The week after finals
It’s Monday, wake up!!
How every semester goes
starting out:
finishing:
We 100% agree. Good luck out there!
Because, why not?
Why not welcome summer with our Get Wet Poster. Yes, pun intended ;).
How to Confront a Bad Roommate
Ah, bad roommates. At some point in our lives, we will probably all have a bad roommate. It will either be our friend that we never imagined was so messy, the relative that has an unbelievable disregard for privacy or the stranger that moved in when we were completely desperate. Either way, every roommate cannot be perfect, so when things get to be too unlivable, it becomes necessary to confront the other person. Of course there is a right and a wrong way to do this, and the wrong way can make things much, much worse (if that’s even possible), so here are some tips to make this more of a friendly discussion than a confrontation:
1.) Pick the right place and time. Don’t bombard your roommate at 2:00 in the morning just as they walk in the door from an all-night study session during finals week. Instead, schedule a time in the future to talk about the issues. And don’t worry about keeping it all secretive; chances are your roommate knows you both need to talk too. A good idea is to schedule it for a time when the both of you can relax, like Friday night after you both get home from work. That’ll give you the chance to talk things through and then even go out for a beer afterward.
2.) Say what you need to say. There is no point in having this discussion if you just casually browse over your points. If you’re upset about something, you need to address it. Otherwise, they might not even know it’s a problem, will keep doing it, and this meeting will have been completely useless. If you need to make a list, do that; just so long as you find a way to say what you need to say.
3.) Listen. Every story has too sides. Maybe they never load the dishwasher because they have no idea how a dishwasher works. No matter how silly it may sound, you have no idea what their backstory may be. Allow them a chance to explain their behavior, and then don’t get defensive if they have a few problems with your behavior as well. You’re not perfect either, you know.
4.) Be ready to compromise. Living with another person means you aren’t always going to get your way. However, you both can meet in the middle, so be ready to give a little bit in one area in order to get a little in another.
5.) Plan something for after. Some talks are better ended when each person goes their separate way for a night (which is completely understandable) and some conversations are best ended when each roommate goes out for a beer and gets over the whole thing. Planning for something to do will give you a way out either way, you just have to choose whether or not to invite them after your talk.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
When I have finals and my friends are on summer break
You’re so close!! hang in there!
When you eat all your roommates foods without asking
Reducing Hazardous Waste in Your Home
When you think of the ways your life could be improved, the reduction of hazardous waste in our homes is usually pretty far down on the list. However, we feel it should be moved up a notch or two. It’s not just about your home being clean - a clean home can still be a hazardous landmine – it’s about making sure the place you sleep, eat and drink is as safe as possible, and we’ve got a few ways to help you do that.
1.) Know your labels. Know what you’re buying before you buy it. Having a harmful product in the house is almost as hazardous as using it. Plus, if you have children or pets in your home they are surely bound to run across it someday. You also don’t want to be moving a product from one labeled container to an unlabeled one. You want to make sure that you or anyone else that might use something like a specific cleaning supply knows exactly what they are getting into. Keeping it in a labeled container also allows you to do step #2:
2.) Follow directions. In this day and age, directions are really treated as more of an afterthought. For the most part, we should be able to figure out how to use something. However, accidently using too much could be incredibly unsafe. That’s why there are directions in the first place; to make sure we aren’t exposed to a dangerous amount of a certain chemical.
3.) Store your products properly. Many chemicals can change if stored at certain temperatures, so make sure your products are kept at the right one; often between 50 and 80 degrees in a dry environment, but some products have more rigid storage requirements. Exposure to humidity or sunlight can also change the composition of what’s inside, leaving you with a surprise product made out of already hazardous materials in your home.
4.) Give away extras. If you don’t need it, don’t keep it! There’s no point in simply letting git sit in your home. Unused cleaning supplies can be given to a friend that hasn’t started their spring cleaning yet, unused pesticides can be donated to plant nurseries and paint can be donated to theater groups.
5.) Dispose of products properly. As convenient as it may be, simply tossing the empty container (or even a container with remaining product) into the garbage can is not the best choice. Potentially hazardous materials need to be handled at a proper waste disposal site to ensure they don’t end up in a landfill, seeping into the groundwater or contaminating our lakes and streams.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
Finals week:
Friday nights for normal college people.
Friday nights for me..
Because it’s funny. We’ll leave it up to you to determine the accuracy ;).
Spring Cleaning the Green Way
Spring is officially here, and we all know what that means: spring cleaning. And while there’s nothing wrong with really digging into that storage closet and getting ready for summer, many people avoid spring cleaning for one very good reason: allergies. All those dust, fumes and other particles can make for some difficult breathing environments. However, if you go about your spring cleaning in a green kind of way, you’d be surprised how much easier-to-live your environment can become.
1.) Forget the chemical air fresheners. We all want our place smelling its freshest, and that often means going out and purchasing whatever “fresh cotton” or “clean linen” air freshener you can get your hands on. Not a good idea. These chemical air fresheners are used in about 75% of homes and have been linked to sex-hormone and other developmental abnormalities, as well as cancer (of course). Your best bet is really to either open the windows and let some actual fresh air come wafting in, or to use natural fresheners, like baking soda or essential oils.
2.) Reuse what you can. You know what else people don’t like about spring cleaning: the expenses. Purchasing all these cleaning supplies costs money, and the costs tend to add up fairly quickly. So instead, use what you already have laying around. Use old socks or old T-shirts instead of disposable wipes. You can also use newspapers as paper towels and replace all furnace and air conditioning filters with washable ones.
3.) Make your own cleaning products. Cleaning products contain a vast array of chemicals linked to just about every health problem you could think of. Respiratory problems, birth defects, headaches, eye irritation and even cancer and infertility are just a few of the problems that can arise. So instead of using your traditional cleaning products, make your own. A mixture of salt, vinegar and water can be used on a variety of surfaces (especially kitchen counters), and plain soap, baking soda and lemon juice have also been found to be just as effective, and much safer, when used on other surfaces.
Of course if you don’t have the time or energy to make your own cleaning products, you could always switch to the green versions when you go to the store. You’d probably surprise yourself to see just how effective eco-friendly products really are. Plus you’ll no doubt sleep better at night after you’ve used them.
4.) De-clutter your home. Dust and allergens tend to settle where they won’t be found, and that means in all the little nooks and crannies that you can’t see. Of course on one wants to clear off all their picture frames and replace them all every time they need to clean the mantle, so make life easier on yourself and keep it less cluttered in the first place. It’s much easier to move and clean under four photos than it is to move and clean under 26 little knick-knacks.
And don’t forget; for dorm safety items (like pepper spray, safes and personal alarms), check out our store at www.secureoncampus.com, and for dorm decorations (like dorm lighting, fun drinking games, and wall decals) check out our store at www.thegoodlifeoncampus.com!
WHEN I FIND A GREAT SPOT IN THE LIBRARY, AND THEN REALIZE THERE ARE NO OUTLETS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO ME
Zip and Flip
Sometimes you need a travel pillow and sometimes you need a cuddle buddy. Our Zip and Flip Travel Pillow is both. You’re welcome.
