Twenty-one people have been arrested for allegedly helping to run a fake university, in a scheme that involved fraudulently obtaining student visas for more than 1,000 people.

With an official school seal, a colorful logo and even a mascot, the University of Northern New Jersey in Cranford looked like any other American school. Inside, however, is not what you would expect.

The school was a hoax—a complex sting operation set up by the U.S. government to catch a group of student visa scam artists.

The school had "no instructors or educators, it had no curriculum and no actual classes or educational activities ever occurred there," U.S. attorney Paul J. Fishman said at a press conference yesterday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

UNNJ allowed foreign "students" to work in the United States under student visas without ever attending an actual school. Pretending to be corrupt school officials, undercover agents worked with people described by Yahoo! News as "brokers, recruiters and employers"—People who would obtain fake documents for immigrants in exchange for commission. These middlemen were the ones who were indicted Tuesday, as they knew the school was fake but kept bringing students to UNNJ anyway.

"Virtually every defendant knowingly purchased fake documents from the undercover university, including fraudulent transcripts with made up classes and grades, diplomas, attendance sheets, student ID cards, sham receipts and even phony parking passes," Fishman said.

According to BuzzFeed News, this is the first time U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been able to catch a whole network of people who help to make a fake university work. However, they have shut down other "visa mill" schools, such as Tri-Valley University, which had enrolled 1,500 students—the school's founder was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that none of the "students" from UNNJ were arrested, but all must eventually appear in immigration court and may face deportation.

What do soap operas and Justin Bieber songs have in common? Drama, heartbreak, and as of Tuesday night, a sketch on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

On his late night talk show, Corden brought together Salma Hayek Pinault, Ray Romano and Gary Oldman to perform a soap opera with dialogue exclusively from the Bieb’s songs. Some of the songs referenced are “Boyfriend,” “Sorry,” ”Baby” and “Love Yourself.” There’s even a shout-out to One Direction when Ray Romano accidentally quotes “Steal My Girl” instead of a JB song.

The Justin Bieber soap opera, aptly titled The Bold and the Lyrical, is brilliantly hilarious, and we can only hope for more installments in the future. 

For political junkies everywhere, like me, Wisconsin’s primary on Tuesday night came as a huge game-changer to this interesting and exciting election season. Donald Trump became less inevitable. People who "Feel the Bern" are starting to win more and more states. Exciting stuff, people! If you missed the nail biting, surprising, uber-political action, we have a recap right here for you.

Ted Cruz Had a Great Night

“Tonight is a turning point,” Cruz said to supporters in Milwaukee, according to The New York Times. “It is a call from the hard-working men and women of Wisconsin to the people of America: We have a choice, a real choice.”

It was a turning point, indeed, after Cruz racked in 48 percent of the votes and 36 of the 42 available delegates in Wisconsin. The Washington Post reported that Cruz still needs a little more than 95 percent of the rest of the delegates to snatch the nomination before the convention.

Getting the 1,237 delegates to clinch this title is probably not Cruz’s main goal, though. Instead, Ted needs to win enough states to make sure that Trump can’t win the clear majority of delegates either. Keeping Donald out of the winner’s circle puts Ted Cruz at the valuable position of being the GOP’s main alternative to a Trump nomination.

Bernie Slowed Down Hillary’s Momentum

74-year-old Bernie Sanders keeps on winning—maybe not by a huge margin, but winning nonetheless. According to CNN, he has won six of the last seven Democratic contests. In Wisconsin, he received 47 delegates to Hillary’s 36, with nearly 57 percent of the votes.

Although Bernie has trailed Hillary for most of the race, he can still win the nomination. He needs about 57 percent of the rest of the available delegates to win. However, similar to Ted Cruz, slowing down his competition’s momentum is essential. The more Bernie wins, the less power Hillary will have in future primaries.

Even if he doesn’t win the nomination, most didn’t expect enough people to “Feel the Bern” for Sanders to win even one state. With 15 under his belt, Bernie will have a larger political voice and more influence than ever before—even without the nomination.

Donald Trump Stayed Weirdly Quiet After His Loss

Trump did pretty badly after coming out of an especially awful week for his campaign. Even CNN called last week his “roughest patch yet on the campaign trail,” after a series of missteps on topics including abortion and national security. First, his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was charged with battery against a female reporter—Trump defended Lewandowski. Then, he quit on his vow to support the eventual Republican nominee.

As if these weren’t enough, Donald suggested last Wednesday that women who had an abortion if the procedure became illegal should be punished. He’s changed that statement several times since, struggling with the negative backlash.

Trump didn’t learn when to be quiet until Tuesday night’s loss. The normally loud and outspoken candidate went through the night without a speech, simply letting the results speak for themselves—he was not and is not a favorite of Wisconsin voters.

Contested Convention for the GOP?

Trump may not be the nominee. There is a higher probability that the GOP will have a contested convention this summer. As in, if no single Republican candidate can secure the majority of delegates, then the GOP national convention gathers in Cleveland after the primaries. There, representatives from select states vote over and over again until a candidate receives the majority of delegates.

However, things can get interesting because a “Rules” panel can change the rules and qualifications necessary of candidates to receive a nomination just days before the convention. Years ago, politicians sought to avoid these “brokered” conventions at all costs to dodge potential splits within the party. 2016 is different—Donald Trump could be the President of the United States…a thought that one in three Wisconsinites said “scared” them. 

Maybe as a woman who values not having a sexist president (women who get abortions should be “punished”?? Really????), or as a political nerd who wants to the see the GOP fight it out at the convention in Cleveland, I am holding out ALL hope for the election to come down to a brokered convention.

New York, which holds its primaries April 19 as the next major state voting, is bound to be in the center-stage of political theater for the next two weeks. If you just can’t wait any longer for more politics in your life, the New York Democratic Debate will be held in Brooklyn on April 14, and aired on CNN that night. Or, you know, you could just be like me and watch House of Cards for your political fix until then. Happy voting!

Not that we needed another reason to love Vogue, but once again, the iconic fashion magazine has delivered.

Renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino shot Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik for a spread in Vogue’s May issue. The couple ran around Naples, Italy for this dreamy shoot, and it’s giving us so much life right now.

The couple has only been confirmed to be dating since early February, but with this photo shoot, they are giving us major #relationshipgoals. Oh, and #fashiongoals.

It’s no secret that Gigi and Zayn are one of the most attractive couples maybe ever, but in this photo shoot, they also look so happy, which is beautiful. Anyone else getting Sandy and Danny from Grease vibes in those motorcycle shots?

But we can’t discuss this shoot without talking about the photo where Gigi is doing a handstand above Zayn. Not only does she make it look effortless, but the two look so crazy about each other. We’re low-key obsessed.

Overall, there are 11 photos in the sexy, retro, rock ’n’ roll-meets-Italian chic spread. The May issue will hit stands on April 26th and is already on Vogue’s website. And honestly, we’ve never wanted to go to Italy more than we do right now. 

Tennessee state lawmakers are pushing a bill that would cut funding to the University of Tennessee in order to fund “In God We Trust” bumper stickers. The reason: they don’t agree with students spending non-state dollars on a student-organized “Sex Week.”

Sex Week has been a point of controversy for years at the UT campus. Sex Week is held annually on campus by the student group called Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee (SEAT). The idea is to educate students through a week of activities on topics of sex and sexuality, gender identity, sex-positivity, diversity, abstinence, body image, sexual relationships and inclusivity.

According to the Huffington Post, lawmakers have requested for students to “cease and desist” the week. State Rep. Kevin Brooks told Fox News that they now need to “legislate” over it because students have refused. To be exact, the HB2248 bill suggests cutting $436,700 from UT Knoxville’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

The bill also pushes to use those cut funds to promote "In God We Trust" stickers for the back of police vehicles. 

The catch is that state money actually doesn’t fund Sex Week. Student programming fees do. In essence, the bill does not defund “Sex Week” so much as threaten UT’s overall funds to pressure students into stopping the week. The Huffington Post reported that Joe Cohn, legislative and policy director at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, said, “Sex Week clearly constitutes protected speech.” Legislators are “trying to twist the University of Tennessee’s arm into censoring its students…but when they start threatening funding, they’re chilling speech.”

UT Student and co-chair of SEAT, Colleen Ryan told the Huffington Post, “It would be a violation of our free speech to tell us we can’t have these events on campus.” She went on to say, “We’re the ones who walk around campus every day and know friends who have been sexually assaulted, we’re the ones who have friends who would not be on campus without the Office for Diversity and Inclusion…It seems like the state should listen to the students a little more if they’re going to keep inserting themselves into university politics.”

Although the lawmakers threaten the freedom of speech of students, Rep. James “Micah” Van Huss, who drafted HB2248, said that the bill absolutely does not threaten free speech rights. The bill is scheduled to go before the Tennessee House Finance, Ways & Means committee Wednesday.

According to the Huffington Post, Van Huss said, “Nothing opens the closed minds of administrators faster than the sound of pocket books closing.” I don't know about you, but the bill sounds like it threatens freedom of speech AND a safer campus for students. 

When I was sending in college applications, my mom made me apply to Harvard “just for fun” to see if I got in. Hah! Like that ever would have happened. The same goes for a lot of us—Applying to an Ivy League school may be a shot in the dark, and even if it isn’t, the elite smarties in our ranks probably only expect to get into two or three. However, there is one champion among us who had defied the odds and managed to get accepted by all eight Ivy League schools!

Daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Augusta Uwamanzu-Nna, has been accepted to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania, and she couldn’t be happier (she also got into the four other schools she applied to). The young teen currently attends Elmont Memorial High School on Long Island, and hopes to attend a college that caters to her interests of environmental studies and biochemistry. She’s already received an invitation to the White House Science Fair, and based on her 101.64 GPA, she definitely deserves it.

"Though I was born here in America, I visited Nigeria many times, and I've seen that my cousins don't have the same opportunities that I have. So definitely, whatever I do, I want to make sure that it has an impact on Nigeria,” said Uwamanzu-Nna, according to CNN. Our hearts our bursting. It’s amazing to see this young genius be so humble about her roots, while also demonstrating such a deep regard for the world around her.

She hasn’t made a final decision on which school she’ll be attending, but Elmont’s salutatorian from the previous year (who also got accept to all eight Ivy League schools) chose Yale. Whatever magic beans they’re feeding the kids at Elmont Memorial High School, we want some too!

You may recall that back in 2014, Rolling Stone published an article highlighting an account of gang rape that took place at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at the University of Virginia. The article sparked extensive discussion about sexual assault, fraternity life and the procedures colleges have in place to protect students.

Much to the surprise of readers, within a few short months Rolling Stone retracted the article after some people pointed out that the story seemed suspicious. After conducting another round of fact-checking, the editor of the story found that they had made a big mistake. The fraternity named, as well as many of Jackie's friends, contested her story, and it turned out that there was no evidence available to support her claims.

The following May, UVA’s Associate Dean of Students, Nicole Eramo, filed a defamation law suit against Rolling Stone since the article essentially destroyed her reputation by making her look like the “chief villain” in the article. The article stated that Dean Eramo did nothing when Jackie came to her for help, when in fact she helped Jackie to go to police, according to the dean's lawyer, Libby Locke. She’s suing for roughly $8 million dollars.

Obviously, Jackie is going to be a key part of this defamation case, and according to The New York Times, the judge has ordered that she testify and face questioning from lawyers. However, Jackie’s lawyers and supporters are fervently arguing that if she is forced to testify, telling her story will basically re-traumatize her and leave her emotionally damaged.

Honestly, this whole situation is so messy, and could have been avoided if Rolling Stone had taken more time to thoroughly fact-check. "A Rape On Campus" was a pretty egregious example of journalism gone wrong, as the Columbia School of Journalism found.

This story has gotten completely out of hand, but regardless, Jackie will be testifying in the defamation lawsuit. We can only hope that this time the truth actually comes out, and that this whole case can be solved and put to rest. 

Every beauty addict knows that when it comes to finding the right skincare products, the struggle is SO. Real. Many of the cult-favorite, tried-and-true skincare products out there that we’re dying to try also come with a hefty price tag—which doesn’t exactly work so well with your college girl's budget. Luckily, we got the inside scoop from experts about which products are the real deal and totally worth the splurge—and which steps in your skincare routine just aren’t worth the big bucks.

Related: What to Eat to Beautify Your Hair, Skin & Nails

Splurge

Moisturizer

Since moisturizer is a product that stays on your skin all day, all night and underneath makeup, it makes sense a high-quality hydrator should be at the top of your splurge list, regardless of your skin type. Heather Wilson, an esthetician and the director of brand development for InstaNatural, says that moisturizer should be a priority when it comes to your skincare routine.

“Splurging on your moisturizer ensures you are getting a concentrated product that uses high quality ingredients, while eliminating the risk of ingredients like synthetic fragrances, mineral oil, and alcohol,” Wilson says. “Since your moisturizer is left on your skin all day, you’ll want something that is full of powerful and healthy ingredients.”

Super moisturizing ingredients to look out for? Hydraulic acid, ceramides and glycerin, which all help to give skin that plump, freshly moisturized glow we’re all after. We recommend Philosophy’s Renewed Hope in a Jar ($47), which contains two of the three.

Serum

Always heard about serums, but were never quite sure why you needed one? You’re not alone. While there’s a multitude of different serums that are designed to do everything from fighting aging, to clearing blemishes, to hiding wrinkles, they’re all products that contain potent, highly concentrated ingredients—meaning you’ll want the best of the best.

Spencer Barnes, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with the likes of Vanessa Hudgens and Olivia Wilde, says that serums can be simplified as long as you know which quality ingredients to look for.

“Serums have highly concentrated ingredients that target specific needs,” Barnes says. “I like to look for serums with a green tea extract for tightening, olive or a citrus extract to help repair or fight off free radicals.”

While your serum of choice could change depending on your skin’s unique needs, look for items like First Aid Beauty’s Anti-Redness Serum ($36) or Ole Henrikson’s Truth Serum ($48). While both are designed to do very different things, they both contain antioxidant ingredients that fight free radicals and will majorly save your skin down the road. 

Eye Cream

Lack of sleep isn’t exactly a collegiette’s most uncommon problem—which makes investing in an amazing eye cream totally worth it in the long run. Plus, according to Barnes, splurging on an eye cream means you’ll be getting ingredients that actually work.

“I normally recommend eye creams for at night because when you are sleeping your body is working to regenerate, heal and sooth, especially when you’re lying still,” Barnes says. “You’ll want to find products that contain vitamin E and C to help hydrate and brighten the skin. By splurging on these products you are certain that you will be applying quality products on your skin for the best results.”

When you’ve been pulling all-nighters during finals week, you’ll want something that will de-puff and brighten your eye area in a flash. With ingredients like coffee (seriously!) and ginseng, we recommend Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream ($30) to get that well-rested effect.

Exfoliator

While it may seem like any old exfoliator will slough away those dead skin cells, Lindsey Blondin, the lead esthetician at George the Salon, in Chicago, says that using the wrong scrub can actually be detrimental to your skin.

“Scrubs that are too harsh can actually cause microscopic cuts, scrapes, tears to the skin causing fine lines, wrinkles, scarring, and broken capillaries,” Blondin says. “Also if you are prone to acneic skin, it can spread bacteria.”

Those issues definitely don’t sound like our idea of a good time. To avoid some major skin struggles, try a product like Philosophy’s Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash ($28), a tried-and-true fan favorite. Or, to skip the scrub entirely, but still get all the exfoliating benefits, try Boscia’s Exfoliating Peel Gel ($34).

Save

Cleanser

While cleansing is one of the most vital steps to your skincare routine, Wilson says it’s also one of the best steps to buy at a budget-friendly price.

“Regardless of your budget, great quality cleansers are quite easy to find,” Wilson says. “We tend to go through cleansers faster than other products, which means they can make a big impact on your budget. Skip cleansers that feature active ingredients and save that money for your treatment products. Instead, look for gentle, multitasking cleansers that remove makeup and cleanse the skin. These cleansers allow you to skip the cost of a makeup remover and since they don’t contain expensive actives, they tend to be more cost effective.”

When a cleanser is only on your face for about 30 seconds each day, there’s no real reason to splurge on special ingredients that are probably already in your toner, serum or moisturizer. Wilson recommends InstaNatural’s Facial Oil Cleanser ($15.95), which gently cleans and removes makeup for an all-in-one way to get a fresh face at the end of the day—and if it allows us to skip buying makeup remover, we’re all in!

Toner

Toners always seem to be at the center of a huge debate among beauty lovers everywhere—do you actually need one or not? What do they even do? Good news: Wilson says that a toner can be a great, inexpensive addition to a skincare routine—so there’s not exactly a ton of financial risk involved if you’re curious about trying one for yourself.

“Toners are a simple product that offer tremendous benefits, so don’t let price scare you away,” Wilson says. “Toner varieties can range from complex treatments to basic hydration, and while both options are fine, the simpler toners are best for college-aged skin and wallets.”

The bottom line? Look for a toner that suits your skins needs—it doesn’t need to be super fancy either. We like Mario Badescu’s range of toners, which all ring up at a budget-friendly $15. There’s a formula for every skin type, too!

Masks

It turns out that the fancy mask you bought at Sephora last week probably has a lot of the same ingredients as one you can find in the aisle of the drugstore.

Blondin says that when it comes to masks, it’s the ingredients that count—and most of them are the same across pricey and budget products. For oily or acne-prone skin, she recommends looking for a clay-based mask. For dry-skinned ladies, she says to look out for products containing aloe.

If you need something to keep you blemish free, we recommend Garnier’s Active Pore Purifying Clay Cleanser Mask ($8.99), which contains both charcoal and clay to keep you clear. (It multitasks as a cleanser too!) To keep flaky, dry patches at bay, try an aloe sheet mask like Tony Moly Aloe Mask Sheet ($3.75) for some major moisture.

It turns out that it’s easy to #TreatYourself to fancy skincare products on a budget—as long as you’re willing to pick and choose where you splurge and where you save. With a little bit of high-low mixing, your wallet (and your skin!) will thank you.

Often times we learn that not everyone is great at everything and it may not seem like it, but usually the art of the nap, the science of beauty sleep and the psychology behind the tired state of mind takes work to understand and is only reserved for those who first, middle and last names are tired. While being tired may seem like an excuse, it’s actually just the opposite, because it shows the perseverance of all these “tired” people to keep going throughout the day, whilst being tired themselves! In awe of this new knowledge? Well, without further ado, here are 17 more items to bring you into the logic of the quintessential person who is tired.

1. There are never enough hours in the day.

And we mean to sleep.

2. When people ask how we are doing and we say "Tired," we REALLY mean it.

3. So, that’s why it’s quite insulting when people say it just to end the conversation.

4. We already know the trigger signs of our sleepiness.

5. Being in a dark room…

6. …where people are mostly quiet…

7. …AKA class film viewings

8. But we still manage to pay attention!

9. Saturday and Sunday mornings are the best times in the world.

10. Monday morning… there are no words.

11. Homework can never end fast enough.

12. All-nighters make our heads explode literally.

13. So, when we can sleep, we mathematically plan how many hours we will be getting that night, like our life depends on it.

Because it does.

14. Sometimes the distance from the desk to the bed is way too far.

15. Coffee, tea and/or hot chocolate cups are magically glued to our fingers.

16. We actually like reading because it compels us to go to sleep…

 17…and after all, we were just doing our assignment… Right?!

While Ted Cruz certainly isn’t the most talked about Republican candidate in the election this year, people certainly have an opinion about him. We wanted to see what college women thought about him, so we asked 13 college women to share what they think—read their thoughts below.

“Basically all you need to know about Ted Cruz is that he doesn't support abortion in cases of rape or incest. Any person who respects women that little shouldn't be getting anywhere near the White House.”

-Liv, University of Connecticut Class of 2017

“I am a registered independent, but I would definitely vote for him over Clinton or Sanders. I like his conservative beliefs — both fiscally and socially — and think that he would be the best one to serve our country at a time like this. This is a time when our country needs more fiscal conservatism to work on reducing our massive debt and also needs leaders who are pro-life and pro-family to work on putting an end to all the social damage that is currently being done. This social damage has an effect on economics, which directly relates to our economy and all policy, so I believe conservatism to be especially important right now in turning our country around from the bad path is a heading down. Therefore, I would most certainly vote for Cruz and hope others will, too!”

-Britt, Smith College Class of 2018

“I support Ted Cruz, I believe as President, he will defend the constitution and prevent the government from becoming even bigger. I like that he is a traditional Republican, unlike Donald Trump. I am a Republican and I will definitely vote for him if he is the nominee.”

-Alyssa, Fairfield University Class of 2018

RELATED: 14 College Women Get Real About Bernie Sanders

“I am not a Republican and I think Ted Cruz is extremely backwards. In a time where people are constantly becoming more open to the ideas of different social norms and deciding to construct their own versions of ‘normal’ it is sad, and disheartening, that a man who wants to be the most powerful person in the world cannot fight and advocate for them. He does not value diversity nor does he realize how hurtful his words are. He is, to keep it short, very ignorant. He is no President of any country I would want to call my home. With politicians like him, human rights and civil rights movements are being pushed back more and more — which is not okay. I think he is killing the Republican Party statement by statement.”

-Amanda, University of New Hampshire Class of 2016

“I do not like Ted Cruz. He stands for everything I stand against in regards to gun regulation and women's reproductive rights. Trump is scary because he keeps saying all this crazy stuff but I think Cruz is even scarier because he actually believes the stuff he is saying.”

-Niki, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Class of 2017

“Ted Cruz is not the lesser of two evils in the GOP. Unlike his competition Donald Trump, Cruz is actually intelligent. He has a background in law making, and would actually be able to get shit done, and scary shit for that matter. He is anti-abortion, but pro-death penalty. He is anti-gay marriage. He has called to ban all non-Christian refugees, and condones Islam-phobia. As President Obama said, ‘It’s not as if there’s a massive difference between Mr. Trump’s position on immigration and Mr. Cruz’s position on immigration. Mr. Trump might just be more provocative in terms of how he says it, but the actual positions aren’t that different.’ People act as if Trump becoming President is the most terrifying thing that could happen to this country, but they fail to realize that Cruz is the candidate we really need to worry about.”

-Greta, University of Minnesota Twin Cities Class of 2018

“I'd place myself on the left-leaning side of moderate, but I did vote in the Republican primary, for John Kasich. I think he is the only one on the Republican side of the primaries who has the temperament and common sense not to provoke further conflicts in the Middle East or in places like North Korea. To be honest, I think Ted Cruz is crazy, and the only reason he seems like an acceptable candidate is that compared to Donald Trump — a misogynist, racist, xenophobe — he seems moderate. But some of his ideas would be devastating to normal Americans and the U.S. economy. Cruz wants to end progressive taxation and implement a flat tax, which would make it even harder for America's poor to survive while giving billionaires a tax cut. He also wants to abolish the IRS, a system that is now an essential part to our economic system and would take years and years to phase out. This, along with his very antiquated ideas regarding women's health make him an unacceptable candidate for President of the United States.”

-Katie, The University of Alabama Class of 2019

RELATED: 12 College Women Get Real About Hillary Clinton

“Because the Republican field started out with such a large, diverse group of candidates, I figured one of the final few would have positions that align with my own. However, none of the three remaining candidates blow me away. Cruz is definitely more conservative than I would like and comes off as somewhat conniving and manipulative. He does not have the friendly, relatable personality that I typically look for in a candidate. Both Cruz's demeanor and his politics will not take the party in the direction that it needs. If he were nominated, I do not believe that he would have what it takes to defeat Hillary Clinton. Despite my disappointment, I plan to vote for whoever the Republican candidate may be.”

-Elizabeth, Villanova University Class of 2018

“I think he is completely self-serving and full of himself. I am not a Republican; I am an independent. I would not vote for him. I disagree with his conservative stance and his racist political beliefs, such as ‘patrolling Muslim neighborhoods.’ However, I do support Republicans voting for him over Trump.”

-Sarah, Boston College Class of 2019

“I do not like Ted Cruz. I am a Republican. I just don't think that he has presented himself as someone who can get it done. And that is what we need in a president — someone who can put us back on top.”

-Coco, Metro State University of Denver Class of 2017

“I'm as left as you can get so Ted Cruz is completely terrible and I disagree with literally everything he has to say.”

-Paper, New Mexico Tech Class of 2018

RELATED: 21 College Women Get Real About Donald Trump

“Even if I was a Republican, I wouldn't consider voting for Ted Cruz. While Donald Trump's views are disgusting and ridiculous, Cruz's are even more dangerous. The way he talks about immigration, women issues, and gun control makes my jaw drop, and having him as president would cause extreme damage to women, people of color, members of the LGBT+ community, and Muslims. His proposed laws only benefit old, white men of Evangelical faith.”

-Jessica, California State University, Long Beach Class of 2019

“I don't like him. I am not a Republican and I wouldn't vote for him. I strongly dislike how he defends the ‘religious freedom’ bill of Georgia. He believes government and religion should mix together. Also, he is a son of an immigrant and I don't understand why he would be so opposed to immigration when it helps our economy.”

-Emily, Mercer University Class of 2019

There comes a time in every relationship where you realize that things may not be as good as they seem. Whether you are fighting constantly or just not the same page, this begs the question of if you are going to stay together or break up. For some couples, an easy way to test the waters of sorts, is to take a break. Whether this means not seeing each other for a few weeks, days or months, the idea of a break basically promises that you will get back together. But does that really happen?

Cons of taking a break

Last month, my boyfriend of a year and half and I were hitting a rough patch. By hitting a rough patch, I mean that I was always getting upset with him when really he didn’t do anything wrong. Something was off with me and I couldn’t figure it out. So I thought the best way to fix it was to take some time apart to allow myself to think about what I really wanted and if him and I were better together or apart. Instead of jumping right into the break, I did what any normal 19-year-old with an older sister would do and I hopped on the phone instead. Upon hearing my situation, my sister told me what I basically wanted to hear: “Taking a break is stupid.”

She followed up with something along the lines of, “If it is not working out, then taking a break and time apart is not going to fix it—only communication and effort will.” Upon further talking it out with my sister and my boyfriend, we came to the conclusion that a break was not going to fix whatever was going on. To me, taking time apart would make the issues worse because I had time to be alone instead of being with him and communicating.

Lauren, a junior at Cornell University, had a similar experience with taking a break in her relationship. She and her boyfriend took a break because she was not sure how to break up with him and she needed her time and space. Even though the break was only a week long, she says, “Honestly, if you need a break, just break up. I think taking a break is prolonging the inevitable breakup.”

Sarah, a sophomore at Vanderbilt University, also agrees with that. Sarah and her boyfriend took two breaks, one for a week and another for three weeks, in their relationship and she said that both times it actually made the situation worse. She felt pressured and jealous during the break because he would talk to other girls and they both ended up just hurting each other. Her advice to those looking to take a break is to “figure your shit out or break up.” Communication is key and when you take a break and boundaries are often blurred. Many times it just makes things worse.

Rhonda Ricardo, a columnist, speaker, screenwriter and author of Cherries Over Quicksand books, spoke with Her Campus about taking breaks in a relationship. Overall, she agrees with Sarah. Ricardo says that a break is never a good idea. Basically, a break is a “free ticket to ride any ride in the amusement park while waving a tattered toga flag,” she says. Ricardo suggests that you respect yourself, your friends, your family and your SO by breaking up and never granting a relationship break, so they don’t have to give you the pity-face when you ask them if your SO will cheat on you during your “break.”

Related: 4 Reasons Your Breakup May Have Been a Mistake

Pros of taking a break

On the other side of things, Jacqueline, a senior at New York University, says that taking a break is a good way to think about your relationship without the other person constantly harassing the other person for answers. But she does agree that you have to set limitations, otherwise you will have a Rachel and Ross break and NO ONE wants that.

Kayla, a freshman at the University of Rochester, thinks that taking a break does have its perks. When her and her SO took a break, it made her miss him so much. She was so used to depending on him so it also helped her become more independent. When they came back from the break, they were both ready to try again and move forward.

Ricardo also mentions that if you truly just want a weekend without planning the next date with your SO while creating an “absence makes the heart grow fonder” scenario, plan something with your friends or family, pack your bags and promise to text or call your SO once in a while.  Also, tell your SO to have a blast with friends or family while you are gone (it’s only fair), kiss goodbye as you profess that your heart will be longing for your SO, then “drive off into the sunset alone.” While you're gone, send a nice but short text or two and always sign off lovingly. While apart do not cheat on your SO as you will never forget your own disloyalty and your SO will find out; especially in this age of posting and tagging photos of the innocent partying turned cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater on social media. After your missed weekend together, plan a magical reunion on the town or cozy date at home. Your time apart will give you stories to share and a refreshed outlook on your relationship.

So what should you do? 

Overall, taking a break in your relationship really depends on the type of person you are. If you're like me, taking a break might have seemed like the best option, but it was really just because you were scared of confronting the real issues. After a long sit-down conversation, my boyfriend and I were finally on the same page and things have never been better. Ricardo says that relationships are about communication and if you feel like you need time apart to figure out exactly how you are feeling, then just make sure to let your SO know what is going on. There is nothing worse than being left in the dark, no matter what side you're on. Regardless of what you choose to do, the goal is for you to be happy.

Between the #DoItForTheInsta trend and throwing it back every Thursday, it’s no secret that we spend a great deal of time on social media. But how much is too much? We talked to experts and collegiettes about the pros and cons of unplugging, to help you figure out if you should deactivate those accounts for good.

Why you should disconnect

Social media can be distracting

Spending time browsing your newsfeed can distract you from getting that paper written—shocking, we know. “Because they’re tailored to our interests and there’s always something new that will interest us, it can be hard to focus on things we have to do that are not that immediately fascinating,” says Joanne Cantor, Ph.D., the Outreach Director of the Center for Communication Research at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

It’s happened to all of us—we sit down to work on an assignment, check our Facebook and, before we know it, it’s 2 a.m. and we have yet to open a Word doc. But are social media the problem, or would we just find other ways to procrastinate without them? For Lindy Olive, a senior at Auburn University, the answer is clear. “I have personally deactivated my Twitter and Facebook a number of times,” Lindy says. “I believe I have more productive and positive days when I am not on social media. I don't feel the need to have my phone glued to my hand and refresh the page over and over again.”

Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a licensed clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, agrees that our social media habit deters us from dealing with more important things. “It can be very time-consuming, and pull students off of essential work or even the time needed to avail themselves of other opportunities,” Dr. Ramani says. So next time you don’t feel like doing your homework, go for a walk or talk to a friend—you will feel much more rewarded and ready to take on whatever school threw your way this time.

They can’t replace a real interaction

Why do we use social media when we’re hanging out with our friends? None of us truly have an answer, yet we know intuitively that we should really put our phones down for the length of that fro-yo date. “Social media can sometimes interfere with face-to-face interactions,” Cantor says. “You either don’t seek them out, or you keep looking down at your iPhone while having a face-to-face interaction, which really diminishes the connection.”

So, what happens if we compromise the quality of our interactions? Simply put, we miss out on many of the benefits that come with having a meaningful conversation. “Face-to-face interactions have benefits that electronic connections can’t have,” Cantor explains. For instance, a friend’s smile can actually make us feel better. As for body language and shows of affection (like hugs), which obviously don’t come through on social media, they enrich our relationships in a way that staring at a computer (or smartphone or tablet—we see you) never will. And in the long run? “Research shows that a few close relationships are much more likely to lead to happiness than many superficial relationships,” Cantor adds.

Obviously, social media aren’t all about below-average interactions; there’s also the stalking. For Dr. Ramani, “it is like ‘artificial sweetener’—it is not a meaningful substitute for the real thing. It allows a manufactured look into only a sliver of the life of others, and does not give us the deep, holistic, and authentic connection that is needed (rather than just a superficial one).”

Ingrid Marquardt, a senior at Boston College, definitely reaped the benefits of disconnecting when she went on a service trip to Appalachia. “We weren't allowed to/[were] highly encouraged to not use our social media,” Ingrid says. “I ended up getting to know the people in my group a million times better—we're still close to this day! I don't know if I can attribute how close everyone got to the [lack of phones] on its own, but it was a contributing factor.”

But unfortunately, Facebook-stalking and substituting online conversations for physical ones are not the only ways that social networks can harm our relationships. “Finally, it has turned all of us into a ‘brand,’” Dr. Ramani says. “Social media often results in people commodifying themselves—trying to sell their point of view, lifestyle, whatever—it is a very one-way method of communication and lacks the reciprocity and mutuality that close relationships require.” When does the list end?

They are full of negativity

By now, you’ve probably heard about how social media can hurt your mental health. You might have experienced it yourself—when your Instagram picture doesn’t hit 11 likes fast enough or you see pictures of your ex with a new girl. Lindy certainly did. “I deleted [my accounts] just because I realized how much junk and negativity is poured out from social media,” she says. “If you haven't deactivated your accounts before, you should give it a try. It brings awareness to how much time you spend on social media and how much it can actually affect your life.”

Lindy is right; the consequences are very real. “There are also phenomena like FOMO and social comparison which can often result in decrements in self-esteem, anxiety, and self-doubt,” Dr. Ramani says. So not only can you waste a ton of time and compromise your friendships, but you can also end up feeling much worse about yourself after working your way through all of that girl from camp’s pictures one too many times.

How to do it

So we just scared you a little bit, and you want to give disconnecting a try. But how do you go about it? For Cantor, “how difficult it is certainly depends on the person and how she uses it. The more ingrained the habit, the harder it should be to break.”

So if it’s going to be that difficult, is it even worth it? Elissa Sanci, a senior at the University of New Haven, thinks so. “Last summer, I went a week without using Instagram,” Elissa says. “Overall, I found the experience to be really great. It was hard at first, but worth it in the end.”

Put things in perspective

For Jadaia Wyatt, a sophomore at Old Dominion University, realizing that detaching from social media isn’t the end of the world after all really helped her put things in perspective. “As hard as it seems to us [tech-savvy] teens, it was actually VERY refreshing for me,” Jadaia says. “Over the course of that weekend, I learned that it's okay to not have to tell the world your every move or keep up with everything Kim K. is doing. I finally took some time to do the things I enjoy and was completely fine with not checking my Snapchat or Twitter.”

So if you take time to notice what you actually do on social media, you might realize that they are not as indispensable as you think—and it will be that much easier to take some time off.

Ask your friends for help

If you want to disconnect temporarily but don’t trust yourself to stick with it, try this awesome trick from Kasia Jaworski, a recent Villanova University graduate. “I didn't fully deactivate my Facebook, but during finals one year, I had my friend change my password and delete the app off my phone,” Kasia says. Why didn’t we think of that?

Set limits for yourself

Dr. Ramani believes that we spend way too much time online and says that “people should study in Wi-Fi-free zones, disable their accounts during crunch times, and be sure they strive to real face time instead of pseudo-time via likes and retweets.”

Obviously you don’t need to drop off the face of the (virtual) Earth, but considerably reducing your social media use might be just the change you need. “I am naïve if I think people will unplug entirely, especially young people, so setting limits may be more realistic,” Dr. Ramani admits. This might involve “having only set times you check it, disabling it from your phone, making deliberate efforts to spend real time with people. And having digital detox periods of 24 to 72 hours or longer.” Whatever works for you!

For Cantor, finding the right balance is key. “I’m not sure I would recommend detaching totally, but I would recommend making sure that time on social media is sufficiently limited so that it doesn’t interfere with work, study, or interpersonal relationships,” she says.

Choose which accounts to deactivate

Sometimes the problem can be a certain platform, not social media as a whole. “Last summer I deactivated my Twitter account for three months and then reactivated it again when I joined the Her Campus team,” says Kasey Overgaard, a senior and campus correspondent for HC at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. “After my time off of Twitter I actually saw a huge difference. I rarely ever use it or look at it anymore, and I feel a lot less disconnected from the world and people around me.”

Although Kasey had a great experience breaking away from Twitter, the same didn’t work nearly as well with other platforms. “I recently tried to quit Facebook and Instagram for a while, but have failed miserably so far,” Kasey says. “The week that I did succeed at avoiding my Facebook and Instagram I didn't feel much of a difference, but a week isn't a very long time. I kind of feel like since I don't use Facebook and Instagram that much, it's not a big deal or problem.” So figure out which channels are hindering you from being your best self, and try deactivating just those ones. Results guaranteed!

Go cold turkey

So you just read all of that, and you still want to disconnect all the way. If you think it’s best for you, you should absolutely do it! For Lindy, “quitting cold turkey works very well for social media. You'll eventually forget about it and feel sorry for everyone walking around with their phones glued to their hands. It's kind of liberating that way, really.”

She makes it sound so simple, but is it really? Apparently, it is! “The only thing I really had a problem with was just getting out of the habit of typing the word Facebook in the address bar when I got on the computer,” Lindy explains. “After you deactivate the account, erase social media websites from your browser history or obviously delete the app. That way when you try to type it in and it doesn't immediately appear, you'll have a quick reminder that you deactivated it. When [the URL and your login information] are already saved in your browser history, it makes the habit hard to quit because it's so easy to get back on.”

Basically, if you’re serious about disconnecting, you need to get rid of anything that will make it more difficult for you, and you’ll be good to go!

The benefits of social media

Of course, social media aren’t all bad. “There are too many benefits to list,” Cantor says. “Social media help us stay in touch with people who are too far away to see personally and/or too busy to interrupt. And we can get much more up-to-date information about people, places, things, movements that we’re interested in. There can be emotional benefits of feeling connected to friends and family, and cognitive benefits of hearing about issues that concern you.”

If you’re thinking of deactivating your accounts, Kasia suggests that you either do it permanently or not at all, because reactivating can be stressful, but she also sees plenty of advantages to social media. “[Deactivating] was good because it helped me focus during exams more, but I was BOMBARDED with notifications when I went back on,” Kasia says. “I personally like having social media to keep in touch with people and see what they're up to. So when I didn't have it and then got back on, I felt like I had missed a lot, considering some of my high school friends and I exclusively interact on these sites.” So if you’re not online 24/7, staying active on Facebook and Instagram can be a welcome addition to your life, much more than a problem.

When it comes to laying off social media, there is no right answer. If you decide to disconnect, it will be much easier than you think with these tips! But if you don’t feel the need to get rid of that Twitter profile or Snapchat account... we'll just put it this way: moderation is key!

On Tuesday evening, Tyga—a.k.a. Blac Chyna's ex and Kylie Jenner's current BF—expressed his warmest wishes on Twitter for newly engaged couple, Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian.

According to E!, the artist tweeted, "Everybody deserves 2 be happy. What some1 does for their happiness is not my concern, as long as it's not interfering wit my happiness."

But he also expressed his concern for the son he shares with Chyna, noting, “It makes me happy to see the mother of my son happy…My only concern in this situation is my son. I want him in happy environments. He's innocent in this & I want him to feel as much love as possible."

Then, Tyga gave a big middle finger to all the people that have attacked his son lately: "Only an evil heart would direct negativity at a child & make fun of him for being in a situation that is out of his control. When u been blessed how I've been, & create some1 u love unconditional, u'll understand how I feel. U'll want to protect that blessing. Cherish yo own blessings and stop hating mine."

Good for you for standing your ground, Tyga!

Feminism as an idea has become so politically charged that it’s no longer safe in the office.

I hate that.

Like all issues of diversity, feminism gets swept under the rug of political correctness. We’re consistently counselled not to self-identify for fear of offending the aging white men that populate corporate offices today. Because drawing attention to the fact that women still aren't paid the same or that medical benefits often don't cover all of our needs makes some people uncomfortable.

Related: Women Get Less Credit For Teamwork Than Men, Because Sexism

To be clear: my definition of feminism means that I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what gender they identify with, or what sex they were born with. So if you're for equal rights, you're for feminism. As simple as that. It's a common misconception that you need to be more radical than that.

For many, when I say, "I am a feminist," that's not the definition they hear. Instead they hear banshee screams and bra burning festivals—And they worry that feminism might hurt their tenuous grip on the status quo. Their picture doesn’t mesh with what a “woman” should be, as if such an idea should exist in the 21st century.

In the office, one of the hardest things to learn is that your identity doesn’t matter. It matters to you, but it rarely matters to your employer. Though they’re hopefully supportive of women in general, they would rather you didn't shout your activist stance from the rooftops.

All the more ironic, then, because when many declare they’re “not a feminist,” it's because they assume that they can’t be if they’re a stay-at-home mom (which isn’t true, by the way). Office culture favors men, not women, and for women to succeed, they need to play a man’s game. It’s not an accident that my first manager handed me Gail Evans’ Play Like A Man, Win Like A Woman.

The women we hold up as examples—Marissa Mayer, Arianna Huffington, Hillary Clinton—succeeded precisely because of their ability to adapt to male-dominated business culture. To do that, they had to downplay their identities and beliefs to be successful. We don’t talk about this enough. Women (or any other minority) don’t have the privilege of “being themselves” when it comes to success.

Related: 9 Mantras Successful Women Live By

It’s only after you are comfortably successful that you can safely claim, “I am a feminist,” and begin to fight for other women. At least, in the loud, speech-giving way.

There are ways to be a feminist at work, namely, treating everyone equally (though one would hope that’s a given). Taking a seat at the table and being confident that you belong in that seat. Joining a women’s forum or starting an informal mentoring group can provide a safe space to talk through issues and celebrate accomplishments. Most of all, helping other women when they need it, whether that’s a tampon in the restroom or speaking up to defend someone in a meeting. As Madeline Albright famously said, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”

Our world has changed. Millennials no longer want to work in a culture where they can’t be themselves. Yet corporations have hardly adapted to that demand, even as millennials make up higher and higher proportions of the workforce. What does that mean for the wave of newly graduated activists? An uncomfortable buttoning-up and cleansing of social media presence. Becoming comfortable with doing and saying nothing when things go wrong. That’s no way any of us want to live.

Whether you identify as a feminist or not doesn’t matter in today’s workplace because today’s employers don’t want you to identify as anything but employees of their company. They don’t want publicity, or crazy viral stories, or anything to uproot the status quo. And though they’re slowly making changes to make it safer or easier for women, it’s clear: Feminism still doesn’t fit in the workplace.

What do we trade on our way to success? Is that worth it?

The second uncomfortable answer: That depends. It comes down to a decision on what matters most to you and your values—and your realism. Finding an employer that supports women and fights its internal biases is difficult enough. Looking for a company that supports being an active feminist? The list narrows significantly. It’s up to you whether that’s important enough to change your job search, or if it’s enough to know that you believe what you believe, and no one can change that.

Let us know what you think in the comments: Do you agree? Is it worth it?

Taylor Swift’s Apple Music commercial, featuring her ultimate treadmill fail, has now reached almost 12 million views on YouTube, over 20 million shares on Facebook and Instagram, and over 68,000 retweets on Twitter. Talk about a wow factor! But it is T. Swift we’re talking about here, so we’re not the least bit surprised.

Her commercial is not the only thing that's trending, though. Since the video’s release, sales of Drake and Future's “Jumpman” have grown by 431 percent globally. Even the #gymflow Apple playlist that Swift uses while "exercising" increased 325 percent in popularity, according to Billboard.

Swift is reportedly set to appear in two more Apple commercials, but let’s be real here—can anything really top this one? 

It seems Adele just isn't meant to have an easy time performing "All I Ask." She already gracefully survived technical issues while performing the hit at the Grammys. Then, the sound cut out as she sang the song in Birmingham, England, last week. Apparently, she wasn't even aware of what happened until she had finished the tune. She asked the audience why they cheered in the middle of the song and was surprised by their answer. “The sound went off? The PA f**king cut off? So you guys had a private concert down in the front?”

Of course there's video of the incident, and you can hear the sound cut off at the 2:39 mark. The crowd starts to sing along with Adele. They also cheer her on, as devoted fans do. The sound returns at 3:34, and the audience roars with enthusiasm.

Adele handled the whole situation flawlessly, which is no surprise. And she even used the malfunction to reiterate just how awesome she is: "I wasn’t miming. Every f**king show I sing live!”

Slay, Adele. Slay.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively just keep getting cuter. The story of how they fell in love is adorable, and the way they talk about their daughter James is so sweet.

It makes sense that they encourage each other in their careers as well. In fact, Reynolds was part of the reason why Lively decided to star in her next film, The Shallows, which comes out June 24. Lively plays a surfer who is severely injured by a shark attack; she gets trapped on a rock away from shore as she tries to survive. The film relies on her as the sole actor in a very challenging role.

Her husband's role in Buried led her to take on this intense part: “My husband did a movie called Buried and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to take on this movie so much, because I know how tough that was for him and how rewarding it was. It was terrifying and one of the most vulnerable things you can do but you gotta do it, right?”

The inspiration they give each other is clearly relationship goals. Keep it up, you two!

Following in the footsteps of Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart, the first female recipient of MTV’s Comedic Genius award was announced yesterday. This year’s winner is…DRUMROLL PLEASE…

Melissa McCarthy!

You may know her from Bridesmaids when she ruined a retail store's bathroom.

Or from The Heat when she and Sandra Bullock kicked some serious ass.

Or maybe from one of the four times she's hosted Saturday Night Live.

However you know her, it’s pretty damn clear that she is more than deserving of this award. We’re glad MTV agrees.

MTV Movie Awards executive producer Casey Patterson says the deciding factor was Melissa’s range in the comedy industry: “We love Melissa for her performances but she also writes, produces and directs comedy, so this award is incredibly well deserved.”

Ambitious women, listen up. If you haven't had a job shadowing experience before, now may be the time to change that. This could be just the career game-changer you didn't know you needed.

To put it simply, job shadowing is the act of following, or shadowing, a professional as he or she goes about the day-to-day responsibilities of his or her job. It's common for students both in high school and college to shadow professionals in order to learn more about a variety of career fields.

Why you should do it

Getting an inside look at a company you’re interested in will help you decide what you want to do with your life. During your time as an undergraduate, it's likely that you'll cycle through many different career goals and interests. There's no shame in this; exploring different career paths is one of the many advantages of going to college. Shadowing actual professionals as they do their job can provide you with enough insight to narrow down that ever-present question of, “What do I really want to do?”

Plus, spending time with a professional just may get you a foot in the door. For those of you who have graduated, are graduating soon, or who already have a pretty solid idea of the career you want, job shadowing presents an invaluable opportunity to get a first-hand look at the field you're aiming to break into—and maybe even a foot in the door, if you play your cards right. Spending a few hours at a place of business with the express intent to learn can mean making connections with those who work there, which can come in handy later, once you're on the job market.

Most importantly, it’s an opportunity to gain experience. Job shadowing is a chance for you to acclimate yourself to business settings and interacting with professionals. This is especially helpful for students who may not have any experience interacting with others in these environments; not only can a job shadowing experience demystify how things work in an office setting, but also it can get you accustomed to being in that world, which can decrease any general anxiety you may have about one day entering the workforce.

Ultimately, being proactive and seeking out opportunities such as these shows that you’re a go-getter. In short, participating in a job shadowing experience displays a dedication to your own professional goals and sets you apart as someone willing to take the time and effort to get involved in hands-on research.

How to make it happen

You career services center may be able to help, but even if they can’t set anything up, don't hesitate to take matters into your own hands. First, you'll have to narrow down what it is you're interested in learning more about. To keep things simple, decide on a single field and search within it. For example, those interested in journalism can research local magazines and newspapers. A good tip is to look into companies you'd love to work at one day, though smaller companies may be more accessible if you don’t have any prior contacts.

Emily Miethner, founder and CEO of FindSpark, a career development community for young creatives, stresses the importance of picking someone you’re truly passionate about meeting and whose job really interests you. As long as you do your research (via LinkedIn and company websites), your genuine interest will come across when you talk to them. “If you’re more specific as to why you’re reaching out, you’re more likely to get a response,” Miethner says.

Diana Martinez, assistant director at the Wasserman Center for Career Development at New York University, recommends reaching out to companies through LinkedIn, your school's alumni database, through faculty at school, or through your own networks of past colleagues, friends and family.

Martinez recommends starting out with an informational interview: Express your interest to spend between 15 to 20 minutes meeting wherever and whenever it’s most convenient or even just talking over the phone. Following that, you can hopefully then build your way up to spending a whole day shadowing someone.

“Cold calling somebody and asking to shadow them might spook them out,” Martinez says. “It's always best to start out small and then build your way up to something more concrete. You can outreach to the person who has the title or works in the area of your interest because that shadowing experience would be the most meaningful to you. When pitching your idea to shadow an employer, always reiterate that your presence will not be invasive and that you will not be affecting the overall operations of the company.”

The date is set—now what?

Once everything is in place, you'll want to make sure you have a few key things prepared: your research, questions, and a killer professional outfit. Include questions about dress codes when setting up the initial appointment.

As with any interview, you want to come prepared by having done your research about the company and armed with thoughtful questions. “If you get invited to a company staff lunch or are able to mingle with staff members, use that opportunity to discuss your interest in the company, your educational and professional background, and to exchange business cards, if the staff member asks for it,” Martinez advises.

This should go without saying, but always be as respectful and professional as possible; recognize that even if you’re as unobtrusive as possible, your being there does mean the office  has to make certain concessions for you. You'll also want to bring a small notebook for jotting down notes. If your nerves are a problem (and during what can feel like an all-day interview, no one would blame you), do all you can to calm them beforehand (meditation, soothing music, yoga or ice cream—whatever it takes!) and just remind yourself to follow the lead of the person you’re shadowing throughout the day. How he or she acts will set the tone.

If you’re curious about another department, proceed with caution. Some may be fine with introducing you to coworkers during your time there, but some may be offended, and there’s no real way to tell beforehand. “You're there to shadow a particular person, so it would be rude to say that you want to learn about a different department while you are shadowing him or her. However, if you want to ask for the contact info of a person from another department in order to hold a separate informational interview or shadowing experience, this is fine,” Martinez says.  

Goodbyes can be awkward, but they don’t have to be. Beyond the staples (getting contact info if you don’t have it already and thanking him or her for his or her time), Miethner suggests asking the professional you’re shadowing if he or she has any final thoughts or advice for someone who’s at the point in your career where you are. Another idea is to ask a question or two that clearly grew from something that happened during the day —it shows that you’ve been paying attention.

Miethner also recommends students write or blog about their experiences. That way, you can end the day by taking a photo to publish or tweet (but always ask permission to share photos first, and double check that it’s okay to post about your experience and if there’s anything they’d like you to leave out).

Connecting on LinkedIn or on other forms of social media after—or even before the experience—is also recommended.

How to follow up

The importance of following up with thank you letters or emails cannot be stressed enough. It may seem like an insignificant step, but it's what will set you apart. Whomever you shadowed took time out of his or her schedule to allow a stranger to accompany him or her for a day on the job. It benefits you exponentially more than it does the professional, so be sure to show your gratitude with a sincere note (a simple “I wanted to thank you again…” is a good starting point) by email within 24 hours.

“If you want to impress them even more, you can send a hand-written thank you card to each person whom you met to reiterate your gratitude and how impressed you were by the visit. They will definitely remember this,” Martinez suggests.

If he or she implores you to keep in touch during your meeting, absolutely do so. Who knows? They may be able to put in a good word for you one day. An added benefit of job shadowing can be expanding your professional network, so don't let opportunities to do so pass you by.

“Ultimately, people will get you jobs, so the more people you know in the industry of your choice, and the more they remember you in a positive way, the better your chances are of landing that coveted job or internship interview,” Martinez says.

Job shadowing can seem intimidating at first. It’s not as popular as it was in the past, and the idea of asking a complete stranger to basically let you hang out with him or her for an entire day can be nothing short of terrifying. It’s important to push past any hesitation and go for it anyway—taking the steps to make it happen, no matter how awkward you may feel at first, is akin to investing in your career and, more importantly, yourself. Whether you're a freshman, a senior, or a recent college graduate, and whether you know what you want to do one day or you're more likely to follow in the footsteps of women who have created their own careers, job shadowing can benefit you exponentially, so it’s in your best interest to give it a shot!

The revival of The Little Mermaid musical is making the five-year-old inside of us jump up and down with anticipation. The production will take place at the Hollywood Bowl on June 4th. According to Billboard, the performance will include a 71 piece orchestra (oh yeah, we said 71) as well as a live choir.

And if all of that doesn’t take you back to brushing your hair with a fork as a child, we know exactly what will. The cast was recently announced, and some of our favorite celebs are stepping into the iconic roles.

"Love Song" singer, Sara Bareilles, will take the stage as Ariel. Pitch Perfect's Rebel Wilson joins the cast as Ursula. Tituss Burgess, of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt fame, will play Sebastian. Glee's Darren Criss is on board as Prince Eric, and John Stamos (who needs no introduction, right?) will fill the role of Chef Louis.

Looks like we'll be booking a trip to California ASAP.