In the midst of a bad economy, tuition increases and all sorts of fees that students pay, KnightNews.com wants to make sure students are taking full advantage of the services that are rightfully theirs.
In case you didn’t know, UCF students (that includes you) pay fees, like Health fees, Activity and Services Fees, etc., that go toward all the different services on campus. Now that you are aware that you spend hundreds of dollars that you may never have known about, the following list is our way of showing you how to get your money’s worth.
Top 10 Free Things on Campus
1. Condoms – These are given out for free at the UCF Health Center, as well as the Recreation and Wellness Center (the gym) on the first floor in the main office facing the pool. They have a basket of them, so feel free to grab as many as you’d like…no questions asked.
2. Scantrons – The Student Government Association gives them out for free (both pink and brown). The office is located on the second floor of the Student Union. Just walk in and ask the receptionist for one. Sometimes they are out on major test days, so try not to go their with 30 seconds to spare, just in case they have already run out.
3. Cab Rides – These are called “Saferide vouchers.” They are passes that basically give students a $50 cab gift card.. Their intention is for students who are intoxicated to have a safe ride home and to discourage drunk driving. To get one, just go to the SGA ticket office on the first floor of the Student Union. They can only give out “x-amount” per semester, so get one as early as you can and hang onto them (they do not need to be used right away). P.S. Each voucher is only good for a one-way cab ride. Even if the cab ride total comes to $24, the entire voucher must be used. Simply hand it to the driver instead of cash, and the driver redeems it and will be reimbursed. If you don’t drink, a lot of students use them for free rides home from the airport too.
4. STD Testing – Each year, the Health Center has a mass testing period where they test hundreds of students, absolutely free. Keep your eye out for advertisements. STD’s are a fear of many, so it can’t hurt to go in and get tested. Outside of this mass testing, students can make an appointment or just walk in to the HIV-AIDS Education Office and have an STA test done orally (no blood taken) for just $10.
5. Printing Services – No one likes paying for printing, and many students don’t even have a printer of their own. Just head up to the second floor of the Student Union, and right in front of the staircase, to your right, is the printing lab. Jut bring your student ID, and you are given use of their computers and printers. Come with your work already completed and hand them the flash drive, or go in their and work on your assignment at a computer and then print. Each student is allowed to print up to 20 double-sided pages per day.
6. Health Services – many students either don’t have health insurance, or do not have a nearby doctor who is covered on their plan. Each semester that a student is enrolled in classes, a health fee of $110 is assessed to their tuition. This gives students free usage of UCF doctors at the Health Center. This does not cover medicine or blood work performed, but if you are not feeling well and want to see a doctor, simply call and make an appointment and see a doctor for free. They also give free masks if you have swine flu.
7. Personal Training Consultation and CHAMP Test – The UCF Recreation and Wellness Center (the gym) provides free CHAMP tests, in which a personal trainer gives you an overall health assessment test to see how you can improve your health. This initial consultation is free. Afterward, if you choose, students can have 60-minute training sessions for $20 each, or buy five sessions for only $80.
8. Tutoring – Students who wish to receive free tutoring service can go to the Student Academic Resource Center (SARC), which is located on the first floor of Howard Phillips Hall in room 113. There is no appointment necessary, but each subject has specific hours in which students can be tutored. The schedule for each subject and the appropriate walk-in hours can be found at this link: http://www.sarc.sdes.ucf.edu/documents/Summer_2009_Tutoring_Schedule.pdf
9. Counseling – The UCF Counseling Center offers free services for students. A free initial consultation is given to all students, where a specialist will sit down with a student and determine the best course of action for their individual issue or concern. Additionally, this offers offers a free Biofeedback course, which is a six-session course taking place in the Counseling Annex in building 27. According to the Counseling Center’s Web site, “Biofeedback helps individuals become more aware of their body’s reactions to stress and teaches stress-reducing techniques.”
10. Chinese Food – We knew this one would catch your attention. This one isn’t a UCF service, but just something we here at KnightNews.com have learned over time. All you have to do is go to Asian Chao in the Student Union food court and ask for a sample of any of their different chicken dishes, and they will hand you a piece on a toothpick. Well, simply do this 150 times and you will have yourself a hefty meal for free. You’re welcome.
