We all know that college can be far from glamorous. We jump at any mention of the word “free”, we pick the same “safe” foods from the Chartwells selection, and let’s not forget shower flip-flops. But even a tight budget, there are a few ways you can add little hints of luxury to your life.
1. Tiffany blue planner
I feel like the color Tiffany blue has a sort of mesmerizing appeal to a woman’s eye. Why wouldn’t you want to look at it on a daily basis? Papyrus makes a gorgeous weekly planner in turquoise that looks practically identical to the Tiffany brand planners. It’s an added bonus if you tie a white ribbon on the cover!
Papyrus planner: $29.95 for 2015 version, $3 for 2014 version
2. Nice nail polish
It is such a nice treat to look down while you are typing a seemingly endless research paper to see a beautiful manicure. And it will brighten your day when you know that you chose a very nice brand of nail polish. Two easily accessible brands are available at the bookstore on the Mount Carmel campus. The first, of course, is Butter London. Though it’s a bit on the pricier side, the quality is evident.
Butter London nail polish: $12 for color, $19 for treatment
At the more affordable end of the spectrum are Cover Girl nail polishes. You can find them toward the far side of the store in a smaller range of colors.
Cover Girl nail polish: $4.99 a bottle
3. Good coffee
If there is one morning ritual that most college students cannot live without, it’s coffee. I carry it with me every morning to class and although my Keurig is reliable, sometimes it doesn’t give me that coffeehouse taste. So I recommend treating yourself to some good coffee at one of two locations at least once a week. (These are both on campus!)
The first is the well-known Au Bon Pain. There are many types of coffee to choose from and you can have someone else make that perfect cup for you without the hassle.
Au Bon Pain coffee: Anywhere from $1.89- $4.19
Another great place to get your cup o’ joe is, surprisingly enough, the library. Though many are put off by the idea of their coffee coming from a vending machine, the library has some amazing blends. A personal favorite of mine is the French Vanilla Mocha.
Arnold Bernhard coffee: Only $1.00!
4. Teeth whitening treatment
Though it’s on more of the expensive side, a whitening treatment can leave you with dazzling teeth that are sure to brighten up your day—and everyone else’s. Our teeth are taxed by the coffee and tea we drink, not to mention soda, juice, tomatoes, blueberries and countless other potent foods. Refresh your teeth with a bright white smile and impress your peers, professors and future employers. This treatment is available at the bookstore.
Crest Whitening Treatment: $27.95
5. Put aside one afternoon a week
We all know that maintaining a beauty routine is a tough job. It’s so much easier when you have a scheduled time for it. Personally, I like to finish all my homework from the weekend on Sunday morning (or earlier!) and use the rest of the day to relax and unwind. Sometimes this means taking an extra-long shower and using a nice body scrub; other times it means that I do a DIY facial and perhaps paint my nails. Allow yourself a little time to relax every week and use that time to check in with yourself.
6. Put on lotion before bed
This is a great little routine that lets your body know that it’s time for bed. Using lotion is the greatest way to use the time you sleep as an extra beauty treatment. Giving yourself a little foot massage with some body lotion relieves your tired feet after walking from CAS back to your dorm, and when you wake up, your feet feel extra soft. (As an added bonus, it keeps the cuticles on your feet looking nice and prolongs your pedicure!)
Putting lotion on your legs after shaving them can delay the regrowth of stubble and leaves them feeling silky smooth the next day. Also, put lotion on any dry areas of your skin (for me, I usually put them on my elbows) or on any stretch marks that you still have from that high school growth spurt.
7. Have a nice screen saver
This list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of technology. It rules our lives and oftentimes we find ourselves staring, even at a blank screen, to have some sort of salvation in long lecture classes. Having an aesthetically pleasing screen saver will liven up your desktop. A favorite of mine is The Weather, City Edition; it’s a beautiful screen saver that gives you the date, time and weather (current, today and tomorrow) for the city that you are in (Hamden, CT!)
However, the screen saver currently doesn’t work on OSX Mavericks. So I have been using Fliquo, another minimalistic screen saver that makes the minutes in class seem to tick by just a little bit faster.
There you have it, Bobcats: my little list of things to make your college experience seem a little more fabulous than it actually is. So take a longer shower, file your nails, and set some “me” time. These little changes might keep you sane—at least for another few weeks ;)