After last night, the presidential party nominees are still anything but secure, The New York Times reports. Hillary Clinton continues to lead Democrats overall. But she's still being closely followed by Bernie Sanders, who, after winning Michigan last night, is a definite threat to her potential victory. As for Republicans, Donald Trump is still in the lead by quite a bit, continuing to freak out more mainstream Republicans.

Trump won Hawaii, Michigan and Mississippi. This unexpected victory of Trump's has caused people in power, who are against him, to produce commercials and advertisements speaking negatively about him. However, this hasn't seemed to make his following waiver when it comes to voting in the primaries.

The race to see which Democrat candidate will win the primaries is far from over, as Bernie Sanders, and his followers, will not give up yet. His close victory in Michigan definitely saved him and is keeping him in close competition with Clinton, though he's still struggled to make his message work for African American voters—He won Michigan on the strength of independents and white liberal Democrats, but Clinton still won 65 percent of black voters in the state. Clinton also won Mississippi last night with almost 90 percent of the black vote.

We can't forget about the other candidates following behind in the race, however. Unfortunately, one of the people following the furthest behind after last night is Marco Rubio, whose campaign might be a lost cause if he can't win over his home state of Florida next week. John Kasich, however, has been winning over Republicans in college towns, while Cruz coveres the conservative Republicans in suburbia. The two might be doing their party a disservice by splitting up the Republican voters who aren't going for Trump.

So, who do you think should step up their game before it's too late? Let us know!

If you say that you aren't surprised by Trump's lead in the Republican primaries, you're lying. No one saw this coming a few months ago, but even CNN agrees that Trump could very well win the Republican nomination. With the reality of a Trump nation finally setting in, a large number of people in the Latino community has started to mobilize and seek citizenship solely for the purpose of voting against Trump in the upcoming election, according to The New York Times.

In case you haven't heard, Trump isn't too keen on the idea of undocumented immigrants hanging out in the United States. According to his website, Trump wants to build a physical wall across the Southern border of the U.S., claiming that "Mexico's leaders have been taking advantage of the United States by using illegal immigration to export the crime and poverty of their own country." He doesn't only insinuate that all immigrants are criminals on his website—Back in June, he said of Mexicans, "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists." This hasn't exactly caused immigrants in the U.S. to feel warm and fuzzy about his leadership.

The Times gives the example of Villegas family, of which six members are trying to become naturalized citizens to ensure that Trump does not become president. "I want to vote so Donald Trump won't win," Ms. Villegas, a legal Mexican immigrant, told the Times. There was a spike in naturalization applications by 11 percent in the 2015 fiscal year, and advocates predict that there could be one million applications in 2016.

So why is this so important? Well, Vanity Fair predicts that a larger Latino voter turnout could "make a serious difference" in the upcoming election. Citing the last presidential race between Obama and Romney, when Obama won by only 4 million votes, we can see that every vote counts. With this increase in Latino voters against Trump, it is entirely possible that Trump will start to fall in the polls. 

Following in the path of her sisters, Kim Kardashian finally gave in and joined probably the only social media outlet she wasn't already on. Yes, she now has her own Snapchat account—and we're not talking about the secret stalker-y one.

Kardashian posted the news on Twitter this morning: “Snapchat alert! I'm finally on! Add me — KimKardashian," with peach and ghost emoji, of course. Kim's first-ever snap was of herself and sister Kourtney—Kim giving her signature pout and Kourtney showing off her best surprised face…we think.

Maybe we’ll see a few cameos by other members of Kim's mogul family as she continues her Snapchat journey. Surely, a Kimye snap collab is already in the works. 

Samantha Power, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, has led an extraordinary life improving our world, from reporting during the war in the former Yugoslavia as a recent college grad to advising President Obama on foreign policy. Her resume reads like a #lifegoals to-do list for all of us who want to make a difference — that’s why we’re thrilled to announce the We Solve project: a partnership that connects Ambassador Power with Her Campus in a way that allows our readers to benefit from her incredible ambition, wisdom, and mentorship. For our first We Solve initiative, we are offering student activists the chance to meet the ambassador herself.

The Contest

The global problems we face today are enormous and growing. We’ve all heard the stories of war, refugees, climate change, terror, human rights abuses, and poverty. But behind many of these seemingly intractable problems, there is a passionate and powerful army of advocates fighting for a different way, fighting to give voice to the voiceless, fighting for new solutions.

And many of them are students. Like you. You can lead your communities—from your neighborhood, your campus and your networks—to meaningful change. You can engage the major global challenges of our time, see the humans within them and shape a different future.

We’re looking for students advocating to confront the challenges the ambassador and her team tackle every day in New York, including:

• Defending Human Rights  
• Stopping Conflicts and Mass Atrocities
• Empowering Women and Girls
• Welcoming and Supporting Refugees
• Environmental Sustainability/Climate Change

How to Enter

Send us a short essay (no more than 750 words), video (no more than three (3) minutes in total length), or slideshow (no more than 15 slides) that explains the problem you are tackling and shows how you are addressing it. We’ll judge your submissions based on actions you have already taken and results you have already achieved.

Criteria for Review

No matter what form your submission takes, it will be rated by the strength of:

• The explanation of the issue you have taught yourself about and tackled.
• How you have humanized your cause and persuaded others to join you.
• The impact you have had.

Valid entries must consist of an original submission in one (1) of the three (3) formats outlined above and signed registration and eligibility forms by Sunday, April 3, 2016. See the full contest rules here.

ENTER HERE!

Teen Mom OG star Farrah Abraham took to her podcast Farrah & Friends last week to allege that an Uber driver tried to rape her on a 2 a.m. ride on Long Island in January last year. 

In her version of events, on-again-off-again boyfriend Simon Saran came to her aid when it happened: “My non-boyfriend threw him in the window and almost broke his car window.” Abraham then went on to say that after the police had arrived, “The Persian dude ran after me. The cops were like, ‘You’re harassing her’ and I was like, ‘See I told you!’ and then I went to bed.”

Uber responded back by saying no such incident occurred, and added that Farrah and Simon actually instigated the whole thing, and added that Farrah's been banned from the service. “We have no record of a complaint from a rider on this trip ever reporting any incident like this,” Uber spokesman Matt Wing told Page Six. “Her rider account was banned because an Uber driver-partner reported that a friend traveling with her dumped their alcoholic drink on the front seat of the partner’s car.”

Shortly after Farrah's story hit the media, she rescinded, clarifying that while the driver did not attempt to rape her, he "was looking me up and down." Adding to her story, she explained that though she ordered the car to pick her up from her hotel, the driver asked her to walk to his car a little down the road. "It could have escalated into a rape situation," she added.

We can't help but be disappointed in the way Farrah handled the situation. There are so many women whose stories are not taken seriously, or whose assaulters are never brought to justice—so to have a high-profile woman go on record with a blatant lie is certainly not helping how society handles the rape crisis.

That’s right, everybody’s favorite bright orange mac and cheese changed its recipe—and not a single person noticed the difference, according to Eater. As part of a recent industry push to reduce preservatives, Kraft mac & cheese decided to rid their recipe of some of the fake stuff that people are afraid to feed their children. By eliminating artificial dyes, like creepy-sounding yellow 5, and replacing them with paprika, annatto, and turmeric, the company was able to keep their signature neon-orange cheese and classic blue-box flavor while making the product more natural. Their new tagline? "It's changed, but it hasn't."

Sounds great right? Well, the only problem was that the public wasn't convinced this recipe swap wouldn't mess up the flavor many of us have grown up with and love.

Enter the idea to do what Kraft's calling "the world's largest blind taste test." Kraft shipped out fifty million boxes of their new and improved mac & cheese, but didn't tell anyone that it had been changed. The only way people would know would be if they looked at the ingredients label.

“We knew the recipe still tasted just as good as you expect from Kraft, but whenever you say you've changed something, consumers will say it probably won’t taste as good. Since we knew it tasted exactly the same, we wanted our fans to experience that for themselves without even being prompted," Greg Guidotti, a Kraft spokesman, told Eater.

Kraft will now be rolling out a huge marketing campaign that will include changing the packaging to show the improvements they've made. Still, the mac will have the same amount of calories as it did before, so dieters beware.

A new Australian survey by tech company Norton by Symantec suggests that online harassment of young women is becoming an “established norm.” Not cool.

The release of the survey, which found that 76 percent of Australian women under 30 had experienced some form of online harassment, coincided with International Women's Day. The survey lists “cyberbullying,” “trolling,” “abuse & insults,” “malicious gossip/rumors” and “threat of physical violence” as subsets of the harassment.

Younger women are especially susceptible, since the number of women reporting harassment drops to 46 percent when women of all ages are included. That would make sense, as young women are spending way more time interacting with people on the internet.

“As a community, we need to speak up against all forms of violence, including acts of harassment in the online world,” Norton Brand Ambassador and Journalist Tara Moss is quoted as saying in the survey results.

Beyondblue, an Australian organization for people with depression and anxiety, has long been partnered with Norton to combat issues like these and support people who suffer from online harassment. CEO Georgie Harman believes that organizations similar to hers need to collaborate with IT companies in order to make the internet a more comfortable place for everyone.

Only 10 percent of the women said that they had reported harassers to police, despite 14 percent receiving threats of physical violence and 20 percent reporting feeling violated or abused because of their experiences.

Among the LGBT women surveyed, 1 out of 4 reported being targeted for their sexual orientation, and 70 percent of all women surveyed viewed online harassment as a serious issue.

About 20 percent of cases were related to a woman’s appearance, and about 10 percent of women under 30 reported revenge porn or sexual extortion to be their most upsetting experience on the internet.

Norton’s tips for avoiding and dealing with online harassment include maintaining online privacy, security settings and passwords; keeping records of harassment; and reporting instances to authorities and website operators. If you get harassed online, don't say silent about it—It's 100 percent NOT okay for people to make violent threats against you, even if it seems less bad because it's on the internet.

Emma Watson's Twitter account was on fire yesterday. It was International Women's Day, after all, which meant Emma sharing tons of feminist, girl power and gender equality posts. Making this influx of Emma even better was the fact that the He for She hashtag had its very own Twitter emoji, something that Emma was obviously very excited about. 

Emma discovered the emoji's existence and filled her followers in—which led to the cutest Twitter exchange ever between Emma and her long-time friend and mentor, J.K. Rowling, who shared her support with this sweet, congratulatory message.

Emma then sent an equally lovely response, making a point to thank Rowling.

Although International Women’s Day only comes around once a year, these two women serve as a reminder that supporting your fellow females will never go out of style.

Vanderbilt University graduate student and former U.S. Army officer Taylor Force was stabbed to death Tuesday in a series of Tel Aviv stabbings carried out over 20 minutes.

The attacker, a 22-year-old Palestinian man, was shot and killed by police after fleeing to another area and stabbing more people. 12 others were injured in what the US State Department is condemning as “outrageous terrorist attacks.”

Vice President Joe Biden was nearby at the time of the stabbings, which took place in the Jaffa district, by the Mediterranean Sea.

An Israeli-American woman Emily Young tended to another stabbing victim, applying pressure to his wounds with her jacket and accompanying him to the hospital. “He was badly stabbed on his eyebrow, and I put my jacket on his face and applied pressure,” she told The New York Times.

“He was dead-set focused. The dude had big dreams,” Force’s friend Barrett Caldwell told The New York Times.

Force was a first-year graduate student in Vanderbilt’s school of management, and was in Israel studying global entrepreneurship with 28 other students.

"This horrific act of violence has robbed our Vanderbilt family of a young hopeful life and all of the bright promise that he held for bettering our greater world," Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos said in a statement, according to CNN.

Pi Kappa Alpha, one of American University's off-campus fraternity houses, hosted a party in January that was so ridiculous, people are still talking about it.

The 30 police officers it took to bust the party found 200 students on just the first floor of the frat. By the time they finished scouring the whole house, they had discovered over 50 more partygoers. WUSA9, a local Maryland news outlet, reports that the unfortunate souls under 21 tried to seek refuge from the police by hiding under beds, in the garage or in closets. Let WJLA paint a picture for you here: "...the conditions were repellent, dark, and rowdy; alcohol dripped through the floor boards, while the indoor air temperature was estimated at around 100 degrees." Ugh.

Tyler Steinhardt, the 22-year-old host of the party, is currently facing 110 counts of providing alcohol to minors. According to Cosmopolitan, Steinhardt probably won't have to pay the full fine for every count ($2,500 per partygoer...you do the math). Lucky for Steinhardt, serving alcohol to minors is not a criminal offense in Maryland, so he only faces civil offenses.

Police tested the super-hot air with a breathalyzer test. The results? .09, which is higher than the legal level of intoxication for a Maryland driver. Meaning, the air at the party alone was too drunk to drive. At least this party wasn't horrifyingly racist or part of a hazing ritual?

Talk about a crazy Friday night.

Last week, six students at the University of California-Santa Cruz were arrested for being part of an international MDMA, or ecstasy, ring.

Police found that the convicted students had 5,000 tablets of ecstasy. That's equivalent to 4.1 pounds and worth over $100,000. According to USA Today College, police discovered that multiple shipments of the drug were sent to the students at three different homes in Santa Cruz.

All six of the students are involved in Greek life at the university. Some of the convicted students held leadership roles in their Greek organizations, a troubling fact to university faculty. The two organizations work closely with each other and both have suspended activities temporarily, due to the zero-tolerance policies they hold. No, selling drugs does not count as a philanthropic activity.

The local community is concerned about the use of drugs on college campuses, especially when it comes to issues like sexual assault. Police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke told the The Los Angeles Times, "The drug alters perception and awareness, as well as increasing emotions of trust and lowering inhibitions oftentimes resulting in sexual exploitation. This dangerous combination undermines the efforts of affirmative consent work undertaken by many college campuses.”  

The students have been placed on interim suspension, and depending how the trials go, may face possible expulsion. What do you think? Is that too heavy of a consequence, or is it high time that universities crack down on drug issues?

Every collegiette who’s ever had a job or internship knows the feeling—you make it through the first few weeks and you’re absolutely killing it. Your boss comments on what a great job you’re doing, you love your coworkers and your first job or internship is everything you thought it would be—so the first time you’re criticized on the job can totally feel like it’s coming out of left field.

Criticism, especially when it’s coming from your boss or a coworker you respect, can feel, in the words of Cher Horowitz, “Way harsh, Tai!” and it’s not uncommon to have some hurt feelings. So how should you deal with this situation? Read on.

Don’t take it personally

The first step in dealing with professional criticism is taking a step back and separating the professional from the personal. Cheryl Rogers, founder of the Mentor Me Career Network, says that especially if you’re new to the workplace, it’s important to remember that professional criticism isn’t necessarily personal criticism.

“The truth is, not every supervisor or colleague will always act with tact,” Rogers says. “There may be times when they think they're helping you and you feel wounded. Try not to take things personally! Be humble. You're new to the field and you probably will make mistakes.”

It can be easy to view your boss’s criticism as a personal attack, instead of feedback meant to help you improve professionally. Heading into the workplace with the mindset that feedback is about your work, and not you as a person, will help keep bad feelings at bay. 

Related: 5 Small Acts That Make a Big Impact on the Job

View it as an opportunity to grow

What may feel like criticism at first could actually be your boss trying to give you feedback on how to improve. Rania Anderson, founder of The Way Women Work, says that using criticism to understand how you can improve is the best way to turn any hurt feelings into something constructive.

“Consider the source,” Anderson says. “If you respect the person giving [the advice], reflect carefully on what they've said. Don't ever discount criticism off hand. Instead, consider if there is any part of the feedback that is valid. Figure out how you can improve in the future.”

While you may not exactly feel like reliving the embarrassment that this criticism made you feel, it’s a great idea to take note of any feedback or criticism your boss offers you. You can view it as a learning experience to improve in the future—and reduce the amount of criticism you’ll have to hear later!

Ask for details

It can be tough to find value in criticism that is vague and unspecific. If you’re unsure exactly what you should do better next time, don’t be afraid to ask! Anderson says that asking for specifics is the best way to ensure you use criticism as a way to grow professionally.

“If they have not provided specifics, ask the criticizer to be detailed and what they recommend you do next time,” Anderson says.

It doesn’t hurt to ask your boss for further details about what went wrong, or what you could do to improve next time. Questions like, “What would you suggest I do differently in the future?” will not only help you to clarify her criticism, but it shows you respect her opinion and are willing to grow and improve.

Don’t dwell on it

That feeling where you play an embarrassing moment over and over again in your head days and weeks after it happened? We hate to break it to you, but it’s easy to fall into the same trap when it comes to being criticized in the workplace. Rita Kreig, the SAT/ACT marketing manager at Magoosh, says it’s important to learn from criticism and then move on.

“As a woman (and a human), you are raised to avoid making mistakes at all costs and are often your own worst critic,” Kreig says. “When you're already tough on yourself, it's easy to take all criticism personally. I've laid awake many a night thinking about the one negative thing someone said to me five days ago, and that's not productive.”

In other words, don’t dwell on it. After you’ve used the criticism to improve, don’t let it become something you constantly play over and over again in your head—it’s not helping you. If you need to, keep a notebook where you write critiques offered by your boss. That way, you have a way to remember important critiques, without being forced to constantly think about them outside of work.

While criticism is a way to understand how you can get even better at your job or internship in the future, there’s a fine line between being mindful and focusing too much on the opinions of others.

Know when it’s time to move on

There are some cases where criticism simply isn’t constructive, and it’s important to be able to recognize them. Rogers says that when criticism becomes a personal insult or attack, it’s time to think about moving on.

“There are times when you may have to deal with a difficult, or even abusive, supervisor,” Rogers says. “If you find his or her efforts to ‘help’ you leave you feeling insulted and abused on a regular basis, despite your best efforts to improve and not take everything personally, it may be time to move on. Don't allow yourself to be scarred because someone else has issues.”

If you think this might be your situation, it’s important to ask yourself if you’re actually getting anything out of frequent or harsh criticism. If the answer is no, it might be a good idea to start thinking about heading elsewhere. A respectful boss will offer constructive, useful criticism, without turning it into an insult.

When you learn how to handle it the right way, it’s much easier to turn criticism into a way to keep improving and growing—so don’t let it get you down!

Every day, I stumble upon at least two people who will claim to hate the ridiculously famous Kardashians. But why? Why do we love to hate them? They’re fashion designers, fashion icons, entrepreneurs, role models (to some, maybe), they’re rich, they’re famous and we are not them—and these might be the reasons we can’t stand them.

1. They are famous for absolutely nothing.

Now, now—yes, it is true. They are drowning in money and fame and it just keeps coming to them. But, when you think about it, it’s kind of remarkable that they are famous for doing “nothing.” I don’t know about anyone else, but personally, if I could be famous for nothing and be a millionaire for it, then sure! I’ll take it. Good for you Kardashians! Sounds like anyone who says they are famous for nothing is just envious and bitter.

2. Even though they are apparently famous for “nothing,” they continue to be great entrepreneurs.

They have their own name brand in so many stores, they have a beauty line, a perfume line, and oh yeah, Kim sold a book called Selfie, which included absolutely no words – just pictures of herself. Khloe just wrote a book, they all have an app, Kim has her own emojis. I’m sorry, but they are killing it!

They sell their face and their bodies, sure, but they are 100 percent owning it and they are making a living out of it. They can just stop working for the rest of their lives and be fine because they are so rich, but they choose to be entrepreneurs and work for more money (like they need it).

3. For those who know they are famous for something, they believe it’s because Kim is a “porn star.”

Yes, Kim made a sex tape with her boyfriend at the time and I’m sure she had absolutely no intentions of letting that footage go public, but it did and she owns it, completely.

She was young and she was barely famous. She trusted her boyfriend and made a mistake and when her mistake went public, she did not go into hiding. Instead, she made the most of it and was like, “Yup! That’s me, I’m hot and now I’m rich.”

Once again, good for you, Kimmy! I would love to see a young woman not hide and cry for weeks or months over a rumor, let alone a sex tape. The Kardashians are full of confidence and there is nothing wrong with that.

4. “Kylie Jenner wears my college tuition on her wrist. I hate her. She’s so pretty, but she’s had so much surgery.”

 Okay – first of all, she wears more than UNH’s college tuition on her wrist. Kylie wears five to seven Cartier bracelets that cost $10,000 each on a daily basis. I am older than Kylie and I can’t even afford a college textbook, yet she is buying five of these bracelets at a time!

Seriously, she is 18-years-old and she just started her own makeup line. Is that not what young adults wish and hope for? I see tweets from “Common White Girl” and “Princess Problems” every day saying “I wish I could just wake up and be rich,” “I wish I could wake up and have someone do my hair and makeup,” “I want a Cartier bracelet,” “Why can’t I just skip college and be rich already?”

We say these things all the time, and Kylie has it all! We choose to hate her because she has everything people wish for. Quit being salty. Life isn’t so bad. 

5. “Kim Kardashian is a bad mom.”

Oh, you recently talked to Kim about her parenting skills? Didn’t think so. We make these accusations based off of what we see, and what we see is little baby North walking around in Chanel and we sit here acting like it’s life or death to pay $15 for a shirt from H&M. We’re jealous of a two-year-old in Chanel. Apparently, we’re also incredibly angry because Kim and Kanye named their baby “Saint.” Great, it’s not my name or yours, so why are we so annoyed?

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying to make any of these women your idols. I’m just saying that we hate them for all the wrong reasons. All in all, we can say we hate the Kardashians all we want, but in reality, it’s not hate. We’re pissed off that they are making a living off of doing “nothing” while we’re in college crying about student loans and the job market. 

As you may have already heard, East High and the Wildcats are officially coming back to your screen soon! While Disney Channel hasn't released any details about the High School Musical 4 premiere, they were quick to announce that the original HSM characters won't be returning (BRB, crying). With this in mind, we couldn't help but wonder about what the new movie is really going to be like. If we could have our way, it would include the following:

1. Troy and Gabriella married with kids attending East High

Okay, maybe they can't be that old, but we can dream, right?!

2. A "College Years" version

"College Musical" may not sound as catchy, but it'd be just as entertaining. 

3. Sharpay with her own reality TV show

She wouldn't be seen without her camera crew.

4. An "All in this Together" rendition 

Dramatic dance routine and all. 

5. Taylor McKessie running for President of the United States

C'mon, she'd be perfect.

6. Ms. Darbus to be working on Broadway

TBH, she'd probably still be at East High.

7. & Ryan too

Because he deserves to finally leave his sister's shadow.

8. Troy coaching East High's basketball team AND leading the drama club

He's definitely qualified.

9. The whole gang to return to the country club

Because let's be honest, HSM 2 was the best.

10. Chad in the NBA

And he'd occasionally break out in song mid-game.

11. An actual high school reunion 

Just as an excuse to bring back ALL of the characters (even minor ones). 

12. More duets like this one

Screams, "WE'RE BREAKING FREE!"

13. A return to where it all began...

*Goes to a ski resort on New Year's to meet my Troy Bolton.*

14. Zeke running his own restaurant 

15. THE ORIGINAL EFFING CAST

NOTHING will ever beat them.

Long-distance relationships are a total whirlwind of the lows of missing your partner and the highs of holding them in your arms again. Distance may make the heart grow fonder, but it certainly doesn’t come without its fair share of trials as well. Her Campus went on a mission to figure out the three most common problems of LDRs and how to deal with them. Here’s what dating coach Scot McKay, founder and CEO of X & Y Communications, and collegiettes who have experienced LDRs had to say.

Jealousy

Jealousy is an ugly emotion, and it’s a hard one to avoid, especially in an LDR. It’s difficult to see photos of your SO on Facebook with other girls and not get that angry feeling in the pit of your stomach. Sometimes it isn’t even jealousy of other girls, but jealousy of their friends for even getting to spend time with them.

“At the beginning of our relationship I used to get so jealous of anyone my boyfriend was with,” Sarah, a freshman at the University of Arizona, said. “Going from seeing him every day to once a month was a really hard transition. I wasn’t only jealous of the girls he was meeting, but just of his new friends in general. Somehow everyone felt like a threat to me.” After adjusting to seeing him less often and communicating her feelings, Sarah says her jealousy “slowly began to fade.”

While jealousy here and there, particularly at the beginning of an LDR, is normal, overwhelming jealousy is not. There is a difference between being occasionally jealous and being a jealous person, and according to McKay, “LDRs are not for jealous people…period.” If you’re feeling jealous in your LDR, make sure to communicate with your partner about what it is they’re doing that is making you jealous or uneasy, and then work together to find a solution that makes you both comfortable. While it isn’t okay to ask your partner not to go out and have fun, it is okay to set up reasonable boundaries that help you both maintain trust and comfort and avoid jealousy in your relationship.

Related: 9 Inspiring Quotes for Long-Distance Couples 

Having unreasonable expectations

In an LDR, it’s important to be on the same page as your partner in terms of your expectations for one another. An LDR cannot succeed if one partner can’t provide what the other is asking for, whether that is how often they expect to see one another or how often they expect to talk.

In order to avoid unrealistic expectations, McKoy recommends “getting on Skype on a regular basis and making sure you’re communicating transparently with each other.” Letting your partner know what you need in order for your relationship to succeed is the best way to avoid confusion and hurt feelings, as well as discuss what you’re both able to give. If your partner expects to hear from you constantly throughout the day but you’re unable to text because of your job, classes or purely because you want to live in the moment, discuss ways to meet in the middle so you are both happy.

“If that’s not possible and/or at least one partner is making it difficult, then get out,” recommends McKoy. A relationship, especially one that is long-distance, can only succeed through open communication and compromise. If compromise doesn’t seem to be on the horizon, it may be time to reevaluate.

Not living separate lives

Relationships are meant to bring you up, not drag you down. While McKoy does recommend trying to “see each other as much as possible,” it is vital that you and your partner lead separate, independent lives apart from one another. Ditching your friends every Friday night to Skype instead of watching movies or heading to the bars is not only detrimental to your friendships, but your relationship as well. Being too dependent on one another is unhealthy and can put unnecessary strain on the relationship, and make you or your SO feel trapped.

“When I was in my first LDR I made the mistake of halting everything the second my boyfriend wanted to talk,” says Courtney, a sophomore at the University of Michigan. “It wasn’t healthy and I really feel like I missed out on a lot of opportunities because I was always dropping things for him. I was also asking him to do the same for me, and I think it built up resentment between us because we were holding each other back from really experiencing school,” she says. Courtney tried long distance again a few years later with a new partner, and she says she learned from this mistake. “The next LDR I was in I made sure to make it clear that we had to let each other live our own lives. Of course we had boundaries and expectations for one another, but they never stopped us from having fun. We made time for one another but we were able to say, ‘Hey, I’m at a bar right now, can we talk later?’ and have the other understand. I think that was a much healthier relationship to be in.”

It’s tricky to find a balance between leading your own lives and coming together, but tons of couples in and out of college in LDRs make it work. If you rely too much on the relationship and your whole weekend consists of only Skype dates, your friendships will begin to deteriorate. Even if it’s not now, one day you’re going to need your girls. Be there for them so they will be there for you. A relationship that is perfect today may not be perfect tomorrow, but as long as you have friendships to fall back on you will always end up okay.

You’re tempted to cheat

In every relationship there will be temptation, whether that relationship is long distance or not. However, it can become significantly harder to resist temptation if you are not physically with your partner often. It can be easy to get lost in the moment and think that your partner has no chance of finding out if you do cheat because they don’t reside on your same campus, but this mentality is super problematic. It’s normal to find other people cute while in a relationship, but when you begin to seriously consider taking things further than just the acknowledgement of their attractiveness, it’s a sign you either need to get out of your relationship or find a way to feel satisfied inside it.

Nicole, a junior at the University of Michigan, knew her LDR was coming to an end when she began to seriously consider hooking up with other individuals other than her boyfriend. The problem came when she wanted to wait until she saw him in person to break it off. “I thought it’d be more kind to wait until I saw him to articulate how I was feeling, and that I could wait until then,” she says. “But when one of my best friends who I had a thing for for years kissed me I couldn’t resist it. He was there for me in a way my boyfriend couldn’t be and it seemed easy. But looking back even years later I still feel bad about it and I should’ve broken it off before I ever did anything with anyone else.” While not everyone is considering ending their LDR when they are tempted to cheat like Nicole, the temptation to cheat may be a big indication that that’s what you need to do.

There’s no end in sight

In LDR’s it’s vital to have an end goal; you can’t do an LDR indefinitely. If you and your partner are struggling to find an end goal, it may be time to talk about where your relationship is heading.

“When my boyfriend and I first started long distance when he was a freshman in college in California and I was still a senior in high school, I really wanted to go to school in California as well,” says Courtney. “It made sense for us as a couple who had already been together over two years to do a year of distance and then be reunited when I headed out to school the next fall. But when I accepted my admission to University of Michigan, we knew continuing our relationship wouldn’t be possible and would just end up hurting us both, so we decided to split ways.” Though her decision wasn’t easy, Courtney knew the uncertainty of when they’d see each other next for her entire college career would hurt more than their break up would.

While the end of long distance doesn’t need to be immediate, there does need to be an end goal. Having a time frame can help ease feelings of frustration during long periods of separation, and makes the relationship feel worth it. If you and your partner are doing long distance for years with the knowledge that one of you wants to move to New York and the other LA after you graduate, it’s most likely time to accept that the relationship isn’t meant to be. Maybe in time you two will find a way to be together physically, but until then, live your own lives and trust that if it’s meant to be, it’ll be.

Though jealousy, unrealistic expectations and dependency are common issues in LDRs, they are ones that can be fixed through communication and an open dialogue with your partner. While being transparent in any relationship is helpful, it is especially vital in an LDR where the relationship literally depends on the upholding of boundaries and expectations you and your partner have set. Being open about what you need and what you’re looking for will allow you to stress less and enjoy your relationship more, which is what relationships are all about. Your relationship should make you happy and you should be able to work through and tackle the problems you two are facing head on as a team. After all, you’re better together, even if you’re miles apart!

Financial aid packages can definitely be tricky (what do half these words even mean?!). There are various types of financial aid, and it may be difficult to understand which you received and what they mean.

If you completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you’ll receive a package stating what financial aid you’re eligible for during the upcoming school year. If you’re having trouble understanding how your package works or don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. We’ve talked to scholarship expert Monica Matthews, Kathryn Knight Randolph, Contributing Editor to FinAid and Fastweb and the James Madison University Financial Aid Office to help you navigate your financial aid package and make the best financial decisions for you. Read up, pre-collegiettes!

What does a financial aid package look like?

This may seem like a silly question, but it’s important to know what to expect when delving into your financial aid package. The JMU Financial Aid Office says, “Financial aid packages are vastly different at every school, however, they should all include the following information: cost of attendance, the amount of grant assist and the amount of loans offered.” Basically, the financial aid package will list what aid you have received, what category that aid falls into and what the amount is.

“Financial aid is determined based off of the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which can be determined when a student fills out the FAFSA,” Randolph explains. “The cost of tuition minus EFC will determine a student’s financial aid package.” Now that you’ve got the equation down, you’re ready to go.

What type of financial aid is it?

Without a doubt, knowing what type of financial aid you received is the first and most important step in understanding your financial aid package. “When students are trying to find funding for college, there are four types of financial aid they may receive,” Matthews shares. Your package will likely include several of these types of aid. Matthews helps us understand the differences below:

Scholarships

A scholarship is money awarded to you if you’re selected after an application process. Sometimes you have to maintain a certain GPA or fulfill other requirements to obtain and keep the scholarship. Scholarship money can come from schools, independent organizations or even the government. They don’t need to be paid back and can be awarded for financial need, academic achievement or even for parts of your identity.

Scholarships can be found online on Matthews’ website, Fastweb or websites like Scholarships.com.

Grants

A grant is money awarded to you that doesn’t need to be repaid. You can receive grants for various reasons, including being a legacy or having significant financial need. Grants differ from scholarships because one party awards them, whereas a scholarship is awarded based on certain criteria reflecting the values of who’s awarding it.

“A grant can be need-based aid or [merit-based],” shares the JMU Financial Aid Office. “Need is determined through the FAFSA form. Some examples of grants are Pell, Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP) and Commonwealth Award. Grants and scholarships can both be free assistance.” It’s also important to read the fine print of the grant to determine if it remains “free.”

“Certain scholarship packages can actually grant you more money for going abroad and for other scholarships if you qualify for those government grants,” shares Abigail Zeitler, a junior at The University of Texas at Austin. “I receive a government grant for school, and because of that, I was able to apply for other scholarships to study abroad for free!” Be sure to check with your school for all the financial aid information you can get.

Loans

A loan is money that is lent to you for a certain period of time, but needs to be repaid eventually. It can be either a subsidized or unsubsidized loan; “subsidized” means a low interest rate you can start paying after you graduate, and “unsubsidized” means a higher interest rate. Financial need is not necessary to obtain an unsubsidized loan.

“You can receive the offer for a student loan by filling out the FAFSA form,” the JMU Financial Aid Office shares. “Once the FAFSA is received by the financial aid office, the offer will be made on the student’s account and that is where you would start the process for the loan by accepting the loan there.”

Anyone can qualify for an unsubsidized loan. “All they need to do is fill out the FAFSA,” Randolph adds. “The school actually determines the amount that you can borrow with your unsubsidized loan based on the cost of attendance and your other financial need.” Feel free to contact your school’s financial aid office for more information.

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a program in which schools hire students for part-time jobs in order to help pay for their tuition. You must work with your college directly to find a FWS job, and the amount you will receive varies by school. Look on your college’s website for more details or speak to a financial aid officer.

“Some examples of FWS jobs are research assistant, working in the library or working in different offices on campus,” says the JMU Financial Aid Office.

Where is the money coming from?

Now that you’ve (hopefully) tackled what type of financial aid you’re eligible for, it’s important to know where the money is coming from.

Federal aid program

Federal aid programs, like FWS, allot certain amounts of money to schools for their students. This amount varies by college. They can also offer money in the form of grants.

Government

The government uses some of its money for financial aid, so the money for grants and loans can come directly from them. The government will allot certain amounts of money to colleges, and it will show up in your financial aid package if you’re eligible.

“If the government is providing a grant or a loan, the funds are sent to the university first to be applied to the students tuition bill, and any funds that are left over after the bill is paid is then sent to the student as a refund,” the JMU Financial Aid Office shares.

Colleges

Colleges offer their own financial aid, which can include scholarships, grants and loans.

“Students are sent their financial aid award notices in June,” the JMU Financial Aid Office says. “This is information based upon the FAFSA form the student has filled out for that school year. If the student needs to adjust their aid award due to extenuating circumstance, the student can make a request to our office using a process called Professional Judgment.”

Independent organizations

Independent organizations may choose to offer scholarships or aid money to students. This is money funded privately by the organization and offered to the student.

Scholarship nonprofits

Scholarship nonprofits raise money for student aid or have funds from private donors. This money is solely used for scholarship recipients.

Corporations/businesses

Corporations or businesses may offer scholarship money to college students. Looking into the companies where your parents work to see if they offer scholarship opportunities is a good place to start.

“The financial aid award notice will be clearly labeled to let the student know where the aid is coming from,” the JMU Financial Aid Office adds.

How do you put it to use?

Accepting/declining the aid

Now that you know where your financial aid is coming from, the next step is putting it to use. Just because you were offered financial aid doesn’t mean you have to accept it. “Students must determine what aid needs to be paid back and what aid is free money,” says Matthews. “Also, student loans do not have to be used and may be turned down by the student if the funds are not needed.” You should weigh your different options and decide with whoever is financing your education what your best bet is.

If you’re financing your own education and relying on aid to do so, it is up to you to make the most of what you’re offered. You may decide that you’d rather not accept the loan you were offered, or you may think that FWS is the way to go. If you don’t need to accept a loan, it’s probably best not to do so. There’s no reason to owe extra money if you can pay out of pocket without assistance. No matter what you decide, make sure that you’re choosing the smartest and healthiest option for you.

“Students who have applied to multiple colleges need to sit down with their parents and compare financial aid packages to make an enrollment decision,” says Matthews. “Once a decision has been made, they need to contact the school and accept the financial aid package in full or partially by turning down unneeded aid like student loans. They then need to come up with a financial plan that includes working over the summer to help pay for school and understanding what is expected when the student is in school.”

The JMU Office of Financial Aid says, “In most cases, grant and scholarships are already accepted on the student behalf. Before a student takes out a loan, they may want to make sure that the loan is need to cover an existing bill and not being used toward expenses other than school.” Loans need to be paid back and add up really quickly!

Making a financial plan

If you and your parents have questions or don’t understand parts of the package, call the financial aid office. They are extremely knowledgeable and should be happy to assist you. To officially “accept” your financial aid package, you will either have to fill out a form online or sign a paper and mail it back to the school.

“The key to a good financial plan is budgeting your funds and setting a goal that you want to achieve,” shares the JMU Financial Aid Office.

“First and foremost, students and their families should save early and often; however, at the same time, it’s never too late to save,” says Randolph. “Second, fill out the FAFSA, regardless of whether or not your parents are actually going to contribute to your college education. Supplying their information in no way requires them to pay for college, but it does give you a chance to qualify for financial aid. Without their information on the application (unless you’re a dependent students), it will be close to impossible to get any financial aid. Finally, there are a few tips and trips to maximizing aid eligibility: don’t save in the student’s names and pay off debt or contribute more to retirement funds in order to free up your family’s liquid assets.”

When creating a financial plan, be sure to know what funds are coming in (if you parents are supporting you or your salary) and what funds need to be going out (the price of your tuition, room/board, supplies). This way, you’ll be able to determine what aid you should and shouldn’t accept.

Just because you submitted your FAFSA once doesn’t mean you’re done! Stay on track by continuing to apply for scholarships and resubmit your FAFSA each year. “Financial aid packages vary from year to year and are sometimes higher the first year that a student attends college,” Matthews shares. “Getting familiar with contacting the financial aid office is a must for students who need financial assistance to go to college.” If you stay on top of your FAFSA and ask for help when you need it, you’ll be in good shape.

If you take the time to sort through your financial aid package, it’ll be a lot easier to understand how it works. Figure out what type of aid you’ve received, where that aid is coming from and whether or not it’s worth it for you to accept. Once you’ve got these basics down, you’re golden! Don’t stress, and if you have any more questions visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Calling all collegiettes in Greek life— Her Campus just partnered with a brand that has everything you need to be the highest trending chapter on campus in 2016. Sorority chapters at any school can stand out together while still advocating for one united sisterhood, and that starts with online clothing boutique, Revelry.

Revelry is an online boutique that designs and custom produces fun and fashion-forward styles; but unlike just any other online retailer, Revelry allows you to order in bulk so that you can coordinate seamlessly with your group of friends. Their collections offer several styles of skirts, tops and dresses for sorority recruitment, game day, bridal parties, or any occasion where you want to make a bold statement with your girl squad. Revelry offers Cotton, Chiffon, Seersucker and T-shirt dresses and can accommodate all budgets, sizes and events; they even let you test styles before committing with their sample box!

We’re offering one lucky winner $300 to Revelry for individual purchases at individual prices. Enter below for your chance to win, and be sure to check out Revelry on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. 

Revelry

For Kim Kardashian, empowerment comes from loving her body and feeling comfortable in her own skin. 

Kim dealt with a lot of criticism from followers and celebs alike after posting a nude photo on Instagram Monday. However, she didn't back down from the haters. After firing back at Chloe Grace Moretz and Bette Midler on Twitter, she took to her website to discuss physical and sexual empowerment and explain what loving her body really means.

“I am empowered by my body. I am empowered by my sexuality. I am empowered by feeling comfortable in my skin. It’s 2016. The body-shaming and slut-shaming – it’s like, enough is enough. I will not live my life dictated by the issues you have with my sexuality. You be you and let me be me." 

Body confidence is just one of the many lessons Kim hopes to pass on to her daughter, North: “I want her to be proud of who she is. I want her to be comfortable in her body. I don’t want her to grow up in a world where she is made to feel less-than for embracing everything it means to be a woman.”

Kim showed no fear when talking about how far she has come either. She wants to be associated with the positive things she has done, rather than ridiculed for the choices she makes about her own body. “I don’t do drugs, I hardly drink, I’ve never committed a crime – and yet I’m a bad role model for being proud of my body?"

Despite the opposing views that have surrounded this issue, we’re pretty sure we can all agree with Kim on one thing: loving yourself is beyond important.

Don’t lock away those faded One Direction T-shirts—it's not over yet!

You may wonder how we know that. Well, E! News asked Simon Cowell about the fate of 1D in a recent interview, and this is what he had to say: “Lots of things are going to be announced over the next few months…So it won't be the end.”

We can’t help but latch onto that tidbit of information, since our withdrawal symptoms are officially out of control. This so-called break the boys are on really had us worried that they would never reunite to make sweet music again. But Directioners, we think this is our light at the end of the tunnel.

Watch Simon's full interview here and let us know what you think:

Spring break: a sunny week filled with drinks, friends and flirty guys. If you’re looking to have a little fun this spring break but don’t want to say goodbye to your hottie once the week comes to an end, you’re in the right place. If you play your cards right, you could turn your spring break fling into a relationship in no time. We talked to Dr. Ish Major, board-certified psychiatrist and author of Little White Whys to give you a step-by-step guide on how to turn a spring break hook-up into a relationship, if you’re really falling for your fling. Get ready for an awesome break – and potential new partner!

Step 1: Make your intentions clear

If you go into spring break knowing you want a relationship out of it, be sure your hook-up is on the same page. Try saying something like, “I can’t wait to hang out when we get back!” or, “It’s awesome that we live so close at home.” If he knows you aren’t just looking for a hook-up, he can either let you know it isn’t going to work or keep his sights set on you. Letting him know how you feel up front will prevent heartbreak or potential awkwardness later on.

“I think the first [and] most important step is to be honest with each other about whether [a relationship] is something you both want to pursue,” Dr. Major says. “While you’re in the moment, it might be hard to figure that out, but shortly after, once some of the party dust has settled just a bit, that can be a conversation that you both have. The key part is that you both agree to pursue it.”

Dr. Major also mentions that your fling may not be looking for the same thing as you: “Keep in mind, it is spring break, and he may not be interested in anything beyond hooking up today or tonight or for the rest of the trip, so an idea like that may turn him off. But this is about you feeling good about what’s happening, so if a relationship is what you’re looking for then claim that, stand in that dream and don’t back down from it.”

Step 2: Get to know each other

The atmosphere of spring break (read: so many shirtless men and margaritas) can make it hard to focus on reality. If you’re serious about turning your fling into a relationship, it’s crucial to be sure you really know the person. Your crush may seem like your perfect match amidst all the drinks and fun, but outside spring break, he or she could be totally different. “Getting an idea of where he’s headed or wants to go in life will give you a really good sense of how well your lives will mesh together once your back home,” Dr. Major says. Try going out to dinner – just the two of you – to see how much you have in common. If you really know what you’re getting into and still feel the same way about him or her, you can take the next step in becoming a real thing.

“People are often a lot ‘different’ when they’re on vacation than when they’re at home in their normal routine,” Dr. Major adds. “So the person you met on spring break may not be the person he is when he’s in his natural environment. That’s where the ‘getting to know each other’ on a deeper level beyond the break comes into play. The sooner you can ask some deeper questions and have more meaningful conversations, the sooner you’ll be able to figure that out.”

If the person you’re with is the guy who hasn’t worn a shirt all weekend, always has a Natty light in hand and is constantly flirting with other people, it should be pretty clear that he or she isn’t S.O. material. Find someone who you have a lot in common with and like for their personality, not their abs.

Step 3: Have “the talk”

If the end of spring break is rolling around and you’re still crazy about your crush, you two should have a serious talk about what’s next. If you’re both on the same page about wanting to continue the relationship, decide when you’ll see each other next. If you go to school close to one another (or even at the same school), it shouldn’t be hard to schedule a date or time to hang out. If you don’t go to school near one another, you have to be sure you’re ready for the commitment of a long-distance relationship.

So, how do you approach the conversation? Dr. Major suggests: “You can say something like, ‘Wow, I’m having such a really great time with you. I really don’t want this feeling to end. I know it might be hard, but I wish there was a way to keep this going,’ then wait for a response. That way, you’ve made it okay and not awkward to talk about the elephant in the room. You may or may not get the response you were looking for, but at least you can feel good about being brave enough to go for it!”

He also says, “It’s a spring break fling, so chances are you’re probably not from the same place, which means anything long-term may have to be long-distance for a while. If that’s the case, then you both have to be willing to put in that effort.”

Be sure to have this talk before spring break ends so you aren’t left with any confusion or misunderstandings. Having closure will leave you feeling confident about returning to normal life without worrying about where you and your spring break fling stand.

Step 4: Stay connected

Communication is key in any relationship, and it will be the deciding factor in whether or not your spring break fling will last. Continue talking to your guy after break and make sure you both still feel the same way once normal life has resumed. If you keep in touch and can see one another, your relationship is off to a good start. If there’s a lack of communication and you aren’t on the same page, things may begin to go downhill.

Try Dr. Major’s tips for staying connected beyond the break:

• Keep in frequent contact via text/Skype/calls.
• Set a definite date to see each other again soon.
• Talk about the fun you had over break and see if there were some things that they saw/heard/did that you didn’t. Share different perspectives of that shared experience.
• Talk about the people you know and the places you’ve gone. Chances are you may have some people/places and things in common that you didn’t expect!
• Give each other a glimpse into your ‘real worlds’ and your real-world selves. Spring break is a different setting; now it’s time to get to know each other in your natural settings in the midst of your day-to-day routines and see if the chemistry is still there.

If you aren’t ready to say goodbye to your fling once spring break comes to an end, follow our guide and you can hopefully turn it into a relationship. If your feelings are as strong as you think they are, you’ll be able work on transitioning from spring break to normal life. Be yourself and you’re bound to find the hottie of your dreams. Good luck, collegiettes!