Having a good time doesn’t have to be synonymous with spending money — here are 16 free or cheap things to do on or around campus.
1. Ballroom dance at Gerlinger Hall. Whether you have great rhythm or two left feet, check out Friday night dances with the Oregon Ballroom Dance Club. Every Friday, the OBDC hosts a new dance lesson from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and an open dance room from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
2. Go on a hike at Skinner Butte, Spencer Butte or Mount Pisgah.
3. Take advantage of your student ID and go see Duck sporting events.
4. Feed the ducks at Alton Baker Park.
5. Cook up a storm. Check out budgetbytes.blogspot.com, tastespotting.com or allrecipes.com for some ideas.
6. Don’t know how to cook? Take a cheap cooking class at Lane Community College.
7. Spend just a dollar at Cinemark 12 movie theaters in Springfield, or check out $2 Sunday and Tuesday movie specials at the David Minor Theater (21+ only).
8. Planning a weekend trip to Portland? Check out groupon.com for major discounts at restaurants and shops.
9. Take PE classes non-credit to save some money, or sample the Student Recreation Center’s fitness workouts to take a variety of classes at a small cost.
10. Look at the University’s Service Learning Program website to find volunteer opportunities on the weekend.
11. Plan a day trip to one of the many pumpkin patches or you-pick produce farms close to Eugene.
12. Visit the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History or one of the three EMU art galleries for free.
13. Get $10 student tickets for select Hult Center events.
14. Check the Oregon Daily Emerald, Eugene Weekly or the UO Cultural Forum for upcoming on and off-campus events.
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