college heightens all these relationships and everything seems to move ten times faster. Before you know it you’re moving out of your freshman dorm room, applying to get into your major, celebrating your twenty-first and soon enough graduating. The moments we make along the way are the memories we will keep forever.

That being said, one of the most celebrated holidays in college is your twenty-first birthday (and yes, your birthday is a holiday! Celebrate you!). The college budget may not entail for you to go on a vacation with your besties or buy her the dermaroller gift you know she deserves. However, here are twenty-one ways you can create homemade gifts under a low budget that mean more than that expensive handbag she’s had her eyes on.

1. Attire

   

Time to go out with the full shebang. I’m talking sashes, tiaras, buttons, necklaces, maybe even a boa?

2. The Checklist

Every girl needs her checklist or bucket list for the night, you only turn twenty-one once.

3. Bar Crawl T-Shirts

So you’re in college and you decided to do a bar crawl to celebrate the big night, a very popular fashion statement are birthday bar crawl t-shirts. Friends wear these throughout the night and not only does it let everyone know it’s your birthday but it’s a great way not to loose anyone along the way-just look for everyone in the same shirt! Additionally, consider spicing things up with these corporate hampers to make the celebration even more memorable.

To add an extra touch of excitement to your birthday bar crawl, consider incorporating personalized gifts into the celebration. Alongside the popular birthday bar crawl t-shirts, custom face shirt offers a unique and memorable way to commemorate the occasion. Whether adorned with funny faces or inside jokes, these custom shirts add a fun and personalized element to the festivities.

4. Polaroids

   

She’s going to want memories from the night and you can’t expect her to remember to be taking pictures of everything. Designate someone or a group to carry around a camera or better yet a Polaroid camera to capture the night.

Tip: Makes for a killer scrapbook

5. Birthday Cake

   

Can’t celebrate without the cake, am I right ladies?

6. Beer Tower

   

She can finally drink! A beer tower is a classic way to gift plus takes less than ten minutes to put together making it an easy last minute gift.

7. 21 Remember When Sign

Gather all your friends and have them write down a memory or funny story they have shared with her

8. Clink N’ Drink

You’re going to need something to open those bottles

     9. Shot Book

Have each a friend make a page with a picture of them and the person turning twenty-one. The catch is everyone has to pick a different shot to put on his or her page.

    10. Personalized Cooler

Famously known as a gift given to a fraternity guy that asks you to formal, this can also work as a birthday gift

11. Paddles

One of the easier gifts to make: throw some glitter, rhinestones, and paint it however you want. Makes for a cute decoration to hang up in her room.

12. Bottle Cap Frame

A gift not a lot of people think of but super easy to make

13. 21 Wish Jar

Scribble on a piece of paper a wish you have for your lucky birthday girl and toss it in a jar. Do this with friends until there are 21 or put in more, the more wishes the merrier!

14. Shot Clock

A fun memento to hang in your kitchen. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!

15. Personalized Chalkboard

    

There’s so many phrases to choose from

16. Snack Bottles

You’re going to need munchies for throughout the night (when you get home)!

17. Monopoly Board Game

    

Select her favorite shops, restaurants, and other places as the locations.

18. 21 Things We Love About You

Something to make remind her how loved she is.

19. Pick Something Out on Shutterfly

They have numerous things to choose from that you can personalize with your own pictures like mugs, travel mugs, fleece blankets, jewelry, iphone cases, and candles. You can also have a peek at this cuban link chain from statementcollective here if you’re looking for some quality jewelries!

For those seeking exquisite craftsmanship and unique designs in rings, Peacefield Titanium stands out as a premier company in Pennsylvania dedicated to creating exceptional jewelry. They understand that a ring is more than just a piece of jewelry; it symbolizes commitments, memories, and personal style. Whether you’re searching for a timeless wedding band, a distinctive statement ring, or a personalized gift, Peacefield Titanium offers a range of styles crafted from high-quality materials like titanium and precious metals.

Discover their collection and find a ring that resonates with your individuality and celebrates life’s special moments with enduring elegance.

20. Melting Crayons

    

Because some friends are worth melting for

21. Hangover Kit

    

She’ll thank you in the morning! Do not forget to add funny mugs for morning coffee.

The post DIY Great Things Take Time: 21 Gifts for Your Big 21st appeared first on KRUI Radio.

now, it’s one of the many things you look forward to when going home. I know, just as any college student does, that having your first apartment, suite, or house in college has its benefits – one of those being your very own kitchen! Be honest, you have been saving those Buzzfeed food videos and following different Facebook accounts. But at the end of a college school day, you don’t have enough time to make that gourmet dish and need to substitute with a quicker option. Check out below to see some fast and easy recipes for any college student that you can do by yourself!

Breakfast

Hawaiian French Toast

What You Need: Eggs, Milk, Butter (or Nonstick Cooking Spray), Hawaiian Bread, and Vanilla extract

Tip: Garnish your French toast with fresh fruit or powdered sugar!

Full recipe here

Scrambled Eggs with Cheddar Cheese

What You Need: Cheddar Cheese, Eggs, Nonstick Cooking Spray

Tip: Dicing up ham or bacon and throwing it in is a great way to get some protein in and adds extra flavor.

Full recipe here

Acai Fruit Bowls 

What You Need: Acai Smoothie Packs, Granola, Honey, Fruit of your choice

Tip: Coconut and almonds make for a great topping, too!

Full recipe here

Lunch

Chicken Quesadillas

What You Need: Tortillas, your choice of Cheese, Chicken

Tip: Use guacamole or sour cream for dipping sauce.

Full recipe here

Beef Nachos

What You Need: Tortilla Chips, Lean Ground Beef, Shredded Cheese, Chopped Tomatoes, Chopped Green Onions, Chopped Jalapeños

Tip: Spice up your nachos by using different shaped chips (scoops, original, or flat).

Full recipe here

Pepperoni Pizza

What You Need: Frozen Crust, Marinara Sauce, Shredded Cheese, Pepperoni (For best results, use the best wood pellet pizza oven)

Tip: Feeling adventurous? Check out this website on how to make your own pizza dough!

Full recipe here

Dinner

Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

What You Need: Diced Chicken, Teriyaki Sauce, Rice, Broccoli

Full recipe here

Baked Mac & Cheese

What You Need: Pasta, Shredded Cheese, Milk, Butter, Flour, Onion Powder, Breadcrumbs

Tip: Chop up some bacon to add to your dish!

Full recipe here

Spaghetti

What You Need: Pasta, Marinara Sauce

Tip: You can add sausage or change up the shape of the noodle – there are tons to choose from!

Full recipe: do you really need a recipe on how to make spaghetti? But just in case, Prego offers one that includes meatballs as well!

Desserts

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What You Need: Strawberries, Chocolate

Tip: Although this recipe calls for corn syrup and butter, they are not 100% mandatory to include

Full recipe here

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Crescents

What You Need: Crescent rolls, Cinnamon, Sugar, Chocolate Chips

Recipe: Before rolling crescents, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar and place a few chocolate chips on top. Proceed by rolling crescents into shape and then dash some more cinnamon and sugar on top before throwing them in the oven!

Oreo Milkshakes

What You Need: Vanilla Ice Cream, Milk, Oreos

Tip: Mash up Oreos in a plastic bag instead of placing them whole directly in the blender. You can also buy malt mix to make yours a Oreo malt!

Full recipe here

Now that you”ve mastered the basics, watch some of these vids and try and step up your food game. May the odds be ever in your favor!

The post DIY Great Things Take Time: Recipe Hacks Every College Student Needs appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Liverpool local band, Circa Waves swam their way to the surface in 2015 with their debut album Young Chasers. Known as the indie-rock/alternative boy band in the UK, Circa Waves quickly made their upstream in their first United States performance on Conan.

Setting sail in beachy tunes, the album comes off with those “summer” and “feel good” vibes making it hard to resist it being the track you blast in your car with your friends driving down to the beach.

“Get Away” starts off the record with its upbeat jingle. Kicking off their album with a strong guitar and drum background sets this song up to be a definite hit for the summer.

Second on the track and my personal favorite is “T-Shirt Weather.” This was the first song I heard of Circa Waves. The chorus: “I remember t-shirt weather/I remember some days/We were singing our lungs out in the backseat together/And the seatbelts were burning our fingers/In the T-shirt weather/I remember sleeping til the early afternoon” reminds me literally of the moments I’ve made with my friends in my car singing our lungs out and the future memories I still have yet to make.

“Fossils,” “Lost It,” and “My Love” all carry the same guitar tune that you can’t help but nod your head to. Because of this familiar sound in almost every number on the album, critics may say what the band is lacking in identity they make up in live performances. However, some may beg to differ that this is what makes the UK band so easy to relate with: their sound. It’s easy to pick out any song of theirs because it carries the same tune throughout the album. Like the ocean (sound), each current (song) moves in unison to perfect the perfect wave (album).

As track number six rolls around, “Deserve This,” the buoyancy takes a downward spin into a more slow and some may say elegant approach. With a quick turn around to number seven, “Young Chasers” we have the granddaddy of them all. Although the shortest song on their track, it is also what the album is named after.

“Good For Me” is your classic ‘it’s not you it’s me’ break up song. Lead vocalist Kieran Shudall sings “You’ll see, you’ll see I’m just no good for me.” The first few lyrics expresses how she was the only one that really knew him and how the roads felt like home but as cliché as any relationship, it ended with the “I’m no good for me.”

Another one of my personal favorites is “Stuck in My Teeth.” It relays the message that along your journey you will meet people that will want you to change and you can but it can’t be for them, it has to be for yourself. “And though you take me for a fool/I’ve got better things to do/Than to prove myself to you” are just some of the verses that showcase this message.

“Best Years” is a song every college student can relate to. College opens so many doors, some good and some bad. This track takes a more rural route by demonstrating how “we are flying through our best years” but getting lost along the way and sometimes we just need a friend “to take me out tonight.”

“The Luck Has Gone,” one of their not-so-popular songs, carries that distinguishable guitar note throughout. Maybe one of their saddest yet most applicable songs, “Lost It” tells

the story how the heart can be easily captivated by love but you have to “give up on her, again/And I see you think about her/Your soul’s been took/And you wish you never seen her/You wish you never looked” because you know you can never have her.

Wrapping up their debut album are “Talking Out Loud” and “100 Strangers.” While both songs compliment each other, they also contradict the main character in the two stories. In the first one, the character is asking her to speak her mind out because I wear my heart on my cheek; whereas, in the follow up, the father has to ask Spit your words out son They cling to your lips like they’re trying to hold on.

I really didn’t want to hate this band but at the same time I can’t say they gifted me with a new summer playlist. Looking forward, I am excited to see if they will be a one-hit wonder or produce more songs. Either way, I’m sure we will be able to spot any of their songs with their repetitive sound and contagious charisma.

The post Album Review: “Young Chasers” by Circa Waves appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Disclaimer: Prices may have changed since posting of article. 

Decorating Wine Glasses

Probably the first activity your mind wanders around to when you hear ‘Wine Night.’ Nothing beats decorating your own glass to showcase in your kitchen.

What you need: Wine Glass, Glass Paint

DIY Cost: Wine Glasses $18.49 (4 pack) shop here

Glass Paint $6.49 (value pack) shop here

Retail Cost: Pre-decorated wine glasses from https://chrisstuff.com/ can cost anywhere from $12-50 dollars depending on design and occasion. While a store bought one may seem like the easier choice as a last minute birthday gift, nothing adds a personal touch like a hand painted wine glass.

Tip: Wash the glass before painting to remove an dust or smudges that may already be on the glass.

 Glittered Wine Bottles

Need a vase for your flowers or a new centerpiece for the table? Dipping an empty wine

bottle in a bowl of glitter can provide a total 180 look to any room.

What you need: Wine Bottle, Glue, Glitter

DIY Cost: Wine Bottle (use one from home)

Glue $2.52 (one bottle) shop here

Glitter $2.99 (4.5 ounces) shop here

Retail Cost: You can purchase one glittered bottle for $15 on Etsy but what’s the fun in that?

Tip: Make sure to remove any seals or labels before gluing to prevent lumps.  

Wine Cork Coasters

Stay classy with these easy to make cork coasters. What better accessory to go with a bottle of wine that a fitted coaster? Make all your friends jealous with this tasteful addition.

What you need: Cork Board, Hot Glue Gun, Corks

DIY Cost: Cork Board $11.99 (4 12×12 pieces) shop here

Hot Glue Gun $4.87 (1 gun with 10 sticks) shop here

Corks $6.95 (100 pack)) shop here

Retail Cost: A package of cork coasters cost about $13 but with only the cork tile not the actual wine bottle corks.

Tip: You may have extra cork tile/corks left over which can be made into a placemat. You can also go the extra mile and personalize your corks on this website to add your favorite sayings or anything else you think would look chic!  

 Painting Canvases

Painting can be one of the most relaxing activities to take part in. You challenge your brain to be imaginative while creating something you can later hang up in your room. Take a scroll through

the Internet to find a quote that speaks to you and let your creative juices go crazy.

What you need: Canvases, Paint, Brushes

DIY Cost: Canvases $14.00 (5 16”x20” canvases) shop here

Paint $0.79 ( 2 ounce bottle) shop here

Brushes $1.99 (8 piece set) shop here

Retail Cost: Various canvases can be found on Etsy or on social media accounts by people whole make them at home and sell.

Tip: Check out Pinterest or other websites to find quotes or Wine Wednesday sayings to use.   

Cork Frames

I doubt many of you out there have a cork frame on display in your house. For this diy you can either go to a craft store and purchase a bag of corks or save up enough from times you shared with others to use; not only will this add a sentimental touch but think of all the funny stories that may come back to you.

What you need: Corks, Hot Glue from Glue Guns Direct, Frames

DIY Cost: Corks $6.95 (100 pack) shop here

Hot Glue $4.87 (1 gun with 10 sticks) shop here

Frames $6.99 (1 6×4 frame) shop here

Retail Cost: You can purchase one on Etsy for $15.

Tip: If you go the sentimental route and save the corks from wine bottles you can write the date on each cork when it was consumed to add another personal memento.

 Wine Bottle Torches

Spice up this summer by creating one of these beauties! Pair with a table on the beach or even a romantic dinner in your backyard. It also helps keep away mosquitos.

What you need: Wine Bottles, Twine or Rope, Brass Coupling, Tiki Wikes, Pebbles, Citronella Torch Fluid

DIY Cost: Wine Bottle (use an empty one from home)

Twine/Rope (can be bought at Michael’s Craft Store for under $10)

Brass Coupling $5.60 (3/4 inches by ½ inches) shop here

Tiki Wikes $0.99 (2 pieces) shop here

Pebbles (go out to your lawn or a nearby park to find a handful)

Citronella Torch Fluid $4.86 (50 ounces) shop here

Retail Cost: Open for purchase at $40 a piece on Etsy.

Tip: Make sure to remove all labels and sponge down the bottle before gluing your choice of twine or rope.  Also, check out the video above to watch a tutorial on how other creative DIYers create their own wine torches! 

May your next Wine Wednesday be one for the books!

The post DIY Great Things Take Time: Wine Wednesday Crafts appeared first on KRUI Radio.

Every year students spend hundreds of dollars on decorations, lighting, and storage components for their rooms. Instead of buying that cute tapestry from Bed Bath & Beyond that I guarantee someone else will have, set your creative skills to use and make your own! Not creative? Fear not! I have you covered with a few ideas that will step up your dorm game to the next level. And of course if you have a kitchen in your dorm you will want to make it look good as well so the kitchen cabinets are important, and there are different materials used when comparing custom kitchen cabinets and pre-fabricated ones, to find the perfect for your kitchen.

You’ll also want to consider these vinyl siding benefits if you’re looking to invest in a new siding.

Disclaimer: Prices may have changed since posting of article. 

 1. Stringing Photographs

This is maybe the most cliché or popular one out there but hey–you can put your own twist on it.

What you need: Twine, Clothespins, Command Hooks, Pictures

DIY Cost: Twine $6.05 (25 yards)

Clothespins $3.99 (30 pieces)

Command Hooks $2.49 (2 pieces)

Picture prices vary (first time users for Shutterfly get first 100 free) sign up here

Retail Cost: Picture frames can vary from $3-$15 per frame or a similar concept can cost around $19.99 at Target and you don’t get to utilize as much photos.

Tip: Go the further step and customize your pins by painting or adding glitter or rhinestones. 

2. College Letters

What better way to show some school pride in your dorm than hanging your school letters on your wall?

What you need: Your school abbreviations (wood), Ribbon, Command Hooks, Paint, Paint Brushes

DIY Cost: Wood Letters $4.99 (per letter)

Ribbon $3.99 (18 ft.)

Command Hooks $2.49 (2 pieces)

Paint $0.79 (2 ounces

Paint Brushes: $1.99 (8 pieces)

Retail Cost: Good luck finding already painted letters that are as kick-ass as yours!

Tip: use scotch paint tape to create funky designs on your letters and give it an abstract look.  

3. Mason Jars

The mason jar tends to be to be overlooked by how useful it is. Not only can it be used for beverages but storage: toothbrushes, hair ties, bobby pins, pencils, and pens, even coins. They look really great on the table and on shelves. A brad nailer uses nails and an air compressor for some types to work, it makes nailing the shelf into the wall much easier.

What you need: Mason Jars

DIY Cost: Mason Jars $9.99 (12 count at 16 ounces each)

Retail Cost: Storage containers prices vary depending on how many needed

Tip: Spice up your jar by dipping half in glue, then in paint or glitter

4. Shoe Hangers

You can never have too many shoes! Let’s face it, we have all confronted obstacles in our closet with figuring out how to organize our shoes. Whether you tried the under the bed storage containers or the hanging shoe rack, all else has failed. This new hip way

of organizing your favorite accessories will have you back at the mall buying more so you can fill all the new room you have.

What you need: Wire Hangers, Pliers

DIY Cost: Wire Hangers $22.99 (100 pieces)

Pliers—check in a toolbox

Retail Cost: a nice shoe rack that won’t break with wear and tear can cost around $30 with only holding 12-20 pairs of shoes

Tip: You can add decorative paper around the centerfold of the hanger to give it a more attractive look.

There are a million plus ideas of how to decorate your dorm. To check out some more creative ideas read this page or head on over to Pinterest. Happy decorating!

The post DIY Great Things Take Time: 4 Easy Dorm Décor Ideas appeared first on KRUI Radio.

So what’s new for the alternative indie rock artist? Lissie recently decided to take a huge leap and become an independent artist, leave California and move to Iowa. As she sings on track four of her new album, “I want my 40 acres in the sun.”

I don’t know if it’s the fact that I too am from California and just moved to Iowa or just that she is a badass but Lissie’s new album (released February 12, 2016) My Wild West challenges you to reflect on your individual journey while giving you relatable stories that are easy to compare to your own.

Kicking off her album in a twist is “My Wild West Overture.” A minute and fourteen-second opening act to approach her headliner: her Golden State journey. Some might think this was a useless attempt to just throw another hit on her album or a brilliant idea of suggesting her style for the record.

Her next song, “Hollywood” is somewhat of a tribute to artists who travel to California to pursue their dream in Hollywood and the struggles they face along the way. Lyrics like “I fell in love with California I fell in love with a dream” and “Oh, Hollywood You broke my heart just because you could” give a small insight on how difficult it can be to succeed in this wild city.

Going off of Hollywood or Los Angeles for that matter being a wild city, her next track “Wild West” is directed exactly to that theory. She goes into detail how “All that you lost, you get back/And all that you want, you can have” but because of that she has “been livin my [her] life on the edge.”

As mentioned above, track number four, “Hero” goes into detail about the obstacles she faced in the City of Angels but overcame them to get her back to the Midwest. The tide turns from triumph to heartbreak with “Sun Keeps Risin’” where Lissie sings, “I wonder how the sun keeps rising anyway/And I still think of you every day/In a better place”- dedicated to her aunt who passed away from ALS.

Her first single released from this record was “Don’t You Give Up On Me” and can be looked at as a shout or cry to God to not abandon her as she goes from coast to farmland in this next chapter in her life. Lyrics “Just keep me close when I’m afraid” are a phrase many can relate with when one faces their own troubles in life.

Realizing the reality about Hollywood and learning from the people that come in and out of her life came the song, “Stay” where Lissie reflects about those she wished has stayed longer but understood why they had to get out.

One of the most well-known songs on her album “Daughters” is the most powerful track on the record. Lissie posted to Facebook recently: “In writing “Daughters” I was inspired by all of these women and by my hope that united and brought into our true equal power amongst men, we can make this world a better, more peaceful and fairer place!”

“Together or Apart” is another homage to any friends that she may now be leaving behind including the state.

“Shroud” and “Go For A Walk” are literally polar opposites. “Shroud” takes you to a dark place in her head where she is lost and has let everything consume her; whereas, “Go For A Walk” she needs to get her life together and wants to achieve her hopes and dreams.

The last installment on this album is “Ojai” a tribute to her small town home that she has spent the past twelve years finding herself as an artist.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Lissie’s news album and felt like I somehow had experience her journey with her by the way she was able to captivate her audience into the songs.

Catch Lissie on tour now or take a listen to her music below!

The post Album Review: “My Wild West” by Lissie appeared first on KRUI Radio.