If you have met a college student, you know the saying: "I can't. I don't have the money. I'm a broke college student." All college students are guilty of saying this, even myself. So, I came up with ways to save money.
-Do not order food often. Many of my friends and I became guilty of ordering food more than once a week for a late night snack. We could easily save $10-$20 per week if we stocked up on snack food at Walmart at the beginning of each month.
-Don't drive. Save gas money by taking the shuttle around campus. At my college, the shuttle can also take you to the mall.
-Stay in. Watch a movie on Netflix instead of going to the theater to see a new movie. You can see new movies in a matter of months once they come out at the Redbox. Avoid walking around the mall. You will go into a shop and buy something that you think you need.
- Do not buy coffee. The cafeteria has coffee. If you have a meal plan for the cafeteria, use it. Go get breakfast and coffee in the morning there instead of spending money on a coffee in the student center.
(Or bring a coffee maker even though it is frowned upon by the campus staff.)
Shannon
I like to keep my school work extremely organized. I have methods that work for me to keep notes, study guides, and graded work in place. I also keep my schedule organized, so I have time to complete my homework, study, and stay active on campus.
Planner
The first thing I do is keep my planner updated. For the monthly overview, I keep due dates that are farther away, as well as campus activities. I write down when my upcoming quizzes/tests are and when papers are due. I write down when sorority events are as well as club meetings.
For the weekly pages, I write down my every day homework assignments. In order to avoid confusion, I keep each class separate by labeling them. I try to check off each assignment once I have completed it, but sometimes I forget. In this section, I also try and squeeze in any club meetings or sorority events for each day. If I cannot fit them all, I know that they are on the monthly calendar, so it is not too big of a deal.
Binders
The number one thing I recommend for classes is to keep each class in a separate 1" binder. This approach may not work for everyone, but from personal experience, I can tell you that it will be highly effective.
For each class, I label the front and spine with a piece of paper. I write the class name as well as my name on the bigger piece of paper and slide it in the front pocket. I cut out a smaller piece of paper for the spine and write the class name. This makes it easy to keep classes separate and know that you are bringing the correct binder to class.
I keep dividers in each binder. My dividers are usually labeled: notes, study guides, Powerpoints, and graded work, depending on the class. This helps keep me organized because everything has its own place.
I recommend investing in a hole puncher, so you hole punch handouts and printed Powerpoints to fit into your binder.
Notecards
For studying, I like to use notecards. I write the main idea on the front and write the definition as well as any other key points on the back of the card. I make my notecards a week in advance. I study for quizzes and tests in-between classes, before bed, in the library, etc. With notecards, it is so easy to pull them out and read them. The "I didn't have time to study" excuse is not an excuse with this method.
If notecards do not work for you, you can always read the Powerpoints out loud or silently, make a song about the material, or act the material out. There are so many study options out there. You just have to find the ones that work best for you.
Shannon
I think one of all of our concerns when starting up at a new school is: How am I going to make friends?
When I transferred to a four year college, I honestly had no idea where to start looking for friends. I had been shy my entire life. I did not like putting myself out there. But I knew that this was a fresh start for me, and I could change.
Here are some things I did to put myself out there and make some of my best friends:
-If people in my dorm had their doors open, I would walk in and start up a conversation.
-I joined a sorority. (ASA for life!)
-If my dormmates were hanging out in the lounge, I would sit down and join them.
-I said hi to the people I sat next to in class.
-If I liked an outfit someone was wearing, I would tell them. (You run into the same people every day when walking around in-between classes. You can make friends this way.)
-Join a club for your major. (I joined the English club at my college.)
-Go to the free events your school throws. Colleges offer beginning of the year events, end of the semester events, free food events, etc.
-If you have a roommate, hangout with him or her. After all, you are going to be living with this person for nine months.
Hope this helps some of you starting off at college. If anyone has more ideas, comment down below so everyone can see them!
Shannon
So, you've submitted your application and have been accepted at a college. Congratulations!...But now the real fun begins.
How in the world do you pick a major?
I switched my major around a couple of times and have added a minor and special program. I started off as a Secondary Education Major at my local community college. Then I decided that I wanted to learn more about writing, not teaching, so I switched to General Studies in order to graduate in two years while taking English (and Philosophy) classes. When I transferred to a four year college, I became an English Major. Recently, I added the Philosophy Minor as well as a Teaching Program.
So I guess the point I am making is, it is okay if you do not choose the major for you the first time. I know many of us (including myself) worry that we will be stuck in school forever and rack up that debt that we pay off for what seems like our entire lives. But we change over the course of our college education. Our interests will change. What we once thought we wanted to spend the rest of our lives doing might actually frustrate us and cause us to dislike where our lives are going.
This post is not to tell you '5 Steps To Finding The Right Major For You On The First Try.' This post is here to tell you that your major will most likely change at some point during your time in college and that it is okay to have a change of heart. What I can tell you to do is pick the major that best fits your aspirations now. If you want to be a teacher, become an education major. Maybe down the line you decide you want to be an accountant. Who knows. Worry about who you are now, and what you want now.
Shannon
Oh, dorm life. Sharing a dorm with so many people can have its perks. But it also has its downsides.
Perks
-You have 50+ built in friends living down the hall from you. It is so easy to make friends while living in a dorm. You live together. You share a bathroom with these people. It is impossible not to become friends with them.
-If you need something, more than likely, someone will have it. If you need a hairtie, a pencil, something to read, etc, someone in your dorm is more than likely to have what you need. You just have to ask.
-Hangouts. We used to have movie nights in one of our friends rooms. Or we would hangout in the lounge until the early hours of morning talking. If you are bored at 3am, there will most likely be someone who is awake to hangout with.
-Food. You all can group up after class to get dinner at the cafeteria. Or, if you walk down by yourself, you are more than likely going to find someone from you dorm already chowing down.
Downsides
-You share a bathroom. Sometimes living with people has its downsides. You observe them leave toothpaste in the sink or leave clothing in the showers. They leave hair on the counter. Sometimes you just know too much.
-Their rooms are just unacceptable. They may not do their laundry more than once a month. They have food containers from the beginning of the semester lying around. You may wonder where the floor is. I am not saying all people are disorganized, but sometimes, you have seen too much.
-You may not get along. I got along with everyone in my dorm except my roommate. We did not hate each other or yell at each other. We just did not have anything in common. She is my complete opposite. It sucked sometimes, but it also had its perks. I was hardly ever in my room, so I made some great friendships by sticking my head in other rooms.
Shannon
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