Editor's Note: After tomorrow's posts, Ypulse will be taking the rest of the week off for the holidays. But look for new posts next week on Monday and Tuesday (then we take the rest of the week off again for New Year's). Happy Holidays!

Meet Chrissa (the newest American Girl doll aims to teach tweens a timely lesson in dealing with bullies. Also Hasbro stirs up some controversy with their latest animatronic baby doll) (Trendhunter) (MediaPost, reg. required)

- Girl Ambition (a new site promotes self-esteem and online safety to tween girls without using dolls or toys)

- More like Fakebook (Inside Facebook calls out guidebook publisher College Prowler for creating fake profiles and groups in an attempt to generate a mailing list. More on the underhanded dealings on SquaredPeg. Plus Wired worries about the hasty passing of the vaguely worded new cyberbullying statute)

- If you advertise, they will log on (Study shows kids between the ages of 6 and 11 will visit websites to learn more about products they see advertised on TV. Also Campbell's Soup partners with Universal Picture's "Desperaux" for online promotion) (MarketingVox)

- Street style goes global (with fashion photoblogs profiling sharp-looking pedestrians from all over the world) (New York Times, reg. required)

- Feelyourboobies.com (Another breast health awareness campaign aimed towards young women)

- Big spending on campus? (BizReport takes a look at a recent report from Alloy Media and Harris Interactive that predicts an increase in how much college students spend. I wonder just how recent this was…Plus PSFK asks if young shoppers can save retail?) (BizReport)

- 50 Youth Marketing Trends in 2009 (part two from MobileYouth's Graham Brown) (MobileYouth)

- Cover coverage (from Ypulse friend Melissa Walker. Check out her review of Living Dead Girl's haunting cover art. Plus YA author Walter Dean Myers on why we should be bailing out children, not bankers over at The Huffington Post) (Melissa Walker: The Blog)

- Reckless teen driving (is taken to creative and dangerous new levels in Maryland) (ZDNet)

P.S. Visit Ypulse sponsor Premise Immersive Marketing and vote on which cause will receive $500 holiday donation.

P.P.S. Ypulse has partnered with Ashoka Youth Venture to help promote the Best Buy @15 Challenge voting this month. They have announced the 30 finalists for "Favorite Young Social Entrepreneur," so cast your vote online today! The winning team will get $10K to fund their venture.

We're kicking off our Year In Review coverage with my attempt to look back on what I thought were the biggest youth media and marketing trends of the year. If you think I've missed a big trend, please post your own in the comments. We also have lots more Year In Review coverage (Tech, Ads, TV, Movies, Music, Books and more) coming your way this week and next from Meredith and our Youth Advisory Board so stay tuned…

The Obama phenomenon
So much has been written about the success of the Obama campaign in reaching young voters, that it's hard to add much more. The reality is that without the perfect storm of extreme dissatisfaction with the current president, most Millennials wanting bigger government/more security in turbulent times, the mass adoption of social media by youth (and increasingly by everyone else) and aspects of the candidate himself (young, bi-racial, a physical embodiment of change) played an even bigger role in creating the groundswell of youth support than any specific campaign initiative. It became a movement, inspired by the candidate, expressed in everything from art to hundreds of Facebook groups to YouTube videos.

From the Ypulse archives:

Seriously? Seriously. College Students' Tastes Take An Upward Shift
Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup East: What Every Brand Could Learn From The Obama Campaign's Marketing To College Students
Obama Wins Youth Vote
Facebook Status Updates Help Candidates Get Out The Vote
College Students Embracing Early And Absentee Voting
When Obama Visited My College…
Political Convention or Pop Culture Festival?
'Millennials' Are The Next 'Civic Generation'
Ypulse On 'Attack Of The Show'

The moral panic around social networking dies down
The technology gap between adults and youth definitely still exists as does the sensational coverage of any youth victimization or other mishap online, but I believe that in 2008, social networking truly went mainstream. The fear around sexual predators began to subside, thanks in large part to researchers and law enforcement admitting they may have overreacted and giving us a much clearer picture of how online predators approach their victims (not pretending to be teens) and who is really at risk (teens who are already engaged in risky behaviors, who have been victimized in the past, experiencing problems at home, etc.). I also believe that the work being done by researchers, non-profits and other organizations (including my own work on these issues) has had an effect on calming the panic. The issues have shifted from an over focus on stranger danger to creating effective cyberbullying policies in schools, teaching new media literacies and figuring out the boundaries between youth and the adults who now share these social networks.

From the Ypulse archives:

Ypulse On The Today Show: KFC's Bathing Beauties
Digital Youth Research: Living And Learning With New Media
'Born Digital': Fighting The Internet Culture Wars
Why Can't We Be Friends?
Are Tech-Savvy Teens 'Nokia Lolitas'?
Ypulse Guest Post: The Problem With 'Pushy Parents'
Growing Up In A Confessional Culture
The New Rules For Social Networking
Students Protest Facebook Photo Fallout On Facebook

Teen [print] magazine deathwatch
It hasn't been a good year for print — especially for teen magazines. The death of the print version of Cosmo Girl this year, after losing YM, Teen People and Elle Girl, has basically left the print versions of Seventeen and Teen Vogue along with Teen (and the other tweeny bopper print mags), and a bunch of indies. What I think is more interesting than the debate over whether print magazines will survive are the efforts at reinventing teen magazines online like myYearbook's myMag, Elle's foray into Stardoll, the new I Heart Daily newsletter as well as the smattering of online-only internet teen mags like Teen Scene Magazine or Sweet Designs. Back when Teen People folded, we wrote about how teens had aged up and were feeding their need for celebrity scoop with US Weekly and blogs like Perez Hilton. You could argue that this year teens' need for fashion scoop is starting to be replaced by user generated fashion sites/social networks and an army of independent fashion bloggers…

From the Ypulse archives:

Tips For Young And Aspiring Media Professionals In Uncertain Times
'I Heart Daily' And The Teen Mag Business Model
Goodbye, CosmoGIRL!
If Only We Had The Pop-Up Concept In 2000
The Day The Music Magazine Died?
What We Can Learn From Flip.com
Technology's Impact on Teen Trendsetters

Mobile lifecasting
A hat tip to Ypulse friend Allison Mooney from Next Great Thing for her suggestion of lifecasting as one of the biggest mobile trends this past year. In her own words, "Not only are you seeing it on dedicated channels like Your Flixwagon, but it’s everywhere… people sharing text, videos and photos from their cell phones to multiple channels on the web “reporting” on their lives: Tumblr, Flickr, Twit Pic, Facebook, etc." While the concept isn't new, Alli points out that this year, it has become more mainstream, more interconnected on different platforms, more multimedia and more mundane and personal. Thanks Alli!

From the Ypulse archives:

Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup East: Tech Panel Highlights
'Facebook And The Social Dynamics Of Privacy'
Will Microblogging Take Off With Teens?
Documentation Vs. 'Look At Me!'

'Twilight' Turns YA Readers On To The Dark Side
This trend is from Ypulse Managing Editor Meredith Sires…Like any kid-litquake as massive as the "Twilight" series, the aftershocks sent through the YA industry were considerable. Just as the boy wizard before him, Stephenie Meyer’s vampire Adonis and his mortal lady love gave its young, predominantly female readers a taste for fantasy –- this time with a gothic twist — and sent publishers scrambling to satisfy their next craving whether that meant ghosts a la Tonya Hurley’s Ghostgirl, dragons a la Christopher Paolini’s Brisingr or simply more vampires a la too many to list. Booksellers did both publishers and fans a favor by shelving Meyer’s books in the YA sci-fi/fantasy section as well as general YA fiction allowing eager eyes the opportunity to settle on worthy otherworldly contenders they may not have been otherwise seen. While some hits landed squarely on the goth end of the spectrum like Libba Bray’s "Gemma Doyle" trilogy, others fell more into the general fantasy camp like Kristen Cashore’s phenomenal debut Graceling, while others still were pure sci-fi like Scott Westerfield's "Uglies" series. The point here being not that these authors or titles were striving to compete with Meyer, but that because of the feeding frenzy she inspired, mainstream readers and pubs alike gave them the attention and publicity they so rightly deserved.

From the Ypulse archives:

What's Love Got To Do With It: Edward and Bella
Review Review: 'Graceling' By Kristin Cashore
Me & My Mailbox: 'Vampirates: Blood Captain'
Flashback: 'Interview With The Vampire'

Today's Ypulse Youth Advisory Board post is from Liz Funk and gives us a sense of how Liz and her peers who are just getting started in the media industry are feeling about the turmoil happening right now. She also offers some helpful tips for younger Ypulse readers who might be rethinking their choice to go into the biz. Remember you can contact our board directly via email at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse.com.

Tips For Young And Aspiring Media Professionals In Uncertain Times

It's a weird time for young and aspiring media professionals. The publications that gave us stars in our eyes when we first started writing and interning — publications so grand they would flatter us if their interns responded to our pitches with a form rejection email — are now laying off staff, cutting back page counts and issues, or perhaps even folding. For the college students who want to be writers, editors or other media industry professionals, it’s an unsure and especially anxiety-provoking time.

Although few students go into the media industry or pursue a writing career expecting to make it rich, I discovered many students who are surprised by the dismal job climate. Danielle Alvarez, a junior at Syracuse University majoring in modern foreign languages and magazine journalism, told me, "When I chose these two majors I did not at all think I'd have trouble finding a job. Ideally, I dreamed of writing for a magazine, but I knew that my skills that I would gain could help me in other areas of the public relations field as well."

Nicole Brinson, a May 2007 graduate of Pace University who majored in communications studies, added, "I never thought I might have trouble finding work as a writer, or applying what I've learned in classes or at internships. I am definitely having trouble finding work. …I've applied for internships but I keep getting that since I've graduated I'm ineligible, [but] they're looking to hire students who can accept college credit, and they'd have to pay me but the magazine doesn't have it in their budget to pay an intern."

Agatha Lutoborski, a senior at Syracuse University who wants to work in public relations is finding that the job shortage is making competition greater and potential employers' expectations higher. She said, "I am definitely worried about [finding a job] with the current economy, compounded by the fact that every job opportunity I look at wants a year or more of professional experience. I get really frustrated, because I've done all this interning and it feels like it's not helping."

But it's not all gloom-and-doom. Nicole Brinson points out that the media industry is doing much better than others: "Media is not the only industry that is or has been feeling the pain of the recession we're in. At least they're not asking to be bailed out, and a lot of magazines and papers are focusing more on the Internet, and retooling how to reach their audience, which is more than anyone can say for the auto industry and Wall Street."

If you are a college student or recent grad, hang in there! And try these tips…

1. Hone some unusual skills that might make you stand out. Danielle Alvarez explained, "Currently I am spending the year studying abroad and trying to become fluent the two languages I have been studying (Spanish & French…. I'm hoping my unique experiences will allow me to bring something special to the industry when I am entering it."

2. Similarly, if you’re still in school, add a second major or minor. DJ Hopson, who is studying English and forensic science at Pace University, knows that her quirky combination of skill sets will serve her in the long run. "Not many magazine/newspaper applicants have a science degree and I feel that makes me different…. I am trying to tailor my science skills to health journalism, and jobs in the journalist community open up if you know where to look."

3. When you’re job hunting, make sure EVERYONE you know is aware that you’re looking for a media job. Nicole Brinson says that others’ support makes her job hunt a lot easier: "I'm happy and extremely grateful for friends who still send me job listings or e-mails by people they know who are looking for assistants."

4. Consider another wing of the media industry. Agatha Lutoborski has been looking into the public relations, branding, and the advertising sides of the media industry and has been finding that prospects are less dismal. (Although these sectors are expecting layoffs in January, Agatha said).

5. If you get desperate, consider — just temporarily! — making the media a side job or pursuing the dreams you had on the back burner. A small break could open doors for you! For me, the current state of the magazine industry is the push I finally needed to seriously look into starting my own tanning salon or my own online start-up, and writing the chick lit novel I’ve always wanted to write.

About Liz Funk

Liz Funk is a freelance writer and college student. She has written for USA Today, Newsday, the Christian Science Monitor, the Huffington Post, Girls' Life, and CosmoGIRL!, among other publications. Her first book, Supergirls Speak Out, about the pressure on girls to be perfect, will be published by Simon and Schuster in March of 2009. She writes a blog for the Albany, NY newspaper the Times Union and she edits the teen culture and politics blog GirlHeadQuarters.org. She is a senior at Pace University and lives in Manhattan. Her web-site is www.lizfunk.com.

This morning Ypulse friend/former ELLEgirl editor Melissa Walker and her former co-worker/current partner Anne Ichikawa sent out a press release announcing their latest venture — "I Heart Daily," a free email newsletter and website dedicated to turning teens on to some of their favorite things in entertainment, fashion, etc. Essentially, a DailyCandy for teen girls. All I have to say? Good call, ladies.

If ever there was a time to adopt this type of business model — free content delivered straight to readers' inboxes and/or RSS feeds — it's now. Because while most mags have websites (and as of late they've certainly been pumping that virtual real estate for all its worth) the idea of an online destination with no strings (read: paid subscriptions) attached seems like a refreshing and welcome change. From the release:

With only a handful of teen titles left in print after the loss of YM, ELLEgirl, Teen People and COSMOgirl! in the last few years, it's blatantly evident that this highly desirable audience seeks out and expects to find quality, original content online.

Anne and Melissa are passionate about being leaders in this burgeoning virtual realm. "During our years in print, we realized that magazine websites were often an afterthought, running repurposed magazine pieces, stories that were killed, or content that was deemed 'not good enough' for print. Lame." 

Lame, indeed. Of course, there's still the question of how this "highly desirable audience" will come across the newsletter/site, but after taking a glance for myself my feeling is that when they do they won't be disappointed.

A new survey shows college students choosing Time over Cosmo as their magazine of choice. Surprising? Not really. This election year Gen Y has made their priorities abundantly clear and the desire to stay well-informed has emerged at the top of the list. The fact that it comes at the cost of staying on top of the latest version of "10 ways to please your man?" Oh well. From the AdAge article (reg. required):

Certainly in a presidential-election year, the popularity of a news magazine and website seems to make sense. But overall, the tone of the survey seemed a lot weightier than in years past. There were other changes, such as the inclusion of world peace as the No. 4 answer to the question "I wish …"

So what accounts for the change? The answer's in the question: change. This buzzword and Obama, the man who imbued the word with such deep meaning, have obviously affected the way students across the country view the world around them, and their stake in it. Need more proof of this shift? Both Perez Hilton and College Humor disappeared from lists of students' top ten website and were replaced by CNN.com.

As for students themselves being more serious? I don't really think that's the case so much as they're simply finding entertainment that suits their newfound interests, i.e. "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report."

See also: SurveyU's presentation from the Ypulse Youth Marketing Mashup East.

It's the very last issue of CosmoGirl, and judging from the lovely cover, this is one teen mag that will be universally missed. Taylor Swift bids the magazine a proper goodbye, posing with her hands in a heart shape (and wearing sweetly layered heart necklaces, naturally). The interview is bound to be interesting, with her newfound fame and recent Joe Bro breakup.

The magazine takes a cue from Barbara Walters and does its own spin on the most intriguing people of 2008, including Jesse McCartney, Nastia Liukin, and a Twilight star. Because it is the holiday issue, you can find the best party girl fashion. and an obligatory gift guide (this one is conveniently pull-out, which is unsurprisingly appealing to any gift-shopping girl… including myself). And finally, in true teen magazine fashion, the final issue of CosmoGirl clocks in with "898 things you'll love."

This month, Beyonce steals the cover and snags Seventeen's "style star of the year" title. She chats about her personal style and even came up with the fashion concept for her photo shoot ("naughty-nerd geek chic," if you were wondering). Also included are fashion secrets from such stars as Blake Lively, Pink, and Miley Cyrus, plus the top 10 red carpet trends (one-shoulder necklines, belted maxidresses).

The mag also has an eye-opening article about HIV, and with latest statistics citing 33 million people worldwide infected, now is great time to teach young girls how to protect themselves. Seventeen includes a story about a 20-year-old from the Bronx whose life has been changed from the "epidemic." Bridging the HIV feature with the star style theme of the issue is a huge charity auction that allows readers to bid on their favorite celebs' wardrobes.

With the most enviable cover of them all, Teen Vogue lands Kristen Stewart - although come Friday, she'll be better known as Bella Swan. The budding actress and Twilight star talks about the upcoming blockbuster and addresses the less-than-thrilled reaction from the series' die-hard fans regarding her casting. She also touches on her understated wardrobe and love for Chanel.

In the spirit of Christmas, lots of holiday party fashion features and 82 gifts to give (and, more importantly, get). On the more economical side, the mag enlists Gryphon designer Aimee Cho to make a preppy peacoat endlessly glamorous with a DIY fur collar (faux, of course). Plus, articles about the pros and cons of getting paid for good grades and how teens can deal with the age-old problem of embarrassing parents.

Some of you may know that back in the dot com heyday, I worked for a teen girl start-up called Kibu — it was the job that lured me to San Francisco where I've been living ever since. Kibu is probably best known for being one of the few start-ups to pull the plug and give unspent millions back to investors.

One of Kibu's more misguided ventures IMHO was a brick-and-mortar retail location opened in Ghirardelli Square - a scenic location for tourists but not really a teen destination. Even more troubling than the location (which was great to work in btw - just hopped on the trolley) was the reality that Kibu didn't really have anything to sell. We offered consultations with the site's personalities (writer/hosts we called "Faces") on hair, fashion or college apps and gave away a lot of free lip gloss. Now if Kibu's execs were hip to the pop-up store concept, this could have been much more effective (and saved them from signing a very expensive lease).

I was reminded of this reading about Teen Vogue's pop-up store in a New Jersey mall - perfect location to keep the brand top-of-mind (even if "only a small percentage of its overall readership lives near enough to visit the store"). Just as Kibu's "Studio," even if it was a pop-up store, probably couldn't have saved the dot com right after the April 2000 crash, I'm not sure that this effort will save one of the handful of remaining teen magazines from following the same fate as YM, Teen People, Elle Girl, or Cosmo Girl. But I could be wrong. From the New York Times:

The Haute Spot is a so-called pop-up concept, meaning that the store is not permanent. The location will be open Nov. 28 through Dec. 26.

Teen Vogue, part of Condé Nast Publications, will also open two stores in March and April to promote prom wear (the locations are not set, but they will be in malls on the East and West Coasts). And in August, it will open two locations featuring back-to-school gear.

The stores will offer free snacks, informal modeling, a perfume bar, a makeup station, charging stations for cellphones and iPods, a gift-wrapping counter and racks of clothes.

Stylists and attendants at the store will advise visitors on lipstick, shoes and outfits.

And, to the delight of retailers, they will whisk visitors to stores in the mall where they can buy the products.

Many Democrats thought Bristol Palin's untimely pregnancy would be a deal-breaker for socially-conservative right-wingers. Instead, Republicans embraced Sarah Palin, forging an instant camaraderie with her because, like most of America, her family isn't perfect either. And, like most conservatives in America, her evangelical teenager struggled with the temptations of having sex before marriage.

In Red Sex, Blue Sex, the New Yorker explores how teenage sex relates to youth religion — I found their findings fascinating. Red states generally advocate abstinence-only sex education and have scores of teenagers who swear off sex until marriage, taking vows of chastity. Interestingly, studies show that these socially-conservative communities have higher rates of STDs, premarital pregnancy and divorce.

According to a 2001 estimate, more than two million people have pledged to remain celebrate until marriage. More than half who vow abstinence end up having sex before marriage, and usually not with their future spouse. Furthermore, communities with high rates of pledging also have high rates of STDs.

A majority of people who take chastity vows are evangelical Christians, and surveys show that 74% of white evangelical adolescents believe in abstaining from sex before marriage. They are most likely to believe that having sex will cause their partners to lose respect for them and least likely to anticipate that sex will be pleasurable. Because abstinence is so emphasized and the alternative is so looked down upon, sexuality comes with shame (and leaves contraceptives and safe sex-awareness in the dark).

…Evangelical literature directed at teen-agers forbids all forms of sexual behavior, even masturbation. “Every Young Woman’s Battle,” for example, tells teen-agers that “the momentary relief” of “self-gratification” can lead to “shame, low self-esteem, and fear of what others might think or that something is wrong with you.” And it won’t slake sexual desire: “Once you begin feeding baby monsters, their appetites grow bigger and they want MORE! It’s better not to feed such a monster in the first place.”

At Ypulse, we know that not all evangelicals are the same, and I'm sure there are some churches and organizations that have a more realistic and less judgmental approach to teen sexuality. What are your thoughts on the New Yorker article? If Obama is elected, what will the impact be on the abstinence only movement? What about if it's McCain? Definitely a piece worth reading…

Today's Ypulse Youth Advisory Board feature: Our Side Of The Screen is from Libby Issendorf…

Our Side Of The Screen: Candies v. Trojan On Preventing Teen Pregnancy

Brands are pouring money into TV campaigns, viral videos, and Facebook ads designed to catch Gen Y’s attention. It’s easy for them to review impressions, click through rates, and pageviews, but what about real, unfiltered reactions? "Our Side of the Screen" will give marketers detailed, honest opinions about marketing campaigns aimed at youth. We’ll let you know what we loved, what we didn’t, how the campaigns made us feel about the brands, and most importantly, whether they made us do anything.

Have a campaign you'd like us to review? Please contact the board at youthadvisoryboard at ypulse dot com.

From Juno to Jamie Lynn Spears to Bristol Palin, teen pregnancy is all over the media. The Candie’s Foundation exists to "educate America's youth about the devastating consequences of teen pregnancy," and during this week’s “Gossip Girl,” it unveiled a new PSA to show teenagers the real consequences of that backseat romp.

The ad doesn’t choose sides in the abstinence vs. contraceptives debate; it just presents pregnancy as the consequence of sex. This tactic might scare teens, but the ad won’t succeed without a viable solution to this fear. Candie’s needs to advocate a method of protection instead of preaching, “If you have sex, you’ll get pregnant!”

The way Jenny McCarthy pops in and the girl’s snobby attitude toward her turn Candie’s into a nagging parent. I half-expected her to add, “And clean your room, young lady!” before the commercial ended. Couple this tone with the unresolved scare tactic, and the commercial comes across as an empty threat that makes most teens roll their eyes.

I’m equally disappointed in the website.The first things to catch my eye are images of a lovely Jamie Lynn, a poised Bristol and Levi, and four teenage girls, two with bulging pregnant bellies, on a carefree stroll. The photos glamorize teen pregnancy more than condemn it, and the entire site is boring and unattractive. I can’t interact with it beyond joining a Facebook group, and the “tips for parents” section will make teens feel as though this isn’t their space.

In contrast to this lackluster effort, I love Trojan’s Evolve campaign that encourages teens to use a condom every time. The website is incredibly attractive and easy to use. My favorite part is the “donate 1,000,000 condoms” feature. Teens can take a quiz, comment,and pass videos on to friends. Then, for every action, Trojan donates condoms to Americans at risk. So cool!

Also, Trojan understands the teenage mindset. In the first video, they acknowledge that teens have sex—and as Josh Lucas says, “there’s nothing wrong with that, [but] there’s not necessarily anything right with that either.” Trojan come across as concerned but not parental. The facts they present are scary (like how 1 in 4 teenage girls has an STI). However, unlike Candie’s, Trojan emphasizes a clear solution: condoms. On its own, no PSA will be enough to change teens’ behavior, but Evolve’s entertaining videos and interactive features will definitely facilitate conversation among teens. That’s a great first step toward taking action. Nice work, Trojan.

P.S. The best Trojan video I saw is “The Quarrel.” Be sure to watch until the end; it’s hilarious!

About Libby Issendorf

After growing up on a farm in North Dakota, Libby Issendorf moved to Minneapolis to attend the University of Minnesota. She discovered her passion for brands and media as a member of her school’s first-place National Student Advertising Competition team. After graduation in 2008, she began her career as a media analyst at an advertising agency. Libby works on media placement and targeting for national brands like General Mills and Land O Lakes. Outside of work, she loves blogging, playing sports, consuming gratuitous amounts of pop culture, the Minnesota Twins, being really geeky with her iPhone, and driving to see her boyfriend, who lives too far away.

In a very timely fashion, Scarlett Johansson shines on the cover of CosmoGIRL! and chats candidly about her thoughts on the election and her support of Obama. There is also a not-so-timely guide to surviving college life that might have been better suited for the September issue. Plus, "death by texting," teen dating violence, and the increasing trend of helicopter parents (which we covered earlier this week).

On the Project 2424 front, the magazine talks with Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney. Also catch Ed Westwick, Zac Efron, and Sophia Bush. Looks like a fantastic issue, which makes the recent fate of CosmoGIRL! that much more heartbreaking. I'm curious to know whether they'll keep 2424 alive on the website because it's such a great program for girls.

With High School Musical mania hitting full force, Ashley Tisdale snags Seventeen's cover where she talks about playing Guitar Hero with her castmates, choosing a night at home watching reality TV over hitting the celeb-studded L.A. nightclubs, and hooking up with Zac Efron. The mag also talks to Zac about celeb crushes he would choose to play his on-screen girlfriend (let me guess, Vanessa?), among other things.

The Seventeen Body Peace Project is celebrating its first anniversary. Thousands of readers have already pledged to stop fighting with their bodies, and the mag enlisted top fashion designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Donna Karan, and Betsey Johnson to create "body shape celebrating" clothing and sign the Seventeen Body Peace Treaty. Also, how to discover your dream job, what they wish they knew before college (I'm a junior and these always make me regretful!), the dangers of smoking, and how to be a vegetarian in a healthy, balanced way.

Rachel Bilson, former star of "The OC," graces the cover of Teen Vogue. While she hasn't been in any new movies or shows lately, she just debuted a clothing line with DKNY that just might be the exception to the "movie stars are not fashion designers" rule. For the "Fashion at Work" theme, the mag talks to designers, models, stylists, editors, and interns.

Also, articles about college visits that get out-of-hand and teen girls' reliance on energy drinks. Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron have been on the past two months' covers, so to continue the HSM media circus, Corbin Bleu gets a little face time.