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A lot of people wonder, “Should I join a Fraternity”? Whether the Fraternity is socially or academically based, it is something that a lot of people do once going to college. Ultimately, it depends on your interests and if the University you are attending has a large “Greek” population.  It is important to ask yourself what your ultimate goal is and then go from there. Check out the following paragraphs to determine if joining a fraternity is right for you!

Figuring it out
First off you need to figure out why you are joining a fraternity. This helps because it gives you an idea of what kind of fraternity you want to join. Some fraternities may put a greater emphasis on social life while others may put a greater emphasis on GPA, although most have a balance between the two. There are also fraternities that oriented towards certain religions or ethnicities. So, think long and hard and try to figure out exactly what you are looking to get out of fraternity life.

Ask around
Now that you know what kind of fraternity you want to join, you should get opinions from people you meet about which fraternities may suit you best. Beware of people that slander certain fraternities, as they may either be incredibly uninformed or a member of a rival fraternity. Do not make your decisions based entirely off of what you hear about a fraternity, but do take what you’ve heard into consideration.

Rush
During rush go to all the houses that you would consider joining, and then go to a few that you don’t think you’d join (because you might end up changing your mind). Make sure that you meet as many of the brothers/sisters in the house, these people want to meet you and you want to meet them (after all, they are your potential future brothers/sister). Also make sure that you ask questions: ask about membership dues, ask how long the chapter has been around, ask about alumni relationships, etc… These factors should come into play into your decision.

Making your decision
At this point you should have all of the pieces of the puzzle, but its time to put them together. Questions to ask yourself: Where did you feel most comfortable? Where do you feel you could see yourself being life long friends with the brothers of the house? Which house do you feel would best meet the needs of your college experience? Most importantly, you need to understand that nobody can make the decision for you. Ultimately it comes down to you and where you think you’ll be happiest.

So…. Good Luck!

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Click here to buy Sale Posters

As you prepare to head off to college, you are undoubtedly going to need some cool posters to cover those blank dorm walls. Luckily for you, AllPosters.com is having a poster sale and are offering tons of posters to choose from!

To help you in your search for the most popular posters at the best possible price, we are providing you with a list of the top 10 sellers for the sale. Although not all the posters are pictured here, simply visit AllPosters.com to see the full list with their corresponding graphic.

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Alright, we wanted to make this contest as simple as possible! For the past few months, you have been playing around with the 3D-designer in order to create your perfect dorm room. You should hopefully have one dorm room design finalized if not more. All you have to do is submit your designed dorm room onto the DesignYourDorm.com Fan Page and we will pick a winner based on the most people that “like” your room design. So…tell all your friends once you have posted your design onto the wall and tell them to like it! If you get the most likes, you will win a $100 gift-card to Organize.com.

The deadline is Friday August 20th. Please have all your submissions posted by Friday at Midnight.

In order to submit your design, please follow these steps:

1) Log-in and go to the “3D Designer”. If this is not the dorm design you would like to submit, please go to “Manage My Rooms” and choose the room from your list.

2) Once you have selected the room that you would like to use for the contest, click on the “Share Room Design” at the bottom of the page.

3) Your room will then appear in a thumbnail and simply drag it into the Facebook “F” Icon.

4) Once dragging it into the Facebook icon, share it on your “wall”.

5) If you click on the picture of your room, you will get a custom URL that corresponds to your room. Simply paste that URL onto theDesignYourDorm.com Fan Page’s wall.

6. Once it is on the wall get all your friends to click “Like”. The most “Likes” wins the contest! It’s that easy!

Please e-mail info@designyourdorm.com if you have any questions!

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As move-in approaches, now is the time to start planning. Most of you should have received a notification with the name of your roommate. If you haven’t contacted them yet, it is important to connect with them to get an understanding of their personality and how you will mesh together. You can plan whose bringing what and discuss a possible “theme” for your room.

Have a good Friday and we hope you enjoy the stuff we like!

1) SLOUCHBACK

Slouchback!

Started by two college graduates, the “Slouchback” is the evolution to dorm furniture. While sitting in their dorm room, the creators saw the need to have somewhere comfortable to relax. Since dorms are small and there is not much space for futons/beanbags (depending on the room), the most ideal place to lounge is on your bed. The slouch inflates in just 30 seconds with a built-in pump. One of the coolest features are the insulated cupholders, so your drinks are always cold and within reach. It’s extremely easy to deflate and reasonably priced. Why sit up straight when you can Slouchback? Check them out here.

2) Thrillist.com

What is Thrillist.com? It’s a daily (weekday) e-mail that you receive in the morning that lists some of the hottest new goodies. Most of the time, the e-mails showcase new eateries, clothing deals, and evening hotspots. Currently, they have 17 editions (Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Hamptons, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC) and have more on the way. If you’re headed off to school at one of these cities, you should definitely check them out!

3)Kia Car Commercial

The Kia Soul Hamsters…How can you promote your automobile by using hamsters as your actors? As out there as it seems, these commercials are understandably catching a ton of attention. It was named automotive TV ad of the year! If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth checking out.

4) CAMPUSBOOKS.com

It’s a fact…University bookstores will rip you off. In late June, CampusBooks was featured on “Stuff we Like” and it’s time to revisit their website. When you get your class schedule and booklist, you should really explore the site. We also implemented a widget in the left hand corner of our website, so you can easily find the books you need.  Why spend hundreds more on books then you have to?

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Chandra over at FSUFashionGirl is our guest blogger this week! Check out her tips for staying on top of your game and saving money when setting up your digs.

I just recently moved into an unfurnished apartment. Most college kids (and some parents) cringe at the thought of signing an unfurnished apartment because they think it will cost them a lot of money. If you take the time and do it right, you might find that signing with an unfurnished apartment might actually save you money in the long run.

STEP ONE: Start Early.

The earlier you start, the more time you have to search for the best deals. You can really take the time to think about the stuff you want and need and how much people usually ask for such items.

STEP TWO: Shop Smart.

I had no furniture to begin with but I ended up being able to furnish my apartment for around $1500. Check sites like Craigslist. You can find fantastic deals there. I got a year old leather couch for $300 and it is the comfiest thing in the world. I absolutely love it. You can also try your local Goodwill or Salvation Army store. I found a bistro table for the kitchen at Goodwill for only $75. Also go to stores like T.J. Maxx, Ross and Marshalls to find furniture and decorations and discounted prices. T.J. Maxx has a Homegoods store where you can find anything and everything that you will need for your house. Other stores to try are Target, Ikea and Walmart and don’t forget to check garage sales!

STEP THREE: Stay Organized.

Keep track of everything you have bought. When you are shopping for home furnishings, it sometimes easy to forget what you have already bought especially when it comes to kitchen appliances. Its nice to always have a list to refer back to so you don’t end up buying stuff that you don’t need.

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1. Ransom Note Generator

Maybe you’re holding your roommate’s socks hostage ‘til he does the dishes.  Maybe YOU stole the cookies from the cookie jar. Either way, with a sweet ransom note generator pulling letters from all over the internet, you’ll find uses. Saves you the hassle of cutting out all those tiny letters from newspapers. Just remember: we don’t officially endorse kidnapping or crime in anyway, even if it is just the crime of partying too hard.

2. Organize.com’s back-to-school

The hipster? The designer? The urbanite? Whatever the heck ‘Tutti Frutti” is? No matter what your student-cum-style identity is, Organize.com’s got you covered with their back-to-school design guides. Everything from closet organizers to pretty folders- these people have everything to keep you, well, organized.

3. CollegeCandy.com

Where else are you gonna find such vital articles as “Ask A Dude: Should I Get Implants” alongside “When I Grow Up, I Want To Be Bethenny Frankel?” But seriously, CollegeCandy.com is a whole lotta fun, from helpful dating and life tips to great columns good for a laugh when LOLZCATS gets too redundant and grammatically frustrating. Check it out.

4. The Old Spice Guy

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (a smelly, odorous rock without towel-wearing, locker-room shirtless man flesh) you’ve heard of the viral sensation that is the Old Spice Guy. We have, and we love him. Not just because he’s manliest man’s man ever, but because we wish we had thought of such a hilarious and awesome idea.

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Congratulations on making it through the week to another lovely Friday.  As you get ready for an awesome Independence Day weekend, check out a new list of Stuff We Like!

Also, give it up for Chandra Robrock and Katisha Sargeant, winners of this week’s giveaways!  Chandra will be receiving a cool and useful ceramic travel mug and Nalgene bottle, courtesy of Organize.com, while Katisha will enjoy a Safe Home value bundle from EcoSmart! Hooray!!!

1. First off, in honor of our nations independence…

…a short commercial that aired during the United States first 2010 World Cup match, versus the British.

2. For those of you who love food as much as we do, it will be hard for you to break away from FoodPornDaily.com

No, you didn’t read it wrong, this site is dedicated to turning on your taste buds!

3. If you want more visual stimulation, but you’re stomach is already full, turn your attention to Imagespark or Ffffound

These sites compile fabulous imagery from around the Internet, from beautiful to downright hilarious.

4. But you shouldn’t browse these sites in silence…

your ears deserve some stimulation too.  For new tunes, you can’t miss the HypeMachine , an MP3 and music blog aggregator.  Discover something new amongst the best songs and music blog posts on the Internet.

5. Magic Mirror

If you’re less concerned with outside stimulation, and would look inside yourself for inspiration and entertainment, then make sure you see yourself as everyone else does.  We don’t give it much thought, but every time we look in the mirror, we see ourselves…backward.  This mirror, found on dornob.com, magically shows your reflection as if the mirror were looking at you.  You are no longer backward!

Enjoy! And stay tuned for more great give aways next week from DesignYourDorm.com!

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Ok, boys. This blog post is for the ladies, and featuring those chic college chicks of the web.

Being in college is an amazing opportunity to shape your personal style.  You’re exposed to new people and new places, and all sorts of inspiration. The challenge: you’re on a college student’s budget, and while you may be the next Martha Stewart of interior design, a dorm’s a pretty little space to reign.

Still, that’s what thrift stores and getting crafty are for, along with great blogs written by savvy ladies who will be there to help.  Here’s a three of our favorites, and some of their best hits of college-girl-greatness.

Lovely Undergrad

Feeling low on the living space? Head to the nearest Anthropologie, or just over to LovelyUndergrad.com for your daily dose of insanely pretty living spaces.  Jessica dishes up more design inspiration than Urban Outfitters, and has some serious good advice and links to other great resources, too.  Head over there for the prettiest rooms you will ever see alongside seriously smart college advice.  Our favorite? Her collection of beautiful DIY projects that’ll put pretty in any budget.

Charade Style

Picture running through a rose garden, in perfect pretty-yet-quirky florals and stripes. And that’s exactly the opening photos to Megan’s blog. Travel photos that make you yearn for Parisian cafés and some seriously sound fashion advice about creating a rocking wardrobe on a budget. While there’s a reason her ultimate geek’s guide to fashion is a top hit (seriously. You have to read it to believe it’s awesomeness) her advice on packing for travel is just as sound and helpful, especially for those summer trips.

University Chic

Think of rounding up all your best and awesome girlfriends, with all their different interests and talents. Now imagine doing that across colleges nationally. And you get UniversityChic. Written by real college gals, it covers not only fashion and fun, but serious issues (like how to keep yourself safe while studying abroad).  It’s a must-go-to for all sorts of info.

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It’s time for another awesome installment of (cue audience shouting) STUFF-WE-LIKE!

1.  Not using paper cups and plastic bottles

Throwing away paper cups and plastic bottles not only puts a huge strain on your budget, but on the planet—a plastic bottle takes a thousand years to degrade in a landfill. Kick the throwaway habit with these sweet things from Organize.com. Take your own “Not a Paper Cup”(it’s ceramic)

Fool everyone with how awesome you are. Looks like a paper cup, but ISN'T.

to Starbucks, and switch out bottled water to a super cool Nalgene. Even better?

Refill, not Landfill. Take that, water bottles.

Win it for free! Organize.com and DYD are giving them away! Check out below.

2.  Natural Bug Killer

You’re already having to share a dorm with a roommate. Last thing you want is to share it with some six-to-eight-legged freeloaders. But in the tiny living space of a dorm, where your bed counts as a work space, sleep spot, and kitchen table, wafting around toxic chemicals is not a good idea either. Enter EcoSmart: pest control for the home/dorm that is super-safe and effective. They use natural oils instead of chemicals, to “ attack octopamine neuro-receptors” of bugs. That’s big talk for keeping bugs away without turning your ramen into a toxic soup. And we’re keeping your ramen safe for free! EcoSmart is giving away a Safe Home Value bundle (worth 25 bucks) complete with everything you need to keep creepy-crawlies off you and your crew, including their natural bug killer. Check it out below!

3. Fancy Fast Food

Sonic Cherry Limeade reincarnated as Soniccian Borscht, which is some unpronounceable sweet soup.    This blog is genius. Here’s the gist: he takes fast food, whips it around, and using it and only it, turns it into some unrecognizable super classy cuisine. You gotta see it to believe it. Give the recipes a try, and hey, you might just be able to pass off Mickey D’s as a classy dinner.

4. The Real College Guide

Something’s named the Real College Guide, you know they’ve got some good stuff.  They’ve got advice on everything from throwing the best graduation party to how national healthcare reform is affecting us students. Best part? A huge amount of their content is written by students themselves. So, you’ve got questions? Head over to The Real College Guide, fan them on Facebook, or ask questions on twitter, and get some Real Answers.

5. Winning free stuff!

So this week to spice things up, we’re giving away stuff we like! We’re giving away the super cool ceramic travel mug and Nalgene bottle from Organize.com, and the Safe Home value bundle from EcoSmart pesticides.  All this stuff is eco-friendly, green, and safe, just to prove how easy it is to be a little bit greener.  Wanna enter? Make sure you’re registered for a DYD account, then head over to our Facebook page and let us know what little thing(s) you’re doing to be a bit greener. Wanna win the EcoSafe bug killer? Let us know your fears of bugs, and why you need it. Or, comment right here on our blogs! Winners will be picked next Friday!

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A good night’s sleep is essential for a whole slew of reasons. There’s strong evidence that regular sleep keeps down weight, keeps up brain power, and generally, ensures you won’t doze off during O-Chem and miss the pop quiz.

But suddenly being with a roommate, in a noisy dorm, with way too much going on, sleep is often one of those first things to go.

Don’t let it! If you’re one of those people blessed with being able to sleep through a freight train (or the school marching band playing outside your window—been there, done that) then may the force be with you, but for the rest of us, here are some tips to be like this kitteh and fall asleep anywhere.

1. Set a bedtime

It may sound crazy, but mentally deciding when you want to hit the pillow will give you more motivation to get off Facebook and actually get into bed.  Crucial when you have a big day tomorrow. And just a note: it may make sense to work out right before bed, to exhaust yourself, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Working out runs endorphins through your body, and actually, gives you a boost of energy, making you fidgety before bed.

2. Take some tech-free time

Before bed, take some you time to unwind. Do your bed-time ritual and then  read (not for school). Use a mini light if you have to, but turning off the laptop’s blue light and hunkering down with a book  or magazine you actually want to read will ease you into sleep. Especially if you’re reading one of these toughest books.

3. Or make tech your friend

Listening to music on full-blast is not gonna go well with your roommate, but grab an iPod and make a playlist. Make sure it ends after a few songs (so a sweet and unexpected  drum solo doesn’t wake you up at 4am) and lull yourself to bed.  It sounds cheesy, but try layering the sound of rain over a soft song. Just try it, and see how quick you’re zonked out. Got an iPhone? Check out this sweet app that analyzes your sleep cycle, and wakes you up gently.

4. Arm yourself

Having a roommate means you’re gonna get interrupted. Whether someone needs a light on when you’re trying to sleep, or you’re experiencing the lovely intocxicated-roommate-back-at-4am-and-wants-to-enter-a-discourse-about-Cheetos syndrome, you’re gonna be woken up. UNLESS You’re armed. Try a sleep mask and some earplugs. Hearing your own breathing and sleeping with something on your face can be tough, but give them a try for a week or so and see if it works for you.

5. Nap!

Studies have shown that taking a short (read: not three-hour in front of the couch watching Real Housewives) nap actually resets your brain, refreshes you, and prepares you for cramming a lot more in there.  Got early classes?  Slap on the eye mask and sleep for an hour in the afternoon. Just make sure you get up and get going again after.

Got any sleeping tips of your own? Let us know! And get some inspiration from CuteThingsFallingAsleep.com.