As I sat looking at million dollar paintings of royalty and diamonds, It hit me today in my history of art class that I may have been going off the deep end with my wallet lately. Coming to college alone costs thousands of dollars, but forgetting about that was simple with all the shopping bags from the local boutiques! Suddenly, it appeared as if I had packed all the wrong clothes, the dorm needed new furnishing, and food was much more appealing when eaten anywhere but the dining hall.
But two months into college, I’m beginning to calculate just how long I can keep up this spending spree- and there is no good news involved in the answer. So, to keep my debt in check, I’ve created a list of things to do in college that don’t require a credit card.
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Make a playlist:
Whether it be a relaxed fall season of muted color bands or classic jams to listen to between studying, arranging songs can be soothing (and time consuming)
2. Organize your room or car:
If you’re anything like me, sometimes it’s just more convenient to stuff gum wrappers and used tissues in drawers, pockets, and anywhere other than the trash can where they belong. Put on headphones and groove to your new playlist while you organize the mess you live in: I guarantee you’ll feel better about yourself afterwards, cleaning is therapeutic!
3. Have a photo shoot:
This time of year especially, the colors of autumn are in full bloom- grab your iPhone 7, knit sweater, and roommate, and go roll in some leaves or something.
4. Makeovers:
There are quite literally thousands of makeup tutorials on the internet, and many of them don’t require 100 dollar designer palettes! Search “drug-store makeup tutorials” for a college-friendly look.
5. Netflix marathon:
Stranger Things season 2 is almost here, as well as many classic movies. And if all else fails, rewatching “The Office”, “Friends” or “Grey’s Anatomy” never hurt anybody trying to save a little money. Share Netflix accounts to save even more!
6. Have a picnic:
It may be on the chillier side, but that makes thermoses of hot chocolate and pumpkin spice lattes even better! Pack a basket of sandwiches and croissants and head to the park with a blanket and a friend.
7. Get creative in the kitchen:
Baking and cooking are perfect ways to pass time and thrive in an environment of delicious smells and tastes. In college, creativity is required for most recipe escapades, so use Pinterest to find suitable treats that don’t require much hassle, perfect for the dorm life.
8. Draw pictures:
As childish as this may sound, drawing is a stress reliever, and the walls of your dorm can use some brightening up with colorful flowers and a sun wearing sunglasses. Also, drawing pictures for your roommates is a good way to show some love.
9. Plan a vacation:
Fantasizing about life after college (or for the lucky ones, traveling while still in college) is a great way to motivate yourself and wake up each day looking forward to a warm sandy beach or swimming with dolphins.
10. Lip sync challenge:
If you are unfamiliar with this term, you must look it up on YouTube, and gather together a handful of your extroverted friends. The great part about lip sync is that you don’t actually have to pretend to hit the high notes!
11. Exercise:
Go to the rec center, bundle up and go for a walk around the building, or simply turn on yoga from YouTube and bend and stretch along with the online instructor.
13. Learn a language:
Thanks to the internet, there are free basic level courses in every language imaginable. Learn your favorite words to spice up your daily conversations.
13. Leave notes all over the building:
Take a pad of sticky notes and make your way through the dorms, hiding encouraging quotes or funny sayings for an unsuspecting stranger to stumble upon (be nice!)
14. Dance:
Now this is just plain fun. Turn on Bruno Mars or Kesha and just rock out. Or, try your hand in ballroom dancing (a partner is usually required for this one) but just improvise as you wish! Let loose.
Collection: http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/8a2d78ba-d8de-4c7f-8ef4-a3dd86ef2a91/6dd7211a-c23e-4209-8d45-876fad469821.jpg
15. Write a letter:
You can write to your future self, your parents, or a pen pal across the world, find some pen and paper and write about your day, your favorite foods, and your Halloween costume!
When it comes down to it, it won’t ever be easy to not want what you don’t have. Thanks to capitalism, everything comes with a price these days, but we college students are better than that. We are stronger. We are resilient. We are the next generation, and we can have fun without spending money! (But food will always be the exception, I have to admit it…) Best of luck all.
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