Ypulse Essentials: Nickelodeon Knows 'How To Rock,' Tumblr's News Site, College Grads Get Hourly Jobs

Rock out to Nickelodeon’s ‘How to Rock,’ (the latest tween TV show about music, growing up, and social pressures through a battle of the bands storyline. The sitcom, based on the book “How to Rock Braces and Glasses,” premieres tomorrow night and we think it sends a good message about being yourself and finding friends who accept you for who you are! In other entertainment news, the CW just ordered three pilots, one of which is a dystopian story based on a book series that sounds a lot like The Hunger Games if we do say so. However, they look promising with talented creators behind them, including J.J. Abrams, “One Tree Hill”‘s Mark Schwahn, and more. But we’re not so sure about ABC Family’s new shows, especially the reality program about nannies in Beverly Hills) (Just Jared) (Hollywood Reporter) (Broadcasting & Cable)

- Considering how influential bloggers are (it’s no surprise that Tumblr wants to highlight users’ content, and will soon do so via an official Tumblr news site! A team of writers will cover the top stories from the Tumblr world, making it easier for readers to discover the latest trends and key interests among the site’s bloggers. In other social media news, check out this infographic that highlights how colleges and universities are using social media to enhance education and connect with students, as well as how they can improve their digital strategies) (NY Times, reg required) (Mashable)

- Many Millennials are disheartened to discover that having a college degree (doesn’t mean they’ll get a job with an annual salary or benefits. Instead, in today’s tough job market, they’re lucky to be paid $10 an hour. Major companies are even laying off full-time employees to hire temporary or hourly workers. College students are struggling financially too, and some are even making use of food-stamps if they work 20+ hours a week and meet the income limits) (Forbes) (Consumerist)

- We can’t wait for the Superbowl this Sunday (mostly because we’re excited to see all the creative ads that engage viewers. Speaking of which, here are five lessons from Frito-Lay’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ann Mukherjee, about how Doritos successfully turned over it’s whole marketing campaign to its young fans) (Co.Create)

- It’s a little troubling to see that today’s teens can’t answer basic questions about American history, politics, and geography (which isn’t a good sign for the next generation of leaders. However, in other ways, Millennials have proven that they’re ready to lead. They work together as they share and receive information with peers, valuing one another’s perspective, strangers’ opinions, and more) (Huffington Post) (MediaPost)

- Tween girls are a key consumer of makeup (and we’re not just talking about lip gloss. They’re too young for the grown up brands their moms and sisters use, but they want to experiment with style. Brands like GeoGirl and Material Girl are just right for them — and their budgets. Drug stores and mass merchandisers are also taking notice, selling more beauty lines specifically for young girls. Heck, there are even salons and spas just for tweens!) (MSNBC)

- Millennials have their own perspectives on the world, and industries are changing to be more Millennial-friendly — and now religion (might be the next to get the message. Jeff Bethke, a 22-year-old spoken word artist, made a YouTube video titled “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” and quickly garnered 17 million hits and thousands of comments. He presents a critical view on organized religion compared to the messages of Jesus and how churches have lost their authenticity, which is so important to his generation. As one person expressed in the comments, many other young people likely share his sentiment) (CBS) (Daily Beast)

- Yesterday we featured the best YA books of the year, and today, we give you the best children’s books (for younger, middle, and older kids. Did your favorites make the cut?) (ALSC)

- And now for a little Friday fun… (you’ve probably seen the new trailer for “The Hunger Games” but what about for “The Hunger Pains?” The parody video has us LOLing as we wait for the real movie to come out. And we can’t forget the hilarious parody video of Twilight’s “Breaking Dawn: Part 1” expressed entirely through song. Trust us, you’ll be laughing too, even if you’re not a Twi-hard!) (Entertainment Weekly) (Teen)