Photo courtesy of Tiffany Bobadilla.
College students at The University of Tampa worry that they don’t have the ability to go out due to high prices all throughout the city of Tampa.
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By Tiffany Bobadilla
TAMPA, Fla.- Moving into a brand-new city can be difficult especially if a student does not have a constant flow of incoming money. For most college students, this is the reality. For out-of-state freshmen, navigating an unfamiliar city can quickly turn into costly spending as a way of comfort.
Downtown Tampa is one of the most expensive cities to live in Florida, built around a bustling port and a downtown that draws businesses and residents alike. According to apartments.com, when compared to Downtown Miami, Tampa is about 30 percent less expensive to live in. For those unfamiliar with Miami, the city often carries an image of beaches, nightlife, and a glamorous lifestyle.
The quality of living in Tampa is cleaner and safer than the one offered in Miami as shown based on findings by City Data. An apartment in Downtown Tampa ranges from 1,800 dollars to 2,010 dollars whereas, in Downtown Miami monthly rent averages out to 3,100 dollars city wide.
Monthly rent is expensive in both cities, but a major advantage about Downtown Tampa is all the free events available to the public. Just by following local social media, you can easily plan a day full of activities all for free.
Whether you are an athletic person or a pilates princess, a generation z term for a female who spends many of their mornings at a pilates studio. Armature Works, a commercial and social facility, hosts free monthly fitness events.
So why not set your alarms, go to The Lady and The Mug, a coffee shop across the street from the university’s on campus dorm, Austin Hall. They have very affordable and delicious options ranging from seven to ten dollars, perfect for college students.
“Walking around the city and grabbing a quick coffee once a week is a great way to have a debrief time with your friends and get closer to them,” says Analei Frank, allied health sophomore at The University of Tampa, but a full-time coffee lover.
Are you an artsy person? Or even a history geek? One of the advantages that come with our 60,000-dollar tuition is the free admission to the Tampa Museum of Art and the Glazer Children’s Museum.
At the University of Tampa there is a Tampa Bay historical museum of what is now known as Plant Hall. The Henry B. Plant museum showcases exhibits like the Cigar City Enema which are free to all University of Tampa students.
If you want to grab lunch with your friends but don’t want to spend over 30 dollars. 3 Corners on Water Street, a pizza shop just a twenty minute walk from campus offers a lunch special for 13.99 dollars that includes 2 slices of pizza and a beverage. You can sit outside and enjoy the beautiful view of Water Street as you eat.
After lunch, hop on the free trolley, which has stops in the Port of Tampa Bay, The Florida Aquarium, and Water Street, where you can find The Hampton Chocolate Factory and grab a sweet treat after lunch .
Not everything has to be about spending money, on our very own university campus many free student events are held throughout the school year. Clubs like Alternative and Natural Explorations in Wellness (@anewuoftampa) host events such as Sunset Pilates in collaboration with Body Bar hosted in our very own Henry B. Plant park open to all UTampa students.
Another big club on campus, UT Run Club (@utampa_run_club) , hosts many runs for both early risers at 6:30 A.M and the late sleepers during sunset hours in collaboration with many Tampa businesses , such as Buddy Brew Coffee and Gateway Subs, to promote group fitness.
“We get people to come by flooding our social media with posts that give a taste of what our energy is like and showcasing our personality,” says Charlie Fjeldal, President of UTampa Run Club.
Not only is this a great way to limit spending on social activities, but attending these events enables students to meet new people and make connections with people around our diverse campus.
Downtown Tampa might come with a high price tag, but going out and having fun doesn’t have to. All you need to bring with you is your creativity and an open mind, and the options are endless.