News Taffy

Hello and welcome to the first installment of "Four Years of Frugality."

Going into the third year of school, you really start feeling the financial strain. Luckily, there are ways to keep fairly comfortable living on very little cash. Yeah you’ve got a debit card and yeah you’ve saved up a ton of money from your summer job, but if you’re not careful, within the first month or two of starting college, that can all be depleted.

This is for all the noobs out there. You’ve just graduated high school and now you’re an “adult.” Don’t mean to burst your bubble, but unless you’ve got money out the wazoo, things will have to change. Mom and dad won’t always be there to pick you up when reality runs you over with a Mack truck. Here are a few things to consider as you start your new life out there.

Rule #1: Piggy banking. It’s the best. No overage fees, no deposit slips, no cranky tellers. It’s just you and that ceramic pig. You feed him your loose change and he gladly holds onto it on your nightstand. On top of that, who doesn’t love the sound of pennies clinking and clanking down into a little clay belly? It’s a very satisfying thing to know that you have money there to use and better yet, that you won’t use it. Pig savings turn into big savings, making them a number one necessity for college students.

Rule #2: Go to class. Even if you’ve got a full ride, that’s money someone has put up for you to use. Use it wisely. There are plenty of students out there (myself included) who are paying for school out their own pockets, so skipping class because you just don’t feel like going is just a slap in the face to everyone else. This is the first step to truly being an adult -- being responsible.

Rule #3: If you do skip class, don’t post or tweet about it. You will get caught and you will be used as an example for the rest of the semester, if not the rest of the year.

Rule #4: Sorry Rebecca Black, you don’t always gotta get down on Friday. (If you didn't catch that reference, check out the YouTube clip below.) Yes, parties are fun, but if they become your weekly routine, be prepared to see your GPA plummet. Make plenty of friends and do have fun because once college is over, the work begins, but do remember what it is you’re in college for.

Rule #5: Enjoy it. Don’t stress about everything because, even though you may feel you have to get so much done, there’s plenty of time. The great thing about college is that summer school is not always about making up classes you’ve failed. It’s about getting further ahead to possibly shorten your time spent there. Even if you don’t take summer classes, even if you take the minimum number of hours each semester, you’ll be fine. If you try to speed things up, you’ll miss crucial information that you’ll actually need to remember, so go at a pace that is comfortable for you.

Overall, this may seem like another lame list of tips to being a successful college kid, but never fear. I hope to come back with more fun things to help any struggling twenty-something. Who better to tell you like it is than someone exactly like you?

See ya around campus!

-Beth