Movies

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

Entertainment. Movies are by no means necessary, and the Blu-Ray set of your favorite sit-com isn't either. Regardless, the movie and television industry still manages to scrape money from our pockets.

Some movies become popular as a matter of culture. For example, The Hunger Games became a pop-culture phenomenon. I know I saw the movie simply because I wanted to be able to participate in the conversations surrounding it.

This can be said of much older films as well. Such as: Rocky Horror Picture Show, or The Breakfast Club. These Movies are said to have "cult" followings. The same can be said of many TV shows as well.

Perhaps we continue to consume this form of entertainment for the enjoyment and love of the story. However, I believe there is a much deeper, cultural bonding, that is facilitated by film and television.

Theater creates a connection to not only the actors and actresses, but to the fellow viewer as well. A common experience is what ties people together within a culture.

Bills

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

Everyone has them, not just students at university. Nonetheless, this is often the first time that many students are exposed to the activity every parent complains about, paying bills.

"Money doesn't grow on trees" parents often say, but how are we suppose to know that until we have obligations such as bills? Receiving an invoice in the mail via your electric or internet company is always the worst surprise ever.

"How much is it this time?" "WOAH! I guess I shouldn't have paid for that round last night!"

Bills force students to factor money more readily into their decision making process. There are certain things you can live without purchasing, but being six months late on your energy bill means no electricity, and never another loan in your life.

Pay your bills, skip the second beer with dinner.

College Paraphernalia

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

Part of a culture is dress. Now to be a student at any university, you don't necessarily have to dress a certain way. However, there are times when a specific time of dress is appropriate.

For Bobcats, there are a few days when dawning the blue and gold is required, or at least highly encouraged. At football games (and other sporting events) you will be looked on as not a true fan if you show up in anything less than your best blue and gold. And don't you dare show up in maroon.

Spending the time and effort at college (any college) will instill a certain amount of pride in a person. After all, the college you attend is a subculture of your life. It is necessary the as students graduate and move on, they take with them this pride. It can be purchased for a reasonable cost at the bookstore.

Music

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

Everyone loves music, especially college kids. I listen to music almost constantly: as I walk to class, eat a meal, dance with friends, etc. There's no getting away from music, and there is no reason to try.

Music permeates the lives of almost everyone, and as such, people demand more music. But college kids especially don't want the music they know or that everyone else knows, they want new music. The music industry has begun to change to service this need.

Web applications such as Pandora Radio and Spotify, have taken the place of traditional radio. These sites allow users to create playlists and stations that fit their individual tastes, and for FREE! Spotify even gives users the ability to create a cloud based music library, for no cost.

The infrequent ads are the only catch to these applications, but any music lover would tell you they would rather have more music for free – college students included.

Art

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

Living in the same apartment for the last two years (and looking forward to a third year in the same location), my roommate and I thought we needed some art around the place.

Somewhere between our driveway and Wal-Mart we decided we wanted to create our own art and not simply hang things on the walls.

As world travelers, we knew the value of high-art, and its place in popular culture. No where in the many museums we had toured together had anyone used Post-It notes to comment on their predecessors, however.

The decision was made to create a rendition of Matisse's Dancer 1, and work began. In the photo above you can see our progress.

Downtown

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

As recent entrants into the legal drinking age cohort, college students enjoy spending money in local bars and saloons. If it is dancing at one of Bozeman's local clubs, or just enjoying a pint with dinner, alcohol gets expensive fast.

At the end of the day, drinking is something to do for students that doesn't require a lot of thinking or skills. I suspect this is why students find it so appealing at the end of a long week of exams and homework. Nonetheless, the sigh of relief one experiences with a nap is much cheaper than with a beer.

As I stated earlier, another factor leading to college students spending money on alcohol (perhaps the largest factor) is that we are all recent entrants into the age cohort that makes it okay.

The 21st birthday is likely the most celebrated for many students because it is the celebration of breaking into this new age cohort that allows them access to a brand new social network. The original social network, the college bar.

Gas

Image Credit: Ryan Bovy © 2012

As students, college kids love the idea of travel and exploration. Despite how hard we try, achieving this sense of adventure isn't free.

Unfortunately, we are all forced to pay for gas, and everyone depends on the powers that be to determine how much of their budget goes towards the "liquid gold" they need to go to work.

How most college students work, then, is by intermittently filling the tank with $10 here or $15 dollars there. This type of purchasing pattern is motivated by need. Everyone needs to go to work, and we all need gas to get there, but we don't need a full tank.

On a smaller scale, there are other forms of transportation for those that desire to live outside the bounds of OPEC (see previous entry). The warm weather allows more options for types of transportation, but it also provides the opportunity for long road trips. And no matter the cost of gas, college students will always love road trips.