The school of life usually teaches you a lot, but it’s not always appropriate for cocktail parties or nerd-tastic meet-ups. There’s quite a lot of information out there, so it’s easier to focus on one area at a time. Thus, if you want to hang with the English professors or just sound like the most well-educated kid on the block (and community college just didn’t quite prepare you), check out these ways to expand your knowledge base.

You may have slept in late this morning, but did you stop to wonder why? What is this whole Independence Day celebration about? Sure, throwing out "1776" and "Constitution" and "former British colony" may win you some points at a cocktail party, but what is America (and specifically the United States) all about? Here are our selections for a quick brush up on the roots of the land of the free and the home of the brave.

If you're about to get off for a summer vacation or just got fired, you may be wondering what to do with all that extra time. Sure laying on the couch is fun for a couple days, but too much sloth can lead to an overall feeling of blah. Since the economy still sucks, you may struggle to find work. So do some good (and build your resume up in the process) by volunteering at a local organization. It's much easier to have a meaningful volunteer experience when you pair yourself with a cause you actually care about; kittens, books, or homeless youth: very different, but they all could use your help.

We've all been hearing that sharing is caring line since kindergarten. It may feel cliche, but there's another aspect to the concept of sharing when you're low on funds: namely that borrowed, traded, and gifted stuff doesn't cost you anything. Additionally, other people's stuff is always cooler than yours. A pretty slick trick is to scout out which friends have the best stuff. It's a good bet that your handy construction worker buddy probably has a hammer. But what if you don't have a construction worker buddy? Then this is the article for you.

V-day may be over, but we're betting you didn't get enough action. Though you may be alone, you can get hot and heavy under the covers with some of these reads. Some may call romances trashy, but there's a lot to be learned from this unsung genre. Grab a pint of ice cream or some leftover chocolates and curl up under the covers with these historically-based fantasies.

Need a last minute gift and a subtle way to tell loved ones they spend way too darn much moola? RFB has a present for you. Check out this excerpt from Bargain Junkie by Annie Korzen, of Seinfield and Transformers fame, and learn why we love it:

Reading is fun and educational. Books at the store are expensive. But there's this way cool place called a library where you can read books for free. You can even take them home with you! All you have to do is get a library card, which is also free. Crazy, right?

In honor of Comic-Con, the largest comic book, sci-fi, and fantasy convention in the world, here are a bunch of awesome comics you should be reading with all your downtime. Books with pictures are quick reads, so I expect a full report by next week. Books are expensive, you say? Then get them from the library or borrow from a friend!