So, you’re moving somewhere new, with a brand new roomie–fun! Make the fun last all year by getting the business side out of the way now.

1. Your Gear
Separate fridges might sound like a great idea, but with a teeny-tiny dorm room, you’ll want to keep the gear to a minimum. Chat with your roomie about who will be bringing what–TV, mini-fridge, microwave, etc.–so you don’t end up with duplicates.

2. Sleepovers
Overnight guests (of either sex) can be a touchy subject if you approach it, say, while the guest is already asleep in the room. Figure out now how you feel about friends staying the weekend, boy/girlfriends staying the night, or little sibs dropping by unannounced.

3. Sharing
Some people are happy to share anything from the food in the fridge to clothes, text books, or even their car keys, while others prefer to avoid confusion and keep things separate. Talk to your roommate (honestly) about your sharing preferences, and try to find a common ground.

4. Ground Rules
While sleepovers and sharing are usually the most debated issues, there are lots of other little things–from study habits to how many times you can hit the snooze button–you might want to settle ahead of time. Check out this handy article about laying down some ground rules to help keep the peace.

5. Each Other
If your roommate isn’t feeling anti-social, try to learn a little bit about his/her personality, family, likes and dislikes, and share something about yourself, too. Finding common ground now will make your first few days together way more fun.

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Have you ever been pinned by a relative, interrogated about your major, and then been slammed with the ever-dreaded question, “What are you going to do with that?” Or maybe you’ve wished you could rant (or rave!) about the social scene on your campus so the future freshmen know what they’re in for?

Me too.

That’s why I’ve thrown together a list of 5 great college-centered sites, perfect for passing a little time and preparing for the future during your college years.

1. CollegeMajors101
Don’t panic about what you’re going to do post-grad: College Majors 101 has the inside scoop on what fields are relevant to your major, so you can start exploring career options related to your real passions. (And even if you can’t decide, it can at least help you make up an answer for all those adults who want to talk about college and careers over summer break.)

2. Unigo
Wish you could have warned yourself about how tough your “party” school’s academic regimen would be? Or looking to transfer to a new school but not sure if you’ll like what you get? Unigo has insider info from students like you about real life on campus–and you can share your own tips and thoughts as well. Plus it has forums and Facebook integration for optimal social networkability, which never hurts!

3. RateMyProfessors
An oldie but a goodie, RateMyProfessors has been around forever but still offers great insider tips about who to pick and who to skip when it comes time to sign up for classes. Get (or share) comments and scores on your prof or potential prof’s clarity, helpfulness, course difficulty, and overall quality. (And bonus, lots of them have a hotness rating, too–eye candy can help you stay awake in class… sometimes.)

4. DormDelicious
If you’re looking for tips about how to decorate, accessorize, and, well, live in the dorms, Dorm Delicious is a great place to start. With tips on everything from dorm-revolutionizing tech gadgets to a loft-bed how-to and thoughts about what items to split with your roomie - it is a great resource for starting (or continuing) life in your little cinderblock slice of heaven.

5. BrokeGradStudent
Ramen noodles are great and all, but they’re not the only way to make it through college without breaking the bank. Started by a grad trying to repay $20,000 in student loan debt, Broke Grad Student is a finance blog with a college twist, including tips on everything from making some extra cash to finding weird scholarships, and also includes info about living a comfortable but frugal lifestyle in between. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re planning to give away a shiny new iPod pretty soon–worth a look!

Got any go-to websites that you couldn’t get by without? Share ‘em and enlighten me!

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Financial fitness may not sound very sexy, but in reality it is your big ticket in to adulthood. More and more college grads are returning home to live with Mom and Pop, and while that might help pay off debt or save up some cash, it’s not exactly prime info to share on a first date–better to plan ahead and skip the boomerang trip back home!

This financial fitness roundup will help you get started on a regimen that will (hopefully!) help you keep your debt low and your budget healthy so you feel a little more prepared for a life of independence post-grad.

Build a Budget

Budgets are not always fun–trust me, I’m with you on this one–but what is fun is that they help you avoid debt and live within your means, so that down the road you have more financial freedom and less crippling debt. Here are a few articles to get you started with your budgeting practices:

• How to Set Your First Budget - Budgeting basics for the newest budgeting newbie, complete with a freebie budget worksheet
• Summerwise: Save and Spend - Quick tips about how to use your summer earnings
• How To: Freelance for Extra Cash - Tap in to a little extra cash flow when budgeting gets tough

Save Where You Can
Your internet bill and cell phone costs may be at a set price, but there are lots of ways to save while you’re in college–and saving in one category means more to spend in another (or, even better, some cash to put away for later).

• The College Student’s Guide to Saving Cash on Food Costs - Quick tips to cut down your grocery budget
• SCL’s Cheap & Easy College Recipes - Cheap, new-cook-friendly recipes to help you eat well on a ramen and cereal budget
• 50 Smart and Easy Ways to Save Money in College - A collection of ways to save across all kinds of categories

Looking for more saving tips? There are hundreds of frugality-focused blogs out there, with everything from budgeting ideas to coupon codes and inside info on upcoming sales. Google “frugal blog,” “money saving blog,” or other similar keywords and search out your new favs.

Prepare for the Future

Living in the present is great, but preparing for the future now can save you from big headaches later. Using and building your credit wisely will make it easier for you to get a car loan, apartment, and one day a loan to buy a home of your own–and what you do now matters:

• What is a Credit Score (and Why Should You Care?) - The basics of how credit works, and why it matters to your life
• 3 Easy Ways to Build Your Credit Score - Just what the title says
• Tips for Choosing (and Using) a College Credit Card - What you need to know before you apply for a credit card

So take a little time this school year to get financially fit!
(Like the Summerwise series? Share your topic ideas here!)

Since we moved to the East coast I’ve been shocked by how much it can cost to fly home for a visit, and lucky for you that means I’ve been figuring out how to work the system. Here’s what I do–and please feel free to share if you have tips or helpful input, I’d LOVE to hear it!

Watch Prices Like a Hawk. I scan several sites like Expedia, Travelocity, and Priceline to find out which days are cheapest to fly–always search a few days before and after your ideal date, because a little flexibility can save you hundreds of dollars. I also usually try to fly during the week, when flights tend to be cheaper, and if I have time I start watching prices months in advance to so I know when a good drop comes along.

Check the Student Sites. They’re not always the best bet, but websites like Student Universe and STA Travel sometimes have students-only discounts that can get you to your dream destination without breaking the bank.

Know Your Airline. Travel sites are great, but some airlines offer even lower prices if you buy directly from their website (and you get to skip the convenience fee that some of the all-inclusive sites charge you). I usually end up searching for the cheapest days on travel sites, and then booking through the airline’s website to get the lowest price.

While you’re there, sign up for frequent flyer miles! It will take a while to accrue enough for a flight, but the programs are free so you may as well get more for what you’ve paid for!

One, Two, Three, Four? If you’ve got several airports within a reasonable driving distance of either your departure or destination points (we have three within a 30 to 90 minute drive of our house and two close to where both sets of parents live), be sure to check on the difference! I always search all our airport options on both ends of the flight before I make a choice–sometimes 20 minutes of extra driving to a different airport saves us a few hundred bucks per ticket.

Pack Light. The tough economy has really made airlines get choosy with their freebies, and checking a bag now typically costs you $25 a pop–and that’s just one way! Instead, take advantage of the carry-on rules: pack a roll-on bag (be sure to check on the max size so they don’t force you to check) and use a backpack as your “personal item” to give you a little extra space. If you’re going on a long trip, it costs much less to do one or two loads of laundry half way through than it does to check a big fat bag full of all the clothes you could possibly need.

One last note: flexibility is KEY. Flights are more expensive during high travel seasons (summer, winter holidays, etc.) so a little wiggle room, like being willing to fly within a span of time or on a red-eye, can make a big difference when you’re trying to save!

Happy flying,

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Worried about easing the transition between the freedom of living on your own and the three loooong months of summer with the parents? If you’re looking to keep on Mom and Dad’s good sides (so you can skip the weekly family trip to Aunt Ethel’s, maybe?), a little proactive behavior can go a long way. Here are 5 easy ways to remind your parents just how adult and responsible you are (so you can borrow the car for that date on Friday night).

Take Out the Trash. Seriously. Part of living at home (read: FREE RENT, FREE FOOD, FREE LAUNDRY!) is pitching in, and your parents will be pretty thrilled if you get down to work–especially if they don’t have to threaten you first! So take out the trash, keep the clutter to a minimum (at least in shared family spaces), and banish half-empty juice glasses before they mold.

Be Family Friendly. Whether or not they know how to express it, your parents are probably pretty excited to have you home–after all, they know they’ve only got a few summers left before you fly the coop for good. If you want to ditch the guilt trips about going out on the weekends, try setting up a time for quality family bonding. Initiating will not only make you look good (Wow! A college student who SUGGESTS family time?!), but also allows you to choose the time that works best for you. Sweet.

Cook Dinner. All year long you’ve been picking up cheap & easy recipes even a kitchen newbie can handle (and I should know–I am no pro chef). Whip up an easy family meal (be sure you increase the recipe to feed more people!) and show Mom and Pop just how responsible you’ve become. Bonus points if you do the dishes afterward.

Siblings, Too. Show your parents you’re really making an effort (and give your sibs some love–after all, you left them home alone with the ‘rents!) by making a date for some sibling time, too. Older sibs can hit the beach or grab lunch, but if you’ve got little kids in the family, why not take them to a freebie kids movie (theaters like Regal offer them once a week all summer long). They get all the fun of the big screen, and you don’t have to spend a dime (or come up with ways to entertain them).

Talk the Talk. I’ve mentioned this before, but talking (like an adult) with your parents is key if you want to be treated like an adult. Discuss what you’re hoping to get out of your summer, listen to what they want, and try to find a healthy, happy middle ground. I know this doesn’t sound fun, but the sooner you have this little chat the better–you’ll all want to know what to expect so you can get your head in the right place for an enjoyable (or at least bearable!) summer.

And just FYI, at least in my experience, a good hug now and then never hurts your case.

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Doing a double-take when you walk past the calendar, lately? Why do finals weeks always creep up so quickly?

Well, even if you’ve still got some time left, this handy to-do list will help you prep for that week of seemingly endless studying. Just remember, it’s all leading up to summer break–you can do it!

All Talk

Before you hit the books, take a few minutes to get these important conversations out of the way:

• Talk to Your Boss about time adjustments for studying and test taking.
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• Talk to Your Profs or TAs in office hours about any concepts you’ve been struggling with (the day before the test is too late!). If you don’t have a test, you can still stop by for help with an essay prompt or thoughts about topic ideas you’ve brainstormed for your paper.
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• Talk to Your Roommate about both of your study plans for finals week. You don’t want to be up and studying when the roomie is trying to sleep, or have to deal with a study group invading your room when you want some quiet time. Agree on scheduling and figure out alternative study spaces in case your room doesn’t work out all the time (library, coffee shop, common room, quad, etc.).

Stock Up

Ditch the junk food and alcohol (which happens to be a depressant–you don’t want your brain or body slowing down during study time!) and pack your mini-fridge with these brain-and-body fueling snacks:

• Apples are supposedly better than caffeine for a wakeup call. Plus they’re low-cal and yummy.
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• Trail mix is awesome because the dried fruit and nuts are super healthy (the Mayo Clinic is a fan) and help keep you full, plus you get a little kick of sweet with the chocolate chips or M&Ms tossed in.
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• Whole grain cereal is a perfect midnight snack: munch on it dry or add some low-fat milk. Keep some on hand in case you forget to eat dinner (trust me, it can happen). Think low sugar–Cheerios, Grape Nuts, Chex, etc… But I bet you could get away with some Frosted Mini Wheats.
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• Water, water, water. This should be your beverage of choice–being properly hydrated not only helps your body keep up its energy up but also (bonus!) helps your skin stay healthy.

Read On

Looking for study tips? Check out the SCL study archives! Here are a few posts to get you started:

• Final Exam Survival Tips
• How to Stay Awake & Alert During Study Time (Without Coffee!)
• Study Tips: How Future Doctors Study
• Study Tips: Helpful Memory Tricks
• 5 Tips to Help You Get Productive
• Productivity: Building a Study Calendar
• Productivity: Ridiculously Easy Ways to Kick Study Time Distractions

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Did you know that over the past few years, more and more students have been graduating “late”? It’s true–they’re taking more than the typical 4 years to graduate college, and you know what that means: extra years of studying, and extra years of tuition.

No thank you.

Wondering what’s going on? For many students its a combination of several factors, from difficulty wading through boring GEs to trouble getting in to their upper division courses to switching majors mid-way through college. Don’t get caught with a second Senior year! These 3 simple tips can help you make sure you graduate on schedule (or maybe even a little early!).

Cash in AP Credits

If you took AP courses in high school and passed the national exam with a 3 or above, you could earn college credit for those high school classes. Check out your school’s AP policy to see if you qualify, and make sure they received an official record of your test scores so you get your maximum course credits.

And once you’ve got those scores logged, don’t forget to make them count toward your GE requirements! My AP U.S. History score knocked two full classes off my GE requirements, so I only had to take one more history class to complete my GE history section. Don’t let those credits go to waste!

Make Time for Academic Advising

Even straight-A students need help understanding the ins and outs of college major requirements, so stop by your academic advisory office before you set up your classes for next semester. Your academic advisor can not only help you ensure you are on the fast track to your major, but also talk to you about opportunities like studying abroad or pursuing a minor. And they the inside track on classes, so if you’re having trouble getting in to a coveted upper division, your advisor may actually be able to help!

“Crash” Courses

Every quarter I signed up for 16 credits, plus one extra class (this gave the the freedom to drop one!). Sometimes that extra course was a “crash” class–one that had so many students already enrolled that I couldn’t be admitted without showing up to a few lectures and getting signed off by the professor. It takes a little extra work at the beginning of a quarter or semester, but most of the time I got into the class by the third or fourth class day–which meant I was able to fulfill my major requirements quickly, and rarely ended up taking a filler class instead of one I really needed.

If you are still having trouble after several crash days, don’t forget to pay your academic advisor a quick visit to see if he or she can help you get in!

These three tactics combined helped me graduate in under four years–which also let me get a jump on the job market as a new grad. Give them a try!

Good luck and happy studying.

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Since you now all know that I’m a geek, it shouldn’t surprise you that I’ve scrolled through and checked out all the optional features found in Google Labs (that little green beaker in the top right corner of your screen) in the darling of all webmail, Gmail. It’s time to click on that bright green icon () and see what you’ve been missing–these 5 features are a must have for Gmailing college students.

Mail Goggles

Ever get home late–really late–and suddenly decide it’s a great time to send an email to your ex? Oops. Mail goggles is a ridiculous (but, honestly, probably pretty effective) way to make yourself think before you send. You set up your schedule to determine when it goes into effect (like maybe just for emails sent between midnight at 6am, prime returning-from-a-party times), and during those hours you have to solve three basic math problems before your mail will send. If you’re having trouble with the email-equivalent of drunk dialing, this one’s for you.

Undo Send!!!

Already hit send, huh? If you have this feature enabled, it’s not too late to take back that snarky remark about your prof–which you accidentally sent to the whole class. (Curse you, Reply All!) With Undo Send, you have a couple of seconds after your mail is marked “sent” to, well, Undo!!!

Text Messaging (SMS) in Chat

Want to text your BFF without having to search for your cell? (Or need a quick way to text yourself when your phone gets lost in piles of laundry?) Text messaging from Gchat lets you click on your friend’s name, open a chat window, and if he or she is offline, send a quick message right to their phone.

Mark As Read Button

Have you noticed how much work it is to mark an email as “Read” in Gmail? It takes a silly number of steps. The Mark As Read feature puts a button right beside your Delete button so you can quickly manage your mail. So simple, but such a big timesaver.

Google Docs Gadget

Access your most recent documents right from Gmail with a click of a button. A list of your 5 most recent docs appears on the left side of your inbox so you can go from reading your prof’s thoughts on your essay to editing it in one simple step.

Any of these features (or others) make your hit or miss list? Are you using different webmail that you love? Fill in your fellow students in the comments!

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Stir fry is fantastic for several reasons:

1. It is served over rice, which makes it filling and cheap!

2. You can pretty much cook it in one pan–minimal clean up!

3. It is delicious.

4. It is FAST. And

5. It is really hard to mess it up.

This honey-glazed chicken stir fry (adapted from here) is one of my favorite new recipes–it is quick (takes about 20 minutes for me) and tasty. Plus it is a good way to trick yourself into eating tons of vegetables!

Ingredients - Sauce
3 T vinegar
3 T orange juice
1 T soy sauce
3 T honey
2 t cornstarch

Ingredients - Stir Fry
2 T oil
1 bag (about 4 cups) frozen stir fry veggies (less than $2 at Walmart, guys)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions

1. Combine sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. (If you’re cooking old-school 20 minute rice, go ahead and get that started, too.)

2. Cut (raw) chicken into small cubes. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a wok (frying pans work, too) on medium-high. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Remove veggies from wok.

4. Add chicken cubes to wok. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until cooked through (no pink!). Push chicken away from the center of the wok.

5. Add sauce to the center of the wok. Stir until thick and bubbly. (This won’t take long, so watch carefully!)

6. Return veggies to wok, and stir chicken and veggies in sauce until heated through and well coated with sauce.

7. Serve over rice, and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings for normal people, or 1 for college boys.

Tip: Using pre-cooked chicken saves you a step (but it does cost a bit more). You can just push the veggies to the side, let the sauce bubble, and then pour in the chicken and mix it all together.

Bon appetit!

p.s. I’m looking for more easy recipes to try and share–email me at jamie(at)survivingcollegelife(dot)com to share yours!

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Maybe that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, but nonetheless, here are the 5 freebies that make my little geeky heart go pitter-pat.

Photo Editing and Beyond
Photoshop’s Younger (Freeware) Brother. I heard about the Gimp way back when I was in high school, and to be quite frank with you, I wasn’t impressed. Yes, it had most of the features that Photoshop had, but the usability was terrible. Several versions later, its almost unrecognizable. I downloaded it last week (my PS Elements didn’t have the features I needed) and I absolutely love it. You might have a little learning curve if you are switching from Photoshop, but remember–Photoshop is hundreds of dollars, and the Gimp is free, so a little extra tutorial skimming isn’t so bad.

Yay Browsers
Browsing, Google Style. If you’re still browsing on IE (which keeps having security issues–yikes!), its time to take a look at what else is out there. My two primary browsers are Firefox and Google Chrome–both great browsers–and I have to say Chrome is my fav. It is more streamlined (you can run a google search right in the address bar) and has all the features you need in a good browser. Word of warning, though: Chrome is still new on the scene, so every now and again it won’t be able to load all the features of a site. Which is why I have my handy dandy Firefox standing by. AND both of them focus on keeping your browsing secure.

Internet Radio
Out of the Box. When I moved last summer from the jam-packed airwaves of San Diego to a quiet little spot on the east coast, I was a little disappointed at the slim pickings on the radio. Thank goodness for Pandora, which creates “stations” based on songs I like (and remembers what I dislike). Not only do I get to hear my old favorites, but it introduces me to new favs in the genres I’m interested in. Downsides? The occasional ad will play (and they have ads on their sidebar while you’re listening) and you can only play 40 hours of music per month for free.

Blogging Software
Send it to Press. I’ve used lots of different blogging platforms, but Wordpress is by far my choice for free blogging software for anyone who will be blogging from their own domain. With tons of themes and plugins (and more every day), constant updates to make it better, and a user-friendly interface behind the scenes, it is the real deal, and it doesn’t cost you anything. One note, though–if you won’t be running your blog from your own website, I’d recommend using Blogger, which is easy to customize (there are whole blogs about customizing blogger!) and gets better with each update.

Video Chat & More
Share and Share Alike. I’ve mentioned Skype several times before, because I love it, but when they introduced free screen sharing, too, I really felt bitten by the love bug. Now I can video chat with friends (free!!!) anywhere AND use screen sharing to teach my dad how to work his iMovie without having to make a trip home. Oh Skype, you are just dreamy.

(Want more tips on great deals and freebies? Find out the 10 software freebies every student should know about, or learn how to get free food in college or how to trade books, DVDs, and video games online and get something new-to-you for just the price of postage!)

Are any of these freebies on your love/hate list? I’d love to hear your take–or find out which freebies YOU can’t live without–so fess up!