating and submissive. When these sexist ideologies are adopted, young women are likely to believe they're being silly for thinking an acquaintance is dangerous or wrong for standing up for themselves. These ideas cause women to second-guess their instincts, thus halting quick-decision making and causing an escape from a risky situation to become even harder. Senn's study worked to reverse these antiquated ideals and teach women to trust themselves and their gut reactions—all while fostering a sex-positive and encouraging environment. The results? Impressive.

Participants in the experimental group (those who underwent the new program) were 5.9% less likely to experience an attempted rape and 4.6% less likely to be raped than participants in the control group (as evidenced by survey results from up to a year after the study was conducted). Compared to similar studies, this one takes the cake for being adequately conclusive and for developing a program that is proven to benefit its participants.

But isn't it inherently sexist to force women to be trained to avoid sexual assault, rather than creating programs that target the perpetrators (who are mostly men)? Unfortunately, with no real proof of any existing program proven to stop someone from becoming a rapist, Senn realizes the necessity of focusing on defense until a better option becomes available. According to nymag.com, Senn recognizes the need of multiple programs if we truly want to end sexual assault, but such a feat will require time and resources. In the meantime, women deserve all the help they can get, and Senn's program is there to give it to them.

Overall, we're thoroughly impressed and inspired by Senn's commitment to protecting college women. Her study is particularly groundbreaking in that it combats sexist ideals and caters to realistic situations that other programs fail to address, allowing women to recognize red flags that they might have otherwise ignored.

Unfortunately, the study wasn't specifically designed to also help men (who are often unjustly overlooked as rape victims), and so hopefully Senn's success will spark additional work. With advances such as these, researchers may soon be able to provide colleges and universities with adequate tools to drastically reduce the sexual violence that threatens the safety of their students.

After dating the same person for months or years, it’s hard to imagine the single life. Who’s gonna be the big spoon? Who can I booty call at 2 p.m. without it being weird? Plus, that whole heartbreak thing is not easy. But there are actually a ton of good things that come out of a breakup like this, once you let go and embrace being single. Don’t believe us? These collegiettes have been through it and they never looked back.

1. You get to be selfish

When you're in a LTR, everything is about “us.” From what you're eating for breakfast to what time you're hitting the bar, you have someone else to consider. But the single life is all about doing what you want to do, when you want to do it.

Kasia Jaworski, a recent Villanova University graduate, got out of a 3-year relationship in September. She says, "You're almost forced to take care of yourself after a breakup but in the end, sometimes that's a huge perk to being newly single." How often do you get an excuse to just totally think about you? When you’re newly single, logistics are a non-issue, because you’re working with one schedule, and one set of thoughts and emotions. Spontaneity is less risky, because the only person you have to please is yourself!

2. You can discover new things about yourself

When you're in a long-term relationship Kasia says, "You spend a lot of your time considering another person's wants/needs." But once you have free reign to think totally for yourself, trying new things and putting yourself out there is so healthy. Kasia explains that her breakup "helped [her] discover a little more about [herself] and find new passions." Who knows, maybe you're secretly a tai chi master and your ex was holding you back from your true calling! There’s no reason that a relationship should take you away from being your true self.

3. There are new opportunities

Ashley Dreyton, a senior at Georgia State University, was in a relationship for over two years. She says that once she moved on from the breakup, opportunities for what she could do individually just kept landing in her lap. Ashley explains, "I was finally doing things I wanted to do in regards to blogging and writing, school involvement and also starting my HC chapter! I feel as though if I didn't close that door, all of these other doors would not have opened for me." Sometimes focusing on a relationship can obstruct our personal visions.

4. It can make you a whole lot happier

Sometimes, dysfunctional relationships can cause more harm than happiness. Holding on to a relationship because it's what you know can hold you back from finding your bliss. Ashley shares that for her, "Letting go of a dysfunctional relationship let me focus on me, regain happiness and do what I love." When you’ve been in a comfortable relationship for a while, it can be hard to realize that what you really need is to be single and independent. Leaving a relationship can help you figure out what wasn’t working for you, leading you to seek healthier relationships in the future.

5. You have a chance to plan for the future

Relationships can get you stuck in a rut with your partner and yourself. Getting wrapped up in life as a couple can steer you away from your personal goals. Kristen Kraemer, a graduate of Rutgers University emphasizes, “It's so important to be able to live your own life outside of a relationship.” She adds, “Leaving a long-term one (especially if you're unhappy or things aren't working out) is a great way to evaluate what you want in the future and take time to spend with yourself.” So make a dream board, or get out your journal from those pre-relationship days and think about what it is you want.

How will you embrace the single life, collegiettes?

The first generation iPhone was released 8 years ago today—way back in 2007! As we celebrate the iPhone’s 8th birthday, it only makes sense to look back on the original model. Apple has made many improvements since the first iPhone came out (emojis, anyone?), but back in the day iPhone users had to endure some serious #firstworldproblems. Here are 8 first generation iPhone struggles that you may have forgotten about.

1. Not having enough storage for all of your Avril Lavigne songs

Because who can get by with only 4 GB?

2. No front facing camera option

Which led to many unfortunately angled Myspace profile pics.

3. Emojis not being a thing yet

How were you supposed to express yourself?

4. No App Store

Meaning you had to ask your weird neighbor to jailbreak your phone for you.

5. Bad service no matter where you were

Can you hear me now?

6. Not being able to carry the phone around in your pocket because it was so heavy

Seriously, that thing was a brick.

7. Having a low quality speaker

Blasting JT’s new album just wasn’t an option.

8. Terrible battery life

You think your iPhone dies quickly now?

Sure, we might still complain about our iPhone struggles (like, where is the taco emoji?), but we’re seriously thankful that we don’t have these old school problems anymore. Happy 8th birthday to the iPhone!

School may have only recently ended, but even now, you're in serious summer mode. What even is school? Check out the seven signs that you are deep into this newfound lifestyle.  

1. You have the sudden urge to barbecue everything

Because the grill makes everything taste better.

2. You spend half the day in your bed, guilt-free

In your mind, you're making up for lost time (your entire last semester). 

3. You’ve moved your sweaters to the back of your closet

Even if it hasn’t completely warmed up yet, you’re hoping that by rearranging your closet, Mother Nature will get the hint. 

4. You can’t even remember what day of the week it is

It could be Monday, it could be Tuesday, but that doesn't matter because Netflix is all that counts.

5. You have a shopping cart full of swimsuits that you want to buy but never do

If only you had money for a vacation...

6. You’re attempting to be healthy

You said you’d start last winter, but somehow that didn’t pan out all too well. Maybe you'll visit the gym tomorrow...

7. You’ve completely forgotten everything you learned last semester

All that work, down the drain.

Happy Summer, collegiettes! 

No matter where you’re from, everyone has a special place in their heart for where they grew up. But if you grew up in small town, you know that part of loving it is facing all of the struggles that come with it. If you can’t go to Starbucks without seeing someone from high school or hate how gossip travels quicker than lightning, this one’s for you. Here are the 13 struggles of living in a small town. 

1. No one’s heard of your town

Why even bother explaining where it is?

2. You can’t avoid running into your parents’ friends at the grocery store

And they inevitably ask if you’re seeing anyone.

3. Plus, you gave up Starbucks because EVERYONE from high school is there

Yay awkward small talk!

4. And it seems like the same cute guy rings you up for tampons every time you go to the pharmacy

Every. Single. Time.

5. Going to the bar on the weekend is strictly a college thing

Friday nights are spent with Netflix, not by choice.

6. The closest thing to a party is drinking in your friend’s basement…which gets busted by the cops

They don’t have anything more exciting to do.

7. Eventually you realize drinking is pointless because no one delivers late night food  

Is cheese fries at 3 a.m. really too much to ask?

8. You can’t rely on your cell service anywhere

“Can you hear me now? What about…now?”

9. News travels faster than basically anything in your town

“Xoxo, Gossip Girl” –everyone

10. You can’t even drown your sorrows in shopping because the closest mall is 30-45 minutes away

It’s a rough life.

11. Not like you have any money to spend considering you waste it all on gas to get out of your town.

You do love your town. You just love it more when it’s in your rearview mirror.

Join the Her Campus co-founders at the Newton Public Library in Newton, MA at 7pm on Wednesday July 29 for a book signing and talk on everything you need to know about college before move-in! Invite your friends on Facebook and RSVP below!

From bonding with your roommates, to adjusting to college academics, to picking your extracurriculars, navigating the party scene safely, and much more, we've got you covered. All attendees will receive a goody bag! For more information about Her Campus's book, The Her Campus Guide to College Life: How to Manage Relationships, Stay Safe and Healthy, Handle Stress, and Have the Best Years of Your Life, visit www.hercampus.com/book.

RSVP here:

This past weekend's celebration of African American talent in music, sports, acting and other entertainment was a success! The BET Awards this year was HUGE and it was filled with so many memorable moments. Celebrities such as Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Tori Kelly, and Smokey Robinson were all in attendance! This year, Black-ish's Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson were the hosts and two of the funniest sources of entertainment for the night! In case you missed the big event, we've got all of the highlights!

Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson

The main stars of ABC's Black-ish hosted the event—and we couldn't think of anybody better for the job! 

Kendrick Lamar Slays the Opening

Kendrick kicked off the show with a performance of his song Alright, from his newest album, To Pimp A Butterfly! He emphasized his performance with visuals, props and effects about black resilience in America during tragic times. 

Bad Boy Records Reunion

Diddy reunited with Bad Boy Record stars, Lil Kim, 112, Mase, and Faith Evans to pay tribute to one of the biggest record labels in music history!

Empire Cast Performance

Jussie Smollett, Yaz, and Serayah performed three songs from the TV hit, Empire—"No Worries,""You're So Beautiful" and "Drip Drop," before Jussie gave a touching speech on freedom and marriage equality in America. 

Nicki Minaj's Acceptance Speech

Nicki Minaj won best female rap artist for the sixth year in a row and this year, she brought her mother on stage with her to accept the award. "It's the first time the world's going to see her," Nicki said as she thanked her mother. She even paid homage to fellow nominee, Dej Loaf, who will be joining Nicki on her tour.

Sam Smith Won "Best New Artist"

It was an amazing moment when it was announced that Sam Smith won the award for Best New Artist! Anthony Anderson, who was dressed up as Sam, accepted the award on his behalf. "Sam Smith, congratulations brother on your much deserved award, you come by my house next week and pick it up," Anthony said as he closed his acceptance speech. 

Janet Jackson's Grand Tribute

BET honored Janet Jackson with the Ultimate Icon: Music Dance Visual Award. Tinashe, Ciara, and Jason Derulo paid homage to the iconic performer by carrying out some of her famous choreography! 

This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from Style Tab by Katherine Tabinowski, a Her Campus Blogger Network member and our Blogger Network Community Manager. Read the full post here.

Hey guys. Guess what? America’s birthday is this weekend. If you’re like me, you’ve probably been so busy dreaming about how many hot dogs and popsicles you’ll be eating that you’ve forgotten that you’ll need to put on something in the shades of red, white and good ol’ blue. No one wants to be the butt of all the sarcastic unpatriotic jokes at the BBQ, so allow me to elaborate on some 4th of July outfit inspiration for you.

I know throwing on a t-shirt with the American flag plastered across the front is not everyone’s jam, so I’ve come up with three different looks to show your American pride with items you probably already have in your closet. I’ve obviously added in an American flag item into each of these looks, but they’re perfectly patriotic without that addition, too.

My first look (pictured above) is a little bit on the dressier side, in case any of you are lucky enough to be going to a yacht party for the Fourth. (If you need a plus one, hit a sister up.) This look is textbook colorblocking. I opted to throw up my hair in a high bun for added glamour and top it off with an American flag headband for an extra bit of ‘Merica. The headband is actually the kimono shown in the third outfit, so if you have a festive scarf, consider wearing it on your head instead of around your neck to mix it up!

Read the full post on Style Tab.

Being in college, we no longer have to worry about the dreary SAT periods that resulted in our hair falling out, our academic and social lives slipping and hundreds of dollars spent on SAT tutoring sessions. We don’t have to stress about the major test that we are told throughout all of high school will be the one of the determining components as to whether we be accepted to a college. But, for students in India, their major standardized testing system is the end-all, be-all factor for admission into the University of Delhi.

According to Seventeen, there are six national “board” exams and your top four scores are averaged and sent to your potential schools. At the University of Delhi, to study certain subjects, you will need a specific test score. For English, students need a 99.75 %, whereas a perfect 100 % is required to study Economics or Psychology. Due to the limited number of spots and the amount of students that apply for school, selection is extremely picky. In 2015, 375,000 students applied to the University of Delhi (equivalent to the student population at a public American university), which shows just how competitive placing is for students.

And, for those who don’t get the opportunity to study at the most renowned universities, they travel to the United States for school, often Ivy Leagues that they consider “safety schools.” It's news like this that makes us both glad we are done with the SAT era, yet reflective on what a bit more studying could’ve resulted in.

Hey collegiettes!

We know you love reading HC on your laptops, your smartphones, and your tablets... but now you can truly curl up with HC because our first-ever book, The Her Campus Guide to College Life, just hit stores!

Order your copy online here or head to your local Barnes & Noble! And be sure to check out our upcoming schedule of book signing events and see if we're coming to your area!

The Her Campus Guide to College Life: How to Manage Relationships, Stay Safe and Healthy, Handle Stress, and Have the Best Years of Your Life covers everything you need to know to rock college, from how to get along with your roommates to how to avoid the 'freshman 15', deal with tough professors, snag internships, decide whether to study abroad, and much, much more.

Whether you're already an upperclassman or are just getting ready to go off to college next fall, this book has everything you need to survive and thrive on campus when it comes to all aspects of your life. Our book also includes handy resources like a template roommate contract, dorm room grocery list, and more.

Want a sneak preview? Read an excerpt from our book here then order your copy!

I can't wait to hear what you think!

HC Love,
Stephanie Kaplan Lewis, Co-founder, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Her Campus

This weekend brings the Fourth of July, which means hot dogs, music, and fireworks. It's always fun to dress up for the day-long celebration, so we've come up with a nail art tutorial to go along with your favorite outfit.

First find a red, white, and blue polish (duh) for the manicure. I chose a light greyish blue instead of the traditional blue to make the overall look a little more subtle. The colors I used were Zoya Kristen ($9), OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls ($9.49), and Revlon Cherries in the Snow ($4.99).

Paint your thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers with the red polish and your ring and middle fingers with the blue. Use enough coats to create an opaque base.

Using a toothpick or dotting tool, like one from this Cheeky set of 5 ($4.99), write the letters USA on your middle, ring, and pinky fingers, respectively.

To make the mani even more festive add stripes to your pointer finger and dots (instead of stars) for your thumb.

And now you're done! Add a topcoat to protect your nails and show off your mani at every Independence Day barbeque you attend!

What other ways will you add some Fourth of July spirit to your outfit, collegiettes?

What began as scattered calls for removing the Confederate battle flag intensified in Southern states, with public university leaders in South Carolina, Texas and Mississippi advocating against the use of Confederate symbols. In South Carolina, less than a week after nine parishioners were shot to death in a black church, the board that governs the Citadel, the state's 173- year old military academy, voted, 9 to 3, to put in motion the removal of the Confederate Naval Jack from the campus chapel. Board members stated that a Citadel graduate and the relatives of six employees were killed in the attack on the church. To remove the flag, however, requires the authorization of the South Carolina legislature, as the flag's placement was part of the state's Heritage Act, the 2000 legislation that also put the Confederate battle flag on the state Capitol grounds. 

"The Board of Vistors and I believe now is the right time to move the flag from a place of worship to an appropriate location," the president of the Citadel, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. John W Rosa, said in a statement. "We pride ourselves on our core values of honor, duty, and respect. Moving the Naval Jack to another location is consistent with these values and is a model to all of the principled leadership we seek to instill in our cadets and students."

The University of Mississippi also released a statement outlining its stance on the Confederate flag controversy. Morris H. Stocks, interim chancellor of Ole Miss, wrote: "The University of Mississippi community came to the realization years ago that the Confederate battle flag did not represent many of our core values such as civility and respect for others. Since that time, we have become a stronger and better university. We join other leaders in our state who are calling for a change in the state flag."

The debate over removing the Confederate symbols from public grounds heated up on major college campuses in Texas as well. Following the vandalization of Confederate statues on the University of Texas at Austin campus, pressure is building in the state to remove the statues of the president of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and a Texas Confederate commander, Albert Johnson. The phrase, "Black Lives Matter," was painted on each statue and the Jefferson Davis statue also had "Bump All The Chumps" tagged on one side. 

UT Austin President Gregory Fenves met student leaders about the statues on Monday to "discuss the future of the Jefferson statue" and to address the requests to remove the other statues, the university said. U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, said the day has come for Confederate monuments to be removed from public places. "People feel that it is time to put it in the past. We understand it is part of this country's history but the proper place for that is in a museum, and not on a public university campus," he told Reuters.

Finding amazing representations of queer women in the media can be pretty few and far between. Luckily, with the prominence of LGBTQ+ storylines in television and movies lately, we’ve been fortunate enough to see some awesome queer girl characters emerge. Not only are these women fantastic, but we can also learn quite a bit from their stories. Here are some queer characters we can totally look up to!

1. Megan Bloomfield 

Many look back on the 80s cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader with fond memories. Megan is probably one of the first femme lesbians we see in mainstream media, a cheerleader who adores the color pink. But when her parents realize she’s a lesbian (before she even knows it), they send her away to a rehab camp in hopes that she comes back straight. 

While Megan goes in there intending to work hard to be straight, she soon catches the eye of one of the other lesbians at the camp, Graham. Ultimately, Megan decides to pursue her love for Graham instead of changing who she truly is. Megan shows us that listening to your heart and staying true to who you are is more important than anything else. 

Bonus: You might recognize the actress who plays Megan as Natasha Lyonne, who now plays Nicky Nichols on Orange is the New Black!

2.Santana Lopez 

Many who watched Glee saw Santana as the lesbian with the prickly exterior, but a heart of gold. There have been countless times when we’ve racked our brains trying to truly understand her, but that’s the best part about her. Santana kept coming back to surprise us with how quickly she could switch from crazy Cheerio mode to caring partner. 

Then when she came out to her abuela? Totally relatable tear-jerker. The best part was when her grandma showed up at Santana and Brittany’s wedding in the end, showing us that amazing unconditional family love. Santana demonstrates what it means to be a boss who gets what she wants while still maintaining a good heart.

3. Lena Foster 

In the TV show The Fosters, Lena Foster is the ultimate stay-at-home mom (without being the stay-at-home mom). As the peacekeeper of the Foster home, she tries her best to keep all the family drama to a minimum. She does all of this while still maintaining her job as vice-principal of the school that the kids go to and being a supportive wife to Stef.

Lena is the epitome of the “I Don’t Know How She Does It” lifestyle. The important lesson we learn from her is that with a little bit of patience and understanding, you truly can have it all.

4. Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren 

When we meet Suzanne in the first season of Orange is the New Black, we only know her as “Crazy Eyes,” the resident weirdo who threw her pie for Chapman (and won’t let her live it down). But as we get to know a bit more about her backstory in the second season, we realize that she is so much more than meets the eye.

Not only does she independently maintain her mental illness in a place that isn’t kind to anyone, but she maintains a child-like innocence and love in a world that is constantly trying to shut her down. Suzanne is an amazing example of remaining true to yourself and understanding that it’s okay not to give your love away to people who don’t deserve it. Sometimes you just have to keep that love for someone who deserves it the most: you.

5. Emily Fields

Anyone who has followed Pretty Little Liars from the very beginning knows that Emily has shown some MAJOR character development--from the once shy, closeted baby queer that she once was in the first season to the strong, out and proud girl she is now. She’s been through a lot, from being outed to dealing with some seriously dramatic relationships. But really, the best part about Emily is the personal growth she’s shown. Emily is the exact embodiment of what it means to grow into yourself.

So next time you need some queer girl #lifegoals empowerment, make sure you hop on Netflix and catch up with these amazingly inspirational characters!

Here at the Beauty School Blog, we’re all about makeup and how we can use it to express ourselves. Many YouTube beauty gurus understand our obsession, and create beautiful makeup tutorials that allow us to have fun and experiment with cosmetics.

More recently, the talented Nikkie behind the YouTube channel NikkieTutorialsreleased a video entitled “The Power of MAKEUP!” in which she applies a glamorous makeup look to one side of her face, while leaving the other side completely makeup free. Nikkie aims to show us what a difference makeup can make, while her main hope is to show everyone that makeup is fun, and makeup lovers shouldn’t be ashamed because they enjoy wearing it. 

In honor of this movement, we’ve scoured social media for a few our favorite #ThePowerOfMakeup looks in response to Nikkie’s video.

1. Instagram: @MakeupMeJordyn

Freckles are beautiful—but having the ability to switch up your appearance in whatever way you want is power! Oh, and those eyeliner skills? They totally brighten up her eyes. 

2. Instagram: @Sokol_Rostov

The biggest difference between either side is definitely the lashes. We'll never underestimate the intense power of a good mascara and a set of falsies!

3. Instagram: @StephanieLangeMakeup

Once again, lashes dominate this look, in addition to her ***flawless complexion and fierce brows.

4. Instagram: @PrinnyDMakeup

Another incredible look at the difference lashes, eyeliner and prominent brows can make. 

5. Instagram: @jenlea14

To support such a worthy cause and join in on the fun, I created my own look. The biggest difference I noticed with my look is how much my foundation and contouring made a difference when it came to covering up acne and redness.

What are your favorite looks from #ThePowerOfMakeup movement? Have you created your own look?

You don’t have to have Karlie Kloss’s legs to feel fit and sexy this summer – in fact, there’s no better time to work those legs and feel their strength! We’ve put together some major fitspiration workouts for you, so get a head start on those gorgeous gams of yours!

When we started this journey, we never thought this day would come. What day is that you ask? The one when we began seriously questioning whether or not we were willing to tolerate Shawn’s annoying side for the sake of his supreme hotness. We hate to say that this week had us wishing that Kaitlyn would make the tough decision for all of us and send loverboy packing. Sure, we still think Shawn might be redeemable if he promises to take a step back as he and Kaitlyn discussed, but we also have plenty of good reasons as to why that step back should probably lead him straight on home.

1. This is the name of the game.

Look, Shawn. We totally understand that Kaitlyn told you she thought you were the one. This happened rather conveniently off camera, but we do believe you. Still, she can’t just dump the rest of the guys and run away with you. Although it may not look like it, The Bachelorette is a well-oiled machine with a set of rules bound by contract. Everyone who’s ever been a part of this franchise has felt this sort of jealousy—that is, if they even remotely cared about the person they’re pursuing. So understand what you signed up for and go through the motions. If you can’t do that, please pack your bags.

2. It’s way too serious.

The relationships that move the fastest are often the ones that stall midway through the process. We usually see this with the recipients of the first impression rose—who got that again? Oh wait, it was Shawn—and he also scored the first one-on-one. It’s great to feel special in the beginning, but there’s little left to sustain that once Kaitlyn starts making connections with the other guys. We, at first, thought it was sweet that Shawn had already fallen for Kaitlyn, but now that seems like a liability. You’re not picking out the engagement ring just yet, so it’s okay to slow it down for the time being.

3. They might do better outside of this situation.

In an ideal world, Shawn and Kaitlyn would’ve met and dated like actual normal adults. But it is what it is. They obviously care a lot about each other. If Shawn leaves the show before the final rose, who’s to say the two couldn’t pair back up outside the Bachelorette realm? We have a feeling that if he had her to himself he wouldn’t be so clingy.

4. The show is just making him look bad.

Do you really want this to be your reputation, Shawn? Your unbearable snoring is surprisingly the least of your worries. Say you end up with Kaitlyn. America is pretty fed up with your antics right now, and you have a long way to go in repairing this damage before we’re going to accept you as Kaitlyn’s fiancé. Because believe it or not there are relationship struggles everywhere, all the time. And we’re not quite sure you can handle them.

5. He’s going to flip when he finds out about Nick.

Oh boy. The big secret. If Shawn was miffed about Nick sitting on Kaitlyn’s couch after their one-on-one last week, just wait until he finds out they were doing a lot more than talking. We’d rather ignore that this conversation has to happen eventually, but when it inevitably does, it’s really going to hit the fan. 

6. The jealousy, brooding, and tears are getting old.

Sorry but we think we know why you’re still single. We were stumped when you showed up with your Ryan Gosling face and thick Southern accent. But if you constantly sit around stewing like this no wonder you’re still on the market. No offense.

7. He’s better than this. (We think.)

Despite all your wrongdoing, Shawn, we’re still pretty much in love with you. And let’s face it, you’re obviously Kaitlyn’s best option. So we’re willing to forgive if next week you keep yourself in check. We honestly feel that you’re better than this show, but if this is what you want we’re behind you 100 percent!

Should Kaitlyn send Shawn home or wait around until things get better, collegiettes?

Disney Channel Original Movies, also known as DCOMs, came to define our childhood. We laughed, we cried and we blatantly disregarded flawed plots and bad acting, because at the end of the day they were perfect just they way they were. Here's a definitive ranking of Disney Channel Original Movies to end the debate once and for all.

17. Jump In!

Maybe Disney was like, “Hey, High School Musical did really well - let’s take one of the secondary characters and give them a different movie and see what happens…” Either way, this jump rope movie starring Corbin Bleu was definitely all hype. Don’t get us wrong, the jump rope skills were cool and all, and we were still on that HSM high, but Jump In! was a somewhat forgettable DCOM.

16. The Thirteenth Year

There’s definitely nothing wrong with The Thirteenth Year, but forgive us if we’re just a little bitter that a boy gets to turn into a mermaid and not us. And like quit complaining dude, you get to be a mermaid. You’re living out our wildest dreams!

15. Johnny Tsunami

This one is just such a classic. There’s a good chance you can barely even remember what the plot of the movie consisted of, but when you think 'Disney Channel Original Movie,' you think Johnny Tsunami. Surf’s up, dude (or whatever it is they say).

14. The Even Stevens Movie

Shia LaBeouf before he got super hot/kinda weird. This was easily the best movie spin-off of a Disney Channel series. And Ren’s love interest? Total babe. The plotline of them being tricked by this hidden camera show and the cliffhanger when you think for a second that Louis died… it’s almost something close to cinematic genius.

13. Gotta Kick It Up

Si, se puede! Si, se puede! Yes we can! (Which is not an accurate translation, btw, Disney.) Who doesn’t love a classic cheer movie where a team of misfits comes together and beats the odds? This almost-knock-off of Bring It On does not disappoint. Plus the sass is unbeatable.

12. Double Teamed

Twins who play basketball – let’s make it into a movie. The fact that it’s based on a true story is very cool. And the girls’ struggle to fit in and win over the b*tchy girl (which they ultimately do with their dad’s grilled cheese a.k.a. grilled cheese is bae) is the exact amount of girl drama to keep us interested in a sports flick. Plus there’s something so mesmerizing about tall people.

11. Motocrossed

First off, hella respect to this girl for cutting off all her hair just to prove that she’s good enough to compete with the boys and step in for her brother. That’s real dedication right there. But much more importantly, her love interest is real hot. Like we’ll happily just stare at him the whole time, thank you.

10. Brink!

Erik von Detton and his beautiful golden locks were the golden nugget of Disney. Soul-Skaters over Team X-Bladz any day… those kids were total tools, not to mention sellouts. Even when Brink has a lapse in judgment, a flip of that gorgeous hair makes us forget his disloyalty to his team.

9. The Luck of the Irish

Starring “that kid who was in every DCOM and later went on to become a Pretty Little Liars villain” you can’t not watch The Luck of the Irish when it’s on TV. Why exactly is he turning into a leprechaun? Who knows. But every time we’re still on the edge of our seats when he’s trying to beat the bad guys in that basketball game. Will he win??

8. Eddie’s Million Dollar Cook-Off

Perhaps the best DCOM cameo of all time when Bobby Flay comes into the picture, there is just something so satisfying about this movie. That purple goop that gets Eddie into the competition looks so gross yet so so good. We were all inspired to be chefs. And Eddie was pretty hot… right?

7. Camp Rock

It’s slightly painful to have something involving the Jonas Brothers this high up in the list, but whether we’d like to admit it or not, they really did steal all of our hearts (even if only for a short period of time). And Demi Lovato in her prime? Not to mention the catchy songs of a DCOM musical with cheesy romance mixed in between? What’s not to love?!

6. Cheetah Girls

“'Cause we are sisters. We stick together… Cheetah Girls Cheetah Sisters.” Try not to sing along. Just try. Enough said.

5. Cadet Kelly

Hilary Duff. She basically ruled Disney Channel and, in her free time, dated Aaron Carter. Teach us your ways! When she and Ren from Even Stevens finally became friends and loosened up during the gun dance thing (whatever that is), our hearts melted. Got us every time.

4. The Zenon Series

We all wanted to be Zenon. She was the total supernova girl and everything was just so “zetus lupetus.” Not to mention outfits just seemed so cool in the future. Metallic miniskirts and vests with color-coordinated scrunchies? Sign our eight-year-old selves up.

3. The Halloweentown Series

These movies definitely peaked early on, but we still can’t deny that these are a staple of Halloween time. Kalibar is still the ultimate villain and Grandma Aggie is still the ultimate bad*ss.

2. Smart House

Let’s be honest, regardless of the psycho digital woman who tries to make herself the family’s mom - which is extremely concerning and creepy - we’d still risk it to get to live in that house. Those TVs! The food! How has that house not been recreated in real life yet?

1. The High School Musical Series

Whether you hate to love it or love to hate it (or maybe are still singing “Stick the Status Quo” alone in your room), you have to admit the High School Musical series took the prepubescent world by storm. Troy Bolton may have been all of our sexual awakening.

We’re not here to defend Pretty Little Liars’ never-ending insanity. Rather we’re scrutinizing and laughing about all the weirdest things that have happened over the course of the show’s six seasons. Below you’ll find roof jumping, bathroom hookups, and killer bees. And that’s just the least of it.

1. Aria hooks up with Ezra in a bar

One of the first encounters we have with Aria is her bathroom rendezvous with Fitz. It’s odd not because he’ll later be found teaching her high school English class... we raised our eyebrows because of the brazen lack of care for hygiene.

2. The twin thing

Remember the recurring spooky blond twins from the Halloween episodes? Many fans thought they finally had confirmation that the show was going the way of the books, but the young girls’ inclusion was forgotten in later seasons.

3. Mona hits Hanna with her car

We know Mona was supposed to have some kind of psychological problem but running over her bestie with a car? Not cool!

4. Melissa buries Bethany Young alive

For a long time, we theorized that Bethany Young was Alison’s long lost twin sister, but learning that her death simply accounted for the body in Alison’s grave was quite a stretch. On top of that, Melissa was the one who buried her. Alive. Where’s a helping hand from Mrs. Grunwald when you need one?

5. Aria is trapped with a dead Garrett on the A train

This one is just plain gross. We really don’t understand why the liars thought it was a good idea to go to a Halloween party on a train with no escape, but c’est la vie!

6. Spencer has a sudden drug problem

So the writers needed to somehow explain Spencer’s involvement—and lack of memory about—Alison’s disappearance. This is what they came up with. But let it be known that we don’t appreciate them dropping unsubstantiated storylines into the mix like this.

7. The N.A.T. club

Jason, Garrett and Ian formed a secret club to secretly film teenage girls. Um, ew.

8. Paige tries to drown Emily, and then they fall in love

Okay, so maybe Paige wasn’t trying to drown Emily. But this is a pretty hostile start for any coupling. Forgive and forget must come into play here.

9. Spencer finds “Toby’s” body in the woods

Hmmm. Mona places a body in the woods to make Spencer believe Toby is dead. Toby is obviously not dead. We still don’t have an explanation for this development, though. Typical.

10. Ezra is a mole researching and writing a tell-all about former girlfriend/seemingly dead Alison

We honestly didn’t see this one coming. Like, at all. We were just happy with the revelation that he might have fooled us as A, but of course it had to get more complicated.

11. A car drives through Emily’s house

No offense, but shouldn’t Emily’s mom be low on A’s list of priorities? A obviously gave zero f—ks where this one was concerned.

12. Melissa’s pregnancy

Did Melissa have a miscarriage? Fake her pregnancy all along? We really don’t know. Speculation exists as to why Melissa returned to the show sans newborn, but that’s all we’ve got.

13. Emily stabs Maya’s “cousin Nate”…

Maya’s death is still one of the most debated issues among PLL fans. To try to wrap this mystery up and divert some viewers’ focus from what was probably meant to be a B-story anyway, Maya’s former boyfriend, who was posing as her cousin Nate, tries to kill Paige. Long story short, there is a lighthouse involved.

14. ...who then shoots Caleb

But before “Nate” could die he just had to shoot Caleb. Hanna’s man is all right, but he definitely learned a valuable lesson. Always make sure the guy is actually dead before putting your gun down.

15. Ezra has a secret love child… that isn’t really his

Ezra Fitz, you are not the father!

16. Emily’s swim career ends after she hits her shoulder on a rock

This is, like, the most random thing that has ever happened on this show. And that’s really saying something.

17. Bees attack Aria’s mom in her car

In another attempt to target the liars’ parents, Ella Montgomery gets swarmed by bees. A is nothing if not original.

18. Aria pushes Shana off a theater stage killing her

Shana was A. Or was she just on the A team? Oh well, the important thing is that Aria lightly bumped her off a stage that set about five feet off the ground, which caused her to die. Unlike all other PLL deaths, this one surprisingly comes back to bite no one.

19. Hanna opens a teddy bear filled with guts

In one of A’s gutsiest—pun intended—moves yet, a harmless looking stuffed animal spills some type of guts all over Hanna. It’s just unnecessary yuckiness at this point, folks.

20. A jumps across the top of Manhattan buildings after shooting Ezra

We get that Shana was a swimmer or whatever, but leave the acrobatics to Spider-Man, okay?

21. Toby’s house explodes

Oy vey! Where did A get a bomb?

22. The coffee shop fiancé of Aria’s mom hits on Hanna

There’s no denying this guy, whose name we’ve already forgotten, was hot. So why’d he have to turn into such a creep? It did give us the chance to see Caleb punch him, so we’re not exactly complaining either.

23. The girls’ senior year is four seasons long

The PLLs started their final year of high school in Season 3. It is now Season 6. Do the math.

24. Mona falls off a cliff

When Mona revealed herself as the original A, she ended up tumbling off a cliff. As we quickly learned, though, apparently nothing kills Mona.

25. Mona tries to fake her death Gone Girl style

When Aria’s brother Mike revealed that Mona had been planning to fake her death and pin it on Alison, we thought she couldn’t get any stranger. But add to that the fact that she was storing her own blood in a tiny fridge housed in her bedroom. Girl, you crazy!

26. Mona’s “dead” body in the trunk

In the PLL-verse you’re not dead until we see your body. Well, consider that rule debunked.

27. Mona is alive

Mona surviving yet another incident is not what surprised us. That she was held in Charles’ dollhouse and forced to pretend she was Alison? We wouldn’t have guessed that in our wildest nightmares.

28. The dollhouse

Charles’ dollhouse stunt made for some of the most terrifying and satisfying episodes ever. But that’s not to say this idea wasn’t majorly messed up. We guess that’s what made it so wonderfully PLL.

29. Sara Harvey reappears

We’re not sure what Sara’s deal is yet. Or why it was important to bring her back into the fold this late in the A game. Could it be that Sara is Big A? If so, that would definitely top our list of weirdness.

30. Who is Charles?

Oh, Charles. You’ve been labeled an imaginary friend, a psychopath, a possible twin, and a dead person in your short tenure on PLL. But you’ll always be a mystery to us, buddy.

31. We STILL don’t know who A is

The A saga—at least this portion of it—is supposed to come to a close by mid-Season 6. But we have a feeling we won’t truly be safe until the show’s series finale. 

Which of these moments do you find the weirdest, collegiettes?  

By now, Taylor Swift fans are well aware of the fact that she regularly brings surprise guests on stage during her tours. So far, The 1989 World Tour has been no exception. Taylor continues to outdo herself with special guests, proving once and for all that she and her friends are the definition of #SquadGoals. Cue the jealousy, because we've ranked the best celeb appearances on Taylor's tour so far.

1. Mariska Hargitay

The namesake of Taylor's cat (Olivia Benson) joined Taylor and Cara Delevingne on the June 12 and 13 tour dates in Philadelphia, much to everyone's excitement. #Fangirling.

2. Serena Williams

The number one women's tennis player in the world took time off from preparing for Wimbledon in order to attend Taylor's show in London. Serena was joined by her best friend Caroline Wozniacki. Taylor's friends Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss, Gigi Hadid and Martha Hunt were there as well. Is there anyone Taylor isn't besties with?

3. Emma Watson

While Emma didn't come up on stage, she did attend Taylor's London show! Someone snapped a picture of Emma and Taylor backstage, igniting our hopes of a budding friendship between two of our favorite powerful women.

4. Dan Reynolds (from Imagine Dragons)

In Detroit, Taylor rocked out to a "Radioactive" duet with Dan Reynolds from Imagine Dragons. Oh how we wish we'd been there to witness it.

5. Ed Sheeran

Taylor's bestie Ed Sheeran is always supportive of her musical pursuits, but he is on tour right now as well. Luckily, the two managed to team up in Las Vegas to sing Ed's song "Tenerife Sea" together on stage.

6. Little Big Town

Taylor got back to her country roots when she performed "Pontoon" with Little Big Town in Pittsburgh. Just look how happy they all are!

7. Echosmith

Adding to her impressive list of duets, Taylor sang along to "Cool Kids" with Echosmith on June 12 in Philly. We wish that we could be like the cool kids (aka, them).

8. Rachel Platten

In a night that sparked more than one amazing Instagram video, Taylor belted the breakout summer hit "Fight Song" alongside artist Rachel Platten.

We can't wait to see who Taylor brings out next! In the meantime, we'll continue to stalk her Instagram and sing along to 1989.

I exchanged numbers with a guy I had rejected about a month ago. He told me the ball was in my court and to let him know when I'm ready to go out. How long should I wait to text him and make plans? – Ro

Ro,

I’m confused as to why you would text him at all if you had already rejected him. Unless you’ve suddenly changed your mind…it really just doesn’t make sense to me.

So let’s say you did change your mind—for whatever reason—and now you want to go out with him. What to do? Just text him. It’s already been over a month. Shoot him a text to see if he wants to hang out (and if you’re not ready to “date” him, make it clear that it’s just a casual thing to see what might happen between you two).

You’ve already waited this long. There’s not much point to waiting longer, otherwise you may as well just forget about it completely.