ISSUE 38 // FEBRUARY 2020
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Hello everyone!
Editorial
This is our housing and decor edition, and we are so excited to share our stories and content with you. While UH is known as a commuter school, living on campus or nearby is very common, and knowing your options is good. The place you live is at should be home, so making an apartment, dorm, or house cozy and homey is something that’s really important. With this edition, we cover everything from decorating, cleaning, and choosing a place to live and call your home. We hope you enjoy this edition as much as we enjoyed putting it together. If you ever want to reach out with suggestions, content ideas, or just to say hi, feel free to contact me at cooglife@thedailycougar.com. We are always taking writers and contributors, and we would love to hear from you!
Layout and Editing
Ambarina Zenab, Executive Editor cooglife@thedailycougar.com
Cover Juana Garcia, Creative Assist
Graphics
Jiselle Santos, Creative Director
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February 2020
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Different Ways to Hang Photos
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Spicing Up Your Room for Spring Semester
10 Spring Cleaning Tips 13 On-Campus vs. Off-Campus 16 Lighting Up Your Dorm to Make it a Home 19 An Easy Enchilada Recipe 22 Studentification 24 Make Your Dorm Homey 27 Sustainable Cleaning 30 Dorm Essentials
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Written by Sydney Rose | Graphic by Jiselle Santos
Different ways to hang photos in your dorm room
With four empty walls and all the photos of your favorite memories, there is a lot you can do to decorate your dorm space. Photos, posters and other art can make a dorm really feel like home, and there are so many ways you can make it all work without using frames. COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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One of the classics that I tend to go with is a clothesline of photos. This idea is definitely all over the internet, but as a person with a lot of command strips and some strings, I was able to make it all work. Using those items, plus some clothespins, you can make a very cute picture display for your dorm wall.
Photos from Pexels
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If you are willing to go out and buy some materials, the corkboard cutout method might be for you. By the name of the method, you will need a corkboard for the background, and some scissors to turn your photos into proper cutouts. Then, all that’s left is to layer and pin or glue the cutouts into a collage on the corkboard and you’ve got a unique display of your friends and family.
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Finally, there’s the measure and tape way of doing things. If you don’t have any materials on you to hang your photos, no worries! Find a space on your wall where you would like the rows of photos and tape them to make the lines. If everything is space out neatly and organized, it will look very nice after it is done. Photos are probably one of the best ways to get to know a person, and having them up in your room makes for great decoration and conversation topics for guests.
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The only thing worse than coming back from winter break is coming back to a dull room! Taking down Christmas decor and fairy lights always breaks our heart a little. Spring semester is always a little more fun because we have a whole new year to look forward to! New wardrobe, fresh goals, and a craze for growth. Why not start off the new year with giving your own little space a new look?
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Fairy lights & flowers
Spring is all about flowers blooming, sunshine and rainbows (well maybe not exactly from the start if you live in Texas, but it’s coming y’all). Our favorite way to repurpose our fairy lights from our Christmas tree is to intertwine them with some fake flowers that we can find from Walmart, Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or even the dollar store! The flowers will bring a little color into your room and will make your little space feel more cozy.
Decor Pillows
With all this rain Houston is bringing us, we would love to just snuggle up with some extra pillows in the morning before our 8ams until we absolutely need to go get ready for class! Pillows are the easiest way to add some pizzazz to your rooms. Target has adorable pillows that will make your room feel chic and homey. Sewing a pillow can also be another alternative if you want a personalized pillow just for you. These also make a great gift for your roommate or friends!
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Candles
As much as we want to keep our gingerbread cookies and vanilla bean noel candles lit all year long, we have to trade them in with some of our spring candles. Candles can be quite expensive, but places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Ross have good quality candles that will have your entire place smelling like heaven!
Books
Book stores like Half Priced Books and Recycled Books have novels from all types of genres that you can add to your coffee tables or desks that will not only turn out to be a great read but will also add an aesthetic touch to your rooms. Our favorite books to display are books that strike our interests such as art, photography, museums, fashions, etc.
Art prints
Our favorite way to change up our rooms is to add some dope prints to our walls and frames! There are so many talented and amazing artists out there that create breathtaking prints that can make your room go from dull to glam! Etsy and Instagram are the perfect place to find freelance creatives that showcase their art to the world. Supporting our fellow peers should always be something we look forward to doing! We hope one of these gave you some idea on how to spice up your room for spring semester!
Plants
Adding greenery to any room always brightens up the area. Bamboo plants or small succulents are the best way to change the vibe from winter to spring! Small plants are very easy to find at places like Target, HEB, or even Ikea. Adding them to your window sills, nightstands, or desk will definitely make your room feel fresh and ready to conquer the new semester!
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Spring cleaning tips to keep your home tidy and organized Written by Rubab Ali | Graphics by Jiselle Santos It’s always a hassle tidying up after the holiday season and moving back to the dorms and apartments! Putting away all the things you brought back from the break and making room for all the books and red bulls we’ll be needing this semester will take some work, but we got you covered with some helpful tips!
Cleaning out closets and donating
Let’s be real, our closets hold more than we wear. Cleaning out our closets is the best way to declutter and donate some clothes to the less fortunate. There are many Goodwills and thrift stores in the area that take donations all year round. Just make a big bag of clothes and drop it off to the nearest location. More room for you to put (or buy) new clothes! 10
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Foldable dress organizer
Dresser organizers are our favorite way to store little knick-knacks that we don't necessarily use every day but still need to keep just in case we ever do need them. These cubbies are easily found anywhere and everywhere. Amazon is the most affordable and easiest place to buy these in bulk. They come in handy and make our tiny areas look more organized. In other words, they make our messes look less messy.
Storage containers
Utilizing storage containers to store our heavy jackets or clothes that we won't be needing for the semester helps ease up some room in our dressers. Using containers will keep the clothes in a neat area. It will also be easy to carry if need be.
Emptying out your kitchen
We don't know who needs to read this, but keeping old ramen cups in the pantry is useless. Cleaning out your kitchen and throwing away items from your fridge will help your meals stay on track. Sometimes, we feel like our fridges are full because of all the leftover food we stick in there, but really we have nothing in our fridge besides condiments and ice. Tossing everything that you don't need anymore will give you a better idea of what you need to buy, and will help with meal planning if necessary.
Sweeping under appliances and furniture
We don't realize how much dust is collected under our couches, rugs, and stoves. Dusting and sweeping under these big appliances and furniture will help your place feel brand new. Sweep and mop under these pieces and see the huge differences it brings to your homes. You’ll thank us later! After following these tasks, make sure to do your usual mopping, vacuuming, and dusting to ensure that you have gotten all the areas of your little home. Stay on top of keeping your area neat and tidy by at least dusting and vacuuming every week or so to minimize it getting dirty.
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Where to live as a college student: oncampus vs. off-campus
Written by Tyler Campbell |Graphics by Jiselle Santos Congratulations, you have finally been accepted into a university. Many debate on whether to go to a university out of state or to stay in their hometown. After several weeks of decision making and evaluating your situation, you have yet another choice to make. Will you live on-campus or off-campus? Several factors will likely weigh in on your decision. If you don’t have a dependable means of transportation, then this decision may be evident. However, in the case that the decision is solely up to your personal preference, there are a few components that you should consider. It may benefit you to grab a yellow legal pad to write down the pros and cons, but this article would be a great start. Here are a few factors that should be considered when deciding where to live as a college student. COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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The Commute
This will likely be the most crucial factor to consider if you enjoy your sleep as much as I do. Living off-campus can be a nice breath of fresh air from the demanding nature of college life. However, you must consider traffic to and from campus. In Houston, you may need to leave your home as early as 6:30am to get to your 8am class. This doesn’t take into account extra time for coffee and breakfast. If you live on campus, you can pretty much roll out of bed 15 minutes before class and make it on time. If you choose to live off-campus, I suggest scheduling all of your courses on 2-3 days out of the week to reduce the headache and money spent on gas.
Relationships
It is said that a person will likely acquire their life-long friendships during the college years. This will be much more difficult when you live off-campus. You will probably miss several events that come up last minute, or you may not feel like driving across town to attend them. There is also the possibility of a bond being formed between your roommate and yourself. Many people become close friends with their roommate over time. However, the opposite is possible, and you may hate your roommate and thus hate your life. Yikes!
Convenience
There is nothing like a midday nap in between classes. If you live on campus, you can casually go to your dorm and revitalize. If you live off-campus, this becomes a bit more complicated. If you live close by, then I suppose that you can take a quick road trip, but you’ll most likely lose that great parking spot you got. The option is to take a nap in the car, but this is not quite as satisfying. This also pertains to food. If you get hungry, you can get a quick snack from your dorm. When you live off-campus, you will constantly be forced to purchase food. If you choose to live off-campus, then you should definitely look into a meal plan package.
Financial
Living on-campus can be very expensive. Dorm rooms are not included in the already hefty tuition cost. You can definitely save a few grand staying at your parent’s house, but some would argue that you aren’t getting the full college experience. What you save in money, you will make up for in time. Parking and gas must also be taken into consideration. Parking passes aren’t cheap, and gas money can add up quickly, so choose wisely. 14
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Dorm Room
Living in a dorm can be a lot of fun if you have a roommate that you get along with. If you dislike your roommate, it is certainly not as fun. Dorm rooms aren’t huge, so if you guys don’t get along, it can quickly become intolerable. There are also RA’s to consider. RA’s will do random room checks that your parents will most likely not do. Then again, that depends on your parents. Students will also be required to move out during summer breaks and at some campuses even during the winter break. Moving is a real pain to most people, so keep this in mind when making your decision.
Concluding Thoughts
There are definitely pros and cons to living on or off-campus. Living on-campus will likely better resemble the college life that you saw on television growing up, but this isn’t possible for everybody. The important part is that you get your degree. So, pick what works best for you and do what you got to do.
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Lighting up your dorm to make it a home Writing and Photos by Anna Baker Living in a dorm can be great. Your commute is short, you get a meal plan, and best of all, you get the dorm living experience! But living in a dorm can be‌ not always the most comfortable thing. The floors are hard and cold, and the lights are harsh. It can be hard to feel at home in your dorm but there are a lot of things you can do to make it a home. Here are some ways to cozy up your dorm room using light.
String lights
String lights are a great way to make your dorm feel a little more personalized. They act as great wall 16
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decor, while also making the space feel more warm-- especially if they emit a more orange hue. Plus, you can turn all the other lights off and just have the string lights on for some ambience. String lights can make you feel cozy, while also acting as a fun decoration!
lot of work at your desk, it can be nice to move it so that it faces your window. That way when you’re doing homework, you can roll up the blinds and enjoy the natural light! This can also help prevent you from straining your eyes.
Warm Bedside Lamp
Whether you want to bathe in the natural light or set the mood, the way you light your room can be very effective. Find what works for you. The important thing is to feel at home, in your new home.
Having a lamp next to your bed is not only useful but also relaxing. At night, it’s nice to turn off the overhead light and turn on your lamp. The dimness can help bring your energy level down while the warm lighting can allow you to feel more sleepy. Fluorescent lighting, which is often used in dorm lighting, can actually delay melatonin, which induces sleep, so it’s good to turn on a lamp at night to make sure you can sleep.
Warm Desk Lamp
If you’re working late into the night, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still feel cozy. Having a desk lamp with warm light can be nice. Be sure to buy bulbs that are 2700 to 3000 Kelvin. These types of bulbs give off a warm yellow light which gives a warm and hopefully comforting feeling when you’re burning the midnight oil.
Face Your Desk Towards the Window
This doesn’t involve any actual electricity, just rearranging furniture to make sure you get more light in your room! Sometimes dorm rooms can feel dark, even with the overhead fluorescents on. If you do a COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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Cooking on campus: an easy enchilada recipe
Written by Bryana Torres-Martinez | Graphics by Jiselle Santos
Living away from home can be difficult. From being in a new environment to being apart from family, adjusting isn’t always an easy feat. One thing we tend to compromise on is the food. Although UH does have a variety of great dining options, the only option we don’t have is a home-cooked meal. Of course, this isn’t the fault of UH, but there’s nothing like a meal made especially for you. There’s more to food than frozen meals, dining halls, and fast food. Putting in the time to cook yourself a meal can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Although it may feel impossible to do this, especially when living in dorms with a shared kitchen, this can be an amazing opportunity to come together with roommates and get cooking! Not only does this cut costs, but gives you an opportunity for a fun night in. COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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Just this past weekend, my roommate and I decided we’d try to make ourselves dinner. After walking around Costco, searching for an inexpensive meal idea, we settled on making chicken enchiladas. Here’s what we used: 1. Pre-cooked chicken 2. Enchilada sauce (green or red, we used both) 3. Mexican style grated cheese 4. Corn tortillas 5. Salt (to taste) 6. Oil
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Now that we had our ingredients, we went back to our dorm to make ourselves a delicious dinner. Here’s what we did: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
First, preheated our oven to 350 degrees. Then, we shredded and lightly salted chicken in a bowl. Next, we heated up tortillas in the microwave to get them ready to roll. After that we heated up our sauces and oiled our baking pan. Then we filled tortillas with chicken and cheese and rolled them up. Next we laid them in the pan, one after another. Once our rolled tortillas were in the pan, we poured our sauces on top. Adding a second layer is optional, we had extra so we added a second. Finally, we topped it all off with cheese and put it in the oven!
After 30 long minutes in the oven, our meal was ready. The aroma alone made going the extra mile to make dinner for ourselves so worth it. With the help of a roommate, it’s easy to make an inexpensive, mouthwatering meal yourselves. Cooking is definitely not impossible here at UH, and I would say it’s even fun! Next time you’re feeling hungry for a meal just for you, try our recipe or find one that suits your appetite. In the kitchen, there’s no limit! COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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Studentification: the effect on the surrounding community Written by Tyler Campbell |Graphics by Jiselle Santos Studentification is a process in which particular neighborhoods experience a significant influx of student residents. Studentification, like gentrification, is often condemned by established residents. Of course, education is great; therefore, universities are great. However, the members of a community are far more than the student population alone. Some people intentionally move to these college towns because they enjoy the environment. Others choose to remain in the community years after they have graduated. These individuals seem to prefer to live in these areas. What positive aspects encourage a person to live in a college town? What are the negatives? Universities have several effects on the surrounding communities. Some can be negative or positive depending on personal preference, while others are not as debatable. These effects can be physical, social, cultural, or economical. 22
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the upgrades to the physical environment can result in increased prices for non-students to live in the area During the semester, many businesses such as coffee shops, restaurants, liquor stores, and local markets gain as well as decreased levels of owner-occupation. Many residents will likely become frustrated with increased revenue due to the student population. Depending traffic and limited parking. Neighborhoods that were on the city, this can also positively affect taxi and once quiet may become noisy and busy. This is due to uber sales. I am sure that these businesses welcome the aforementioned fresh energy that will be brought students with open arms. There are also students that to the city. There will likely be more competition for do volunteer work and internships. This can be very local jobs, which will negatively impact non-student beneficial to businesses and volunteer organizations residents. Established residents may be displaced that can use the extra pair of hands. Additionally, with the student population. This population is full students can have a positive social impact on the of young people with similar interests and lifestyles. communities. Students can bring fresh and positive This will lead to particular types of retail and service energy to an area and bring dull neighborhoods back infrastructure being built in abundance. to life. A good example of this is sports teams. A great sports team can inspire unity in the community, as well as provide entertainment. Speaking of entertainment, Closing thoughts students often have art shows, theater, and musical Studentification seems to be a double-edged sword performances that can be an excellent form of to the surrounding neighborhoods. However, if the entertainment for residents. Many times, these events established residents can adjust, they may grow to are free or relatively cheap. Finally, it is not uncommon appreciate university life. If given adequate time, the for areas surrounding universities to get upgrades community and university will likely intertwine and to the physical environment. This can include new grow to support each other. Unfortunately, before that buildings, streets, and homes. happens, there may need to be some adjustments to how these transitions are handled.
Positive effects
Negative effects
Unfortunately, there are some adverse effects on neighborhoods that surround universities. For starters,
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How to make your dorm room feel like home Story by Raven Wuebker | Photos from Pexels
The transition from home to dorm room is only one of many things to change when entering college. Since your dorm is your new home, it's important to feel comfortable in your new living space--- even if that means you have to share it with a stranger. Here are a few tips to make your shared space feel like your personal home away from home.
Get a rug
If your dorm room is anything like mine, then the floor is freezing in the mornings. A small rug beside your bed will give you something soft and warm to step on--- not only in the mornings, but also when you return to your dorm from the shower. This will make your dorm feel more like homey and warmer. 24
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Pillow top for your mattress
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What the dorm beds lack in size can be made up for with comfort. Buying a pillow top for your dorm mattress not only gives you something more comfortable to sleep on, but also something new. Although dorm beds are not too old for sanitary reasons, putting a mattress topper gives you peace of mind about the bed you’re sleeping on for the school year. Who knows, your dorm bed could be as comfortable as the bed you left back home.
Air freshener
The air in the dorms can become stale after the room has been unlived in after a while. When picking out which air freshener you like, try to get one that reminds you of home. This way you will have a familiar smell that will bring you comfort, even in a new surrounding.
Air Humidifier/ Fan
As previously stated, dorm rooms can become stuffy due to air being poorly circulated. Having an air humidifier or a fan can keep your dorm room cool and comfortable when returning from class.
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Make it Personal
Adding things to your room such as posters, flags, lights, blankets and memories of home will help you adjust to your new life living in a dorm. Making the space yours will give you something to look forward to at the end of the day.
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Sustainably getting rid of stuff: decluttering and cleaning without waste Written by Anna Baker | Photos from Pexels Getting rid of stuff is great. Going into our closets and drawers and purging some things that we don’t need anymore can clear up clutter, stress, and make us feel better. There are often clothes we haven’t worn in years, and things we forgot we even had. It may seem easy to just drop by a Goodwill and donate them but that might not be the best idea in terms of sustainability. According to Savers 2018 State of Reuse Report, only 7% of people “think they should be buying pre-owned clothing and household goods.” However, 28% of people think they should donate clothes. With more people donating and less buying, thrift shops end up throwing away a lot of the stuff that’s donated. This means a lot of clothes end up in landfills, creating more plastic waste on our planet. COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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However, there are better ways to get rid of your unwanted clutter.
and you can earn money too, which is always nice.
Sell it on Poshmark or Facebook Marketplace
If you don’t care about making a buck, you can always just directly give your things to people. Think of families who have kids your size. You can also invite your friends over to peruse the things you’re giving away and see if they want anything. If you’re purging your room for the first time, you’ll likely find a lot of stuff from your childhood you don’t need anymore and that can always be given to families with children. During holidays, bring a box of old stuff for your little cousins to look through. Most likely, they’ll find something they like. By giving your belongings away directly, you can guarantee that they will go to
In the past few years Poshmark has become a very popular app for buying and selling clothes. Because people are directly buying the clothes sold on the app, it’s more likely that they want the clothes, and therefore will keep the clothes. They’re less likely to end up in a landfill. There’s also Facebook marketplace which functions similarly, and is for all things, not just clothes. From wall decor to dining room tables, you can sell anything on Facebook marketplace. Selling your clothes online is a great way to get rid of them 28
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Give it to friends/family
someone who will use them.
Host a garage sale
It can feel amazing to get rid of stuff you don’t need anymore, but it can feel even more amazing if you do it responsibly.
If you still want to make money by getting rid of your belongings, but don’t want to do it online, host a garage sale! This of course isn’t for everyone, as it really only works for people who live in the suburbs. If you can manage it, however, it can be a great way to get rid of stuff. Many people go to garage sales to get furniture, so if you want to get rid of your unused items, a garage sale is a good idea.
Donate clothes to certain retailers
Some clothing companies like The North Face and H&M have been taking donated clothes from people and giving them discounts in return. The North Face’s donations go to a non-profit called Soles4Souls, which distributes clothes to people in need instead of landfills. H&M takes donated clothes and donates them to local recycling plants. All you need to do is take a bag of your unwanted clothes to either store, and you can get a discount in return! It’s a bonus. There are lots of ways to get rid of your belongings that don’t involve thrift stores. It can be good to explore some of these options first, and if all else fails, you can always drop off some bags at a local Goodwill. COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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Dorm essentials that every college student should bring when moving in
Written by Bryana Torres-Martinez | Graphic by Jiselle Santos It may be hard to decide what to take when moving away from home, especially if you’re moving away for the first time. Nonetheless, there’s no need to worry, we have you covered on some dorm room essentials to make living away from home easier!
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@ellecollectiontmc @verdirhermannpark
Outdoor Grilling Area • Attached Garages* • Free Wi-Fi in Common Areas 24-hour Fitness Center Access • 24-hour Package Pick up
*1 BEDROOMS STARTING AT $979*
*in select units/locations *prices subject to change daily
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// FEBRUARY 2020
For many people, one of the biggest adjustments of living in college dorms is the mattress. For us college students, sleep is a crucial component in our academic success. A great way to improve your sleep is the addition of a mattress pad. A mattress pad can be a determining factor in how comfortable and well you are sleeping. With a mattress pad helping you get quality sleep, of course it had to make our list of dorm room essentials. Next on our list is one of the most convenient items to have. A shower caddy makes getting ready and getting in and out of the bathroom as trouble-free as possible. Having everything you need in one place makes it effortless to just pick up and go. Not only does this save you time while getting ready, it keeps you organized and leaves everything you need available and accessible. We could not recommend buying one enough! Now, these next two technically aren’t necessarily essential for living in a dorm, but they definitely are essential decor. No item of decor is more synonymous with college students as tapestries are. They’re a goto for most students living in dorms and are a great starting point for room decor. String lights and lamps are also a common way to not only enhance the lighting in your room but to brighten up your living space!
Organization is a critical skill for college life. The importance of time management alone can make or break your academic success. A great way to avoid procrastination is to have a large, visible, calendar in your room. Whether it’s a desk calendar or a dry erase one, it’ll help you hold yourself accountable for your assignments and lead you to success! A calendar is a great investment for your room and your academic career here at UH. This next one is essential for my coffee enthusiasts. Keurig’s are an easy, affordable way to get in your caffeine for the day, while in the comfort of your own dorm. Not only does this save money, but it saves you those extra twenty minutes from a morning run to Starbucks. There aren’t many reasons why we wouldn’t recommend getting one in your dorm room! These were just a few of our top picks out of many essentials that could make your transition into the dorms a lot smoother. From better sleep, to the decor, or to getting in your morning cup of coffee, we hope you benefit from these tips and put them to the test! Investing in yourself and your education can help you succeed in your academic journey here at UH. We wish you all the best for this new semester, and remember, Go Coogs! COOGLIFE // FEBRUARY 2020
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CREDIT
Wednesday // February 12th 11 A.M.- 2 P.M. // Student Center Plaza
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HTX 2BR MNTCOUCH OR T RW
DEPOSIT LEASE POOL PET-FRIENDLY RENT DRYER MI CASA ES SU CASA THE HEIGHTS
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FREE T-SHIRTS!
Visit 6 tents to receive a stamp! Once you collect all 6 stamps you will receive a free t-shirt. (while supplies last)