Housing Guide - Fall 2017

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HOUSING GUIDE

MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY MANKATO

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Making the best of out of a bad roommate situation MADISON DIEMERT Staff Writer You’re going to live with one at least once or twice in your life. A bad roommate. It happens especially in college whether you live in the dorms or an apartment or you share a house. And if you live in the dorms your lucky—most times they’ll allow you to switch rooms with someone else or move into another room completely. But if that’s not an option for you, it can seem nearly impossible to survive living with a bad roomie for a whole school year. But I am here to tell you it is possible.

A bad roommate is pretty subjective. It depends on what you think makes a bad roommate. It could be that they never do the dishes and turn their music up way to loud. Or they constantly have random people over when

you’re just trying to watch the new episode of Sherlock. Or maybe they randomly break out in song in their sleep.

All of those things can be extremely annoying, and to a certain point, unbearable.

But the best thing you can do is compromise. If they want to listen to the Weeknd full blast, that’s fine—but maybe ask them to do it when you’re not around. And if you are, ask them to keep it at a reasonable volume.

As for something like dishes, ask that they always put their dishes in the dishwasher right after they use them, or hand wash them if you don’t own a dishwasher. This seems like a bit of hassle, especially if you’re super busy, but it really helps.

Compromise can be used for most things, but if that doesn’t work, your best bet is to just put your foot down.

Let them know what they’re

doing annoys you or makes you angry. Now I’m not saying you should get into a screaming match with them, but you should be clear on what you don’t like, and ask them to stop or change up the way they do things.

If they still don’t budge, there’s not much else you can do from there. You could break your lease contract early if you live in an apartment or house, but that usually comes with a fine and then you have to find someone else to sublease it. That can be tough and a little expensive. So if that’s not something you want to do, you might be stuck living with that person for a while.

Trust me on this one, though—you will survive.

It just sucks. Living with another person is not easy, especially if they’re a stranger or even your best friend who you learn is obsessed with

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cockroaches or something.

(For real, move out if this is a thing.) What you don’t want to do, though, is be a bad roommate right back.

When you live with someone else, you should both want each other to feel safe and comfortable. A good roommate would make sure of that, even if they don’t always feel that way.

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Five tips on how to balance school and work STEPHANIE VOGEL Staff Writer So, you want to live in an apartment… First question: how will you pay the rent?

It is indeed possible to be a college student and to earn money at the same time.

Here are some tips on how to balance your work and school life.

1. Choose your job wisely. Try to find a part-time job that is flexible with hours.

That way, if you decide you need a day off, you can just let them know at least a week in advance. I recommend finding a job where you’ll work 20 hours a week or less, to give you time for everything else in your life.

Find a job that is close to campus, so you don’t spend a lot of time getting to and from the job, and you don’t spend as much money on gas. Pick a job where you

will not have to work a night shift, so you can get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

This will greatly improve your overall functionality.

2. Establish a routine.

If you have to get up early, say at 7 a.m., to get to your job on time, then get up at 7 a.m. every day. Your body and mind will get used to the routine, so you don’t have to go to work tired and unfocused. Eat a healthy breakfast before going to work to give you energy until your lunch break. After work, leave some time to relax before diving into school work. Take a shower, take a nap, or eat a snack so that later in the day, you can tackle all of your homework.

3. Positive attitude. It can be easy to slip into an irritable mood when thinking about work or while at work.

You can think, “Ugggh, I don’t want to go to work,” or

(CC BY-ND 2.0) by TMAB2003

“I really wish I wasn’t at work right now.” Yet if you retain a positive attitude surrounding work, you will realize that going to work really isn’t that bad, and might even find joy in your work. Just get up and do it without overthinking it.

If you don’t have time to go to the gym, but you have to stand a lot at your job, think of it as exercise that’s healthy for your body. You can also remind yourself that the job

is temporary, and you are going to college in the hope that you will find a career that will be more fulfilling.

Befriending your co-workers and perhaps going out to coffee with them can also help make your work a more positive experience.

4. Know your priorities.

Showing up to work is your main priority, since that is how you will earn money.

Spending time on homework and studying is your second priority, since you are paying to go to school, so you might as well get the most out of it.

However, if your work hours seem to be cutting into your homework time, consider talking with your boss about reducing your hours. Most bosses understand that college students also have to go to class and they will gladly accommodate for you if you have proven to be a loyal worker.

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Learn how to eat right on a tight college budget MARJAN HUSSEIN Staff Writer Maintaining a healthy diet while in college can prove to be a challenge as one feels overwhelmed at times since they are required to balance academics, work and all other aspects of life.

However, a healthy diet is crucial as it provides the energy needed for one to go about their day, plus what one eats impacts the brain, thus in a sense dictates the mood of the person.

Nutritious foods improve health and promotes weight loss as it is very easy for any college student to rely on junk food and stress eat when they feel strained. Although financial constraints are heavily present for most college students, consuming a variety of foods as well as eating plenty of produce is

(CC BY 2.0) by Luca Nebuloni

good for you. This means that eating a wide assortment of foods in moderation helps ensure one builds a strong immune system to combat any toxic substances that may be present in different kinds of food.

Consuming sufficient produce, which entails

incorporating green, yellow, orange, blue/purple and red into your diet, is as important as getting enough nutrients, such as fiber. These, along with other compounds in produce, help protect against harmful diseases.

Focusing on various deals, discounts and produce in

season is very beneficial especially to any college student trying to keep their expenses in check.

Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Campus Dietitian, Alexa Cournoyer, who aids the university in ensuring the nourishment provided on campus is wholesome, stated that a healthy diet is consuming all foods in moderation. Cournoyer says that one of the main things college students should focus on is figuring out how to maneuver the grocery store. Some basic tips she gave is creating a shopping list, finding a store one likes, staying on the perimeter of the store as most of the fresher, less packaged items are found there and making sure to stick to that

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Watch out for these unexpected financial situations ALISSA THIELGES News Editor Life is unpredictable. As a college student, it is likely that every cent you’ve earned and saved up is being pinched and stretched to its limit, which makes unexpected financial situations a huge burden.

In an ideal world, everything would be fine and dandy and you wouldn’t have to worry about the unexpected. But that’s not how the real world works, and emergencies arise or something pop up that you either forgot about or didn’t plan for.

Below is a list of things that could come up out of the blue that can take a chunk out of your next paycheck. Some of these are things to simply keep in mind while others are emergency

(CC BY-SA 2.0) by Marufish

situations that one should keep an emergency fund for.

Down deposits - This one should be an obvious one, but could easily slip one’s mind. When you are looking for an apartment or house to rent, make sure to account for the down deposit that you will need to give before

signing the lease.

Textbooks - Every college student’s nightmare. If you plan in advance and bargain shop online, you might be able to find some deals on the textbooks you need for class. If you wait for the start of the semester, though, you might be more limited

in your options. They can also be a huge money pit if you only end up using it a couple times and then can’t sell it back. My suggestion is to start looking as soon as you get your class list. The sooner you begin, the more likely you will be able to find some cheaper options. You can also reach out to your professors to get an idea of whether it would be better to buy or rent your textbook.

I have also found that, with textbooks that have multiple editions, you can sometimes get away with buying an older edition. You won’t be able to sell it back, but it’s usually about 80 percent cheaper, so you are still saving a lot of money by going that route.

Textbooks don’t usually cost very much, edition to edition;

FINANCES page 12

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&

Continued from page 6 list that you made. This helps students avoid any temptations that lead them to spending more money. One hint she gives that could be a money saver for students is to not shop when you are hungry as this can lead to grabbing unneeded items in the grocery store.

Maintaining a healthy diet is without a doubt a task for the majority of college students and making the change to something healthier in one’s diet is often the hardest part. Cournoyer states that when one is planning to change their diet, starting off slow and setting small goals to work on is the advice she would

give to college students.

Off-campus meal plans are also available for students who are living in non-university apartments and houses.

These plans offer a good start in balancing what one chooses to consume.

The meals plans also allow students to meet with Cournoyer for individual counseling which can help them get off to the right start when living on their own for the first time. In conclusion, maintaining a healthy diet may seem frustrating at first but once an individual makes it a habit it becomes less of a hassle.

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FINANCES

Continued from page 10 however, always check with your professor first, so you don’t end up having to buy the textbook twice.

Insurance - Car, medical, dental, rental…

Any insurance, if you aren’t on your parents account, can be expensive. Make sure to leave enough money in your account to pay for these. Some agencies offer discounts for good driving or good grades, so be sure to ask if your insurance has those.

High bills - Ideally, you should be able to monitor your utility use so that you can know ahead of time if one bill is going to be higher than the previous month’s.

However, sometimes that first bill is higher than you expected or there was a late fee from last month, which can raise the overall bill. Make sure to budget for these things so you don’t get

your water to electricity shut off on you.

Credit card statements - Credit cards payments can easily get you into financial troubles. If you’ve been using your credit card for a lot of payments, that statement for the end of the month might shock you. Suffice to say, credit cards should be used sparingly and paid off immediately in order to avoid paying interest.

Car services/troubles - Your car can become the ultimate money sucker if you aren’t careful. (Take it from someone who had to drop almost a grand in one weekend in car repairs.)

Keeping up on routine services, such as oil changes and tire rotations, can really save you in the long run. A safe bet is to take care of the problem as soon as you can before it ends up causing you even more trouble, as well as

costing you more money.

Medical bills - This one might be another situation where you’ll just have to keep an emergency fund for, since you can’t really plan for when you will get sick. Like with car services though, the sooner you can resolve and cure what ails you, the better off you will be long-term. Your health is one thing that you do not want to take chances with as it can affect your school work and your ability to go to your job, which, in the end, costs you money that you could be earning. Luckily, MNSU has a pharmacy and clinic right on campus for students to use.

The rates are usually reduced and the clinic takes most insurances.

Ticket/fines This unexpected cost can really come back to bite you.

Speeding tickets, DUIs, parking fines, etc. All of these

are a hassle and completely avoidable. Drive safe, follow the laws, and you will be able to avoid wasting your valuable time and money on these.

Animal expenses - If you are planning to live with any kind of pet that isn’t a fish, chances are you are going to have some unexpected expenses from them. From vet visits to ruined furniture, make sure to count on spending something extra on your furry (or scaly) friend on a regular basis. And please, if you don’t think you are going to be able to properly take care of your pet, refrain from adopting one while in college. There will be enough time later in your life when you are more financially stable to own a pet.

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Stress less with these helpful tips and suggestions EMMANUELLA SHOKARE Staff Writer Yes, there comes a time when we become overwhelmed and stressed out. Here are some tips on how to manage stress: 1. Planning: It is said that “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” First of all, it is a good idea to get a planner to write down deadlines for exams, assignments and other things that need to be done. This would help you keep track of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and what you have done. You can either have a paper copy or an online copy, such as the Outlook Calendar that every student has access through their MavMail. It is beneficial to always look at your planner to know what you need to do before officially starting your day.

2. Do not procrastinate: “Do it later may lead to doing it never,” is a common saying. Sometimes it is hard to start an assignment or an assigned class reading; you might be tempted to say, “I will do it tomorrow.”

It is better to do it now than tomorrow, as this will help you manage your time. You can do the assignment at the time you need to do it simply by disciplining yourself to do it at the appropriate time and not end up having so much work to do.

3. Eat healthy and get enough sleep: It is hard to get a good home-cooked/ healthy meal such as vegetables and whole grain while in college and even harder to keep up with eating healthy. But if you can find the time, maybe on a day you are less busy, in order to cook or maybe get some healthy food stocked up in your

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fridge, you can easily grab something healthy to go, or microwave a pre-made meal.

This would help you reduce the times and amounts of junk food you eat. Also, it is advisable to get enough sleep; it is hard to get to sleep at 3 a.m. and wake up for an 8 a.m. class. An adult need to get at least seven hours of sleep—this helps you retain your memory and also get enough rest after a long day of classes, assignment and, work.

4. Exercise: Sometimes

after a long day and having so much work to do, you become stressed and may just want to sleep; however, sometimes it is more beneficial to do at least 20 minutes of physical activity to reduce stress levels. Exercise can be anything from going for a run, to doing yoga, or even doing some deepbreathing meditations.

5. Get emotional support: Adjusting to college can be difficult and sometimes talking to someone about how you feel can go a long way to help reduce stress. You can meet with a friend or family member that will not be judgmental and is willing to listen to you, or you can go to the counseling center here at MNSU. Talking to someone and seeking help will help you adjust and reduce the amount of stress that you feel.

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