Ever afraid to check your bank account? Us, too. But for many UNH students, that fear can sometimes turn into habit-forming hermit-ism, forcing you to retreat into the darkest corners of your dorm to hide from any over-zealous friend who wants to go out and spend money on the town together. Maybe the reason you’re in such dire financial straits is opting for expensive dorm housing instead of searching for UNH off-campus housing .
Whatever the case, you’re in need of some cheap things to do in Durham. That’s where we come in. In fact, Rent College Pads is going to do you one better: we’ve got five free things to do around UNH to keep your checkings account from calling all the shots.
CAB, also known as the Campus Activities Board, is an organization you’re going to want to get familiar with if you’re tight on cash. These new-age UNH college saints organize tons of great events for students who don’t want to spend anything. Take, for example, CAB’s hugely popular (and free!) weekly bingo, which offers some amazing prizes for winning students.
Then there’s also CAB’s The Grind, an open mic coffeehouse that lets students showcase their talents as musicians, comedians, actors and more. Swing on by when you’re in the mood to be impressed by your classmates — you might just be surprised at what you find!
We just mentioned comedians — if you’re a real fan of comedy, be ready for the free shows that UNH regular puts on at the Memorial Union Building, also known as the MUB. The University of New Hampshire regularly books comedians from both the surrounding area and beyond to perform for students, which has been very successful in years past.
In addition to hosting stand up, the university’s improv comedy sketch group, Sketched Out, performs at the MUB regularly. Check out either of these groups for a guaranteed great time.
- …In Fact, Just Hang Around The MUB In General
You’d only be experiencing a small portion of what the MUB has to offer if you only saw its comedy shows. There are so many other great events happening here that it’d be a crime if we didn’t list them! Take, for instance, the two movie theatres at the MUB that show movies year-round. Tickets are free for students, and while the snacks and drinks aren’t, we’ve always found the snack-smuggling method useful in the past…
When you’re not stuffing Raisinettes down your shirt at a free movie, check out the MUB’s Games Room. It’s got pool tables, table tennis and foosball equipment, as well as video games for students to use. With four Xbox One’s, four Xbox 360’s (for you old-schoolers), two Playstation 4’s and a Wii U, the Games Room has enough equipment to satisfy everyone from casual gamers to hardcore players. Oh, and did we mention there was a foosball table?
With great leisure comes great responsibility, UNH students. We’ve all got to work together to fight the freshman fifteen, and that’s why UNH’s Campus Rec has organized free exercise classes for students to take part in. Community exercise classes and gym memberships can be incredibly pricey, so take advantage of this opportunity if you want to stay in shape on a budget. Your options range from Zumba to yoga to circuit training (and more), so give them all a try and see what works for you.
- Get Off-Campus And Find Some Nature
You can’t spend your whole four years of college entirely on campus, so it’s important to have fun and free things to do when you’re in Durham. If you’re a nature lover, we’d recommend checking out Adams Point. It’s a great natural area that offers hiking, biking, kayaking and more. Also of note are some incredible views of the saltwater marshes and tidewaters off of its peninsula. For those who aren’t nature-inclined, there are lots of other free and cheap things to do in Durham. Find what speaks to you and pursue it!
Whatever you choose to do while you’re living out your days as a proud Wildcat, just remember that your wallet doesn’t have to call all the shots.
Ali Bartmer
Chips and salsa aficionado, Ali Bartmer joined the Rent College Pads team in the fall of 2016 as the Operations Assistant and has since become a Content crafter. Cat mom of one, Ali prides herself in being a Bloody Mary connoisseur and with her Masters from Hogwarts there’s nothing Ali can’t do.