As a college student, there is little else I love more in the world than a discount. I mean, considering we're spending $60,000 on an education, I find it's nice to save a little whenever possible. Boston is a college town, and therefore, a lot of businesses here cater to the needs to students. I scheduled a week of affordable activities that involve decent discounts for college students. Take a break from finals and test out something on this list!
MONDAY
I have nothing left but faint memories of attending college night at Fire + Ice; food comas can do that to a person, and I have sustained several as a result of Fire + Ice’s $10.99 college night discount (available with a valid student ID; normal pricing is $17.99) on their unlimited grill trip dinner. That’s right - I said unlimited!
Recommendations: come prepared to eat multiple courses, have the grill chefs create a double cheeseburger (what is it about their burgers that makes them taste so incredible?), make a dish of mac 'n' cheese with macaroni pasta and their cheese sauce (a classic masterpiece), and for students willing to spend a little extra, I’d suggest ordering chicken fingers off their menu (life-changing).
TUESDAY
Tonight’s agenda: bundle up, bring a valid student ID, and grab some friends to go to college night at the Frog Pond in the Boston Commons! Skating is open from 6 pm - 9 pm for half-price admission (from $6 to $3) for college students. Remember, renting skates ($12) or lockers ($3) will cost extra. In addition, the Frog Pond Cafe will be open and has a range of choices to pick from. I recommend getting a hot chocolate and a Belgian Waffle!
Reminder: College Night at the Frog Pond is not held during school breaks or vacations, and skate rental prices are not discounted with a college ID. Please call ahead for clarification if confusion occurs.
If skating doesn’t seem appealing (and I don’t see how this could be possible), Goodwill offers 20% of the entire purchase tonight with valid student ID.
WEDNESDAY
If the skies are clear and the sun is shining, go to the Prudential Center’s Observation Deck for a bit of sightseeing for the discounted rate of $13 with student ID (regular pricing is $16)! What better place is there to snap Instagrams of a sunset, or windblown candids of friends?
THURSDAY
Head to the AMC Loews Boston Common or the AMC Chestnut Hill with some friends (or a special someone) for a $3 discount on movie tickets tonight with a valid student ID (ticket pricing should be around $7). The best part about AMC? Their butter dispensers, in which I have the power to decide the degree to which I soak the popcorn - I swear, AMC is God’s gift to movie lovers and junk food enthusiasts alike.
In addition, The Kendall Square Cinema offers $9 tickets tonight (original pricing is $11).
FRIDAY
After a week of working hard, it’s time to go shopping! Here are some discounts available to college students with valid ID: Alex & Ani offers 10% off all full-priced, in-store purchases while J. Crew, Banana Republic, H&M, and Madewell offer a 15% discount for in-store purchases of full priced items. In addition, Club Monaco offers 20% off full priced and sale items both in store and online while Eastern Mountain Sports gives a 20% discount on all full-priced EMS brand items and %15 full-priced national brand items (this reads as somewhat confusing but this is because I have never been to Eastern Mountain Sports and have little intel to provide in this situation; I just wanted to throw the outdoorsmen in Boston a bone).
SATURDAY
Let’s get historical, people: it’s time for an afternoon of museums.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a beautiful place to escape for an afternoon, and it offers a series of discounts for college students, including free admission for these universities (and $5 admission for students with valid college ID who did not make the list; regular pricing is $15).
Been there, done that? What about the Museum of Fine Arts, who offers a similar discount (free admission to these schools), as well as $5 tickets to films when purchased in person prior to the screening and a 10% discount in the Museum shops. Alright, that might not sound that cool, but trust me, their gift shop is half of the fun!
SUNDAY
If leaving bed doesn’t seem like the thing to do, then I have a solution! All students with “.edu” email addresses are eligible for six months of Amazon Prime for free (continued subscription is offered at a discounted rate). So kick back, relax, procrastinate the list of homework piling up, and watch some Prime movies! Binge an entire season of Avatar: The Last Airbender if that seems like the thing to do! Order some textbooks or for-fun items and have them shipped for free! It’s a world of possibilities.
