Student status offers cheap thrills
By Julia Bunch / Student Publications
A student works on a project while enjoying free music in the Music Listening Room, which offers more than 2,000 CDs and 1,500 LPs.
If any combination of tuition, housing, books, food plan, parking permit or student fees has left your bank account in shambles, fret not. As a student, you are fortunate enough to have a vast and diverse array of free goods and services available around campus.
One of the most obvious perks of attending a technical institute is free technology. If you are lucky enough to be the proud owner of a laptop, be sure to make use of LAWN, the free wireless network for students, faculty and staff.
It can be a bit tricky, even with the help of the majestic connection "wizard," but the freedom of accessing the internet from practically anywhere on campus is worth the trouble.
Now that you're "wired for success," you can take on all those tough college courses. Best of all, if you get stuck over that bewildering calculus and impossible chemistry, help is only a few steps away.
During the day the 1-to-1 Tutoring Program offers free individual tutoring sessions in the Industrial Engineering Annex, and in the evenings help is available in the library. Free tutoring can also be found in Freshman Experience dorms.
If you're ready for a break and love music, take advantage of all that is available in the Music Listening Room (MLR). Located on the second floor of the Student Center, the MLR contains over 2,000 CDs and 1,500 LPs that students can help themselves to.
Hungry after all that activity? Free food can be yours for the taking, though you might have to look in some unexpected places to find it. Most upperclassmen understand the importance of getting involved on campus, but extracurriculars can mean more than just random opportunities for student involvement.
Though underwater basket weaving may not be your favorite pastime, chances are that any club will offer food at most, if not all, meetings. For instance, Technique meetings are every Tuesday at 7 p.m., and free pizza is always abundant.
Ladies, feeling left out at a school that is seventy-percent male? There's no need to worry as the Women's Resource Center offers talks and events to support women on campus and even has some free tampons if you are in a bind.
Finally, if you're tired of walking everywhere to obtain your free stuff, remember that you can always hop on the Tech Trolley or the Stinger shuttle.
Both provide complimentary transportation services around campus, and they can be especially useful during times of torrential downpour or extreme exhaustion. Students can also hitch a ride on the trolley for a free trip to the midtown Marta station.
