With the economy in the shape it’s in, the dollar doesn’t buy much anymore. At press time, a buck fifty is worth around one Euro, and gas keeps going up. Airlines keep slapping new charges on flights, charging more for checked bags and carry-on luggage and raising the fees for food, drink, and pillows.

Today, I am going to tell you about a devilish little device I stumbled upon a few months ago. I had been keeping it a secret, but I finally feel I have found an audience trustworthy enough with which to share its secrets.

At the end of every season I make a mixtape on cassette consisting of my favorite songs at the time. It’s an audio diary of sorts: I take 120 minutes of music and chronicle three months of my life. These songs that I put on tape help me remember stand-out people, places, events, habits, and experiences in my life. I’ve been doing this since middle school and haven’t stopped since.

Hey! Guess what. Give up? Okay, we’ll tell you. Every semester you pay around ninety dollars in Student Activity Fees. We say “around ninety dollars” because, in truth, the amount is usually raised a little every semester.