First off we should discuss the types of TV shows that you may want to watch.
There are, I would say, 5 major genres of television show; comedy, drama, reality, game show and news.
Comedy
Comedy is a favorite form of television among most college students. It is my personal favorite and most of the people I know enjoy it as well. The reason is simply that when you are in school and going through all of the daily grind it is nice to have an escape. Another benefit is that because more people tend to like comedies, it is something that you can do with all of your friends. For example, this year the TV show GLEE on Fox was pretty much on once a week for a majority of the year. Every week 8 of my friends and I would gather in someone's room and watch it on their TV.
Drama
Dramas are more about who is doing what to whom. They tend to be a little annoying for my personal taste. My main reason for this is that I would rather laugh than have to try to deal with a person who is cheating on their girlfriend with her best friend. That having been said, it is nice to completely indulge yourself once in a while and immerse yourself into the lives of the dramatic characters on a show. Especially since it makes your problems seem like nothing.
Reality
Reality shows are supposed to be "real life." The major reality shows tend to be things like American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. However, in more recent years the Amazing Race and Jon and Kate plus 8 (now Kate plus 8) have made their way into our television sets. These shows are basically for the times when we want to completely envelop ourselves in a character. The reason that these have become so popular is because they are real people, and real situations and real life. This makes it that much easier for us to feel what they are feeling and feel as though we are connected to them when they fail or succeed.
Game Show
Game Shows have been and always will be popular. Shows like Deal or No Deal, Jeopardy and The Price is Right are incredibly popular. The reason for this, I believe, is that we do not ever know what is going to happen. Most shows have at least a little predictability. Depending on the show there is more than likely a happy or sad ending. However, with Game shows there is no predictability. These are fun to watch with people around campus because it is fun to succeed or fail with the people on the shows. Also it is fun to see if you can compete with them.
News
The reason I put this last is that, even though it is more popular among adults, I do not particularly enjoy the news. The reason is that I feel that the truly important things that are happening in the world, I will find out about during class or while talking to someone. The news tends to have too much bad news for me. However, it also is helpful when keeping a person in touch with the world around them and helps for people to know the goings on in life.
In order to enjoy the college Television experience you will want a few things
What you will want
Laptop
Speakers
Headphones (or Earbuds)
TV (or friend with a TV)
Laptop
The reason that this is the first thing on the list is simple. Of my friends there were only three people who had a TV. I personally did not, nor did any of my roommates. Therefore, the majority of my television watching was on my laptop. Websites like Hulu and Blinkx Remote, were hugely helpful in my TV watching experience. Television on a laptop is not quite the same as a television set, however it is a close second in my opinion.
Speakers
I highly recommend some speakers for your laptop. The reason for this is that when you are listening to it with multiple people, they tend to make noise. The problem with this is that most laptops do not have very loud speakers. Speakers is that they do not have to be pricey. There is also a choice between portable and non-portable speakers. I have both portable and not and I did not spend that much money. I got a pair of USB Speakers and a pair of desktop speakers. The USB Speaker that I have is amazing. It plugs right into the USB port on the side of my laptop and I can take it with me anywhere. On the other hand, the desktop speakers I have plug directly into the headphone jack and have incredible sound quality. The only reason that I do not use these ones as much is that they are not portable. I would recommend a set of speakers, whether they be portable or not, for your everyday laptop use as well. Whether you are listening to music, a movie, a television show, or even relistening to a recorded lecture; speakers are a great accessory for your laptop.
Headphones (or Earbuds)
Headphones or Earbuds are essential for a personalized television experience. I personally enjoy the earbuds, or in-ear headphones, because they tend to have at least a little bit of noise cancelling in them. I got mine for like $20 and they are very good noise cancelling Earbuds. For those people who do not enjoy earbuds, around ear headphones are also a great thing to have. The around ear headphones help to make the noise a little bit louder, because it engages the entire ear instead of going right into the ear.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
College Student's Guide to First dates (on a budget)
First off I should say that this is for GUYS. Sorry girls, but being that I am a guy I only have a guys view.
Check out all of the other College Student Guides including; What to have in your car, Music, peoplewatching, cross country road trip and many more.
What you will Want
Car
iPod
FM Transmitter
Speakers
Food
Imagination
Back-Up Ideas
Car
Though it is, obviously, not necessary to have a car, it is always good. If you are on a college campus that is near a big town, or a college town, you will not need a car. But for those of us who go to school in the middle of nowhere, a car makes things a lot easier.
iPod
Having an iPod can make a first date a lot less awkward. For example, if you are driving in the car listening to music, there is not an uncomfortable silence. Also an added benefit is that it can be a great conversation starter. Another great thing about music, in this case coming from your iPod, is that it can set the mood for an evening. If you play music that is soothing, you are both more likely to feel comfortable and relaxed. On the other side, if you play music that is meant to "pump you up" then you are both more likely to want to go out and do something.
FM Transmitter
As great as it is to have an iPod, it is hard to hear it in the car without something to allow it to be heard through the car speakers. This is also a great thing if you are going on a long drive, or driving to a place with a great view, but you want to stay in the car. The FM Transmitter allows you to listen to your iPod and not have to worry about it being too quiet or too loud. Also, it is nice to have music in your car on a normal day. If you do not already have an FM transmitter, or some other iPod adapter for the car, I would highly recommend. I bought one tha was $20-$30 and it works great.
SpeakersThis is where you have to get creative. If you are going to dinner and a movie you will not need speakers. You will also not be winning any creativity awards. Guys, there is something I have learned after many first dates that I want to share with you here today. Girls like it when you are creative. Girls do not want to be bored on the first date, and the more creative the date is, the more likely you are to be able to get a second date. Speakers open up a whole world of possibilities. Well it doesn't necessarily open the world, but it allows the world to be void of awkward silences. I keep a set of solar speakers in my car at all times. They are perfect because I never need to charge the speakers and they have great sound quality. Also, they charge my iPod in the process. They were about $30 and they have been working for me for quite a while now. Since the point of this article is to keep your dates on a budget think about it this way. These speakers can be used for a bunch of things, and they come in handy when you are on a date. I did not even buy them for the purpose of going on dates, but I use them on dates almost as often as I use them for other things.
Food
This is a fairly essential part of most dates. Most guys take the girl out to dinner, probably a movie afterward, and guys tend to be expected to pay the bill. The problem with this is that a lot of college guys DO NOT have the money to take a girl to a nice dinner. A GREAT way to seperate yourself from the pack is to try to find a food rave. Food raves can be your entire date, depending on the girl. It can be anywhere from $15-$30 dollars per person. Most of them are about $15 from my experience. A food rave is basically, as crazy as it may sound, paying to learn how to cook food. However, the great part is that you are both learning together. It can be a really fun date, and the food comes with it. Plus, you can talk and be with the person in a situation where you are not completely alone. This can definitely be a positive on first dates. Another option is making them a picnic, or picking up sandwiches from somewhere. I have done this plenty of times. The reason to do this is that it saves money, and you can use the beach or park or anything that is completely free, which is nice. No matter what, I recommend food enters the equation for your first date.
Imagination
If you plan on keeping your date on a tight budget, but also plan on getting a second date, you HAVE to be creative. Use your imagination. A million and a half guys do the dinner and a movie date. Seperate yourself from the pack. For example, find a drive in movie theater, instead of a regular movie theater. It gives you the chance to have an amazing night and still keep the dinner and a movie idea. The one that I go to is about $35 - $40 by the time I pay for both people and food. However, if you are willing to stray completely from the pack, more power to you. Some of the best dates are practically free. As I said before learning a new thing, like cooking, can be incredibly fun, and not too costly. Another great thing is movie night at your house (or hers). If you, as the guy, can prove that you can cook, it is definitely a major plus, according to most girls I know. Plus, you are in a more comfortable place. Homes tend to reflect a homey feeling and they tend to be the most comfortable places, both physically and emotionally. You can also go completely off book. A couple people I know rave about some very different kinds of dates. For example, a Thrift Shop date. A Thrift Shop date is very simple, fairly cheap, and incredibly fun. First, decide on a price, it can be anything you want, and a place that is highly populated with people. Next go to a local thrift store, or any other place to find incredibly cheap, funky clothing. Then you each get time to find the other person clothes to wear. After you have decided on the clothes, exchange and put on the clothes. Once you are dressed in your new outfits, head to your populated destination. It is fun to see the looks and hear the comments. Especially since you know the truth. There are plenty of date ideas out there, check the internet, rack your brain, do whatever you can to be able to be creative.
Back-up Ideas
Always have a back-up plan, just in case your first one does not work. For example, if you are planning a picnic at the beach, also plan for something possibly inside or somewhere where the weather is not an issue. This way, if on the day of your date, something goes wrong with your first date option, you have a backup plan. Another thing you may want to do is check out the places you are going, before you go on the actual date. It always looks good if you have a little previous knowledge of a place.
Check out all of the other College Student Guides including; What to have in your car, Music, peoplewatching, cross country road trip and many more.
What you will Want
Car
iPod
FM Transmitter
Speakers
Food
Imagination
Back-Up Ideas
Car
Though it is, obviously, not necessary to have a car, it is always good. If you are on a college campus that is near a big town, or a college town, you will not need a car. But for those of us who go to school in the middle of nowhere, a car makes things a lot easier.
iPod
Having an iPod can make a first date a lot less awkward. For example, if you are driving in the car listening to music, there is not an uncomfortable silence. Also an added benefit is that it can be a great conversation starter. Another great thing about music, in this case coming from your iPod, is that it can set the mood for an evening. If you play music that is soothing, you are both more likely to feel comfortable and relaxed. On the other side, if you play music that is meant to "pump you up" then you are both more likely to want to go out and do something.
FM Transmitter
As great as it is to have an iPod, it is hard to hear it in the car without something to allow it to be heard through the car speakers. This is also a great thing if you are going on a long drive, or driving to a place with a great view, but you want to stay in the car. The FM Transmitter allows you to listen to your iPod and not have to worry about it being too quiet or too loud. Also, it is nice to have music in your car on a normal day. If you do not already have an FM transmitter, or some other iPod adapter for the car, I would highly recommend. I bought one tha was $20-$30 and it works great.
SpeakersThis is where you have to get creative. If you are going to dinner and a movie you will not need speakers. You will also not be winning any creativity awards. Guys, there is something I have learned after many first dates that I want to share with you here today. Girls like it when you are creative. Girls do not want to be bored on the first date, and the more creative the date is, the more likely you are to be able to get a second date. Speakers open up a whole world of possibilities. Well it doesn't necessarily open the world, but it allows the world to be void of awkward silences. I keep a set of solar speakers in my car at all times. They are perfect because I never need to charge the speakers and they have great sound quality. Also, they charge my iPod in the process. They were about $30 and they have been working for me for quite a while now. Since the point of this article is to keep your dates on a budget think about it this way. These speakers can be used for a bunch of things, and they come in handy when you are on a date. I did not even buy them for the purpose of going on dates, but I use them on dates almost as often as I use them for other things.
Food
This is a fairly essential part of most dates. Most guys take the girl out to dinner, probably a movie afterward, and guys tend to be expected to pay the bill. The problem with this is that a lot of college guys DO NOT have the money to take a girl to a nice dinner. A GREAT way to seperate yourself from the pack is to try to find a food rave. Food raves can be your entire date, depending on the girl. It can be anywhere from $15-$30 dollars per person. Most of them are about $15 from my experience. A food rave is basically, as crazy as it may sound, paying to learn how to cook food. However, the great part is that you are both learning together. It can be a really fun date, and the food comes with it. Plus, you can talk and be with the person in a situation where you are not completely alone. This can definitely be a positive on first dates. Another option is making them a picnic, or picking up sandwiches from somewhere. I have done this plenty of times. The reason to do this is that it saves money, and you can use the beach or park or anything that is completely free, which is nice. No matter what, I recommend food enters the equation for your first date.
Imagination
If you plan on keeping your date on a tight budget, but also plan on getting a second date, you HAVE to be creative. Use your imagination. A million and a half guys do the dinner and a movie date. Seperate yourself from the pack. For example, find a drive in movie theater, instead of a regular movie theater. It gives you the chance to have an amazing night and still keep the dinner and a movie idea. The one that I go to is about $35 - $40 by the time I pay for both people and food. However, if you are willing to stray completely from the pack, more power to you. Some of the best dates are practically free. As I said before learning a new thing, like cooking, can be incredibly fun, and not too costly. Another great thing is movie night at your house (or hers). If you, as the guy, can prove that you can cook, it is definitely a major plus, according to most girls I know. Plus, you are in a more comfortable place. Homes tend to reflect a homey feeling and they tend to be the most comfortable places, both physically and emotionally. You can also go completely off book. A couple people I know rave about some very different kinds of dates. For example, a Thrift Shop date. A Thrift Shop date is very simple, fairly cheap, and incredibly fun. First, decide on a price, it can be anything you want, and a place that is highly populated with people. Next go to a local thrift store, or any other place to find incredibly cheap, funky clothing. Then you each get time to find the other person clothes to wear. After you have decided on the clothes, exchange and put on the clothes. Once you are dressed in your new outfits, head to your populated destination. It is fun to see the looks and hear the comments. Especially since you know the truth. There are plenty of date ideas out there, check the internet, rack your brain, do whatever you can to be able to be creative.
Back-up Ideas
Always have a back-up plan, just in case your first one does not work. For example, if you are planning a picnic at the beach, also plan for something possibly inside or somewhere where the weather is not an issue. This way, if on the day of your date, something goes wrong with your first date option, you have a backup plan. Another thing you may want to do is check out the places you are going, before you go on the actual date. It always looks good if you have a little previous knowledge of a place.
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