Between jobs, internships and classes, it can be hard for collegiettes to find time to unwind and let loose. After a crazy day, going out partying is a fun and exciting way to hang out with friends and forget about your to-do list for a few hours.

Although parties are a good time, there’s a fine line between having fun and getting out of control. Before you know it, your continuous partying could start negatively affecting your health and life. If you or a friend is struggling with keeping your party habits under control, read on for relatable and reliable advice about monitoring your going-out habits.

1. You’re Sleep Deprived or You Can’t Fall Asleep   

According to Sandra Halbruner, a nurse practitioner at Messiah College’s Engle Center for Counseling and Health Services, sleep deprivation is a main concern and consequence of partying too much.

“By failing to get enough sleep by staying out too late to party, you’re essentially handicapping your brain,” Halbruner says. Since trying to get enough rest is difficult on a regular basis, it becomes even harder when partying is added to the mix. If you find that you’re failing to get the rest you need to stay mentally alert after too many late nights out, your partying habits could be becoming a problem.

Furthermore, drinking impairs your quality of sleep, so even if you are getting to bed at a sane hour, if you’re frequently doing so drunk, you won’t be as well-rested. Since getting enough sleep is so important for your health, if you find that you’re run down from too much barhopping, it can never hurt to take a weekend off.  

2. Your Grades are Slipping

As if being enrolled in several college classes at once isn’t enough, maintaining your social schedule can prove to be daunting and distracting. Schoolwork may be put on the back burner if you’re more concerned about what to wear to that night’s party or if you’re nursing hangovers instead of studying on Sundays.

Although partying seems much more exciting compared to your research paper or upcoming exam, try to remember the importance of your academic life. Halbruner notes that one of the earliest signs of problem partying is when your grades begin to drop.

“The student could originally be strong academically, but they soon find that they are too exhausted from their partying to have any motivation to complete their work, especially if they are using substances like drugs and/or alcohol,” she says.

The same goes for if you’ve been a lot less productive, you’re handing in assignments late or you’ve started to skip class more often to recover from a late night out. Remember, it’s never too late to recover your academic performance—but the sooner you recognize that you need to step it up, the easier it will be to get back on track. If you do find that your grades are going downhill, set up a meeting with your professor to see if there are any extra credit opportunities or if there are other ways you can get back on track for the rest of the semester.

3. Your Mood is Changing  

If partying has caused your sleeping schedule to change and your academic performance to decrease, these new changes to your lifestyle could also negatively influence your mood and how you’re able to handle the day-to-day grind. 

Halbruner says that when you start partying too much, you “may seem more anxious or depressed than usual,” which will have an effect on your motivation to do work, as well as your relationships with others. If you notice that you’ve become moodier than usual, or if small annoyances are getting to you more often, this could be a sign that your partying is taking a toll on you.

4. You’re Having Conflicts with Friends and Roommates

If you become out of control regularly on the nights you go out, your roommates or friends probably bear the burden for picking up the pieces. This can cause frustration and conflict because it can get tiring and stressful to always be the one making sure that someone doesn’t drive drunk or hook up with someone they shouldn’t. If your friends often confront you the next day about what you did last night, or seem upset or annoyed the morning after, don’t take this lightly. Remember, they have your best interests in mind! 

Halbruner notes that being out late partying and getting less sleep will have an impact on your interpersonal relationships as well. If this cycle of unpredictability and uncontrollable behavior is a common occurrence, then your partying may be getting out of control.

If your relationships do become strained, sit down with your friends and hear their perspectives. It can be hard to hear the problems that your friends have with your behavior, but that could be the wake-up call you need.  Knowing that your behavior doesn’t just affect you but can also hurt or bother others can give you the motivation you need to cut back. Your friends will be more than willing to help you think of strategies to get back in control.

5. You’re Having Conflicts With Your Parents

The partying scene can also have negative effects on how it feels to go home for a weekend. The desire to play with younger siblings or engage during family dinner may decrease, since going out with friends to the club or to drink might be a bigger priority. Conflicts and arguments with parents become more frequent the less time and effort you spend on nurturing family relationships. If you find that you’re dreading going home more than usual, you’re nervous to speak with your parents or you fear the consequences of what will happen if they were to find out about your partying, this could be a sign to tone things down a notch.

6. You’re Relying on Alcohol

It’s no secret that there’s alcohol at college parties. Drinking has become so integrated in the college experience that it can be difficult to tell when your habits cross over from social drinking to alcohol dependency. Signs of dependency include craving drinks throughout the day, constantly having thoughts about drinking or being unable to go out with your friends without drinking.

Halbruner says that “if you’re at the point where you’re waking up with hangovers often,” this can be a sign of a problem, despite how much our culture has accepted hangovers as the inevitable aftermath of drinking.

Halbruner notes that medical experts will often use a set of questions known as “CAGE” in order to help determine alcohol dependency in a person. The acronym stands for feeling as if you should Cut down on your alcohol use, feeling Annoyance if someone asks you about your drinking habits, feeling Guilty about your drinking habits and having an Eye-opening experience, such as drinking in the morning to steady your nerves. Asking yourself whether you’ve had these experiences can guide you toward confronting a potential problem.

7. You’re Getting Sick Often

When your partying is out of control, your physical health is often affected. If you’re not sleeping enough or not eating nutritious food (because a salad never really sounds good after a night of drinking), your immune system will take a hit. “Sleep deprivation and stress alone can affect your immune system,” Halbruner says. “Once you add partying to the mix, it becomes even worse.” Since our demanding schedules don’t leave room for sickness, this can become a serious issue quickly.

8. You’re Blacking Out

Nothing is worse than not being able to remember where you were or what you did at the party that you went to last night. When you experience a blackout, your sense of memory and control is impaired, which is a scary concept to think about. The cause of a blackout – ingesting large amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time – causes damage to your physical health, such as liver problems, that could turn deadly. If you find yourself frequently blacking out after a party, this is definitely a sign that your partying has become out of control.

You also put yourself at risk of getting into countless dangerous situations when you’re blacked out. From going home with someone you shouldn't and getting separated from your friends to losing your belongings or injuring yourself, lacking total awareness when you’re out can end in a number of horrible ways.

Solving the Problem

If anything, simply recognizing that you are experiencing one of the above eight problems can help you uncover the impact of your partying. “Your brain isn’t fully mature until age 25, so until then it’s a bit harder to see the impact and effects of your decisions,” Halbruner says. “Although, if you do begin to notice that your quality of life is starting to crumble – such as lower grades and sleep loss – that’s a huge sign that it’s time to make a change.”

To try and tone down your partying habits, Halbruner recommends working on learning how to prioritize your time.

“Students often want to party to relieve their stress, almost self-medicating by partying,” she says. For a more permanent stress release, decide how to make your schedule work for you, and take care of yourself by making time for enough rest and other healthy habits.

If you’re concerned about your health or the health of a friend, seek help from your campus’s health center, which will have trained professionals who care about your health and safety during your time at college. You’ll be taking one of the first steps towards becoming healthier and happier.

Tyra is rooting for you! We're all rooting for you! If you have a Bachelor's degree and 5 years of communications experience, Tyra Banks is looking to hire you for her beauty startup, TYRA Beauty.

Here's a brief description of the company, put in terms that only Tyra Banks would use to describe a business:

TYRA beauty is not just a cosmetics line. 

It’s a COSMETICS EXPERIENCE! And it’s all wrapped up in BEAUTYTAINMENT—where beauty and entertainment collide.

We preach and teach the power of tooching booties, strutting thighs, posing tips, and smizing eyes. We make you look and feel more beautiful than you ever thought possible! With my beauty secrets and secret beauty weapons, this cosmetics experience is all about Beauty. Business. Badassery.

You'd be working directly with the company's "beautytainers," or sales associates, to drive productivity, draft newsletters, and come up with creative communications to represent TYRA Beauty. 

If it sounds like you'd fit in here (uh, pretty sure that'd be all of us), head on over to LinkedIn to put yourself in the the running to be America's Next Top Field Communications Manager. Oh, and this goes without saying, but make sure to smize in your interview.

For some people, the day after Thanksgiving involves recovering from a food coma and spending the time off from school relaxing—but for fashionistas, Black Friday is just as much of a holiday as Turkey Day itself. With one week left until the biggest shopping day of the year, we're already planning our strategy for which of our favorite stores to hit—and these are all the upcoming deals every fashion girl should know about! 

1. Nasty Gal

From November 24 through Black Friday, get 30% off all black pieces at Nasty Gal. (Ha, see what they did there?) On Cyber Monday, take 50% off select pieces!

2. Nordstrom

That on-sale designer investment piece at Nordstrom you’ve been lusting over all fall? The time to take the plunge has come: Get an additional 20% off it and all other sale items both in stores and online on Black Friday.

3. Uniqlo

Get ready to majorly stock up on basics to get you through the winter. (We recommend the HeatTech tights!) Everything at Uniqlo will be under $50 on Black Friday!

4. Pixie Market

As if we needed another reason to obsess over this fashion-forward e-boutique—they’re giving us 20% off the whole site on Black Friday through November 29!

5. H&M

What’s better than a Black Friday sale? A whole week of Black Friday sales! H&M is adding new deals every day leading up to Black Friday, both in stores and online.

6. Forever 21

No word on Forever 21’s actual Black Friday deals (yet!), but the retailer is having a pre-Black Friday sale now through Thanksgiving, meaning you’ll score up to 50% off winter essentials like sweaters and outerwear, and free shipping on any online purchase over $30!

7. Macy’s

At Macy’s you’ll have to shop bright and early, but we promise it will be worth it! On Black Friday, you’ll get 50% off all contemporary brands until 1 p.m.

8. Frends

If you’ve ever thought about investing in a pair of the fashion crowd’s favorite headphones, now is definitely the time! Frends is offering a pre-Black Friday sale, with 25% off all headphones until Thanksgiving.

9. Aritzia

Head to Aritzia to pick up some It-girl investment pieces and get half-off select winter and holiday styles November 23 through November 29!

Where will you be shopping on Black Friday, collegiettes?

This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from The Everyday Elegance by Courtney Kincaid, a Her Campus Blogger Network member. Read the full post here.

When I first started college, I never voluntarily read a textbook. Seriously. My grades, of course, reflected this decision. It was mainly because I honestly had no idea how to read a textbook in a way where I would understand and remember what I was reading.

Textbooks are overwhelming. Nothing about textbooks is fun. So when you have professors assign readings, sometimes from multiple textbooks, it’s easy to become discouraged and want to blow it off. That’s how it was for me, until I learned the best method for understanding your textbook and save you time later when you are studying for tests. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn how to take notes in a way that will help you absorb the information and reduce your stress later on!

1. Outline your textbooks

At the beginning of every chapter, there is an outline. It’s an overview of what the contents of the chapter are, the titles of the sections, and sometimes, any key terms from the chapter. This is a goldmine. When you take the time to do this as you have readings assigned to you, the week before a test doesn’t seem as stressful anymore.

2. Color-code your notes

As you go through reading your textbook, highlight key phrases and words that stand out to you. However, you don’t want to highlight each piece of information with the same color. This is why color coding is so important. If you highlight information in all the same color, it is easy for your brain to get confused and overwhelmed. When you color code your notes, your brain visually understands what the information is at a glance. Here is how I break down my notes:

Pink = definitions or defining information (some of my textbooks don’t put information in the margins or a glossary)
Blue = Statistics (percentages, case studies, etc)
Green = Quotes (This is mainly for my textbooks. Social work books tend to quote a lot of people for a number of different reasons and these end up on exams.)
Yellow = Any other miscellaneous information (this could be key points you know will be on an exam or are mentioned on your powerpoints. Just make sure the information doesn’t fall under any other category)

The most important thing about color coding is consistency. If you are inconsistent with your colors, you will eventually get confused. So pick your colors according to your needs for the class and stick to it! Also remember, you don’t need to highlight every single word. If you do it correctly, you won’t be highlighting everything.

3. Transition your highlighted information into your notebook

This is the part where you actually start taking notes. You’ve just taken your textbook and highlighted the information you know to be important. You’ve also outlined your chapter. So starting with the first heading, begin creating your outline in your notebook.

Read the full post here.

Jimmy Iovine, head of the Apple Music streaming service, appeared on CBS This Morning with Mary J. Blige to discuss a new Apple Music commercial featuring Blige along with Kerry Washington and Taraji P. Henson. The ad, which can be viewed below, portrays the three women as friends getting together for dinner. Washington proceeds to use Apple Music to create a playlist for the event, and the women dance around the kitchen to songs that make them feel “sexy.”

When asked about the creative concept for the commercial, Iovine explained that he wanted to show how the Apple Music streaming service could make it easier for women who, according to him, have difficulty finding new music on their own:

“I just thought of a problem, you know: girls are sitting around, you know, talking about boys. Or complaining about boys, you know, when they're heartbroken or whatever. And they need music for that, right? So it's hard to find the right music, you know. Not everybody has the right lists, or knows a DJ or something. So you need great lists. You need great lists for dinner. You need great lists for exercising. You need great lists for moments like that.”

From Iovine’s masculine perspective, women need music for comfort in the wake of boy drama, or when they’re in the kitchen cooking dinner, or when they’re exercising to maintain their appearance. He ignores women who do turn to music for comfort after heartbreak, but in non-heteronormative relationships with other women or people who do not categorize themselves within the gender binary. He ignores women who listen to music while driving to and from work, who are too busy to be at home cooking dinner. He ignores the countless other situations in which women listen to music that do not revolve around men and the domestic sphere.

Not only does Iovine’s comment speak to outdated, gender normative stereotypes, but they reveal his underlying sentiments that women are essentially unable to do simple things, such as finding new music, without assistance.

Iovine has since then issued an apology via Buzzfeed News: “We created Apple Music to make finding the right music easier for everyone — men and women, young and old. Our new ad focuses on women, which is why I answered the way I did, but of course the same applies equally for men. I could have chosen my words better, and I apologize.”

Go to any college campus and you’ll typically find two types of students – those who treat college as a four-year vacation to escape the responsibilities of real life and those who actually plan to get a degree and becoming a functioning adult by the end of it. For those who lie on the latter end of the spectrum, attempting to become a real person while your fellow classmates are doing all they can to avoid it can be a real struggle.

1. Untagging every Facebook photo your friends tag you in that could be considered even mildly inappropriate.

What happens at frat parties must stay at frat parties.

2. NEVER being satisfied with your resume no matter how many hours you spend on it.

Maybe if I changed the font one more time…

3. Stalking potential employers’ LinkedIn profiles like it’s your job.

Oh my gosh, my sister’s boyfriend’s aunt went to the same school, I’m in!

4. Sending out courtesy emails to any businessperson you come in contact with.

It was so great meeting you!

5. Attempting to get some one-on-one time with every professional speaker who comes to your college.

Hi, that speech was awesome. Will you hire me?

6. Sacrificing entire weekends to attend conferences and/or networking events.

Bye-bye bar tours.

7. Spending twice as much time on the job search as you do on your classwork.

Sorry professor, just trying to earn some money over here.

8. Having an entire wardrobe of businesswear that only comes out for special occasions.

Break out the business suit.

9. Becoming best friends with the career advisors in your college.

That’s totally normal, right?

10. Attending every job fair that comes within 10 miles of your location.

You never know who could be there!

11. Putting application deadlines before school deadlines.

Let’s be real, in the long run, what’s more important?

12. Getting free professional headshots from anyone and everyone who’s willing to take them.

Free LinkedIn photos? I’m there.

13. Using all your gas money to commute to job interviews.

Fill the tank. It’s go time.

14. Mastering the art of an adult conversation.

Did you see what was on CNN last night?

15. Deciding if it’s truly even possible to “perfect your pitch.”

If I’ve said it 83 times in the mirror, is it ready?

16. Creating a super professional online portfolio and email signature.

Here’s my card. You can follow the link to view my credentials.

17. Wondering if all your hard work will actually land you a job anytime soon.

So, can I have like a career now?

Admit it: You’ve found yourself waiting around for something like an internship, a great opportunity or even someone (ahem, Prince Charming) to swoop in and become the source of your happiness. Despite the countless times we’ve all been there, the greatest predictor of how happy you’re going to be once these things do happen for you is how happy you were before, according to Dr. Pat Love, an author, relationship consultant and workshop presenter. It’s about time you start taking charge of making yourself happy, because you deserve it! We’ve got you covered with things you need to do as well as things you shouldn’t do in order to be happy.

Do…

1. Smile

While it may sound silly, smiling is a great happiness boost. According to Susanna Halonen, a.k.a. the Happyologist (she’s a happiness expert!) and a coach, trainer and speaker, when you smile, your brain receives a message to release endorphins, which are happy hormones. When these hormones are released, you want to smile even more.

“Smiling is basically a self-reinforcing feel-good cycle!” Halonen says. “Even a forced smile can make you feel better if you’re feeling frustrated or stressed.”

2. Get more sleep

While it may be tempting to stay up for just one more episode (or two or three more episodes) of your favorite show on Netflix, don’t! Sleep is a key ingredient to a person’s well-being and happiness.

“Your body and mind need sleep in order to recover from the day, digest what you learned and get you energized for the next day,” Halonen says.

If you have time, try to squeeze in even a 15-minute power nap (15 minutes is the perfect amount of time to recharge, according to Halonen) during the day to boost your energy and positivity. At night, Halonen recommends getting at least seven to eight hours of sleep to prepare for the next day.

3. Prioritize your values

This one might be more difficult, as it requires some serious thinking. Dr. Ruth Baer, professor of psychology and author of The Practicing Happiness Workbook: How Mindfulness Can Free You from the Four Psychological Traps that Keep You Stressed, Anxious, and Depressed, believes you can accomplish this goal by asking yourself what you truly care about in life.

“Do you want to be a good friend, a good student, a good worker, someone who makes meaningful contributions to things that are worthwhile to you?” Dr. Baer says. “Take an honest look at whether you’re living your life in accordance with your true priorities.” Although it may be challenging and take time, prioritizing what and who you want to be can transform the way you see yourself and your life.

4. Surround yourself with positive people

To be happy, it’s important to be surrounded by people who aren’t going to bring you down. The expression “misery loves company” is undoubtedly true.

Dr. Love encourages the development of a support system full of positive people. “We have to have people in our life, but you shouldn’t ever let yourself get stuck with someone who feeds off of negativity,” she says. “Cut the defeatists and pessimists out, and be with people who make you feel good about yourself.”

When it comes down to it, a real friend would encourage your happiness, not bring you down. Don’t be afraid to shy away from those who have a negative effect on you.

5. Think positively

Moreover, you can’t bring yourself down, either! The process of becoming a more positive person is simple: think good thoughts.

“Positive emotions are good for us: they motivate us to explore the environment, learn, grow, be creative and bond with others,” Dr. Baer says. “All of this contributes to a good mental health.”

Basically, if you want to be happy, you have to think happy!

6. Exercise

Studies have shown that regular exercise can be even more effective than medication when it comes to treating certain cases for depression.

“When you exercise, you release happy hormones, which make you naturally feel good,” Halonen says. “It also gives you a sense of achievement and boosts your self-confidence, both of which have a role in your happiness.”

Try to find a workout routine that you actually enjoy, whether you’re at home or on the go, and commit to it! Try to work out for at least 30 minutes a few times a week. Like the great Elle Woods once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy!”

7. Focus on the little things

It’s always refreshing to take a step back from the big picture that is your life and appreciate all of the things around you that often go unnoticed.

“You’ll start seeing small, pleasant moments that you might have overlooked before: things like the feel of the air on your skin, the taste of good food, pleasing sights like flowers, animals or the smile on a friend’s face,” Dr. Baer says. “If you’re patient, over time noticing these things will increase your overall happiness level.”

If you make an effort to adopt this outlook, you’ll be a much happier person.

Don’t…

1. Expect life to be easy

With happiness comes acceptance. Being realistic about the hardships of life will get you a lot further than expecting everything to come easily.

“Pursuing your highest goals and priorities is inherently challenging and has lots of stressful, difficult moments, along with the deeply satisfying ones,” Dr. Baer says. “Stop trying to avoid or get rid of these difficult moments, and instead, embrace them. Use the wisest part of your mind to cope with them constructively.”

2. Complain

Easier said than done, right? Some studies show that complaining is a horrible waste of energy and is harmful to your mental health.

If you find yourself constantly grumbling, Halonen says there are two things you can do to deal with it. “One, use the energy towards trying to change the thing you’re complaining about,” she says. “Two, if you can’t change it, then change your attitude about it.”

Try to learn from the situation, and focus on the positive. For example, if you’re having issues with your roommate, you’ll probably find yourself complaining about her to your other friends. Instead, use your energy to try and change the situation by sitting down and talking to her! If that doesn’t fix things, move on to step two and try to change your attitude toward her and whatever is bothering you.

3. Be a worrywart

Like complaining, worrying is a huge waste of energy. To overcome your worries, there are also two options:

“If you can control the thing you’re worrying about, then go and do something towards it so you can stop worrying about it,” Halonen says. On the other hand, if you can’t control whatever you’re worrying about, don’t waste your energy on it. Invest that energy into something more useful. You can’t expect every part of your life to go as planned, so don’t bother worrying about things out of your control!

Nobody can give you true happiness except yourself. Waiting around for an SO, a job or anything else to make you happy other than yourself is a waste of time because you have so much potential to boost your own mood. You deserve to feel the best, so start working towards a happier you!

Undeniable signs he's in love with you. [A New Mode]

Using micronaps to be more productive. [The Long+Short]

The real reason you hate the way you look in pictures. [YourTango]

Is your college dean spying on your Yik Yak posts? [The Huffington Post]

I chose not to have my mother in my life. [xoJane]

Sleeping in on the weekends may be unhealthy. [The New York Times]

Things dermatologists want you to know about your skin. [BuzzFeed]

Amish man runs the marathon in traditional garb. [People]

I hired a millennial life coach. [Vice]

The most dysfunctional families in TV history. [Thrillist]

Every campus has one: a collection of counselors and advisers standing by to help you with your resume, networking skills and 10-year-plan. But the sad truth is that many students don’t walk into their campus career center until their senior year, says Amanda Baker, an assistant director of the Johns Hopkins University Career Center. Most career centers offer a myriad of different services: everything from mock interviews to resume workshops to alumni networking opportunities. We talked to Baker and collegiettes about how to take advantage of what your career center offers

1. Peer and alumni mentors

Especially if you’re a freshman or sophomore, pairing up with an upperclassman to talk about your future career can be amazingly helpful. Many schools have a peer mentoring service you can sign up for (or some schools automatically enroll first-year students in such a program) that will pair you with someone who can answer questions you have about prepping for life post-graduation. This was a great resource for Alyssa, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. “I signed up for this program my first semester,” she says. “I was paired with a senior who helped me develop study skills and motivated me as I took some difficult classes.”

Additionally, many schools would be happy to connect you with an alumnus or alumna to talk about his or her career. “People want to mentor students,” Baker says. “A lot of alumni want to help out students in a nonfinancial way. It’s a great way to get help.”

After you are paired up with a peer or alumni mentor, you’re often encouraged to email or see them regularly. “Build a relationship,” Baker says. Ask them questions about classes to take or why they chose their particular career. Alumni may even be able to help you later when you’re applying for jobs! Check out your career center’s website to see if your school offers a similar program.

2. Career aptitude tests

Have absolutely no idea what you want to do after college? Taking a career aptitude test can be a great way to explore your options if you’re undecided. Baker says that many schools offer tests like Myers-Briggs, a personality test that can shed light onto possible career choices that would suit your skill set. “They’re almost always free,” Baker says.

Be sure to check your campus’s website to check out the offerings. These tests will ask you questions about how you approach life, how detail-oriented you are, how extroverted or introverted you are and many more. Baker says you can take these tests online once your career center gives you a school-specific code (so you can take it for free!), and after you take it, many schools will set you up with a counselor to go over your results together.

“I took the Myers-Briggs during a career center workshop class I took over winter break,” says Vanessa, a senior at Johns Hopkins University. “It was cool to see what careers the test thought I would be good at, [like] engineering, my major. The test also confirmed that I should never work in anything revolving around customer service!”

3. Resume critique

Does your high school resume need some polishing? Most schools offer resume workshops where you can bring in a draft or a finished resume and have a professional career adviser look it over before you send it to potential employers.

This was extremely helpful for Kayla, a senior at the University of South Carolina. “My resume needed a total overhaul, and the career center professionals showed me what needed to be replaced or eliminated altogether,” she says.

Angelina, a student at Ramapo College of New Jersey, credits her resume critique with getting her internship. “[My career center] would look over your resume depending on your major and what kind of internship you're looking for,” she says. “I wish more of my friends took advantage of this, because this workshop helped me land my internship at Good Housekeeping that spring!”

4. Business cards and photos

Your career center may even offer to make you business cards for free! This was an amazing perk for Megan, a student at Illinois State University. “The cards had all of my information on it, plus the Illinois State University logo,” she says. “So many of the employers I talked to were very impressed by them and couldn't believe my career center did it, especially for free.”

While your school might not offer this service, many do offer lots of other free perks! Alyssa was able to get a freeLinkedIn photo taken at the UT Austin career center. “A good picture on LinkedIn presents you in a good light… so it's incredibly important not to post a grainy selfie,” she says. Alyssa loved how it turned out because she likely would not have been able to get as professional a picture had she taken it herself!

5. Field trips

Some career centers take interested students on field trips to major cities to look at how certain industries operate. Asiana, a collegiette at Le Moyne College, went on a field trip with her career center to look at possible jobs in communications in New York City.

“We went to Eric Mower + Associates [an integrated marketing and communications company], where we got to see what the company was all about, what they look for when hiring and what a day in the life was for the professionals that work there,” she says. Often these programs aren’t free, though—generally if they are overnight trips, like the ones offered at Johns Hopkins, they will be a couple hundred dollars, but shorter trips may be cheaper or free. Check with your career center!

6. Mock interviews

Interviews can be scary, but with the proper preparation, they can be totally manageable.

Asiana really liked the mock interviews her career center facilitated because they gave her a chance to practice before the real thing. “The mock interviews are so similar to what you will see in the real world,” she says. “Their feedback is so positive and what is not positive is just constructive.”

7. Career staff speakers

Many campus career counselors can even be invited to speak to organizations on campus. Baker says that she often gets requests to speak from sororities, certain classes and professional societies. “We’re happy to partner with classes and groups,” Baker says. “Asking questions in a larger group can be more comfortable for some people.”

Usually one or two career center counselors will come to speak to the group. This is an especially great program for shyer students. “If [students] are feeling nervous, they can learn information without having to directly ask for help,” Baker says. “Through these talks they can meet me [or a colleague] and they’ll see I’m not going to criticize them in a one-on-one meeting!” Baker says that once students interact with the counselors in an indirect way, they may be more likely to seek out the center’s services alone.

If you’re interested in having a career counselor speak to your club or class, be sure to let your career center know at least a few weeks in advance! Career counselors can talk about specific topics, like LinkedIn networking and resumes, but they can also provide a general introduction to what your career center offers. Talk to someone on the staff to see how they can personalize the talk for your group.

8. Summer hours

School might not be formally in session during the summertime, but your career center staff is standing by and ready to help! “Most [career centers] are open year-round, and it’s underutilized,” Baker says. The staff will likely be less busy than during the school year, so you’ll get more individualized attention and support. And if you’re not around campus to make a face-to-face appointment, many career centers can arrange phone or Skype counseling sessions for free.

9. Etiquette dinners

Business events and dinners can be nerve-wracking; it goes without saying that attending one in the future will require a little more preparation than your dining hall dinners. “[My] career center does etiquette dinners every year where they teach you the proper way to dress and act at a business cocktail hour or a formal business dinner,” says Rachel, a student at the University of Hartford. “It's pretty cool, it's free and the food is fantastic; I've been to a couple.”

Remember: this list is certainly not all-encompassing! Each career center will offer different services, and the only way to find out what your campus offers is to check out the website, stop by the office or call for information. Many career centers have very in-depth websites with plenty of online resources, but don’t wait until your senior year to step foot into your school’s career center! Make an appointment and see how they can help you.

Talk about a blast from the past. Juicy Couture tracksuits, your go-to middle school ensemble, have become pieces of history. They're so outdated, they're being featured in a museums as part of an exhibit. Feel old yet?

According to Refinery 29, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London will include a pink Juicy Couture tracksuit in its Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear exhibit. Opening April 16, the exhibit will focus on underwear design from the 18th century to today. As seen on the musuem's website, the exhibit will "address the practicalities of underwear and its role in the fashionable wardrobe whilst highlighting its sensual, sexual appeal." Pieces in the exhibit range from long underwear worn by Queen Victoria's mother to a sheer Liza Bruce dress that Kate Moss wore. The Juicy Couture tracksuit made the cut to show how underwear and pajamas eventually became acceptable to wear in public. 

Maybe this is society's subtle way of telling us it's time to let go of our beloved tracksuits once and for all. 

According to National Eating Disorders Awareness, orthorexia nervosa is defined as “an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.” I suffered and continue to suffer from this disorder, along with obsessive/compulsive tendencies when it comes to exercise. This is an open letter to my disease and for anyone who is suffering the same ordeal

Hi, it’s me, one of your victims. A little over a year ago, you snuck into my life. Little by little, you consumed me until I could hardly recognize myself. It started with small things, like the thought you incessantly whispered in my head: “you’re fat; nobody wants a fat girl.” I began to believe you. I started looking into the mirror and my 150-pound athletic build was distorted into something unwanted, ugly and hated. I thought you would stop there, but you pushed me to download MyFitnessPal and log my calories. I listened; I didn’t think anything was wrong with me, but what seemed like an innocent habit turned into panic attacks whenever I ate more than my allotted 1,600 calories. You whispered to me that what I was doing was healthy. I started to go to the gym for hours at a time, torturing myself on the elliptical until I could hardly breathe. I thought, why should I stop unless I’m going to faint, vomit or die?

Daily, I stripped myself of my sweaty gym clothes and stared into the mirror. My eyes were glossed over with the blinders you gave me—blinders that made it impossible to see my beauty. I laid almost naked on the floor, tears rolling down my face, crippled by the belief that my body was disgusting. I cursed God for giving me an "unacceptable" body.

You told me that I should hate food, but I’ve always loved it. My love for food made the battle against you even harder. I cried when my mom made noodles as a side dish because I thought they would make me fat. I restricted my diet to such an extreme that I could not go to a single restaurant without having an anxiety attack. My thoughts were a landslide, they restricted me from happiness.

“The calories aren’t listed, the calories aren’t listed, the calories aren’t listed.” 

“How many carbs is in this? How much fat is in this? How much sugar is in this?”

“I look fat in this outfit, I look fat in this outfit, I look fat in this outfit.”

“I don’t deserve to eat, I don’t deserve to eat.”

“Do my parents notice? Do they know that something’s wrong with me?”

“I can’t do this anymore.”

You came over me like a flood. There was no stopping you. You’re a relentless, controlling, all-consuming disease. I thought you had taken away enough, but then you started to eat away at my happiness and my relationships. How selfish are you? I went to school with you hanging all over me, you clingy thing. I was self-conscious in anything I wore. My skin and hair were dull, and I lost my energy and liveliness. When it was time for lunch, I pulled out the same thing I ate every day: half of a Luna bar, a small apple and cut-up vegetables. You told me that was enough—maybe even too much—until dinner. I stared at my friends enviously, but judged them for what they were eating, because I thought my diet was the only right one. Why weren’t they eating fresh vegetables? Don’t they know that crackers are full of refined carbs? My boyfriend at the time didn’t understand you either. He didn’t understand why I hated myself even after he told me that I was beautiful. You tried to drive a wedge into our relationship, but he became my stronghold through it all. He held me while you tried to tear me away.

You controlled me until the night my mom found me. I’m so glad she did, because I wanted to die that night. I saw the pain in her eyes; I had been blind to it for months. She told me I needed help and I was hesitant because I didn’t think my problem was much of a problem at all. I didn’t notice the weight I lost, or how the restrictions were affecting my life until my mom said something. That day I took the first step in conquering you. I started going to therapy. After months, I started seeing myself without the blinders you gave me. I started allowing myself to be happy, even after I ate a serving of Ben & Jerry’s or my mom’s famous pesto pasta. I continued to exercise more than the average person, but I started a workout program that focused on becoming fit and healthy rather than just losing weight. I began congratulating myself for accomplishing small goals, rather than yelling at myself for one little slip-up. I felt the grip of your hands start to slip away. I felt freedom.

I’ve noticed that you’re a bit like a clingy ex-boyfriend; you just keep coming back. I find solace in the fact that after months of treatment and a hellish battle against you, I don’t need you to be healthy. You made me unhealthy. I am perfectly beautiful the way I am—freshman 15 and all. Sometimes you come back with a vengeance, and you consume me again for a bit. I think it’ll always be that way, but orthorexia, don’t you see that I am so much better off without you? I am stronger than you. I defeated you, and I can keep defeating you.

Goodbye,

Your Recovering Victim

P.S. I hope you’re watching me drink this hot chocolate right now. It is so good.

Responsibilities are like bears. You want to run away from them. They're grizzly, intimidating, and follow you around no matter how hard you try to escape them. Nothing's going to make them magically disappear, but next-level procrastinators know how to tip-toe around them for as long as possible. Keep procrastinating and read on.

1. All of the tabs on your laptop are open, but none of them have anything to do with that 14-page research paper you’re “working on.”

You might not have a single word on your PowerPoint, but on the bright side, you now know everything that’s happening in Selena Gomez’s life, a life hack on how to properly peel fruits and what kind of Disney Princess you are thanks to BuzzFeed.

2. Organizing your closet has never felt so tempting.

There’s nothing like rearranging all the clothes you’ve ever owned by color, size, season, occasion, sleeve length and likelihood of your roommate borrowing it.

3. Suddenly, you are STARVING.

Everything looks good right about now. Only have dried onion crisps and half a bottle of mustard? It’ll do.

4.  You often realize how long it’s been since your last beauty routine.

Deep-conditioning your hair, using a cucumber mask, filing/ clipping/ painting your nails – it has been TOO dang long. Time to break out the beauty scrub.

5. There are zero prospective new shows to watch on Netflix.

You did it. You have completely exhausted your resources, and when one’s queue is empty, so is their soul.

6. Your Pinterest game is too strong.

Sure, you have the typical beauty board, food file and fairytale wedding picks, but things have gotten a bit out of hand. You’ve reached over 6,000 pins, distributed among more than 100 boards, which range from “Special Effects Make-Up” to “Pickle-Based Thanksgiving Recipes.”

7. Each time you think about the actual task at hand, shooting pangs immediately cloud your train of thought.

Okay, time to buckle down and – AHH, what?! What is this feeling of utter loathing? Ehh, it can wait.

8. You’d rather call Great Aunt Gertie than open your binder.

What’s that, Great Aunt Gertie? Miscreants in your neighborhood won’t stop shaking violently in the streets? What part of their – oh, no, Gertie. That’s called twerking.

9. It’s never too early to start making your birthday wish list.

The best thing about making lists is that you’re technically doing something without doing anything! It’s the best kind of catch-22.

10. Your schedule is color-coded to a T.

Highlighted, Post-It noted, dog-eared and sticker-coated – the only thing brighter than the blank essay page blaring at you from the your computer screen is your agenda book.

11. All of your Instagram photos are edited to the high heavens.

You’re the queen of VSCO cam. You have every filter name and level of contrast memorized, but of course you still have your go-to’s.

12. You know exactly what your current SO and all of your former beaus are up to lately.

An investigation of the smirky face emoji commented on your SO’s profile pic by a girl in their stats class started the search. One thing led to another, and now you not only know the whereabouts and interests of your crush, but also all that your former flames have been up to.

13. You never pass up a chance for some quality bonding time... with yourself.

See that mirror over there? Of course, you do! Time to spend fifteen-plus minutes pretending to be a secret agent and practicing your smize.

14. You have all of today's top hits memorized.

If this whole paper thing doesn't work out, you could always break out into the music biz.

15. Nothing fuels you like a text from your friend asking why you're not done with your assignment yet.

Oh, you finished two weeks ago? Well, I organized my closet, got 244 likes on my last Insta and had a delicious onion crisp-mustard casserole. Who's the real winner here? 

Alright, you finished the article. Time to take a hint from Shia and get going on those assignments!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: the holidays! The joy will be spread amongst the world through holiday music, festive décor and (dreaded) family dinners, but there may be one thing dampening that joy: questions about college. Your family may take the awkward in-between dinner courses silence to focus on your upcoming life transition, even though there are so many other topics to cover.

It may seem awkward to have all the attention on you, and you may even get tripped up on how to answer everyone’s questions, but fear not! HC talked to Christine Logel, social psychologist and assistant professor of social development studies at the University of Waterloo, to give you all best responses to both answer or avoid all the questions thrown at you.

1. “Are all your applications in?”

This one can easily be a stress trigger just because of how stressful college apps are, but you have to remember your extended family doesn’t see you everyday so they don’t know your progress. At the same time, it’s okay to get a little frustrated but make sure you don’t come across as rude.

If you feel comfortable talking about college at this point, you can respond with something like, “Thanks for remembering I’m applying! It’s quite a process. In your senior year, did you know what you wanted to do after graduation?” This shows that you’re interested in your future, and also want your relatives’ perspective on life after high school.

If you don’t feel comfortable enough to answer, or are simply too overwhelmed to go into detail, you have no obligation to give a lengthy response. Try saying something along the lines of, “College applications are basically a school assignment in itself!” and steer the conversation to how good the food you’re eating is or how excited you are for winter break.

2. “What do you want to major in?”

Choosing your major is definitely an interesting subject to touch on. You may think you want to major in something, but throughout your first year or even your fourth year you may realize you want to pursue something else.

This is a topic in which your relatives could go on and answer for days. So if you want to talk about your intended major, by all means go ahead and tell them what it is and why you want to do it. But if you aren’t 100 percent sure, try asking your relatives for advice. Go for something along the lines of,  "I need to try out some courses before deciding. How did you pick your major?" or "I'm haven't made up my mind. If you were about to start college next year, what would you major in?" Again, you can always answer with a simple “I don’t know” and go ahead and change the topic all together.

Related: 5 Websites That Will Seriously Help You Manage Your College Applications

3. “Are you sure you want to move away from home?”

Moving away from home can be a stressful decision, but it’s solely your decision to make. Don’t let your relatives try and sway you either way or talk you out of your already made decision. “If [your relative] sounds like they are questioning your choices or trying to change your mind, you have no obligation to get dragged into a debate about a choice you have already made,” Logel advises. “Politely update them that the decision is made and you are happy with it.”

With this question especially, instead of dwelling on the subject, try turning the question into something funny or even into a learning experience. Without sounding too short or abrupt, you can approach this subject two ways. Ask your relatives for advice about living on your own, such as “Yes, and I’m happy with my decision. Any advice about learning to cook?” or make jokes about the hassles of living in a dorm with, “I’ll miss my family and friends here. But I’m excited to live in a dorm. I hear that it can be hard to study if other people are being loud. Do you think earplugs work? Or is it worth investing in noise-canceling headphones?” Both can help you steer clear of awkwardness!

4. “How well did you do on the SATs/APs?”

Standardized tests can be scary and by this point in your college apps, you probably won’t get a chance to redo them. Don’t focus on your specific scores, instead try to relate to your relative and ask them about their test experience. Even though the tests are over, you probably don’t want to relive the stresses. Your best bet to respond to these sorts of questions is answering them but slowly steering away from the SAT topic with something like, “I was satisfied with my score, thanks for asking. Did you ever get nervous before writing tests?”

5. “What are your safety schools?”

With this one you have to be careful with your answer because your safety school may turn out to be the school your relative ended up attending. If you feel like talking about the schools in particular, feel free to answer honestly. But Logel advises that if you are unsure if you want to chat about school to stay vague.

Instead of listing off every school you’ve applied to, feel free to answer with something such as, "I've tried to pick a wide variety. How did you decide on schools?" This way you’re getting advice on applying while not focusing solely on your decisions. You can also just avoid specific colleges all together by asking about the best colleges/cities to visit before you have to decide. Try, "There are a few that I'm pretty confident about. I'm thinking of taking a road trip to some campuses before I decide. What are some things should I check out on the tour?" Both responses will do the trick.

Related: 5 Reasons Your College Decision ISN’T Your Biggest Decision Ever

6. “Why don't you go to your parents' alma mater?”

This one can be a tough one simply because you don’t want to offend your parents, but at the same time, you want to maintain your independence instead of following in your parents’ footsteps.

An option to respond to this question could be, "I love hearing my parents' stories from College A. But College B is the right choice for me.” Finish off with a cool fact or trivia of the city or school to show how much you love the school. If you really don’t want to talk about it, just say "I know they want me to have a great experience like they did, maybe I’ll end up there. Who knows?” and leave it at that. Your relatives should get the hint that you don’t want to talk about it anymore.

7. “How are you going to pay for school?”

This can definitely be an awkward topic to cover just simply because money can be a sensitive topic to talk about. Since it’s around the holidays, you could always joke about using your Christmas money to pay for it, or depending on the relationship you have with your relative you could always joke around with something such as, “I was hoping my favorite aunt was going to sponsor me! Hint, hint. But seriously, what money-saving tips you have learned since you were my age?" This way, you can show you are willing to make the effort to help pay for college but are always up for a little help.

If you don’t feel comfortable enough to joke around, try "Thanks for asking. College is so expensive! Any thoughts on good part-time jobs for college students?” It still shows you are interested in saving up, but without chancing the awkward response from your relative.

If you aren’t in the middle of eating when these questions are asked, or are allowed to leave and go off on your own during the get together, there’s always a simple way to avoid all questions. “You have a built-in excuse,” Logel says. “’Thanks for asking! I’d love to chat about it but if I want to go to college next year, I’ve got to study this year. I’m off to hit the books.’”

Just remember, this is just the start of the everlasting questions about college from your relatives. Between college apps, freshman year and post-grad plans, you’ll soon be a master at answering any and all questions about your college life.

Graduating from college means your days of getting free, unlimited meals with the swipe of your student ID card are gone—and the days of paying for your food with a different kind of plastic are here. But spending half your paycheck eating out or ordering in every night is totally unsustainable, which means it’s time to up your cooking game. After an eight-plus-hour work day, though, putting on that apron is the last thing you want to do, even if you’re using the easiest of recipes.

Fortunately, we have a solution for you! Now is the time to put your weekends to good use and spend your Sunday making meals that will last you the entire rest of your week. Here are five recipes (each of which you can make in big servings!) that will make great leftovers to feed you all week long.

1. Pasta with tomato sauce

How can you go wrong with a bowl of pasta? This homemade red sauce recipe is delicious and healthy, and it makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta—which means one night of cooking will go a long way. Even though a homemade recipe will take longer than to make than it would to heat up a premade sauce, you can make tons in one go and freeze the leftovers, which will stay good for months. All you have to do is thaw as needed, add any fresh herbs or meat, reheat and eat!

Ingredients:

• 3 cans Tuttorosso Italian Style Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 carrot (peeled)
• Olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pack sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon of fresh basil or oregano
• 2 pounds of pasta (of your choice)

Directions:

1. Pour the crushed tomatoes into a pot and cook on low heat (with no cover).
2. Peel the carrot and cut it into chunks.
3. Pour some olive oil, the chopped onion and carrot chunks into a medium-sized pan and cook on medium heat. 
4. Sauté the onion to flavor the oil. Once the onion turns brown, take it out of the oil with a spoon and dispose.
5. When the sauce begins to boil, place the oil and carrot chunks from the medium pan into the pot of boiling sauce.
6. As the sauce cooks, add salt, sugar and basil or oregano.
7. Mix the sauce every 10 minutes. Don’t forget this step because otherwise the sauce will stick to the bottom of the pot.
8. Cook for 1.5 to 2 hours until sauce is thick to your liking.
9. Cook pasta according to package directions.
10. Once finished, serve over pasta and eat.

2. Bean salad

Bean salad is a satisfying and healthy dish that can be used in many different ways. You can put it in a sandwich or on tacos, or you can eat it plain as a main lunch course. This recipe is so easy that it doesn’t even need directions—just toss the ingredients below and serve. You can even store the beans (without the other ingredients) in a Ziploc bag in your freezer to eat another day. When you’re ready to use them, you can defrost them in the microwave and add them to whatever you’re making.

Ingredients:

• 1 can cannellini beans (1 pound)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• Half of a red onion, chopped
• Cherry tomatoes (cut in halves)
• 1/2 of a lemon, squeezed
• 2 leaves parsley, chopped

3. Pizza

For lunch, dinner or a late-night snack, pizza never fails to satisfy your taste buds. You can eat it for leftovers throughout the week, or you can prepare a few to freeze so when you get home from a long workday you can just toss the already-prepared pizza into the oven.

Ingredients:

Note: Dough must be taken out of refrigerator to sit for about three hours before cooking.

• Pizza dough (buy at the supermarket or local pasta bakery/pasta shop)
• Crisco (vegetable shortening)
• 1 can Tuttorosso Italian Style Peeled Plum Shaped Tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic salt
• Oregano
• Black pepper to taste
• Any other toppings of your choosing (sausage, peppers, mushrooms, etc.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium-sized rimmed pan (which will help make sure the pizza does not splatter all over your oven), spread Crisco to prevent the dough from sticking. Then, place the dough in the middle of the pan.
3. With both of your hands, knead the dough across the pan and into the corners. Start in the middle and work your way outwards, using only your fingers and the top of your palm. Make sure not to play with the dough too much—use little motions.
4. Once the pizza dough is spread evenly, use a fork to poke the dough. This helps the pizza “breathe” a little. 
5. Then, take a tomato and remove the seeds out by opening up the tomato with your hands. Use around five to six tomatoes, depending on how much sauce you like on your pizzas.
6. Sprinkle oregano all over the pizza; two to three pinches are the perfect amount. Repeat with garlic salt and regular black pepper as well.
7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Again, use as much as you prefer.
8. Lastly, drizzle olive oil over the pizza. Make sure to get the crust, too so it will come out deliciously crispy!
9. After you’re done prepping the pizza, let it sit for half an hour to let the dough rise. Then, put the pan in the oven and cook for about 20 to 30 minutes. 

4. Chili con carne

Home-cooked chili is an essential dish that you can rely on for hearty meals all week long. As the nights get colder, nothing is better than a warm bowl of chili for dinner.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds beef brisket, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 3 yellow onions, chopped
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup garlic, minced (2 cloves)
• 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
• 2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 28-ounce cans of whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree
• ¼ cup basil leaves, minced
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Pat the brisket cubes dry with paper towels.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil and brown the meat on all sides.
4. With a spoon, transfer the brisket to a separate bowl and set aside.
5. Sauté the onion and garlic in the same oil for about 10 minutes (until limp, but not brown).
6. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute.
7. Crush the tomatoes by hand (or in a food processor if you have one).
8. Add tomatoes to the pot with the basil.
9. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10. Serve with chopped onions, diced tomato, tortilla chips, grated cheddar and sour cream.

5. Veggie stir-fry

As much as you may want to, you really shouldn’t go a week without some greens. Luckily, a stir-fry is an easy way to get those veggies in. If veggies served alone doesn’t appeal to you, toss the stir-fry over rice for dinner or eat it as a healthy complement to your main protein dish at lunch.

Recipe from Food Network

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 3 celery ribs
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup chicken broth
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat canola oil in large frying pan or wok (if you have one).
2. Soak broccoli in water. Steam wet broccoli, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add celery, mushrooms, garlic, soy sauce and ginger.
4. Sauté uncovered for about 5 minutes, depending how soft or crunchy you want your veggies (go longer if you like them softer).
5. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Serve over rice or with soy sauce and chow mein noodles.

Planning and preparing any or all of these recipes on Sunday will save you time and money during your never-ending workweek. Knowing that you have meals ready to eat when you get home lets you enjoy your free time instead of stressing about what you’re going to cook after work or how much you’re going to spend on takeout. Now that you have the recipes you need to be a master of the kitchen, all you have to do is get cookin’! 

You’ve moved into your very first apartment and are finally living on your own. Congratulations! No more roommates, no more mom and dad—this is everything you ever wanted… right? Living alone can be awesome, but there are also some struggles. Here are 12 things you'll want to know before getting your own place.

1. No one tells you what to do (except maybe your landlord)

There's nobody to telling you to wash your dishes, no one telling you to put pants on—in other words, sweet freedom. Just remember to pay your bills on time. They can and WILL turn off your water.

2. Everything is yours… including your mess

There is NOBODY picking up after you, so folding laundry and washing dishes are your responsibilities, and your responsibilities alone.

3. One is the loneliest number

Who’s going to have a Netflix marathon with you? Who’s going to tell you whether or not your outfit is cute? Who’s going to help you cyber-stalk the office hottie? This whole solo thing may take some getting used to.

4.  S.O.S., cooking skills required

You either know how to cook or you don’t. If you fall under the latter, call for help immediately or invest in a cooking class. Trust us.

5. Pants are optional; curtains are mandatory.

If we could go the rest of our lives wearing yoga pants (or no pants) we totally would. Just beware of where you’re walking... #creepyneighboralert

6. Invest in a dead bolt—and maybe a full blown security system

It only takes a couple creaks and squeaks to get you running for the nearest closet. Save yourself the worry—get an alarm system and don't forget to always lock your doors.

7. Food for dayyys

Without anyone to share with, your fridge is like an everyday buffet! Just be responsible with the Ben & Jerry's… there’s also no one to call you out on finishing the whole tub in one sitting.

8. You only have one closet now

Gone are the days of shopping for a “new” outfit in your roommates’ closets. Guess you’ll have buy your own little black skirt. #thestruggle

9. No more daily girl talk/therapy sessions

It was always nice to share your day with roommates, or vent about your current struggles, but now the only person to vent to is yourself.

10. Pets are the answer

They love you, they’ll listen and they’ll never abandon you. Who needs humans anyway?

11. Your friends still exist

Just because you may not see them in the dorms every day doesn’t mean your friends don’t exist. They’re only a phone call away.

12. Keep calm and go call mom

When all else fails, don’t panic… Mom always knows what to do.

Name: Eva Scofield

Job Title and Description: Snack Huntress (Food Buyer) at Graze

College Name/Major: University of Rhode Island/Major in Communication Studies, Minor in Psychology

Website: www.graze.com

Twitter Handle: @grazeusa

What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?

Eva Scofield: My role is refreshingly atypical – on any given day I am visiting potential or existing vendors at their manufacturing facilities, mocking up flavor concepts with exciting new and nutritious ingredients, travelling across the country to food trade shows, troubleshooting vendor queries and…eating. Always eating.

What is the best part of your job?

ES: Too many "bests" to list but my favorite part is interacting with the vendors and cultivating relationships with the people making these incredible products. Learning about the ingredients and manufacturing processes is tantamount to Graze’s ethos of providing nutritious and delicious snacks.

What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

​ES: After a number of teenage years spent waiting tables and working for other people’s establishments, I decided to jump in head first and co-own a preserves business as my first "entry-level" gig; if you’re going to get wet, why not go swimming? It was tough yet rewarding work and taught me more about the competitive nature of the food industry and myself in one year than I learned up to that point in my entire life.

What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?

​ES: Master the fundamentals before experimenting with the nonessentials; so many people are trying to out-innovate each other while leaving gaps in the creation of simple, reliable products. I am a proponent of innovation and critical thinking when it comes to the food industry and food economy, in general, but professionally rely on the base of what makes food good before branching out into far-fetched territory. That being said, I will never not eat the Szechuan Peppercorn Chocolate ice cream from Morgenstern’s. Talk about mastering the basics then going to town…

Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?

​ES: One-way ticket on the cheese mobile, but my mother has been a constant source of professional (and personal!) wisdom. She shared some critical advice to never sell myself short occupationally, which helped force open doors that were not necessarily going to open on their own for a young female in the food world.

What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?

​ES: “Donuts. Is there anything they can’t do?” – Homer Simpson

What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

​ES: My preserves company fizzled out due to a lack of foresight about its potential as something more than a hobby and I learned…everything. Be resilient, be thorough, be tactical. Be accountable for your actions but delegate when appropriate. Be graceful in times of stress but maybe take up kick-boxing if that doesn’t work?

What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

​ES: Being told part of my job description is to eat food I love all the time.

What do you look for when considering hiring someone?

​ES: My career path has not involved hiring others, but Graze does a fabulous job at finding people who are naturally entrepreneurial, excited about the ever-changing nature of food,and scrappy. We’re a tough little bunch!

What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?

​ES: Go get it! Our generation is spoiled by the wealth of information available for every hobby and interest; take advantage of that and don’t be afraid to ask people how they got there! 

Fall is in full swing, and the hot new trend this season is homemade burlap wreaths for your front door to usher in the spirit of fall! Luckily, instead of buying an expensive burlap wreath at a retail store near you, we can show you how to make your very own burlap wreath with this simple and inexpensive tutorial.

What you'll need:

• A 12-inch or 24-inch wire wreath—your choice, depending on what size you prefer
• Burlap ribbon, 6 inches wide and roughly 30 feet long
• Artistic wire
• Decorations of your choice (this can be anything from flowers to ribbons—you have lots of freedom with this once you've made the actual wreath itself).
• Hot glue gun

Step One:

Fold the ribbon into fourths, then attach it with wire to the innermost ring of the wreath.

Step Two: 

Weave the burlap through each ring of the wreath, moving towards the outside.

Step Three: 

Once you get the burlap through each ring you are going to flip the wreath over and twist it.

Step Four: 

After you twist, flip the wreath back over and start weaving through the rings again, starting with the innermost ring moving outward.

Step Five: 

Repeat until you have covered the entire wreath.

Step Six: 

Once you finish, cut off the burlap, tuck it in the back and secure it to the wreath with wire.

Step Seven:

From there you can decorate with whatever decorative items you choose (this could be ribbon, flowers or anything else you want!) using a hot glue gun.

Ta-da! Now you're all finished. This is great gift for any of your friends or family—it brings the spirit of fall into a home before you even open the door!

If these directions were tough to follow, you can check out this video get started. Happy crafting, collegiettes!

Lately, you’ve been turning dramatically to your girlfriends and lamenting, “I just want to be loved—is that too much to ask?” Well, guess what, collegiettes: You are loved. You have wonderful friends, family and coworkers who think you are the bee’s knees, and, no, you don’t need a relationship right now.

The problem with feeling like you need a significant other is that it might cause you to settle. We pinpointed the signs that settling down isn’t actually what’s best for you right now.

1. You feel pressured to date

Maybe your friends’ relationships and your family’s pressing questions about your love life have gotten to your head. Maybe you feel expected to have a significant other, but it’s ultimately your decision, and nobody should have a say in it but you.

“As women, we should be aware of the choices we have and not shamed for making [these] choices,” says Neely Steinberg, a professional dating coach and author of Skin In the Game: Unleashing Your Inner Entrepreneur to Find Love. “There's so much to do if you don't want an SO, and college is a great time to branch out on your own, have fun times with friends [and] experience dating or even just hooking up.”

Alexa, a junior from Hunter College, says she feels lonely sometimes, but it usually doesn’t last. “I don't feel like I'm ready for a relationship, to be honest,” Alexa says. “I'm young, in college and kick-starting my career. I think this is a critical time to be highly invested in yourself before getting involved with other people. I always like to think the right one will hopefully come along when the timing is right.”

Besides, if you feel pressured to be in a relationship, you might find yourself settling for the wrong person, which is unfair for both of you. You should date when you’re ready, not when other people tell you to!

2. You feel lonely

College can get really lonely. When you’re having a bad day, it’s easy to imagine that having a caring significant other would help you get through difficult times.

“I’ve been single for four years now after a three-year relationship, and there are few times that I feel like I really want a boyfriend,” says Miranda, a senior at Winona State University. “It’s on a Sunday afternoon when I’m lounging and doing homework and wish I had someone just to lay around with. Or when I’m sitting by a fireplace and it’s snowing and I think it would just be so much more enjoyable with someone by my side.”

Like Miranda, many of us collegiettes sometimes wish we had a partner in order to feel less lonely – and that’s completely normal! “College women might [...] feel lonely and think the only way to alleviate that loneliness is by having a [partner],” Steinberg says. “Sure, you may feel less lonely if you are in a healthy, happy relationship, but I think it can be good to learn how to be alone and how to work through feelings of loneliness, how to sit in those feelings and know you can get through it.”

Thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do to feel better that don’t involve being in a relationship. “It's okay to feel lonely,” Steinberg says. “Make your life full with things you enjoy doing, lean on family and friends, sit alone in your loneliness. That can make you stronger.”

Miranda knows that she can always count on her besties to make her feel better. “My girlfriends usually snap me right out of the ‘I need a man’ mood,” she says. “You can laugh, watch movies and cuddle with your girls, so why even bother with the drama of dating when your best friends are more fun anyway?”

So if it’s one of those days, gather up a few of your closest friends, some of your favorite comedies and some movie snacks, and we guarantee you’ll feel better every single time.

3. You’re jealous of other people’s relationships

“I have made statements to my friends about cute couples showing a lot of PDA and how gross they are,” says Kasia, a senior at Villanova University. “Maybe it's a little bit of bitter singleness coming out.”

If a lot of people around you are coupled up, you might begin to feel left out. “Some women might see others with boyfriends and think that's what they should have,” Steinberg says. “A lot of times in college we look at our peers and see what they're doing and what they have and feel we need to have or be doing the same thing to fit in.” However, just because many of your friends have significant others doesn’t mean you need to join them right this instant!

“If it seems as if all of your friends are paired up two by two, it is time to expand your circle,” says Jodi RR Smith, president and owner of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting. “Follow your interests and passions. This has the dual benefit of satisfying yourself and if there is a potential love interest, you will already know you have similar likes.”

Get out of your friendship comfort zone and hang out with other happy singles! This could mean reaching out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while or joining a club on campus that caters to your interests, for example.

4. You need validation

As collegiettes, we’re constantly trying to find and build who we are. Sometimes we feel like we’re doing it all wrong, which can lead us to seek others’ approval.

“Another reason [to want a relationship] is for validation,” Steinberg says. “Women may think they need a guy, a boyfriend to validate who they are. That sort of external validation is fleeting; at the end of the day, you need to find validation from within yourself.”

If you think you want a relationship to boost your self-esteem, it could be time to reevaluate your motivations. Work for the things you want, be proud of your accomplishments and remember that it’s okay to feel a little lost from time to time!

5. Your hormones are going crazy

According to Marla Martenson, a professional matchmaker, author and speaker, “college women might feel that they need a significant other because their hormones are turned on high! Women are extremely fertile at this age, and nature is simply nudging them along…”

Your hormones can influence you and make you place more importance on being in a relationship than you normally would.

If you haven’t found the right person, you shouldn’t feel pressured to be in a relationship. “Just realize that you have your whole life ahead of you and there are so many amazing people out there,” Martenson says. “There really is no rush, so don’t settle. Make sure that your self-esteem is high by continuing to learn new things and taking care of your body, mind and spirit. When you know your own value, you won’t settle!”

A big part of not settling is to know your self-worth as well as what you are looking for in a partner. “If you're spending time reflecting on your social experiences and the social experiences of those around you, you'll start to get an idea of what's important to you in a romantic partner,” Steinberg says. “Self-awareness is the key in life, because it empowers you to make conscious choices. So when you're self-aware about who you are, your thoughts/beliefs and what really matters to you, you'll feel less of a need to ‘settle.’”

If you often find yourself thinking you need an SO, remind yourself of all the great things in your life. You’ll soon realize that you are great by yourself and you don’t need someone else in your life to prove it. When the time is right and it’s what you want, you will find the perfect relationship for you!

At last night's American Music Awards, Celine Dion graced the stage and performed a touching rendition of French superstar Edith Piaf’s “Hymme à L'Amour” as a tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks that occurred on November 13.

Musician, Academy Award-winning actor and former member of the man bun elite Jared Leto introduced Dion. Leto detailed his past experiences performing with his band 30 Seconds to Mars at the Bataclan concert hall and explained how the vicious killings of 130 people, including 89 at the Bataclan, have changed Paris and the world forever.

Dion ascended the stage after Leto’s speech in a floral black dress, against a backdrop of some of Paris’s most breathtaking views and images of candlelight vigils in memory of the French capital’s victims. And when Dion projected her final soaring note at the end of the four-minute performance, there wasn’t a single person at the award show or at home who wasn’t moved to tears.

Piaf wrote “Hymme à L’Amour” as a tribute to the love of her life, boxer Marcel Cerdan. Dion’s choice to perform this song in memory of the fallen victims of Paris was not only appropriate but acted as a communal expression of our grief for the victims. Watch Dion’s full performance below. 

Finals season is here, collegiettes, and chances are that you're starting to stress over your exams and the crazy amount of studying you need to do. When it comes to finals, no one understands your struggle like Her Campus does. That's why we’re giving away one Finals Survival Kit filled with everything you need to kill your exams and have the most stress-free finals season of your college career!

Enter now and you could win some fantastic (and free!) swag from brands like…

o   TRESemmé

o   Vera Bradley

o   Michael Kors

o   5-hour ENERGY

o   Cold-EEZE

o   Ustocktrade

o   AdmitSee

o   Chipotle

…and more! So, what are you waiting for? Enter now for your chance to win! 

Finals Survival Kit