College can be the greatest place on earth… that is, until the cash starts running low. And since right after you read this you are going to head to Urban Outfitters “just to look around”, and you are bound to find that rug/lamp/’80s drinking game/hip wall art, and you just “absolutely have to have them all because they are all so cute and will go perfect in your room,” you might not be the most frugal shopper on campus.

College can become a pretty expensive place for a lot of different reasons. Now, we know you aren’t paying for drinks at the bar (ahhh… to be a girl in college…) but next week is your BFF’s b-day and then your MFF’s HY b-day (most favorite friend’s half year birthday) and you are way past making them a friendship collage. Also I’m pretty sure season two of Gossip Girl comes out on DVD soon so there are some big purchases in the near future you cannot avoid.

With all these costs racking up, the 300 person line to that cheap franchised burrito place isn’t looking too long anymore (even though you know it only tastes good after 7 Slippery Nipples) and the Golden Arches seem like the right option to squeeze every penny. But we are here to convince you of another option. It’s called cooking. For yourself. With real ingredients.

Wait… wait. C’mon, at least let me explain before you go check Perez and go watch The Bachelor choose the skanky girl with the tongue ring.

My brother Max and I are professional chefs who wrote a cookbook that’s just for you. It’s a step by step guide starting with incredibly simple recipes that you don’t even need an oven or microwave for and then gets progressively more challenging with each chapter. By the end of our book you will be whipping up three-course meals for your BFFs, MFFs, BFs, GFs, RAs, TAs, roomies, your big sis, and maybe even the ‘rents. You’ll be like Monica from Friends, but without having to deal with Ross’s constant bitching about his lady troubles.

We want to help get it in your mind that cooking isn’t really all that difficult, time consuming, or expensive. In the cookbook we have tips on how to set up your kitchen, how to grocery shop, and even how to boil water and cook perfect pasta. So any possible cooking question you could have, we answer it. And if you come up with something we don’t answer in our cookbook, email and ask us and we’ll get back to you the same day. Technology is really an amazing thing.

Here’s a great healthy recipe below that isn’t too heavy so you can eat it before you go out. It will be so much more delicious that any fast food dinner option, too. We suggest having a few girlfriends pitch in so the overall cost is REALLY cheap. Grab a bottle of wine, crank up the Gaga and get cooking. We know you’ll feel a real sense of accomplishment once you finish making this. And hey, isn’t feeling a sense of accomplishment what college is all about?

[Freshman in the Kitchen, published by Huron River Press available now. For more information and to order visit www.freshmaninthekitchen.com.]

I’ve done some of the work for you and picked out the top five things that every college student needs.

1. Alarm Clock – This is an absolute necessity, although an annoying one. With all the fun stuff that you’ll do in college, it’s sometimes easy to forget why you’re actually there in the first place: CLASS! To make sure you’re getting your tuition’s worth by actually going to class, you’re going to need a reliable alarm clock. Of course, any old alarm clock or clock radio will do, but there are definitely better options out there. With the iHome iH4B, you can fall asleep and wake up to your favorite music. Plus, it charges your iPod, so you’re never stuck with a drained battery. I also really like the Clocky ® alarm clock, designed for people like me who turn off their alarm clocks without getting out of bed. I used to have to put my alarm clock across the room and run to the other side to shut it off, much to the annoyance of my roommates. This one, which has wheels and rolls around the room, probably would have annoyed them even more, but it definitely would have stopped me from going back to sleep and missing class for the umpteenth time.

2. Mini-Fridge – Another dorm room essential, because eating at the dining hall for every meal can get boring, and you’ll need this to store ingredients for easy meals, along with snacks for when you and your friends are hanging out in your room and a variety of beverages. Think Geek’s Deluxe Mini-Fridge/Warmer is compact, yet holds up to 20 liters inside. Plus, it also has a warming option, which is great for PopTarts… but not for your beers. Think Geek also makes a one-can USB fridge, which allows you to cool one drink at your desk through your computer’s USB port, so you can still enjoy your favorite drink cold, even if it’s from the stash you keep hidden from your roommates.

3. Freshman in the Kitchen Cookbook – As I said before, going to the dining hall for every meal can get boring, and sometimes you’ll want to shake it up a bit. However, you might not have the money to go out to eat whenever you feel like it, so why don’t you try cooking something in the dorm kitchen? Check out Freshman in the Kitchen, From Clueless Cook to Creative Chef,  a cookbook designed for college students written by brothers and recent college grads, Max and Eli Sussman. It helps even the least experienced person (who had mom cook their every meal) learn to make great meals by starting off with simple, no-heat meals and gradually moving into more elaborate spreads.

4. Earbuds – Yes, the ones that came with your iPod work great, but these JBuds noise-isolating earbuds fit more comfortably into your ears and cancel out outside noise, which is perfect for blocking your roommates’ snoring when you’re trying to sleep or their talking when you’re trying to study.

5. iPhone – The new iPhone 3G may not be in everyone’s budget, but it makes up for the price in the features it offers. Besides making phone calls and sending texts, the iPhone allows you to access your e-mail (from profs), browse the web (for that research paper), check the weather (for that party), manage your to-do list (for your life), access Google Maps (for that road trip), and a whole lot more from virtually anywhere. Plus, you can download any application imaginable from the App store. There are apps that do anything from connect you to Facebook or check your bank balance to leading you to the nearest public bathroom (www.have2p.com, which even tells you how clean the bathroom is!), especially useful when you’ve had a little too much to drink.