Princeton University suggests students budget $2,051 a year for the little extras in life: snacks, clothes, haircuts, and just plain fun. That's generous. Cornell University recommends only $1,300. But one freshman at the Ithaca, N.Y., school thought she'd found a great way to save a few pennies. The freshman, who wishes to remain anonymous, used the school's high-speed data lines to download free movies and music, then invited friends over to enjoy flicks like Fight Club and Finding Nemo . The school found out and charged her nearly $200 in fines for using excessive bandwidth. "My parents were not too happy," she says.

Budgeting for play is no game. Many schools seem to be Scrooges when it comes to estimating how much moola students might need for R & R. The University of Notre Dame, for example, deems $900 a year sufficient. That should cover an occasional cheese pizza, but you're on your own if you want a double pepperoni, says Joseph Russo, director of student financial services, jokingly.

Party time. Students at isolated campuses could get along on $1,000 a year or so. But Rick Darvis, founder of College Funding Inc., an independent financial aid counseling firm in Plentywood, Mont., says that students near cities and expensive temptations like nightclubs and nice restaurants might want to target as much as $3,000.

It's easy for small entertainment costs to add up quickly, says Dan Papp, senior vice chancellor for academics and fiscal affairs for the university system of Georgia. Unfortunately, most parents forget that the entertainment costs don't stop on Saturday night. "When I went to school, it used to be assumed you came home for spring break," Papp reminisces. "Now the assumption by most kids is, `I'm going to the beach!' "

Of course, some students are different. They'll share a ride to, say, Jacksonville, Fla., to build Habitat for Humanity homes during spring break. Get out your checkbook: In addition to transportation, Habitat volunteers have to pay a $15 deposit, about $10 a day for their own food, and, typically, $100 for accommodations and building materials. Cost of a do-gooder spring break: At least $200. -Kim Clark