January 6th, 2009
Throughout your college career, it’s very likely that you’ll have several days where classes are cancelled. If you’re in the Northwest, Midwest, or Northeast, this will probably be caused by snow or ice. If you’re in other parts of the country, it could be because of rains or other environmental events. Some schools will cancel classes for other reasons as well. But regardless of the reason, you now have a full day without any class! What are you going go to do?
One of the most common things that you will find students doing on snow days is sleeping in. You don’t have to be in class at eight in the morning—go back to bed! Catch up on some sleep, and you’ll feel a lot better in the coming days. These are good days to take naps as well—you won’t have to worry about not getting up for your afternoon class, so you can take an hour or two out of your day and get some rest.
If your classes were cancelled because of snow, you probably shouldn’t be driving anywhere (at least until later in the afternoon). Fortunately, there are several activities that you can do on-campus or near your off-campus housing. Going sledding is a great way to spend an afternoon, especially if you got dumped on with a foot or two of snow. If you have a skating rink nearby, you can lace up some skates and get out there as well (as long as the snow has been cleared off). Snowball fights will make you feel like you’re in elementary school again and are great for getting exercise (and getting back at some of your friends for the money they took from you playing cards). Once you’ve spent some time outside and taken a hot shower, head for the local coffee shop. It will probably be pretty busy, but a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate rarely tastes better than when the entire world is covered in snow.
Snow days are also good occasions for spending the entire day inside under a blanket, where it’s warm and dry. Spending an afternoon playing board games is a fun way to recoup some energy and hang out with your friends. Sitting on the couch and reading a book (not a textbook—an actual outside-of-class book) is a good way to relax as well.
As much as you don’t want to, you should probably take advantage of snow days to get a little bit of studying done. It’s easy to get behind on your reading or studies, and having a full day off of class can be just what you need to get caught up again. If you’re very motivated, you could even use the day to get a little ahead in some of your classes so that you have some slack when finals come around.
Whatever you decide to do on snow days, whether it’s sleeping, sledding, or studying, make sure that you have fun! Snow days don’t come around all that often, so take advantage of them while you can.
7:00 PM on Tue Jan 6th, 2009
December 16th, 2008
If you’re already in college, you already know, and if you’re a high school student, you’re sure to find out, that college students will try just about anything to save money. The time that you spend in college will probably be one of the more financially difficult times of your life; because of this, you’ll be looking for ways to save money, too. Try not to get roped into your friends’ harebrained strategies—just take some of the following advice.
One of the most expensive purchases that you’ll have to make on a regular basis is your books for the semester. It’s not uncommon to spend several hundred dollars on your books; certain degrees often require up to $500 in books. Buying books can be a great opportunity to save some cash. By buying used books, you can often cut your costs in half. Most university bookstores buy books back at the end of the semester and re-sell them; sell your books back, then buy used books, and you’ll end up saving a lot over your four years.
Amazon.com and
Craigslist are also good places to find used books. Social networking sites like
MySpace and
Facebook can be used to set up book exchanges where you can give someone one of your old books in exchange for one of theirs.
Changing your food buying habits can be one of the best ways to save money in college. If you have roommates, buy groceries in bulk and split the bill—getting a membership at
Costco or another discount bulk store can pay off very quickly if you split it between several people. Make your own food as often as possible—frozen pizza doesn’t count. If you spend a couple hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon preparing a large amount of food, you can put it in containers, freeze them, and microwave them for meals during the week. Things like stews, chilies, hot dishes, and stir-fries are great for this. If you buy ingredients and make food in bulk instead of going out to eat or buying pre-prepared foods, you’ll save a significant amount of money.
The cost of living can be very high on and near college campuses. Many universities require that students live on campus for their first year of classes, but after that, you can do whatever you’d like. When this becomes an option, it’s often worth looking into an apartment or a house. Houses tend to be cheaper, because you can split rent between more people; some houses are large enough for five to six people to live in. Even if you have to drive to campus to get to your classes, you may find that this is one of the more effective ways to save money on room and board. Remember to factor in things like utilities, gas money, and time spent in travel between your house and campus; these can have a major impact on whether or not it will be worth it to rent. If none of your friends dig the idea of moving into a house, you can use social networking sites (and local newspapers) to find other students looking for roommates.
5:21 PM on Tue Dec 16th, 2008
December 4th, 2008
Many colleges require that their students live on campus for at least one year. This usually means living in a dorm building. After the first year, however, you’ll have to decide whether or not you want to remain on campus or try to find housing elsewhere. Both options offer distinct advantages.
Living off-campus has a slightly exotic appeal; instead of living on school grounds and under regulation, you’ll get to live in a house or an apartment and make your own rules. You won’t have a curfew, you can have guests over as late as you want, and you won’t have to be extra quiet during study hours. You will, however, have to pay rent. And while it is possible to find affordable housing, it may be difficult; especially if you’re going to school in a large city. Not only will you have to pay rent, you’ll also have to pay utilities; you may also have to pay for parking. Other expenditures include furniture, food, and gas, if you have to drive to class. Many people find that these costs are more than repaid by the extra freedom that is offered by living off-campus; others would rather take that money and apply it toward tuition.
Remaining on-campus has many benefits as well. Living in dorms or on-campus apartments is often much cheaper than finding an apartment. Utilities are included and meal plans can offer food at prices that are more affordable than going to the grocery store and shopping for oneself. You also don’t have to worry about driving to class (especially important if you live in a Northern state where the weather and road conditions may make driving difficult). Being close to on-campus resources, such as libraries, educational resources, and computer labs can also be important; driving to the library from your apartment to finish a paper at midnight is much less appealing than walking there.
Both options have benefits and drawbacks; it’s up to you to decide which are more important. I spent two years on-campus and two years in an apartment while I was in college. While I preferred my off-campus apartment to the dorms and the on-campus apartment that I had lived in, I found that I often missed living on campus. I found that it’s somewhat of a shock going from living a stone’s throw away from thousands of people to living alone. While I remained socially active, I missed being somewhere where there was always something going on—concerts, lectures, and film showings were commonplace and I found that I wasn’t aware of as many of these types of events when I lived off-campus. However, the independence that I gained by moving off-campus was worth it. I encourage you to try both and see which you prefer.
6:22 PM on Thu Dec 4th, 2008
November 25th, 2008
Living with roommates is one of the greatest changes any student experiences when going to college. Even if you shared a room with a sibling at home, it’s nothing like living in a dorm or an apartment with a roommate. Because everyone has heard a roommate horror story, it can be nerve-wracking thinking about living with a roommate. Despite all of the stories, the truth is that the vast majority of students get along with their roommates just fine and have very few issues.
It is very likely that you will be randomly assigned a roommate when you first move to campus. Although residence life organizations attempt to match students with similar interests, there is no guarantee that you and your new roommate will have anything in common. This may prove to be a blessing in disguise. Roommates can introduce you to many activities and people that you may never have considered or met if it hadn’t been for your roommate.
Having a roommate also helps you learn interpersonal skills that you’ll use for the rest of your life. If an issue arises, you’ll have to deal with it—you can’t put dealing with things off forever when you live with someone. Being able to respectfully and productively talk about and resolve these issues is an important skill that you’ll develop and use throughout the rest of your academic and professional career. It’s also likely that you and your roommate will prefer different types of communication—by learning to interact with them, you’ll develop the ability to effectively communicate with a great number of people.
Having a roommate can be a great experience if you’re willing to put some effort into it—don’t let the terrible stories scare you! Go and meet your roommate as soon as you can and start building a friendship. Who knows? You may get together so well that you’ll end up living together throughout the rest of your four years of college.
3:57 PM on Tue Nov 25th, 2008
November 24th, 2008
Many college students hold jobs in addition to being full-time students. In fact, you may find that the majority of people that you meet at your university hold jobs outside of school. Whether or not you have to get a job may depend on your family’s financial situation, including how much you may have worked and saved during high school.
While making extra money is an inviting prospect, that desire has to be moderated with a certain amount of realism. Whether or not they want to admit it, many students simply do not have time for a job. Because every student’s major, class load, and time required to study is different, it is difficult to develop any guidelines for how much time can be afforded to work. Some students need to spend very little time studying—others need to spend several hours each day. Holding a job, regardless of weekly hours, will cut into studying time. Whether or not the extra money is worth the reduced studying time is a decision that every student will have to make for him or herself.
Another important consideration when thinking about getting a job is your social life. College is a time when life-long friends are made; if a student spends all of their free time working, they will likely not have a very active social life. While it’s easy to prioritize money ahead of being social, students need to remember that having fun and being able to relax are both very important aspects of having a successful college experience.
Despite the above warnings, having a job in college can be a very rewarding experience. Many employers look to hire college students because it can be cheaper than hiring graduates. This means that there are ample employment opportunities, especially near college campuses. Searching for a job can be a great opportunity to try something that you’ve never done before and to meet people that you may not have otherwise. Although the jobs held by college students often have very high turnover rates, it’s possible that you may find a long-term position that can develop into a career. Holding a job related to the field that you’re studying is also a great way to develop your education and learn about the real-life tasks that someone who works in your field has to perform every day.
Although having a job while attending college can be taxing, it’s a great way to learn new things, meet new people and develop time management skills that you’ll use for the rest of your life. If you decide that holding a job is the right decision for you, you’ll find plenty of resources around campus to assist you in finding employment. Check local newspapers and websites (including school newspapers and websites) to find jobs that appeal to your specific tastes. Above all else, don’t forget to have fun—both at work and outside of it.
4:08 PM on Mon Nov 24th, 2008
