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Tips for New Social Work Graduate (MSW) Students

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  Happy start of the school year! Perusing social media, I came across a NASW blog article called “Guide for the First Year Social Work Student”. This post provided lots of great information tailored for new undergraduate students interested in studying social work. I wanted to take that NASW post a bit farther and compile a list of tips specific to graduate students pursuing a masters in social work (MSW). In my opinion, graduate school is a completely different experience from undergraduate, so my hope is that these tips will serve to be beneficial. Tips for New Social Work Graduate (MSW) Students -Don’t worry about grades so much When I was in graduate school, one of my professors told a story about a straight A student who committed suicide several years after graduation. His point was that given the people we need to work with, we social workers need to focus less on being perfectionists (as demonstrated by obsessing over grades and test scores) and work on being empathetic and co
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How to Host a Cheap Sports Party

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Football playoff season is in full swing (GO NINERS!), and I plan on spending it on my couch with some drinks and my favorite finger foods. I know that many of you will probably be getting together with friends to catch the big games, so I thought I would offer a few money saving tips on hosting those football get-togethers!

Tip #1: Stay home instead of hitting the bars. Bar food, pints of beer, and mixed drinks are typically more expensive than throwing your own party. Don't forget other hidden costs like tax and tip! Avoid the crowded bars (and drunk drivers), buy a twelve-pack, and cook up some snacks at home!

Tip #2: Check the grocery store ads for deals. Each week, I check the grocery store ads and plan my meals around what's on sale. Grocery stores tend to stock up on snack type foods around football playoffs season, so there's bound to be some deals. Since I am lucky enough to live near several grocery chains, I use the ads to make a shopping list of sale items for each store.

Tip #3: Potluck or BYOB. If you're hosting a party, you're probably already doing tons of work cleaning and cooking. Reduce your stress by having your buddies bring their favorite snacks or beverages. It'll also reduce the strain on your wallet!

Tip #4: Order delivery or get take-out. If you're turned off by the idea of cooking, then pitching in money for delivery or take-out is still cheaper than going out to eat. Make sure to check your Sunday newspaper ads or discount sites like Slickdeals for coupons. If ordering delivery, call in early, as these places tend to get inundated with orders on football Sundays. Don't forget to tip the person delivering the pizza, since he/she is missing the game!

Tip #5: Use leftover snacks for meals in the coming week. One of my favorite ways to use leftover spinach dip is to stuff it in chicken breast and bake it. You can also shred leftover pieces of buffalo chicken and use them in tacos (with your leftover bean dip, salsa, and avocado dip) or pita wraps. With some creativity, you can turn these leftovers into some tasty meals!

Eating is definitely one of my favorite parts of playoff season. With these tips, you'll be able to indulge in those delicious snacks while having some extra money left over for those bets!

GO NINERS!

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