Hey everyone! I'm new to this forum, and am hoping the people here are kind and friendly enough to help out a new guy! Well, i'm entering college, which means.. time for a bike to commute with! But the problem is.. i have no idea where to start at in terms of searching for a bike. I'd appreciate it very much if you guys could help me out here and suggest some decent bikes. Here are some qualities i'd like my bike to have:

- Light (well, as light as possible)
- Durable (good enough to last me through college at least)
- Up to around $300
- Looks appealing (nothing ugly, i know it's all preference, but still)
- Fun to ride!

Well, i hope i'm not forgetting to ask anything.. Looking forward to riding my future bike!

Also, forgot to mention one of the biggest things - fixedgear/singlespeed. Honestly, right now i dont really know yet. I know all the common pros/cons of each, but i'd much appreciate if you guys could throw out some pros/cons in case i've missed any and help me lean towards one of them. They are both quite appealing though.

Thanks for all the help, i really appreciate it!