With tuition and gas prices on the rise, college students’ main mode of transportation is their feet. And since it’s not possible (or comfortable) to navigate millions of square feet of campus barefoot, a pair of sneakers is essential.

An important part of being a college student is individuality, so that makes finding that special pair of sneakers almost as hard as a history final exam.

In the spirit of sharing, here is some sneaker knowledge to help you spend more time working on your grades than on your wardrobe.

Air Force One by Nike

A can’t-miss, stylish sneaker that looks good with everything is the Air Force One sneaker by Nike. Despite being around for over 20 years, this is a shoe that will never go out of style because of the dozens of colors and limited editions it’s available in.

A classic all-white sneaker is available at almost every shoe store in the area for around $80, but if you really want to turn heads, you should search on eBay for the holiday and special limited editions. These ultra-exclusive lines can cost upwards of $200 a pair.

Air Max Classics by Nike

If you don’t want to go that route, the best thing going right now in sneakers is the Air Max Classics offering by Nike at nikeid.com. Nike ID is a total customization system that allows you to change everything about a particular sneaker, from the color of the laces to the color of the air bubble.

You can even have up to eight characters added to the shoe to make them totally exclusive. Every model of Air Max shoe from 1987 to 1997 is available, and prices range from $90 to $150.

574 by New Balance

Another high-quality, comfortable sneaker is the 574 by New Balance. These shoes have become increasingly popular lately because of their cheap price and array of colors. They can be found at any Foot Locker, Champs Sports or Finish Line shoe store in the city for about $60 and they are usually offered in a two-pairs-for-$89 special.

Find Your Own Shoe Style

Looking into the sneaker culture on Web sites like Hypebeast (hypebeast.com) and talking to a salesperson at your local shoe store can help you uncover all kinds of fresh new sneakers. But once you find that good pair of sneakers, you may be encountered with a different problem: learning how to stop staring at them in lecture.

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