“5 Penny-Pinching Ps” – A Savvy Co-ed’s Guide to an Adventure Filled, Yet Affordable Summer

Summer is a fabulous chance to spend time with friends.  It is the perfect opportunity to strengthen existing friendships, as well as create new ones.  Be creative with the way you chose to spend your time together; hanging out doesn’t have to empty your wallet.  When looking for fun, affordable ideas, be sure to remember the “5 Penny-Pinching Ps.”

1-Photos. Go find pretty spots on your University or go to a local park, and snap away.  Not only will this serve as a fun way to occupy your time, but it will also supply you with memories that will last forever (who doesn’t love pictures?).

2-Picnic. Let’s face it, hanging out with friends rarely occurs without involving some type of food consumption.  Meeting for lunch or mid-afternoon ice cream serves as an easy solution for finding something to do.  Although this is nice on occasion, it can really make a dent in your wallet.  Try being creative with your meal options; plan a picnic.  Ask each friend to bring something to contribute to your meal and voila!  Not only have you saved money, but you have also found something exciting and out of the ordinary to do.

3-Pool. What better way to spend a hot day than beside the pool with your favorite pals?  Fill your pool bag with magazines, water, sunscreen, and don’t forget your radio!  A pool day will be a great way to spend a chill day with your friends, and you’ll even have a suntan to show for it!

4-Park. So it has already been suggested as a location for a photo shoot, but now make the park itself your main point of interest.  Parks can offer a variety of entertainment.  In my hometown we have parks with hiking trails, walking paths, ponds, gardens and even one with shoals and a small waterfall.  Going to the park is one of my favorite ways to spend a summer day with friends.  It offers exercise, quality bonding, and is always a guaranteed adventure!

5-Party. Throw a party!  You don’t need an excuse.  Turn something out of the ordinary into an excuse for a party.  No, this doesn’t have to be anything extravagant.  Have a themed movie night or reminisce from your younger days and throw a cliché slumber party.  For all of you FIFA World Cup™ fans, ask all of your friends to come watch the game dressed in their team of choice’s colors.  Just as suggested with the picnic, ask everyone to bring something!  For my friend Sarah’s 21st birthday, we celebrated with a “21″ themed party.  We asked everyone who came to bring their favorite party food in a quantity of 21 (i.e.: 21 cupcakes, 21 mini-sandwiches, etc).  Who doesn’t like “get-togethers,” especially when they are with a big group of friends?

As college co-eds, we are all looking for ways to have fun while saving our money.  Next time you and your friends are ready for a fun adventure, remember “The 5 Penny-Pinching Ps” for a guaranteed good time.

Abby Bryant is an intern with College Lifestyles™.  She is a senior marketing major at Georgia College & State University and the president of her sorority Sigma Alpha Omega®.  She loves finding new ways to have fun with her friends, especially during the summer.

Spring into Easter Dresses!

Spring has arrived and Easter is quickly approaching! Here are some stylish and fun dresses for any occasion this season, whether it’s a wedding or going to church… and remember: they don’t always have to be pastel colors!

THE LONG DRESS:

The perfect dress to keep you cool, modest and looking lovely!  Match with a pair of spectacular sandals and a cute handbag and you’re set for an outing in the park or an evening walk on the beach.
My favorite accessory to add to this dress is a hat from the collection of CL Intern Shannon’s previous post.

THE FLORAL PATTERN DRESS:

This is one of my all-time favorites for spring because of the bright colors!  This is not only an ideal dress for a spring wedding, but this style of dress can be worn again for dinners on a cruise, a sorority dinner and much more!

THE STRAPLESS/TUBE DRESS:

Accessorize with fun necklaces and bright pumps for an outing or add on a shrug over your shoulders for appropriate church-wear to make your gorgeous style come to life!

THE CONTRAST DRESS:

This type automatically plays up the dress without excessive amounts of jewelry needed. Most of these include a belt to transform the two parts of the dress to make someone look twice at you and your unique, on-the-top style trends!

Enjoy your adventures and outings this spring! We know you will be looking absolutely breathtaking!

Kayla Norris is an Intern at College Lifestyles (TM). She is an uprising senior at Georgia Southern University and is excited to go see the Nicholas Sparks novel-based motion picture, “The Last Song” during Easter weekend – especially since she was an extra in a few scenes!