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dorm living

Health Student Life

Why College Students Should Exercise Regularly

October 14, 2021

College can be daunting and exhausting. For some, managing their time well has become a part of their daily routine. But for some students who can’t handle college life well, focusing on several activities at once could be an overwhelming process.

As a college student with more than one stressor, keeping a healthy routine that includes regular exercise is essential. It’s not only great for physical benefits, but it can also rewire your brain.

Here are seven crucial reasons college students should incorporate exercise in their daily life.

Improves Concentration and Focus

You may not know it now, but a workout can help improve your concentration and focus.

When you exercise, you allow your brain to stimulate new cells. This can help boost your overall well-being, including concentration and keeping the mind focused. Such activity can result in being more productive in your school work and could help you ace that exam you’ve dreaded since the start of the semester.

Relieves Stress

Stress is one reason some college students fail to get a passing mark. We’re not generalizing the scenario, but we all know how stress could affect students’ study habits.

While stress can do that to people, exercise can counter the decline in neurotransmitters. As such, your brain will produce endorphins that could generally make you feel happier or relaxed. It could even lessen your chances of experiencing heart attacks or stomach problems.

Enhances Memory

The brain cells found in our hippocampus are responsible for the formation of memories. It’s also where you dig up and recall memories that are in the past.

So when you study for a quiz, you use the cells in your hippocampus to store and form memories that could help you remember what you’ve read. It’s a helpful tool when you sit down on your chair and start taking the quiz.

But like every cell in our body, they tend to diminish. To avoid losing your brain’s power, use exercise to help build a better block for your memory. It boosts the creation of these important cells that could make an impact on your college life.

Stimulates Brain Cell Development

Our brain is a beautiful machine. It’s what keeps our bodily functions moving and fighting against external stressors.

However, the most exciting part of the brain is cell development that could help us improve our lifestyle.

Treat your brain as your physical body. To be able to function well, you have to feed it with essential nutrients. That includes maintaining a healthy exercise routine.

It’s essential to stimulate brain cell development at this stage in your life. That’s because it’s where you juggle school activities and the troubles of being an adult.

Builds Immune System Strength

At this point in your life, you’d want to avoid getting sick at all because missing one school activity can drastically affect your class standing. Building your immune system should be a top priority, especially because stress can attack your body in ways that you don’t expect.

Regular exercise is one way to boost your immune system. It will allow your body to fight off the common cold, flu, and sometimes even severe health conditions.

Improves Physical Health

Of course, the first thing you’ll notice when you start exercising is developing your physical health. You could quickly feel your muscles being pumped and improving your strength and endurance.

Exercising can include visiting the gym, doing home workouts, yoga, pilates, or even joining your school’s hiking club. Remember that you should pick a flexible regimen that could fit your schedule and match your physical capacity to move around.

We recommend making an outdoor trip once in a while to keep you inspired and to avoid the effects of burnout. You may not have the whole outdoor adventure gear, but to keep walking sticks for hiking in your college dorm is enough to last you an hour or two out in the wild.

Boosts Your Mood

We’ve mentioned earlier the effects of endorphins in our bodies. It’s essential to keep a positive vibe for most of the days during your college years. It’s a basic weapon to survive the most grueling tasks of beating deadlines, maintaining a grade, and learning from all your subjects.

You can improve your mood by doing light to moderate exercises at least three times a week. You may think that squeezing in a 30-minute exercise into your already busy day is hard. But you can achieve this without sweat with proper time management!

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Student Life

8 DIY Dorm Room Storage Tips for College Students

March 23, 2021

Dorm rooms are notorious for being small, crowded, and in most cases, outdated. To make matters worse, you either end up sharing a dorm room with a complete stranger or living in close quarters with no break from a friend. Dorm life can be stressful! Add clutter into the mix and it’s a recipe for frustration, anxiety, and an overstimulating environment. Most dorm rooms are equipped with a bed, desk, and dresser for each inhabitant, but have minimal open floor space no matter how you lay the room out.

The good news is that there are ways to make your dorm room a more comfortable, livable space by increasing storage and reducing clutter. Here are the top DIYs to keep things neat and tidy in your dorm.

1. Add Shelving: In a dorm room, shelves are your best friend! While many dorms have restrictions on what can and cannot be installed on the walls, there are shelving options you can purchase or DIY that are made to sit on your dorm desk. They are raised enough to not infringe on your workspace while still offering convenient access to things you may need, like books and chargers. Plus, if you have a cat, they’ll love this idea too. Cats always need a space up high to rest and observe.

2. Make Use of Underbed Space: The beds in dorm rooms are usually relatively small and lightweight, making them good candidates for being set onto risers. The higher your bed, the more storage space you open for yourself underneath. The options for shelves, baskets, and tables that can comfortably sit underneath a dorm bed on risers are virtually unlimited.

3. Don’t Waste Door Space: The back of your dorm room door and closet door are perfect spots to add more storage for bulky items, like shoes, and small items, like jewelry and makeup. Over-door storage bags are available with all kinds of different shapes and sizes of cubbies and pouches. There are even shower curtains with storage pockets that you could DIY into back of door storage.

4. Baskets: You can find baskets in all sizes and materials, with some being cute and made to be seen, while others are better kept put away. You can even purchase plain baskets or “ugly” baskets and DIY them into something that suits your aesthetic. Regardless of the kind of basket you choose, you can use baskets for just about anything. Dirty laundry, food, school supplies, and hygiene supplies can all be kept in baskets, making for easy access without adding clutter. 

5. Get a Rolling Cart: Rolling carts make great dorm room storage additions because you can use them to keep just about anything out of the way and off the floor, but you can easily scoot them out of the way to access other areas anytime you need to. Hardware stores carry wheels you can attach to furniture items, so you can even DIY your own rolling carts with baskets or shelves.

6. Use Magnets: Magnets are an inexpensive, accessible storage solution. You can attach magnets to just about anything and then store the magnetized items on metallic surfaces. You can use this trick for spices, hygiene supplies, towel hooks, and most lightweight items. If you have a large enough metallic surface, you can even attach magnets to a basket and make use of the storage potential of the exterior of a dorm refrigerator.

7. Pegboards: While pegboards may not be the most attractive items, they are an excellent space-saving solution and can be more chic than you might think. Pegboard hooks can be rearranged to allow space for even oddly shaped or sized items. A pegboard can be rearranged at will to meet your current storage needs, whether you changed to new products or the seasons changed. Pegboards are often lightweight enough to be mounted with sticky strips or magnets, so they can be used for storage in open wall space.

8. Eliminate Excess: You can open up dorm space by doing something as simple as getting rid of items you don’t use or need. Have you moved from your summer wardrobe to your winter wardrobe? See if you can store your warm weather clothes with a family member or friend. Maybe it’s a new semester and you don’t need all your textbooks anymore. Look into textbook buyback programs, selling your textbooks online, or offer them to a friend or underclassman who is entering the course you just completed. Anything you can do to clean up items that do nothing but take up space will help you make your dorm more comfortable.

Conclusion

DIY projects are a great way to make your dorm room your own creation and to unwind after long hours of schoolwork. DIY dorm room storage won’t just add to your aesthetic, either. Increasing storage in your dorm room will improve your mood, decrease your frustration and anxiety, and help you have more pleasant interactions with people, especially your roommate. 

Dorm living and college are both stressful enough on their own. A dirty, cluttered, chaotic environment will only increase your stress levels. Imagine how much more relaxed you’ll feel by having an open workspace for studying or enough open floor space to practice yoga or meditation. And of course, don’t forget to protect all of your stuff from the unexpected with renters insurance!

Student Life

The Best Streaming Device Options for College Students

January 8, 2021

Studying can be grueling. One sure-fire way to escape your frazzled brain is a few good hours of binge-watching your favorite series.

Many students make do using their laptop, tablet or even just their phone for watching TV. But, without breaking the bank, it’s possible to make this all-important down-time a little more comfortable.

To upgrade your setup in a worthwhile way, there are a few things to consider.

We’ve compiled a list of recommended streaming devices based on price, quality and usability features. 

Apple 4K

With a starting price of $179, the new Apple TV 4K might be a little unnecessarily pricey for your budget, unless the added features make it worth your while. Yes, you can get Airplay or Apple TV+ on other hardware, but this latest updated software allows for linking up to your PlayStation and Xbox controllers for an all-in-one entertainment device.

Between the Apple Arcade game streaming service and the vast extent of cloud gaming options, if you’re an Apple fan, this may be the most solid system choice moving forward. Certainly, when it comes to the number of titles available through one device, it’s unparalleled. In addition, for cable-powered apps it features a zero sign-on setup.

If you’re not an Apple lover, check out the best value-for-money Android TV boxes. 

NVIDIA Shield TV 4K

Before we get much more budget-friendly, let’s talk about the NVIDIA Shield TV 4K HDR streaming media player. This device will set you back around $200 and yes, its fantastic quality – but for such a hefty price tag you have to ask yourself, do you really need it? Unless you are a hardcore gamer and/or have a 4K TV, probably not. That said, it is arguably the best in its class – fast, voice-control enabled and with superior Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos surround sound. If quality is your thing and you can afford it, you won’t regret it.

Amazon 4K Fire TV Stick

This little Amazon Fire TV stick was certainly designed with ease of use in mind. With a recommended retail price of $62.97, this remote bundle comes with a new wi-fi antenna for optimized 4K Ultra HD streaming. That, added to its Alexa voice command capabilities, makes for a superior streaming experience.

Roku Streaming Stick

If you’re not much of a gamer and you really need a bargain, then this super affordable streaming option might be your best bet. The Roku Streaming Stick currently comes in at just $29.40 and is easily portable to boot. With supported internet services that include Netflix, HBO, Prime Video, Hulu with Live TV, Apple TV, Showtime, The Roku Channel, and Google Play, it’s a great all-rounder as well as Alexa voice-control friendly.

Micca Speck G2 1080 Portable Digital Media Player

The Micca Speck G2 is an affordable choice that has a portable-friendly design and is powerful enough to stream whatever you’re into. Supporting a wide range of connections and files, this device comes with a car power adapter and although not voice control enabled, has a full function remote control. For anyone worried about cost, at just $37.99 this little streamer might be all you need. 

Matricom G-Box Q (v3) Android Media Mini PC

With an Android OS, the Matricom G-Box Q² is well worth a mention. With a sleek, portable design, this fast-processing device is the closest thing to a PC that’s all play. Unlike many streaming devices, this is a full android computer designed for your living room, that is free from any restrictions. You can install and customize all your favorite apps and it also supports Amazon Prime video access. Priced at $77, it’s a lot for your money.

Final thoughts

These are just some of the streaming device options available and it’s well worth doing your homework before making your purchase. Not only do the prices differ considerably, but both the quality and applications for use do too, and it will pay off if you research the options based on your personal preferences. Happy streaming!

Student Life

How to Make Dorm Life More Comfortable

October 30, 2020

When you had a tough day in elementary school, you could come home and talk to Mom or Dad while they made dinner in the kitchen. When you had a rough time in middle school, you could spend the evening sprawled in front of the television, unwinding in safe security. When you had a challenging day in high school, you could retreat to the familiar serenity of your bedroom.

Now that you’re in college, though, everything is new. Your workload likely feels enormous. Your social life is constant. And when you feel overwhelmed? Well, you want to have a safe place where you can withdraw to recoup and recover, right?

Here are a few tips and suggestions to help you turn your dorm life into a sanctuary that’s as calming as your childhood home.

Don’t Neglect Nostalgia

First and foremost, if you want to quickly establish a sense of comfort in your dorm, it’s important that you purposefully bring some of your home along with you.

You can do this by packing things like:

  • Photos of your family.
  • Wall-hung art/pictures from home.
  • Your own bedding with the smell of home.
  • Mugs, silverware, and any other daily items that can remind you of home.

The more small reminders you can have of the home front, the easier it will be to introduce a sense of familiarity with your new living space.

Think About Physical Comfort

Before we get to the decorations and setup of your dorm, it’s important to address the physical comfort of your space. The three main items in question are:

  • Your bed: Do you have a good bed to sleep on? If not, can you bring a memory foam mattress, good bedding, or anything else to improve your sleep?
  • Your desk: Do you have a comfortable, spacious area where you can work on homework or study for hours at a time?
  • A chair: You don’t want to literally break your back while you’re working in your dorm. Make sure your chair is comfortable and has good lumbar support.

While all of these are important, you don’t need to break the bank for them. There are many ways that you can thrift and repurpose older furniture for your own use. You may even be able to bring some furniture from home.

The important thing is that you keep an eye out for quality items that will make your space more inviting.

Steer into a Warm, Cozy Feel

Once you have your basic furniture needs tended to, it’s time to start focusing on a comfortable feel to go along with them.

Start by identifying a few words that embody what you want your space to feel like. While each person’s taste is different, if you want a comfortable space, you’ll probably want to include words like cozy and warm in there somewhere.

When it comes to creating a cozy bedroom, you may not be able to do bigger projects, like paint the walls, but it’s still easy to tap into those fuzzy feelings with small details, like getting a headboard, setting up a few potted plants, or plastering a lamp.

Don’t Forget the Ambiance

Along with the decor, it’s also important to remember the ambiance of your room. Of particular interest are:

  • The smell: College dorms can be especially rank, and it’s important to fight that tendency. Try setting up a diffuser and some essential oils to claim a positive, predictable aroma for your space.
  • The sounds: Make sure you have a good way to regularly pump your dorm full of comforting sounds. A smart home device and Bluetooth earbuds are both excellent college student gifts, whether you request them from someone else or give them to yourself as a house warming present.
  • The lighting: Don’t surrender to those stark dorm lights. Bring a lamp, hang Christmas lights, and generally look for ways to get some mood lighting set up in your space.

Dorm, Sweet Dorm

From a comfortable workspace and bed to a cozy ambiance and a warm decor, there are plenty of ways to easily turn a stark dorm room into a comfortable paradise. Refer to the list above, brainstorm how you can apply these ideas to your own dorm, and then start cobbling together the most comfortable dorm on the campus

AUTHOR BIO: Sam Bowman has a passion for learning. As a seasoned professional writer, he specializes in topics about people, education, tech and how they merge. In his spare time he likes running, reading, and combining the two in a run to his local bookstore.

Student Life

Top 3 Characteristics of a Great Roommate

August 27, 2020

The idea of having a roommate can be exciting and little nerve-racking at the same time. We all have different expectations of how a living arrangement should be when sharing spaces with others. Whether you are a college student who may not have a choice in who you are living with or an adult searching for the ideal person to live with, there are certain things that should be a default when it comes to roommate situations. Here are a few of the most important characteristics of a great roommate!

  1. Make sure your roommate is trustworthy! Being trustworthy and reliable are valuable qualities. In most roommate arrangements, two or more people are responsible for splitting the costs of rent, utilities, internet, and other shared amenities. If your house mates are trusting in you to have your portion of the costs covered when they are due, you should always adhere to what has been agreed upon by everyone! Sometimes issues arise in which someone may not be able to contribute. This is when communication and understanding are key.
  1. They should be clean and neat! Growing up, we all learned from our parents and other adults the importance of having good cleaning and hygiene habits. This is important to implement when you are sharing living spaces with others. Part of being a great roommate includes making sure that the shared spaces in your residence are always clean and presentable. Areas like the living room, kitchen, and shared bathrooms should be as clean and neat as possible. Having good personal hygiene habits are even more important! Living with others should be a pleasant experience and this includes making sure that you are keeping up with your personal care (bathing, laundry, cleaning your room, etc).
  1. Be friendly and kind! Some roommates become best friends while others barely speak or interact with each other. No matter what your roommate situation is it vital to remain friendly and kind with each other. Being friendly does not mean you have to spend every minute together when everyone is home. By simply saying good morning, good night, or asking someone how their day was can go a long way. Feeling comfortable in your residence starts with the way you treat your house mates and vis versa. If you or your roommates have guests over it is important to never make someone feel unwelcome. Be polite and say hello!

Being a good roommate doesn’t have to be hard. There are enough stressors that come along with college life and living with other people should not be one of them. Take these 3 things into account when starting the new term with a new roommate.

Adulting

5 Tips To Pass Your Cleaning Check This Semester

July 20, 2020

College is fantastic, isn’t it? Well, most of the experience is. There are things we could all do without, like the endless stacks of homework, the all-nighters that you need to pull to get ready for exams, and of course, the regular room inspections. Who wants to deal with that headache?

Fortunately, those who have gone before you have come up with some helpful tips for passing dorm room inspection, even when time is not on your side. Follow these helpful tips to pass your inspection with even the most discriminating resident advisor.

Don’t Panic! It Can Be Done!

Inspection of your dorm room can be stressful, but it is not a time for freaking out and stuffing things under your bed randomly. Believe it or not, they do check that as well. Take a deep breath, make some plans ahead of time to deep clean the bathroom and make your bed, and all will be well. 

Talk And Plan With Your Roommates

You are in this together, so why not plan to clean together? Divide and conquer; split up the workload and get everything ready for inspection at the same time so you don’t have to stress out when your advisor is knocking at your door. If for some reason your roommates are unwilling to work with you, let your advisor know ahead of time and get their support so that consequences don’t fall on your shoulders.

Get Supplies; Prepare For The Big Event

Don’t worry; the Center for Disease Control isn’t going to be at your doorstep anytime soon. You do have to pass certain sanitation requirements to keep your advisory staff happy though. Get the proper cleaning supplies for each area of your living space. For large carpet stains, using a device similar to commercial carpet cleaning machines might be the best way to take care of business. See what your advisor has available for use so that you don’t have to spend too much out of your own pocket to get the job done. Scrub, polish, and be proud of a job well done!

If You Have Contraband, Get Rid Of It!

If you have anything that is against your contract, you should probably have never gotten it or never signed the contract. However, it’s too late to go back in time, so you must get rid of it as soon as possible. Depending on what the contraband is, you may need to deep clean even more to get rid of the evidence of your violation of contract. For example, if you aren’t allowed to have pets but have had a dog for the past few months, it’s going to take some time and effort to get rid of all the dog hair and the dog smell. For future contracts, make sure you follow them exactly.

Once It’s Clean, Keep It That Way

Why do a marathon cleaning session once per semester if you can keep it tidy by picking up after yourself on a regular basis? Make cleaning a regular occurrence, and you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy when periodic inspections come around again. From time to time, advisors are asked to do spontaneous dorm room checks to ensure that students are living in compliance with campus and school law. Keep your affairs in order, and you’ll never be caught in a situation where you have to explain your personal habits or cleanliness to other school staff members.

Your dorm is your home for the length of your tenure at school, and like it or not, it does reflect on you and the kind of person that you are. You are setting up valuable habits for the future care of a home and possessions; maintaining a tidy space now will ensure your success with bigger responsibilities later on. 

Grab your gloves, get your brush, and start scrubbing! Celebrate your unique space, and know that you are learning a lot in the process of being accountable to others and keeping a clean environment for everyone.

BIO: Brett Clawson has a degree in Business Management and has started a couple of small businesses. When he’s not focusing his time on those, he spends time with his wife and two sons. His oldest son has entered the wonderful realm of college, and he now enjoys sharing tips that he and his son have found essential for college life.

Adulting Other

Packing Tips for College Move Out Day

May 27, 2020
Packing Tips for College

How bittersweet this time of year is – summer is approaching, meaning no more classes or exams or deadlines, but you have to say goodbye to your friends, professors, clubs and parties. Although this can be a fun time to get distracted and get ready for the warm weather and summer fun again, it’s also a time to make sure you’re prepared to be on time for your flight or ride when moving out of your dorm or apartment.

Between finals, nice weather and saying goodbye to friends, it can be difficult to get everything packed in an organized and timely manner. However, it helps to do a little bit over time, so the whole task never seems too overwhelming. What do you need to do before you leave? Where should you begin? Check out this list!

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Health Other

Essential Recipes for College Students

September 6, 2019

As a college student, you are probably already sick of eating at the dining hall and eating out can be way too costly. There is a solution to this issue! You don’t need a full kitchen to have a delicious meal. You can cook something great right inside your dorm room. Here are some recipes that are perfect for college students!

2 Minute Omelette in a Mug

This is the perfect recipe for a student who is looking for a quick breakfast in the morning. You can get a boost of protein from this customizable microwavable meal!

Two Minute Thai Peanut Noodles

This is a recipe that reinvents your typical bag of ramen noodles. Adding only a few ingredients takes a cheap and ordinary meal and turns it into something special! 

Peanut Butter Banana Wraps

This is a simple and easy to assemble recipe! If you have a busy day this is a great option for a meal you can eat on the go.

 5-Minute Vegetarian Burrito Bowl

Whether you are a vegetarian or not, this is a great lunch or dinner option for any college student. With only a few ingredients you can assemble a tasty and healthy meal in the comfort of your own room. 

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

Mug cakes are delicious and easy to make! It could be fun to invite some friends over to make mug cakes in your dorm on a cold day. 

These recipes are easy to make and will be a refreshing change of pace from dining hall food. Cooking is a fun activity to do with friends or even on your own! Having a few recipes available to make in your dorm for when you don’t want to go to the dining hall will come in handy. Experiment with these recipes and look for some of your own to figure out what works best for you!

Other Student Life

Do College Students Need Renters Insurance or Does a Homeowner’s Policy Provide the Right Coverage?

July 1, 2019

In 2019, the average college family spent an average of $976.78 per student on back to college shopping. You need a lot of things for college, but are those belongings safe in your residence hall or off-campus apartment? As you pack up your things for school, you may want to consider ways to protect your stuff. Insurance is one way to protect these items by offering financial protection in the case of a loss. However, it can be confusing to know what kind of insurance you need to protect your belongings (and liability!) and how much that can cost.

The first step is to determine whether your parents have homeowners insurance, then ask them about the terms of that insurance. Will it extend to cover you while at school? Is it enough coverage? If the answer is no to either of these questions, you may want to consider Renters Insurance. But how do you know what to get?

Luckily, I had the opportunity to sit down with GradGuard founder and insurance expert Bill Suneson to get the scoop, which is summarized for you below.

When a student moves into a residence hall, typically the terms of the housing agreement make it clear that the school is not responsible for stolen or damaged personal property. Also, the student becomes personally liable for any damage caused to the dorm room or residence hall. The same applies to most rental agreements if you move into an apartment off-campus. Without the proper insurance, you (and your family) can incur a significant financial loss if you cause unintended damage to your residence or suffer a loss to your personal property. For example, if you burn the wall making a late night snack, or someone steals your bike, without insurance the burden is on you to replace those items and pay for the damage.

GradGuard College Renters insurance is an easy and affordable way to protect your personal property against theft, water damage, fire, etc.  It is not uncommon for a laptop computer or bicycle to be stolen from a dorm (you can probably name a friend this has happened to) and most low-deductible renters insurance plans would provide a quick replacement.

Also, a renters insurance plan protects students if you are personally liable for causing damage to your residence – colleges or building owners would promptly bill you for your portion of the loss. It’s not something you would necessarily think about when you’re excited to move in and start the semester, but just remember about how easy it could be to inadvertently trigger the sprinkler system if you caused a small fire cooking in your kitchen.  That’s a lot of money and damage that you’d be responsible for. Without the proper coverage, you may find yourself with a hefty bill.

GradGuard is just one way to protect yourself. You may already have some coverage thanks to your parents. Yes, most homeowner’s insurance policies do extend coverage to students when they are away at college. However, your parents should review their policy closely before you leave for college as some policies may have certain limitations.  For instance, policies may limit coverage to students attending college full-time or living on-campus (even more restrictions if the student is living off-campus.)

But there are some things to consider about a homeowner’s insurance policy that you should discuss with your parents. Most homeowner’s policies have high deductibles and families are unlikely to file claims such as a $500 bike theft because the payment would not exceed their deductible.  Also, home insurance rates are increasing and filing small property or liability claims generally result in higher rates for your family over time.

With deductibles as low as $100 and most premiums about $.50 a day, GradGuard College Renters Insurance is both valuable and affordable for students even though some coverage may exist through their parents’ homeowner’s policy.  Spend a couple minutes reviewing this information with your parents to figure out what will work best for you and your family. You may find you feel comfortable with the cost of replacing your personal items and decide against coverage altogether, but you may find you want some protection. As always, speak with an agent to find the best policy for you. Happy packing!

This article was updated in July 2020

Other Student Life

Picking the Right Renters Insurance Deductible

February 20, 2019

College offers many young adults the first opportunity to live in their own apartment or share one with friends. But living independently can leave you financially exposed to unexpected disasters, like fires or burglary. Renters insurance—sometimes required by apartment complexes—offers a form of relatively inexpensive financial protection from these risks. And you’ll want to pick the right deductible to balance both coverage and costs.

What Is a Renters Insurance Deductible?

When you make a renters insurance claim, the cost of any covered event is split into two parts: the amount you pay and the amount your insurance pays. Your share of the cost is the deductible, with your insurance company paying the balance.

If your policy has a $1,000 deductible and you file a claim for $1,500 of stolen items, you’ll be expected to cover $1,000 of that claim. Your insurance company will pay $500 to cover the expenses of replacing your lost items.

How Deductibles Affect the Cost of Insurance

Renters insurance deductibles can have a notable impact on the price of your renters insurance. When you purchase a policy with a high deductible, you’ll pay a lower rate for your insurance. The reverse is also true: A lower deductible results in a higher rate.

If you file a claim for the theft of $1,500 in personal belongings and have a $500 deductible instead of $1,000, your insurance company will pay you $1,000 to cover the damage. However, your renters insurance policy will cost more, likely a few extra dollars per month.

How to Pick a Deductible

How do you decide between higher or lower deductibles? There are a few things to consider.

A higher deductible will get you a lower premium. However, you’re also increasing the costs of replacing your property should a loss event occur. It is a cost-saving measure in the short term, but in the event you make a claim, you’ll pay more money than you would with a lower deductible.

College students who can afford to pay more money out of pocket and have expensive items to cover may consider a lower deductible. The premiums will be higher, but if you need to file a claim, the insurer covers a larger share of your costs.

Unique Risks for College Students

College students should also consider the risks posed by their location and roommates. If your apartment or rental is located in a high-crime area, you’re more likely to experience a theft. Roommates also represent a risk, as they may be the cause—directly or indirectly—of thefts, fires or other potential losses covered by your renters insurance. The higher your risk, the more appropriate it is to select a low deductible.

College students own thousands of dollars in property, and financial protection for all these items is important. The average cost of textbooks and class-related supplies can be over $2,000, according to CollegeBoard. And even if you have digital versions of your class materials, your laptop and other electronic equipment are high-value items that are at risk for theft or destruction. Picking the right deductible will help you balance affordability with financial protection.  GradGuard offers low deductibles to benefit students the most. Get a quote at any time online on our website!