It’s about time to wrap up my thoughts on how to find balance (and move on to something new) but I have one more thought to share. Since I moved to the east coast, I’ve found living in a new place (far, far away from my family and friends) has been both challenging and liberating. I love the sense that this new home–and the new school year–are opportunities to start fresh and really get my life in order.

On Finding Balance

For the past couple weeks I’ve been sharing some thoughts on how to balance your life, and I’m actually enjoying working on this right along with you. It’s no simple thing, really. How do you decide what time gets allotted where?

A few months ago I came across an article in Real Simple that talked about defining your “Core Values” and how it could make your life more streamlined and successful. I tucked it away for a long time, but pulled out the article a few weeks ago, and decided to give it a shot.

If you worked in your personal mission statement, you’re already halfway there. If not, why not get started with me now?

Core Values as Priorities

The point of deciding on your “Core Values” is to help you pre-align your priorities, before the opportunity comes up for you to get off track. I literally have a list of them written down, and plan to post it where I will see it all the time–that way if I’m wondering if I should take on a new bit of work or spend more time with my friends, I’ll have my personal values (and pre-made decisions) staring me in the face.

For me, a Core Value is either a “focal point” or a “way of life,” so to get you started, here are a couple of example core values (some are my own) and how they could apply to everyday life.

• Education. The way of life here is to “always be learning” so this will apply even after school. During school, it means education is a priority and deserves time and effort devoted to it–so no skipping out on study sessions to watch TV (especially when you can DVR it for later).
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• Family First. This is one of the first items on my list, and it basically means that if necessary I will drop everything to support my loved ones. I will buy a plane ticket using money I’d saved for something else, I will miss a big deadline, I will do whatever it takes in an emergency situation. And in day-to-day life, it means I will make time for my family, even when I’m tempted to do something for myself.
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• Health. Besides eating well and making time for exercise, this could apply to getting enough sleep (a common problem in college, especially for yours truly). It also applies to mental health, so taking time to relax could fall into this category.

These are just a few ideas. You could really go anywhere with it. Some other items on my list are “People Before Things” (or “forgive your brother when he breaks your bike”), Gratitude, and Communication.

The Bottom Line
Again, there is no sure-fire way to get yourself completely organized and balanced, but making a list like this helps you be really aware of what you want out of life–and that can help you make better decisions in the long run, because you know where the balance of your priorities will go.

It’s as simple as asking yourself: How does this fit in with my core values? Give it a try–How does taking on an extra class/quitting your job/spending free time reading/anything else fit in with your core values?
What about you? What focal points, goals, and values get the most attention and emphasis in your life?

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And because you’re in college and need to know this kind of thing, I thought I would pass the how-to on to you.

So without further adieu…

How to Suspend a Stapler (and other things) in Jello

(Please forgive the bad lighting in my pics–this was my first try and I should have used a lighter Jello flavor!)

1. Gather Your Supplies.

You will need:

• 5 packages of light colored Jello (or only 2 packs if you are doing a small bowl with small objects.)
• Large bowl
• Floss
• Tape (the stronger the better… I only had invisible tape and it wasn’t so great)
• Things to suspend (I used paper clips and a stapler)

2. Begin prepping Jello by boiling water.

Follow the directions on the package… I don’t think you need a picture of this.

3. While water boils, suspend your items in the glass bowl.

To do this, tape down one side of a string of floss to the outside of the bowl. Thread it through some portion of your object. Adjust the tension of the floss so the item is floating somewhere around the middle, then tape down the other side. Keep in mind that heavy objects sometimes take a couple pieces of floss.

4. When water has boiled, stir in Jello powder.

Like so.

5. Pour hot Jello mixture gently into your bowl, then add cool water according to package directions.

Be careful not to just dump the liquid in as it can mess up your floating-office-supply placement. Also, fill it as close to the brim of the bowl as you can!

6. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

You don’t have to put yours next to the yogurt like I did.

7. Remove floss.

When the Jello has… uh… jelled… take the tape off the floss. Slowly slide the floss out of the Jello, pulling gently from one side so it will slip out like a thread through a needle. Don’t pull directly up, or you’ll get lines where the floss was and you could mess up your object placement.

8. Remove Jello from bowl…

This part is a little tricky, so take your time. You’re going to want to fill a larger bowl, or the sink, with warm water. Hold the Jello bowl in the water (without letting water spill over the brim!) for about a minute to help loosen the Jello mold. Remove from water.

Terrible picture of my jello masterpiece, but can you see the stapler?!

Now put a plate on top of your bowl, and while holding the plate in place, flip the whole thing over. Just lift the top off (you may have to wiggle it just a little) and your Jello mold is complete!

Notes:

* I suggest using yellow Jello, because you can see things better through it. I chose Strawberry because it’s my favorite flavor, but as you have noticed, it is harder to admire the stapler and paper clips.

* Do NOT put your roommate’s iPod in Jello. Or anything else you can’t afford to have replaced or repaired.

* For more details, and a huge collection of photos of things in Jello, check out JelloStapler.com

Do you ever feel like just when you’ve finally got your act together, life throws you a curve ball? Whether it’s a hostile roommate, a sick parent, or just the demands of maintaining a healthy job/academic schedule/relationship, the shifts and changes of life can really throw a wrench in carefully laid plans.

Last week I shared some of my simple life-balancing secrets to success, and this week I want to share another one. Bear with me, because it sounds totally cheesy, but now that I’ve done it, I love it.

Man (or Woman) on a Mission

Let’s say you’re the CEO of Nabisco. You know you’d like to make some money, but you haven’t really planned out how you want to get that done–you just know there might be Oreos involved. You figure, you’ll just wing it. How’s that going to go for you?

Probably not so well.

One of the ways big companies stay big (and successful) companies is by defining what they want–exactly what they want–and then breaking it down into small pieces so they can get there.

(And I don’t actually know anything about Nabisco, so sorry, econ majors, if that was a poor example.)

You: a Definition

So now that I’ve hopefully talked you into doing this thing, it’s time to sit down and figure out what your mission statement is - in words. Start by visualizing where you want to be–in one year, five years, ten years. What do you want people to think about you? What do you want them to feel when they’re with you? How do you want to affect your family, your friends, your community, the world?

Basically, what do you want to DO with your life–NOT necessarily your CAREER–but your life.

Write it Down

Go ahead and roll your eyes (I probably would, too, if I hadn’t already done this) but when you’re done, write down your mission statement. It might take some finessing to get it right, but write down your mission statement. Google “mission statement” plus the names of some companies (or even your school) to get an idea of what yours might look like.

Apply It

So, once you’ve got your ultimate lifetime mission statement, what are you supposed to do with it?
Simply put, you apply it. Start looking at your day-to-day activities and tasks from the perspective of how it helps you reach your life mission–and think about that when you are tempted to waste time messing around on the internet or even staring at the ceiling (it has been known to happen!).

So if you felt your life mission was to effect political change, you might spend time researching, networking, volunteering with a political party, etc. If you want to make people happier, you might focus on smaller things like making a phone call to your lonely grandparent or holding open the door for someone at the caf. If you want to write a book, you might shift your classes to focus more on writing techniques, or spend time you used to spend blogging working on a manuscript.

Keep it in Check

That said, now that you’re looking at life with your mission statement in mind, remember that the mission isn’t everything. Your mission statement is not a ruling force of life, but instead a reminder of where your free time could be spent. Don’t give up your job, relationships, or, uh, stop washing your laundry… Just think about your mission statement when you’re building your week schedule, or find yourself with a few extra minutes.

In the end, its all about making the world a better place–and getting to your goals–one step at a time.

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Well it wouldn’t be a holiday if I didn’t give you a DIY post, now would it? Here is a collection of cheap (and fun!) costumes you can make yourself.

Random Accessories

• Lederhosen T-Shirt from Stitch, Rip, Repeat
• Where the Wild Things Are Hatfrom Instructables’ jessyratfink
• Fake Beard from Craftzine
• Dreadlock Wig from Craftzine
• Black Widow Hair Ornament from theNewNew
• Zombie Makeup from Instructables (freaky!)

TV/Movie Inspired

• Charlie Brown Ghost (It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!) from Craftster
• The Black Knight (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) from theNewNew
• Optimus Prime (Transformers) from Instructables
• Grumpy Bear (Carebears) from Craftster
• Statler + Waldorf(those grumpy guys on The Muppets) from Craftster

Inanimate Objects

• Toilet Paper Costume from Instructables
• LEGO Costume from Craftster
• Giant Ball of Yarn from Craftster

From balancing a budget (ugh!) to keeping on top of my workload, and trying to do laundry, remember to cook (and not burn) dinner, meeting with my friends for morning workouts and book club, and making time for my family and my sweetie, I am probably busier now than I have ever been!

So to keep all these balls in the air, I’ve been doing a lot of research–and soul searching–and I’m finally starting to get the hang of it. Here are 3 of my secrets to (mostly) having  success in the whole life-balance arena.

1. Prioritize.

If you’re anything like me, you start the day excited about all the things you can get done. So how is it that at the end of the day all you’ve done is spent 3 hours on facebook and written two (terrible) lines of an essay that’s due on Friday? You haven’t checked your priorities.
Each day I set myself a couple of goals (sometimes just one or two!) or tasks that MUST get done by the end of the day–and I start them ASAP.

2. Eliminate Distractions.

One of the biggest problems in our multi-tasking society is stimulus overload–there is so much going on that we can’t focus on the task at hand (even when it’s not homework!).

Taking away some of that stimulus helps your mind calm down and focus on what you’re doing, making you more efficient (so you have more free time) and even allowing you to enjoy fun things more.
Limit yourself to one or two things going on at a time, like maybe emailing with some music on. Simple things like only checking your email a couple times a day (instead of hourly… or more!), leaving the TV off, or signing out of chat when you’re writing a paper can help you get on with the work and on to the play!

3. Set a Schedule.

Growing up, Monday and Wednesday were laundry days. Every. Single. Week.

I never understood how important that was until I moved out on my own (and at first only did laundry when I ran out of underwear). It isn’t so much the laundry itself that’s important, but the comfort and manageability of a routine.

Before I set a schedule, I felt like I was always rushing to catch up–and I never could. It was discouraging. After a while I figured out how that planning my week left more time for catch-up and social time. Here’s how to start.

• Print out your class schedule. This is the skeleton of your weekly routine, and it’s already made for you.
• Add in your other can’t-miss activities like work, club meetings, religious attendance, athletic training, etc.
• Look over your week so far. Fill in the gaps with study time or other chores, and choose which days are your laundry/grocery shopping/whatever days based on which have the lightest workload.
• Schedule time for relaxing and fun. If you don’t you will feel burnt out and start resenting and hating your schedule.

What about you? How do you keep your crazy life in balance?

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I’m just a little late for blog action day, but let’s get on the eco-friendly (and wallet friendly!) bandwagon for a minute anyway, shall we?

I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for a way to save a buck, and live a little healthier, so when I found out about these super cheap and easy ways to clean up your place while still being friendly to Mother Earth, I was pretty stoked–and I immediately thought of you guys!

So next time you’re thinking about cleaning up your place (like as an excuse to postpone studying for finals…) try out these inexpensive green-cleaning ideas! They’re healthier for your body, your bank account, and the environment!

Ingredients

Yes, you can go shell out 4 bucks for the commercial green-clean spray stuff, or you can really go green (and keep some green in your wallet!) by grabbing this stuff:

• Dish soap - Usually both cheap and mild, dish soap is great in the kitchen. Besides dish washing, you can use it diluted to clean counters, or more concentrated to cut grease.
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• Vinegar - I am amazed by how awesome vinegar is. (Is that totally dorky? Probably.) It is inexpensive, but it disinfects, shines, and cleans. It can even eat through soap scum and hard water, the stuff you usually have to scrub at forever to clean up!
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• Baking soda - Not only is this great for scrubbing when mixed with a little warm water, it can also be used alone to tame unruly smells.
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• Salt - So cheap, but great for scrubbing. See below.

(Remember to keep this stuff separate from your cooking-grade products of the same kind, though, just for sanitation’s sake!)

Cleaning

Below are a few examples of how you can use the ingredients above to get your green-cleaning done.

• Toilet - Flush so the water level goes a little lower, then pour undiluted vinegar around the rim. Scrub, flush again, and you’re done. (Resource!)
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• Sink/Tub/Shower - For basic cleaning, you can use some vinegar again. If you need to scour away hard water stains or soap scum, try mixing 1/4 cup salt with 2 tablespoons of vinegar, and scrub away. (Resource!)
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• Hard Floors - If you have linoleum, you can use a diluted vinegar mixture. Just pour a little vinegar in a bowl or the sink, dilute with water, and mop. You don’t need much vinegar to get the job done! (Resource!)
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• Carpet - If your carpet smells a little funky from the pizza your roomie left under the bed for six weeks, fear not–sprinkle some baking soda over the spot, let it rest a minute, and then vacuum it up!
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• Smells - Set a little cup or bowl of baking soda in any room or closet with a weird smell (or even your in fridge!). It absorbs nasty smells (see above!). Just remember to rotate fresh baking soda in when it becomes less effective.

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Food is a big deal in college, whether you’re on campus or off campus–especially when your main source of nutrition is ramen and cereal. Why not make dinner (or breakfast! Sorry I know that picture is of breakfast… But doesn’t it look amazing??) a little more interesting, and kick your social life up a notch in the process?

Round and Round

Starting a dinner club could be the best thing that ever happened to you if you’re tired of eating at the caf for every meal. Just pick a few people (preferably people who can cook a little!), and take turns cooking meals for each other. It will help everyone save money, and it means a fresh cooked meal a couple times a week.

Plus, if you all eat together, you get some bonus socialization.

True Cuisine

Already mastered the art of boiling water? Start a monthly food club where you can challenge your skills (and your taste buds!) A group of my friends started doing this their second year, and it was amazing. Each week they’d pick out a meal they’d always wanted to try, and get together and (at least try to) cook it. Sometimes they invited other people (like me! woohoo!) to stop by for samples. They honed their cooking skills, and had some pretty funny stories to tell by the end of the year.

A Little Friendly Competition

If any of you caught the Top Chef All-Stars this summer, I hope you saw the episode where the chefs had to cook amazing food in a dorm. It was awesome–I couldn’t believe the food they came up with using just microwaves, toasters, and hot plates!

Whip up a super-amusing dinner party Iron Chef style, using only the cooking utensils and items you have available. Your required ingredient can be anything you want, but keep it dorm-themed to be extra amusing. Gum? Easy Mac? You get the idea.

Get a couple of groups together, and assign judges to award a title to the winners. (Just keep in mind, this could go horribly wrong, so plan on ordering pizza afterward so you have something to eat!)

Looking for more ways to expand your social circle? Check out these ideas for parties (and here) and meeting people (and more here)!

If you’re more concerned with food than friends, why not take a peak at our cheap + easy college recipes?

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Until a few months ago, I would have chosen an afternoon snack of m&m’s over granola any day. But then I tried this fantastic Trader Joe’s granola, and I was floored. It was actually good. Really good. And it has a lot more health benefits than junk food.

Last week I tried making my own, and it came out really good. I’m addicted–I have it at least once a day now.

First-Timer Yummy Morning Granola
(my novice version of this one from–where else–Cooking Light.)

• 5  cups  regular oats (not instant microwave kind)
• 3  cups  puffed rice cereal
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 3/4  cup  pineapple juice (if you don’t have this, using all apple juice is fine)
• 1/2  cup  apple juice
• 1/4  cup  honey
• Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Combine oats and rice cereal in a large bowl.

3. Combine the juices in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 2/3 cup. Remove from heat; stir in honey.

4. Slowly pour juice mixture over oat mixture, tossing to coat. Spread oat mixture evenly onto a pan coated with cooking spray.

5. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. (Cook longer for crunchier granola.)

6. Cool completely, and store in an airtight container.

Make it Better: For more crunch and pizazz, consider replacing 1 cup of the oats and 1 cup of rice cereal with fruit (dried cranberries, apples, blueberries, etc.), nuts (walnuts, toasted almonds) and/or oat bran, wheat germ, or other healthy alternatives. It will cost a little more, but it is super yummy.

Mix it Up

Granola on its own is okay, but mix-ins are the spice of life if you ask me. Try eating your fresh-baked granola:

• With fruit flavored yogurt
• Topped with berries over milk (or vanilla yogurt)
• Ice cream (a yummy topping, I’d pair it with chocolate or berry syrup)
• In a fruit parfait with alternating layers of granola, fresh fruit, and frozen yogurt
• Mixed into oatmeal for crunch
• With fruit juice
• As an addition to cookie-and-ice cream sandwiches (roll the open sides of your ice cream sandwich in granola… mmm!)

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Reader Marissa linked to some pics of her electrically gorgeous dorm room from my recent post on amazing DIY dorm decor. I loved it so much I asked if she would let me feature it, and lucky for us she was game.

So, let’s talk about what I LOVE about Marissa’s space:

1. Color Crazy. I think you’d have to agree, there are no holds barred when it comes to color in Marissa’s space–but she (her side has the striped bed) and her roomie stick with a pr consistent palette of greens, blues, pinks, and oranges. It’s just enough to spice up those white white white walls–a big pick-me-up during long hours of studying.

2. Twinkle Twinkle. I adore the spunky, sassy lighting Marissa has going on. The pink + orange goes with her palette, and helps raise the height of the room by redirecting your eye upward. They give the space warmth AND make it feel bigger.

3. Dorm Zen. You know I love me some Dorm Zen, and Marissa’s collection of plant life (real and faux) along the top of her desk help to ground her busy study center.

4. Texture. This room abounds with texture–from the woven rug to the unusual shapes of the hanging lanterns. I love the quilting on the comforter, and the matte finish of the fabric against the glossy sheen of magazine pages…

5. Personality. And speaking of magazines, did you guys check out this amazing inspiration wall? Marissa covered up the blah white paint with photos that inspire her, in essence wallpapering her dreams and goals right over her bed–talk about a great (and cute!) motivator. All kinds of other personal touches–from stuffed animals to photos and cards–show she’s made herself at home.

A big thanks to Marissa for sharing her space with us!

Want to see your dorm room featured on Surviving College Life? Leave a comment, or shoot me an email at jamie(at)survivingcollegelife.com.

After the busy buzz of Welcome Week activities and the whirlwind of the first few days of classes, it’s not uncommon to get a case of the blues. Living on your own–and trying to make a whole new group of friends!–can be overwhelming. Add that to missing your family and friends from home, and you’ve got a full-blow case of homesickness.

Here’s how to punch homesickness right in the (figurative) nose, no matter what your personality type.

Type-A Go-Getters

For a former ASB President/Football star/lead in the school play like you, college is a wide wide world of opportunity.

Start the year off right by getting a weekend crowd organized. Celebrate the end of the week by throwing a bonfire, s’mores roast, or cookout while the weather is still nice, and invite as many people as you can. Use your leadership skills to get food, music, location, and rides organized.

Having so much to do–and something to look forward to–will help get your mind off that pesky lonely feeling.

Want a bigger challenge? Figure out how to show an outdoor movie.

Shy Guy (or Gal)

If you’re a naturally shy person, breaking out of your shell in a brand new place may be more than a little challenging. Luckily there are some less in-the-spotlight ways for you to beat the homesickness bug.

Start by trying to meet some people–even if its just a few people you can chat with and sit by in each class. Consistent interaction with fun people is a nice energy boost on a rough day. Also, find out what intriguing clubs or sports are on campus, and try to hit a couple of meetings or games. Be confident, and when you’re feeling scared, remind yourself that you can skip out any time.

Meeting people takes time, so while you’re working on that, keep up a steady stream of contact with your already-established friends. Video chats can make you feel like you’ve just had an hour of hang time with your BFF, and emails or texts keep you in touch at the click of a button.

Above and Beyond

Just a few more ideas to get you out of the rut…

• Helping Hand. One of the best tactics for overcoming homesickness–or any form of self-pity, really–is to focus your energy outward. Instead of worrying about how you feel, focus on how the people around you are feeling, and try to help them out. Whether you’re complimenting your roommate’s shoes or volunteering at a retirement home, making other people feel good will help boost your own mood!

• Work Through It. While I still encourage you to take time to meet and greet new people and create a friend base at school, on the really bad homesick days, you can decide to throw yourself into your studies. And if you have a career goal in mind, put more energy towards networking, interning, and volunteering so you can get a handle on your future.

• Touch Base. Just because you’ve moved doesn’t mean you have to give up the relationships you already have. In fact, as you become an adult and pursue a career, you may find yourself moving several times. Keep the love (or friendship) alive by remembering birthdays and keeping in touch via facebook, texts, phone calls, emails, Skype, or whatever works best for you.

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