As college students, saving every penny can help, and sometimes it feels like saving money means giving up fun. Regardless of a budget, there are still places to go for fun near Otterbein that won’t leave students with an empty wallet.
Live music at Java Central
Every weekend, Uptown’s coffee shop Java Central has live music. Friday night is open mic night, so anyone is able to have their 15 minutes of fame. Musicians come to perform on Saturdays. Students can listen to live music and have a medium specialty drink for less than $4. Java Central also offers a ten percent student discount.
Cinemark Theatre
The Cinemark Theatre at Polaris lowers their movie ticket prices to $5 every Tuesday. This price does not apply to 3-D movies.
Redbox
Rentals from Redbox are available for $1.20 per day for movies, $1.50 per day for Blu-ray discs and $2 per day for games.
Star Lanes
Star Lanes bowling alley at Polaris hosts Manic Mondays. Customers pay $2 for a game of bowling. There is also a cost of $2 for shoes, drink specials and appetizers.
Schneider’s Bakery
A student tradition at Otterbein is the doughnut run to Schneider’s Bakery, but 1 a.m. is not the only time to go for doughnuts. Doughnuts range from 70 cents to 80 cents based on variety and one dozen costs $7.25.
Orange Leaf
Orange Leaf offers self-serve frozen yogurt. There are different sized bowls, and pricing is totaled by weight. Customers choose the flavors they want and add their desired toppings. Be careful though, plenty of yogurt and toppings can be expensive.
Half Price Books
This discount bookstore offers a clearance section that contains a large variety of books, which can be found for as little as $1.
Westerville Mini-golf & Batting Cages
Located at 450 W. Schrock Rd. in Westerville, a round of mini golf is $6 per person. They open for business in March.
Graeter’s Ice Cream
Graeter’s offers a large variety of flavors for ice cream, sorbet and gelato. A single scoop of ice cream in a regular cone is $2.75, and two scoops is $4
Chocolaterie Stam
Located at 79 S. State St., Stam offers a large selection of chocolates. Gelato and sorbet are also served here. Prices range depending on the treat and how much of it is desired. Students receive a 10 percent discount.
Sharron Woods Park
Some of the best times can be had without spending any money at all. Spending an afternoon outdoors with a group of friends and a soccer ball or a Frisbee disc can lead to a great day. Being outside in fresh air for a leisurely stroll and enjoying nature is often underestimated and forgotten about.
Game Night with Friends
Grab a deck of cards, a board game, or plug in a game console for an afternoon or evening spent with friends, free of charge.
Otterbein students also shared their ideas of how to have fun on a budget.
“I like to go for walks on the bike path around Otterbein Lake,” senior psychology major Anne Moreland said.
Senior environmental science major Taylor Tackett said, “I like to go bowling at Capri Lanes off of Interstate 71.” Capri Lanes is located at 5860 Roche Dr. in Columbus. Shoes are always $3 and prices for open bowling vary throughout the week.
Cory Ott, senior education major with a theater concentration, said his favorite thing to do for fun is going to live theater performances at nearby schools.
“I like to see high school or middle school theater productions,” Ott said. “They’re cheap and they’re fun. You can go and appreciate the arts, and you’re seeing the future of Otterbein, other college theatre and Broadway.”
Grace Murrin, a junior math and theatre double major, has another preference for fun on a budget. “My friend and I like to go get food and then come back to my apartment to watch movies or our favorite T.V. show,” Murrin said.
A&E content sponsored by Education First Credit Union
