September Spotlight: Books!

Lots and lots of amazing books are coming out next month. September seems like an odd release month to me with school starting and everything being a bit chaotic, but I must be completely wrong. Either way, I’m glad there’s such a wide variety of books for me to get my hands on. I’ll be waiting patiently (who am I kidding, I never wait patiently) for these ones!

September 7th:

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger. First off, the author is nineteen years old and this book has received some serious rave reviews from book bloggers. I, for one, cannot wait to have it at my house.

Find her on Twitter.

Synopsis from Amazon: Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “Duffy,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now. Desperate for a distraction, Bianca ends up kissing Wesley. And likes it. Eager for escape, she throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with Wesley.

Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out that Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

Losing Faith by Denise Jaden. This debut novel looks extremely promising. Plus, the cover is gorgeous.

Find her on Twitter.

Synopsis from Amazon: A terrible secret. A terrible fate.

When Brie’s sister, Faith, dies suddenly, Brie’s world falls apart. As she goes through the bizarre and devastating process of mourning the sister she never understood and barely even liked, everything in her life seems to spiral farther and farther off course. Her parents are a mess, her friends don’t know how to treat her, and her perfect boyfriend suddenly seems anything but.

As Brie settles into her new normal, she encounters more questions than closure: Certain facts about the way Faith died just don’t line up. Brie soon uncovers a dark and twisted secret about Faith’s final night…a secret that puts her own life in danger.

September 14

Personal Demons by Lisa Desrochers. How can you not like a book with a little love triangle in it?

Find her on Twitter.

Synopsis from Amazon: If you had to choose between Heaven and Hell, which would it be?

Are you sure about that…?

Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a wicked streak. She’s spent years keeping everyone at a distance–even her closest friends–and it seems her senior year will be more of the same…until Luc Cain enrolls in her class. No one knows where he came from, but Frannie can’t seem to stay away from him. What she doesn’t know is that Luc works in Acquisitions–for Hell–and she possesses a unique skill set that has the king of Hell tingling with anticipation. All Luc has to do is get her to sin, and he’s as tempting as they come. Frannie doesn’t stand a chance.

Unfortunately for Luc, Heaven has other plans, and the angel, Gabe, is going to do whatever it takes to make sure that Luc doesn’t get what he came for. And it isn’t long before they find themselves fighting for more than just her soul.

But if Luc fails, there will be Hell to pay…for all of them.

September 28

Girl, Stolen by April Henry. This one seems like a suspense filled book that will be a quick page turner!

Find her on Twitter.

Synopsis from Amazon: Sixteen year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of a car while her mom fills her prescription at the pharmacy. Before Cheyenne realizes what’s happening, their car is being stolen–with her inside! Griffin hadn’t meant to kidnap Cheyenne, all he needed to do was steal a car for the others. But once Griffin’s dad finds out that Cheyenne’s father is the president of a powerful corporation, everything changes—now there’s a reason to keep her. What Griffin doesn’t know is that Cheyenne is not only sick with pneumonia, she is blind. How will Cheyenne survive this nightmare, and if she does, at what price?

Whew, there you have it, my top picks for September. What books are you looking forward to that are coming out next month? Remember, just because school is starting doesn’t mean you can’t read for fun! Tweet at us or leave us a comment down below on which books made your list.

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles. She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum as well as a current grad student at Point Park University. Maybe one day you will see a book written by her listed here on College Lifestyles!

CL’s Guide to Reading for Fun while in School

If you’re like me and love to read (I did start my own book blog after all), then you may be a little concerned about not having any time for it once the semester starts again. School books will dominate your shelves in no time and you’ll have textbooks to read for exams that always seem to occur too quickly. Don’t worry, you can still fit reading for pleasure into your busy schedule!

1. Read as a reward. When you get a good grade on an exam, reward yourself by purchasing one of the books you have been eyeing up lately. Remember you don’t have to shell out a lot of money to get a great book. Check out stores like Half Price Books or even thrift stores.

2. Read to unwind. Most of us know that if we have a standard routine before bed, we will most likely sleep better. Why not make reading part of that nightly practice? Even if you only read one-two chapters a night before bed, you will be finished with a book before you know it.
3. Read to escape. Overwhelmed with everything that is happening this semester? Grab a book and let your mind wander for a bit. When you read a book, you can enter a whole new world. You can go on an adventure with Harry, Ron and Hermione or you can fall in love alongside Sookie and Eric (not Bill ). When you come back to the real world, your mind will be a little bit clearer.

4. Read as a group. Why don’t you set up a book club with people on your floor or in your apartment complex? It would be a great way to get to know people and make reading fun! You can meet every other week or once a month–whatever works with your schedule. Pick books that either you all own or can check out from the library. Talk about your likes and dislikes and things you wish you could change about the book.

Always remember to take a little bit of “me” time during the school year. If you’re too stressed, you won’t accomplish anything to your full potential. What books are you looking forward to this fall? Check out some from this summer that you may have missed and don’t forget, Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins comes out August 24th! Leave us a comment down below or tweet at us (@collegelifestyl) to let us know what books are on your list!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles. She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum as well as a current grad student at Point Park University. She has already read 50 books this year!

Fall into Football Season with College Lifestyles

As fall rolls around, we are all preparing for back to school by shopping, buying books and getting our planners organized. While that is high on my priority list since I am starting graduate school this fall, I am also looking forward to football season! Since I am a Pittsburgh girl, you know I will be cheering for my Pittsburgh Steelers. We all know that looking good while cheering on our team is just as important.

Luckily for us, Victoria’s Secret has come out with a line that supports 13 professional football teams. They have a variety of items for each team ranging from t shirts to sweatshirts. If you cannot find your professional team of choice, perhaps you can find a collegiate team to support–they have a plethora of options!

If you still cannot find anything you like at Victoria’s Secret, you can always try the NFL shop or your local department store. They should have jerseys, sweatshirts and everything nice!

What team are you supporting this fall or do you not care about football at all? Let us know in the comments section, by tweeting at us (@collegelifestyl) or emailing us at intern@collegelifestyles.org!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles. She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University. She loves the black and gold and can’t wait to see the boys play this season!

CL’s Guide to Tremendous Theme Songs

Have you ever been watching a television show or movie and find yourself singing along with one of the songs?  This happens to me all of the time!  I’ve taken some of Briana’s list of summer TV shows to watch plus some of my favorite movies and looked into the theme songs.

Got a secret…can you keep it? Our first song is ‘Secret’ by The Pierces from the album, Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge, and is the fabulous theme for the ABC Family series, Pretty Little Liars. Ever since the very first episode, I was addicted to this song.  I went and downloaded it (legally, of course) the moment the episode ended.  I have been told that many people first recognized this song from an episode of Gossip Girl; however, my first encounter happened during Pretty Little Liars. The sisters have a haunting quality to their voices and the track sort of reminds me of a carnival song.  I dare you to hear this and not sing along–it can’t happen.

I wanna do bad things with you. ‘Bad Things‘ by Jace Everett from the album, Old New Borrowed Blues, is the theme song for the hit HBO show, True Blood. The whole album was recorded live, so you get that gritty southern bluesy feel to it.  It is crazy how accurately this song fits in with the television show, considering it was not written specifically for it.  It is a testament to how amazing this song is that whenever I watch this series on DVD, I do not fast-forward through the intro, even if I am watching multiple episodes.

Just because everything’s changing, doesn’t mean it’s never been this way before. ‘The Call’ by Regina Spektor from The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian soundtrack is one of my favorite songs from a movie ever (maybe even one of my favorite songs ever).  This song depicts the journey from our world to Narnia and back perfectly.  Regina Spektor’s voice grows as the song is heading to its climax and you really feel the heart of the movie through the lyrics alone.  This is just really a “feel good” song and I smile every time I hear it.

Hedwig’s Theme. Even though this song does not have lyrics, I guarantee once you listen to it, you will always associate it with Harry Potter.  ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ was first showcased on the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone soundtrack (previewed in the ‘Prologue’) and was composed by the great John Williams.  Anytime I hear this song in public, I stop and look around for whatever Harry Potter item it is coming from.  I may also have, at one point, used this melodic masterpiece as a ringtone.

You’re dreaming! You’re dreaming! Oh, Alice! ‘Alice’s Theme’ composed by the fantastic Danny Elfman combines strong notes with amazing vocals performed by a boy’s choir.  I am so happy that Danny Elfman made the last minute addition of the boy’s choir–I don’t think this song would be nearly as dynamic if he didn’t.  The one downfall to this song is that you will be singing the lyrics for ages after you hear it (I am now).

What are some of your favorite songs from television shows or movies?  Do you agree with our choices?  Let us know in the comments section, on the Twitter or by e-mailing us at intern@collegelifestyles.org.

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern at College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum, as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She loves soundtracks and they make up a good portion of her iTunes!

You can check out my latest post: A review of the upcoming Cassandra Clare novel,  Clockwork Angel.

CL Reviews ‘Clockwork Angel’: Upcoming Novel by Cassandra Clare

Magic… love… England in the Victorian era… what more could you ask for? If you can believe it, Cassandra Clare offers all of that and then some in her new novel, Clockwork Angel, due in stores August 31st.  Clockwork Angel is the first in a series, The Infernal Devices, of prequels to the widely popular Mortal Instruments series.  The books in each series complement each other which makes it even better since you are not required to read one set before the other.  Clare draws you into the Downworld and makes you believe that this could have actually been a part of Victorian London.  The characters come to life and you find that you actually care for them, which doesn’t happen all the time.

THE CHARACTERS:

Tessa Gray: Tessa is a sixteen-year-old girl who is extremely well read.  Practically everything she knows about the world she has learned from books, which could work to her advantage or could quite possibly cause a few problems.  She has grown up living with her aunt and brother in New York due to the early death of her parents.  When her aunt passes away, she embarks on a journey to London to stay with her brother, Nate.  Unfortunately, Nate is not present when Tessa gets off of the boat and the Dark Sisters are waiting in his place.  This opens up a whole new world, the Downworld to be exact, that Tessa had no idea existed.  She has powers she would never have even dreamed of possessing.  With her brother gone and herself in an unknown world, she can’t help but wonder, “If no one in the entire world cared about you, did you really exist at all?”

Will Herondale: Will, oh Will.  Will is a young man who has a personality that switches from hot to cold in a matter of seconds.  He is a Shadowhunter (Shadowhunters try to rid the world of demons) who is not very personable except for when it comes to his best friend, Jem, and perhaps Tessa will work her way in there as well.  He is a fierce fighter and that carries over into his everyday life as well.  He enjoys a good drink, gamble and the company of a lady.

Jem Carstairs: Jem has a troubling past, his parents were killed by demons when he was young, and quite a troubled present.  He remains an excellent Shadowhunter even if he is hindered by an illness that keeps him incapacitated at times.  This causes Jem to appear as if all the color has been drained from him, leaving him with silvery hair and eyes.  Jem forms a bond with Tessa in almost the complete opposite way that Will does.  He has a kind soul and really tries to see the best in people.  Lying is not a habit Jem keeps.

THE STORY: The Dark Sisters have kidnapped Tessa to force her into harnessing her power.  They are preparing her for The Magister, the leader of the Pandemonium Club, who wants Tessa’s power all for himself.  Tessa finds herself in the hands of the Shadowhunters and she feels as if she has fallen into one of the novels she loves so much.  There is a war brewing and Tessa is forced with having to make some very difficult decisions.  She is trying to focus on saving her brother, but keeps getting drawn into the problems in the Downworld.

THE VERDICT: You might as well go and pre-order this one now because, trust me, you’re going to want it.  I can’t wait to read this one again and really catch all of the little details.  I am so excited to see who Tessa decides between: Will, Jem or neither, but most importantly, I cannot wait to see Tessa grow and come to terms with all of the life changing events that occurred during Clockwork Angel. Tessa steals the show for me and has the potential to become one of my favorite literary characters.  It is going to be a long wait until the next one comes out (especially with that cliffhanger at the end of the epilogue)…  I suppose I’ll have to start the Mortal Instruments series to keep me occupied.

You can follow Cassandra Clare on the Twitter and check out her website!  Have you read The Mortal Instruments series?  What other books are you looking forward to this summer? Let us know on the Twitter, in the comments section or by e-mailing us at intern@collegelifestyles.org! Also, check out our ideas for other summer reads.

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She loved Clockwork Angel so, so much and pretty much wants to read it again right now.

*We have not received any compensation or gifts for reviewing this book, except for the book itself, of course.  We have expressed our sincere opinions in this post.*

CL Celebrity Look-a-like Series: True Blood Edition

For this edition of ‘CL’s Celebrity Look-a-like Series,’ we were inspired by Sookie (pronounced like ‘cookie’ but with a ‘s’) Stackhouse from the hit HBO television show, True Blood (based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris), which airs on Sundays at 9 pm EST.  When she is working, Sookie wears her Merlotte’s waitress uniform, which consists of a white tee, black shorts and a basic pony tail.  You can imagine that this would get a bit boring, so when she isn’t working, she exhibits a very girly sense of style.  Floral dresses make up the majority of her wardrobe and her hair is always in curls.  We will explore how you can turn Sookie’s style into your own!

MERLOTTE’S UNIFORM: You can start with this basic white tee from Old Navy for $8 or you can add a little bit of personality with a white pocket racerback tank top also from Old Navy, on sale for $10.  Black American Eagle bermuda shorts, on sale for $29.95, replace her short-shorts.  Converse Chuck Taylor All Star shoes from Kohl’s for $39.99 complete the outfit!  I feel that everyone should own at least one pair of Chucks.

MERLOTTE’S ACCESSORIES: This green scarf from Old Navy for $12.50 is made of gauze, so it is perfect for the summer time.  It has some metallic threading, so this piece will add some fun and flare to an otherwise basic outfit.  We round it all off with a green wooden ring from Old Navy for $5.50.

Celebrity Lookalike Series: True Blood by KaitorTot featuring Forever21

SOOKIE’S GOING OUT OUTFIT: We have two floral dresses from Target, both running at $21.99, to start off Sookie’s look.  The first is a pretty black and pink number and the second is a very similar dress that is a navy and yellow combination.  If you aren’t a fan of all over floral, you can always try a solid dress, like this coral one from Forever 21 for $15.80, and pair it with a floral cardigan, like this cropped rose cardigan from Forever 21 for $19.80.

SOOKIE’S ACCESSORIES: Sookie typically wears very basic and classy accessories.  Small drop earrings, like these pearl ones from Forever 21 for $4.80, will look amazing with this cream bow headband which is also from Forever 21 for $7.80.  To round off the cream accessories, we have a ruffle purse from Forever 21 for $22.80, which will pair wonderfully with any of the dresses mentioned above.

SOOKIE’S HAIR: How can you get those amazing curls?  Sookie’s hair always seems to be curled perfectly even if she has been running from supernatural creatures all day.  You can try a Bed Head curling iron from Target for $22.  This is a ceramic curling iron and gets nice and hot, so it should work on even the most straight or fine hair.  If you don’t like standing around and using a curling iron, you can try the Light Me Up Hair Setter by Bed Head from Ulta for $44.99.  The rollers vary in size to create a natural look and you can choose from regular heat or heat with ion technology.  The ion setting will give your hair a healthy shine.  I would love to try these rollers out!

What is your favorite look of Sookie’s?  Let us know by e-mailing us at intern@collegelifestyls.org, commenting down below, or hitting us up on The Twitter!  You can also check out the last installment in the CL Celebrity Look-a-like Series!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum, as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She is addicted to True Blood and is insanely jealous of Sookie’s curls.

CL’s Guide to the Can’t Miss Books of the Summer!

Ah, summer is a time for laying by the pool, on the beach, or in your backyard and reading an amazing book!  It never fails that a plethora of fantastic books come out every summer.  Here is your guide to the ‘Can’t Miss Books of the Summer!’

June 22: Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich.  This is the sixteenth (yes, sixteenth) installment in the series revolving around bounty hunter, Stephanie Plum.  Someone wants to kill Vinnie and Stephanie needs to figure out who, if she wants to save him.  Now, I haven’t started to read this series yet, but I know many who have and they simply adore it!

June 29: The Twilight Saga Eclipse: The Illustrated Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz.  This illustrated movie companion will have all the girls arguing over who the better choice is: Edward or Jacob.  Readers are treated to cast and set photos, interviews and behind the scene looks at the anticipated movie Eclipse, premiering the following day.

July 13: Faithful Place by Tana French.  Tana French introduces us into the Irish police world in her first novel in the series, In the Woods. The beauty about these books is that they can stand alone and you don’t need to read them in order.  Faithful Place revolves around Frank Mackey and his teenage love who vanished 22 years earlier.  He thought that she left him, but when her suitcase turns up in an abandoned home, he isn’t so sure anymore.

July 20: Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. Linger is the sequel to last year’s hit, Shiver.  Linger takes all of the romantic and supernatural aspects of Shiver and takes them up a notch.  The werewolves are back and could potentially be destroyed.

August 24: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.  This highly anticipated novel is the final installment in the Hunger Games trilogy.  The Capitol is looking for revenge against heroine, Katniss Everdeen, and no one is safe.  This series is majorly recommended by yours truly and I would suggest catching up before the first book is made into a movie in 2011.  Be sure to check out our review of the second book in the series, Catching Fire.

August 31: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare.  Clockwork Angel is a prequel to the bestselling Mortal Instruments series.  Sixteen year old Tessa Gray heads to England to find her brother and ends up finding much, much more.  She encounters an entire supernatural world and finds out that she isn’t exactly entirely human either.  I received an advanced copy of this in the mail, so be sure to look out for the review soon!

What books are you looking forward to this summer?  Do we mention your favorites or miss them?  Let us know by e-mailing us at intern@collegelifestyles.org, commenting below or tweeting at us!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum and also a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She hates to wish her summer away, but she would love for August to get here so she can read Mockingjay.

CL Reviews “Insatiable”: New Novel by Meg Cabot

Most of us know Meg Cabot for penning The Princess Diaries; now, she has stepped outside of her comfort zone with her upcoming novel, Insatiable (in stores June 8th).  Insatiable falls into what Meg likes to call ‘Girl Gothic’ (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer).  The girls who are the main characters in these types of stories don’t see being changed into a supernatural being as a happy ending and don’t need a man to solve all of their problems.  Sure, having a man around wouldn’t make them unhappy, per se, but they don’t need one either.  Now we can explore the wonderful world of Insatiable.

THE CHARACTERS:

Meena Harper: The main character is the cleverly named Meena Harper.  Don’t know why she is so cleverly named?  Check out this book for an idea.  Meena is sick and tired of the vampire craze that is taking over the world.  She is a dialogue writer for the long-running soap opera, ‘Insatiable,‘ and is being forced to incorporate vampires into the script due to the success of their rival, ‘Lust.‘  Meena isn’t your typical girl–she can tell how everyone will die.  As you can imagine, this makes her life just a bit difficult.     It becomes even more difficult when she meets Lucien Antonescu in quite an extraordinary way.

Lucien Antonescu: Lucien Antonescu is a modern-day prince who is visiting New York City to deal with a string of murders which are being committed by his people.  His people being the vampires, of course.  Lucien seems like the perfect boyfriend for Meena, but we should know by now that things aren’t always as they seem.  He has a tortured past and quite the temper.

Alaric Wulf: Meena also meets Alaric Wulf in an extremely interesting way.  He shows up at her door to find out where Lucien is or he will kill her.  Alaric Wulf is a vampire-hunter and he would prefer if all the vampires in the world would remain dead instead of becoming undead.  After many trials and tribulations, Meena comes to realize that things aren’t exactly what they seem with Alaric as well.  He even has a revelation, himself.

THE STORY: Insatiable isn’t vampires as we are seeing them in the media today.  Meg Cabot uses traditional vampire lore in a modern day setting and blends them beautifully.    Meena Harper could be any one of the College Lifestyles interns, or our Director, with her passion for writing, compassion toward others and great sense of style.  The storyline switches points of view which allows you to get into everyone’s heads.  Readers get to know the characters on a deeper level and can sympathize which each one at some point in the story.  Insatiable provides it all: humor, romance, fantasy, suspense, history… we could go on and on.  I fell in love with the characters in this novel   (Meena’s neighbor, Mary Lou, and Meena’s dog, Jack Bauer, in particular).

THE VERDICT: Twilight who? I would seriously recommend putting this novel on your summer reading list.  The chapters are short and it makes a great ‘beach read’!  You can try to win a copy of Insatiable until June 15th or pick it up at your local bookstore starting June 8th.

You can follow Meg Cabot on Twitter or check out her website!  Her website contains a FAQ, some videos and other fun things–check it out!

What books are on your summer reading list? Let us know at intern@collegelifestyles.org, leave a comment down below, or tweet at us!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum as well as a current Point Park University graduate student.  She adores reading and is a total geek, but she wouldn’t have it any other way!

For more book reviews, see what we have to say about Beautiful Creatures, New Moon,  Catching Fire and Eat Well and Be Fabulous: A Guide for the Modern Day Woman.

*We have not received any compensation or gifts for reviewing this book, except for the book itself, of course.  We have expressed our sincere opinions in this post.*

CL Interviews Ginny Carroll, Founder of Circle of Sisterhood

I have been in contact with Ginny Carroll, founder of the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation, who talked about everything from her inspiration to how we can help to some heart-wrenching statistics.  Ginny is a great role model for all sorority women (and non-sorority women… and men… okay, everyone) out there.

CL: Please briefly describe the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation to our readers?

Ginny: The Circle of Sisterhood Foundation is a humanitarian effort by sorority women – regardless of affiliation – to uplift the spirit of women worldwide.  As educated women, we understand the importance of achieving an education and we believe that every girl in the world deserves the opportunity to go to school.  And we know that when all women have access to education, the world will be a better place.

Our mission is “to uplift girls and women from poverty and oppression through education.”

CL: What gave you the inspiration to start the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation?

G: I have been involved in the national sorority community for 25 years.  As a sorority women affiliated with an NPC group, I have often wondered why sorority women haven’t done something altruistic on a larger scale.  We are an identifiable group of college-educated women.  That, in itself, is very unique.  And just recently I realized that this effort should not be about NPC or even one sorority.  It’s about women caring for women.  It’s about ALL sorority women, regardless of affiliation, coming together to contribute to the greater good on a global scale.  We have the wherewithal and the numbers to have a significant impact for generations to come.

And also, the book Half the Sky by Nicolas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn truly lit the fire.  No woman in the United States could read that book and not want to do something for our sisters across the world fighting gendercide, sex slavery, oppression, sex selective abortion, and brutality on so many levels – simply because they are girls.  And many experts believe that education is the answer to many of these global issues around women.

It’s just makes sense that sorority women would be motivated to participate in the humanitarian effort to educate girls and women across the globe.

CL: Why do you think 70% of the world’s out-of-school youth are female?  That seems like such a high percentage.

G: In many countries, girl children are not seen as a commodity.  Rather, they are a burden.  Often the attention, whether it’s health care or education, goes to the male child or children of the household.  And in most parts of the world, there is limited access to or not enough money to afford schooling.

CL: Is the only way to get involved to donate money or is there a way sorority women could donate their time/energy/etc. to the cause (for those who do not currently have the funds)?

G: My hope is that in the near future, as we mature as a Foundation, there will be many opportunities for sorority women to be involved in hands-on initiatives, whether that be immersion trips to other countries or some other means.

And honestly, we are not asking for a lot.  To most of us in this country, $100 is a day of shopping that includes a mani/pedi.  In the developing world, $100 can provide school supplies for one child for 5 years.

There are 4+ million sorority women throughout the world and if each one raised or gave just $100, our efforts will be transforming – for a very long time.

CL: Is there anything else you would like to share with the College Lifestyles readers?

G: I want those who “don’t have the funds” to consider raising a donation. I truly believe that if each of us asked just ten of our friends or family members to contribute $10 for this cause, they would do it without hesitation.  Ten dollars equates to lunch out, 1/3 of a pedicure, or a movie ticket.  To a little girl in the developing world, $10 equates to a school uniform so she can attend school.

There is tremendous potential for this humanitarian effort to have a positive impact in so many ways.  I know that when sorority women put their heads and their hearts together for a cause, amazing things happen.  I hope we can show the world the impact that we can have as intelligent, thoughtful, caring sisters of the world.

One World. One Sisterhood.

Thanks so much for your time, Ginny!  You are fabulous.

Be sure to check out the Circle of Sisterhood website and Facebook page!    Ginny and the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation are both amazing and I really encourage all of you to do whatever you can to help out!  If you have any questions for myself or Ginny, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at intern@collegelifestyles.org or leave a comment down below!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum, as well as a current graduate student at Point Park University.  She thinks the Circle of Sisterhood Foundation is one of the best things she has heard about in awhile!

Check out my favorite article from this week: Spring Clean Your College Lifestyle Diet by Hillary!

CL’s ‘How Do I Wear That?’: Colored Tights Edition

Has there ever been a trend that you’ve liked, but had no idea how to wear it?  This always happens to me!  Sometimes I even go through the whole, “I definitely like this, but it just wouldn’t look right on me” debate.  This week I have taken a trend (colored tights) and created some looks for the chic college girl to embrace.  I love to wear colored tights so much that I simply told new intern Becky that I was dressed up to go to a banquet and she asked if I was wearing my purple tights!  Try this look out–I’m sure you will love it!  Also, for other fashion inspiration, check out Shelly’s post on how to get a rocker glam look for less!

THE TIGHTS: First, we better start off with the tights themselves!  I found amazing purple and ruby tights from tobi.com, both on sale for $14.  You can also find a wide selection at your local Kohl’s (SimplyVera by Vera Wang usually has a plethora to choose from).

THE OUTFIT: I think a simple dress usually pairs best with a bold pair of tights.  I have worn this black and white scoop neck dress from Old Navy, retailed at $19.50, with purple tights and the resulting look is very aesthetically pleasing.  This white/yellow/grey Xhilaration dress from Target, on sale for $15, would also do the trick.  The final dress in this set is from Kohl’s.  I have been lusting after this floral lace dress by ELLE for quite some time now and it is on sale for $35.99!   I have a similar ELLE dress and it possibly could be my favorite dress I own.

THE ACCESSORIES: I couldn’t pass up including this silver anchor ring from Urban Outfitters for $12.  I’m an Alpha Sigma Tau girl.. how could I skip it?  Also from Urban Outfitters we have a silver metal leaf headband for $18 that will give your outfit a quirky touch!  Either Sephora by O.P.I ‘Too Good for Him‘ nail colour or ‘Gold for Me’ top coat would look beautiful on your nails!

THE SHOES: Similar to the dress, I think simple shoes work best with colored tights.  I would stick with either black heels or flats.  First, I have platform pumps from Forever 21 for $24.80 in the set– I liked the braided detail on these.  I have two selections from Urban Outfitters for $48 a piece.  Black canvas pumps or black canvas wedges would be perfect, especially in the summer since the canvas won’t be overly hot!

So, what do you think?  Are you willing to give the colored tights look a shot?  If you do, send us some pictures at intern@collegelifestyles.org!  What other trends are you not really sure about?  Leave us a comment down below or tweet at us (@collegelifestyl)!

Kaitlyn Kline is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is an Edinboro University of PA and Alpha Sigma Tau alum and current graduate student at Point Park University.  She would wear colored tights everyday if she could!

View my favorite article last week: ‘What About Your Friends? -Balancing Dating and Friends’ by Briana!

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