Tag: American Culture

American Culture

Black Friday

Esther Tokognon

I’m sure you have already heard of this totally CRAZY, yet super AWESOME American holiday – Black Friday! But for those of you who haven’t, Black Friday is observed every year the day after Thanksgiving – a national holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. Click here to read my article on the history and present-day significance of Thanksgiving.

Black Friday marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season as it it the day after the last major holiday. Over the years, Black Friday has become very popular and is loved by consumers as many stores run deals and promotions to attract them. Last year, U.S. retailers earned over $7.9 billion that day, an increase of approximately 18% from the previous year

So why should you care about this holiday and how to get the best Black Friday deals?

As a student with a small budget, you need all the discounts you can get. In order to ensure that you are getting the best deals, I suggest you first decide on the item(s) you really would like to buy in advance then check what store has them. It’s important that you do your research, and compare prices before deciding to buy something.

Use pricegrabber – an online price comparison shopping tool to compare product prices. . Check the price progression over a certain period of time to ensure that you are truly getting a good deal. Some retailers increase the price of an article before Black Friday, then drop it back to its initial price on Black Friday. I have experienced this myself. However this doesn’t mean that there aren’t true Black Friday deals. The average Black Friday discount has been around 45% in recent years. Another reason why you should care about this holiday is that it’s become an American tradition that everyone should experience at least once.

Where to find Black Friday deals?

Almost every big store will have some sort of Black Friday deal. Use this website to check out the Black Friday deals available from local and online retailers. You can also directly go to the stores’ websites to view their holiday deals. I personally find Amazon and Kohl’s to have some of the best deals. Most Black Friday items will be available to purchase online and in-store. If you decide to shop in-store, be prepared for the chaos!

Have fun shopping!

College Life

7 Tips to Survive American Winter

Esther Tokognon
American winter and snow

Temperatures are dropping and the coldest weather is around the corner. Winter can be hard for immigrants, especially those of us coming from warm environments. Those of you living in the southern states probably don’t need to worry, but any of you living in the green or blue states on this map… pay attention! Here are few tips that you can use to survive this winter, especially if it’s your first winter ever.

Get your flu shot

Winter is the time of the year when influenza infection is at it highest. It’s recommended to get vaccinated to help prevent against as tens of thousands of people die from it every year. If you just arrived to the United States and don’t have a physician yet, I encourage you to go to Walmart, CVS, Walgreens or your local pharmacy to get vaccinated. Most international student insurance plans cover the flu vaccine. If you aren’t sure, reach out to your international student advisor. Click here to learn more about the flu vaccine.

Increase your intake of vitamin D

Winter tends to be a depressing time for many people. Shorter days and less sunlight contribute to that. Our bodies rely on vitamin D to properly function, and our bodies need sunlight to produce Vitamin D. Increasing your consumption of foods rich in Vitamin D can be helpful. Salmon, Tuna, Oatmeal, Milk, and Mushrooms are all rich in Vitamin D, but a more convenient option is to buy a Vitamin D supplement. You can buy those at Walmart, CVS, Walgreens or your local grocery store or pharmacy. This is especially important for people with darker skin, since it’s harder for us to absorb sunlight.

Invest in good winter clothing

You probably already know that you need winter boots and a jacket, but the type of winter clothing that you buy will have a huge impact on your enjoyment of the season! For those of you that have never experienced winter, it’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared. I recommend you invest in good winter boots and a good winter jacket and expect to spend $100+ for each. The best deals can be found in malls and outlets. Nordstrom Rack, Marshall’s, Ross, and TJ Maxx are great places to look. I wouldn’t recommend buying winter clothing online if you aren’t experienced.

When searching for good boots, look for ones that provide the most warmth, comfort, are waterproof, and have good traction on the soles. When it comes to a good jacket, ensure that it has a weather-proof outer shell, pockets, adjustable hood and most importantly, that it keeps you warm. The North Face is a great brand, especially if you’re living in one of the northern states. One important thing to keep in mind when shopping for winter apparel is to go a size or two up, to leave some room for the extra clothes you’ll wear underneath.

Invest in good winter clothing and layer up

Other than a good winter boots and a good winter jacket, you will also need warm sweaters, jeans, thick leggings, hats, scarves, socks and gloves. Wear leggings under your jeans and a sweater under your winter jacket. Hats, scarves, gloves, and thick socks are also essential. 

Use the weather app on your phone

Winter is the time of the year when checking the weather forecasts, whether it’s on your phone, computer or TV. You need to know what the day is going to be like so you can plan and dress accordingly.  You never want to be stuck outside due to a snowstorm or icy road conditions. Frequently checking the weather forecasts will help you stay safe and allow you to change your plans as needed.

Leave your house ahead of time

If you have to be somewhere when road conditions are less than ideal, leave your house ahead of time and give yourself plenty of time so you don’t find yourself rushing on the road. Don’t ever feel rushed when ideal driving conditions are not met. Your life is important!

Invest in a small heater

If you live in a building that is always cold even during the winter or if you have roommates that like the apartment/or dorm room a little cooler than you, get a small space heater! This is a problem that most international student face when they share campus rooms or apartments with American students. As most Americans are used to winter, getting your own personal heater will reduce conflict. You can get affordable ones at Walmart or Amazon.

American Culture

Brace yourself, Halloween is around the corner!

Esther Tokognon

For many of you, this Halloween will be your first American holiday experience!

You might be wondering where the tradition came from. Halloween evolved from an ancient Irish holiday that marked the end of summer and the harvest season. When the Irish immigrated to America during the Great Famine in the 1800’s, they brought the holiday with them. They would go door-to-door asking for food and gifts and offer to pray for the dead. 

The modern-day definition of Halloween is very different than what it used to be. Now Halloween is celebrated each year on October 31st, and consists of fun activities and events including dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins and watching scary movies.

 It’s an opportunity for people to go out with their friends, meet their neighbors and interact with people. One of my favorite parts of Halloween is that there is no dress code; you can really let your creativity shine. It’s also a way to teach children about giving and receiving. Halloween is a great opportunity for people of all ages to come together, celebrate and have fun! 

The first Halloween experience of my life was during my Freshman year. Our dorm was transformed into a Haunted House, and each floor had its own spooky theme. It was the first time I truly came out of my comfort zone since I moved to America and started making friends.

Almost every school has some sort of Halloween event, you just need to find out where it is and start socializing. And don’t worry if you can’t find a costume. Most people wear costumes, but wearing your normal clothes are perfectly fine too. The key is to have fun and be safe!

 Here is a quick guide to understanding some of the traditions of Halloween:

  • Costumes: Your costume is the first thing to think about after being invited to a Halloween party. Search the web to get some ideas. Personally, I use Pinterest to brainstorm costume ideas. Halloween costumes can be scary, funny, or just plain silly. A lot of people like to dress up as their favorite celebrity.

Where to buy costumes?:  Make your own! Be creative! You can even just buy a cheap white sheet from Walmart, cut out holes for your eyes and go as a ghost! There are so many options. Amazon, Walmart, Party City, Spirit Halloween all carry costumes that are affordable and ready to wear.

  • Trick-or-Treating: Trick-or-Treating is a Halloween tradition where kids go around their neighborhoods, knock on their neighbors doors and yell “Trick or Treat!”. The kid holds out a bag and the neighbor is expected to put a piece of candy inside. If you live in an area with a lot of kids, it might be a good idea to buy a bag of candy (make sure it is pre-packaged). Fun-size candy bars are a common choice, which can be found at most stores like Walmart. Putting a sign out to let kids know that trick-or-treaters are welcome is recommended too!
  • Scary movies: Watching movies is fun, watching scary movies is even better (unless you’re like me and get scared easily)!. There are tons of horror movies that you can find on Netflix or Prime TV. If you don’t have those paid online streaming services, then Youtube is your best friend.
  • Haunted houses: When I lived on campus, my dormitory was transformed into a haunted house each year for Halloween. Haunted Houses are buildings or houses that people set up and allow visitors to walk through. They are filled with creepy decorations and people in costumes that jump out and try their hardest to scare you. Some Haunted Houses are scarier than others, but be careful if you’re easily scared! 
  • Pumpkin Carving: Pumpkin carving is probably the least scary, but still fun halloween tradition. I was never good at pumpkin carving until my coworker told me about some cool templates I could download off the internet. Just print them off, buy a pumpkin from the grocery store, scoop out all the stuff inside the pumpkin, place the template over the pumpkin, and cut out the shapes. Here’s a website that has some really cool pumpkin carving ideas, as well as resources and tips on how to do them. They also have some free patterns that you can download and use. https://www.bhg.com/halloween/pumpkin-carving/pumpkin-carving-ideas/

There are probably a lot of halloween themed events happening around you, search the web and go have fun!