College is all about innovation. From the moment you move into your residence hall or step into your very first college class, your critical thinking skills are put to the ultimate test. The result? Some pretty interesting ways of doing things. Here are some life hacks and do-it-yourself tricks any college student can use.
1. Shower Rings
The rings used to hang up your shower curtain can be used for more than just hanging up a shower curtain. Want to quiz yourself before your test, notecard style? Write out your notecards, make a hole punch in the top corner and slide a shower ring through. Now, all of your notes are going to stay in one place, so you can quiz yourself and ace that exam. You can also
1. Shower Rings
The rings used to hang up your shower curtain can be used for more than just hanging up a shower curtain. Want to quiz yourself before your test, notecard style? Write out your notecards, make a hole punch in the top corner and slide a shower ring through. Now, all of your notes are going to stay in one place, so you can quiz yourself and ace that exam. You can also
use shower rings to hang up purses or belts on the rod in your closet. Just slip the shower ring through the handles of your bags or the buckle of your belt and clip onto the rod in your closet. Ta-da, more space for more clothes.
2. Sponge ice pack
Who wants to spend $7 on campus for lunch, when you can pack your own? Sounds like a good idea until you realize you don’t have an ice pack to keep your ham sandwich cold. Just use a sponge! Take a sponge (preferably, a new one) and rinse it entirely with water. Go ahead and put the sponge inside a Ziploc bag, and stick the entire bag into the freezer. Once it’s frozen, put the entire bag into your lunch box and you have yourself an ice pack and a yummy lunch. You can also put a lemon in the bag with the sponge if you want a yummy smelling lunch box!
3. Belt or purse strap for groceries and hangers
2. Sponge ice pack
Who wants to spend $7 on campus for lunch, when you can pack your own? Sounds like a good idea until you realize you don’t have an ice pack to keep your ham sandwich cold. Just use a sponge! Take a sponge (preferably, a new one) and rinse it entirely with water. Go ahead and put the sponge inside a Ziploc bag, and stick the entire bag into the freezer. Once it’s frozen, put the entire bag into your lunch box and you have yourself an ice pack and a yummy lunch. You can also put a lemon in the bag with the sponge if you want a yummy smelling lunch box!
3. Belt or purse strap for groceries and hangers
A popular sport on college campuses is seeing how many groceries you can carry in one trip. No one wants to make it all the way to their room and have to head back out in the Florida heat for the rest of their stuff. You can use a belt or a long purse strap to limit the number of trips you have to make. Put all your groceries on the belt or purse strap and hook the belt together, or clip the two ends of the purse strap together and put it over your shoulder. You can also use this same idea for moving out. Nothing is more annoying to transport than hangers. Avoid the chaotic tangling of hooks by putting all your hangers on a belt or purse strap.
4. Cold wash
Living on your own means doing your own laundry, which also means that you can only be mad at you when you washed your clothes in warm water and your shirt bled all over your favorite pair of shorts. Washing your clothes in cold water can prevent this and save you money. Instead of separating your clothes, you can wash them in cold water, which should prevent colors from bleeding. This means that you can put your clothes in one load, instead of darks, whites and colors. However, it’s always your best bet to separate or hand wash new clothes or heavily dyed items.
5. Email directory search
Living on your own means doing your own laundry, which also means that you can only be mad at you when you washed your clothes in warm water and your shirt bled all over your favorite pair of shorts. Washing your clothes in cold water can prevent this and save you money. Instead of separating your clothes, you can wash them in cold water, which should prevent colors from bleeding. This means that you can put your clothes in one load, instead of darks, whites and colors. However, it’s always your best bet to separate or hand wash new clothes or heavily dyed items.
5. Email directory search
Did you know that you can look people up in the email directory of Eagle Mail? Yes, you can! Just go to type a new email, type the full name of the person into the “To” line, and click search directory.
Story continues below advertisement
6. Freeze bread
Buying food for you — and you alone — is great when you get the final say on buying Lucky Charms over Cheerios, but wasting food is a daily struggle. One thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is whether or not your bread gets moldy quickly. Just stick it in the freezer, and when you want toast or a sandwich, take what you need out and put the rest back. Your bread will last longer, and you can avoid the frustration of wanting toast but only having stale bread.
Buying food for you — and you alone — is great when you get the final say on buying Lucky Charms over Cheerios, but wasting food is a daily struggle. One thing you shouldn’t have to worry about is whether or not your bread gets moldy quickly. Just stick it in the freezer, and when you want toast or a sandwich, take what you need out and put the rest back. Your bread will last longer, and you can avoid the frustration of wanting toast but only having stale bread.
7. Magnet for bobby pins
Bobby pins are inanimate magicians, disappearing as soon as you need them. However, if you get a magnetic strip, most bobby pins will stick to it. Just stick this magnetic strip into your drawer or on your dresser and you’ll always know where to find bobby pins.
8. DIY coasters
Nothing is worse than those cup marks on your coffee table that don’t ever seem to come out. Coasters are surprisingly expensive, but corkboard isn’t. You can buy corkboard, cut it into smaller squares, and easily glue scrabble letters or print pictures and put them on the corkboard to make your own unique coasters. Just make sure to put some Mod Podge on top before you put drinks on there.
Bobby pins are inanimate magicians, disappearing as soon as you need them. However, if you get a magnetic strip, most bobby pins will stick to it. Just stick this magnetic strip into your drawer or on your dresser and you’ll always know where to find bobby pins.
8. DIY coasters
Nothing is worse than those cup marks on your coffee table that don’t ever seem to come out. Coasters are surprisingly expensive, but corkboard isn’t. You can buy corkboard, cut it into smaller squares, and easily glue scrabble letters or print pictures and put them on the corkboard to make your own unique coasters. Just make sure to put some Mod Podge on top before you put drinks on there.
9. Resnet
Did you know that as a student you can watch free movies in housing? Well, you can! If you go to http:// movies.resnet.fgcu.edu/#/ browse, you can browse through movies. When you don’t feel like going out or you just want to watch a movie, definitely check this website out!
College can be hard, but your critical thinking skills will greatly increase as you find shortcuts to do things. With these tips and tricks, you may save a little time and money. Why work harder when you can work smarter? Good luck, Eagles!
Did you know that as a student you can watch free movies in housing? Well, you can! If you go to http:// movies.resnet.fgcu.edu/#/ browse, you can browse through movies. When you don’t feel like going out or you just want to watch a movie, definitely check this website out!
College can be hard, but your critical thinking skills will greatly increase as you find shortcuts to do things. With these tips and tricks, you may save a little time and money. Why work harder when you can work smarter? Good luck, Eagles!
