While in college, the spring semester always seemed to follow too closely on the heels of the first. I’d just finished celebrating Christmas and New Year’s and then, boom, it was time to fork up that Best Buy giftcard Granny had given me to buy some supplies. I always seemed to need more than I’d realized. It was like all my pens, pencils, and binders had somehow gotten sucked into a black hole in that interim between semesters. Plus, I usually needed a new book bag because my old one had gone out of style. (Those super-cute Vera Bradley bags were popular, but they were also $80.) 

Like me, you’re either preparing for the winter session (which–yipes– is only a week away!) or the spring semester. Either way, you need to restock those school supplies. If you don’t have a generous Granny like I do, don’t worry. There are still ways to save money this year!  

First of all, Blick Art Materials is offering a great 20%  off coupon here! You’re sure to find all you need at Blick, whether you’re an art or design major, trying out a couple creative classes, or just want to pick up some pens and paper.  Utrecht Art Supplies also provides students discounts. And finally, don’t forget to stop by the Unique Copy Center. Whether you’re designing a newsletter for your campus club, creating a mock-up for your magazine writing class, or have just run out of printer paper before your 20 page thesis is due, check out the Copy Center. And don’t forget this discount!

I wish you a great New Year and a great new semester! With these discounts, you’ll definitely have all the supplies you need to end the school year in style.

–Written by Megan Soyars, Campus Clipper Blogger

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Photo courtesy of EscapeYourDreams

When I became a junior in college, I stopped paying for my campus’ meal plan. Letting go of the meal plan was something of a bittersweet parting. I was saving nearly 100 a month, but I was missing out on all my cafeteria favorites, like the grilled-to-order burgers and the greasy but finger-lickin’ good chicken basket. Unlike many college campuses, Trinity University boasted a pretty decent cafeteria. I especially pined for the cafeteria’s “comfort food” line, which served up home-made favorites like chicken-fried steak and mac ‘n’ cheese. But I consoled myself with the fact that I was nearly 500 dollars richer, and headed to the local grocery store to pick up some….hmm, what fitted into my budget? Now that my food wasn’t being paid by my college tution, I had to fork up my own funds to get a meal. Looked like I could only afford Ramen noodles.  

But that was okay. I figured the all-Ramen noodle diet was a principle part of the college student’s existence. But does it have to be? There’s only a few ways you can spice up limp noodles and smallish gray chunks of “meat.” But never fear! Before you reach for that one dollar cup-a-soup, check out Whole Food’s weekly and very informative newsletter, The Whole Deal. The Whole Deals lets you know of money-saving grocery tips, so you don’t have to rely on noodles every other night the way I did. I found their recent article, “10 money-saving tips for shopping” useful, especially during this holiday season. I really appreciated their last tip, “Buy some baked goods.” As they mention, sometimes it’s better to “buy time than to buy all the ingredients to make [baked goods] from scratch.” I have to admit, between my internship and work, I didn’t have the time (or the requisite kitchen supplies) to make an apple pie. First of all, I needed a whisk, and I didn’t think a table spoon or a plastic knife I’d taken from McDonald’s would work. And Whole Food’s baked pies are more srumptious than anything I could come up with!

So remember to check out Whole Food’s newsletter for some more handy tips to stretch your dollar and add some variety to your menu. They also offer handy coupons  like this one, both through the Campus Clipper and their own website. Happy Holidays (and put down that pack of noddles)!  

-Written by Megan Soyars, Campus Clipper Blogger

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After graduating from college, I spent a summer working on a dude ranch in Wyoming. The closest town boasted several hundred people and two nightlife scenes—The Rustic Pine Bar and the Whiskey Creek Salon. Needless to say, my friends and I weren’t presented with many options during a Friday night on the town. After my season at the ranch ended, I headed to what felt like the other side of the world—that eclectic, multifarious mess that is New York City. I stepped out my front door and fell into a medley of bars, restaurants, and dance clubs. I was gleeful at the options, but they left my head spinning. Where should I head that night? Unless the friends I was with suggested something, I was utterly lost. It wasn’t like choosing between the rock/country vibe of Whiskey Creek or the slightly more upscale ambiance (i.e.—no deer heads on the wall) of the Rustic Pine.

But if you have our new book—the NYC Student Guide—handy, you don’t have to be stuck in a conundrum like I was my first weeks in NYC. The Guide informs you of the hottest places to hit around the city. No matter what your passion–salsa dancing, indie band concerts, or wine tasting, the Guide lets you know where you can find it.

Aside from suggestions on the social scene, our book also provides you with advice on studying, roommates, internships, and jobs; basically all you need to know about living your student life in NYC. And as you head out tonight, be thankful you have more places to party than the Rustic Pine! Thanks to the Guide, you know just where to find ’em.

E-mail us at clip@campusclipper.com to pre-order your copy of the NYC Student Guide at the affordable price of $9.95.

-Megan, Trinity University

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written by EKATERINA LALO

I sat down in my favorite restaurant with my friend. We were having a discussion about places we would like to go and clothes we liked to wear. I asked for a weird combination: a cup of Earl Grey tea and a slice of pizza.
When I got my tea, it was English Breakfast. I was upset, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I thought about how often we don’t listen to people or don’t want to understand them. In the meantime, I wasn’t listening to what my friend was telling me . . .
If it was me who wasn’t heard, I would be very offended. Why are we, people, so selfish?
We like to listen to things we agree with. “Thanks, I’m happy that you like my new dress. I bought it today,” a woman says happily, smiling at the gentleman complimenting her. If he said, on the contrary, “I think this color doesn’t suit you,” she would, most likely, give him a scornful look – even if he was right and she knew it. We don’t like to be criticized. But then how would we know that we are not doing as well as we could be?
I think the problem is that we take criticism as something purely negative. We believe that people don’t like us personally when they notice that our clothing doesn’t look nice or that we speak too loudly. However, in most cases, people who share their opinion with us are those who love us, who want to make us better, who kindly point out our mistakes so that we may correct them. We should listen to become better.
You may ask: shouldn’t we be faithful to our own opinion and choices? But how do we form an opinion? We make decisions based on agreement or disagreement with others. As far as I’m concerned, I chose a journalism major because I love to write, I am good at it, and I want to become even better. I need to be able to write in different genres, and I would love to write efficiently in at least three languages. So when I was choosing a major, I decided that studying journalism would give me a new writing perspective: impersonal and objective. I didn’t want to become a lawyer or a nurse like everybody else, even though many people advised me to go for something “more profitable.” I knew that even having a lot of money would not give me the self-satisfaction I get from writing.
But I listened to them, and I understand and support those people who think that money matters. I just also understand that liking what I do is more meaningful for me.
The simple truth: we don’t have to agree. We just need to listen to others; it helps to be more open-minded. If the only culture and mentality you know is your own, how would you know and appreciate your next-door neighbors in a city like New York, where everyone is different. Diversity helps us and at the same time, requires us to listen and understand.
As I was thinking about all that, my friend got angry at me because I did not hear what she said. In the meantime, the waiter came back with the right tea, and I told my friend, “I’m sorry, honey, I got upset about the tea.” She nodded.
And I kept pondering what was more important: her narrative, or my thoughts about listening and diversity.

EKATERINA LALO is a writer for Campus Clipper. You can read more of her thoughts on life and love in the Campus Clipper guidebook, “NYC Student Guide” due out this fall 2010.

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written by SABINA ASHBAUGH

July and August are quiet months when New Yorkers can flee the airless subway platforms and sizzling cement of the city by commuting to weekend houses in beach towns along the coast. For everyone else, however, the end of the summer can be a time to indulge in the luxury of staying in, or, for those without air conditioning, a time to seek out the indoor public spaces that offer refuge during the 102 degree heat waves.
When incentive to go outside wanes with every degree, reading is a way to stay entertained during weeks of self-imposed exile. In the midst of stifling humidity, you may find yourself unable to resist the easy mindlessness of the season’s reality television or blockbuster hits. Summer, however, doesn’t have to be a period of mental idleness. When avoiding crowds and too much direct sunlight, easy summer reading offers an escape from the boredom that can come from shutting oneself away.
This summer, Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy could be spotted on subways and beach towels across Manhattan. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a good hot weather choice when the temperature makes it all too easy to toss away anything dense before the end of the first chapter. The novel follows Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, an outcast by choice and perhaps the novel’s most winning character, as they investigate corrupt corporate officials and creepy family histories. Larsson’s characters are endearing, and the author’s clear and economic prose moves the story forward quickly. The novel’s many plot twists will impel readers to keep turning pages even when attention spans seem to dissipate with the heat.
Roberto Bolaño’s sprawling 2666 is just long and layered enough to make it difficult to finish during the busier months of the year. The novel, which is divided into five parts, traces the legacy of the fictional author Archimboldi and the lives of those searching for or connected to him. Bolaño zooms in on the violence of both WWII and the murders of the women of Santa Teresa, a thinly veiled reference to the deaths in Ciudad Juárez, to draw unexpected connections between the lives of the novel’s many characters. Sections such as those describing the Mexico deaths are difficult to read, while other parts are strangely lyrical—eerie descriptions of people and events that blend the distinction between the realistic and mystical. 2666 is an intricate work that will keep readers immersed in Bolaño’s world and out of Manhattan’s humidity.
Summer also provides the opportunity to read the lesser-known works of beloved classic authors. Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls is a great summer choice for those who cherished The Sun Also Rises or A Farewell to Arms. As in his other works, Hemingway’s prose is stark and ingeniously simple. The novel’s protagonist is Robert Jordan, an American fighting against the fascists during the Spanish Civil War. Hemingway’s account of the guerilla leaders in the mountains portrays the complexity of those who sacrificed for the Republic even as it began to fall. The story also revolves around Robert Jordan’s relationship with Maria—a love fraught with the complications of the war, doomed from the start. Hemingway’s book moves forward quickly, but the recollections of past cruelties and the perpetual uneasiness of the protagonist stays with the reader long after the final chapter. For Whom the Bell Tolls is a great summer read for long time Hemingway fans or those new to the author’s distinctive style.
The Internet offers perhaps the widest range of easy distraction at easy disposal. To keep your mind from completely melting, however, avoid hours of StumbleUpon and an online browsing to sites that require at least some mental activity. Most newspaper and magazine articles can now be found online, and the proliferation of blogs means almost everyone can create a list of fast daily reads. Literary sites like McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, which offers a variety of short and often hilarious works, are a good way to stay entertained while surfing the web. Book reviews like The New York Times’ Sunday Book Review are also available through the Internet. Reviews keep readers up to date on the latest publications while also giving them a sense of which books they’re more likely to enjoy. Twitter offers distraction in less than 140 characters, and comments from public figures like Roger Ebert can provide comic relief throughout the day.
Reading isn’t limited to being a stressful aspect of classes. It can also be a relaxing way to leave summer in the city behind. Reading for pleasure is an easy luxury reserved for the warmer months that serve as a hiatus from New York’s usually frantic pace. Use the heat as an excuse to browse local bookstores or check out new blogs while basking in the AC. Before the temperature dips below the 40s, enjoy the tail end of summer indoors by embracing the seasonal slow pace without dulling your mind.

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written by ELIZABETH SHERMAN

I have this theory about my hair. I’m convinced that once it grows out past my shoulders again, every man in Manhattan will think I’m beautiful, and I won’t go more than two days without snagging a boyfriend. Not that I remember what it takes to fool a man into dating me—its been nearly a year since I ended a tumultuous, three year relationship, and I haven’t come close to dating anyone since. But none of that matters: my happiness, my sanity, rests on the length of my hair.
Consider every Victoria Secret Model currently plastered across billboards and buses, the pictures of the most popular celebrities on the cover of almost every fashion magazine, or even the most popular girl from your high school. Each of these women have one trait in common: they all have long, soft, smooth locks of hair. Long hair represents femininity, and as a girl that’s had short hair since I was 12, I’ve often missed out on the pleasure of being considered feminine, in the most traditional, classical sense.  Over the years, I’ve succumbed to the belief that my love life will suddenly take off once I have long hair again.
In my experience, relationships have been tests- long, arduous, frustrating experiments in human emotion. Love has left me reevaluating my values, beliefs, ethics, all doubts about my character have surfaced, every scrap of self consciousness has emerged.  Though it seems bleak, for me, love’s ability to stir up the strongest, most passionate emotions is what draws me to it. The cliché is real, love hurts, and yet most people are dying to experience the mayhem, myself included. Love takes true dedication, a willingness to brave and embrace the potential chaos fearlessly. My over-active imagination might like me to believe that the only reason I’m still single in New York is because of the length of my hair, but in reality, I’m scared of falling in love.
As a successful student and writer, I’m used to working hard. But in both my writing and school work, I know there is going to be a tangible pay off at the end of the day: I can see my work published, and good grades result in the praise of my parents and my peers. Relationships are trickier. For most people, working hard in a relationship often does pay off in the long run, but people’s emotions are unpredictable. Sometimes, the people we love let us down, even when we spend all our time and energy ensuring they won’t; that’s just part of being in a relationship. What if I risk everything, (my sensitive emotions, my trust, all my secrets) and I end up heartbroken and alone all over again? I’ve taken a risk on a person whom I trusted, and he betrayed my trust without even blinking. Of course I’m scared now.
Yet I’m fully aware that there will always be some degree of risk when forging a new relationship, always some chance it won’t work out in the end. Failure is a natural aspect of being human. Not everything goes according to plan and I’m not perfect; I can’t force love on myself or anyone else. But on the off chance that it does work out, it’s usually worth the sacrifice just to experience the happiness that love brings.
I’m still learning how to forge successful relationships. Having the little experience that I have puts me in good shape, despite how dire things might look right now. Everyday I complain to my friends about how I’m still single, but rushing into something now would be a disaster for me. When I’m ready to face all my fear of failure and rejection with my head held high(short hair and all), I’ll deserve the love I desire.

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