Heather Rinder

More by Heather Rinder

The Long-Term Hookup: Unofficially Official or Officially Unofficial?

6/3/2013

On any college campus, it’s a classic situation to casually hook up with a guy you may, or may not, know very well. What happens, though, when he becomes your go-to hookup? You’re not “together,” but no matter what other guys you talk to that night, you’ll always end up at his place. If this lasts for a few weeks, a month, or longer – are you unofficially dating?
 
Her Campus spoke with America’s Dating Doctor – the real life Hitch – David Coleman, along with college guys and girls about these long-term hookups to help us answer the question of: how casual is your long-term hookup?
 
*Most of the students in our survey chose to remain anonymous for privacy reasons.
 
It might be more serious than you thought if…
 
1. You’ve been hooking up for months (and months).

Top 10 Warm Weather Date Ideas

5/27/2013

Now that the temps have turned, you may be looking for a new way to spend time with your guy this spring or summer. The list of date ideas during the warm weather months is endless, but it can be tough to figure out where to begin. So we’ve narrowed it down to present 10 of our favorite warm weather dates! 

1. Be grill masters:

One of the best parts of summer by far is the delicious summer food. We love that grilled or barbecued chicken, slabs of freshly seasoned steak or stacks of grilled veggies (or veggie burgers). There’s no need for a monstrous gas grill, either. Instead, pick up a portable or mini grill (they start at just around $30!) at a local hardware store. Let your man grill up your favorite foods for you, or pick out a few of your own recipes and impress him with your own grilling skills. We bet he won’t turn down one of these tasty grilled meals!

2. Bring out the guns:

Guys' Take On: Summer Relationships

5/22/2013

Whether or not you currently have a guy to hold your hand, summer relationships of any kind – hook-ups, dating, flings, boyfriends – are on your mind. To take the guesswork out of trying to mind read the guy in your life (or the guys you haven’t even met yet), we got the answers straight from the guys themselves.

We surveyed 35 college guys about dates, exclusivity, if they think any of our summer relationships (or flings) will last once the sun’s gone, and what they really want out of a summer relationship. Here’s what the guys had to say:

On What They’re Looking for This Summer:

Whatever you’re hoping to find in a guy this summer – a casual fling, a bunch of hook-ups, a serious boyfriend, or absolutely nothing at all – there’s a boy out there who wants the same thing. The guys were fairly evenly split between these answers; it’s a clear indication that not all boys are looking for a summer hook-up, nor are they all hoping for a girlfriend for the months of June through August. Mike, Northeastern ’13, responded that he has the “anything that comes my way” approach. You might start the summer hoping for one thing, but meet a guy that changes your mind. Keep your options open, because you may change his mind, too.

On Exclusivity:

6 Ways to Meet Cute Guys Over the Summer

5/20/2013

Just because school is over doesn’t mean you have to stop meeting cute guys every night. If you hit the right spots and know how to work a hot summer outfit you can meet plenty of beaus. Whether you’re back home, interning in a city, or staying at school over the summer, you can meet cute guys during the next few months by following these 6 tips.

If you’re at home

Don’t be down in the dumps because you’re bored at home. Your town is probably full of hotties, and you don’t even know it. Even if you don’t live in a huge, bustling town, young college-age guys are always taking summer trips—and one of their stops may just be where you live.

Make the most of the outdoor party scene.

Go to every available cookout, 4th of July party, backyard get-together, weekend BBQ – the list goes on. Summer is prime time for this sort of family, friend, and neighborhood event. If you’re invited, go. Make an appearance in your cute new summer dress or shorts-and-wedges outfit; you never know who you’ll meet. That annoying neighbor next door may actually have a cute brother. Or cousin. Take her up on that offer for drinks and grilled veggies with her fam next time. Just in case.

Find a dog to walk.

Guys' Take On: Girls' Makeup - The Dos & Don'ts According to Guys

5/9/2013

This morning you woke up and put your makeup staples on – foundation, bronzer, blush, eyeliner, mascara. You might copy a trendy look for cat-eye eyeliner you saw in Glamour, or steal a bright pink lipstick look from Barbie-inspired Nicki Minaj. Once you leave your room though, you won’t be the only one who appreciates your makeup choices. Or maybe you will...

We surveyed 30 college guys from across the country to ask what they think of our strawberry daiquiri-flavored lip gloss, Megan Fox eyeliner technique, and that red lipstick trend courtesy of Mad Men. Here we break down their responses – never struggle deciding between lipstick or lip gloss again.

Red Lipstick
No matter how big the trend becomes, it still takes a dose of confidence to be able to pull off that vintage look, complete with candy apple-red lipstick. We asked guys what they’re thinking right before kissing a girl who’s wearing the slicked-on color, and it was nearly split down the middle.

45% of them don’t mind a bright red pout. Nick, Miami University ’12, and Ben, Plymouth State University ’12, both love the look. Lips with bright red lipstick, “look super sexy,” Ben said. Another 35 percent said they’d be less likely to kiss a girl with red lipstick. The biggest problems they have with it: they don’t want it on their lips, or their shirt. Jason, Syracuse University ’13, though, said, “[red lipstick] might be too much, but if I like her enough I’ll kiss her anyways.” That’s the spirit.

Cat eye eyeliner
We’ll be honest, we were a little surprised about the results of this one. Only a few guys said they didn’t mind this look (but, they didn’t say they loved it), the rest were not fans at all. “Just weird looking,” one guy said. “Not feelin’ it,” another one said. Well guys, we get the point. Maybe our pencils will last longer if we stop winging out the liner so far, anyway.

The Do's and Don'ts of Staying Friends with an Ex

4/29/2013

After a break-up it’s easy to not only feel hurt and upset, but lonely too. You’ve spent a significant amount of time with a person who is suddenly no longer in your life, either in the same way, or at all. It’s natural to want to maintain a relationship with that person – calling them, finding ways to bump into them during the day, or planning “casual” lunch dates. Sometimes, though, this is exactly the opposite of what you need.

Her Campus spoke with relationship and break-up experts Dan Lier, of AskDanandMike.com, Ellie Scarborough, of PinkKisses.com, Dr. Ish. Major, of LittleWhiteWhys.com, and Dr. D. Ivan Young, author of Break up, Don’t Break Down for tips on when it’s OK to contact him, and when you have to just let go.

Here we list the do’s and don’ts of staying friends with an ex.

Don'ts

Don't enter into a "friendship" if you still feel romantic love.
Scarborough suggests a no-contact rule for at least 90 days after the break-up. “Instead of putting your energy into trying to be friends with the person you just broke up with, put that energy into other relationships like friends and family who you might have neglected a bit during the relationship,” she says.

7 Scientifically-Proven Ways to Make Him Fall for You

4/16/2013

Psychology 101 may not be the first place you normally go for dating advice. Here’s a secret though—you can use some of what you learn in class towards your advantage on the guy scene. There are reasons you fall for certain people (besides their cuteness), and once you understand the rules of attraction, you’ll be the master of making guys fall for you.
 
Syracuse University’s Human Sexuality and Love, Lust, and Relationship professor, Dr. Joe Fanelli says, “Initially, it’s about an attraction to someone. Then, for an interest in dating them, there has to be that desire to make a connection.”
 
Her Campus is here to help you make that connection. Here are some of the secrets behind the science of attraction, and how to use them to make him fall for you (take them with a grain of salt!).

1. Use your body language
 

How to Find an Apartment: HC's Guide to Apartment Hunting

3/24/2013

Getting housing freshman year was easy. You filled out a survey about your sleep and study habits. Then your school paired you up with a random roommate and stuck you in a dorm room. Finding off-campus housing, though, can be as much of a pain as waking up for that 8am class.
 
Her Campus spoke with Kerry Heckman, Program Coordinator in the Office of Off Campus and Commuter Services at Syracuse University, to give you the best tips and tricks to finding (decent) housing – without an RA down the hall.
 
Make a list of what you’re looking for.
Heckman says step one in beginning the apartment hunt is figuring out what your wants and needs are for off-campus housing. Do you want to be able to bring your pet? Is accessible parking important to you? What about on-site laundry machines? Decide what are deal-breakers, and what you absolutely have to have. Then decide what things are negotiable: Would you rather live closer to campus but pay extra for utilities?
 
“If you know in advance that you want laundry in the building,” Heckman says, for example, “you know there are a whole group of apartments you can easily cut out of your search.” Knowing your priorities will speed up the entire process. Decide what is a want, and what is a need.
 
Here are some things that Heckman suggests not skimping on. Put these at the top of your “must-have” list:

20 Dates Guys Actually Want to Go On

3/11/2013

We hear it all the time: guys want us to take the lead. And, collegiettes, don’t count choosing whether he buys Lime or Fruit Punch Gatorade as the end of your ring leader role.  Surprise him with something bigger. Whether it’s your first date with a new guy, or your weekly Tuesday dinner, take it up a notch and make the plans.
 
Even if you already do the choosing, you still want him to enjoy the date, right?  Her Campus can help you out. We’re here to help get those creative juices flowing! We’ve asked 20 college guys and recent grads what their date of choice would be if they could pick any activity. In typical guy fashion they came up with a few out-there answers (Richard Branson’s island, anyone?). Steal some inspiration from their ideas, grab your guy, and go on a date!
 
Here’s the quick breakdown of the number-one date guys say they’d want to go on:
 

  
The classics
 

 
These tried-and-true ways, the ones we see in movies or read about in books, are popular for a reason. They may be the simplest dates to plan, but if you’re looking for a low-key way to enjoy your guy’s company, check out one of the ideas from the boys below.
 
“I’d want to go to the beach. It’s romantic, beautiful, and economical. After, we’d also do dinner on the beach,” Jake, 20, The University of Oklahoma
 

5 Ways to Get More Energy on Days When You Feel Blah

2/18/2013

After celebrating the holidays, having weeks off from school, and an abundance of the gloriousness that is spare time, the first few weeks back to the grind can be unusually tough. Not to mention the chilly winter air may leave you feeling that the only option for the day is to stay snuggled under the covers. If you wake up tired, feeling sluggish, or maybe just in a bad mood, stop yourself from spending the day procrastinating in bed or lounging on the couch.  There is hope for those bad days!
 
Dr. David Leibow, a member of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and author of When College Is Not the Best Time of Your Life, suggests that the first step to fixing a down mood, is figuring out the cause.
 

“Try to figure out when the ‘blah’ mood began and see if you can remember what was going on, or what you were thinking about, when your mood dipped,” Leibow said. “Very often it will be something you've recognized to be a trigger in the past.”
 
Leibow explains that there are two kinds of triggers: major, and minor. A minor trigger could be something such as having binged on junk food or gained some weight.  A moderate trigger might be having had a fight with your mother or boyfriend or been snubbed by a friend.  A major trigger might be having procrastinated too long doing your school work or failing to turn in an assignment.
 
“Once you've identified the trigger, you're in a better position to improve your low mood,” Leibow said.
 
Whatever the cause of your down mood, here are 5 ways to get back on the bright side.