Nobody likes free stuff more than college students.
Just look at which tables have the longest lines at the Fall Festival: the ones with free food.
How about the credit card solicitors, the ones that have the free T-shirts and the free calling cards.
Even if most of us have jobs that allow for a little extra cash each month, we still appreciate freebies.
However, some of us find the need for extra cash to support ourselves. One freshman, Jenn Tincher, said she thinks “it would be better if [she] had a part time job to help pay for everything [she wnted to do].”
There are many mixed feelings as to what Philadelphia has to offer.
For some people that come from other major cities, like Boston, New York, or Washington, D.C., it feels like everything is hard to get to and closes early.
Other Philly natives find it easy to get around.
Jasmine Byus, a pre-nursing freshman, finds the “buses, trolleys, and trains…go almost everywhere. Philadelphia has a lot of fun and interesting things to do; some are free, and they’re accessible by public transportation.”
Here are some suggestions:
Exercise.
Take a run to City Hall, down Kelly Drive, or up the steps of Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Go to the IBC and take a Millennium Funk class.
Go to the Pavilion and play a pick-up game of basketball.
Any way you look at it, it doesn’t cost anything to break a sweat.
And if you don’t feel like working out, watch others do it: get your free student tickets to all the Temple athletic events.
Window shop.
Take heed: This activity is for those who have control of their credit cards.
Freshman Gina Russo said, “It is so hard to live in a city with great shopping and not shop often.”
Instead of actually buying anything, just take a walk around The Gallery or Walnut and Chestnut Streets and you’ll find a variety of shops to check out.
Watch people.
You have to be a little careful with this one, so people don’t think you’re stalking them.
Surreptitiously glance in all directions and just check out the locals and the tourists.
Some good places to do this are the Bell Tower, Rittenhouse Square and South Street.
Listen to music.
Sure, you could sit in your room and listen to the radio.
Or, you could actually venture out and find free live music at Borders or Barnes & Noble.
On any given day, your favorite band could be playing at one of these places.
Check your local listings.
Get some culture.
Get free tickets from Student Activities for the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, The Balch Institute of Ethnic Studies or the Mummers Museum.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is open free before 1 p.m. on Sundays.
Check out the art galleries in Old City or Center City on the first Friday of every month.
Be a hero.
Donate blood or bone marrow.
Adopt a grandparent, little brother or sister or a pet.
Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
Instead of spending money, spend your time giving back.
Sleep.
This is probably the easiest free thing of all and it takes the least effort.
And, your body will thank you for it.
Holly Logan can be reached at Hlogan@temple.edu
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