Cheap (and Fun!) Activities to Do with Your College Buddies
College may be the best time of our lives, but it is also the most broke time of our lives. I envy the students whose parents give them their own credit cards because for me and my friends, having fun in college means majoring in cheap social activities. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do that are free or don't cost a lot of money. Getting out and doing stuff outside of your classes is part of what makes the college experience complete.
Party until the Wii Hours
Someone knows someone who knows someone who has a Wii; guaranteed. You are supposed to make new friends in college, right? Why not make friends who have cool stuff? A Wii party is one of my favorite things to do with a small group of friends. You want to have just enough people to cheer you on as you crush your opponent at New Super Mario Bros or Michael Jackson The Experience (who's bad?), but not so many that you are ready to graduate by the time it's your turn at the controller.
Discover the Next Great Band
OK, so it is unlikely that the next Rolling Stones or even the next Daughtry (do we need another Daughtry?) are currently enrolled at your school, but you never know. Go check out live music. Any decent sized school is going to have campus space where college bands play and there should be plenty of venues nearby that have free or cheap shows. If not, remember what I said about making new friends? Find one with a car and good taste in music.
Get Sporty
I am an active girl so for me one of the best ways to have fun without spending money is to hit the gym or see what's going on in the quad. Someone is always playing Frisbee or throwing around a football, and in true collegiate spirit, no one ever says no when I ask to join in. When I have a group of friends who are athletic, we borrow equipment from the gym to play flag football. These games are also a great way to meet new friends, as you can bet that your impromptu game is going to attract some new players. School clubs sometimes have camping gear or other outdoor sports equipment you can borrow too if you leave your student ID and a small deposit.
For those who prefer to watch sports than play them, every college has plenty of games to cheer on. Maybe your college's football team isn't the best, but I bet your school has at least one good team worth checking out.
Be a Kid
Do you remember how you and your friends never needed money to have fun as a kid? Not that you would turn down a trip to Disneyland or other parent-funded outing, but when it was just you and your crew you never had money but you always had fun. Think back to your favorite childhood memories. One of my mine was a super soaker fight with the kids down the street. Are you too old for a squirt gun fight? Never. Consider water balloons too. And board games can be a blast; revisit old favorites like Monopoly and Battleship, and try out some newer, more interactive games like Cranium, or trivia games like Smart Ass.
You will have plenty of time to do spend all that money you hope to be making after graduation once you actually get a real job, but until then movie nights, drink specials, and free on campus events are the way to go.
About the Author
Tara Jackson is an education and career prep enthusiast. When she's not writing about or researching colleges and careers for the college search engine, EduTrek, she enjoys reading classic literature, hiking in the mountains, and traveling. @tjatedutrek
Image credit: Tax Credits on Flickr
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