College Movie: Animal House

Most of you have probably already seen this movie as it has become a classic over the last few decades.  For those who have not, check out this trailer, then definitely check out the movie.  You will be glad you did.  Keep in mind, this is not exactly how school is going to be for most (some will follow in the footsteps though).  Post in the comments what you think, and stay tuned for the next episode of College Movies.

Managing that Student Budget

Hey everyone!

As students, money is always an issue as we are constantly on a tight budget. I can’t speak for everyone but I am always looking for a deal or some sort of discounts all the time. So in an effort to save every penny, I decided to comply few of our favorite places in downtown that offers us discounts with our tower card. Enjoy and don't forget to bring your tower card!

-Iguanas Burritozilla- 10 percent off menu items except the dollar menu and drinks

-Flames Eatery and Bar- 10 percent off regular items only, not valid on specials or alcohol

-Extreme Pizza- 10 percent off regular items only, not valid on specials or alcohol

-Café Yolicious- 50 percent off every Tuesday on frozen yogurt

-Hoagie Steak Out- Pays your taxes, which is 8.25 percent

Of course you can definitely find a lot more here at:

http://www.sjsu.edu/eop/tower_card_perks/

Feel free to comment and recommend a place!!

For Post Mid Terms

Now that we have the food out of the way, lets talk celebrating the relief of tests and papers, responsibly.  The same place that has great food and is so close to the library that they might as well have a book locating computer inside the eatery, also is a great place to relax with a group of friends.  We are talking about Flames again with Happy Hours between 3pm-6pm and 9pm-Midnight.

This Happy Hour offers appetizers for half off which is an excellent deal and will put something in your stomach so you can enjoy some beverages.  Only if you are 21 and over, show an employee your ID and you will have some options for some drinks.  Well drinks which are drinks such as cranberry vodkas, gin and tonics, and rum and coke are only $3.  Beers on tap are $4 and the list of cocktails are half off.  If there is ever a Sharks game going on, Sharkaritas are only $3 and are powerful.

A great advantage to this place is it sits right underneath a parking garage.  This garage is only $5 to park in after a certain time, but is free with validation as long as it is within 2 hours.  Or, just stay until Midnight, and you can leave free of charge as the barrier bar will be removed and allow you to exit.  Great food, Great drinks, and free parking sounds like a great time anytime responsibly.  Or is a great start to fuel up on food, and move to another location for dancing and other activities Downtown San Jose offers.  Give Flames a try, be safe, be responsibly, and comment what you had and what you drank in the comments. www.flameseatery.com

Getting Close to Mid Semester

We are getting closer and closer to Mid Semester, this is the best time for each class to lay on the test and papers due in the same week or even day.  What is a student to do during these grueling times?  Located on campus is a Library which seems to hold every book known to man with study rooms to make these mid-terms a breeze.

Located right across the street however, is a handy location to get something to eat for a bargain.  This place is so close it might as well be inside the library.  This place is so close, school children can throw a ball from the front door of the library to the front door of this eatery.  This place is so close they might as well share a land line (insert your own "This place is so close" statement in the comments).  The location I am talking about is Flames.

This place is a must for a college student, and with proximity, it should be visited by all students.  They offer a full menu for each meal of the day with specials to entice as well.  They have happy hour twice a day between 3pm-6pm and again at 9pm-Midnight.  For study purposes, we will focus on the food aspects.  All appetizers are half off during happy hour which makes the most expensive item about $5.50.  They have Taco Thursdays which are Carne Asada tacos for cheap and can easily run up the bill by how easy they are to order, and how delightful they are to eat.  Stop by when you need that much needed break from studying.  Go give them a try and tell them Anthony sent you (They will have no idea what you are talking about, but does not hurt to say).

Cinema Savings

Love movies, but hate the sky high ticket prices?  Give the Bluelight Cinema a try. Located in Cupertino, this convenient movie theater is right across from Deanza College on 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd.  At $5 per ticket you'll enjoy watching popular films which have already made the rounds at the pricier theaters.  There are even greater savings on Tuesdays when the price is lowered to $3.75. Along with the benefits of being a theater that shows movies a little after the release date, the theater often announces weekend movie poster give-aways which are perfect for anyone that finds themself snooping the theaters for the latest action packed posters. Get there on Friday early for good pickings and be sure to have fun!

Living Healthy on Campus Part 2

If you have a full schedule of classes, you may not have the time or money to commit to an expensive gym membership and if you're eating all your meals at the cafeteria, it may be even more challenging to stay in shape. Instead of falling victim to the Freshman 15, start living a better and healthier life that any SJSU Spartan can achieve through a few simple tips and places that students can get in for little to no money if they make the right choices.

Taking Advantage of the SJSU Campus: The Student Health Center
Mon./Tues./Thurs.: 8am-5pm
Wed.: 9am-5pm
Fri: 7:30am-4pm
Cost: Free to explore for anyone with a Tower card; Fees for certain appointments

Located at the corner of 9th and Paseo de San Carlos St.
(The building behind the Events Center)

The San Jose University Student Health Center is another one of SJSU's many facilities that is an added bonus that comes with tuition and it's available for any currently enrolled student with a valid Tower ID card.

Although most services are at no cost to valid students, there are some fees associated with specialty procedures and services. However, this center is extremely helpful for anyone that is not under specific healthcare to get basic health checked such as mild injuries, illnesses, and health exams. The Student Health Care Center also offers more than the basic medical care such as health management including nutrition habits, immunizations, stress management, physical therapy, medicine, and education about certain drug and alcohol use. As it's approaching fall, this center is increasing becoming popular as the annual Flu Vaccine is only $15 and is attracting many students.

Making an appointment is easy as calling but if it's your first time going, make sure you fill out a few health records online at www.sjsu.edu/studenthealth in order inform the staff ahead of time.

For more information about Student Healthcare, please visit:
www.sjsu.edu/studenthealth
or call:
(408) 924-6120

To make appointments (make sure your information has been previously filled out):
(408) 924-6122

The Old Spaghetti Factory 40th Anniversary

I absolutely love The Old Spaghetti Factory. I have been here countless times and had the best childhood memories here. So when I saw a sign of their 40^th Anniversary and discounted meals, you can understand why I was pretty thrilled.

Basically on the following days and times below, they will be serving some of their favorites for a ridiculously cheap price. Keep in mind they also serve salad, bread, and ice cream with your meal so you cannot go wrong at all.

The offer only lasts on:

Monday, October 15^th- 4:00 pm- 10:00pm

Tuesday, October 16^th- 4:00 pm- 10:00pm

Take a look at the menu and I'll see you there!

Living Healthy on Campus Part 1

If you have a full schedule of classes, you may not have the time or money to commit to an expensive gym membership and if you're eating all your meals at the cafeteria, it may be even more challenging to stay in shape. Instead of falling victim to the Freshman 15, start living a better and healthier life that any SJSU Spartan can achieve through a few simple tips and places that students can get in for little to no money if they make the right choices.

Taking Advantage of the SJSU Campus: The Sports Club Fitness Center
Mon-Thurs: 7am-11pm
Fri: 7am-8pm
Sat: 10am-5pm
Sun: 12pm-8pm
Cost: Free to anyone with a Tower card

The San Jose University Sports Club Fitness Center is one of SJSU's many facilities that comes with tuition which makes it's use completely free for any currently enrolled student with a valid Tower ID card. Although many students don't realize that this fitness center is absolutely free for use, it's a great way to stay in shape without going to an expensive, out-of-the-way gym. This Sports Club is equipped with tons of cardio equipment such as treadmills, rowers, stationary and recumbent bikes, and ellipticals as well as an aerobic room, 2 dance studios, a basketball gym, a very large weight room, and 8 racquetball courts. Along with the cost being absolutely free with valid entry, the facility also has a shower and lockers available for use. The facility does not require you to bring any of your own equipment such as sports equipment or specific clothing. In fact, the only thing you probably should bring is your own lock for the lockers!

Taking Advantage of the SJSU Campus: The Aquatic Center
Mon-Thurs: 7am-8pm
Fri: 7am-6pm
Sat-Sun: 8am-3pm
Cost: Free to anyone with a Tower card

The San Jose University Aquatics Center is another one of SJSU's many facilities that comes with tuition which makes it's use completely free for any currently enrolled student with a valid Tower ID card. The Aquatic Center at San Jose State University is one of the most convenient pools on campus, featuring daily lap swimming, recreational swimming, diving boards, showers and students can even purchase private swim lessons to those who aren't comfortable with the water yet. Swimming has many benefits and even if you aren't looking to achieve the Michael Phelps look, it's still great in supporting your balance, flexibility, cardiovascular system, and decreasing joint pain.

For more information about the campus's facilities, visit: http://www.union.sjsu.edu/
More to come later!

Keeping a Tight Budget

A life of a college student can be quite stressful sometimes. With the increase of tuition going up, students are finding it difficult to find ways to save money. It’s becoming a struggle for most college students because everything consist of money when it comes to purchasing textbooks every semester, gas prices, and food purchases. Here are some tips to find better ways to save in a life of a college student:

1.) Save money by purchasing used textbooks, purchase textbooks online for a cheaper price – It’s ridiculous on how much the price of a new textbook can be. Usually new textbooks cost around ~$200. Imagine spending $200 each semester on a new textbook?! However, we can solve this issue by saving and cutting back. With the help of websites such as amazon.com and half.com, it’s much easier to purchase your textbooks online because it’s much cheaper and students can save a lot of money that way. Sometimes, there are student discounts when it comes to purchasing the textbooks online. Sometimes, there are some really good deals. The purchase of new textbooks online can even be cheaper than buying them at the campus bookstore. Students can also save by purchasing used textbooks. Most college bookstores should have used textbooks that are still in good condition. With the purchase of used textbooks, students save a lot because there's usually a good deal when it comes to purchasing the book.

2.) Saving gas by use of transportation – With the increase of gas prices going up, students are finding better solutions to get to campus such as: walking, taking the VTA, and riding their bikes. Depending on the distance of your location to the school campus, in order to save money on gas, you can easily walk to campus. Not only does this help you save money but you can also find it more of a daily exercise and a way for you to stay in shape. The public transportation such as the VTA is another great transportation to use for students. The use of VTA for us students is free from our tuition. A lot of students usually take the VTA to get to school because they don’t want to waste a lot of gas to get to school especially to those who have classes two days a week. Riding a bike to school is another great transportation technique and a great way to save money. I see some students around campus riding their bikes. It seems much easier to ride your bike and not only does it help you save but it’s another way for you to stay active in shape!

3.) Stay on a budget when it comes to eating out – When it comes to college students, we are usually the ones that prefer to go out to eat instead of staying at home and saving money. Going out to eat is the easiest way for students because they don’t have to stay at home and cook themselves a meal. However, eating out can be quite pricey depending on where the students go. Another way to students to save money and not leave a whole in their wallet is to find sale items at super markets. They are cheaper and students can easily cook themselves an easy and healthy meal for the morning, lunch and dinner. 

No Need to Walk Home Alone

Downtown San Jose can be a great place at times but it can also be a nerve-racking place as well. I am sure everyone has heard of some stories about Downtown San Jose and it might make you feel uneasy at times. Instead of walking alone at night after your night class or studying late at the library, there is a safer alternative getting around downtown with the SJSU Evening Shuttle. The new evening shuttle is there to provide a ride to all SJSU students and faculty members within specific perimeters.

Their service hours are from Monday-Friday 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and their drop offs are located at:

Northern Border – East Julian Street

Western Border – First Street

Southern Border – Interstate 280

Eastern Border – Sixteenth Street

Asking for the service is simple, just call the UPD dispatcher at 408-924-2000 or 4-2000 (from the campus phone) and arrangements can be made. If you do not have a phone, you can request an escort by using those Bluelight phone polls or the elevator telephone and the UPD dispatcher can arrange an escort for you.

Of course, there are regulations when taking advantage of the shuttle such as no intoxicated passengers! A police officer will be called to check the person’s condition if necessary. So don’t do it!!

Other regulations include:

-Presenting a valid SJSU Tower Identification Card when entering the vehicle.

-Advance reservations are not permitted.

-The shuttle will not be transported beyond the specific perimeters.

-No food or beverages allowed.

For more information about the SJSU Evening Shuttle visit:

http://www.sjsu.edu/police/prepare_prevent/shuttle/index.htm

Take advantage of the shuttle because there is no need to walk home alone after dark again!

To New and Existing College Students

This is a tip for all College Students including new and existing.  This tip will help with overcoming a common problem and will save in Aspirin and Stress levels.  Do not think of the context or what the outcome will be, just follow the steps that follow.

Step 1:  Go to your local Bank/Credit Union/Family member and get your hands on $21.14 

Step 2:  Go to the Student Union on campus with your $21.14 in hand

Step 3:  Grab 10 packages of Scantrons (package contains 6)

Step 4:  Depending on if the tax rate has changed since writing this post, you should have the proper amount

Step 5:  Enjoy how prepared and stress free you will be when the professor asks you to bring out a Scantron

I see it every time, the teacher will ask to bring a scantron for next class and of course you will not get one until right before the class starts next time.  This is the prime time to wait in line as everyone else in the state will have the same idea.  Or there is the awkward moment of asking the person to your left and right for one only to realize that most students will purchase them one at a time.  Then comes the class announcement where you interrupt the text/quiz because your were ill prepared and now needs a fellow student to allow you to progress.  

Instead, you will be prepared with your stock pile of green and white papers and get to be the good guy.  Learn from my mistakes and you will survive your college career.