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.

I love Asian Food. Rice? OMG, perfect side. So, I used to find myself ordering out for it A LOT. That got really pricey. Cooking it on my own, though; not so much. So cheap. And so very, very yummy. Now you try it:

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken tenders

¼ cup of honey

¾ cup of teriyaki sauce

Teaspoon of fine chopped onions (optional)

Teaspoon of ginger (optional)

1) Mix honey, teriyaki sauce, onion, and ginger together.

2) Pour mixture over chicken and let marinate in the fridge for at least two hours. Overnight is better.

3) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4) Place chicken in a single layer in casserole dish. Cover with foil and place in heated oven.

5) Cook for 35 – 45 minutes (oven times may vary)

This dish goes great with a side of rice and broccoli, which also happen to be super cheap and easy to make. Seriously, it may take you less time (and money!) to pull this together than to wait for the delivery dude to knock on your door.

A perfect meal for the busy college lady.

[Photo courtesy of flickr.com] 

Below is my list of the five MUST HAVES that got me through those hungry, fun and crazy college days. And don’t worry; there is still plenty of room for the beer.

1. Ramen noodles. While not the best food for your figure (sodium overload and absolutely no nutritional value), it’s great on a budget (you can get something like 10 boxes for $1.99). Throw in some veggies and you can have a quick and cheap stir-fry.

2. Salsa. This condiment spices up casseroles, nachos (which are a PERFECT drunk time/late night snack) and even omelets and eggs.

3. Velveeta. Great for sandwiches, mac & cheese (an essential college meal) and melting into a bowl for dipping animal crackers (You think I’m nuts, but just TRY it!).

4. Brita. I never thought this was necessary until I got to college and realized that natural tap water is filled with some seriously nasty gunk. Nothin’ that’ll kill ya or anything, but still, not the best stuff to put into your body (as I’m currently slugging back a vodka/seltzer – ha!). You can get an easy maintenance one at Target, Walmart and other similar stores.

5. Red Bull. Everyone has those nights where they need to pump up and rally. Red Bull, otherwise known as speed in a can, will do the trick. Chug one of these guys for a night at the library, or a night on the town; it will get you through and leave you feeling fantastic.

Those are my five little must-haves. What are yours?

Then came weekends, when my hungover ass would stumble out of bed in search of aspirin, water, and food. I was craving a homemade meal. I usually got…like, Saltines or something. So leave it to science to come up with the best thing ever created when it comes to both eating and being lazy.

Spray Pancakes!

You guys, it’s like that spray cheese crap your mom would never buy because “it wasn’t real food”! It’s like whipped cream only you can chew it! It’s the future!

If you’re like me you probably want to see it in action, so here you go. Prepare to be amazed:

But on those hungover mornings, try not to mix it up with your Reddi-Whip…I imagine that batter isn’t good for aching stomachs.

A few summers ago I shared an apartment with 5 other girls while we all worked on campus giving tours and orientating incoming freshmen.

I didn’t know any of them going into the summer, but by the time August rolled around we were good friends and there was a few things that had slipped into my sub-conscious:

1) Hummus and pita chips is a suitable replacement for any meal.

2) Cockroaches can find their way into your fridge if you don’t clean.

3) If you see a guy who’s totally hot, but old enough to be your dad you can slyly alert your friends to it by saying “Hog!”

What is a H.O.G.? A Hot Old Guy.

Check out the H.O.G. gallery after the jump!

If you can’t bring him home to mom and dad without feeling like you need to craft a well thought out speech regarding age difference then congrats, girl! You’ve snagged yourself a H.O.G.!

Don’t groan…you know you’ve seen a few guys walking down the street where even if you don’t want to get down, you can certainly appreciate the seemingly perfect way he’s aged and matured. Gray hair? No problem! Wrinkles? They add character! Experience? Of course! (and in more ways than one)

So, we’ve put together a list of 10 of the hottest H.O.G.’s and we want to know what you think too! Who did we leave out? Who’s the greatest H.O.G. of all time?

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