Not only does the lack of cash make it more difficult to study, but it also makes things challenging when it comes down to finding a weekly source of entertainment. Suddenly church mixers, bookstore poetry readings and riverside cleanups become hotspot hangouts for college students. Meanwhile a college girl has to find ways of taking care of the necessities in life such as eating, banking and shopping. Only when one is broke does Raemen noodles become a feast. Celebrations ensue when outdated grits suddenly reappear after hiding in the back of the closet for years and years.
Celebrations also happen when clothing can be purchased for extremely ridiculous sale prices.
The seven-dollar sales tag seems so intriguing, but only a trip to the dressing room can make the perfect sales item be a reality. Nissel finds through her own life experiences that a potential customer can be quickly turned away from the communal dressing rooms of an outlet mall -especially when money keeps her from washing her underwear. Nissel's book speaks to a number of college students who at some point during their undergraduate years have had to scrape together two dimes and a nickel in order to buy a pack of chewing gum to satisfy themselves for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some experiences described in the book are universal and quite funny while others seem as if they would only be funny if remembered by the author. Overall the book is enjoyable in doses.