Honestly Hungover

The One Hack to Save Your Freshman Year

At the beginning of the year, I remember taking my first steps through campus as an official sophomore. I looked at my surroundings and clusters of innocent souls – the type of soul that has never stayed up until 6 a.m. studying for a two hour exam – taking in their new home for the next four years. I heard what felt like a broken record of, “what is your major” and “do you know of any parties guys can get into tonight.”

Despite the obvious reeking of freshman, there was one standard indication of first year freshies.

Freshman year is filled with exciting new changes, responsibility being one of them. Your first year of college may be the first year of your life that you live alone. Because of this, freshmen are constantly taking precautions not to lose their room key and ID card. The result? They resort to the cringe-worthy lanyards to keep around their necks.

If there is any piece of advice that could save you from a fashion emergency lasting a whole year, this is it. If you look at any picture of me from freshman year, you will see that there is one common theme: my key is around my wrist and my ID card is attached to my phone. It is the perfect way to have your room key and school ID on you 24/7 while remaining fashionable.

All you need to do is tie your key to your hair tie or an elastic bracelet and your true identity will not be compromised.

Additionally, there are hundreds of stick-on pockets for your ID that can be attached to your phone. Here are some links for those:

Cell Phone Wallet by Cellessentials – $6.89

Marble Cell Phone Stick on Wallet Card – $10.99

Case Art Plus Credit Card Secure Holder Stick on Wallet – $9.99

Remember that people only make fun of freshmen because they are jealous that you still have four years of college ahead of you, so don’t take anything they say too seriously!

Written by Lauren Cola

Tailgate 101: How to Win the Tailgate…Even If You Don’t Win the Game

As the summer sun starts to fade and the leaves start to turn, we reluctantly fold up our beach chairs and pack our bags to head back to campus. With the end of vacation and the beginning of a new semester, we prepare to take on the misery of sitting through mind-numbing lectures, taking up a second residency in the library, and stress-eating our test anxiety away. But there’s one thing at every college campus that gives students the will to get through the week: gameday.

If you think gameday is all about the sports, think again. Every college student knows that the crown jewel of gameday is the tailgate. Wine bags, beer, and drinking before noon? What more could a girl want?

BUT, before you take on the day drinks, you have to prepare that perfect outfit.
Here are some gameday must-haves that will make for some sick instagram pics without emptying your bank account:

Colored/Funky Sunglasses

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What better way to make a statement than to trade in your everyday aviators and try something new? Pair your favorite university tee and denim skirt with shades of a unique shape or color to draw attention to that pretty face! Also, people will be so busy admiring your new sunglasses that maybe they won’t notice how drunk you are (just an added bonus). My favorite pairs are currently:

Fishnets

Fishnets are a great way to add a little edge to an otherwise simple outfit. Wear them under your favorite pair of ripped boyfriend jeans or even under a pair of shorts. Pair with a crop top, so the top of the fishnets are showing, and some platform sneakers.
Try one of these:

Oversized Jean Jackets

If you go to a school in the North, the weather will inevitably start to get chilly. Instead of freezing your tush off, opt for a statement jean jacket to throw over a university sweatshirt. Don’t be shy- pick a jean jacket with a cool design or unique detailing to make you stand out in the crowd of plain denim. Besides- these four years are your last to wear fun outfits whenever you want- so be creative. A fun way to dress up a plain jean jacket that you may already own is by adding patches that show your personality. Check these out:

The most important thing to remember when dressing for a tailgate is to have fun with it, experiment with styles out of your comfort zone, and be confident! Happy Game Day!!

Written by Nicole Hanika

College Dating: Simple Advice for a Complicated Relationship

Going off to college is stressful enough, but when you’re just days away from heading off to college and you’re going to be hours away from your boyfriend or girlfriend, the reality of being separated really starts to set in. When I started the college process, I was pretty much certain that I would be going off without any “baggage;” I would have a completely clean slate so that I could meet new people and make new relationships, but then I just happened to fall in love with my best friend, and now, everyone I talk to says my relationship is not worth the stress of having a long distance one, or how I should head off to school with no worries.

Its something that everyone hears, and most people don’t know where to start to figure the whole mess out.

Every relationship is unique, and each person handles things differently (I won’t even start about mine because its way too confusing, but thats a story for another time), so here are a few things that I would consider really helpful in the case you want to keep your relationship going throughout college, and maybe even a few for if you don’t.

Communication: I know it sounds obvious, but I think most of the time this very simple thing can be overlooked and often forgotten. I personally text my boyfriend all the time, and thats great and all, but there should always be time set aside for phone calls and FaceTime. It’s something that is so easy to do, but once you get caught up in the of school, jobs (if you have one), and the social atmosphere of college, it can get pushed to the side. However, don’t worry if you don’t hear from them or they don’t hear from you for a few days. Everyone gets busy, especially at the start of school, not talking every second doesn’t mean your relationship is over.

Visits: Visits also goes into its own little category but is a huge part of communicating with your partner. Although this might be a little hard, depending on how far apart from each other, and if it doesn’t pull you away too often, a visit to your partner’s school is huge in keeping your love alive. Sometimes video calls just aren’t enough and being able to hold the person you love is all you need as reassurance that you two will make it through college.

Trust: Probably the most important part of an relationship, but it becomes even more important when you go off to college. You’ll be going out to parties, and meeting new people, and your partner will be too. You both need to have trust in each other that even though there will be a lot going on, you’re still going to put each other first.

Honesty: This is a big one right here, so listen up, it also goes along with communication, but in a different way. If you’re on the fence about how you’ve been feeling, or if you’ve been unintentionally, or intentionally, flirting with someone, just come out and say it. In the long run it’s always better for something to be address right away, than to let it go on and have it be revealed and hurt your partner even more.

This also goes for if you want to end your relationship before college starts. Just come right out and tell them how you’re feeling. It doesn’t do anyone any good to dance around and stall telling them about whats really going through your head.

Now, I don’t know everything about relationships, and probably never will, but I know that I want to make mine work throughout college, and this is what I am going to do to make that happen. I just hope that it might be able to help someone else along the way too.

What’s your best tip to maintain a healthy, stable relationship in college? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by Isabel Barone

My Epiphany During My European Vacay

“The first thing Italians notice about you when you meet them is your shoes,” my Italian tour guide boomed into the microphone as she glanced down at my mud-stained Addidas with a disappointed sigh.

Yup, this was the epitome of my culture shock in Europe.

It all started when I set foot in British soil, otherwise known as Heathrow Airport. My ears rang from the sound of squeaking leather loafers and my heart beat along to the monotonous click-clacks of designer heels. I was in awe.

I was so used to throwing on a pair of leggings and heading to class that the sight of business casual was incredibly unfamiliar. My first thought was that I am a mess with no fashion sense but throughout the trip, I noticed there might be more to it.

After settling into my hotel, I decided to take a walk and go sightseeing to immerse myself in London. On my little adventure, I spotted designer store after designer store, along with well dressed men and women. That’s definitely not something you see on campus in Syracuse, NY.

When I arrived in Italy, each major city that I went to had a Gucci, Prada, and every other designer store. Although I did feel particularly embarrassed and underdressed in my leggings and t-shirts, I received many complements on my funky-patterned pants. I noticed that the style that I was used to seeing at school, athleisure, was not as common outside of the college setting, especially in Europe.

Athleisure is a popular trend that has swept the nation’s college campuses over the years. It combines your favorite pair of cozy leggings with stylish patterns to create a comfortable yet sophisticated look. The major reason why I am a fan is because it is easy. When I have to wake up early for class, I rarely grab a skirt or a dress to wear. I would never even think about wearing heels. Usually, I go for a pair of stylish leggings, a shirt, and sneakers to compliment them. This habit extended to my 6:45 alarm in Venice, Italy.

As I slipped into my go-to outfit after hitting snooze until 7:15 that morning, everything started to make sense. I suffer from outfit laziness.

There are two major reasons why I felt constantly underdressed in Europe. The first is that I don’t have the constant temptation of the Versace and Dolce Gabbana stores, each day beckoning me to buy a $10,000 belt or a $5,000 pair of jeans at school. The other reason is that athleisure is so popular amongst college students and that I was so used to it that the sight of a pencil skirt and pumps made me feel uneasy.

My trip to Europe was a real wake up call for me. I learned that I need to mature my style more over the next few years and decide to wear that cute skirt that I bought from the mall instead of reaching for my leggings in the morning. I hope to overcome my outfit laziness and try to dress up for class more.

I realize that my early adult years are meant for some fashion flops and that every outfit I choose to wear helps me develop my style a little more. Experimenting and breaking up the rhythm of my daily athleisure-wear will hopefully lead to growth in my own fashion. Maybe one day I won’t suffer from outfit laziness.

When have you suffered from outfit laziness? Let us know in the comments below!