What To Do Around The University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign When You’re Broke AF

Let’s face it. College students are poor as fuck. On top of buying textbooks you don’t read and paying for dining hall food you don’t want to eat, there’s no money left over to use for fun. With only a couple of singles in my pocket, I still manage to find money-saving ways to spend my time. Here’s what to do when you’re broke AF at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

1. Work out at the gym.

The Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) and Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE) are free gyms for students. With just one swipe of your student ID, you have access to indoor tracks, climbing walls, swimming pools and more.

2. Go to a sporting event.

Show some Illini pride! A Fighting Illini Hockey game ticket only costs $5.

3. Do homework at a cafe.

UIUC holds a lot of super aesthetic cafes where you can spend hours on your laptop with a steaming coffee by your side. Cafes such as Starbucks, Espresso Royale, and Caffe Bene are easy to find.

4. Skate at the Ice Arena.

Grab a couple friends and ice skate for free at the school’s Ice Arena!

5. Visit the Courtyard Cafe.

The Courtyard Cafe is located right in the center of the Union. You can sit around and do homework while listening to noontime performances by student performers.

6. Weekend films at the Union.

During the weekend, the Union provides different screening of movies to watch. All films are shown at 7pm in the Illini Union Pine Lounge and are free to Illinois students when they present an i-card for entry.

7. Go to a party.

With multiple frat houses lining the same street, there’s always free alcohol and new friends to meet each weekend.