Money 101

Money in college is hard to come by therefore you need to save or find a part time job to get by. There will be unexpected things you want to do including go to a party, buy a new outfit for a sorority or fraternity recruit dinner or order food from dominos because you are tired of the cafeteria food. You will need money for all of these because asking mom and dad all the time is not showing them how your become independent. I hope you find my ten tips helpful and are able to use them to your own benefit. 

How to Get Money:

1. Get a Part-time Job-

This can be on campus or off campus. I am currently looking for employment which is hard in Pleasentville, NY. There are not many places in town and local places are not hiring because they do no get many customers some of the places such as the many pizzerias , fro-yo places and Starbucks. But on campus jobs are perfect for employment if you have work study. The jobs I wanted I unfortunately didn't qualify for which was in Pace Perk and Pace Mart which are student run business which only employs business majors. I wanted these jobs because I enjoy jobs that deal with sales and provid customer service because I enjoy interactions with other people. There are other jobs in offices on campus but to me they are boring because filling paperwork and making copies is not exciting to me. But hopefully you have better luck with finding a job therefore I will provide the link: http://www.pace.edu/career-services/campus-student-jobs

2. Sell unwanted things on eBay- 

Before I went to college I sold a few unwanted pieces on e-bay and surprisingly they sold. On eBay's website they say how it is fast  and easy and can be achieved in three steps. 

Step 1: List it- It's easy as taking pictures, describing your item, setting the price and selling.
Step 2: Ship it- When your item sells, ship it to your buyer. Print with eBay labels and get discounts on shipping. ( You do not pay for shipping unless you want to. ) 
Step 3: Get paid- Its free to sign up for Paypal, the fast, easy and safe way to get paid on eBay.

I have always had a great experience using eBay and I created a Paypal account because I did not feel comfortable putting my credit card information in. Paypal is safe because if someone wanted to buy from you they send the money to your email address that you set up on Paypal. This then enables you to send it to your bank account or keep on Paypal which some stores and online websites allow you to use Paypal as an alternative payment. 
According to eBay the top 8 selling items are electronics in order: 1. Smartphones 2. Tablets 3. Cameras 4. Video Games 5. Game Consoles 6. Headphones & MP3 Players, 7. Laptops and last but not least 8. Anything
You can literally sell ANYTHING on eBay which is great because you can get cash FAST. 

3. Become a note taker- 

When students have a disability sometimes disability services will contact professors and ask for volunteers in the class to take notes or websites like StudySoup are outlets that are available for all students that want to get notes from a class. You can get paid as much as $300 + on your notes and study guides. This is in no way cheating or not allowed. 

How does this work? Three simple steps ( Don't you love how I break things down? )

Step 1: Create a FREE StudySoup Account 

Step 2: Upload your notes, study guides and set a price

Step 3: Open your online store and start selling

Unfortunately the classes I take this semester would not have helped me to become a successful notetaker because StudySoup recommends students that take lecture classes because there is more chances of your notes being bought. I take classes with class sizes ranging from 10-18 students so this outlet will not be beneficial for me. 

4. Sell Last Semester Books- 

DO NOT SELL YOUR BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL BOOKSTORE!! This is the biggest mistake I made last semester I purchased my English110  textbook for $50 and I only got $10 in return from selling it back to the Barnes and Nobles bookstore on campus. I expected to be refunded at least $35 dollars. Therefore at the end of this semester I am going to sell my books back on eBay, Amazon and or Chegg because I will profit more. Selling your old books are good because you can use the money to buy the materials and books you will need for the upcoming semester. 

5. Recycle- 

My roommates and I started recycling bottles and we are slowly getting money. I make sure that I get bottles that can be recycled because the water brand Smart Water can not be recycled in NY therefore I stick to Dasani and grocery store brands that can be recycled in NY. Each bottle you recycle you receive 5 cents, so for 20 bottles you will get $1.00. This is something quick and easy to get money because you are probably throwing away your cans and bottles when you can help the environment as well as get cash. 

How To Save Your Money: 

1.  Attend Events- 

On campus events typically have free food which is usually pizza or catered food from local restaurants wanting to get pubicilicity and spread awareness about their services. This is something I always take advantage of because the cafeteria food is not always appealing.Dominos is typical catered at events on campus because it is cheap and is not messy and everyone usually likes it, you can never go wrong with a chessy bread. 

2. Apply for scholarships-

Scholarships and grants are forms of aid  you do not have to repay them or earn the funds by working. Scholarships and grants are offered by Pace University itself, federal and state governments as well as private organizations. Choose from the list below learn more about the different types of scholarship programs available to Freshman, Transfer, and Graduate students.can save you thousands of dollars. At Pace University there are a variety of ways you can get money to pay for your tuition. You can get scholarships for practically anything. This is a link for more information on scholarships available at Pace University. http://www.pace.edu/financial-aid/content/scholarships-and-grants

3. Create a budget and stick with it- 

 This could help you avoid making careless purchases including online shopping ordering take out and parties, you need to keep track of your spending. Plus, it’ll help control what you’re spending your cash on. Because your funds are limited you want to save as much as you can. I have found this really helpful for me I plan every week how much I am going to spend and correspond with my mother and my bank account to ensure my account will have sufficient funds when I make my purchases. For example if I want to go to the city on a Saturday I know the Metro North is $20.50, then I will probably put $10 on my metro card, and ensure I have enough to eat out unless I ate prior to the trip and brought snacks. For a trip like this I would be $50-$60. But if I were to go with a friend that drives I would be able to save $20.50. You can create a FREE budget on excel and ensure your saving those coins :) 

4. Do Not Become A Taxi- 


If you own a car do not become a taxi driver for all your friends this will put a MAJOR hole in your pocket. Gas is not cheap and to fill up an average small car is about $30 to fill up a 12 gallon car. This can become a problem if you are low on cash. Pace University provides transportation into town where there are a few dining options as well as the train station. On your bill transportation is a mandatory fee which is about $200 that can not be waived. Therefore you should use the shuttle service because you are technically paying for it.

5. Use your meal plan- 

Yeah the cafeteria is not always that good and there isn't much of a variety because there is only one small cafeteria. At Pace University the basic meal plan is $1600 which rolls over ever semester. You can not get a refund for this money if you do not spend it all. So i suggest that you use the money and not get take out so you can save some cash for another time. 
My favorite thing to get from the cafeteria is a caesar salad and a mango-strawberry and banana smoothie. 

How to find a roommate you can get along with ?

Step 1:

You have to meet your roommate before you are able to get along with them. Therefore you should get the Schools App in your App store or Google Play so you can link up with other accepted students. If you want to pick your roommate rather than have a random assortment this is a perfect app to use. This app is linked with your Facebook profile so you can totally check out your roommates life. #Stalker #MakeSureTheyDontKillYou

Step 2: 

Find out your roommates email or cell phone number so you can form a relationship prior to moving into your dorm. This will be good so you can talk about your expectations for room duties as well as what you two will do with the shared space. When I found my three roommates we made a group chat and began chatting weekly. This helped make me become comfortable with living with strangers. I was not sure how living with roommates in a small space would be like because I never shared a room and love having "Kori Time". I know we all have those moments we want to be left alone. Like when you tell your younger sibling to leave your room because you want to have a private conversation on the phone or your overwhelmed and want to cry in private. I thought about all these things prior to going to college.

Step 3: 

The next step is to meet your roommates. This is a make or break it interaction. My roommates and I all signed up for the same orientation. Unfortunately one of my potential roommates could not attend the date we all chose and attended the one the week before. Because of this she met people at orientation and decided to room with them instead. I totally understood because  i wouldn't room with people I never met in person. Would you room with someone you never met? Did you not see the movie Roommate? Yeah that movie scared me so finding a roommate was my TOP PRIORITY!

Orientation (Left to Right Me, Kahya, Rosa)

Step 4: 

Once you get on campus you are on your own. No more mom or dad to cooking for you. Therefore your roommates are great to depend on. Going to the cafeteria alone can be pretty intimidating, so planning to go with them for meals is a great way to not only have people you know with you but also a way to get to know them more. Justin Todd a Freshman Nursing student stated that hanging out with his roommate on move in day at the Family BBQ helped build their relationship. He had never meet his roommate before so it was great they hit it off. He now says that his roommate Chris is a great friend.


These four steps will help you find a roommate but how do you get along with them? Well every relationship is different so there is no right or wrong way to make a friend or get along with a person. So you have to find out yourself. But I will leave you with some advice. Out of the thirty people I surveyed 66% of the students said they frequently argue about room chores. Alyssa Greco a freshman nursing student and her roommate Luzmary Ordonez also a freshman  nursing student said to ensure everyone in their suite knew there chores they printed a list of chores and put it above the sink to remind everyone of their weekly responsibilities. This limits the arguments about cleaning that they had the first semester. Their floor Resident Assistant (RA) Britney helped them come up with the idea to have a chore list, which they are grateful to have because their suite is well kept. There are chore templates free of purchase on google.

Basketball game with Mercedez

My Resident Assistant (RA) Mercedez Williams, stated that she enjoys being an RA in Alumni Hall because all of her residents are freshman and need more assistance than the other three dorm options. She stated "When I was an RA for the townhouses it wasn't a lot of fun because I had to do more disciplinary work with students, while in Alumni there is a greater range of assistance I can give to my residents." I have emailed her regarding numerous problems including how to get an on campus job, how to get involved on campus, and maintenance issues from cold showers to clogged sinks. She is always very nice and typically has her door open if any of her residents is in need. Building a close relationship with my RA was great because she emailed my roommates about weekly events on campus. My roommates and I even joined Black Student Union which my RA is the President for.

Black Excellence Dinner, February 27th 2016

Five Key Tips for Building A Great Relationship With Your Roommates:

1) Bonding-

This is the key to establishing and fostering a relationship with your roommates. My roommates and I tend to go to social events on campus together as well as eat meals with each other. This has helped my roommates and I develop our friendship and become aware of what we have in common. We all enjoy going to events with food,  and those that embrace our cultures, and empower woman.

2) Communication- 

This one is a given, if you do not talk to your roommates you will never be able to build a relationship. We also communicate in other ways, including on social media, and through text message. One important thing we talk about is the shower schedule at night so in the morning there isn't miscommunication on who's turn is next. My two roommates Kahya and Kendra typically shower at night leaving the shower free for me to shower early in the morning while my last roommate Rosa showers after me because she has a later class. If we didn't create this verbal agreement I would probably have problems going to class on time.

Casino Night in Kessel on Campus (Non-Alcoholic Drinks)

3) Be open to new things -

 My roommates and I all come from different backgrounds. Im from Albany, NY, my roommate Kendra is from Westchester, NY so she knows the area which was great for trying new restaurants. My suite mate Kahya is from New Jersey and her roommate Rosa is from Philadelphia. We all had different life experiences and we were able to teach each other about our cultures as well as what we were accustomed to. I only have one sister so living with three strangers is a completely different experience. My roommates and I recently signed up for Student of Caribbean Awarness (SOCA) fashion show to be models. We were all reluctant to do be in the show but because we were all asked we decided it would be fun to try something new together. This will be another memory for the memory jar.

4) Respect your roommates things-

It is never good to touch things that do not belong to you. This is one thing that arises problems. Channely Clark a freshman psychology student had a conflict with her roommate moving her belongings and not returning to there initial place. She stated " I found it difficult telling my roommate she couldn't borrow my things if she did not ask. Once I eventually talked to her about it she understood that she had to ask before eating my food, or using all my highlighters and not putting them back. Once we came to a common understanding e our relationship got better" I complete understood because I would be frustrated if  I purchased something for personal use and someone else took advantage of it and used it all.

5) Lastly respect your roommates sleep schedule.

 This is EXTREMELY important and I can not put enough emphasis on this. Sleep is something you need alot of in college, You  can rarely get it because you are busy doing homework, studying, trying to meet new people and attend weekly events. When someone in my room is sleeping I am mindful when I am talking on the phone and how loud my music is. I also know my roommates schedule and wake them up for there class so they are not late and they do the same for me.

I am glad of the relationship I have fostered with my roommates. It has helped me feel at home here at school. I have meet three new wonderful sisters that I can talk to, joke, laugh and be myself with.
 For more insight in my life here at Pace University, check out my latest Youtube video at Kori In The House.

Work Cited
(C. Clark, personal interview, February 20, 2016)
(M. Williams, personal interview, February 20, 2016)
(A. Greco, personal interview, February 10, 2016)
(L. Ordonez, personal interview February 10, 2016)
(J. Todd, personal interview , February 8, 2016)