Top 10 Fabulous Formal Dresses Under $40

It’s getting to the end of the semester, CL readers. So that means warmer weather, finals and for some, formal! If you’re anything like me, you want the best dress for an even better price. Yesterday I bought my formal dress hoping for a simple 10% off student discount, it ended up being on clearance. I almost cried from joy when the priced dropped to $7.79.

Randomly having your dress fall under ten dollars was a huge stroke of luck. But, if you’d still love to snag a dress that costs less than your tickets check out the fabulous choices (all under $40) below.

(Click on any store name for a direct link to the website)

Macys.com $29.99

Macys.com $22.99 (also available in silver and teal)

Charlotterusse.com $29.99

Charlotterusse.com $39.99

Lulus.com $33

Lulus.com $38

Forever21.com $32.80

Forever21.com $24.80

Papayaclothing.com $18.20

Papayaclothing.com $21.99

From super sweet to elegant and retro, there’s a perfect dress (at the perfect prices) waiting for you! Happy shopping, ladies.

Ariana Romero is a senior entertainment, fashion and sorority life writing intern for College Lifestyles. She is so excited for her formal this upcoming Friday! 

CL’s Top 10 Big/Little Initiation Gifts!

It’s almost here!  After making it through recruitment and finding the perfect little, it’s finally time for spring initiation!  As a big myself, I know how much fun it can be to shop for your little as you see her become an initiated member of your chapter.  I also know how hard it is to find classy presents on a coed budget.  But don’t let shopping for your little stress you out!  Follow CL’s Top 10 Big/Little initiation gift list for help!

1. Paddle

Paddles are a traditional gift given to a little by her big.  To set your paddle apart check out the custom design Lilly Pulitzer-esque from The Painted Prep Etsy Store.

2. Letters

New initiates want to show off their letters!  Get creative and make your little adorable letters to hang like these from Etsy.

3. Lavalier

What girl doesn’t love jewelry?  Lavaliers are a special gift to give your little on initiation.  They last a lifetime and are a great reminder of the bond sisters share.

4. Picture Frame

You know that perfect moment when you knew you and your little were meant to be?  Take a picture from that event and put it in a lettered picture frame to show your little how much you cherish the memory!

5. Matching Set

Show some big/little love!  Surprise your little on initiation with something that matches you.  My entire sorority family has these matching pink v-necks!

6 & 7. Sweatshirt & T-Shirt

Help your little wear your letters on campus!  Custom design a sweatshirt and t-shirt for her using her favorite colors and designs.  Companies like Greek Creations have a lot of fabrics and designs to pick from!

8. Lettered Bag

Lettered totes are perfect for carrying books to classes.  I personally love the sorority collection of bags by Vineyard Vines!

9. Accessories

Your little can never have too many sets of letters.  Pick out some fun accessories in her style like these neon sunglasses to give to her for initiation!

10. Sweet Treat

To top everything off, treat your little to her favorite dessert or snack!  Buy her favorite candy or bake her favorite recipe to tie your package all together.

 

 

Cassidy McAloon is pursuing a Bachelor in Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism at Marquette University.  She is a fashion, sorority life, and apartment life writer at College Lifestyles.

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Keep the Spring Break Feeling all Semester Long!

If you’re headed off for spring break this week, don’t be disappointed when you come back to finish the semester off! You can still enjoy the rest of the school year even while you’re hitting the books.

Put up photos. No, not on Facebook. Get prints of some of your best photos and put them into frames, especially beach pictures if you have to go back to a cold place.

Incorporate spring themes into your wardrobe. Check out Shanae’s Colorful Jeans article and Morgan’s NY Fashion Week Looks for Less.

 

 

Eat fruit. There’s no better way to keep a beachy feeling than biting into an orange or strawberry!

Exercise. Take some time to go to the gym or go for a walk – working out will leave you feeling less stressed.

Get a mani-pedi. Try the colors suggested by CL Intern Sasha.

Stay in touch with friends from home. Make plans to see each other over Easter break, and keep one another updated on your lives while you’re at school. This is also a great time to start planning a spring brunch.

Start planning your summer vacation. Check out a few locations and cruise lines. It will keep your vacation appetite at bay.

Buy a new book. There’s nothing better than reading at the beach, but a dorm room will have to suffice for now. Try some of these CL readers’ recommendations you may have missed last semester and the CL Book Club reading “The Violets of March.”

Take a nap. After a long week of vacation time, your sleep schedule is probably a little bit off, especially if you were in a different time some. So, get your Z’s!

But don’t slack off! Keep up with your work – SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!

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How to Own a Job Fair

 

Job fairs are excellent places to make connections with established companies, garner more information about jobs and internships, and learn about new businesses.  How to do this is easy: be professional. But how? You only have a limited amount of time to talk to potential employers, and with all of the noise and other students, you need to find a way to stand out. Career centers are great places to pick up tips on how to do just that. Here are some tips from Duquesne University’s Career Services, this CL intern, and College Lifestyle’s CEO Shelly Marie Redmond on how to make an impression at a job fair.

Know who you want to see ahead of time. Companies making appearances will generally be listed on your school’s career center website. Make a note of who will be there, who you want to speak with, and write their names down.

Know what you’re talking about. After you know who you want to talk to, take some time to learn a little more about what they do. That way, when you talk to company representatives, you will be knowledgeable, able to ask the right questions, possibly able to answer theirs, and ready to show why you would be a good fit for them. It’s very similar to how you would approach writing a cover letter.

CL Quick Tip: Shelly says to know what you like about the company – it’s a question she always asks!

Make a list of questions. If there are companies you are seriously looking into, make sure you know what questions to ask about their specific internship programs and entry-level positions.

Be ready to sell yourself. Hundreds, maybe even thousands or students attend job fairs. It’s interview speed-dating. Make a quick speech about yourself, why you would like to work for the company, and your qualifications for the internship or job.

CL Quick Tip: Shelly says interview practice makes perfect!

Brush up your resume. Make sure it’s up to date and bring plenty of copies.

Make a good first impression. Introduce yourself. Shake the representative’s hand. Make eye contact. Smile. Remember their name.

Dress like a pro. No jeans or t-shirts here, ladies. You want to present yourselves as the classy, sophisticated co-eds you are, so break out the pearls and dress pants!

 

 

Pick up information. Most companies will have business cards, job listings, pens and all sorts of paraphernalia on their tables. Pick something up so you remember them and indicate your interest.

CL Quick Tip: Shelly says to make a note about what you and the company’s representative spoke about – that way you remember when you contact them!

Be prepared for disappointment… Some companies you speak to may end up disappointing you, whether it’s because their intern program is already full, or they’re not looking to hire someone so young.

 …But expect the unexpected. If you have extra time, check out some tables you were originally skeptical of. You never know – they may have the position of your dreams!

Debra Schreiber is a Senior CL Senior Writer, and a senior at Duquesne University, where she studies journalism and Spanish.

10 Tips To Keep Your Twitter Tidy

To many, Twitter has become a forum for expressing random thoughts, opinions and for logging minute-by-minute activity (or even second-by-second, for some). Whether from your computer, under contract, or with T-Mobile prepaid phone plans, Twitter is so interactive that even celebrities can keep tabs on us seemingly insignificant users. If celebrities can Retweet and reply to you, think about how many future employers can do the same–don’t give them something to fire you about! Maintain a professional profile with CL’s Twitter tips.

1. Your display photo — It’s the first indication of the kind of person you are–after all, it’s displaying you! No matter how shiny your hair looks, avoid setting a photo of you at last night’s party, surrounded by red cups, dominating the Beer Pong table. Instead, crop out the cups, brighten it if it’s a bit dark, and choose one that puts your personal qualities forward, not what you like to do on weekends. Utilize sites such as picnik.com to edit your photos (but do it soon–Picnik is shutting down on April 19!).

2. Classy-up that background — Personalize your background with something to give visitors an idea of your interests. Avoid making your background a picture of a mostly nude celebrity, a photo of you and your significant other swapping spit, or a profane quote in crafty font.

3. Think of your bio as a resume preview — You only have 160 characters to do so, but show your prospective followers how well-rounded you are with a catchy, professional bio. Often times, users with jobs that have Twitter accounts will link to those pages in their bio, including a tidbit of their job description. Then there are others, who use their bio to downplay themselves with negative, unappealing statements. Don’t choose the latter.

4. Less is more — It’s easy to get carried away with this (especially if you’re new to the Twitter realm), but go easy on the follows. Following less pages than there are pages following you shows that you are a person with an opinion worth caring about. It also shows your interests are circulated around those specific people, organizations, or magazines you’re following.

5. What are you tweeting? – If you are looking to work in a specific field, get the attention of people already in that field with your tweets. Mention them and you may just get a reply back!

6. Who’s following you? – Users choose to follow other users based on what they’re discussing. If big-names start to take notice in your profile (corporations, verified accounts of fashion designers, magazine editors, CEOs…), you must be saying the right things.

7. Save those retweets — Don’t swallow your profile with endless amounts of retweets. See retweeting as what you do with statements that you can’t put into your own words. Meaning, don’t retweet something such as: “This donut is delicious.” What a waste of space!

8. Those #hashtags — CL sends a big thank-you to the genius who invented a new way to converse–the “hashtag.” Hashtags magically help you see who else in Twitter land is talking about the same topic. Use them with care and purpose, rather than to summarize your thought(s) with swear words or something similar.

9. Share professional links — Articles have Twitter applications for sharing them via other sites on purpose. Use them! Your followers are always curious to know what new discoveries you’re making and reading about.

10. Watch what photos you upload — Keep your stream of “Recent Images” classy by uploading pictures of you dressed nicely, looking happy (without unsightly red cups), and of things that make you happy, from friends to your pets!

Tiana Blue is a Senior Writer for College Lifestyles™. This fourth semester sophomore at Penn State is a print journalism major with a penchant for food, stilettos, and the city that never sleeps.

Top 10 iPad Apps for College Students

Did you get an iPad for the holidays? Still haven’t decided what apps to get? CL helps you out with our list of top iPad apps for college students!

 

 

1) Evernote, Free.

Sick of trying to keep track of all your class notes? Organize them digitally with Evernote. This app allows you to create notebooks that are accesible and editable from any connected product, including your Mac and the Internet. You can also create a notebook just for one place, for example if you want to store all your passwords somewhere.  Since Evernote doesn’t have student-specific features, it’s perfect for co-eds who need to keep their Algebra notes and sorority minutes in one place.

2) Twitter, Free.
If you have a Twitter, you’ll want the social networking giant’s free app. It allows you to handle multiple social media accounts at once, so it’s especially useful if you are also handling a company social media account.

3) iBooks, Free.
You’d think that the iPad would come with iBooks preloaded, but it doesn’t. Having a library at your fingertips is a great motivator to read a new book instead of watching Sex and the City (again). To top it off, iBooks also just came out with the bane of every college student’s existence – textbooks!

4) Facebook, Free.
Believe it or not, Facebook didn’t have an iPad app until this past October. But it’s here, it’s free, and you’re in college – what are you waiting for?

5) Epicurious, Free.
So you finally moved out of the dorm and into an apartment? Whether you’re a cooking genius or clueless in the kitchen, Epicurious has you covered with thousands of recipes right at your fingertips.

7) Angry Birds HD, $4.99
Angry Birds is the gaming sensation that has captivated millions of users. The objective of the game is to eliminate the egg-stealing pig by slinging birds at them. The game is fun,addicting, and a great way to blow off some steam if you imagine that pig is your cheating ex-boyfriend. If $4.99 sounds expensive for a gaming app, there is a free lite version.

Zite Personalized Magazine, Free.
CNN bought this Vancouver startup for $20M last summer, so you know it’s good. Zite asks you to put in your personal interests, aggregates related news, and then puts it all together in a magazine format, complete with organized sections. It’s a great way to read news personalized for you, without having to download several different news apps.

9) Netflix, Free With Subsription.
The vast majority of the college students I know already have a Netflix subscription (or use a friend’s). If you’re one of them, grab the free app from Netflix that allows you to stream movies right onto your iPad. More of a TV junkie? If you have Hulu Plus, you can watch your favorite shows on your iPad too.

10) Get It Done Tasks, Free.
Based on the Getting Things Done movement popularized by David Allen, this task manager is easy to use even if you’ve never heard of GTD. Just input your task, pick a due date, and check it off the list when you’re done. Easy and, best of all, free.

Did we miss any of your favorite iPad apps? Let us know in the comments!

Sasha Graffagna is writer for College Lifestyles.  She is a junior Journalism and Comparative Literature major at New York University. A proud sister of Theta Phi Beta, she talks fast, travels a lot, and is obsessed with sugar.

Senior Job Search

Calling all SENIORS! NOW is a good time to start looking ahead to your future, and for some of you, this might mean looking for a job. Here are 10 things that YOU can do RIGHT NOW to start your job search!

Decide what matters to YOU. Your parents may have dreams of you becoming the next CEO of company XYZ, but that might not be what you want. So take the time to sit down and make a list of things that that YOU want to do, companies that YOU want to work for.

Find your strengths. Make a list of your skills and talents. This will not only help you write your resume, but also give you something to think about when researching companies.

Find your weaknesses. Also make a list of things that you aren’t good it. That way, if you see more than one of those skills listed for a particular job, you can scratch that job off your list. Or, if you see maybe one or two of your weaknesses listed, mark that job and come back to it. Call and ask someone in HR how much those skills are involved in the job, and ask how the company could help you to develop those skills.

Do your research. Researching a company helps you in several ways: first, and most importantly, you will learn what they do and why they do it. That way you won’t have to ask those questions during your interview, and if they ask you about their company, you’ll have the answers. And, using your strengths and weaknesses lists, doing research will help you figure out if the job is the right fit for you.

Perfect your resume. Take your resume to family members, professors and anyone else you can think of and ask them if they would hire you. Resumes take time, drafts, and a whole lot of editing to perfect.

Go to your campus’s career services office. Career counselors are there to help you figure out exactly what YOU want to do – so go talk to them. They are professionals and will do whatever it takes to help you find the job that’s right for you.

Do some practice interviews. Interviews can be scary, especially the first, oh, one or five times. See if your career center has someone who can practice with you. You can also practice with professors and family members.

Network online. Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIn. See who you’re connected to and who they work for. You especially want to reach out to your school and your sorority’s alum and ask if their companies are hiring.

Go to career fairs. Career fairs are great places to network, find internships and find jobs. Don’t forget to bring your resume and remember your interviewing skills – you could be asked for an interview on the spot!

Reach out to professors. Chances are the professors who teach in your major have had several jobs in that field. See if they know of anyone hiring. Also, if a job requires recommendations, ask a few professors if they’d be willing to write/call in recommendations for you.

Debra Schreiber, a senior CL writer, is a senior journalism and Spanish double major at Duquesne University. She loves Duquesne University’s Career Services, and credits her career counselor, Coralyn McCauley, for teaching her how to look for a job. 

CL’s 5 Best Fitness Apps

The app industry for iPhone and Android phones is exploding. Whether you use your phone to surf the net, check e-mail, go on Facebook, or play Angry Birds, it can’t be denied that the possibilities are endless when it comes to creating an app for an audience. If you have some fitness goals set for 2012, then here is a list of CL’s 5 top fitness apps for 2012:

 

• GymPact (Free)
  “Paying too much for a gym membership you never use? Gym-Pact lets you set the financial stakes of not getting to the gym, plus earn cash rewards and real prizes for fulfilling your Pact.” Pledge how many days a week (1-7) to hit the gym and bet yourself money (starts at $5 for every missed workout). If you meet your goal, you get paid by the other GymPacters who didn’t meet their goal.
  
• Nike Training Club (Free)
  It’s like your own personal trainer, anytime, anywhere with more than 85 custom-built workouts. Unlock exclusive workout extras from celebrities like Lea Michele (Glee) and Shawn Johnson (athlete). Use music from your own iTunes library to keep yourself motivated as a Nike professional trainer guides you through each step of the workout with audio and video demonstrations.
  

• MapMyFitness (Free)
  Use your phone’s GPS to track and map your workout. MapMyFITNESS is about helping fitness enthusiasts reach their health and fitness potential. “Giving members exercise tracking, route searches, robust fitness oriented networks and an online nutrition center, we strive to provide the ultimate training tools to help individuals achieve their health and fitness goals.”
  
• Fooducate (Free)
  Scan the barcode of whatever product you want and Fooducate will grade your choice and show you healthier alternatives! If the product doesn’t scan, you can enter the numbers manually. With over 200,000 food products in its system, you’re on your way to making better food choices this year! Fooducate even alerts you to the presence of controversial additives and added sugars. The majority of fitness is determined by what and how you eat.
  
• MyFitnessPal (Free)
  Set a daily calorie goal, then record your daily food and exercise to stay on track. The app allows you full access to your MyFitnessPal.com account so that you can log from anywhere, at any time. Both the app and the website are free. Over 1.1 million foods make up the largest food database of any calorie counter. It even had a barcode scanner to make it easier! Create custom exercises from a library of over 350 exercises to get your heart pumpin’!

Make 2012 your best year yet! New year, new you!

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Ellen Ratliff is a Senior Health Writer at College Lifestyles ™. She is a junior at Michigan State University, majoring in Dietetics with a specialization in Health Promotions. She wishes that she had an iPhone with every fiber of her being so that she could download all of these awesome fitness apps!

CL Top Ten: What and What Not to Pack for Study Abroad

We understand that you want to look and feel your best abroad – all the better to impress those cute foreign guys ! However, that does not mean that you need to take your entire closet and more with you. Below are five things you should definitely pull and pack because you love or really need them, and five items that you can say adios to for a few months, buy abroad, or carry on your person at all times.

To pack…

Your go-to jewelry pieces. Do not bring your entire jewelry box with you, just a few simple pieces that you wear on a regular basis . Narrow down your selection to a top three or four. Too much jewelry will weigh down your luggage, and there’s also always the chance that pieces could get lost.

Basic make-up. Simple mascara, foundation, lip gloss, eye shadow and liner will do. Don’t go crazy and bring every make-up product you own.

Necessities for your well-being. Make a list and double check that you have the items you use every day, such as contact solution (which you need to put into a container that complies with flight regulations), contacts (bring extra in case you lose them or they tear!), your glasses case, retainers, etc.

Work-out clothing. If you don’t bring work-out clothing, you won’t work out.

Simple clothing. Pack items that complement one another, sticking to a basic color palette. Doing this means you will need to pack fewer items because everything matches (freeing up space for clothes you buy abroad!) and losing one item won’t throw your whole look off. For extra tips, check out these matching pieces!

 

…or not to pack…

Books. Buy them abroad if you can. Books add weight to your suitcase. Definitely buy notebooks once you’re there.

Laundry detergent. Again, buy it there. It weighs too much, and it will be too much trouble putting it into bottles that are consistent with flight regulations.

Your passport. Don’t pack this – you’ll need it to get around the airport and the country, so keep it on your person at all times.

An umbrella. It’s incredibly useful abroad, just buy it there.

All of your shoes. …Just don’t do it.

Debra Schreiber is a returning CL intern from summer 2011. Now a senior, she did a spring break away trip to Spain her sophomore year, packed unnecessary things, and one of her favorite T-shirts disappeared.

CL’s Top 10 Ways to Stay Fit While Studying Abroad

Remember the Freshman 15? There is a similar, lesser-known college-related weight gain: the Study Abroad 15. Y0u don’t think about it when you’re leaving, or even while you’re away. But suddenly, one day, you realize that your jeans are a little bit too tight, and that everyone in your program is just a little bit chubbier than they were at the beginning of this semester.. Avoid this aha moment by following these tips.

 

1. Pack right. It’s hard enough trying to find the motivation to exercise while studying abroad. Don’t complicate the situation by having to by workout gear too. Make sure to bring your regular workout wear with you, whether that’s sneakers or a swimsuit, cap, and goggles. The one thing you probably want to buy abroad is a yoga mat. Most countries will have them, and they take up too much room in your suitcase.

2. Sign up for a gym your first week. This sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people neglect to do this (myself included). You’ll be overwhelmed your first week, but signing up for a gym during this crucial time will ensure that exercise stays high on your priority list. Gym membership also encourages you to make good use of all that money you paid.

3. Take a class. An exercise class is a fun way to keep fit, adds routine to your hectic schedule, and holds you accountable to staying fit. Even if you don’t know the language, it’s easy to follow the movements in a Zumba or kickboxing class. And if you’re studying the language, you can practice with other native speakers i.e. your classmates.

4. Drink responsibly. Studying abroad, for many college students, means finally being able to drink legally. Not to burst your bubble, but drinking that often also means consuming tons of empty calories. Try sticking to light beer, dry white or red wine, champagne, and low-calorie cocktails. (Think gin and tonic, not a chocolate martini.) Also, stick to 1 or 2 shots a night.

5. Drink responsibly, part 2. Speaking of empty calories, soda and juice are exactly that, and they don’t even provide you with the buzz that alcohol does. Buy a canteen, fill it with water, and carry it around with you. It’s cheaper, and better for you. As for coffee, stick with the classic drinks, not frothy Frappuccinos. The coffee probably tastes better anyway.

6. Vacation wisely. When my friends and I went to Mendoza last semester, we went on a wine tour by bicycle. Look for good-for-you options like this one on your own vacations. Think winter sports, hiking, or bike tours for the more urban-minded.

7. Treat yourself, but wisely. It is likely that you will find a treat that you find yourself wanting every day, whether that is gelato in Italy or macaroons in France. It’s OK to indulge yourself once in a while, but eating them all the time is overdoing it. A good way to control your intake is to only eat these sweets on the weekends.

8. Chew 10 times.  If you follow nothing else on this list, follow this one. It takes time for your body to communicate to your brain that it’s full. So eating more slowly means that you eat less. This alone won’t keep you fit, but it helps a lot.

9. Walk around. You may take a car everywhere in the US, but follow the locals’ lead while you’re away. This likely means walking and public transport. Also, see if the city that you’re studying in has a free bike share – another fun, easy way to get fit.

10. Keep a food journal. While you’re abroad, you’ll be trying lots of new food. By keeping a food journal, you’ll be able to remember what you liked, and what you really really didn’t. It also helps you keep track of what you’re eating, so you can balance your super-heavy dinner with a light lunch the next day.

Need more advice for studying abroad? Check out our guides on what to pack, and how to stay stylish on your flight over!

Sasha Graffagna is a current junior at NYU studying Journalism and Comparative Literature. She studied abroad in Argentina last semester, and will be studying in Puerto Rico this semester.

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