DIY holiday craft

Each year at the start of the winter season, one decoration that is frequently seen is the advent calendar. For anyone who may not know what exactly that is, it’s a calendar that counts down the days to Christmas. Typically, each date has small doors that have either a picture or a treat hidden behind them. Online, they range from $5 to over $100. For college students, spending money on a calendar that will only be used for a short time each year seems irrationally extravagant. Here’s a unique do-it-yourself calendar you can easily make for a reasonable price:

You will need:

A wine box or two—they are already sectioned off for you

Scissors or a box cutter

Construction paper

Glue/Tape

Markers

Anything else you may want to use to decorate your calendar

Small gifts to fill your calendar

Instructions:

1. Cut the box and the spacers in half so that you can have two half boxes and two sets of spacers.

2. Close the ends, stack the boxes and glue them together. If you want a full 25-day calendar, you will need a second box.

3. Glue or tape the construction paper to the closed sides and decorate as you please.

4. Label the bottom of the squares with the number of days until Christmas or cut doors out of construction paper to cover the holes where the presents go and label them with the count down.

5. Fill the cubes with your treats and enjoy your count down.

This DIY craft will be much larger than your average advent calendar, but it’s a lot of fun to make.

How to survive, thrive while living on your own

For many students, living away at college is the first time living away from parents or guardians. Students may not be used to the myriad of things that come with living on your own like buying groceries or doing your own laundry. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of the experience and how to survive on your own.

One of the first things to remember is to budget your money. You are a college student and, even with a job here, you may not be able to buy everything you want. Go to the dollar store often. They have surprisingly decent items there. The same goes for the food at Walmart and Aldi.

Instead of running to the store every time you need something, grab everything you need all at once when you go, even if you still have a bit of something left. This will save you time, energy and—if you have a vehicle—gas money. It’s also a good idea to buy in bulk whenever you can, especially on things you use daily like personal hygiene items. For example, grabbing a two-pack of toothpaste will end up being cheaper than buying toothpaste individually. Another good money-saving tip is to clip coupons. It doesn't matter how dorky you think it makes you or how much you get picked on—clip those coupons. You'll be amazed at how much money you save in the long run.

When it comes to food, cook it in advance. At home, your parents or guardians might have cooked dinner for you. Even living on campus, you could have had food provided for you through campus meals. If you’re in an apartment, however, you probably have to fend for yourself. Even if you live in a dorm, sometimes you’ll need a bite to eat after the dining halls close. You might just crave homemade food. One day each weekend, make plans to sit down and pre-cook a few meals for the week. That way—even on your busiest days and latest nights—you'll have food that will be ready to eat and filling.

Picking one specific day to do laundry is a good way to establish a routine and not waste money. Make sure you have quarters if you’re in a house or apartment that requires them. Like cooking, laundry is time-consuming. If you don’t keep up with it, you may find yourself stressed out when you need to throw on an outfit before running to class. Maintaining a good laundry regiment will save you a lot of unnecessary headaches and mismatched outfits.

Doing your best to follow these tips can help you eliminate a lot of excess stress and spending in your life. Being in college is hard enough. Take the time to do things to make your life a little easier and you’ll be surprised at how much better you feel overall.

Stay safe, smart, and informed: Don't forget alcohol policies in Geneseo

With a new school year underway, many students enjoy going out to celebrate—oftentimes drinking alcohol. As with anything else that has age restrictions, there are some things that need to be kept in mind when going out with friends. Underage drinking is illegal. Unless you are 21 years old or older, you could get in trouble. That's commonplace knowledge, of course, but there are other rules in place on the Geneseo campus which students tend to be less familiar with.

Geneseo is not a dry campus; students of legal age are permitted to have alcohol in their dorms. Alcoholic beverages may only be stored and consumed in designated areas, however, and only with others 21 years old or older. For example, it is within the rules to store and consume alcohol in a personal dorm room, but not public areas like building lounges, rec rooms or laundry rooms.

According to Geneseo’s “Policies and Procedures” section of the student handbook, even in a personal room, a student of legal drinking age cannot have in possession more alcohol than what is considered enough for “private, individual consumption.” Additionally, students of any age are not permitted to drink at college-sponsored events unless it is otherwise stated.

There are a few other common things that one can get in trouble for. According to New York State law, charging or asking for “donations” for entrance to an event where alcohol is freely provided is illegal—especially if the organization does not have a liquor license.

In addition, the purchase of alcohol for a minor is illegal, and the use of fake identification is a class D felony in New York. By using one, you put a lot at stake and can suffer severe legal consequences. Another important rule to keep in mind is that open containers in public are always prohibited, regardless of one’s age.

A final thing to remember is a new law regarding parties that was unanimously voted on by the Village Board of Geneseo this past spring on April 20. This Social Host Law drastically alters the punishment for hosts of gatherings at which alcohol or illegal substances are provided to a minor. Hosts can now face up to $500 as well as possible jail time. Such significant consequences should be taken seriously and strongly considered when making party-planning decisions.