My favourite low-cost and free activities on campus

Katie Lord, March 2026

As a student at Lancaster for almost four years, I have realised the best ways to remain active and busy with activities whilst keeping a low budget. From spontaneous college events to scenic walks and budget-friendly food spots, there are so many low-cost and free activities to get involved in, which really helped me to settle into a city that initially felt unfamiliar. Here are some of my personal favourites that have made my time at Lancaster so memorable.

College events

Firstly, I can discuss the college events I experienced as a Bowland College member in my undergraduate years. They held movie nights, quiz nights at the college bars, and my personal favourite – karaoke nights! I cannot recommend participating in college events enough, as they really are the easiest way to meet people, especially in first year. Some of my best friends were made at a karaoke night at Bowland Bar, as it brought people together in doing a fun (and slightly nerve-racking) activity.

Another fun aspect of college life I particularly recommend is the planned day trips. For example, Bowland College have arranged trips to Windermere over the course of my undergraduate degree, which were such an affordable way to spend weekend days, with tickets costing just £8! Although this technically isn’t a campus activity, the value for money and ease of transportation makes it a go-to day out to relax, explore beyond just Lancaster, and meet other people in the college.

Societies

I also massively recommend students join societies during their time at Lancaster University, as a small membership fee can provide access to numerous events and activities on campus. Some societies I have joined during my time at Lancaster are the LAEL (Linguistics and English Language) Society and GTT (Girls Training Together) Society. The LAEL Society provides a number of talks and discussions from professors, quiz nights, and bar crawls. They also hosted a murder mystery night involving linguistic-themed clues, which I really enjoyed. This society didn’t cost me a membership; instead, I paid just £3 for events such as the murder mystery night, where free snacks and drinks were also provided, making it such an affordable way to spend the evening with my friends! My GTT membership cost me £27, which again was so affordable, providing access to weekly Pilates, yoga, running and LBT classes for the entire year. This shows how societies like this can be the easiest and most affordable way to spend your spare time as a student, whether you’re wanting to keep active or do something more academic.

Woodland walk

My favourite walk on campus has to be the Woodland Walk, stretching all the way around campus. Over the years, I have managed to take more sunset pictures than I’m happy to admit… but it’s a great stress reliever that costs nothing to do with your friends.

Low-cost lunch and coffee spots

My two favourite lunch spots on campus are Greggs and Coastal, both offering a super affordable food menu to satisfy your mid-library cravings. Both cater to multiple meals and snacks throughout the day and provide a range of seasonal coffee and drinks, so you can’t go wrong. Both are situated in Alexandra Square, making them hard to miss and a perfect low-cost lunch to grab with your friends (if you can brave the 12pm Greggs queue that stretches across the square).

Cosy nights with friends

My favourite tip for students on a bit of a budget-crunch at Lancaster is using college common rooms for movie nights! This is such a fun, low-cost way to bring groups of friends together, just on the doorstep of your first-year accommodation. In my first year, we used County College’s common room, which has a big screen, giving it that cinema feel without the ticket and travel cost. Another favourite of mine was cooking with my friends and splitting the grocery cost, which was affordable, fun, and slightly chaotic, but memories I will cherish for sure.

Conclusion

Reflecting on my time at Lancaster, some of my favourite memories have come from the simplest and most budget-friendly activities. There truly is so much to do on campus without spending much, making it an ideal place to stay social, active, and relaxed alongside your studies, which is something that I think is vital when coming to university.