As the academic year comes to a close, we are all probably running pretty low on last summer’s funds. We have to scrape from the bottom of our bank accounts to find some change for a coffee or meal that isn’t from the dining hall. As this summer lurks around the corner, we are all probably in want of some fun new summer clothes (the dreaded search for a good pair of shorts, ugh). Hopefully, I can answer some of your questions on places to work on campus and how to spend your newfound wealth on clothes as responsibly as you can.
Remember, you can submit questions at any time using the link here or using the QR codes found around campus. We welcome (pretty much) all questions and can’t wait to hear from you!
Q: “[What are] ways to make money on campus that aren’t working at HoCo?”
There are plenty of work-study/job opportunities directly on campus (like Holloway Commons (HoCo) and the Dimond Library), but they are often underpaid and not ideal for most students. However, there are plenty of other places to work around campus that are independent of the university and provide better opportunities.
Surrounding campus, there are plenty of places to work on Main Street and in the Mill Road Plaza. Coffee shops (Breaking New Grounds, The Freedom Cafe and Aroma Joes) and restaurants (Durham House of Pizza, JP’s Grill and Campus Creamery) are a dime-a-dozen on Main Street and offer the benefit of tips; plus they often pay higher than work-study positions.
If you’re looking to avoid food service, RiteAid, Em & Elle and Town & Campus/Hayden Sports offer a variety of retail opportunities. All of these locations are ideal especially if you’re on campus without a car as they are within walking distance to most residence halls and bus stops. If none of these sound good to you, there are plenty of other job opportunities on and around Main Street.
If you’re looking to detach from campus altogether (I don’t blame you), Fox Run and Portsmouth are great commercial areas to look into. These options are ideal if you have a car on campus because bus rides can often take an hour, but who am I to tell you not to waste two hours of your life on a roundtrip to work? Fox Run offers more corporate, big-name stores (Kohls, Chipotle, Trader Joe, H&M, etc) while Portsmouth gives more of the small business, cute coffee shop kind of vibe. Both will probably guarantee you better pay than work-study jobs and allow you to meet a larger variety of people because you are not confined to campus.
Overall, if you’re feeling discontent with the on-campus job opportunities, you’re a quick Indeed search away from finding somewhere close by to earn some extra spending money (or loan payments).
-Leah
Q: “Where can I find good, cheap clothes?”
So you just got a brand new job on Main Street and you have a full-ride scholarship to UNH! Time to go spend that hard-earned money at Lulu Lemon and Anthropologie! I’m so happy for you…
For those of us who do not have the luxury of financial freedom, we have to actively think about where we shop to get the most bang for our buck. For this, I highly recommend thrifting. We covered thrifting in our very first column, so definitely go take a look at that! However, thrifting isn’t for everyone. It takes great patience and a creative vision, which some of us (me) don’t really have. But don’t worry, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives to our favorite expensive stores.
Starting at The Crossings, which you can get to via Wildcat Transit, there are a variety of stores for you to find a good deal at. In the plaza section, there is a Kohls (Sophia’s favorite) and an Old Navy. Now, you may be thinking “Leah, those are mom stores,” trust me, I hear you, but they have been popping off recently. If you’re willing to look and keep an open mind, you can find some great cheap gems. I recently got a pair of shorts from Old Navy and they are now one of my favorite pairs. Plus, both are always having sales and promotions so you can almost always get a deal.
Moving our way into the Fox Run Mall portion, I really recommend H&M and Aeropostale for super cute and affordable options that hold a little more youth than Kohls or Old Navy. H&M is perfect for basics and they usually have a low price tag. As for Aeropostale, the store has normally priced pieces that can be a tiny bit pricey, but they are always having sales, and I have a friend who swears by their clearance section. Lastly, I always have to mention my favorite, TJ Maxx. They always have so much variety and sometimes you can find brands like Free People and Zara if you go on a good day. Shopping at these places alone is sure to give you a summer-ready wardrobe.
If you’re looking for a little more variety, online shopping is the way to go. Online shopping’s drawback is that you can’t try anything on in the moment, but it makes up for it in the way of sales and clearance items galore. My favorite clearance sections to shop are at American Eagle, Aerie and Hollister, but every store should have a clearance section, so be sure to search through your favorite brands for great deals.
Being stylish on a budget shouldn’t be hard, and these options can help you build your ideal closet without breaking the bank.
-Leah
