Things to Do in College on a Tight Budget
It’s just a fact of college life: no matter how well you budget, how hard you work at a part time job, or how good your financial aid package, money is going to be tight. After paying tuition and books, then taking care of food and gas, there’s often not enough left over to do a lot of fun stuff with.
But enjoyment of life, even college life, doesn’t depend on having a lot of money. There are many ways to enjoy your time in school, even if you’re on a shoestring budget.
• Enjoy the campus. Most campuses go to great pains to make their grounds beautiful. Take a walk, enjoy the old oak trees, sit by the lake, explore a building you’ve never been in. Ride your bike down side streets you’ve never taken. Stop and read the historical markers on buildings or walkways. Most campuses have museums or galleries, and most students never get to them—so go to them. Ride every elevator on campus, and then tell your friends you did it.
• Do the free stuff. Campuses are cultural centers, and many of these cultural events are free to students. If a theatrical production comes to campus, go see it. If a famous lecturer will be speaking, go hear what he has to say. You might learn something, or you might get hours of enjoyment making fun of him afterward. If a musician or band is playing somewhere, go hear them, even if you do have to pay a little bit to get in. Coffee houses have open mic nights, and a cup of coffee isn’t that expensive. Campuses often have free midnight showings of movies. These opportunities don’t cost very much, and you’ll always be glad you had the experience.
• Be the designated driver. It doesn’t cost very much to go to a club and dance, especially if you get there before they start collecting a cover charge. It also costs very little to drink coke or water all night, but that doesn’t have to stop you from having a great time.
• Go natural. Explore your city’s hiking and biking paths. Are there lakes for fishing? Rivers for floating? Nature doesn’t’ charge anything just to be enjoyed.
There are a lot of things to do on a college campus, and they don’t have to cost very much at all.