Finding a job. Moving back home. Kissing college life behind. And now not having any health insurance? Things just keep getting better for upcoming and recent college graduates.

Health care is something that everyone will tell you is a necessity. For upcoming college graduates on their parents’ plans, either on the day they graduate or shortly after, their health insurance will be taken away completely. Health insurance companies assume college graduates will be off on their own and have a job with benefits, so why would they need their parents’ health insurance? That would have been the case in years prior, but since jobs are being cut left and right and some companies are issuing “hiring freezes,” college graduates are going to have a pretty rough time finding jobs with benefits - or any job for that matter.

Glamour Magazine’s Save Me Money! columnist, Carmen Wong Ullrich, offered some simple instructions in her April 2009 column. “No matter how you cut back, keep your health insurance. One accident or major illness could land you hundreds or thousands in debt,” she wrote. Ullrich also listed ways in which people can find easy to afford insurance options. “If COBRA (the coverage you can get from a former job) is too pricey, find deals on ehealthinsurance.com. Or look into high-deductible coverage; it has a cheaper premium,” meaning one will pay a little extra out of pocket if an emergency were to occur. Some recent graduates have not had to search too hard for health insurance, and are grateful for the jobs they got which cover them.

Leah Roberts, a 2008 Fairleigh Dickinson University graduate, was concerned about not having any health insurance once she walked off the stage on graduation day. “Two weeks after I graduated I went back to work at a preschool that was my part-time job, but after some time I started working there full time. So when my mom’s insurance ran out, it was by the grace of my job that I was able to get full-time work and benefits.”

While Roberts got lucky finding work so quickly and in an environment she already was comfortable in, she remarked, “Even though I’m a teacher’s assistant, I get better health benefits than some teachers, family workers and directors. However, if I were to get fired or quit, I’d be in deep trouble.” With a job to go to everyday and health benefits, Roberts feels pretty secure but knows things can change any day, which is what happened with Tiffany Thrasher.

Also a 2008 FDU graduate, Thrasher was only allowed to stay on her parents’ insurance for one month after she graduated, then it was up to her to get health insurance. She was able to find a local job in communications that provided benefits. “We were given different options and were able to pick what plan we wanted based on how much we wanted our co-pay to be,” she said. “My company paid 100 percent of my insurance costs.”

However, just last month the recession took its toll at Thrasher’s workplace. “We received an email stating that, due to economic conditions, we would now be required to pay 50 percent of our insurance costs; it will be taken out of our paycheck.” Rather than feeling glum, she felt relieved that only some, not all, would be taken away. “I would much rather have to contribute to my insurance every month than not have insurance at all.”

With the recession taking its toll on many college students, not all hope is lost. Whether you find a great job or are forced to add on to your parents’ insurance plan while doing your job search, there are more a few options for college grads.

As any financial columnist (or doctor) will advise, going without health insurance is not a smart move. While the monthly cost may be suffocating at times, think of it this way: it’s better to pay a fee every month than be thousands of dollars in debt if you get sick or into an accident and have no health insurance.

One word to the wise: be smart because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

KATRINA MUSTO
Staff Writer

I was attacked at Bloomingdale’s. Not physically, no. Verbally. It all started in December when my neighbors got me a lavish gift card to the department store as a Christmas present. I was so excited to unwrap it; my hands anxiously pulling apart the red, silk ribbons, so eager to see what was inside. I assumed it had to be good; after all they are not exactly stingy when it comes to gift giving.

After all the tissue paper and ribbons were on the floor, there it stood: a shiny silver Bloomingdale’s gift card in an impressive amount. Now, don’t get me wrong, I was happy for even getting a present in the first place, and thanked them endlessly for it. But I was frowning deep inside, because I have no purpose whatsoever for that store, nor any of its contents.

Macy’s has always been my store of choice; I find everything and anything I need in there, and often walk out with a smile as big as Isla Fisher’s in “Shopaholic,” after hitting a good sale. While Bloomingdale’s carries almost the exact same items on its shelves, there is one minor detail distinguishing the store: the price tags. Almost 20 percent higher than Macy’s (and Lord and Taylor for that matter!), Bloomingdale’s idea of a sale is having a Juicy Couture jumpsuit on the clearance rack for $150. Might I add that we are in a very deep recession? Let’s use our heads a little, Bloomies.

So I decided to give the store a try anyways (hey, I wanted to use my gift card!), and wound up feeling like some poor hobo on a New York street corner. I sauntered around the store, going from misses to sunglasses, to purses, then back to misses. Nothing. While I enjoy going to the mall, I wouldn’t say I live for it.

I then found some really cute Coach sunglasses but found out I had to add an additional $50 on top of my gift card. I politely said “no, thank you” to the sales girl helping me.
“I’m not paying an additional $50 out of my own pocket for sunglasses that chances are will get sat on or lost at the beach,” I laughed, to which she managed a small chuckle.

I sauntered over to the dress section, thinking perhaps I would find something for a night out with some friends. When I picked out a beautiful yet practical black dress, I noticed a sales sign gleaming overhead. “Yes - finally something good in this hell hole,” I thought to myself! I made my way to the nearby register to inquire about the sales price before I wasted my time trying it on.

“Oh no, someone must have put that back on the wrong rack. This one is not for sale, just the others are,” the saleswoman said. Fantastic. Then I got a bright idea.

I could always use new makeup, so I made my way over to the Clinique counter. The woman at the counter was in her early thirties, heavily made up, and on the phone gabbing away as I browsed the glass countertops. Eye shadow, check. Blush, check. Powder? Maybe.

After deciding I definitely wanted eye shadow I asked her opinion on which color to get. “I don’t wear a lot of makeup, so I would like something natural,” I said. “Nothing too clownish,” I added for emphasis.

She smirked at me and told me purple would look nice, because I have green eyes. I asked her for a tissue (after I used the tester to put some on) to wipe the excess color off my hands to which she pointed to the box a few counters over and said, “It’s over there.”

Are your hands broken? I wanted to say. So I went over and got myself a tissue and told her I also was thinking about lip gloss. “Would you say it’s sticky?” I asked her. “I donno…not really?” was the response I got.

I decided to skip the lip gloss altogether but refused to walk out of there without using up my entire gift card. So I inquired about powder, to which the real icing on the cake moment came. After putting my face under a blinding light and looking at me in a mirror, she remarked that I “had a face full of dead skin, and powder would do me no good.” What I needed, was an exfoliating cleanser. “Do you even have one of those? Because if not, you need one,” she commented.

After getting hot in the face, I replied quietly, “Well I go to the dermatologist twice a month and use a mask twice a week, so I can’t possibly have any dead skin.” Especially not all the kinds you’re talking about, I wanted to scream. She looked at me and I swear, raised her eyebrows, while continuing on about her stupid mask that her stupid counter in her stupid store, carried.

“We have a mild one, a medium one, and a strong one, but for you, I would definitely say to go with the strong one.” I looked her square in the eye and said, “It all depends on the cost, because I am not going over the amount on that gift card, nor am I paying more than $25 for a silly cleanser.”
Turns out it was $17; still more than I would have preferred but it worked out perfectly with the eye shadow and I ended up breaking even with my gift card. Thanks, I said as I walked out of Bloomingdale’s feeling more awkward that I had felt since middle school. That eye shadow had better look good, I told myself.

KATRINA MUSTO
Staff Writer

Apartments in Hoboken with a view of New York City, which happen to be located down the street from more than five different bars. Sharing a house with three of your best friends, complete with a pool table in the living room.

Now picture this room instead: your pink and green childhood bedroom with your sports awards and honor roll ribbons still dangling from your mirror, now completely covered in dust. Not exactly what you had in mind, is it?

Due to the recent economic crisis, many college seniors are giving up their dream of garnering a job after graduation and moving into an apartment or house with a few roommates. Prospects for residency now include mom and dad’s house, until they find jobs and can support themselves financially to go out on their own. And for those who are, in fact, moving out of their family’s home after graduation? For some, their new place of residency is rather interesting: a house or apartment in the town of their alma mater.

Fairleigh Dickinson University senior Jacqueline Weiss has been living at home all four years and has no problem continuing to do so after she gets her diploma. “I’m used to living at home and don’t mind staying there for a little while longer,” she said. However, staying a little while longer does not mean forever. Weiss added, “I hope to get a job and begin paying back my loans. Once I have earned enough money, I hope to move out on my own.”

According to Shashin Shah, a financial planner with SGS Wealth Management in Texas, for those living at home, saving money should be a top priority. In a recent Washington Post article cleverly titled, “Homebound; Strapped Grads Get Financial Lessons on Familiar Turf,” experts such as Shah discussed theories surrounding what is known as the “Boomerang Generation.” The term refers to young, recent graduates who keep bouncing back, whether it means moving back in with their parents, or constantly trying to scrape by on their own.

Weiss, who works part-time while attending school, is one of the many college seniors trying to save their pennies before graduation day.

Todd Romer, executive director of Young Money Magazine, offered some insight in the Washington Post article into just how hard upcoming college grads have it. “Today’s recent grads are dealing with more money issues than any generation before them,” said Romer. He added, “If they were not able to save and be frugal during college, they’ll still need to attempt to be frugal in those first few years after college.”

Rebecca Brand, a senior at The University of Pittsburgh, recently began working part-time at a bookstore in downtown Pittsburgh, as a means to earn (and hopefully save) some money. Brand hopes to move out of her family’s home in eastern Pennsylvania and stay in the town of her university.

“There are more career opportunities for me in Pittsburgh - by being in a city instead of a suburban area,” she remarked. Her part-time job is by no means the answer to her financial woes, but it has made her more conscientious of money. She added, “The recession hasn’t altered my plans; it has just made me more aware of my particular money situation and the importance of saving money.”

Brand is feeling just as nervous as every other college senior. “Even though Pittsburgh seems to be better off than other areas, it is definitely still affected. It’s still pretty difficult to find a job, but I’m just applying to as many jobs as I qualify for and crossing my fingers that something will work out,” she said. Other college seniors living hours away from their hometown are also struggling with their plans for post-graduation. Should they stay in their college towns? Or move back home?

Jessica Abramovici, a senior at The University of Maryland at College Park, is used to coming back to her family’s home in northern New Jersey during the school breaks. Every Thanksgiving, winter recess, spring break and summer vacation, she can count on her three-hour Amtrak train ride home. Moving back to the Garden State after graduation will certainly be different, but in a positive way.

“I am going to live with my parents after I graduate since they offered to provide me a place to stay until I am settled in a job and have a stable cash flow,” Abramovici said. However, the recession has altered her plans in terms of where exactly to work. She said, “I was planning to work at the same company that I interned at for the last two summers, but they are cutting back on employees, which means they might not be hiring. I therefore need to look hard for other alternatives. I put all my eggs in one basket- hoping to work at this company, so now I need to catch up with the job search.” Confident she will find something after she is handed her diploma, Abramovici knows she will have to work hard now to research and find companies which are hiring. She added, “Overall, I am not too worried.”

Many college seniors are torn about what to do after graduation. While hope is not entirely lost, moving back home with their parents while continuing to save money and go on the hunt for jobs might be as good a plan as any.

KATRINA MUSTO
Staff Writer

When the phrase “cheap date” comes to mind, it typically does not have a positive connotation. According to urbandictionary.com, the phrase cheap date refers to someone who “gets drunk easily (especially on a date) and has sex afterwards.”

Well, this year’s Valentine’s Day is most certainly going to be filled with countless cheap dates. None of which involve drunk, random-hook ups.

Feb. 14 is thought to be a day of love among many people; either those in committed relationships, those uncommitted who date around and those who are not in any relationship at all and prefer to spend the day hanging out with close friends and maybe watching a good chick flick on television.
However, Valentine’s Day 2009 is going to be different than previous Valentine’s Days. Why is that? Because the world is in an economic crisis: the recession.

People who otherwise would have been counting on two dozen roses, fancy dinners at upscale restaurants or even just a box of Godiva chocolates, are learning to be reasonable and down-to-earth this year. There is no price tag on romance, as people are realizing.

So how are couples on FDU’s campus spending Valentine’s Day 2009? By keeping it fun and simple. Senior Stephanie Paris plans to keep the day low-key by going out to dinner with her boyfriend and possibly seeing a movie afterwards. “He and I are just happy to be spending time with each other,” said Paris.

While dinner and a movie seems to be one of the more popular choices for a no-frills, inexpensive Valentine’s, other couples plan to stay indoors. Graduate student Jenn Maguire is going down a creative path for Valentine’s Day.

“I’m resorting to making something for my boyfriend rather than buying a gift. I think it’s more thoughtful and people tend to return my gifts, so I feel that this is a much better idea!” she said.
Another way to cut costs this year is by skipping restaurant plans all together and cooking dinner at home or on-campus, if that is an option.

“We usually prefer to stay in and cook instead of going out to dinner. While we don’t have set plans this year, making gifts and cooking dinner are definitely ways to save money, and saving money is important!” Maguire added.

There are numerous ways for couples to have fun this Valentine’s Day without emptying their wallets. Going to the Blockbuster in town and renting some movies (romantic or not) is always a fun idea, as is going bowling or even ice-skating. The nearest Blockbuster to campus happens to be right in downtown Madison (across from the Madison bowling alley) and Mennen Arena (an ice-skating rink) happens to be right in the neighboring town of Cedar Knolls; both convenient and light on the wallet.
For those not in relationships, the old-school idea of a bunch of girls getting together and doing each other’s hair and makeup is always fun, while popping in a classic movie to watch with some popcorn.
Valentine’s Day does not have to be all about spending loads of money on a significant other; it can be a day of love and leisure for anyone. Although many are feeling the impact of the recession on their piggy banks right now (hello student loans?), there most certainly are ways to be a “cheap date” this Feb. 14.

BY KATRINA MUSTO
STAFF WRITER

No, Beyonce is not getting a sex-change operation anytime soon. Her first single, cleverly titled, “If I Were a Boy,” off her new album, “I Am… Sasha Fierce,” just so happens to describe what life would be like as a member of the opposite sex.

Realistic? While some critics will argue no, Beyonce does a wonderfully artistic job of painting a picture of how easy men have it. She comments on everything from their grooming techniques: “I’d roll outta bed in the morning and throw on what I wanted then go,” to the way males do not have to deal with drama and confrontation: “Drink beer with the guys and chase after girls. I’d kick it with who I wanted and I’d never get confronted for it.” I don’t think those lyrics could get any more realistic or honest. Besides getting into the male psyche, the rest of the 27-year-old singer’s third studio album, by Columbia Records, does not disappoint.
Although newly married to rapper Jay-Z, the off-the-market singer’s club-inspired groove, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” is nothing short of typical Beyonce fashion: edgy while at the same time catchy enough to have you singing in the shower.

According to Billboard.com, the song has already sky-rocketed to the No. 2 spot, while the impressive album as a whole has garnered the No. 1 spot. The fun lyrics, “If you like it, then you should’ve put a ring on it” are enough to have all the “single ladies” out there bumping up their standards.

The rest of the album shines, with songs like, “Smash Into You,” which tells the tale of love being right in front of someone and them being at a crossroads. “Scared of Lonely” is remarkable and likeable as well, especially the way it might makes young women stop and think. “I’m scared the only heartbeat I hear beating is my own…I’m scared of being lonely,” is heartfelt enough to make single women go back to the dating scene if they left it behind for a while. If the romance theme of the album has not been present enough, the song, “Hello,” certainly captures it. Somewhat reminiscent of the movie “Jerry Maguire,” Beyonce sings about falling in love with the person who “had me at hello.”

With many songs seeming to be about her recent trip down the aisle and all that goes along with falling in love with someone, Beyonce once again does not fall short and disappoint her fans. Her vocals are right on key and the lyrics appear to get wiser and edgier as she ages. With “I Am… Sasha Fierce” having an almost-feminist vibe to it, the singer knows exactly what she’s doing in the studio and fans will appreciate her efforts.

KATRINA MUSTO
Staff Writer