How to Make a Beer Holder for the Shower

It's somewhat of a tradition here in our house to shower with a beer (separately) before we head out to party on the weekend. After doing it for quite sometime we got sick of having to drink the water that would find its way into our beer (because we had no place to put it but the ground). To fix this problem our good friend Greg came up with a genius way to have a beer holder for the shower.




What you need:

1 - Cup holder (found at any car parts store)
1- Suction Cup (found at local hardware store)


Break or cut the hanging piece of the cup holder










Attach the suction cup to the back of the holder














Hang it up, and have a beer!



















Cheers,

The College Kids

Make Wicked Cool Lights for the Dorm Room

I've seen some creative things for the dorm room, but these lights take the cake. They are relatively cheap and easy to make and give your room a cool "mood" light vibe.

How to Make a Lamp out of Vodka Bottles (or any other booze)

To add on top of this tutorial:

Many of my friends and I found that if you have empty bottles lying around such as the one in the picture, you can make your room glow with highlighters and water.

All you need to do is fill one of the bottles (or several) with water and add a few drops of highlighter ink to the water. Most highlighters can be taken apart on the top. Then grab a black light from WalMart or the dollar store. Just plug the black light in, and your good to go.

Enjoy!

The College Kids

Best Cheap College Foods

College Kids,

What cheap dorm foods do you guys usually eat?

Uriah
19 Years Old
Merrywood, GA

Uriah,

I have consulted the College Kid Brain Trust and come up with the Best Cheap College Foods:

Meals

Ramen Noodles

Ellio's Frozen Pizzas

Beans
Campbells Soup
Spaghetti
Annies Macaroni
Chef Boyardee
Oatmeal
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Snacks
Trail Mix
Popcorn
Goldfish
Cape Cod Potato Chips
Pretzels
French Bread

Drinks

Arizona Iced Tea
Cool Aid
Hot Tea
Generic Soda
64 Oz Gatorades
Water From a Brita Filter
4C Iced Tea

Also, Remember to clip coupons, wait for sales, and go to BJ's/Cosco's.

I hope this helped!

Cheers!

The College Kids

Making Your Dorm Room Look Nice

College Kids,

I really want to make my dorm look nice and be comfortable. Do you have any tips?

Mark
19 Years Old
Nassau Bay, TX

Mark,

Well Mark, we certainly do not blame you for wanting to hook your room up. Fortunately for you, us college kids happen to be experts at making small dirty dorm rooms look real nice. Here are our ideas:

Posters - Posters are the most essential element to giving you room life. They add your own personality and hide the ugly white walls. When your shopping, look for posters you have not seen before. You do not want to have the same Family Guy poster that three other people on your floor have. Try finding large poster stores or going online, I personally recommend allposters.com.
Good Lighting - You can not have a relaxing environment with those awful fluorescent lights they put in. Try bringing a nice lamp that gives off a softer light. You probably also want to bring a black light, Christmas lights, and a lava lamp as well. Just make sure your school lets you have lava lamps (I got mine confiscated freshman year).
Plants - Us college kids are big fans of house plants. They always add to the environment of your room and make it a more relaxing place. Plus, you can not beat the smell.
Fish/Reptile Tank - If you can handle the responsibility, having a fish or a reptile tank is a great add on to any dorm room. They are great to look at and it is always nice to have some kind of pet.
Beer Bottle Collection - Yes we know you see this everywhere, but we think it can add a lot to your room. Just make sure that your collection consist of quality beers.
Beanbag - Beanbags are the all purpose chair and they are amazing... enough said.
Good Rug - If you do not have a carpeted floor you are definitely going to want to get a good rug.
Plenty Of Fans - A lot of dorms do not have A/C, so unless you live way up north your going to want to bring something to keep you cool.
Things From Home - Whether it be pictures, art, shells, books, cards, yearbooks, or whatever, nothing makes you feel more at home than this stuff.

I hope this helped! Let us know if you have any other ways you make your room seem like home.

Cheers!

The College Kids

Dorm Room Must Haves

You are not going die with out them, but not having them can make you feel like you are going to die.

Lots Of Food/Drinks - The crappy cafeteria can get old quick. Your going to want some alternative food items. My advice: beg mom to take you food shopping.
Good Headphones - Sometimes you need to zone out into your own world and forget about everything else around you. Good headphones (with noise canceling) will always do the trick.
Condoms - You always want to have them in good supply because you never know when you will need them. When that time comes you do not want to be running around the dorm asking others if they can lend you one.
Ping Pong Balls - If you do not know what these are for, do not even bother.
Good Speakers - When your hanging out you want to be able to share your music with others.
Plus, bass wars are fun.
DVDs - These are perfect for a boring rainy day. Also, a good cure for hangovers.
As Much Music As You Possibly Can - You want to make sure you have a very big selection of music. At school you listen to music a lot and want to make sure you are not bored with your selection.

Cheers!

The College Kids

How College Will Change You (The Good, Bad, And In Between)

College Kids,

I've heard that a lot of people change after they go to college. Is this true?

Sam
18 Years Old
Sandusky, OH

Sam,

Absolutely. Moving out on your own is one of the biggest changes that will ever occur in your life. I have seen college change people in many ways, so the college kids and I came up with a few ways that many of us and our peers have changed. Some are good, some are bad, and some are in between. Just make sure you avoid the bad.

The Good

You Will Become More Mature

- This happens to almost everyone and is definitely a good thing. With in a few weeks you will have adjusted to life on your own and be totally comfortable being independent. That means doing what you want whenever you want to.

You Will Become More Open Minded

- One of my favorite things about being in college is all the different people and ideas you are exposed to. I grew up in a small town and it was refreshing to go to a school where there is at least one person from basically every country in the world. When you live in the dorms you will experience different ideas, cultures, and music.

You Will Appreciate The Small Things

-I do not quite know how or why, but college seems to make people more appreciative of the small things. Perhaps its the small dorms or crappy cafeteria food. Who knows. All I know is that I have never enjoyed playing Frisbee with my friends more than I have in college.

You Will Make TONS Of Friends

-Not to say that you do not have enough to begin with, but you will make all kinds of new friends once you move in. Of course, you might want to still hang on to your old friends, they could be your best.

The In Between

You Will Drink More Alcohol

- This is good or bad depending on your definition of "more". If "more" means only on the weekends, then "more" is good. If "more" means Monday through Sunday including all holidays then "more" is bad. You get the the point.

You Will Have More Hookups

- Most of the time this is a good thing. The only time this can be bad is if people start to know you as the girl/guy who hooks up with random people all the time. Then you might want to cool it a bit.

The Bad
Watch Your Weight

- I have seen this happen a thousand times. I even got out of shape my first year in college. All the bad food and lack of motivation to exercise can be a bad mix. My advice: go outside and get some fresh air. It will do the body (and mind) a lot of good.

You Will Have More Stress

- The college workload can put a lot of stress in your life. Added on to everything else this can be a real difficult challenge for college students. Everyone deals with stress differently. You should find ways that work for you. Whether it is exercise, reading a book, going out on the weekends, or meditation, you have to always take time for yourself.

You Will Get Bad Sleeping Habits

When you have to cram for a test sometimes you have to stay up late, very late. In fact, sometimes you have to stay up so late you never go to bed. Freshman, allow me to introduce you to the all-nighter. She is not fun and you want to avoid her at all cost. The best way to do this is by not procrastinating and scheduling your time.

The bottom line is that college will absolutely change you in some way. That is what makes it so great! The idea though, is to let it change you in a good way and not a bad way. It is also to let it change you in a way you want to be changed, and not in a way you do not want.


Cheers!

The College Kids

Commonly Forgotten Items

College Kids,

A few weeks back you had an article on common things students forget to bring to school with them. Do you have any more?

Cindy
18 Years Old
East Gardiner, OR

Cindy,

I consulted the College Kid Brain Trust and came up with a nice list of thing us or friends of ours have forgotten to bring.

Laundry Detergent - Never pay $1 for a loads worth of detergent, never.
Storage Bins - They are always handy to help you stay organized.
Alarm Clock - Because you do need to go to class at least sometimes.
Sandals - Because you do not want to be barefoot in those showers, trust me.
A Sports Related Item - For when you want to go outside and play Football or throw the Frisbee.
Towel - Duhhhhh.
Pictures From Home - They are always nice to have.
Toothbrush Case - So you wont have to worry about it falling on the floor.
Shower Caddy - Helps you keep all your shower stuff together.
Hangers - I seriously do not think anyone remembers these.
Swim Trunks - You never know when you might go swimming.
Finger Nail Clippers - Because your roommate is thinking the same thing you are :"I don't have to bring any, my roommate will".
Plastic Silverware - Very handy.
Fan - September can still be a very hot month.
Cellphone Charger - If you forget to bring this then your phone will die and you will not be able to call mom and have her send it to you.
A Hobby Related Item - You do not want to be stuck at school without your hobby. If you play guitar bring it!

I hope you liked our list! Please tell us if you think of anymore.

Cheers!

The College Kids

College Books Cheap

College Kids,

Last year I ended up spending around $500 a semester on books. Where can I go to get them for less?

Tom
19 Years Old
Hawaii

Tom

Books at school are a complete rip off and you should try and avoid the book store at all cost.

Here are some good alternate sources for textbooks:

Amazon.com - There are lots of good bookstores on the internet, but Amazon has a huge selection, sells both new and used, and is fairly cheap. Be careful of used ones though, shipping can sometimes take a while.
Facebook Marketplace - This one is new to a lot of us. Facebook Marketplace allows you to find people on your campus that want to sell you their book (or anything else for that matter). You then meet up with them and make the transaction happen.
Buy It From A Friend - That usually does not work during the first semester, but this winter you should check to see if someone you know has a book you need. Hell, they might just give it to you for free (or for a favor to be redeemed at any time).
Share It - My mother always said sharing is good. She was right unless, of course, it is for a book that you need to use every day. Remember, only share if it is a class that rarely uses the book.
eBay - You will always find great prices on eBay.

On a final note I must remind you all to make sure you know the right edition, make sure you actually need the book before you buy it, and of course, make sure you do indeed buy books. Sixty dollars for a book may be a lot, but it is nothing like the $800 you will spend retaking the course.

Remember, you are college educated adults and you do not have to let the bookstores screw you!

Cheers!

The College Kids

College Kid Life Saver

This genius in a bottle will save your life so many times it's kind of ridiculous. From your RA to that girl down the hall. Never go a semester without this incredible elixir.

At around $4 it's well worth it to stock pile up on Febreeze.

Buy some now!



That was my version of an infomercial...

Tips For College Students to Help the Environment

College Kids,

With global warming becoming a huge problem it seems like we are really screwed. What can I do to make a difference?


Tom
21 years old
Napa Valley, CA

Tom,

I am glad you asked this question, but before I give my response we must all be in equal understanding of this one fact: our politicians are not going the be the major force fixing global warming, we are. While most of us may not be able to pass laws or talk to the president we can make a difference in our own way. Global warming is the biggest problem of our generation, but if we ban together we can stop it. Our generation needs to rewrite the standard on how to take care of our precious resources. Anyways...my rants could go on and on...so here are my tips:

Be efficient- Turn off everything when you leave your room and when you go to bed. Many students get in the habit of leaving their computers on all night. This is bad because most computers use between 200 to 400 watts of power. To compare, most DVD players use about 25 watts and most televisions use about 100. For all you techies out there, here is an interesting article on building a greener computer.

Recycle - You can make a huge impact just by recycling your cans, glass, and paper. After every semester I always have piles of notes and test lying around. My college has places to recycle them, but if yours does not, find a recycling center in your area.

Skip the car - Try to use public transportation, your bike, or walking as opposed to using your car. In fact if you can you should try to get rid of your car all together. I live in the city and no longer having a car has helped me save lots on gas and help the environment.

Buy used when you can - Whether its books, DVDs, or furniture, buying used means there is one less thing getting manufactured (and it saves you $$$).

Download when you can - Now, I am not saying you should illegally download music and movies. I am saying you should use services like itunes or Napster and save the resources they would use to make the CD or DVD.

Plant a tree - This may seem pointless, but that tree you plant will "eat" around 2,000 lbs of carbon dioxide a year.

Say no to bags - You should bring your own bags to the supermarket and say no to bags when you buy small things. For example, do you really need a plastic bag for that cell phone charger you bought at Radio Shack?

Buy a refillable water bottle - Buying water bottles every day is just an awful waste. You should instead spend $5 to get a refillable one. Make sure you buy one though, refilling an actual water bottle can be very bad because eventually the plastic will start to degrade (yikes!).

Get Involved - If your college/city is not doing enough, tell them to change. If there is no change then petition them. Still nothing? Run for dean/mayor (okay, most colleges do not let you run for dean, but you get the point).

Tell a friend - If you do everything on this list and have a friend do everything too, then you have just doubled your impact.

At the end of the day it is not Tom's responsibility to make change. It is everyones responsibility. We are college educated adults and we can stop global warming. Good luck and power to the people!

Cheers,

The College Kids

Finding Cheap Furniture

College kids,

I am moving into an apartment in the fall and was wondering where are some good places to find furniture?


Angela
19 years old
New York, NY


Angela,

For most college students it can be very difficult to afford new furniture. Fortunately, with a small amount of effort, you can get every thing you need for little to no money. Here are some of the best places to find what you need:

• Yard sales - June is the best time of the year for yard sales so you definitely want to get on this. You will find all sorts of items at yard sales for dirt cheap. For example, my roommate got a brand new microwave for $10. What was wrong with it? Sometimes the open button gets stuck when you push it in. Yeah... besides that it works perfectly. Do not be afraid to negotiate either. Most people will cut you a deal, especially if you are a student.
• Craigslist - Cragslist is a great little site for finding stuff. The best thing is that you can find people that are selling stuff in your own area. Craiglist also has a free section. If you take the time you can find some great stuff for no cost.
• Other Students - At the end of each school year graduating students are usually eager to get rid of old furniture. Sometimes they even leave their stuff outside for others to pick up, but remember it is first come first serve.
• Unfinished furniture stores - If you must have new furniture but are on a budget you may want to try an unfinished furniture store. With these you can buy the furniture cheap, then paint/varnish it yourself.
• Family and friends - Probably the best way to get good free furniture is through the people you know. I could not believe how much furniture me and my roommate gathered up from our relatives and neighbors. Remember, you never know what uncle Ned or aunt Susie have laying around at their place. You might just get lucky and find the perfect end table for your new living room.

Here are some other tips as well:

-If you have an old couch that is worn down consider getting a couch cover. Putting one on can make your couch look almost brand new.

-If you have furniture that is broken or worn down consider fixing it before buying something else.

-If you have the time, check out the dump, you will be amazed at what people throw away.

Remember, you are a college educated adult and you can find some really great looking furniture for little to no cost. I hope these helped! Good luck!

Cheers,

The College kids

Furniture

College kids,

I am looking for some cheap, small, and comfortable furniture for my new dorm room. Any suggestions?

Jerry
18 years old
San Diego, CA


Jerry,

Having a piece of furniture that everyone loves is very important for your dorm room. I happened to stumble upon these gems right before freshman year. They are called foofs and they're incredible. You can get them in any size and there pretty cheap. I would say in a given semester my friends have passed out on it a good 30 times. I have the medium sized one I think, and it's the most comfortable thing I have ever sat in. Also, if your not interested in that you can always buy a futon from Walmart.

Cheers,
The College kids

Beruit Tables

College kids,

What has been the coolest beer pong table you guys have constructed?

Tom
18 years old
Boston, MA


Tom,

First of all, lets straighten things out and say that it's a beruit table, not beer pong. Believe me, I've been corrected way to many times myself.

I've personally only created two tables with the college kids, one of which was my idea. The idea that I had was to construct a table that entirely glows in the dark which is not to hard to do because you can just get black light responsive spray paint down at your local hardware store.

The other table we made for this year takes a little time to see it come together. We live near a city which is perfect for this cool but easy table. We went to Home depot and grabbed two pieces of plywood and put hinges on them so we could fold it up when not in use. Next we went downtown and raided every single store we could find for stickers, I mean every store. We came back with prob 200+ stickers, for free I might add. For the most part now, the table shows no wood, just stickers, so it gave it a cool look.

Feel free to use any one of those ideas and if you do make one send a picture here: pics@askacollegekid.com.

Cheers,

The College kids

Hole in the wall

College kids,

I saw your post on nail holes, but I have a little bit of a bigger problem. My buddy came home drunk one night and decided to punch a hole in th wall. How can I fix this little problem?

Jay
20 years old
New York


Jay,

First let me say, been there done that. I actually had a buddy who needed to fix this and he went to Home Depot where he asked a guy, "Where are the materials to fix a hole in the wall?, and he replied, "Fist or beer bottle?"

I have the perfect solution for you right here.
(VIA WikiHow.com)

Good luck,

The College kids

School Blocking Sites

College kids,

My school has begun to block sites on campus, and it is quite annoying. Is there anyway to get around this?

Billy
19 years old
Erie, PA


Billy,

Of course there is a way to get around this little problem. These so called "blockers" are just a small bump in the road. You can either do one of two things.

There are websites online called proxies, and what they do is hide your identity and usually allow you to browse the web from their site. Just google "free proxy", and you will be in the money.

Also, you can do this, but it is a little more complicated than the first.

-go to Start>Run
-type CMD
-When a black box pops up(command prompt) type in ping yourwebsite.com
-hit enter
-It will search some things and you will then see a string of numbers called an IP address, and from there copy that into the URL bar in your browser and you should be good to go.

Cheers,

The college kids

Dorm room repair

College Kids,

School is coming to a close for me and I have to take all my posters, signs, and graffiti off my dorm walls. I have many nail holes and my room was a canvas for sharpie art. How do I get it back to normal so I don't get charged from my school?

Ted
18 years old
Miami, FL



Ted,

I have been in the same boat as you before. When I go to school I go all out with decorating from black lights to posters over every inch of wall. One magical thing can help you with all this and that is, toothpaste. Toothpaste is a lifesaver when it comes to holes and sharpies. Make sure you have the closest color of toothpaste to your wall, most likely it's white, well...I hope it's white because that would open a whole other bucket of worms.

For holes:

• Apply the toothpaste to the hole

• Fill the hole

• Use a flat surface to even it out and flatten it

• No more hole

Sharpie or any other permanent maker:

• Take toothpaste and apply some to a rag

• Scrub the shit out of the wall

• Put some music on, maybe some Bob Marley because your going to be there for awhile.

Good Luck,

The college kids