Managing college can be so stressful at times. As students you’re expected to keep up with course work, maintain a social life, and somehow manage to sleep enough to get you through the day. Depending on your life, you also might have a sport, or a job, or possibly both, all of which eat up a lot of your time. For a lot of college students, it can feel easy to knock out one of these things in favor of having more time for one of the others. While we can’t do anything about anyone’s night owl tendencies or busy schedules, we do have quite a few suggestions on ways to have fun, and not break the bank.

 If you are looking to get off campus, and you’re an early riser, then we would recommend the farmer’s market! The market is completely free to get into, and it runs from 8 am to noon every Saturday. The market is especially enjoyable when the artisan market also comes to the square. The artisan market is when a second set of businesses come to sell things like paintings, pottery, handmade bags, and sometimes jewelry. The artisan market occurs on every second Saturday of the month! Unfortunately, the last day that both markets take place is October 8th, so you will have to come check it out before the end of the warm season.

 Of course, since you would already be downtown after the market, it would be rude of us to not give you any food recommendations. Boba Bowl is the number 1 place for boba in Wooster, and we aren’t saying that just because they’re our only one. The Boba Bowl is number one in our hearts because they make delicious drinks, and they offer a ten percent discount with a valid student id!

 Luckily, they aren’t the only ones that have discounts for college students. Omahoma Bob’s Barbeque has fifteen percent off, Sure House Coffee offers a drink reward system, Undergrounds Coffee has fifteen percent off, Spoon Market and Deli offers a ten percent discount, and Wooster Nutrition will take two dollars off your order.

 Granted, we cannot always predict what draws people downtown. It could be our amazing food, or our music, or our unique small-town shops. But you could also be on a mission to find a gift, and if that is true for you, then we still have you covered. Whether it is for a roommate that you upset, or your mom that is missing you more than she cares to admit, we have a shop for everyone.

 Like our restaurants, our shops understand that college pays off in the long run, but the budget can be tight while you are in school. A large amount of our shops offers a ten percent discount with proof of a student ID, which includes, Graham and Burns, Son Apothecary, Motts Oils and More, Blackbird Records, Operation Fandom, JK Gift Shop, and Lynch’s Irish Imports.

 Papers and exams can be very taxing on your nervous system, so if you feel like you need to ‘stretch’ out the stress, then Flex Yoga is offering discounted student memberships and drop ins, just for people like you. However, different people use different ways to de-stress, and if crystals and salt have that effect on you, then you may want to try The Salt and Serenity Grotto at a fifteen percent discount! Additionally, Friendtique and Nest have twenty percent off every Saturday, and at Roomscapes you get one free card with the purchase of a greeting card.

 For the night owls, we have one more event for you. On every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night Main Street Music hosts an artist each night on the square! The acts can range from folk and country songs, to pop, and rock, and change each night. Like the Farmer’s Market, it only runs till October 8th, but there will certainly be some great acts before the music is capped for the year.

It can be tough to make time to socialize in school, and it can be even harder to make time for yourself, but even if it's an hour that you spend by yourself looking at fresh fruits and honey, it can be a big help in school. Maybe that self-care can also look like roaming the downtown streets with your favorite drink in your hand and your friends by your side. It does not matter what way you choose to use as self-care, but as the community of Wooster we hope our downtown is a part of the reason you can stay sane this school year.