We’ve all been there: just when your enrollment time rolls around, the class that you planned to take next semester is now full. Even though you need that class to qualify for another upper-division course, accept that dream internship AND graduate on time, there just aren’t enough seats. And when you attempt to crash the class, the wait list is moving at a glacial pace and you’re getting seriously desperate. How much would you pay to add that course? Would you pay more than four times the current fee per unit? Is that even fair? Is that even legal?!?

A few things are for certain: it’s happening, it’s pissing people off and, therefore, it’s the Hot Button Issue of the week.

According to the Los Angeles Times, an incredibly popular community college in Southern California will soon implement a two-tiered pricing system that offers high-demand classes at a much higher price. Class fees are currently set at $36 per unit and will rise to $46 beginning this summer. As part of the new system just approved by the school board, crucial classes at Santa Monica College will costs about $200 per unit. The new program would be offered as soon as this summer and winter — the latter of which may only offer the higher-priced classes. Hey, desperate times obviously call for desperate measures.

Here’s how it would work: when popular courses like English and math fill up completely, additional sections would be offered at the higher price. Note: the first round of courses are state-funded, which is why the cost per unit is cheaper than an embellished dress from ASOS). The extra classes would still be taught by campus faculty and would only supplement the current offerings in order to meet student demand, rather than raising prices for all classes, all the time. Government grants and financial aid would still apply, and the school is currently working to secure private funding to offer course scholarships.

Inevitably, upping the buck for anything gets people pissed off, but even more so because it alleviates opportunities for low-income students. People who choose to attend community college first and transfer to a four-year university afterwards sometimes do so solely to live at home, stay out of debt and save money on those general education courses that most of us don’t even use anyway — not because they didn’t get into the universities of their choice straight out of high school.

But hypothetically, if two students with shockingly similar academic records both need the same English course in order to meet a transfer application deadline and get out of Santa Monica College, the one who agrees to pay the higher price will be the one who stays on track, while the other tries their enrollment luck next semester and pushes back their anticipated transfer date another year or so. This rationing of education and lack of access is what defeats the purpose of community colleges altogether, which are supposed to serve the under served in the first place!

However, we should probably just face it once and for all: state funding for public post-secondary education is a hot commodity these days, and the money to pay for the classes that everybody wants must come from somewhere. If enough people are willing to pay a little extra — or a lot extra, proportionally — for that class to be properly funded and actually materialize, shouldn’t they be able to enroll? Or should their academic timelines and transfer transcripts suffer because the state budget can’t get it together and because their classmates can’t afford the same opportunity that they’re definitely paying extra to seize? If an individual can solve a problem brought on by a group they happen to be part of, maybe they should be able to do so for themselves and reap their own rewards.

How can current community college students avoid this altogether? Well, it’s not like people will simply stop going to Santa Monica College as a form of protest — all CC’s are not created equal, and the 34,000-student Santa Monica campus has one of the highest transfer rates to four-year universities in the state and a reputation for innovative programs that are a model for other community colleges. Which means that this two-tier pricing program could soon be implemented at a community college near you…and at the rate that universities are losing public funding as well, I wonder which four-year college will be first to quadruple charge for enrollment in Introduction to Biology and Macroeconomics…

Are crucial classes worth the hefty price tag? Or is Santa Monica College’s new pricing program completely ridiculous, unfair and unethical?

Ashley is a UC San Diego grad who is holding on way too tightly to a potential career in magazines and goes to Vegas all too often. She’s fascinated with celebrities and strawberry beer and doubles as a pathological texter/emailer/blogger. Feed the addiction with tweets @cashleelee. Thanks in advance.

Happy Presidents’ Day, ladies!

That’s why your classes were canceled today, in case you were wondering. And why mattresses are “60% off TODAY ONLY!” So while we sleep in and high school students get a week off, and the rest of the world remembers all the great things our nation’s leaders have done for us, I’m going to  do some remembering of my own, but remembering a bit closer to home…

Remember (see I told you) when you were a little kid and you use to have to write those essays about what you did over summer vacation, what you wanted to be when you grew up, and oh yeah, what you would do if you were president for a day? Well, I’m finally getting around to writing mine. (Because I don’t know what else to do with myself now that I’ve finished my senior thesis.) In honor of Presidents’ Day I present to you, the top ten things I would change if I were president.

Disclaimer: This list is not to be taken seriously. These are not serious suggestions nor are they things I would ever actually consider doing if I were in such a situation of power. It’s just a little bit of fun.

10. Instead of the president’s most trusted advisors the cabinet will include the hottest guys in the U.S. Sure they may not be the brightest advisors a girl ever had, but they will sure make the work day a lot more enjoyable (And I’m sure they’d give quite a few of our past presidents’ advisors a run for their money.) First issue of discussion: who has the hottest abs? Well, I guess you’ll just have to take your shirts off and discuss.

9. Replace the White House bowling alley with a White House spa. Seriously, I mean I don’t know what the previous presidents were thinking. Who relaxes by bowling? Especially with those horrible shoes. Thanks but no thanks. I’ll take a massage table, some scented candles, and a facial any day.

8.  Instead of vacationing at Camp David I’ll vacation at Disney World. Why vacation at a country retreat when you can go to Disney World – the greatest place on earth? I don’t know about you, but if I’m gonna be spending a week surrounded by rodents, I prefer mine with squeaky voices and comically oversized shoes.

7.  Upon completion of their degrees, college students get their tuition back. My gift to college students everywhere. If they managed to make it through four years of partying hard work and dedication to their studies they deserve a reward. I would know.

6.  There really will be a Starbucks on every corner. And of course, the president drinks for free. What? I’d need to stay caffeinated, okay? Have you ever seen me with less than sixteen ounces of caffeinated caramel goodness in my system? No. You haven’t. And there’s a reason for that.

5. Margarita Mondays will become a nationally observed holiday. Okay so maybe margaritas all day wouldn’t be the best idea. But at least a mandatory margarita during a mandatory 5 p.m. cocktail hour on Mondays. It will boost everyone’s mood and make it all the more interesting for those that have to return to work after their drinks. Don’t you think?

4. Add zebra stripes to the white house. Come on. The place hasn’t been painted since 1800. It could use a bit of a spruce up.

3. State of the Union address will involve a rundown of the previous year’s fashion trends. Okay so I don’t actually have a legitimate excuse for this one, but I just think that it would be more fun to go back and pick out the best and worst fashion mistakes of the past year than to discuss the nation’s successes and failures. Not necessarily as productive, but definitely more entertaining. Especially if my Secretary of Style, Joan Rivers, was sitting behind me.

2.  My presidential salary will include a special shoe shopping budget. This is totally reasonable. I mean I’ll be attending tons of important functions every week. That will require lots and lots of cute outfits and lots and lots of cute shoes to go with said outfits. And if my budget allows for those shoes to be Louboutins, Jimmy Choos, and Manolo Blahniks, then so be it. I am serving my country, after all.

1. Make CollegeCandy the required reading material for the entire universe. If not for the entire United States population (I’m not sure I want my mom gettin’ this on her Google Reader) than at least for all the college girls out there. It’s for their own good, I assure you.

[Check out Jenn's other musings-in-the-form-of-a-list here.]

I know what you’re thinking: Why would I want to read a book about paying for college when I’m already in college and I’m getting by with student loans/ my parents’ generously footing the bill /or a scholarship?

Well listen up, pretty lady – whatever your situation is you will absolutely get some insight about paying for college that will, without a doubt, help you make better decisions when it comes to financially making it through four years, as well as helping you protect your future post-grad life.

Throughout history, paying for college has been a major issue on everyone’s minds. But although it’s something everyone always seems to talk (and worry) about, it is one thing that usually gets pushed to the side in the application process. Students send their applications out, they get their acceptance letters back, and then – and only then – the question of paying for that highly accredited university to which they’ve been accepted pops up. But with the cost of a college education rising at a pace in polar opposition to our economy, financial disaster is almost inevitable.

Without a lot of financial planning, people turn to student loans, which, as any college student who has taken them out knows, are a major stress-factor that can impact the rest of your life. Not only do students feel like they have to take out more and more loans to supplement an income during college, they feel utterly lost, especially in a world where financial aid offices will tell you anything. In Debt-Free, Zac explains “The role of the financial aid office to make sure that the students the school has admitted are financially able to attend – through whatever means necessary.” Because colleges don’t work as financial advocates for students, more and more students are falling down the rabbit hole of student debt. However, consider Debt-Free as a personal guide that will walk you through all things financial in the college world, by whatever means necessary.

What makes Debt-Free so rich is that in a world where colleges and universities will blatantly lie to prospective and current students about financial options, Zac is here to dispel every rumor, every faulty piece of advice, and to actually help you out. While many financial books promise to get their readers on the right track to becoming millionaires, Debt-Free looks out for its audience by giving the cold, hard facts and a dose of reality with a bit of humor and a lot of helpful tips peppered in.

Especially in this recession, it’s hard for students not to become emotional or enraged about their college financial situations. While some students feel incredibly strongly about student loans (how else would they have gone to college without them?) and others are more indifferent, a growing number of students interested in having more financial autonomy, especially in college, is growing. Regardless of your opinion on student loans or the means to paying for a college education, Zac’s advice will cover everything you need to know to make good decisions with your money (or lack thereof).

Debt-Free covers everything and anything related to paying for college. From the beginning of the application process and how colleges reel students in with promises of scholarship money and financial aid, all the way through the hidden facts regarding student loans. Not only does he offer advice on how to pay for college without making your parents go bankrupt or ruining your financial future with monthly loan payments, Zac offers clarity about whether paying for a private college instead of big public university is worth it. He even addresses the financial situation as a whole – and offers his personal take on how they should improve and what needs to change. Instead of complaining about financial aid issues such as FASFA, Zac is outspoken about the system and how it can be more effective and fair.

All in all, what makes this book refreshing is that Zac practices what he preaches. He’s not some spoiled rich kid with parents paying his way at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst while spouting fake advice. He’s putting his money where his mouth is, and he’s advocating for students across the nation.

And considering the hundreds of thousands of dollars we’re spending on our college educations, it might be a good idea to listen.

[Debt-Free U: How I Paid For An Outstanding College Educaiton Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching Off My Parents hits bookstores on August 31^st. A special thanks to Maureen Cole at Portfolio/Penguin Publishing for providing a press copy.]

[It's pretty obvious that the average CollegeCandy reader has some very strong opinions. Opinions that she likes to share with everyone on the site. We love a strong woman (unless she happens to be charging at us with her fists raised), so we thought we'd give her a real forum to discuss her thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Every Friday I'll be featuring a hot topic (like sexting!) and leaving it up to you, the readers, to duke it out. So, read it and get your debate on in the comments section below!]

I know what you’re thinking – no, I’m not talking about really active senior citizens, I think they’re great (go Betty White!) - I’m talking about those people who hang around undergrad for 6 or 7 or 10 years “finding themselves” without ever actually bothering to get a degree. Well now, with the budgets for higher education getting slashed left and right, some states have decided it’s time for these super-seniors to get moving.

On one side of the coin, this seems like a good idea. I’m all for finding yourself and making sure that your degree is right for you. I’m also all about living the dream (read: college life) for as long as humanly possible. But some people, like that 25-year-old guy everyone on my campus knew, start using these ideas as a way to avoid going out into the real world and growing up.

I admit, it’s scary out there (what do you mean they’re going to turn off my power?), but it’s just one of those things we all have to face and if I have to live out here in the great-big-scary, then I think it’s only fair that they join me. And the states have it right on one point – these people are sucking up resources that others could be using to get an education. Not only are they skipping out on adulthood, they’re actually making life harder for others just by taking up space and money. Buck up, make a decision and get your diploma already!

But, there’s also an element to this idea that just rubs me the wrong way – should schools or the state be able to tell you how long you can take for your education? Many of these super-seniors are paying part or all of their own tuition, and if you’re willing to pay, shouldn’t you be able to hang out as long as you want? Also, you run into the problem of people who change or do double-majors. These things can take more time and it’s not really the state or school’s place to tell you that you can’t change what you want from your future or explore your options. As long as you’re willing to deal with the consequences of being that creepy old chick at the frat parties (or, you know, spending a long time on your education, whatever) then who are they to tell you that you need to hurry up?

So what do you think? Is it time for super-seniors to get a move on and stop hogging all the funding? Or should they be allowed to pull a Van Wilder and do things at their own pace, how ever long that takes? Duke it out!

I’ll start this post with the disclaimer that I’m not one that usually gets involved in (or understands) politics. But what I do understand is the massive amount of debt I am incurring by spending four years at a university. And I’m sure that is something many of you also understand all too well.

That’s why many of us fell head over heels for Obama in the 2008 election. Among other things, he promised to overhaul the current student loan situation and create something that would offer more money for college students and make it easier for us to pay it all back.

But as it stands now, it looks like this major change may never happen. And it has a little something to do with another one of Obama’s campaign promises and personal goal: the health care bill.

How are these two linked?
What do they have to do with one another?

Well it seems that both of these bills are having a little trouble making it past congress. In order to push them both along, the Democrats have decided to lump them together in a process called “budget reconciliation” so a single vote will either “yay” or “nay” them both.

Seems good in theory, except that the bill deemed less important will have to be compromised in order to get everyone on board. And that one just so happens to be the overhaul on student loans.

Obama’s original plan was to greatly expand funding for direct, federal student loans, which would allow for more money for Pell grants (which aid low-income students) and stop banks from making large profits on student loans. (Basically, we’d get loans from the government instead of, say, Sallie Mae.) And that was a great idea, allowing even more students the chance at a college education…. and the chance to pay for it without going totally broke.

So what happened to it?

Well, linking this overhaul to the health care bill may help Obama’s long-awaited health care reform become a reality (which we can’t argue with!), but it’s implications for students, according to this article, are not good. It’s possible that loans available to students currently receiving aid would go down and there would be even less money available for future students. In addition, there would be a serious lack of funding for community colleges, which have become much more popular given the economic downturn.

With the cost of tuition skyrocketing as most people’s income decreases, is this something we can really afford? But at the same time, is this more important than health care reform?

What do you guys think? Which issue should be given priority? Do you think these two bills should be tied together?

Studying on the beach? HELL NO.

WOAH. Stop right there. Hooooold up. Wait a minute. Don’t go there cuz I ain’t wit’ it.

I can’t believe my ears.

I just heard the worst idea in the history of idea-making and I swear I am not overreacting.

A US Senator, Lamar Alexander (yes, please send him nasty letters and kick him on the street), stated in a recent Newsweek Article that “an educational schedule of 3 months of summer is not relevant in today’s world and [college] students should take more credit hours and graduate in 3 years, saving 25% in tuition costs.”

I have so many problems with this one sentence I don’t even know where to begin.

I guess I should start with deep breathing into a brown paper bag. And eating a brownie.

Ok, now that I’m somewhat composed let’s start with Mr. Alexander’s cost argument. It’s an obvious fact that our parents, our own bank accounts, and out future selves for the next 15 years, are being raped of any and all money we make or will make to pay for college. But in the grand scheme of things, how much less of a burden is it to pay $120,000 versus $160,000?

Either way, the financial aspect of college has all of us students spurting premature wrinkles, and I’d rather spend one more year of my life tailgating, eating diner food at 4 am, and partying the night away before I have to face the fat, red negative number in my bank account.

Plus, doesn’t this guy realize that just because you cram 4 years of work into 3 doesn’t necessarily mean you will pay less? Summer classes are an extra cost outside of your tuition, and the majority of schools charge per class, so this will not save the student any money. Not to mention that some colleges even charge students for each credit they take above a certain number during a semester.

Alexander argument: denied.

And then there’s the stress. Does Senator Lamar wants us to freakin’ die?! Five classes is a full course load. Many of us have taken six; the really ambitious (or really unfortunate) have taken seven. It is physically impossible to take this many classes, 6 semesters in a row, without a break. Is this his secret attempt to kill off all the students before they hit the job market to lessen the competition and save his own ass?

And, dear Lamar, when do you expect students to work to earn the money they need to pay tuition? And what about the ever-important college internships? In this competitive market getting experience through a summer internship is vital to securing a job post graduation. How are we supposed to fit that in with the 27 credits we’ll all be forced to take each semester?!

Bottom line: our lives are already way over-packed. We are stressed out, burnt out, running all over the place, and sometimes the only thing that keeps us sane is that 3 month break from classes looming in the future.

I’m glad this guy got to go to school and balance his internships, classes, and fun without having to have people stress him out by threatening to cut out his summer vacation. Perhaps he should stop being an ass and let us have our college glory. Four years already goes fast enough

What do you guys think? Is this man off his rocker?!

Except, I do imagine it. I catch myself worrying about non-existent assignments and responsibilities that won’t resume until September. But even more, I constantly find myself spacing out at work, reminiscing about all the good stuff that comes along with college. Mostly the whole not-bored-at-work-9-to-5 thing.

And I miss it!

Meal Plans: While I’m lucky enough not to be taking classes this summer, I do have to work — which means I’m stuck in a college town all summer long without the benefit of visiting home, and therefore the benefit of home cookin’. My freshman year, I ate dining hall food. My sophomore year, my sorority dues included a meal plan. This summer, with my sorority house closed and the dining halls freshmen-infested, I’m armed only with my apartment’s kitchen and whatever the hell I find when I Google “easy, cheap, healthy recipes” and pudding. Do I enjoy learning to cook? Absolutely. Would I prefer a cook to prepare my meals? Uh, hell yes. Plus, there’s no clean up if you’re not the one using all the dishes…

The Gym: As any lady knows, summer is either the best time to flaunt your hard earned bikini-bod, or to berate yourself for spending more of Spring watching The Office than a yoga instructor. So naturally, gym time is a necessary evil (unless you enjoy working out, which I sadly do not). Imagine my disappointment when I arrived at my campus gym early for kickboxing, only to have my student I.D. DENIED at the turnstile. It was almost as embarrassing as having a credit card declined, weirdly enough. Apparently, if you don’t take summer classes at FSU, you can’t use the gym (I guess the tuition I pay during fall and spring doesn’t cut it). Every day as I run outside (instead of on a treadmill with AC and Daisy of Love repeats) I count the days until I’ll be back at the student gym.

The Bar Scene: Never in my life did I think I’d find myself wishing for the bar to be more crowded. There are no lines for the bathroom, the bartenders are almost overly attentive, and I have enough room to extend my arms. All of these are seemingly good things, but when there are no people to watch, no strangers to mingle with, and no one standing between me and unlimited mojitos, things at the bar just don’t end well. When it takes me 20 minutes to fight my way through the crowd to the bar in Fall, I will look back at this time lovingly, but for now, the bar scene just seems kinda boring.

“Academic Expenses”: As I mentioned before, I’m a working woman. But when my parents offer to help out with any school related costs, I definitely don’t turn it down. The beauty of this is that there is always some way to explain a purchase as necessary to my academic career. “Supplies” at Walmart, “Business attire” for those in-class presentations, and my personal favorite “Whatever they sell at the bookstore” because Mom’s credit card is on file there. A random charge on her statement is easily explained during the semester, but trying to convince her that I need money for “road trip supplies” doesn’t go as smoothly.

Overall, I’m not complaining about a long, hot and relaxing summer—but there are definitely a few things I miss about Fall and Spring. What about you guys?

Many colleges are now considering implementing a degree program that would allow students to graduate in three years.  This could provide some students with access to higher education that they may not have otherwise have had, saving them time and money.  But what are they losing (if anything)?

When I think back to my freshman year, I remember a time of mass confusion. I tried three different majors before I found my place. I dabbled in tons of different departments to figure out where I belonged. Would I have been able to do that and graduate at the end of my junior year? Hell no. Would I have been prepared to enter the real world at the age of 20? Um, I’m not even sure how I’ll handle it next year!

And what about the other stuff – the life lessons? The post-21 partying? The road trips, the friendships, and all the other stuff that comes with a 4 year college degree. Ok, so maybe that’s not the really “important” stuff, but it is the stuff that makes us who we are as adults.  Would a three year program take away from the entire college package?

There is no set three year model in mind. Some schools might just lower the credit requirement for a degree, other schools might require you to attend summer classes.  General education requirements would still be in place (they are, after all, the hallmark of the American education system…unfortunately), but it’s unclear how they would fit in with the new streamlined degree requirements. Most likely: really long days… and no 4 day weeks.

Obviously, with all the details up in the air, this is an issue that needs some attention, and who better to decide what is best for college students than college students? Tell us what you think: is a shorter program worth it, or is three years not enough to get a true college experience and education?

However, if you play your cards right, you can find great success after college. Sure, some of us will spend years after college struggling to pay off student loans and going on interview after interview, sometimes for entry-level jobs we are overqualified for but still can’t seem to nab. But some of us are on the brink of making headlines, like these uber-successful post-grad powerhouses have done in recent years.

1. Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda went to Wesleyan University in Connecticut, a school where tuition runs at over $38 grand a year, plus $10-12,000 for room and board expenses. While attending Wesleyan, Miranda, a native of Inwood, New York City, turned his life experience into a theatrical production that has exploded since his graduation from the University in 2002. Miranda is the composer and lyricist behind the smash hit musical In the Heights, which was produced at Wesleyan, picked up for off-Broadway, and transferred to the Great White Way in 2008. Miranda, an actor-slash-rapper who originated the lead role, Usnavi, in his own show, picked up a Tony award last spring and is currently slated to reprise the role when it hits the silver screen.

2. Mark Zuckerberg

Love Facebook today, hate it tomorrow. Either way, Mark Zuckerberg is rolling in dough. Zuckerberg actually dropped out of Harvard to focus on the social networking site that changed the face of the internet forever (saving over $30,000 a year in tuition). This May, Zuckerberg will celebrate a milestone birthday- the quarter-century mark, and with an estimated networth of about $1.5 billion, it’s bound to be one kick-ass party. Check your mini-feed for event details.

3. Fred De Luca

Fred De Luca didn’t become an entrepreneur in college; he opened his own sandwich shop at 17 to raise money to pay for college. When De Luca graduated from the University of Bridgeport with his Bachelor’s degree, his Subway sandwich shops were already taking over Connecticut, and today the chaine consists of over 30,000 stores worldwide. Today, the University of Bridgeport isn’t too daunting, with the relatively low tuition rate of about $23,000 per year- a mere fraction of the $1.5 billion De Luca has netted through his enterprise.

4. Alice Sebold

Alice Sebold didn’t find financial success as quickly as Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mark Zuckerberg, or Fred De Luca, but after being violently raped at Syracuse University as a freshman, she made several amazing accomplishments that have led her down the path of a bestselling author. Not only did Sebold finish her degree from $45,000-a-year Syracuse, but she faced down her attacker in court and later developed the real-life story into her acclaimed memoir, Lucky. Sebold’s next book, and most well-known work, is The Lovely Bones, a film version of which will be released later this year.

5. Stephanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta

This former student at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts now goes by the stage name Lady Gaga. Before she could legally drink, Gaga was working as a songwriter at Interscope Records, penning hits for the Pussycat Dolls. Gaga studied music at Tisch, but showed off her smarts in several classes (hey she was paying like $40 g’s in tuition, might as well take advantage), writing research papers on topics such as art, religion, and socio-political order. Now a mega popstar, Steph is also quite the philanthropist, who has made donations to help raise money for schools in Los Angeles affected by educational budget cuts.

These are just a few major names who hit big before, during, or after college by combining their education and talent to explode into household names. Think you have what it takes to start up your own business? Check out the top most profitable businesses for college entrepreneurs. Relying on your talents to pay the rent? Use your time in college to work on your skills– as Norah Jones did. “In college I had a weekend gig at a restaurant, a solo thing that was the best practice I could have ever had. That’s where I learned to coordinate my singing and my piano playing,” the Grammy-award winning singer has stated.

President Obama lamented on the huge rates of both high school and college dropouts in his speech last night. You’re already winning the battle – you’re enrolled! – SSo take advantage of your higher education and maybe we’ll see you on the cover of Forbes in a few years.

Although talk of the economy seems to be everywhere, not everyone realizes the impact that it can have on relationships. Imagine your significant other having no worries because his parents dish out money at the drop of a hat (and then some), while you are fretting about next semester’s tuition. He may not understand the stress or the frustration because his financial situation (thanks to Mom & Dad) hasn’t changed like yours, and that in itself can complicate things.

Here’s some ways to keep money out of the picture in this economy:

1) Don’t make money an issue (or at least a big one) – This is very important! You are dating him because you like him, and whether or not you have money or you are having a hard time financially, it should not be a main staple in your relationship.

2) Communication – Be honest with him. If you think he bragging about his more fortunate life, tell him how it makes you feel. If you don’t feel right about going out to a fancy dinner that you can’t afford, tell him that. Although it’s important to not make money an issue (especially an underlying one in your relationship), it is important to talk about your worries.

3) Do not play the victim card – Even if you are having a hard time, it’s not right to throw your financial problems on someone else and expect him to pay for everything.

4) Gifts are nice – Presents and gifts are nice, but they aren’t required in a relationship. If your man tries to buy you nice things constantly, tell him that money can’t buy your love and let him know that you appreciate it, but you don’t expect it. And most of all, don’t forget to say thank you.

5) Dates don’t have to always be a dinner and a movie – If he has an off campus house, cook at his place. Play a couple games of Scrabble. If you must get out of the house, hit up a party – frats always have free beer. Check out local activities, many things are free and cheap.

6) Remember – Dating is supposed to be fun, not stressful because of money.

Although the economy may be impacting your life right now, it doesn’t have to nudge it’s ugly head into your relationships and dates!