Raise your hand ( or your mouse ) if you are trying to manage school, work, a social life, and keeping the girlfriend/boyfriend happy.
(my mouse is raised)
Please list stuff you did or are doing to save some cash as well as advice to keep everything going right so your life does not self-destruct before your eyes.
Here are some tips I've heard so far:
1. Keep two sets of drafting equipment, one at home and one at school.
Take all your change to the bank...seriously...you have no idea how much money you have there...
If you are going out...only take out a certain amount of cash....leave the debit card at home b/c it has a strange way of drunkenly slipping itself into the ATM machine at odd hours...
You cannot live on granola bars alone...but you can live on cheap tacos.
find local restaurants that have free food during happy hour...
there was a mexican place in gainesville that had a small free buffet in the bar during happy hour (which ran from like 1PM-6PM)... each day they had different stuff... for the cost of a beer or two you can get completely full...
unfortunately, my roommates and i didn't discover this trick until a few months before graduation...
if you're really strapped, you could get a cot or other sleeping device for the studio, shower at the fitness center and save big bucks on rent and utilities. Oh, it's been done.
the campus police busted him sleeping in classrooms and referred him to student affairs, then in a meeting with the dean he flipped out and jumped across the desk to choke him... needless to say, he was arrested...
You ought to be looking for "The Poor Bastard's Guide to Below Standard Living As an Architect After Architecture School"
It will hit you sooner than your School Loan Bills.
i once had an idea that i would buy an old VW microbus and live in the C parking lot east of UT's memorial stadium. i'd shower at the rec center and store all my belongings under my desk in studio.
unfortunately i'd've had to move my house every friday night before home football games.
and the microbus would have cost me a year's dorm rent anyway.
I second Steven Ward's suggestion to scavenge for materials, and I will go so far as to say that your study models will benefit from the second generation (assuming they weren't totally distroyed in the trash.)
No one has addressed the topic of how to keep the significant other happy.... one idea that worked for Mr. DCA and I was to meet often at the downtown public library (Milwaukee has a Beaux Arts gem.)
When in school I did a complete presentation on brown wrapping paper....gives it a nice organic quality.....chaulk and prisma color pencils and charcoal. Thinking how much money I saved not having to work on vellum produce prints color prints....Oh ya I did get real high marks for that presentation.
I do recall someone telling me about a guy who used tooth paste to represent water in a model....
At the end of the semester, a lot of people leave things behind because they don't want to bother taking it home or because they can't afford to take up valuable car-space. This is a great time to scavenge for books, furniture, etc to sell on ebay for extra cash.
Ah yes, my mouse is raised! The pressure is going to kick in next week. Nevermore, I'll take a red bull (or something stronger if you have it).
Manage school – Take one online class per semester (If your school offers this, it gives you the ability to do class work on your own schedule).
Work – reduce responsibilities (if possible).
Social Life – you have to make time – set aside an evening (or even an hour!) to socialize with friends and family; it doesn't matter what the activity is, just make time. It will make all the difference in the world!
Sep 2, 06 10:40 pm ·
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A Cheap Skate's Guide to Happiness in Architecture School
Raise your hand ( or your mouse ) if you are trying to manage school, work, a social life, and keeping the girlfriend/boyfriend happy.
(my mouse is raised)
Please list stuff you did or are doing to save some cash as well as advice to keep everything going right so your life does not self-destruct before your eyes.
Here are some tips I've heard so far:
1. Keep two sets of drafting equipment, one at home and one at school.
2. You can use a dish rack or a similar cheap alternative to holding your arch supplies.
http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/601-9931195-7939353?_encoding=UTF8&node=13998801
3. Make sure to have a list of all of the free art openings and gallery showcases to score some food.
4.Look through Wow coupons ( http://www.wow-coupons.com/ ) when you need discounts on some stuff as well as overstock.com
Okay. Now your turn. Make me proud.
5)
sell the car. get a scooter.
does anybody really need more nutrition than granola bars (with fruit, of course) and beer can provide?
use wood scraps from the woodshop. salvage museum board and chipboard from the trashbins.
rush, even if you have no intention of joining a frat or sorority.
if you have access to a fitness center on campus, you have no need for a shower or even hot water at your apartment.
Take all your change to the bank...seriously...you have no idea how much money you have there...
If you are going out...only take out a certain amount of cash....leave the debit card at home b/c it has a strange way of drunkenly slipping itself into the ATM machine at odd hours...
You cannot live on granola bars alone...but you can live on cheap tacos.
find local restaurants that have free food during happy hour...
there was a mexican place in gainesville that had a small free buffet in the bar during happy hour (which ran from like 1PM-6PM)... each day they had different stuff... for the cost of a beer or two you can get completely full...
unfortunately, my roommates and i didn't discover this trick until a few months before graduation...
if you're really strapped, you could get a cot or other sleeping device for the studio, shower at the fitness center and save big bucks on rent and utilities. Oh, it's been done.
may I recommend the portable hammock?
AP, i often thought about doing that... one could probably get away with it as an architecture major...
that said, this guy at USF Tampa did not get away with it...
the campus police busted him sleeping in classrooms and referred him to student affairs, then in a meeting with the dean he flipped out and jumped across the desk to choke him... needless to say, he was arrested...
I understand how that can be possible but where would you store your clothes and food?
You ought to be looking for "The Poor Bastard's Guide to Below Standard Living As an Architect After Architecture School"
It will hit you sooner than your School Loan Bills.
--"I understand how that can be possible but where would you store your clothes and food?"--
The large rubbermaid strorage boxes work well. Especially if they have wheels on them.
And mini-fridges are pretty much a given in any studio.
i once had an idea that i would buy an old VW microbus and live in the C parking lot east of UT's memorial stadium. i'd shower at the rec center and store all my belongings under my desk in studio.
unfortunately i'd've had to move my house every friday night before home football games.
and the microbus would have cost me a year's dorm rent anyway.
I second Steven Ward's suggestion to scavenge for materials, and I will go so far as to say that your study models will benefit from the second generation (assuming they weren't totally distroyed in the trash.)
No one has addressed the topic of how to keep the significant other happy.... one idea that worked for Mr. DCA and I was to meet often at the downtown public library (Milwaukee has a Beaux Arts gem.)
When in school I did a complete presentation on brown wrapping paper....gives it a nice organic quality.....chaulk and prisma color pencils and charcoal. Thinking how much money I saved not having to work on vellum produce prints color prints....Oh ya I did get real high marks for that presentation.
I do recall someone telling me about a guy who used tooth paste to represent water in a model....
At the end of the semester, a lot of people leave things behind because they don't want to bother taking it home or because they can't afford to take up valuable car-space. This is a great time to scavenge for books, furniture, etc to sell on ebay for extra cash.
Ah yes, my mouse is raised! The pressure is going to kick in next week. Nevermore, I'll take a red bull (or something stronger if you have it).
Manage school – Take one online class per semester (If your school offers this, it gives you the ability to do class work on your own schedule).
Work – reduce responsibilities (if possible).
Social Life – you have to make time – set aside an evening (or even an hour!) to socialize with friends and family; it doesn't matter what the activity is, just make time. It will make all the difference in the world!
Block this user
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