How to Make a College Resource Directory

Gather Materials

• Three ring binder- something durable, and perhaps decorative, depending on your taste. 1 1/2" is best, but 1" to 2" is fine.
• Dividers
• Photo Sleeves- I like Redi-Mount photo sheets, which have a clear plastic film that protects the photos, which are adhered (removeably) to a pressure sensitive sheet. These are made by C-Line.
• Magazines- Cooking, Health, Beauty, etc.
• Internet
• Printer

First, figure out what types of cooking appliances you will have available to you. Then, look for recipes that can be completed with that type of equipment. Many websties, such as Allrecipes.com, have many recipes that are specific to the cooking method (such as microwave or slow cooker).

Next, cut out any recipes from magazines that appeal to you. If you will not be cooking in your dorm or apartment, there is still plenty of information you can collect.

Search for some information on the internet, and save it to a folder on your desktop. Take a screenshot of images, such as maps on Google Maps. (For Mac users: Hold down command + shift + 3. Open the file on your desktop in Preview, and select the part of the page you wish to keep. Hold down control + C. Close the window. Next, hold down control + N, and save the "clipping" in the folder on your desktop. For Windows users: Press Print Screen. Open MS Paint, and hold down control + V. Using the selection tool, move the pasted page and crop the margins to the desired size. Save this to the folder on your desktop.)

Here are some examples of info that may be useful:

• Recipes
• Cleaning tips and tricks
• Coupons (A cheap plastic three-ring pencil case is a good place for easy-access to coupons)
• Home hair, face, and body care remedies
• Maps from your dorm to nearby areas of interest (grocery stores, department stores, coffee shops, bookstores, parks, etc.)
• Important phone numbers (family cell numbers, friends' cells, pizza delivery, chinese, movie theater, security extension, advisor extension, RA extension, etc. You can alternately include photos with the contact info, making this directory double as a photo album -- space efficient!)
• Anything you want!

Divide up all of your info by topic, and mount the clippings in or on the photo sheets. If they are on the computer, print them out. (For Mac users: Using Pages or Comic Life to combine clippings will save paper. For Windows users: Use Microsoft Word or Publisher to combine clippings and save paper.)

When you have all of your info mounted on photo sheets, place them in the binder, separated by topic. Write the topics on the divider tabs. If you have extra photo sheets, distribute them throughout the different sections so that you can add more later. If you are saving coupons, it would be easiest to put them in a plastic pencil case that attaches to the three-ring binder.

For a decorative touch, cut out pictures from magazines and glue them to a piece of computer paper. You can slide these into the cover of the binder if it has a clear display-type cover.

You're Done!

This project makes an excellent, inexpensive gift for a high school or college grad, or can be adapted to fit anyone who is moving away for the first time.It's also a great way for the prospective grad to begin preparing for this exciting, but stressful time.