Tag Archives: summer

August 3, 2012

Summer Fun Never Felt So Cool

Filed under: College Life, Seasonal Celebrations - Angelina
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Summer is about having fun and relaxing. Sometimes that can be hard in serious heat. If you’ve been watching the news lately, you know that half the U.S. is under a nasty heat wave. Arizona has been experiencing temperatures up to 109 degrees, and it’s estimated that 30 people have died from heat-related causes. This is a great reminder that it’s important to keep cool in the summer. Not all college students have air conditioning, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of ways to still keep cool, and have fun doing it.

Ice Ice Baby

Admit it. You still drink Kool-Aid, right? Luckily, this is one thing it’s okay to never outgrow because in the summertime, Kool-Aid ice cubes can be your best friend. Pick your favorite flavor, mix it up in a pitcher, then pour some in one or two ice cube trays to suck on later. You can even add the ice cubes to a glass of water for a kick of flavor. Or you can try this recipe from Food Network for delicious margarita pops.

Frozen Ice Popsicle

Photo © Growing a Green Family

Catch Up on Some Flicks

If it’s 90+ degrees outside, try catching a double feature at your local movie theater. Close your blinds, lock up the house, and go see two or three movies back to back. Their air conditioning will definitely cool you down while you enjoy summer flicks!

Movie Theater

Photo © Faisal_M

Get Soaked

Invite a bunch of friends over to have a water balloon fight outside or at a nearby park. Make teams and dress the part with team colors! Bonus points if someone brings water guns. This would be perfect to do when you get back on campus with some college friends in a wide open area, just don’t hit someone that is not in on the fun.

Water Gun Fight

Photo © nicubunu.photo

Go Ice-Skating

Some indoor rinks are open year round, so grab a friend or a date and hit the ice! If you’re with friends, play a game of Red Light, Green Light, or Freeze Tag (just try not to hit anyone else not playing).

Group Ice Skating

Photo © ChineseLaowai

Make sure you enjoy the summer sun and have some fun before heading back to school, just keep hydrated and wear loose, light-colored clothing. Just because it’s hot out, doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun!

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July 30, 2012

Guide to Summer Romance on a Budget – BookRenter Infographic

Filed under: College Life, Social Life/Relationships, Tips - Social Community Manager
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In summer, the world is a college student’s proverbial oyster. You can go anywhere, see anything, and meet anyone. It probably helps that summer is oyster season, too. BBQ’ed oysters, YUMMM.

Food cravings aside, we created a guide summer romances, along with some interesting stats on meeting that special someone who will make your heart flutter. Keep these tips in mind to keep a new romance afloat, or it may fizzle (unless that’s what you were going for – which is OK, too). Good luck in the love department!

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July 22, 2012

Summer Break Destinations That Don’t Break the Bank

Filed under: College Life, Travel & Abroad - Social Community Manager
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Summer movies almost always include a scene with a group of friends driving down on a highway on a road trip with a cliché sunset in the background. Getting a driver’s license in the US is a rite of passage for teenagers and college students. Holding that license is like a ticket to freedom.

Summer road trips with my college friends are echoes of drives taken by previous generations. In 2009, I took a road trip with a friend, whose dad had driven the same route 30 years earlier. Road trips are also a great way to travel cheaply. A couple of mixed-CDs, a cooler of snacks, a roadmap, and a full tank of gas will make the world your oyster.

But summer break vacations can be expensive without travel included. Having to pay for meals and board can quickly add up. For college students, outdoor activities can be active or relaxing, and offer the biggest break on your wallet.

 

National Parks

giraffes

Photo © Krug6

State and city websites will list national/state parks or federally protected land located nearby. These parks can have picnic or camping areas and are beautiful scenic destinations. They may ask for a daily parking fee, but it’s a small price to pay to protect from forest fires and support upkeep of the land.

Beaches

If you’re lucky enough to live near one, beaches are a great summer destination. Even a couple-hours drive or weekend trip can be worth feeling the sand between your toes. Physically, visits to the ocean are good for your body and anytime out in the sun will up your D3 intake.

Concerts & Festivals

If you are able to throw a few extra dollars aside, then concerts and festivals are the way to go for music lovers. Sasquatch, EDC, and Coachella are all opening acts to the line-ups over summer on the West Coast. All across the US, major summer festivals include Bonnaroo, Identity, Warped Tour, Lollapalooza and Outside Lands.  A quick search online will give you the websites for all of the above concerts and many more.

Happy summer traveling! Don’t forget to keep those windows down!

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July 20, 2012

Cool Dinners for Hot Days

Filed under: Health & Fitness, Seasonal Celebrations - Social Community Manager
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“It’s too hot to cook.” How many times have you heard this from your friends or family when it’s time for dinner? It can be easy to use this as an excuse for not cooking a real meal when the weather is warm and cooking requires using the oven, but – surprise, surprise – there are actually meals out there that are perfect for warm weather, and don’t require the use of an oven!

fruit salad

Photo © Dinner Series

Fruit Salad

Besides being totally healthy and thirst-quenching, fruit salad is super easy to prepare and put together! You can either cut up a lot of fruit the days leading into hot weather, or put the salad together the day of for a fresher taste. For a twist on the traditional “just fruit” fruit salad, try adding some yogurt, walnuts, coconut shavings, or raisins. For an extra special twist, add marshmallows.

bread and cheese

Photo © Geoff Peters

 

Black Bean and Corn Salad

Rachael Ray’s recipe for black bean and corn salad doesn’t require too many ingredients and it takes less than half an hour to prepare. Add some tortilla chips on the side and you’ve got a meal!

Tapas Plate with Marinated Chickpeas

Sounds fancy for a college student, right? Take a look at Real Simple Magazine’s recipe and you’ll see that although it has a fancy name, it’s super easy to throw together.

Creamy Shrimp Rolls

Getting hungry yet? If you love seafood, this recipe is for you, and there’s no better time to have it than during the summer! You can add some chips or salad on the side, but from the photo, the shrimp roll might be pretty filling on its own.

Sandwiches

sandwich

Photo © flavorrelish

I’m not talking PB&J here, kids. Ham, tuna, and chicken are all healthier choices and they all taste great with fruit; this is the perfect time to get creative! Try Tasty Kitchen’s Fancy Chicken Salad or the super easy Hearty Apple Sandwich. If you don’t feel like taking the time to cook chicken, buy some already cooked from the store and chill it for a bit.

Feeling inspired? Cop a few recipes from your mom, ask your friends what their favorite hot day meals are, or do some experimenting in the kitchen on your own. Whatever you do, leave a comment letting us know what you recommend!

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July 13, 2012

Summer Travel on a Student Budget

Filed under: Travel & Abroad - BookRenter Team
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Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you guys some of my tips and tricks on traveling on a budget.  I’m currently visiting New Jersey and New York, part one of my summer adventure. As a student, it’s definitely tough traveling on a budget, but here are some tips and tricks on how I save money and have tons of fun while traveling on a budget!

At the Airport

If you really want to stretch your budget out, start by saving at the airport! Everything at the airport is extremely overpriced, so save money by bringing your own things. Here are some ideas:

  • Bring a reusable water bottle or an empty water bottle. You’ll save an extra $4-5 just by bringing your own water bottle! Once you’ve passed security you can fill up your water bottle at any water fountain, some airports even have ‘refill stations’. Using this throughout your trip will save you tons of money in the long-run.
  • Pack your own food because the airport and airplane food will be expensive and not that appetizing. Although they say you’re only allowed to bring a personal item (purse, backpack, etc) and a carry-on, you are allowed to bring an extra bag with food you’re going to be consuming at the airport or on the airplane.

Sight-Seeing & Dining Options

Doing your research on the local scenery and dining options prior to traveling will help you stay on budget. Having an idea on the price points of different places will help narrow down your options.

  • Ask the locals about restaurants they recommend you to try out. They always recommend the best budget-friendly eateries that fill your stomach! Stray away from asking the hotel for recommendations, they’ll send you to pricier restaurants that they’ve partnered up with.
  • Compare and contrast the different hotspots, narrow down your sight-seeing list to your top 5 must see places. Check out the ads in newspapers for free summer concerts or events.  By pairing up the top 5 places with a few free summer events, you’ve got yourself an eventful summer trip!
  • Buy admission tickets online because they are usually a couple of dollars cheaper. Trust me, these few dollars you save will only help your budget out even more. Also, oftentimes museums and tourist attractions offer student discounts, so make sure to ask ahead of time.
  • Emergency snacks are a must! You never know where the closest store is and their store hours. From experience, I have gone a couple hungry nights wishing I had snacks. Having an emergency stash of snacks will help you out for those late night munchies! I like to bring a large ziplock of granola bars, fruit snacks and trail mix.

Traveling doesn’t have to feel like you’re splurging all your money. By using these tips/tricks and budgeting wisely, you can have fun without spending tons of cash!

 

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