Shopping plays a large role in the lives of American college students.
Whether for fashion or food, shopping is a universal activity. Even if
they're only window-shopping—looking but not buying—students love to
shop.Grocery Basics
Everyone needs to eat, and students have many options when it comes to finding food.
Residential colleges and universities have dining halls, where students who join the school's meal plan can go for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some schools also have snack bars that are open extended hours and feature popular foods such as hamburgers and French fries. Community colleges generally do not offer on-campus food service because their students commute to class, rather than living on campus full-time.Some universities have kitchen facilities in their dorms or offer student apartments with individual kitchens. If you live in a dorm with a kitchen—or if you live off campus—you will need to shop for food and cook for yourself. Food shopping is generally done in grocery stores—large facilities that sell all types of food products, from bread to dairy to meats.
Some universities have kitchen facilities in their dorms or offer student apartments with individual kitchens. If you live in a dorm with a kitchen—or if you live off campus—you will need to shop for food and cook for yourself. Food shopping is generally done in grocery stores—large facilities that sell all types of food products, from bread to dairy to meats.Depending on their country of origin, international students may be surprised at the size of American grocery stores. The convenience of having everything under one roof is great, plus, as University of Central Florida student and native of India Vikas Tambde notes, “prices are fixed, so [there's] no bargaining.”
Grocery stores are divided into departments: all produce is found in one department, all bread in another, and so on. The aisles are usually labeled by hanging signs, which tell shoppers which types of food are located in each aisle.
Most grocery stores stock at least a limited supply of “ethnic” foods, such as Chinese, Mexican, Indian, and Italian. These foods tend to be American versions of regional foods, however, so don't count on finding the same brands or flavors you would find at home. If you are studying in or near a large city, check around for specialty grocery stores that feature foods from your native country. You may have to travel to find these stores, but the comfort of finding familiar brands and foods will be worth the trip.
Many U.S. cities also have “mega stores” such as Wal-Mart, Meijer, and Target; these stores sell groceries, but they also offer clothing, home decorating items, automotive supplies, toys, and gardening supplies. Depending on your school's location, you may find local specialty shops, such as butchers and bakers, but the grocery store and “mega store” represent typical food shopping experiences in the United States.
In Style
Fashion shopping is a popular pastime and bonding activity, and many college students head to local malls. A mall is a collection of stores in one location; they can be either a collection of stores in one large building (all under one roof) or a group of shops in the same area, each with a separate entrance. Malls feature a variety of shops, from toy stores to luggage retailers, but clothing stores typically outnumber all other types of stores.
Students like to wear the most popular clothing styles, and they will judge what is popular based on television shows, fashion magazines, and what other students are wearing. Women tend to be more focused on style than men, and fashions change frequently—which means going on more shopping trips.
School-themed clothes are always popular on college campuses. Your school's bookstore and other stores in the area will sell T-shirts, sweatshirts (the hooded sweatshirt, or “hoodie,” is popular), shorts, pants, and hats with your school's name, logo, and mascot on them. Typically, these clothes feature the school's colors. If you join a student group on campus, such as a fraternity or sorority, you will have the option of purchasing clothes with that group's name on them.
Look at your school's Web site before coming to the United States. Photos of students on campus will give you an idea of the types of clothes students choose. Be sure to plan for the different seasons in your destination, and bring clothes appropriate for the changing weather. It's also a good idea to set aside a small amount of money to spend on clothing once you arrive.
Paying for Purchases
Students pay for their groceries and fashion purchases by cash, check, debit card, or credit card. The source of funds for purchases varies, with some students working during summer breaks or during the school year to earn money and some receiving a spending allowance from their parents.
If you're watching your budget closely, use cash, checks, or a debit card to pay for all purchases. A debit card is issued by your bank and is directly linked to your bank account (there is no “credit” beyond what is already deposited). This way you know exactly what you've spent and what funds you still have available.
Using credit cards can be risky because of high interest rates. Luckily, this is a trap most international students can avoid, because U.S. banks may not issue credit cards to foreign citizens. If you do have a credit card, use it sparingly, and pay the balance off each month.
