College Storage

For some reason, a college kid's possessions always seem to double over the course of the year. So here are three summer storage options for families with too much dorm stuff to drag home.

Some lucky students attend universities that offer storage space to students far from home–in the dormitory basements at the Puget Sound, for example, or the sorority attics at the University of the Pacific. Be sure to check with your R.A. before leaving campus.

But if you're like most students, you will probably need some kind of storage space to keep all your junk safe until next year. So rent a self-storage unit near campus and do the packing yourself. It’s certainly more work, but the price is significantly lower: $15-$22 in sign up fees and $19-$60 per month for a 5x5 foot locker that will accommodate at least half a dozen large boxes and a bike. Most of these companies take reservations up to 30 days ahead and offer month-to-month leases. Find a suitable one by Googling self-storage and the city you need, or get recommendations from your R.A.

A better option might be to hire a pick up and delivery service, such as College Boxes.com or Dorm 2 Dorm. CollegeBoxes started life as a student run company at Duke University. Now, it serves nearly four dozen universities. It ships you starter pack of five boxes and assorted supplies, then picks up the packed boxes, bicycles, TVs and whatever else you need stored on a designated day at the end of finals week. In the fall, it delivers everything to your dorm. It's convenient and fast, but pricey. In 2009, the rates were $30 for the packing supply kit, then $45 for storing and transporting each 4-cubic ft. box for the summer. Other rates apply for larger objects, mini-fridges, bicycles or televisions.

School's out for the summer

The time has come to free ourselves from the shackles of academic oppression...well for the next two months anyway. Yes, summer is quickly approaching and it's time to pack up and bid farewell to your friends and professors. But, before you go, I have some vacation ideas for the college student with nothing to do and nowhere to go.

Why not extend some goodwill and start planning to volunteer around your neighborhood and community? There are hundreds of volunteer organizations who need people to get their butts off the couch and help with projects—here are some suggestions:

1. The American Hiking Society offers multiple volunteer opportunities to help clean up our nation’s gorgeous trails. Each trip is made up of a crew of between six and 15 volunteers and a leader. The Hiking Society has trips organized by level ruggedness—i.e. whether you’re sleeping tents or cabin—and level of difficulty. The average length is a week, but each volunteer can choose to participate for as long or as short a time period they wish.

2. The San Antonio food bank relies n volunteers to inspect, sort, shelve, and distribute donated food. When you donate your time to the San Antonio Food Bank, you become a partner in the fight against hunger. Whether you are available on weekdays, evenings, or weekends, you can ensure that a single mom can feed her child, that a child can enjoy a nutritious meal, or that a senior citizen is able to receive a box of nutritious groceries. Just one morning or afternoon can make a difference to a family or individual in need.

3. Volunteers are also a vital part of the San Antonio Children's Shelter, working to ensure children are safe, secure and loved. Volunteers can visit with the children any day of the week between 9am and 9pm. Volunteers help the staff with meal times and art therapy; play on the playground, read with the kids, rock and feed the babies and chaperone during off-site children's activities. Most importantly, volunteers provide a positive adult experience for the children.

These are just some of the volunteer opportunities available for college students in San Antonio. But whatever your summer plans are, I hope everyone has a safe summer and a happy new school year.

The Four Basic Food Groups

The joys of college life don’t diminish in the dorm room; most of today’s college dorms are equipped with the basic bed, furniture, television, and perhaps a microwave for convenience. However, college students need not despair to take care of late night cravings and tight wallets; creativity in the kitchen can continue with some simple recipes and for some delicious (but not necessarily nutritious) dorm food concoctions. The most important thing to remember is to never underestimate the power of your microwave.

Ramen noodles — Certainly salty, but certainly very cheap Ramen noodles are the foundation of many college students’ diets, particularly the instant variety. Add some meat (if you can afford it) and you have a tasty meal, one that is better than what is served on campus.

Pop-Tarts— As an avid pop-tart connoisseur, I can honestly say that the pop-tart is humanity’s greatest contribution to the college kitchen since the invention of cookie dough. A toaster pastry which comes in variety of different flavors and can be warmed up for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Macaroni and Cheese — Mac ‘n Cheese has comforted college students for generations now, a cheap and easy to make meal that keep on giving. Kraft makes the best version, but as every student will tell you buying mac ‘n cheese by the case and going with an edible store brand is the best way to save some cash.

Popcorn — Eat a bag of popcorn and you’re still hungry. Yet, what better snack food is there when cramming for exams? Goes great with sugary soda (or beer) and can be finished off with a nice bag of cookies. Can you say bon appetite?

Microwaveable Anything — If it can be heated up in a microwave, then that is a meal fit for a king. Or at least for a college student. Burritos, pizza, or anything else that can be heated or reheated in a microwave is a major crowd pleaser.

Do Unto Others...

The first rule of being a good roommate is to be considerate. Yeah, I know, it’s not always easy. But the best way to get what you want is to allow the other person to have what he or she wants too. It’s called compromise. If you don’t do anything to step on your roommate’s toes, you have a lot of leverage if he or she steps on yours. Instead of living in a constant tug-of-war, be nice and accommodating from the start. If you start out on a bad note, it can last all year.

However, it's important not to let compromise ruin your college experience. If your roommate starts to take advantage of your leniency it's always best to speak up before it's too late. If you’re really having a problem with your roommate, don’t hesitate to go to your resident assistant. Often, dorms will offer mediation, or even move you if it gets really bad. You didn’t come to college to be abused, demoralized, or to live in squalor. Report a problem if you’re miserable. Realize that there will probably be times when you hate your roommate, and that’s okay. Just don’t follow through on those revenge fantasies. The feeling will most likely pass.

Living in such a cramped environment will inevitably lead to conflict if you don't discuss house rules together. Here are some important rules to consider:

• The Phone. How are you going to handle messages? What’s the limit for conversations if someone is waiting for the phone? What’s the cutoff time for incoming calls?
• Noise. What time do you turn off music? How late can you party with your friends in the room?
• Schedule. When do the lights go out? When do you open the curtains in the morning? When do you like to study?
• Open door. Is your door going to be locked or open most of the time? (I recommend locking it.)
• Neatness. How clean do you like your space? Will you set up a cleaning schedule and agree to pick up after yourselves?
• Borrowing. Are some things off-limits? Do you need to ask before borrowing something, or can you just use it? What if something gets broken or lost?
• Food. If there will be food in the room, are you going to split it?
• Guests. How long are guests allowed to stay? Where are they going to sleep? What rules will they follow?

Each of you should post your class, work, and practice schedules in a visible area so that everyone knows when the others are coming and going. That way you can schedule some private time in your room if you need it. But don’t be shocked when your roommates don’t stick to their schedules. Skipping classes and other commitments happens quite often (though I don’t recommend doing it).

The Rich, the Poor and the Student

The rich get richer, and when they get poorer...well, they get bailed out. That's how it seems lately. As Congress prepares to spend a trillion bucks (in addition to the $700 billion bailout from last fall), it makes one wonder when the working middle class will get some love. The pending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (H.R.1) will no doubt help our economy in some form, but it's not nearly enough and it's not aimed at all demographics. If we can save the suits, why can't we save the common man, right?

The boom and bust cycles of the American economic empire are putting major strains on college students everywhere as we try desperately to pay our tuition fees and debts. However, these hard times may serve to benefit hundreds of Trinity students who find themselves strapped for cash. A new movement for canceling student debt is gaining ground in Washington and may become one of the many strategies Obama incorporates into his new New Deal program.

Many economic and political pundits endorse this Keynesian model in an effort to stimulate the economy. However, the debate remains as to whether students who default on their loans should be entitled to financial aid from the federal government.

Dorm Decoration

It’s safe to say during a your first few days on campus, you will encounter a few life-altering situations. On your own and away from the comforts of home, you'll be faced with an array of “real life” scenarios such as adjusting to different living arrangements, taking on additional responsibilities and meeting new friends. Handling these situations can be really stressful. That's why your dorm room should be a relaxing sanctuary isolated from the commotion of everyday life.

Of course, there are a few obstacles to creating the perfect oasis of collegiate bliss. Most college students are not made of money, so finding inexpensive items at department stores like Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart or a thrift store is a plus. If you live far away from your college, you may have to pay for shipping or storage over the summer, which can also drain your resources.

Posters are the most common way to decorate, and some colleges have a poster sale at the beginning of the year where you can snag some highly unusual and inexpensive finds. But posters are not the only way to go. Here are some other ideas to adorn your walls:

• Colored chalk will easily wash off most surfaces. Or use butcher paper and colored pencils.
• Dry erase boards on your door or in your room are handy for communicating with friends and roommates and making notes to yourself. Or get a dry erase calendar at an office supply store and keep track of your busy schedule.
• Lights are fashionable and functional. A desk lamp for late-night studying is a necessity, but adding mini-lights strung across the room can create a more personal atmosphere.
• Furniture can also be constructed with non-expensive craft sets. This can provide a larger amount of space for a student if the dorm is limited to one table.

In Defense of Clean Rooms

Entropy is the scientific term used to describe the trend that all components of any given system will grow more disorderly on a molecular level with time. Through the perspective of thermodynamic chemistry, it can be said that an object experiences a positive change in entropy when it melts, since its molecules become less and less attached to one another. I can truthfully say that I'm currently conducting my own scientific experiment on entropy, using my living quarters as a large scale model. Moreover, I'm sure that many of my colleagues around campus are conducting this same experiment by filling their dorms with the flotsam and jetsam of college life.

Many of my readers are probably thinking: why clean when you the next day you're just going to throw your old clothes on the floor, spill tea all over your bed sheets, and find ants all in your favorite cereal whether you close the box or not. However, there comes a point in every student's life when rancid pizza and spoiled milk needs to be thrown away. Winter is coming to a close and it's time to pull out the vacuum cleaner and pick up your own trash for once.

Our university has a beautiful campus that involves the collective effort of an entire community of people who mow lawns, pant flowers, and water trees. Shouldn't students take as much pride in their dorms as they do in Trinity landscape? Even though my housekeeping skills are mediocre, I'm still going to try and organize my room before summer vacation.