Most college students work extremely hard. Between classes, studying, writing papers, part time jobs, internships, clubs, sports, and everything in between, time to unwind is vital for maintaining sanity. Sadly, most of the time a fun night out ends up costing way more than any student ever wants to spend.
So how can overworked, almost broke students afford to pay for fun time? Here are some tips for students to use to stretch their dollar and have the fun, relaxing times they deserve.
Carry Your Student ID Everywhere- Many places offer student discounts. For example, if you were to go to see a movie, you can save a couple bucks by flashing your student ID. A couple bucks may not seem like very much, but every dollar counts.
Take Advantage of Free School-Sponsored Events- Most universities have free concerts or events for students to attend. While it may seem kind of dorky to attend a school-sponsored event, most of them are actually quite fun and some even have major artists or bands headlining the event. For example, UCSB has a “Welcome Back Concert” at the beginning of each school year. Last year the Ying Yang twins performed and the year before that it was Three Six Mafia. The cost to attend these concerts? NOTHING.
Two Words: Happy Hour- For those students who like to bar hop, doing a little homework on what happy hour specials their favorite bars offer can save them a lot of money. Some bars will even designate Thursday nights as “College Night” and significantly reduce the price of drinks. It’s a great deal for students on a budget.
“Pre-Game-” This is a favorite of many college students. Even if you utilize happy hour, going out can still be expensive. Instead of drinking at the bar, have a few drinks before you get to the bar. Having a few drinks before you get to the bar can save you around $15.00.
Bring The Fun Home- Yes, staying in can be fun. Get a bunch of your friends together for a movie night or to watch the big game on TV. Have everyone chip in on some chips and drinks. The cost of having a fun night in is minimal and you can have better conversations by staying in than by trying to yell at your friends over the loud music at the bar.
Take Advantage of the Outdoors- If it is nice weather, hit up the beach, go hiking, or get a bunch of your friends together to play Frisbee. Not only are these activities free but they also get you outside and moving, which is great if you spend most of your time inside writing papers or listening to your professor lecture.
Check out Local “Secret” Spots- Many “hole in the wall” café’s or restaurants have free live entertainment on certain nights of the week ranging from poetry readings to singers looking for a break. Check out some of your local “secret” spots and enjoy some free live entertainment.
By utilizing these tips, students can maintain some semblance of a social life and not break the bank. College can be stressful, but that doesn’t mean students can’t have a social life and let loose every once in awhile without spending loads of money.
