#collegerelationships

In need of advice? The Campus Companion Advice Corner is there to be your brutally honest friend, give you some good advice, even hold your hand. We’ve got your back.

Submit anonymously by clicking here.

I’m interested in this guy who only wants to hook up with me and not have a real relationship. I’m super attracted to him to the point of distraction, but I don’t know what to do about our different expectations. Should I wait it out?

Your question brings up an even deeper one: when is it time to DTR (define the relationship)? Of course, most things take their course and eventually lead into relationships. But, if you’re really concerned about your different expectations so much that it’s taking away from the time you spend together, then go ahead and ask him! Don’t compromise your beliefs in relationships simply because you want to make it work- in the long run you’ll feel most likely feel unhappy and used. It may seem awkward and weird, but it’s definitely important to understand both your and your partner’s intentions long before it spirals out of control. Good luck and stay calm! If it’s meant to be, it will definitely work out. 

How do people think of research topics for science?

Oftentimes, college students are assigned research topics for whatever research they are participating. But it that’s not the case for you and you have no constraints, find a topic that interests you! Alright, that sounded super cheesy. If you’re truly struggling to come up with an idea for research, think about any major gaps in knowledge in your specific field. For example- why are people so attracted to cats on the internet? Curiosity and necessity are great drivers of research and ingenuity! You’re going to be spending a lot of time researching, working, and experimenting- so choose wisely!

How can I get a boyfriend, not just a douche-y hook-up?

So, I take it you’re a relationship sort of person! There’s no harm or shame in that. First off, take a few steps back and evaluate where you’ve been spending your social time. If you’ve been hoping to find the partner of your dreams at a frat party….perhaps try a different venue. The hook-up culture is most common at the average rager, party, concert and whatever else involves alcohol and grinding. If you’re looking for a boyfriend, try your other extracurricular activities or classes- you already have something in common and you’re meeting out of the context of a dance floor! If all else fails, follow the old adage: you often meet the most important people when you’re not looking!

The post The Campus Companion Advice Corner #1: Hookups, Relationships, and Science Experiments appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Got a question? We’ve got an answer. 

Tired of hearing about what your college experience might be like? Have some burning questions that you’re embarrassed to ask about? Look no further! The Advice Corner allows you to submit your questions anonymously to college students who have gone through anything and everything you could possibly think of. From college applications to black out nights to acing exams and graduation- we’ve done it. Submit your anonymous questions by clicking here. 

The post The Campus Companion Advice Corner appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Remember that old high school adage, “Dating gets better in college?” It’s thoughtful advice from adults complete and utter BS that the guys we graduate with from high school magically turn into prince charmings during the summer before freshman year. Instead, the girls who are not so keen on hook-up culture are thrown into the sexual cesspool that is freshman year. So this one’s for all the girls out there who went through freshman year looking for a relationship, but are ending the year single and dejected. Here’s some consolation for the awkward encounters and regrettable weekend antics that we’ve all been through. Here’s why freshman guys suck, and why you shouldn’t take it so personally.

Wanted this freshman year? Well, me too.

Choice. Lots of Choice.

Being a freshman means you can’t possibly meet every other freshman (unless your school is ridiculously small). Every weekend brings a new adventure and new (facebook) friends. Being in an exclusive relationship freshman year often means cutting off the ability to meet lots of new people- whether that’s because you’re spending lots of time with your new flame or you’re just not dance-floor-making-out anymore. Whatever the case, lots of guys shy away from relationships early on in college because they still want to spread their wings and evaluate all of the people around them- as should you! If a potential entanglement goes wrong, you still have hundreds of other guys to meet and talk about what you’re majoring in with. The possibilities are endless! Just because it doesn’t work out doesn’t mean you’re out of the game.

It’s Not High School Anymore

Too many parents met in college. It’s actually a sickly amount. The thing about college dating is that once you hit like 22 (or so I’ve been told) it gets really super serious. Okay it’s not really that you’re going to be married or anything– but guys definitely feel the pressure that high school dating is different than college dating. There’s more pressure to coordinate schedules, make time between studying, and spend lots of time together. It’s a balancing act that also involves feelings- which can go badly. Keeping things casual usually avoids this…which often means avoiding the “boyfriend/girlfriend” label all together.

Apparently things get serious after college…

We’re All Finding Ourselves

Remember the shy little freshman you used to be? The one that committed those Seven Deadly Sins and was figuring out How to Study. Chances are you’re not that person anymore…hopefully. College really is about experimenting and going on the personal journey of finding yourself. So, can you really blame the guy who took you out on a few dates for not wanting to be in an exclusive relationship only a few months into freshman year? Probably not. As much as he may have broken your heart, you’ve got some growing to do too. We’ve got to date the wrong ones before we can find the right one, ladies! If it doesn’t work, it wasn’t meant to be. Chin up and move right along until you find someone who makes you feel happy and comfortable. He’s got to love you for you- not what you think he’s looking for.

Deep Breaths…It’ll Be Alright

Word around campus is that around junior year, guys start to want girlfriends or something? Yeah there we go, another adage. Truth is, as much as I can go on and on categorizing all freshman guys, they really truly aren’t all the same. Somewhere out there your soul mate’s thinking about how he wants to meet you! (Okay, no not really, that’s super creepy). Think about the sheer amount of people you’ve met in just the past year. Double or triple that and you’ve got the amount of people you’ll continue to meet for the rest of your life! Prince charming’s got to be in there. So in the mean time, meet as many people as you can, learn as much as your brain can hold, and enjoy college! Soon enough, it’ll be all over.

If only we could all find a love like Cory and Topanga’s.

The post Freshman Thoughts on College Dating appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Your weekend could be this!

Understand your sleeping arrangements:  Be one with the floor

Visiting your best girl friend? Maybe you’ll share a bed….a twin XL bed made for the bodies of house elves. Make sure you have some idea of where you’re sleeping so you’re not calling the bare linoleum floor your abode for a few nights. Need a blanket? Bring a blanket. If you’re the type of person who can’t sleep unless your body is on a 40000-thread count sheet, then be ready to be uncomfortable. College kids everywhere are just as broke as you and don’t necessarily have extra beds just lying around (or maybe they do!). Point is, ask where you’re sleeping and plan ahead.

Know where you’re sleeping. This could be you.

Bring Your Shower Flip-Flops–DO NOT FORGET

Don’t even ask ahead. Just do it. Dorm showers everywhere are GROSS. You can get diseases in any shower used by twenty people. Bring your shower supplies to the greatest extent that you can, but definitely do not neglect the shower shoes. No further explanation.

These will actually keep you from becoming diseased.

Don’t get lost

If you’re planning on going hard and taking advantage of a *totally awesome and new* party culture, then definitely charge your phone and acquire some understanding of how to get back to your host if needed. I’m going to out on a limb here, but chances are if you’re intoxicated/tipsy/drunk, your sense of direction probably will decline. Don’t lose track of your friend through the night. Buddy system all the way! Maybe leave a trail of breadcrumbs…

Stick to your buddy and you’ll make it home alright.

Do not hookup with your host’s roommate

NO. NO. NO. You may hit it off really with them, and it may be tempting. Still, don’t be that girl or guy that tries to get some immediately after hitting the new campus. Your friend might hate you forever, and if you visit again, it will inevitably be awkward. Make some friends! Have a dance floor make out! Just don’t cross the line with people that are a big part of your host friend’s life. Reeking havoc over the course of a day or weekend definitely does not make you a good guest.

Be respectful, man

Your parents raised you to be a good person. Don’t be a bad guest, i.e. pee in your friend’s closet, use their toothbrush, disappear for the entire time your there, etc. You’re taking up their time, meal credits, and (already nonexistent) dorm space. Be kind, and you just might be invited back for a second visit.

The post Visiting Friends at College: An Etiquette Guide appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Do you remember back in elementary school when everyone would get so jazzed as Valentine’s Day approach? Seriously though, everyone would be psyched about what kind of movie-themed cardboard cards they were giving to their classmates, as well as the special confection-related surprise their teacher was bound to have in store. Plus, there were an abundance of art projects you could do leading up to Feb. 14th. It didn’t matter if you couldn’t draw for shit, because the simple act of creating a heart was therapeutic in and of itself, and your mom was guaranteed to call your macaroni heart a work of art.

Very few people in the 18-25 age bracket are excited about Valentine’s Day anymore. For most, it means a demarcation between singletons and relationshipites, a symbol of mass consumerism and the monetization of love, and a pressurized gauge of your love for a particular person as a quantity relative to other couples’ love, which has been exacerbated by social media. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. If Valentine’s Day is a shallow holiday devised by an American greeting card company, why does your appreciation of it have to be complicated by depth and inner meaning? Why is it wrong to love an apparently superficial holiday for superficial reasons? Let me tell you this…it’s not wrong at all. And here’s why…

1. The confection

There are only two days in the year when you can truly digest all of the sugar you can get your hands on guilt-free:  Halloween and Valentine’s Day. Why you wouldn’t take advantage of the opportunity to consume a red velvet cupcake with buttermilk frosting and heart-shaped sprinkles on top is beyond my comprehension. You are clearly a fool if you’re going to sit around and mope because no one got you candy. Seriously, all you have to do is walk into any pharmacy and the sales rack with all of the Valentine’s Day candy smacks you as soon as you enter the joint. Yesterday I went to Target to buy candy to bribe my fifth-graders to actually be quiet during the yoga elective I teach, and the guys in the red shirts were basically giving this confection away for free. Seriously, just eat a cookie. It’ll remind you why Valentine’s Day is great.

2. It’s actually about celebrating love as a general idea

You know those terrible tasting, chalky candy hearts that kind of look like Tums? Have you ever noticed that most of them say things like “Love” on them and not “Long-Term Committed Romantic Relationship”? That’s right. It’s not just about romantic love, but really all kinds of love–love of family, friends, pets, and other worldly pleasures. When I was in college, I’d always gladly accept the roses that College Hill for Christ would pass out on Valentine’s Day to everyone under Faunce Arch, because, and I quote them, “Jesus loves me.” As far back as I can remember, my dad has given my mom and me a bouquet of flowers every Feb. 14th. And, in the past 8 years, some of my most memorable and enjoyable Valentine’s Day’s have been spent with friends celebrating our friendship, more so than any V-day plans I had with a special someone. The truth of the matter is that we all of have people in our lives that love, and Valentine’s Day is one of those days that is supposed to remind us of how awesome it is to love and be loved.

3. It’s a great day to watch great movies

Were it not for the fact that I know I’m going out the night of Valentine’s Day because I have Friday off from work, I would definitely watch any of the great movies that have ever been made about love. For me, because I am a slightly twisted soul, those great movies about love would include (500) Days of Summer, Gone with the Wind, Before Sunset, Casablanca, Midnight in Paris, Good Will Hunting, and now Silver Linings Playbook. Actually, I would have to say for this Valentine’s Day, screw that Die Hard sequel and that Nicholas Sparks chick flick, and go and see Silver Linings. Honestly, one of the best movies I’ve seen in years, and it really just gets you thinking and laughing, two pretty good traits for any movie. If you’re too lazy to pop in a DVD or find a flick online, channel surfing is always an option. Any number of great chick flick options are readily at your hands, from You’ve Got Mail to While You Were Sleeping to It’s Complicated (Meryl Streep in a love triangle! c’mon…), you really can’t have a bad day. If all else fails, the Oklahoma City Thunder will be playing the Miami Heat.

The post Why It’s Okay to Like Valentine’s Day appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Girls. Watch it. Preach it. Now.

It’s Valentine’s Day! If you’re in a relationship, good for you! It must be nice getting all the free chocolate and flowers and love and whatever else it is that couples do on Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately for everyone out there who’s single, Valentine’s Day is just a lovely reminder that we are, indeed, forever alone. So, instead of wallowing in self-pity, glaring at happy couples, and watching The Notebook again, here are some tips for your Valentine’s Day activities straight from a single girl hating Valentine’s Day just as much as you.

1. Froyo and Girls

It’s the ultimate girl bonding experience! What could be better than a dose of some Lena Dunham truth followed by sugary goodness that also has probiotics? Gather your other single friends and have a bonding session over the many things that suck about boys, love, relationships, and Valentine’s Day. All those stupid college couples, like, don’t last that long anyway! It’s all about the friendships with your best girl friends that will surely last a lifetime. Or if not, Girls in the background is amazing for filling awkward silence with laughter. So kick back and let the boy hating commence!

Would you look at this deliciousness?

2. DTR

(Define the relationship). What better anniversary date than Valentine’s Day! This is for you guys and girls out there who are finally ready to take that step and pick up the label machine. Are you ready to call your booty call your girlfriend or boyfriend? Well if you are, today’s an amazing day to take that step. With chocolates and flowers readily available, take the plunge! It’ll surely be a holiday that you never forget, particularly if it doesn’t work out well for you.

See? It’s a real thing.

3. Party. Hard.

Go hard or go home! Prove that Singledom is THE shit. Who needs a relationship? That’s right! NO ONE. It Thursday so the “Thirsty Thursday” thing totally works. Whoever said Valentine’s Day hook-ups were a bad thing, anyway? There’s definitely a guy or girl out there that similarly hates Valentine’s Day, being single, and feeling lonely. People in relationships are boring and have no fun. Prove how amazing being single can be and exercise your independence. Go to a party, hydrate adequately, make some new friends, and make this holiday about you!

This is how you do it.

4. Eat Your Feelings

Ben & Jerry’s is so good at mending broken hearts. There is nothing like gobs of cookie dough and peanut butter swirls to warm the soul and accompany a really long sigh. If you’re feeling down, definitely go for a few extra calories today. Make the gym a priority for tomorrow! But for the time being, every chocolate cushions the blow of having no snuggle buddies for the night. Go ahead, splurge! You deserve it. You are beautiful and so is chocolate.

Ice cream warms the soul.

5. Beyoncé Dance Party/Ryan Gosling Movie Marathon

Who’s a single girl’s best friend? Beyoncé! Single ladies? Come on. Get your girlfriends together, sit back, and re-watch the Superbowl halftime show. Then make your way through the plethora of Beyonce and Destiny’s Child songs that preach the gospel of singeldom. I’m talking Bills Bills Bills to Best thing I Never had to Freakum Dress. When you’re finally sick of Beyonce (as if that ever happens, but let’s speak hypothetically) then move on up to some Ryan Gosling movies. Skip The Notebook and go straight for Blue Valentine. Isn’t he wonderful? Ah, Ryan Gosling.

Isn’t he dreamy?

The post The Single Girl’s Guide to Valentine’s Day: College Edition appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Freshman year is about meeting new people and experimenting screwing up and feeling like an idiot. We drink too much, study to little, and cling to the hope that we’re kinda cool. So as we meander through this difficult time together, here’s some advice on surviving freshman year. After my own adventures dodging phone calls from my mom, getting hundreds of unwanted emails, and wearing my lanyard like a status symbol, I’ve summed up seven sins to avoid your freshman year.

Forgetting to Call Home

Your parents are gone. There’s no curfew. Everything’s paid for. Don’t let the sweet taste of freedom distract you from giving your parents a call every once in a while. Your parents will actually think you died if you don’t call them for a month. Seriously. Tell your parents that you love them, and they may send some much needed funds your way!

If calling isn’t your thing, check out skype! You’ve probably already used it to gossip with your high school friends about their most recent hook ups. Given, my parents are horrible with technology. But, all you really have to do is give them a user name and teach them how to press a button! Skyping means your parents can actually see that you’re alive – and you have more incentive to keep the immediate area behind your desk clean.

Blacking Out On The First Night

Get comfortable, then get wasted. College really isn’t exactly like Animal House. Make sure you trust the people around you before you decide to drink the kool aid. Now, I’m not going to point any fingers, but I’m sure the many guys and girls on my floor who spent their first night in the bathroom across from my room would vouch for this one. The first night at college can be overwhelming, but don’t let the freedom get the best of you. Keep it simple, go party jumping, find your preferred party spot, and go for it next week! Make waking up the next morning in your bed a goal.

Thinking You’ll Get Straight A’s

My first C in college smacked me over the head during my first week. I had researched written, edited, and re-edited for weeks, to no avail. The crushing reality is that an A in high school is not an A in college. Studying sometimes doesn’t lead to the best grades. It sucks. It’s horrible. You may question all the work you’ve ever done in your whole life (or is that just me?). Even if you fail, embrace the ride. We’ll get through it together!

On that note, make sure you use every one of your resources on campus if you find yourself failing. One of my favorite places is the campus writing center. Making an appointment means avoiding the hassle of writing the night before, and getting advice on your papers may help you achieve a higher grade. If writing centers aren’t your thing, talk to your professors, TA’s, or even your roommate. Everyone wants to help, you just have to be willing to ask.

Signing Up For Every Club

There are few things more difficult than getting off a college group’s list serv. To the girl in charge of the International Cheese Club: Please take me off the email list! I have no interest in international cheese fairs. But, let’s be real- be careful in what you sign up for, or you will have a barrage of emails coming your way.

When going to the activities fair, sign up for things that actually interest you. The upperclassmen will try to reel you in with every trick in the book, and if you’re concerned about hurting their feelings, you will end up on the Cheese Club’s listserv. Branch out, but be realistic about clubs and organizations you would actually join.

Respecting Public Spaces

Alright, it sucks enough that everyone has to wear shower flip-flops. Clean up after yourself and try not to spread your bodily fluids (ew). The 30 other people who share a bathroom with you will be forever grateful. Try to do to everything in your power to clean up after yourself. Girls: this means hair. Boys: I have yet to walk into a boy’s bathroom, but I’m going to assume this means hair, too. And don’t forget to say thank you to the people who clean the bathrooms! Think about what they have to deal with.

Putting Your ID On A Lanyard…And Wearing It

“It’s practical! You can wear it as a necklace! You’ll never lose it!”

i.e. Everyone on campus knows you’re a freshman from five miles away. Stash your lanyard in a bag and try not to wear it as this season’s hottest accessory. You’ll make a lot more upperclassmen friends if you’re not so…freshman-y. After spending three weeks sporting my lanyard, I can tell you from experience that making friends is much easier without the lanyard, even if it takes five minutes for me to find my ID card  in front of every door.

Getting Into A Relationship On Day 1

Don’t be that couple that’s Facebook official on September 1. As romantic as it sounds, you probably won’t meet your soul mate on the first day of college. The first person that checks you out probably just wants to get with you, not meet you at the alter. Embrace meeting new people without getting into a serious relationship with the first person you meet.

If you’re looking for a serious relationship, give yourself time for choices and meeting new people. I’ve met at least one hundred new people in my dorm alone. That’s at least fifty possibly suitors, instead of just one. Be bold! Don’t settle for the first person that looks your way.

The post 7 Deadly Sins of Freshman Year, and How to Cure Them appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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Sometimes you just have to laugh at how stupid the most educated people are.  The college youth – with their free access to student health services- are the most resilient when it comes to finding ways to avoid doctors. It’s as if somewhere along the line, we have forgotten we are not invincible.  This is not to say that we haven’t always loathed a trip to the doctor’s office, but in a spectacular show of resistance, we most often find the dumbest excuses to get out of going.  The following are common excuses used by college kids in their attempts to give you—the roommate – a reason NOT to take them to the hospital:

The “It’s just a cold” excuse:

It’s always just a cold. You hear this for just about any of the typical runny nose and cough type symptoms out there. Chances are it is just the common cold. However, with thousands of students packed into campus housing, you never know.  I think it is hilarious how often this excuse is used.

You: “Hey, I noticed you were up all night puking your brains out, and right now you look as though death bitch-slapped you.”

Roommate:  “Yeah, it was horrible.”

You: “Maybe you should go to the clinic…”

Roommate: “Naw, it’s probably just a cold.”

We commonly neglect the fact that viruses such as influenza can have negative consequences (like dying) if we fail to properly address them.

Then there’s the “It’s only sore” excuse:

This excuse is most often used by athletes, especially those who play contact sports.  You know those types, those guys who are too manly to admit they broke something. They walk around complaining how sore their specific body part is, and everyone knows the glaring truth.

You: “Listen bro, I can see your bone, it’s sticking through the skin.”

Bonehead rugby player: “That’s how it always looks.”

Listen, when you’ve broken something, go to the doctor. Wearing a cast isn’t the worst thing in the world.

The “Totally embarrassing” excuse:

I love this one. As college kids we most often inflict the weirdest injuries on ourselves. Then, we never want to go to the doctor. Unfortunately, it is a painful process having to explain to the doctor how said injury actually occurred. Needless to say, it is important that you go, even if the doctor does get a chuckle out of it.  This is how the conversation typical goes:

You: “Hey, your foot isn’t looking so hot.”

Roommate: “I know, it hurts like a bitch.”

You: “How did that happen?”

Roommate: “Last night, at the party, someone dared me to cut my toe off with a broken bottle.”

You: “What!?”

Roommate: “Yolo”

No matter how dumb the reason, you should probably go to the doctors, even if the reason is painfully embarrassing.

The “It’s only an itch” excuse:

You gotta love friends who are oblivious to the fact that they have an STD. It’s always just an itch. Of course, they walk around your apartment scratching themselves with a kitchen fork and are almost always sure they have some serious itch that’ll go away.

You: “Dude, you’ve been itching your crotch for 3 hours straight.”

Roommate: “ I know,  I think I have an ingrown hair or something.”

You: “Hmm, you sleep with that blonde last night?”

Roommate: “ Yeah?”

You: “… crab special for one?”

STD’s aren’t something to mess with. If you think you might have one, go to your doctor immediately.  That shit spreads like wild fire, and it’s not something you should mess around with.

The “They’ll sleep it off” excuse:

This one is serious. We are convinced that no amount of alcohol can ever truly affect us – until it does. The human body can only weather so much booze, before it shuts down. Ninety percent of the time your friends will be just fine sleeping it off, but if you ever are in doubt, take them to the hospital.

You: “Yo, you think Jimmy’s alright?”

Friends: “I don’t, he did drink that entire case of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and the beer bong full of vodka, and that entire case of natty.”

You: “He’ll be fine, right?”

Friends: “Yeah let him sleep it off.”

Wrong! If they look like they are in trouble, do not hesitate to act. A trip to the hospital is well worth their life.

Seriously, go to the doctors. They are there for a reason.  They won’t care why you are there, and you’ll be happy knowing you made the right decision. Too often we think youth has given us the strength to take on anything, but we must be wise enough to understand sometimes the doctor knows best.  Plus, who doesn’t like a couple days off school.

The post 5 BS Reasons Why College Kids Never Go to the Doctors appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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It’s so hard not to go apeshit crazy when the guy you dig exchanges numbers with you. But, drop that phone, missy, and back away from it slowly! So many would-be relationships never come to fruition because of blunders girls make with texting during the critical early stages. As a result, you either get friend-zoned or just become a booty-call.

It’s not your fault! Well, not all of it. Part of these blunders come from not having the right filter when you’re texting. The other part comes from a lack of understanding of what the hell the guy is texting. This guide is split into two sections accordingly. Most of these points come from personal experience and a very unscientific poll of several of my guy friends, who include everyone from the fratty bro to the artsy hipster. Guy’ don’t be afraid to chime in in the comment section.

Girls Texting Guys:

1. For the love of God, do not text him constantly.

It’s so hard not to…especially when you’re out with your friends on a Friday night and all you really want to do is hang with him. But seriously, at least wait for a response before you shoot off 3 texts in a row. If you can’t control your self A) admit that you have a problem and B) hand your phone over to your most responsible friend to babysit it for the night.

2. Keep your texts concise.

If you want to write paragraphs to him, you should be exchanging emails. Honestly, I struggle with this one because I was an English major in college and writing is something that I just do. I can’t help it. But, you’re only going to be frustrated when you send out these long paragraphs, because guys on the whole aren’t wordy. At most, expect a sentence fragment from them. A good measure of text length is making sure to keeping it within a line and a half. NEVER EVER have 2 part texts unless you’re in the middle of telling a crazy story.

3. Avoid drunk texting.

It’s okay to do it a couple of weeks in after you’ve gotten to know the guy and have had several successful sober texts. But, texting him drunk within 24 hours of getting his number will put you in the booty call slot.

4. Don’t be afraid to text first.

This isn’t a 1980s Molly Ringwald movie. It’s perfectly okay to make the first move, and actually a lot of guys think it’s kind of hot. Remember, we live in a fast-paced world where we are being inundated with messages and texts and tweets and facebook posts…it’s okay to make some noise so you can be heard. Also, a lot of guys are chicken-shit scared of contacting girls, and they’ll wait on it…at least until the weekend when they’re drunk enough to man up and text.

5. Don’t bitch about things.

It’s amazing how something that you could probably say in person can come off as super mean and bitchy via text. If your endgame is relationship, you want to seem as positive and as easy-going as possible. Guys don’t like drama, and if they do, they like be spectators, not participants or facilitators. Honestly, save the complaining and deep philosophical pondering about why your professor sucks for your friends.

What Does That Even Mean?: How to Interpret Guys’ Texts

The website HeTexted has some fantastic examples of all of the batshit incoherent things guys text. Here is a quick cheat-sheet to help you out on the go:

1. :) ;)

Anytime a guy uses an emoticon, it’s good news. There’s interest for sure. No guy in his right mind would ever use emoticons with his bros or female friends.

2. K, sure, dunno, and other one word responses.

Run! He’s not interested and is using you as funny anecdote with his friends and also to pick up chicks.

3. He says “he just showered” or “just got back from the gym.”

He wants you to think about his body. Showering and going to the gym are probably as mundane as saying you just brushed your teeth or took your dog for a walk. Remember, guys keep it concise and so if he’s writing about showering or going to the gym, it means he wants you to picture him naked and also that he wants your body.

4. He says he’ll text you later with plans for tonight and doesn’t say “hey, what are you up to?” until 1 AM.

Unless you want it, this is a booty call in the making. He also obviously isn’t into you enough to do exactly what he said he was going to do. When guys really want to do something, they’ll do it. They don’t really think about appearing desperate or too into a girl.

5. He mentions another woman who is not his mother.

Unless he’s a rare species of straight male that only has female friends (they exist, but are super rare), he’s just not that into you. No guy would jeopardize his chances with a girl he digs by bringing up any girl. It’s even worse if she mentions that she’s pretty/hot/interesting/cool. And then nothing can beat if he texts to ask you if you’re bringing your female friend along, because not only does he not dig you, but he was using you to get to her.

The post The Girl’s Guide to Texting appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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1. Basic Texting Etiquette
2. Guys Vs. Girls: Why Gender Differences Aren’t Such a Big Deal
3. That’s what HE said…really.

If you watched the presidential debates over the last few weeks, you probably at one point or another wondered “how much of what these people are saying is actually true?” That’s where fact checking websites like Politifactcome in. They outline when our future leaders have their “pants on fire” from lying about a certain topic. But what if we stretched the use of fact checkers in every arguments we may have with our significant others. Here are some of the results I imagine:

Guy assures girl “there’s only two minutes left! Then we can watch your show.”

Fact checking the statement:

The guy is telling a half lie. While the clock reads two minutes, the guy knows those two minutes take closer to a half-hour to conclude with all the commercials and time-outs mixed in.

Girl accuses guy of “only thinking about sex.”

Fact checking the statement:

Absolutely true statement from the girl. The guy things about that 24/7.

Guy accuses girl of “never giving oral.”

Fact checking the statement:

While “never giving oral” is a bit of a stretch, it shouldn’t be taken literally and means something more like “you barely ever give oral.” Using that statement as actual intent, the guy is telling the truth. Once a month does qualify as “never” in this instance.

Girl tells guy that “you never listen to me when you play your video games!”

Fact checking the statement: 

The girl is completely right. While playing Call of Duty, the guy cares little about hearing about her day. The extent of his participation in the conversation is saying “yea” and “mhm.” Legitimate statement from the girl.

Girl or guy accuses the other of “hating my friends”

Fact checking the statement:

Regardless of who says it, it’s probably true either way. The girl hates the guy’s friends because they’re immature and bad influences and the guy hates the girls friends because they’re catty and they talk about him. 

Girl accuses guy of “forgetting our anniversary”

Fact checking the statement:

Yep, he screwed up. She’s not lying here. He’s got a lot of work to do, and certainly shouldn’t be expecting oral anytime soon.

The post Oral, Anniversaries, And Video Games: Fact Checking Everyday Relationship Arguments appeared first on The Campus Companion.

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2. College-Proof Your Relationship
3. The Relationship Question: Should You Be Single in College?