I'm Broke, So What to Wear
by Casey Lane Hudgins '08

Winterfest is less than a month away and I don't have a dress to wear. It is so hard being a broke college student, because unexpected expenses pop up every week. I need to buy a dress, shoes, accessories, and makeup. The list goes on and on, not counting other things and somehow I will have to make it happen!

I have a few dresses that I can recycle and pull out of the closet or I can try another option and borrow a dress from a friend. Dresses are so expensive — prices range from $99 to $200 a dress, which is definitely not in my budget.

This year is the last year I will be able to go to Winterfest so I want to make the best of it, whether it is in a new dress or a used one. I had so much fun the first two years that I don't want to miss out on my last chance, because I can't afford a dress.

It is so much easier to come up with cheaper dates or activities in Salisbury. There are a few free things that I enjoy, like playing disc golf, or go to a park, and campus is full of fun free things. Student Affairs puts on different activities all year round; like, BINGO, Casino Night, and Movies on the Lawn. It is much easier to go to an activity on campus, be with friends and not have to pay money for something to do.

Catawba also offers free access to the Lerner Wellness Center, which is a gym with all sorts of Nautilus equipment and free weights to work out in. Another free asset poor college students like me have access to all of the fields on campus, like the football field, soccer and lacrosse fields. The football field is even encircled by a rubberized track which is easy on the knees whether you're running or walking. The campus also has tennis courts, racquetball courts, a pool, and a sand volleyball court. There are plenty of spaces to plan in all for free.

I know everything will work out and I will attend Winterfest, but what I'll wear remains to be seen. You and I both will know pretty quickly what my Winterfest dress will be. The event is Feb. 23. Wish me luck!