#96. Grab a free T-shirt. There are always free shirts floating around campus for different events.

In college, free t-shirts are more precious than gold. In college, free anything is more precious than gold.

At RIT, I covet free swag more than a first year covets meal options. I have gotten pens, lanyards, stuffed animals, more pulled pork and cheeseburgers than my body will ever need, and so much more.



Alas, there is nothing quite like rolling up to class drinking your coffee and water from free thermoses and bottles, wearing free obnoxiously colored sunglasses, listening to your music from free ear buds and keeping warm from the wind in a free scarf/glove combination.

I am clearly not a big proponent of being serious in my writing, so for this pots, I have decided to take a seemingly playful subject -free swag- and turn it into something philosophical and inspiring. So here goes:

THE 3 PILLARS OF FREE SWAG

1. Campus Involvement:

Going to an event where free things are given away (much like the shirts to the right and left of this paragraph) amplify the atmosphere. In addition, if t-shirts are given away, students will wear them and awareness for the even will circulate. Students can become inspired to get involved because of a shirt they receive (i.e. join CAB because of SpringFest), and at the same time they're representing their college everywhere they go.


2. Friendship & Bonding:

Freshman year, my floor and I went to everything to explore what the campus had to offer, as well as escape the confinement of dorm rooms. Dorms are microcosms of the real world, but eventually they end up turning into "The Real World." My floor was a dramatic reality show where everyone knew everything about everyone and exhaustion-caused-insanity runs rampant. Going to events, you share common experiences, and create memories which can become traditions to carry you through your college years.


3: Excitement: 

Obtaining free swag produces a similar result in your brain to, say, eating chocolate. In the beginning it's all you want, you consume it, you have a brief, albeit intense sugar high, and then you crash because you're over the shirt and don't need to wear it for a while. In a more direct comparison, it's like being given a gift for absolutely no reason other than being a student.


To summarize, if you haven't given in to the free swag train- hop on, it's completely worth it. If you don't believe me, take the 99 Things challenge and it will happen naturally.