Join the Her Campus co-founders at the Tewksbury Public Library at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4 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:

Although the gender gap has yet to be bridged, there are more female leaders and entrepreneurs to look up to today than ever before. Here are just some of the most inspirational women out there who are changing the face of their respective fields one piece of wisdom at a time.

1. Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Facebook and author of Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Sheryl Sandberg encourages women to stop taking a back seat in the business world. Having been extremely successful straight out of Harvard Business School and now juggling motherhood with a high-powered job, she's the perfect inspiration for so many women, whether they are young graduates or working moms. The COO of Facebook since 2008, Sandberg graduated from HBS in 1995 and has since been one of the biggest names in business, serving as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company before becoming the Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations for Google. The author of Lean In continues to inspire and empower us through the Lean In website, her powerful TED talk and her articles in Cosmopolitan.

2. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter book series

Whether you’re a die-hard Potterhead or you just read a couple of the books a long time ago, you can’t deny that J.K. Rowling is a total powerhouse. After receiving her degree from Exeter University in French and Classics, she had various jobs before she started writing the Harry Potter series during a train delay. The Sorcerer’s Stone was published in 1997 and soon became a success far beyond any expectations. Since, Rowling has received various awards, such as France’s Légion d’Honneur and the Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award, and was even the commencement speaker at Harvard University in 2008, all while being a single mom to daughter Jessica. No big deal.

3. Tory Burch, chairman, CEO and designer of Tory Burch

You love Tory Burch accessories and clothing, but do you know about the awesome lady who started it all? Burch was a Kappa Alpha Theta at the University of Pennsylvania and is an entrepreneur every collegiette can look up to. When she launched Tory Burch in 2004, most of the stock ran out that same day! The brand soon grew into the worldwide success it is today, and Burch is currently ranked #17 on Forbes’ America’s Self-Made Women list and #73 on their list of Power Women. Pretty impressive, if you ask us.

4. Laverne Cox, actress, producer and LGBTQ+ advocate

You love Laverne Cox as Sophia Burset in Orange Is The New Black. She is the first trans woman of color in a leading TV series, and that’s pretty awesome, if you ask us. But beyond Cox’s thriving acting career, her documentary on the transgender experience, Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, was met with impressive ratings and nominated for a Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Media Award. And this is only one example of her advocacy for queer rights! She has since made countless media appearances and was named one of Glamour’s Women of the Year in 2014, serving as an inspiration to us all.

5. Arianna Huffington, chair, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post

Huffington co-founded The Huffington Post, one of the most influential online news sources, in 2005. She is also a radio host, columnist and author of—wait for it—14 books. She even ran for governor of California in 2003 against Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although she eventually withdrew from the race (and successfully blew off the critics), this didn’t stop her from becoming the powerhouse she is today—and imparting the wisdom she has acquired on us.

6. Ellen DeGeneres, talk show host, actress, comedian, writer and producer

You know Ellen DeGeneres for her sitcom Ellen and her syndicated talk show—and she’s hilarious in both. But the TV host is so much more than just funny; she was one of the first women in high-profile media to come out publicly, and she is also a fervent animal rights advocate as well as a humanitarian. As such, she was rated #50 on Forbes’ list of Power Women for 2015.

7. Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate and former U.S. senator, secretary of state and first lady

Hillary Clinton is in the running to become America’s first female president, and that alone shows her courage and conviction. She is determined to fight inequality between races, sexual orientations and income levels. She was instrumental to the creation of the Children’s Health Insurance Program during her husband’s presidency and gave a memorable speech about women’s rights at the UN World Conference in Beijing in 1995. She has since taken on the battle against the gender wage gap and shown her support for LGBTQ+ individuals and families, among other achievements. As a role model for us, she has offered so much wisdom over the years.

8. Michelle Kwan, professional ice-skater

Michelle Kwan embodies every athlete’s dream: She has won nine U.S. figure skating championships, five world championships and two Olympic medals, making her the most decorated skater in the history of America. In 2006, Kwan became a public diplomacy ambassador for the U.S., a position that made her want to pursue a career in public policy. She attended the University of California at Los Angeles for one year after high school before concentrating on ice-skating, and eventually transferring to the University of Denver, from which she graduated in 2009. She went on to receive her masters in law and public policy from Tufts University in 2011. In 2012, she became a State Department senior advisor for public diplomacy and public affairs. Talk about well-rounded!

9. Lena Dunham, actress, author, screenwriter, producer and director

Let’s face it—we all secretly wish we we could be Lena Dunham. She is the writer, director and star of the hit show Girls, for which she has won two Golden Globes. She also directed a feature-length movie, Tiny Furniture, and wrote the bestseller Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's Learned. Dunham is the definition of self-made and self-confident, and we have so much to learn from her.

These women are so successful in their respective fields, and they all got to where they are by taking chances, seeing opportunity where others didn’t and believing in themselves. And you know what, collegiettes? You can get there too—live by these mantras, and you'll get to where you want to be!

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

Being healthy is important, regardless of sexuality, but most people associate being healthy with a healthy weight and balanced diet. While these two things are crucial, you should also keep up with your mental health. There are so many services to help you deal with the toll your daily life can take on you, but factor in the social stigma that you are faced with as a bisexual collegiette and your physical and mental health can plummet. It’s way too easy to fall into an unhealthy pattern, and studies show that it gets even worse as a bisexual. Luckily, there are plenty of steps you can take to protect yourself from the negative effects of stigma.

How social stigma harms you

Because the LGBTQ+ community has only recently gained more and more visibility, the society we live in is still overwhelmingly heteronormative, including when it comes to healthcare. For Dr. Pascha Bueno-Hansen, an Assistant Professor in the department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Delaware, “the health system assumes heterosexuality. The dissonance between [these] assumptions and bisexual women's lived reality creates a sense of being out of place, wrong, abnormal. These feelings, when reinforced by other key factors in their life such as school, family and peer group can lead to mental and physical health problems.”

Monroe France, the Assistant Vice President of Student Diversity at New York University, agrees that it is not the bisexual lifestyle that leads to unhealthy living, but the social stigmas that bi individuals face every day. “I don't believe bisexual women face any greater mental or physical health issues than other women,” France says. “Though they do face greater potential of social stigma and discrimination, which could impact their access to or accessing mental and physical healthcare.” In areas where the general population isn’t so accepting, access to proper healthcare might be barred for LGBTQ+ individuals; But even in more progressive environments, bi women can be reluctant to seek out proper healthcare, for fear of being stigmatized.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Health’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (or SAMHSA) state that while gay men and lesbians have many available support systems, bisexuals tend to have fewer places to turn to. SAMHSA stresses the importance of building a safe environment, where individuals of all sexual orientations can feel comfortable sharing their sexuality, and reaching out to their friends, to health professionals or to authorities if they ever need help.

The consequences on bisexual women’s health

Although bi women are not inherently less healthy than anyone else, a Norwegian studyfound that they are more susceptible to falling into harmful patterns. "These disturbing results echo international findings on mental health differences between bisexual and homosexual people,” says study lead author Lisa Colledge. So what exactly can the consequences be? The following are some of the top health issues for bisexual men and women according to SAMHSA.

1. Heart disease

Bisexual women tend to report higher smoking rates, blood pressure levels, BMI, cholesterol and alcohol use than heterosexual women, which are all risk factors for heart disease in the long run.

2. Substance abuse

Bi women are twice as likely as straight women to report smoking, and also show higher rates of binge drinking (23.7 percent, compared to 8.3 percent of heterosexual women).

3. Sexually transmitted infections

According to SAMHSA, bi women are “more likely to experience vaginal infections including bacterial vaginosis, trichomonas vaginalis and herpes.” They are also more likely to report never having had a Pap test, putting them at risk for HPV.

4. Abnormal weight

Bisexual women are more likely to be overweight than heterosexual women, but they are also more likely to be underweight than both straight and lesbian women. This means that they are at a high risk for eating disorders.

5. Domestic violence

47.4 percent of bisexual adults report having experienced domestic violence, which is a shocking figure that needs to change.

6. High risk sexual behavior

Bi women are more likely to engage in dangerous sexual behaviors, such as combining alcohol or drug use with sex, and engaging in intercourse with HIV-positive men, which can have serious consequences on their sexual health.

7. Depression, anxiety and self-harm

Bi individuals have “the lowest level of emotional well-being among people of other sexual orientations.” They are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts or attempts.

How to protect your health as a bisexual collegiette

Surround yourself with a support system

Your friends and family are your first resource, and chances are they will be extremely supportiveof your sexual orientation and lifestyle. They will also be there to help if you encounter any health issues. That being said, if your loved ones don’t understand your queer identity, there are people out there who will! You could join an LGBTQ+ Greek organization, or even just visit your campus resource center regularly. With loving people around you, you will be much less likely to engage in harmful behaviors.

Practice safe sex

There are plenty of easy ways to protect your sexual health, starting with using a condom or a dental dam with your partner. You should also make sure to get tested regularly for STIs, so that, in the odd chance that you contracted one, it can be treated quickly.

Know the resources that are available to you

On campus

Your friends are amazing, but they are not always enough. If you feel like you need to talk to someone more qualified about your health, you can start with your campus LGBT center. Your college counseling services are also a wonderful resource for any mental health issues you might be experiencing, and the health center can help you with any more tangible physical problems.

Online

There are so many online resources for you to use if you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone in person. These websites and hotlines can help you with whatever issue you might be handling.

• GLBT National Help Center
• Coming Out Support
• The Trevor Project for Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention
• Gay and Lesbian Drug Abuse
• LGBTQ Youth Sexual Health Information
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health

Although bisexual collegiettes are more prone to all sorts of health issues than women of other sexual orientations, things are changing—slowly but surely! If you surround yourself with the right people, your Pride will grow and you will be much less prone to bi-specific health issues. 

While the 2015 Wimbledon Championship may have ended Sunday, our adoration for Serena Williams is still riding strong. Last Thursday, she beat 5-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharpova in the semi-finals, allowing her to compete in the Women’s Singles Finals against Garbiñe Muguruza, where she then won her fourth Grand Slam championship in a row (aka a "Serena Slam") and 21st overall! Despite her massive accomplishments, Williams is still receiving less money than her counterparts, such as Sharpova.

Think Progress reports that in 2014, Forbes released their highest paid athletes list with Sharpova being the highest paid female at $24 million, while Williams ranked in next at $20 million. It all rackets down to endorsements being the biggest difference, as Williams made only $11 million in endorsements and Sharpova made twice that amount. For women, how they look comes first to gaining endorsements, whereas men do not have that issue. Williams is often criticized for her figure, despite the fact that muscles on any other male athlete would not be a problem. In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily from 2013, marketing expert Kevin Adler believes, “You’d be hard-pressed to find a popular male athlete who doesn’t also have physicality and sex appeal. But that comes second to winning for guys, whereas for female athletes, looks come first.”

It is frustrating when Williams, deemed as the Greatest American Tennis Player and an inspiration not only to young black girls, but women of all colors, is constantly attacked for her body type and that it is often the main factor in endorsement deals before her infinite accolades. But, no one can take away all that she has accomplished and all that it is to come.

Go Serena!!

Attention all runners (and wannabe-runners): are you looking to build endurance and amp up your speed? Do you get bored mid-run and wish that your workout would go faster? Then this is the perfect workout for you! 

This simple interval workout from Women’s Running alternates between different paces to get your heart pumping and your body ready for racing. Just by breaking your next 30-minute run into five-minute chunks, you’ll get a way better, more diverse workout. Happy running, collegiettes! 

Girls want them. Boys drool over them. Magazines worship them. Big boobs are kind of a big deal, and their reign shows no signs of deflating anytime soon. In this cleavage-obsessed society, bigger certainly seems to be better.  

But for busty collegiettes like Megan Sweet, a junior at Michigan State University, having big bra buddies isn't all that it's made out to be. In fact, it can be downright suffocating; having big girls can be a pretty weighty problem. Glamorous bra shopping? Forget it. Boyfriends lined up at the door? Only if you like being objectified all day, every day. Running along the beach in slow motion à la Kate Upton? First of all, good luck finding a swimsuit that's both supportive and not absolutely hideous. Second of all, running? Very funny. Oh, and don't even get us started on button-down shirts and sagging.

For Megan, dealing with all the hassles of being bigger-chested was simply a part of life; she had been one of the first girls to start developing in middle school and had been busty ever since. However, she soon realized that she had to do something about it —having 36Fs was inhibiting her ability to run and play sports, and it made finding cute clothes that would fit nearly impossible.

"It was always annoying being bigger than my friends, especially when we would go shopping and nothing would fit over my chest," Megan says. "I'm a very active person, but if I tried to lose weight, I could never lose it from my chest. The bigger I got, the harder it was to run and play sports. Being so big was limiting my activity level, comfort and self-esteem."

Plus, the attention she was drawing was not the kind she wanted, and it made her feel uncomfortable in her own skin.

"I felt that all guys looked at was my chest, and I hated how everything I wore turned into major cleavage," Megan says. "Some people think that girls with bigger breasts enjoy the attention, but I've never felt that way. When I started college, I was very uncomfortable with my body, and I relied on wearing sweatshirts to hide my chest."

Megan had had enough. So, after a lot of contemplation, she decided to get breast reduction surgery during her sophomore year of college. And ever since, it's been like a weight has been lifted off her chest (you guessed it, pun intended!).

What is breast reduction surgery?

Breast reduction surgery, or reduction mammoplasty, is a common procedure performed to lift and reduce the size of breasts through the removal of excess breast tissue, skin and glandular tissue. The nipple and areola, which may need to be reduced to match the smaller breast, are also moved up to a more suitable position on the breasts as part of the procedure. According to Dr. Dana K. Khuthaila, a board-certified plastic surgeon, women who experience serious discomfort and struggles with everyday activity as a result of the increased weight of their breasts are good candidates for breast reduction surgery.

"Most women who have very large breasts complain of back, shoulder, neck pain and bra grooves on their shoulders from the weight of their breasts," Dr. Khuthaila says. "In young women, that could affect their posture and make it very difficult to engage in sports or exercise. In extreme cases, some women experience rashes in the folds underneath their breasts, especially in extreme heat." 

For many young women, being bigger-chested affects not only their physical comfort, but also their social, emotional and psychological well-being.

"If the breasts grow too big too fast in a young woman, it could affect their confidence and self-esteem as they become more withdrawn and less likely to be social or outgoing," Dr. Khuthaila says. 

In 2013, over 62,000 women in the United States underwent breast reduction surgery, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Experts suggest women wait until they reach physical and emotional maturity to get the surgery, but there is actually no age requirement. Breast reduction surgery performed on healthy young women specifically has few risks and has a high satisfaction rate.

Even with the many pros of getting the surgery, however, deciding to get breast reduction surgery wasn't easy for Megan. Now she realizes that it was the best thing she could have done for herself.

"I was very concerned with what others would think or say if I got the surgery," Megan says. "Then, all of a sudden, I just realized that I didn't want to live like this anymore, in a state of constantly feeling uncomfortable with how I looked. So I approached my family and some of my best friends, and they were very supportive."

During the surgery

Megan took the leap, but not without being aware of the risks first. Breast reduction surgery, like any other type of surgery, doesn't come without its own risks and shouldn't be taken lightly. The procedure can result in unevenly positioned nipples, unequal breasts, potential permanent loss of feeling in the nipples or breasts, permanent skin pigmentation changes, deep vein thrombosis, loss of skin and tissue, inability to breast-feed after surgery and damage to the breasts' blood supply. The actual surgery itself is usually two to five hours long and involves making cuts in the breasts, getting stitches and possibly using liposuction depending on the surgeon's methods and the patient's body type, which can increase swelling post-surgery. 

"The actual surgery itself was pretty invasive, but it only took about two hours," Megan says. "Don't get me wrong, it was awkward and I felt very exposed, but I knew in the end I'd be so much happier. I spent one night in the hospital and was on a high dose of morphine."

Recovering from surgery

The recovery process can be tedious. Immediately after surgery, the incisions are covered with gauze and the breasts are wrapped in a bandage or supported with a surgical bra. Although recovery differs for every person, patients will need to take at least a week off from work or school post-surgery. Most women experience breast pain and discomfort for a week or longer, along with swelling and bruising for several weeks. Specific instructions will be given by surgeons about care for breasts, medications, concerns and follow-up appointments, but patients will typically be advised to walk and move around as soon as they can to prevent swelling and blood clots, but to avoid lifting anything over five pounds and raising anything over the head until they are released for activity. For Megan, her recovery went relatively smoothly and she could even tag along to the grocery store with her mom only three days after her surgery, but she still experienced plenty of discomfort and difficulties.

"The overall level of pain after the surgery was never unbearable; I would take Tylenol and that numbed it fine," Megan says. "It was really only the first couple days that the pain was bad, then it was just uncomfortable due to the swelling. The swelling is definitely the most annoying part, as it takes months to fully go down."

A lot of the things that people normally take for granted, like showering and washing hair, became Olympic trials that required a tremendous amount of effort as Megan was confined to couch duty for a while after the surgery, unable to lift her arms above her head. Plus, she had to ice like crazy and wash the incisions daily, among many other things, like monitoring her temperature in case of infection.

But the biggest issue for Megan was sleeping—she had to sleep upright on her back for two weeks. To make up for the restless nights, during which she repeatedly woke up to stop herself from turning onto her side, she took a lot of naps. Talk about uncomfortable!

After Megan hit the five-to-six-week mark, however, things were almost completely back to normal. Typically, patients resume normal work and social activities within a couple of weeks of surgery, avoiding more vigorous exercise and strenuous activities until about three to four weeks after surgery to allow for adequate healing. Most regain full range of motion between six to 10 weeks after surgery.

One thing that is permanent, however, is the scars. While some incision lines can be concealed in natural breast contours, others will be visible on the surface. Although these scars on the breasts can almost always be covered by a bra or swimsuit, they won't ever disappear completely. But, as Megan puts it, "I have scars, but they will fade and I don't care what anyone thinks about them because I did this surgery for myself and no one else." And while the size of the scars will vary depending on the type of incision performed, surgeons will try to achieve the desired results with the shortest scar. Plus, improvements in surgical techniques are now allowing breast reduction surgeries to leave less of a mark on patients.

"With the newer techniques, now we can perform breast reduction surgery with minimal scarring," Dr. Khuthaila says. "The scars are around the areola and go vertically down on the breasts, which make them inconspicuous. This is called the vertical technique, or the lollipop incision." 

Is breast reduction surgery right for you?

With the increased ease and prevalence of procedures that focus on improving women's well-being, it's very likely that breast reduction surgery has crossed just about every busty collegiette's mind at one point or another. But if you find yourself repeatedly coming back to the idea, it might be time to seriously consider getting a breast reduction. How do you know if it's right for you? According to Dr. Khuthaila, it's useful to read up on the procedure from reputable websites like the ASPS website.

Your decision should also depend on being able to find the right doctor to perform the surgery. "I advise them to do their due diligence in choosing the right doctor who is board-certified in plastic surgery and has extensive training in breast surgery and is familiar with the new techniques to minimize scars," Dr. Khuthaila says.

It’s also important to consider money. Usually surgeries can be huge hits to the bank account, but fortunately, breast reduction is covered by insurance in most cases because it’s often considered medically necessary. That being said, you should pay special attention when following the procedures set forth by your insurance carrier's policy.

"Some breast reductions are covered by insurance depending on the size of the breasts relative to the body," Dr. Khuthaila says. "They would need to get preapproval."

To get preapproval, your surgeon may need to take photos of your breasts and detail physical symptoms caused by large breasts to show that the surgery will be performed to relieve medical symptoms. The amount of tissue being removed can also determine whether the breast reduction surgery will be categorized as medically necessary. Start communicating with your carrier early so that you understand exactly what the carrier will cover, like lab costs, anesthesia fees and post-surgery garment costs.

And, as with all big decisions in life, getting second or third opinions can be just the voices of reason that you need. While breast reduction doesn’t have quite the same stigma as breast augmentation surgeries, it can still be difficult to avoid the influence of peers and social expectations. Listen to the advice of a few trusted friends and family.

Above all, however, the decision to get breast reduction surgery should be a personal one.

"It doesn't matter what other people say, because being happy with yourself is more important," Megan says. "The best thing about it is that you don't have to tell anyone you don't want to, because it's your decision. People notice that I'm smaller, but they assume I just lost some weight."

Dr. Khuthaila also believes that every women deserves to feel comfortable in her own body and should have access to procedures that can potentially help her live more easily and more fully. "Bigger is not always better," Dr. Khuthaila says. "Breasts should be proportionate to the body and should be an appropriate size for a woman's lifestyle."

Megan made a personal choice to get breast reduction surgery for herself. She hasn't looked back since, because now she can finally see the landscapes rolling by as she goes for a nice jog and find racks of cute clothes that actually fit when she tries them on. And while she’s still in the process of adjusting to being smaller-chested, her life has expanded with opportunities and changed for the better.

"Everyone I know who has gotten the surgery always says they wish they had done it earlier, so I'm so glad I decided to get it at a young age," Megan says. "I am so much more comfortable in my skin. I do not regretting getting the surgery at all. I can finally run and wear cute clothes, and I'm so much more confident now."

So if your girls are a substantial burden to you, you don't have to let them be a pain in the back and weigh you down forever. Breast reduction surgery certainly isn't for everyone, but for some collegiettes, downsizing might be just the thing to get you back on the sports field, in bathing-suit tops and to your confident, beautiful self. Boobs are kind of a big deal, but we know the real deal: bigger isn't always better.

In what continues to be the weirdest season of The Bachelorette we’ve ever witnessed, Kaitlyn sent Ben H. home this week. We’re sure that Ben was happy he was finally able to leave Ireland after what felt like an eternity, but we can’t say we weren’t sad to see him go. We actually believe Ben is too good for this show, but all signs—specifically the 9 you’ll find below—point to him as our next Bachelor.

1. He’s a little bit basic, and we don’t even mind

First of all, Ben H. is just plain pretty. But from what we can tell he’s also a normal, down-to-earth guy who thought he should give reality TV dating a try. And while we have to admit that Ben was not the most captivating person on Kaitlyn’s season, we admire that he kept his head down while the other men stirred up trouble.

2. Adaptability is his strong suit

He dances, teaches sex ed, and knows how to make a smooth getaway when donkeys are chasing him. Is there anything this man can’t do? We know Ben would find a way to enjoy any scenario the Bachelor producers threw at him, which makes for a fun season.

3. He values honest communication

When Ben had questions about Kaitlyn’s actions and relationships with other guys, he politely asked her those questions. Unlike most of the other suitors, Ben knew how important talking things out in a calm, adult manner was.

4. He knows how to rock that plaid and cable knit

The Bachelor will begin filming in September, so what better time is there for Ben to show off his full array of cable knit sweaters and plaid button-downs? We also happen to know the man looks good in a suit, too.

5. He’s a class act

Ben had nothing but nice words for Kaitlyn after his departure was revealed in last night’s episode. He even took to Twitter to applaud her. Some are saying he did this to secure his spot at the next Bachelor, but we like to think he did it out of the goodness of his heart and with the purest of intentions.

6. America already loves him

Give the people what they want, ABC! The Internet practically blew up as viewers begged Kaitlyn to dump Ben so they could have him for themselves. We think the people have spoken.

7. He fits the show’s criteria as of late

Let’s get real for a second. The past few seasons of The Bachelor haven’t exactly been successful in the marriage department. We know very little about Ben H., but what we do (think we) know is he’s probably not looking for a wife, as most likely no contestant is at this stage in the show’s run. But since he’s beyond handsome and will definitely make us believe he’s looking for love, we’ll just go ahead and let it slide.

8. He’s not Nick or Shawn

Love is way too complicated for these two! So for those of you holding out hope that Kaitlyn’s runner-up will get another shot at love as the newest Bachelor, there’s not a chance that ABC would go there. As surprising as it may seem, they’re not that desperate.

9. He’s pretty much our only hope for a watchable season at this point

Of the men Kaitlyn rejected before sending Ben home, the majority packed their bags and headed straight to Paradise. So unless producers look outside Kaitlyn’s season for their leading man, Ben’s kind of our only option.

Do you think Ben H. will be the next Bachelor, collegiettes?

Collegiettes, we’ve found your top wish list item for December. Even though it’s the middle of summer, toy companies are in the midst of holiday gift previews, and Wicked Cool Toys has officially killed it with the Girl Scout Cookie Oven.

You read that right. Soon you’ll be able to bake your own Girl Scout cookies whenever you want. The easy-to-use toy oven bakes Girl Scout-approved cookie mix, so you know it’s legit. It's time to say goodbye to waiting to stock up on your Thin Mints once a year and hello to Samoas all day, every day. 

Sure your friends and family might look at you funny when you ask for a better version of Easy Bake Oven this upcoming holiday season, but let the haters hate because you’ll have delicious Girl Scout cookies all year long. 

Myths about sex are everywhere: how we can keep ourselves safe, how we can obtain the most pleasure, how we can prevent getting unexpectedly knocked up… the only problem is, sometimes it’s hard to know what’s fact and what’s fiction.

To help separate rumor from reality—and to figure out which misconceptions we might have about conception—we talked to some relationship experts so they could give us the scoop on common sex myths.  

Myth #1: Size Matters

The lie: It seems as if everyone is always going on about big penises and how much better they are. The bigger the male organ, the greater the pleasure… right?

The reality: Though genital size is often associated with manliness, the majority of women don’t consider penis size to play a—ahem—big role in their satisfaction. According to Seth Meyers, a psychologist, relationship expert and author of Dr. Seth’s Love Prescription, “most women aren’t overly concerned with a man’s penis size. …Sadly, guys who have small penises worry more, often fearing that once a women goes to bed with him, she will feel frustrated by his size inadequacy.”

Amber Madison, a trained therapist, relationship expert and author of Hooking Up: A Girl’s All-Out Guide to Sex And Sexuality, believes that the size of the guy’s manly appendage isn’t even all that important when it comes to getting pleasure. “Most penises aren’t actually that different in size,” she points out. “And especially because many girls have orgasms through clitoral stimulation, getting off isn’t so much about the penis as what the fingers and tongue are doing as well. Where size does actually matter is if a guy is too big—then it can really hurt.”

The bottom line: When it comes to sexual pleasure, technique plays a much bigger role than size.

Myth #2: “Pulling Out” Works

The lie: Pulling out, or having your partner take his penis out of your vagina before he ejaculates, makes sense on the surface. If none of your guy’s little swimmers get deposited inside of us, then you can’t possibly get preggo.  

The reality: What we often don’t consider is the sperm a guy releases before he ejaculates, and those sperm are just as eager to fertilize your egg as the sperm he releases during his orgasm. Not to mention that if a guy is slow to pull out, he starts to ejaculate before he has completely removed his penis, which can spell major trouble for your lady bits.

With room for error everywhere, Madison made it clear that withdrawal is not the best form of birth control. “Pulling out is not a very reliable form of contraception,” she says. It may work on occasion, but having your partner “pull out” still contains a high risk of pregnancy. For every 100 women whose partners use withdrawal, four will become pregnant each year if they always do it correctly. Of those 100 women whose partners use withdrawal but who don’t always do it correctly, 27 will become pregnant.

Myth #3: The Morning-After Pill is the Only Contraception You Need  

The lie: A pill that undoes the potentially life-changing effects of unprotected sex? Problem solved!

The reality: While emergency contraceptive pills can decrease your chance of getting pregnant, that doesn’t mean they guarantee you won’t be pregnant. These pills are never 100 percent effective, as their effectiveness depends entirely on when in your cycle you take it, and, if taken after ovulation, their effectiveness is reduced considerably. As the Plan B site states, seven out of every eight women will avoid pregnancy… which means one of those women will still become pregnant.

“Emergency contraception is for just that… emergencies,” Madison says. “Not only is it less effective than other methods of hormonal contraception, it’s likely more expensive and is more likely to have side effects, like nausea.”

The manufacturer of an emergency contraceptive pill identical to Plan B also recently announced that the drug doesn’t work on women who weigh more than 176 pounds and it begins to lose effectiveness in women who weigh more than 165 pounds. It’s best to stick to a regular routine of birth control to prevent pregnancy.

Myth #4: You Can’t Get Pregnant if You Have Sex on Your Period

The lie: Logically, if your egg breaks apart during menstruation and your new egg has yet to be released, those pesky sperm will have nothing to impregnate.

The reality: Sure, this might work—if your period is regular and your ovulation is predictable. In a normal 28-day cycle, ovulation occurs two weeks before your next period. However, what many collegiettes don’t consider is that sperm can survive inside of you for up to seven days. If your period is irregular and you ovulate closer to your period, the egg and sperm transit times can cross—which can lead to a hot cross bun in your oven.

“It is actually possible to get pregnant on your period, especially if your period is irregular,” Madison says. Unless you and your partner both know your cycle very intimately, it’s best not to take your chances.

Myth #5: The Tighter a Condom Fits, the More Protected You Are

The lie: The tighter the condom, the less likely that sperm will seep out or that the condom will slip off during sex.

The reality: The tightness of a condom also affects its likeliness to rupture during sex. “You definitely don’t want to be having sex with [a] baggy condom,” says Madison. “But if a condom is too tight, then it’s more likely to break.”

Unless you want your guy’s rubber to rupture piñata-style during intercourse, it’s best to leave a little extra room for comfort.

Myth #6: The More Condoms He Wears, The More Protected You Are

The lie: More layers means more protection from those eager little sperm.

The reality: Just like with a too-tight condom, double-layering condoms makes them all the more likely to break during sex. The friction caused by the rubbing of those extra layers will weaken the fibers of the condom, leaving you far less protected than you would be by just using one.

If you’re concerned about the effectiveness of using a condom alone for protection, Madison suggests using other methods of contraception in addition to condoms. “If you want to double up on birth control, use condoms and a hormonal method,” she suggests. That way, you’ll feel more secure–and you won’t sweat the risk of condom breakage!

Myth #7: Oral or Anal Sex is Safer Than Vaginal Sex

The lie: No vaginal penetration, no risk of pregnancy. It’s simple!

The reality: We may not get pregnant from these acts, but babies aren’t the only thing we should we worried about contracting from a partner.

“…Anal sex actually puts you at even greater risk for STDs than vaginal sex,” Madison says. “And it’s possible to contract an STD from oral sex, too.” Just because a sexual act doesn’t have the risk of pregnancy doesn’t mean it’s safe.

It’s also widely believed that oral and anal sex aren’t as emotionally significant as vaginal sex. “…All sex acts can make you feel crappy if you’re doing them in the wrong situation,” Amber points out. “You can feel just as used and vulnerable having oral sex with a guy in the wrong situation as you would having sex sex with him. All these things are still sex, and they still count physically and emotionally.” Think oral and anal sex aren’t a big deal? Think again, collegiettes!

Myth #8: Great Sex Comes Naturally

The lie: We see it in movies and in television, and we read about it in magazines… we know what it takes to have great sex, don’t we?

The reality: Not at all! As Madison explains, “…Many women say they don’t start having good sex until later on in their 20s or even their 30s. The more in touch you are with your body, the better sex will be.” Like anything, sex requires practice, both with your partner and with yourself.

Meyers agrees that satisfying sex takes work. “When adults are young, great sex is (sadly) often fueled by alcohol or other substances or lust, which rarely turns into love,” he says. “When adults are more mature, great sex comes from practice and from a true emotional connection.”

Myth #9: Sex is Always Emotionally Significant… Especially Your First Time  

The lie: Sex is the most intimate act you can share with another person, and it should therefore only be done with someone you love.

The reality: Yes, sex is powerful, sex is intimate, but you don’t necessary have to be in love to have sex. Though it’s great to do it with someone you really care about, sex should be fun, too, and it’s okay to share that experience with someone you’re not necessary head over heels for. However, it should be something you want to do and enjoy!

Madison left us with these words of wisdom for having great sex: “Remember that your enjoyment matters too, and it’s not just the guy who should be having a good time. The more you focus on your experience and the less you focus on his, the hotter the sex will be for both of you.”

When it comes to sex, being informed is crucial to stay safe. Stay skeptical and read up on the facts so you can have sex that’s both pleasurable and protected, collegiettes! 

They say girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice. That may be true for the average girl, but we’d have to disagree when it comes to Pretty Little Liars’s Spencer Hastings. She’s definitely made of ambition, intelligence and just a dash— or two— of cynicism. When she’s not busy being the Sherlock Holmes of her friend group, she’s making us wonder how someone could be that freaking smart, run on that little sleep and still have time to look more put together than any of us on our best day!

Let’s be honest…we’ve all wanted to rule the world like the Alison D. of our group, but Spencer was always who we envied most. Like seriously, how can she be that on point…alllll the time! If any of these 26 signs describe you, you’re not only the Spencer Hastings of your friend group, but you’re pretty bad*ss (and we can’t say that for many people)!

1. You can never fight the urge to correct your friends on the differences between “your” and “you’re” 

2. You’re on a first name basis with the library regulars

3. You've never been one to shy away from a confrontation 

Sheesh! Put your fangs away, girl! 

4. When it comes to reaching a conclusion, sometimes you’re a little hasty (see what we did there!)

5. There’s no denying how intimidating you can be

6. You take having your friends’ backs to a whole new level!

Every friend group has to have a mama bear, right?

7. Sometimes you’re what we’d call a Grade A Debbie Downer

8. Velma Dinkley and Nancy Drew have nothing on your mystery solving skills!

You definitely look more fabulous too! 

9. Forget the present! You tend to live in the future

10. Still, you never let ‘em see you break a sweat!

11. You tend to rub off on your friends

Someone has to set the standard. May as well be you! 

12. But you know you’d be nothing without their support!

13. You always tell it like it is!

Didn't we already say put your fangs away, girl?

14. You may be a bit of a flirt15. You occasionally say things you don’t really mean

16. You always know the perfect solution to any problem

17. Your jokes are as much of a lesson as they are funny

If only we could all be that witty.

18. And you’re usually so well put together

19. Basically you’re nearrrrly perfect, even if you have to constantly remind everyone that you’re not

Yeah, yeah. We're not buying it! 

20. You’ve crossed over to the dark side before21. But not for long of course!

22. It’s extremely hard for you to entertain stupidity

Ughhh! *Rolls eyes*

23. In your world, everything is black and white24. You know you’re a bit of a train wreck

Aren't we all though! 

25. And you’ve had a breakdown— or two— in your lifetime

26. But you’re always as sharp as whip and everyone knows it!

So it's safe to say there has been a bit of drama in the One Direction world lately, but this news really takes home the prize: band member Louis Tomlinson is going to be a dad. All we know so far is that the singer, 23, is having a baby with his friend Briana Jungwirth, an LA-based stylist, also 23. The two are not dating, but Louis plans to be a "hands-on dad," according to a mysterious mutual friend of the pair.

Since People broke the news earlier today, fans have been going crazy. Some were angry...

...while others just saw a great opportunity for a laugh.

The hashtag #OhNoLouis has been trending on Twitter, as has #Briana.

And to top it all off, fans unconvered this super random tweet from 2012.

WUT.

How do you feel about Louis being a dad, collegiettes? And what does this mean for 1D?

Let’s face it: everyone loves chocolate. It’s just a fact of life. Unfortunately, it’s easy to let a little chocolate craving turn into scarfing down a few candy bars or an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s. But in moderation, chocolate can actually be good for you! Studies have found that chocolate improves blood flow to the brain and heart, and it’s also rich in antioxidants. Try out these healthy recipes with a chocolate twist to satisfy your craving without going overboard.

1. Coconut bars with chocolate drizzle

Recipe from Real Food Real Deals

Coconuts are not only high in fiber and excellent at boosting the immune system, but they’re also tropically delicious. Try these healthy coconut bars with a little bit of chocolate drizzle. One bite and your sweet tooth will be satisfied all day long.

Ingredients for bars

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Ingredients for chocolate drizzle

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the wet ingredients for the bars together in a large bowl.
3. Add the flour and shredded coconut to wet ingredients and mix to combine.
4. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until set and top begins to brown.  Cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Chop the unsweetened chocolate.
6. Heat all three chocolate drizzle ingredients in a double boiler until melted. Stir them until well combined.
7. With a spoon, drizzle onto bars.

2. Chocolate-covered fruit with walnuts

Fruit is an important part of a balanced diet, but sometimes it’s hard to eat it regularly. Everything tastes better with a little bit of chocolate, though! For bonus points, add a few nuts for fiber, protein and healthy fats.

Ingredients

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups fruit (e.g. sliced apples, strawberries, etc.)

Directions

1. Melt the chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until liquefied.
2. Dip fruit in chocolate and place on tray with parchment paper or wax paper.
3. Before chocolate solidifies, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.

3. Chocolate, peanut butter and kale smoothie

Recipe from Nap Time is My Time

Having a hard time eating your veggies? Don’t worry; you’re not the only one. The best way to change that is to mask the taste with chocolate. Yes, it sounds a little bizarre, but with the taste of chocolate and peanut butter in this delicious smoothie, you’ll get all the benefits of leafy greens without the flavor of them.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon chocolate peanut butter (Try Dark Chocolate Dreams from Peanut Butter & Co)
• 1 handful chopped kale
• Ice cubes

Directions

• Mix all ingredients together in a blender and blend until smooth.

4. Whole wheat chocolate pancakes

Recipe from Alida’s Kitchen

Who doesn’t love pancakes in the morning? Luckily, whole wheat pancakes are actually not too unhealthy as an occasional treat. So why not add a little something extra to make the whole wheat pancakes* extra delicious?

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons brewed coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Strawberries (optional, for topping)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, coffee, vanilla and butter.
3. Add buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix until blended. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Preheat nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Pour batter in skillet by the ¼ cupful and cook until bubbles appear (about 3 minutes). Flip and cook on the other side until done (about 2 to 3 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with fresh berries, as desired.

*Don’t have as much time to cook? Use a whole wheat pancake mix from a brand like Aunt Jemima or Hodgson Mill and follow the box instructions, adding the vanilla extract, brewed coffee and cocoa powder.

5. Peanut butter chocolate dip

Recipe from Meal Makeover Moms

There’s more than one way to make fruit even tastier—you can also try a yogurt-based chocolate fruit dip! High in protein and low in sugar, this dip will only taste like you’re spoiling yourself.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
• 2 tablespoons low-fat plain or vanilla yogurt

Directions

• Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix until well blended.

6. Chocolate almond soldiers

Recipe from The Earth Diet

Almonds are a delicious way to improve heart health and prevent weight gain. So why not make them just a little bit tastier by adding chocolate? These chocolate-almond snacks are perfect to bring on the go to fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely ground almonds
• 3/4 cup cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup

Directions

1. Mix the ground almonds, cacao powder and honey in a bowl.
2. Roll the mixture into balls.
3. Keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.

7. Chocolate avocado mousse

Recipe from The Daily Hiit

We know what you’re thinking: avocado and chocolate? Sounds gross. But the first time you try this dish, you won’t believe that it’s anything more than a delicious chocolate treat. It’s a great recipe to make you feel like you treating yourself while consuming natural ingredients with healthy fats rather than processed ones with additional sugar.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 avocados
• 4 ounces dark chocolate pieces
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions

1. Melt chocolate pieces, coconut oil and honey either in the microwave or on the stove.
2. Combine melted mixture with avocados and cocoa powder in food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
3. Place in fridge and chill overnight.

8. Nutella pie with strawberries

Recipe from (never)homemaker

Usually “Nutella,” “pie” and “healthy” aren’t found in the same sentence unless the word “not” is somewhere in there. But this pie has a secret, subtle ingredient: tofu. This relatively flavorless ingredient gives the pie a thick, silken texture without the extra sugar or calories.

Ingredients

• Pie crust (or make your own using this recipe)
• 1 block silken tofu
• 1 cup Nutella
• 3 ounces milk chocolate
• 2 tablespoons agave nectar
• 5 large strawberries, sliced

Directions

1. Put all ingredients besides strawberries in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
2. Spread filling inside crust with spatula.
3. Top pie with sliced strawberries. Put in refrigerator to set for 1 hour.

9. Cocoa popcorn

Recipe from Yummly

Plain popcorn is a healthy, low-calorie treat that’s easy to make at home. But you can add a little chocolate flavor to make this easy snack a sweet treat. You’ll turn this classic into an explosion of sweetness!

Ingredients

• 10 cups popcorn (plain, unsalted, popped)
• 2 tablespoons sweetener (like Splenda or stevia)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Directions

1. Drizzle melted butter on popcorn.
2. Add cocoa powder and sugar. Stir until well distributed.

Indulge in chocolate without letting your sweet tooth get the best of you! These tasty recipes allow you to eat chocolate as part of a nutritious, balanced diet. The next time you feel a craving coming on, go for one of these healthy treats.

As summer rolls on and beaches become flooded with people, sharks start to come to the forefront of people's minds. Especially when you consider that this year the Carolinas coastal region has seen a record 12 shark attacks (some of which have resulted in lost limbs), and the normal tally for this time of year is usually four to six, tensions are running high for vacationers. But all the hysteria isn't stopping the people behind a man-made lake in Texas from putting on a series of screenings of the classic shark thriller Jaws... on the lake.

That's right, you heard us correctly. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is broadcasting Jaws at the Texas Ski Ranch near the Austin/San Antonio area, and moviegoers can watch the film on the big screen, while sitting in a tube on the lake. We're talking about this Jaws:

...as in...

...and...

Never has America been more afraid of sharks or the water than when this film was released in 1975 (except of course maybe right now). We certainly applaud these viewers for their brash courage to watch the movie, which has most people freaking out on dry land, in the midst of a body of water. They must certainly be the type of people who laugh in the face of danger!

The good thing is that these fans will be lounging safely on rafts, and in the middle of a man-made lake no less. Still no one can be too safe when watching a film like "Jaws".

We imagine there will probably be a few frantic exits during the course of the movie, but nevertheless these moviegoers are brave explorers, scouting the unknown realm of placing oneself in the very setting of the film. As for us, we prefer to watch from the comfort of our homes!

Check out this trailer for the event, in case you dare to go on this adventure!

Whether you're swimming all-day or lounging by the pool, you're going to get hungry! Most of us naturally reach for the standard popsicles or other ice cream treats, but they're full of things that will reverse all of the hard work you've spent on your bikini body. Not only do these frozen treats contain ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, aritifical colors and sweeteners, they have little to no nutritional value. Instead, dive into these healthy alternatives that are super easy to make, so you can enjoy your fun in the sun without worrying about your waistline. 

1. Frozen Grapes

Frozen fruit in general is a great poolside snack, but grapes specifically only contain 62 calories per cup! They're also rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and essential minerals like potassium and iron. All you need is a cup of grapes (try to use red ones because the darker skin carries even more antioxidants) and a Ziploc bag.  Make sure to wash the grapes thoroughly and wipe them dry. Then, toss them into a Ziploc bag, store it in your freezer for an hour or two and enjoy! If you want to avoid getting your fingers sticky, add a lollipop stick or skewer to the mix (preferably 8 inches long, but any size will do).

2. Pomegranate Juice Cubes

Ditch the popsicles for these bit-sized juice cubes! At only 15 calories per cube, these refreshing treats are perfect for maintaining your bikini body. Pomegranate juice is high in sugars, but it offers the biggest nutritional payoff with high levels of antioxidants, potassium and vitamin K. All you need to make this "super" summer snack is pomegranate juice and an ice tray. Just freeze the juice for an hour before you enjoy this healthy alternative. You can also pop a cube or two into a glass of water or plain seltzer for a naturally flavored refreshing spritzer.

3. Caprese Skewers 

Tomatoes are one of the season's star superfoods, with more than a third of your daily recommended vitamin C. They're also rich in vitamins B6, E and K, fiber and potassium. Enjoying them with a little fat--like mozzarella cheese!--helps absorb those necessary nutrients even better. You don't have to be a master in the kitchen to assemble this fun take on a traditional caprese salad, and each skewer is only 58 calories. Alternate tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella cheese cubes onto ten 6-inch wooden skewers. You can eat the skewer as is, or combine vinegar and oil in a small bowl to make a light dressing. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over skewers and sprinkle with salt and pepper for an added punch.  

4. Frozen Lemonade

An upgrade to a summer staple, it's hard to beat a tall glass of frozen lemonade on a hot day. Ringing in at only 80 calories, this tangy slushie will keep you cool as you hang out by the pool. It takes about 15 minutes to make this delicious drink, but make sure that your blender can handle this recipe -- it can be made in 2 batches if necessary! Blend together one cup of fresh lemon juice (about 6 lemons's worth) and a cup of granulated sugar. Add 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of cracked ice and blend, and repeat one more time. If you want your frozen lemonade to have more of a tart taste (and be even healthier!), only use 1/2 a cup of sugar! 

5. Sweet and Sour Cucumbers 

Dressed with nothing but a little vinegar, salt and sugar, this cucumber salad is fresh and sweet. At only 34 calories, this healthy snack will keep hydrated while you soak up the sun. To make it, slice two unpeeled cucumbers. Place the cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let the cucumbers stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, three tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 tablespoon of pepper in a large bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Drain the cucumbers well, pat dry and add the dressing. Toss well. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to two hours. Add some dill to the dressing to really draw out the sour taste of the cucumbers!

6. Watermelon Sorbet 

Watermelon is always a hit during the summer months! This icy snack is dairy-free and low in calories. In a small saucepan set over medium high heat, whisk together 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1 1/4 cups water until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Next, cut up a half of a watermelon into small chunks. In blender or food processor, combine the watermelon with 3 tablespoons of lime juice (about 3 1/2 medium limes). Pour the mixture through a strainer to get out all the seeds and pulp. Then take your cooled sugar mixture and add it to the watermelon and refridgerate for one hour. After it's chilled, use an ice cream maker to thicken your sobert, which should take about 25-35 minutes. Enjoy it right away or put in the freezer to firm it up some more! 

7. Creamsicle Smoothie

Healthy, convenient and refreshing, smoothies are ideal for hot summer days. Though it tastes like those iconic vanilla-and-orange popsicles, this creamsicle smoothie is a balanced summer treat with carbohydrates and protein. To make this delicious smoothie, blend together 1 whole frozen banana, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 3/4 of orange juice, 1/2 cup of coconut milk (or substitute it with coconut water to make it even healthier!) and 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder. You'll instantly feel like you're on a tropical island!

You've worked hard to get bikini body ready and unhealthy frozen treats can set you back. So while you show off your rockin' bod at the pool, snack on these healthy snacks instead! 

The average woman wears over 500 chemicals a day. We'll let that sink in for a minute. I's scary to think about considering how easily all of those chemicals can be absorbed by the skin. We've rounded up a list of the top beauty products to avoid, below!

1. Hair dye

It's fun to change up your hair color, but doing so can be harmful. Frequent, long-term hair dyeing has been linked to bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other cancers. Plus, you could build up a tolerance and eventually suffer from an allergic reaction. Whenever possible, stay away from the chemicals and use lemon juice if you want to lighten your hair!

2. Highly pigmented eyeliners and eyeshadows

NARS eyeshadow, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Pencils, and YSL's Everlong Waterproof mascara all contain aluminum powder, which is linked to neurotoxicity and cancer.

3. Sunscreen with vitamin A

Retinyl palmitate, or vitamin A palmitate, can cause cancer when skin is exposed to sunlight. That's why retinol is frequently used in night creams—it should only be used at night.

4. Perfume

Due to a loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, perfume brands are not required to list all ingredients. Some chemicals have been associated with hormone disruption and allergies. It can also trigger asthma, migraines and nausea.

5. Antiperspirants

High doses of the aluminum salts used in antiperspirants cause ovarian lesions and reproductive failure in mice—so who know how it's affecting you! Shaving your armpits and using antiperspirant can also put you at a higher risk, since shaving makes your skin more vulnerable.

Of course, this isn't to say you should never dye your hair and that you should ditch the deodorant—but know what goes into the beauty products you use every day, and don't be afraid to give all-natural remedies a try!

As the saying goes, college makes up some of the best four years of your life—at the very least, they make up some of your most memorable years of your life. You've immortalized those memories by taking an endless number of photos (your Facebook albums say it all), collecting t-shirts from every event on campus, and hoarding basically every notable trinket you could get your hands on. You probably don't want to display the random plastic cups you picked up at orientation and the various pens that were given out over the years... but there is a way to change those college collections into possessions you can use to decorate your new apartment or home. Here are some creative and innovative ways to reminisce on those crazy four years—and without putting a dent in your wallet!

1. T-shirt blanket       

Let’s face it—after four years of on-campus events and free t-shirt snagging, you have enough shirts to supply the incoming freshman class. After graduation, there are a lot of outfits you can no longer get away with wearing, one of them being your collection of college tees. Luckily, you can turn them into a cozy blanket with just a click of a button. There are a variety of websites such as Project Repat, Campus Quilt Company, and Too Cool T-shirt Quilts that can transform your shirts into a throw blanket for your living room or bedroom. This allows more room in your closet for your work attire, while making good use out of old college tees!      

2. Photo album  

From your first Halloween as a freshman (that costume…yikes) to your graduation day, it is important to capture every moment from the beginning to the end. One simple and crafty possibility for preservation is to compile your photographs together in a physical album. Kaitlyn Sullivan, a graduate from Salve Regina, says, “I like to put my college scrapbook on my coffee table so friends and family can look through it when they stop by.” All you need is a bit of time, some of your favorite college snapshots, stickers, and colorful paper and you have a book you can look through (that feels more meaningful than scrolling through your Instagram feed).

3. Phone cases, mugs & more

Today, you can put your favorite quote or picture on practically anything you want thanks to websites like CafePress. Additionally, stores like Walmart allow you to create a collage or pick one simple photograph to place on your mug or travel mug, so you can look back on your college memories every day. Melanie Edson, a recent graduate from Saint Joseph's College in Maine, loves the personalized product idea for both herself and gifts for her recently graduated friends. “I used Walmart’s website to create a collage mug for my friend from school and she loved it so much I decided to make one for myself too!” she says. So if you are out of ideas for a graduation present, personalized gifts combined with college memories are always a great idea.

4. Calendars         

Showcase your college photos by making a calendar! You can use sites such as Shutterfly to easily create calendars—just pick a theme and arrange pictures and captions for each month! Hang the finished product up in any room of your home, and use it to mark special occasions or reminders all while reminiscing on your college days. With the pictures you have from all four years, you can continue to make a new calendar every year!

5. Cork board   

Still have a pile of old wine corks from those college-era pre-games and celebrations? Yes, you can put them to good use! Arrange them to create a cork board to hang up your college pictures and other keepsakes! Form your board in any shape you choose and you have a one-of-a-kind DIY memento.

6. Canvas art

Canvas wall art will spruce up any home, especially if you personalize it with your favorite college memories. Plus, they're an upgrade from the paper posters and taped-on photos you used in your dorm room! Feature pictures from school or design your own with paint, glitter, or cutouts!  

Don’t be afraid to get creative when preserving your college memories. From scrapbooks and t-shirt quilts to picture mugs and phone cases, it’s easier than ever to spice up your apartment with all the things you've been holding on to from college. Use these ideas for gifts that friends are sure to cherish, or for yourself! So dig out those ratty t-shirts that survived orientation and senior week, and turn them into a college masterpiece you’ll appreciate for a lifetime!

Today in Washington, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation put forth a motion for Congress to make "nonconsensual distribution of sexually explicit images," or, what is commonly known as "revenge porn" a federal crime. In their report, they specify that the federal government needs to take a stand against the heinous crime by making it illegal as well as providing necessary resources for victims to help them get their lives back on track. 

In simple terms, revenge porn would come out of a situation where you might send your SO sexually graphic pictures or videos, and then post-breakup (in an attempt to humiliate you for dumping them) they would then post those nudes all over the Internet. It sounds absolutely despicable, but revenge porn is actually a lot more common than you might think. Roughly 95 percent of the victims are women, and the damage can be staggering.

Well over half of the victims report that their actual name, or other identifying information, accompanied the inappropriate images. That means that if they were applying for a job, all their boss would have to do would be to search their name online for the pictures to surface. It can take social, emotional, professional and even financial tolls, and as of right now only 23 states in the U.S. have some sort of legislation against the act (as of June 2015).

So what's been done about it so far? Well for starters, both Google and Reddit have taken steps to combat the proliferation of these toxic images, and Twitter and Facebook have also come on board . Recently a California congresswoman, Jackie Speier, just reintroduced her bill to make revenge porn a federal crime, although it is still a long way from passing. On a recent episode of "Last Week Tonight," comedic late night host John Oliver briefly brushed on the topic:

We can only hope that this bill moves forward as the issue gets more attention. Of course, online harassment exists in many forms for both genders, but if "revenge porn" can be made a federal crime, it might open the door for more legislation to protect internet users' privacy. 

Picture your teenage self again—walking those high school halls full of gossip, cliques and the longing of wanting to fit in. If we only knew then what we know now! Sure, we’re only in our 20s, and there’s a long road full of mistakes, regrets and lessons ahead of us. But let’s face it: as young as we are, we’re still wise enough to know a thing or two we had no idea about at age 16. If we could go back in time and slap some sense into our younger, misguided selves, here are 15 things we’d be sure to say:

1. This phase where you’re into bad boys won’t last

They're SO not worth the trouble. 

2. Everyone doesn’t have to like you

Brush it off and keep it moving. 

3. Keep your frenemy radar on at all times

Forget frenemies. You can do better.

4. Always stand up for yourself

Because when you do, they'll be sorry they ever crossed you.

5. This is NOT the worst breakup you’ll ever go through and you WILL love again

Five years later you'll be in your 20s and still won't know what love is! 

6. That acne will clear, and when it does my friend…

#nuffsaid

7. That popular girl won’t seem so flawless in a couple of years

Sometimes those Regina Georges peak in high school... Look forward to evening the playing field without stooping to their level.

8. Dial down the drama, please

Maybe don't spill all your feelings on Facebook? Maybe? Just a suggestion.

9. You will prove all of your bullies and haters wrong. Just wait for it!

Use their snide remarks and dirty stares as fuel for your success. 

10. Say thank you to your parents more often, because one day, you will think of them as your best friends 

Scary, right? Deny it now, but it will happen! 

11. You think you’re a trendsetter now, but boy, do you have a lot to learn

Don't worry, we'll get there.

12. You don’t need a boyfriend right now

Who needs the drama when you could be maxing and relaxing. 

13. Sometimes things don’t go your way, but your life will go on

No need to dwell on the things you can't control.

14. EVERYONE has insecurities, not just you

See? Even Demi hurts sometimes! 

15. Be confident and love yourself always, no matter what!

I woke up like 'dis!

The trailer for Sisters hit the Internet yesterday and it is everything we never dared to wish for. Our favorite sass queens Amy Poehler and Tina Fey play a pair of dysfunctional siblings who decide to say goodbye to their childhood home by throwing a giant Project X-worthy rager. The Mean Girls and Baby Mama co-stars have been best friends forever, and it was about time they were reunited onscreen. They premiered the movie trailer on The Tonight Show in the most perfect way, after playing a good ol' game of "True Confessions" with Jimmy Fallon.

The preview features a collection of amazing moments that have us begging for more, including some brilliant comebacks, really dirty jokes, and the totally relatable struggle that is trying on going-out clothes.

Unfortunately, the movie, previously dubbed The Nest, is only set to hit theaters December 18th. In the meantime, plan a Mean Girls movie night with your girls, and watch Fey and Poehler's hilarious confessions below.

How excited are you for Sisters, collegiettes?