DO use the textbook rental program
A big change when making the transition to college is having to buy your own textbooks for class. This can be extremely expensive if you don’t spend the proper time to research and look for the best options for each class. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Cabrini has a textbook rental program through our school bookstore, eFollet. Instead of buying that science textbook that you will only use for one semester at $200, why not just rent it for a much lower price? With the bookstore, you can do just that. For a majority of my classes, I’ve used the rental program through the bookstore. This semester the program helped me save to the point where I only spent a total of $55 on textbooks.
Don’t buy a printer
Once again, this will save you some money if you make the choice to attend Cabrini. It’s truly not worth spending money on a new printer and ink when you can use the library for free. Yes, that’s right, for free. Using your Cabrini login information, visit the library and print anything you may need for no cost. Each semester, students are allotted a particular number of prints, varying by major. In my experience, throughout my 3 years here at Cabrini, I have not even come close to running out of prints. So save that money and use the library printer!
Do bring a microwave
A lot of people are confused when packing for college on what they can and cannot bring. Here at Cabrini, students are permitted to bring a microwave with them to use in the residence halls. Bringing a microwave can be a lifesaver to many, as sometimes it’s the perfect way to just make that quick cup of Mac n’ cheese before class! You will find that it can be hard at times to always make full meal periods, so having a microwave can help you big time when trying to fit a meal into your busy college schedule.
Don’t be shy, get involved!
Cabrini has dozens of clubs, athletic teams, intramural sports, and on/off-campus events all-year long! Take advantage of these to get more involved with the school community. By attending some of the events, you may meet some of your lifelong friends and the ones you’ll enjoy every second of college with. So if you see there is a bingo night on Friday, don’t even think about it, just go! I promise in the end, you will regret more of what you didn’t do then what you did do.
Do use student discounts
This has to be one of the biggest perks of being in college. I will miss many of these discounts dearly when I graduate from Cabrini. There is an extremely long list of businesses that will offer student discounts, so if there are any places you are interested in, I would always ask! As for opportunities you can take advantage of right here on campus, you can buy $5 Regal movie tickets, $5 round-trip SEPTA regional rail tickets, discounted events to museums and amusement parks, and much more! Always carry your Cabrini student ID with you wherever you go and inquire about a discount. It could save you some serious money!
Don’t stay in your room 24/7, explore!
This is one of the biggest things I was told coming into college. A lot of people tend to just hide in their rooms, never becoming involved with what a school has to offer. Avoid doing this. In the end, you will regret it completely. As for a school like Cabrini, there are hundreds of things to do in the Greater Philadelphia area and beyond. Take advantage of not only the city of Philadelphia which is nearby, but also not too far New York City and Washington DC. College will be the best four years of your life and it is truly what you make of it!