Getting by while going to school can be hard, especially if you live in an expensive city. The good news is that there are several options for part time jobs that can really rake in the big bucks. All it takes is a little creativity and determination to get the job and keep the money rolling in.
If you’ve had a rough day of hitting the books then it’s time to get some fresh air and have some fun in the garden. If just sitting on the ground and looking up at the cloud isn’t enough to keep you entertained then perhaps some of these suggestions will be a better break from the books.
New York is an expensive city and it can be hard to get by with the necessities on a student budget, much less have fun. But there are plenty of things to do that do not cost a fortune and they are often more fun than any of the tourist attractions. So if you found a few extra bucks under the couch cushions, then here’s the five places that you should consider spending it.
My time as a student has been one of the happiest periods of my life so far. I made a number of new friends, partied far more than is sensible and gained a better understanding of who I am.
One aspect of student life I am not going to miss is having little to no money. If like me you enjoy keeping fit, but don’t have any funds to even contemplate a gym membership, here are my Top 4 tips for keeping fit on a budget.
Running
The number of benefits that you get from running is remarkable. In fact, if you break down nearly every sport or fitness activity, they all include some form of running. Whether it’s CrossFit, soccer, rugby or basketball, running is the core aspect.
Running is included in my Top 4 for a number of reasons, but the best one is it’s FREE. As long as you already have a good pair of shoes, socks, T-shirt/sweat shirt and shorts, you’re good to go.
You can run anywhere no matter where you live and it will never cost you a cent. All cities have parks, river walks and flights of stairs just waiting for you to run on. The countryside has even more to offer with hills, dirt tracks and wild weather conditions to keep your free training evolving.
Free Workout Videos
If you can’t get outside for whatever reason and you have access to the Internet, then you also have access to thousands of FREE workout videos. Youtube doesn’t just boast videos of funny cats or fashion blogs — you can also find some of the best workouts made by fitness trainers, gym enthusiasts and celebrities.
I have always been a big fan of workout DVDs, but as a student it was never within my budget to pay $50 or more, so when I discovered you could watch fitness workouts on Youtube, I was overjoyed.
Buy Secondhand Fitness Equipment
Fitness equipment is expensive. Just yesterday I was researching rowing machines, and even for a basic unit, the cost is around $400. This is way too expensive for someone on a budget, but there are other options.
The Internet is a wonderful place and if you are smart and patient you can find a number of secondhand pieces of fitness equipment at a fourth of the new price (Dsstuff.com).
You need to search websites like Ebay and Craigslist to find listings and auctions. These sites simply offer a place for people to sell unwanted fitness equipment and most of the time the equipment is in fairly new condition.
Join a Team
The university or college that you attend will have a number of teams and clubs that you can join for FREE. As a member of the team you will then have access to fitness equipment, sports halls/gym rooms and the team schedule of events.
During my time as a student I joined the running team and soccer team. This gave me access to pretty much every fitness option the university offered and best of all, it didn’t cost me a dime.
Anybody studying geology in a science class and constantly falling asleep? I can’t blame you. On the surface, it seems like there’s not much point in studying rocks – you might as well do an experiment on how slowly paint dries. I had exactly this issue when I was younger – there are areas of science that feel exciting and interesting, and others that feel tedious or just downright dull. However, as with a lot of things, I think once a person knows a little more about a particular topic, that whole subject area immediately becomes much more interesting. The key is to get over that initial hurdle of disinterest/boredom.
An example I like to give is with astronomy. Sitting in a classroom learning about the planets and how Saturn has rings – that isn’t really that interesting – on the other hand, once you get into red giants, white dwarfs, and black holes, suddenly astronomy becomes quite fascinating. Also, I’ve noticed that older folks tend to be much more interested in astronomy than people of my generation – and I believe this is due to the moon landing, which captured the imaginations of a whole generation, leading to an increased interest in astronomy and science overall.
Now, I can’t promise you a moon landing, but I can suggest an activity that might make whatever geology class you’re taking much more bearable. If there are any teachers out there, if you can get permission from your school, this can also make for a great field trip (much better than visiting a museum – schools don’t seem to get that kids generally HATE museums). The activity I’m talking about is rockhounding – going on an expedition to look for interesting and potentially valuable stones, rocks, and gems. Don’t try to educate yourself too much – just find a suitable area (you can find this information on google for your individual state/region), go there, and go looking for interesting stuff. Chances are, you won’t find anything truly valuable, but by the time you get home with your bag full of rocks, you’re going to be curious about whether or not you happened to be lucky enough to find something rare. You can try to figure out what you actually ended up with by using a resource specific to precious stones (this site has a great chart of a whole bunch of semi precious stones) or you can just trawl through wikipedia’s list of interesting stones here.
After you’ve tried to look up all the cool looking rocks and stones that you found, you’ll have just built yourself a foundation of geology knowledge. For especially engaged students or teachers, you can even try to make jewelry or other arts and crafts out of what you picked up whilst rockhounding – this will help you come to understand that rocks aren’t just rocks – many kinds of stones or gemstones can be exceedingly rare, and beyond that, even the most common forms of rock and stone often have many uses – they can be decorative, used for industrial purposes, and a whole host of other things.
This idea extends beyond just geology – tactile, novel experiences are inherently interesting, and sitting in a classroom reading a textbook is often not. If you want to overcome your boredom with a certain subject, go out there and try and learn about it in a more hands-on way – find out where stuff comes from, how it’s useful, and why you might want to learn more. If you can do this consistently, you won’t just be a good student – you’ll train yourself to be a curious, inquisitive person who never wants to stop learning, and this can trait can help you tremendously with achieving goals in your career and in your life.
This is a post I have been planning to do for some time, but I wanted to make sure I got some input from a friend of mine, Dave, who had signed up for EMT training CT based classes. He is 21 years old and basically decided that he wanted to find a career with good prospects for the future and also make a difference in people’s lives. The great thing about EMT careers is that there are multiple stages with different levels and amounts of training.
Anyway, about 4 weeks ago he passed his exams and is now registered at the basic EMT level. He didn’t even need to go looking for a job as during his practical work experience he had made some good connections and because he did so well in his exam and work experience they offered him a job right away. He has shared some tips with me and I want to pass those onto my readers.
Interact In Every Class
The classes are designed to be interactive and you should take every opportunity to get direct input and advice from the teachers. This will go an awful long way to help you prepare for the job. Instructors are experts in the field and they can show you exactly how to deal with all the different types of emergency situations you will find yourself in.
Ask Experienced EMTs For Help
Dave told me that on the first day of training he was given a list of people to contact for the work experience part of his training. That very same day he contacted them and met with a manager the following day. His on the job training wasn’t due to start for several weeks, but he decided to call in to his new boss once a week to talk through some of the stuff he was being taught. The information and additional hands on training he received this way helped an awful lot in his success.
Have All Your Paperwork Complete On Day One
In the weeks of training Dave saw a lot of his class mates take their time with some of the paper work that needed to be completed. To make sure there would be no delays in getting an exam date, he followed advice at EMTTrainingUSA.com and was the very first person to have all the paper work completed. This ensured that he was able to sit the exam immediately at the end of the training.
Do Practice Exams
The NREMT and your training provider are be able to hook you up with access to practice exams. It is incredibly beneficial to do several of these, as they will highlight any areas that you need to focus on. They will also help you build up confidence when you manage to pass the practice ones. Basic level EMT exams are not hugely complicated, but there is a lot to learn. You should also ask some qualified EMTs to go through some practical exam scenarios to help you build up some more experience.
Being a college student can be really stressful. There are papers that need to get done, projects to complete, deadlines to meet, and exams to prepare for. While it can also be fun because you have a sense of freedom, what you see in the movies can be farfetched from what happens in real life. In fact, some students don't even have time for a social life which really isn't good.
Take for example paralegal students. What is a paralegal exactly? Most people think that paralegals are merely secretaries of lawyers. The truth is, there is a lot of work involved in becoming certified. First, completing a paralegal certification course can take two or four years, depending on where you study and how much you want to learn. It is much like a crash course on becoming a lawyer because basically, paralegals work hand in hand with lawyers in lawsuits. Imagine trying to fit all that knowledge into 2 or 4 years? Not fun, right? The same goes for any other college degree.
Students get too engrossed in their school work that they forget how important downtime is. This is even more true if they're working students. With college being extremely expensive, most students need to take up jobs (some even have more than one!) so they won't end up in so much debt even before they graduate. That alone can be really stressful.
However, don't forget that balance between work and play is very important. Participating in fun activities will prevent you from wearing out because of the daily grind. Don't think that you don't have time to be playing around, there's always time. All you need to do is move your schedule around so you have at least a couple of hours over the weekend for your hobbies.
If you don't have a hobby, you can start by trying out activities available around your area one by one. Say you live near a lake, why not go out there to see what's going on? Fishing is an excellent outlet if you want to pass your time in a peaceful and serene environment. Some people even go as far as kayaking to the middle of the lake before casting off. It's a great form of therapy because you can spend hour alone in the middle of the lake waiting for a fish of bite your bait. Also, you can exercise by paddling. You don't have to buy a kayak just yet, there are places you can rent one. When you decide to finally buy one however, make sure to check out reviews on the best fishing kayak before you make a purchase. This will give you an idea on which kayaks are your money's worth.
Hobbies don't necessarily have to be sporty. Although many prefer activities that will allow them to stretch their muscles a little, there are many things you can do indoors aside from reading or watching TV. You can take up art classes, volunteer at animal shelters, or extend a hand at soup kitchens. The list is endless. All you need to do is figure out what activity will make you feel happiest.
Are you Looking for some extra cash for your next semester of study?
Why don’t you start by cutting costs on your biggest liability: your housing costs!
It seems like prices everywhere are on the rise nowadays; rent, textbooks, eating out, and especially the cost of household bills. As a student, you may be paying subsidised rent, however you still have to pay bills and these costs can add up quickly!
When it comes to household bill increases, water rates can often get out of hand. Here are some little known tips that you can use around your house (or dormitory) to save thousands in water Bills each year.
Please note, many of the following tips will require altercation of the property in some way so we advise you to get written permission from your landlord or housing provider before going ahead with the changes.
Pick up a low-flow shower head from your local department store and you could be well on your way to saving thousands. Low-flow shower heads cost between $18-$50 dollars and when combined with shorter shower times (try 5 minutes instead of 10) the cost savings can be huge. If you live in a larger house, you’ll see huge cost savings, especially over a period of 3-4 years.
Newer models have a handy ‘pause feature’ so when you’re washing with soap you can stop the water conveniently to save even more.
Here’s a tip: ask your landlord or housing provider if they will cover the costs of installation: As a student, you shouldn’t have to pay for house related upgrades.
Using a dual flush toilet allows you to control the level of water that your toilet is flushed with, which can really add up. When compared to a traditional toilet, a dual-flush toilet can save around 5 gallons per flush; that’s a big deal!
The average undetected leak can go on for weeks, months, and possibly years depending on how bad it is. It’s easy to ignore these small leaks – especially when you’re busy studying and partying! At the end of the day, you’ll have to pay the water bill so it’s wise to fix these issues as soon as you notice them.
This tip alone could save you thousands in water bills each year. A great way to easily check if you have a leak is to have a look at your ‘leak indicator’ which is located within your water meter. If the indicator spins while you’re not using any water, you can be sure you have a leak- now you just have to find it.
Installing a rainwater tank can save you an enormous amount of water depending on where you live, and how wet your neighbourhood is. If for some reason you can’t install a tank on your property, an alternative is to install ‘rainwater barrels’ to your downpipes.
Not only will rain water collection tanks provide you with free, clean water, but they will also do there part in maintaining the structural integrity of your home. Less moisture around the foundations of your house means less chance of structural problems in the future, and moisture is the number 1 cause of building foundation problems. Yes, it wont be you that has to deal with these problems if they arise, however moving house does cost money, and if a buildings foundations are deemed weak, legally you will have to relocate.
A water softening system is a unit that changes hard-water to soft-water as it enters your home. Hard water contains an excess of minerals such as Manganese, Iron, Magnesium and Calcium that can be an expensive nuisance for a home. These minerals are taken up in the underground water supply, and as water is heated in your home, they crystallize and stick to household surfaces.
Over time, scale deposit builds up and can block pipes; greatly reducing water flow, or even stains showers and sinks; issues that bring about costly repair bills. Those same scale deposits can make your hair and skin feel dry and brittle, forcing you to spend more money on skin creams and hair conditioners. Installing a water softening system will counteract the negative effects of hard water, thus eliminating scale build-up in your household appliances, saving you money in the long run. Find out more about the best water softeners at the Water Softener Critic.
With those 5 simple and easy tips, you could be well on your way to cutting your water bills by thousands each year.
Even though most of the changes will save you money in the long run, your landlord will also appreciate your attitude towards maintaining their household, and this will set up the basis for a great relationship during your study years. Who knows, they may like you so much that they will not increase your rent each year!
Get a little creative out of the classroom and start thinking about other ways you could save money around the home – you could be paying off that student debt of yours faster than you think!
Looking for a new hobby to pick up while studying at a university? Why not join an archery club? A lot of universities nowadays have archery clubs and oftentimes they are also equipped with sets of bows and arrows that you can rent or you can do some research and buy your own set. You can aim to become an Olympian and just practice it as a daily hobby. Archery is open to everyone and students can gain a lot from this interesting hobby. Below are some of the reasons why archery is such a cool hobby to learn.
As you can see there are plenty of good reasons why joining your college’s archery club can be a good idea. Even if there is none in your college, you can start one. All you need to do is find a suitable beginners bow sets (read about them in dedicated archery sites like this one), some arrows and targets and you are good to go.
Something that might be overlooked but needs to be addressed is your visual appearance. Most people will size you up in a matter of seconds based off of body language, your clothing, and personal grooming/hygiene. It might seem superficial to some but should not be overlooked I know that dressing for success means different things to different people and that the fashion scene is changing constantly. Here is a list that I have put together for people that are looking to either get promoted in the office place or going on their first date.
You never know who you will run into and where you will do it at. If you are presenting to an audience or searching for a job, you will have some time to prepare for the upcoming event, but what if you ran into a potential business partner while in the grocery store? Will that person take you seriously if you are wearing flip flops and a tank top? They still might, but it will take a lot more convincing. Here are some guidelines to follow for many occasions and circumstances.
It’s not the designer clothing, but how you wear it:
You can buy the best clothing on the market, but to pull off the look you will need to press your clothing or take it to the dry cleaners. Wearing fitted pants always helps and having polished shoes that stand out makes all the difference in the world. It may seem like a lot to ask, but you should tuck in that shirt and make sure the buttons line up. The details will always show and having everything in order before you walk out the door is important.
Raise the bar one step higher:
It is always important to know what your future prospects or employers are wearing. If they have sport coats on but no tie then you should add a tie to your outfit. You never want to overdress for the occasion or come off as arrogant, but you want to make them aware that you pay attention to the details.
Grooming is more important than your style:
In no way am I saying that you can wear an old t-shirt and pull off getting hired at an interview. What I am saying is that if you have a great outfit on and have bad breath, unkempt fingernails, or need help with men’s grooming (or women) it will show. Take the extra five minutes in the morning and work on the finer details.
Maintaining good body posture
Even I catch myself slumping down in the chair from time to time but as soon as I am conscious I correct my position. Walking with a purpose will show others that you are a leader and projects confidence. You shouldn’t overdue the body language at the same time and finding a healthy balance is key. Over time you will learn better habits and also have more energy.
If you are on a budget and can only afford a couple nice outfits, then start there. Wearing clothing that looks sharp will always help boost your confidence and help you on your path to your goals. If you are single and trying to land a date, following the advice above is crucial to attracting a partner. What do you want to say about yourself that is projected to others?
Video on dressing for success: