Your college career is about to take off, bringing about changes in scenery, new friends and exciting experiences. In the midst of all of the excitement, you also need to consider the changes you’re going to come across in the classroom, especially how you’ll interact with your professors.

A collegiette’s relationship with her professor is a lot different than a high school student’s relationship with her teacher. Professors “treat students as young adults because [that’s what] they are,” says Desiree Hanford, a journalism lecturer and the Journalism Residency Coordinator at Northwestern University. You’re expected to keep up with all the coursework and be diligent about asking for help if you’re falling behind, since professors will rarely keep tabs on you and your assignments. But while being proactive about asking for help is crucial in college, the thought of doing it—or even forming a relationship with your professor at all—can be intimidating. But have no fear, incoming collegiettes! We rounded up a few tips you can put to use so you can form a solid relationship with your professors, who can be fantastic resources when you’re looking for jobs, internships and other opportunities.

1. Know how to address them

Mr., Mrs. or Ms. so-and-so is typically not the best way to address your professor. Nate Kreuter, an assistant professor of English at Western Carolina University, says that your safest bet is to address your professor as “Professor” followed by his or her last name. If you’re communicating with her by email, the signature on her response will give you an indication of how she prefers to be addressed, so use what she specifies in all future correspondences, whether it’s “Professor,” “Dr.,” or a first name. The way your professor lists her name on the course syllabus may also help you figure out what to call her. If she prefers to be called by her first name, however, that probably won’t be indicated on the syllabus, so pay attention on the first day of class to see if she makes any specifications. You should follow these instructions with lecturers as well.

When addressing a teaching assistant, you can most likely use a first name, as these individuals are likely not much older than you. However, address them as “Mr.” or Ms.” so-and-so if you contact them before class in case they prefer a more formal interaction. In your first class session, your TA will indicate her preferred name when introducing herself, so you can feel safe sticking to that.

2. Introduce yourself at the start of the semester 

Putting a name to a face will help your professor remember who you are, laying a foundation for a meaningful professional relationship.  It will also help you get past any fears you may have about chatting with her later in the semester. You can introduce yourself after one of the first lectures. Don’t do this before a lecture, however, because your professor will likely be focused on preparing for the class, says Julia Mossbridge, a research associate in the department of psychology at Northwestern University who has also taught courses.

When you introduce yourself, don’t just leave it at your name. “It’s always awkward when a student approaches me and just tells me their name and that they are looking forward to the class,” Mossbridge says. “I am generally flattered, but I know that I’ll forget her name because there was no real content to our conversation. If, however, the student approaches me after a lecture… to ask a question or make a comment, we usually get into a real conversation and I remember her much better.” Listening closely to class lectures and discussions is a fantastic way to come up with some ideas for conversations to have with your professor after class. Plus, it shows you’re interested in the course—something professors always love to see!

3. Sit in a seat in class where you’ll pay attention

In order to build a sound relationship with your professor, it’s important to be respectful and attentive to her in the classroom. By not paying attention in class, you’re essentially telling your professor that you don’t care about the work she put into planning a lecture or discussion for you and your classmates. Plus, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb if you fall asleep for an hour or spend the entirety of the class whispering with the friend next to you. If you can’t give respect to your professors in the classroom, they’ll be less inclined to form a relationship with you in other settings.

So how do you make paying attention easier in class? Sit somewhere where you likely won’t be distracted. Some students can pay attention just fine in the back, but up front, you’ll be less likely to become mesmerized with whatever is on the computer screens of your classmates in front of you. Also, if you find yourself tempted to chat with friends sitting nearby, it may be wise to put a bit of distance between yourselves until class ends.

There’s also another bonus to picking your seat wisely.  For some professors, where you sit can influence how well they remember you. Joan Linsenmeier, a faculty member in Northwestern University’s department of psychology, recommends that students sit in seats where professors can make eye contact with them in class. “In a small classroom, all seats may be just fine,” Linsenmeier says. “In a lecture hall, I think that the outer seats in the first few rows are not good choices. … [The students in these seats] are the ones for whom I’d have to turn my head most—thus, turning away from much of the class.”

In addition to helping some professors remember you, eye contact is also a good indicator that you’re paying attention. You really can’t go wrong with making yourself more visible! 

4. Nix the phone and Internet in class

Spending the majority of class on your phone or on the Internet is a fantastic way to make sure your professor will remember you—but not in a good way. Many college professors will give you the privilege of using your laptops to take notes during class, and you should be using them for that purpose only!

Checking your email and Facebook notifications not only hinders your ability to absorb the information you need to know for your exams and assignments, but it’s also disrespectful to the professor, who put in a lot of time to prep for the lecture or discussion. She WILL be able to tell when you’re smiling at a cat gif and will remember that you weren’t listening in class, something that will hinder any sort of professional relationship you want to form later on outside of the classroom.

All of this goes for phone use, too. If you need to use your phone during class because of an emergency, then step outside. There’s really no better way to tell a professor you’re not interested in the class than by scanning your phone and the Internet throughout your entire time in the room. If you’re not respectful to her, then she won’t be likely to want to get to know you. Do your professional relationship a favor: shut off your phone and turn off the Wi-Fi connection on your laptop until class is over.  

5. Ask questions in class, but don’t waste time  

When you’re listening to a lecture or discussion and something comes up that you don’t quite understand, you should feel free to ask the professor for clarification. “If you don’t understand a concept that the professor is trying to convey, chances are other classmates are also lost, and asking a question would reflect your initiative, help your professor explain their point and help your classmates learn,” says Jeanette Ortiz, a lecturer in the Northwestern University School of Communication.

But be careful not to ask questions that are explicitly answered in your syllabi or other course materials. This is “tiresome” and “shows a lack of maturity,” says Tom Klinkowstein, a professor of New Media Design at Hofstra University. If you have questions about an individual situation rather than the class material, such as making up missed coursework, then ask about that after class or during office hours. “The more questions, the better, as long as they’re questions that show curiosity and show respect for other people’s time,” Klinkowstein says.

That being said, don’t just ask a question for the sake of standing out, Ortiz says; ask a question when you’re genuinely interested or confused. Professors can tell when your question is rooted in a desire to impress them instead of in real curiosity. “Have you ever tried to ‘appear’ engaged when you’re telling a story? It’s obvious, right?” Mossbridge says. “Professors have the same skill as you do when determining when a student is [not engaged], but it is honed about 1,000 times better, because we get lots of practice. Be authentic, or don’t go to class.”

6. Go to office hours

If you have questions that can’t be answered succinctly during class, are not directly related to course material or that pertain specifically to you, heading to office hours is a great option. Most professors list their pre-scheduled office hours on their syllabi, but if those times don’t work for you, email your professor to make an appointment.

There is no optimal number of times to go to office hours, Mossbridge says. Instead, she says, go as often as you need help. Just make sure to be prepared with specific questions any time you go. “If a student stops in during office hours to discuss a specific topic, the student should do their research in advance so the professor and student can make the best use of their time together,” Hanford says.

It may seem intimidating to meet one on one with a professor during office hours, but don’t be afraid to take the leap! Even if professors may be more inclined than your high school teacher to treat you like an adult, that doesn’t mean they expect you to be perfect. “Before you get intimidated, it’s good to remember that most professors recognize that adults, like kids, make mistakes and can misunderstand ideas. The very professor you may be intimidated by probably just asked a colleague this morning to explain something to her,” Mossbridge says. So if you bombed an exam, missed a couple classes or just don’t understand what the heck your professor is talking about, head to office hours and speak up!

But that being said, do have a good reason to go to office hours. “Office hours should be used mostly for discussing academic questions, or for continuing a prior conversation,” Ortiz says. “It is unusual for a student to attend office hours to simply ‘hang out,’ which may annoy professors, or give them the impression that the student is excessively needy or trying to gain some advantage.” So, collegiettes, only meet with your professor if you have a specific plan of action. If not, then don’t waste her time!

7. Say hello outside of class

Believe it or not, professors are people, too, so you’re bound to see them outside of class in hallways or around campus. When this happens, don’t be afraid to say hello. If you’re passing them in the hallway, a quick “Hi, how are you?” should do the trick. If you have a longer encounter with one of your professors, such as standing in line at a campus coffee shop, you can make small talk. Chat about the weather, ask if she enjoyed her weekend or comment about your busy week. The exchange doesn’t need to be long—a couple minutes is fine—but when you get your coffee and head out, say a quick goodbye if your professor is nearby and not chatting with someone else.

If you initially encounter your professor in a conversation with someone else, however, use your judgment to determine if you should interrupt. If your professor makes eye contact with you, feel free to give a wave and quick hello, but continue on unless she takes initiative to lengthen the exchange. If she’s immersed in her conversation, however, don’t go out of your way to interrupt. You’ll likely see her outside of class sometime again.

8. Look for ways to interact with professors outside the classroom

A great way to interact with your professors in different settings is to get involved in a lab or project they’re leading. “If all of your academic questions have been answered and you would like to continue working with a professor, then you may want to consider getting involved in their research or setting up an independent study,” Ortiz says. She recommends inquiring about opportunities right away via email, before or after class, or during office hours. If you decide to shoot your professor an email, introduce yourself and identify what class of hers you’re taking. Then, let her know that you’ve been looking at her research, it sounded interesting to you and you’d be interested in learning about any opportunities to work with her. But before doing this, make sure to actually read up a bit on the professor’s work to ensure that it interests you, or else you both may be in for a less-than-ideal experience working together! And at the end of your email, always remember to thank your professor for her time.

Keep in mind that when looking for research assistant positions, it’s possible that there may not be any openings for at least another semester. “[Students] need to understand that it may be weeks, months, another semester before such a thing becomes available that’s [relevant] to their interest,” Klinkowstein says. Because of this, he recommends expressing your interests early so you can be kept in mind for any openings that come up later on.

But while you’re waiting, Ortiz says you can still learn about the professor’s research. “If the professor does not have space available on any projects, students can ask to attend lab meetings… in order to build a base of knowledge in the professor’s research area, and ask to be considered for a project during the next academic term,” she says.

If you don’t find a lab or project that fits your interest, an equally great way to get to know your professors is to get involved in an organization where you have the opportunity to mingle with them. “One of my clubs has a faculty and student dinner once a month where we invite a lot of faculty in different departments to join club members for a dinner,” says Franklin & Marshall College junior and HC Co-Campus Correspondent Shira Kipnees. Shira says these dinners have helped her develop solid relationships with her professors in a setting other than class. “We can talk about a variety of topics not related to topics within the classroom, and they often get to know me better and help me pick better classes or help me figure out how to better prepare for my future,” she says. “One professor who I interact with a lot at dinners actually became one of my advisers and helped me plan out my whole major.”

If faculty/student dinners don’t sound like your cup of tea, you can also get to know your professor better through attending lectures, discussions or readings they may be holding. Klinkowstein encourages his students to go to those that interest them. “There’s a lot of opportunities for outside lectures, some of which I organize,” Klinkowstein says. “Most students do not understand the importance of finding a way to go to that. … I encourage them to see the university more holistically than ‘I go to this class, I go to this class.’” To find out about interesting academic events, sign up for department email listservs, look online at department calendars, peruse bulletin boards in academic buildings or ask your professors.

Life on a college campus can be quite stressful, especially when adjusting to a whole new class structure. But if you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be able to ease the transition and focus on expanding your knowledge. Have a great first semester, incoming collegiettes!

On Tuesday, Grammy-winning artist Sam Smith took it upon himself to raise awareness of ever-present intolerance, on social media and otherwise. The singer posted a screen shot of a homophobic Instagram account dubbed @gaysamsmith; even worse than the account name is the bio, a poem that is horrific both on an ethical level and a literary one. Whoever created the account obviously has way too much time on his or her hands, but the fact that it even exists points to a larger problem.

Everything about this is just infuriating, but Sam is above it—he has dealt with homophobia before. Still, by sharing this with his 4.5 million followers (and all the media outlets who have covered the incident), the openly gay singer is doing a lot to remind people that homophobia is still extremely commonplace today. With recent advancements in LGBTQ+ rights, it's too easy to fall into complacency and assume that the fight is over for the queer community, when this is so far from the truth. We are so thankful for famous advocates like Sam.

College is a time to meet new people and try new things. From endless dining hall lines to club events to random orientation meetings, college was designed to help you bond with those around you. You never know when you’re going to make new friends, and it usually happens when you least expect it! Here are seven unexpected places where you could find your new college friends.

1. The Elevator

By the end of the semester, you’ll become well acquainted with a lot of the people living in your residence hall. Many of those relationships will begin in the elevator. From people who live on floor two to the residents of floor eight, almost everyone will need to take a ride in this machine at some point.

Rachel, a senior at University of Tulsa, saw her eight-second ride in the elevator as a chance to meet someone new. “Someone once got on the elevator with his bike, and I was totally squished to one side [of the elevator] with this guy,” she says. “It turned out that the guy was in my history class… and I got a new study partner.” While that might have been a crammed elevator, it certainly made room for a new friendship!

Rather than suffering in awkward silence, try to comment on the situation to ease the tension in the elevator. Try making a comment on something the person is holding or wearing, like, “Hey, that’s a pretty cool bike. Where did you get it?” Even volunteering to push the button and asking which floor the other person needs can make you seem more approachable and open the door for conversation.

2. The Dining Hall

Most collegiettes tend to eat around the same time every day. Besides regulating your diet, sticking to your routine will allow you to see some familiar faces around the salad bar and in the pizza line. Eating dinner around 6 p.m. every night and going to the same dining hall just because of its convenient, next-door-to-your-dorm location can result in some unforeseen friendships. Soon, an encounter like, “Hey, I think I’ve seen you here before. I’m Jessica. I live in the dorm right next to this dining hall,” can occur at the dessert table with someone else who also gets dinner around 6 p.m. And maybe you’ll even end up getting dinner with one of those familiar faces in the future! You never know.

3. Your Favorite Study Spot

Like the dining hall, by continuously going to the same place to study, you’ll begin to see the same people. If you always study at the on-campus coffee shop after your chem lab every Monday and Wednesday, you might run in to the same people who are also always studying at the time.

“I met one of my good friends Leah at a Panera once. She was sitting at the table next to me, and it turned out she went to the nursing school that’s next door,” says Sarah, a fifth-year student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. “We ended up having lunch together… and we still keep in touch.”

Even though you might not go to the same school as that person, you don’t have to rule out a potential friendship! By keeping an open mind, you can make some lifelong friends. Just make sure you’re not in a designated silent section of the library before you decide to break the ice and strike up a conversation. If someone looks immersed in their studies, let them focus.

4. The Laundry Room

While the laundry room isn’t the most glamorous place on campus, it’s one place that everybody is guaranteed to frequent (at least, we hope so!). And that makes the laundry room the perfect place to meet people. Between switching out loads and folding your T-shirts, there’s plenty of room for some decent conversation.

Alyssa, a junior at Butler University, was putting her clothes into the dryer when a friendship stumbled into her lap. “I met someone in the laundry room named James,” she says. “We kept running into each other there the first couple weeks of school… He was smart and hilarious at the same time. I ended up becoming friends with him and his two guy friends.” Match made in the laundry room.

And who knows, you might even be lucky enough to attend a party in this unexpected, fresh-smelling location! Amanda, a sophomore at Loyola University Chicago, met one of her friends at a laundry room party. “I started talking to [my friend] Claire at a birthday party thrown in my dorm laundry room,” she says. “There was incredibly loud, old 1970s tunes blasting in the tiny laundry room… around 30 people were dancing on eight washers and dryers. Just a laundry room full of honors kids blowing off steam right before finals.” From providing the machines to keep your clothes clean to providing the space for one unique birthday party, laundry rooms are the perfect unexpected place to branch out.

5. Riding the Bus

Depending on where your dorm is located, you’ll probably spend a lot of time on the bus to and from class each day or even to and from a night on the town. But you can even meet some interesting new people on your journey to and from your hometown for breaks.

Morgan, a junior at the University of Missouri, did just that. “I met a girl on the shuttle back to Columbia, MO, after winter break,” she says. “She happened to be from Texas too and was in a long-distance relationship with a guy who went to A&M like [I was], so we bonded over that.” Just when you think you’re done making friends, there’s always room for one more. They could even be sitting next to you on your next bus ride home and have a plethora of things in common with you!

6. Tutoring Sessions

Seeking out extra help with a tutor in college can be beneficial to you in multiple ways. Not only will you gain clarity on some fuzzy concepts you just didn’t understand from that last Econ lecture, but you’ll also have so many opportunities to get acquainted with a new pool of people.

“In math lab, this guy sat next to me and just said, ‘Hi!’ all cheery,” says Katy, a University of Mississippi junior. “I was kind of scared, but then he asked, ‘How are you? Who do have [for math]? What math are you taking?’ There's an unwritten rule to be silent in math lab, so it was kind of comical. He was really nice and plays rugby, and I play ultimate [Frisbee], so we see each other at the fields a lot.” Even in a potentially stressful math tutoring session, you can still make a friend. Sometimes the friendships even find you!

7. Spontaneous Late-Night Outings

With fourth meals comes a culture of spontaneous late-night activities. College kids are up so late that it only makes sense to squeeze in another bite of food and a maybe a fun memory or two before you hit the hay. And it’s during these late-night dashes for sustenance when friendships can form!

Beth, a junior at Illinois Wesleyan University, made a friend on a Taco Bell run one night. “My friends and I had just gotten back to our floor [at our residence hall] when we realized we were starving—and not the kind of starving that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich could solve. We needed real food,” she says. “So we went to Taco Bell, and there was a huge group of girls there from some 1920s-themed party… I ended up exchanging numbers with one of the girls in line because we were both from the same suburb of Chicago.”

Everybody comes to college looking to branch out and meet new people. By taking advantage of this fact, you could walk away from your time in college with some newfound knowledge, a degree, and a few unexpected friendships. Just don’t discriminate as to where these friendships are formed, because the location could simply be the beginning of the story of your awesome friendship! Friendships may come when and where you least expect it, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

If you needed a sign that the presidential race has officially entered social media, look no further than presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. 

Earlier this week the Democratic party frontrunner joined Snapchat, and wasted absolutely no time jumping into politics. That is, after a quick #throwback:

But after some shameless self-indulgence, she went right to the heart of the matter:

Perhaps the real reason she joined this popular social app was so she could reach a key audience: young adults.

(According to that statistic, that means in total US students amass roughly $1.2 trillion in student debt. NOT a happy estimate.)

Just a few days ago, Hillary released her plan to end college debt around the country, the "New College Compact" as it's called. And what better way to keep college students, who will be most directly affected by her proposed plan, informed than by putting it on Snapchat? 

Her Snap Story also included videos from students, explaining how student debt affects their lives personally. 

If you want to stay posted on her policies and other fun little tidbits, be sure to add her with the username @hillaryclinton, or take a photo on Snapchat of this ghost:

And if you're looking for a quick respite from the recent political firestorm (yeah we get it, Trump was being offensive AGAIN, what's new?), you can enjoy Jimmy Fallon's take on the issue!

Touche, Fallon, touche.

This year, New York Fashion Week will feature the best kind of model: a role model. 18-year-old Madeline Stuart, who isn't letting Down Syndrome slow her down one bit, announced that she will be walking in New York Fashion Week this fall. This proves to be a huge milestone for any aspiring model and Stuart is no exception. The Australian-born beauty says that she "really wants to change the way people discriminate against disability through gaining attention through social media," and walking the runway at fashion's biggest event will certainly help that goal. She will be walking with MODA in the fall.

In addition to her upcoming gig at fashion week, Stuart also represents everMaya, a luxury handbag line, and the athletic wear company Manifesta. Not a bad resume to have for only being a teenager!

Be sure to keep up with Stuart as she accomplishes her fashion dreams by following her on Instagram and watching her make her NYFW debut on September 13.

When it comes to college fashion, we’ll be the first to admit that pencil skirts and polished dresses aren’t exactly the first items that come to mind. The reality is, when it comes to the daunting task of waking up for that 8 AM class, it can be a bit of a struggle to craft the perfect OOTD. Luckily, it turns out elevating your style beyond your go-to leggings and sweatshirt is actually way simpler than you think—all you need are a few easy wardrobe hacks!

1. Never underestimate an amazing dress

You know the feeling: you've slept through your alarm, rushed through your shower, and have absolutely no idea what you’re going to wear to your class that starts in 10 minutes—but before you reach for your sweats, why not try a dress? It’s always a good idea to have at least one casual but classic dress for those “I have nothing to wear!” days.

Catenya McHenry, owner of the styling service Nothing2Wear says dresses are one of the best things to have on hand for a fast but polished outfit. “Dresses are likely the most versatile pieces a girl can have,” McHenry says. “Layered with a chambray top and tied in the front, or worn with a cropped denim jacket or even styled with a tissue-thin tee underneath, the options are endless.”

Our pick for a casual day dress? A striped midi dress with side slits ($33 at ASOS) is super versatile, and the neutral stripes ensure it will stay classic. Florals are also timeless, and the sleeves on this one ($34.99 at H&M) make it more casual than cocktail. If you’re looking for a fit-and-flare shape, try a dress with an on-trend high neckline ($58 at Abercrombie) in chambray. Is there any fabric that’s more effortless?

2. Keep it simple

We’ll admit that we’re the first to be drawn to a pretty print or pattern, but Marquecia Jordan, a wardrobe assistant and owner of the Chicago-based graphic design studio Tonbo Elements, says that less can be more when it comes to polishing and elevating your style. “The most important thing college women can keep in mind when putting together a more mature and sophisticated look is to keep it simple,” Jordan says. “Tailored fits and lots of solid colors like gray, navy, cream and brown. Nice-quality fabrics also help bring the look together.”

Even if you’re a self-proclaimed prints girl, hear us out: it’s never a bad idea to have a wardrobe of high quality basics on hand to wear with more statement-making pieces—a well-made piece will instantly polish any look. Blazers are definitely not just for your internship! Try styling a sharply tailored one ($39.99 at Zara) with jeans and a tee for a laid-back look that’s still sophisticated. For tops, a striped tee à la French girl-chic ($50 at Aritzia) and a flowy, wear-with-everything blouse ($45.80 at Aralleus) are total must-haves. Minimal basics don’t have to be boring either! This super classic gray boucle wrap skirt ($68 at Topshop) is the proof.

3. Step away from the leggings!

We mean no hate to every collegiette’s go-to pant, but for days when you want to look polished, ditching the leggings is a no-brainer. Stylist and founder of Little Pink Moto Alexa Alford suggests swapping them for a simple pair of black skinny jeans instead. “Trade in your leggings for some well-fitting black skinny jeans,” Alford says. “I know, I know, they are so dang comfy, but a great black pair of jeans are essential for every woman's wardrobe. Almost anything you wanted to wear with your leggings will look instantly more sophisticated with black skinnies.”

One easy swap to instantly elevate any outfit? We’re so there. For the perfect pair of universally-flattering black skinnies, Alford recommends Madewell’s high-quality version ($115 at Madewell)—they’re a little pricey, but totally worth the investment. Bonus: for leggy ladies, they come in tall sizes so that your pair is tailored for you! For fashionistas on a budget, ASOS Ridley jeans are also on-point ($54 at ASOS), and their high rise will create the illusion of legs for days.

4. Ankle boots are everything

When all else fails, a killer pair of shoes can instantly add a more dressed-up vibe to any outfit. Ankle boots are classic, and unlike a pair of stilettos, they’re both fashionable and functional. Alford says they’re the perfect quick switch for your UGGs. “Swap out your UGGs or Hunter boots for a pair of high-quality ankle boots,” Alford says. “It's so incredibly important to invest in great shoes. A simple pair of black or brown ankle boots will go with almost any outfit you can think of, which makes them ideal for a college student.”

Like Alford recommends, booties in black or brown will go with anything—and we love the idea of a block-heeled pair to add a little bit of height pain-free. For an edgier, model-off-duty look, a simple black Steve Madden pair ($148.95 at Nordstrom) does the trick. If you want to go classic, try a bootie in brown leather with buckle details ($32.90 at Forever 21)!

5. Classic carryall

The final touch you need to up your style game? The perfect wear-forever carryall. When it comes to bags, you can never have just one—but every girl does need a signature bag that goes with any outfit, and more importantly, holds everything.

To ensure you’re picking a timeless, high-quality bag, look for one that’s simple but still sophisticated—and if it’s in your budget, a quality leather bag is always worth the investment. There’s a reason Madewell’s signature leather transport tote ($168 at Madewell) has such a cult following—its simple shape will allow you to wear it with absolutely any outfit. For petite collegiettes who want a slightly smaller pick, this half-satchel, half-tote ($59.99 at Mango) is perfect (not to mention it’s totally giving us major Céline vibes!).

You don’t need to spend hours planning your outfit in order to look timeless and polished! With a few simple changes, you’ll be rocking a ***flawless, updated look in no time!

We regret to report that the oh-so funny acronym and texting favorite, “LOL,” aka Laughing Out Loud, has lost its popularity. According to Seventeen, Facebook conducted a study on how laughter was translated over social media, with only 1.9 percent of users saying they readily use “LOL” as their way of communicating laughs.

While Facebook also found that among users of all ages, ranging from 13 to 70, the most common virtual laugh is displayed by “haha,” emojis also took in a third of users, and were seen as more popular to young people and women, only helping to reinforce how emoji-centric the world is becoming.

And though “LOL” has not completely died out, “haha” might be laughing its way to the top.

College is supposed to be the best four years of your life, but it won’t be if you spend all of your time in your dorm room doing homework! While it is important to study and go to class, the beauty of college is that you have room in your schedule to experience the world around you. Soon enough you’ll have a 9-to-5 job, so take advantage of your status as a student and get out there!

If you need some inspiration for how to live your undergraduate years to their fullest, check out Her Campus’s Ultimate College Bucket List. Grab your besties and try to check off every item by the end of your senior year!

Take a class just for fun

While it’s easy to get caught up in all the classes that you need to take in order to graduate, chances are you have room for a few extra courses outside of your major(s) or minor(s). Enroll in a crazy, fun class that actually interests you, like Kanye Versus Everybody or Knights of Old and Harry Potter—you’ll learn something new while having fun!

Go to a local sports game

Even if you don’t go to school in a major city like New York or Boston, you can still attend a game for one of the community's local sports teams. Dress in their colors or gear, and make a day of it!

Volunteer

Whether you choose to do an Alternative Spring Break or simply spend an afternoon at a senior care center, volunteering is a great way to give back to your community. You’ll be doing good and feeling great about it!

Start a club

Is there a cause you’re really passionate about that you feel is lacking on your campus? Do something about it! Starting a club looks great on a resume, plus you’ll meet likeminded people who you might not otherwise get to know.

Start a Her Campus chapter on your campus

If your school doesn’t have a Her Campus chapter, you’re seriously missing out. Imagine writing an article similar to this one, but for your very own chapter! If you’re interested in starting a Her Campus chapter at your school, you should definitely apply. 

Introduce yourself to someone you’d like to get to know

We all know someone on campus who we think is effortlessly cool. You see him or her in class, but you’ve never actually introduced yourself. What are you waiting for? It may seem daunting, but you two can never become besties unless you put forth that initial effort. And even if you don't become great friends, at least you put yourself out there!

Sing karaoke

Find the nearest restaurant or bar that hosts a karaoke night, get a group of friends together and go sing your heart out. Who cares if you don’t think you have a great voice? Everyone else will be singing along with you anyway!

Study abroad

If it’s possible, you should definitely study abroad. You don’t have to go for an entire semester, either! There are often two, three and six-week programs offered as well as semester-long courses. You will have the time of your life—trust us!

Get to know a professor

Go to office hours, stay after class or ask a professor to meet you for coffee. Building a professional relationship with your professors is extremely valuable. You will learn from someone in the field you are hoping to go into, practice networking and have a great reference for the future!

Apply for an internship

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a freshman or a senior, you can apply for an internship at any point. Reach high, and if you don’t get it, so what? You’re putting yourself out there, plus you’re getting great practice writing cover letters and perfecting your resume!

Go to a concert

From local bands to big name artists, musicians are always performing on or near college campuses. Splurge to see your favorite singer, or check out your friend’s band—either way, you’re sure to have a blast.

Take advantage of free events for college students

You can flash your student ID for freebies at tons of places—like stores, restaurants, museums, and more. You won’t be in college forever (unfortunately!), so get those student discounts now.

Do a group costume for Halloween

In college, Halloween isn’t just one day—it’s a whole weekend! Celebrate Halloweekend in style by coordinating costumes with a big group of friends. And don’t forget to take tons of pictures!

Participate in a 5k

There are so many cool 5K options out there—from the Color Run to the 5K Foam Fest. You won’t even realize that you’re exercising, because you’ll be having so much fun!

Go to a student theater production

Whether you have friends in the theater program or you just enjoy a good play, seeing a student-run production is a must. Who knows, some of these people could go on to become big stars!

Get a picture with your school mascot

Even if you think your mascot is totally lame, snap a photo with them at a sports game or other school-wide event. You’ll look back on it and laugh, plus it will be a great addition to your college scrapbook.

Rush a sorority

If you’re at all interested, you should definitely consider rushing a sorority. You might find your perfect fit, and you might not—but at least you can say you gave it a chance!

Apply for a leadership position in an extracurricular you’re involved in

Don’t just hang back during club meetings; make your voice heard! Apply to be treasurer, secretary, VP or even president of your favorite extracurricular. It will take you places!

Write for a campus publication

Even if you don’t normally write for your school’s newspaper or online magazine, you can contribute an Op-Ed on a topic you’re passionate about. If you really love creative writing, submit a poem or short story to your school’s literary magazine.

Go to a themed party

College presents you with many unique opportunities—both in and outside of the classroom! Next time you hear about a theme party, actually go. Even if it’s a total bust, getting dolled up with your friends will have been worth it.

Audition for an a cappella group, improv group, musical, or play

Even if you haven’t acted since your elementary school play, if performing is something you’re interested in, college is the time to pursue it. Just audition—it will be a valuable experience even if you don’t get the part.

Treat yourself to dinner at an expensive restaurant

Living on a college budget isn’t great. Sometimes dinner consists of Kraft Mac & Cheese… three nights in a row. Save up some money and treat yo’ self to a delicious meal that you didn’t have to cook.

Participate in a campus-wide tradition

Every college has its traditions, some more outrageous than others. Before you graduate, it is a necessity that you participate in at least one. As a bonus, start your own school-wide tradition and leave behind a legacy!

Go to the closest beach

When the weather is warm, take your car or public transportation and explore the nearest beach. It might not be a tropical island, but it will feel great to get some time away from campus. No beach nearby? Try going for a hike or exploring whatever natural beauty your school's area has to offer you.

Do a cycling, yoga or group exercise class at your school’s fitness center

Hopefully you already frequent the on-campus gym, but if you don’t, now is as good a time as any to start! If you’re not sure where to begin on your own, participate in one of the free fitness classes. It’s another student perk that won’t last forever.

Spend a day (or a week!) without technology

As collegiettes, we are constantly on our smart phones, laptops and tablets. Challenge yourself to spend at least one day free of all technological devices. If you do this over break, you can’t use class or homework as an excuse to check your computer!

Go to a museum nearby

Most museums give students discounts or free admission. Spend a quiet day alone wandering through a gallery, or ask that cutie in your English class out on a casual museum date. Now’s your chance to get cultured.

Make a fancy meal for you and your friends

While dorm or apartment kitchens can be hard to work with, take the time to plan a big meal for you and your friends. It can be on a special occasion, like a birthday or Friendsgiving, or just because. Make a day of it—cooking, decorating and of course eating the delicious food you all prepared.

Visit a friend at his or her university

In college, it’s easy to get caught up in your own personal bubble. Visit a friend at a different school for a weekend. It will be interesting to see the similarities and differences on a new campus!

Take pictures!

Document your college experience on your smartphone, with a Polaroid camera, or however else you choose. It’s important to enjoy moments while they’re happening, but you will want photos to look back on as well.

Don’t limit yourself to these experiences, but use this list if you’re looking to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Every collegiette should have a bucket list for her four years, so get started on yours right now!

In a recent rendition of their "Clueless Guys!" video series, Cosmopolitan.com shows us what happens when men attempt to master the art of contouring. Prepare to experience a full-blown emotional rollercoaster of amusement, intrigue and inevitably, slight horror.

Warning: you'll be dying to jump in and rescue these adorably hopeless contouring newbies. But alas, trial and error is a necessary evil when entering the ever-complex world of makeup. In fact, these men face some of the same extact troubles we've all experienced—namely tricky shade selection, misleading confidence and of course, utter bewilderment.

One man quickly discovers the danger of using a too-light formula. "I look like a dead version of myself," he declares. "That's just like Irish on Irish, that's not doing anything," says another in frustration, while attempting to decipher the correct shade for his skin—we've been there, man.

On the other hand, our friend Ted has all of the confidence, smugly announcing, "Move over Kim Kardashian, here comes Ted White." And yet Ted, like the rest of the brave group, still proves unsuccessful. 

Hilariously, the sound effects accompanying application are totally relatable. "Eh. Boop"? Accurate. And as frustration escalates, so does the confusion, resulting in a sense of newborn appreciation for the plight of trend-following women. "This is what girls do? Whaaat?" Yep.

The results? Mostly disastrous. But surprisingly, this collection of clueless guys epitomizes what it means to be a good sport. In laughter and smiles, each contouring victim proudly displays a beaming (albeit blotchy) face.

Overall, the men admit a universal truth—"This is not easy." And with that in mind, we think we've earned the right to skip out on painting our faces tomorrow morning—sorry, Kim.

Let’s face it, whether it’s because your high school years consisted of marathon-watching every season of Boy Meets World, Greek and 90210, browsing through Her Campus on the daily or listening to your Frat Star brother’s tales of blackout keggers, one-night stands and too many pastel polo shirts, you probably have some pre-conceived ideas of what college is going to be like.

Don’t believe everything you hear! To separate fact from fiction, check out the truth about these six common college myths:

Myth #1: The Freshman 15 is inevitable

Reality: With all-you-can-eat dining hall food, weekend nights of drinking (usually accompanied by late-night snacking) and busy schedules that seem to leave no time for exercise, weight gain can be an easy trap to fall into.

But not everyone packs on the pounds. Many collegiettes even find that their scale number goes down freshman year!

“Maybe it's because I go to a city school and there's a lot of walking, but I actually ended up losing weight when I went to college,” says Kelsey Mulvey from Boston University.

“I didn’t gain anything because I didn’t live on campus! I actually lost a lot of weight because I would work out every day,” explains Hailey Craig from Columbia University.

So don’t freak out! The Freshman 15 is totally avoidable with the right mix of self-control and exercise. Check out HC's "5 Ways To Avoid The Freshman 15: How Real Girls Did It", “Pick It or Skip It: Dining Hall Edition” and “15 Ways to Get Gym Motivation (That Actually Work)” for more tips on keeping college weight off the healthy way.

Myth #2: You will drown under piles of homework

Reality: There are most likely going to be times when you feel like your academic workload is slowly crushing the life out of you, but hey, there were probably also times when you felt similarly in high school. College is usually not much more difficult than high school, just different, as is explained in HC’s 5 Ways Your College Classes Will Be Different From Your High School Classes.

No one is going to force you to do your work like your parents or teachers might have done in high school. You need to handle your newfound independence and learn to manage your time.

“You do get a lot of homework, not going to lie,” says Hailey. “But you just have to make a study schedule to help you out. This will help you TONS because if you get it done right away or when you’re not busy, you will have plenty of time to mingle and have fun!”

To stay on top of homework, try keeping an assignment notebook, tracking due dates on your phone or on a calendar or planning days to work on long-term assignments so they get done a little at a time. You should think about every week ahead of time to know when you’ll have free time to study.

A lot of the time, you won’t have very much homework on a day-to-day basis because most of your assignments will be long-term, not short-term. It’s important to make sure you still do a little bit of work every day even if you don’t always have something due the next day, or even that week, to avoid creating stressful situations.

So, yes, if you have a 20-page research paper that is assigned at the beginning of the semester and you wait until the night before it’s due to start writing, you’re going to have a bad time. On the other hand, if you find the right balance between work and play, you’ll be golden.

Myth #3: You won’t have a social life if you’re not in a sorority

Reality: The truth is that sororities aren’t for everyone. If your decision to rush is based solely on thinking it will get you an instant friend group, you might want to reconsider.

Although the social component can be a major factor in rushing, it shouldn’t be the only one you consider. If you’re still having trouble deciding check out HC’s Collegiettes Weigh In: To Rush or Not to Rush?

While many colleges have a large focus on Greek life, there’s always a social scene outside of it. “I'm not in a sorority and I had a fabulous social life in college,” says Erica Avesian, a recent grad of University of Michigan. “As long as you put yourself out there and make a point to meet people, you will be just fine. There are plenty of other social organizations to join.”

You’ll be able to find a group of people you love to hang out with without going Greek, so if sororities aren’t your thing, don’t join one!

Myth #4: College guys are more mature than high school guys

Reality: Although high school boys don’t magically become men when they enter college, this one really does depend on the individual.

Many of your male counterparts will still act incredibly immature. They’ll want to play video games and sleep around and spend the majority of their time with their even more juvenile friends.

“College guys are even more immature than high school guys in my opinion. They think they can get away with everything now that they are away from their parents,” says Erica, a student at University of Michigan. “Sit in a room full of frat boys and you will feel like you're in the cafeteria with a bunch of seventh graders.”

But mature college guys DO exist.

It is possible to meet guys in college who have future goals, a savings account and a sense of humor that doesn’t revolve around farting. Some will learn how to act like adults – you just have to find them. Try looking for boys in your classes or at your club meetings rather than at frat parties and bars. They’re more likely to have things in common with you and want a more serious relationship.

Myth #5: You won’t have any fun if you don’t drink

Reality: Drinking is common in college, but that doesn’t mean everyone does it. In fact, there are a large number of college students who never drink.

Drinking should always be a personal choice, not one you make because you think it’s expected of you. If you don’t feel comfortable, then don’t do it!

This totally doesn’t mean that you have to sit in your room while your friends go out. Contrary to what some may think, you’re allowed to be sober at a party. Getting your dance on and flirting with cute boys don't depend on blacking out, or even having one drink. But if you still end up feeling uncomfortable, try carrying around a cup of water or soda so no one asks you why you’re not downing drinks.

Party scene still isn’t your thing? It’s definitely possible to have a social life outside of it.

“I don't drink, and about four or five of my friends don't,” says Hailey. “If it bothers you that all your friends drink and you don’t, talk to them about doing non-alcoholic activities.”

Try having a movie marathon, going to a concert or doing karaoke night! Drinking isn’t the only way to have a crazy-fun college weekend.

Myth #6: Everyone has a ton of dating and sexual experience

Reality: A big fear of many collegiettes is not having enough romantic experience as an incoming freshman. But this should never be something you’re worried about. The dating and sexual history of every single person you meet in college will be different; no one has gone through exactly the same things!

“A lot of girls go into freshman year thinking they're big losers if they haven't swiped their V-cards yet, when in reality, that's just not true,” says Quinn Keaney, a recen alumna of the University of Pittsburgh. “Just because they never met the right guy (or girl) in high school doesn't mean they'll be doomed to the same fate all through college.”

According to HC’s Ultimate College Girl Survey results from 2012, 43 percent of girls entering college are still virgins!

Whether you have lots of experience, no experience or somewhere in between, it doesn’t matter. College can be a time to change things up, keep doing what you’ve been doing or just get started. Don’t lose sleep about what others are doing or have done in the past, just focus on you.

So collegiettes, now that you could probably be the star of a college-themed episode of Myth Busters, you should feel ready to have an amazing year at whatever school you’ve chosen. The truth is out, use it!

What can you do with a curling iron and some hairspray? Women in Seoul are attempting a new hair style, modeled after Kendall Jenner's record-breaking Instagram post.

Remember this picture? We all thought her heart-shaped hair was extremely artsy, and apparently we weren't the only ones. The phenomenon has made its way across the world and found its way into the heart of women's bangs. We're not surprised to see that it hit South Korea first, since the beauty industry there always seems to be at the forefront of innovation.

Instead of wearing your typical bangs, this style requires that you use a curling iron and hairspray to shape your hair into a heart shape, which is sure to make people "aww."

The trend is called "hateu aapmurhi," or "heart-bangs hair," and the look is extremely popular among young women in the fashionable Gangbuk District.

Instead of wearing your heart on your sleeve, why not wear it on your head?

We think these bangs are too adorable. Are any of you collegiettes brave enough to rock these styles?

Becky G is doing big things: at 18 years old, the “Shower” singer, rapper, songwriter and actress is an international star. She has been a COVERGIRL spokeswoman since 2013, alongside Pink, Katy Perry and Ellen DeGeneres, and is involved in the brand’s #GirlsCan movement to empower women. She’s also a level-headed, inspiring and straight-up cool girl who we were lucky enough to interview—here’s what Becky had to say about the key to her success, her upcoming role on Empire, the #GirlsCan campaign and more!

Her Campus: The #GirlsCan movement is amazing and super necessary. Why is it so important to you personally?

Becky G: It’s really important to me for many reasons. I grew up having a dream and I wanted to go for that, you know? And I just feel like with this #GirlsCan video, it really shares my story and shares how I got to where I am today and how, like I said myself, I’m just getting started. But I’m all about female empowerment and also acknowledging the fact that we are capable of doing anything we want to do.

HC: And you definitely show that with everything you’ve done! What do you think is one of the most powerful messages that the #GirlsCan campaign sends to young women?

BG: That it doesn’t matter where you come from and what it is that you want to do; you’re capable of doing it. Then the most important thing really is to believe in yourself and to not listen to what statistics say or what other people might say.

HC: And it seems like you always believed in yourself.

BG: Oh definitely! I mean, part of it has to do with the people I’ve surrounded myself with. It’s all about family. My family definitely gives me strength, because obviously, especially with the career choice that I went with, it’s not easy. It’s only human to have moments of, “Am I really gonna do this? Can I do this?” And I think a part of that is surrounding yourself with really incredible people who reassure you that you’re capable of doing anything.

HC: Absolutely! You talked about your family, but do any friends or producers or anyone come to mind?

BG: Yeah, of course, I mean there’s many people. There’s the Dr. Luke camp—Dr. Luke himself has really taken the time to take me under his wing and teach me things, and the same with the Jam. They’re the people that I was working with when I was 13 years old and they really helped me develop myself as a songwriter, as an artist and as a rapper. They’re part of the reason why I got signed, you know, I made the covers that got me signed with them.

HC: On a more personal level, what limitations have you faced and overcome as a woman and a Latina?

BG: Nobody’s road is gonna be blissful; I think it’s all trial and error, again with what I chose to pursue in my life. It’s hard, it definitely is, it’s really time consuming and it’s physically and emotionally and mentally draining in every way possible. I think the thing that I struggle with most—I don’t know if it’s because I’m becoming an adult—is that there’s not enough time in the world to get everything done, you know what I mean? I think I’ve struggled the most with balancing everything.

HC: What’s your advice to girls who doubt their potential?

BG: Be patient with yourself. That’s one thing that I’ve learned. Especially because you’re figuring out who you are, what you want to do with your life, and that can be a lot. And like I said, life is trial and error; you have to go through things and learn from them and kind of take inspiration from that and apply them to other things.

HC: I think that’s amazing advice. On a completely different note, as a COVERGIRL, what are some of your go-to beauty products?

BG: I’m all about the eyes. I love, love, love eyeliner and big lashes right now. I’m really into the Clump Crusher mascara, it’s always been one of my ultimate favorites. And then what I use every single day is the Ink It! Eyeliner and the Exact eyeliner.

HC: Do you have any life-changing beauty tricks you want to share?

BG: When it comes to makeup, I think the most important thing is to take chances. Practice at home. Practice makes perfect! I’m always doing my makeup at home even when I’m not doing anything. If there’s a new style or something, I always give it a shot, just to see if it works for me. And also, when it comes to hair, my fans always ask me, “What do you for your hair? You have so much hair and it’s so pretty!” It actually has nothing to do with any product or anything; it just has to do with the temperature water that I shower in. I usually take really, really, really hot showers, but before I get out of the shower, I rinse in really cold water and that’s so good for your hair because it kind of locks it in for the frizz, so there’s no frizz and it makes it shinier.

HC: Oh, that’s amazing. Thank you, that is life-changing! This is completely unrelated, but you just landed a role on Empire, so congrats! Is there anything you want to say about that?

BG: It’s exciting! It’s so crazy for me. I’ve been going back and forth filming in Chicago and it’s been nothing but an amazing experience. I mean the entire cast was so welcoming, so polite and just fun to be around. And for me, it was my first real acting experience and working with people like Terrence [Howard, who plays Lucious] and Taraji [Henson, who plays Cookie], it was just like, “Wow, I can’t believe this is really happening!”

HC: So what project are you most excited about right now, since you’re doing so many things?

BG: I’m going on tour, at least to Canada on Wednesday, and I’m so excited! It’s going to be really, really fun. It’s my very first headlining tour, so that’s going to be very exciting and I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be great!

Want more from Becky? Check out her #GirlsCan story below!

With another fall semester here, it’s time that we take a good, hard look at ourselves (and our love lives). Whatever mistakes we made last year are in past semesters—we’ve got the chance to revamp our romances, so let’s not waste the opportunity by falling into the arms of yet another sleazy frat bro! Whether you have a nasty habit of choosing guys who were going nowhere or you were too much of a wallflower last spring, we’ve got the right advice to help you change your ways.

1. You Revolved Your Social Life Around a Guy

It starts off innocently enough: you want to hang out with your fun, new hook-up, so you decide to spend a Saturday night with him and his friends. But then a single Saturday night becomes an entire weekend, and before you know it, you’re making plans to fit his schedule (and ditching your friends in the process).

Why is it such a bad thing? “Most college relationships don't last forever, so when the relationship ends, you don't want to be left behind by friends who are disgruntled that you have been neglecting them when you had something ‘better’ going on,” says Kathleen Bogle, author of Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus.

Shira Kipnees, a senior at Franklin & Marshall College, had to change her habits when she started making sacrifices for her boyfriend of three years. “We're long-distance during the school year, so we try and Skype every night,” she explains. “However, some nights he would have something [going on] and would not be able to Skype me until right before I'd be going to bed. I'd stay up waiting for him to be done and to Skype me, sometimes sacrificing an earlier bedtime just to talk.”

Eventually, Shira talked to her boyfriend about the issue and they settled on a “five minute” system. Right before she’s going to bed, she asks him if he’ll be able to Skype soon. If he responds, “Yes, I have five minutes left,” she stays up. If he says, “Not in the next five minutes,” she says goodnight and goes to bed.

It’s all about compromise. By being direct and bringing up the problem like Shira did, you and your guy can figure out a way to spend time together that doesn’t make anyone feel left out or taken advantage of. If you’re long-distance, try setting a specific day and time to Skype and stick to it every week. If you’re on campus together, set aside a girls’ night each weekend—no boyfriends allowed!

2. You Hooked up With a Guy Knowing He Didn’t Want More (& Hoping You Could Change his Mind)

Like many collegiettes before you, you’ve probably fallen into the ever-alluring, fixer-upper hook-up trap. Here’s how the story goes:

1. You hear of his illustrious bed-hopping reputation and vow to never be just another notch in his belt (no matter how cute he looks from across the quad).
2. You run into each other at a party, one thing leads to another, and you discover that this boy knows how to kiss. Like, Gone with the Wind, sweep-you-off-your-feet-style kissing.
3. You decide to make an exception.
4. He tells you he doesn’t want a relationship, so you unwittingly agree to a FWB situation.
5. You tell yourself that once he gets to know you better, he won’t help but falling for you.
6. He doesn’t.

Here’s the thing: it’s not that you aren’t the most amazing, talented, intelligent girl he’s ever been with. You probably are. But when he tells you he isn’t looking for anything serious, chances are he’s set on living the single life in college—or worse, rebounding from a rough break-up.

Connie Chan, a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, found herself in this exact situation. “I've hooked up with a guy before knowing we weren't on the same page,” she says. “As much as I enjoyed his company, I was really wasting my time waiting around for someone who couldn't give me what I wanted. He was nice enough to end things instead of stringing me along, but I wish I had done it myself—and much earlier!”

To save yourself from this tough situation, make some hard rules and resolve to live by them. If he tells you he doesn’t want anything serious (or you hear he’s a heartbreaker), ask yourself where you want to be by the end of the semester. If you envision yourself living the single life or open to hook-ups, then by all means, give him a shot. If, however, you’d prefer to be able to snuggle up with a guy and a mug of hot chocolate come wintertime, keep looking for someone who’s interested in more than midnight booty-calls.

3. You Hooked up With a Guy You Weren’t Really Into

Almost everyone has a past hook-up that they would rather forget, but what if that hook-up also happened to be with someone you didn’t even want to hook up with in the first place? There are plenty of reasons not to hook up with a guy, and this is high on the list.

“Junior year, one of my roommates pushed me to start hanging out with her guy friend, who was best friends with her boyfriend, after he expressed an interest in me to her,” recalls Amy*, a senior at Boston College. “I started going out on double dates with the guy, mostly because I wanted to make my roommate happy. However, once things got physical with [him], I immediately became uncomfortable. I realized that I had never been into the guy since the beginning, as much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, and ended things as best I could.”

It’s a tricky spot to be in: you want to be there for your friend, but you’re just not feeling the spark. Remember that just because he’s a friend of your friend’s boyfriend doesn’t mean he deserves any preferential treatment—and definitely no undeserved kisses! If your friend is pressuring you to give him a chance, sit her down and explain that you want to find someone that makes you as happy as her boyfriend makes her, and you can tell that this guy just isn’t Mr. Right. Plus, does your friend really want to deal with the mess you’ll make when you break things off with her boyfriend’s buddy? Definitely not—so remind her of the repercussions!

On the other hand, you might find yourself going for a guy you’re not into simply because you’re lonely, you want to be physical, or you feel left out as the only single girl in your group. (Why rom-coms make the single lady life seem like an awful thing is beyond us.) Bogle’s advice: don’t settle! “There is no upside to hooking up with someone when you don't really want to,” she says. “There are enough guys out there that you will actually be interested in, so focus on them.”

4. You Chased After Guys Who Were Unavailable

We all want what we can’t have: guilt-free carbs, Carrie Bradshaw’s closet, and, of course, unavailable guys. You’d think that we would have evolved to lust after the single ones—after all, they’re much more likely to return the favor—but unfortunately, we collegiettes are constantly crushing hard on the taken ones.

“If you only want what you can't have, you have to ask yourself why,” advises Bogle. “Are you afraid of being hurt? Do you like the thrill of trying to attain the unattainable? Does the thought of getting someone who is hard to catch boost your ego?” If this is becoming a theme in your life, she says, you need to look inward for the reason why.

Once you figure out why you’ve been chasing taken guys, you need to try to make some changes. Don’t go to a party that you know your elusive, taken crush will attend. Instead, spend your time meeting new (single) people. Accept an invitation to hang out with people outside of your usual crowd. Even if there aren’t any guys there the first time, you never know which fantastic boys they might be friends with! Plus, the excitement and nerves of getting to know new people will take your mind off any unattainable flings.

5. You Made an Enemy of Your Ex

It can be hard to use good judgment when feelings get in the way—particularly when those feelings are of the “I need to dump him” variety. Whether he got on your nerves, let the spark fizzle, or played tonsil-hockey with someone else over the weekend, you knew you had to end it. The question was: how?

Briana Morgan, a recent graduate of Georgia College, regrets the way she ended things with an ex. “I was too afraid to have ‘the talk,’” she recounts. “Instead, I avoided him whenever I could. Finally, he showed up at my dorm because he was worried about me. Then, we had the talk. I wish I'd come clean sooner instead of dragging the whole thing out. It wasn't fair to him.”

To avoid making the same mistake twice, try to put yourself in his shoes. Would you want to be strung along, hurt and confused for weeks? Nope, and neither would he, so be honest with him.

If you weren’t the one doing the dumping—but you dealt with the break-up badly anyway—you’ll want to take a different tactic. There’s nothing worse than running into an ex on campus who has heard you say bitter things you came to regret. And you definitely don’t want to be known as that girl who starts rumors about old boyfriends (or hooks up with their best friends immediately post-break-up).

This fall, keep your distance from former flames. If you’re with someone and he ends things—which means he’s lost his mind, of course—think before you speak. You may not care much for his feelings in that emotional moment, but keeping in mind how any potential awkwardness could affect you in the future—like in class, at parties, or at club meetings—will help you hold back any nasty insults.

6. You Turned Down a Guy who “Wasn’t Your Type”

Sometimes, it can be hard to spot a truly nice guy, but Carole Lieberman, M.D., psychiatrist and author of Bad Boys: Why We Love Them, How to Live with Them, and When to Leave Them, explains that a lot of college girls actually avoid good guys—but not on purpose. “They’re afraid to be with a good guy who wants to get close because they're afraid if they get close, the guy will hurt them or abandon them,” she says.

Instead of giving nice guys a chance, most of us collegiettes write them off as “not our type.” We then head straight for the notorious ladies’ men, because deep down, according to Lieberman, we think there’s no risk of getting attached—or hurt. (Spoiler alert: This plan always fails. Always.) That subconscious fear might be to blame for that just-not-into-him feeling you’ve got in your gut when you come across a nice guy.

“I went on a date with this great guy last semester, but I just felt like there wasn’t any chemistry,” recalls Jessica*, a junior at Skidmore College. “I basically put him in the friend zone. Of course, by the end of the year, I ended up wanting him. I’m giving guys a two-date minimum chance next year!”

Give the nice guys a chance, even if they don’t seem like “your type” at first glance. Don’t force yourself to go on more than one date if you really aren’t feeling it—especially since it’ll probably turn into a notorious first date disaster—but ask yourself what it is about the guy that makes you think you don’t have chemistry. Does he seem too predictable? Too interested? If he’s coming on way too strong, keep your distance. But if it’s just that he’s more direct and friendly than the bad boys who’ve kept you guessing in the past, he deserves a shot! Use these seven foolproof ways to tell if he’s a good guy to see if he’s worth your time.

7. You Let Your Crush Slip By

We get it: cute boys are intimidating! They’ve got those dreamy eyes, that fresh cologne smell... it’s a wonder we don’t all start stuttering mid-conversation. If your nerves got the best of you last year, making you more of a wallflower than a flirt, now’s the time to turn things around.

“You only live once,” Bogle reminds us. “If something doesn't work out, fine. But, you will sleep better at night if you know you gave it a shot. Don't sit on the sidelines and watch someone else steal your crush!”

Instead, get in on the action. Don’t be afraid to make the first move. If you see your crush in class, casually ask him to remind you of your latest assignment. Then, ask how he likes the class. The conversation should flow from there!

If you get to the point where you’re on talking terms but he isn’t making moves, he might not realize that you’re interested. Turn up the flirt factor by asking him to hang out for a one-on-one coffee on campus to get him in a dating mindset. Never underestimate the power of body language, either; putting a hand on his arm for a second after he’s told a funny joke is one of the best ways to signal that you’re open to something more.

Don’t fall back into bad habits this semester. You may not find love on your first day, but by making these changes (and avoiding these seven love mistakes), you’ll be seven steps closer!

*Names have been changed.

Like it or not, babysitting is usually one of the easiest ways to make money. Rather than sitting bored at an office all day and getting people coffee to earn $8 an hour (or sometimes nothing), you're playing with Barbies and watching Nick Jr. for hours on end for $10-15 an hour. Despite the allure of earning more money and avoiding going into an office, watching kids for an entire afternoon or evening isn't always a walk in the park. Here's our take on the stuff that really goes down while babysitting.

1. Before the parents leave, you promise them that everything will go smoothly.

You have to silence the voice in your inner head that wants to beg them to not come home on time.

2. The kids, as usual, are well-behaved at first.

You’re just waiting for the first sign of evil…

3. Before you know it, you’re playing "house," Hide & Seek or a board game.

Okay, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t love an excuse to play Hide & Seek.

4. When they're bored of that, you entertain them by letting them take and send selfies to whomever they please on Snapchat.

Cute kids are always a nice surprise on a Snap story.

5. After you've barely been there an hour, you will find that you'll answer one question 100 times... "When will my mom be home?"

"I promise, your mom will be home soon," you say for the thousandth time.

6. ...And if one of the kids you're watching is between the ages of 3-8, be prepared to answer a lot more questions than just that one.

*Fighting the urge to not yell "HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF GOOGLE?" at a toddler*

7. You know you have to feed them, but they’re picky and each want something different.

Ordering pizza is not only the easy way out – it’s also what makes you their favorite babysitter.

8. You don’t want to be a bum babysitter, so you clean the kitchen so that the parents can come home to a tidy house.

You might as well write “Please pay me well” on your forehead in Sharpie.

9. You can’t forget that food makes kids sticky, so you do your best to clean all of their hands and mouths before they can touch anything.

Of course they’ve already made it to the couch, so you’ll be cleaning that as well. Great.

10. When it's time to pick a movie or TV show, things can go very right or very wrong.

There is a BIG difference between getting to watch an original Disney classic and having to sit through some cheesy cartoon movie you've never heard of.

11. Regardless of what they pick, you find that you don't really watch it anyways.

You're too busy letting them take turns sitting in your lap to braid their hair and getting up to get them more water when they want it.

12. When it's finally bedtime, you might think you should be relieved - but you still have to make it through the nighttime routine.

Who doesn't love getting soaked while bathing a 4-four-year old and then dealing with the "I don't want to go to bed" temper tantrum?!

13. They beg you to sing them a song, which you say no to until they make puppy dog eyes - so you relent. Ugh.

Hopefully they like some acoustic, poorly performed Beyonce covers.

14. Once they're in bed, you're home free.

That is, until one of the kids inevitably gets out of bed claiming he or she is still hungry or still thirsty or not tired.

15. Despite how torturous it was at times or the fact that it seemed to last forever, you'd still do it again.

And you do. Because, let's be real, anything is better than having to dress nice and go into the office.

Late August is just around the corner, which means move-in day with your BFF. You couldn’t be happier. From the day you signed your housing agreement, you knew your roommate horror stories of freshman year were over.

While this may be true, don’t jump to conclusions just yet. Living with your BFF might not be as effortless as hanging out with her. If you don’t take the time to set boundaries and outline a few rules now, your roommate-BFF could become your roommate-ex-BFF–and fast.

To strengthen your friendship and lock in a great school year, it’s important to set some roomie guidelines and stick to them. But don’t worry--HC’s got your back. When it comes to college roommate situations, we’ve heard it all, like roommate horror stories. Follow our steps and living with your bestie will be smooth sailing this year.

Set Ground Rules

When you live with your best friend, you will always learn new things about her, no matter how well you knew her before. Maybe she cuts her toenails in the middle of the living room floor. Maybe she’s a stickler when it comes to washing dishes. Maybe she sings “Time After Time” whenever she cooks. And believe me, listening to a girl sing to her eggs when you’re trying to cram on the morning of a big exam can take some adjusting to. Unfortunately, there is no way to put this adjusting process in slow-mo; like it or not, from move-in day on you will be bombarded with your BFF-turned-roommate’s habits, and she with yours.

Living with your bestie is going to bring on almost as many surprises as living with a stranger would. But unlike moving in with a rando, moving in with your BFF gives you a head start on communication. So even though your roommate is your best friend and you get along great, take the time to set ground rules before the semester begins—it’ll be so much easier to make concessions with her than it would be with a total stranger. Trust me: later in the semester when you see your friends struggling with their roommates’ weird habits, you will think to yourself, Well, they should’ve talked about these issues beforehand!

How to Initiate the “Ground Rules” Conversation

After you’ve moved your boxes in to your new place, take a look around and say to your BFF:“Hey, I think it’d be great if we could sit down for ten minutes and chat about our expectations for this place, and set a few ground rules. This way we can avoid having minor conflicts blow up into huge fights!”

Here are some good points to bring up:

• Will we borrowing each other’s clothes? Do we have open closets or should we ask first?
• Will we be sharing food, or using separate shelves?
• Who will clean what?
• How will we handle visitors (especially boys)?
• What does your course load look like this semester?
• How will I know when you need some alone time?

While having this conversation will not prevent ALL conflicts, it gives you and your BFF an idea of how to be respectful of each other’s needs. Just remember: while these rules are a way to ease yourselves into your new living situation, they aren’t set in stone. Prepare to be flexible throughout the year, and adjust them (pending a discussion with your roommate) if your habits begin to get on each other’s nerves.

Communicate – Out Loud!

One way to minimize tensions that arise in your living space is to communicate, vocally.  If you feel your toes are being stepped on, don’t be afraid to reach out (respectfully) to your bestie. And no matter how uncomfortable you feel telling your BFF that something she does bothers you (you never had problems before!), you need to talk to her, out loud. This means no angry texts and no nasty messages on the wipe-off board! Even though your roommate knows you well, she won’t be able to read your passive-aggressive messages much better than any other person.

Why is communicating well so important when you room with your BFF? Poor communication between you and your bestie can mess with your social life, both inside and outside your apartment. Rooming with your best friend usually means rooming with someone from your main group of friends, and drama with her could mean drama with everyone. Take it from one anonymous Her Campus contributing writer: “I used to live with three of my besties. We always had typical roommate issues, like arguing over dirty dishes, but one day one of my roommates, and I got in an argument and stopped talking. It put our other two roommates in the awkward position of middlemen. After that argument we four could never go out food shopping together, let alone go out for dinner like we used to.”

So please, future BFF-roommate, always keep these words in the back of your mind: I will not internalize my roommate grievances. I will not leave angry messages on Post-it notes. I will not give my roommate the cold shoulder. I will tell her, calmly, what bothers me. Later, when we’re old ladies, we will laugh about this!

Learn to Take Criticism

Just as important as voicing your concerns over your roommate’s habits is listening to your roommate’s grievances about yours. Sure, it’s human nature to feel offended or hurt that she’s annoyed by something you do. But the sting will fade away. Remember, your roommate is not attacking you personally—she just wants you to make minor changes to better suit you both.

Sobe attentive. If your roommate suddenly stops speaking to you or seems distant, find a quiet moment when you know she’s not studying and ask her if you’ve done anything to bother her.

Grow Separately without Growing Apart

A famous quote says, “The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.” College is a major point in your life where you and your bestie may do just as this quote suggests: grow separately. But how do you make sure you don’t grow apart? There are two things you need to do to make sure you and your BFF stick to each other like glue, but without all the sticky mess: lead separate lives while making time to bond.

Expand your circle of friends to include those outside your dorm room...

And I’m not talking about Google+, here; I’m talking about getting out and doing things with people besides your roommate, even though she’s your best friend. Susan Fee, author of My College Roommate is Driving Me Crazy! writes on her website, “Hanging out with your best friend can hold both of you back. All it takes is one, ‘You didn't used to be that way,’ to feel trapped.” Your roommate best friend can quickly become your only friend if you don’t put in the effort to branch out. One Her Campus campus correspondent who chose to remain anonymous says, “My roommate and I did completely different things and were very busy, so when we came home at night, we loved seeing each other and appreciated each other's company. We could talk about our days and have fun, and cook dinner.” So join a club your roommate’s uninterested in or start playing Ultimate while you’re roomie’s at crew practice; you’ll only have more to talk about when you get home.

Plan special roomie sessions with your BFF, like Sunday dinners or movie nights. This way, no matter how busy your individual plans keep you, there will always be room for each other in your schedules. This worked great for us and our BFF roommates: we used to clear our schedules one night a week to cook dinner together. There were no complaints on our end, because not only did we get to chat with our chemical engineering roomies during one of their rare study breaks, but we also got to fuel up on food I never would have been able to cook for myself.

Coming home to your BFF’s familiar face can be comforting, but it takes hard work to maintain this comfort. By laying your expectations on the table in the first place, accepting the fact that conflict is inevitable, employing direct, respectful communication and making time for both personal growth and bonding, you, my friend, have become the best BFF roommate you can be. Let the late-night study sessions and pizza runs begin!

As a young female professional in the field of print media, there are a lot of things that I dream of one day accomplishing. Like reporting for The New York Times, publishing a novel, and starting a family, to name a few examples. Recently, I was invited to an afternoon of blowouts and champagne at Drybar followed by afternoon tea at The Plaza with Stephanie Clifford—a woman who has already achieved all of these goals. 

After Stephanie graduated magna cum laude from Harvard, she went on to become a senior writer at Inc. Magazine. Stephanie then joined The New York Times staff in 2008, where the Loeb-award winning reporter is still employed. She now lives in Brooklyn with her family (her husband, young son and two cats) and has successfully managed to balance motherhood, reporting for the Times and writing her soon-to-be-released novel, Everybody Rise.

Between bites of delicious éclairs, macarons and tarts, we discussed Stephanie's new novel, her experience as both a reporter and a novelist, and her advice for ambitious young women hoping to follow in her footsteps. Here are a few of the major things I learned during our conversation. 

1. Everybody Rise is one of those books that you just can't put down

I was sent a copy of Everybody Rise about a week before meeting Stephanie for afternoon tea, and I can tell you firsthand, I did not even need that long to devour this book. I read the whole thing in one day while soaking up the sun at the shore, and it was the perfect beach read. The story draws you in, and you can't stop reading—you just have to know what happens!

"Everybody Rise is a book about fitting in and figuring out who you are," Stephanie explained over cucumber sandwiches. "It follows a 26-year-old named Evelyn. She's from Maryland, she moves to New York and is trying to find her place here. She ends up thinking she's found it when she falls in with this old money set-driven job. In order to fit in there, she begins lying—she changes the way she dresses, she changes the makeup she wears, she changes her hair. The lies get bigger and bigger until she has to reckon with the sort of made-up life she's come up with." 

Basically, if you loved Edith Wharton's House of Mirth (or if you were obsessed with Gossip Girl), then you should read this book ASAP. 

2. It's all too easy to get caught up in trying to prove yourself to others

In the novel, Evelyn desperately tries to gain acceptance from an old-money crowd and to prove to them that she's worthy of being a part of their world. In Stephanie's bio, she mentions that as the class of the "new rich" became more prevalent, social anxiety has heightened to new levels. When I asked her if she thought that led to a lot of people mismanaging their money to try to play catch-up with the old-money crowd, Stephanie said absolutely. "I think especially when you're trying to show who you are through what you're wearing or through the brands you're associating yourself with, which Evelyn does try to do, you can get caught up in it really, really easily, as she does," Stephanie said. "She starts spending, and spending, and spending." 

But of course, this isn't something that is just specific to Manhattan. "Even if it's not New York high society, we've all had that moment where we're trying to be somebody we're not or trying to fit in with a clique that's not really for us." 

3. Everybody has to start somewhere 

Stephanie may have achieved levels of success that young writers (like myself) only dream about, but when she first arrived in New York City after graduating from Harvard, she wasn't quite where she wanted to be. "I definitely felt like an outsider," Stephanie said. "When I came to New York, I had a really hard time. I couldn't get a job for two years. I was barely making rent. I didn't have enough money to go out with my friends. I felt like I didn't see that reflected anywhere—in stories like Sex and the City, it was like, 'Cities are so glamorous. They're so easy.'" 

Photo Credit: Elena Seibert Photography

4. If you want to write a novel, find time to work on it every day

The idea of balancing motherhood with a full-time career as a successful reporter is enough to make most women's jaws drop. But to write a novel on top of all of those major responsibilities? It's almost unheard of. When I asked Stephanie how she managed to balance all of these endeavors, her answer surprised me. 

"My advice is to fit it into everyday life. When I started this and put it aside, I kept being like, 'Well, if I'm going to write, I need a summer off. I need, you know, a cabin somewhere where I can really write.' That's just not feasible for most of us," Stephanie answered. "So squeezing it into daily life actually took some of the pressure off, because I did have a job—I wasn't dependent on this for money." 

But when did she possibly find the time to work on her novel every day, between caring for her child and reporting for the Times? "For me, the only free time I had was two hours a day, and that's not a lot for writing. For a reporter, the most predictable time is early morning," Stephanie said. "I just started to figure out what window I could predict. I realized if I had to get up every morning and decide if I wanted to write, I wouldn't do it. So my deal with myself was I just had to sit there for two hours. If I didn't do anything, if I stared at the ceiling, that was fine. That just sort of took the choice out of it. It became a habit and set up the space to be creative." 

5. You should also make a specific space for yourself to be creative 

Stephanie talked about how when she started writing her novel, sometimes she would also have to work on things for the Times from home—so she just put her laptop on her lap and did her work from there. But she started to realize that she needed the space where she wrote her novel to feel different from the space where she completed her usual work from home. She knew she needed to make a specific space for herself where she could feel inspired to write her novel.

"So, I put some plants in the window, and I faced the window," Stephanie said. "I would make sure never to do Times stuff in that particular spot. I would actually turn my chair around if I was working on Times stuff, so that it would be a serene and a saved creative space."

6. The biggest difference between reporting and writing a novel is the pace 

At this point, Stephanie has written for plenty of different mediums. From editing Harvard's school paper to writing for Inc. Magazine to reporting for The New York Times and now writing a novel, she has tried her hand at all different kinds of writing. When I asked her what the differences between these mediums were for her, she offered a simple answer. 

"The pace is the biggest difference. When I went from the monthly magazine to a daily newspaper, that first month, you just don't know what's happening. It's writing a story a day basically," Stephanie answered. "With a novel, it's much more drawn out. You're doing it at your own pace. You're not on a deadline."

However, Stephanie did find a few similarities between these mediums. "A lot of the attention to dialogue is the same. I think because I was used to listening to people talk and writing it down, that was helpful in terms of the dialogue in this book."

7. You'll know you've made it when you see someone reading your book on the subway

Some days, writing can be hard. Inspiration can elude you and you can face writer's block that inhibits you from making progress on the novel that you've been working hard on for months, or in Stephanie's case, even years. During those days, what was the moment that Stephanie thought about to inspire herself to keep moving forward? Was it the thought of reading the letter announcing that she had been published? Was it the image of her book in the store? Nope. 

"It was seeing it on the subway," Stephanie said with a laugh. "I always have a 30-minute commute, and I always have a book in my hand. I miss my stop because I'm reading. I always thought, 'If this becomes a book one day, I will see it on the subway, and that will be the coolest thing.'" 

There you have it, collegiettes! When you buy Everybody Rise once it is released on August 18, read it on your morning commute and you might just make Stephanie Clifford's day. 

Or, instead of buying it yourself, enter below to win a free copy of Everybody Rise now!Everybody Rise Giveaway

This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from Mermaid Tales by Morgan Casper, a Her Campus Blogger Network member. Read the full post here—and find out more about how to become a Campus Correspondent for your school!

Now that fall semester is coming up, it’s time to start planning for school. Outfits, classes, activities—there’s so much to think about, but what about how you’ll be involved on campus? What types of skills or experiences do you want to add to your resume? If you’re a writer, social media addict, photographer, or event planner you should consider joining your school's Her Campus chapter.

Last year, I helped launch the Her Campus chapter at my school as a Campus Correspondent with my roommate at the time. Before applying to start the chapter, I had been running my own blog for a few months, had loved photography since I was 15, and on more than one occasion, thought about how cool it would be to start a magazine. Her Campus Siena allowed me to combine all three of those things into one experience, and I even got internship credit for it in the spring.

Starting this team in the beginning of my junior year came at just the right time for me. I was feeling a little lost at school, I hadn’t joined a club yet and I had only just figured out my major. Her Campus was exactly what I didn’t realize I was looking for. By the end of the year I made a bunch of new friends and I learned a lot about what it means to work for an online magazine. This summer, I even had the opportunity to go to New York City for Her Conference with a few of my team members. Her Campus opens up so many opportunities that I didn’t have before.

Even as a contributing writer, photographer, or event planner for the team, being a part of your chapter allows you to build your online portfolio and add amazing experiences to your resume and college experience. 

Read the full post on Mermaid Tales, and find out how to start a Her Campus chapter at your school!

As if the iconic red-soled pumps weren't expensive enough, Louboutin recently came out with a $90-dollar lipstick that probably made you give up on owning anything from the brand, ever. Not so fast, collegiettes! Cue Louboutinize, a free iPhone app that will make any of your Instas look a million dollars, thanks to its three ~unique~ photo filters.

"Rouge" brings "infrared" to a whole new level, with its almost blinding crimson effect:

"Crystallize" makes your pretty pout look like broken glass:

And "Legs" allows you to either ride a horse without risking injury or channel your inner balloon ballerina:

A dream come true, essentially. Plus, the best user submissions are featured on the Louboutin website homepage—that's extra incentive to get creative! New filters will be added every month.

So, will you be downloading Louboutinize?

The upcoming semester marks the start of new classes, new opportunities and for every die-hard sorority sister out there, a whole new year to indulge in all things Greek life.

We know you've been holding your breath, oh-so-patiently awaiting the arrival of the season's wide-eyed pledges, all while preparing to be the best big or grand-big ever. So, to help you show off your best Greek-loving self, we're here to help.

We've partnered with premiere Greek lifestyle brand The Social Life to give two lucky winners the opportunity to flash their letters in the latest Greek apparel—completely free!

Each winner will receive a $250 gift card to shop TSL's apparel to their heart's content, plus a fully-packed tote of TSL merch. Stocking everything from headbands to flannels adorned with your favorite letters. You can bet you'll use every last penny!

So what are you waiting for? Enter below, and be prepared to be the girl all of the newbies look up to with inevitable sister style-envy. 

The Social Life Giveaway

So, you’ve built a beyond amazing resume. Community service, internships, job experience—you’ve got it all. And, being the go-getter that you are, you’ve had a LinkedIn account for like, the past 3 years. But unfortunately, that doesn’t matter if employers aren’t looking at your profile, or worse, can’t even find it. How can you take your LinkedIn account to the next level, increasing the chances that a potential employer will find it and actually want to stay on the page once they do?

1. Engage with others (effectively)

LinkedIn is a professional community where you can (and should!) engage with others. This can include sharing original content, such as a portfolio or recently published pieces, commenting on other peoples’ posts or participating in lively discussion. You can also connect with others by following certain companies or organizations and by joining groups—particularly those centered on helping people to get recognized by employers in their field(s) of interest. By being an active member on LinkedIn, you'll increase site traffic towards your personal account and appear more often on the main home feed and within group activity, thus gaining a more recognizable presence on the social platform.

2. Make the first move  

If you’re looking to break into a certain career field or get an internship at a specific company and you can find the recruiters on LinkedIn, be proactive and connect with them yourself instead of banking on them eventually finding your page.

Of course, there are definitely certain guidelines that you should adhere to when reaching out to a recruiter or employer to ensure that you come across as your best and most professional self. Donna Serdula, an expert on optimizing online presence and the founder of Vision Board Media (known for its incredible LinkedIn Makeover services) affirms, “A college student can absolutely send a connection request to a recruiter or even potential employer as long as they provide a personalized message.” Make sure your message is concise and to the point (hint: proofread, proofread, proofread!), and make sure your message doesn't sound like you're asking for a job out of the blue. Serdula emphasizes that a message to an employer on LinkedIn is not the place to ask for a job, but instead to share your interest in and your desire to learn more about the company. “The secret is coming across as friendly and inquisitive versus desperate and needy,” she explains.

You can then hold the recruiter's interest by participating in discussions that the recruiter begins through a status or forum, or by joining and engaging in a group that the recruiter is a part of (which can easily found on that person's page).

“Show your engagement,” says Serdula. “Get involved and like, comment and share.”   

3. Give the right first impression

Your LinkedIn photo is the very first impression you’ll give someone who is looking at your profile. So is yours one that will convince a recruiter or employer to do more than simply glance at your page and move on to the next candidate? As a college student, you probably can’t justify going out and paying for a professional head shot. But, that doesn’t mean you should settle for taking a selfie and calling it a day (seriously, never use a selfie as a LinkedIn profile picture)! A professional and high-quality picture can completely take your LinkedIn account to the next level and can even be the deciding factor on whether employers take you seriously as a potential intern or future employee.

If you’re at a loss of where to get a photo of yourself, try having your roomie or a photographer friend take a quality snap of you against a blank backdrop. Depending on how different you look and what year you are, you may even be able to comb through your high school senior pictures for a good head shot. If all else fails, see if your college’s career services department takes head shots for a reduced price—they may even offer them for free!

4. Customize your URL

Take your URL from a long line of random punctuation marks and letters to a clean and concise mini description of exactly whose profile it is. First, head over to your LinkedIn profile. You’ll see what your URL currently is for your profile page listed directly below the “View profile as” button in your bio box. Click on the settings gear to the right of the URL and then look over to the right hand column where it says “Your public profile URL.” Click on the editing pencil and type in your name to create your very own customized URL.

Not only will this SEO-friendly customized URL make your LinkedIn account one of the top Google hits should anyone search for your name online, but it will also allow you to easily share your profile with others. Says Serdula, “Customizing this link makes it easy to include on your resume, business cards, email signature [or] other social media profiles.” It will be easy for others to remember and thus easy for you to market yourself as a branded young professional!

5. Let people know you want to be found...

LinkedIn isn’t a place where you have to maintain an overly successful appearance all the time; it’s fine—beneficial, even—to let others know you are up for something new.

In addition to joining groups focused on recruiting new candidates to a certain field, using your professional headline is a great way to communicate to others where you stand work-wise—just be sure to remain somewhat subtle in your job search.

“Create an engaging narrative that acts as a digital introduction. Use your summary to tell the world who you are and how you help people and businesses,” says Serdula. And for all of you with “Seeking new employment” splattered across your profile, Serdula suggests replacing it with the less overt phrase: “Open to opportunities.”

Already employed but looking for something new? You may want to think through letting your professional colleagues and boss know via LinkedIn that you are open to advancing into a different career path. After all, your current employer might get rid of you proactively before you find a new job if they know you're planning on leaving! So use discretion and think carefully before deciding whether or not you want to communicate such a message.

6. ...and don’t forget to let employers know where they can find you

Far too often, a LinkedIn user will have an amazing profile with everything from previous work experience to honors and awards and organizations they are a part of completely filled out. They seem like a great hire, a must-have employee and are attracting successful amounts of traffic to their page. But there's just one problem: they fail to let anyone know where and how to contact them.

According to Serdula, “Opportunity can't knock if it doesn't know which door to knock on.”

Therefore, you absolutely must include your contact information on your profile in an easy-to-find way. At the very least include your personal or work email, but if appropriate, feel free to also include a personal website or online portfolio, social media handles and a cell phone number.

7. Get Recommended

Particularly if you’ve had a killer internship experience or have a great professional reference that you’ve made, getting a personal recommendation can tremendously enhance your LinkedIn profile. Not only will recommendations make you a more credible and employable candidate, but it will allow your profile to be seen by more viewers because it will show up on the recommender’s personal page as well as your own.

When making a (courteous!) request for a LinkedIn recommendation, make sure you tell the person why you are asking them specifically. What have you done for them or shown to them that makes you a great person to recommend? Also give them a quick idea of what specific skills, traits or services you want the person to recommend you for. Did you meet deadlines exceptionally well? Were you always willing to take on new projects? Were you a great team player? If and when you do recieve a recommendation, be sure to send a thorough thank you message to your reference, and even return the favor if applicable! But, needless to say, remember that not every supervisor or connection you contact may be comfortable or feel justified giving you one. 

8. Master LinkedIn SEO

LinkedIn uses a Boolean search engine, which means that the content you include within your profile can make or break whether your page is seen by recruiters searching for similar candidates. Make sure you complete each and every part of your profile in order to maximize its appearance in searches—especially your professional headline, which is one of the most SEO-sensitive fields on LinkedIn, according to Serdula. But don’t forget to fill out the more generic information too, such as your geographic location, your major and minor and your interests, which can all be enormously helpful in maximizing your appearance. Also be sure to include targeted key words that are specific to the industry you are interested in.

“Your profile will only be found for keywords that exist within it so be very strategic when writing your profile. Identify upfront what keywords a person would use to find someone like you.” Serdula says. “Once you know your keywords, make sure to sprinkle them throughout your profile in a natural, organic way. Use [them] as part of your narrative—not as a bulleted list.”

So while your profile shouldn't read like a laundry list of over-used industry terms, be sure to be specific enough with your word choice in order to be the top hit on an employer's search. 

9. Make yourself click-worthy

Recruiters check out countless potential employees and interns on LinkedIn every single day, meaning that many won't even continue on to your full account page if you haven’t captured their interest almost immediately with your thumbnail, name and position title. So, to grab their attention, make these things pop! Once again, it's vital to make sure that your thumbnail picture is appropriate and represents you as the young professional you are. To ensure that recruiters know they have found the right potential new hire, also be sure your name is listed as they would expect to find it (as in, no nicknames). And where you should really focus on enhancing your LinkedIn account to ensure a recruiter will follow through to your full page is your professional headline—again, an extremely SEO-sensitive area. How? Make it detailed but concise, leaving the recruiter knowing exactly who you are and interested in learning more about you.

Utilize the space you have to list one to three of your roles, experiences and even interests. For example, if you're a writer, you can write, “Editorial Intern for X Company | Contributing Writer for Y Company | Web Content Enthusiast.” Take special note of the use of the “|” pipe divider or vertical bar punctuation mark, which, according to Serdula, allows you to list targeted keywords that will give your fully-optimized LinkedIn profile an increased search ranking.

LinkedIn is all about being proactive. It’s a social network, and to completely master it, you have to know the best practices in order to attract employers, remain an active participant and abide by its professional social norms. Most of all, be social: sitting back and waiting for the employers to come to you may sound easy, but doing so is extremely limiting. If you're willing to put yourself out there, the interview and job offers will be floating on over in no time!