Now that the holidays are over, it is back to school time. Most of us college students are waiting for Financial Aid to come dancing through our bank accounts. The most important aspect to obtaining our aid is to spend this money wisely.

It is a big responsibility, as a student, when you are being awarded hundreds to thousands of dollars. Most students are in their late-teens to early-twenties, and having a big chunk of money in our bank accounts leads to the temptation of spending it all. But we must prove to the world (and our parents) that we are more than capable of living on our own.

Here are some smart ways to spend your aid this upcoming semester.

Living on campus is a slight bit easier than living off campus. Students who live on-campus have the perks of having that beautiful thing called a meal plan. I didn't understand how much I would miss the D.C. food until I no longer had a meal plan and moved off campus. Efficient food spending is the key to not starving and only being able to afford Ramen Noodles. That means not eating at every fast food place in sight, but it is fun to go out once in a while. But instead, do a bit of research, to determine which grocery stores you should buy which food items.

Alongside and with equal importance to spending money on food is all things financially connected toward school. After all, that is why we are getting a check, to help us get through school. Before we are given our rewarded fund, all fees are paid, but there are still books and supplies that need to be bought. School essentials are a definite must, and ultimately cannot be ignored, if you want to be a successful student. Being prepared for school is a big key for students, also studying and getting good grades is a must. But you see the connection between everything?

Some students utilize their aid for rent and bills. Being a college student, sometimes it isn't easy to just get a job. It is very hard to balance both being a worker and student at the same time. So many students decide to work in the summer and use their aid for bills. Very efficient.

Being in school, a lot is sacrificed, with missing birthdays, holidays and special occasions. Some of us have used our aid to travel back home. Whether it be traveling on the bus, car, plane or train, we are all guilty of utilizing aid for this reason. There is nothing wrong with being able to make time to go home or to make a quick travel to a random place. It is a good thing to do to take a breather from school.

While making sure bills are paid, books are bought, pantries and cabinets are stocked with food, and basic needs are bought, we will always make room to have some fun, whether that be spending money on pizza, junk food and a movie to hang out with friends with or the ones who like to go out and have a good time. We are college students, and to be able to let loose once in a while to relieve stress is a good way to spend money. (But let's not get too hardcore and wake up broke the next day.)

It is easy to say how our aid must be spent, but the reality is, life happens and it is hard to understand where our money will go. We make plans for our money to be spent in certain ways. Most of the time it goes where we intend for it to go, and most of the time life just takes its own road. But overall, as students, we make it work.