Sick of eating cereal and ramen for lunch and dinner? Want to spend less money eating out and finally start cooking for yourself? Put down that frozen pizza, because HC’s Health Editor, Sammie Levin, is here to share her daily eats so you can get ideas for healthy, satisfying meals that are easy enough for any time-strapped collegiette to make. After you read Collegiette Eats, your taste buds, wallet and waistline will thank you.

Breakfast

Michigan celebrated St. Paddy's Day yesterday, so with the festivities going on all day long, I didn't cook anything. My bad. But I did have some good eats on Friday that I want to share. 

I made a new addition to my oatmeal Friday morning: quinoa! I've seen breakfast quinoa before but had yet to try it. I made a big batch of quinoa on Thursday to have for the next few days, so I decided to add some to my bowl of oats. I made the oatmeal as I usually do (with almond milk and banana), then mixed in a quarter cup of quinoa and some more almond milk, and then I microwaved it for about a minute. I topped it with strawberries and almond butter. It was so yummy! I liked the texture a lot - it was more grainy and less creamy than oats, but nice and hearty. Plus, quinoa is packed with protein (24 grams per cup compared to oatmeal's 6 grams), so it's a great way to start my day. 

Lunch

My bowl of oatmeal-quinoa kept me full for hours, so I wasn't starving when lunch rolled around, which means it was - you guessed it - green smoothie time! I blended together an apple, a handful of spinach, a handful of kale, two big carrots and half of a bottle of Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens juice (made from green vegetables, apple and lemon). I really like the Evolution juices, but I'm never fully satisfied after drinking just a juice, so I like adding it to a smoothie to give it a thicker consistency. You can find the juices at Whole Foods; there are tons of different flavors, and they are a bit cheaper than some of the other brands. 

Dinner

Dinner was the winner on Friday. I made acorn squash stuffed with roasted beets, apple and quinoa topped with toasted squash seeds, adapted from this recipe. It was absolutely delicious. Beet and apple are a nice combination, and they both tasted so good with the warm squash. Aside from the time it takes to roast, it was actually pretty easy to make. The ingredient list is pretty short, too.

Usually when I make acorn squash I just toss the seeds, but never again! Toasted seeds are so tasty; I can't believe I've been wasting them. They added a nice, salty crunch to the dish, but I want to make a batch to eat just plain as a snack. I also usually toss the beet greens, which is also a mistake I'll never make again. They kind of taste like Swiss chard and are a good source of vitamins, iron and calcium - definitely not something that deserves to be tossed out uneaten. All in all, this was a fab dinner, full of great flavor and even better nutrients. Go make it. 

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash
• 4 beets
• 1 apple, chopped into bite-sized pieces 
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (can prepare in advance or while squash is baking) 
• Olive oil 
• Minced garlic 
• Salt and pepper 

Directions

1. Soak beets in warm water and scrub off any dirt. Remove stems (save the greens). Place clean beets on baking sheet lined with foil, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 375 degrees until tender, about 1 to 1.5 hours. 
2. Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop out insides (save the seeds). Rub insides with a little olive oil (about a half teaspoon on both sides) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in oven after beets have been in for about 25 minutes. 
3. While beets and squash are roasting, clean the seeds by rinsing with water and removing any strings and squash bits. Dry seeds and put in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Spread out evenly on baking sheet. Bake in oven for the last 10 minutes that the beets are roasting. 
4. Heat half a tablespoon of olive oil and the minced garlic in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté beet greens (the leaves) until wilted and soft, about 5 minutes. 
5. Once beets are done roasting, remove and cut into bite-sized pieces. Remove squash and stuff each half with a quarter cup quinoa, the apple, the beet chunks and beet greens, and top with toasted seeds. 

If your wardrobe could use a little upgrade, start your spring shopping at Ramy Brook! This women’s ready-to-wear label offers stylish, sexy clothes that are made to go from day to night, which is a necessity when you’re a busy collegiette. Designer Ramy Sharp combines luxurious fabrics, such as crepe, charmeuse and chiffon, with timeless, flattering silhouettes to create sophisticated pieces that are effortlessly chic.

If you order your spring essentials in the next week and use promo code RBCAMPUS, you can receive 20 percent off your order!

Ramy Brook is also launching a college ambassador program and is looking for ambitious collegiettes like you! As an ambassador, you will have the opportunity to hone your business and merchandising skills through organizing, promoting and hosting a trunk show at your school. If you’re interested, send your resume to becca.aliber@ramybrook.com. 

Check out our top picks for chic spring wardrobe essentials from Ramy Brook!

1. Mason Romper

Make a stylish splash in this color-blocked piece!

2. Bridget Smocked Long Sleeve Dress

You’ll feel like a modern-day flower child in this free-spirited navy dress.

3. Becca Double Pocket Shirt

For the ultimate go-to white blouse, look no further than this versatile, sheer top.

4. Marcie One Side Draped Dress

This flattering LBD is elegant, simple and oh-so-cool.

5. Robi Sleeveless Fitted V-Neck Top

This fitted, sleeveless top can be easily transitioned from a day at your internship to a night out with the girls.

6. Crop Pant

These charmeuse pants are the perfect blend of style and comfort.

7. Eddie Trouser Short

On days when you want to show some skin, slip into these chic, silky shorts!

You laughed out loud as you read the 14 Things We Say That We Don't Really Mean.

15 Lies Girls Tell Themselves in College included all your favorites – like I’m only having one drink (yeah right).

It’s crunch time, so you got ideas to improve your GPA with 7 Scientifically Proven Ways to Get Better Grades.

Necessary information: 5 Ways to Prevent Your Boobs from Sagging.

You found out whether or not this guy is a time-waster with 11 Signs He Isn’t Worth Your Time.

St. Patrick’s Day is just a day away, and while you’re perfecting your outfit and making delicious St. Patty’s Day desserts, the animals are getting ready too! Our pets aren’t missing out on celebrating the spirit of this Irish holiday, and here are some adorable cats and dogs who are ready to show off their green.

And an otter with a four leaf clover for good luck:

The unrivaled queen of the Oscars this year was Lupita Nyong'o. Not only did she slay the red carpet in a Cinderella-esque gown, but she stole our hearts with her inspirational, moving acceptance speech. Lupita, we love you. Here are a few reasons why.

1. When it comes to making a fashion statement, she kills it.

Every.

Single.

Time.

2. She's insanely talented.

3. She loves her younger brother.

4. She shares our appreciation for Leonardo DiCaprio.

5. She got to be part of the greatest selfie ever taken.

6. She's the epitome of eloquence and poise.

7. She got up and danced with Pharrell to "Happy" at the Oscars like no one was watching.

8. She photobombed Jared Leto and it was amazing.

9. She loves taking Instagram selfies just as much as we do.

10. This is how she reacted to winning an Oscar.

11. She delivered one of the most inspirational acceptance speeches of all time.

12. She is truly a role model.

13. Lupita, you're flawless.

So many college women are consumed and tortured by the effects of eating disorders, trapped within the bounds of the hell inside of their own minds, spending every minute of their waking hours with a never-ending reminder that they are inadequate and worthless. I was once one of those women. Desperate to fit in. Desperate to find peace. Desperate to find myself.

My unhealthy relationship with food began many years prior to entering college. My family has always been very supportive of my academic and extracurricular successes, and in knowing that everyone around me expected the utmost best from me, I’ve always put overwhelming, unneeded pressure on myself to excel in all areas, even as a child. I can remember how devastated I felt when I received my first “B” in fourth grade.

Growing up, I was always dieting. In seventh grade, I started Weight Watchers and began tracking calories and exercise. A few years later, I entered a different weight-loss program mainly for adults who were morbidly obese and had other health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. I was their youngest client by a good 10 years, and I definitely didn’t meet the criteria to be in the program. The basis of the whole diet was that you could eat as much food as you wanted without limitation, but it had to be their pre-packaged, vacuum-sealed pasta dishes or fruits and vegetables.

With these “rules,” I felt that there wasn’t any need for hunger cues or thinking about what I was in the mood to eat and how much of it I should eat. I would bring these meals wherever I had to. After all, I was a very all-or-nothing thinker. If I was going to stick to this diet and succeed, there was no room for error.

The social element of eating changed for me. I lost the connectedness of social celebration and pleasure of food. I mechanically took out my little box of food and I ate it. If I was bored, sad or anxious, I was able to manage those feelings with unlimited amounts of food. I never once “cheated” on this diet. Not even once. It was not until 11 months later, after a significant weight loss, that I made my own decision to start eating “real” food again—being that the mere thought of eating the pre-packaged food made me nauseous. At this point, eating was more of a chore since I despised the prepared food so much. In fact, to this day I can’t stomach ravioli without cringing at the vivid recollection of how the boxed ravioli tasted. 

My transition back into normal eating was rather overwhelming, but actually not as terrible as I envisioned. I managed to keep the weight off with the motivation of the compliments I received from friends, family and even acquaintances. Being praised for my slimmer body was the source of my happiness. During this period of time, I also turned to a strict exercise regimen that I set up for myself to ensure that I would keep the weight off. I didn’t fully have a grasp on what proper eating was, so I used exercise as a way to ensure that I stayed at that weight. During my senior year of high school, I would work out before school, go to softball practice and then go back to the gym later that night.

The summer leading up to my freshman year of college was a disaster. My parents filed for divorce, which devastated me. My world was shattered, and both of my parents were just as stressed and depressed as I was.

When I entered college, I was in my own depressed world. Nothing made me happy, and I couldn’t even crack a fake smile while I was in the company of my peers. The friends I did make didn’t make me happy, so I decided to isolate myself further. I stopped making the effort to hang out with others. I would go to my classes, study, go to the gym, pick up dinner and eat alone in my dorm room. In fact, I ate all of my meals in isolation.

In this isolation, I ate significantly less than I ever had. I was so engrossed in the same routine: same exact breakfast, lunch and dinner, without any variation. I continued to lose more weight during the year. I excelled in my studies and maintained a nearly perfect grade point average. I was a walking zombie with a monotonous routine.

I couldn’t bear to stay at that school for another year. I thought I hated school because my 1,600-student liberal arts college was too small and too close to home. I thought I needed to escape to a school that was further away from my parents’ divorce.

With excellent grades, I was able to get into a great college in Miami, Florida. I didn’t know much about the school, but I decided the warm weather and change of scenery would get me out of the funk I was in. The summer leading up to my sophomore year of college, I dedicated myself further to losing weight and getting fit. I needed to transform myself into the person whom I envisioned would be successful at making friends and being happy. I changed the way I dressed and I started wearing more makeup.

I also started seeing a therapist, who told me to go to my primary care doctor and ask for a prescription for Prozac. With no questions asked during a less-than-five-minute consultation, I left the doctor’s office with the prescription. After taking Prozac for a few months, I felt better. I was able to keep my former feelings of impending doom at bay as I began my sophomore year of college. In fact, I was a strangely different and “happier” person.

The start of school was a success. I had a group of great friends whom I would socialize with and party with, I had a new and welcoming demeanor and a bubbly personality and I even had a boyfriend. I had all of the things that I thought would make me happy.

Despite all the good I thought I had in my life, I resorted back to serious bingeing. It got to the point where I would eat all of my suitemates’ food and completely deny it. Just like I avoided and denied my depression, I started denying the existence of my bingeing. Whenever I had a chance to stop and think about my life, my negative feelings would flood my head, and to counteract those feelings, I would either head to the gym or I would binge on anything in sight—anything I could do to try to suppress my true emotions.

Soon enough, my depression was rearing its ugly head more and more. I compensated these feelings with any way I could find to numb them. I began blacking out from alcohol a few nights a week and I continued to binge, and the combination of binge drinking and binge eating made me so incredibly sick that I began vomiting. It was at this point that I took on purging. My new routine was bingeing on food and alcohol, knowing that I would be sick enough to vomit it up later that day.

This hidden cycle did not last forever. One of my three suitemates, who already knew I was eating all her food, caught me one afternoon leaning over a toilet. She looked at me and didn’t say a word. She didn’t have to. She and I both knew what was happening.

My secrets were exposed. I had finally hit the tipping point. One night, while studying alone in my room, I decided that the only resolution to this mess was to end my life. Without hesitation and with less than five minutes of serious thought, I got up from my desk and proceeded to take a mixture of my antidepressant along with a migraine prescription. After quickly regretting what I had done, I decided to tell a friend and went to her place. I thought I would be fine if nothing happened after a few hours. However, shortly after I arrived back to my dorm for the night, my body became stiff and I started gasping for air. My roommate called the police and I was rushed to the hospital.

I was saved, but there were severe consequences for my actions. A few days later, I was issued a letter from the university stating that I had to get proper treatment for my depression before I could be readmitted. This made me spiral down even further.

I stayed at my aunt and uncle’s house in Florida, where, without school or friends, I dedicated 24 hours of my day to bingeing and purging. After a few months at my aunt and uncle’s house, I was admitted to my first of seven eating disorder treatment centers. Over the span of three years, I spent more than 12 months at these various treatment centers.

I was anything but a cooperative patient during these times. I never completed one of these programs. I was either sent off to another facility for a higher level of care, or I was kicked out for various reasons. I was beyond defiant. I wanted to be free of the hell I had created, but, at the same time, that hell became my safe haven. The one thing I had to let go of in order to progress was the very thing that I clenched onto and the very thing that gave me purpose and a feeling of belonging.

During these few years, there were more trips to the hospital, more dances with death. I will never forget the way my family members would look at me. My mom and my aunt would stare at me with such terrorized looks. I knew I wasn’t myself and I couldn’t recognize my actions as my own. My defiance and attention-seeking behaviors were unmatched with anything I had ever done before. I was pleading for help, for someone to save me from what I was becoming, and in the same breath I made sure that people knew to stay away from me, because the last thing I wanted was to give up the one part of me that I could hold on to.

After a certain point, I decided that something had to give. I was exhausted. I was so incredibly drained by all that I had become. How did I get to the point I was at? How did I veer so far off course? What happened to this straight-A, overachieving girl with her whole future ahead of herself?

Slowly, I let down the barricade. That was the scariest leap of faith I had ever decided to take. At least when I took the handful of pills in my dorm room, I was aware of my perceived notion of the consequence of death that was to come. With letting go of my eating disorder symptoms, however, I had no clue where that would lead me, or what I would clench as I let go of my security blanket of bingeing and purging.

So, I leapt away from using these symptoms to deal with my problems.

And I fell.

And I leapt again.

And I fell harder…

This process occurred for a while, and I progressed slowly. One of the most important concepts that I started out with in my recovery (and that I still practice today) is allowing myself to be as nonjudgmental as possible with myself. Allowing yourself to evolve and grow from your mistakes rather than punish yourself for them is key to recovery.

I continually try to turn to alternative ways of coping with my feelings. I have filled up countless journals with the raging thoughts that had my mind going in circles. Allowing myself to purge my head of these maddening thoughts has allowed myself to find relief and eventual peace.

Soon my slip-ups became fewer and fewer, and I was acting out less and less. I slowly began to find myself. I realized my interests and values in life, and I began getting involved in the community and focusing my efforts towards ideas that would better serve my energy.

I contacted a nonprofit, The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, about volunteer opportunities within a few months of being at the last treatment center. I arrived at the office and was greeted with open arms. After our first meeting, I returned pretty regularly, just organizing papers and doing random office chores that needed to be completed. Although it may sound trivial, just knowing that I was held accountable and had a responsibility to help an organization that supported a great cause gave me reason to continue to further on my journey to discover whom I am.

With these baby steps, I continued my imperfect process of recovery. My relapses occurred less and less frequently as I began to take their power away. I would acknowledge a slipup, but I did not let it define or defeat me. I began volunteering more and more and eventually integrated myself back into school and other activities.

Today, I am on the Junior Advisory Committee at The Alliance, where I hold a leadership role in helping spread body acceptance and eating-disorder awareness throughout my community. I am a full-time student in the honors psychology program at Florida Atlantic University, and I will graduate next year. I am back playing softball a few times a week, and I also hold a part-time job. My head is finally silenced from the constant negative chatter, and I truly feel happier and healthier than I have ever been.

I take life a little less seriously now. I try to find the best in all situations, and I really do value my mental health. I know that I am a natural extremist, but with that awareness, I make sure to have balance in all that I do.

And, most importantly, I am fully recovered from my eating disorder. Not only am I asymptomatic of eating disorder behaviors, but I am also comfortable and accepting of the person whom I am. I am not perfect, but I no longer strive for unrealistic perfection. That kind of perfection is fictional and unattainable. With this knowledge, I set high goals for myself that are still very challenging, but I know my limits and I make sure that these goals are attainable, realistic and in line with my values.

Do you have a story to share? Submit your story to Her Story!

Last Wednesday, Idaho joined only a handful of states in passing a law that allows gun owners to carry concealed firearms while on college grounds.

Republican Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter signed SB 1254 into law after Idaho’s House of Representatives voted 50-19 in favor of the bill. Starting July 1 students and college faculty may walk on campus with their firearms as long as they avoid student dorms, residence halls and public entertainment facilities.

“As elected officials, we have a sworn responsibility to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States – not only when doing so is easy, convenient or without cost, but especially when it is not,” Gov. Otter wrote in an official statement.“This legislation challenges us to fulfill that charge and we will.”

“We will all be watching closely to ensure the interests of Idaho’s citizens are served while their constitutional freedoms are protected,” ends the statement.

The new law comes at a tense time when shootings and other gun-related incidents have rocked more than a few college campuses. The Huffington Post revealed that 27 reported shootings took place on college campuses last year, claiming a total of 18 victims.

Boise State University President Bob Kustra spoke out against the law, but on the grounds that having guns on campus was useless given that no Idaho college has faced a serious incident involving firearms.

Only Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Idaho currently allow guns on college grounds

It’s that time of the semester when midterms and papers are piling up – not to mention all the episodes of The Bachelor you’ve missed because of those midterms and papers! You’ve been living off of chips and cookies from the library’s vending machines for who knows how long.  You may have had to give up on reality television and your weekly manicure appointment to get everything done, but that doesn’t mean you should let your eating habits fall by the wayside, too.  Before you take another trip to the vending machine, consider choosing foods that will give your brain the boost it needs to get you through your exams.

Kelley Urban, a registered dietitian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, helps students make the right choices about food to keep them healthy, focused, and calm.  “College can be a stressful time in a person’s life and it may be the first time that one is deciding on their own when to eat, what to eat and how much to eat,” she says.  “It is important to learn how to make healthy food choices early in life so you can develop them into healthy habits for a healthy future.”

During this mid-term exam season, part of making those healthy food choices should include choosing “brain foods” that will boost your energy, concentration, memory, and overall mental function.  Next time you head to the dining hall or grocery store, keep an eye out for these superpower foods. 

Berries

“Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries are full of Vitamin C and antioxidants which have been shown to enhance brain performance, improve memory, and may act as a defense against Dementia and Alzheimers,” Kelley says.  The vitamin C in berries will boost your immune system, memory, and overall mental function.  According to WebMD, vitamin C has been used in cases of depression, fatigue, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  As an added plus, the vitamins and antioxidants in berries will also keep your skin looking great!

Coffee

When you’ve been up all night studying and it’s now time for that 8 a.m. exam, coffee can be your best friend.  Coffee has that precious natural stimulant, caffeine, which will wake you right up and energize you for the busy day ahead.  Coffee can also boost your memory, increase your physical endurance and decrease your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. 

So by all means, feed your coffee addiction this midterms season, but don’t overdo it!  Too much coffee can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, leaving you feeling jittery and uncomfortable.  “An appropriate amount of caffeine is 200 mg, the equivalent of two cups of coffee everyday,” Kelley says. 

Just be mindful of the calories and sugar in your favorite Starbucks blend and sip in moderation!  To keep the calories of your drink of choice in check, try a regular coffee with skim or soy milk and a little bit of sweetener, or a non-fat cappuccino.  Also, avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach – this can cause headaches or nausea.  Try grabbing a brain-empowering snack of berries and granola before drinking coffee to get the most out of your afternoon in the library! 

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate combines the energizing benefits of caffeine with the health benefits of antioxidants to provide you with some serious brainpower!  This sweet little combination will increase blood flow to the brain, which is necessary for good brain function.  Additionally, the caffeine will give you a short burst of energy, increasing focus and concentration.

As with coffee, though, dark chocolate can be an unhealthy vice in large servings.  “Even though dark chocolate has been linked to many health benefits, eating too much chocolate can promote weight gain, which is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure,” Kelley says.  The recommended serving size of dark chocolate is 1 oz. per day, which is about the equivalent of five squares of Dove® chocolate or about nine Hershey’s Kisses®. 

Kelley suggests incorporating dark chocolate into trail mix for a healthy, brain-boosting snack.  “Trail mix can be great for breakfast or snacking on-the-go, and during or in between studying,” she says.  You can also incorporate other brain foods like cereal, dried fruit, and walnuts to make the trail mix even more powerful.  Consider putting some trail mix in a plastic bag and eating on your way to class in the morning for a simple and healthy breakfast that will go a long way!

Eggs

Eggs are rich in protein, vitamins and antioxidants, all of which contribute to your overall physical and mental health.  Kelley explains that the choline in eggs is an essential building block of the brain’s memory function.  Eggs also contain biotin, which contributes to healthy hair and nails!

It is important to note, however, that eating scrambled eggs should be limited.  The process of scrambling eggs causes the protein and fats to be damaged, making the fat content unhealthy.  So, would you like that egg sunny side up, instead?

Hard-boiled eggs are an easy way to incorporate this brain-food into your eating habits.  You can make a batch of hard-boiled eggs and store them in your fridge while you snack on them over a day or two.  Or, you can cut them up and add them to a salad.  Bonus points if you use spinach instead of iceberg lettuce for that salad!

Fish

Fish, especially salmon, is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.  Don’t worry, collegiettes – these are good fats!  According to Kelley, these fatty acids are “essential for brain function and development, and may play a vital role in enhancing memory.”  WebMD recommends eating two servings of fish per week to maintain physical mental health, even when you don’t have a huge test the next morning.  And, you don’t need to eat that much to fill those two servings – the recommended serving size of fish is just three ounces per day, which is about the size of a deck of cards!

If your school’s dining hall serves fish regularly, consider trying it one night at dinner if it looks appetizing!  Otherwise, you can try ordering fish when you’re out to dinner for a girls’ night out.  For broke-college-student options, try ordering fish tacos at a local Mexican restaurant.  Fish tacos are usually affordable and healthy options at local restaurants.  Or, try sushi! 

Nuts

Nuts and seeds give your body and brain vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant associated with reduced cognitive decline as you age.  Walnuts, especially, are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can enhance memory.  An added bonus: nuts go great with dark chocolate!

If you pack a small plastic bag with trail mix to eat while walking to your first class, you’ll be good to go with your daily serving of nuts.  The recommended serving of nuts (or dried fruit) is only ¼ of a cup or about the size of golf ball.  Putting your trail mix in a plastic bag is not only convenient, but it’s a good way to make sure you don’t overdo it with the nuts or chocolate.  When the serving you’ve made is gone, you know it’s time to switch to a different, but just as healthy, snack!

Spinach

Your mom may not be there to make you finish your leafy greens anymore, but you should still listen to her!  “Leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and cabbage contain vitamin B12, B6, folic acid and iron, which help support memory function,” says Kelley. 

An easy way to incorporate spinach into your eating habits is to consider using baby spinach leaves in your salad instead of, or in addition to, romaine or iceberg lettuce.  You can also try spinach in a smoothie, where it’s blended up so much that you can’t even recognize it!  Naked Juice offers a smoothie called Green Machine that contains 100 mg of spinach, and it’s sold in many convenience stores so it’s probably right around the corner.  The smoothie’s green color may look gross, but I can say from personal experience that you can’t taste the spinach or other vegetables in it!

Still shudder at the thought of mom telling you to finish your spinach?  That’s OK, there are seven other foods on our list for you to choose from! 

Whole Grain Cereal

Whole grain cereal is a serious, double-threat brain food. 

First, whole grains contain fiber, vitamin E, and carbohydrates, all of which are good for your body and your mind because they contribute to healthy blood flow to and from your brain.  “Carbohydrates are also an excellent source of fuel for the brain because they are your body’s preferred energy source,” Kelley says. 

Second, whole grain cereal makes for a nutritious, brain-empowering breakfast.  According to WebMD, students who eat breakfast perform significantly better than those who skip it.  Take those extra five or 10 minutes and start your day off with whole grain cereal and soar through those exams!  Bonus points if you throw some blueberries into your bowl!

Finding a healthy cereal can be difficult, whether in the dining hall or grocery store, because of the overwhelming number of options on the shelves.  Stay away from overly sugary cereals – no matter how delicious they taste!  Look for cereals that are made with 100% whole grain and low in sugar content like GOLEAN, Cheerios, or Fiber One.  You can also find healthy whole grains in oatmeal and quinoa, both of which make great breakfast foods!   

More Tips

In addition to eating right, Kelley encourages collegiettes to exercise regularly and sleep well during stressful exam times.  “Even if you only have 20 or 30 minutes to spare, taking a walk, working out at the gym, or going for a bike ride can help you reduce stress and refocus,” she says.

It is also important to take breaks and change study spots throughout the day or week to keep yourself focused and alert.  Kelley also suggests spending time with friends.  “Having a bit of social time can do wonders to relax,” she says, “so grab coffee or lunch with a friend, watch a movie, or go to an event together, then get back to studying!” 

So, this midterms season, stock up on brain food, hit the gym, hang with your friends, and kick some academic butt!

We’ve digested the rest of our Super Bowl feast and finally gotten our sleep schedules back on track from binge watching the Olympics and now it’s the most magical time of the year for college basketball: March Madness. March Madness is the name for the NCAA basketball tournaments. The games begin March 18, and whether you go to a basketball powerhouse university or you don’t think your school even owns a basketball, it’s easy to get obsessed with the brackets, smack talk and school spirit.

March Madness, or, as many sports announcers refer to it, “the Big Dance,” sends fans into a frenzy, hence the name “March Madness.” More than 1,000 colleges are considered part of the NCAA, and of these, 68 men’s teams and 64 women’s teams enter the tournament. 

It can be a lot to process, but we’re laying out a simple guide to understanding the Big Dance so you can understand the method behind the madness and join in on the fun. 

How it works

Unlike the bowl-game system of football, March Madness uses single-elimination to determine the winner of all the participants. Fans from across the nation wait in anticipation to see if their team makes it through the rounds: the First Four, the Second Round (“the Round of 64”), the Third Round (“the Round of 32” or “the Regional Quarterfinals”), the Regional Semi-finals (the Sweet Sixteen), the Regional Finals (the Elite Eight), the National Semi-Finals (the Final Four) and the championship round. 

Teams are selected to participate based on their Rating Percentage Index (RPI), which is a measure of strength of schedule (whom they played) and how a team does against that schedule. A team’s RPI is calculated through the team’s ranking in national polls, its conference record, its road record, its wins versus ranked opponents and the way the team finishes the regular season (winning season or losing season). Of the 68 men’s teams, 31 schools receive automatic bids after winning their conference, and 36 receive “at-large” bids.  Of the 64 women’s teams, 31 teams receive automatic bids and 32 receive at-large bids. At-large bids are given to teams that finished with winning seasons, and those teams are chosen at the discretion of the NCAA selection committee.

The men’s teams are placed into one of four regions during Selection Sunday (the women’s are announced on Selection Monday, one day later). The regions are named based roughly on the cities the rounds are played in—the East, Midwest, South and West. The regions are picked as neutral locations in centralized cities, like Greensboro, North Carolina, for the South region and Phoenix, Arizona, for the West. Teams cannot play on their home court, meaning nobody has the home-team advantage.

Within each region, each team is assigned a different seed number, with 1 being the best team. The seeds are meant to show each team’s chance of winning.

Bracketology, explained

A bracket is a web that maps out the game play, illustrating how the teams advance to the championship game. Brackets look complicated at first, but it follows a flowchart pattern. If a team wins their first game, they advance to the next round.

Fans can participate in the madness by filling out their own brackets. This is the art of using rankings, guesswork and team loyalties to guess which teams will advance and which will eventually win the championship.

The brackets are available through The NCAA, ESPN,NBC Sports, CBS Sports or a simple Google search.

After downloading a bracket, it is useful to look up the team’s rankings (usually listed next to the team’s name in the bracket) to “scientifically” guess which team will advance. “Cinderella stories” happen frequently, which is when a lower-ranked team upsets a top dog, and it is essentially guesswork to know who will win the seventh seed vs. eighth seed games. Fans can chose the winning teams based solely on ranking or by guessing randomly.

Once you fill out a bracket, you can enter it into a “March Madness pool,” where your guesses compete against other peoples’ brackets to see whose is the most accurate. Many websites that offer downloadable brackets also offer pools, but offices and dorm suites can also make their own pools. You can also get a group of friends together and form your own pool. These can be played for money, where all participants put in a lump sum of money and the winner takes the pool, or they can be played just for fun. “Winning” is calculated by points that are awarded based on how accurate the brackets are.

The odds of you filling out a perfect bracket is 1 in 9.2 quintillion, according to USA Today. If you’re feeling especially lucky, Warren Buffet is offering one billion dollars to whomever creates the perfect bracket!

Fun tidbits from howstuffworks.com to keep in mind when filling out a bracket: The lowest-ranked team to win was a no. 8 seed. No. 11 seeds have made it to the Final Four. Only three times in history did a No. 1 seed not make it to the Final Four.

Celebrating in style

March Madness lives up to its name when it comes to celebrating. The winning team earns a giant trophy, banners for each round they advance through, rings, shirts, hats and bragging rights. The winning team also has a ceremony where they cut down the net.

But you don’t have to be a NCAA men’s basketball player to get in on the fun. Allison Perch, a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill, plans on cheering her team on from a sports bar in her college’s town. “Sports bars are the perfect way to be with a really good mix of fans, have drinks and just casually watch,” she says.

Dorms often host viewing parties, creating the perfect atmosphere full of college-age fans. Many schools also have their own celebratory traditions after winning games, such as block parties, rushing the campus and jumping over bonfires.

And if that’s not enough for you, it’s also a month of ogling fit, glistening athletes.

You don’t have to be a sports fanatic to understand or enjoy March Madness! Although it can seem confusing at first, it all boils down to winning and losing until there is only one team left standing.

Enter for your chance to win a gift card to Someecards’s online store! Keep reading to learn how you can be the lucky winner of a $50 Someecards gift card. 

We all love the hilarious e-cards that Someecards produces. They’re sassy and they always get us laughing. While you've probably seen the e-cards floating around the Internet, did you know that Someecards also has an online store? The store sells greeting cards, mugs, magnets, tote bags, T-shirts, stickers and more!

Her Campus and Someecards are parenting up to give one lucky reader a chance to win $50 credit to the Someecards online store. All items feature a signature Someecards saying and image. Send your bestie an “Effortless Friendship” greeting card for her birthday or proudly display your “Don’t Touch My Chocolate” mug at your internship.

The winner will be chosen at random and announced in the March 24 STUDY BREAK.

Don’t forget to check out Someecards’s new community page where you can view and post cards you created!

Good luck, collegiettes!

What’s better than free coffee during midterm season? Yes, you can get coffee for free—just by letting brands know what you thought about their products!

PINCHme, a newly launched site, allows you to do just this: sample cool new products from leading brands in exchange for quick survey feedback. 

The more you share your likes, interests and hobbies, the more you will see samples that match your unique interests and preferences. Every two weeks, look through your individualized batch of samples, pick your favorite items and get the products delivered to you for free! Once you receive your product samples, you’ll have a month to try them out and give your feedback. 

Can’t wait to get started? Here are a few of the awesome things you can try out this week when you create an account with PINCHme! 

1. Gevalia Mocha Latte. What’s sweeter than a chocolate-and-coffee combo?
2. Gevalia Caramel Macchiato. You don’t need a personal barista to get a delicious caramel macchiato in your dorm.

Happy wallet-less shopping, collegiettes!  And be sure to check PINCHme again soon for even more deals!

Name: Francesca Aiello
Age: 18
Job Title and Description: Frankie’s Bikinis owner/designer
Website: www.frankiesbikinis.com
Twitter Handle @frankiesbikinis

What does your current job entail? Is there such a thing as a typical day?

Francesca Aiello: My job is to design all of the swimsuits and promote Frankie’s Bikinis on social media every day. ... A typical day would consist of my mom and me working from home, taking orders and shipping for the website. A few times a week I go down to Los Angeles and go to either the factory or the pattern maker to pick out fabrics and prints. At the factory, I oversee the work and approve samples before production. Most importantly, the part I love is designing and trying on the suits that I have created and making my ideas come to life!

What is the best part of your job?

FA: I absolutely loved being in Miami for the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and showing off the “Pacific Love” Resort 2014 Collection. Being able to see people’s positive reactions to Frankie’s Bikinis is the best part. Fashion Week in Miami is so exciting because there are shows every night. That week may have been completely hectic, but I love being able to do something that I enjoy.

What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?

FA: This is my first entry-level job in my field. Growing up in Malibu, I have always loved being at the beach, and I have this endless admiration for swimwear. As I got older, I started coming up with my own ideas for cute suits, and with the help and encouragement from my mom, I began going through the trial and error process of starting a swimwear company. I got the hang of it, and now I couldn’t be happier with how my company is doing.

What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?

FA: Literally everything. ... I basically jumped right into the swimsuit industry and had to figure things out along the way. There are so many aspects of this industry that I had to learn. At first it was a lot to take in, but now, in my second collection, I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I just have to keep on trying to improve and become more efficient in my work.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

FA: My inspiration mainly comes from my travels to Hawaii and the carefree beach lifestyle that is so prevalent both there and on the beaches of Malibu. On top of that, the inspiring beauty of the ocean that can be seen on a daily basis.

Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?

FA: My mom. She is the behind-the-scenes star. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without the work that she puts in every single day. We work hard together, and a lot of the time, she gives me the energy to keep going and finish what needs to be done.
 
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?

FA: “Never give up on something you don’t go a day without thinking about.” I love this because it encourages me to never give up on something I love, and to keep my head up on hard days that make me want to quit.

What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?

FA: One of the mistakes we made was in the very beginning, even before the first collection was released. The factory we created our product in was specialized in producing clothing rather than swimwear. We thought initially that they would be able to work with bikinis, but the work was just not to the standards that we had hoped. From this experience we learned that the sewing and production of bikinis was more intricate than we previously had thought and therefore we switched to a factory that specializes in swimwear. Now we are pleased with the quality of their work.

What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?

FA: The most surreal moment of my career so far was when Victoria’s Secret Model Candice Swanepoel posted a photo of herself wearing one of the Frankie’s Bikinis we had sent her. This was so exciting because it was during our early stages and it gave me affirmation that my business could actually become successful!
 
What do you look for when considering hiring someone?

FA: When hiring someone, I look for people who are hardworking and capable of getting the job done. Most importantly, that person has to be easy to be around and able to work under stressful situations.
 
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?

FA: My advice to another person around my age that has similar aspirations is to go after whatever she wants to accomplish and believe that it can happen. That being said, do not think that just because you dream it, it will come true. It takes a lot of hard work and effort to be successful, but if you keep working, trust in yourself and don’t give up, then your aspirations can be fulfilled.

How would you like to score the Best Summer Job in America?

Applications are still open for Jack Wills' summer internship, which will give two lucky winners the chance to intern for Jack Wills in Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket. Interns split their time between marketing and retail, working in the island stores and throwing the most amazing parties the islands have ever seen.

The internship includes a generous Jack Wills clothing allowance, paid island accommodation, the use of Jack Wills Land Rovers and a visit to the UK Jack Head office — not to mention awesome experience in marketing, events and retail!

The top 50 applicants will be asked to submit a video, and then the vote is left up to the public. Following this round, the top five are selected for an interview, and two winners are chosen to be paired up with English Seasonnaires who travel over from the UK.

Hurry up and submit your applications, collegiettes! The entry deadline is March 18. 

Listen ladies, we know that going to the bar or rushing to every frat party on campus means you’ll meet a lot of guys (and we’ve talked about how guys pick up girls at the bar). But it also comes with its downsides: it’s hard to really make a connection with a guy in a dark room with loud music and an abundance of alcohol (though not impossible). If you’re a quiet girl or just want a change of scene, we’ve got a few ideas to help you find Mr. Right Now (or even Mr. Happily Ever After) in some unexpected places.

1. Dazzle at the sporting goods store

If you’re hoping to meet the next athletic star, why not chance running into him at the local sporting goods store? It’s probably one of the few stores where men don’t feel uncomfortable shopping for longer than ten minutes. Walk up next to one of the guys contemplating which fitness equipment to buy, study one of the items yourself, and ask him if he knows anything about it. Once it’s obvious he’s flirting back, give him your number or ask for his!

2. Leave your number on the receipt at a restaurant

Do you have a favorite restaurant with plenty of good-looking servers? If so, you could score a date! “I met my boyfriend by leaving my number on the receipt at a restaurant,” says Alexa, a senior at James Madison University. “I was out to breakfast with my parents and thought the waiter was really cute.” So the next time you have a handsome server, include your number on the receipt! Just make sure that he’s the one who picks up the check and not someone else. You can do this by attaching your number to the receipt (if you bring Post-Its with you for occasions like this) or by giving him the receipt yourself.

3. Attend a nearby arts festival

Even if you’re not in a big city, your school could host an arts festival or the town nearby will have one available. Breaking away from the familiar will open your chances of meeting someone completely new! Guys from different colleges and with different backgrounds will be there, and you might meet someone new who doesn’t even attend your school! Visiting all of the booths provides the perfect opportunity to start a conversation with a handsome stranger. (“So what do you think this piece means?”) You could ask and easily delve into an intense conversation about a painting. Don’t forget to ask him if he wants to meet for coffee later!

4. Frequent the student center lounge

So maybe you prefer to meet one of the guys on campus. If so, you should hang out where most of them go to study or hang out with their friends between classes: the student center lounge. “Last year, I met a guy in our student center lounge. I was studying and he sat down nearby. I wanted to run to the dining hall to get a snack and asked him if he would mind watching my stuff while I was gone,” says Hannah, an NYU junior. When Hannah returned, the guy started talking to her. Score! Just make sure to exercise caution when asking for small favors like watching your stuff. Another thing you can do is approach one of the guys you recognize from class and mention something about what you’re studying, especially if he’s studying the same thing. Think of it as an impromptu study session!

5. Get your sparkle on at the campus fitness center

No, we don’t mean rolling in glitter. Take advantage of your college’s fitness center! Although your primary purpose should be to workout, there’s nothing wrong with scoping out the football players while they lift weights. Sign up for group co-ed activities with your fitness center or train with a running group for a marathon. This way, you can build camaraderie with like-minded athletes, and a relationship could naturally build out of your time together.

6. Flirt over sweet treats at a bakery, cafe or ice cream shop

The next time you go to the bakery, cafe or ice cream shop, ask the cute guy nearby what flavor he recommends. Kate, a senior at Skidmore College, struck up a conversation with a cute Turkish guy while ordering gelato in France one day. “I ended up asking him what his favorite was, and he ended up asking me out!” she says. “We dated the whole month I was in France.” Not only are you flattering him by asking for his opinion, you’re letting him know that you’re available for conversation. You don’t have to be in France to do this either. Try it the next time you’re in line behind a hottie at Starbucks.

7. Meet a fellow bookworm at the campus library

Few people realize the romantic potential of the library, but just think about it. If you’re in college and care about your grades, you will find yourself in the library on many occasions. It’s the perfect place to meet a studious guy! Try to go during peak library hours, which is usually around lunchtime or after dinner. Find a study buddy among the studious cuties or ask one of the handsome library attendants to help you with your research. You can also use the opportunity to talk to someone near you who might be researching the same topic or something similar.

8. Cheer on your school’s team at a game

Show your school spirit by going to athletic competitions and games. Who says you even have to know what’s going on? While it’s not a good idea to constantly ask the guy next to you for a play-by-play of the game, you can still comment on the game and join in the crowd’s energy. Try to find a guy who isn’t surrounded by a big group of his friends and casually introduce yourself during half-time and intermissions. Ask him questions about himself and dazzle him with your wonderful smile. If you do any of these seven scientifically proven ways to make him fall for you, you’ll have him interested in you before the end of the game!

9. Network at campus job fairs

Campus job fairs and networking events provide the perfect opportunity to chat with the guy you’ve been eyeing, especially if he’s interested in a similar field. Open with a comment about the event. You don’t have to stick to shop talk either. Ask him how his classes are going and what he plans to do for the summer. If he comes to all of the networking events just like you do, you might be able to swap job and event stories. Voila! You’ve made a connection!

10. Join the club

One of the best ways to meet someone new is to participate in clubs and activities on or around campus. You’ll be spending quality time with people on a regular basis, and clubs gets new members all of the time. The best part is how easy it is to start a conversation or to find something to talk about. If he’s a member of the club, whether it’s the chess club or drama club, you already know he’s interested in the same thing as you are. So use it as an icebreaker to introduce yourself. Pair up with one of the hotties for a project and ask him if he wants to hang out outside of the club.

Regardless of how and where you get your flirt on, remember that guys are everywhere. Look your best, be yourself and say hello. Being open to meeting someone will help you actually meet someone. And by opening your market to the places you frequent on a regular basis, you’re increasing the likelihood of getting a date. Good luck, ladies!

L’Wren Scott was found dead this morning, the result of an apparent suicide. The New York Post reported that the designer and model was found unresponsive at 10:05 AM in her Manhattan apartment. Responding to a text message from the designer to come over and let herself in, Scott’s assistant discovered the body and immediately called the police.

The designer was the longtime partner of Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones. The couple had been together since 2001. Celebrities such as Nicole Richie, Sandra Bullock, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Angelina Jolie have worn Scott’s designs from the brand that she launched in 2006 after a successful career as a stylist and model.

No suicide note was found, but the NYPD does not suspect foul play of any kind. Rest in peace, L'Wren, you will be sincerely missed. 

Oh baby, baby - we LOVE Britney. Ever since our elementary school days, she’s been the ultimate pop star. We’ve compiled a list of her best musical moments.

1. "…Baby One More Time" (1998)

It’s hard to believe that this was Britney’s first single. Today, it remains her biggest hit ever, having sold millions of copies since its release when Brit was 16. The iconic music video is one that every red-blooded American girl is familiar with… we could probably reenact it in our sleep.

2. "(You Drive Me) Crazy" (1999)

Off of Spears’s first album, this song has been driving us crazy for 15 (15!!) years. It was an instant classic the moment it was released as a single.

4. "Womanizer" (2008)

“Womanizer” was probably Britney’s greatest comeback song. Post-2007-meltdown (we won’t get into details, but we’re sure you remember), Spears came back with a number one hit, exuding girl power. It made us fall in love with her all over again.

5. "Oops!... I Did It Again" (2000)

“Oops!... I Did It Again” is classic Britney. It came out just as she was getting super popular, and it solidified her position as the Queen of Pop in the early 2000s. To this day, it has remained a staple song on our iPods.

6. "Stronger" (2000)

“Stronger” is pure girl power, and we are all about it. Even though the song is 14 years old, it still has a certain hold on us at Her Campus. We’ve featured it on our shower soundtracks and playlists for long drives on summer nights.

7. "3" (2009)

Though we admit that when we learned what this song was really about we were a little scarred, in all honesty, the slightly taboo message of “3” made us love it even more. Like most of Britney’s hits, it’s just so catchy. Try to listen to it without it getting stuck in your head. Just try.

8. "Piece of Me" (2007)

“Miss American Dream” won three MTV VMAs for the "Piece of Me" music video in 2008. The song lashes out against Brit’s haters while asserting herself as the Queen of Pop. It may also be the catchiest song ever written, but that’s just one opinion.

9. "Sometimes" (1999)

Another hit off of Britney’s first album, “Sometimes” is a little slower and really good. It hit the top 10 in 11 countries, so apparently we aren’t the only ones who think it’s awesome. Late-'90s Britney Spears is just musical gold.

10. "I’m a Slave 4 U" (2001)

The music video for this song is definitely the best part about it. A super-hot Britney dancing in a sauna with a harem of other hot (and sweaty) humans? Perfection.

11. "Gimme More" (2007)

The phrase “It’s Britney, bitch” was coined in this 2007 hit. Since then, we’ve used variations of the saying in nearly every semi-appropriate situation, and we still listen to this song on the reg. It’s just so good! 

Okay, now we have to go listen to every Britney Spears song we have on our iPods. Check back with us in, like, three days. Love you, Brit! 

Five University of Houston fraternity members are accused of breaking into SeaWorld in San Antonio. 

According to KENS, five unidentified males snuck into SeaWorld just after 2 a.m. on March 12. The men broke into a storage area and ate ice cream before being spotted by park security, who then called SAPD. Police officers chased and caught two of the men, Duc Nguyen and Huy Mai, who are now in custody. 

The men were attempting to sneak into SeaWorld as part of a fraternity initiation task, according to WOAI. One man also admitted to stealing "Dippin Dots" ice cream from a freezer.

SeaWorld said in a statement that no animals were harmed. The men face charges of criminal trespassing. 

As collegiettes, we put a lot of thought and effort into our appearances. Choosing to reapply some mascara at a stoplight, spending 20 or so painful minutes every week maintaining your eyebrows and searching for the perfect conditioner that doesn’t overly moisturize your roots can be daunting. And despite all our hard work (even though we are all naturally beautiful!), our efforts usually go unnoticed or are taken for granted.

While we know when we’re having a particularly bad hair day, guys may not have a clue! It turns out that they actually don’t pay attention to a lot of the things we collegiettes may obsess over at times. Here are six things guys don’t notice about girls.

1. Your hair

Guys notice that your hair is there… and that’s about it. They love what you do with it, whatever you do with it. They aren’t that picky.

“I would notice if something was really elaborate, but girls can totally get away with rolling out of bed,” says Zach, a sophomore at the University of Missouri. Guys simply appreciate the fact that you are able to maintain the eight to 20 inches of hair they just don’t have.

While we may not be rocking the bedhead look anytime soon, rest easy knowing that even when your hair isn’t falling just right, guys don’t know that.

2. Your mascara and eyeliner

After trying every different brand of mascara, you finally found the perfect one that multiplies your lashes’ volume and adds length. You put some on the next morning before class, and you can’t wait to see if someone notices a difference. And then, no one says anything.

“I notice when [mascara] is there, but I don’t notice when it’s not there,” says Stephen, a freshman at Indiana University. “I just think, ‘Oh, your eyes look pretty.’”

So guys notice that you may look more dazzling than usual, but they can’t quite figure out why. Mascara and eyeliner are seemingly everyday makeup essentials, and guys have been conditioned to accept it as such.

“It’s like, in middle school, if a girl wore eyeliner, we would be blown away,” says Kevin, a sophomore at the University of Missouri. “But now, it’s just normal. I don’t notice it.”

3. Your eyebrows and random facial hair

It’s a Thursday night. You’re running low on time before heading out with your friends, and you can’t decide if you need to do your eyebrows, or if you really even have time to take up such an endeavor at all. However, while it may be obvious to you that you have an obnoxious stray hair growing out the side of your face, that kind of thing flies under the radar of most guys.

Guys often don’t even notice when you need to “do” your eyebrows, and they also don’t really know what “doing your eyebrows” entails. “If her eyebrows are like mine—thick and bushy—I’ll notice,” Kevin says. “Otherwise, I don’t notice.”

So go ahead and let your hairs grow free! The guys don’t seem to mind.

4. Your “cankles”

Ladies, embrace your sturdy ankles. This is one imperfection that is truly only noticed by you! Shocker: most guys don’t even know what a cankle is.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time I looked at a girl’s ankles,” says Sam, a sophomore at Saint Louis University. “Why look at their ankles when you can look at their face?”

So bare your ankles (or lack thereof) with pride instead of hiding them with long pants!

5. Your mild acne

In this stage of our lives, you’d think we’d have this whole acne prevention thing figured out. But, alas, some blemishes always manage to sneak up on us. The good news is that guys don’t pay any attention to these minute imperfections.

Sam says he doesn’t even remember if a girl has acne after meeting her for the first time. “I don’t see acne as affecting a girl’s cumulative appearance,” he says. “It’s something you noticed early on when everybody had it, but I’ve never really noticed in college.”

While you may freak out tomorrow morning to find that you have a new red blotch upon your cheek, fear not. That’s because, one: stress could make your acne worse, and two: guys simply see acne as a part of life.

6. Your skin tone

So your formal is tomorrow night, and you want to get a spray tan to look extra bronzed and toned in your dress. However, guys don’t notice if you’re a little pale. “As long as you don’t look like you’ve been inside for the past three years, you’re fine,” Zach says. “Don’t worry about tanning.”

Working with your natural skin tone and glowing from within are what grab a guy’s attention! But they also notice when you look like an Oompa-Loompa. “We do notice when you look like you’re trying too hard,” Ben says.

When it comes down to it, guys actually notice a lot about a girl: your smile, your body language and your personality are never missed. As long as you show off the real you, you’re sure to get the attention of the perfect guy for you!