Every spring, thousands of college students flock to Panama City Beach to party off that late-semester stress. This two-day college blowout integrates a sea of pretty partiers with an unmatched collegiate music festival. Famous DJ’s, live performances and a whole lot of bikinis will cover the beach, creating the ultimate spring weekend getaway.

This year, XM Event Group is throwing two different atmospheres for the party. During the day, students can show off their sun-kissed skin at a beach party with no boundaries. Once night falls, the beach turns into a full-blown music festival with a production double the size of last year.
Spring Weekend’s first headliner, Laidback Luke has rocked the stages of multiple music festivals across the globe. His dynamic style will keep the crowd’s energy flowing. Other top DJ headliners will join Laidback Luke as well. This experience is a rare opportunity for universities around the nation to unite for one unforgettable weekend.

“We are extremely excited for this years’ all new Spring Weekend. After listening to feedback from past attendees, we’ve decided to incorporate the old school beach party feel with a nighttime festival that’s bigger, louder and better than ever,” said Mike Levitt, President of XM Event Group. “With Spring Weekend annually increasing in size, we are expecting to attract not only Florida universities, but even more schools from around the nation.”

Since the revamping of Spring Weekend in 2007, this collegiate festival has reached over 5,000 attendees and continues to grow. Spring Weekend’s main audience has been represented by thousands of college students from universities across Florida such a Florida State University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of South Florida, University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, University of North Florida and Nova Southeastern University, with expansion plans to cater to universities and colleges throughout the southeast.

Tickets are currently on sale for the upcoming two-day festival, which also includes hotel accommodations in the area.
www.springweekend.com

        

Beware the hickey, a sign of sloppy, thoughtless making out with inexperienced undergrads. Avoid 18 year olds on their first year of underage drinking if hickeys are unwanted. Hickeys change into bite marks, as the freak-in-the-sheets gets older. When capillaries near the skin rupture and bleed from suction, the result is a bruise. Hickeys can last up to two weeks. They are easily noticed because facial hair doesn’t tend to grow on the neck (or for you girls, hopefully not at all), and the Florida heat keeps young people scantily clad.

Ways to Hide:

Scarves can cover them up, but again, it is way too hot and the questioning of outfit choice would cause aggravation. Turtle necks could cover it up, but the men wearing these may never get a hickey again because nobody wants to make out with a Grandma’s boy. The only sexy turtlenecks are the ones worn by the USC cheerleaders and Archer.

Band-Aids can hide them as well. Make sure you have an extravagant but believable story to back it up. Guys can blame it on shaving or handyman repairs around the apartment. Ladies need something traumatic like a snake or spider bite.

A Sage and Vinegar poultice is the ancient remedy. Back then it was not for hickeys but rather general bruising. Grind the sage as close to powder form as possible and add hot vinegar; the amount should be just enough to create a paste. This will be soaked into gauze or a cloth and placed on the hickey. I have never tried it nor do I know anyone who has, so attempt at your own risk. Aloe Vera gel can help speed the healing process by 30–50 percent.

The ice/heat method is another option.  Ice can be used in the first 48 hours. Simply wrap one ice cube in a napkin and hold on hickey for 20 minutes. Do this a few times a day for the first two days. The heat application is on the third day until it disappears. Use a hot compress for 10–20 minutes on the bruised area to increase blood flow. Massage hickey to spread out bruising.

When in doubt, use camouflage. Put on foundation makeup. If you’re a man then ask any girl with whom you are not trying to hook up. I assume that at least 75 percent of hickeys are on men. You should probably ask the girl to put it on in exchange for the erotic tale of your hickey origin.

Excuses:

Mixed Martial Arts and Jiu Jitsu are becoming very popular with the same age group prone to hickeys. Bruising happens all too often from a standard practice. Give the “I was UFC fighting” excuse and start a whole new conversation on how much of a bad ass you are! With women’s MMA classes offered at gyms like F2 Arena in Gainesville and The Jungle MMA in Orlando, the excuse works just as well for women.

Vacuum injuries are not common so be careful whom you try to fool. Attempt this on the gullible. Avoid this excuse with law or medical students. Go for it with any social science major. Claim that while vacuuming, you wanted to see if the lint on your shirt would come off and you missed and it sucked your neck. No possibility of lint?  Then try saying you wanted to see if a vacuum could get out wrinkles like an iron.

Paintballs cause the perfect size, shape and color of a hickey mark. Commercial paintball fields require competitors to wear a neck protector to avoid airway injuries so keep that in mind when telling the location of where this ‘battle’ took place.

Tanning sprays and lotions are increasing in sales with the hype of melanoma skin cancer. Try a spray tan mist or rubbing a bronzer lotion around the area so it blends. If it does not cover it up, then blame it on a bad spray or allergic reaction to the tanner.

The idea of this article came after listening to a radio morning show. This lady called in thinking her husband was cheating and then realized her newborn was turning towards any part of skin and sucking. She saw her infant in action and then halted all accusations of cheating by her husband, who turned from cheat-fest king to number one dad in a matter of seconds.

If all else fails:

Admit to the hickey in a cute and clever way. Vampires are popular these days, so claim you’re the helpless victim of a vampire attack. Nowadays vampires are becoming sexy and loved by young girls. I was forced to watch Twilight New Moon in theaters by my ex-girlfriend and was very uncomfortable when a vampire would take off his shirt and I heard “I would tear that boy up” by some random girl in the audience. This vampire trend makes me wonder if the rising popularity of zombies will ever create a similar sex appeal for girls.

Fact

Hickeys are a sign of possession and a mild form of sadism: deriving pleasure from inflicting pain. Biting is a stronger form of sadism.

        

Thanksgiving is the only major holiday that doesn’t revolve around alcohol. St. Paddy’s Day and Cinco de Mayo are obvious, so we’ll disregard them immediately. But Christmas has eggnog by the gallon, New Year’s Eve has enough champagne to satisfy a rap group for about an hour, July 4th has red, white and blue-colored cocktails and Valentine’s Day has plenty of red wine to keep your heart affectionately beating forever. What’s Thanksgiving got? Turkey, stuffing and sweet potato pie. Now, we’re not complaining about any of those things… but wouldn’t it be nice to have a festive cocktail to wash down your feast? Yeah, we thought you’d agree.

Pumpkin Pie

• 1 oz. Malibu rum
• 1 oz. Kahlua
• 6 oz. milk
• 1/3 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. pumpkin pie filling (depending on desired taste)
Blend all ingredients together in a blender with a few cubes of ice. Serve in a glass rimmed with very finely crushed graham cracker crumbs. Sprinkle more cinnamon on top for garnish.

Ginger Snap

• 3/4 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
• 1/2 oz. ginger brandy
• 4 oz. eggnog
Combine rum, brandy and eggnog in a blender. Blend to desired consistency. Garnish with a ginger snap for dunking.

Gobble-tini

• 1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff Cranberry Vodka
• 1/4 oz. raspberry liqueur
• Splash of cranberry juice
Add vodka, raspberry liqueur, and cranberry juice to an ice-filled shaker and shake to mix. Strain into a cocktail glass. Serve garnished with 3 whole cranberries on a stick.

Turkey Shooter

• 3/4 oz. Wild Turkey
• 1/4 oz. White Crème de Menthe
Pour shot of Wild Turkey into brandy snifter or liqueur glass. Layer Crème de Menthe on top by slowly tilting the glassware forward while pouring in Crème de Menthe.

Butterball

• 1 part amaretto
• 1 part butterscotch schnapps
• Whipped cream
Pour amaretto into a shot glass and layer the schnapps on top. Top with a dash of whipped cream. Throw it back as a single shot.

        

“ A bikini is not a bikini unless it can be pulled through a wedding ring” Louis Reard

Nowadays, the word bikini is synonymous with summertime, bodacious bodies and a necessary staple in every college girl’s wardrobe. The role of the bikini is to cover up as little as possible while hiding just enough so that you won’t get arrested for indecent exposure (that’s an interesting topic you do not want to bring up with the parentals). Bikinis haven’t always been an accepted part of our culture. In fact, up until the 1960s, bikinis were considered scandalous throughout the states!  Although some historians say the bikini is evident in ancient Roman mosaics from around 300 A.D., the real launch of the bikini occurred in France in 1946 (who knew the French gave us something worthwhile other than fries?).

1940s and 1950s

The bikinis of the 1940s and 1950s were very modest. The bottoms came up past the navel and the tops covered everything (no wardrobe malfunctions with these suits). The wearing of bikinis was actually banned at the 1951 Miss World  pageant because it was believed that girls wearing bikinis in the swimsuit competition would have an unfair advantage over their more modest competitors.

1960s and 1970s

The sexual revolutions during the 1960s and 70s brought along the invention of the string bikini. String bikinis became so popular that in 1974, Bloomingdales in Manhattan sold out its entire order of 150 swimsuits in only two weeks

1980s

We can thank the 1980s for introducing the world to the thong bikini. Thong bikinis can be amazing, but only on a very select few individuals… like Jessica Alba or Gisele Bundchen. Seeing a wrinkly old woman in a thong bikini can really make you puke up your last margarita.

1990s

The era of tie-died clothing and Ace of Base brought about the launch of neoncolored bikinis. I’m not quite sure why somebody thought adding bright fluorescent colors to bikinis would make female bodies look good, but somehow it did, and neon bikinis were here to stay.

Present

Can you say oh-la-la. Check out these great Bodyglove suits. Available at Freeride and other retailers.

        

1. Wear something flattering. Don’t go for the all-black “I’m trying to find my inner self” manicdepressive look.

2. When introducing yourself, give a huge smile, a back slap, and then take a sip of their beer. People love that.

3. Initiate a drinking game. Cheer for both teams.

4. Come bearing gifts (a keg or bottle should do just fine).

5. Don’t forget to stick to the “step zone” if you’re attempting to dance. Step from side to side, and snap. Maybe a clap or two. Anything else is considered homicidal.

6. When talking to girls, compliment their shoes. I don’t know why, but it always works. Girls love shoes the same way guys love boobs.

7. Know who’s DD. Also know that when you’re screaming “I’m FINE!” at the top of your lungs and grabbing for your keys, you look like an idiot.

8. On your way out, give hugs, laugh at a couple of inside jokes, and say a few names. Even if they aren’t the right ones, it will make you look like you have more friends.

9. Befriend the bouncer. You don’t care who’s throwing the party, as long as their best friend/boyfriend/muscular brother likes you and lets
you in next time.

10. If all else fails, find a table, remove clothes…you can figure out the rest.

        

Amid the lull of spring semester and the impending stress of midterms, there’s always one thing any college student can look forward to:
SPRING WEEKENDS!

While Florida hosts plenty of partying options, none can quite compare to one that brings together the most important factors for the perfect Spring Weekend–girls, beaches and heart-thumping, hip-shaking music–all of which can be found at XM Event’s “Spring Weekend” Bash in
Panama City Beach.

Known for its energetic atmosphere, the Spring Weekend festival mixes sandy beaches, famous DJs and live concerts, creating an ambiance reflecting the ultimate student spring getaway. This year, XM Event plans to take it to the next level by hosting a popular line up of Florida and worldwide talent. The two-day bash will include electrifying sounds by two of the most famous DJs worldwide, Thomas Gold and Max Vangeli.
Spring Weekend is a chance for Florida universities and nationwide students to unite in Panama City Beach for one massive celebration. This party will be the first of many annual events to demonstrate XM Event’s commitment to promoting and exhibiting the best talent.

“We are excited about implementing these new production features and musical performances to the new Spring Weekend experience,” said XM Event’s Mike Levitt. “What began as a small festival here in Florida has now also taken the interest of college students throughout the entire Southeast. We are hopeful that these improvements will embody the college trip and festival aspect in a way that will grasp the attention of students around the nation for years to come.”

Since its revamping, Spring Weekend has expanded to over 5,000 partygoers. The festival has hosted an audience of thousands of beautiful people from universities such as FSU, UCF, UF, USF, UM, FAU, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International, UNF and Nova Southeastern, with more expansion plans to spread to the entire Southeast.

Tickets are on sale for the two-day event, which even include hotel stay in the area. So lose those winter jackets and throw on your swimsuits because Spring Weekend has arrived!

www.springweekend.com

        

You are already $15,000 in debt from school loans, so what’s another $2K on a vacation from the skull-busting stress that is college? There’s no better
time to let off steam, but try to apply some moderation to your idiocy, and avoid the following shenanigans, which only serve to make us applaud you at the next Darwin Awards ceremony.

DON’T

Be the girl that comes back with those friggin’ cornrows in her hair. You need to run the hell away from the people on the beach who charge the stupid gringos an astronomical fee to uglify their hair.

Be the guy who drinks so much that his equally-drunken pals must rush him to the foulest emergency room possible. Of course, none of you know the language wherever you are, so the doc thinks that your frantic hand gestures mean anything but the fact that you mainlined a bottle of Jose.

Be the girl who lezzes out with her BFF when there happened to be a running video camera around, only to return to school and have to pack her bags immediately thereafter because her dad saw her in “College Skanks Volume 14” and now refuses to pay for any more of that kind of “education.” Sure, it’s hypocritical, but he’s the one with the money.

Be the girl (or guy) who tries “E” from that “cool-looking” guy on the beach only to end up in the ER…missing a kidney. It’s always an excellent idea to take drugs from strangers. Moron.

Be the girl who needs to work on her tan, so she forgoes the sunscreen while bronzing her pasty, white, Midwestern skin and lands in the ER with third-degree burns. Those scar, you know.

Be the guy who invites the strange hottie back to his room while totally plastered, only to wake up handcuffed to the bed with his wallet and passport missing. Sure, the U.S. Consulate probably gets that all the time, but it doesn’t make explaining it to your parents any easier.

Be the guy who has crabs, herpes, gonorrhea, or all of the above, yet still has drunken anonymous sex with no less than a dozen girls on SB. At least if you pull this crap on your own campus, we can take out an ad in the paper and warn other chicks about you. What are we supposed to do if your school is seven states away?

Be the girl who gets a tattoo or piercing in a filthy parlor then realizes she has hepatitis C four months later. Now you have to tell all your future sexual partners, and they are not going to let it slide just because it came from a tat.

Be the guy who doesn’t use protection during above anonymous sex…and finds out five years later that he made a baby.

Be the guy who carries roofies on him. You know, just in case the chick hasn’t had enough Sour Appletinis. You, sir, get the douchebag of the millenium award.

        

People are different, and people are different when they’re drunk, which leads us to the conclusion that different people are different when they’re drunk. Chances are, you fall into one of four categories when you drink, and while everyone around you may notice it, you probably do not. To figure out what kind of drunk you are, see which of these descriptions best fits you

HARDASS

The Hardass can be female but is generally a male. The Hardass, with each can of cheap beer consumed, feels like they can bench press more and more until, by the end of the night, they think that picking a fight with the biggest Hulk Hogan-lookin’ guy in the room is a good idea. The Hardass usually gets close to starting an all out brawl by using their mouth, only to bail at the last second before they get their ass kicked. Afterwards, they repeat a one liner along the lines of “I woulda beat that guy in a fight, did you see how he was afraid of me?” A good way to determine if you’re the Hardass when you drink is to examine yourself in a sober state. Typically when sober, the Hardass is non-confrontational and a pushover.

CRYBABY

The Crybaby is perhaps the most annoying of all the drunks. The Crybaby is generally female and can be found balling her eyes out while re-telling stories of her past whatever (insert who-cares). The Crybaby, for some odd reason, feels as if because they get drunk and sad, all the happy people around them want to feel sad too. If you drink to escape the pain, chances are you turn into the Crybaby so try and work on it. Despite what you think, nobody wants to hear at 2 am how your relationships with your past three boyfriends ended.

CAPTAIN ADVENTURE

Captain Adventure is the most entertaining of all the drunks, but at the same time, the most tiring. When the night is coming down to an end and everyone wants to just stuff themselves with pizza and pass out, Captain Adventure is rallying together people to go streaking or concocting some epic prank to pull on campus.  If you weren’t allowed to do anything fun as a kid and/or are overly hyper, chances are, you’re Captain Adventure.

TRUTH TELLER

For the Truth Teller, alcohol appears to be some type of truth serum found in a Harry Potter book. With each shot they dump down their honest throat, they
let you in on more and more of their innermost secrets. At first, hanging out with a Truth Teller is cool and entertaining, but after a few nights it just makes you feel uncomfortable. Especially when they insist on telling you over and over again how at first they didn’t like you, but now they think you’re cool. If you’re a pretty judgmental person when sober and have a few skeletons in your closet, chances are, you’re the Truth Teller.