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05.31.18
The broke college student stereotype is true for many, to some degree.
But at Ohio University, that doesn’t have to prevent students from enjoying the occasional treat or event. Throughout the year, there are plenty of opportunities for students to find complimentary gifts like snacks, T-shirts and events to attend.
Mijana Mazur | FOR THE POST
Mackenzie Pippin prepares a walking taco for herself during the weekly Flavor of the Week event on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Flavor of the Week is a free meal with varying themes provided every Wednesday by the University Program Council.
Here are some places people can expect to find something sweet for no cost.
Every Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m., University Program Council hosts Flavor of the Week in the Bobcat Student Lounge on the first floor of Baker Center. The group selects a new flavor each week and provides a range of free snacks based on it. Some past themes have been cheese, coffee and “Throwback Thursday,” which featured kid-friendly treats like chicken nuggets and juice boxes.
Kristen Bishop, a rising senior studying social work, has gone to Flavor of the Week a few times over the years and especially enjoyed the times ice cream was served. She said she would definitely recommend it as a pick-me-up around lunchtime.
“A lot of college students aren’t able to get that kind of stuff because they don’t want to pay for it,” Bishop said. “It’s nice.”
Baker Center is also constantly populated by student organizations tabling for various reasons. Many of them will offer a free cookie, piece of candy, sticker or other free item in exchange for a few minutes spent chatting with a member of the group.
OU Athletics are also constantly offering freebies to students who attend games. Before most home football games, a student tailgate is hosted on the lawn outside Walter Hall. There, students can find free food from donors, such as McDonalds, Domino’s Pizza and Taco Bell.
Many times free items will also be offered at home basketball and baseball games, and other sporting events, too. It’s common to receive emails from OU Athletics on game days advertising free T-shirts, hats or other clothing items to the first given number of students who attend the game.
Leighann Buschor, a senior studying social work, worked at Bird Arena. Sponsors sometimes give away free T-shirts to Ohio hockey fans, especially near the end of the season.
“Everyone’s normally pretty hyped at hockey games anyway just because of the dynamic of the fans and all of that,” Buschor said. “But they get really excited when the staff comes out and does things for the spectators.”
The university also sponsors plenty of free activities each week for students to enjoy during their downtime. The Campus Involvement Center sends an email each week advertising free weekly events like comedy shows and open stages. Some even offer free coffee.
The Athena Cinema also regularly hosts free screenings of movies for students in coordination with academic programs, student organizations and other university entities. Many are documentaries, but occasionally some high-profile feature films are shown. For example, last year, the Athena teamed up with Hillel at OU and the OU LGBT Center to host a free screening of the Oscar-nominated film Call Me By Your Name.
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This story is part of a series of specially designed stories that represents some of the best journalism The Post has to offer. Check out the rest of the special projects here.