Living in the dorms is one of the most essential college experiences. Years from now, you’ll tell your friends and family of all your adventures and mishaps. You’ll never forget those obnoxious fire-drills at 3 am, the industrial blue carpeting, how hard it was for you to climb up into your bed…whilst drunk.

Most of all, when you look back you’ll remember the people you spent these times with, and all the friends you made. But when it comes to dorm buddies, there are the good friends (they don’t steal your shampoo and they grasp the concept of hygiene) and then there are your dorm BFF’s…

The Aspiring DJ: As annoying as his incessant Facebook messaging may be, the DJ is a good dorm friend to have. Not only does he have vast knowledge of the hottest clubs in town, he knows the cheapest best nights to go. His iTunes shared library is effing awesome and he’s always happy to demo his spinning skillz at whatever event you’re hosting (AKA whatever themed pre-party you’re having in your room, he’s happy to bring an equally festive mastermix). Not only is he the life of the party with his hilarious and entertaining personality, but he has a special place in his heart for nightly AYCD party buses. He wants as many of his friends at all his gigs as possible, so you’re always on the V.I.P. list when he MC’s at da club.

The Girl Who Always Has a Package Waiting: Of the UPS variety, not the Fruit of the Loom variety (trust me, that girl is not your BFF). She always has a message from your R.A. on her whiteboard “Package downstairs!” She always seems to be carrying a massive box up the stairs, and you, by all means, should help her carry that package. Because when she excitedly opens whatever baked goods/ treats her mom has sent her, she will inevitably share out of gratitude. The more you get to know this new friend, the more you’ll realize that Mom’s separation anxiety translates into brownies…and cookies, and peanut brittle and cupcakes. Girlfriend can’t possibly eat all that homesickness herself or she won’t be able to fit through the door to pick up her never ending stream of snail mail lovin’. This is where you need to be a good friend and split some of those ooey gooey calories… for her sake.

Your Study Buddy: When your R.A. inevitably slips a note under your door calling you to a mandatory hall meeting, do not sigh and lament this as time you’ll lose partying. Rather, prepare yourself for fun filled games like “two truths and a lie,” “guess who I am by what I wrote on this slip of paper,” and, my personal favorite, “sit in a circle and say your name and major.” The last one is particularly important, and you will want to listen very carefully for everyone with the same majors as you—they are your new study buddies.

You’ll have to take the same classes for the next four years, and even if you’re not in the same section, you can all help each other with specific assignments, studying for tests, sharing expensive books and occasionally e-mail each other to find out what you missed in class (obvi only applies if you’re in the same class). Be good to your study buddies, do not take advantage of them, and do unto your stubu as they would do unto you.

The girl Who Had Two U-Hauls on Move-In Day: Your little sis marveled at the amount of stuff some people could bring with them. Your parents silently thanked God that they didn’t have to help you move that much crap. You caught yourself thinking “Lucky Bitch won’t have to go to the gym later after carrying all those boxes up stairs.” You didn’t think much else about her until one night, as you were drifting off to sleep in your twin XL, you pondered what she possibly could have needed 2 trailers for. After all, the dorm came with furniture and a mini fridge. You managed to fit all your extra stuff in your backseat and your parents trunk. The only thing you could possibly think of is that she must have just needed an extra one for all her shoes, clothes and purses.

Bingo! You saunter down the hall to introduce yourself and see her clothes spilling out of her drawers, closet and falling off of her clothes rack. So exasperated is she by her need to organize all her (super freaking cute) stuff, that now would be a good time for you to generously offer some of your closet space. Perhaps you could store some of her dresses in your fave color and shoes in your size? Seriously, you are such a good friend.

The Guy With the Really Good Fake: You know who I’m talking about. About 6’3, brown hair, full beard, wears Dad shorts? Yea, him. Chances are, he’s had his fake I.D. since he turned 13…and he’s never been turned down. He’ll be the one hosting most of the dorm parties and pregames, due to his close relationship with Steve from Megadiscountliquor Barn. Be very polite to him, as he is using his gas money and incredibly valuable time to go on beer runs for you. Be prepared to pay a nominal convenience fee (but if he tries to charge you more than $5 extra take your business elsewhere) and never look him in the eye. Tell him Kari sent you—he’ll know what you’re talking about.

What kind of friends would you love to make in your dorm? What kind of dorm BFF are you? Know any of these people (especially the girl with all the clothes!)?

With less than three weeks before we welcome 2009, now is the time to do everything you said you would do in 2008. And if any of those plans go awry? You can start off with a clean slate in under 30 days. Now is the time to carpe diem, my friends, so see 2008 out with a bang.

1) Get a jump start on your New Year’s resolution. It’ll make January 1 so much less painful. Dead set on losing weight? Start out each day with a mere 20 minutes of cardio. You’ll lose a couple of pounds before the big par-tay and be motivated to keep toning up throughout January (and beyond). Want to quit smoking? Cut down now. Cold Turkey will be easier when you’ve already cut a pack-a-day habit down to 2 or 3 nicotine sticks.

2) Ask out that hottie from lab. What do you have to lose? The semester’s almost over anyway. And if he’s interested, you might have your New Year’s kiss all lined up.

3) Have a clothing-swap party. Clean out the stuff you bought in 2008 because you thought it would make a fashion statement. Encourage your friends to do the same, and then get together and see if anyone wants someone else’s duds. If your friends don’t want your fashion don’ts, donate them to the Salvation Army or another charity, and start off 2009 with some good Karma.

4) Buy some Obama memorabilia. Come on! Comemorate history in the making with an Obama t-shirt or button or novelty Barack condoms. You’ll be good to go for 2009′s much-anticipated inauguration.

5) Do something BIG. Has 2008 flown by too quickly? Don’t wait till New Years Eve when everyone’s going to be out and about. Grab tickets to a concert, a sporting event, a theater performance, or a comedy show. Get out of the house (and out of your normal weekend routine), and buy a ticket for something that you can file into your scrapbook under “2008.” If you can afford it, take a weekend getaway. If you can’t, try to find one of your city’s secret gems, like a free museum visit or a student discount pass to a local attraction.

6) Make contact. If you’ve lost touch with someone or had a falling out, this is the perfect season to reconnect and make amends. Reflect back on 2008. Should you apologize to your ex-best friend for having a blow out that really wasn’t that significant? Have you grown apart from your Spring ’08 lab partner? Did someone make a difference in your life last year, and you never got to properly thank them? Why wait till “next year”? Do it now.

7. Have a “Best Of” party. Tell your friends to dress in their favorite ’08 trends (even if they went out a couple of months ago), bring over their iPods and blast the best jams of the passing year, or have a 2008 movie marathon. Have everyone write down some 2008 memories, and throw them into a hat; then, read everyone’s contributions out loud. Nothing ends a good year with some damn good reminiscing.

8. Do something small. But still meaningful. Check out this blogger’s “45 Things to Do Before 2009″ List and see if you get inspired. Rent some of Hollywood.com’s “Must See” suggestions. Or, see what other peoples’ goals are, and see if you can relate.

The clock is ticking, friends, and you can’t make up for lost time. What do you hope to accomplish before we begin a new year?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Craigslist, there is an individual site for most major cities across the US (and around the world, for that matter), e.g. losangeles.craigslist.org, boston.craigslist.org, and so on. Craigslist is basically a bunch of classified ads, and there’s a huge section of both “jobs” and “gigs” just waiting for you to stumble upon. So whether you want to splurge on a shopping spree, get your grandmother a birthday present, or actually buy your books this semester, look on Craigslist. I recommend browsing the categories “ETC” and “Event,” though if you have a particular talent or skill, you may want to look under “Creative,” “Labor,” or “Writing.”

Here are some of my favorite past Craigslist gigs:

1. Mock Juror

Listed under: Event

Paid: $60 for less than 4 hours

Perks: A 15-minute break, free coffee, soft drinks, and snacks, and cash payment.

I had to fill out a couple of surveys to qualify, but this gig was open to all ages, races, genders, and occupations. I had to go to a hotel meeting room and listen to the facts of a real case that hadn’t gone to trial yet. Then, all the participants had to discuss what they thought of the case, such as whether the prosecutors should clarify any of their evidence, or if the defense had any decent, er, defense.

2. Market Research Participant

Listed under: ETC

Paid: $75-$125 for about 2 hours

Perks: Cash payment, free snacks and soft drinks, and opportunities to join a market research database for later studies

I’ve done market research studies for people with no health insurance, bargain shoppers, and soda drinkers. Usually, you sit in a room with some other people (again, from all walks of life), and share your thoughts regarding the subject. “Yes, I would get health insurance if it was cheaper.” “I don’t shop at that discount store because it’s trashy.” Then you get paid. The only study that was different was the soda study, in which I had to press a button when I saw a certain word appear on a screen, and then watch some advertisements for said soda product. But hey, that one paid well, and there’s no harm in pressing a button for a couple of hours.

3. Door Hanger Distributor

Listed under: Event

Paid: $200 for a day’s work

Perks: $25 gas stipend

I can’t really call this one of my “favorites,” but it was the most profitable. Basically, I had to walk around for several hours and hang door hanger advertisements for a local ice cream shop on peoples’ front doors. It sounds easy enough, and I got to burn calories while jamming out with my i-Pod, but at the end of the day, I thought my legs were going to fall off. A few hours into the gig, I was cursing myself for responding to the ad, but a week later, when I was up $225, I forgot about my aching knees and the weird sunburn I got after missing a patch of skin on my back.

4. Freelance Writer

Listed under: Writing

Paid: $10-$50 per piece

Perks: Can become a routine gig, and it’s a job that can be added to your resume

I’ve written for various C-list posters, from a telemarketing script to restaurant reviews. Some jobs pay via Paypal, which is cool, because instead of blowing the money right away, I let it accumulate, and then transfer a couple hundred bucks to my bank account and go on a shopping spree. The most profitable freelance gig I’ve done earned me $50 for a 100-word anecdote. Not too shabby. If you’re into writing, I suggest looking at multiple Craigslist sites, especially the larger hubs in America like New York or LA, because you can usually telecommute and work these gigs from home, at all hours of the night.

I’ve found that an avid Craigslist whore like myself can earn a pretty chunk of change by doing odd jobs. Sure, they aren’t the most glamorous tasks, but you can make your own schedule, and usually average over $10 an hour for your work. Plus, you don’t have to deal with a shitty boss, and once the job is done, you’re done with the company altogether. Be weary of what posts your respond to, however — I don’t recommend responding to “Will Pay a Hot Girl to Escort Me to a Company Party,” and if you find a market research post that requires you to fill out a survey, or follow a link to qualify, it’s probably a scam. The good news is, the more comfortable you get with Craigslist, the quicker you’ll be able to find a job that suits you, and you’ll be able to weed out the whack job posters from the legitimate opportunities.

[What's the best job you ever landed off of Craigslist?]