One of my earliest memories of America is my first trip to a Walmart. Not just any Walmart, but a suburban behemoth that seemed to go on endlessly. The varieties of candy inside seemed even more infinite; stacks upon stacks of giddily colored boxes describing the sugary goodness they held. But - and here's the point of this story - I could only ever pick one.
我对美国的早期记忆之一，就是第一次逛沃尔玛(Walmart)的经历。那可不是随便的一家沃尔玛超市，而是一个位于市郊的庞然大物。它似乎无边无际，里面糖果的品种也仿佛不计其数；一堆堆彩色的盒子让人眼花缭乱，告诉人们里面装着味道甜美的好东西。但是，正如这篇文章的核心观点所言，我总是只能选择一样。
During my years at N.Y.U., I've realized that in a city like New York, there is never an excuse to be bored. From the traditional (restaurants and movies), to the moderately new (Shakespeare in the Park and outdoor performances), to the really wild (mixology and trapeze classes), there is no limit to the options available.
在纽约大学(N.Y.U.)念书期间，我认识到，在纽约这样一座城市，永远都没有感觉无聊的理由。从传统的（餐厅和影院）到比较新潮的（公园里的莎士比亚戏剧演出和户外表演），再到十分疯狂的（调酒课和空中吊杆课），选择是无穷无尽的。
There is, however, a limit to your budget. Especially as a student, especially recently.
然而，你的预算却是有限的。尤其是作为一个学生，而且最近。
With heady independence comes the need to manage money responsibly. Americans like to live large (ask for a "small" Coke at a movie theater, and you'll see what I mean), and money will slip through your hands with the greatest of ease. Here are a few ways to ensure that that doesn't happen.
获得独立虽然让人兴奋，但随之而来的是，我们要负责管理自己的财务。美国人喜欢大手大脚地生活（去电影院的时候要一杯“小”可乐，你就会明白我的意思），钱不知不觉地就从你的指缝中溜了出去。以下的几条建议，能保证类似情况不会发生。
Budget
做好预算。
Most students, like me, usually have only a very general sense of how they spend their money. It's easy to remember that one big expense, but students sometimes don't realize that the smaller daily expenditures can really add up. Recording your major daily expenses (food, travel, entertainment, etc.) takes only a few minutes and will help you keep track of your money.
像我一样的大多数学生，对自己所花的钱只有一个大致概念。记住一项大宗支出比较容易，但有时候，同学们并没有意识到，小额的日常支出也能积少成多。把你主要的日常支出记录下来（食物、交通、娱乐等），只需要花费几分钟，却会帮你了解自己的财务状况。
EducationUSA runs a series of webinars that cover the Five Steps to U.S. Study, one of which specifically discusses the planning of a student budget.
“留学美国”(EducationUSA)组织了一系列网络研讨会，讨论了“留学美国的五个步骤”(Five Steps to U.S. Study)，其中一项特别讨论了学生的预算规划。
Prioritize
重要的事务优先安排。
As mentioned above, America can be filled with things that tempt you to part with your money. Make a list (mental or otherwise) of the things you really want to do and say no to the rest. Your college experience will be no less fulfilling if you don't go to all 10 shows or try every restaurant in town.
正如上面所讲的，美国有很多诱使你花钱的东西。列一个你确实想做的事情的清单（虚拟的、现实的皆可），然后对清单以外的东西说不。就算你不去观看全部的10场演出，或光顾过市区里的每一家餐厅，你的大学生活也绝不会因此而失色。
Take advantage of discounts and freebies
利用折扣和免费赠品。
As a student, you will have access to dozens of free (or heavily discounted) shows, dining options and other entertainment. If you really wanted to, you could try to go weeks without paying for food in college. All you would have to do is scour your school's events calendar and attend the open meetings. Bonus: You might find a club or organization you really like, in which case, you might be eating free pizza all the time.
作为一名学生，你会有很多免费（或者以很低的折扣）获得观看演出、就餐，以及参加其他娱乐活动的机会。如果你真的愿意，还能在大学里面，连续几周免费吃东西。你所需要做的，就是反复刷新学校的日程安排表，参加公开聚会。惊喜就是：你可能会找到一个自己真心喜欢的俱乐部或者组织，在这种情况下，你就有可能一直享用免费的披萨。
Consider getting a part-time job
考虑兼职。
This is a tough one and might not be possible for many international students. Paid jobs seem ridiculously competitive and difficult to get.
这个建议有些困难，也许对很多留学生来说不太现实。带薪工作的竞争性似乎非常之强，不易获得。
However, if you are one of the lucky ones, it is important to have realistic expectations about your part-time income, said Martin Bennett, the EducationUSA outreach coordinator at the Institute of International Education.
不过，“留学美国”在国际教育协会(Institute of International Education)的外展协调员马丁· 本内特(Martin Bennett)说，如果你是幸运儿之一，对兼职收入有个现实的期待值也很重要。
"The general consensus is that having a part-time job on campus can help pay for some personal expenses," Mr. Bennett wrote in an e-mail. "That being said, the expectation should not be that a part-time job will cover much more than $2,000 to $3,000/academic year if a student were to work 16 to 20 hours per week." He added, "20 hours per week on campus while school is in session is the maximum allowed under U.S. immigration regulations."
“大家一致认为，在大学里拥有一份兼职，能帮学生们支付一些个人花销，”本内特在一封电子邮件里面写道。“话虽这么说，学生也不应当期望，假如自己每周工作16到20个小时，这份兼职工作就能每学年提供远超2000美元到3000美元的收入 。”他补充说，“而且根据美国移民法，在学期过程中，每周兼职20小时已经是政府允许的最大限度。”
"I advise," he continued, "that unless absolutely necessary, a student take the first semester on campus to get used to the way of life and of the classroom culture and faculty expectations before plunging into a job on-campus."
“我建议，”他继续说，“除非绝对必要，学生应该在投身兼职工作之前，利用第一个学期来适应当地的生活方式和课堂的文化氛围，以及老师们的期望。”