College can be some of the best years of your life — especially if you have a roommate who doubles as a BFF. Whether she’s a neat freak like Schmidt or a kid at heart like Nick, here’s how you know you’ve really found the perfect one.

1. You and your roomie share more with each other than you are willing to admit.

Whether it’s clothes, hair products or makeup, there’s basically an unwritten rule that everything in the room belongs to both of you.

2. She doesn’t judge you for your Netflix addiction.

A good roommate ignores how you have started yet another TV series on Netflix. A great roommate comes home from class and binge-watches it with you (and brings snacks!).

3. There’s a mutual understanding of when one of you needs the room to yourself.

Even if getting sexiled for the second weekend in a row is a major inconvenience for her, she’s gonna let you do your thing. And you love her for that.

4.  Your roomie is the first person you tell exciting news to.

And if she isn’t replying to your text messages, you feel perfectly justified using any other means of communication to get a hold of her. This includes screaming her name across the quad or writing, “TEXT ME NOW” in all caps on the whiteboard on your dorm room door.

5. She’s always quick with a much-needed reality check.

Someone’s gotta be there to tell you when you’re misreading the signs. He asked to borrow your pencil. Maybe you walked to class together.  But you’re not in love. Got it? Good.

6. One of you might be super clean and the other is super messy, but you still get along.

No one likes to be called a slob, so when the room gets just a little too trashed, we really appreciate our roomie calling it like it is and telling us to pick up our stuff. No passive-aggression needed. 

7.  You act as each other’s therapists during late-night discussions. 

Unleashing the existential crises into the early hours of the morning? Bring it on.

8. And she becomes emotionally invested in your problems.

Your pain is my pain, roomie.

9. She respects when you just need to be by yourself.

Every girl’s preferred meltdown medicine: Ben & Jerry’s. Your roomie always gets your favorite flavor (plus, she knows your top three backups in case they’re out) and never fails to bring it to you after you’re done having a private meltdown in the dorm.

10. You have “a look.”

Usually given to each other when you “literally can’t even,” when an ex-fling is spotted on campus or in any other equally awkward situation that words just can’t do justice.

11.  She unquestioningly hates the same people you hate.

“Do we like her?”

“No.”

“Got it.”

12. Partying just isn’t the same without her.

*BRB drinking away my sorrows because my roomie isn’t here*

13.  When you do go out together, you’re masters of playing it cool when your RA catches you sneaking in past curfew. 

 “Oh, we were just in the library. Yes, at 2 in the morning. We’re studious, okay?”

14.  Sunday mornings are spent helping each other make sense of Saturday night’s drunk texts.

You try to tell her it’s all going to be okay, even though you know she really messed up this time. Like, really messed up.

15. But most importantly, you know your roomie is always going to have your back, and you couldn’t imagine going through college without her.

Before you know it, college is over. While all the parties, exams and boy drama seemed so important at the time, nothing lasts more than a friendship with the person who loved being stuck with you in a cramped, little dorm room. We love you, roomie. 

Ever think about much sugar is in the food you're eating? It's hard to keep track of in college when you're constantly surrounded by sugar, but it might be time to start paying attention.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is suggesting a sugar limit for the first time. For adults, 12.5 teaspoons (or 50 grams) of sugar is the most you should be eating per day. Mother Jones reports that some Americans eat up to 30 teaspoons of sugar per day currently.

Refinery 29 points out that one bottle of soda can have 65 grams of sugar—Well over that recommended dose!

If you think 50 grams isn't a lot for a limit, the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association recommend that you only have 25 grams per day. How can you manage your intake? Pay very close attention to labels and hidden ingredients such as sucrose, maltose, high fructose corn syrup and others. And for us college students, just trying to cut back on jungle juice at parties or ice cream and cookies at the dining hall could have a big impact on improving our sugar intake.

To make things easier, the FDA proposed for a percent daily value of sugars to be added to labels—This shouldn't be more than 10 percent.

Will you start paying attention to your sugar intake, collegiettes?

Today marks the *best* day of every collegiette's life: it's the day we were graced with the most beautiful specimen to walk the planet. Yes, it's Ryan Gosling's 35th birthday. Like, have you SEEN anything more wondrous? 

If you insist, Ryan.

Obviously, any day is a great day to gawk at a hot Ryan Gosling... but we couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than to count down his 35 hottest moments of all time. You might need some, uh, alone time after this.

35. Humble Ryan

WHAT SORT OF A QUESTION IS THIS ANYWAY.

34. Giggly Ryan

If this didn't make your heart smile, you're a monster.

33. Jazz Hands Ryan

We can't even handle the sass.

32. Nerdy Ryan

We love a guy in glasses, but also, we love those muscles.

31. Adorably Surprised Ryan

The smile that melts hearts.

30. Rebel Ryan

Is this not the dreamiest bad boy you've ever laid eyes on?

29. Winking Ryan

Was that meant for us?!

28. Pizza Ryan #1

He's just in sync with our priorities.

27. Pensive Ryan

Actually yes Ryan, you are living proof of that.

26. Flirty Ryan

Ugh that nose scrunch!

25. Angry Ryan

Also can we talk about that facial hair?

24. Dirty Dancing Ryan

Here, the bedroom, wherever...

23. Child-at-Heart Ryan

Okay but please don't hang from the top of the ferris wheel IRL.

22. Bromance Ryan

YES to the kind of guy who'll take photobooth pictures with us.

21. Sad Ryan

We really don't want to see him sad... but also, ~emotions~

20. Needy Ryan

OMG NEVER!

19. Hand-holding Ryan

Sometime's it's the little things...

18. Gym Ryan

We don't discriminate.

17. Cuddly Ryan

Is there room for one more?

16. Assertive Ryan

You tell 'em, Ryan.

15. Dog Lover Ryan

So caring and SO STRONG. *heart eye emoji*

14. Shirtless Ryan

Sorry, we can't help but stare.

13. Silly Ryan

We like a guy we can just have fun with, ya know?

12. Pizza Ryan #2

He looks better than that slice of pizza, and THAT is saying something.

11. Suave Ryan

Yeah, we know you look good.

10. Naked Ryan

Actually, no.

9. Protective Ryan

Sure, we girls can take care of ourselves thank you very much, but we certainly aren't opposed to having Ryan Gosling around to push us out of harm's way.

8. Convertible Ryan

We wouldn't mind if he showed up for date night in this.

7. Compliments Ryan

*blushing*

6. Passionate Kisser Ryan #1

He obviously knows what to do with those hands.

5. Passionate Kisser Ryan #2

That push against the wall though...

4. Dedicated Ryan

Honestly, he's ruined us for life.

3. Bird Ryan

This is a classic you just don't leave off the list.

2. Sex Scene Ryan

You might want to be alone for this one.

1. Soaking Wet Ryan

Thanks to this, you want to go make out in the rain every time it's pouring out.

A few months ago, The Atlantic published an article that soon went viral. “The Coddling of the American Mind” portrays the average college student as overly-sensitive, and argues that students shouldn’t try to remove words and ideas they don’t like from the curriculum all in the name of “emotional well-being.”

I’m going to cut right to the chase here—If the two authors of this article don’t like trigger warnings, they probably don’t have anything that triggers them. If either of them were physically or sexually abused by an ex, they would probably be very grateful for the warning about the content of a particular lecture or reading. When something traumatic like that happens, the slightest reminder can have an emotional and even physical impact. The article tries to brush this off as no big deal, and even tries to suggest that avoiding what makes a person anxious is bad for their mental health (as if reliving a moment of trauma is just dandy). They’re out of touch with what it feels like to be triggered by something, and what it feels like to be a minority or a person suffering from mental illness.

When I mentioned to a Jewish friend of mine that my teacher had suggested that Adolf Hitler was an environmentalist because, and I quote, “he was into population control,” I could see it made my friend uneasy. I asked him what he would have done in that situation, and he said he would have pointed out to the professor that while he was lucky enough not to lose any family members in the Holocaust, there could be students in the class who lost grandparents or other family members in the genocide. While the joke may not have been traumatizing for most people, it wasn’t funny and didn’t teach anything.

American students aren’t necessarily better, and they’re not looking to be offended—They just live in a world that’s more connected than ever before, and it’s opened their eyes to the possibility that other people with different experiences may feel differently about certain things. It’s not about not being able to take a joke, or not wanting to see the other side of things. We know better than we did before, so we can do better than we did before.

I was in a class the other day with a professor who at the end of class usually says something along the lines of, “Have a good day, guys!” Then one day he said it, then stopped and said, “No, not guys. It was actually recently pointed out to me that I shouldn’t say that, because you’re not all guys.”

The best part about this moment was that he wasn’t mad or annoyed—He just knew that wasn’t the right word for what he wanted to say. It wasn’t a difficult change for him to make. Now he just says, “Have a nice day,” but maybe it meant much more for anyone in the class who thought, “I’m not a guy.”

It’s not hard to make these changes. Putting a trigger warning next to a book in the syllabus with some mature themes isn’t hard. Being asked not to ask visible minorities where they were born isn’t hard. Which begs the question—Who exactly is being coddled here? Maybe it’s the professors who are finally being held accountable for what they say who have been coddled.

Older adults like to point the finger at young students, but when Miley Cyrus was grinding on Robin Thicke at the MTV Awards, do you think it was 18-year-old college students who were calling the FCC? When two gay kids kissed on Fox’s Glee, who were the ones saying that shouldn’t be on television, or that it was turning our kids gay? If students are the ones who are too sensitive, why is it called the Parents Television Council? A writer over at the Huffington Post pointed out that anyone worried about Americans being exposed to both sides of an argument should also be worried that Donald Trump went after a woman who asked him tough questions at a debate (he knows what a debate is, right?) and removed a Hispanic journalist from a press conference. That’s more of a threat to our democracy than a student’s request for a trigger warning on a book with themes that might open old wounds.

And the two authors of this article shouldn’t worry themselves about the educational system—I’ve had professors who have taught students in class that climate change is a lie, who have said that the War in Iraq was the right thing to do, and who voted for every party under the sun. My education has not been strictly left-wing, but it also hasn’t been strictly right. And I’m happy that my education has been diversified. While I may not love taking classes with professors I don’t agree with, I know that it’s important to open my mind and broaden my education. Best case scenario, I change my mind, or I see a new way of thinking about something. Worst case scenario, I’m mildly annoyed but my own convictions are stronger for it.

One of the points made in the article is that students have free speech, which is protected by the Constitution. And here, we come to the crux of my argument—Just because you can say whatever you want doesn’t mean you should. Protecting our right to free speech is important, but I would hope that making changes to our education system and our day-to-day interactions in order to help someone feel safer is equally important.

photo credit: class dismissed via photopin(license)

At one point or another, we’ve probably imagined what it might be like to drop out of school, leave our seemingly endless responsibilities behind, marry a prince and pursue a career as a Disney princess. But do princesses ever wonder what it might be like to drop their princess-ly duties and attend a university (if they even know what that is, seeing as where they’re from, school doesn’t really seem to exist)?

If they did go to school, here’s what the Disney princesses would major in. Would you see any of them in your classes?

Belle: English

This is a no-brainer! Belle would obviously study English literature and would probably have a minor in creative writing. You’ll likely see her around campus with her nose buried in a book, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t friendly and approachable! She’s definitely someone you’d want on your side when you’re cramming for your French Literature midterm and trying desperately to decipher the social commentary ofThe Count of Monte Cristo.

Ariel: Musical Theater

Trading her voice for a pair of legs gave Ariel a pretty good foundation for pretending to be someone she’s not—talk about method acting! And now that she’s got her voice back, Ariel is pretty much a shoe-in for the lead in just about every production on campus. Of course, Eric is in the front row at every show!

Mulan: Women and Gender Studies

After joining the Chinese army and single-handedly taking on the leader of the Huns in combat, Mulan has decided to take a break from all the action and get herself a degree. She’s actively involved in her school’s feminist student organizations and studies about not only the injustices of gender inequality, but also the incredible accomplishments of women. Honestly, though, she already knows both women’s struggles and what they’re capable of, all from firsthand experience.

Rapunzel: Art

After being cooped up in that tower for so long, Rapunzel is just dying for an opportunity to express herself. Her epic adventures with Flynn Rider serve as the inspiration for many of her paintings, and she often spends endless hours in the studio churning out masterpiece after masterpiece—probably because staying in one room for weirdly long periods of time is just second nature to her.

Jasmine: International Affairs

Now that Jasmine has finally escaped the limitations of the palace walls, she just can’t get enough of exploring other places and cultures. Choosing a major like international affairs allows her to take every possible opportunity to study abroad, and she’s very vocal and involved on campus in advocating for issues like women’s rights and poverty. Aladdin would be proud!

Pocahontas: Political Science and History

Because history textbooks have a tendency to gloss over certain aspects of history (you know, like that time white people totally invaded the land of Native Americans and decided to claim it as their own), Pocahontas has decided to take matters into her own hands. She’s very vocal in class and ensures that all sides of history are told. She often challenges her professors and classmates to look at things from new and different perspectives.

Tiana: Culinary Arts

Tiana is one of the best and brightest in her major not only because she’s full of determination and motivation, but because she also has a ton of natural talent. She’s landed internships with some of the best in the business, and she is on track to achieve her dreams as soon as she graduates. She’s popular on campus for pushing her friends to do their best, and also for her ability to whip up an amazing dish on a moment’s notice. When you’re a college student on a ramen-noodles-every-night sort of diet, who wouldn’t want a friend like that?

Cinderella: Health Sciences

Whether it’s humans or animals, Cinderella is used to doing everything she can to help others, so it’s only natural she’d pursue a major like health sciences. She’s often so hard at work on her studies, she forgets to take time to herself—and when she finally does, she decides to leave the party early. Even worse, she ends up leaving one of her shoes behind! Her friends hope she’ll learn to loosen up and enjoy herself eventually.

Merida: Business

Dismayed to discover that her school doesn't offer a major in archery, Merida decided to settle on a major in business administration. While she sometimes finds the subject matter of her classes boring, she loves the idea of running her own company—without any help from anyone else!

Snow White: Music Education

Snow White taught the seven dwarves how to “whistle while you work,” and now she’s hoping to make a career out of it! Working so closely with the dwarves, as well as with birds and other forest animals, has prepared her for a career in teaching. Her soft-spoken yet stern manner is perfect for spreading the joy of music to children in the classroom.

Aurora: Fashion Design

We bet Sleeping Beauty would declare a major in Fashion Design—because who else would be able to tell you whether you should rock a blue gown or a pink one to that party this weekend? The thing is, her grades are in a little bit of trouble, since she’s gotten into the unfortunate habit of sleeping through her courses. On the occasions she does manage to get out of bed in time for her 8 a.m. class, her shiny blonde locks and impeccable sense of style turn heads all over campus.

Anna: Undeclared

Ever the optimist, Anna takes a liking to just about every subject and has a hard time committing to just one. Professors appreciate her enthusiasm, but worry about her ability to stay on track. Still, she’s one of the most well-meaning girls on campus. And she knows that if she ever needs help figuring out the right path, her older sister Elsa is just a phone call away!

If the Disney princesses really did attend college, they’re some of the few people we probably wouldn’t mind having to do a group project with. And who knows—if you hit it off well, they might even be able to score you an invite to their next Royal Ball!

You’re probably familiar with the frustration that ensues when you wake up to a full closet of clothing, yet still have nothing to wear. On some days, versatility seems impossible and there’s nothing blander than the clothes you already own and the outfits you've already worn. While retreating to basics is far from criminal, sprucing up your wardrobe jumpstarts your day with confidence, and what better way to revamp your style than with bold and beautiful jewelry?

For an affordable solution, we've partnered with Rocksbox, a company whose jewelry services make outfit versatility simpler than ever. Rocksbox is a personalized and membership-based shopping service that grants users unlimited access to an ever-rotating closet of designer jewelry. For a monthly fee, members rent and receive jewelry sets (with the option to purchase at anytime) from top brands like Kendra Scott and House of Harlow. Every Rocksbox set consists of three unique pieces and packages are valued at a $200 average per month!

We’re offering three lucky winners free Rocksbox memberships, thus, access to dozens of your favorite necklaces, bracelets and more! One winner will receive a yearlong Rocksbox membership valued at $240 and The Bombshell set, and two more winners will receive 6-month memberships valued at $120 each!

Jewelry is like shoes in that no amount is ever enough. Enter below to win!

Rocksbox

Being the Blair Waldorf of your friend group can either sound like a bad thing or the greatest honor of your life. Because let's face it, she's the heart of Gossip Girl. She caused the most drama, solved the most drama and best of all, got Chuck Bass in the end. What makes you the Blair of your friend group? These 17 reasons should make it quite clear!

1. No one would really use the words "kind" or "nice" to describe you.

2. You know that sometimes all you need is a good drink.

3. You don't talk behind people's backs because you say whatever you want to their face. 

4. People usually know better than to mess with you. 

5. You don't play into the games guys can play. 

6. Your friends look to you for fashion advice. 

7. You accomplish the goals you set for yourself. 

8. You don't let emotions control you. 

9. You know what you deserve. 

10. You have extreme confidence in yourself. 

11. You're always loyal.

12. You understand that sometimes white lies aren't a bad thing. 

13. You're a natural born leader. 

14. You would die for your own Dorota. 

15. People can be intimidated by you just from "that look" you have. 

And maybe you're a little scary, too.

16. Shopping fixes (almost) all of your problems.

17. You fall head over heels when you hear those three words... 

Thursday is the best day of the week because it gives us license to sit on the couch at 8 p.m., strap in and enjoy the three-hour ride that is TGIT. It's pretty safe to say that Shonda Rhimes has total control of our emotions, and that's okay. Grey's is the OG show of Shondaland and we will never get enough, but when the clock strikes 9 p.m., we wipe our tears from whatever dark and twisty experience Mer went through, get the popcorn popping and pour ourselves another glass of wine to get ready for whatever dramafest Scandal might bring us. Here are 35 thoughts we have while watching Scandal.

1. It's wine o'clock! (Because let's face it, even if you're watching it midday on Friday, it's the weekend.)

2. Oh, god…why are they reminding us of a time when Eli Pope totally ruined everything… is he coming back?!

3. Come on, Shonda. I thought we were done with the terrorist parents.

4. Wow, I'm really glad my parents aren't terrorists. In fact, I'm going to text them rn and thank them for not being terrorists.

5. Oh hey, Jake. Nice to see you.

6. Olivia, WHY are you not going for the hot, damaged former assassin? He is literally OBSESSED with you.

7. Okay, I mean Fitz's voice is pretty much the sexiest sound ever (besides Harry Styles' angelic voice).

8. He is the friggin' President of the United States. I guess I get it now.

9. Mellie, can you leave for like one sec? You're ruining this moment.

10. I wonder what the assistant thinks when Liv just struts her stuff into the Oval. I mean, she HAS to know they're doing more than discussing politics in there, right?

11. How on earth did all of the employees at Olivia Pope & Associates not know that Fitz and Liv were a thing?

12. For gladiators in suits, they're pretty oblivious.

13. How do we get hair like Abby's?

14. *Googles how to get perfect, shiny red hair*

15. Uh oh, why does Huck have that creepy murderous smile on his face?

16. No Huck, please don't—

17. You just HAD to lick his face, Quinn? Really? You couldn't resist the smirk of a torture addict?

18. *Pours another glass of wine*

19. Thank god for Sally Langston's hilarious commentary.

20. Remember when she was President for a hot sec?

21. Did they add Susan Ross solely for comic relief to counteract all of the messed up sh*t that Fitz does as President?

22. Wait a sec, what happened to Portia de Rossi? Why is she yelling at Abby?

23. Cyrus is back in the White House? What kind of unconstitutional stuff is he going to pull this time?

24. Oh no, Liv's lip is quivering.

25. Don't do it, Liv! You're a gladiator in a suit Prada and Louboutins! Pull yourself together!

26. We get it, Mellie—it's annoying that Fitz is choosing Olivia Pope over you.

27. Yes, Mellie, we know that you want to be the President.

28. Have we ever seen their daughter?

29. And what happened to the baby?

30. I don't know what Lazarus is, but it really doesn't sound good.

31. Hold up, did she just break up with Fitz?

32. You go, Olivia! You tell him you're better than this!

33. No…don't give into his puppy dog eyes.

34. *Pours another glass of wine*

35. Well, idk what just happened. But I finished a bottle of wine, so I guess I'm ready for How to Get Away With Murder?

I’ve always found that college produces extremely high levels of stress in me. Keeping up with deadlines for papers and articles, studying for exams and finals, making new friends and keeping the old (that’s a nursery rhyme, right?) — it all takes a toll. I have taken my fair share of naps but I've found that simply sleeping away my day doesn’t quite help me get everything accomplished (shocking, I know). So…

One month ago, I decided to try doing yoga every day for one month using DOYOUYOGA’s 30 day beginner’s challenge. My instructor, Erin Motz, focused on a variety of different muscle groups, yet repeated a Vinyasa (a breath-synchronized movement) so that I (or any user) could become pro (yeah, right) in one area (the Vinyasa) while being exposed to other things, too. Erin made me, with bleary eyes and knotty hair, go upside down in downward dog before breakfast.  

I was not a perfect and graceful yogi. Sometimes I forgot to do a day’s yoga and had to double up the next day. Sometimes I did it with a friend and we talked while doing the stretches, likely mitigating yoga’s calming effects and mindfulness. And sometimes I did yoga while my roommate studied on her computer, leading me to make silly faces at my reflection in her screen, and distracting me from fully focusing on my form and breathing. Yes, I’m easily distracted.

However, despite the many noise variables in my mini yoga experiment, I did learn some things that I’d like to share.

RELATED: 7 Easy Yoga Poses to Help You De-stress

1. If you get kinks in your neck or suffer from lower back pain that makes you question your age, wake up to yoga!

I sleep in funny positions all the time. Sometimes I just am so exhausted from studying that I just collapse in weird positions, sleeping soundly through the night as my body tries to say, “Hey! Why are laying like this! You’re hurting me!”

If my lower back hurt and I started my day with a yoga routine, however, my aches felt a little better in a short 15 minutes. This is so crucial for college students because I know a lot of us are sitting all day and we’re hunched over our textbooks and we’re lying in uncomfortable places (library table, anyone?) trying to get in a quick power nap. Don’t put up with those aches that will affect the quality of your day and your next night’s sleep! Give that part of your body a proper stretch and it’ll thank you for it.

2. Getting your blood flowing wakes you up!

Okay, so I might’ve already known this because I work out in the morning (sometimes) and I know that a good workout really wakes me up. When I don’t work out, I just sort of put on clothes and groggily crawl to class.

RELATED: Meditation: What it is & Why You Should Do It

But, I didn’t always do yoga in the morning. Sometimes I did yoga when I got back from class, sometimes midday, and sometimes in the evening before I did my last couple hours of homework. Whenever I did it, I was rejuvenated and could return to my homework not only with my body feeling better, but with my mind refocused (could yoga be replacing my coffee?!).

My yoga sessions only lasted 15-30 minutes, and I definitely saw a change in how focused I was afterwards even after the 15 minute sessions. This showed me that, in the future, if I need energy, instead of grabbing a soda which is bad for me and probably going to keep me up past when I want to be awake, I can get in 15 minutes of exercise and then regain focus.

Yoga works, but so would taking a short walk, doing 15 minutes on a treadmill/elliptical/bike, or doing a quick little circuit in your room.

3. The most important thing I learned doing yoga was that it important to devote time to myself.

In college, you have to devote time to your professors and your friends and your boyfriend (or girlfriend) and your parents and at the end of the day, you just crash in your bed and call that your me-time. But taking a break, promising myself that there would be no homework doing, no phone calls, no texts during this 15-30 minute window was so refreshing. The time was entirely for me.

Taking time to relax and check-in with myself did not cause my GPA to plummet or cause me to lose all my friends. Believe it or not, taking time for myself only reaped positives. I was happier and more focused afterwards, and I could look forward to that break the next day.

RELATED: 12 Things You Shouldn’t Stress About

In college, we tend to feel like there is such an overwhelming amount of stuff to do, that we can’t have any time for just breathing. We feel like breathing time is time wasted. But you are worth 15 minutes of your own time. It’s okay to take a break and do something that makes you happy.

I don’t think yoga is the only option in terms of relaxing me-time – far from it. I’d say doing 15-30 minutes of anything you really like would probably rejuvenate you, but I think it’s especially beneficial if you’re able to think and check in on yourself. So don’t do something mindless like watch Netflix (I know, who would say such a thing?), but try taking a walk, sitting in a bubble bath, drawing a picture, running, painting, journaling, singing, praying or just laughing.

You can try what I did if you’d like. I had a good experience. Then again, I don’t think it’s necessarily something I’m going to stick with. But I am going to make time for myself more regularly. Not nap time, but time to walk or run or journal. Maybe I’ll try meditating. You could try yoga, or you could just try doing something for you, something that takes you away from your school work and your stressors, for 15-30 minutes a day. Commit that time to yourself. You deserve it.

You’ve seen it in all of its rainbow glory in brochures, on the school website and at the student resource fair: Your campus’s LGBTQ+ resource center. It’s your one-stop shop on campus for everything that screams, “I’m here and I’m queer,” and you plan on taking advantage of everything it has to offer you.

But there’s one teensy thing that you’re wondering: What do they actually have to offer?

Let us explain to you all of the wonderful things that this campus community can provide for you—whether you’re queer or an ally!

1. Internship and work opportunities

Like many other departments on college campuses, LGBTQ+ resource centers are nothing without their student workers and volunteers. Many hire several students every year to help keep the place running smoothly and effectively. Available to any student regardless of their gender identity or sexuality, these opportunities will look fantastic on anyone’s resume. Penn State has seven different internship positions available at their LGBTA Resource Center, each one full of opportunities to expand your resume.

You may have the opportunity to get work study or academic credit for similar positions at your school. With internships specializing in community outreach, event programming, marketing and more, this is the perfect way to build up essential skills, no matter what career you want to go into. Skip the icky job serving food at the dining hall and gain some real leadership experience by working at your campus’s LGBTQ+ resource center!

2. Peer mentor programs

The resource center is chock-full of people ranging from professional staff members to wise upperclassmen who are willing to pass on their wisdom to younger, inexperienced collegiettes. Mentors in any community are beyond helpful in order to help you avoid the typical freshman mistake and sympathize with whatever queer-girl struggles you might be going through (#femmeprobs, anyone?).

Some campuses even have formal peer mentor programs where you can apply to be a mentee or mentor and the campus center will pair you with another person who, based on your application, is your perfect match. Want to be a mentor but not sure if you have the right skills? Not a problem at campuses like the University of Houston! UH’s aspiring peer mentors receive training on how to be the perfect role models for their mentees. This type of training can include appropriate and specific ways you can empower your mentee, ways you can help them reach whatever goals they may have and ways to communicate with them effectively.

3. On-campus ally training

With so many campuses filled with people from diverse backgrounds, not all students and staff know what it truly means to foster a safe space or be advocates for LGBTQ+ people. Fortunately, many resource centers provide ally training in order for campus professionals and other aspiring allies to learn how to effectively provide support and build community with the community. The training teaches people how to reflect on the privileges they may have and be proactive in disrupting homophobic acts.

At the end of the training, the professionals and students will typically receive a certificate or sign saying they have completed the training, which they put on the door outside of their offices or dorms. This is to signal to the rest of the campus that they are safe, effective allies who are not only equipped with the tools to handle incidents of bias, but who are also accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. Many times this training is available upon request to any community on campus, such as entire dorms or student organizations.

4. Health resources

As we all know by now, buying condoms and other supplies for safe sex on a consistent basis can get pretty pricey after a while. While the investment is totally worth it in the long run, it can wear a collegiette’s budget down pretty quickly.

However, have no fear! LGBTQ+ campus resource centers will typically carry a wide array of free condoms, dental dams, lube and anything else you need to have a consensual, safe and sexy time with your partner. Some campus centers also sponsor free and anonymous HIV and STI testing occasionally throughout the year.

5. Off-campus resource recommendations

If your campus’s LGBTQ+ community is too small for your liking, it can get pretty redundant. You’re seeing the same faces, doing the same programming and hanging out in the same places. Snooze fest, or nah?

However, people at your campus’s LGBTQ+ resource center can probably direct you towards some community centers that would be great for you to get involved in. Don’t live in the city, but still have one that’s close enough? Grab a group of your favorite queer besties and hit the road for a weekend trip! The people at your LGBTQ+ campus center are sure to have the network to make sure you find all the support you need in your surrounding area.

6. A resource library

Whether you’re looking for a book assigned to you by your new LGBTQ+ studies professor or you just ran out of queer-friendly shows to watch on Netflix, this side of campus will have you covered. Most LGBTQ+ campus centers will have all of the LGBTQ+ books, magazines and DVDs your little heart desires.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has everything from LGBTQ+ graphic novels to health resources in their LGBT Campus Center library. By using your student ID card, a simple swipe is all that’s needed to get whatever materials you need from the bookshelf.

7. Discussion groups

We know that you are so much more than your sexuality or gender identity. Discussion groups are a great way to talk about your intersecting identities with other peers who can understand where you’re coming from.

Northwestern University, provides five different discussion groups that address everything from queer people of color to LGBTQ+-identified people who are involved in Greek life. The best part about discussion groups is that they are safe spaces, and whatever is discussed there stays there. It’s a way for you to get out all your frustrations without having to worry about your scandalous drama getting out to the whole campus.

8. Counselors

Coming to terms with being LGBTQ+ and all the stresses that can come with it can be a lot for one collegiette to handle by herself. Whether it’s worrying about coming out to your parents or just coming out to yourself, sometimes you can use a bit of professional help.

The University of California, Los Angeles’s LGBT Campus Resource Center provides counselors in residence for drop-in visits a few days out of the week in addition to a counselor who specifically caters to those who have experienced any type of sexual assault or dating violence. Many other campus resource centers either have similar services or can direct you to counselors on campus who can cater to your specific needs.

9. New friends in a safe space

When you’re new to campus or even just new to the LGBTQ+ community, you might be looking for a place with people waiting to welcome you for exactly who you are. One of the main priorities of most LGBTQ+ resource centers is to help foster a safe space and a community. Wherever you fall on the spectrum, they want you to feel protected. Many campus centers have a variety of different movie nights, game nights and study parties throughout the semester in order to build community and bring people together. These are great ways to connect with new friends!

It can be hard to find your niche on campus, especially when you feel like you might not belong. But this is why your school’s LGBTQ+ resource center can be the perfect location for you to feel comfortable. Whether you’re a queer or trans* collegiette trying to navigate your way through your identity (and college life) or you’re an ally who’s trying to help make campus a better place for your peers, the your campus’s LGBTQ+ center is definitely where you should be spending your free time!

The Victoria’s Secret fashion show may not air until December 8, but between our fashion fangirl moments over photos of looks from the show and our increasing excitement about seeing performances from our fave artists like The Weeknd and Selena Gomez, we think it’s pretty safe to say that the anticipation is already in full swing.

Another major part of our excitement? Finding out which of our favorite models made the cut for the show. In case you couldn’t have guessed, it turns out that casting for the show is INSANELY competitive—after all, walking in this show can make a model’s career. According to Business Insider, 10 of the 11 models on Forbes’s list of highest earning models have either walked the show or modeled for Victoria’s Secret at some point.

So how exactly are the VS models picked each year? Victoria’s Secret recently released a video to give fans the inside scoop on the process—and it’s about as nerve-wracking as we had imagined. (According to the judges in the video, there are unfortunately often tears involved.)

When every one of the hundreds of models who try out are flawless, how do the judges even make a decision? While being drop-dead gorgeous and having legs for days are part of it, Richard Habberly of DNA Model Management told Women’s Wear Daily that there’s a lot more for the judges to consider than you might expect. The models have to seem likeable to VS shoppers, too.

“They're women that appeal to other women,” Habberly says. “And they're special because they never appear in men's magazines. Once you start to do that, they become threatening.”

The bottom line? While getting cast as a VS Angel is #goals for every model, the road to stardom is a tough one—it did, after all, even take Gigi Hadid three tries before she finally scored a spot.

Will you be tuning into the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this year, collegiettes?

A recent ad in Bloomingdale's holiday catalog is causing a lot of controvery—and for good reason.

The ad features a man looking at a woman with the words, "Spike your best friend's egg nog when they're not looking." It's pretty hard not to interpret this ad as encouraging you to basically roofie your friends. Which is super not okay.

Whatever Bloomingdale's meant by this caption, they shouldn't have printed it and are facing a lot of backlash on Twitter.

"In reflection of recent feedback, the copy we used in our recent catalog was inappropriate and in poor taste. Bloomingdale's sincerely apologizes for this error in judgment," a brand representative told Tech Insider.

NBC News pointed out that this is not the first time something like this has happened, referring to Bud Light ads earlier this year that featured the tagline, "The perfect beer for removing the word 'no' from your vocabulary for the night." Again, any ad telling you to drink alcohol and stop listening to the word "no" easily brings sexual assault to mind.

Companies really need to think twice about the language they use in advertisements. Does this ad anger you, collegiettes?

Actress Clare Bowen—better known as Scarlett O'Connor in Nashville—recently made a drastic change to her long locks. Bowen is now sporting a pixie cut after being inspired by a story she heard:

"I was really inspired when I heard a story about a little girl who said she couldn't be a princess because she didn't have long hair, and I wanted her, and others like her to know that's not what makes a princess, or a warrior, or a superhero," the star wrote on Facebook. "It's not what makes you beautiful either. It's your insides that count… even if you happen to be missing half of them."

Bowen also revealed that she was diagnosed with end stage nephroblastoma when she was only four years old. She wants other children to live judgement-free lives the way she did.

We think Clare looks beautiful either way—but we really love the inspiration behind the dramatic cut. Read the full post below:

We all dream of having smooth, luscious lips, but sometimes just using lip balm isn’t enough. As winter approaches, chapped lips are becoming all the more troublesome! The solution: lip scrub.

Lip scrubs exfoliate your lips, removing any chapped, dead skin cells to make them soft and plump. Unfortunately, store-bought lip scrubs can cost around $30, and not all of us have $30 to spend on one beauty product. So, if you are on a budget and craving kissable lips, here is how to create your own inexpensive DIY lip scrub!

What you'll need:

1. Sugar
2. Coconut Oil
3. Some sort of container to put the final product in
4. Lip balm

Step 1:

Twist the lip balm until all of the product is out of the tube

Step 2:

Remove the lip balm from the tube, place it in a bowl and mash it up 

Step 3:

Add two teaspoons of sugar to the lip balm in the bowl, mixing thoroughly with the lip balm.

Step 4:

Add a teaspoon of coconut oil to the mixture. Mix until all the ingredients are blended 

And that's it! Four simple steps later and you're all set to create smooth, kissable lips without breaking the bank. Happy DIYing, collegiettes! 

Beckie Peirce and April Hoagland, a lesbian couple in Utah, were married in October last year. Since then, the couple has been fostering a 1-year-old girl, and raising Peirce's two biological children together—until recently, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

This week, 7th District Court Juvenile Judge Scott Johansen ordered the couple to give up their foster child, claiming that it would be better for her to be raised by a straight couple, though he failed to provide evidence for his claim when asked.

"We love her and she loves us, and we haven't done anything wrong," Pierce told the Salt Lake Tribune. "And the law, as I understand it, reads that any legally married couple can foster and adopt."

Peirce and Hoagland are currently in the appeals process trying to win the right to legally adopt the child. In the meantime, they are working with the Utah Division of Child and Family Services in order to find alternate temporary housing for the infant in order to comply with the judge's order.

"We have a lot of support," Peirce said to the Salt Lake Tribune. "DCFS wants us to have the child, the Guardian Ad Litem wants us to have the child, the mother wants us to have the child, so the only thing standing in the way is the judge."

Ashley Sumner, the spokeswoman from the DCFS, noted in an interview with the New York Times that same-sex adoption was illegal until a federal court overturned the state's ban on gay marriage last year. She disagreed with Johansen's ruling. 

“We made the determination that this is a good placement and we want to continue that placement,” Sumner said. “We don’t want to disrupt this child’s life again.”

Even Hillary Clinton weighed in on the matter, taking to Twitter to denounce Johansen's ruling. 

The Salt Lake Tribune notes that in the past, Johansen slapped a 16-year-old boy he felt was unruly in his courtroom and ordered that a 13-year-old girl cut off her ponytail as punishment for cutting off another girl's hair. 

The ruling is a reminder to people everywhere that the fight for LGBTQ+ rights doesn't end with same-sex marriage. Many couples like Peirce and Hoagland are facing similar struggles. Here's to hoping for the best for the family, and for equal rights all over the country. 

You made it! After days of waking up before the sun, strutting around campus in heels, smiling until your face was numb and meeting hundreds of potential new best friends a day, you received that beloved bid and pledged a sorority earlier this semester. However, after all the hype surrounding bid day fizzled out, you can’t help but notice that you don’t feel so at home amongst your new sisters. Maybe it’s the atmosphere of the house or the connections between all the girls who already seem so close, or maybe you’re just struggling to find your place. While dropping is always an option, you feel like you’ve come too far to throw it all away now!  

While finding your place in your sorority may seem overwhelming, there are some steps you can take to start feeling closer with your sisters right now.

1. Keep an open mind

Everyone always told you to keep an open mind throughout the rush process, but it’s important to maintain that attitude long after you’ve pledged.

“A lot of people go through a time of wondering if sororities are even right for them because it is really overwhelming at the beginning,” says Ellen Bankston, a freshman at Purdue University and a member of Phi Mu. “Keep in mind that you won't be best friends with everyone, but there are most likely girls that are similar to you that you could end up being really good friends with if you keep an open mind. Stick it out, because there was a reason you were put in the house in the first place.”

Remember: Your sorority chose you! Whether it’s your charming personality, witty sense of humor, willingness to serve others or your sheer likeability, they want you there for a reason. Don’t be afraid to branch outside of your comfort zone and be open to new experiences. College is a time for having fun, discovering yourself and building a foundation for your future—and being part of a sorority can help you do all of the above!

2. Get involved with a committee

After pledging a sorority, you probably learned quickly that there’s more to Greek life than just parties and social events. Being on a committee is a great way to gain leadership experience, work with charities or philanthropic organizations and meet sisters who share similar interests with you!

“There are so many opportunities that one can become involved in once in a sorority,” says Adrienne Holland, a junior at Purdue University and sister of Sigma Kappa. “In terms of leadership, someone can become active on the executive or cabinet board within the sorority or in leadership positions among Panhellenic. If an individual is not elected to a leadership position, they can still have a voice within the chapter through being a committee member for someone on [the] executive board. This way, they can help the executive board in making decisions on philanthropy or recruitment.”

If you’re overwhelmed by the size of your sorority, joining a committee can be a great way to make it seem smaller. Start by getting to know a small group of girls who share your interests—whether it’s arts and crafts, leadership, event planning or anything in between—and branch out from there.

3. Make plans with a sister

While grabbing breakfast, going on a run or struggling through calculus homework with a sister may not seem like a big deal, they can be great ways to bond outside of the sorority’s organized activities.

“Just making an effort to get to know everyone helps a lot,” Ellen says. “In my two months of experience in a sorority, I have found it really easy to get close to the girls in my house. Just getting coffee or eating lunch with my sisters helps me the most.”

While parties, sisterhood events and other social activities can be a great way to hang out with all of your sisters at once, it can be hard to get to know them individually in a setting with hundreds of girls. If you find yourself feeling shy or afraid to branch out, try making plans with a sister one-on-one or with a small group.

“Instead of sitting in your room alone at night, go to another person's room or go to the main area people hang out in and spend time with them,” Adrienne says. “The only way you will start to feel more involved and accepted in the group is if you are an active participant and are open to making friends.”

4. Tell others about yourself

While sororities are very group-oriented, they rely on the individuality and diversity of the members to make them special. If you’re struggling to find your place in your sorority, don’t sacrifice the qualities that make you unique. Instead, use your personality and past experiences as a way to reach out to others, start conversations and relate to your sisters.

“I recommend opening up yourself to [your sorority sisters],” Adrienne says. “If you are open to their friendship, then they will be open to you. When you live in a house with 80 girls, you spend every waking second together. Soon enough, you know each other’s habits, quirks and personalities. If you're willing to let your sisters get to know you, then the close friendships will come.”

Although it may sound clichéd, being yourself is the key to developing quality friendships that last long beyond your college years. Be genuine, approachable and always willing to listen to others as well, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by friends in no time!

While sorority life can be daunting, remember that you’ve already overcome the most difficult part. Now that you’re through rush, focus your energy on getting involved, reaching out to your sisters and keeping busy. Remember that your sorority chose you for a reason, and they’re there to ensure you get the most out of your Greek-life experience. Don’t be afraid to take a risk, step out of your comfort zone and make the most of these precious years. Best of luck, collegiettes!  

Sex toy company Whizworx is facing a lot of backlash (and for good reason) for an offensive ad they used to promote their Fifi masturbation sleeve.

The ad features a picture of a woman in underwear and fishnets with the caption, "Make the right decision," pictured in the Tweet below. The company took down the ad after facing criticism for body-shaming, The Daily Dot reports.

The hashtag #DONTgetfifi circulated after Sunny Megatron, a sex educator, tweeted about how disappointed she was with the ad.

This isn't the first time @Getfifi has released an offensive advertisement. In July, they tweeted an "ugly girl" and "hot guy" picture with the caption, "Sometimes it's better to just jerk off..."

These ads are not okay. We'll be joining #DONTgetfifi, thank you very much.

The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear arguments against a law that would bring the amount of abortion clinics in Texas down to 10, the New York Times reports.

The law puts restrictions on abortion clinics that many just can’t meet, forcing them to close. Restrictions include doctors having admitting privileges at a local hospital, and being licensed as an ambulatory surgical center, which is extremely expensive. Since the law was passed in 2013, more and more clinics have had to close their doors.

The main issue in the case is whether these restrictions place “an undue burden” on a woman’s constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy. If the court decides they do, Texas will have to scale back the law and women (especially poor women who live in rural areas) will have much easier access to abortion. If court decides the restrictions are constitutional, more states will start passing laws like the one Texas has now.

There’s a very good argument that the restrictions exist more to shut down abortion clinics than to save lives—While proponents say they're trying to protect women’s health during the procedure, Jezebel reports that abortion is one of the safest medical procedures available.

Whole Woman’s Health, the lead plaintiff in the case the Supreme Court will be hearing, released a statement on their website from their founder and CEO, Amy Hagstrom Miller. 

“Today, my heart is filled with hope,” Hagstrom Miller wrote. “Although this is the first step in a much longer process, I am hopeful that the Supreme Court will uphold the rights that have been in place for four decades and reaffirm that every woman should be able to make her own decision about continuing or ending a pregnancy.”

Every woman should have the right to safe and legal abortion, and they shouldn’t have to travel hundreds of miles to do so or have to wait for weeks after they’ve already made a decision. Hopefully the Supreme Court will realize that, as the decision they make will have a major impact on abortion rights in the U.S.

The court will most likely hear the case in March. Let’s hope they will protect a woman’s right to make her own choices.

photo credit: Equal Justice Under Law via photopin(license)

On Nov. 10, America’s new favorite judge (sorry Judy), Judge Gail Standish dismissed a copyright case against Taylor Swift and her song, "Shake it Off," in the greatest way possible. She acknowledged the complete ridiculousness of the lawsuit by using Taylor Swift’s own lyrics in her statement.

In case you missed it, last month, a songwriter named Jesse Braham filed a lawsuit against Taylor Swift on the grounds that her song “borrows heavily” from his 2013 song, “Haters Gonna Hate.” Despite the fact that the phrase “haters gonna hate” is more of a colloquial phrase than one worth copyrighting, Braham felt that T-Swift owed him $42 MILLION  for it. 

Our hero judge however, didn’t see it that way. ”At present, the Court is not saying that Braham can never, ever, ever get his case back in court," Standish wrote. "But, for now, we have got problems, and the Court is not sure Braham can solve them.”

Judge Standish also wrote that Braham did not provide enough factual evidence to support that Taylor deliberately stole his lyrics. “The Complaint has a blank space — one that requires Braham to do more than write his name.” 

Braham will be allowed to file a new lawsuit against Taylor if he has more evidence against her but for now, in the words of Judge Standish, the "defendants have shaken off this lawsuit.​"

It looks like the University of Missouri is taking a step in the right direction with the hiring of Michael Middleton, founder of the Legion of Black Collegians and the school’s first African American law professor, as the interim president of the University. The announcement comes after the resignation of President Timothy Wolfe, who stepped down on Monday amid fierce protests of his handling of serious racism on campus.

In a news conference on Thursday, Middleton said he has already met with members of Concerned Student 1950, an organization devoted to ending racism on campus, about ways to begin addressing problems. He said he is already working on plans to hire more minority faculty and staff to increase their presence on campus. “We are excited for the new leadership under Interim President Middleton!” the group wrote on Twitter.

Middleton received both his bachelor’s and his law degree from the University he now heads, and as a senior helped found the Legion of Black Collegians, one of the groups that, decades later, stood at the forefront of the protests calling for Wolfe’s resignation. As the protests gained nationwide recognition, students of color from universities across the country expressed their support and stood in solidarity with students from Missouri.

“One of the things impeding our ability to get beyond these issues is our inability to talk about it,” Middleton said at the news conference. “We have to understand our ugly history permeates everything we do at this institution and in this country. Once we get this truth on the table, we’re poised to reconcile those differences.”

"Mike Middleton is the best person to lead the system during this critical period of transition, with 30 years of leadership experience on the MU campus and past service as a civil rights attorney," Donald Cupps, chairman of the University of Missouri board of curators, said in a statement, according to ABC News.

The choice of Middleton to lead the University in the direction of change seems to be lauded by officials and students alike. We can only hope that he’ll stay true to his word and follow through on his promises!