Hang mirrors. Hang mirrors.
Affix a large mirror to one wall, flush with a corner. Mirrors create the illusion of space: The bigger the mirror, the longer the appearance of the wall and the better the illusion. Place another mirror opposite a window to reflect light.
Repaint the room.
Go light, not white. Light colors give the appearance of spaciousness, but most dorm rooms are painted bright white, which is very antiseptic. Paint the walls a warm shade of off-white (cream or vanilla). If you are prohibited from painting in your dorm, tack up cream-colored sheets to cover drab walls.
Use torchiers rather than overhead fluorescent lighting.
Torchiers, or standing floor lamps, project light toward the ceiling. The light diffuses and bounces back into the room, giving the feeling of spaciousness. Halogen torchiers are economical but can also increase the risk of fire due to the intense heat of the bulb.
Furnish sparsely.
The fewer the belongings, the larger the room appears to be. Decorate with furniture that serves dual purposes, such as a coffee table/storage unit.
Downsize your furniture.
Use desk lamps and small area rugs to fashion several distinct pools of light and space. When the eye sees multiple separate spaces, the brain is fooled into thinking a room is bigger than it is.
Divide the room.
Use a folding screen or fabric to divide a room or create privacy. Use double-sided tape or thumbtacks to attach a flowing, semi-opaque fabric to the ceiling to partition a room while still allowing light to filter through.
Elevate your bed.
Add valuable storage space by raising your bed off the floor. Use cinder blocks to gain 6 inches of storage room, or build a loft and put your mattress on top of it. Place your desk under the loft to create a cozy workspace.
Downsize your furniture.
Buy children’s or other small furniture. This will make the room appear larger. However, you might not be able to sit down.
Kick out your roommate.
Cover foul odors.
Burn incense or spray air freshener to mask your roommate’s scent. To better circulate the incense, place it in front of an open window or oscillating fan.
Secure your possessions in locked storage containers.
To discourage theft or misuse of your belongings, lock as much as possible in safes, military-issue foot lockers, trunks, and other lockable storage containers. Long, flat containers can be placed under your bed for further protection.
Divide the room in half.
Draw a line down the center of the room to designate your own private space. Remember that you’ll have to share the door.
Wear noise reduction headphones.
Don the headphones anytime your roommate is in the room with you.
Leave a bar of soap on his pillow.
Put neglected dirty dishes in your roommate’s bed.
Gather long-unwashed clothes into a pile.
If the pile of dirty clothes isn’t remedied after a week, transfer the pile to trash bags and seal tightly to eliminate odors. If the bags remain after several weeks, put them in the trash.
Misalign the satellite dish.
Disrupt the constant blare of sporting events by redirecting your roommate’s satellite dish.
Buy your roommate concert tickets.
If your roommate never leaves the room, buy him a ticket to an all-day concert, a movie, or a sporting event. Do not ask your roommate if he wants to go; just purchase the ticket—the farther away the event, the better.
Be Aware
If you notice any of the following in your room, you may have a nightmare roommate:
• Giant speakers
• Lack of toiletries
• Machete
• More than 15 stuffed animals
Prearrange a “keep out” signal.
Agree that a towel wrapped around the door handle, a hotel-style “Do Not Disturb” sign, or an index card in the doorjamb indicates the room is occupied and being used, and you should stay out for an agreed-upon period of time. Forty-five minutes should be the maximum.
Dismantle bunk beds and move your bed far away from his.
You will be less likely to be awakened if your bed frame is not attached to his.
Pretend that nothing is happening.
Start a conversation with your roommate as though nothing is going on. Ask questions about how his day has been, what he’s planning on doing tomorrow, or what he had for dinner. Talk to his hook-up. “I don’t believe that we’ve ever met before. What is your name? What’s your major?”
Play your stereo.
Blast loud, raucous music from your stereo to break your roommate’s concentration. Avoid sultry songs that will only provide encouragement.
Wear headphones plugged into your television to block out noise and distract yourself.
Foil future hook-ups.
Be your roommate’s shadow at parties. When it appears that a hook-up may be in the offing, quickly intercede when your roommate is distracted. Mention how great it is that the two have gotten together “in light of his recent condition,” then be evasive. Comments such as “I hope you have a better time than the others” and “I expect I’ll be seeing more of you since I rarely leave the room” will also discourage the hook-up. If all else fails, tell your roommate that you forgot your keys and ask him to walk you home. If he won’t leave with you, ask for his keys. When he returns home, you can choose whether or not to unlock the door.
Obtain a date of your own.
Lubricate.
When your roommate’s bed is not in use, oil the bedsprings and any joints of the bed frame that are visible.
Tighten the nuts and bolts.
Use a wrench to strengthen the bed’s framework.
Wrap cotton strips or thick socks around the bed’s joints to muffle a squeaking sound. Use duct tape to secure the wrapping in place.
Remove the mattress from the frame.
Encourage your roommate to sleep with the mattress directly on the floor or set it on a thick piece of plywood resting on cinder blocks.
Wear earplugs.
The bed might still squeak, but you won’t notice.
Make your own bed squeak.
1 Stall for time.
Enlist the help of your roommate or another nearby friend. Ask her to greet your parents and to delay them outside, telling them that you just stepped out of the shower and you need a moment to dry off and dress. This should buy you at least five minutes to get the room ready.
2 Hide all inappropriate items.
Search for objects or people that may cause your parents distress or cause them to reconsider their financial contribution to your college tuition. Hiding these items is your first priority; cleaning can come later, if you have time. Locate and conceal the following:
• beer cans, empty or full
• liquor bottles
• cigarettes (including butts, cellophane wrapping, cigars, ashtrays, lighters, and matches)
• certain magazines, videos, posters, and calendars
• stolen street signs
• firecrackers
• partially clothed members of the opposite sex
• women’s undergarments (if male)
• men’s undergarments (if female)
• completed exams that belong to anyone but you
• newly acquired expensive electronic equipment
• travel brochures
• parking tickets
• all forms of birth control
3 Air out the room.
Open the window, no matter what the outside temperature. Douse a sock with cologne, perfume, a styling product, or another heavily scented liquid that will mask the odor of any smoke, mold, or musty laundry in the room. Swing the sock in a circular motion above your head while walking around the room.
4 Check the time.
Your parents will grow suspicious if you keep them waiting for too long. Determine whether you have time to continue to clean up your room.
5 Stow your clothes.
Gather all of your dirty clothes into the middle of the floor. Shove as many articles as possible into your hamper or laundry bag. Stand on top of the hamper to force the clothes down so that you can add more on top. When you run out of room, put the rest of your clothes under the bed, stack them on the floor of the closet, or use them as makeshift furniture: Sit on the pile to create an indentation. Cover the pile with a sheet, tucking the sides of the sheet under the pile. The laundry now looks like a beanbag chair.
Gather clothes into a pile. Creat an indentation. Cover the pile.
Remove the comforter from the bed. Throw flat items like magazines, books, and papers onto your mattress, taking care not to pile them. Fluff the comforter to increase thickness, then tuck it under the mattress to secure. Arrange pillows on top.
7 Check the time.
If you’ve kept your parents waiting for more than five minutes, skip to step 9. Blame any remaining mess on your roommate. If you have time, continue to step 8.
8 Sweep away clutter.
Shoes, toiletries, food, mail, dirty plates, pizza boxes, hangers, dead plants, empty soda cans or bottles, and any other unsightly clutter can be jammed under your bed or into the closet on the floor or a high shelf. Carefully close the door. Do not open the closet while your parents are in the room.
9 Primp.
Put on deodorant or apply an odor-concealing perfume or aftershave. Put on clean clothes or, if unavailable, turn dirty attire inside out. Wet and comb your hair to give yourself a just-showered look.
10 Greet your parents.
Enthusiastically embrace your parents. Tell them that it is a wonderful surprise to see them. Make it clear that you have a lot of studying to do before the day is over so that you can keep the visit short. Allow your parents to make a quick survey of your room, then suggest going out for a tour of campus and some coffee. Gently but forcefully lead them away as quickly as possible.
Be Aware
Use caution when opening the closet door after a rush-cleaning job. Tuck your chin to your chest, curl one arm over your head for protection, and expect an avalanche.
Use an old textbook.
Stash cash between pages. For other items, make a secret compartment.
• Open the book to page 50 or beyond.
• Use a razor blade or a sharp knife to cut a square hole in the center of the book. Use a metal ruler to guide you, and keep repeating your cut lines to go deeper and deeper.
• Remove the square cut-out pages.
• Put the item in the compartment.
• Reshelve the book.
Use a potted plant.
• Seal the item in a plastic bag.
• Dig a hole several inches deep in the soil.
• Bury the bag.
Construct a beer can safe.
• Using a nail or pen, poke a small hole in one side of a beer can, near the bottom. Drink or discard the contents.
• Use scissors or tin snips to cut away the side of the can with the hole, leaving the top and bottom intact.
Select a thick book. Cut vertically. Cut horizontally. Remove pages.
• Stash valuables in the can and place it on a wall covered with other, similar cans. Make sure the hole in the can faces the wall.
Use electrical outlets.
This location is suitable for very small and dry items only.
• Use a screwdriver to unscrew the switch plate that surrounds a light switch or electrical outlet.
• Insert the item in the wall cavity.
• Replace the plate.
Use shampoo bottles.
• Seal the item in a waterproof bag.
• Hide the bag in a bottle of shampoo.
• Keep your bathroom items separate from your roommate’s to avoid detection.
Use baseboards.
• Pry a small section of baseboard away from the wall, using a hammer and chisel or flat screwdriver.
• Use the hammer to pound a hole in the drywall just above the floor, in an area that will be concealed by the baseboard.
• Stash the item in the hole.
• Replace the baseboard by wedging it in place.
Camouflage.
Pile dirty or damp clothing on the item to be hidden. Make sure the pile looks and smells sufficiently unappealing to prevent scrutiny.
Use a feather pillow.
Depending on the size and weight of the item, you may be able to stash it in a feather pillow. Unzip the pillow and bury the item in the middle. Make sure all hard edges are well covered with several inches of feathers. Re-zip and cover with a dirty pillowcase to deter inspection.
Use your roommate.
If you suspect you will be the subject of a search (particularly a search by a thieving roommate), hide valuables among your roommate’s possessions. Make sure the hidden item is well concealed in the back of a closet, under her bed, or in another location she is unlikely to visit regularly. Check periodically to be certain the hidden item has not been detected.
Clean the seat.
Wipe the toilet seat with baby wipes, or spray the seat with disinfectant.
Use a seat cover.
Bring a child-size life preserver to place on the toilet seat (be sure the straps hang outside of the bowl). Alternatively, completely cover the seat with paper seat covers or at least four layers of toilet paper.
Use a life preserver as a seat cover. Be sure to hang the straps outside the bowl.
Tie your belt or necktie around the cubicle latch, hold on to the other end, and squat over the toilet seat, never touching the surface.
Find alternative facilities.
Scope out other bathrooms on campus for cleanliness and privacy. The admissions office generally has a nice public restroom for prospective students and their parents. The library is probably clean and quiet immediately after opening. Avoid athletic facilities.
Be Aware
If toilet paper is nowhere to be found, use napkins, paper towels, coffee filters, day-old newspapers (the ink will be dry), pages from a telephone book, old blue books, foreign currency (after checking the exchange rate), literary magazines on uncoated paper, glossy magazines, or pages from a textbook.
Shower at off hours.
Shower in the middle of the night or at midday to avoid a wait and ensure hot water. Shower at the gym during—not after—a team practice or at off hours.
Protect your feet.
Never touch the floor with your bare feet. Wear flip-flops, clogs, or other elevated or enclosed footwear. Shoes with rubber soles will prevent slipping.
Never touch the floor with your bare feet.
Keep toiletries together.
Carry your toiletries in a mesh basket or bucket with a hole in the bottom to drain excess water. Hang the bucket from the showerhead rather than putting it on the floor or leaving it beside the sink.
Use liquid soap.
Bar soap can slip out of your hand and fall on the floor or into another shower stall.
Shave and brush your teeth in the shower.
You are much more able to control your shower environment than the sink environment, and you are better able to retain some privacy. Alternatively, forgo shaving and grow a beard (if male) or wear long pants (if female).
Date someone who lives off campus.
Shower there whenever possible.
Be Aware
• Dormitory showers are prime areas for pilfering. Leave valuables in your room. Put your keys on a key chain that you can wear around your wrist while showering. Lock your cell phone, pager, jewelry, money, laptop computer, and all other expensive items in your room.
• Dorm bathrooms are often crowded and unpleasant. To avoid the bathroom, use your room to:
• Shave, preferably with an electric razor
• Clean your hair with a dry shampoo
• Brush your teeth with a bottle of water
• Clean your face with cold cream and a tissue
• Apply makeup
• Add hair product and blow-dry hair
• Mask body odor with talcum powder, underarm deodorant, or deodorant body spray
Air out your dirty clothes.
Hang dirty clothes in your room. Spritz key areas with a spray deodorizer. Turn on an oscillating fan or use a blow-dryer to dry and refresh the garments.
Wear dark colors.
Dark-colored clothing will usually hide stains better than lights or whites. However, wearing dark colors in hot weather may increase perspiration and its resultant odors. Camouflage and heavily patterned clothing is also effective in hiding stains.
Borrow clothes.
Befriend people your size and ask for loans.
Wear clothes inside out.
When clothing becomes stained, turn it inside out and put it back on; make sure labels are in the back, or remove them using scissors. This strategy works best with T-shirts, socks, and underwear.
Enlist the help of your roommate.
Trade an item or skill you have for your roommate’s wash-and-fold skills. Offer a party invitation you received, a hot prospect’s phone number, or a short paper in exchange for an appropriate amount of laundry.
The fewer clothes you wear, the fewer you’ll need to wash. Skip unnecessary items like underwear and socks. Wear a long coat or sweater over bare skin.
Send clothes home.
Unless you have family members nearby, expect at least a week of turnaround time. You can save money by sending the clothes book-rate, but this method may take 10 days to 2 weeks.
Take your laundry through a car wash.
Hang clothes outside on a clothesline.
Put clothes outside on windy, rainy, or snowy days and let the weather do the work for you. Do not hang clothes outside on a very hot, sunny day. The heat of the sun can set the smell or stain and make the garment difficult to clean later on.
Shower with your clothes on.
Use a liquid soap, which will penetrate layers of clothing more effectively than bar soap. Rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, wear clothing in swimming pools and outdoor fountains, though chlorine may leave a residual odor.
Drive through a car wash with the windows open.
Pile clothes on the passenger seats of an open convertible or car with the windows open. Close your eyes and hold your breath.
Avoid foods you can eat with your hands.
Pizza, French fries, hamburgers, onion rings, bagels with cream cheese, hot wings, jalapeño poppers, dip
OKAY: Raw vegetables, fruit
Avoid foods you can get from a vendor at a sporting event.
Beer, peanuts, ice cream bars, nachos, popcorn, hot dogs, garlic fries
OKAY: Bottles of water, Popsicles
Avoid foods you can get from a vending machine.
Potato chips, soda, candy bars, cheese and crackers, cookies, muffins, hot chocolate
OKAY: Sugarless gum, diet soda, water, mini pretzels, black coffee
Avoid foods that melt quickly.
Ice cream, sorbet, gelato, ice cream bars, frozen custard, chocolate bars
OKAY: Fat-free frozen yogurt, Popsicles, fruit and juice bars, ice cubes
Avoid foods that you can eat with chopsticks.
Chinese stir-fry in heavy sauce, pad Thai, fried rice, chicken teriyaki, dim sum
OKAY: Sushi, steamed vegetables, brown rice, be bim bop, pho
Avoid foods that come in a crinkly bag.
Potato chips, cookies, tortilla chips, crackers, cheese puffs, nuts, snack cakes
OKAY: Ready-to-eat salads (no dressing), cereal, rice, precut vegetables
Avoid foods that are orange.
Candied yams, pumpkin pie, cheddar cheese
OKAY: Bell peppers, acorn squash, oranges, sweet potatoes (baked)
Avoid foods with phosphates.
Bacon, hot dogs
OKAY: None
Be Aware
Trying to keep track of the number of calories in the foods you eat is difficult, impractical, and annoying. Think of the calorie content of food in terms of its equivalent in mugs of beer and adjust your intake accordingly (see chart on next page).
1 Turn off the microwave.
Press the STOP button. Do not open the door, or you will risk adding oxygen to the fire. Check for flames or smoke by looking through the glass window in the oven’s door.
2 Unplug the microwave from the wall.
Do not yank on the cord. Wiggle the plug free at the wall.
3 Open the windows.
Smoke will escape the microwave through the vent. Open the windows to clear the smoke, and turn on a fan facing out of your room to blow the smoke through. Close the door to your room to keep the smoke from moving into the hallway and panicking your neighbors. If too much smoke collects in your room, you may set off the fire alarm.
4 Wait 30 seconds.
Microwaves are designed to contain a small fire without spreading heat or flames. Wait for the fire to burn itself out or use all available oxygen. If the fire does not go out on its own in half a minute, the seals on the microwave door may be old and allowing in oxygen to feed the flames. Call the fire department.
5 Use a fire extinguisher to douse the flames.
If a fire extinguisher rated type ABC is available, aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, and apply the P.A.S.S. technique to snuff out the flames: Pull the safety pin from the top of the extinguisher. Aim the nozzle at the base of the flames. Squeeze the handle of the extinguisher. Sweep the hose from side to side until the flames are out.
6 Check for flames.
If the fire has gone out, feel the glass door with the back of your hand. If it is hot to the touch, do not open it.
7 Wait another 30 seconds.
When the glass has cooled, open the microwave door. Step away from the microwave in case the newly introduced oxygen creates a flare-up.
8 Remove the burned item.
The container is likely to be hot. Use oven mitts or pot holders. Keep your face away from the container to reduce the possibility of steam burns.
9 Discard the food and container.
The container may have melted into the cooked item. Do not try to salvage the burned snack or its container. If it is still hot to the touch, place the burned item under running water before discarding.
Be Aware
Do not use the microwave again until it has been checked for damage.
Check the color.
When fully cooked, beef turns brown or gray; chicken is white or brown without a trace of pink or red (depending on whether it is light or dark meat); and pork is also white, with no tinge of pink or red. If you cannot identify what kind of meat you are being served, do not eat it. No meat or poultry should ever be yellow, blue, or green.
Check the temperature.
Hot foods should be piping hot; cold foods should be chilled. If the temperature is in doubt, ask a food service operator for a cooking thermometer and stick it into the center of the item. Hot meats should be at least 145ºF, cold foods no warmer than 40ºF.
Poke with a fork.
If the juices run red, the meat is undercooked.
Look at the gravy.
Sauces and gravies may have a thick “skin” or float in a puddle of congealed oil. These items are a breeding ground for bacteria.
Examine food for signs of danger.
Look for a sneeze guard.
Salad bars and other self-serve areas should have plastic guards to protect food from germs. Avoid foods in areas without these protective devices.
Watch for slow food turnover.
Food left out too long will have a dry, waxy, or withered appearance. Food should not be left out from breakfast to lunch and lunch to dinner. If you suspect slow turnover, mark a piece of food with a carefully placed garnish; parsley works well. Return to the dining hall later in the day to see if your marked item is still present. If it is, complain to the chef or management.
Avoid foods that need to be eaten soon after being cooked.
Scrambled eggs should not sit in a steam tray for more than two hours; hardboiled eggs keep at room temperature for two hours or for up to one week if refrigerated.
Check the expiration date.
If it is past the date shown on the package, do not eat it. This applies to yogurt, milk, sushi, and any prepared or packaged foods.
Check the package for damage.
If the seal is broken or the package looks damaged, do not eat the contents. Gently squeeze the bag of chips or pretzels to see if the bag holds air and remains firm. For vacuum-sealed jars, make sure the top has not popped up, which would indicate that the jar has been opened and the contents may be unsafe to eat. Do not eat food from dented cans—the sharp point of the dent may allow air and germs into the can.
Be Aware
• Watch for overripe fruits and vegetables. Extensive brown or black spots are not good.
• Check bread and pies for mold. Green means STOP.
Look for free samples.
Membership food clubs and grocery stores offer free food samples in their aisles. One or two sweeps through the store might supply you with a well-balanced meal, including a beverage. Weekends are the prime time for grocery store samples due to the high volume of shoppers. Travel the aisles with a partially filled cart for greater acceptance. Ice cream parlors usually allow you to sample a flavor or two.
Share your friends’ bounty.
Monitor the campus mailroom for friends who receive care packages and ask them to share. Ask acquaintances on the college meal plan to bring you fruit and containers full of cereal. Follow pizza delivery people and ask the recipients for a slice after they’ve all taken their first piece. Promise to pay them back later.
Offer to deliver food (without a tip).
Many pizza restaurants offer a free pizza after every five (or some other number of) pizzas ordered. Collect the required number of orders from friends or dorm-mates, go to the pizza place, and pick up the pizzas— plus the free pizza. Be sure to collect payment for the pizzas in advance.
Make friends at restaurants and bars.
Making friends with cooks, waitstaff, or bartenders can result in free food, albeit leftovers at the end of a shift. Alternatively, offer to clear trays at a drive-in or restaurant. Consume leftover burgers, fries, and milkshakes between the table/car and kitchen.
Participate in on-campus extracurricular activities.
Join one or several university clubs that feature snacks at meetings and gatherings. Dorms offer special study nights during midterms and finals and frequently open their cafeterias for a study area. Snacks will be plentiful.
Attend happy hour.
Many bars and restaurants near campus serve complimentary hors d’oeuvres between 5 and 7 P.M.
Sample the condiment bar.
Some fast-food outlets have condiment bars with vegetables, sauces, salsa, and pickles. Help yourself to a few samples, but do not eat on the premises. Bring along a plastic bag to stow your snacks.
Crash parties.
Loiter at a local hotel and follow well-dressed people to trade shows, weddings, and bar mitzvahs. Visit the buffet table. Use caution when speaking to guests.
Snack on uneaten or partially eaten rolls, sandwiches, and garnishes from leftover room service trays. Make sure the meal has already been served and eaten, or you will risk a confrontation with a hungry hotel guest.
Dumpster dive.
The Dumpsters behind supermarkets and restaurants are almost always filled with untouched, uneaten food that was thrown away simply because it passed its expiration date. Take bread, canned goods, and other wrapped items. Do not break into a locked Dumpster.
Eat fast food.
Most fast-food restaurants have items on the menu that cost less than a dollar. Bulk up your sandwich with loads of condiments for extra calories; you will stay full longer.
Look for specials and sales.
Restaurants, convenience stores, and grocery stores all run sales and specials. Look for two-for-one deals on soda, candy, cookies, noodles, and soup, and for mark-downs on perishables like meat, fruit, bread, and vegetables.
Buy generic.
Generic or store labels are always cheaper than name-brand items.
Beans are a very cheap source of protein and fiber, and contain other essential nutrients.
Eat pasta.
Eat a baked potato.
A single potato usually costs less than a dollar and can be baked or heated in a microwave: Poke several fork holes in the potato to allow steam to escape and reduce the chance of explosion.
Eat canned goods.
Canned food is nearly always cheaper than its fresh alternative.
Go for quantity, not quality.
Buy foods that last for several meals so the average cost per meal is low. A loaf of bread will go a lot further than one piece of fruit. A jar of peanut butter might cost several dollars but will provide many meals for under a dollar when you pair it with two slices of bread and jelly packets from the cafeteria or a diner. Boxes of pasta, a package of bagels, generic cereal, a carton of eggs, oatmeal, a package of hot dogs, and cans of soup are cheap to begin with, and you will get more than one meal out of them.
Focus on one parent.
Ask the parent you think is most likely to dole out funds. Hearken back to childhood by using the parent’s favorite term of endearment, such as “Mommy” or “Pop.”
Make the request in person.
Request money during a trip home. “Reluctantly” bring up the subject and look extremely embarrassed to be asking for a handout.
Write a letter if you are unable to ask in person.
Sending a plea for funds through the mail rather than telephoning or sending an e-mail will add a personal, serious, and traditional touch. Follow up with a phone call after the letter arrives. If you must make your request via e-mail, write your message in the form of a letter; start with a traditional greeting such as “Dear Mommy” and use proper punctuation and upper- and lowercase letters. Do not use abbreviations or emoticons. Be aware that it is easier for a parent to turn down a request by a reply e-mail than it is when responding by letter.
Tell your parent that you have been trying to stand on your own two feet, but that college is much, much harder than you thought it would be, and that you are having to spend many hours a day in the library. Convey your concerns that getting a job will seriously impact your study time: Say that you could work a late-night job, but you’re not sure how safe it is to be out alone in that neighborhood. This works especially well if you are taking a full course load. Detail your professors’ difficult demands and your massive assignments.
Highlight your accomplishments.
Demonstrate what a solid investment you are. Point to your stellar grades, mention how you are juggling multiple commitments, list your extracurricular activities, and note any praise you’ve received from a professor. If you have not achieved any of these accomplishments, mention that you could achieve them if you had more time to devote to your studies and activities, and that money would facilitate getting that time.
Be specific about how much you need.
Request an exact amount and give the reason why you need the money. If you are direct, your parents will see your need as real and will be more likely to believe that you have explored other means of getting money. Your appeal is less compelling if you use a vague number or ask them to send what they can spare.
You will probably receive less than your requested amount, so overestimate the amount you need.
Emphasize the intangible things the money will enable you to do.
Funds might be needed to service your computer immediately, to take an off-campus course, or to cover membership fees for an organization that will look great on your résumé. If you tell them the money will go to buy furniture or a new printer, expect to show the items to them when they visit.
Send a thank-you note.
Express gratitude for and relief at the amount you receive. Your parents will be pleased with your good manners and will be more likely to send money again.
