Ticket Kiosks

Admittedly, I had to Google what these things were actually called. My boyfriend didn't know the proper translation of it, and I had such little experience with them, that I wasn't sure what they were properly called. I've always just referred to them as call numbers, because that's all they do. Even if you don't know what I'm talking about, I'm sure you've had some experience with these machines: you grab a ticket that has a number on it, and instead of waiting in a line you simply wait for your number to be called or appear on the screen. Now, while there's nothing wrong with lines per se, there is still some improvement to be had with them.

People get impatient and disheartened when they see a long line, often becoming tired, irritated, or flat out rude to patrons and employees alike. What the ticket kiosks do is take the stress of being in a physical line out of the equation. I know that sounds silly, but here me out. Lines can sometimes be a poor indicator of how long your wait will be. It can be difficult to tell how many people are together and how many people are alone. Furthermore, lines are boring. Either you stand and fiddle with your phone, risk being rudely asked to move forward or you blankly look around your environment trying to avoid making eye contact with staff and strangers. The kiosks solves both of these problems: you the customer won't have to wonder how long it'll take to be served, and potentially, you the business worker could get more sales if your customers had a chance to browse around at products while they waited to be served.

Another important note to add in favor of this is the fact that lines take up a lot of space and can make getting around difficult, with tickets people can chill out anywhere and relax, out of the way.

Fika (Fee-Kuh)

Going for a fika is similar to grabbing a coffee with a good friend. It's not usually romantic, nor is it really a formal thing. It's meant to be a relaxing outing centered around grabbing a small meal and unwinding a bit.

Traditionally, a proper fika meal entails coffee, tea, or soda as well as some cheese toasties, salad, soups, or even something sweeter, like cake, pie, or muffins. Cafes make an ideal place to go and have a fika, but the true glory of having a fika is the fact that you can do it anywhere. My boyfriend's mother brought home some "biscuits," though, between you and me they were just pastries to dip in coffee and called everyone in for an impromptu fika. During this fika we traded stories, discussed plans, and had an all-round good time.

If having a fika doesn't sound that unique to you then try to think of it like this: it's like "cracking open a cold one with the boys." It's not about eating or cooking or where you are or what you're doing. It's all about who you're with.

Organized Summer Work Programs

I don't know how it was for other people, but I found it extremely nerve-wrecking to apply to the only job I ever had, and it was just a Jimmy John's. I had printed out a resume, a list of references full of family and former teachers alike. I had a cover letter and just about everything else high school SWORE I would need to get ANY job. Luckily, I saved myself from a little embarrassment and threw everything away when I got to my interview. Even though I got the job, and had a great time with the company, I really wish there would've been someone to help walk me through everything.

My parents were useful, but there were plenty of things they didn't really understand or just weren't able to relate to. Coming here, I found out that my boyfriend was trying to find work through the Summer Work Program. He was accepted into he program and was offered a wide variety of jobs. His options ranged from organizing recyclables at a recycling facility to working at a nearby cafe. It seemed as though the program did its best to assist teenagers and young adults in finding work they could perform, but also enjoy. Beyond that, the program even offers summer workers a free bus pass. Aside from the process of getting accepted it really baffled me that they were just handing out passes. During the Fall of 2017 I ended up having to shuttle myself to and from Edwardsville and Collinsville in order to complete my volunteer teaching for my Education 101 class. I had to complete 28 to 36 (I forget the exact amount) hours of volunteer teaching in order to progress to the next course. Each time I caught the bus the full round trip cost ended up being $4.00. It's not a lot, but after 16 or so trips it begins to add up, especially on a college student's budget. Long story short, I'd have killed for a free bus pass.

Residential Water-Saving Toilets

​It's sounds really silly, and I promise I'm not about to go on some Green Party rant about the importance of conserving energy and resources, because by now I'm sure you've made up your mind about what you're willing and not willing to do for the environment. I only mention this because it is honestly a minute change that can do so much in terms of saving water and money.

The way these toilets work, if you've never encountered one before, is that it has two flush settings: one for liquid waste and another for solid waste. I'm sure you can put two and two together and figure out that each flush uses a different amount of water. I've only seen toilets like this once before, and that was at only a few bathrooms at my college. I think they'd be perfect for residential areas.

They're not any bigger or smaller than traditional toilets, nor is it unnecessarily complicated to use. Aside from the upfront cost of purchasing the toilets, the affect it'll have on your water bill will surely be noticeable, especially if you have a large family. Beyond that, it does help the environment. Reducing water waste is one of the easiest ways to help out. You don't have to go out of your way to only buy certain things, don't have to sort out what is and isn't recyclable, and it doesn't really get in the way of your day to day business.

It's silly, but it feels like making a difference, in one way or another, with every flush.