Reports suggest that up to 71 percent of undergraduates experience financial challenges while in school, and nearly half of those noted that it interfered with their ability to concentrate on schoolwork. The fast-paced, career-oriented nature of Drexel University can be profoundly stressful; the university offers several underadvertised and underused resources to alleviate financial worries. Often, students will pay for something whilst unaware of free or cheap alternatives. Here is The Triangle’s current list of ways to potentially save hundreds of dollars on food, clothes, and school supplies, all without leaving campus.
Drexel Sharing Excess’s Chapter is an amazing student-run organization that partners with local restaurants to provide free food to our community. The next opportunity to pick up fresh produce at zero cost is Friday, Jan. 23, at 11:00 a.m. This is for all students and community members. Future pop-up tables, always stocked with free, fresh food, will be posted on their Instagram account, @sharingexcess_drexel.
For free groceries, look no further than Mario’s Market, Drexel’s food pantry for students. They recognize that almost one-third of college students in the United States might not have consistent access to food. This judgement-free space offers a variety of canned goods, pastas, eggs, and more. Mario’s Market is typically open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 2:30 p.m to 7:00 p.m. Weekly hours are posted on their Instagram account, @drexelscdi.
In response to the loss of SNAP benefits, Pennoni Pantry has recently been made available to all Drexel students with no questions asked. Find microwavable meals, canned goods, and more on the 2nd floor of Bentley Hall, Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Updates regarding this pantry can be found on Instagram at @pennonihonors.
Reworn is Drexel’s student-run thrift shop, located in the URBN Center, which offers a variety of clothing at a low cost. Whether you need a professional wardrobe for co-op or funky new styles to try, you can find them at a sliding-scale cost at Reworn. Updates are posted on the Instagram account @drexelreworn.
The Buy Nothing Depot is exactly that: a free supply exchange program that aims to reduce the waste of usable supplies and ease the financial burden of being a student. Notebooks, novels, clothes, pens, and more are available to the Drexel community from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays in the PSA Building, Room 103. Their weekly inventory is posted via SharePoint.
We’ve covered various options for free groceries, but at the Dornsife Center, you can connect with the wider community and receive a free hot cooked meal! On the second Tuesday of every month, you can find hundreds of community members gathered around an ever-changing menu. The menu is posted before the monthly community dinner on its Instagram account, @dornsifecenter.
If you are headed towards Trader Joe’s, The Academy of Natural Sciences, West Philly, or even East Falls, do not waste your money on a SEPTA ticket! The Drexel community has access to free public transportation. Schedules vary by bus route, and all this information is available on the Bus Service Schedules page. Just show your Dragoncard and tap it on the blue card reader on the bus. Use the Drexel transit app, powered by TripShot, to plan your trips effectively. In addition, Dragoncards also grant access to Penn Buses if those routes are more fit for your needs.
Textbooks typically cost between $100 and $150, and 65 percent of students skip the purchase because of the cost. At Hagerty Library, your textbook and other course materials may be available for loan, free of charge. If your instructor has submitted the course reserve request form, it is recommended that students submit requests at least two weeks before the start of the term.
This resource is strictly for students who have experienced an emergency such as an illness, death of a family member, natural disasters, or loss of co-op, and are facing subsequent financial hardship. If this applies to you, you may be eligible to receive a grant up to $500 from the Office of the Bursar. The money does not have to be repaid by the student.
If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of college students in the United States struggling with finances, know that you have resources at Drexel.
It has been established that adults of low socioeconomic status are more likely to experience mental health struggles, such as depression. If you’re experiencing any form of toll on your mental health, the Counseling Center is available to support you, free of cost.