Now we’ve talked about all manner of nefarious deeds the plastic Barbie has committed, but today we’re bringing you something even a little more shocking. Hot off the Odessa Barbie production line in Ukraine is Alina Kovaleskaya. The 20-year-old became widely talked about in her hometown after uploading photographs of her doll-like appearance across the web.
It should be noted she’s not the first, in fact she’s the 3rd. Bizarrely Valeria Lukyanova and Anastasiya Shpagina are two other Barbie look-a-likes, also from the same Ukrainian town, so you can see where the inspiration came from in “I need to pack on the make-up to look like a plastic toy” department.
You have to ask though, exactly how much of her appearance is down to hours of make-up and layers of foundation or has there been a dash of cheeky photo manipulation going on? A mix of both we’d imagine. But whether her appearance is physically or digitally altered, it’s certainly a look designed to get attention and create shock & awe. To that extent she’s a genuine success.
The real question remains though, if she’s Barbie, should we worry about a dedicated Ukrainian man transforming himself into Ken?
Mukesh Ambani, the fifth richest man in the world and head of the Mumbai based petrochemical giant Reliance Industries is estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of $43 billion. He is also the owner to-be of a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai that is to cost him colossal $2 billion! His wife Nita Ambani was staying in the Mandarin Oriental in New York and was so impressed with the interior Asian style decor that she wanted something similar for her to live in. What resulted from that is the world's largest and most expensive home ever. Every story in the Antilla's skyscraper home will be built to a different specification. The vast variation of materials to be used in its build has tremendously added to its overall cost. The meticulous planning that has gone into this architectural design is astounding and once the 27 -story tower is built it will certainly become a spectacular site for all eyes. Hirsch Bedner Associates are the designers behind this project.
2. Updown Court, England - The most important private residence to be built in England since the 19th century ($150 million)
Updown Court is situated only 25 miles from London, and through a pair of large sophisticated iron gates, one can see a palatial construction of immense scale and beauty. The property, however, is best known for its price tag: more than 85 million British pounds (+$150 million U$, with 103 rooms, five swimming pools and 24-carat-gold leafing on the study's mosaic floor. There's a squash court, bowling alley, tennis court, 50-seat screening room, heated marble driveway and helipad. Eight limousines will fit in the underground garage. Then there are the neighbors, who include the queen (at Windsor Castle) and Elton John. It is listed with Savills and Hamptons International. So, even if your blood doesn't run blue, with enough green you can still live near—and like—royalty!
3. Versailles, Florida - The largest family home ever built in the US
This 30 bedroom mansion boasts its own bowling alley, roller skating rink and Olympic sized swimming pool to make it the largest family home ever built in the US. Time share mogul David Siegel and his former beauty queen wife Jacqueline began building the huge estate three years ago. But with almost 18 months of work still to be carried out on the property they have put it on the market at $75m. Experts believe a further $25m needs to be spent before anyone can move in.
As well as 30 bedrooms the home would have 23 bathrooms with spectacular views over Lake Butler, about 20 miles from Orlando. The hand-built windows for the house cost more than £2m and other luxuries include a ballroom and a children's theatre. There is a garage with enough space for 20 cars, three swimming pools, a large boat house, formal gardens, and a one-story gatehouse with an apartment. There is also a baseball field, two tennis courts, a 60 foot by 120 foot Grand Hall with a 30-foot stained glass dome, two grand staircases, a 37 foot by 30 foot kitchen, 10 satellite kitchens, a two-story wine cellar and a rock grotto with three separate spas behind an 80-foot waterfall. All 23 full bathrooms have full-sized Jacuzzis, 160 tripled paned windows and Brazilian mahogany French-style doors that alone cost pds2.million.
The property was called Versailles as the entrance was modeled after the Palace of Versailles in France.
4. Fleur De Lys, Beverly Hills – Mariah Carey's palace
For the woman with the most expensive pair of legs, it was only fair she also had one of the most expensive houses in the world. Mariah Carey apparently had no problem scraping together a nice down payment on this palace in Beverly Hills. The Fleur De Lys is among the world's most expensive estates with an asking price of $125 million. Maria Carey's new digs were built by a Texan billionaire on 5 acres; it is 41,000 square feet of pure diva luxury and will also be modeled after the most extravagant home of its time: the Palace of Versaille, the former home of Marie Antoinette. Surrounding the mansion are rolling lawns, ornamental gardens and mature trees, a 3,000-square-foot manager's house, staff quarters for 10 people, a spa and pool with a pavilion, a championshiptennis court, and a lavish garden folly.
5. Hearst Mansion, Beverly Hill –The Godfather Mansion
This Beverly Hills mansion has been advertised for sale at $165m (£81.4m), making it one of the most expensive residential property listed in the US. The former home of US newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst has 29bedrooms, three swimming pools, tennis courts, its own cinema and a nightclub. He has decorated the property with statues brought north from his famous Hearst Castle in San Simeon and with life-size paintings of Davies. Mr. Hearst bought the H-shaped mansion in 1947 for about $120,000. In 2007, the estate's current owner, who bought it in 1976, put the home on the market for US$165 million. The home's buyer will have some notable neighbours, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and David and Victoria Beckham.
6. Acqua Liana, Florida – The most luxurious eco mansion
Frank McKinney, known as the real estate “artist,” has built a 15,000-square-foot “eco-mansion.” Is that possible? I am not sure whether to look in awe at all the sleek green that money can buy, or to recoil from the notion that 15,000 feet of excess is environmentally friendly. Inspired by trips to Bali, Fiji, Tahiti and Hawaii, the three-story, 15,000-square-foot, 7-bedroom, 11-bath mansion features floating sun terraces, a waterfall spa with a fire feature in the water and an arched aquarium wet bar. Green features inside the one-off mansion include enough solar panels to cover a basketball court generating enough energy for two or three average-size homes. A water system that collects enough run-off water to fill the average swimming pool every 14 days and environmentally conscious lighting reduces electricity consumption by 70 per cent. There is enough reclaimed wood to save 10.5 acres of Brazilian rain forest.
But, still, do the words “green” and “mansion” go together?
7. Villa Leopolda, France – The mansion that caused a man to lose a 75 million deposit
The magnificent $750 million Villa Leopolda in Villefranche-sur-Mer was built for King Leopold II of Belgium in 1902. The estate is so big that it requires 50 full time gardeners. The grounds cover 20 acres of garden and visitors can stroll amongst 1,200 olive, orange, lemon and cypress trees. In 2008, owner Lily Safra (wife of the deceased Syrian (Lebanon-born) businessman Edmond Safra), a famous Jewish philanthropist, decided to sell it. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov intended to buy it. After making a ten per cent down-payment, he then backed out of the sale after the global credit crunch hit. But a court in Nice later ruled that he had to forfeit the $75 million deposit he put down for the mansion. Prokhorov had signed a sales agreement for the Villa, and French law stipulates that purchasers lose their deposits if they pull out after such an agreement has been executed. But don't feel sorry for the guy, he is still worth a cool $17.85 billion.
8.The Manor, Los Angeles – Aaron Spelling dream house
His wife Cindy dubbed Aaron Spelling's 56,000-square-foot LA mansion “The Manor”. Built for him in 1991 it has 123 rooms for his family to choose from. Nothing was spared in the creation of this home, with an indoor skating rink, multiple pools, three kitchens, sports courts, private orchard, and a bowling alley. Not happy with the “norm” for these mansions, there are also more unusual additions, such as a doll museum, a room used exclusively for wrapping presents and an entire floor dedicated to closet space. In 2007 Candy Spelling, estranged mother of Tori Spelling, decided that her 57,000 square foot mansion was just a tad bit large for her and her pooch and decided to sell it and turned the mansion into the most expensive estate (in terms of current listings) at that time.
9.The Manalapan Residence – the ultimate oceanfront estate home
Set upon 5.5 acres, with 520 feet fronting direct Atlantic Ocean-to-Intracoastal waterway property, The Manalapan Residence triumphantly blends Old World elegance and classicism with 21st century facilities. Some of the amenities of this 3-story ‘beach house' includes 67,672 square feet, 14 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 18 car garage, 6,140 sq. ft. master bedroom suite, movie theatre, casino and club room with aquarium wet bar, gymnasium with beauty salon, shark tank, 2 elevators, bowling alley, tennis court and a go cart track. Do you still need more reasons to believe this is the greatest mansion if you want to live in front of the ocean? The only bad thing is its price tag of $135 million.
10.Barbie Malibu Mansion – a life-size mansion inspired by Barbie's dream house
In honor of Barbie's 50th birthday celebration, interior decorator extraordinaire, Jonathan Adler, decked out a real-life 3,500-square-foot pad overlooking the Pacific Ocean to look like the blond doll's outrageous home. He lined Barbie's bedroom with wall-to-wall pink carpeting emblazoned with her initial. The closet is filled with 50 pairs of pink peep-toe heels while her kitchen is stocked with cupcake-making ingredients. An in-house museum features 25 vintage Barbie dolls on display. In the garage? A pink Volkswagen New Beetle with a motorized pop-up vanity in the trunk. Adler's favorite furnishings are hanging in the living room: an original Andy Warhol portrait of Barbie valued at over $200,000 and a chandelier — designed by "Project Runway" contestant Chris March — that's made up of over 30 blond wigs and took more than 60 hours to craft. He also admires a one-of-a-kind black-and-white wall mirror created with 64 dolls. The house is perched on a cliff in Malibu overlooking the ocean. It's a fantasyland for anyone.
With ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,’ ‘‘Frozen‘ and ‘Her,’ the past year closed out with some pretty stupendous cinema. But it’s 2014 now! So out with the old and in with the new: Here are 14 movies to watch out for in 2014.
To toast the New Year, we’re looking ahead to the coming weeks and months in search of the most enticing upcoming titles. And what we found are some outrageous comedies, heart-racing romances, captivating coming-of-age stories and plenty of star-studded spectacle! By our count, there’s already 14 reasons to be pumped over 2014 in cinema.
'Gimme Shelter'
In Theaters: Jan. 24, 2014
Vanessa Hudgens digs into some serious drama (not to mention a major make-under) with this independent feature. Salacious turns in movies like 'Sucker Punch,' 'Spring Breakers' and 'Machete Kills' proved the 'High School Musical' star is not a child actor anymore. Now it's time for her to show what an accomplished actress she has become with this remarkable true story -- and we can't wait.
Written and directed by Ron Krauss, 'Gimme Shelter' has Hudgens playing Apple, a young woman who flees her abusive mother to find the father she never knew. But when his big home isn't as welcoming as she'd dreamed, Apple has to set out to form a family of her own. Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser and James Earl Jones co-star.
'That Awkward Moment'
In Theaters: Jan. 31, 2014
Funny enough, our next pick also features a 'High School Musical' alum! Zac Efron fronts this R-rated sex comedy about three best friends who swear off serious relationships after one has his heart broken into a million pieces. But their bro pact is threatened when these boys meet girls that understand the important things in life, like sex, scotch and Xbox.
Craving something with a bit of bite? Then mark your calendar for this sassy action-comedy inspired by the bestselling YA novels of Richelle Mead. Zoey Deutch stars as Rose Hathaway, a half-human/half-vampire in training to be a bodyguard for her best friend and vampire glamor girl Lissa (Lucy Fry) from the evil undead who'd do her harm. But when they aren't battling the powers of darkness, they are just dealing with the high drama inherent in high school.
Giving this YA adaptation added intrigue are its behind-the-scenes players, brothers Daniel and Mark Waters. The former is the screenwriter behind the devilish dark comedy 'Heathers,' while the latter directed the one and only 'Mean Girls.' We can't imagine a better team to tackle this sharp teen comedy.
'The Pretty One'
In Theaters: Feb. 7, 2014
'New Girl' star Jake Johnson works his curmudgeonly charms in this unconventional romantic comedy from writer-director Jenee LaMarque that has Zoe Kazan playing a pair of identical twins who are very different. Audrey is outgoing, fashionable and reckless. Laurel is timid, stuck in a time warp fashion-wise and frightened of new experiences. But after a fateful accident, Laurel makes a daring move by following in her sister's footsteps and assuming her identity. With a new lease on life, she finds herself falling for an eccentric but sweet guy next door (Johnson).
We had the chance to catch this quirky indie last spring at the Tribeca Film Festival, and have been eagerly awaiting its theatrical release ever since. While its plotline is decidedly dark, LaMarque's screenplay is wonderfully warm and funny. Best of all, the chemistry between Johnson and Kazan -- who deftly creates not one, but two compelling characters here -- is exhilarating. This is the kind of movie that'd be great for a date or a girls night out.
'The Grand Budapest Hotel'
In Theaters: March 7, 2014
Is there a filmmaker alive who makes prettier movies than Wes Anderson? The inventive writer-director behind such dazzling and delightful comedies as 'Rushmore,' 'The Royal Tenenbaums,' 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' and 'Moonrise Kingdom' is back with a murder mystery unlike any we've seen before. Over the years Andersen has shown a great gift for crafting clever characters and sensational stories. But on top of all that, his films are so flush with color they are never anything less than a feast for the eyes!
His latest ensemble piece centers on Gustave H, a concierge of the titular hotel who is suspected of foul play when one of his guests/lovers turns up dead. Hijinks and lots of fantastic banter are sure to ensue. Filling out his star-stacked ensemble are Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Jude Law, Lea Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Wilkinson, Harvey Keitel and F. Murray Abraham.
'Veronica Mars'
In Theaters: March 14, 2014
From 2004 to 2007, teen detective Veronica Mars was relentless in her pursuit of truth and justice as she tore through the shadiness and secrets of the affluent community of Neptune, Calif. But the show's grievous cancellation didn't kill fan devotion. And after an appeal on Kickstarter, the series' creator, Rob Thomas, paid off on his promise for a spin-off movie!
Set nine years after the final episode, the Veronica Mars movie picks up with our plucky heroine living in New York City and trying desperately to distance herself from her past and all things Neptune. But her resolve vanishes when her long lost ex-boyfriend Logan is accused of murder. In no time, Veronica returns to Neptune and shakes things up at a high school reunion we suspect no one will ever forget. She's back in action and as badass as ever!
'Divergent'
In Theaters: March 21, 2014
In 2012, 'The Secret Life of the American Teenager's' Shailene Woodley broke through in film with a Golden Globe-nominated performance in the dramedy 'The Descendants.' Now she's showing us what an action heroine she can be with this adventure story set in a dystopian world where different equals dangerous.
Adapted from Veronica Roth's YA novel, 'Divergent' stars Woodley as Beatrice Prior, a teen girl on the brink of learning which classification she qualifies for: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless or Erudite. But when she takes the aptitude test (think Harry Potter's sorting hat), she is frightened to learn she is "Divergent," a classification that makes her very existence a threat to her society's grim government. Theo James, Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney, Ansel Elgort, Zoe Kravitz and Miles Teller co-star.
'The Other Woman'
In Theaters: April 25, 2014
You know that thing where you meet a guy who seems positively perfect, then find out he's married? The anti-heroine at the center of 'The Other Woman' does. Played by Cameron Diaz, this spunky singleton is stunned to discover her boyfriend's been hiding a wife from her. When she and his Mrs. (Leslie Mann) hit it off, they decide not to get mad, but get even.
This unconventional buddy comedy is being called 'The First Wives Club' for a younger generation. Not only does it boast a buzzed about script from rising screenwriter Melissa Stacks, but 'The Other Woman' also features appearances from 'Game of Thrones' hunk Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, fashionista/rap artist Nicki Minaj and Sports Illustrated covergirl Kate Upton. And did we mention it's directed by Nick Cassavetes, helmer of 'The Notebook'?
'Neighbors'
In Theaters: May 9, 2014
How about a double dose of R-rated comedies starring Zac Efron? As follow-up to his rocky rom-com 'The Five-Year Engagement,' director Nicholas Stoller offers 'Neighbors,' which focuses on that age-old battle between suburbanites and frat boys.
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne play a married couple with a newborn baby and a growing fear they are getting old. But this concern takes a backseat when a rowdy fraternity moves in next door. Wild parties leave their nights sleepless and their yard caked in trash and used condoms. But fighting back incites a full on prank war with the frat's oft-shirtless leader (Efron!) Dave Franco, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Craig Roberts co-star.
'Maleficent'
In Theaters: May 30, 2014
Think you know the story of 'Sleeping Beauty'? Guess again. Angelina Jolie brings to life the iconic Maleficent. You might know her as the cruel and shape-shifting sorceress who cursed the lovely Princess Aurora. But Disney's upcoming live-action adventure will at long last unveil this villainess' backstory, which led her to a road of wickedness and revenge. As it's helmed by two-time Academy Award-winning art designer, Robert Stromberg, we're expecting something pretty spectacular here.
Elle Fanning fills the role of the adored Aurora, while Juno Temple, Sharlto Copley, Brentn Thwaites and Imelda Staunton co-star.
'The Fault in Our Stars'
In Theaters: June 6, 2014
'Divergent' star Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort reunite for another YA adaptation, this one based on the heralded John Green novel about two teenagers who find first love while battling with terminal cancer. Woodley stars as 16-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster, who has been fighting stage four cancer since she was 13. Her parents worry that despite her excelling in her studies, she's depressed. So they push her to go to a support group for kids living with cancer. There she meet Gus (Ansel), a former basketball player who has lost his leg, but not his spirit. Sharing a similar sense of humor, their connection is instant, beautiful and rare… but bound to be short-lived.
There was an outcry among fans when the film's poster hit with the tag line "One Sick Love Story." While the twisted humor in there didn't play to all, we're eagerly awaiting the film's first trailer and its upcoming summer release.
'Tammy'
In Theaters: July 2, 2014
After proving to be the breakout star of the 2011 smash hit 'Bridesmaids,' comedienne Melissa McCarthy could basically write her own ticket in Hollywood. And as a follow-up to her hilarious and wildly successful summer movie 'The Heat,' she's offering another sure-to-please comedy with 'Tammy.'
Penned by herself and husband Ben Falcone -- who also directs- -t his funny feature follows the titular Tammy, a woman whose life is thrown into spin when she loses her job and learns her husband has been cheating on her. How to cope? How about a road trip with her hard-drinking grandmother who swears like a sailor and is played by Susan Sarandon? Works for us!
'Gone Girl'
In Theaters: Oct. 3, 2014
Not only was Gillian Flynn's best-selling crime novel 'Gone Girl' at the top of the New York Times bestseller list for eight weeks straight, but it also was the must-see read for book clubs and bookworms nationwide thanks to its addictive prose and tantalizing twists and turns. It's fitting then that David Fincher, who has helmed such enthralling adaptations as 'Fight Club,' 'Zodiac' and 'The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,' has directed this chilling thriller.
Ben Affleck stars as Nick Dunne, a down-on-his-luck writer who becomes the number one suspect when his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) goes missing on their wedding anniversary. One major joy of the novel was not knowing what might happen next. And with Flynn confessing she's written a completely new third act as the adaptation's screenwriter, the same could well hold true for this tantalizing title. Neil Patrick Harris, Missi Pyle, Casey Wilson and Tyler Perry co-star.
'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1'
In Theaters: Nov. 21, 2014
Headlined by Jennifer Lawrence, this franchise inspired by Suzanne Collins' wildly popular YA novels has been shattering box office records and proving audiences will turn out in force for a female-fronted action movie. The series second installment, 'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,' has just passed 'Iron Man 3' as the highest grossing release of 2013, so we can rightly count its follow-up, 'Mockingjay - Part 1,' as one of the most anticipated movies of 2014, if not the most.
Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) has now twice survived the cruel mechanizations of the corrupt Capitol's Hunger Games. But at the end of the Quarter Quell, she was saved by rebel force while her friend and love interest Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) was left behind. On the first half of this series finale, she'll not only have to confront her feelings for him, but also face her destiny as a leader of the growing rebellion against the Capitol and the vicious President Snow. Liam Hemsworth, Sam Claflin and Julianne Moore co-star.
There's a lot more to finding the best place to go to college than just whether a school is considered the best at something. College is a time to find yourself, to enjoy your youth, to make mistakes and learn outside of the classroom, so you might as well go somewhere interesting.
With that in mind, We are going to name the most interesting places to go to college. This list includes small and large colleges, public and private, Ivy League and liberal arts schools.
The list is not ranked in any order and is entirely subjective. What might be interesting to one person could be boring to the next, so each school included brings its own unique qualities that make it interesting.
Sometimes you just want to know where you're going to have a good time and this list should help.
Check out the most interesting colleges and universities in the list below, and head to the comments section to chime in on what school you find the most interesting.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
UW-Madison is sort of a hidden gem in the Midwest. It's a party school, named the "sexiest" school in the country, throws an epic party that the administration hates, and has alum Anders Holm of "Workaholics" fame as the commencement speaker. Speaking of comedy, The Onion was founded there in 1988. Not to mention, with big sports programs and a diverse population you get everything else a flagship university usually comes with. If anything, the only downside would be the snow. But when that happens, you just gather everyone for an EPIC snowball fight.
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
The Twin Cities were cool before cool became hip, it's official. But being one of the coldest areas, it makes those hip beards and flannels more practical. There's actually a great music scene in the Twin Cities; it gave birth to Prince, Bob Dylan, Motion City Soundtrack and The Hold Steady, among others. Add in a great collection of record stores, unique restaurants and solid alt-news sourcess, it's crazy to think all of this can be found in the same place a big state university -- with a killer hockey program -- is at.
University of California-Berkeley
Cal is a state school that is often considered as good or better than many elite private and Ivy League schools. It has big football and basketball programs. It's in the beautiful Bay Area. Plus, there's all the protests. That whole Occupy movement in 2011? Cal students used the "Occupy" tag two years earlier in 2009 when they staged sit ins on campus like it was the 1960's. When Cal isn't consumed by protest, faculty are winning awards in nearly every field.
University of Iowa
Iowa may be best known currently as the top party school in the nation, which was only further boldened thanks to "Vodka Samm." Business Insider called it the No. 2 school on their "Most Fun" list. But it's also a campus that will have the rare privilege throughout 2015 to have virtually every presidential candidate on campus. In 2007, it was totally normal to walk to English class while spotting then-Senator Barack Obama giving a speech. Add in a med school, a law school, Ashton Kutcher stopping by wrestling matches, some wild football tailgating and a sweet outdoor pedestrian mall, and you have a surprisingly fun time in flyover country.
Cooper Union
Cooper Union is a historic, yet small, arts and engineering college in lower Manhattan. Abe Lincoln gave one of his most important speeches at the school in 1860, and around the corner from the campus is a bar that has a chair Lincoln once sat in. Cooper Union has less than 1,000 students, and currently no one pays a tuition bill. That could change soon, however, with a recent decision to begin charging tuition in fall 2014. Which leads to what makes this school so interesting: a large amount of students have been protesting, continuously for two months in some cases and incorporating art in their activism. Being creative types, they devised unique ways to keep their protests moving, like creating a pizza pulley system.
University of Colorado at Boulder
CU-Boulder is where you're most likely to encounter deadly wildlife on your way to class (mountain lion or bear, anyone?). It also has thousands of students attempting to gather on campus smoking pot every year for an annual smokeout -- although theadministration does their best to try to squash that. Boulder is a beautiful city within the greater Denver area, near amazing mountains and parks and a short drive from fantastic skiing. And if it weren't for this university, the world may never have known"South Park" or 3OH!3.
University of Southern California
To start, it's in Los Angeles. Maybe not in the best neighborhood, but still. It's one of the larger private schools, so it offers an atmosphere usually reserved for flagship universities -- like a big football culture and enrollment topping 30,000. Dr. Dre is starting his own school there. It has one of the most diverse student bodies. A ton of movies and TV shows were filmed on campus: "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," "D2: Mighty Ducks II," "Forrest Gump," "The Graduate," "Legally Blonde (1 & 2)," "Matilda," "Young Frankenstein," "The Office," "The OC" and "Saved by the Bell," to name a few. And sometimes Will Ferrell randomly shows up on campus.
Brown University
Brown: the wildcard of the Ivy League. A school that hosts "sex week," "Nudity in the Upspace," the "Naked Donut Run" and the "Sex Power God" party. The photo here shows students demanding their university pay taxes it's not legally required to do. There are so many unique personalities at Brown, Pixar makes sure to go recruiting regularly on campus. So what if Brown doesn't have anywhere close to as many alumni in the White House as Harvard and Yale? Those schools are snooze-fests in comparison.
Drake University
Another school in Iowa, which will be sure to play host to a number of candidates in 2015 trying to be the next president of the United States. Yes, there are other early primary states, but none get as much attention as Iowa. And since this school is in the state capital -- Des Moines -- and has a law school, so you're going to have a lot more happening around politics here. But if politics isn't your thing, and you dream of working for Better Homes & Gardens, then lucky for you this school has connections with its publisher, Meredith, headquartered only a few miles from campus. One of the other biggest benefits is that Des Moines is a small pond where one can quickly become a big fish. The region is right in the middle of a burgeoning Silicon Prairie for anyone with a great idea for an app. For entertainment, it's a lot cheaper getting a drink or nice dinner compared to big cities like Chicago or New York. (Don't be surprised when you find bars offering two whiskey-sodas for $3.) There's plenty of delicious Jimmy John's spots nearby, and the university hosts an annual event calledthe Drake Relays that turns into a massive party.
Vassar College
A lot of private colleges have a history of first being all-male, then going co-ed in the 20th century. Vassar was all-female and coeducated in 1969, and today is one of the best liberal arts colleges in the country. FDR was once a Vassar trustee. Today, it's full of weirdness as one of the most hipster schools in the nation. As Unigo put it, "Beyond your usual a capella groups and dance teams, though, Vassar's clubs include juggling troupes, all-female theater collectives, erotic journals, and punk music enthusiasts -- these are the kind of niche activities that should appeal to any student who felt alienated in high school because of an interest no one else shared." There's even a quidditch team! Which fits with the Roman Gothic architecture.
The University of Texas at Austin
If you're a Longhorn, you've got a major football team, your president is constantly in a major political fight, your school is the center of a major Supreme Court case and sometimes conservative students try to hold demonstrations around that issue with bake sales that the administration considers "deplorable." Besides all that, you're in Austin, and have a front-row seat to the SXSW festival and constant block parties. Keep Austin Weird, UT.
New York University
When celebs get bored, sometimes they go to NYU, like the Olsen twins or James Franco. Or at least you can catch celebrities walking around the campus. It's hard to get much more interesting than going to school in Greenwich Village. Instead of hitting up a frat rager or a kegger at some kid's decrepit party house, students here go to hip loft and warehouse parties. It's a school where your part time job might be an internship at a major magazine or TV network, maybe working for a late-night TV show. After class you can take a stroll down Broadway and go shopping at stores that aren't located anywhere else in the country. On the weekend, head to the middle of campus and join the massive pillow fight in the same spot where people spend their nights playing acoustic guitars and bongos for change.
Sarah Lawrence College
In most classes at Sarah Lawrence, there will never be more than 15 students. There are no required courses, traditional exams are mostly tossed out the window, and their faculty advisors are referred to as "dons." The school bucked the trend of kowtowing to college rankings, but still gets considered one of the best. It has international programs in four countries, including Cuba.
University of Alabama
When you go to a powerhouse football school, it's usually way more exciting as a fan than say, being a fan of the Redskins while living in Washington, D.C. If you're dressed in boat shoes and Vineyard Vines, you're in good company with a school that's very supportive of its Greek system. Although that system was still desegregating in 2013. Not exactly the best thing to be known for, but it was definitely an interesting time on campus for people fighting for equality, like those in the Mallet Assembly.
University of Pittsburgh
Where else can you study in the second tallest academic building in the world that looks like Hogwarts on the inside and sometimes gets lit up in pretty colors? The city is gorgeous and hosts one of the most "hipster" zip codes.
Arizona State University
Every time we hear about things happening at Arizona State, we wish we would've gone there for school. Just look at the fun Daniel Tosh had visiting there! It's a party school, with big basketball, football and other sports programs, but it's not far from taking a quick vacay to Los Angeles, or Las Vegas if you ever want to leave the campus. It's one of the largest public universities by enrollment. And if you go here, you can count David Spade and Temple Grandin as fellow alumni.
Harvard University
If it happens at Harvard, it's news. Seriously, where else would it be such major news that a bunch of students cheated? One of the oldest higher education institutions in the country, it has produced more U.S. presidents and Nobel Prize winners than any other school by far. Frequently ranked one of the top schools in the country, and indeed, the world. Plus, from "Legally Blonde" to "The Social Network," it's a school that ends up in the movies a lot.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT is a world-renowned university at the cutting edge in a number of fields and its students are always inventing unique things. Fraternity brothers have one of the fanciest beer pong tables we've ever seen, the university is creating affordable 3D printers, grad students figured out how to turn Play-Doh and bananas into controllers, they figured out how to get all the ketchup out of a bottle and Fran Drescher dates faculty members who claim to have invented email. That's only the start of what the minds of MIT come up with. If we tried to list them all, we'd never finish. And if there's some way to ever get bored with all of that, the university is down the street from Harvard (which co-invented edX with MIT) and across the river from the wonderful city of Boston.
University of California-Santa Barbara
There's something about UC-Santa Barbara that seems to make everyone there so chill. If they weren't, we doubt the YouTube channel whatever would be doing so well. It's a party school, but still considered a Public Ivy. Champions of men's soccer and water polo. It's got an athletic student body, a very stinky flower, and all of this next to the Pacific Ocean. What could be better than a top ranked university on a campus with its own beach?
