To LDR or to not LDR? That is the question. And it’s one that many soon-to-be collegiettes in relationships have to start asking themselves as high school days quickly start dwindling. Why? That’s when you and your SO may find yourselves heading off to colleges in different directions. Should you break up and seek new experiences? Stay together and try to push through? Which is the right decision? How do you know?

Option 1: Break up

How to tell the relationship just isn’t for you anymore

Sure, no one really likes a breakup, but it can oftentimes be the best thing for you as you transition to a completely new part of your life.

If you’re not sure what path you and your partner should take post-high school graduation, ask yourself which aspects of college you’re most looking forward to (besides academics, of course!). Parties? Greek life and formal dances? Meeting new people and becoming a more independent version of yourself? Now, ask yourself: Are those things going to be affected if you stay with your current high school SO?

“I broke up with my high school boyfriend because I realized we weren’t serious enough to make it long-distance,” says *Joanne, a junior at Notre Dame. “I couldn’t see myself missing out on classic college experiences to stay in and Skype with him or take a weekend away to visit.”

Sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re making the right decision to stay with or break up with your SO. After spending part or all of high school together, you may feel like no one could ever understand you more than the person who was always there for you. But what if you start feeling like you want something more?

“It is simply human to not want to lose the person [who] has possibly been your best friend throughout high school,” says Rhonda Ricardo, a columnist, screenwriter and author.

If you’re starting to have doubts about the future of your relationship, you are just like everyone else. “If your romantic feelings for your high school sweetheart have faded by graduation, you are in the over ninety-percentile of all teenagers on the verge of adulthood,” says Ricardo.

If you are starting to resent the fact that you are going to miss out on new college experiences or if you simply find yourself not feeling the same way towards your SO as before, the relationship may not be the best thing for you. “I started to feel differently weeks, if not months, prior to breaking up with my boyfriend,” shares Lucy*, a sophomore at John Carroll University. “I think the main thing that made me realize I needed to end the relationship was that I wasn’t excited for the future anymore. We were both going to different colleges that were very far away from each other, and all I could think about was how difficult and time consuming it was going to be. I kept thinking, ‘This really isn’t worth it.’”

Lucy adds that not everyone will have these thoughts so far in advance; many people will suddenly realize even the week before they leave for school that this relationship isn’t what they want. The most important thing is to trust your gut and do what’s best for you, no matter when you realize it.

When should you break up?

How would you feel if the night before you left for college, your SO dumped you totally out of the blue? Hurt? Angry? Confused? Completely depressed and totally not in the mood to fake being all smiles and sunshine at tomorrow’s orientation? We thought so. Lesson: Don’t do that to him if your only reason is that you couldn’t bring yourself to do it earlier. After what was hopefully a great relationship, why hurt each other?

While that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to break up before graduation or even before summer, it does mean that you should seriously start thinking about what you want to do well before it’s time to pack your bags and head in separate directions.

This was a lesson Karina Reddy, a recent graduate of Boston University, had to learn the hard way. “I dated someone for my junior and senior year of high school, and we broke up when I went to the East Coast for college (I'm from Washington state),” says Karina. “I would suggest, if at all possible, to break up with enough time to allow yourself to adjust to being single again before you have to jump into a new environment. This will also keep you from feeling held back when you're immersing yourself in your new college life!”

Then again, if you have a strong sense of what your heart wants well in advance, there may not be a point in wasting any time. “I broke up with my high school boyfriend before graduation,” says Joanne. “We ended things before summer even started because I didn’t see the point in staying in a relationship when I knew there was an expiration date.” While there is no real deadline by which you have to break up, you should definitely be thinking about your options before ‘breaking up’ takes your SO by surprise.

How to communicate a break up

Communicating your thoughts about potentially breaking up with your SO is a touchy subject, especially if you still aren’t sure of whether breaking up is definitely what you want to do.

Ricardo has found that the best thing to do when talking about potentially breaking up is for both parties to take a moment and think about the future, rather than getting caught up in the emotional situation they’re currently in. When you see your potentially future ex-SO at your high school reunion, do you want things to be awkward because of how things were left, or do you want to continue to have a great relationship?

“Simply be kind, loving, caring, friendly and respectful of the relationship you have shared,” Ricardo shares. “If you use the exact words and actions you would want your high school sweetheart to employ while breaching this tender subject of parting ways with you, you can be confident that you treated your sweetheart with your very best and that your friends will also know that you handled the breakup honorably.” That’s especially key given that you likely have shared high school friends, and you don’t want to lose more than one person in this breakup.

Lucy agrees: “Communicating a breakup, or a potential breakup, is all about respect. Let your partner know that you are simply thinking things out in a rational manner, and that you want to have a chance to lay everything out on the table and know exactly where each other’s heart and mind is on the topic.” Failing to do this will result in very hurt and confused emotions later down the road.

Making sure that both you and your partner have had the chance to share your feelings on the possibility of staying together through college is key; don’t just avoid the subject until you both go to your separate colleges and try to figure it out from there.

How to get a fresh start for college

A breakup can certainly take a toll on you as you begin your first year at college. Being surrounded by new strangers who you are trying to befriend and attempting to pass classes you never knew could be so hard can make you start thinking about those carefree high school days when you were head over heels for your ex-SO.

One of the best things you can do for yourself before you transition to your new college life is to get some emotional and physical distance from your ex.

Karina shares that although she and her SO had broken up when she left for college, they would still remain close in contact. “We continued to text constantly and tell each other ‘I love you’ until he got a new girlfriend about two weeks after I left,” she says. “And then a horrible breakup ensued, along with the transition to living on my own across the country from my family, trying to make new friends and navigate college classes.”

“There are so many new people to meet when you get to college,” Karina adds. “It's hard enough to adjust to a new place where you know no one. It's even harder when you're going through a breakup.” Getting some distance from your ex and focusing on some ‘you time’ after the breakup is imperative.

Plus, a fresh, drama-free breakup can actually benefit you later on down the road! “When your first college crush asks you about your last breakup, your story of a drama-free friendly breakup will warm his heart and give him the confidence to trust you will treat him with honor too; which is a key to a long-lasting romance!” says Ricardo. Sounds good to us!

Option 2: Test it out

Should you give your relationship a test run?

Not everyone can be absolutely sure of her decision to break up with or continue dating her high school SO. If you don’t want to break up with your partner, but you don’t necessarily know how you’re going to feel after the first couple weeks or months of college, giving your relationship a test run may be the best option.

“If you really, really like each other, and you both understand what being long-distance will require, then absolutely give it a shot,” says Amanda*, a senior at William Paterson University New Jersey. “Don’t let the ‘fresh start’ college stigma influence your decision. Make sure any reservations you have come from you and not from what other people might want or think.” Hey, some people don’t want to start completely fresh when beginning college; there’s nothing wrong with bringing a little piece of home with you!

Not everyone can have such successful experiences, however. “My high school boyfriend and I tried to maintain an LDR my freshman year, but we really only made it to winter break of that year,” says Amy*, a sophomore at St. John’s University on her attempt at giving her Texas/New York LDR a shot. “We tried to have Skype dates, and he even visited me over Thanksgiving break, but our relationship just didn’t feel the same anymore.” Giving your relationship a test run see how it will play out is a great way to see whether you and your partner will both be happy given your new lives; just be sure that you don’t set your expectations too high!

What if you still don’t know?

Starting college can be scary enough. Thinking about also saying goodbye to your SO can make the future seem all the more worse. If you are totally unsure of the idea of staying with your partner, then you have some thinking to do.

Be sure to weigh the pros and cons of staying together, including being realistic about when you will be able to see each other and if the both of you will be okay if it’s not as much as you would like.

“My advice to any girls thinking about going through an LDR is to be smart about it,” says Amy. “Don’t expect things to stay the same as they were in high school, because chances are they won’t. If you think it won’t work out, even before you leave for school, don’t force yourself or your SO into trying to make it work. Talk to them about what they want too, because like in any kind of relationship, communication is key!”

Additionally, make sure you voice your opinion in the process! If your partner is the one who is all for you guys staying together, but you are just a little bit less sure, speak up! “I should have been more vocal about my feelings,” shares Lucy. “At first I thought, ‘Well, I guess I could give it a shot!’” She adds that if you are even a little bit hesitant about staying together, the best thing may be to break up.

Option 3: Stay together

Committing to each other

Every couple is different. While some may find themselves fizzling out or wanting different experiences come college, others are perfectly content staying in love with their high school SO. Neither option is better than the other; it simply depends on preference and individual’s different needs and wants. If you and your SO have been dating for a while (or just recently got together but still want to give it a shot), then go for it!

“I’ve been with my high school boyfriend for six years now, and we’ve made it long-distance despite going to schools that are four hours apart,” says Amanda. “At first it was rough (at no point would I ever want anyone to think it’s an easy thing to do), but it got easier.” While it’s difficult in a relationship where the both of you go to separate colleges, staying together is still an option!

What’s the downside?

Obviously, going to a different college than your partner comes with its pros and cons. “If you do go for a long-distance relationship, I’ve found that you really miss the little things, like being able to see each other on a bad day,” says Amanda. “That’s one of the biggest things to realize: You may go for quite some time without seeing each other.” If she’s lucky, Amanda gets to see her boyfriend once a month.

She also comments on how being at separate schools is significantly harder. “It’s already tough to not be able to see the person you love, but to also have responsibilities and obligations for your own life weighing down heavily on you makes it all feel much more difficult to handle,” she says.

Having a boyfriend who goes to a different school can definitely cut into your social, academic and personal lives. It may take more organization and effort to keep yourself from getting spread too thin.

How do you stay in touch?

Staying in touch with your SO while you’re at different schools can be difficult, especially if you’re both involved in sports, clubs, or if either of you have a job. If you’re trying to keep things fun and fresh, do more than the routine morning-to-night text conversation.

For example, if you know your SO’s exam week is approaching, send a care package filled with comfort food, a framed picture of you two and a nice, encouraging good luck card! If you’re both hopeless romantics, send love letters back and forth. Amanda also suggests setting up regular Skype dates and picking a TV show to watch each week and then to call each other on commercials. “These little things make the distance seem less severe,” says Amanda.

Ricardo suggests introducing your SO to your new college friends whenever possible, which can be done over FaceTime, Skype or even just over the phone. This is a great way not only for your SO to feel well acquainted with your new social circle, but it can also help you feel like the distance between you two is not so large after all.

How to keep it healthy, happy and growing

So, you’ve decided to stay with your high school SO. Congrats! Now, how do you prevent your relationship from getting boring? How do you stop yourselves from always thinking about the distance between you? Perhaps most importantly, how do you stop yourself from getting so focused on your LDR that your relationship starts to interfere with your academics or social life?

“Make sure that you’ve each got your own life,” says Amanda. “Set up parameters and rules and stick to them. If nightly phone calls are too much (and for some people, they are), then make adjustments so that you’re both comfortable. [For example], ‘No phone calls after 10 p.m., finals week is off limits.’ Understand that, just as you’ve got homework and club meetings and jobs, so does he.” While spontaneity is a great thing to have in relationships, sometimes it’s just not possible with an LDR.

Another thing that’s important to recognize is that you both have your own lives. “Pushing too hard to monopolize his free time (or having him try to monopolize yours) will lead to resentment,” advises Amanda. She also suggests you ask each other for best and worst times to call or text.

What about when your boyfriend visits your campus or when you visit his? This can be tricky, Amanda explains. “Because you see each other so infrequently, it may feel like there’s more pressure to ‘make the most’ of your time together,” she says.

However, don’t feel like whenever you are together that you need to go out on the nicest, most romantic date and that if you don’t, your relationship is somewhat subpar. “Sometimes you may want to plan your time together to the minute, but there will be other times when you both need a break from hectic schedules and just hang out with each other,” says Amanda. “Watch Netflix, bake cookies, whatever it is that you want to do—just make sure that you’re enjoying the time you’re spending together!” After all, if you’ve traveled a couple hours to see each other, the best thing to do may just be to relax!

No one has her life planned perfectly by her senior year of high school. Knowing whether to stay with or break up with your current SO can be an extremely difficult decision. Knowing your options, however, can get you one step closer to figuring out what is best for you, so take stock of what really matters to you.

We'd like to think that college campuses are becoming safer, with an increasing number of programs and campaigns advocating for consent and aiming to help rape survivors. But every so often comes a case like this one, that really makes you question the world's sense of fairness. The University of Tennessee has been criticized over the past few years for its uncomfortably laid-back attitude towards rape allegations among its students. The Tennessean has released a timeline detailing several sexual assault incidents that have occurred since 2013 at the school.

According to Sports Illustrated, things finally came to a head on Feb. 9, when six anonymous female students filed a Title IX lawsuit against the University of Tennessee, accusing its athletics department of allowing a "hostile sexual environment" and promoting "rape culture". Since then, two more women have become plaintiffs in the case. Six of the group of eight say that they were attacked by members of the football or basketball teams. Sounds really bad, right? Almost like there's a culture problem in the athletic department. It gets worse.

On Feb. 24, former UT football player Drae Bowles added his side of the story to the suit. He says that in November 2014, his coach Butch Jones called him a "traitor" and accused him of "betraying his team" after Bowles helped a female friend (officially identified as Jane Doe IV in the lawsuit) who claims she had been raped by two UT football players, A.J. Johnson and Michael Williams. Johnson and Williams have been charged with aggravated rape and will both go on trial this summer after pleading not guilty.

Bowles found Jane Doe IV crying in the school parking lot after the incident and helped her wait for an ambulance. Later that day, Bowles was confronted by teammate Curt Maggitt, who punched him in the mouth for supporting the rape victim. The following day, Bowles was assaulted by two other teammates in the school's dining hall but a fight was prevented when the team's strength coach, Brandon Myles, intervened.

Since the events of 2014, Bowles has transferred to UT Chattanooga. According to The Tennessean, the plaintiffs state in their lawsuit: "Drae Bowles had acted with the utmost kindness and strength of character toward Jane Doe IV, her friends and Jane Doe V. For his kindness and courage he was beaten up, called a traitor by his head football coach and ostracized from the team by Coach Jones and other players."

If the plaintiffs' accusations are indeed correct, then UT's football team and coach should be deeply ashamed of their past actions.

For six seasons, we have endured aggravation, anticipation and overall shock, all in the name of finding out who A is. These emotions may come to an end in the seventh (and final season?) of Pretty Little Liars, though.

Lucy Hale, a.k.a. Aria Montgomery, has confirmed that the seventh season of the hit series will indeed be its last. At least that's what we think she said when she stopped by The Late Late Show with James Corden this week. Corden experienced a miniature meltdown, much like us, when he heard the news. But we're not entirely sure we have anything to worry about yet. After all, Lucy closed out her answer with a super vague, "Who knows what could happen?"

Um, we're going to need a bit more clarity than that. Watch the clip below and let us know if you can figure out what Lucy is trying to say. Plus, the actress shares how she wants the series to end…when it does end…but we don't know when that will be. We're utterly confused. As is the Pretty Little Liars way, right?

It's the one year anniversary of the beginning of the end, aka when the famous picture of #TheDress went viral. The debate that it sparked (are you Team Blue & Black or Team White & Gold??) definitely tested some friendships and caused some hurtful conversations. When the madness finally ended, everyone was relieved. 

Except it's not over yet! Fittingly for the anniversary of such a phenomenon, a new picture of the same nature has started to be the cause of conflict. Buzzfeed has shown us the start of what looks like the next Dress. 

Just like the original, this new photo makes it pretty hard to see any colors other than those that you initially saw, which is why it has the potential to rip more relationships to shreds. Is the Adidas jacket in fact blue and white, or do you see it as black and brown? Some even claim it's actually neither, but instead a mixture of gray, gold and green! 

So what colors do you see? Share this post with your opinion to celebrate a year since #TheDress! Here's to the next big internet debate.

After Governor Chris Christie came in sixth in New Hampshire’s primary and dropped out of the presidential race, he decided to direct his political energy elsewhere.

On Friday, Christie endorsed Donald Trump, according to The New York Times. This could have a big impact on Super Tuesday, when 12 states will have their primaries. Christie also expressed his anger at Senator Marco Rubio. After Rubio called Trump a “con artist,” Christie called Rubio’s behavior "desperate."

Although Trump welcomed Christie’s endorsement with praise, their relationship wasn't always this way. While Christie remained in the race, the two attacked each other several times during debates. But CNN reports that after Trump's recent string of primary wins, Christie realized Trump would likely be the nominee and decided to back him rather than Ted Cruz or Rubio, whom he deeply dislikes.

With all that aside, Trump and Christie stood proudly together at a news conference in Forth Worth, which at least 8,000 people attended. Apparently, the two have been friends for a decade.

According to the Times, Christie said he plans to finish his term as governor in 2018 and then wants to “go into private life and make money like Trump.”

It might be time to let the Jelena flame die. In fact, Selena Gomez wants the world to know that every aspect of her life does not revolve around her ex. 

Just this week, Gomez took to Twitter to defend herself against fans trying to start Bieber-related drama. One fan in particular called Selena out for a video she posted of herself singing along to Lil Wayne's "Single." That was the final straw for Gomez.

Although Selena's comment has since been deleted, several quick fingers were able to grab a screenshot. And that's not all she had to say. Before wrapping up, Selena added, "That's a joke. I was singing to Lil Wayne. My life isn't about my ex."

Can't she have any peace? If every little thing we posted on social media was related back to a former relationship, we would be upset, too. 

P.S. Selena, if you're reading this, we hope that first remark was just a baseless threat. We need you on Instagram, girl. 

It’s been a whole year since one of our all-time favorite power couples, Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris, met. And it looks like we have to give major props to one of Taylor’s squad members, Ellie Goulding, for introducing the pair. 

For the skeptics out there, there is photographic proof! The event in question? Last year's Elle Style Awards, which took place on February 24, 2015. A fellow guest at the award show just so happened to take a snapshot of moment it all went down. 

Now a year later, the duo is going strong, and they're quick to support one another in their individual musical efforts. Following Taylor’s massive Grammys sweep, Harris congratulated his lady via Twitter.

In short, this couple is too cute for words. And before we forget, thank you to Ellie for bringing these two together!

It's been impossible to go online the past week without reading about Kesha and her legal battles against her alleged abuser, Dr. Luke—who she claims drugged, raped and abused her throughout their time working together. Celebrities like Demi Lovato, Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson have been swift to voice their support for Kesha, and Taylor Swift even donated $250,000 dollars toward Kesha's legal fees during this trying time. To show her gratitude for the immense amount of support she's received, Kesha recorded a short but beautiful song as a thank you to her supporters, dedicating the tune "to everyone who has had her back."

If only we could hear more of Kesha's sweet voice; thirty seconds just isn't enough. Keep singing, Kesha. We're on your side.

The Tanner gang is (almost) all back together in Netflix's original Full House spin-off, Fuller House. That is, with the exception of the Olsen twins. There seem to be no hard feelings in real life about the actresses' absence. When it was confirmed that the duo would not return for the reboot, executive producer Robert L. Boyett stated, "Although Ashley and Mary-Kate will not be a part of Fuller House, I know how much Full House has meant to them and they are still very much considered family." John Stamos, a.k.a Uncle Jesse, chimed in, saying he "loves them dearly and they're always welcome on our show."

But the series certainly plays up the fact that they're gone. Check out Twitter's reactions to these two scenes:

Twitter seems to think the show is throwing shade. What do you think of the jokes? Are they all in good fun? Or something more?

This week, Rihanna dropped not only one, but two highly anticipated videos for her popular single “Work” off of her new album, ANTI. The Barbadian beauty released a sneak peak of the video last week on her social media, leaving fans with high expectations. Needless to say, Queen Riri did not disappoint, and gave us a whole new definition to the word "work."

1.When she pulled up to “The Real Jerk” in a pink fur coat

In classic Rihanna fashion, the video starts by showing Rihanna pulling up to the club in a gorgeous pink fur coat, a style common for the singer, who has been photographed on many red carpet events in designer fur.

2.When she was unapologetically Caribbean

“Work” contained many West Indian influences, from the setting of a Jamaican restaurant “The Real Jerk” to the dancing, to the slang -- the video paid tribute to Rihanna’s Barbadian roots. While critics slammed Rihanna for speaking “gibberish” in her song and video, her misinterpreted words like "haffi" and "ah guh" are actually Jamaican Patois, or Jamaican slang, popular throughout the West Indies.

3.When she wore fishnets to a club and killed it

Her Rastafarian inspired outfit is from Tommy Hilfiger, and if you have the cash to spend on it, it’s perfect for spring break.

4. When she wore green lipstick and killed it

Riri’s makeup really compliments her outfit.

5.When she dances in the mirror and proves she’s a Queen

She looks how we *wish* we did when we danced in the mirror.

6.When she mastered the floor twerk

Rihanna confidenty proceeds to plant herself on the floor and show us what "work" she's really talking about. 

7.When she took a seat and prepared to bless Drake

He was unprepared for Her Majesty.

8.When she reminds us that she and Drake are actually BFFs

They’re actually adorable together.

9.When she blessed Drake by dancing on him

He’s blessed, and he knows it.

10.When she had the entire club dancing

The whole club is ready to work,work, work, work, work, work.

11.When we thought the video was over, but she dropped a part 2

There’s more? Best. video. ever.

12.When Rihanna proved she could rock both short and long hair

This look completely juxtaposes the look in the first video. A long-haired, soft and feminine Rihanna emerges ready to show her viewers how to ‘work.’

13.When she clearly didn’t care about Drake in the background

This is the Rihanna show, and everyone knows it.

14. When she left Drake speechless

No worries, Drake. If I were in the presence of a Goddess, I would probably be speechless too.

15.When she made us realize her and Drake need to be a couple already

Seriously, could they get any cuter?

It’s no secret that women run the world, and our favorite movies have been showing that for, well, ever. Some of these leading ladies are the funniest, most down to earth, chicest (hello, powersuits!) people we’ve ever seen. And they provide us the inspiration to go after our dreams (and an excuse to load up our Netflix queues). So whether you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, or you do and just need a role model, check out these 11 boss ladies who are simply killin’ it.

1. Elle Woods, Legally Blonde

Elle Woods never apologized for who she was, and even though she went to law school to chase a boy (ugh, Warner!), she came out on top and proved she didn’t need a man to be a successful lawyer. In Legally Blonde, Elle transforms from a superficial, ditzy girl who relies on the men in her life to a mature woman who uses her intelligence for greater good. Elle represents the late bloomers who take a little longer to fine-tune their career goals, but still manage to come out totally successful. We aspire to have her unapologetic self-confidence, and to not be afraid to take a different path to the top.

2. Kate Holbrook, Baby Mama

In this film, Tina Fey plays Kate, a high-powered VP of a Whole Foods-esque health market. Kate believes in her company’s mission, and spreads the organic food love. She handles her crazy boss in stride, and makes being a corporate mogul look so easy. When life hands her lemons (or in her case, a T-shaped uterus), she goes against the grain to get a surrogate and start her family on her own. 

 3. Andy Sachs, The Devil Wears Prada

While Andy isn’t into fashion, she puts in her time with a demanding boss to make her dreams of becoming an amazing journalist happen. Andy puts up with a lot of crap from Miranda Priestley, but when she realizes that she’s let the fashion world go to her head, she turns fortune and fame down to go back to her roots, and the man who made her feel special (hello, Adrian Grenier!). We’re jealous of her stunning makeover, and totally respect her go-getter attitude. Andy reminds us to hold on to our values and the people who support us, because no matter how successful we are, it’s better when you have someone to share it with.

4. Mary Fiore, The Wedding Planner

Event planning can be intense, but J.Lo’s character in The Wedding Planner pulls it off with ease. Plus, think of all the cake she must get to taste! She’s determined to become a partner at her company, so she scores the right client whose wedding will showcase her skills. She finds herself in a tough situation with a soon-to-be-married man, but does the right thing by not becoming the other woman. Mary goes through a difficult love roller coaster, but shows us that if we do what’s right, we will end up in the right place.

5. Dr. Ryan Stone, Gravity

Sandra Bullock was literally on top of the world in this movie, playing a medical engineer/mission specialist/astronaut. Dr. Stone is smart as hell, thinks on her feet, and above all, she’s a survivor. When the going gets insanely tough in this movie, Dr. Stone follows her mind, instead of her heart, to think things through and ultimately save her own life.

6. Dr. Minerva, It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Viola Davis plays the head physician who works on de-stigmatizing mental health issues at a hospital in this movie. Dr. Minerva works with her patients to help them overcome depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. She helps people recognize the qualities that make them stand out as strong, important, and talented individuals to help them get through the obstacles that life throws them.

7. Carol Solomon, In A World…

This film is produced by, directed by, written by and stars Lake Bell, who plays a struggling vocal coach who wants to live up to her father’s Hollywood clout. Ultimately, she gets the dream job of doing the voiceover for a Hunger Games-esque movie, beating out many stiff competitors. Carol fights the challenges of a male-dominated industry to accomplish her goals, demonstrating to us that no matter who or what is working against us, if we work hard enough, we can shatter gender stereotypes to get the jobs we deserve.

8. Chantry, What If

Zoe Kazan plays an adorable hipster animator in this wonderfully awkward rom-com. Chantry goes after a promotion she feels she deserves. She doesn’t make all of the right career decisions; instead, she values a relationship with the wrong guy over her career goals. Ultimately, she realizes the mistake she made and fights for her career, landing her dream job and a guy who treats her right.

9. Becky Fuller, Morning Glory

Rachel McAdams’ character is a bubbly TV producer with dreams of producing The Today Show. When she thinks she’s ruined her chances, she gets an opportunity to produce a new morning show and hits it out of the park. Because of a couple of difficult TV stars, Becky is forced to take risks and juggle responsibilities in order to make the show a success. She believes in her work, and does whatever it takes to get the job done. Her people skills and determination drive her to stick with her show, even when bad ratings get her coworkers down. Her relentless perseverance pays off, and she is able to turn the show around and make it a hit. 

10. Gracie Hart, Miss Congeniality

Sandra Bullock brings power and spunk to this undercover FBI agent (who also makes for a killer beauty queen). Gracie goes above and beyond to fulfill the responsibilities of her dangerous job, even when it means giving up donuts for sparkly dresses and hair spray. She learns to be open-minded, with the help of Sheryl, an unlikely friend. Gracie ultimately saves her friend’s life by trusting her own instincts, even when her boss disagrees with her.  

11. Margaret Thatcher, The Iron Lady

This woman is an inspiration to any collegiette aspiring to make their mark through politics. Margaret Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, making history and inspiring women in politics around the world. The Iron Lady exposes Thatcher’s softer side, cracking the surface of the strong-willed exterior that she showed to the public. The film takes us through her struggles to break into the male-dominated world of politics, and the grief she felt when she lost her husband. Thatcher will always be remembered as a history-making woman, and Meryl Streep’s portrayal of her shows us that we can be strong and successful and still have a personal life. 

Gigi Hadid totally owned it on Lip Sync Battle this week. Not only did she wear a catsuit AND pretend to ride a motorcycle, but she brought a blast from the past along. Going up against Teen Wolf star Tyler Posey, who performed “Flagpole Sitta” by Harvey Danger and “Take On Me” by A-Ha, Gigi had to pull out all the stops.

When her turn came, Gigi performed “That’s Not My Name” by the Ting Tings. She playfully slapped Tyler in the face during that performance. Then, she pulled out the big guns. For her second and final performance, she did the Backstreet Boys classic “Larger Than Life.” Here, she wore a black catsuit that Halle Berry would be proud of and seriously slayed some motorcycle choreography. But she didn’t stop there. Because why stop at motorcycles and catsuits when you can have actual Backstreet Boys Nick Carter and A.J. McLean come out and lip sync with you?

Needless to say, Gigi took home the championship belt. Well played, Gigi. Well played. 

For years, we've envied the friendship between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. With Leo killing it this awards season with The Revenant and Kate nominated for Steve Jobs, the pair will inevitably supply us with even more reasons to love them during Sunday's Oscars. While we can't wait to see what they actually do at the show, we couldn't help but put together a list of some moments we already fully expect to happen. 

1. More air kisses

If this happens again…our hearts might explode.

2. Leo making this face at Kate from across the room

We all have to embarass ourselves to make our friends laugh every once in a while. 

3. And Kate replying to that face with:

4. Breaking it down during commerical breaks

We know these best friends have some moves, and we can't help but hope we're lucky enough to see some of them this weekend!

5. Sharing knowing looks

A look can say a thousand words. "Did you see that?""Yes, and I wish I hadn't."

6. The Titanic pose

Okay, let's be real—do you really think we will be able to contain ourselves if this happens? No? Well, you're right. We're pretty sure anyone obsessed with Titanic would be way too happy if this actually went down, though we have a feeling it's unlikely.

7. Their chemistry on full display

She says one thing, and instantly Leo knows exactly what to do in response. 

8. A loving toast

This better not happen off camera or else we'll lose it.

9. The most endearing hugs

We totally want to join in on this bear hug. 

10. They realize they're actually in love with each other

As cute as their friendship is, we can't help but wish they'd finally realize how perfect they are for each other. (Note: We do realize Kate is happily married, but a girl can dream.)

11. A REAL KISS

We actually need this to happen. We promise we'd be fine (maybe).

So, here's to hoping things pan out like we planned, collegiettes! 

After keeping silent for quite some time about her husband’s recent Twitter activity, Kim Kardashian is finally standing up for her man. While Kanye has definitely raised some eyebrows with his tweets lately, Kim is fully supportive of him.

The positive vibes are abundant in this post from her personal website: "LOVING My Husband. HATING That people don’t get that Kanye will stand up against the whole world for his creativity and art," Kardashian wrote. "LISTENING TO ‘I Love Kanye.’ WEARING Yeezy Season 3 samples I took from the show."

While we assumed the rumors of Kim's agitation with Kanye were true, this statement paints a picture of strong support and proves they're on the same page. Kim continued with a follow-up post of the same nature: “WANTING Everyone to be as honest as Kanye. WATCHING Kanye shoot his new video. READING Kanye's tweets."

While we don’t know exactly what goes on behind closed doors, it’s interesting to see Kim speaking out on this matter afters weeks of silence. But who are we kidding? Aren’t we all just living in a Kimye world anyway?

Even if it might not feel that way, warm weather is fast approaching and we’re looking a little, well, pale. And since lying out on the beach isn’t a year-round option for most of us, we have to turn to the next best thing: self-tanners! We rounded up seven bronzing products that are quick, easy and guaranteed not to turn you orange.

1. Neutrogena Micro-Mist Airbrush Sunless Tan ($10.99)

This quick-drying spray allows you to bronze all those hard-to-reach places (like your back) without the streaks or dreaded orange palms you risk with a lotion. “I love it because it dries instantly,” says Adrian Thompson, a senior at the University of Iowa. “It adds just a touch of color without being too bold or dramatic.” With this micro-mist, you’ll never have to worry about looking like Snooki.

2. Tan Towel Self-Tan Towelette ($27.00)

If you want to try something different than a spray or a lotion, check out these self-tanning wipes. They’re pretty big (9 by 12 inches) so they’re easy to apply without streaks. Use them once for a subtle glow before a night out, or multiple times if you’re looking for a deeper, more long-lasting tan. You have to wait a little bit to notice some color (about two hours), but the natural look is worth it!

3. St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse ($32 for 4 oz.)

Even though it’s on the pricey side, this self-tanner is worth the splurge. “It gives you a golden brown color that lasts about a week or so,” says Kaitlin Manion, a junior at Temple University. “The company also provides videos online about how to put it on!” With its lightweight, velvety texture, this formula dries in 60 seconds and leaves you with instant color. Plus it’s tinted, so you can see what you’re doing and never miss a spot.

4. Nature’s Gate Glow Lotion($13.99)

Looking for a more natural product? This self-tanner gives you a subtle tint sans the chemical smell. With ingredients like shea butter and soybean oil, your skin will feel silky smooth after a couple uses. It also comes in two shades (fair and medium), so you’ll be sure to get color that works best for your skin tone. Bonus: it’s vegan and cruelty-free!

5. Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer ($9.99)

Looking like you stepped off the beach AND rocking smooth skin? Sign us up! Jergens provides a natural looking glow that gradually builds as you use it. “It’s amazing!” says Iris Goldsztajn, a junior at the University of California, Los Angeles. “After about four or five days, I started to really see a difference. I really notice a natural bronze glow on my skin.” It’s also a moisturizer so you can say goodbye to dry skin!

6. Victoria’s Secret Instant Bronzing Tinted Body Spray ($15.00)

If you’re feeling non-committal to being bronzed, this self-tanner is for you. With its continuous spray design, you’ll get instant color that dries quickly, but washes off in the shower. It hides your imperfections while evening out your skin tone. You’ll never have streaks and look as flawless as a VS model.

7. Australian Gold Faces Sheer Coverage, SPF 45 ($9.99)

This triple threat is a self-tanner, bronzer and sunscreen, which means you can build your color gradually while staying protected from the sun’s harmful rays. With its oil-free formula, it’s perfect if you have sensitive skin. Even though it has “faces” in the name, you can use this tropical-scented lotion all over your body.

Just because you can’t soak in the sun doesn’t mean you have to forget about look like a bronzed beach goddess. These seven self-tanners will help you achieve that natural glow (even before winter is over!) so you can head right into spring and summer looking like you’ve just been on a beach vacation… and not like you’re coming out of your winter hibernation.

Musician Anohni has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, for "Manta Ray" from the environmental documentary Racing Extinction. While that is an incredible achievement in itself, the nomination is groundbreaking as Anohni is the first transgender Oscar nominee ever. However, she has announced she will not be attending the award show.

In an online statement released on Thursday, Anohni recounts how happy she was with her nomination at first. But when performers such as Sam Smith, Lady Gaga and The Weeknd were announced, she "slowly realized that the positive implication of this nomination was being retracted" as the producers seemed to have chosen performers "deemed commercially viable." News outlets that had previously congratulated Anohni were now circulating the news that she had been cut from the show, while Dave Grohl, who is not a nominee, was later added to the list of performers.

Despite feelings of embarassment, Anohni still made an attempt to fly to L.A. and attend the events leading up to Sunday's show, but her gut-feeling convinced her otherwise. "I imagined how it would feel for me to sit amongst all those Hollywood stars, some of the brave ones approaching me with sad faces and condolences," she explains. "There I was, feeling a sting of shame that reminded me of America’s earliest affirmations of my inadequacy as a transperson." Thus, she left the airport and returned home.

Read More: LGBT: Transgender Identity in the News

The musician does acknowledge she was not excluded simply because she is transgender—it has more to do with the fact that she is more well-known in the UK than the U.S., and her song about ecocide will not be as relatable to the audience as some of the other songs that will be performed. However, she adds, it is not just a matter of this one event, "but a series of events that occur over years to create a system that has sought to undermine me, at first as a feminine child, and later as an androgynous transwoman. It is a system of social oppression and diminished opportunities for transpeople that has been employed by capitalism in the US to crush our dreams and our collective spirit."

She juxtaposes her nomination and subsequent exclusion from the Oscars with her experience as a nominee for UK's Mercury Prize, which she went on to win. "All the nominees were invited to perform that night. They lifted me from obscurity and celebrated me," in a way the Oscars apparently refuses to do.

Anohni is not alone in her boycott of the Oscars. Some actors of color have also announced that they are boycotting the Oscars due to the lack of racial diversity among the nominees. In both cases, choosing not to attend the Oscars is so much bigger than the individual artists. It is about bringing attention to the lack of diversity in the entertainment industry and exposing the flaws within our society that allow for, as Anohni puts it, the "social oppression" of and "diminished opportunities" for people on the basis of gender, race and any other differentiating factors. 

It's almost a running joke, and is undoubtedly a common Internet meme, that Leo DiCaprio has never won an Oscar. Fans are outraged, with good reason. Leo has been nominated six times, but has yet to receive the award that we know he seriously deserves.

These are 15 reasons that we really, really think Leo just needs to win an Oscar already. 

1. He just makes us feel for his characters.

If you haven't cried during at least one (more like every) Leo DiCaprio movie, you're obviously lying.

2. He's been waiting patiently for so long.

Leo's first nomation was back in 1993, so it's been over twenty years and he has yet to win. He clearly has patience and inner peace on another plane from the rest of humanity, because most of us can't even wait a half an hour for pizza delivery. 

3. He can play any character, even an iconic one.

How is that Leo managed to pull off Gatsby so well? Gatsby is such a complex character, and it really takes a strong actor to perform in that role with all the nuance that Leo brought to it.

4. Because Inception was mind-numbing.

We're all still a little shocked that Leo wasn't nominated for Inception, because with all those twists and turns...let's just say we're still not sure exactly what happened!

5. The Titantic still makes us cry.

Leo wasn't nominated for The Titanic, either, but we can almost forgive this one, because we still tear up when we hear the penny whistle solo from "My Heart Will Go On." Leo didn't need an award to prove how heartbreaking The Titantic is, and always will be.

6. Leo deserves it.

We can only imagine what it's like being an insanely talented actor who has been nominated for several Academy Awards and not won any. Poor Leo. 

7. The Internet would honestly explode.

The amount of memes directed at Leo's lack of Oscars is phenomenal. We can't even imagine what would happen if he actually won after all this time. 

8. It's his time to shine. 

There's something so satisfactory about rooting for someone, and patiently waiting for their success. And there's a lot to be said about his own modesty through the whole thing. But it's also so thrilling to see an actor you believe in finally get the award they've deserved all along. This is Leo's time. 

If Leo doesn't win at the Oscars this year, it'll just be more fodder for the endless memes generated around his near-misses. Wouldn't it be great if the Internet had some original material to work with this time, like, say, an Oscar win? Please grant us our wish, Academy. 

We're hoping Leo finally wins his much-deserved Oscar. We're keeping our fingers crossed. 

Everyone knows that both Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl are the greatest gifts that young adult authors have given us. The books, and later, television series, gave us guilty pleasures to binge watch (and, if we're going to be honest, we're still watching to this day).

Well, mark your calendars, because we're getting a new book trilogy in September 2016 coming from the same masterminds that brought us those great shows: Alloy Entertainment. The series, and the first book in the set, will be called The Thousandth Floor. 

Like GG, the series will follow the most elite and wealthy group of teenagers living in New York City in the year 2118. The future of NYC is an iconic tower with, you guessed it, a thousand floors. 

So, we get where the GG influences are, but what will happen that's more like Pretty Little Liars? (Hopefully it'll be the envy-inducing outfits.) Luckily, the trilogy already has a TV series lined up, so we'll have even more to binge soon.

Are you as excited as we are to see how amazing this next big series can be? Let us know!!

Former Sports Illustrated model Cheryl Tiegs has stuck her foot in her mouth. She recently discussed the cover of Sports Illustrated’s yearly Swimsuit issue with E! News, and what she had to say was disheartening, to say the least.

She told E! that she is not a fan of “full-figured” model Ashley Graham being on the cover of Sports Illustrated because “it’s glamorizing [full-figured women],” which she feels is a problem. Why? Because Dr. Oz says that your waist should be less than 35 inches. Let the record show that Ashley Graham’s waist is actually 30 inches, which according to Dr. Oz is still a healthy waist size.

Moving on from that nonsense, she didn’t help her case as she continued: “No, I don’t think it’s healthy. Her face is beautiful. Beautiful. But I don’t think it’s healthy in the long run.”

Cheryl then tried to do damage control on Twitter, posting, “To clarify re bodyweight. Being anorexic/bulimic/overweight all connected to health problems. I want all to be as healthy as they can.”

Predictably, this blew up in her face. One Twitter user responded, “Thank you Cheryl Tiegs for sending the message out to the youth saying you shouldn’t love yourself unless your waist is less than 35 (inches).” 

Cheryl has since taken her original tweet down and replaced it with this apology:

Hopefully this will be the end of her body-shaming days. 

There’s a picture I’ve seen on Tumblr that does as much damage as any misogynistic meme. In the drawing there are multiple girls and they’re all coming out of this factory machine on a conveyer belt. They’re all identical. They have long hair, long eyelashes and are dressed up with a smile on their face—all of them except one. There’s one girl in the middle wearing converse, jeans and a hoodie; her hair’s in a bun and her face is in a book. The words “other girls” are about the clones and the word “me” is over the girl with the book. I hate this picture.

I am tired of women trying to make other women feel inferior for what they like. In society it is looked down upon to be very feminine. Feminine women are seen as ditzy and dumb for wanting to wear makeup and heels. If you are a woman, especially one who calls herself a feminist, then you should be uplifting other women. You should treat all women, regardless of their lifestyle, with respect. You can’t say you believe in equality and a woman’s choice and then belittle another woman because she doesn’t make the choices you like. When you do this you are saying, “Respect and equality for all except those who act like this or look like that.” Women who want to wear pink and dress up for their significant other aren’t taking us back 50 years—you are.

You are taking us back when you say things like, “I’m not like other girls” and “I only hang out with guys because it’s less drama.” There is no such thing as a girly-girl or a tomboy. A girl can like to play football and climb trees, and also like to play with dolls and watch princess movies. When we put girls into these boxes, we make them simple and we are telling them they can’t be complex beings who like all sorts of things that don’t always go together.  Believe it or not, women are people with brains that can think and process just like anyone else.

We, as people, are deeply rooted in the fact that we are all different. We come in different sizes and colors, and we can all taste the same foods but not all like the same foods. That’s okay and we can all accept that.

So, why can’t we accept that not all women are the same and that we can’t judge women by the hairstyles they choose and how long it takes them to get ready in the morning? When did we decide that we couldn’t have beauty and brains? I can hold a love for books and learning, as well as fashion magazines and manicures. I can be determined and assertive and still be kind and perky. I can anything I want and no one else can tell me otherwise.

I’ll keep wearing my short skirts, you keep wearing your t-shirts and we can all move on.