CL Co-Ed’s Back-to-School Money Management “Know How” Part 3: INTO THE $WING OF THINGS

In the last two segments of money management for savvy CL co-eds, I talked about purchasing textbooks the smart way decorating the dorm for le$$.  But one of the most difficult parts of planning and keeping a budget is the day to day expenses!  This is where I failed the most as a freshman and sophomore student, because the 5 bucks that you spent here and the 3 you spent there and the 15 you forgot about yesterday – they ALL add up, and you wonder where all those paychecks you worked hard for have gone.  So try these management ideas to help you out!

**Make a Dividend Plan**

Dividend – BIG word, simple idea.  I divide my budget into the parts that work personally for me, so that as SOON as I get paid, my money is instantly divided, whether I keep the money in an envelope or a bank account.  Also, I do this in CASH so that I know exactly what I’m spending, all the time.  Here’s an example of my personal budget -

*50% goes to savings for school (that will change since I’m in my last year

*20% goes to paying off my school loans ASAP

*20% goes to my future savings (so I can actually afford to move out of my parent’s house come this April)

*10% goes to my personal spending for the week.

And it’s as simple as that!  I don’t even use a calculator, I just round to the nearest dollar for everything and put all leftovers in savings.  You will be amazed at how easy this becomes once you put it into practice.

**Get the most out of what you paid for**

Do you have a food plan at school?  Don’t skip out on it!  I know a lot of people who have a plan, but don’t like eating the same kind of food everyday, and skip out on it to purchase their own meals instead.  A lot of times, if you go to the cafeteria they will even let you take meals to go, so if you use the excuse of not having time for later, they already packed you your “free” meal instead of purchasing one somewhere else!  Also, if you have to do day to day things that they make you pay extra for, like laundry, but you have the luxury of having parents nearby, TAKE it home!  Never underestimate the power of an awesome family who lets you eat and do laundry for free

**Carpool and Money-share**

In most cases (but not always) roommate situations become quite fruitful, and those girls will become your new close friends.  So use the advantage of all being in the same financial situation, for the most part, to your advantage!  Share rides to different places or use public transportation together to get to places and save gas money, and when you want to splurge on something, splurge together so you’re saving cost!  If you want to do a group outing somewhere, the more people you can pool together the cheaper the cost, and the more fun you will probably have.  If it’s cheap, fun, and safe, most Co-eds will say “I’m in!” to just about anything – that’s one thing I’ve definitely learned from college!

Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions or to go to an adult mentor when you want extra help on dealing with finances, or when your personal situation is too much for you to handle.  It’s always better to have help than to dig yourself a nice, big hole.  Also, make sure to check out CL Intern Deirdre’s post on How to be Budget Savvy in College for more information and ideas on how to succeed!

Kelsey Book is a  writer and a dreamer who thinks faith, family, and musicals make her world go ’round!   She has learned from past money mistakes, and now lives on a smart, working budget so she won’t be paying off college loans until she’s fifty years old.

Making Your Small Space Feel Bigger!

When you are living at college, weather it be a dorm room or an apartment, usually your space is smaller than desired.  You are going to be living, breathing and working in this space, you are not going to want to make it feel like a dungeon.  Remember that you are probably going to be sharing this space with a roommate, so think about all of the things that you are bringing to college with YOU and then DOUBLE it, will you really have all that space?  There are a few things that you can do to make your space actually seen bigger than it is.  This really does not mean that you are going to be able to bring more stuff, but it will hopefully make you more comfortable when you are living there!

7 Tricks for making a small space feel larger:

This light is perfect because you can control which bulbs to turn on letting you decided how much light to bring into the room!

Lighting – Make sure that your room is well lit.  A dark space will make is seem closed in and actually make the space appear smaller than it is.  Think about using a lamp that has multiple bulbs like the one picture from target so that you control the amount of light that you want, less during the day and more at nighttime.

Clutter – A space that is cluttered with to many accessories and messy dishes and clothing will begin to feel like you are getting caved in on.  Keeping your space neat and tidy will always make you feel like you have more room to breath in.  Make sure everything has its place and it get put back when you are done using it.  Clothes left around the room will not only stress you out about the laundry you need to do but make you fell like you are living in a dungeon.

Curtains – Adding curtains to a window will break up your walls giving you the feel that you are not boxed into your room.  Many closet doors are unsightly and bland.  Taking down the doors and replacing them with fun curtains is a great way to again break up the solid colors of your room and add fun color or even a patter to your space!

Furniture- Large items of furniture will make your space fell full even without all off of your other belongings in it.  Try and stick with smaller or even multi use items, like a desk that can also be used as a vanity, or storing your dresser in your closet to get more space.  Light colored furniture will also help your space to feel more open.  If you re stuck with what you got, like in your dorm room, try covering your dresser with removable fabric (try using sticky back Velcro to attach) or toping of your desk with a fun colored painted hutch.

This is a perfect example of shelving that is used for storage and displaying accessories!

Wall space – Make sure and use your wall space!  Shelving units on your walls can be used for great storage as wall as display of some of your most prized positions. Try and keep your furniture up against and wall and not floating in the middle of the room, this will hopefully give you an open space to make you feel like you there is room to relax in.

Color- Dark colors will close in your space.  It is ok to have some darker accent colors, but if you can paint try and pick a lighter color.  Bright colors can also tend to overwhelm you, stick to a more muted shade of your favorite bright colors and leave the bright ones to the accessories.

Mirrors- This may be obvious that mirrors will seem enlarge your space, but it is something that people often forget.  If you leave your closet doors up, think about putting mirror tiles on them or full length mirrors, they will serve a double purpose of making you space seem larger and making sure you always look classy! Even accent mirrors on your walls will help to brighten up your space by reflecting light from windows are giving the space an open feel.

Follow these tricks are you are sure to make your cave seen even slightly larger, which trust me will help.  This is the pace that you have to relax, do your work, hang out with friends, and much more.  Make it so you are comfortable in your space and love being there!

Kendall Meyer is an intern with College Lifestyles (TM).  She is an Interior Design major at James Madison University and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau sorority.  She loves helping everyone, especially her sisters decorate their room for the school year!

Check out my post from last week about what not to forget when packing for college!

Back to School! Dorm Room Packing the College Lifestyles Way!!!

It’s time to go back to school!  If you read my CL post about packing for vacations and trips, you know that I HATE packing.  But, packing for your dorm room is the worst kind of packing to do EVER!  Soooo many things to bring!  And what should I pack?  What will I need?  How do I get it so I don’t have a million bags of junk?  Is it possible to unpack into my room without taking forever?

Check out my “Top 3 Dorm Room Packing Tips” and “My ‘Must Bring’ Packing and Shopping List” below to help you out before you go back to school!

Top 3 Dorm Room Packing Tips:

1. Put similar things together while packing.

This sounds simple, but it makes a lot of sense!  When packing clothes, separate clothing that needs to be hung up in the closet from clothing that needs to be put into draws, so you are not making yourself crazy on move in day.  Organize your boxes and bags based on their continents (i.e. keep cleaning supplies separate from school supplies).  Using labels makes this even easier!

2. Only bring it if you need it!

The semester is only 16 weeks long, so you won’t need to bring EVERYTHING you own, especially if you will be occasionally going home for a visit.  Depending on the climate of the city where you go to school, you may be able to exchange your fall and summer clothes for your winter clothes when you go home for Thanksgiving, which will really open up a lot of space!  Also, there is no need to bring every handbag you own, but instead, just bring the few that you know you will use.

3. Keep this in mind:  you will have to unpack at the end of the year!

So don’t make a crazy collage on the wall that you will just have to take down in 9 months!  Also, make sure everything has a place, so you won’t end up with odds and ends as you move in and out.  Store items in boxes so you can take them in and out easily!

My “Must Bring’ Packing and Shopping List:

1. Clothing and Hangers

2. Shoes and a Shoe Rack

You don’t want your Ugg boots to get dented and your stilettos to get scuffed!  Check out this reasonably priced one from Target that you can leave at the bottom of your closet.  It is steel, so it will last well after your college years.

You can purchase it online:  http://www.target.com/Household-Essentials-2-Tier-Stackable-Shoe/dp/B000P6CDEK/ref=sc_qi_detailbutton

3. Linens:

Bed sheets, a bed spread, and bath towels.

4. Pillows

5. Toiletries, Beauty supplies, and a shower caddy!

Keep your shampoo, conditioner, soap, and razor together so everything can be organized for shower time.  You don’t want to be ‘that girl’ who drops a bottle of shampoo when you are only wearing a towel.  It is neither fun nor classy.  Check out these cute ones for only $4.99 at Bed Bath and Beyond!

You can purchase it online:  http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=118937

6. Cell phone, stamps, and stationary

Keep mom and dad posted with everything going on!  They enjoy receiving mail just as much as you!

7. Small Refrigerator

For your healthy dorm room snacks!  This one from Target is only $89 and is also a whiteboard, so you can keep reminder notes for yourself!  (i.e. Study for bio exam, DO LAUNDRY!)

You can also purchase this online:  http://www.target.com/Emerson-Compact-Fridge-Erase-Door/dp/B003JU6PCU/ref=sc_ri_1?ie=UTF8&node=13158601

8. Television

Talk to your roomie, because you won’t need two!  Bring some fun movies along for a fun night in!  Check out Megan’s CL post to find the movies that your dorm shouldn’t be without!

9. Laptop

Also buy a lock!  They are so cheap and laptops are so expensive!  You can attach it to your desk so if you step out of your room, you won’t need to worry about your roommate’s sketchy friends.  Check out this one from Staples.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I see people carrying their expensive laptops around in a backpack.  A cute laptop bag is helpful when you bring your laptop to class, the library, or a friend’s room!  Here is a cute one from Kolobags! It can be purchased online at:  http://www.kolobags.com/like-dots-mine-messenger-bag-p-2019

Before you buy a printer, check out your school’s library policies.  At my school, students receive 500 printed pages for free, so a printer for your room may not be worth the money.  Especially since they take up a lot of limited space!

10. Cleaning supplies

Nothing too crazy:  a broom with a dust pan, Lysol wipes, paper towels, a bottle of all-purpose cleaner, sponges, dish soap, and a waste basket should be enough!

11. Laundry Supplies:

Detergent, dryer sheets, and hampers (one for dirty laundry, one for clean)!

12. School Supplies

The standard notebooks, pens, pencils, and folders are always needed, but make sure to also pack crayons, scissors, and glue sticks.  You will never know when you’ll need it!

13. Fun Chairs

Make your room the cool place to hang out!  You don’t want to make your friends sit on the floor!  Check out these different styles below.  Some of them can be folded up to pack and unpack, and all of them are easy to move and small enough to fit into your tiny room!

14. Accessories

This can be your packing downfall!  Be sure to keep all of your accessories together, so you are not separating necklaces while trying to hang up clothes.  In boxes or bins, keep your jewelry, scarves, purses, and hats separate from each other.  Keep the accessories you pack to a minimum, as space is limited, and again, you will not need every handbag you own.  Also, keep the nice jewelry that you inherited from Grandma at home.  You never know who will get sticky fingers!

15.  Plastic Storage Containers

Get a variety of these:  some with handles, some without, some big, some small, some with draws, some without!.  They are a great place to store food, school supplies, cleaning supplies, extra clothing, and pretty much anything!!!

16. Dorm room food

Check out Emily’s CL post about dorm room eating for some healthy ideas!

17. Utensils, a plate, a bowl, and a cup

Because eating off of the floor is not cool.  Just make sure they are plastic to avoid breakage!  You should be able to find cute and cheap ones at a dollar store.

18.  Fun games!

Scrabble and Apples to Apples are both so much fun for a quiet night in with the girls!

19. Decorations

Check out Kendall’s CL post for some awesome ideas!!!  I like using these wall stickers, as they come off easily, look great, and can be reused for when you move back in next year!  They really dress up a boring dorm room! Purchase them online at: http://www.target.com/Wall-Decal-York-City-Skyline/dp/B0038Z4HIU/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1

20.  Over the counter medication

When you move on campus, you can’t use your bathroom’s medicine cabinet anymore.  Keep the essentials on hand just incase you feel under the weather, like Tylenol and Pepto-Bismol.

Got everything on the list?  Check out Kendall’s post so you can see her shopping list for the little things that most people forget!

How do you pack for back to school?

Christine Palaski is a junior at Adelphi University where she is a nursing major and a proud sister of Delta Delta Delta.  She loves an organized dorm room!

Dos and Don’ts While Going Through Recruitment

Going through recruitment can be a scary thing since you’ve never done it before. Don’t be worried though, it so much fun! Just think by the end of the week you could be going to Bid Day with all of your new sisters! Here are a few tips to help you get ready for the week and to get through the week of recruitment.

Do: Plan a relaxing day! Since recruitment can be stressful, just because it is a new experience; plan a day for yourself! Do something you enjoy! Maybe get your hair and nails done? Maybe go to the local bookstore and grab some coffee. Whatever you enjoy doing plan a day for that! It will help you not stress over the recruitment process.

 

Do: Plan what you’re going to wear. A fun way to get to know the girls in your dorm would be to go shopping with them to pick out recruitment outfits.

Don’t: Wear uncomfortable shoes. I know different schools do recruitment differently and you may not be walking a lot but, if you’re going to have to walk a lot during recruitment don’t wear uncomfortable shoes; at least on the first two days so that you can save your feet.

 

Don’t: Party.  During recruitment you are going to need all of your energy to be the best you can be and project a good image of yourself. If you’re out partying all night you won’t be able to be your best self. Plus, during recruitment you are going to be exhausted at night after the fun day you’ve had meeting all of the sorority women on campus and learning about Greek life.

Do: Talk yourself up. The ladies want to get to know you better and want to know as much about you as possible within that short period of time. Think about topics you want to hit on before you go to the house so you don’t walk out of the house and say to yourself “I should have told them…”

Don’t:  Bad mouth any sorority. You don’t know what the other girls are feeling about each sorority and you don’t want to hurt their feelings if you talk badly about the sorority they want to call home. Just keep your positive or negative thoughts to yourself. At my school the ladies going through recruitment get a notebook to write down their thoughts after each house. Once you’re Greek you will have respect for all of the sororities

I hope these tips can help you enjoy your recruitment week! You will make many memories during this week and you don’t want them to be that your feet hurt or that you didn’t like your outfit. Hopefully they will involve making lifelong friends!

Check out this classy College Lifestyles post about what every dorm room needs!

Sarah Franklin is a senior at Western Kentucky University and is pumped for recruitment!

CL Co-Ed’s Back-to-School Money Management “Know How” Part 2: DORM/APARTMENT

When I first started college, I had some serious issues with money management.  A little money here, another tiny expense there…it all added up to a mass amount of money wasted on things I really didn’t need!  So when I was flat broke, with a very limited budget to work with as far as decorating my dorm or apartment went, I narrowed down a list of what I wanted and needed the most, and found ways to pay for it all without breaking the bank – especially since parking passes, textbooks, and other unforeseen expenses were just around the corner!  Here are some of my most thought-out tips for co-eds that will save you money and bring out creativity that you may not have known you had!

*  If you can’t buy it, make it! *

Sometimes the feeling that I have so little money or am not getting enough hours at work, etc. starts to build immense pressure on me, and creates this frustration that I take shopping with me.  Then when I’m looking at what I want to purchase the most, I feel depressed because I know it simply isn’t an option for me.  So I’ve learned to improvise!

~One time I really needed a headboard for my twin bed, so my friend and I went to a thrift store and purchased a plank of wood for $1, went to the fabric store and purchased fabrics in the textures and colors I wanted for $10, and then made the headboard ourselves, which ended up looking like I purchased it from a Target catalog.  I ended up feeling better than I would have if I had purchased it because I had the opportunity to be so creative – and cheap!~

* Thrift stores are your friend *

When people think of thrift stores, they often just consider shopping for clothes, but thrift stores carry some of the most **golden** treasures of decorations and creative possibilities that I have found – at prices that definitively cannot be beat!  I have saved hundreds of dollars by shopping for decorations and housewares at thrift stores, and will continue to simply because it’s fun to find unique items you can’t find anywhere else!  Lana has a great article on consignment store shopping that is well worth checking out for all co-eds as well!

* Craigslist is your friend! *

Disclaimer: Smart co-eds must always be careful to watch out for scams and make sure that who you are dealing with is safe.  With that said, Craigslist is one of the best places to make the most out of your money!  You can see, in your own neighborhood, where you can purchase very low-cost furniture, free furniture or other miscellaneous items (who doesn’t love free stuff?), and decor or furniture that is being passed down from students who no longer need it!  It’s nice to know that the community can interact with each other this way (as long as the deal is legit and safe), and that you can save yourself a lot of money along the way!

There will always be times where you have to make a big purchase or you want to go ahead and splurge, but from one shop-a-holic to the next, my advice is to make sure you’re aware of all your options when it comes to money management and dorm or apartment needs and decorations, and save that hard-earned extra money for bigger bills.  In the end, it’s all more than worth it!

Kelsey Book is a  writer and a dreamer who thinks faith, family, and musicals make her world go ’round!   She has learned from past money mistakes, and now lives on a smart, working budget so she won’t be paying off college loans until she’s fifty years old.

Delicious Dorm Snacking for the Kitchen-less

When school starts and stress rises it’s easy to get swept up in late night junk food.  While the occasional late night study group pizza is okay, it can be pretty detrimental to your health if made into a habit.  I understand that when you’re in a pinch it can be hard to make the right choices, especially when the right choices aren’t as easy to grab as chips out of the vending machine.  So what’s a co-ed to do?  Get savvy with your snacking!

When it comes to buying snacks for your dorm, the most important place to look is the ingredient list.  Packaged foods are often chockfull of added fats and sugars, not to mention a whole host of other preservatives!  Still, it is possible that with a little ingenuity and a touch of forethought, you can have healthy snacks on hand for an in-room pick me up!

Your Delicious Dorm Snack List

1. Shake up some trail mix

Everyone likes their trail mix a little bit different—some people like a hint of sweetness, others prefer it salty.  So here’s a list of ingredients to pick up that will allow you to mix up your own!

-Nuts: look for almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and cashews

*TIP: Look for the words “raw” or “dry roasted”.  Also, nuts often have a ton of added salt, so try to find unsalted nuts. Or, if you like them salty and are mixing types of nuts choose one with salt and one without!

-Dried Fruit: blueberries, cherries, raisins, goji berries, apricots, strawberries, apples, shredded coconut (unsweetened)

*TIP: Dried fruit is naturally very sweet but many companies add sweeteners to their fruit—look for brands that are unsweetened!

-Dark Chocolate: the higher the percentage of cocoa the better!

*TIP: Break up a bar of dark chocolate into tiny pieces for a sweet surprise and an added energy boost from the caffeine in extra dark chocolate.

-Dry Cereal

*TIP: Dry cereal adds great texture! But try to choose one without too much added sugar—like Cheerios!

Remember, although trail mix is a healthy choice, it’s only healthy in moderation, like most foods.   Nuts provide healthy fats but they are high in calories.  Don’t be afraid of them though!  Just portion out a small handful of trail mix and you’re good to go!

2. Popcorn

Popcorn can be a great choice—if you know what to choose.  Look for small snack size bags or ones with less butter.  If you don’t have access to a microwave try to choose bags of pre-popped popcorn that say “Air popped”!  This means they have WAY less fat than other brands.  Plus, popcorn is a great snack to share!

3. Oatmeal

Small packages of instant oatmeal are a great way to get a filling, healthy breakfast or snack.  Go for plain oatmeal and add some cinnamon or sliced banana to cut back on the sugar that the flavored oatmeal adds but still have all the flavor! Plus, hot food will leave you feeling more satisfied!

4. Fruit

Fruit is a great choice for your dorm room! Apples, bananas, and oranges all keep well.  Smear a little peanut butter (look for brands without added sugars or hydrogenated oils) on an apple or banana and you’re good to go!  Just don’t buy too much fruit at one time or you run the risk of it going bad before you can eat it all!

5. Applesauce

Individual applesauce cups are proportioned, easy, simple, and delicious.  Opt for the “no sugar added” option to shave off a few extra calories.  Add a few sliced almonds on top and you have a delicious snack!

So, don’t fear those late night snack attacks or midday munchies! A healthy snack will be waiting for you in your dorm!

For another great snacking idea, try granola! Make some at home and bring it with you to school! Or maybe you can even talk your parents into making it and sending it to you in a care package!

Emily Hacker is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Nutrition at the University of Southern California. She is currently obsessed with Trader Joe’s Almond Butter with Roasted Flax Seeds spread on a banana! Yum!!

11 Ways to Have a Happy First Year

Starting college can be both an exciting adventure and a difficult transition.  While you are bound to make new friends, you are leaving old friends behind to move onto campus.  While you are officially living on your own –without the watchful eye of parents! –you are without the security and stability that parents often provide.  Lots of decisions about your life have to be made by you.  You’re an adult now, and I hate to say it…but being an adult isn’t always fun.  It’s hard work.  You will undoubtedly encounter the “figuring yourself out” phase.  It’s part of the package when becoming an adult.  At times, you will feel lost, and unsure of yourself.

Needless to say, your first year can be overwhelming.  Here are ways to maintain your happiness, while dealing with the highs and lows of college life.

1. Cultivate friendships with classy coeds. Create a home away from home by developing friendships with other first-time freshmen and upperclassmen.  When you’re feeling homesick, or troubled about a situation, you can turn to them for support.  They will likely know exactly what you’re going through.  These are also the people with whom you will explore the town and embark on daytime/nighttime adventures.

2. Surround yourself with what you love. Without a doubt, you will miss home and all your family and friends.  Decorate your walls with pictures from home of family and friends.  (Pets are part of the family, too!)  Love books?  Love collecting elephant figurines?  Surround yourself with them.

3. Do what you love. What is your passion?  What activity makes you happy?  Singing?  Dancing?  Reading?  Volunteering?  Whatever it is, when your spirits are low, do it!

4. Be you. This is a simple thing to do, but it can be complicated if you’re not being true to yourself.  Naturally when you enter a new environment, you want to fit in.  But fitting in may involve doing things that you aren’t really interested in.  Try to learn quickly what is and isn’t you.  Invest your time in the things you’re passionate about.  You’ll be the happier for it.

5. Be productive. An idle mind breeds negative thoughts.  During a low or lonely moment, you’re likely to feel worse about your situation because you have time to think about it.  Occupy your time by forming a study group.  Or by becoming active in campus organizations.  Not only will you be giving back to your community and/or campus in some way, but you’re sure to make new friends as well.

6. Exercise and eat healthier foods. Exercising is a sure way to boost your mood.  If your campus has a fitness center, take advantage of it.  You and a friend could participate in joint workout sessions.  If you don’t have time for the gym, walk the longer route to class.  And make it a point to take the stairs instead of the elevator.  In my first post for College Lifestyles, I mention healthy foods that are mood-boosters.  Check out tip #3.

7. Listen to your favorite music. Create an album of music on your I-pod, or in a file on your computer, of songs that make you feel good.  When you’re feeling down, play it… but don’t sit still.  Get up and dance.  Dancing is also a form of exercise, so even if you aren’t the greatest dancer you will still feel good about yourself afterward.

8. Create a comfortable and relaxing living space. Sometimes our clutter is a reflection of how we’re feeling inside.  If you feel flustered and disheveled, your living space is going to reflect that.  What makes you relaxed?  What makes you happy?  Is it your favorite color?  Pictures of your friends?  Minimal clutter?  Flowers?  Decorate your dorm room with whatever makes you breathe a sigh of relief when you step inside.  For dorm decorating tips, check out Kendall’s post: Dorm Decorating for Any Classy Coed.

9. Become organized. When you’re organized, you’re able to stay on top of things and you’re less likely to stress.  You don’t have to wonder where you put your term paper, or whether you’re missing a really big meeting or deadline.  You have more time to focus on what’s really important: making sure you have an exciting and memorable first year of college.

10. Smile.  It really works. Whenever you’re feeling unhappy or upset about something, smile.  It can make you feel better.  My mom taught me this when I was younger, and it worked for me.  How exactly it works, I’m not sure.  Maybe smiling tricks our minds into believing that we are happy.  Maybe it sends a signal to our brain that says, “Hey, she’s smiling.  She must be happy!”  With a smile on your face, you’re likely to attract people who are upbeat and in happy moods –exactly what you need.

11. Decide to be happy. You determine your happiness.  And you control your emotions.* Make the decision that you are going to be happy, and actively work towards it.  Nothing in life comes without work.  Your happiness is no exception.

*Depression makes it impossible to control your emotions.  If you think you may be depressed, you need immediate professional help.  Contact your school’s health services.  Or if you feel uncomfortable doing so, tell your roommate, tell a friend or family member, tell anyone who you believe can get you the help you need.  For signs and symptoms of depression: College Students and Depression.

Shannon Palmore is an intern with College Lifestyles, and a Senior majoring in English at Spelman College.  When her head is not stuck in a book, it is in the clouds, where she dreams about culinary arts school and her first book signing event.  She hopes all new classy coeds have a happy, fun-filled first year!

How To Avoid Awkward Roomate Situations

I know you’re very excited to move to college or move in with a new roomie but if you’re like me you have hesitations. I hope these tips can help eliminate some of those horrific roommate experiences you might have heard about. Living in a small dorm for the year can be kind of stressful if you don’t know what to expect. Hopefully, if you choose to have a random roommate or someone you’ve known forever these tips can lead you to a lifelong friendship!

1.)    Plan ahead!  Talk with your new roomie about shared items; such as the refrigerator or microwave. Also, chat with your roommate about decorating. Some people would like to have matching comforters and others don’t mind to not coordinate. So, before you pick out how you want to decorate consult with your roommate.

2.) Lay ground rules at the beginning. I made the mistake of just trying to “go with the flow” with my first roommate instead of voicing things that annoyed me. You learn when living with someone there are things you can live with and things you can’t. So, hopefully you can figure those things out and address them at the beginning.  An example would be sleeping with the TV on; some people don’t have a problem with it and others can’t sleep at all. So, just make sure you all know before someone gets annoyed.

3.)  Everyone has to make compromises when living together so try to keep an open mind about little things that might annoy you.

   4.)  Be respectful and considerate. If you know your roommate has 8 AM classes try not to stay up all night listening to music loudly or come in late, don’t turn on all of the lights and wake your roommate up in the middle of the night. Also, some people may have certain feelings about sharing personal items. If you need to borrow your roommates belongings make sure you ask them first.

Hopefully these tips will help guide you to great roommate success! I am very thankful to have had a fabulous roommate experience I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that we respected one another. Living together can be a great experience and I wish you luck with your future roomies!

Are you interested in being a CL lady? Check out how!

Sarah Franklin is a senior at Western Kentucky University and can’t believe she is going into her senior year!

Gifts that Give Back this Holiday Season!

Part of being a Fabulous CL girl is caring about others. This holiday season as we search for unique and creative gifts to give to those that we love the most, consider all your options and look for gifts that give back!

 

Visit http://www.thehungersite.com to find thousands of super cute presents for everyone on your holiday gift list! TheHungerSite links to other causes like Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy Promotion, Rainforest Preservation, and Animal Rescue. All items purchased from this site provide a portion of proceeds to one of these causes. And the best part? All of the gifts are really reasonably priced, so you can get a gift AND help others without breaking the bank! Check out some of my great finds below!  

 

 

For Mom:

 

 

For Dad:

 

 

For Friend/Sorority Sister: 

 

 

For Boyfriend:

 

For the Person who has Everything:

 

While you shop and check everyone off your gift list this holiday season you can help give an impoverished child a meal or give an orphaned dog one more day in a shelter, and that is what we call a good gift!

Happy Shopping and Happy Holidays! 

 

Emilyh is a junior at Duquesne University, College Lifestyles™ intern, and sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She is a clumsy perfectionist who can’t help but laugh at the “awkward turtle” moments in her everyday life. She is a self-proclaimed shopaholic for good causes. 

 

 

Busy Days and Cool Autumn Nights

Wow, the days are flying by and the nights (and days!) are getting colder. Living in Pittsburgh I have gotten used to cold winters but I wasn’t ready for autumn to hit quite so quickly! On my way to work and class this morning I found myself wishing I had splurged on the gorgeous caramel colored leather wedge boots I was lusting after this weekend and wanting to do nothing more than curl up on the couch with my beautiful housemates and a cup of hot tea/cocoa/cider, oh my! and watch re-runs of Sex and the City on our On-Demand. Sounds nice, huh? Unfortunately it’s Thursday and much needing to be done. So boo, no couch and no cider for me.

While these last few weeks have been pretty busy, they have been surprisingly uneventful. Life has been running smoothly and I have somehow managed to keep my awkwardness to a minimum. Despite having to sit in front of my ex-beau every Tuesday and Thursday in class and the fact that my once platinum blonde hair is back to a much more natural looking medium blonde after an at-home hair color disaster which resulted in purple streaks , life is flowing pretty normally. I’ll keep the info on the ex on the DL, but I will warn any of you who self-color your hair (I know it’s bad, but I HATE roots and I can’t afford salon color every 4 weeks) that if your hair is already super light, make sure you grab the right box in the drug store and don’t accidently attempt to go “Extra-Light Ash Blonde.” The results are white hair with gray/purple streaks. Cute? I don’t think so. On the plus side, despite the fact that I still miss my platinum and can’t color again for a few weeks since I colored, stripped, and colored again within 6 hours (yikes!) my darker medium blonde bob totally works for fall! Can we have an hooray for good timing!?!

So since I’m totally in the pumpkin picking, apple eating, Ugg Boot wearing kind of mood and since my life really hasn’t been eventful enough to blog about, I thought I’d enlighten you lovely ladies with a nice little super yummy concoction my roommate and I came up with last night.

Cinnamon Apple Oats with Cool Whip Free

Step 1: Dish a serving of store-bought Chunky Cinnamon Apple Sauce in to a microwaveable dish.

Step 2: Toss in a nice handful of dry oats

Step 3: Microwave on high until the applesauce starts to bubble

Step 4: Carefully remove the hot dish from the microwave and plop a nice big tablespoon or two of Cool Whip Free on top!

Step 5: Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Super easy, super yummy, and totally guilt-free. You even get a nice serving of whole grains and fruit from the oats and applesauce. This tastes like hot apple pie and is an easy fall treat to warm you up. Totally do-able for a dorm room as well since all you really need is a microwave and a mini fridge to store the Cool Whip and applesauce!

Hope you gorgeous girls are enjoying the first few days of fall, my favorite season! What do you like to do on these cool autumn days? Do you have any fun treats to share?

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