How To: Survive College Withdrawal

Withdrawal. It’s inevitable. For me, it hit me when the leaves gradually starting turning shades of yellow, red, and orange and I woke up to a morning dew on the grass and that bite of cold in the air that lets you know that winter is on its way. Fall has always been my favorite season- full of beginnings. Another year of school, a year older for me with my September birthday, a new season, the start of cooler weather and shorter days, the beginning of football games and tailgating. Taking school out of the equation still leaves a lot to look forward to, but somehow leaves fall feeling slightly- off.

So how do you get yourself out of that college withdrawal with the changing of seasons? Here are a few tips for getting through the roughest seasons:

1.       Keep busy

Take on more at work or sign up for committees and boards outside of work. There are a ton of local groups in Philadelphia aimed at young professionals such as the Young Professional Network that allow you to network with other local college grads and beyond, attend events that encourage community involvement, and develop your own professional career.

2.      Roadtrip!

It’s not bad to want to go visit your school once in a while. I think it even helps to still feel like you have a connection to the place where you spent the majority of your last 4 years. I’ve been back to my alma mater more times than I’d like to admit since graduating but I think you need to have the right mind frame to come out of the visit feeling satisfied. I love visiting school but I’m happy to come back to Philly every Sunday to what is now my real life.

3.       Happy hour anyone?            

High school reunions are the worst but college reunions could not be more welcome. Remember- you’re not the only one braving the real world- your entire graduating class is out there too! Plan a rendezvous in your current city with friends for a little taste of college. Sure- it’s not $1 drink specials and crazy dance clubs but it IS happy hours and going out after work in suits and heels and feeling pretty grown up and fabulous. (See my review of 3 local restraurants for excellent dining destinations)

4.       Get away

I have hardly been home between visiting school and other friends in different cities. I have a lot of family and friends in D.C. so I try to plan frequent trips to our nation’s capital- and with cheap tickets from MegaBus, it doesn’t have to be a lavish investment! Nothing cures the college blues better than a weekend away.

Four (almost) free weekday or weekend excursions

Being broke is pretty much a universal college grad trait. We can all relate. So finding cheap outings during the week and on weekends that aren’t going to put a dent in your savings is not easy. Here are 4 cheap (if not free!) suggestions for weekday or weekend excursions that won’t leave you feeling guilty or breaking the bank.

Pack your lunch

Sounds like elementary school right? But packing your lunch instead of buying a sandwich from a vendor or stopping in at your favorite restaurant during lunch can save up to $50 a week or $200 a month! It’s always those little purchases that add up. So try any of these easy lunch ideas and head to the nearest park (for me, it’s LOVE park right across the street) and enjoy the fall weather instead of eating out at a packed, indoor restaurant.

·         Try this delicious tomato and mozzarella sandwich if you’re sick of lunchmeat or PB&J

·         Grab a can of soup and a bowl from your cabinet- how much easier does it get than that?

·         Yogurt and granola makes a great lunch if you’re snacking throughout the day

·         Make a large salad at the beginning of the week so you’re prepared for the whole week. Try these easy salad recipes from Home Made Simple.

Browse the bookstore

This may sound super nerdy, but I can’t spend enough time in Barnes and Noble, just browsing the bookshelves. For the perfect midday break, find your nearest bookstore, grab a coffee and your favorite magazine and browse the latest fall fashion trends! Or bring your own book and read at least a chapter to clear your head from all the stress of the day. Nothing is better than escaping into a good book (but that may just be my inner nerd talking). Some of my book recommendations:

·         The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson

·         Little Bee by Chris Cleave

·         Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore

Explore your city

My mom gave me a book on Philadelphia architecture when I got my job in the city. Although I’m not an architecture major and normally don’t pay much attention to the buildings around me, it is pretty amazing how old and beautiful parts of the city are. I find myself looking up more when strolling the city streets (side effect: tripping and running into people more). So take 15 minutes on a nice day and go explore your city. It took me awhile to get used to navigating the streets of Philly, but after exploring more and more, I found myself wandering farther from my office with every lunch break. It’s good to get out!

·         Philadelphia Center for Architecture

Check out local museums

Admission to most Philly museums is less than $10.00 for an entire day of entertainment! Philly has a wide-range of museums and institutes to check out, so take advantage of their proximity and spend a rainy Saturday or Sunday strolling past Monets and Van Goghs at the art museum or crawling through a human heart at the Franklin Institute. Here are some more local museums:

Philadelphia Museum of Art

26th & Ben Franklin Pkwy. 215/763-8100 or 684-7500. Tues-Sun, 10am-5pm. Fri until 8:45pm. Closed Mondays and legal holidays. Adults $14. Seniors (62+) $12, students with ID & youth ages 13-18 $10. Children 12 and under FREE. Sundays are Pay As You Wish all day. Some special exhibits require an additional ticket and reservations.

Please Touch Museum

Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park 4231 Avenue of the Republic (formerly North Concourse Drive) Philadelphia, PA 19131. 215/963-0667. E-Mail. Monday thru Saturday 9am–5pm, Sunday 11am–5pm CLOSED: New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days. Children and Adults: $15; Under the age of one: Free, Members: Free; Groups of 15 or more: please call (215) 581-3168 or (215) 581-3170 for reservations and discount group rates.

Mummers Museum

1100 South 2nd Street (2nd and Washington). 215/336-3050. E-Mail. Museum hours: October through April: Tuesday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm, Sunday noon-4:30pm; May through September: Tuesday 9:30am-9:30pm, Wednesday-Saturday 9:30am-4:30pm, Sunday noon-4:30pm. Closed Mondays, all Holidays, and Sundays in July and August. Adults $3.50, Child (under 12), Students, and Seniors (aarp) $2.50. Group rates and tour packages available. Parking is free (handicap accessible).

The Franklin Institute Science Museum

20th St & Ben Franklin Pkwy. 215/448-1200. Science Center 9:30am-5pm Sun-Sat. Mandell Center 9:30am-5pm. The Tuttleman IMAX Theater is open Sun-Thu 9:30-5pm, Fri-Sat. 9:30am-9pm Fri, Sat. Adults $14.75. Children 4-11 $11.50, Seniors/Military/Students $11. (Additional for IMAX and Franklin Theater tickets.)

Academy of Natural Sciences

1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 215/299-1000. Mon-Fri, 10am - 4:30pm. Weekends and holidays, 10am-5pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day. Adults $10. Children (3-12) $8. $2/person for Live Butterflies exhibit.