Great College Life Hacks

OKEMOS, Mich., – In just a few short weeks, hundreds of thousands of American students will be embarking on a life-changing transition to college. These incoming freshmen will finally experience what it's like to live on their own with increased independence - but this also means more responsibilities. They'll have to learn how to do their own laundry (if they don't know how yet), handle disagreements with roommates, and take a crack at cooking their own meals. To reduce the stress on incoming freshmen, we've compiled a list of great college life hacks to make organizing, cooking, and adulting a much easier transition.

1. Use Pop Can Tabs to Save Closet Space

Hanging pop can tabs from your hangers will give you extra room in case you're running out of closet space. Sharing a small space with roommates can be stressful, especially if you both have large wardrobes, so doing this will free up some extra room and help with closet organization. Plus, you can pair outfits together that will look good to save you time when you're getting ready in the morning!

2. Reward Yourself While You Study

Here's a great way to stay focused while you study for your big exam: buy your favorite candy and place a piece at the end of every paragraph. You can reward yourself with a little snack for every portion you finish! Not only is it a delicious way to get studying done, but studies have shown that it actually helps to improve your memory quite a bit by using the reward system in your brain.

3. Color Code Your Keys

Organize your dorm, home, and whatever other keys you may have by color coding them! Using nail polish and tape, color coding your keys only takes a couple minutes and will save you the hassle of trying to figure out which key you need all the time. Follow these steps to make unique key designs that you can mark so you won't have to shuffle through your keyring every day!

4. Keep the Change

Collecting loose can be an awesome way to save extra money you may otherwise misplace. Keeping a jar on your wall or in a convenient location can help you save up money for new dorm decorations, a night out with your friends, or even a new vehicle, if you're feeling ambitious! Before you know it, you'll be filling and refilling the jar as the weeks go on and you'll have more spending money!

5. Save Dresser Space

The next time you do laundry, fold your clothes and stack them vertically to make extra room for all of your clothing! You'll be able to see what your shirts look like and will save a lot of space for your whole wardrobe. It saves you time in the morning and can make a huge difference in the long run!

6. Coffee Pot Cooking

Believe it or not, your coffee pot can work like a mini stovetop, too! You can cook noodles, warm up cheese dip, or even make some oatmeal in the morning! Cooking With Your Coffee Maker is a blog full of recipes that can be created with a few ingredients and a simple coffee maker. When you've got a hunger that dorm food can't quite satisfy, coffee pot cooking may be the answer to your problems!

7. Turn Your Cup Into a Speaker

You'll never oversleep again with a cup alarm! Place your phone in a cup overnight and the sound of your alarm will be amplified by sound barrier of the glass. Put it on your desk or dresser so you'll have no choice to get up to turn it off, and before you know it, you'll be up and out of bed, ready to take on the morning. You can even use it to play music at a higher volume while you study or hang out with friends!

Make freshmen move-in easier with these great college life hacks. Getting a full taste of independence can be exciting, but managing responsibilities is extremely important and will help students grow into fully functioning adults. Whether you're moving in to college yourself, or you're helping your child move in, you can decorate a dorm easily with some easy-to-make art projects! Save even more money with these quick and easy DIY projects, and learn some amazingly easy summer recipes to bring some homestyle cooking skills up to school!

Located conveniently just outside of Lansing, Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is here to help you with your car buying and servicing needs. Our goal is to create a transparent experience and a comfortable environment for all of our valuable customers. If you have any questions, or would like to schedule an appointment, reach us at (517) 349-8300, or stop by the dealership at 1748 W. Grand River in Okemos, MI 48864

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