College is its own world. The hook-up culture of late nights out and awkward mornings after seems to prevail, and it can start to feel like everyone is either totally single and ready to mingle or madly in love with The One. But what if you’re not entirely sure which end of the spectrum you want to be on?

Maybe you’re basking in the independence of the single life, but every time you witness PDA, you get a pit in your stomach, and you’re not sure if it’s a precursor to vomit or a growing feeling of envy. Maybe a relationship just isn’t for you, but how can you be sure? Here are some signs you should continue to enjoy your membership in the single girls’ club, because a serious relationship just isn’t your thing.

1. You have doubts about being in a relationship.

Typically, if something feels wrong, it is. College is a time for experiencing new things and experimenting, and maybe the missing out on opportunities because you’re tied down to someone else isn’t your cup of tea. Is there a nervousness you associate with the thought of being in a relationship? Take these feelings at face value: you’re probably not ready or not interested in being a part of a relationship. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!

Michelle Cove, author of Seeking Happily Ever After, says, “I think we know a lot of the time whether it’s right for us, but we don’t necessarily admit that because it’s easier to go with the flow.”

When it comes to your love life, you need to go with your gut. “You’re ignoring some really valuable part of yourself that you know it’s not right,” Cove says. “You have to carve out time to be alone and in silence.”

You know yourself better than anyone else, so think about what you want in life. Sure, getting yourself a significant other can be somewhere on your to-do list, but just because it’s not your number one thing to check off is no reason to worry. Think for yourself and you’ll discover what’s best for you.

2. Your life is crazy busy.

Your schoolwork is causing you insane amounts of stress and you can’t find a free minute to think of anything other than that looming exam you need to ace. You’re not eating healthily, and you find yourself constantly pushing your body and mind past its breaking point. You have no idea what you want for lunch, let alone what you want to do with the rest of your life. It may seem like a relationship would be a relief from the stresses of everything else, but how can you maintain a healthy one if you can barely maintain a healthy lifestyle?  The truth is, you can’t.

According to psychotherapist Tristan Coopersmith, college women are still figuring out their lives, meaning it’s not necessarily the best time to enter into a serious relationship. “A relationship should be the icing on your cake and the cherry on your sundae,” she says. “Your life should already be a sugary delicious sundae, and your guy shouldn’t be everything; he should just be that added bonus. ”

You don’t need a relationship to make you happy, and you certainly don’t need a significant other to put your life back together for you. Love is fantastic and beautiful, and it’s a great thing to be insanely happy in a relationship, but timing is everything. The transitional and stressful nature of college isn’t necessarily the most stable time to get into a relationship. Just like a puzzle piece that doesn’t seem to fit, don’t force a relationship into your already busy life. Just keep putting the rest of the puzzle together for now.

3. You’re interested in lots of guys.

Now, this isn’t to say you can’t appreciate a good-looking guy if you’re in a relationship. By all means, drool over that hottie across the room (but keep your thoughts to yourself). But if you are genuinely lusting over every guy at the gym right now, why waste your time or effort considering a relationship when there are so many pretty toys to play with?

“Human nature makes us attracted to other people, but what is not okay is a desire to be with someone else,” Coopersmith says. Don’t put yourself in that position if you already know you’re not ready to be settled down and committed to just one guy.

College is one of the few times when you’re exposed to so many people the same age as you with equally few responsibilities. There are countless single men wandering campus who are probably going to catch your eye during their shirtless game of volleyball on the quad. Be aware of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet so many people and consider whether or not you’re willing to give that up to stay loyal to one person.

4. You feel pressured.

Being the only remaining single friendsucks. But that’s no reason to jump into a relationship! Kathleen A. Bogle, author of Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus, discourages submitting to such pressures.

“On college campuses, there is often pressure to not be in a relationship.  But if several close friends are in relationships, the pressure can be the opposite: to find a boyfriend,” Bogle says. “Unfortunately, when you are looking for the wrong reasons, you may end up settling for someone who is not really a good match.”

There is absolutely no need to find a boyfriend just because you are tired of being a third wheel. Instead, revel in the perks of being single that your other friends miss, and make friends with some fellow single ladies as well so you have an outlet when everyone else is having date night.

5. You’re insecure.

When it comes down to it, this may be the most important sign that you aren’t ready for a relationship. You’ve probably heard it time and time again, but how can you expect someone else to love you when you don’t love yourself?

“It comes down to the idea of self-acceptance and self-approval,” Coopersmith says. “If we’re not okay with ourselves, we’re not right for a partnership."

Coopersmith says the most important thing is to be totally accepting and content with yourself. An SO is not going to be your saving grace or help you recover your long-lost confidence. Never rely on someone else to be your happiness. Of course, a healthy relationship can make you happier, but you need to be comfortable and love yourself first. You are beautiful, and one day some lucky guy or girl will get to tell you that every day! But first, you need to be able to look in the mirror and do the same.

So maybe you’ve looked at the signs and realized a relationship just isn’t for you. That’s totally fine! And don’t think this means you have to go around hooking up with every coed you see. You should feel equally empowered if you make the decision to be happily single and just do your own thing if that’s what you want to do.

We cannot get enough of Cara Delevingne. Although she says she's going to leave the modeling world, we know whatever she does, she will absolutely kill it. Here are some of the reasons why we're totally obsessed: 

1. That one time she fired back at the Good Day Sacramento news anchor for telling her to "take a nap and drink some Red Bull"

Recently, our girl Delevingne had to endure a painfully awkward interview with Good Day Sacramento. The anchors called her out for being sarcastic and not taking the interview seriously. The anchor also had the audacity to ask her if she had even read Paper Towns before filming the movie to where she jokingly replied, "Uh, no I never read the book, or the script. I kind of winged it." Oh, how we just love her British sass! 

2. When she shut down haters about her sexuality

Cara defended her sexuality by saying that her being bisexual "is not a phase." In the July 2015 of Vogue, Cara opened about her relationship with Annie Clark where they casted her sexuality as a "phase." Cara and Annie started dating earlier this year and she says that being in love with her girlfriend is a big part of why she's feeling so happy with who she is. "It took me a long time to accept the idea, until I first fell in love with a girl at 20 and recognized that I had to accept it." You go, girl! 

3. When she beat boxed on Jimmy Fallon

Cara is a total triple threat! Back in July, Delevingne added beat boxing to her resume after performing live on Jimmy Fallon.  

4. Remember when she was a total bad a** in Taylor Swift's Bad Blood music video? 

She might be our favorite member of Taylor's squad. 

5. When she showed her support for #FreeTheNipple

If you don't follow Cara on Instagram, go do it right now! She's a huge supporter of gender equality. 

6. When she walked the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and totally killed it

7. That one time she called out the modeling industry 

"Modeling just made me feel a bit hollow after a while," she said. "It didn't make me grow at all as a human being. And I kind of forgot how young I was. I felt so old." Although she's known as one of the most famous and successful supermodels, Cara said she will no longer be doing fashion work and we can't blame her. 

8. When she Instagramed in favor of the LGBTQ+ community 

Identifying as bisexual, Cara is not shy about defending who she is, what she believes and what she wants. Let's all be more like Cara--be whoever we want to be! 

9. The two times she was crowned “Model of the Year” 

Delevingne has won the British Fashion Award twice--once in 2012 and once in 2014.  Can we please be you? Or maybe just get a closet like yours?

10. When she got casted as Margo in Paper Towns

11. And as Enchantress in Marvel's Suicide Squad

You rock, Cara. Don't change. 

No matter if you’re a freshman in college, or you’re beginning your senior year, it seems that certain anxieties are just unshakeable at the start of each semester. Where will you sit on the first day of class? Why can’t you understand what your professor is saying? How do you ALREADY have three chapters of reading due next week? Here are 15 new semester anxieties that have plagued the minds of each and every one of us at some point or another.

1. Checking your roster 400 times to make sure you're going to the right classroom

Because even if you've been in this building a billion times, you never know if they magically rearranged it while you were on break...

2. Awkwardly searching the room for the perfect seat not too close to the front, but also not too far from the back

*Avoids eye contact* "Excuse me, uh, sorry, uh, can I just, ummmm, squeeze by you real quick?"

3. Worrying that (even though you JUST quadruple-checked) somehow you still ended up in the wrong room & *gulp* you're about to sit through the completely wrong class

"Oh my god. I'm in the wrong place. This isn't my class. This. TOTALLY. Isn't. My. Class. Everyone's looking at me. This is it. This is the end. Goodbye world." 

4. Oh no, not the dreaded ice-breakers!!

Please, professor, I would MUCH rather sit in silence, do my work and leave. Is that really too much to ask for?!

5. Did the professor just mention group projects...?

BRB, time to go drop the class.

6. Spending your life savings on "mandatory" textbooks you'll probably use one time

Well... there goes ten gazillion dollars you'll never see again.

7. Preparing for class & STILL having no idea what your professor is talking about...

"It's two weeks into the semester and I'm already behind. Is it too late to drop out of college and become a housewife?" (Kidding.)

8. Thinking about your full-time course load, your part-time job and your internship combined, and wondering if you'll ever have free time again.

Days off are actually a thing!? I thought those were a myth!

9. Contemplating if you picked the right major...

Because is there even a job for [INSERT ANY & EVERY MAJOR THAT EXISTS]???

10. On that note, contemplating every single life choice you've made up to this point

Is it too late to just, you know, give up?

11. Needing an adult's help, then realizing that you're supposed to be one of those now?

"But I'm just a child!!!" says the 20-year-old collegiette with her own apartment, job and car.

12. Realizing that you will inevitably become the broke college student you worked all summer to avoid becoming

Ten years from now, it won't matter that you were cold, broke and hungry...right?

13. Accepting that it will probably–– actually, most definitely be a long time before you have an amazing, home-cooked meal again

Ramen counts as a vegetable, right?

14. Stressing that every single one of your classmates probably has his or her life a lot more together than you do

What happened to we're all in this together!?

15. Because, WTF are you even doing with your life anyway?

"This semester I will abosulely get my life together!" You tell yourself... every semester.

Working out at the gym can be daunting sometimes. There are so many different machines that trying to use them can be confusing. Since we understand that sometimes you don’t want to leave your dorm room or embarrass yourself in the gym while trying to figure out how to set up the machine, we’ve compiled a list of strength-building exercises that require nothing but your own body to do. Whether it’s the freezing cold or the complexity of the machines that's been keeping you from the gym, now you can get a workout in the comfort of your room—no excuses!

1. Jump Squats

Jump squats are a great way to mix it up when you want to challenge yourself. These squats will not only work your glutes, legs and abs, but they’ll help to build muscle in your entire body.

1. Start by lowering your hips into a squat so that your glutes are parallel to the ground.
2. Once you’re squatted in position, jump up and land back into the deep squatting position that you started in.
3. Complete three sets of 10 reps.

Amy Morton, CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) and owner of Amy's Personal Training, suggests that “when you land, make sure you immediately [go] down into a deep squat. When doing this exercise you want to emphasize the squat versus the height of the jump. Of course you want to try to jump up high, but landing into a deep squat and exploding up out of a deep squat is what makes this exercise a good one.”

Morton also suggests that you “focus on taking your arms back when you land and driving your arms forward as you explode out of the squats.”

2. Tricep Dips

For women, the arms can be one of the most difficult areas to tone. Tricep dips can help tone and strengthen your triceps, which are the muscles at the back of your upper arms. Doing these dips can also work to strengthen your abs and core.

1. First, find a place that can support your weight, such as a chair or even the edge of a bathtub.
2. After you find a good support, place your hands on the edge and let your body weight fall into your arms while keeping them locked. Extend your feet so they are straight in front of you with your heels on the floor and toes facing up.
3. Lower yourself towards the floor until you create a 90-degree angle at your elbow, then push back up. “Focus on going down to 90 degrees at the elbow; no more, no less,” Morton says.    
4. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps.

3. Leg Lifts

Leg lifts can be challenging, but that’s because you’re working so many muscles. By doing these, you’re working to tone your abs, legs, glutes and core.

1. Begin by lying on the floor on your back and placing your hands by your side, keeping your legs straight out in front of you.
2. Now, keeping your hands straight out by your side, lift both legs off of the ground (without bending your knees) to at least a 90-degree angle.
3. Then, lower your legs as close to the floor as possible without actually touching it, hold for a moment and lift back up. Morton says to “make sure you take your leg up as high as you can and then all the way back down and don’t go too fast. Keep it slow and steady.” 
4. Complete three sets of 12 reps.

4. Reverse Leg Lifts

This exercise focuses primarily on your glutes and lower back. It works to lift your butt so you can get just a little closer to being Beyoncé.

1. To do this, kneel down on all fours, supporting your upper body with your forearms.
2. Keeping one knee on the ground, raise the other behind you so that your foot is parallel to the ceiling.
3. Bring that leg back down, keeping it bent, and lift it back up. Try working to keep a steady rhythm and not letting your leg rest back on the floor between reps.
4. Repeat this with both legs.
5. Complete three sets of 15 reps for each leg.

5. Reverse Crunches

Reverse crunches are a fun and more challenging version of your standard crunch. This crunch essentially works all of the abdominal muscles, but largely the rectus abdominis, which is the muscle that gives you the six-pack look. By doing this exercise, you can finally get those abs you’ve always wanted.

1. Start by lying on your back with your arms straight by your side.
2. Lift your legs and bend your knees so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your calves are parallel to the floor.
3. Lift your legs toward your stomach, pushing your body off of the floor. At the height of the exercise, your legs will be over your chest.
4. Come back down to the starting position and repeat. “Don't go too fast,” Morton says. “You will get better results doing these slowly with good form rather than flying through them with incorrect form.”
5. Complete three sets of 12 reps.

6. Reverse Elbow Plank With Leg Lifts

This exercise is a challenging twist on the classic plank. You will have to be strong through this one—you’ll feel the burn! This exercise will tone your arms and legs while challenging your core.  

1. Begin lying on your back with legs straight out in front of you.
2. Press into your heels and lift your body off of the ground, trying to keep it in one diagonal line. Keep your arms straight behind you with your palms facing your feet.  
3. Alternate lifting one leg off the ground at a time. Try to do this slow and steady in order to fully get the benefits.
4. Complete three sets of 15 reps for each leg.

7. Calf Raises

Calf muscles tend to be ignored in most workouts, but toned calves make for great legs! This exercise is so simple, it won’t even seem like a workout, but your calves will definitely thank you for doing this one.

1. Start by standing with your toes on the edge of a step.
2. Lower your heels, then rise up on your toes. That is one rep.
3. Continue doing this at a steady pace.
4. Complete three sets of 15 reps.

You can do these simple strength-building exercises anywhere, so not wanting to go to the gym is no longer an excuse—sorry (but really, you’re welcome)! Mix some cardio with these exercises and you’re bound to be Victoria’s-Secret-Model status by spring break!

Move over, Kim Kardashian—Taylor Swift is now the most followed person on Instagram. Kim beat out Beyoncé last month with about 44 million followers to Bey's 43 million, but Taylor is currently in the lead with 45.8 million followers.

Is it her adorable cat photos that do the trick, or her jealousy-inducing celebrity #squad? Regardless, T. Swift is loved and followed by close to 46 million! Taylor's world tour, her #TBTs and photos of her famous friends are keeping her Instagram account in the lead. Maybe Kim needs to cool it with the #selfies to maintain her throne... just a thought.

Do you think Taylor deserves this title, collegiettes?

Despite what the lyrics to her newest single might suggest, Selena Gomez has come out as very much in favor of loving yourself first. After a stint in rehab early last year, which she has stated was the result of stress, Selena is about to release her new album and says she is feeling happier and more confident than ever. In an interview with the German magazine Bravo, she said: “The only thing I have to do is be happy with myself, and I am," she said. "I want to be able to eat a burger without someone having their say about my figure. I'm not particularly dainty by nature and don't plan to starve myself to change that. Girls should accept themselves the way they are. And others need to be more accepting of us too. We deserve more respect!” Easier said than done, but very true nonetheless!

Since so many former Disney stars have struggled with growing up in the spotlight and transitioning into adulthood, it’s heartening to see Selena bounce back so strongly. “I like myself the way I am and would never starve in order to look the way others expect me to,” she added. “There will always be people who criticize me, and I am a very sensitive person, but I have learned to care less about what people think. In the past year, I’ve become far more confident and now I’m happier and more relaxed than I’ve ever been!” If only we were all as far along as Selena on our confidence journeys—but for now, let’s take her advice and go grab a burger to celebrate how awesome we are!

Figuring out where you want to live and whom you want to live with in college can be awkward for many reasons. Maybe the girl you chatted with on Facebook before the semester started who claimed she was easy-going turned out to be a neat freak who tossed out your syllabi, or perhaps the fun roomie you were hoping for turned out to be a total frenemy who ignored yourmutual roommate contract. She drove you crazy all year, but it has to stop: There’s no way you’re letting it happen again next year.

This year, you’re going in prepared. What if your roomie thinks you’re total BFFs? How do you tell your roommate you don't want to live with her anymore? What if you want to live in a certain building, but a girl you really want to room with can't afford a certain apartment? There are solutions for all of these awkward situations, but you have to go in knowing how to deal.

Here are five inevitable awkward housing situations that will come up when it comes time to finding housing for next year and tips for how to deal with them:

1. You and your roommates have different budgets

Your roommate can’t stop raving about the apartment she found with enormous closets, and a full kitchen with granite countertops, but you and your tight budget were hoping for cheaper digs. Or maybe you found a great place within your budget, but your roomie’s balking at the rent. What do you do?

In this case, it’s best to talk it out and work together to find a happy medium.

“For me, one of my friends couldn't afford an off-campus house and it was a little awkward,” said Rachel, a junior at the University of Delaware. “We told her the price and she started crying and eventually backed out of the whole thing because she couldn't afford it. But by then we had a lease ready to sign for a place we all loved and we had to deny it, so that wasn't fun.” Rachel says her friend avoided her for a little while out of embarrassment, but now everything is back to normal.  

Before you even start your apartment search, make sure you and your friends are clear about what your budgets look like. Once you’ve found a place you love, be sure to be upfront about the costs of living with your friends and potential roommates. You want to make the transition as smoothly as possible, and you don’t want to put your friends or yourself in a tough situation. If the girls find an apartment that’s above your budget, make sure you let them know right away; that way, you don’t end up locked in to a contract you can’t keep, nor will you have to back out last minute and leave your friends in a bind. Discuss ways to lower your costs either by finding a new place within your price range, or even by coming to some sort of agreement; for example, maybe you’ll take the smallest room for a lower rent. Be flexible where you can, though; both sides may have to give and take a little bit on the price, but settle for a price somewhere in the middle.

Julia, a senior who goes to school in Worcester, Massachusetts, had someone drop out of an apartment because of the price a week before they were supposed to finalize the plans. She says that her potential roommate brought up that the price of the apartment was too expensive for her after they’d all decided they wanted to move into it. “If an apartment/building is too expensive for you, you owe it to your other roommates to let them know ASAP,” she urges.

Julia believes that if you let your friends know right away that you can’t afford a certain apartment, they will understand and be supportive of you. “With my situation, nobody was judging the other girl for not being able to afford it, and things would've been much smoother if she'd just told us straight away,” she says.

To prevent this from happening to you and your friends, suggest setting a budget before you go housing hunting. How much do you all want to pay a month? Could you reduce the cost by inviting more friends to live with you? These are just a few factors to consider that could prevent some miscommunication down the road!

If you are left in the sticky situation of figuring out housing if a friend drops because of the price, have a backup plan. Never rule out campus housing as an option, and keep a few collegiettes in mind who would be willing to jump in on an apartment and split rent if somebody backs out last minute.

2. You don’t want to live with her

If you don’t want to room with someone who asked to live with you next year, you have to break it to her eventually. But, you have to tread lightly:

“You have to be really nice about it,” says Abigail*, a freshman at American University. “Even if you’re not, you have to look interested, and then you have to say that you have some options and you need to look over them and think about it and get back to her. It’s important to thank her for thinking of you, and say you’ll let her know.” Unless you know she’d be the roommate from a horror flick, don’t write her off right away. Consider the possibility of rooming with her, but if you absolutely know that you have other plans, let her know as soon as you can that you’re already committed to another roommate.

If you want to get out of living with your current roommate again, you need to be a bit more direct. Have a conversation about your plans for next year, and let her know some reasons for wanting to get a new roommate. If you’re having roommate problems, your reasons for wanting to get a new roomie may be obvious (and she most likely will feel the same way), but if you reasons are different you need to make them known.

In this case, honesty is the best policy. You can’t worry about hurting her feelings because you have to do what you believe will be best for the both of you. Just be sure to let her down gently! If you want to have the experience of getting to know someone new and living with a new collegiette or want to live with a friend, you have to let your current roommate know so that she can make arrangements herself.

3. The elusive roommate

If you haven’ttried to fix your roommate problems by the time you have to sign up for housing for next year, you might find yourself on the receiving end of being dumped, meaning your roommate might have made other plans without talking to you at all.

“My best friend moved out on her roommate this past semester,” says Allison. “She just waited until the semester ended and moved out. She texted her and told her she just wasn't happy in that room.”

This is what you want to avoid at all costs, collegiettes! Even if you’re not friends with your roommate, you still want to be civil and respect each other. In college, you want to avoid burning bridges, not only because you’ll be running into this person during the rest of your time in college, but also because you never know who your boss might be down the road! How awkward would it be to be applying for a job only to run into the roommate you hated freshman year?

Be proactive to avoid this happening to you. If you’re unsure of what to do for next year or if your roommate hasn’t mentioned anything, send your roommate a quick text asking if the two of you can talk. Try to meet in person (preferably in your room or in a non-confrontational setting) and just talk about her plans. Ask her about next year, and she might bring up her plans without you having to spill your housing concerns.

4. Odd one out

So maybe you loved your roommate from freshman year and you both want to room with each other again, but she’s already got a best friend higher up on her list to live with. If you figure this out too late in the process, you may find out that you’re either out on the street, or living in a triple room with your old roomie and her new BFFL.

Triple rooms are usually cheaper, but more crowded. If you’re in a triple, beware of being the odd one out. You certainly don’t want to always feel like you’re the girl getting left out. If your roommate wants to live with her new best friend, consider the options that you have. You can either pick a new roommate, hope for the best and get a random roommate or try to live with a best friend of your own!

Of course, it’s best to avoid this scenario altogether—if your current roommate is deciding between you and her bestie, don’t be afraid to give her a deadline for her final answer. Explain that you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re scrambling last-minute to find someone to room with, and she’ll understand!

5. The search for one more roomie

After freshman year, housing options open up for college students. You can live off campus, in a suite-style dorm or be a resident assistant. The possibilities are endless. When it comes to wanting to live in a suite-style dormitory, things can get hairy:

“[I’m in] the awkward trying-but-not-trying to find another roommate stage,” says Charlotte, a freshman who wants to live in a suite-style dorm room next year. Charlotte and her two roommates need to find one more girl to live with in their suite.

If this is you, go on the hunt for one more roommate! Chat with potential roommates by inviting someone to get lunch or coffee with you and your two roommates, and see if the four of you mix well or clash! It’s best if the fourth roommate can get along with all three of you, so she doesn’t feel like she’ll be invading the beautiful arrangement you already have.

Many colleges also have an online search system built into their websites to help students find additional roommates. “Browse potential roommates based on their answers to a brief lifestyle survey,” suggests Tristine Harris, an assignment coordinator who works for American University Housing and Dining. “This allows you to also message [them] and get to see if you are further compatible beyond these questions.”

Be sure to check around with collegiettes on campus who might still be looking for a roommate, or see if your college has a housing page where you can look for potential roomies.

Let’s face it: Talking about housing will almost always be awkward if you’re not prepared for the conversation. Talking things through with your potential roommates is key to making sure you all are on the same page for next year!

*Names have been changed.

Nothing beats the feeling you get right after you paint your nails or receive an amazing salon manicure—you’re ready to take on the world, collegiette!

In order to preserve the shine and durability of your nails, you’ll need a durable top coat designed to keep your nails chip-free for days on end. It’s definitely an essential beauty product you may not have known you needed, so we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites so your nails will be on fleek, all week!

Orly Top 2 Bottom Base and Top Coat($10)

This formula works double time as both a base and top coat, so you have no excuse for skipping out. It dries quickly and binds your nail lacquer properly to ensure multiple days of shine. Count us in!

Seche Dry Fast Top Coat($9.95)

Adored by both salons and bloggers alike, Seche Vite formulas are a cult favorite beauty product. Their formulas claim to penetrate “all the way down to your nail bed” to make sure chipping and peeling are a concern of the past.

The fast-dry formula lives up to its name, since we were out the door and about our business about ten minutes after application. Definitely a game changer.

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat ($4.99)

Following the fast dry trend, this top coat is guaranteed to leave your nails feeling dry and secure just one minute after application. Plus, the drugstore price tag is perfect for collegiettes on a strict budget.

Essie Gel Setter Top Coat ($9.99)

Love the long-lasting look of a gel manicure, but hate the hefty cost? Essie does too, so they created their own gel top coat that gives you all the benefits of a gel manicure, without needing a UV light or having to pay a fortune. Simply apply base coat, your favorite Essie nail polish, and finish with this formula.

OPI Top Coat ($9.50)

It’s hard to go wrong when it comes to OPI nail polishes, and their top coat is no exception. The smooth formula glides easily over nails, protecting them from damage and sealing in incredible color and shine.

Do you have a favorite top coat, collegiettes?

We haven’t been this excited about shoes since… who are we kidding? We’re always excited about shoes! But this is a brand new level of excitement.

Plus-size online retailer Eloquii has launched a line of wide-fit shoes. Lace-up heels, ankle booties and d’Orsay pumps are among the recently released styles, which are 30 percent wider than traditional shoes. And did we mention there’s a pair of over-the-knee boots that boasts a calf-friendly 19” leg opening? The line includes sizes seven through 12, and the price point for each pair is roughly $100.

So what compelled the brand, once a branch of The Limited, to incorporate such styles into their already popular plus-size selection of clothes and accessories? It was actually a surge in search traffic for footwear on the retailer’s site. And Eloquii smartly gave the people what they wanted. And now we wait and hope that this is another great movement toward fashion-forward, shoppable options for women of all sizes. 

Because staring at shoes is one of our greatest joys in life, we’ve selected our favorite styles for you to shop below.

Will you be picking up a pair of Eloquii’s stylish wide-fit shoes, collegiettes? 

On Wednesday, September 9, the 89-year-old Queen Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch that the United Kingdom has ever had. And, true to her usual form, she accepted the accomplishment humbly and without any grandeur.

The country celebrated by pausing their day for half an hour, and a caravan of boats were sent through the Thames river in honor of her dedicated service. She and Prince Phillip were in Scotland, for the opening of a new rail system. They rode the rail and then Queen Elizabeth gave a speech at the Scottish Borders.

In her speech, she said “Inevitably, a long life can pass many milestones – my own is no exception – but I thank you all and the many others at home and overseas for your touching messages of great kindness.”

This record is one that Queen Elizabeth is taking from her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, who served as queen for 63 years and 216 days. The exact moment when she took the title is unknown, as it is unknown at what exact time her father passed away, and passed the crown on to her.

We all know how expensive college is, whether we're paying for it ourselves or not. A recent map from Mic and the U.S. Department of Labor/College Board shows us what percentage one year of in-state college tuition takes away from a minimum wage worker's yearly income. The percentage ranges from 34 percent in Alaska to 98 percent in New Hampshire.

On average, college tuition takes away more than half of a minimum wage worker's salary. This is the case because both minumum wage and the cost of college vary from state to state.

Do you think college is worth the cost, collegiettes?

To outsiders,the sorority world can seem pretty confusing. What’s the difference between an exchange and a mixer? What exactly are you throwing when you “throw what you know”—a ball? A punch? A gauntlet? How do the sorority families work, and how many “relatives” do you end up with, anyway?

To set the record straight, we talked to anonymous collegiettes in different chapters around the nation. Here are the secrets sorority sisters wish you knew—and now you will!

1. Not every sorority girl drinks

Over and over again, sorority women told us the same thing: No, not every member drinks.

“There’s definitely a range,” says Nikki*, who goes to San Diego State University. “Some girls go out every weekend, while others are always sober.”

Sara*, a sorority member at Texas A&M University, says, “Most do for sure. But there’s a good handful of girls who don’t drink at our events because they’re council members and they could lose their positions for that.”

The sisters we talked to who don’t drink say they’ve never been pressured or made to feel uncomfortable for their choices.

“At our chapter meetings, the board actually asks us not to drink,” says Elizabeth* from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. “And if someone’s noticeably drunk at an event, like falling down or being sloppy, we have people to take them away to go lie down.”

2. And technically, no sorority events should have alcohol

Technically, none of the sorority events should involve drinking. Chapter-hosted events must be alcohol-free, alcohol isn’t allowed in sorority houses and chapter funds can’t be used to buy alcohol.

“Because of these policies, there aren’t any ‘alcohol-related’ events, but semi-formal and formal have bars with a very strict 21-year-olds-and-over policy,” explains Chloe*, who attends the University of California, Davis.

Chloe says her sorority sisters typically pregame heavily for exchanges, which are planned events organized between two Greek organizations (most commonly a sorority and a fraternity). But if you’d rather sip Perrier than Patrón, your ability to have fun won’t suffer. Nikki, who says she usually does drink, tells us about the time she went sober to an exchange.

“We just danced a lot and had a great time,” she says. “I didn’t miss the drinking aspect of it.”

Sisterhood events are definitely meant to be attended sober. These are fun get-togethers meant to help chapters bond and could be anything from visiting an amusement park or having a movie night to crafting or going camping.

“I actually enjoy the sisterhood events more than the other ones,” says Claire*, a collegiette at the College of William & Mary. “One of the main reasons I joined a sorority in the first place was to make friends and do unique, cool activities.”

3. There’s a lot more to sororities than partying

Which brings us to our next secret of sorority sisters: They hate that people think all they do is party.

“Yes, we have our fun, but we work extremely hard, too,” Nikki says.

At many universities, the average sorority GPA is higher than the average GPA for all women on campus.

Most sororities require their members to achieve a minimum GPA, and if a woman wants to hold a position on her chapter’s board, she needs to hit an even higher GPA.

“My sorority sisters and I get together all the time just to study,” Elizabeth says. “It’s annoying how we’re automatically written off as ditzy or not serious just because we’re in a sorority. I care more about school and my grades than a ton of the non-Greek people I know.”

4. They don’t want to hang out solely with other Greeks

About those non-Greeks: Many collegiettes told us their friends wrongly assumed that after the girls joined a sorority, they wouldn’t want to hang out as much with their “independent” friends.

“The number one myth that really grinds my gears is that people in Greek life only want to hang out with people in Greek life!” says Dakota*, a student at the University at Rhode Island. “Yeah, we have socials/mixers and Greek-only events, but there is so much more than that. There’s football games and basketball games, pep rallies, school traditions, homecoming, bars! While Greek life does take some time out of our schedules, there is still plenty of room for those who are not involved in Greek life.”

In fact, some sorority members even said they prefer having a bulk of their friends be uninvolved with Greek life, explaining it was “refreshing” to be able to get out of the Greek bubble for a little.

“As much as I love my sisters, it can be really nice to talk to people who aren’t in that world,” Sara says. “I like keeping my circle as diverse as possible.”

The majority of collegiettes probably wouldn’t want all their friends to come from the same major, dorm, sports team or club, so why would sorority girls want to automatically exclude the rest of the campus from their potential friend pool?

5. But it is easier to “date Greek”

Our anonymous sources totally understand why sorority girls like dating other people in the Greek community.

“Since frat guys understand the time commitment and investment you put into Greek life, I feel like it’s not as difficult to try balancing a relationship with one of them as opposed to, say, a guy that has no idea how Greek life works,” Chloe says.

Meeting another frat guy or sorority girl is pretty effortless as well, thanks to events like mixers, exchanges, semi-formals and formals. In addition, unlike trying to incorporate your girlfriend you met in chemistry into your friend group, a girl in Greek life will probably have lots of friends in common with you.

Sorority women say the downside of dating Greek is the lack of privacy.

“People tend to know what’s going on with your relationship, how serious it’s getting, that kind of stuff,” says Lauren*, a collegiette from the University of North Dakota. “It’s a small world, so it’s not hard for the details to get out.”

6. Greek life is expensive

“Yeah… it’s pretty expensive,” Elizabeth says. “I actually have two part-time jobs to cover it all.”

Yes, there are membership dues, pledging and initiation fees, philanthropy-related costs and extra event costs, but there are also miscellaneous things like formal outfits, gifts for your little and fines if you miss enough meetings or mandatory events. For the sorority women who choose to live in their chapter’s house, the price tag gets even bigger.

Don’t assume this means all the girls in Greek life are rich or using their parents’ money to cover the costs. Several of our anonymous sources have jobs, and others say they made sacrifices in different areas to afford being in a sorority, like not studying abroad.

“The women in my chapter are at all different socioeconomic levels,” Anna* says. “We have girls who are on full scholarship and we have girls with trust funds. Just like in regular life, it really runs the gamut.”

Sorority life isn’t that mystifying after all—but it is radically different than many people think. Before we go, we’d like to solve your last lingering questions. So here you go:

• What’s the difference between a mixer and an exchange? There isn’t one! This fraternity-sorority party is often called a social as well.
• What exactly are you throwing when you “throw what you know?” You’re using your sorority hand signs. Each sorority has a unique one.
• How do sorority families work? You have a big and a little. When your little gets a little, you become a “grandbig”—like a grandparent. If you have two littles, they’re twins. The family trees can get super complex, but those are the basics.

We hope that clears things up, non-Greek collegiettes!

*Names have been changed.

Sports are nothing without teamwork, which New Balance seems to know all too well. That’s why the athletic-wear brand is partnering with espnW for the launch of Voices of the Future, a five-part video series that will highlight the journey of young, accomplished female athletes.

What began as a panel at the inaugural espnW: Women + Sports Summit in 2010 quickly became a year-round platform for the next generation of rising stars in sports. So it’s not really surprising that same overarching sentiment of all things girl power is expanding into a web series that will run from September 9 through October 6.

espnW’s Julie Foudy—and Voices of the Future host—will be giving viewers an inside look into the lives of five incredible female athletes, discussing their drive to succeed and the effort it takes to push themselves to new heights while overcoming numerous challenges. The videos, which can be seen on espnW.com, feature U.S. women’s soccer star and FIFA World Cup winner Julie Johnston, three-time NCAA National Basketball champion Breanna Stewart, WTA British No. 1-ranked tennis talent Heather Watson and two-time 2015 Pan American Games track and field gold medalist Shamier Little. The fifth and final athlete will be announced at a later date.

The vice president of espnW, Laura Gentile, had this to say about the compelling new series: “We are pleased with New Balance’s support of Voices of the Future. We are eager to tell the stories of these talented, seemingly fearless, young stars. The strength they possess and the significant impact they have already made is inspiring. It’s important to project their journey authentically, in a way that is unique to espnW.”

Check out the first video in the series, with Julie Johnston, below!

When you have a collection as influenced by Le Corbusier, one of the pioneers of modern architecture, as Jade Lai's Spring/Summer 2016 Creatures of Comfort collection is, it's almost a given that the strong, unusual shapes and lines would carry into the beauty looks as well.

Makeup, by Dick Page for Shiseido, featured muted lips, with a touch of foundation on top of a clear lip treatment. Page also used various boldly colored eyeshadows--violets, neon yellow-greens, bright pink-y corals, dark green, and gray, to be exact—painted onto the lid in uneven swipes or arches or even triangles. As Page himself said, "You might as well have fun!" For a spring/summer look, that's exactly what you'd want to do.

Hair, by Jon Reyman for Aveda, had a textured yet natural look that Reyman defined as "undone, unwashed, and asymmetrical." It pulled away from the face to either hang loosely by the ears or get tied up in a floaty braid.

On the nails, a taupe, metallic pink and metallic navy were in store, all by Deborah Lippmann. Each model wore different colored nails.

A trend we're noticing is how each show is featuring more than one standard beauty look, where the colors or hairstyles chosen are (to an extent) based on individual models. For example, Reyman varied between hairstyles depending on models' features, as did Page with eye color and Lippmann with nails. As the beauty landscape changes in the fashion industry, it's interesting to see the subtleties of diversity find their way backstage, where suddenly there's not just one way everyone looks. It's perfect for a Creatures of Comfort show, too—it's a line which has become known for its bold voice.

For many, September 11, 2001 is a day that will forever be seared in our memories. Although most college women were only in elementary school at the time of the attacks, we still recall the emotions and hardships of that day. We asked 10 college women to reflect on what they were thinking on 9/11 on its 14th anniversary. 

1. "I was in school (first grade) and it was on TV and they let us out early--but it didn't seem real. I didn't really understand what was happening."

-Allison, a junior at James Madison University

2. "I wasn't sure what was going on. I remember teachers coming in and out of the classrooms talking to the other teachers. Then my mom and dad picked me up early. I was so excited to see my mom because she never got to pick me up since she works in the ciy. She then said, 'Some bad people hurt New York today.' I didn't understand at the time what she meant, but as I got older, I realized what happened."

-Lauren, a junior at Rutgers University

3. "I just remember being very confused sitting in class and everyone's parents were picking them up as we all watched movies on the rug. My mom picked me up at the end of the day and tried to show me on TV what had happened. I just remember being confused and upset but was happy because my mom told me my neighbor was supposed to be at that building but went to a meeting in Connecticut instead."

-Emily, a junior at Clemson University

4. "I remember my mom picking me up from school and we sat in the driveway in the car. My mom was listening to the radio for like an hour."

-Lauren, a junior at University of Rhode Island

5. "My mom let me go on with my day because she knew I wouldn't understnad. The next day in school we all wrote letters to the service men and women."

-Emily, a junior at Rutgers University

6. "I remember being in first grade and getting out of school early, but I wasn't really sure what was going on."

-Brooke, a junior at James Madison University

7. "The teachers were trying to keep us all calm and I was so confused. We were all leaving and upset."

-Emily, a student at Cape Fear Community College

8. "I remember being in my first grade classroom and I saw through the window that my mom was walking into my school. I went home and my mom put the news on; I vaguely remember seeing the planes crashing into the building, but I had no way of conceptualizing what was happening. Now that I am older and know what happened, I can't believe I lived through that. It's something that will definitely stay with me forever."

-Taylor, a junior at Temple University

9. "I was watching a science movie with our whole first grade class and I remember seeing all of our teachers walking around whispering and then parents started showing up and picking their kids up and I didn't really get what was happening. The next day my mom brought me and my sister to the fire station in Arlington and we gave out cookies to the firefighters. I didn't know it then, but they were the first responders to the Pentagon."

-Molly, a junior at James Madison University

10. "All we knew was that something 'very bad' happened and we were safest at home. I came home to my mother and grandmother watching the 24/7 news coverage showing the same disturbing images over and over. All I understood at the time was that very bad people had let something very bad happen in my favorite city in the world. I am forever grateful that no one in my family was hurt (we were relieved that my uncle, who worked only a block away from the Twin Towers, was safe), but we've always said that in our area, 'everybody knew somebody' who was somehow affected."

-Meghan, a junior at Northeastern University

Our thoughts are with people who lost family, friends and loved ones on this tragic day.

At some point in time we’ve all received the text message, “We have to hang out,” that results in no follow-through. This is the classic flaky boy response. That text turns into three more text messages saying exactly the same thing three weeks in a row. Then that gets your hopes up and before you know it you are disappointed again. Here’s advice on how to deal with those flaky boys.

Why is he being flaky?

First, here are three possible causes for the flakiness to help understand the situation a little better. The problem was assessed by expert Patti Feinstein, America’s Dating Coach, and then we got the lowdown from the people who know what is really going on--college men.

1. He’s a yes man.

This guy has a hard time saying “no” for whatever reason. Vishal Duvvuru, a senior at The University of Texas at Austin, says that he tends to fall into the “yes man” category. The bad thing about being a yes man is that too many yeses turn into noes once he ends up realizing he overbooked himself.

2. He’s just not that into you.

Feinstein says, “He’s just not that into you. If he didn’t actually show up or make it happen then he didn’t care enough to. He wasn’t excited or compelled enough.” The truth is that if a guy wants to hang out with you, he will make it happen. He won’t flake. When a guy wants something, he goes after it. So move on to someone more worth your time.

3. He’s actually super busy.

He could just be busy. Alexander Zwaan, a recent graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, spoke about how the excuses could be a product of how he has a lot going on in his life at the moment. From his recent job search, he hasn’t been able to devote time to his personal life and dating. He suggests that he could’ve had something come up, so maybe you should give him a break.

How to Deal

Now here are some solutions to try and work around the flaky boy syndrome.

1. Get rid of the OPTION to hang out.

Give him a concrete date, time and place. Being specific with plans normally makes plans seem more legitimate and eliminates the possibility of him bailing on you.

2. Don’t respond to his text messages for a while.

Play the game back at him. You’d be surprised what the chase in a game of cat and mouse can do. See what his response is to you not playing his games anymore.

3. Move on.

Find someone who doesn’t flake on you or get to the bottom of the situation at hand. Feinstein advises, “You are lucky to learn your lesson early on about what kind of man he is. Just imagine what he is like as a boyfriend! At least now you only have to wait 25 minutes instead of longer later on.” Find someone who treats you right the first time around. You deserve to be taken on a date, so stop letting flaky boys get to you and find someone who contributes to your happiness.

Always remember that you should be the one who is pursued, not the one who is waiting around. Feinstein puts it perfectly when she says, "The girl who is stood up will always find someone better because everyone will fight for her to find a great guy, and she will fight for herself. Women will prevail over the men who are not worth their time." Love is a tricky thing and nothing comes easy, especially when it comes to dating. So keep on searching until you find the man that is going to treat you right!

Hey, Upper East Siders. Gossip Girl here. It's been almost three years since the last episode of Gossip Girl aired, but the best schemers known to Manhattan still have a dear place in our hearts. Feeling nostalgic? Take our quiz to find out which GG character best fits your personality. Are you the leader of the pack like Queen B? Or are you secretly an outsider like Little J? We know you love them. XOXO...

College is an overwhelmingly stressful time. We’ve all heard about the not-so-mythical myth of the “Freshman 15,” but we are not always aware of all the unhealthy eating patterns we adopt as undergrads. Our food habits can get out of hand and we are at a high risk for all sorts of eating disorders and harmful behaviors, such as binge-eating. This disorder, sometimes referred to as food or eating addiction, involves eating large quantities of food in one sitting and losing the ability to stop. We talked to experts to help you make sense of this eating disorder and find out how to get help if you think you are prone to binge-eating.

What is binge-eating disorder?

Binge-eating disorder is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a diagnosable Eating and Feeding Disorder. According to Dr. Lauren Ozbolt, a Los Angeles-based psychiatrist, the accepted definition for this condition is “recurrent episodes of binge-eating, [where] the episodes are associated with three or more of the following:  

• Eating more rapidly than normal
• Eating until uncomfortably full
• Eating large amounts of food when not physically hungry
• Eating alone because of feeling embarrassed
• Feeling disgusted with oneself
• Marked distress regarding binge-eating
• Binge-eating occurs at least once a week for three months
• No inappropriate compensatory behavior [i.e. purging] is present

What is binge-eating?

Binge-eating is much more than just the occasional overindulgence. “Binge-eating is out-of-control eating, much more than an individual needs to maintain their weight,” says Joanne Larsen, a professional dietitian. “Large amounts of calories (5,000 to 10,000+ calories in a single session) are eaten in in a couple hours or less.” To put it in perspective, this would mean consuming between one and three jars of Nutella or one to four large pizza pies in one sitting.

Bingeing is comparable to addictive behaviors in some ways, but there is not enough evidence for the existence of actual food addiction, which Dr. Ozbolt explains is not a medical term. That being said, we are much more likely to binge on some types of food than on others. “Binge foods are usually high calorie, high carbohydrate, high fat,” Larsen says.

The idea that people only binge on junk foods (and not, say, lettuce) could suggest that these foods contain inherent addictive properties, but this has not been scientifically proven. “There have been some articles published denoting the power of ‘sugar’ and ‘sugar addiction’ but to date, no valid medical data has ever supported this idea,” Dr. Ozbolt says.

Bingeing episodes can be extremely damaging, both physically and psychologically. “Binge eating distends the stomach and can cause intestinal distress while your body tries to process the quantity of binge food you ate,” Larsen says. “Binge-eating, if frequent, can result in weight gain which can lead to an eating disorder,” namely binge-eating disorder or bulimia nervosa.

The impact of this behavior on your mental wellness is equally as serious. “Food-bingeing can lead to lower self-esteem and a feeling of helplessness over binge foods,” Larsen explains.

How does binging behavior happen?

There are many factors that may contribute to the onset of bingeing behaviors and binge-eating disorder. For instance, hunger can play a role in each episode. “You may or may not be hungry when binging on a food, though food-binge behavior is more likely when you don't eat every four to five hours,” Larsen says.

Dr. Ozbolt agrees that you are more at risk if you don’t feed yourself regularly. “Sometimes the dynamics of dieting and restricting can increase your propensity to binge-eat,” she says. “For example, if you deprive yourself of food for several days, you may ‘break down’ and binge-eat due to hunger.”

In the case of the illness itself, “binge-eating disorder likely has some genetic predisposition but also has environmental risk factors,” Dr. Ozbolt says. “It is often associated with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder. Victims of sexual abuse/trauma are often more prone to bulimia nervosa and binge-eating. Often it can serve as an inappropriate coping mechanism for emotional regulation.”

In this way, binge-eating disorder and eating disorders in general are psychiatric diagnoses that are not rooted in food itself, but rather in a variety of other distressing elements. To nuance this argument, the foods that we are most likely to binge on are readily available on college campuses, and the stress that accompanies our collegiate careers can increase the risk of developing an eating disorder as well.

Although you should use the term “addiction” sparingly when it comes to binge-eating, Susan Holmberg, a certified nutrition specialist, contends that “junk foods are much more addictive than broccoli or chicken. [In college,] you get cheesy sticks and pizza ordered at 3 a.m, [because] it’s inexpensive.”

When should you get help?

For Holmberg, the line between a “normal” relationship with food and an unhealthy one is blurry. “‘Addiction’ is tossed around a lot and is difficult to pin down,” Holmberg says. “You can’t quantify it, it depends on the individual. Eating the whole jar of Nutella might not be symptomatic if you just shouldn’t be around Nutella; everyone can overeat here and there.”

With this in mind, there are many indicators of binge-eating disorder that you should not ignore. You could be suffering from this condition if any of the following apply to your eating habits:

• They interfere with your social and academic life.
• You avoid social situations where you might eat too much.
• You hide and/or hoard food; you have a food stash.
• You gain a significant amount of weight (ten pounds or more in a month, depending on your weight, according to Larsen).
• You experience a loss of control when eating.
• You know you are harming your body, but you can’t make yourself stop.

If you think you have reasons to be concerned about your wellbeing or that of a friend, “there is a free online survey called EAT-26 which women can take to gauge if their eating patterns are unhealthy,” Dr. Ozbolt advises.

Which resources can you turn to?

Feeling “addicted” or out-of-control around food is a serious problem that you shouldn’t face on your own. First of all, you need to surround yourself with a support system of caring friends and family. In turn, they can help you navigate this difficult time and seek out counseling.

Holmberg would encourage you to find out which resources are available on your campus. College counseling services are usually well equipped to help patients with eating disorders, whether they have a specific subdivision for such issues or not. “There are also plenty of books, online books, online chat groups and local helplines,” Holmberg says.

The following websites and helplines can help you learn more about or overcome this disorder:

• Academy for Eating Disorders
• Eating Disorder Help Guide
• Eating Disorders Anonymous
• National Eating Disorders Association Helpline
• Eating Disorder Safe Helpline

Finally, Holmberg suggests reading books by Dr. Mark Hyman, the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and a physician specializing in nutrition, books by Dr. Daniel Amen, who writes about the role of the brain in our overall health, and The Mood Cure by Julia Ross.

Which steps can you take in your own time?

Beyond counseling, there are many manageable steps you can take towards getting healthy. One general idea to keep in mind is that “binge-eating is not about willpower over food,” Larsen says. “Willpower is often used to avoid binge foods rather than changing bingeing behaviors using behavioral techniques. Willpower is usually only successful for a few days.”

Instead, Larsen suggests the following methods:

• Create a positive eating environment for yourself to succeed by not buying foods you binge on.
• If you binge on desserts, select foods that are filling, such as meat, starches, vegetables, fruit and dairy before you go back to choose a dessert.
• Limit yourself to one dessert per week and choose which day of the week you are going to eat dessert.
• Stop eating when you are full.
• If you eat fast, slow down and chew each mouthful slowly, savoring the taste of food.
• Eat regular meals: breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner and an evening snack.
• Plan to eat every four to five hours so that you are not overly hungry, which can lead to bingeing.
• Exercise. It helps increase the feel-good hormones (endorphins) in your brain and helps increase your calorie burn for hours after your workout.

However, if you have a full-blown, diagnosable eating disorder, it is crucial that you seek out medical help. The way Dr. Ozbolt puts it, you need “individual psychotherapy (i.e. counseling) and nutritional counseling. This is a psychiatric disorder and is as valid as any medical disorder. If you had diabetes, for instance, you wouldn't just read a self-help book or ‘will’ yourself not to have it.” Binge-eating disorder is an illness like any other, and you should not feel uncomfortable getting professional help; this will only contribute to the existing stigma.

Binge-eating disorder is a deeply rooted psychiatric condition and can be extremely challenging to overcome. But between your friends, school counseling services, online resources, helplines and books, you have all the tools you need to get you through this difficult time.

At some point in time we’ve all received the text message, “We have to hang out,” that results in no follow-through. This is the classic flaky boy response. That text turns into three more text messages saying exactly the same thing three weeks in a row. Then that gets your hopes up and before you know it you are disappointed again. Here’s advice on how to deal with those flaky boys.

Why is he being flaky?

First, here are three possible causes for the flakiness to help understand the situation a little better. The problem was assessed by expert Patti Feinstein, America’s Dating Coach, and then we got the lowdown from the people who know what is really going on--college men.

1. He’s a yes man.

This guy has a hard time saying “no” for whatever reason. Vishal Duvvuru, a senior at The University of Texas at Austin, says that he tends to fall into the “yes man” category. The bad thing about being a yes man is that too many yeses turn into noes once he ends up realizing he overbooked himself.

2. He’s just not that into you.

Feinstein says, “He’s just not that into you. If he didn’t actually show up or make it happen then he didn’t care enough to. He wasn’t excited or compelled enough.” The truth is that if a guy wants to hang out with you, he will make it happen. He won’t flake. When a guy wants something, he goes after it. So move on to someone more worth your time.

3. He’s actually super busy.

He could just be busy. Alexander Zwaan, a recent graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, spoke about how the excuses could be a product of how he has a lot going on in his life at the moment. From his recent job search, he hasn’t been able to devote time to his personal life and dating. He suggests that he could’ve had something come up, so maybe you should give him a break.

How to Deal

Now here are some solutions to try and work around the flaky boy syndrome.

1. Get rid of the OPTION to hang out.

Give him a concrete date, time and place. Being specific with plans normally makes plans seem more legitimate and eliminates the possibility of him bailing on you.

2. Don’t respond to his text messages for a while.

Play the game back at him. You’d be surprised what the chase in a game of cat and mouse can do. See what his response is to you not playing his games anymore.

3. Move on.

Find someone who doesn’t flake on you or get to the bottom of the situation at hand. Feinstein advises, “You are lucky to learn your lesson early on about what kind of man he is. Just imagine what he is like as a boyfriend! At least now you only have to wait 25 minutes instead of longer later on.” Find someone who treats you right the first time around. You deserve to be taken on a date, so stop letting flaky boys get to you and find someone who contributes to your happiness.

Always remember that you should be the one who is pursued, not the one who is waiting around. Feinstein puts it perfectly when she says, "The girl who is stood up will always find someone better because everyone will fight for her to find a great guy, and she will fight for herself. Women will prevail over the men who are not worth their time." Love is a tricky thing and nothing comes easy, especially when it comes to dating. So keep on searching until you find the man that is going to treat you right!

When it comes to fall fashion trends, few looks are as perennial as plaid flannel. After all, what’s not to love? There’s just something about classic checks that look so right on an autumn day, and flannel is the perfect level of cozy for when the temperatures have just started to drop. A plaid shirt is insanely versatile too—we’re talking dressed up for a date, dressed down for a weekend afternoon with your BFFs and everything in between. Don’t believe us? These five looks are proof!

1. Date night

Audrey 3 1 flannel shirt
nastygal.com
 

 

Acne Studios black skirt
theoutnet.com
 

 

ASOS black shoes
asos.com
 

 

Zara black handbag
zara.com
 

 

Charlotte Russe silver jewelry
charlotterusse.com
 

 

With the right pieces, it’s easy to dress up a flannel button-down you’d normally reserve for day. Start by tucking it into a skirt—we love the look of an edgy, asymmetrical wrap skirt! Add an eye-catching touch that will (literally!) dazzle your bae by wearing a blinged-out statement necklace tucked under your shirt collar. Pointed lace-up heels are elegant for a date night, but a midi heel ensures you’ll actually be able to walk. Put your phone, keys and wallet in a studded clutch, which keeps things from looking too cutesy.

2. Off to class

White strappy dress
pinkice.com
 

 

H M cardigan
hm.com
 

 

Topshop black bootie
topshop.com
 

 

BDG black tote bag
urbanoutfitters.com
 

 

For class, you’ll want to be put together, but comfortable enough to conquer whatever the day throws at you—which means throwing on an easy flannel dress is definitely in order! Layer a slouchy gray cardigan on top for a cozy autumn layered look. Flat ankle booties are practical for the walk to class, but are a stylish step up from sneakers—and every collegiette needs a wear-forever tote for carting around her daily essentials!

3. Fall football game

J Crew long plaid boyfriend shirt
jcrew.com
 

 

J Crew quilted down vest
jcrew.com
 

 

Madewell sexy skinny jeans
madewell.com
 

 

Steve Madden brown lace up boots
6pm.com
 

 

Score a flannel in your school’s colors and you have the perfect look for the first game of the season! Distressed skinny jeans are a stylish alternative to leggings, and combat boots are dressed down enough for a football game. No matter what color flannel you’re wearing, a warm puffer vest with sporty, prepster vibes looks chic on top!

4. Coffee run with the girls

Forever 21 long sleeve top
forever21.com
 

 

Topshop lightweight jacket
topshop.com
 

 

Madewell flat shoes
shopbop.com
 

 

Sole Society bucket bag
nordstrom.com
 

 

Rocking a flannel for off-duty wear is as simple as throwing your other go-to weekend pieces into the mix. A neutral black and gray flannel looks cool and effortless with your favorite pair of jeans and an olive utility jacket on top. Go for a little pattern mixing (yes, we went there!) and opt for leopard print flats which are subtle enough to not clash with your plaid shirt.

5. Night out

Topshop white top
topshop.com
 

 

Forever 21 moto jacket
forever21.com
 

 

Lucy Paris white skirt
revolveclothing.com
 

 

Boohoo high heel shoes
boohoo.com
 

 

When it comes to looking fab in flannel, don’t limit yourself to the typical button-down! For a night out at a party, a plaid skirt is totally chic in a Cher Horowitz, '90s throwback way. A high mock-neck tank is fall-appropriate, but still allows you to show a little skin—pair it with a moto jacket, and you won’t have to worry about chilly autumn air! Finish the look with peep-toe ankle boots; the chunky heel will allow you to dance all night long!

The bottom line? When it comes to fall wardrobe staples, a flannel shirt (or skirt, or dress!) should be high on your shopping list this season! This is one fall essential we won’t be able to live without!