Welcome incoming freshmen! You must be filled with excitement for all that you’ll experience in your dorms and classrooms this fall. Now that classes have begun, here’s a brief guide to help you save money throughout your first semester at Syracuse University.

As someone who was once an anxious and excited incoming freshman at SU, I know how easy over-preparing and overcrowding your room can be. Unnecessary knick-knacks, the entire snack aisle at Costco, four cases of water — I’ve seen it all. But your dorm is small. Like, very small. Despite how spacious your room may seem when you first walk in, once you’ve dragged in five buckets of stuff, it suddenly doesn’t look as spacious. Don’t forget: you also have to be able to comfortably live in your dorm, especially this semester. I anticipate that much of our time will now be spent in our residence halls.

That being said, have a “COVID corner!” Dedicate one shelf to all things pandemic-related. You could get a hook for your masks and a shelf for your hand sanitizer, gloves and Clorox wipes. I’ve noticed many places selling bulk-size bottles of hand sanitizer instead of travel size bottles, which may not be helpful for daily use. To save money, you can use the larger bottles to refill travel smaller ones to store in your backpack.

Also, bring your own bags! New York state recently banned single-use plastic bags, only allowing stores to offer produce bags and reusable plastic bags. If you plan on going grocery shopping, bring some reusable bags from home. You can also bring single-use bags from home to use as garbage bags in your dorm, which will save yourself from having to buy a box of them.

And please, get rid of all the throw pillows. My roommate had five throw pillows placed perfectly on her bed on move-in day, and they lasted about just as long. For the remaining semester they lived on the ground or under her bed, collecting large amounts of dust and dirt. I witnessed the same tragic story in countless friends’ dorms. Instead, save yourself a couple of bucks. I find that about two pillows make for a functional and cozy environment without the hassle.

Invest in a vacuum or a Swiffer sweeper depending on if your dorm is carpet or hardwood.  I’ve found that something similar to a Swivel Sweeper gets the job done best. Cleaning regularly, especially this fall, will be crucial to maintaining a clean and tidy living environment and helping you have a successful semester.

If you’re an avid coffee drinker, consider purchasing a Keurig. You can get one for $60. If you can save money and avoid high-traffic areas, such as the Starbucks on Marshall Street, why not. If you live in Brewster, Boland, Brockway, Lawrinson and Sadler halls, you also have the convenience of the West Campus Starbucks, which accepts SUpercard money.

If you want to learn more about strategic saving, budgeting, investing and student loans, check out SU’s Office of Financial Literacy. We offer one-on-one virtual coaching sessions with a Smart Money Coach, such as myself, who are trained to help students in various personal finance topics. You can even make an appointment through OrangeSUccess.

Andrea Lan is a junior finance major. She is a Smart Money coach in the Office of Financial Literacy. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at alan01@g.syr.edu.

Published on August 26, 2020 at 10:43 pm