It sometimes feels like every fun activity costs money. As a college student, money can be tight and it’s important to save, but you can still have fun. There are plenty of fun opportunities that you can participate in that are affordable or free.

1. Campus Events
Pay attention to the school activities that are being advertised around campus or on the school website. There may be a play, concert, or open mic night that you’d like to attend. Many campus events are extremely affordable because they want to encourage students to go. You can expect to pay between $3-10 for campus activities. Some classes even give you class credit for attending certain events.

2. Outdoor Recreation Center
BYU-Idaho’s Outdoor Recreation Center encourages students to get out, explore, and have fun at a friendly price. They rent outdoor recreation equipment for every season. If you are a student in the winter, try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing by renting equipment at the shop. If you are a student in the spring, rent a tube or a canoe and head to the river for a day on the water. Grab a group of friends and get outside!

3. Community Events
Follow the community Facebook pages for insights on community events. There might be something going on in the community that you’d like to attend. In the spring and summer, for example, you might want to check out the Farmers Market or community days at the park. There are also holiday celebrations that you can attend like firework shows and parades. Being involved in the community is a great way to get to know the area better and learn local secrets for places to visit.

4. Student Discounts
Be aware of places that have student discounts. If you are going snowboarding at Kelly Canyon, for example, they have student discounts on certain days of the week. Even just saving a few dollars makes a difference. Student discounts can also help you save on Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Spotify. You should also know the places that are just affordable in general like the Paramount movie theater. The Paramount shows movies a few months or so after larger theaters have been showing them, so the ticket prices are much cheaper. FatCats, the other theater in town, shows movies for only $5 on Tuesdays!

5. Volunteer
Volunteering may sound like work, but it can actually be a lot of fun. The campus page has a list of volunteer or service opportunities you can join, or there are places to volunteer in Rexburg like the Homestead Assisted Living. Volunteering can also be a great way to make friends with other students.

6. Game Nights
A deck of cards can make for a super fun night if you don’t feel like going out. Bake a treat and invite friends over for a game of ultimate spoons, Shanghai Rummy, or Egyptian Ratscrew. If you have board games, you can break those out too and have fun playing some old school classics like Clue, Monopoly, or Sorry.

Take advantage of Sunrise Village's lounge and entertainment space to have a game night with friends. 

7. Watch Intramural Games
Going to sporting events is a good way to support the school, have fun, and save money. Since BYU-Idaho doesn’t have a sports team, you can go to intramural games and watch those instead—plus all the intramural games are free! There are lots of fun games to watch depending on the season. For example, you can watch flag football, kickball, ultimate frisbee, and more. You might even consider joining a team!

Having fun and saving money isn’t too hard. Colleges understand student budgets and try to still provide them with fun activities. As you settle in and make more friends, you’ll understand the opportunities for fun all around you!