Category Archives: Extracurricular

Making Money as Santa Claus

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If you’re looking to earn a little on the side this December, this easy gimmick will surely help you raise some extra funds just in time for the Holidays.

Christmas is one of the most memorable times of the entire year but what makes the season even more enjoyable is the fact that money-making gimmicks are aplenty. If you’re looking to earn a few hundred extra dollars this month, there’s always a gig or two that you can jump right into and get a generous income from without doing much.

Aside from going house to house caroling for a fee or making homemade crafts to sell as Christmas presents, another fun gig for a “chubby” college kid with a jolly disposition is impersonating Santa Claus.

Who needs Santa Claus?

The demand for Santa Claus impersonators skyrockets during the holidays (pretty obvious, huh?), but you’d be surprised to know where people seem to need Santa Clauses the most– at office parties! Apparently, even working professionals can’t celebrate without Santa Claus on the guest list.

Of course, Santa Clauses are also needed in photo booths in malls or outside an establishment, children’s parties and other promotional events that coincide with Christmas. You may contact an agency that hires potential Santa Clauses or you can subcontract with companies directly. The latter will take more time and effort on your part, but you will earn more if there are no companies negotiating for you.

Getting Started

First things first, you will need a complete Santa Claus costume, and a silver haired wig or beard in case yours isn’t real, and a voice deep enough to bellow your signature line, “Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas!”

Although Santa is known for handing out gifts to unsuspecting children (provided they’re on his “Nice” list), it is not necessary for you to walk around with a bag of gifts in tow. The office or company hiring you to be Santa for a day must secure other these props, unless you’ve agreed to cover these freebies beforehand.

All it takes to succeed at being a fake Santa is a convincing get-up and a jolly attitude. Say, “Ho ho ho,” when you meet people, especially kids, and try to exhibit the jolly nature which Saint Nick is known for.

And who knows, if you do quite well at this, you become a regular at office parties, malls and other Christmas events.

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5 Unusual Halloween Costume Ideas for 2011

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Next to Christmas and New Year’s, my third favorite holiday is Halloween. Among of the many reasons I enjoy Halloween is the opportunity to publicly dress up in funny costumes and act like a kid all over again. Believe it or not, I spend the rest of the year– 364 days of my life– planning that single, funny Halloween costume. I’m really picky with what I wear on Halloween, after all, it comes but once a year.

My ideal costume must meet two criteria: first, it must stand out and it be relevant to recent trends, and second, it must also be affordable to buy, make, or put together.

That rules out the classics (and sometimes cop-outs) of witch, warlock, ghost or the Paperbag-head guy.

While going through the latest trends for this year, I stumbled upon 5 costume ideas inspired by popular games, shows, and memes of the year. If you want to dress up as a popular yet unusual character this year, here are 5 unusual Halloween costume ideas you should consider.

Do-it-yourself Halloween Costumes

I always take a DIY stance during Halloween. I know how costly buying brand new costumes, especially as a college student, can be so I’ve decided to compile five unusual costume and tips on how to recreate your own.

1. Angry Birds

Who doesn’t love Angry Birds? The moment this game hit the iTunes store, I knew it would be a hit. Making your own Angry Birds costume is possible, provided you know how to sew (or can find someone who can). To make your homemade Angry Birds costume you need to purchase a few yards of fabric and know how to use a sewing machine.

2. Plants VS. Zombies

Since 2009, Plants VS Zombies has been a good source for Halloween and Cosplay costume ideas. Recreating Plants VS Zombies’ inspired costumes are really easy and affordable to do, as well.

Make your own: All in all there are 26 kinds of zombies in Plants VS Zombies so you have quite the selection of zombie personalities to impersonate.

Can’t decide which zombie to dress up as? If you played football player in high school try the football zombie. Put your old uniform on, complete with helmet and footwear and make sure to smear colorful face paint to finish the look.

The conehead and buckethead zombies are also interesting options. To dress up as the conehead zombie, you need to make sure you have an orange traffic cone on your head. Same goes with the buckethead zombie– secure a pail and wear it as a hat.

3. Muammar Gadhafi

Although the struggles of Libya are no laughing matter, dressing up as the comical version of the ousted Libyan leader is surely going to be hit this Halloween. Just ask Jeffrey Ross, comedian and Roastmaster extraordinaire. He clearly didn’t wait for Halloween to wear his Muammar Gadhafi costume.

Make your own: You will need to dress up like as an overly, well-decorated general, complete with sash and Muammar’s baton. To capture the look though, you need to make sure you have a dark, puffy haired wig.

If you can’t get your hand on a military-like suit, you could dress up as Gadhafi in his signature robes.

4. Apple Products (iPhone, iPad or iPod)

With Steve Jobs’ passing, this Halloween is a good time to commemorate the legacy of one of the world’s greatest modern inventors. If you are an  Apple fan, you could dress up as your favorite Apple device. You could be the walking iPod, the human iPhone, or the life-sized iPad!

Make your own: You will need to secure a few things first. You will need a paper cutter, glue and tape to hold your costume together and a print-out of the classic Apple icon.

This costume takes a lot of boxes and cutting to recreate the perfect iPod, iPhone, and iPad; however, if you use your real-life device as guide, it should be easy enough to find out how to put everything together.

5. Doctor Who

The longest running British television series definitely deserves a spot in this list. No doubt about it, someone will be dressing up as the Doctor or even, as the TARDIS.

Make your own: Creating the TARDIS costume will be challenging and you will need lots of cardboard, paper cutter, blue paint, glue and tape to hold everything together. If you want to express your Doctor Who fandom, you should go as the Doctor himself.

The costume of the Eleventh Doctor is pretty easy to imitate; take note that his signature piece is his burgundy/brown bow-tie. Here is an image of the Doctor in his trademark gear.

Happy Halloween! Stay out of too much trouble and rock your costume, whatever you decide on. I know I will!

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10 Inexpensive Hobbies for College Students

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Weekends are the best days to try something new with friends. Normally, most college students go camping, eat out, and party often without realizing how much money they are actually spending.

Try changing your routine this weekend. Instead of hitting the bars or the beach, try these 10 hobbies that break away from the usual weekend agenda.

1. Host a movie marathon with friends.

If you want to do the same things yet spend less money, try hosting a movie marathon with your friends instead of going to the theater. Invite them over to your place, serve food in a potluck fashion (everyone brings a dish), and offer free entertainment. This is the perfect weekend activity for all you Cinephiles.

2. Try origami.

Origami is known as the art of folding paper and although it may seem like a hobby meant for kids, a lot of adults actually find paper folding relaxing. It tests your patience and nimbleness since the challenge is to succeed at making as many complicated origami pieces as you can.

3. Answer some Sudoku puzzles on your own.

Sudoku is very popular among kids and adults alike because it challenges your analytical skills. If you have little interest in math but curious to find out why people are crazy over numbers, try Sudoku. Who knows, you might develop your math skills with this seemingly simple game.

4. Join a local church service or prayer meeting.

Even if you are not religious, attending prayer meetings or local gatherings is a good way to meet people. It’s also a great way to discover new beliefs and faiths and understand the point of view of people with different belief systems.

Alternatively, visiting an abandoned dog’s shelter and helping caretakers is a good way to spend your lazy Saturdays.

5. Try Yoga.

Yoga is an easy workout routine to learn; in fact, you can find Yoga lessons online. To recreate the right yoga environment in your dorm room or at home, you need to make sure you have a foam exercise mat or yoga mat for doing your poses on and (mostly) silent surroundings.  Try some authentic yoga music for a more enriching experience.

6. Visit the library and borrow books or films for free.

Of all places, why do I consider the library to be the best place to spend weekends in?

One, getting in and hanging around in one is free, compared to clubs where you need to pay for entry and drinks. Second, you get to borrow books and films for free and if you’re looking for a nice, quiet place to sleep in, the library is a good option.

7. Start collecting something.

Nothing beats collecting stamps, butterflies, stickers, and other odd items as a hobby. The fun in collecting is in the hunt– this is actually a hobby you can make money from and even pass on to your kids.

8. Learn a foreign language.

Salut! Hallo! Bon Giorno!

You don’t need to enroll in special language classes to learn a new tongue (and if that were the case, this suggestion wouldn’t be in this cashless hobby-list in the first place). The Internet is a good place to learn new languages inexpensively. If you don’t know which language to start with, try a conversational French CD, German, and Italian and listen your way to a new language.

9. Sell your things.

Turn your unwanted belongings into cash by selling your extra books, clothing, and other things to your schoolmates. Many people use EBay and Craigslist as a selling resource. Who knows, you just might have what your friends have long been looking for.

10. Sleep.

Lazy weekends might be the best time to catch up on some R and R. If you have been staying up a lot during the past week, catch up on your lost hours by spending your weekends sleeping.

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How to Play Calvinball

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This just may be the most fictional sport you will ever come across, but believe it or not avid readers of Calvin and Hobbes have been attempting to turn Calvinball into a real game.

Obviously, a game without a solid set of rules and confusing unofficial “official” rules will never qualify as a full fledge sport, but that hasn’t stopped college students and Calvin and Hobbes fans alike from giving the unusual ball game a chance.

Like other games, Calvinball has its own equipment, scoring system, and chants. If you want to recreate Calvinball in your school as a new pastime, make sure you include the following aspects of the game to make it as accurate as possible.

Calvinball Equipment

Calvinball may be played with any type of ball. However, the comic collection released in 1990 entitled “The Authoritative Calvin and Hobbes” did note that Calvinball is best played with a soft volleyballalthough soccer balls, basketballs and dodge balls have also been used in the past to play the game.

Calvinball is played on a Calvinball field which may be as large as a football stadium or as small as your backyard. Any area with rocks, trees, creeks, and other harmless obstacles is the best candidate for use as the Calvinball field.

Unlike other sports, Calvinball players are not expected to wear protective suits; however, players are required to wear half masksor masks that resemble blindfolds with holes for eyes only.

Oh, and one more thing, never ask why the masks are necessary.

Optional equipment includes flag markers to mark your territory or to mark your team’s base, and rackets and bats if you are using baseballs instead of volleyballs for the game.

Calvinball Rules

The first rule of Calvinball is there are no rules.

Like most mutable games, you can make your rules along the way and it is expected not to use two rules at the same time. During the game, players can assign new score systems and even create new rules while playing.

Anyone who breaks these rules may be punished by embarrassment, pain, or degradation. Finally, it is important to remind players once again to “never ask about the masks!”

Calvinball Chants

 The most permanent feature of Calvinball is the cheering and singing before and after the game.

One of the most popular Calvinball chants appeared in a comic in 1990.

 Other kids’ games are all such a bore!
 They’ve gotta have rules and they gotta keep score!
 Calvinball is better by far!
 It’s never the same! It’s always bizarre!
 You don’t need a team or a referee!
 You know that it’s great, ’cause it’s named after me!

 The stanza above pretty much sums up the nature of Calvinball. It is an unpredictable game which may be played with a variety of rules and using a variety of balls. The chant also implies the history of the game– to mock organized sports and their “rules”, which both Calvin and Hobbes did not abide by.

 But will Calvinball ever join the likes of Basketball, Baseball, Football and other popular sports?

 Not all hope is lost for Calvinball– there are tons of games with ever-changing rules, some of which are still actively played today and others are simply preformed during special events. So why not give Calvinball a shot!

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Corntoss: A new College Pastime

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Here at Colleges-Happen we try to bring you a wide variety of great information about scholarships, the college application process, the SAT, and everything wonderful and academic that we love about higher education.

However, today I figured I’d write about something a little off the academic track.  After all, part of the college experience is meeting new people, self-discovery, and yes we can say it, a little bit of FUN.

When I first saw the newest fad in college entertainment I was a little confused by its immature appearance and even had a brief flashback to my kindergarten class. I am referring of course to the infamous corn-hole toss.  Whose fame I’m fairly certain is not confined to my Alma Mater.

After giving it a try though I discovered its secret appeal.  Corn-hole toss is undeniably fun, a great way to hang out with some friends, and challenging without using a lot of brainpower (which is good because I’m sure you need all the power you can to get through that biology course).  It’s a great way to socialize, relax, and perhaps even work on those hand-eye coordination skills.

With an all-weather, official sized corn toss system with two opposing boards, two sets of color-coordinated beanbags, and game rules you’ll have everything you need to get the fun started. It’s perfect for homecoming, house parties, fraternity and sorority shindigs, tailgating, BBQs, and everything in between.  You might consider buying some extra sets of beanbags too in the event you have quite a few friends who want to join in. And for those who require a little extra sparkle to stand out of the crowd, take a look at this lightup-style corn toss.

By all means, study hard and take advantage of the wonderful education you are no doubt receiving.  But, recognizing when you need a little break to avoid burnouts is just as important. Have fun, be safe, and enjoy all the layers of college life.

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Setting up your School’s Radio Station

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One of the best things about going to a community- and private college is that, schools often give students enough independence so they can discover and develop their talents. If it has always been a passion of yours to dabble in broadcasting and communications, perhaps, it is time to start a school-based radio station with a group of like-minded people.

You need approval from school administration, though, if you want to pursue this plan. Setting up a school-based radio station has its perks and benefits but you must convince your school administrators of these benefits so they will support your idea.

So, what’s in it for you and for your school?

Back in the 1970’s through the 90’s, setting up a local radio station was the “in” thing. The Internet did not exist back then and although computers became more advanced in the later years, not a lot of students were as wired to the web as they are now. People relied heavily on news and music coming from the radio.

Not much has changed with the importance of radio stations in schools. If your college has one you can deliver all the recent school news to students faster than newspapers can as well as some great music.

But, isn’t radio broadcasting obsolete?

Over the years, radio broadcasting has evolved into a web-based form commonly referred to as podcasting. You can take all your broadcasts online, making it more accessible to students and listeners beyond the school walls.

Take a look at this article from Ask.com for more specifics about how to set this up.

Delivering the latest news to students isn’t the only reason why setting up a local radio station is a good idea. If your university has at least 2,500 consistent listeners, you could pitch an advertisement campaign to local businesses. This is also a good way to provide for your radio station’s upkeep.

For this plan to succeed, you must have the full-support of your school administrators or your fellow classmates. Why not try to start something great for your school campus that could last for years to come? Or, if you school already has an established radio station look for ways to get involved.

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