Itâs the time of the year again where I ask my mom for my brotherâs Christmas list to start on my holiday shopping. Every year I find out how expensive a little kid is, especially when they are at that middle school deluded age where they think theyâre the main character. However, this isnât about my brother and instead about the fact that my mom asked me for my Christmas list, to which I didnât even know how to respond. I feel like part of the college experience is to recognize that you are your own guardian and thus need to be responsible for your needs, so much so that you forget how to âwantâ things and instead prioritize the needs. In this mindset, I created a small list of things that would honestly make my college indirect expenses disappearâŠitâs girl math if you really think about it:
- Shampoo & Body Wash – I have such a fear of smelling off that I tend to shower everyday and getting the right products is lowkey expensive, especially for my girlies with hair types that require a more extensive routine. You might as well receive it for free and not see that bank account drop.
- Crafting Supplies – As much as our Instagram dumps say otherwise, college gets boring and slow, and as an art person, I need to fulfill my crafty Pinterest needs. And to all of you that have been to craft stores, you know how ridiculously expensive even just a bottle of paint is, and for no reason!Â
- Laundry Detergent – I never knew how sweaty I would get until I met the glorious stairs and hills of Holy Cross. I need to constantly be doing laundry, but Iâm also very conscious of how much detergent I use because I truly donât have the time or the money to be doing a whole restock. I love watching restock videos, but the best part is that I wouldnât have to pay that huge bill.
- Snacks – OMG, you donât understand how much snacking is involved in college until youâre fighting demons trying not to think about Kimball food after you repay the consequences in the bathroom. Also, this is a huge excuse to bring a little bit of culture back to campus, like stocking up on Hispanic candy you wouldnât otherwise get at Walmart or Target.
- Ride Share Gift Cards – Consistently staying on campus is one of the worst choices you could make, and also the campus shuttles donât really take you to a whole new world like the magic of ride share apps. If you can get your rides discounted, itâs basically like a paid short vacation in girl math terms.
I still need to think about what I want, because I really canât think of anything. I just want some good food, the comfort of my cats, and my bed.