Everyone, whether or not they attend college, understands that 99% of us college kids are unfortunately functioning on a very limited budget to make the most of the “Best Four Years of Our Lives.” Ballin’ on a budget is something all of us college kids can understand because at a very young age many of us are slapped with the reality of “responsibility,” which means Ramen and Dollar Meals are what our diets consist of. This responsible lifestyle drops an airstrike package on weekend plans to go out and totally obliterates it to smithereens because, like many things in life, going out costs an absurd amount of money. This short amount of time that is allotted for us to grow mentally is extremely stressful and we all deserve a getaway, vacation or just weekend chilling regardless of the budget.
Something many of us fail to understand about society is that you could spend all the money in the Swiss Banks to go out, but have no fun if you are not with people that you have fun with and care about and vice versa. This article is kind of in conjunction with my last article “Why College Students Shouldn’t Go Home on Weekends” because, going home costs money in gas and you do not gain anything then and if you are going to up at college you will need to find things to bond over. You do not need some fancy club or overpriced bars to enjoy the weekend with friends. Y'all just need some Jesus and each other.
1. The Reservoir
Holding the mass of drinking water for Lumpkin County, this large body of water offers a lot of fun activities for free. You can feed the ducks, swans and geese from the dock or the ramp, but just remember it's better for the birds to feed them corn or oats than bread. Also with the trail littered with stops and pavilions you will find many views, and if you are lucky like I was, an adventurous lady will take you off the beaten route to the chimney where a house once sat to watch the sunset, which it just goes to show you do not need money you just need each other. Another beautiful thing is laying on the dock and mapping out the constellations on a clear night and seeing the reflections off the water. Something so simple such as a body of water has so many activities hidden within.
2. Yahoola Park
Yahoola Park is only five minutes from campus, but offers so many amenities and activities that everyone can enjoy without worrying about $20 parking as in the case in ATL. Like the Reservoir, there are light hiking trails and pavilions scattered amongst the acres, but Yahoola also offers many sport fields and a full track. One of my favorite date ideas includes enjoying sandwiches and snacks while sitting in swinging bench under the oak in front of the creek with friends or significant other when it starts to cool down in the later part of the day.
3. Lazy Day
We all have those day when we feel like a sack of potatoes under the weight of the moon. For those days I would suggest that a media day be brought forth. Whether it be watching the game with the guys (Go Dawgs), aspiring to being an operator in COD, or having a movie night getting together and unwinding is the primary goal. So run to Wally World and grab popcorn, candy and drinks for a lot less than you would at a Theatre and be able to look like a bum so get into your favorite sweater and enjoy each other's company.
4. Woody Gap/60s/Storm Tower
While this is kind of a trek, Highway 60 shoots straight up to Woody Gap. Along the curvy roads, which are a gearhead's dream, there lies numerous overlooks, camping spots and trails to explore. Other than fuel for the vehicle and body there is no trail or park fee to worry about, but this location is extremely busy during the weekends. Along the route up to Woody’s Gap you will come across a vast rock face with colorful amount of graffiti on the surface. Trails lead to the top of the outcrop and offer a beautiful view and an amazing spot to repel for the highly skilled. When you make it to the top summit of Highway 60 you will be greeted by a somewhat large parking lot, but be wary of pedestrians so slow down. From here you can take a look of the overlook or continue forthwith down the road to hike to the Storm Tower which gives you nearly an undisturbed view of the surrounding ridgelines and valleys. When going up for the day I stress to drive cautiously and to your skill level because some vehicles are built to tackle curvy roads while other are not. Keep in mind this road is used by commuters, cyclists and gearheads to be wary of the blind corners.
5. Cooking/Baking
Many of us college students struggle to feed ourselves at home and even more so that we are away. For many of us the only time we get a home cooked meal is when we go home and then its fast food for the remainder of the time due to budget constraints. Unfortunately many of us will probably burn the dorms down if we attempted to cook, but if you get friends together one is bound to know how to turn the stove on. If the stars aligned our species (aka college kids) will be able to adult and go to the grocery store to pick up ingredients to cook a sustainable meal. No matter what is chosen to make that night just getting together and hanging out while learning a lifelong skill is irreplaceable. So go out and buy ingredients for a five course meal or a cake and go to town. Pro tip do not put cookie dough in a waffle iron it does not work, I say again abort mission. Disclaimer for all the freshman you have to put water in Easy Mac it does not just spontaneously just appear.
Proverbs 30:24-25
"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer."
