Delicious Dorm Snacking for the Kitchen-less

When school starts and stress rises it’s easy to get swept up in late night junk food.  While the occasional late night study group pizza is okay, it can be pretty detrimental to your health if made into a habit.  I understand that when you’re in a pinch it can be hard to make the right choices, especially when the right choices aren’t as easy to grab as chips out of the vending machine.  So what’s a co-ed to do?  Get savvy with your snacking!

When it comes to buying snacks for your dorm, the most important place to look is the ingredient list.  Packaged foods are often chockfull of added fats and sugars, not to mention a whole host of other preservatives!  Still, it is possible that with a little ingenuity and a touch of forethought, you can have healthy snacks on hand for an in-room pick me up!

Your Delicious Dorm Snack List

1. Shake up some trail mix

Everyone likes their trail mix a little bit different—some people like a hint of sweetness, others prefer it salty.  So here’s a list of ingredients to pick up that will allow you to mix up your own!

-Nuts: look for almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, and cashews

*TIP: Look for the words “raw” or “dry roasted”.  Also, nuts often have a ton of added salt, so try to find unsalted nuts. Or, if you like them salty and are mixing types of nuts choose one with salt and one without!

-Dried Fruit: blueberries, cherries, raisins, goji berries, apricots, strawberries, apples, shredded coconut (unsweetened)

*TIP: Dried fruit is naturally very sweet but many companies add sweeteners to their fruit—look for brands that are unsweetened!

-Dark Chocolate: the higher the percentage of cocoa the better!

*TIP: Break up a bar of dark chocolate into tiny pieces for a sweet surprise and an added energy boost from the caffeine in extra dark chocolate.

-Dry Cereal

*TIP: Dry cereal adds great texture! But try to choose one without too much added sugar—like Cheerios!

Remember, although trail mix is a healthy choice, it’s only healthy in moderation, like most foods.   Nuts provide healthy fats but they are high in calories.  Don’t be afraid of them though!  Just portion out a small handful of trail mix and you’re good to go!

2. Popcorn

Popcorn can be a great choice—if you know what to choose.  Look for small snack size bags or ones with less butter.  If you don’t have access to a microwave try to choose bags of pre-popped popcorn that say “Air popped”!  This means they have WAY less fat than other brands.  Plus, popcorn is a great snack to share!

3. Oatmeal

Small packages of instant oatmeal are a great way to get a filling, healthy breakfast or snack.  Go for plain oatmeal and add some cinnamon or sliced banana to cut back on the sugar that the flavored oatmeal adds but still have all the flavor! Plus, hot food will leave you feeling more satisfied!

4. Fruit

Fruit is a great choice for your dorm room! Apples, bananas, and oranges all keep well.  Smear a little peanut butter (look for brands without added sugars or hydrogenated oils) on an apple or banana and you’re good to go!  Just don’t buy too much fruit at one time or you run the risk of it going bad before you can eat it all!

5. Applesauce

Individual applesauce cups are proportioned, easy, simple, and delicious.  Opt for the “no sugar added” option to shave off a few extra calories.  Add a few sliced almonds on top and you have a delicious snack!

So, don’t fear those late night snack attacks or midday munchies! A healthy snack will be waiting for you in your dorm!

For another great snacking idea, try granola! Make some at home and bring it with you to school! Or maybe you can even talk your parents into making it and sending it to you in a care package!

Emily Hacker is an intern with College Lifestyles.  She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Nutrition at the University of Southern California. She is currently obsessed with Trader Joe’s Almond Butter with Roasted Flax Seeds spread on a banana! Yum!!

Apartment Hunting on a College Budget

Yesterday, my roommate and I picked out our new apartment.  Things aren’t official, yet; but we left the leasing office feeling as though they were official.  We are a couple of steps closer to having our own apartment!  Side note: My roommate would add about four and half exclamation points to the end of this last sentence.  She’s super excited.

Going through the process of finding an apartment got me thinking about how the experience of apartment hunting as a college student is totally different than it would be for someone cushioned by a salaried job.  Shelling out dollars for tuition and pricey textbooks makes a college coed’s budget much tighter than others.  Here are five tips to consider when apartment hunting on a college budget.

1. Search for apartment residences that appeal to college students. Property managers know that there are hundreds –and even, thousands –of college students milling about town in search for a place to live.  They want to attract you to their complex like flies to a yummy burger –or to a smelly dumpster.  All deals are enticing, but some are questionable.  Since we are not flies, I trust that you all will go for the burger, and not the dumpster.  Property managers understand college students’ funds are limited.  They also understand that the need for housing is high.  Some offer school discounts and/or a price reduction on the first month’s rent if you move in by a certain date.  And if you don’t have a steady job, some allow for one or more co-signers.

2. Have roommates. While having one or more roommates is potentially safer than living alone, it can also have financial benefits.  Splitting the rent and costs of utilities reduces the amount of money you pay monthly.  Renting with others also makes it possible for you to afford to move into a better area or apartment.  You may even be able to afford to rent a condo or townhouse.

3. Make appropriate sacrifices. We all deserve the best in life, but at certain times exceptions can be made.  The apartment my roommate and I picked out doesn’t have a great view, but our rent is cheaper because of it.  You don’t have to suffer in a hideous apartment, or jeopardize your safety, for a rent that is budget-friendly, but there are some things that you can probably do without.  You can have the apartment with the poolside view, larger deck, island in the kitchen, and fireplace -but in a few years when you’re more established.

4. Move into a gated community, or one that has 24-hour security. Searching for an apartment that fits a smaller budget may guide you into areas that aren’t the safest.  Many apartment complexes have beefed up their security.  Those that are gated and equipped with 24-hour security make not-so-safe areas safer.

5.Shop around. There are many apartments offering “great” deals.  Find the one that is best for you.  Don’t settle for the first you come across just because it sounds as if it can’t be topped.  Craigslist has been helpful for me in the past because it lists several properties in a given area, along with rental prices.  It can be a helpful guide, but you have to be careful.  Some posts are scams, and you are essentially interacting with strangers.

If you have any more helpful tips for our CL readers, tell us in the comments section!

After you’ve found your apartment, check out Kendall’s post “No Paint, No Problem – A Students Guide to Sprucing Up White Walls” for decorating tips!

** In my last post, I said that I would accomplish my goal of creating a vision board and post a picture of it on my next post.  Check it out below!**

Shannon Palmore is an intern with College Lifestyles, and a Senior majoring in English at Spelman College.  She is excited about moving into her new apartment with her roommate next month.  While her apartment search is over, she wishes her classy CL readers happy apartment hunting!

“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.

Tapping into Your Inner-Savvy: 10 Ways to Accomplish Your Goals

As college coeds, we are encouraged to dream, and to dream big. We are encouraged to feel confident in ourselves, our ideas and our capabilities. We are told that we have our whole life ahead of us –that in four years or less, we will be at the proverbial fork in the road, where we will decide to go either left or right. I must admit that at times, I become lost in my thoughts,  wondering what life will be like when I make my decision.

Will the books I write line more than my own shelves? Will I have traveled the world? Mastered the art of my grandmother’s southern cuisine? Will I read all of those books I bought at random on Amazon.com during my college years? I wonder.

I have many goals, long-term and short. And I know that to fulfill them I have to pull my head out of the puffy clouds that surround me. It is time for me –and countless other dreamy coeds –to plant our feet firmly on the ground again, and run. “Run where?” you ask. I don’t know. But I have pulled together a list of ways to help us get wherever there is. Check them out below.

1. Take the first (and last) step! There are only two ways to complete any task or project.  Begin it.  Finish it.

2. Keep a notepad nearby. I received this tip from our very own Shelly, the founder/CEO of College Lifestyles (TM), who encourages all CL interns to keep notepads on-hand to write down ideas that may arise. Sometimes, the greatest ideas arrive spontaneously; you don’t want to be in a position to forget them. Keeping a notepad nearby ensures that not only will you remember your idea or goal, but you will also remember to fulfill it.

3. Visualize your goals. Being able to envision your goals makes it more likely that you will accomplish them. In their initial stages, your goals are abstract thoughts. Make them concrete by writing them down. You can go a step forward by drawing out a plan. Your notepad will definitely come in handy for this. You can also write down your goals on note cards and post them on your wall. In my last post, I mentioned creating a vision board, which is a collage of images and quotes that reflect your desires. Create your own vision board that represents what you want to accomplish. My fellow CL intern Michelle Martinez’s most recent post goes into great detail about how to create your own vision board.

4. Utilize online social networks. Facebook and Twitter have become social phenomena. Use them both to your advantage. Befriend or follow the top figures in your field of interest. You’re bound to encounter rich advice, words of encouragement, as well as hear about noteworthy opportunities.

5. Network the traditional way. While Facebook and Twitter offer a new way to network, you can never go wrong with networking the traditional way. Find a mentor –a professor whom you admire or a professional in your field of interest –who can help point you in the right direction. You are the company you keep. Surround yourself with people who have the same vision for your life as you do. Establish relationships with other college coeds, and productive and successful friends who can spur you into action.

6. Don’t talk about it; be about it. I’ve likely heard this phrase, or something similar to it, before. But it became my new mantra one day when I realized I said often to myself, and others, what I needed or planned to do, instead of just doing do it. So, don’t talk about it, be about it.

7. Change your language. We often speak things into existence. The world reacts to our energy. Speaking negatively and bearing a negative attitude does not reflect a classy coed, and will not help you accomplish your goals. Also, omit the word “try” from your vocabulary. If you say that you are “trying” to complete a task, you will only succeed in attempting to complete it –not necessarily completing it.

8. Read. A lot. Some of the greatest advice and wisdom come from philosophers, authors, and savvy professionals gracious enough to put their pens to page. There are many worthwhile books about how to be successful. I find reading success stories always inspire me to work towards my goals.

9. Trust your instincts. “Create your own roadmap. You’ll get lost trying to follow somebody else’s.” — Susan Taylor. I came across this quote recently while on the internet. Reading about others’ success stories and soaking in helpful tips are merely starting points and guides to help keep you on your path to success. The direction of your path is always up to you, so trust your instincts.

10. Be realistic about your goals. When a classy, savvy coed dreams, she always dreams big. But dreaming big doesn’t mean you have to start big. You don’t want to overwhelm yourself with a task so large that it may be too much for you to handle. If your task is big, break it up into smaller goals so that your smaller goals add up to one big goal. Completing each smaller task will help build up your consistency, which is one of the determinants of success.

What are some goals you’ve yet to accomplish? What have you been talking about doing, but have yet to do? For more than a year, I’ve talked about creating a vision board. Instead of saying anything more about it, I’m just going to do it. I’ll post a picture of my vision board on my upcoming post next week. What will you have accomplished by then?

Shannon Palmore is an intern with College Lifestyles, and a Senior majoring in English at Spelman College.  While she keeps her head in a book, she is currently pulling it out of the clouds, where she dreams about culinary arts school and her first book signing event, in order to create her very own vision board!