As registration season for Spring 2017 comes to a close we can all finally take a breath. No more frantically checking our shopping cart to make sure that our prime 12 PM class is still open and we don't have to take the dreaded (and crowded) 8 AM in HCB with the professor with a 2.5 rating on Rate My Professor. But in the midst of all of the madness of selecting the class that will make or break our GPA, there was something lurking. A number, rather, that affects us all. A mere 12 dollars and 86 cents that hitches a ride with every credit hour we pick up for the upcoming semester. A regular full time student will pay at least $154.32 per semester for this adorable little hitchhiker. Now I should probably call him by his formal name, let me introduce you to your Activities and Services Fees.

These fees are collected from each Florida State University student, pooled, and distributed to different organizations and clubs on campus. These clubs then use that money to provide a multitude of fun activities for students almost every day of the week, at almost any time of day. But so many of us don’t take advantage of the money we have reluctantly given up to take an IFS, HUM or REL class. We don’t even realize the magnitude of opportunities at our fingertips. From Indian Student Association’s Diwali, to free belly dancing classes by the FSU Belly Dancers to Homecoming’s Warchant and Pow Wow to Club Downunder’s crazy number of shows and events they put on, we many even have too many options at our disposal to disparage. Not to mention, many of these events have free food and giveaways for students. There is even an entire Facebook page dedicated to all the free food found on campus for events. While that shouldn’t be your only reason for attending, it also means no cooking your own food or trekking half way across campus to Fresh Foods.

On top of all that, most of these events are created with you in mind. They want students to come out and learn about their organization and have a good time. They want you to go back to your friends and show them the pictures you took at PRIDE’s Drag Show so you’ll come back for more with a few new faces. Organizations are constantly trying to find new participants, potential E-Board members, or simply people are genuinely interested in what they do. So why can’t it be you? Not only can you make new friends and learn something new but you have the opportunity to join these orgs kick start your professional development. Who knows, the position you earn may be the one that lands you your dream job!

There is never a reason to sit back and be bored in college. There are always hundreds of things to so on campus on any given night and thousands of faces that would love to meet you. So get out there and make your $154.32 work for it!