Every week I scour the net for celebrity looks I adore. Then I scour the net for cheaper versions of said celeb styles. Usually, I go for something trendy or chic, or something for a night out.

But then I saw this picture of Kylie Minogue. And my world changed. (JK- how pathetic would that be! But it did scream Perfect Balance!)
And so I thought, why not copy this look for you and maybe, just maybe, YOUR world would change too!

Because now dear readers, you can finally achieve that look we all strive for: the one that is that perfect blend of looking put together yet disheveled at the same time. A harmonious ensemble that clearly says “I care about your class, Professor Stein… but not that much, cute boy who sits behind me in lecture.”

So this week, I bring you: Celebrity Chic on the Cheap: Fashion POLICE This!
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Put down the North Face. Seriously.

That overly priced piece of fleece has been cramping styles of college chicks nationwide for way too long. Not only is it boring and blah (and yes getting it in bumble-bee yellow still makes it blah) - but its making you that girl. You know who I’m talking about: The one who walks around campus in her big sunglasses, tight stretch pants, boots and… NORTH FACE FLEECE.

I’m not saying it’s horrible to be one of those girls - in fact I think these girls get a bad rap for being bitchy and spoiled when that isn’t the case (note: I was one of them). What I am saying is that if you’re going to spend the money on a piece of outerwear there are so many, MANY cuter, warmer, more original, not fleecy things to buy!

Trust me, I understand the “I’m hungover and want to wear sweats to class” line of thinking, I really do. But at least fool the outside world that you care…even a little… and switch up your NFF for an actual jacket or coat. This fall there are just so many cute styles that it’s simply a waste to not wear one of them!

Here are some options to consider when trading in your beloved North Face Fleece: Read More »

I’ll admit it: I like to wear leggings.

They are comfortable, they suck in the fat on my thighs and they look cute for class or a club. That being said, I am a little confused about a trend I just learned about this morning: leather leggings.

I have never tried them, but the first thing that comes to mind when someone even puts “leather” and “leggings” into a single sentence is that time Ross Gellar tried leather pants and couldn’t get them back on.

I mean, how do you even put these one? And don’t your legs make a really weird squeaky noise when you walk? (Note: If you have actual thighs, unlike Lindsay Lohan.) I don’t know; the whole trend just seems to “wannabe biker chick” for me.

What do you think?

If you’re like me, you’re much more apt to study if you’re given some cute notebooks and fun colored pens. Give me a few sheets of loose-leaf and a yellow pencil and I will probably just stare at them for a while and then say “screw it,” pack up my books, and head home to do things that are more fun than studying.

Your school’s library is probably the ultimate in boring. On the one hand, this makes for few distractions, which could help you study better. Or it’s possible that this horrible under-stimulation could cause you to just fall asleep. Which is probably not a good thing when it comes to getting those chemistry problem sets done. Let’s see if we can amp up your study experience, shall we?

Tips for creating the ultimate study space at the library:

1) Pick the perfect room to study in. Chances are your school’s library has lots of choices for where you can set down your books and study. Some of the rooms will be more crowded and some might be empty. Do you study better when completely alone? You might even be able to reserve a private room for yourself. If you know you’ll just end up falling asleep if you’re sitting by yourself, try to sit in a room with other people (trust me, it’s embarrassing to start drooling on the table when someone’s sitting right next to you). Don’t sit in a computer lab if you know you’ll be distracted by the Internet.

2) Pick up a coffee or a snack before you head to the library. It’s possible your school’s library doesn’t allow food and drinks, but if they do (or just don’t check), grab something before you go. Having a large latte to sip on or a nice warm Starbucks cookie can make all the difference when you’re stuck behind your history book. Read More »

Despite all of you who are going off to college in the fall, moving thousands of miles away from dear old mom and dad, there are a few of us who choose to remain close to home. So close in fact, that we don’t even have to move. That’s right, I’m talking about living with your parents throughout college. Lucky (or not so lucky) for me and my peers, my hometown has our very own, reputable university. And with my college fund having the capacity to cover my entire undergrad at Lakehead or only ONE year at another school, the choice was pretty simple for me.

I know, I know, many of you are shocked. Isn’t a key part of the college experience the independence you gain living in dorms? You have to learn to cook, clean, do laundry and manage your own time! And what about rules? People always question how I live under my parents thumb at 19. And I do agree, it’s definitely not easy to abide by rules when I could be making my own, under my own roof.

Bar none, the best part about living on your own for school is the freedom. When you move out of your childhood home, curfew and chores go out the window! If you want to come home at 5AM every night (or morning depending on how you look at it), that’s totally possible. But with mom and dad sleeping soundly and working the next morning, even if your curfew is non-existent, you still can’t help but feeling guilty. After all, you’re still bumming off of them. Read More »

College is so liberating. We don’t need to ask for hall passes to use the bathroom. We don’t necessarily have to explain absences. We can leave super-crowded lectures early because the professor won’t even notice. Hell, some of us can even go to bars with our professors!

The student-teacher relationship gets completely morphed once college hits. Lecturers can be more laid back– the “hip” teachers wear jeans to class and drop curse words to express their points. In many cases, students and teachers can work closely, whether it be during office hours or on a collaborative research project. But, when it comes to student-teacher relationships, how close is too close?

Most of the “hot” teachers in college are probably shrouded in urban legends revolving around steamy love affairs in class. The profs who really connect with the students and relate to us on our level are targets for schoolgirl crushes. And once in a while, a professor comes along who takes full advantage of that. There are obvious taboos regarding student-teacher interaction in high school, thanks to some of the pedophilic educators who have made headlines over the past ten years, but in college, there are many shades of gray.

First of all, college students are of legal age to give consent. And the age gap is much smaller, especially when you throw TA’s into the picture, some of whom may still even be undergrads themselves. Still, can a romance between a professor and a student really blossom in college? Here are some factors to consider: Read More »

Aside from the night after you’ve taken your last final, the first week of school is generally the best time of the whole semester. The weather is great, you’re reunited with all of your friends, and the school year has returned just when you were starting to feel like you had too much free time.

The campus is buzzing with returning students, eager to see what the new year has in store. Even if you anticipate your hardest semester to date, there’s still a feeling of excitement in the air during the very first week.

1. You Get to Scope Out Your New Classes

Maybe I’m a dork, but I was always excited to see what my new classes would be like. In certain classes–the must-take courses taught by the professors with the best reputations– it was great to see what all the buzz was about. Other classes might have sounded intriguing in the course catalog; reading through the syllabus on the first day, I’d think the class sounded interesting, and hadn’t been assigned 500 pages of reading to prove me otherwise. I would also look through the syllabus and see what the course requirements looked like, so I could estimate how little effort I could put into the class, and still walk away with an “A.”

Of course, it’s also fun to see who else has signed up for the class. Whether you walk through the door and see five of the girls from your freshman dorm, or right into the eyes of your new insta-crush, it’s fun to find out who you’ll be taking the class with. Read More »

You have enough things to worry about during your first few lectures; you need to size-up the professor, skim the syllabus to see which books to avoid buying, and ogle the TAs. One thing that shouldn’t give you grief is finding a good seat. If you want to start the semester on the right foot, here are a few folks you should steer clear of.

- Tweedledee & Tweedledum: They signed up for the class together, the live together, they went out to the bars over the weekend together, and they probably hooked up with the same skeezy dude. Now they want to recount the entire experience for everyone in class in the loudest whisper ever recorded…from right behind you.

If you can’t switch seats: Give them the old GASP treatment. It’s a 4-step process, Glare, Ahem, Say Something, and the last ditch effort — punch them in the face.

-Kitchen Sink Guy: He brings a traveling coffee mug, a laptop, two coats, all of the textbooks for the class, and a sack lunch. Worst of all, he tries to squueze it all onto his little desk, or worse, yours.

If you can’t switch seats: Grin and bear it but draw the line at your desk, or at least make him share some of the sack lunch in trade.

-Ms. Magoo: She can’t see the board, she can’t hear the professor and she can’t stop asking you to repeat and or clarify everything that’s going on. Essentially you’re playing Annie Sullivan to a second-rate Helen Keller; an annoying girl who listens to her iPod on high and thinks her glasses give her a case of fat face. Read More »