10/27/2021 0 Comments Blog PostsBudgeting Hacks: Grocery Shopping Getting in a grocery shopping routine can take some time for new college students. We're here to help it go as smooth as possible! When saving money in college, there are times when every penny spent matters. Here are 5 grocery budgeting tips that will help you shop smart! 1. Meal Plan When buying perishable foods, it can be helpful to know just how much you'll actually eat by planning it out. Saving money is a lot easier when you are not overbuying! Start week by week to plan out the meals you want to make and budgeting will become so much easier! 2. Limit Going Out to Eat Going out with friends is a fun and essential part of college social life. However it doesn't need to happen every night. Going out to eat frequently can become expensive fast. We recommend limiting going to restaurants to once a week. Save money and cook at home! 3. Buy in Bulk If there is a certain non-perishable food that's a staple in your diet, buy it in bulk! You can often buy value sizes for certain foods which can help you save money. 4. Bring a List We get it -- grocery shopping can be overwhelming! You're much less likely to overspend when you bring a list to the store. This way you won't overbuy and you'll know exactly what you need. 5. Keep an Eye Out for Deals! Grocery stores often have sales promotions on certain foods and brands. Be a smart shopper and shop these deals! This is a great way to save a little extra money. 7 Study Hacks - Work Hard, Play HardMy Campus Loop is dedicated to offering helpful tips and advice directed towards first year students attending a university, either as a transfer student or an incoming freshman.
Working with a few colleges across Washington, My Campus Loop provides ways for students to get involved and connected with mental health resources, academic assistance, social events, housing info, and easy meal suggestions. As a first year, navigating college courses and homework can get overwhelming especially halfway during the semester when you are burnt out. Trying to maintain focus and study can be challenging, if you get distracted easily or feel unprepared and disorganized. Harboring better study habits will ensure that you complete your homework on time, understand the material, and have time to party afterwards. 1.Create a study playlist Curate a list of songs and or podcasts that will allow you to study uninterrupted. I personally love listening to piano instrumentals, because the lack of lyrics allows my brain to maintain focus on the essay or the homework I am doing. Creating a playlist can also be beneficial as a study timer; the length of the playlist, is how long you study for. 2.Use a Planner Get organized with a planner or notebook that enables you to schedule important upcoming dates and exam times. Using a planner will help students visually assess their weekly assignments and stay updated with their courses. A fun interactive planner is a great way into tricking your brain into studying and taking notes. 3.Study in a group Although sometimes studying with friends can quickly become distracting, working in a group can be a great way to learn. Classmates or friends can hold you accountable and are there to help answer questions or give critical feedback. Keep the group relatively small and schedule a time and place to meet where you can have discussions and brainstorm together. Utilize each other’s strengths and discipline on another to stay on task and focused. 4.Exercise before you study Due to the increased blood flow, exercising before studying can boost your memory and brain power which will help you concentrate more while reading and engage your memory on a test, essay, or exam. Get your brain and muscles pumping before you study to help improve your attentiveness. 5.Eat good meal beforehand In addition to exercising, eating a healthy snack or meal before doing homework can fuel your brain and stomach for a study session. Your body will have the nutrients it needs to focus on your course work rather than your stomach growling. Try berries and dark chocolate as a sweet and smart snack. The chemicals and properties in the berries and dark chocolate engage concentration and promote mental performance while reducing inflammation. 6.Time Management Procrastination does not discriminate and can affect anyone, especially as the school year drags on. A good study hack to combat procrastination is time management and time blocking. When studying, break up your schedule into sections with a timer and factor in break times. Work consistently until the timer runs out and watch how quickly you are able to complete assignments with designated study times. Anticipate the workload and due dates of your study session and homework, then assign times to work specifically on each thing. 7.Reward Stay motivated to study by planning yourself a reward. After the study session, prepare a meal, make plans with a friend, go shopping, etc. The prize at the end of completing a hard study session should encourage you to work hard, focus and turn in the assignment before the deadline. The process of rewarding yourself after studying can be beneficial and influence the quality, and timeliness of an assignment. Author: Daniella Garcia, Senior, Public Relations Major References: Friedman, byD., Friedman, D., Hey, D. F., says:, A., 20, D. F. says: M., says:, D. F., & Name. (2020, April 11). 10 study hacks every college student should know (best tips!). Modern Teen. Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://modernteen.co/study-hacks/. Kubala, J. (2020, October 12). The top 9 brain foods for studying and exams. Healthline. Retrieved October 27, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/brain-food-for-studying.
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5 Self-Care Tips for a Busy College Student5 self-care tips for busy college students. Taking care of your body and your mind can help you be your best self!
Being a college student isn’t easy! We’re here to give you 5 easy tips to relax and focus on self-care. Practice these every day, or anytime between classes. Treat yourself! ;) 1. Eat a well-balanced diet You are what you eat! Eating balanced will help you feel balanced. Pay attention to the foods that fuel your body and your brain. Research shows eating a nutritious diet can reduce the negative effects of stress on your body. 2. Get good sleep It’s well known that it’s harder for your brain and body to function with small amounts of sleep. Restful sleep boosts the immune system and lowers stress as a result. College students need at least 7 hours of sleep a night to feel and be their best! Not only does getting enough sleep reduce stress, it also prevents irritability, overreactions, inability to focus, and illnesses. 3. Set goals for yourself Feeling overwhelmed? Write down some goals! These can be anything from drinking more water to making a new friend. Setting intentions for yourself will help you stay organized, motivated, and confident. 4. Take a tech break It’s common to find yourself more anxious as a college student -- you have a lot on your mind! Social media can increase these feelings of fear and anxiety. It’s important to know when to unplug and give your mind a break from the tech world. You might find that even just an hour a day without checking your phone can boost your mood! 5. Take time for things you enjoy Don’t forget about the things you love! Whether your hobby is hiking, painting, playing an instrument, or just hanging out with friends, spend time doing things that make you happy! Or maybe even discover a new hobby. It’s important to find a good balance between work and play. You deserve it! With so much going on in your life as a college student, it’s important to slow down! Following these easy tips can help you feel more organized, motivated, and prepared to take on each day. About the author: Anna is studying advertising with a focus in apparel merchandising. She has a passion for all things health! Welcome New College Students!Hello viewers, my name is Joe Goins and I am here with My Campus Loop. We are here
to help guide you through your freshman experience in college. We will be there every step along the way, through the good and the bad. Being a first-year student at a big college can be hard, scary, and can make you a little uncomfortable. We are here to give you the proper tools and tips so that you can be successful during your first year and hopefully for the rest of your college career. First things first, most of you are moving to a new area where you might know a lot of people or not know anybody. My recommendation to you is regardless of who you know, get out there and meet people. Don’t be afraid to socialize with new students because in the end those people are going to be your greatest assets. Most colleges are going to be bigger than your high school but don’t let that scare you. Think of it as an opportunity. What I mean by this is, take advantage of all the resources offered on campus. Here at my campus loop we can help you find those resources and give our own tips and tricks. Almost every school has clubs, ranging from a running club to a chess club. Find what you are interested in and go after it. For me, the Greek community attracted my attention. It introduced me to my best friends while also giving me a second family that will always have my back. My campus loop offers many features that can get you through the struggles of college. Typically, college freshman is on meal plans. This allows you to eat breakfast lunch and dinner every day. The problem with this is that some of the times you’re not going to want to eat the food that the dining halls are offering. This I where my campus loop comes in. We give you a bunch of different food options that you can make on your own. A lot of these options are healthier than the dining hall food too. You can come on our website and look at our foods and also share your opinions in our chat room. This also will help you connect with other students who are in the same situation as you. My campus loop is here to be your guide through your college experience. I hope you have a great rest of your day. My campus loop signing off! Living With a RoommateToday’s blog post features the importance of fostering a healthy and respectful relationship
between roommates. Adapting to dorm life has its challenges and one of the most important factors is learning how adjust your living styles. Adding roommates in the mix, has its challenges which is why “MyCampusLoop” is here to supply crucial advice, tips and logic behind surviving dorm life! For new college students or transfers from another University, the stress of having a roommate can add a lot of stress and anxiety. For many, this form of living is fairly new and with all the rewarding and positive experience can come some challenges. With this, “MyCampusLoop” is here to provide our top three suggestions and tips when it comes to having a roommate. Starting off, the most crucial tip when it comes to living with a roommate is setting boundaries and expectations for one another. More likely than not, there will come a time one roommate is frustrated with the others living habits, attitude, etc and it is important to have an open and honest conversation before events like these occur. Whether that’s a conversation about cleanliness of the room, quiet hours or friends in the room, being knowledgeable on each other’s preferences will result in a great start to the year. Our second piece of advice regards personal items! Just like nobody enjoys their younger siblings stealing clothes or items from their room, that goes for roommates as well! Being respectful of your roommates’ belongings is key to a healthy relationship and grows trust between each other. Whenever in doubt, ask the others permission to borrow something before going ahead and taking it from them! Our last and possibly most important tip when living with a roommate is keeping an open mind and being inviting to suggestions or wishes your roommate might have. Remember, previously before being roommates both individuals have had different living styles and rules. It is extremely vital to remember that roommates aren’t going to agree on everything and there are going to be aspects each of you don’t perfectly align on. As normal as that is, both individuals need to listen to one another’s comments and possibly adjust some of their expectations so both roommates can be happy along with getting their way. With these three important suggestions in mind, adapting to dorm life with a roommate will come much easier and avoid many of the conflicts roommates often face. For any incoming freshman or transfer student moving into the dorms, it is important to remember there will most likely be conflicts involved when living with a roommate but tackling them head is the key to a happy healthy year! About the author: Lauren Townsend is a Junior at Washington State University studying Advertising. When it comes to “MyCampusLoop” Lauren contributes to developing the website and running social media! Cooking for 1 in CollegeTransitioning into a college environment where you have to worry about feeding yourself
can be one of the hardest parts about freshman year. Especially when you may be used to cooking for a family instead of just one person. For this reason, learning to grocery shop can also be a daunting task when you may have only grocery shopped with your parent or guardian. In this blog post we will discuss some tips and tricks for shopping and cooking for one while at college. The best tips to remember when cooking for yourself is to make lists, don’t be afraid to use recipes and re-use ingredients. When it comes to grocery shopping, making a list before you go can be especially helpful. This way you know exactly what you’re shopping for and you wont get overwhelmed when you are in the store. Remember, don’t be afraid to walk every aisle to make sure you don’t miss anything and you can grab extra items on the way if it feels right or you see foods you did not think of before. Follow your list and it is okay to go back to aisles you have already visited. Take your time, people go to the grocery store for a while so don’t feel pressured to find everything right away because grocery shopping can be fun. The second tip to remember is don’t be afraid to use recipes. Many people can believe that recipes are scary and require a lot of work or that they can make something themselves. But recipes make it easy to see exactly what you need and how much. This way you can also search other recipes using ingredients you already have that way you do not waste any food. There are tons of easy recipes on websites like Pinterest that are tailored towards college students and those living on their own so that you do not have to do a lot of digging or get too creative. As we mentioned before, re-using ingredients can be a great way to save food and money and have fun trying new concoctions. There are even websites like Super Cook that let you type in what ingredients you have and it will give you a recipe to make with food you already have at home. https://www.supercook.com/#/desktop Even though trying to cook for yourself for possibly the first time ever can be scary, tips like these can make it simple and fun. You have more important things to stress about in college and cooking food should not be one of them. As a 5th year college student I have had a lot of experience learning to cook for myself both in a dorm and in my own house (which can be whole other experience). Using these tips and tricks, I have been able to sustain a healthy diet while in college and be able to eat yummy food instead of just living off of the classic college ramen diet. Follow our blog to see more tips and tricks about surviving college because, we’ve all been there! |