Real Live College Guy Joey: To-The-Point Answers to 4 New Questions About STD's, Texting And The Rules of Exclusivity

1. How do you know if a guy is flirting with you via text?
     -Texting in Texas
 
In a society entirely dependent on technology for personal communication, I'm surprised more girls haven't thought to ask this before. Those tricky bastards called cell phones open up an entirely new can of ambiguous little worms. "Hit me with a text, it could go down. Hit me and I'll be around. Hit you with a text on the low, nobody will have to know." Jason Derulo's ode to text-flirtation and my fascination with his song notwithstanding, it's quite an accurate examination of the constant ambiguity that surrounds flirtatious texting.With whomever you're conversing with via text, there are a few pointed little examples that could help you figure out most guys' intentions. As emotionless robots, we men see the use of emoticons as a great way to drive a flirtation home without being seen as "weak" or "too emotional." Those damn "wink" faces or maniacally grinning "smiles" slam their way into the dialogue. Keep an eye out to see if he's leaving texts open to a response so as to keep the dialogue going. Check for instances where he may offer up a chance to continue the dialogue face-to-face. All of which indicate more than a passing infatuation with your mobile device.

READ MORE...

How to Deal With Your Ex-Boyfriend On Campus

It is just one of those days. It's pouring outside, it's cold, and all you want to do is stay in your dorm room and sleep. But being the active college girl that you are, you force yourself out of your cozy bed for class. You wash up, throw on a sweatshirt, sweatpants, Ugg boots, grab your books and head out. Could this day get any worse? Actually it could. Your ex-boyfriend is walking straight towards you on your way to class. He looks adorable, even in sweatpants, and you literally crawled out of bed. You'd like to run into your ex-boyfriend and make him think, "I wish I still dated her," but instead your current ensemble likely leaves him thinking, "Thank God I'm NOT still dating her." Now what do you do?

READ MORE...

A Grown Man Is Hard To Find: The Dating Struggles Of A College Senior

I can no longer date teenagers. I know this for a fact. And yet… No. I can't date teenagers because they are babies and I don't have time to whisper sweet nothings to anyone who still uses a fake-ID that says he can operate heavy machinery in the state of Indiana. I will not succumb. I will not throw my special someone an eighteenth birthday party in celebration of the fact that our relationship is no longer a crime.

READ MORE...

The 20 Cutest Things to Do With Your Boyfriend on Valentine's Day - Part 2

8. Indoor picnic – HC Harvard campus correspondent Olivia Ford suggests taking the dinner in bed idea even further with an indoor picnic.  To decorate your space, string white Christmas lights around the room, buy some picnic-y snacks, pop the champagne and set up a blanket and pillows for you and your boy to sit on. Oh, and don't forget to ask your roommates for some alone time! 9. Cook it! –  Strawberry bellinis, chicken parmesan, spaghetti and chocolate mousse—nothing will make your man swoon more quickly than a delicious Valentine's meal. If you are feeling ambitious and extra sweet, cooking dinner for your boyfriend is the way to go. If you are an all-star in the kitchen, check out The Food Network's Valentine's Day food and dessert recipes. However, if you're like me and cooking a full gourmet meal is not a possibility, look at ifood's simple recipes like heart-shaped pizza. Also, if your boyfriend is up for it, cook dinner together—it will be surprisingly sexy to see your guy move around the kitchen.

READ MORE...

The 20 Cutest Things to Do With Your Boyfriend on Valentine's Day - Part 1

It's the most romantic day of the year…until you end up basically sitting in the lap of the couple next to you at an exorbitantly expensive Valentine's Day dinner, wondering if the gift you got your boyfriend was too much or not enough.  We have all fallen prey to Valentine's Day snafus (don't even get me started on Valentine's Day 2006)—from lingerie mishaps to dining disasters. This year, to keep you embracing candy hearts and pink cupids, Her Campus has compiled 20 cute things you can do with or for your boyfriend on Valentine's Day. What are the most unique and romantic ways to celebrate? What does your boyfriend really want? How can you spice up the day without stressing out? We have you covered.  

READ MORE...

Ten Ways to Get a Date by Valentine's Day

Don't you miss those grade school days, when every person in your class had to put a hand-addressed Valentine in your red-paper-pasted box?  Now, only the smug coupled-up people among us are guaranteed some attention on Valentine's Day, and even they complain it's not enough (he didn't get me the right kind of flowers! etc).  So why bother with it?  Well, because it's kind of fun to get all dolled up and go somewhere romantic, imagining for weeks beforehand how it will be the best night of your life.  What do you do if you haven't got a date to look forward to yet?  Make one.  Here are ten foolproof tips to make sure you've snagged a body to sit across from at the fancy restaurant of your choice.

READ MORE...

Jess and Katie Take You on the Best Date Ever: The Timeline Of A Date - Part 2

STEP TWO: CHOOSING WHERE (to go) AND (what to) WEAR
We're English majors, but we acknowledge this step may require some math.
Solving Your Sartorial Conundrum:
Factor in the nature of your outing, and outfit accordingly. No extra credit awarded for showing up to a baseball game in heels or a ski trip in a bikini If your entire outfit costs more than six times the cost of the date, you're probably overdressed (exception: if your date somehow involves no spending, don't go naked). The Location Equation: Don't change his plans, but if you're the decider, keep this in mind.

READ MORE...

Jess and Katie Take You on the Best Date Ever: The Timeline Of A Date - Part 1

We love dates. We like that stupid yawn-stretch-arm-around-her move boys pull at the movies, and the "So-how-do-I-do-this-again?" trick girls do at bowling alleys. Dating is as all-American as watching baseball or stealing land from indigenous people. But in this age of rampant random hookups, we fear the date is fading away. So, as Justin did with sexy, we are bringing dating back. And not just any date. The Best Date Ever ©. Pop some breath mints and get your game face on, because we're going to take you out.

READ MORE...

A College Guy Answers Your Love Life Questions: No. 2

Got a burning love life q? Consult our Real Live College Guy (he also goes by Chase). Each month, our RLCG will take you inside the college guy's brain to demystify your tricky, sticky, icky love (can you even call it that?) situations.
Ready? Here goes!
Do guys kiss and tell? Who are they telling? And how much do they spill? --Curious at Colgate

READ MORE...

Sexiling, Live-In BFs & More: How to Handle Love-Related Problems With Your Roomie - Part 2

Roadblock #3: Your roommate does not like your boyfriend. Whenever he is around she pretends that he doesn't exist and shoots hate stares in your direction.
Both your boyfriend and roommate are extremely important relationships. The guy you care about and the girl you're living with are bound to cross paths more than once, so how do you deal with it when your roommate is disapproving of your choice in boyfriends?

READ MORE...

Sexiling, Live-In BFs & More: How to Handle Love-Related Problems With Your Roomie - Part 1

You're going to fight with your roommate. Plain and simple. Not only are you living with a complete stranger – you are confined to a shoebox sized space and will be spending tons of time in those close quarters. Within the first couple weeks, you are bound to witness her annoying mannerisms, the habits she can't seem to break, and notice which of her lifestyle choices make your stomach turn.  

READ MORE...

Text Translations With Jess & Katie: No. 2

When we opened up our online lockbox of reader submissions for decoding, the responses ranged from racy to ridiculous. Yet none of your exchanges made us want to call upon our hot guy panel to start the translation process. Frankly readers, we were a little disappointed. DIG DEEPER. You've got one more week before we start decoding and, as we are giving you our very best, we expect nothing less from you.

READ MORE...

He's Perfect, But…: When a Relationship Flaw is Too Big to Ignore

Preoccupied by our love for love, we often tolerate the minor flaws that pop up in our relationships every now and then. But, just as the little things can make your relationship, they can also break it.
We caught up with dating coach and matchmaker Lisa Shield to determine when it's right to stay in a relationship and when an issue demands a breakup. Read on to find out her advice and discover what five real college girls did when they found themselves questioning whether their relationship's flaws were worth working through or not.

READ MORE...

Opinion: Why Dating Isn’t Dead

It's Saturday morning and you're curled up in bed, nursing a mini hangover from last night's party. You cringe and moan when your cell phone buzzes on your nightstand, but you flip it open to read a text from your best friend.
"OMG! u hooked up w/ jeff last nite??"
Suddenly, you remember exactly what you did last night between drinking your third beer and your cell phone buzzing this morning. You hooked up with that guy from your history class who you've been eyeing since the first day. He walked you home (maybe) at 4AM, and then you passed out on your bed in your going-out clothes. You have no idea if you'll hook up with him again, and you didn't even exchange numbers. It will probably be awkward in class on Monday. And there goes another Friday night.

READ MORE...

8 Love Lessons You Can Learn From Entourage - Part 2

4. Beware of mixing work and pleasure.
There might be more workplace relationships in Entourage than on The Office – Vince has a rift with Ari and hooks up with his new (female) agent Amanda, E briefly pursues Ari's assistant Emily, and Ari's business partner Andrew gets busted having an affair with Lizzie, a sexy 20-something at the agency.  The common theme among these subplots?  Office romances can lead to problems, especially when there's a power difference between the partners.  Vince thinks Amanda's aggressiveness is really hot, but he has a hard time taking her seriously as an agent after they have sex.  Emily breaks up with Eric because his friendship with her boss makes her uncomfortable, and Ari later fires her and warns E to stay away from his employees.  And when Andrew's wife finds out about the affair, it causes a crisis at the agency and both he and Lizzie come very close to losing their jobs. 

READ MORE...

8 Love Lessons You Can Learn From Entourage - Part 1

You know how it seems like every college girl you know loves Sex and the City?  Chances are that you've watched it yourself, and that you have girlfriends who own some of the seasons on DVD, or who have that infamous poster in their dorm room, or who have SATC quotes on their Facebook pages.  We love it primarily because it's hilarious, but also because the girls talk about sex and relationships in a way that we can directly relate to. 

READ MORE...

Text Translations with Jess and Katie: No. 1

Texts from last night… decoded
Sometimes a guy texts you and you don't know what he's saying. Sometimes a guy texts you and you know what he's saying but are confused as to What It Really Means. Most of the time, you wish he'd just man up and call you, but boys lacking in the balls department would often rather communicate via abbrevs and emoticons. What ever is a girl to do?

READ MORE...