As I sit here trying to tackle a day's work while being unhappily confined in my parents' house since my bank account won't allow for any financial activity this summer, especially that of renting an apartment elsewhere, I can't imagine how some of America's hardest working women don't collapse in pursuit of their extreme goals. However, when mainstream society thinks of the term "power women," people have the most absurd stereotypes: everything from hardcore egomaniacs to lonely, loveless women. As the next generation, though, we should not be burdened by these useless assumptions, but instead get inspired by the steps these kind of women take to get ahead.

The entertainment industry may sometimes portray women in a sexual light, but why not embrace that as female empowerment? That's what artists like Katy Perry, J. Lo, Lady GagGa and Beyonce do. Katy shows us that despite being the child of Christian parents, she can showcase her sexy side but still become a role model for young girls everywhere. Beyonce's latest female anthem, "Run The World (Girls)," gives a nod to the fact that women everywhere should feel like we hold enough cards on our plate to get us to our own personal pedestal of achievement. Additionally, these women get paid the big bucks for a reason: they work their butts off. From exhausting (we can imagine) hours of dancing and rehearing, to flying all over the world (jetlag, anyone?), to being the face for multiple companies and charities, it makes me want to take a nap just thinking about it.

It's not just the males that become CEOs and entrepreneurs nowadays. From Kraft chairman Irene Rosenfeld, to Oprah, to PepsiCo chief executive Indra Nooyi, these women know how to build and maintain a business. All rank within the top 10 of Forbes's Top 100 Power Women list, and it shows that brains and skillful business tactics can get you to a supreme top spot. Whether you work your way up in an established company or build a brand name on your own, these ladies are prime examples of the latest stream of female head honchos.

While these incredibly famous names may have you feeling like success like theirs isn't attainable, think about your place of work or organizations you're a part of. Is there a strong, successful woman you look up to? Or is there room for a position you'd love to jumpstart? Even look around your neighborhood. What about the single mom raising three kids who always manages to come out to community events? The teacher who puts in extra hours to help tutor some needy students? Look to these fantastic figures and inspirations to reach your next goal. While college is all about having fun and meeting your bridesmaids, treat this as a time to truly figure out what you want in life and how far you need to go to get it. We're part of the next stream of successful women, and why should we erase what has been done before us? As Beyonce would sing, "Who run the world? Girls."

By: Renee Mailhiot | Image: Andrea Jung (Source), Beyonce (Source), Oprah (Source)