Beginning and transitioning to college life can be challenging and overwhelming for anyone. I remember feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and worried constantly. Getting used to new finances and living on a budget can be stressful. Throughout my time at Cabrini, I have found ways to reduce the stress and anxiety with the following college life hacks and tips.
Scholarships
The best way to avoid student debt is by applying to both internal (offered by the school) and external scholarships (offered by outside organizations). These are the most helpful types of financial aid because they do not have to be paid back. Cabrini offers scholarships based on financial need and academic excellence. Cabrini also offers endowed scholarships for returning students based on major, GPA, career goals, and extracurricular involvement. You can find and apply to external scholarships through this Scholarships finder site. You can also use other scholarship tools such as Fastweb.
Textbooks
Textbooks are incorporated into almost all classwork and assignments in college and can be very expensive. I would suggest you rent the books you need for non-major classes (such as core classes) and buy the ones you need for major classes. Renting is usually less expensive than buying books. You can always find a list of required course materials at the Campus Store. I buy and rent most of my textbooks from Chegg, the Cabrini Campus Store, and Amazon Prime. You can also find some books at the Holy Spirit Library. I was able to check out books from the library for one of my English classes, so I would suggest checking the University library or your local library to find books before renting or buying.
Discounts
College students have the opportunity to get Amazon Prime, Spotify, a subscription to Apple Music, and more at discounted rates. You can get Amazon Prime free for 6 months before paying $59 a year after the free trial period. This is also great for when you need books or when renovating your dorm room. You can get Spotify for $4.99/month. When you sign up for Apple Music as a student, you also get a free Apple TV subscription. Apart from these discounts, you are also eligible to get a student checking account for some banks such as TD or Wells Fargo. You can also get discounted tickets for movies, the train and more through Cabrini's SEaL office.
Microsoft Office Suite
I learned about this during my freshman year, Cabrini students are eligible to download the Microsoft Office Suite including PowerPoint, Word, and Excel for free during their time as undergraduate students! You can download the suite through your outlook drive onto your computer. I use Microsoft Office all the time for assignments and classwork.
Resources on Campus
Cabrini offers several resources to help you with academics, health, and career planning. The Academic Enrichment Center offers tutoring for math, writing, and many other subject area courses to students in Rooymans Hall. Health Services helps with sickness or illness and they offer inexpensive flu shots. The Center for Career and Professional Development offers tools to enhance resumes and write graduate school applications along with internship preparation and opportunities.
Dorm Hacks
Make your experience as a resident student more comfortable and stress-free with the following tips and tricks. If you have trouble getting up in the morning, put your phone in a glass cup as that will amplify your alarm music and make it louder for you to hear. Make space in your drawer or closet by folding your clothes vertically so you don’t have to dig through clothes and can easily spot what you want to wear. If you have multiple keys, try using duck tape or washi tape to distinguish them and enhance your creativity.