Campus is alive again. We’ve survived the holidays, the safaris, the tour guides and the monotonous January Term courses. I am equally impressed by those who spent winter break shark diving and those who spent it passing stats class. You all risked your lives, bravo.

I’m sure most students are happy to be back. Your friends are here, the food is limitless and you can sleep peacefully from the hours of 2 a.m. to 1 p.m. once again. However, for a select few of us, spring semester holds a little more weight. By weight, I mean stress, exhaustion and a major reality check.

Seniors, we’re graduating.

After almost two decades and nearly 25,000 hours of our lives spent learning, we’re finally at the end. It is both exhilarating and terrifying, bittersweet and just plain sweet. But above all else, it is completely consuming our minds.  

Where will I work? Is my resume enough? Did I even accomplish anything over the past four years? Am I addicted to coffee? How do I file taxes? Do I have taxes? What about loans? How many years will I be paying loans? My life is over.

Stop. Seriously, stop it. Your student status has an expiration date and there’s fun to be had. Below is a noteworthy list of collegiate perks that you must experience before graduating.

Discounted apparel

Need clothing for interviews? Not many retailers advertise student rates, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. J.Crew, Banana Republic and Madewell offer 15 percent off your purchase with a college ID card. Ann Taylor and Club Monaco offer 20 percent off. Even Target takes 10 percent off of all online student purchases.

Budget-friendly fare

College deals are edible, too. Buffalo Wild Wings, Subway and McDonald’s offer 10 percent off to students. Bring your ID card to Chipotle or Qdoba and receive a complimentary drink with purchase. Sam’s Club even offers a Collegiate Annual Membership for $40.

Affordable electronics

For tech-savvy students, St. Thomas’s online Academic Superstore offers huge deals on software and gadgets. Save $1,454.05 on Adobe Creative Suite 6 and $180 on Microsoft Office. Avid editing software retails for $699, but students can snag it for just $294.95. The site also sells big ticket items like game consoles, SLR digital cameras, laptops and televisions at discounted rates.

Cheap activities

You can only hibernate in the library for so long before the coffee runs out and the lights go off. That’s your cue to disconnect, if only for a while. The box office sells movie, zoo and museum passes at discounted rates. They also rent out snowboards and other winter gear for $6.50. CorePower Yoga offers student-only rates and The Guthrie theater takes $10 off ticket pricing for students. Target Center hosts multiple College Nights during the Timberwolves season: every Wednesday home game tickets are only $10. Finally, Minneapolis piano bar The Shout House provides free cover every Friday night with a student ID card. Believe me, the shouting is a great stress reliever.

Oh, the things I would do for another four years. Alas, four more months will have to do. Take advantage of every minute because the next time these discounts come around, you’ll be a different kind of senior.

Carly Samuelson can be reached at samu5380@stthomas.edu.