College brings a lot of life changes, especially in the relationship department. You’re meeting tons of new people, and odds are you’ll start to develop some serious feelings—you might even fall in love for the first time. Being in love is probably the best feeling in the world, but sometimes you’re not prepared for some of the not-so-fun issues that come with falling head over heels. We chatted with Samantha Burns, LMHC, Boston’s Love Expert, and she shared her top five things that you might not expect to happen when you fall in love (and how to deal).

1. You might lose other relationships

It’s easy to get swept away when you’re falling hard, especially if it’s your first real relationship. “Everything feels magical, partly because your brain is producing chemicals, such as dopamine and noradrenaline, which enhance excitement and reward,” Burns says.

Yet prioritizing all of your time with your new SO can make your friends feel taken for granted. And after all, should your new relationship not work out, they will be the ones to help lift you up.

“Make sure you carve out quality time to get together with friends, and not just because your [SO] is busy,” Burns says. “Also, keep in mind they don’t want to hear about your SO 24/7.”  Make it a point to ask her what’s new in her life, and maybe just chill out with the relationship talk in general. There’s more to life to bond over!

2. You might still get crushes on other people

When you’re in college, you’re constantly going out and meeting new people. The truth is, Burns explains, there are different stages and types of love, and remaining in your relationship is an active choice that you make each day.

After the first year, you should expect to pass through the initial honeymoon stage, which is very passionate and intense. You’ll move into a more intimate relationship, which is defined by a close, deep bond. There is also a component of commitment, in which you have to make the decision to remain together, which is hard if you wind up at different schools.

“It’s natural to find other people attractive, so don’t freak out!” Burns says. “Ask yourself if you’re crushing on someone else because your [SO] isn’t meeting your needs. If you find yourself seeking attention outside of the relationship, it may be time to have a more serious talk with your SO.”

Burns advises that, if you’re committed to your relationship, it’s important to set appropriate boundaries with the new people you meet. You know when you are just friends and when you are flirting, so be honest with yourself.

Related: Why It's Okay If You've Never Been In Love

3. You might have to compromise a lot (but too much is bad)

When you start your first serious relationship, compromising can be a difficult lesson to learn. But the truth is, you’re not going to get your way one hundred percent of the time—that’s a fact!

“Sometimes a compromise feels okay because you know that you are making the person you love happy, and that in return makes you feel good,” Burns says. “However, be weary of feeling as though you need to give things up in order to make the relationship work—your friends, your hobbies, your values and opinions. That’s definitely a red flag!”

“In the best relationship, you don’t have to compromise constantly because you naturally want the same things, and that makes it feel easy,” Burns says. 

Compromise means you meet in the middle, or you do something for them with the expectation that they’ll give back equally at another time. You don’t want to be selfish and demanding, and you also don’t want to lose a sense of who you are in the relationship. It’s a healthy balance.

4. You have to be really vulnerable  

Despite being absolutely wonderful, falling in love for the first time can actually be really scary! That’s because you have to open yourself up and let someone in, which means you have the potential to be hurt or disappointed.

“Though it may be difficult, you must let your guard down and allow [them] to see the real you—the no makeup, no filter, real-deal you,” Burns says. “That means sharing your hopes and dreams, your fears and shame." This doesn’t happen over night, and it's going to be scary the first time around. Love means opening up and trusting your SO, and while it might be scary to risk your feelings, there's a good chance it'll all be worth it in the end.

5. You might have your heart broken

This one goes along the lines of being vulnerable, but of course when you open yourself up to someone there’s always the risk of having your heart broken. The majority of people have more than one love in their lifetime. “I know this sounds unromantic and impossible to imagine when you’re totally smitten with your new SO, but there’s a chance this relationship won’t work out,” Burns says.

People break up for many reasons—someone cheats, you move away for college, you grow apart or one person falls out of love. It’s really painful and there are all sorts of mixed emotions you’ll likely experience, such as anger, sadness, disgust, betrayal, numbness, loneliness, confusion, rejection, resentment or even relief.

“The most important thing to remember is that you will get through it. With each day that passes, your heart will heal,” Burns says. “You’ll come out of the other side of the breakup as a stronger person with a better understanding of what you want out of love and a future relationship." 

Processing the breakup is going to be the key in moving on. That means talking about it with trusted friends and family and creating time for yourself to cope with activities such as journaling, exercise, music, art or counseling.

And that’s it! Of course, there’s no one correct path to success for any relationship. It’s mostly about taking things one day and a time and figuring out what works for you and your SO. For more relationship advice from Burns, make sure you check out her website LoveSuccessfully.com. You can also subscribe for her FREE ebook about loving successfully, and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

Let’s just take a second to appreciate all the less-than-perfect Valentine’s Days we’ve experienced (cue montage of pints of ice cream, cuddling with cats and anxiety over V-Day gifts) and then make a promise to ourselves that this year will be better. All it takes is a little planning, some creativity and a lot of heart to have a Valentine’s Day you’ll both remember – and deserve! Use some of these 13 ideas or get inspired by them to make Valentine’s Day seem straight out of a romantic comedy for you and your partner.

1. Have breakfast in bed

If you’re a foodie, make your partner breakfast!Waffles with fruit and whipped cream, chocolate-covered strawberries and blueberry pancakes are all great picks, and you can also make a gourmet cup of coffee with whipped cream and peppermint shavings. Making them food = guaranteed partner points.

2. Attend a romantic poetry reading or acoustic show

Bre, a collegiette from Mount Holyoke College, recommends that you “take them to see their favorite queer-lady spoken-word poet and/or acoustic singer.” Check out the local coffee shop scene and see if there are any spoken-word or acoustic shows around. Having intense conversations with your partner is always sexy, so a thought-provoking show will totally ramp up the romance.

3. Personalize mugs and get your chocolate fix

Decorate mugs with Sharpies, make cocoa and curl up with your favorite movie! You could even write down some of your favorite romantic memories from the past year on your mugs and make it a tradition, so that in a couple of years you’ll have a full-blown mug collection. You could also write down all the things that you love about your partner on the mug and trade so that they’ll get a nice self-confidence boost throughout the year. Go all out on the Valentine’s Day theme for the mugs, and you’ll have a tangible way to remember how adorable you were on V-Day!

4. Explore your city

Make a scavenger hunt for them in your city and tag along. Don’t be afraid of going to places you haven’t before – sometimes the museums, parks or flea markets that you just see as part of your city’s landscape make the best date ideas. Make sure to keep a notepad full of the places that you think you would both like. It’ll make you see your city in another light and give you date ideas for the rest of the year, too!

5. Visit an animal shelter

Who doesn’t like puppy or kitten cuddles? Plus, it’s beyond fun to see your cutie hanging out with an adorable fuzzy friend! Just be careful you don’t get too attached to the fuzzy friends, or you could end up bringing back a very long-term Valentine’s Day gift (or, if you’re in a position to take care of the pet, why not have a new member of the family?).

6. Learn how to massage

Take a massage class together and use your newfound skills later that night. You could either find a studio that offers couple’s massage classes in your area, or, if you’re not near a city, you could take an online class. The start of spring semester is stressful enough, what with internship searching and acclimating to your new classes, so this will give you a chance to really relax around each other!

7. See a sunset or sunrise

If you’re on the East Coast, make it an early morning and have a Valentine’s Day breakfast while watching the sunrise. If you’re on the West Coast, have a picnic dinner while you watch the sunset. It’s a classic for a reason – it’ll be beautiful, and you’ll have lots of time to talk!

8. Put it in writing

Get a deck of cards and write something you love about your partner, potential date ideas or IOUs on each one. There will be a card for every week of the year, which they can put up around their dorm room. Extra points if you play a heated game of war with the cards!

9. Take a weekend away

Explore your region for the weekend! Book a train ticket to your nearest city and see the sights. Getting a change of scenery will definitely heighten the romance.

10. Leave little love notes

If you’re unable to spend the day with your partner, hide a bunch of conversation hearts, Polaroids or love notes where you know they’ll find them! You can write memories from throughout the year, date ideas for when you’re not apart or your favorite things about your relationship. You can also even write letters in envelopes for your partner to open in certain situations (like when they need to know you love them or when they’re having a bad day). Love notes remind your partner how much you care about them in a simple yet meaningful way.

11. Choose some nighttime wear

Go to a lingerie store and pick out something for the other to wear the night of Valentine’s Day. This can be funny, sexy or, ideally, a little of both. Remember to keep your partner’s body type in mind when you’re picking stuff out, though – you want to make them feel as sexy as possible!

Lingerie doesn’t have to just be for women, though. If your partner identifies as non-binary, make sure to pick out lingerie options that aren’t strictly feminine.

12. Frolic in the snow

Have a snowball fight! Running around in the snow is an easy way to get some exercise in, and you know what they say: Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy and happy people just don’t have bad Valentine’s Days! Loser plans the next date.

13. Build a fort

Make a blanket fort with fuzzy blankets and your laptop inside and watch a movie! The lighting will be cozy, you’ll be cuddling and romance will be in the air.

As fun as Valentine’s Day is, though, you don’t need an excuse to be romantic. Surprise your partner with some of these ideas throughout the year (not just on Valentine’s Day!), and love will be in the air all year long!

Coming clean about your life is probably one of the hardest things for someone to do, especially if they’re coming clean to the media. Laguna Beach and The Hills reality star Kristin Cavallari recently opened up about her time on the MTV shows during an interview with Momtastic: “I was really unhappy…Laguna Beach was really our lives being manipulated by being put in situations we never would have been in normally.”

Cavallari was a mere 17 years old when she starred on Laguna Beach, and she expressed to the parenting publication that she felt very distraught and torn up while filming the show. “I think people think they know me from being on reality TV, but they really don’t,” she adds. The world watched and connected with Cavallari on a personal level; but growing up on TV is not the world that most teens live in, and it is a lot to handle when you are trying to live your own life.

The 29-year-old will soon be releasing her first book, Balancing in Heels, to show the world that the on-air persona she portrayed to the public is not the person she really is nor wants the public to think she is. The book is partially a memoir; the other half of the book is a how-to on lifestyle topics like clothing, shoes, jewelry and fitness.

Cavallari’s life has been a series of ups and downs, but we are happy to see that she is finally peeling back her layers and showing the world who she actually is.

After swirling dating rumors, Zayn Malik confirmed that he and Gigi Hadid are, in fact, dating. Given that Zayn is pretty reserved, we can assume he wanted to keep their relationship on the down low. That is completely understandable, and we even find it kind of cute that he was trying to be coy about their budding romance.

In a recent interview on the radio show Zach Sang and the Gang, the former 1D band member was asked a question by a fan in regard to his relationship. “Was it cool to have your girlfriend in the video?” the fan asked, in reference to his music video for “Pillow Talk,” which features Gigi in different shots continuously throughout the video.

Instead of avoiding the question, Zayn answered, “Uh, yeah. That was cool. It was something different. We enjoyed it. It was fun.” While he didn’t exactly give a definite response, he at least gave fans an answer that we are more than happy with that.

When Francesca Kennedy saw small children drinking contaminated water in her native country of Guatemala, she knew she had to do something. So she created Ix Style—a brand inspired by local Mayan textiles and leather craftsmanship that sells gorgeous products handmade by local women. When you buy an Ix Style product, you are providing clean drinking water to children through water filtration systems, rain collection units and wells.

Ix Style has partnered with Her Campus to offer five lucky winners a pair of beautiful woven leather sandals! 

Help solve the Guatemalan water crisis—Enter to win today!

Ix-Style

Ix-Style

Following the long-awaited release of Adele’s “Hello” this past fall, many singers, bands and now ensembles have created their own covers of the famous hit. Some are even going as far as to mash up the single with other songs.

Last week, The Piano Guys did just that—a mashup of “Hello” and Mozart’s "Lacrimosa"—and the end results are pretty amazing. Their video already has over three million views on Youtube. That’s pretty impressive, right? We think so, too.  

You might expect that it would be difficult to seamlessly combine those pieces to create one beautiful number. With what we can only imagine must have taken much practice, the ensemble was seamlessly able to blend the 21st century pop hit with the 16th century composition piece. See the masterpiece for yourself below.

In life, there are always those recurring events that can make our emotions ebb and flow: The release of a new Apple product, for example, or a new fashion trend taking the world by storm. But nothing can top the feeling of finding out that a new Oreo flavor will be making its way to a store near you.

Refinery29 reports that the newest Oreo flavor to make our mouths water will be Filled Cupcake! The limited edition flavor has classic chocolate cookies with chocolate icing and a spot of vanilla crème in the middle, resembling a vanilla cream-filled chocolate cupcake. Some lucky New York City consumers got to discover the new flavor by opening an Oreo vault that literally gave people a batch of the new cookies to try—living the dream!

At least now we have a new study snack to look forward to on Feb. 8, when these cookies hit the shelves.

Regardless of whether or not you’re in a relationship, Valentine’s Day can be super fun. With all things glittery, red, pink and, of course, heart-shaped, February is a blast. Don’t all of the cute Valentine’s Day store decorations make you want your apartment or dorm to be a little more festive, too?

Check out these fun and simple crafts, which you can do with just a few easily accessible supplies. Whether you’re giving them as gifts or just decorating your dorm, making these crafts is a fun way to have a girls’ night in with your friends.

1. Homemade Valentines

Valentine cards are probably the most widely recognized part of Valentine’s Day—remember passing the ones with cute Disney characters on them out in elementary school? Up your game by making your own cards this year for your family, friends or boyfriend. It’s a cute way to show them how much they mean to you and a great excuse to improve your scrapbooking skills. Card-making is more fun and effective if you get a group of friends together, because that way you can share supplies like heart punches and glitter glue, so plan a day where a few of your friends can catch up and make valentines together.

Tools and Materials

• Colored construction paper
• Markers or colored pencils
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Glitter glue pens

Classic Valentine Card Instructions

Elementary school art might have included drawing a heart on paper, but you can do a lot better than that.

• Cut a variety of colored hearts, and glue them onto the card to create a collage.
• Decorate the individual hearts with glitter glue or color different patterns on them to show how much effort you put into the card.
• If you have access to buttons and ribbon, bows would make a great accent to the outside of the cards, too. Get creative!

Or, if the idea of cutting a template and gluing a bunch of hearts together makes you sweat, try this cute and easy valentine idea we found on Pinterest.

You can get the popcorn holder at a dollar store and can find candy hearts almost anywhere this time of year. All you need is a hot glue gun to get everything to stick, and the result is adorable.

Popup Valentine cards

If you’re ready to take your valentines to the next level, try making popup cards. MarthaStewart.com has step-by-step instructions for making crafts like accordion cards and illustrated cards, so you can choose the project that fits with your skill level.

We love the accordion card since it’s easy to make—here are Martha Stewart’s instructions, taken from her website:

Tools and Materials

• Card stock, scrapbook paper, and envelopes
• Pens and pencils
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Craft knife
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Double-sided tape
• Hole punch
• Bone folder

Accordion Card Instructions

• Print a template (which can be as simple as the outline of a heart shape) on card stock; cut and trace onto the paper for the folded piece. If making one card, print directly on desired paper.
• Fold along score marks. Then unfold, cut out and refold.
• Position the folded piece inside base card so it pops. Secure with double-sided tape.

2. Crayon Hearts for Windows

If you’ve always loved stained glass or just want a way to make your room look a bit more inviting, these crayon hearts are a festive way to spruce up your space. All you need are a few pieces of wax paper, some crayons and an iron, and you’ll have plenty of hearts in no time. Here are the instructions for these lovely crayon hearts.

Tools and Materials

• Wax Paper
• Crayons in festive Valentine’s Day Colors
• Iron
• Handheld Pencil Sharpener
• Kraft paper

Crayon Heart Instructions

• Begin with a 12-by-16-inch sheet of waxed paper. Fold it in half along its length; unfold.
• Deposit wax-crayon shavings (made with a handheld pencil sharpener) evenly but not thickly across one half of the paper. Fold the clean half of the paper over the shavings.
• Crimp the three open edges with a 1/2-inch fold to hold the shavings.
• Protect your ironing surface with kraft paper. Place the waxed paper on the kraft paper, and cover it with another sheet of kraft paper.
• Iron lightly on medium heat, checking after every few passes.
• Stop when all the shavings have melted; let cool.
• Next, trace and cut out hearts of various sizes. String each heart with a silk thread for hanging.

3. Hanging Heart Wall Art

If you don’t have crayons or an iron, this heat-free project is a great alternative. Wall art is perfect for decorating a small space, and it will add instant holiday spirit to your décor.

Here are the instructions, taken from Making Home Base:

Tools and Materials

• Card stock in various colors
• Scissors
• Twine
• Hot glue
• Old frame found around the house or from a vintage store or thrift shop

Heart Wall Art Instructions

• Create cutout hearts from the cardstock pieces. You can leave them in solid colors or add stripes and other patterns—it’s up to you and your decorating style. For her project, Chelsea of Making Home Base used a combination of patterned and solid hearts.
• Place cutout hearts in the frame to position them.
• Place the string over the top of the hearts and start gluing. On the site, Chelsea recommends gluing two heart cut outs together so that you don’t see the glue or string on one side if they get turned around.
• Glue the strings in place onto the frame with hot glue.

4. Decorating with Candy

There are so many Valentine’s Day-specific candies that it would be a shame not to use them in a Valentine’s Day craft. Also, having a few treats around will make you everyone’s favorite hostess next time your friends visit your dorm room or apartment.

Try Lauren Conrad’s idea of putting candy hearts in a Mason jar and wrapping the lid in a festive ribbon. This requires very little effort and will add instant Valentine’s Day charm to your room. Conrad makes the jar even sweeter by adding a tag with a penny and a note about being lucky in love, making this a quick and easy gift to give your friends. Here are the instructions, taken from Lauren’s blog:

Tools and Materials

• Penny
• Red or pink ribbon
• Mason jar
• Hot glue gun
• Gift tag
• Bag of Sweethearts or your other favorite Valentine’s Day candy

Lucky in Love Jar Instructions

• Using the hot glue gun, glue your lucky penny in the middle of the tag (heads up, of course).
• Next, take a letter stamp set or a Sharpie and write the message “Here's to getting lucky in love” onto the gift tag around the penny.
• Use the ribbon to tie the tag onto a Mason jar and fill it with Sweethearts or your other favorite candy.

5. Felt Fortune Cookies

Martha Stewart’s creative mind is at it again with her felt fortune cookies, which unfold to include a personal message and a treat for the recipient. Everyone loves opening fortune cookies, and your friends or party guests will love that you took the time to make this thoughtful gift. Plus, they include candy!

So, ready to get crafty? Here are the instructions for the fortune cookies, taken from MarthaStewart.com:

Tools and Materials

• Felt sheets in various red and pink shades
• Fabric shears
• Fabric glue
• Wire cutters
• Floral wire
• Ribbon or paper with printed message
• Small, individually wrapped candies

Fortune Cookie Instructions

• Use fabric shears to cut a 4 1/2-inch-diameter circle from a piece of felt. Cut a piece of matching ribbon slightly shorter than 4 1/2 inches. Use wire cutters to cut a piece of floral wire slightly shorter than the length of the ribbon.
• Using craft glue, affix the wire to the middle of the felt circle. Glue the ribbon on top, covering the wire. Let dry for 30 minutes.
• Fold the felt circle in half, using the wire as a guide so the ribbon is inside the cookie. Next, angle the sides toward each other, bending the wire at its halfway point and forming a fortune-cookie shape.
• Assemble the fortune cookies. Carefully peel back one flap of the felt cookie and insert a paper fortune and a few candies. Fold the flap back over to close cookie around contents.

6. Heart-Filled Gift Box

If you want to show your friends or boyfriend how much you care about them, why not give them this adorable box filled with dozens of heart cutouts? The best part about this project is that it is super easy to create, so if you’re not great with arts projects you’ll love this one from The House That Lars Built.

Here are the tools and instructions, which, along with the photo, are taken from The House That Lars Built:

Tools and Materials

• Medium-sized gift box
• Scissors
• Cutout hearts made from construction paper in various colors

Heart-Filled Box Instructions

• Glue a large heart on each side of the box’s exterior. You can also write the person’s name or a Valentine’s Day message inside the hearts.
• Fill the box with the heart cutouts. It’s as simple as that! For a more heartfelt version of this craft, write a reason why you love the recipient on each heart.

7. Decorated Wine Glasses

Wine glasses are the classy way to consume any beverage, alcoholic or not, and there’s no better wine glass than a personalized one. You can make these with your friends at a Valentine’s Day get-together, or you could make them for your friends in advance as Valentine’s Day gifts in lieu of traditional valentine cards.

For the glasses themselves, you can find affordable packages of clear, plastic wine and champagne glasses at most party supply stores. They’ll be easy to work with, and you won’t have to worry about breaking glass during your craft making.

Tools and Materials

• Plastic wine glasses
• Permanent markers
• Enamel paint
• Fine paintbrushes

Decorated Wine Glass Instructions

Here are the instructions for painting your wine glasses, taken from WikiHow:

• Sketch your designs onto the glass before you apply paint. The design can be hearts, flowers, your friend’s name—anything you want to include that signifies Valentine’s Day. This will help you avoid mistakes before you start painting, and according to WikiHow, you can remove mistakes with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover.
• Fill in your sketches with paint. You may need to add multiple coats to ensure that the paint won’t chip off after a few uses of your wine glass. As with the sketches, you can use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to get rid of paint mistakes.
• Let your wine glasses dry for a full 24 hours before heating them.
• Now, it’s time to heat the glasses to set the paint. Line a cookie sheet with foil and turn your oven to 350ºF. Immediately put the glasses on the lined sheet and place them in the oven without waiting for it to preheat—the gradual warming will prevent the glasses from cracking.
• Set a timer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat after 20 minutes, leave in for a further 10 minutes, and then remove the glasses after the 30 minutes.

Whether you want to give a valentine to the guy you’ve liked for months make a gift for a friend, or decorate your dorm room, these craft ideas will impress all of your friends.

Whether you’re single or in a committed relationship this February, one thing is for sure—love is in the air. Regardless of our relationship status, we always look forward to Galentine’s Day! Ladies celebrating ladies is a concept we can all get on board with, right?

In fact, it doesn’t get any better…unless you’ve got the ultimate Galentine’s Day VIP swag bag from Vera Bradley. We partnered with Vera Bradley to ensure you have the Galentine’s Day essentials you require for the best day of the year. One lucky collegiette will win the following goodies:

• Champagne flutes
• Sparkling cider
• Chocolate
• Candy long-stem roses
• Gourmet popcorn
• Romantic comedy movies
• Knit PJ set
• Cozy slippers
• Blush and brush makeup case
• Shimmery stretch hair ties
• Lighten up yoga bag
• Soap gift set

This stellar swag bag, valued at over $300, could be yours for free this Galentine’s Day. Take advantage of this steal and enter now to win. 

Vera Bradly Galentine's Day

In the past year, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have faced a fair bit of criticism. In an interview with Italian magazine Panorama last March, Dolce criticized IVF and same-sex marriage, saying, "We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one." He also called IVF children "synthetic children." 

Celebrities, including Elton John, took to social media to protest Dolce & Gabbana after these remarks, going so far as to use the hashtag #BoycottDolceGabbana. John declared on Instagram that he would never wear D&G again:

However, six months after the original incident, it looks as if the designers are issuing a public apology via their latest collection, which features bags and tees showcasing a variety of diverse, mixed families. The designers released photos on Instagram, using the hashtag #dgfamily. One shirt includes both designers with their dogs. 

The photos of the collection were released at a critical time—this month, Italian politicians are due to vote on the legality of same-sex marriages. 

Though it's refreshing to see such a major label bring increased visibility and awareness to non-traditional families, many are questioning whether the designers have truly had a change of heart, if they're really only trying to do damage control. So what do you think; is it too little too late?

Now that women can have any combat job in the miltary, top officials in the Army and the Marine Corps testified during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that they support women registering for the military draft, according to the Washington Post. The hearing was scheduled to discuss the complete integration of women in the military.

“Senator, I think that all eligible and qualified men and women should register for the draft,” voiced Army chief of staff General Mark A. Milley. These sentiments on gender equality registration were also supported by Marine Corps commandant General Robert B. Neller of the Marine Corps and Senator Claire McCaskill. “Now that the restrictions that exempted women from [combat jobs] don’t exist, then you’re a citizen of a United States,” Neller said at the hearing. “It doesn’t mean you’re going to serve, but you go register.”

Previously, only men were had to register to serve in the force, as required by the Military Selective Service Act. But in December, all combat unit jobs became available to women—opening the door to making women fully equal in the military.

Not everyone agrees that having women register for draft is a great step forward. As Sally Kohn writes in Refinery29, there are many other issues left unaddressed, like the fact that many people feel they have to join the army to get access to a college education. But, if we're going to have a draft, doesn't it seem unfair in 2016 that only men should have to sign up for it?

At the University of Chicago, Alpha Epsilon Pi joins the ranks of other frats that have been caught doing and saying some incredibly racist things. In a stream of leaked emails from the historically Jewish fraternity, members referred to Muslim students as “terrorists,” defend the n-word, and made plans to celebrate Martin Luther King Day by day drinking and eating at a fried chicken restaurant.

BuzzFeed News released the emails on Wednesday. A fraternity member who wished to remain anonymous turned in some of the emails, which were sent to the AEPi chapter listserv between 2011 and 2015. AEPi is a 102-year old fraternity whose heritage is rooted in young Jewish men coming together for the “future of the American Jewish community.” According to the chapter’s website, membership is “non-discriminatory.”

It didn’t seem so “non-discriminatory,” in AEPi’s released emails, which range from plain ignorance to thinly masked racism. Here’s some of the (troubling) highlights from the emails, or you can check out the full list here.

Day drinking and fried chicken for MLK Day?

Apparently, the prohibition was the reason why Martin Luther King Jr. took a stand in the civil rights era—or at least that’s what one fraternity member claimed. In his email, he said, “Following the horrors of prohibition, the puritanical powers in control of the United States successfully stigmatized day drinking. This travesty flavored American life in many ways, leading to increases in domestic abuse, legitimate rape, and worst of all oppression. MLK took a stand. He had a dream. He led a million man march on Washington in order to make his dream a reality.”

After that totally weird and plain wrong take on U.S. History (letgitimate rape?), the frat brother planned an odd celebration for the day: they would day drink starting at 9 AM and then eat dinner at a fried chicken restaurant. After those festivities, they planned to watch Black Dynamite, which spoofs Blaxploitation movies. News flash: This is not what MLK Day is about.

Some members think all Muslims are terrorists

There were a number of emails that reeked of Islamophobia. In an email from 2014, one member referred to a Muslim woman in the university’s Student Government as a “terrorist.”

Another email in 2013 went even further. The University of Chicago hosts an annual Latke-Hamantash debate, where students jokingly compare latkes and hamantashens. These two foods were described as staples of Jewish culture. In an email, the fraternity whipped up a mock invitation to the event for the Muslim Students Organization. In the email, frat members suggested that they debate over two Muslim “staples”—dynamite and C-4 explosives.

To add to the anti-Muslim sentiments, the fraternity event referred to an empty lot next to the fraternity’s building as Palestine.

A defense for the n-word

In an email in 2011, a brother asked the chapter not to use his nickname, which contained the n-word. He said that the nickname was funny, but also “very, very racist.”

Instead of listening to his requests, other members defended using the word. One response said, “By calling it the ‘n word’ you are giving it power that it doesn’t deserve.” And while context does matter, white fraternity brothers are absolutely not allowed to use the n-word.

The fraternity also used the term “community” in several emails to refer to all members of the black community. In reference to an upcoming rap concert, one brother referred to the music as “rap/hip-hop/community music.”

Brothers who lived on the third floor of their building came up with their own “Constitution”…and it’s pretty awful.

The document, named the “Floor Three Constitution” appeared to set up rules for dating for the frat brothers. One of the so-called rules said, “No fatties.” Another part of the “Constitution” read, “If a dude is trying to mack it with some bitch then don’t fucking interrupt or get in the way.”

As if the way to a woman’s heart is to refer to her as “some bitch,” right?

Response to the leak

Jonathan Pierce, the national fraternity’s spokesperson, said, “As a Jewish fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi is especially sensitive to hate speech and behavior towards any minorities.” Pierce confirmed that the fraternity’s organization had already begun an official investigation into the chapter’s emails.

The University of Chicago also denounced the comments within the emails. In an interview with BuzzFeed News, the dean of students, Michele Rasmussen, said, “The language used in these private emails is offensive, and it is not consistent with the University’s values or our strong commitment to ensuring that people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives can thrive on our campus.”

On Thursday, the executive director of AEPi made a statement on the emails, saying, "I was personally appalled when I saw the personal emails distributed by members of our chapter at the University of Chicago. Hate speech like this is completely antithetical to the Jewish values of Alpha Epsilon Pi."

The president of AEPi at UChicago, Josh Benadiva, also wrote to the UChicago community, condemning the emails. He said the fraternity has asked for more resources from the university to create better educational programs.

The typical college student avoids 8 AM classes and takes every opportunity for a nap. But at some point, everybody has to get up and start their day. For some, that means rolling out the entire glam kit. For others, it means digging out the one clean pair of leggings and calling it a day.

Related: How to Get Away With Wearing Leggings Every Day This Week

What you may not realize is that this difference in time spent on getting ready could actually correlate to someone's level of self-esteem. Yahoo Health and Ipsos recently studied almost 2,000 people ages 13 to 64 and discovered that the more time someone spends in the morning getting ready, the higher the chance is that they feel badly about their appearance.

The study found that the average woman spends 22.5 minutes getting ready, which indicates a negative or neutral body image when compared with a more body-positive woman, who takes 18.7 minutes to get ready. Women who are body-ambivalent, meaning they fluctuate between a positive and negative view of their body, use the most time to get ready in the morning at 26.1 minutes.

Men were also surveyed, with similar but more distinct results. Men with negative body image spent 23.3 minutes getting ready, followed closely by body-ambivalent men at 20.8 minutes. However, body-positive and body-neutral men only took 15 minutes to get ready for the day. Men with positive body image spent almost ten minutes less to get ready than those with negative self-esteem.

Whether you like to take on the day with a fresh face or opt for the "I woke up like this" look, just remember that whatever you do, do it for you—regardless of the opinions of others.

We’ve all been there. You meet a someone hot, exchange numbers and realize you actually enjoy talking to them about more than where you can find the closest can of beer. You have a few conversations, start seeing them pretty often and suddenly, you’re 100 percent hooked. They cross your mind more than what’s probably healthy, and you begin texting them more than you probably should. Whether they know it or not, they're your new bae and you’re convinced you are theirs. That is, until, the dreaded no response.

But don’t worry – it’s definitely not your fault! Here are 29 commonly accepted, yet totally illogical thoughts we all have when we don’t get the text back right away.

1. I definitely sent that message 30 minutes ago *checks timestamp*

2. Or three…oops

3. Okay, but why did they reply in two seconds to the last one? Clearly their phone is right beside them

4. Maybe they got up to go to the bathroom

5. Guys take a long time in the bathroom

6. No wait, those are girls

7. Okay, well, they could’ve gotten in the shower

8. No, they definitely always shower in the morning

9. Unless they went to the gym?

10. Yep, they're probably using their phone for music – has to get in the zone

11. You do your thing, boo

12. I’m sure they’ll reply when they get home

13. WHO TAKES THIS LONG AT THE GYM?!

14. Oh no, maybe they left it in the locker room

15. Or worse, lost it FOREVER

16. No way, they're not that dumb. They'll get it back!

17. Maybe I’ll actually do some work to distract myself

18. Lol, what a joke

19. Maybe I’ll just stalk their social media to see the last time they were on

20. THEY UPLOADED TO THEIR SNAP STORY TWO MINUTES AGO?!?

21. What the hell are you doing?! Don’t you see that little red circle near your icon? It means you have a message!

22. Maybe our convo was opened when I replied so they never saw it

23. Okay, I’m just going to put my phone on loud and throw it across the room so I don’t have to stare at it anymore

24. *Ding* Finally! Took you long enough

25. *Checks phone* Ugh, mom, stop texting me. I am very busy!

26. They hate me. They definitely hate me. What’d I do wrong? Am I not cute enough? Did they meet someone else?

27. You know what? Screw this. I’m better than this *throws phone across the room*

28. *Ding* Dear god mother, what did I tell you…*checks phone*

29. BAE, YOU’RE BACK! I knew you loved me. Don't you ever do that to me again.

Because we still understand nothing 10 years later.

First dates are like the firsts of anything: exciting, nerve-wracking and slightly awkward. Throughout the course of my nearly nonexistent love life, I’ve encountered only two real first dates. The first one? An awkward two-hour coffee date at a local café. The second one? An incredible day spent throughout Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Because of this lack of dating experience I found my task to be quite humorous: go on one blind date a day for a week. Initially, I was surprised that blind dates still occurred. With dating sites and the ability to easily navigate social media platforms, the concept of blindly dating is almost unnecessary. However, I asked everyone I knew for help with finding seven eligible bachelors for the social experiment. What ensued was one of the most stressful and interesting weeks of my life.

Date 1

Unsurprisingly, I was running late. Arriving home from work, I frantically bustled around my bedroom. With my jacket in hand, I made my way to the door and stopped when I received a text from my date, “Sorry, I’ll be 10 minutes late.” Two hours and several New Girl episodes later, he arrived. Finally. After awkwardly stumbling into his pickup truck and landing face flat on the seat, I stuck my hand out and introduced myself. Our first stop was a bowling alley. During the drive he apologized for being late while I reassured him that it happens (but usually not two hours!). Upon arriving at the bowling alley, he realized we were the only ones in attendance above the age of 14. He asked to leave and proceeded to ask Siri where to take a girl on the first date.

We ended up at Applebee’s and I finally got a good glimpse of him. He was 21 and the younger brother of my manager’s boyfriend. During the meal the conversation was easy. His stories ranged from bar fights to his experience with a catheter and the battle that ensued between him and several doctors. Oh, and he’s been pulled over 156 times. We left Applebee’s and decided to go to Sonic for dessert. Making our way through the parking lot he remarked, “Did you see that? All the guys sitting there just turned to stare at your butt while you walked out.” Did I instantly feel uncomfortable? Yes, yes I did.

The date began to take a turn as, once at Sonic, he claimed that it was the best date he’s ever been on. Not knowing what to do, I lightly chuckled and stuck a spoonful of cookies ‘n cream ice cream into my mouth. During the drive home he, once more, mentioned wanting to go on a second date. Again, I stuck a spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. We hugged goodbye and I promptly scurried up my driveway with yet another guilt-ridden spoonful of ice cream in my mouth.

Second date? Nah. What did I learn? Ice cream does not solve awkward silences.

RELATED: The 17 Stages of a Bad Blind Date

Date 2

Meeting in front of our mutual friend’s house, my date and I spent the first few minutes talking to her. While deciding where to get dinner, she quickly departed and teased, “Have fun you two!” He soon drove us to a vegetarian restaurant which had, quite possibly, the best vegetarian cuisine I’ve ever had.

As we talked, I learned that he was 23-years-old and into yoga, healing crystals and even ran his own business dedicated to them. He then showed me one around his neck: a small, black crystal wrapped in gold wire meant to aid the wearer’s intuition.

What struck me the most about our date was our conversation on relationships. He briefly told me about his romantic history and I told him mine. He questioned why I’ve only had one boyfriend (trust me, it barely counted) and why I’ve been single ever since. And yes, I reevaluated my love life as soon as I got home.

Second date? Nah. What did I learn? I don’t know myself as much as I thought. Also, tofu’s pretty good.

Date 3

Because I’ve always wanted to get brunch as a date, I suggested we do so at 11. My alarm went off at 9:30 and I instantly regret that decision. Quickly doing the math in my head, I figured I could sleep for another 50 minutes, have 10 minutes to get ready, and still have enough time for the 30 minute drive there. Those 10 minutes gave me enough time to throw on the first clothes I found on my bed and some dry shampoo in my slightly unkempt hair. This is what happens when you have three dates in a row.

He was half an hour late and I was falling asleep at the bar. When he finally arrived we grabbed a table in the back. He mentioned he was sick and couldn’t hear out of one ear… we were a literal mess. He seemed to be nervous which, in turn, made me nervous. While waiting for our food I mused over the unofficial drinking game of the table: one sip of water for every time he didn’t know how to answer a question and two sips for every awkward silence. We got through several glasses of water.

Afterwards I suggested we walk around since the weather was nice that day. Walking around proved to be much better than brunch. I learned that he recently turned 21 and was going to community college. My favorite tidbit of information was that he played the flute for a week in sixth grade. He walked me back to my car and on my windshield was a glorious parking ticket. I accepted it as karma for going on seven dates with seven different men.

Second date? Nah. What did I learn? Never forget to refill your parking meter.

RELATED: I Followed My Mom's Dating Advice for a Week & Here's What Happened

Date 4

By the fourth date I was beginning to grow wary of the same pattern: show up, get to know them, make them laugh a few times, and leave. First dates can be fun, yet with one a day and a deadline coming up, the procedure quickly went from an enjoyable social experiment to an endless cycle of having to be “on” for the date and worrying about each of their feelings. Trying not to be too discouraged, I blasted Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” during my drive to the sushi restaurant where I was meeting my date for dinner.

We met outside and introduced ourselves. I learned that he was 26-years-old and worked as a wedding videographer while also doing freelance work on the side. Our conversation revolved around his love for film, Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. His look of disappointment when I told him I had only watched the first Lord of the Rings movie was priceless.

Second date? Possibly. What did I learn? I need to watch the remaining Lord of the Rings movies and the last three Star Wars movies because the prequels were that bad.

Date 5

After work, I headed to the restaurant where we were meeting for brunch. If you can’t tell already, brunch, and breakfast, are my favorite meals of the day. Anyways, I texted my date that I had found a table in the back. After a few minutes they replied, “Here.” I looked around, only to find a young woman walking towards me. “Hi, Sabrina?” I froze and my eyes widened with the realization that I had been set up with a woman. I’m not sure if I was more surprised, amazed or simply intimidated by the fact that I was going to be on a date with her. She laughed, “Don’t worry, he told me it was just for a project!”

Well into our meal, I learned that she was 25-years-old and also attended the same university as me. She spoke fluent Russian and I was in awe when she talked to her mom on the phone. Surprisingly, the two semesters of Russian I took came in handy after all.

What I loved about this date was the conversation and how broad the topics ranged and her engaging demeanor. As the date came to an end, we humorously acknowledged that it was my first date with a lesbian and that it was probably the best date out of the four others I had been on that week.

Second date? Nah, but I’d love to be friends with her. What did I learn? My Russian accent is terrible.

Date 6

Because of his schedule, I had to meet up with him right after the previous date. I got a few weird looks while frantically running across the street to the coffee shop to meet him. I stood in line and he texted, “turn around,” but I had accidentally forgotten his name. I refused to turn around until I scrolled through my text messages, found it, and also received my jasmine green tea. Hey, this was my sixth date. It was bound to happen with one of them.

We ended up walking around town, both of us clutching our green teas for warmth. He took me to the train station and we sat there for a while watching people and trains go by. He told me he was 24-years-old and that he also attended the same university as me. His job? Writing computer software for UPS. He’s also the drummer of a band and my inner marching band kid did a fist pump.

After the train station, we continued to walk around and I enjoyed how easy it was to talk to him. As if on cue, my sister called and asked me to babysit my nephews. He understood, also having several nieces and nephews, and planned a second date for us. A million things went through my head, “Wait…what? Really? Is he sure about this?” but I simply nodded my head and agreed. I’m totally good at acting casual on the outside.

Second date? Yup. What did I learn? I shouldn’t go into computer software.

RELATED: 5 College Dating Mistakes You're Making (& How to Avoid Them)

Date 7

My excitement for the fact that I would soon be done with this experiment was indescribable. Don’t get me wrong, I love meeting new people and first dates can be fun. However, being thrust into a situation like this will take a toll on you. The morning of I rolled out of bed, threw my hair up in a ponytail, and headed to the bakery where we were meeting up.

I sat at a small table and instantly recognized him in line and called him over. We hugged and introduced ourselves. He told me he had already ordered for us: one ham and cheese croissant, a crepe with Nutella, bananas and strawberries, one cappuccino and one hot chocolate. A round of applause instantly went off in my head.

As we talked I learned that he was 25-years-old and worked in the city. I’m not sure what I loved more, the fact that we pretended to have t-rex arms during a large portion of our meal, the amount of laughing we did, or the food itself. I swear, that guy could get along with anyone and I’m happy to have ended this week with a very good date.

Second date? Maybe. What did I learn? Sook Pastry has the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. 

In summary, I don’t suggest going on one date a day for a week. Meeting people and figuring out what you like will take some practice, but enjoy your time with whoever it is: laugh, have fun, and be yourself to the fullest. You’re both setting aside time for the other to see if you’re romantically compatible, so why spend most of the date worrying about saying something stupid? Say something stupid! Tell them you love Lord of the Rings! Embrace awkward silences! And the biggest thing I learned from this? Never settle for anyone (especially those who don’t make time for you) because trust me, there are plenty of people out in the world waiting to find someone just like you.

Sometimes college guys get a bad rap. We hear stories all the time about players, guys who never respond to texts and those who only want to hook up.  To quote our girl Taylor Swift, aren’t there any guys out there who are more “Today Was a Fairytale” and less “I Knew You Were Trouble”?  But don’t worry, collegiettes; there are college guys out there who really appreciate the meaning of romance, and on the most amorous day of the year, they know how to pull out all the stops to give their girlfriends the romantic memories they deserve. Read on for the five cutest things college guys have done for their girlfriends on Valentine’s Day.

“I had been dating a girl for a few months, but we agreed not to break the bank on each other. I still wanted to do something nice, so I let my creative side take over. Her favorite candy was Reese's, so I bought a big bag of the heart-shaped Reese's that come out around Valentine's Day and taped them (in their wrappers) to a piece of cardboard in the shape of a heart, then wrote a nice letter on the back of it for her. She loved it! I still got roses and took her to dinner, but I could've just done that on my low budget because she appreciated the thoughtfulness behind it so much.” - Patrick Bradley, Merrimack College

“My ex-boyfriend and I go to different schools. Since he couldn't visit me on Valentine's Day last year, he surprised me with a package from Vermont Teddy Bear Factory. He sent me a stuffed animal customized by him with a tag that said ‘Happy Valentine's Day’ in Spanish as I am a Spanish major. Later in the day I was emailed that I got another package. He sent me a tin of my favorite cookies. It was all very thoughtful!” - Liz Bacharach, Bucknell University

“Last year, my boyfriend was studying abroad in Italy, but still managed to make Valentine's Day awesome. He got my friends and his friends together to send me on an elaborate scavenger hunt around campus, and I eventually ended back in my dorm room to find flowers, chocolates, a big stuffed dog and a really sweet letter from my boyfriend. It was adorable!” - Kristin Doherty, Drake University

“This was Valentine's Day 2011. I made a video with pictures of me and my girlfriend, Jenn, interspersed with quotes about love and whatnot to the tune of ‘Don't Make Me Wait’ by This World's Fair. Then I posted the video a couple of weeks before Valentine's Day and told all of her friends and family and my friends and family about it and to go and leave comments on it. Then Valentine's Day, I took her out to dinner at Makoto's Japanese Steakhouse in Boone up at App State and then afterwards gave her flowers and showed her the video. It was a huge success; she loved it.” - Matt Caulder, Appalachian State University

“The day before our very first Valentine’s Day together I was telling [my boyfriend], Brad, how it was kind of sad that it was on a school day where we both had labs/classes/meetings/etc. We usually studied together at night somewhere like the Union, his living room or the lobby of my dorm because that was the only time in our crazy schedules that we could be together, and that didn't sound too romantic. Well, the night before our first Valentine’s, I kept him well past midnight to try to spend more of the holiday together. He was a really good sport considering the sneaky plan he had up his sleeve. The next morning I expected to get a sweet text or even a phone call, but instead I awoke to [my roommate] telling me there was something at the door and then passing it up to my bunk. Brad had woken up insanely early, somehow got into [my] dorm, and left the sweetest surprise gift basket for me to find at my door full of all my favorite chocolates, red ribbon for a Valentine’s Day bow, a hand-cut heart shape and sweet love letter as well as two (COLD!) Diet Cokes! He had thought of everything even down to the tiniest detail. While it made for a terribly unhealthy breakfast, it left me with the brightest smile all day knowing how lucky I was to be surprised so sweetly by my valentine (and now, years later, fiancé!).” - Alex Bradsher, UNC-Chapel Hill

We all loved that are they-aren't they romance between Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter. When it finally happened, we were overjoyed. There was something so rewarding about it that when J.K. Rowling revealed that she *maybe* wouldn't have paired the two up if she were to go back and do it again, we were heartbroken, angry... and all sorts of emotions.

Well, prepare to feel all those things again, because just when you thought Ron and Hermione were ~forever~, it turns out that might not actually be the case. Ruper Grint, who played Ron in the films, revealed that he doesn't think the marriage would last IRL.

"I don't think that relationship would have done very well," Grint admitted. "I would expect Ron has probably divorced Hermione already." In Rupert's version of events, Ron is also failing at getting Tinder dates and, "living on his own, in a little one-bedroom apartment. He hasn't got a job." Wow, way harsh.

This might have had something to do with how easily Ron bailed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. He got too angry too quickly and gave up on Hermione. Maybe this is what Rupert thinks happened to the fictional couple's marriage.

Well, collegiettes, we think this is a job for J.K. Rowling herself. An eighth book would do nicely, wouldn't it?

If you hadn't heard already, Playboy recently revealed that they would no longer be publishing nude or retouched photos in their magazines. Given the history of this publication, it's a drastic change—but a welcome one. If we're entering a stage where even Playboy isn't retouching its models, this hopefully means natural beauty is slowly become an industry standard. 

A preview of the March issue shows the magazine has gotten a lot more tasteful. The publication has always featured written piece alongside its provocative images, but now that they're not nestled between photos of nude women, the essays, interview and articles with people like Rachel Maddow, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson and James Franco will likely play a larger role in the magazine.

Of course, a lack of nudity doesn't mean Playboy is doing away completely with its suggestive, provocative photos. Model and Instagram celeb Sarah McDaniel covers this new issue, which is clearly aiming to keep up with the times with a reference to Snapchat and selfies on the cover. "The idea was to look at me from a boyfriend's perspective," McDaniel explained of the shoot. 

We're interested to see how this change plays out, and can't help but wonder: Is this true feminism making moves, or merely a company's attempt to gain approval from new audiences?

Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, that means Galentine's Day is too! It's our favorite time of year—introduced to us by our favorite citizen of Pawnee—for celebrating sisterhood with our girls and treating ourselves to a classy brunch, spa night or girls' night in. Make sure to keep February 13th clear because you're going to host the greatest Galentine's Day get-together there ever was!

Whatever you call your Galentine's Day plans, they'll need to include trendy decorations, the best goodies and Instagram-worthy dishes! Not to worry, collegiettes—we've got your back! Below is your complete guide to throwing a Galentine's Day bash that none of your girls will forget.

The Invitations

Before you start planning your Galentine's Day festivities, think about how you'll let your friends know about the magical day you've got planned! If you're feeling extra crafty, you can use Poppytalk's tutorial to transform plain white stationary into a dip-dyed invite.

However, if you aren't the best with paints and dyes, you can print out illustrated Galentine's Day-themed cards from Aviate Press to get your besties in the spirit!

Your invitations should let your girlfriends know where and when the party is and what to wear (hint: lots of pink). You can add even more excitement to the invitation by sprinkling some glitter, sequins or confetti (or, let's be honest—all three!) into the envelopes before sealing them and sending them off.

The Decorations

The decor can make or break a party, and we can't think of a party more fun to decorate for than Galentine's Day! A definite must is balloons, and we found a tutorial from Studio DIY to recreate your favorite heart-shaped candies.

Honestly Yum can show you how to make a centerpiece that will brighten up the whole room. (This will also make it look like you have a green thumb without suffering through the struggle that comes with one, which is always nice!)

Underneath your lively centerpiece, you can dress up a plain tablecloth to make your place Galentine's Day ready! Walk In Love shows us how easy the transformation can be.

The Menu

Every party needs snacks just as much as it needs a main course, so Gimme Some Oven's idea for Galentine's-themed munchies is perfect! It combines sweet and salty (and hearts).

Cookies are a must-have snack, too! You can either make these adorable heart-shaped treats from Completely Delicious ahead of time, or wait until the party starts and have fun baking and frosting with your gal pals.

As for the actual meal, we think it's only appropriate for Galentine's Day waffles to be served. Whether it's brunch time or before heading out on the town, this is a Leslie Knope-approved necessity! Hello Wonderful has a sweet recipe for the cutest waffles that'll make all of your friends ask for seconds (and thirds!).

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Hosting a Killer Party

We've got food covered, so drinks are next on the list. Thankfully, The Cookie Rookie has our first choice all set. This Raspberry Italian Cream Soda can be served by itself or with a kick, if all of your girls are 21 or older. Either way, it's a tasty drink to sip with friends.

If raspberry's not your thing, you can serve fruity Shirley Temples from This Lil Piglet. The mason jar is optional but definitely encouraged.

Don't forget to liven up all of the drinks at your party with floral drink stirrers from Paper & Stitch. You can even find flowers in all different colors and have each match the color of the drink it's in!

Activities

As fun as it is catching up with each other, your Galentine's Day celebration deserves more excitement! Surprisingly, the setup for activities is a lot easier than it may seem. For starters, you can put together a girl power playlist to serve as background music or for dancing if the time's right. Here's one of our favorite Galentine's playlists. Use as inspiration or play these tunes at your own party.

Another great activity to put up in any corner of your place? A photo booth! You can use Francois et Moi's simple heart decor for a cute pop of color in all of your photos.

Either set up a digital camera with a timer, or have someone use an instant camera to take the photos. That way, people have keepsakes at the end of the night to remember how much fun they had.

Since it's Galentine's Day, all of your girls should show each other some love. Paper & Stitch suggests having a station set up so each guest can write down some kind words about the rest of the girls. Then, you can read them aloud to everyone before the night's over.

Gifts

Unfortunately, the celebration does have to end at some point. When that time comes, be sure to have some treats ready for each girl to take home with her. You can follow in The Crafted Sparrow's footsteps and add some humor to your gifts by attaching a pun to a bottle of nail polish for each guest.

You could even take an idea from the creative minds here at Her Campus and give each of your girls a DIY watercolor mug after your Galentine's Day get-together!

Well, collegiettes, that's really all there is to it! Take these ideas and run with them, and you'll be sure to throw the unforgettable Galentine's Day party that your friends deserve.