By this point, we’ve pretty much all experienced that moment. The one where you wake up and lazily scroll through Facebook or Instagram, not really paying attention to anything unless it’s a picture of your crush or an article about the crazy thing Kim Kardashian did last night.

Suddenly you see it from out of nowhere. It comes at you like a freight train.

Your eyes draw to the 300+ likes and the 50 comments, but you don’t even bother reading them. They’ll all just say, “OMG, Congratulations!” over and over. In the picture, your friend has a giant sparkly rock on her hand, and revulsion rolls through you. Her boyfriend, ahem, fiancé, smiles joyfully in the background. You wash your eyes with bleach, but you can’t unsee it. The curse of the Facebook engagement announcement has struck.  

What is it that stirs up such a fiery hatred in us as each day more and more of our friends are getting engaged? Could we chalk it up to our evolving millennial ways, personal problems with social media or even a seemingly eternal spell of singleness?

Whatever the reason may be, we need to end the hate. We twentysomethings need to put on our big girl pants, and encourage and love one another, because our engagement bitterness is hurtful. After interviewing some recently engaged women, we found that our reactions tend to weigh heavier on a person than we might realize.

It’s hurtful to the person who’s engaged.

Getting engaged is huge step in a woman’s life, and one that definitely calls for celebration, not for negativity. Try putting yourself in her shoes, and imagine what it would feel like to have your friends act hurtfully towards you, when all you want to do is share your happiness with them.

Ashley Lekerk, a recently graduated and newly engaged woman from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, shares what it’s like to be on the opposite end of our engagement reactions. “Honestly, after I told everyone about my engagement, some of the comments from even my closest friends were surprising,” Ashley says. “While my family was very happy, the comments from my friends on Facebook and Instagram were to the point of almost being hostile. One of my best friends from high school only left a ‘How wonderful.’ A girl from my Bible study wrote ‘I can’t believe it.’ Not even an exclamation point, just really aggressive periods!”

Oftentimes when we are behaving negatively towards another person, we may not even realize it. It could be completely unintentional, but it’s still happening. To fix this, we need to adopt a mindset of empathy and self-awareness in order to understand how the situation looks from a perspective that’s not ours, and to diagnose why we are behaving so badly in the first place.

Related: Five Things You Should Never Say to Your SO if You Want Things to Last

It makes them feel isolated and alone.

Being happy by yourself isn’t fun as being happy with others. Plus, marriage involves so many other people than just the partners getting married. It’s a process that means the coming together of families and friends from the past, present, college, all 50 states, etc. However, if the friends and family aren’t really part of it, it takes away the important sense of community that a bride needs during this time.

Another newly engaged collegiette, Katie Gross, a senior at the University of Miami, talks about what it’s like to feel isolated because of an engagement. “My friends didn’t say it directly, but I know it affected them negatively. I’ve always viewed marriage proposals as something fun everyone gets to participate in. That’s just not the reality of it. When it happens, you’re booted off the island.”

To offer a countering view, Morgan Landry, a senior at Boston College says, “Girlfriends put distance between each other when one of them is in a relationship. Part of it is because we can’t handle losing a friend, and it’s like a defense mechanism, and engagement is like that but worse because it means you get less of your friend forever.”

We’ve definitely been there! Sharing your bestie with their SO is super hard, and sometimes terribly painful. The thing is that inherently, engagement doesn’t mean losing a friend forever, and putting distance between you and that person out of fear isn’t fair. It’s time to calm the jealously and let your friend move on with part of her life, while you move on with yours. Try to reverse the situation, and imagine how you would like to be treated if you were the one engaged.

Your resentment and jealousy aren’t valid excuses.

It’s rare that in our mindless, bloodthirsty rage toward romance we actually even notice the person behind the engagement post. We scoff at friends and make them an enemy, but why?

“It’s not that I’m jealous, but there’s definitely some resentment,” says Alaina, a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania. “It’s really hard to watch people get engaged at the end of college–whether you’re single or not. When I hear that someone I know got engaged, my reaction isn’t always pleasant, and I know it, but I think it’s a testament that I have some stuff to work through.”

Being products of our society, millennials really do have some stuff to work through when it comes to marriage. Socio-economic in nature, numerous studies declare marriage has been steadily on the decline for women since the 1970s, making it a bit more difficult to watch our peers enter into such a unique lifestyle that very few people in their early 20s will get the chance to experience. For some of us, engagement may not be relevant until much later in our lives, yet in the deepest part of our hearts, we can’t deny that having someone to love would be freaking awesome.

What it comes down to is ultimately taking our selfishness out of the situation, because let’s be real–their engagement isn’t about us.

They’re using social media to share their excitement, which is perfectly fine.

It’s important to keep in mind that those social media announcements popping up on our newsfeeds aren’t as insincere as we think. We live in an age where the internet reigns supreme! It’s only natural to share joy via the site that can reach the most friends and family at once.

Meghan Tenge, a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara, offers another viewpoint of why engagements are so hard to deal with. “My issue is less with people getting engaged, and more with being hit with their engagement spam whenever I go on Facebook,” she says. “Yes, I’m happy for you. No, I don’t want to see you kissing for the eight months leading up to your precious day.”

Thus arises the problem many women seem to have. “Promoting a relationship via media can come off as obnoxious, and that’s something I’ve gathered from many of the people that I’ve talked to,” says Dr. Pamela Rutledge, a media psychologist. “But here’s the thing: it’s quick, it gets information spread like no other. So for a lot of women who would be excited to share this news, posting on Facebook makes sense. By now it might even be subconscious.”

Imagine that engagement announcements were still sent through the Pony Express–if that were the case, we probably wouldn’t be so uppity about this whole situation.

The real issue is our own mindset.

At its core, this issue is not about social media and it’s not about a millennial statistic. The issue is that we as collegiette women are not supporting our fellow collegiette women. We take their happiness and manipulate it to voice our own pain and complaint. Marriage becomes a mechanism to reverse the spotlight so that we can talk about our own cat-ladyness and chocolate bingeing instead of uplifting each other. Being grumpy about a friend’s engagement is selfish, and that needs to change.

Recently engaged blogger, Sara Clemence, appropriately named the term “engagement rage.” She says, “I was nervous to announce my boyfriend’s proposal, because I know what it looks like from the reverse end. I was worried that it would make my friend’s feel bad about their own lives, even if they have absolutely no reason to feel bad at all.”

Sometimes we can’t help but compare ourselves to other women when they’re experiencing a lot of success and joy. This basically results in friendship PMS toward the people we should love the most, as well as a lot of negative feelings towards our own lives and accomplishments. It’s not fun, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
 

Practice mindfulness the next time you see that dreaded “He Proposed…I Said Yes!” photo. Say congratulations and mean it.  From the mouths of women should come words of love, support and encouragement.

High school seniors, I salute you. As if it isn’t enough to have to worry about making the most of the little time you have left with the people you’ve spent the last four or more years with, throwing in the need to master the SAT and graduate with an impressive GPA only adds fuel to the fire.

They say that college is supposed to be a period of time filled with endless amounts of fun, growth and soul-searching. So, making a college decision is probably one of the most important decisions we’ll ever have to make, right? As my college career comes to a close, I can’t help but to think about my time as a senior in high school and everything I did (and didn’t do) to find the right school for me.

1. Went on college visits

Call me crazy, but I actually made my college decision without ever going on a single college visit. My first day setting foot on campus came after I had already agreed with a $300 security deposit to prove it. Looking back, I realize that this could have taken a turn for the disastrous and I could have realized that this wasn’t the fit for me. Luckily, I was able to find a home here––but I’ll say that, as a senior in high school, it’s important to take advantage of the time that you have and take a trip to one of your perspective schools instead of going in completely blind the way I did. That way you can get a good look at they types of people and experiences you'll be exposed to ahead of time.  

"I know that I would've ended up where I did in the end but it would've been nice to have something to compare this to," says Brittany, a senior at the University of Georgia. "I would've wanted to compare the opportunities that would be awarded to me here as opposed to other schools."

College visits play a critical role in helping you make your college decision for numerous reasons, the most important being determining if there’s a fit. With all of the online resources that give students a glimpse into life at their dream schools, it’s easy to find out everything you need to know about a school just by typing a few words into a search engine and clicking a button. But, getting a firsthand look at your future school gives you the opportunity to see everything you need to see up close and allows you to get involved with your new college community ahead of time!

RELATED: 5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do During College Visits

2. Used my resources

I can’t remember even attempting to talk to my high school counselors to discuss college and scholarship options. It was so easy for me to completely put off applying to a school just because of the cost. Sometimes, as soon as I got a look at the numbers I instantly got discouraged. Yes, in-state tuition is a wonderful thing, but not having that option should never stop someone from applying (or going) to their dream school(s).

“I just wish I had taken the time to do my research on how to pay for school out of state,” says Sarah, a junior at the University of Georgia. “I know people who are going to better schools in other cities and they're basically paying the same amount of money as I am. I'm not exactly mad about where I ended up but, in hindsight, I wish I had looked into things a little more."

There is a lot of money out there and a lot of organizations that are willing to help students pay for school. Take a look at the scholarship opportunities that your prospective college or university has to offer and go from there. Maybe the state you live in has a unique merit-based scholarship program, like  Georgia's  HOPE Scholarship or the LIFE Scholarship in South Carolina. My advice to seniors is to utilize your high school counselors and make sure they keep you updated about scholarship opportunities, grants and where you stand in the process of your college search. It’s a tough process but you don’t have to go at it alone. Your counselors are there for a reason, so never be afraid to ask for a little help.

3. Considered more than just the location

There are a lot of deciding factors that come into play during the search for the perfect fit. We consider factors such as geography, cost, religious affiliation, teacher-to-student ratio and more. But, as a senior in high school, the only thing I was concerned with was not being too far away from home. Looking back on my senior year, I think of all of the colleges that I completely disregarded because of the location. I wanted it to be easy for me to run home for anything––in case of an emergency, a short break, or for no reason at all.

It’s normal for a college freshman to be a little homesick, especially if home is a little longer than a normal car-ride away. If you’re feeling iffy about being too far away from home, consider that everything will always work out in the end and look forward to all of the positive things that your college career holds. Once you finally find your home on campus and get the hang of this college thing, your situation will only get better.

4. Attended a pre-college orientation

Many schools offer academic summer programs that give students a head start with life at their dream schools. There were plenty of pre-college programs available at my university––the only problem is that I didn’t attend them.

Pre-college programs and events can give you your first small taste of what it’s really like to spend some time away from home and at the place where you plan on spending the next four (or more) years of your life.

"It's kind of like going to band camp or something before school starts," Brittany says again. "It definitely would've been good to meet those people and form a relationship with them beforehand so I could at least have someone to bond with during the craziness of really starting out as a college freshman."

It’s also a great way to bond with your classmates, as well as upperclassmen who have already been in your shoes and know what it’s like to feel a little lost and out of place. It’s okay to step out of your comfort zone for a second just to know that you’ll end up happier and more comfortable when it counts.

RELATED: This is the Single Best Thing You Can Do to Prepare for College

Though I’m definitely in love with where I ended up, the moral of the story is that you should be aware of the opportunities that are presented to you before your first day of classes. Making the effort to look into your dream school a little more is guaranteed to help you find the perfect fit.

Dressing for the office: It can be a major dilemma for collegiettes starting internships or jobs. Not only do you want to dress appropriately, but also you want to retain a bit of personal style. There are the safe go-tos—the gray skirt suit, a basic dress with a cardigan or blazer—but what if you’re not into the super feminine (and sometimes bland!) office ensemble? We talked to Dawna Reeves, senior associate director of the Johns Hopkins University Career Center, and Chelsea Robbins, a style consultant at Kilgore Trout, a boutique in Cleveland, Ohio, about how to get business casual right while maintaining your personal style!

1. Know your industry

Different industries can have wildly different interpretations of business casual, so do your research before your first day on the job. Finance and consulting are considered very conservative—your wardrobe might have to be in neutral colors. But if you’re in a creative industry like advertising, public relations or media, you have much more freedom to express your personal style. If you’re in the tech industry, you may even be able to wear jeans, Reeves says. So how’s a girl to know what’s appropriate? “It’s always okay to ask, ‘What’s the typical dress code?’” Reeves says. Once you have your answer, you can refine based on what you see others wear in the office.

2. Perception matters

How do you want to be perceived in a new workplace or during an interview? You don’t want to be just another college intern—dress for the job you want! According to Reeves, this means playing it safe, at least for a while. “You want to look in a way where [the company] would want to put you in front of their clients,” she says. Dressing conservatively is not a bad thing—and it definitely doesn’t mean a boring pantsuit. Even if you’re in head-to-toe gray, you can play around with different silhouettes and cuts, like a cropped pant or an asymmetrical hem. “It’s about credibility,” Reeves says. “College age students should dress a little more conservative in the beginning of a job or internship,” she says. Why? Once you get the lay of the land—feel out the office culture and see what others in the office are wearing—feel free to break out the statement necklace and red pumps.

3. Business casual basics

First things first: if you want to edge up a work outfit, there are still some rules to keep in mind. Unless you’re a high level editor at a fashion magazine, remember: You’re still at work, and basics can go a long way. That being said, most offices allow for a bit of leeway when it comes to personal style. “It’s about balance,” Reeves says. “Be creative with either the top or the bottom—but not both.” Translation? If you’re wearing something cool or flashy on top, you should pair it with a more neutral pant—think khaki, black, charcoal or navy. If you want to rock some plaid pants, stick with a plain, crisp shirt. Or if you want to go with loud accessories, keep your clothes neutral. But be warned: “You don’t want your outfit to be distracting,” Reeves says. You’ll know your outfit is distracting when the person you’re talking to keeps staring at your clothes and not your face. Read on for ways to add some style to business casual by industry—but because every office is different, there’s no hard-and-fast rule.

Finance and consulting

If you’re interning or working on Wall Street, chances are your office’s dress code is pretty strict. According to Reeves, this means neutral colors like black, khaki, navy and gray—with a look topped off by a blazer. Even if your color palette is limited, Robbins says you can likely play around a bit with different silhouettes. “The midi skirt is perfect for any office,” she says. “For a more conservative look, stick to a pencil style as opposed to a fuller skirt. The midi skirt can work for all body types; it’s all about having it tailored to hit you in just the right spot mid-calf.” Robbins recommends pairing this slightly-below-the-knee skirt with a tucked in blouse and pointed toe pumps. Try this black midi-skirt from Macy’s ($69).

“If your job requires a jacket, keep it short and cropped with this look—otherwise you risk looking seriously outdated,” she warns. Not into skirts? “Cropped pants are also a good choice,” she says.  “Just keep them narrow at the hem. A wider hem might be a little too forward in a conservative office.” Try these classic cropped pants from J.Crew ($89.50).

Government, education and health

Psyched for your internship on the Hill? Shadowing a doctor? “You can be a bit more casual [than finance, for instance],” Reeves says, “but still conservative.” Think pencil skirts, cardigans, cropped pants and shift dresses. Robbins recommends playing with color and texture. “Eyelet and lace are good choices, especially in light blue and red,” Robbins says. “As far as patterns go, florals will always be popular choices for spring and summer. But I love a bright plaid shirt any time of year. It's easy to wear to work (with a pencil skirt or trousers) and also perfect for weekends, loosely tucked into jeans.” Try something like this plaid button-down from Madewell ($79.50) or this eyelet skirt from LOFT ($54.99).

Media, advertising and fashion

Creativity goes a long way in these industries! Showing your personal style in these sorts of offices is usually encouraged. The key is simply to look polished and put-together, whether your outfit is totally street style-worthy, or simple and minimalistic. Robbins recommends a cool leather jacket. “It's the one item that will instantly up the cool factor of any outfit,” she says. “And the best part: Leather jackets in all colors are popular right now. I love a monochrome outfit topped off with a black leather jacket. If you're thinking about investing in one, look for one that doesn't have too much hardware—flashy isn't practicality's best friend.”

Try something like this blue faux leather jacket from Forever 21 ($32.80). For girls in a super creative office, Robbins can’t say enough good things about a jumpsuit. “The jumpsuit is the ultimate day to night look,” she says. “Wear heels and top it off with a leather jacket and you can go from clients to cocktails.” We recommend a sophisticated jumpsuit, like this one from ASOS ($81).

Technology

If you’re at a Silicon Valley start-up, you may be able to be very, very casual; but that doesn’t mean unprofessional. Reeves says jeans are common—but ask a supervisor first or wait until you see what people wear. If jeans are appropriate, keep it classy. “Not sneakers and jeans,” Reeves says. “Keep them dark wash and pair them with a nicer top and shoes.” Try these Gap dark wash skinny jeans ($48.99) and pair with a peplum top, like this one from J.Crew ($49.99).

4. Finishing the look

As for hair and makeup, you’ll want to look professional and not distracting. “No fake eyelashes!” Reeves says. But bold lipstick (in the red/pink family—keep the blues at home) are great. Neon nails probably will stick out like a sore thumb at a finance job, so stick with light, basic polishes—in a creative industry, though, feel free to go wild, nail art included! Piercings and tattoos also depend on the industry, but Reeves notes, “They’re not as much of an issue as they used to be.”

When it comes to hair, you do you. “People get more concerned with hair than they need to be,” Reeves says. “Is it neat and clean? Can I see your face?” If your answers to those questions are yes, you’re probably in the clear.

5. The final test

Your look is complete: a navy pencil skirt, black patent leather loafers and a white eyelet top. But before you head out the door, look yourself up and down one more time. Do you have too much skin showing? Cleavage or visible bra straps? Are you comfortable?

“The challenge is not to come [to work] with a sexualized image,” Reeves says. “You’re not dressing for going out.” Reeves warns that women are unfortunately the target of a lot of criticism when it comes to showing skin—sexist, yes, but for many industries, it matters. Play it safe and be conservative at first. Most importantly, though, you should be comfortable. And if you can’t sit down in a skirt without it riding up or if you can barely cross the parking lot in your heels, then you may want to reconsider.

While business casual can be tricky to master, if you play it safe at first and then gradually adapt your office uniform to what other employees are wearing, you’re almost guaranteed to get it right!

Hometowns are probably the trickiest week of any Bachelor season. Inviting the families of four women—who our leading guy obviously cares about with varying degrees of interest—to meet and greet with a man who is A) still dating other ladies, and B) likely nowhere near ready to settle on his final choice, is stressful. So, different families handle the situation with extremely different reactions.

There’s always the parents who nod along and never question their daughter’s declarations of love. Then, there’s the siblings that decide to cause a stir, whether it be for their benefit or their sister’s.

We saw all your standard hometown visit interactions in last night’s episode, but Amanda’s family stood out. Her parents interrogated Ben in the usual manner—not because of Amanda but for the sake of her two adorable daughters.

We knew going into Amanda’s hometown date that Ben’s willingness to become an “instant dad” would be a huge part of the discussion and his ultimate decision to keep or cut ties with Amanda. His beach playtime with the girls went well from what we could tell, but as soon as Amanda’s family brought up the matter of sudden fatherhood, Ben kind of shut down.

This is something we see almost every season. It’s like the fact that this woman has children wasn’t real for Ben until he saw them with his own two eyes. Now, Amanda didn’t have to introduce her girls to Ben. That made the blow a lot harder for both her and viewers later in the episode. But that also gave Ben a taste of what life with Amanda and her daughters would be like. Hopefully, it served as a reality check of his actual feelings for Amanda.

Did Amanda deserve better than the unfulfilling send-off Ben gave her? Of course. But there’s always that one girl who regrets introducing her family to the Bachelor. It’s an inevitable recourse of hometown dates.

It just seems that if there’s a single mother among the bunch during hometowns, she becomes an unavoidable target. That’s not always the case, and it’s certainly not fair when it is. But did you actually believe that Ben would give Amanda a rose after her hometown date?

Just the fact that Ben literally wept as he said goodbye to her shows how genuinely he cared for Amanda. That sweet moment of sincere affection doesn’t make her departure any easier, but it's all a part of the process. Amanda will find what she’s looking for, and for now, she’s got those two lovely little girls to keep her company.

We’re quickly approaching the mid-semester mark, which means the long haul through midterms before finally arriving at spring break. Whatever your schedule looks like, you know that the next few weeks of intense studying will pay off with some much deserved spring break relaxing. good hYOUman wants you to have optimal studying and vacationing conditions, full of comfy ath-lesiure wear with inspiring messages. So, we’ve teamed up with good hYOUman to bring five winners gift cards to shop good hYOUman online!

Known for their high quality and unbelievably comfortable merchandise, good hYOUman creates adorable and inspirational pieces intended to make you feel and look your best. The brand was founded in memory of David Novek by his son, Brett in 2011 and has since been dedicated to top-notch customer service, giving back, and sharing the stories that make us all hYOUman.

One grand prize winner will receive a $300 gift card, and a remaining four winners will score $50 gift cards each! Make midterms a little easier on yourself and treat yourself over break by entering below for your chance to win! For more from good hYOUman, check out their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. 

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Rihanna’s music video for her latest single “Work,” featuring the one-and-only Drake, was released yesterday. While we were graced with a teaser for the video on Friday, that in no way prepared us for the final product. As expected, the pair exude major chemistry throughout the entirety of the video. So, in other words, the short wait for this masterpiece was well worth it—trust us.  

As if that wasn't enough, fans were treated to back-to-back videos of the single. The first video features Rihanna and Drake in a crowded space, surrounded by dancers, grinding and partying it up on the dance floor. It is obvious that the two can’t keep their hands off one another. As the camera pans to the duo, the chemistry is so absorbing that the music almost seems to soften.

But the highlight has to be the second part of the video (directed by Tim Erem), where Drake and RiRi are by themselves quietly playing off each other's body language in a fluorescent pink-lit private room. While the pair gives the impression in public that their friendship is purely platonic, this video suggests otherwise…or else they're pretty good actors. In fact, when the video transitions from the first half to the second, it seems quite obvious to us that the two feel a sense of relief being in a more intimate setting.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the two have collaborated, and we are almost certain it won’t be the last.

What do you think of Rihanna's new music video, collegiettes?

After the recent unexplained death of Buffalo State College student Bradley Doyley, authorities are looking into whether or not the incident could be related to fraternity hazing, according to the Huffington Post.

Doyley was pledging the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity when he was rushed to Buffalo General Hospital on Jan. 29, where he later died. He was allegedly forced to drink a "toxic" cocktail, according to the Huffington Post, and his family believes the drink contributed to his death.

“He was throwing up blood,” a family friend, Michael Panton, told the New York Daily News.

Doyley’s death comes as a shock to his family, who were proud of his accomplishments. He played on Buffalo State’s basketball team and was supposed to graduate with a business major this spring.

"He had a great spirit. We still considered him part of our family," Fajri Ansari, the head basketball coach at Buffalo State, told WABC. "He was a great teammate."

“His parents are devastated, his sister is broken, his brother is hurt,” according to Doyley’s cousin Marsha Green. “He was their baby, he had such a bright future. No one was expecting this.

The fraternity has been suspended while authorities investigate these hazing allegations.

Spring break is our first real chance to soak up the sun after a long, dreary winter. With this freedom, the only thing on your mind should be having a good time. The last thing you want to do is spend forever doing your hair, especially if you’ll be near the water!

Go from boring hair to beach bombshell in a matter of minutes with these five easy hairstyles. Whether you’ll be catching some waves in Florida, flip-flopping through the sand in Cancun or simply watching Hawaii Five-0 in your dorm, be sure to try out these cute hairstyles to look cute no matter what you’re doing.

1. Tousled Topknot

This super easy, laid-back look can be done on wet hair after a dip in the pool or a swim in the sea. It also doubles as a great post-workout hairstyle.

What You’ll Need

• Hair tie
• Leave-in conditioner
• Wide-tooth comb
• Anti-frizz serum

Instructions

1. Taking a wide-tooth comb, gently untangle your hair, starting from your ends and working your way up to the roots.
2. Apply a leave in conditioner or your choice. We recommend Neutrogena Silk Touch Leave-in Cream ($7.99).This helps to replace the moisture in your hair that has been stripped away by the pool or seawater.
3. Work a small amount of serum into your hair; we recommend L’Oreal’s Smooth Intense Frizz Taming Serum ($6.99). This traps the moisture of the leave-in conditioner and also helps to tame frizz.
4. Secure your hair in a high ponytail using the hair tie.
5. Twist all of your hair into a coil and wrap it up into a ballerina bun.
6. Secure the ends of your hair to the bun with bobby pins to ensure that it stays.
7. Use your fingers to carefully fluff the bun for more volume.

2. Lovely Low Side Braid

This look is great for a long walk on the beach in the evening, yet stylish enough for an outdoor concert.

What You’ll Need

• Comb
• Hair ties

Instructions

1. Take the comb and create a center part that starts at your crown.
2. Gather your hair into a low ponytail on your preferred side. Secure with the hair tie.
3. Separate your hair into three sections and do a simple braid. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the messier the better, actually!
4. Secure the end with another hair tie. If you don’t have shorter layers that will stick out, you can remove the first hair tie.

3. Sultry Scrunched Updo

Curly-haired girls will love this easy, sophisticated look. Try this for a night out with the girls.

What You’ll Need

• Curling mousse
• Hair tie
• Headband
• Bobby pins

Instructions

1. Apply the curling mousse to your hair to enhance your natural curls and tame frizz. We recommend the Got2b Kinkier Gloss & Define Curling Mousse ($6.49).
2. Take the hair tie and secure your hair into a loose, messy bun.
3. Take any ends that are sticking out and use bobby pins to pin them into place.
4. Continue until all of your hair is up.
5. Add a headband of your choice to jazz up the look.

4. Braided Chignon

This simple, glam look is perfect for a dinner at that restaurant near the beach.

What You’ll Need

• Hair tie
• Bobby pins
• Hair serum
• Brush

Instructions

1. Start by brushing all the knots and tangles out of your hair.
2. Apply the serum to your hair to tame frizz. We recommend ORGANIX Nourishing Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum ($7.99).
3. Taking small sections at the front of your hair, make two tiny braids. You can do this on either side of your head (or both).
4. Secure all of your hair, including the braids, into a ponytail at the middle of your head. The braids will add a girly feel to the look.
5. Separate the hair from the ponytail into three sections.
6. Take the first section of hair (closest to the base of the ponytail) and wrap it around the base of the ponytail, covering the hair tie.
7. Pin the ends of that section up with bobby pins.
8. Repeat this with the other two sections of hair.
9. Pin the entire chignon to your head and fluff it with your fingers as desired.

5. Inverted Ponytail

This style is a jazzed-up version of an everyday look.  Wear this to a day out at the beach.

What You’ll Need

• Hair tie
• Brush
• Hair serum

Instructions

1. Brush your hair and apply the serum from root to tip. We recommend John Frieda’s Frizz Ease Original Hair Serum ($9.99).
2. Gather your hair into a loose ponytail at your desired spot.
3. At the base of the pony (above the hair tie), take your fingers and create a space (about the size of a golf ball) that your ponytail would be able to fit through.
4. Carefully push your ponytail through the loop and pull gently to secure the twisted knot.

These quick and easy hairstyles are also great for class and running errands on weekends. Armed with these cute ‘dos, sunscreen and sunglasses, you’re sure to have a super-chic spring break!

Just days ago, a judge denied Kesha's request to be released from her contract with her record label and her producer Lukasz Gottwald, on the grounds that he had drugged and raped the musician on multiple occasions. The decision gave rise to the #FreeKesha hashtag, and celebrities everywhere have come together to show their support for the artist.

Jack Antonoff, who worked on a number of songs on Taylor Swift's 1989, has stepped forward to offer Kesha his help.

He's not the only one. Zedd also took to Twitter to voice his support.

Aside from offers to produce music, Kesha has received an outpouring of support from other stars and friends. Taylor Swift recently donated $250,000 to help pay for Kesha's legal fees, and earlier this morning, Lena Dunham published an essay in her e-newsletter, Lenny, describing how she became physically ill upon hearing of the verdict in Kesha's case, and how she is "mad as hell."

Producer Dr. Luke's lawyers argue that any claims that Kesha isn't "free" are false. "The New York County Supreme Court on Friday found that Kesha is already ‘free’ to record and release music without working with Dr. Luke as a producer if she doesn’t want to. Any claim that she isn’t ‘free’ is a myth," they said in a statement to US Weekly. "Dr. Luke and his companies invested in Kesha’s success through their contributions, Sony Music has already spent over $11 million promoting Kesha, and Sony Music and its label Kemosabe Records are committed to continuing to promote her work."

But as Dunham explains in Lenny, "Although the company insists that Kesha and Gottwald never need to be in a room together and that he will allow her to record without his direct involvement, they are minimizing what Kesha says regarding how Gottwald’s continued involvement in her career would affect her physical well-being and psychological safety."

Ultimately, the priority should be on Kesha's well-being—so whether she goes on to produce music with Antonoff or Zedd or somebody else, we are hoping she'll come out on top and that this nightmare ends soon for her.

Jeb Bush has joined the growing list of former Republican candidates who have bid farewell to the 2016 presidential election. The former Florida governor’s departure from the race follows a disappointing performance in three state primaries, including South Carolina this past Saturday, BBC News reports.

Some are calling the end of Mr. Bush’s campaign for presidency the end of an era. In an in-depth analysis of the shortcomings of Mr. Bush’s campaign, The New York Times equates everything from his campaign administration to his policy platform as relics of a bygone era in American politics. His failure to account for the evolution of the American voter’s point of view is what ultimately derailed his campaign and left him in the dust of the election.

The 2016 presidential race has continued to defy the traditional election structure in many ways initiated by the 2012 race. Lengthy political resumes and super PAC-backed campaigns no longer suffice to assure candidates’ popularity and relevancy in voters’ eyes. A reserved and stoic disposition now alienates voters, while animated and passionate candidates (See: Trump and Bernie) win respect time and time again. Perhaps most notably, voters now look to presidential candidates who are redefining the constructs of age, experience, and minority status to help lead the country to do the same.

The platform upon which Mr. Bush built his campaign was optimized for needs and norms of the early 2000s voter. Even in a party rooted deeply in tradition, this outdated perspective translates to irrelevancy in voters’ eyes. The Republican race now rests in the hands of candidates Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, and John Kasich. 

The dreary February weather has us craving long, summer days at the beach—and a sunkissed glow! With the recent release of the Sports Illustrated swim issue, we couldn’t help but admire how stunning all the models looked, including Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham.

Celebrity makeup artist Allan Avendano gave the ladies a beautiful tan with products from VITA LIBERATA to make sure the photos had a summertime vibe. We got tips straight from the source, and his insider info will make sure your final result is a warm glow, without looking orange.

Prep your skin accordingly

The night before the photo shoot, Allan had the models wash off all of the lotions and oils from their bodies so there would be a smooth surface for products. Next, he applied either the Rapid Tan Mousse ($43, Sephora) or the pHenomal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse ($54, Sephora) onto the dry, unmoisturized skin. Then, they slept with the product on so it could absorb into the skin properly, and rinsed with water only the following morning.  

A tanning mitt is your best friend

To make sure the application was even and crease-free, Allan used the VITA LIBERATA Tanning Mitt ($6.50, Sephora). According to Allan, “using the tanning mitt is the key to a perfectly streak free and even tan.”

Pay close attention to areas most likely to crease, such as the knees, elbows and fingers. You can also use a wet tissue or paper towel on these spots to dilute the product so it isn’t as intense as some of the other areas.

Sunscreen is still bae

Even though you’re aiming for a faux tan, sunscreen will still protect your skin against harsh rays. Make sure the Passionflower & Argan Dry Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($45, Sephora) is among your spring break essentials so you can get your glow on.

Highlight on fleek

Yes, the same stunning highlight you love for your face can look just as beautiful on the rest of your body. Combine the Body Blur Instant Skin Finish Body Makeup ($45, VITA LIBERATA) with the Dry Oil and apply it over your entire body for an all-star highlight!

Be patient

In order to make sure your look lasts as long as possible, Allan suggests that "when at home, avoid rinsing and putting anything on the body for 24 hours” for maximum developing time.

Here’s some scary news for all the frequent Uber users out there. Jason Brian Dalton, who shot and killed six people seemingly at random in Kalamazoo County, Mich. on Saturday, was reportedly on duty as an Uber driver right before the killings occurred.

Mackenzie Waite, a Kalamazoo resident, posted on Facebook to warn her friends not to get in the car with Dalton. Apparently, her fiancé, Matt Mellen, had ridden in Dalton’s car shortly before the killings and Dalton had been driving very erratically.

“They sideswiped a car blowing through the stop sign. … Then this man proceeded to drive 80mph down west main swerving in and out of oncoming traffic,” Waine said in her post. “Despite Matt pleading with this driver to pull over, he refused.”

Dalton had been driving erratically for days before the shootings, causing many Uber users to question why nothing was done to suspend Dalton.

"Although it may be impractical to suggest that a large company such as Uber should be aware of the emotional state of all of its drivers, it is not unreasonable to expect a real-time review and action plan in place to flag and manage passenger issues and concerns," Gary Buffo, president of the National Limousine Association, said in a statement.

While Dalton did not have a previous criminal record, according to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Department. MLive.com reports that he also had no history of mental illness.

The sheriff’s department is currently investigating whether or not Dalton was taking fares in between killings. For now, it seems best to exercise caution while using the ride-sharing app. If you get a bad feeling, don’t get in the car.

Many avid Starbucks drinkers recently received an email detailing a new rewards program that the coffee company will be rolling out in April. Before you panic: No, you will not lose you Gold status or your fancy personalized card.

According to Starbucks, this new program will be based on how much money you spend—not just how many trips you make to the coffee chain. Currently, you earn a free coffee or food item for every 12 trips you make to Starbucks. With the new program you’ll earn two stars for every $1 you spend, earning your free item after collecting 125 stars.

While this may be cause to rejoice for those who enjoy breakfast at Starbucks, frugal coffee drinkers many not be so happy, as Business Insider points out. If you normally go to Starbucks for a regular $2 coffee, as a gold member you would only have to spend $24 to get your free coffee or food item. Now, you’ll have to spend a whopping $62.50—about 32 trips to the coffee chain—in order to see that same reward.

Still, this program does benefit those who regularly spent large amounts of money per visit to Starbucks. If you normally spend around $8 for a drink and a snack, you’ll earn you’re free reward in only 8 trips now instead of the previous 12.

However, it seems that the most likely scenario would be spending around $4 each trip for a fancy caffeinated concoction like a latte or macchiato, which would require you to make 16 trips instead of 12. It's no surprise that people are frustrated with this new program.

Starbucks has pointed out that most people will meet their 125 star requirement in fewer than the maximum required trips because of special offers like double star days. The coffee chain is obviously pushing sales of their food items with this program, which you can't really blame them for—After all, Starbucks is a business, and if they can get you to spend more money on sandwiches and croissants in pursuit of a free drink, that's what they're going to do. Ultimately, this new rewards program may not be too different from the last one. 

Now that the presidential election is well underway and all of the candidates are being watched very carefully by the media, it’s probably not the smartest move to make an extremely stereotypical and insulting comment about women. Just a thought. 

Well, John Kasich, one of the GOP front runners, clearly did not get the memo. On Monday during a town hall in Fairfax, Virginia, the presidential candidate was discussing how he got elected to the state Senate at 26 years old.

"How did I get elected? Nobody was -- I didn't have anybody for me," he said. "We just got an army of people and many women who left their kitchens to go out and go door to door and put yard signs up for me. All the way back, when things were different. Now you call homes, and everybody's working."

Later there was a reaction from the crowd when one voter stood up and said, “First off, I want to say—your comment earlier about the women came out the kitchen to support you? I'll come to support you, but I won't be coming out of the kitchen."

You go, girl. 

Thankfully, she wasn’t the only one who reacted to this. Once Hillary Clinton got wind of the comment, she tweeted, “It's 2016, a woman's place is ... wherever she wants to be." 

Kasich has since apologized for his words. According to CNN, Kasich told reporters that he was on Clinton’s side. "I'll be a little bit more careful, " he said, "But I'll continue to operate on a high wire without a net, and frankly, I'd like to see everybody who is running for president get out of the scripted role and start to be real and take questions."

Kasich also told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Monday evening that his comments weren’t “intended to be offensive” and that "I'm more than happy to say, 'I'm sorry' if I offended somebody out there… And if you hear the whole thing, you'll understand the context of it.”

The campaign is now doing damage control, trying to explain that this quote was part of Kasich's 'I'm a regular, down-to-earth guy' routine.

"John Kasich’s campaigns have always been homegrown affairs," Chris Schrimpf, a spokesman for the campaign, said, according to the Huffington Post. "They’ve literally been run out of his friends’ kitchens and many of his early campaign teams were made up of stay-at-home moms who believed deeply in the changes he wanted to bring to them and their families."

Well, sorry, man, but it still sounds pretty sexist—in context or not. Women aren't confined to the kitchen, and they definitely don't need a male candidate to get them excited about leaving it. 

This morning on her Instagram, Britney Spears released a couple of teaser videos for her 2003 song “Breathe on Me” from her album In the Zone (think “Toxic,” “Me Against the Music,” and “Everytime”). While the videos aren’t official and all we have right now are brief clips, they’re still full of Spears’s signature glam and fierceness. As usual, the Princess of Pop doesn't disappoint. 

Even though she's currently on tour, Britney still has time to school us all with her enviable moves. Flexing chiseled abs and waving tousled blonde locks, Spears skillfully moves her hips back and forth and sings in front of a black backdrop, leaving the rest of us mere mortals saying, "gimme more!"

Spears is reportedly“80 percent done” with her latest album, so hopefully there are more iconic music videos to come. Until then, Spears appears to be keeping us all on our toes with today’s clips.

As usual, Spears is reminding the rest of the population that she, her music and her moves cannot be forgotten. She changed the pop landscape, and she knows it. Even Hillary Clinton is a fan! Never change, Brit. Also, early-2000s hits listening party, anyone?

Remember that intense pain that you felt when you heard that America’s Next Top Model was being canceled? As it turns out, that emotional roller coaster isn't over. Variety just confirmed today that the show is being picked up by VH1. 

Yes, you read that correctly. The days of smizing aren't over just yet.

As reported by Cosmopolitan.com, Chief Licensing Officer for CBS Corp Scott Koondel said, "We could not be more excited to bring back and breathe new life into one of the greatest unscripted franchises on television," Emphasis on the word greatest. 

"We hope this is the beginning of a long relationship,” he added. And with the show's track record of running for 12 years and 22 cycles, we are pretty confident in that statement. 

There is a catch, though; Tyra Banks will no longer host the show. Variety reports that Tyra will, however, remain involved in the show as executive producer—so hopefully this means we'll still be graced with Ty-isms like Ty-overs, booty tooches, flawsome and more.

We know staying fit during the week can be hard, especially for a busy collegiette like you. The best way to make sure you're on top of your fitness game is to start early! Here are 10 different things you can do so you can be energized and focused during the week.

1. Prep your meals for the rest of the week on Sunday

Go shopping! “For college students in particular, anything that’s grab-and-go and already prepped ahead of time is more likely to be eaten—that means that it’s worth it to spend the little bit extra on pre-cut veggies and fruit,” Registered dietician and nutritionist McKenzie Hall says. She recommends easy, pre-prepared snacks like dried fruit and Greek yogurt.

Food blogger Talia Pollock suggests "jar meals," which you can quickly throw together in a jar, stick in your fridge and eat later on in the week. To make her quinoa-chia chilled porridge, mix quinoa flakes, chia seeds, almond milk in a bowl or a jar, put it in your fridge for at least 20 minutes, and add fun toppings of your choice like fruit or granola when you're ready to eat it. 

Kickboxing trainer Kristie Glenn, owner of Blue Labels Boutique, suggests preparing all the protein you need for the week on Sunday. Cook enough chicken breast for an entire week, for instance, and pack up some brown rice for one day, bread for a sandwich on another day, and fresh greens for salad the day after that, and you're good to go--not to mention you've saved yourself a lot of time in the upcoming week. 

2. Plan out your workouts

Bust out your calendar (or your iPhone) and set aside some time during the week to hit the gym! “With a plan in place, it is much easier to make decisions based on health vs. what everyone else is doing, what's convenient, or emotional decisions,” fitness specialist and psychotherapist Kathryn Gates says. This way, you can keep yourself from having to run in between class and workouts--no one needs the extra stress of squeezing things in last minute.

3. Find motivation!

You probably find yourself scrolling through off of your suggested page on Instagram, and we’re willing to bet that a chunk of that is made up of fitspo pages. Try checking them out! Jacqueline Hinton, CEO and co-founder of Good Citizen suggests heading to social media for some inspiration for your workout. At the same time, don’t get too into those Instagram profiles! ”Remember, social media shows the “best version” of everyone but we all face challenges in our life and with our fitness and nutrition from time-to-time,” author and fitness coach Jen DeCurtins says. Train hard, but keep in mind that you’re doing your best! 

4. Catch some z’s

You’re not going to be prepared for the week if you don’t sleep! “Just because you can function on five hours of sleep doesn’t mean it’s good for you,” Whitney Harris, founder of Miss Fitness Inc., says. She adds that sleeping well is definitely related to better health. Getting more sleep always sounds great to us! Try to get at least eight hours of sleep every night--especially on Sundays, so you're set up for staying awake throughout the whole week.  

6. Bring a friend on a workout-hangout!

Almost anything is better if you do it with your friends. “Next time a friend says let’s meet for coffee or a drink, offer to connect at a yoga class or at the park for a run,” fitness blogger Aliah Davis, The Get Fit Diva, suggests. Catching up over a run and a healthy snack sounds like an awesome way to kick it! You could try signing up for the usually-free (or at least inexpensive) on-campus classes offered by the recreation department, or a gym date. Plus, having a friend around will help you keep your fitness goals in check and holding you accountable for staying healthy. "If I am reaching for a cookie, I need my bestie to grab it out my hand and crumble it into small pieces in the trashcan," fitness blogger and doctorate student at Johns Hopkins School of Health Kristian Henderson says. It'll make spending your cheat days together way more fun!

7. Try a virtual workout buddy

 Celebrity trainer Josh Holland says that physical distance shouldn’t stop you from working out with a friend. Having a workout buddy keeps you accountable, and Skyping a friend to work out on video chat together is a great way to keep up with your friends who might not live so close to you.

Nutritionist and public speaker Jennifer Cassetta suggests 20-minute circuit training. You don't have to get outside to do it (and therefore you can keep your laptop safe) and it's short enough that you and your workout buddy will have trouble saying you don't have time to do it. For twenty minutes, here's how it goes: Do four different short exercises for a minute each. Every fifth minute, take a breather. After you've done this four times, you're done!

8. Clear your mind with yoga

When Sunday rolls around, you might still be thinking about what you did last week, what went down last night or any number of other hopefully-not-too-stressful things. A good way to be prepared to look at the week ahead with fresh eyes is to go out and do some yoga, and think about the week to come and how you can get ready for it. "Sunday nights can be stressful, especially if you've procrastinated over the weekend, so take a moment to work on your yoga practice and set your intention for the week ahead," Samantha Markovitz, Coach and Owner of GraceMark Wellness and Lifestyle Coaching, says. De-stress, put your fitness goals in place, and know you can take whatever life is going to throw at you in the week ahead. Namaste, collegiettes!

9. Work out with your books!

We know there are professors who mark books on the syllabus as "required" and then never ask you to crack them open during the class. But rest assured, collegiettes, those textbooks aren't completely useless! Holland suggests using your books for more than just your education (or to get rid of the money that's totally burning a hole in your pocket). Before you do squats or lunges, fill your backpack up and put it on! ...And when you're done, you should probably hit the bookstore and try to get some cash back for those. 

10. Do some food exploration in your city

During the week, it's pretty easy to get hungry and be tired of the dining hall. The easiest option is probably for you to hit the on-campus fast food restaurants, or head downtown for whatever's quickest so you can make it back to class on time. Dr. Erin Stair, who goes by Dr. Eeks, suggests using your free time on Sunday to drive around and scope out all the healthy restaurants and grocery stores where you live. This way, you'll know exactly where to go when you've got an hour or two in between classes, and you won't lose half of your time arguing with your friends about which fast food chain to jet to. 

 Go get yourself hyped up and prepared for the rest of the week! The smallest lifestyle changes can make a BIG difference when they add up. 

When it comes to tattoos, people either love 'em or spend their time systematically trying to aggravate all tattoo-bearing humans about their tattoos. We've all heard the "What happens when your skin gets saggy?" and the "What does your mom think about your tattoo?" lines way too many times, and each question provokes an eye roll worth 500 burned calories. Regardless of the reactions you've gotten, here are 21 things all women with tattoos know to be true. 

1. You have leftover Dial soap and Aveeno lotion sitting in your medicine cabinet from your last tattoo. 

2. All of your paychecks go to saving up for the next one, or food. 

3. Your friends think you're some sort of rebel goddess of tattoos and lowkey want to be you. 

4. Despite popular belief, being half-naked in front of a male tattoo artist isn't awkward, since it's actually the least sexual experience you've ever had. 

5. The only bad part is having to pretend to be a total badass during the really painful tattoos, so that the guys in the shop don't think you're a baby. 

6. At some point a complete stranger has grabbed you to get a closer look at your tattoo. 

7. The same complete stranger has also labeled you as soon as they look at you. 

8. One of your friends has said, "I would never get a tattoo in a place that shows when I wear my wedding dress," and you've thrown up in your mouth. 

9. Because of comments like that, you feel a pretentious sense of sisterhood with fellow collegiettes who also have tattoos. 

10. You secretly look down on tattoos of butterflies and hearts. 

11. Also arrows and infinity symbols. 

12. (Except you actually think arrows are cool, but can't admit it since they're so mainstream right now.) 

13. There is a huge sector of guys that will never find you attractive because of your tattoos. 

13. But that's okay, because you only have to date lovely, pro-tattoo people. 

14. Most of your tattoos have a deep, personal meaning. The others are just freaking cool. 

15. People are 1,000 times more likely to judge the ones that don't mean anything.

16. Unless you come from a family where even your grandma has a full sleeve, your parents are probably freaking out about your growing tattoo addiction. 

17. You also have a really conservative aunt that repeatedly tells you you're setting a bad example for your future children. 

18. Sometimes all the negative comments get to you, and you wonder if you really are turning into a delinquent. 

19. Worrying about your tattoos looking bad when you get pregnant or gain weight is such a thing. 

20. In the end you realize it doesn't matter. The ignorant comments and body-shaming can't affect you. 

21. You and your tattoos skip off into the sunset, and you both live happily ever after. 

Have you ever wondered what the world would look like if the Kardashians weren't on social media? Quiet, probably. Very quiet. Especially if the youngest Kardashian lady, Kylie Jenner, decides to leave the virtual world. As it turns out, we might be one step closer to that—Kylie recently hinted that she's considering retiring (yes, at age 18) and leaving Instagram.

With more than 52 million followers, the social media mogul has among the top 10 most followed Instagram accounts.

In a recent interview for Wonderland’s spring issue, Jenner explained, "It’s not that I don’t want to do it," but then quickly followed up with, "Yeah, actually I kind of just don’t want to do it anymore. Honestly, I’ve always been like that. I want to be a businesswoman and be behind-the-scenes. Kylie Jenner needs to retire." 

With all of her beauty endeavors, including the very successful Lip Kit, it doesn’t really come as a shock that Jenner is more interested in the business side of the industry. 

Plus, this isn't the first time she's spoken about leaving the social media platform. Earlier this year, she shared with Elle UK that there is an expiration date on her social media presence. “Once I have a kid I’m not going to be on Instagram,” she told the magazine. “You know, I’ll probably delete my Instagram and just… I don’t know, live life.”

If you're a Jersey girl, you know going away to college was a whole new world. Whether you decided to go north, south or west, these things likely happened to you:

1. They miss their bagels. Like, a lot.

2. They have to learn how to pump gas.

3. Everyone asks if their hometown is like "Jersey Shore."

4. Everyone thinks they have an accent.

5. They become BFFs will all the other Jersey girls.

6. They have to tell people the difference between North and South Jersey.

7. They have to say goodbye to late-night Wawa runs.

8. They have to hear people call NJ "the armpit of America."

9. They have to eat Dominoes instead of pizzeria pizza.

10. They miss being within a one mile radius of 20 pizzerias, nail salons and banks.

11. They wish the malls were as awesome as back home.

12. They have to answer "Why didn't you go to school in New Jersey?"

13. ...and "Why are Jersey people so obsessed with Jersey?"

14. They get to hear everyone sh*t on their state.

15. And they always end up being the life of the party!