You there. Sitting on your standard-issue college housing sofa, softly cradling a cup of instant ramen in your hand, yeah you. I get it. It's only been one week back to college and it's already felt like two months, money's tight and you're a little (that's a real understatement) stressed. You already spent all your hard-earned summer cash on overpriced, Instagrammable smoothie bowls and you're finally realizing that you truly cannot afford another "Treat Yo Self" moment.

Trust me, friends, as a recent college graduate I've been to that rodeo. But, before I give you some money-saving tips and tricks (which we all know we could use from time to time) let's start off with all coming to the agreement that college is EXPENSIVE AS HECK. Between tuition, housing, supplies, transportation, and basic living expenses, there really may not be much of anything left over afterward. But, that does not mean there aren't ways around that. Not everything fun and fabulous in life has to cost you a ton or even any money. With a little time, creativity, and curiosity, you'll be living broke and fabulous in no time.

So finish up that Styrofoam cup and let's get cracking! Here are my nine tips to saving a little $$$ while in college.

The Dining Hall: 

 Most campuses have at least one dining option where it's all-you-can-eat style. While I'm not suggesting you try and make the most of your meal plan by eating as much as you possibly can, I do suggest getting creative with what is available to you. See a few bowls of fruit? Grab a couple bananas to go, either for snacking or making smoothies if you have a blender. Snag a few cookies from the dessert table to share with your floormates during your next movie night. Depending on what your dining hall offers, you have a ton of options to grab some extra snacks or ingredients for later.

Ask about student discounts: 

Many stores and food establishments located around or nearby college campuses offer student or college discounts with proof of a college ID. Some places have signs advertising the discount in their window, or by the cash register, but a lot of times you'll have to know by word of mouth. While the discount won't be steep, 10-15% here and there can really add up, especially if you're grabbing coffee or breakfast from your favorite cafe every day. You might as well ask, the worst they can say is no!

Split with a friend:

This seems like a no brainer, but you can easily cut costs by splitting things with a friend or two. Uber ride home? Find a couple pals before heading home. Not that hungry? Share an entree and an appetizer with a friend. At the movies? Both go in on a large popcorn versus two smalls. Even non-food items like textbooks can be shared two ways (as long as you don't mind handing off a book between classes.)

Campus events: 

Keep updated about upcoming campus activities and events. Most likely you're already paying an "activity fee" to your college that funds these types of events, so you might as well enjoy them! Contrary to popular belief, they're not all lame. Most likely they're planned by other student groups on campus and they cater to the masses. Therefore, there's free swag and food WAITING to be taken.

Ask around / Buy & sell groups:

Before you jump the gun and pop over to Amazon to buy something you want or need, be it clothing, textbooks, appliances, etc. see if your school has any Facebook groups or similar sites/pages for buying and selling items on campus. Someone you know just might be getting rid of that blue Keurig you've been eyeing since last semester. Or you can even make some side cash getting rid of that sweater you definitely keep "meaning to wear."

Host your own get-togethers: 

Going to your favorite sushi place or happy hour every other day is going to make a major dent in your wallet. Take turns with your friends or floormates hosting a night in. You could bake cookies and sip wine (if you're of age) or hold a movie night and someone else brings the popcorn. Invite others to haul over a blanket and pillow or two, and encourage everyone to bring a snack or drink to share. This can be a money-saving alternative to always going out for fun.

Sign up for rewards: 

Coupons aren't just for old ladies anymore. Look up the websites of your favorite stores and restaurants, even on a local level, sometimes they have the best deals. At some places, if you sign up for their email list or download their app you can get exclusive coupons, notifications of promotions, or even a sweet birthday coupon. Who knows? That next burrito could be on them!

The Library: 

Free* access to books, movies and more? Who knew! Campus libraries these days are becoming much more than stacks of books from the 80s. Depending on your college, your library may give you access to awesome resources such as computers with the latest photo and movie editing software, printers, magazines, and even textbooks (yes those things you pay even more money for!) Some campus libraries also give you access to other exclusive content websites that have everything from digital resources to online libraries of hard to find movies.
*Free after a solid payment of many dollars in tuition

Join clubs: 

Find something you are passionate or curious about and see if there's a club for that. Not only will you make incredible friends and learn new things, but you may even be able to participate in some amazing events for free. Clubs on campus usually get some sort of funding through the college and in turn, your club may just be able to score you some free tickets to your favorite author speaking or some great theatre tickets.

I hope these few tips inspire you to be creative and thoughtful about your money and resources. There are so many opportunities to save some cash here and there if you're willing to look for them. Happy saving!



(Photo by The Creative Exchange )

1. You think you don't need sleep, until you need sleep.
2. Know when to dip out, if you're done, you're done and go with your gut feeling.
3. Take yourself on adventures, you never know where you'll find yourself.
4. Learn to evaluate what you need, whether that be alone time, friend time, family time, etc.
5. While some things in life will start to become clearer and fall into place, you still have a lot to learn.
6. Worrying does nothing. It just makes you suffer longer.
7. It's okay to be scared, use that fear and turn it into excitement and motivation.
8. Jump into what scares you, it may turn out to be far less scary than you thought.
9. When in doubt, a clean space can clear your head space.
10. Listen to your body, it's probably trying to tell you something.
11. It's okay to let it all out, you need emotional release.
12. Do things and get stuff done so "future you" can thank "past you", it's the best feeling.
13. Opportunity and life will surprise you, things come at the most unexpected times.
14. Don't wait for things to come to or happen to you, make your own life happen, that's living.
15. Learn from your mistakes, but know you'll probably make the same ones a few times before you really learn.
16. Take the initiative to do things you've always wanted to do, otherwise your "maybe later" will become a "I wish I had."
17. Your best friends will always be there for you, that's how you weed out the good cookies from the not so good.
18. Don't be afraid to lead with your heart and be passionate. It's okay to care about people and things, it's a beautiful human thing to feel.
19. Placing your happiness and self worth in other people is a dangerous thing to do, and it's not selfish or arrogant to be in a good relationship with yourself.
20. Push yourself to grow, it won't be easy, but you're going to come out a better version of yourself.

Dear Incoming Freshman,

I'm writing this up in a local Starbucks (mainly for the free WiFi) to pass on my advice from this roller coaster of a time called my freshman year of college.

I hate to say it, but what they say is true. Your freshman year will be over before you know it. You'll look up and the next thing you know, the days of late night movies, bathroom dance parties, and midnight cram sessions will be over. So my biggest piece of advice to you is this. Make the best of the time you have, because it'll be over before you know it. 

On my first day of college, I couldn't imagine seeing the end of the year come. Honestly, the things that will happen to you during your freshman year will be unimaginable at the beginning because ultimately, you're gonna change a lot as a person. You're gonna meet people who inspire you and you're gonna do things you would never see yourself doing, because college is a time for change and growth. It's gonna be scary because you can see how much you are changing, but you will eventually realize that change is for the better.

Referencing my post from the beginning of the year, you'll probably see a lot of similarities in the tips I give, but that just goes to show that some things don't change, although they do become easier. Here are just a few of the many little life lessons I would like to pass from me to you.

1. Hold on to "Your People" - Like I said, most likely you are going to be meeting some people that will remain your friends for life. You may not hang out with them 24/7, but these are the real deal, genuine friends. These are the friends who have seen you at your best and at your worst, and won't hold any of it against you. These friends will always be willing to lend an ear or a hand, and they will always be there to bring you back to earth and make you a better person. Just a little shout out moment to my friends from the Honors floor. They are some of the most important people I've met this year and I can even call them family. Without them, I don't know where I'd be now. Love you all!

2. Care About Your Grades, Even a Little - Especially in my field, no one is going to care about your GPA, besides you and your parents for the most part. But! That doesn't mean you should slack off and barely get by. Your GPA may not help you land a job, but it does matter when applying for scholarships that can help finance your time at college. You should always push yourself to do the best you can in your classes, because after all you, hopefully, are going to college for something you like! Although, I wouldn't stress if you don't ace every test because a few points here or there are where you can ease up, unlike in high school, where every GPA point mattered. On a similar note, go to your classes. As one of my wise teachers said this year, imagine handing in your tuition money for each class in cash every time you walked into class. You really don't want to be wasting money just because you don't want to get out of bed.

3. It's Okay to Be Homesick - If you go to college out-of-state, or even remotely far away from home, you are going to experience some sort of homesickness. Maybe not for the town you lived in, but for the people, the familiarity of knowing where everything was, maybe something as small as the crickets you heard every night. Being away from home for an extended amount of time is going to be so rough, but you'll know inside if it is the best thing for you. For some people, it won't be okay, and that's okay too. I know for me it was really hard especially before starting the Spring semester, but also know that most campus' have resources to help you cope with these feelings.

4. Manage Your Money - The day your world explodes just a little is when you realize how much money you don't have. College tuition and expenses are just a big looming giant on everyone's back burner, but noticing the day to day expenses are really scary. It'll be easy to just swipe your card and pay $5 for a latte or shell out a twenty for dinner one day. Now, I'm a huge believer in "treat yo' self", but make sure "treat" doesn't turn into an every day thing, because then it's not "treating"...catch my drift? There are plenty of ways to live as cost effectively as possible without eating ramen every night, it's just all about knowing what you have, and making sure you don't spend more than you have.

5. Get Out and Explore - I was very fortunate to be going to school in a lovely little city where there are plenty of things to explore. It may be different for you if you're going to school in a smaller college town, but I'm sure, wherever you are, there are things to do. This may not mean having all the attractions of a big city, but it could mean taking a walk on the weekend to a local park, or visiting the shopping center of town, and seeing the locals interact. It's important not to be isolated in the little bubble of your college campus, because there is so much more to see, and these are the memories and experiences you will gain the most from in the end.

6. Keep in Touch With Your Family - Once your schedule gets really busy this one is going to be really tough to keep up with, but at least send a text to a family member once in a while to let them know you are alive. You never know, you may feel a huge urge to just FaceTime your family one day, just because.

7. Everything in Moderation - It's going to be very easy to jump into the college life too fast. You're in a new environment, away from any parental figures, with substances and experiences galore. Remember, be aware, be smart, and live it up a little. For example, that doesn't mean eating salads all week only to have ten donuts on a Saturday. The healthiest life is a balanced one.

8. Be Smart About Your Choices - On a similar note, you're going to want to task risks and go outside of your comfort zone, which I totally encourage! Although, always evaluate the pros and cons before diving in head first. It may sound fun to go take a walk to the riverfront at 3 AM with cold pizza, but are the streets really safe at that time of night? Do you have classes the following day? Make your own choices, but be smart about things. When going to a party, bring a friend, don't drink more than you can handle. Learn your limits and boundaries in everything, and don't base yours off of anyone else's, because every person is different.

9. Put Yourself First  - Ultimately, this time is about you. It is your time to explore, grow, and experience. Don't ever lose sight of yourself. Let others impact you and inspire you, but never take you out of yourself. Know when you need a break from social events, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with cancelling all plans to take a night off for yourself. Go have a movie night or get in bed early to read that book you never got around to do. Taking time to spend with yourself is the best advice I can give, because it allows for self-reflection and recouping time. Treat yourself well both physically and mentally, because the last thing you want to do is burn out mid-semester.

10. It Will All be Okay in the End - 'Nuff said. At times life will suck and you'll mentally want to throw yourself into a river with a cinder-block, but know that that feeling will soon pass, because the good things will definitely outshine the bad. You are so ready, and you can so do this.
Looking back on my freshman year, I have so much more to reflect upon. I've seen so many things, been so many places, and met so many people. It's just a big conglomeration of events and experiences that made up my year and changed me as a person. While I'd love to spend all day recapping my life, you don't need to hear every little bit, because ultimately, you're going to experience this all yourself, in your own way and time. I can write you a big guide book to surviving freshman year, but even if you study it page to page, you only way you will learn is through living it yourself. So, take my tips into consideration, but with a grain of salt. We all live our lives on different paths and no one takes the same route, so be smart, be kind, and be open. This is a beautiful time to be alive, you're going to learn so much about yourself and the world, so enjoy all of it.