Graduation is a fun time and exciting time, and when you’re either looking to send out your announcements, invitations, or something else, you may want to add a little “graduation saying” into the mix.

The problem here is that it may be fairly hard to find one.  When you’re looking to find one, there are a few things that you want to keep in mind.

• Does this quote appeal to me?
• Can I relate to this quote?
• Will the people read it understand it?

Keep these questions in mind.  I scoured the web and found 18 sayings that you can consider for yourself.  Re-word them, or use them as you wish.

• The tassle is worth the hassle! -unknown
• Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life  -Jim Fox
• Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated; you can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.  -David Lloyd George
• Education is the best provision for old age. -Aristotle
• If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door. -Milton Berle
• Excellence is not a skill.  It is an attitude. -Ralph Marston
• Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten. – B.F. Skinner
• No person was ever honored for what he received.  Honor has been the reward for what he gave. -Calvin Coolidge
• Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!  Live the life you’ve imagined.  As you simplify your life, the law of the universe will be simpler. -Henry David Thoreau
• Defeat is not the worst of failures.  Not to have tried is the true failure. -George E. Woodberry
• Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little. -Edmund Burke
• I never see what has been done.  I only see what remains to be done. -Madame Curie
• A little in one’s own pocket is better than much in another man’s purse. – Miguel de Cerantes
• An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. – Benjamin Franklin
• The horizon leans forward, offering you space to place new steps of change. -Maya Angelou
• Graduation day is tough for adults.  The got to the ceremony as parents.  They come home as contemporaries.  After twenty-two years of child-raising, they are unemployed.  -Erma Bombeck
• Present graduate, future millionaire!

There are funny ones, as well as ones that are serious.  Use your imagination, and even create your own!  Whatever it may be, try to get your message across in your invitation, and let your voice be heard.

Graduation season is right around the corner and it’s probably time to start creating those invitations.  You’re going to find that there’s going to be a lot of planning, but the most important thing of them all are the graduation invites.  Of course, without them, no one is going to know about your party!

I listed 6 ways that you can take, in order to find a graduation invitation that fits your party theme, as well as style.

• #1 Search online: Sure, your local party stores will have some invites that you can choose from, but you’re going to find that online stores such as Amazon and others are going to have a lot of items that you can choose from at a great price.  From fancy ones, to cheaper ones, it’s up to you to decide on what you want.
• #2 Use Microsoft Word: If you’re like me and you like to save money, you can find templates right on Microsoft Word.  If you don’t have this software package, try alternatives like Open Office, or Word Perfect.  Find a template that you like, and print it out on nice paper.  This will save you a lot of money right there!
• #3 Print online: There are a few websites that I like online where you can print out your invitations.  Websites such as this one will allow you to pick out a theme, download it, and upload it to your local computer for editing purposes.  It’s another great way to create something unique at a low cost!
• #4 Your local party store: If you’re old fashioned like my Mother, you may want to head to your local party supplier such as Party City, as well as others depending on your area.  See what they have and who knows?  You can potentially get all the supplies that you need in one place.
• #5 Create it yourself: Instead of purchasing a template, or downloading one, why not create one yourself?  You can always draw one up, make colored photocopies and send them out.  This way, they are unique, original, and fun for everyone.

Graduation invites shouldn’t cost you an arm and leg.  Instead, figure out ways to create them, or purchase them.  By following these 5 steps, you should be able to find the invites you need a very low price!

Every college student out there should have Microsoft Office Home & Student version.  What you’re going to find out is that just about every class that you take is going to require Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and on occasions, you may have to work with databases, etc.

If you don’t already have it installed on your computer, I wanted to showcase the top places online that you should consider, when you’re looking to purchase it yourself.  These online merchants will normally be your best bet, when you’re looking to save a few extra dollars.

• #1 Consider the college bookstore: Before you even start your hunt online, hop on into your local college bookstore.  The software packages designed solely for students are extremely cheap.  When I was a student, I was able to pick up packages for $10, or less.  The catch here is that you’re going to have to show them your schedule, and most likely your school ID to prove that you’re going there.
• #2 Amazon: I honestly do probably 90% of my shopping online.  Half the times I don’t even compare prices anymore, since Amazon always offers the best prices imaginable.  If you can’t get a hold of a student discount, I would recommend checking out eBay to see what their prices are for the week.
• #3 NewEgg: The last merchant on my list is NewEgg.  If you haven’t heard of this massive online merchant, they basically specialize in everything electronics.   From video games, to software, you can always find what you’re looking for.   While their prices are pretty close to Amazon’s, I would check them as well to see if the price can be beat.

If you’re finding that these merchants aren’t offering what you want, try price comparison shopping engines such as PriceGrabber.com.   A site like this will compare 100s of merchants and provide you with the best price possible.

As I mentioned at the top, you’re going to need Microsoft Office for sure as a student.  Be price savvy and see what deal that you can find.

One of the coolest things that many people pass up when they start decorating a dorm room is a lava lamp.  I know, it may seem like a 1970s thing, but it does have a purpose.  It’s going to add a little flavor to your room, as well as work as a nightlight at night, when you can’t see your way around.  There are a lot of cool designs, and lights out there.

Listed below are a few of my favorites that you may want to consider.  It’s not going to break the bank, and it will most likely make your room look a little cooler!

• Lava Lite 14.3 Inches (pictured above): Your typical lava lamp, but with a very cool, sleek silver design.  It doesn’t look old fashioned and will look great in just about any room you put it in.  It’s all yours for under $15!
• Japanese Lanterns: Many people put these in the lava lamp category.  Why?  I have no idea, but you may want to check them out.  They are cheap and they expand with a  metal frame.  They seem pretty cool and are well worth checking out!
• Infin-8 Electra(R): Similar to a lava lamp, this has a cool style, and people will definitely ask about it.  It’s intended more for a party, but I couldn’t see why you couldn’t leave it on at night.
• Fiber Optic Lamp: A very cool lamp, similar to a lava lamp in a way.  It displays the light through it’s fiber optic system.  It has a very cool, and unique design, and would fit just about anywhere.

Most of them work like lava lamps and can add any flavor to either your dorm room, your bedroom at home, or even the living room.  It will spice things up, as well as add a nightlight to the room it’s in!

When you’re ready to hit the dorms this upcoming semester, you’re going to find that your rooms aren’t going to be that big at all.  Instead of leaving a lot of items at home, you can do what a lot of students do, and that is by purchasing underbed storage.  It’s going to take up no space since it’s under your bed, and you can hide a lot of items that would have been laying around.

Listed below are a few boxes that you should highly consider if you’re thinking about getting storage for your dorm room, or your house for that matter.

• Rubbermaid 3F19: A very durable underbed storage box that’s not only $15, but it’s very easy to transport as well.  It’s easy to clean, it’s stain resistant, and the neutral design can fit just about anywhere, in any place.
• Homz Designer Storage Box: This hard to get box seems to always be out of stock when I check on it, but I can see why.  It measures at 13 by 24 by 6.  It’s low profile, and has a sleek look that keeps anything from clothing to blankets neatly stored.
• Household Essentials 1862: This storage chest is a little different than the other ones on the list.  It’s zippered top makes for easy access, and is made from heavy duty breathable canvas material.  It’s natural color will fit along with any room theme.
• Whitmore 6023-304: This one is fairly unique compared to most.  What I like about this is one is that it’s on wheels, and makes it really easy to bring it in and out from underneath the bed.
• Sterilite Corp Underbed Box: This is the cheapest box on the list, but it doesn’t mean it’s the worst!  For under $10, you can get this solid storage box that snaps easy, and stores a lot of essentials!

All storage boxes are relatively cheap.  I wouldn’t spend more than $20 for one, since they will all work the same.  Consider a few of these highly rated storage boxes, and see if one works for you!