Although the cost of tuition, fees and books leaves many students with depleted bank accounts at the start of the quarter, enrollment does offer added value in the form of student discounts, free services and cheap entertainment.

According to Lindsay Hudson, program manager for the Student Activities Office, approximately 30 clubs exist that are free to join and open to all students. Clubs offer a unique opportunity to pursue interests and make friends that can only be found in college. Some current options include groups focused on language, culture, sexuality, careers and religion. For anyone looking not to feel so broke at the start of the next quarter, EvCC even offers a financial skills club.

If clubs are the long term relationships of student life, students looking for a one night stand can find satisfaction in the form of highly discounted or free events. This quarter, the SAO is offering tickets to the Feb. 17, Silvertips vs. Thunderbirds hockey match for $10, a $7 discount off of the regular price. Students may purchase additional tickets for non-students for the discounted rate of $14 each.

The campus also hosts free entertainment including concerts, magic acts (see page ???), and discussions. In conjunction with the EvCC Reads program on "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," there will also be a free film series every Tuesday in February focused on Native American films and filmmakers.

Socializing opportunities are not the only student perk available. On-campus freebies include the Herald newspaper, free internet available through several terminals in the Paperclip office, the library and scattered throughout the campus, and tiny little bottles of hand sanitizer to keep you germ free through the flu season in the Student Activities Office.

Another valuable benefit of enrollment is free individual and small group tutoring sessions through the Rainier Learning Center and a myriad of career resources including free assistance with resumes, job interviews and internships through the Student Employment Referral Center.

Students can also be rewarded for shopping online using promotions that only require an email address ending in .edu, which is provided to all EvCC students. One popular deal is the student price for Windows 2007. Students can buy the Office 2007 Ultimate edition including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and much more for $59.95 at microsoft.com, compared to the lowest non-student pricing online of $159 and a retail price of $679.95.

"This is the best thing I ever got for being a student," says Michelle Kim, a student in the medical assistant program who says she uses the software suite constantly for schoolwork, email and to create posters and cards for friends.

Beyond the campus, the local community also offers student discounts with an ID card, which can be obtained free at the Paperclip. Discounts range from $5 off tickets to the Everett Symphony to half-price tickets available to students 30 minutes prior to show times at the Village Theatre. Movie chains also offer student pricing: AMC theaters offer $7 shows for students on Thursdays, while Regal Cinemas offer $1 off tickets Sunday through Thursday.

The YMCA is one of many organizations that offers reduced rates to young adults age 19 to 29: a monthly membership costs $39 compared to $56 for the regular adult rate and additional financial aid is available to low income students.

When in doubt, ask local retailers for student rates and many will oblige.