By Addison Chrivia, Managing Editor
If there’s one thing every college student is aware of, it’s that life is expensive. Between textbooks, materials, a laptop, gas money, and tuition — students are left with an empty wallet. And that’s just the stuff they need for college! But what if I told you that students have access to discounts and free services, and the only thing you need is your student I.D. or library card?
There’s a long list of companies that offer student discounts: Apple, Amazon Prime, DoorDash, Hulu, Spotify, and many more. Even some local spots offer them — places like Muse, Ijams, Knoxville Zoo, Lox Salon, Navitat, and the American Eagle and Aerie store in Turkey Creek.
In an interview with Rolando Sebastian, the manager of the American Eagle in Turkey Creek, he shared that on Thursdays, students can have 15% off their entire purchase. He knows from personal experience that college students greatly value getting “quality discounts” on products — including the “little bit expensive” jeans his employer sells. He points out that the Thursday discounts can “bump the price down” in a meaningful way for clientele in the costly throws of higher education.
It’s important for students to be able to buy nice clothing that will not only reflect well on themselves, but also be quality and last a long time. Buying cheap clothes that will wear down or break after a few washes only ends up costing more in the long run. He also included that if students book an appointment at American Eagle or Aerie ahead of time, that 15% discount will turn into a 25% discount. Sebastian continued,
“Our brand is more inclusive, so I make sure I take care of everybody, whatever that be, the veterans, students, LGBTQ+, all those types of communities.”
It’s important to support brands that serve the community when possible. It encourages other businesses to do the same when they see the loyalty and success it brings them.
Aside from discounts at stores, students have access to plenty of other freebies with their Pellissippi State Community College student ID. Everything from books and movies to music and comics can be checked out physically or online. Log in to Kanopy via the Pellissippi State library database to gain access to free movies and TV shows every month, Libby for books, and Hoopla for books as well as movies, music, and comics! You also get a free New York Times subscription, with the NYT games – as well as access to laptops, iPads, online papers, the seed library, course reserves, hotspots, and even a skeleton!
If you have a local Knox County library card, there’s more where that came from. To access additional books Pellissippi State may not have in its system, you can use your library card to access Libby, Hoopla, and Kanopy. They also offer the Read City Explorer Pass, which you can use to visit museums or cultural institutions for free or at reduced prices. Some included attractions are the Clarence Brown Theatre, Sunsphere, Zoo Knoxville, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, the Opera, and tons of other fun spots in Knoxville. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to have a fun day, reserve a pass today!
There are also learning resources, car repair guides, newspapers, tutoring, in-person events, and more! There’s free printing, online archives, as well as a memory lab which allows you to digitize, edit, and store your personal media. With all of these free resources, why not get a library card and support your community?
If you’re looking for other ways to keep track of all the ways to save, Student Beans and Unidays are great for tracking current student discounts. Remember — save when you can, support your local libraries, and spend wisely!
