5 Ways to Have Fun for Free in College

By Tamiera Vandegrift on March 15, 2017

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test prep for over 90 standardized tests, including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.

The truth is that nothing in life is ever truly free, especially when it comes to having fun. Everything costs money and when you are a college student, this is especially awful. After the cost of rent, tuition, dining plans, groceries, and more, we are typically lucky if we are looking at a positive balance in our bank account (Just kidding).

When it comes to having fun in college, you have got to be like Sia and enjoy those cheap thrills. Your sanity and your bank account will truly depend on it. So before you spend another dime, read on to learn how to have fun in your college town for free!

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Block Parties

Most college towns understand that students are living on an extremely tight budget, so they host a variety of events for students to enjoy. For instance, in my college town, a block party is held on the first Friday of every month. Check out the website of your college town or city to see what types of events they host throughout the month.

Even if your college town itself does not offer such a thing, your university will certainly come through for you and offer some free things. These collegiate block parties can offer everything from free food and free games to free carnival rides and more. It certainly beats paying hundreds to hit up your local theme park or carnival. You simply cannot beat a free block party.

Free Movies

Often, campuses will have their own movie theater where students can go and catch the latest releases. Fortunately, sometimes you can even catch movies before they hit theaters. If you are a movie buff, this is definitely something that you will want to look into. These days, movie tickets can cost you up to $10 or $11 per person, and that is not even including snacks and drinks. For collegiate movie theaters, admission is free and concessions tend to stay under $5 for the most part. If you ask me, that’s a wrap.

Free Concerts

Nothing beats listening to some free tunes. (Get it? Beats?) Catching your favorite band live in concert can cost unspeakable amounts of money, especially if you want to catch really good seats. Instead, check out what your college town has to offer. Musicians love collegiate venues. At my college town, we have seen performances from Alice Cooper, Salt n’ Pepper, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr!

Even if the big names of music are not headed to your hometown, you might be surprised about what hidden gems of talent you can discover by hitting up a local indie show. Even local covers of famous bands can be absolutely fantastic. So what are you waiting for? Let’s drop the beat.

Mother Nature

It is healthy and relaxing to escape from the alabaster walls of classrooms and the smell of textbooks to enjoy the sunshine and breeze from time to time. It does not matter if your college town offers a ginormous hiking trail or just a little park. Make sure that you take time to smell the roses and enjoy Mother Nature. This is not only a free activity that everyone can enjoy but also genuinely good for you and your mental health. Feel free to lose yourself in nature from time to time. Trust me, it beats bingeing the same Netflix shows over and over and over.

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Be Creative

If all else fails, remember that your only limit to the ways to have free fun is the limit held by your imagination. Do not be afraid to be creative. Rent a projector and host a movie night with your college friends. Set up a karaoke station via YouTube and host a free karaoke night. Host a themed potluck dinner and have your friends bring creative dishes in.

There are tons of ways that you can set yourself up to have a great time on a dime. Just use your imagination and the good times and memories will come to you.

Learn more about Kaplan’s test prep options and start building the confidence you need for Test Day.

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