Key Takeaways:
- Libraries offer access to books, periodicals, and digital materials, enhancing cultural exposure without cost for college students.
- Students can experience culture by attending free university performances, art shows, and author readings with a student ID.
- Museums and community events offer cultural enrichment through exhibitions and performances, often with free admission.
There are quite a few free ways to “get culture” as a college student. This should come as a relief to college students who often do not have a lot of disposable income. Here are some of the best free ways students can experience various types of culture during their time in college.
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1. Visit A Library
Libraries have been bastions of culture for centuries, and for taxpayers, they are typically free to use. Students usually have two or more libraries they can frequent – their university’s library and the local public library. Perhaps the most obvious kind of culture libraries offer is books. There are literally millions of books on library shelves across the world in every subject imaginable. Libraries don’t just have books available – they also offer periodicals, movies, and music as well. More libraries are allowing for the checkout of digital materials now too.
2. Attend School Shows
Students majoring in the arts will do performances from time to time. Any student with a valid ID is likely to be able to get into these performances free of charge. These performances can be in music, plays, musicals, improvisational comedy and more. Other shows can include art shows and readings by authors, whether poetry, fiction or non-fiction. All of these will expose students to different kinds of art and ideas. Attend these performances to support young artists as they grow and develop their skills.
3. Participate In Culture Clubs
Colleges have many student organizations they sponsor and culture clubs are among the most popular. Culture clubs can be based around a number of different subjects, including music, art, literature, entertainment, foreign cultures and more. Because of the wide variety of subjects usually available, students have a lot of options. They can join just one club or several, and there is almost certain to be a specific subject that generates interest. Participating in these clubs not only has a positive effect on a student’s personal enrichment – these activities also look great on a resume and can increase a student’s chances of getting a job or into graduate school upon graduation.
4. Visit Museums
Museums of all varieties are another great place for students to experience culture. This is true even for students who don’t attend college in a big city. There are countless smaller, fascinating museums around the country just waiting to be discovered, hosting information and exhibits about local people and history. Online directories, such as the one hosted by MuseumsUSA, are a great place to find museums in a specific area. For students who do attend a university in a larger city, there are usually plenty of museums to visit, including several major ones. Many museums offer free admission or free admission for students on certain days.
5. Go To Community Events
Local communities often host events, often annually. These events can include live music performances, native cultural performances, local cuisine, parades and more. These may not always be free to attend, but many are, making them one of the good free ways to get culture as a college student. These events offer college students an excellent opportunity to grow closer to the larger community that surrounds their university. Students are often quite isolated on college campuses and it can be very beneficial to get out and connect with the surrounding community.
College students actually have a good amount of options when it comes to partaking in no-cost cultural experiences. These free ways to get culture as a college student will teach students more about the world around them and enrich their lives.