dorm life

It is hard to stay clean and tidy in the dorms, even for the most organized of people. For a number of reasons, you just won’t have the same energy and drive to put things away or keep things in their respective places. I attribute the aforementioned to a number of factors that are not present in high school life.

Number 1 is the roommate. This beastly creature can be your best friend or your worst enemy. He or she can share in your aspirations of a clean room or destroy any hopes you have of ever achieving such. Imagine your new dorm room is a person--except this person now has two personalities. No matter how well the two mesh, there is bound to be some clash and discomfort.

In my opinion the number 2 reason is the shock of new-found independence. The world just got a whole lot bigger. That is right. Mommy and Daddy are gone, everything needs to get done and you need to do it. This increased workload often forces the best of us to push our organizational skills out the window and spend that precious time recuperating from the night before (whether it was studying for a midterm or winning the local beer pong tournament).

[ Continue reading Tips for a Clean Dorm Life → ]

Some college students are content to simply survive their time in a college dorm room. Sure, it's not perfect, but it's only temporary, right? If this is you, then don't bother with the rest of this article and enjoy your boring cell.

The rest of us know the truth: if you have to live in a dorm – and at most colleges you do at some point – you may as well make the best of it. Why simply survive dorm life when you can actually enjoy it. The only problem is that sometimes that can mean a lot of work.

Depending on your school, your dorm room can be anything from a spacious multi-roomed duplex to a cramped and dull concrete cell. It's hard to imagine that anyone can live in the latter, let alone turn it into something enjoyable. But those of us unlucky enough to experience it know that it can be done. And someday you may even consider it your home away from home.

The gadgets and small appliances listed below are not going to help you study for your midterms. They won't write your papers for you either. However, they'll certainly make the rest of your college experience more enjoyable.

Multi-Functional Breakfast Maker

While useful, the old school coffee makers that were the roast of the town just years ago don't cut it anymore. Coffee is great, and obviously a collegiate necessity, but wouldn't it be nice if you could also make eggs, toast and maybe even pancakes – all at the same time? If you dream of a breakfast machine that would make Pee Wee Herman proud, then you need a combination coffee maker, toaster oven, griddle and steam tray. You're not just rolling out of bed and into a pot of coffee anymore, you're serving full-out breakfast with all the trimmings. Best of all, it won't take up too much room in your dorm – unlike Pee Wee's contraption. These fine machines are also quite the crowd pleaser when you have unexpected company overnight.

3D Blu-Ray Player

With your hearty breakfast ready, you're obviously going to need something to watch while you eat. For those days when daytime TV just won't cut it – or maybe you just want to impress your newfound guest – the 3D blu-ray player is just what you need. Since studios seem to be releasing every blockbuster movie now in digital 3D, you may as well take advantage of it. Yes, you're also going to need a new 3D-enabled television as well as some specially designed 3D glasses, but it's a small price to pay to amaze your friends and establish your room as the coolest theater on campus.

[ Continue reading 5 Appliances and Accessories to Revolutionize Your Dorm Room → ]

We all once lived in a simpler time. A time where we wouldn't spend our pennies on floss and Charmin.

The holidays are here, classes aren't yet and you're most likely at home now. While you might think this is a time to completely forget about school (which honestly isn't all that bad of an idea), it's also a perfect time to prepare for when you come back.

Not for classes. Think "supplies".

If you just grab stuff and bail from the supermarket, it's called "shoplifting". If you shoplift from home though, that's just "love". You obviously can't go overboard, but there are a few places that can prove to be founts for your college experience.

The Bathroom

Buying toiletries is like buying insurance. Nobody likes paying for toilet paper or toothpaste, but is there anything worse than when you need them and don't have any? The answer is "no". This should be the worst thing on the list. If there's extra, just glean that backup toothpaste and soap and leave just enough to remind your parents that they'll need to restock shortly.

The great thing about stealing toiletries is that they're light and easily concealable. You can secretly load up and Mom and Dad will never be the wiser.

[ Continue reading Home For The Holidays? Time To Stock Up On Some Dorm Essentials → ]

Design Your Dorm presents a series of back to school blogs. Check out our 3-D dorm room designer, to see and design your dorm.

Joining a fraternity or sorority is not right for everyone, and Greek life varies from school to school, house to house. Before you decide to take the plunge, make sure you are willing to make the commitment. Greek organizations can take a up a lot of time, and membership dues can be pricey.

Figuring it out

First off you need to figure out why you are joining a fraternity or sorority. This helps because it gives you an idea of what kind of fraternity you want to join. Some organizations may put a greater emphasis on social life while others may put a greater emphasis on GPA, although most have a balance between the two. Whether you're interested in the co-ed pre law fraternity or the Jewish sorority, make sure you know what you are looking to get out of your Greek experience.

Ask around

Now that you know what kind of Greek organization you want to join, you should get opinions from people you meet about which fraternities or sororities may suit you best. Remember, that people will have pre-conceived notions of what type of person you are based on the organization you join. It seems shallow, but happens often, and is something to consider. Do not make your decisions based entirely off of what you hear, but do take what you've heard into consideration.

[ Continue reading The Greek Life: Should You Join a Fraternity/Sorority? → ]

Design Your Dorm presents a series of back to school blogs. Check out our 3-D dorm room designer, to see and design your dorm before move in day.

Managing your money in college is tough. There are so many books to buy, so many concerts to see, and so many drinks... to drink. But you don't want to graduate buried in debt, right? We didn't think so. Here's ten tips on how to manage your money so Louie the Fish doesn't have to break your kneecaps.

1. Keep an eye on it

Try checking your money for at least four weeks and find out where you are spending it. Sometimes we spend way too much on little things that we don't notice and go overboard. When you know where your money is going, it's easier to figure out where you can cut back and save some of it.

2. Start Planning

The best way to manage your money is to make a simple budget. List all your expenses from dorm payments and loans to a single bus fare. See how much you spend, and decide if you could be spending less in any category. Then plan your expenditures for the future and stick to the plan!

3. Allocate money for fun

Saving money doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of fun. Buy music, Starbucks, video games, but just make sure you budget it out and don't go overboard.

4. Pace yourself

Some students tends to spend cash right when they get it. Just because you just got paid doesn't mean you should run out and buy a plasma screen. Make sure you have some money at the end of the semester so you don't have to give your parents construction paper dolls for Christmas... again.

[ Continue reading How To Manage Your Money In College → ]