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The Communicator 05.17.2018
Section Front
MacGyver DIY
Makenna Lillis
The Communicator The name MacGyver popped up in the 80s due to his hit TV show as an agent who used scientific knowledge to escape deadly situations. One of MacGyver’s most famous contraptions was a gas mask he created out of half of an empty soda bottle, tubes from a bicycle wheel, and some wet newspaper. Here are three MacGyver themed DIY’s, but instead of using them to save the world, they can give you a loophole for college troubles. With summer coming up, the cheapest vacation college students can take is a camping trip. Creating a fire pit is the most essential task to keep warm on your trip. MacGyver’s solution to this is as simple as it is effective: add pine sap to your pit, this goo from pine trees is highly flammable. Step 1. First, locate the nearest pine tree from your campgrounds. Step 2. Hack the bark away
with your choice of chopping tool (machete, axe, etc..) from the sapwood about 3 feet above the tree roots, and about 10 inches wide. Step 3. Scrape the bark away to expose about a 6 inch tall section of sapwood. Step 4. Collect all pieces of wood covered in sap and add to your pre made fire pit. Step 5. And last, take a match or lighter and light these pieces. This next DIY is for the college students who need to improve their organizational skills. You do not have to go out and spend $20 on new grouping containers when you can use: empty toilet paper rolls, your choice of colorful paper, glue, scissors, clear tape, and paper clips. Step 1. First, take your paper and wrap it around each of your empty toilet paper rolls, separately. Tape the paper to the sides of the rolls and measure the length so there is about an inch of extra paper at the top. Step 2. Once your paper covers the rolls, make slits about 2 cm apart of the extra paper at the top.
Thrift Fashion Carlie Houn
The Communicator For most college students, looking good can lead to feeling good. While most people head to their local Macy’s or Hollister, thrifting is one option to save money while also dressing the way you want, whether that be professionally, casually or sporty. Hunting down a majority of the local thrift stores in Spokane can provide not only a lot of variety of clothing items but also a lot of inspiration. According to Debate.org when you put something on you want to feel like you ‘own it’, the mistake most people make is thinking that in order to be able to ‘own it’ you have to pay a spendy price. Not true; many of the greatest things you find in your closet could be from thrift stores. A skill with thrift shopping is keeping in mind that because it may be cheaper does not mean it’s ‘trashy’. When people donate to thrift stores there
You will want to glue the strips and fold them into the inside of the toilet paper rolls. This will be the top of your item holder. Step 3. Lay all of your rolls on their sides to where the bottoms are facing you. Attach paper clips to the bottoms to connect all of your rolls. Step 4. Lastly, stand your connected rolls up and add your prefered items! The last DIY is for those college students who can’t go a day without coffee, but refuse to spend $300 on a Keurig. This is what you will need for this makeshift coffee maker: coffee mug, a toss-away coffee cups, a paper coffee filter (preferably the basket type), your favorite type of brew drip coffee, a rubber band or paper clips, enough hot water for a one cup of coffee, a knife or other cutting instrument Step 1. First, take your tossaway coffee cups. Flip it upside down and cut out the bottom. Step 2. Take the filter, and form it into a vague cone shape. Stuff it into the bottom of the toss-away cup (where the tip of the cone is towards the top of the
is the chance that you could find any brand of clothing. “I found a pair of Lululemon leggings at Value Village for $12,” said Abigail Sims, an avid thrift shopper, “and a Patagonia t-shirt for ten.” Simple things paired together can create a modest and confident look, for example, doing some research on thrift stores in your area can find you a workout outfit. Granted, it can be hard to find name brand pieces in thrift stores that’s why it is important to look for clothing items that look similar to the look you’re going for. “I found a $7 homecoming dress that looked almost exactly like one I wanted from Nordstroms last year,” said Kelly Hyle, a shopper found at one of the local thrift stores in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “It was even better though because it was the same-ish fit but the waistline was cuter in my opinion and it was different than what everyone else had.” Though it has been a pop culture stereotype that girls are the only ones who care about shopping, thrifting can be an avenue for guys as well. www.communicatoronline.org
Editor: Jasmine D’Amico sfcc.jasmine.damico@gmail.com
cup), and fold about half of an inch over the lip. Use your rubber band, or paper clips, to secure the filter. Step 3. Put your prefered amount of coffee grounds into the filter (two tablespoons is about one cup). Step 4. Carefully prop the loaded toss-away cup with your filter on top of your empty mug. Step 5. Slowly pour your hot water into the filter until it’s just about to the rim of your mug. As it empties out, add more of the water until you’ve added it all. Step 6. Finally, add your creamer and sugar as you please and drink!
Madison Pearson | The Communicator
“All I wear anymore is what I get from Value Village,” said a local shopper Matt Hoffman. Baseball caps and flannels are always on the move, coming and going in local thrift stores in the area. Not that the “trucker” look is all that’s available for guys; Plato’s Closet is a great avenue for finding brand names such as Nike and Adidas, you can find anything from sweatpants to dress slacks for a really inexpensive price. Ultimately thrifting can express your style because you can find pieces unlike no other, and when you get to express yourself, you feel better about yourself.