Public Relations and Marketing

Frugal in College

Money is tight in college, so I save anyway I can!

I have two jobs currently but some months I still have to pinch pennies. EVERYTHING is expensive from books, food, entertainment, and gas. The real world hit me like a train so I had to make a plan for how I was going to stop spending so much money and afford life. Bills aren’t fun, grocery shopping isn’t fun, and school shopping is horrible but this guide might make it a little easier to get through!

First off, books! Amazon is your best friend when it comes to finding the best price on textbooks. I usually look to see if they have an online version first because it is the most cost-effective. If they do not, the next best option is to rent. Rentals range from only a few weeks to a year. The return process is simple and is of no extra cost to you. While you’re shopping on Amazon, go ahead and purchase a student Prime account. With the Prime account, you can access free shipping, movies, movies, and special discounts. They also offer a free 6-month trial to see if you actually like it first!

Next, I also choose to use online shopping apps for groceries. If you download the apps for Target, Albertson’s, and Walmart, you receive free coupons on food items and personal care. When I came to college, I was shocked by the prices of toilet paper and laundry detergent. Most places off for you to go ahead and add the coupons to your cart, and they are connected to your phone number for your to pull up when checking out at the register. I also like to use grocery pick-up to only buy the items I need and don’t pick up extras as I walk through the isles.

When looking for ways to spend your weekend, always bring your student ID. Many companies at least allow a 10% discount for students of any kind. A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Las Vegas, and for all the activities we enjoyed, they offered 50% discounts for students. When deciding on travel plans, use your student ID. Airlines such as United offer lower prices for college kids looking to see the world. The same deals can be found when looking for hotels. Even when dining out, which is not advised, use your student ID to get anything you can!

My biggest money saver is reminding myself of what my mom always tells me: there’s food at home. It’s okay to dine out sometimes, but cooking meals at home saves big bucks. Use Pinterest to find easy, cheap, and quick recipes for weekday dinners and lunches. Try and meal prep or plan your meals ahead of time, so you don’t get hungry, and stop at the nearest fast-food chain. Cooking at home not only saves you money but also saves you pounds because I’m sure everyone who has gone through college is very much aware of the freshmen 15. Choose easy meals like pasta and a side salad that can be prepared in 20 minutes, or if you know you won’t have time at all to cook, invest in a slow cooker. When they are on sale, they can be purchased for as cheap as $20, and I promise it is so worth it on busy study night!

I can not stress this enough, plan ahead. Write down when all your bills are due, so you don’t miss any deadlines and avoid the awful late fees. I have all my bills set on automatic pay and write down when payments are due to check my account one more time for sufficient funds. Plan when you go grocery shopping to use the food you have and do not buy more than you need. Plan your weekends ahead of time for a chance to research coupons and discount nights. Before you spend, evaluate the best way to spend the money you have and save the money you’re going to need. College life comes with many unexpected costs, such as an accidental flat tire or an exam fee. Set aside savings for when your plans don’t match up.

College is never cheap for anyone. Even as students, when we use all our resources, sometimes it just isn’t enough. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends, family, food banks, and other resources for help when you can not make it through. Our university offers a campus cupboard where students can take as many items as they need without knowing their peers. By following these tips, college life becomes slightly, and I mean slightly less stressful!

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The Network of College Online

A list of my 10 most useful tips for surviving virtual college

College is hard always but when it gets moved to completely on your laptop….. the struggle gets a lot harder. In March of 2020 my college classes at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette were moved completely online. This was a huge huge huge change for me. I love being in the classroom and asking questions so talking through electronics seemed impossible. After many mistakes I finally adapted to being a virtual student. Here’s my tips and tricks that helped me stay sane this last year!

1. Buy a Planner

Staying organized is critical for online courses. Since you aren’t physically meeting with your teachers every day and having them remind you of deadlines, you have to keep track of all assignments on your own. Make sure to write down all deadlines in pencil!!!! Teachers tend to change dates, and no one wants an ugly planner!

2. Set many alarms

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No one can deny that waking up for class isn’t the most fun, especially when it’s on Zoom. You might be tempted to wake up 5 minutes before class starts and open up Zoom and go back to sleep—- terrible choice. Waking up at least 30 minutes for class and setting multiple alarms to remind you to get onto a virtual course is extremely helpful. Waking up earlier will allow you time to get your brain started, making it 10x’s easier to focus on the boring lecture you usually want to sleep through. Setting alarms as reminders to get onto your zoom class 10 minutes before it starts ensures you will never accidentally forget to log on and missed points and assignments!

3. Find a quiet place to work and only work

Set up a place in your house or apartment that is designated for work time. Having a designated space will allow your brain to know when to work and when it is time to play. The area should be an extremely quiet area that is not comfortable and feels like a classroom-type space. Sit up in a chair at a desk or table rather than sitting in bed and risking getting distracted by sleep! Have all your essential school supplies here, such as textbooks, flash drives, laptop chargers, and pens and pencils. Maybe even light a stress relief candle for extra focus.

4. Put your phone away and on Do Not Disturb

Okay, so yes, we’re college students and always on our phones looking for the next hot trend, but we can’t let that stop our success. We must make it a habit to put our phones on do not disturb and out of direct reach while doing schoolwork. That TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat post will still be there once you finish your essay. Putting your phone on the opposite side of the room makes it more difficult for us to give in and pick it up, leading to distractions. Making sure it is on do not disturbs cancels out that thing programmed in our brain that says we have to check every single notification we receive.

5. Get enough sleep

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Being at home all day and doing schoolwork virtually can make us think that we should stay up and binge watch tv shows on Netflix or get lost on social media after we finish. It is so important that we get enough sleep to focus on the work we have to get done. Making time for rest also may mean saying no to some parties or activities we might not have time for. It might be insane for us to get 8 hours of sleep each night, but we should at least aim for it. I set the alarm for me to turn off the TV and go to bed. The ZZZs help to make sure we get the As.

6. Make sure you always have a strong WIFI signal

The basis of online classes is that they are online. Before the semester starts, if you’re unsure if your WIFI can withstand the workload, order a WIFI extender or strengthener. These can be as inexpensive as $20 and will ease copious amounts of stress. The last thing you want to happen is to be in the middle of a test, and your WIFI goes out, or be presenting virtually and have a shaky camera signal. Having a solid internet connection allows for classes to go smoother without having worries about possible mishaps.

7. Purchase a few flash drives

All classwork is online, which means you will have to save many documents to your computer, sometimes slowing it down. Purchase a few inexpensive flash drives to help keep work aside from your computer to ensure your laptop storage will not get overcrowded and slow you down. Having flash drives as a back-up also ensures that you will have a plan if your computer crashes, or like me, you spill a drink on your laptop, and it completely shuts down. We spend hours perfecting papers and notes. Having a second copy saved makes sure we will always have access to our creations.

8. Use the technology you have access to

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If we are going to be online and having to teach ourselves, for the most part, we might as well utilize websites that can help us learn faster and better. I use free services such as Grammarly, Quizlet, and Socratic for my schoolwork. Grammarly helps fix writing mistakes by scanning over papers and emails, leaving suggested changes for the student. These changes are optional but have continuously increased my grades. Quizlet is helpful when studying for exams. You can create flashcards or study sets created by other students. Socratic helps to search the web for when you just cannot find the answer. I use Socratic for worksheets, reviews, and study guides. These platforms add an extra advantage for the struggling college student who does not know what is going on.

9. Take productive breaks

Sitting at a computer all day can be exhausting, so you must give your mind a break. Breaks should be a chance to clear your mind and gather your thoughts and be some-what productive. A break could be taking a second to clean-up around your room, wash some dishes, or put on a load of laundry. As college students, we are pressed for time, so we should always try and stay productive. We also don’t want our minds to get distracted by taking a break to look at social media or watching TV. I know every time I’ve taken a break to watch 1 episode, it has turned into 4 or 5 episodes then I’ve wasted the day. Taking small productive breaks between pages or assignments can help us stay on track while helping our to-do list mentally.

10. Know that everyone is struggling as much as you

College is difficult online or in person. Remembering you’re not alone in the struggle, and everyone is learning how to get through it helps us not forget that it is possible. When you begin to feel like you’re overwhelmed, think that it isn’t just you. We are all confused college students just trying to get that assignment submitted and make it to the following week. Having a group of friends to confide in about these struggles can also help to ease worries. In my classes, we use Group Me so that the others can pitch-in when one of us needs help. College is not a one-person experience.

In the end, it’s all worth it. The most difficult times come from questioning if the struggle is worth the reward. Four years from the start, will you receive your degree and see the smiles on your loved ones faces will prove that the work was worth it. Following these steps does not mean college will be easy, but it helps to make it easier. Having a positive outlook, organization skills, and determination will get you a lot further than you could imagine. It’s small things that can help make significant changes in your mental, health, and online college experience.

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My Life

21 years of life couldn’t get more interesting for this college girl!

I was born on March 8, 2000, so I guess that makes me Generation Z?!?! In my opinion, I think my personality is a mix of so many generations. My mom and dad are both in their 60’s and I was born on my mom’s 40th birthday. I steal so many traits from them. My Spotify playlist is directly influenced, my parents. Look through and you’ll find songs by Creedence Clearwater Revival, James Brown, and Hank Williams Jr. I grew up listening to the best of the best!

My mama is one of my greatest influences. Dr. D is a professor of Public Relations at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. I remember going to class with her when we had days off of school and getting to tag along to conferences all over the country. My passion for writing and media relations branched from these experiences. I can write all day!!!! I would choose to write a 20-page essay over an exam if given the opportunity. My mother has helped me better my passion by being my go-to woman for all reviews. But…… she’s very strict on me. She strives for perfection and so do I. My determination comes from her. I never stop working on a piece until I believe it is absolutely perfect! My only flaw with this is I love taking control.

My dad, on the other hand, is the very opposite of my mom but we are so similar! He’s the kind of guy that will help you when you need something but is also very outspoken. He never holds back the truth. I see myself doing this often but I believe I am very good at constructive criticism. I’m from a very small town outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and as small towns go, everybody knows everybody. This is one reason I believe I’ve become so talented in communicating will diverse groups of people. In Watson, if there’s a drama with anyone, the whole town knows so I am always cautious in my words, standards, and over choices. I hold strong to my beliefs and passion. One of these passions is working with disabled individuals.

My younger brother Paul has special needs and I am extremely protective over him. He’s my best bud so of course, I want to do everything with him! Since I was in middle school I have participated in Special Olympics including swimming and bowling. Once I was in high school I became a lifeguard and would attend each practice as a volunteer. I continued to be involved with this community as I arrived at college. I presented an Honors Seminar titled “Life from a Different Perspective” that explored the stigmas and stereotypes society has created around the disabled community.

In my freshmen year of college, I was attracted to a group of girls that held the same beliefs as me. During recruitment, a group of women who worked with DREAMS of Acadiana, a special needs program, stood out to me and because of their passions presented, I became a member of Tri Sigma-Alpha Mu. Through my sorority, I have met the most amazing women. My little Makinley and my grand little Grace are two of my best friends. I was also given the opportunity to explore new leadership and committee positions. I was able to take the position of Local Service chair where I organized philanthropic events in the community for my sisters. I also participated in preparation and planning committees. I have learned so much about how to organize a huge group of women and be successful in the efforts.

Life is just now getting started for me! I’m graduating in December of 2021 and plan on attending Graduate school for Public Relations. I just accepted an internship with the Town of St.Jospeh and am currently working at Cottage Landing Lafayette as a Leasing Agent where I complete marketing and communications work such as social media posts and flyers. Life is good and for a college kid, I’m living the dream!

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