How to celebrate the end of exams on a budget

With the current cost of living crisis, going out to celebrate the end of exams might not seem like a viable option right now, but take a look at some of these ideas which are suited to a range of different budgets and interests.

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Bottomless brunch

Whilst a bottomless brunch might seem expensive, it is good value for money with food and unlimited drinks included, it will probably end up being cheaper than a night in the pub. Some of the best bottomless brunches in Leeds are Slug and Lettuce (£30 per person), Turtle Bay (£31.50 per person) and Banyan Bar (£34.95 per person).

Pottery painting

If you fancy getting creative then doing a pottery workshop or pottery painting could be great fun. Jackrabbits in Roundhay offer pottery painting starting from £8 and Sunken Studio in Leeds offer pottery courses starting from £20. However, if you would prefer to do this in the comfort of your own home then you can order a pottery making kit from Noah’s Box for £35 which contains everything you need including a pottery guide and enough clay for two people.

2-for-1 cocktails!

Going out with friends and taking advantage of ‘Happy Hour’ is a great way to celebrate the end of exams. You can find many great bars in both Leeds and Headingley including Manahatta, Turtle Bay and Dirty Martini to name a few. Be at One are also giving away a free cocktail when you sign up and download their app!

Celebratory Otley Run

Whilst an Otley Run is associated with being an expensive day out, there are many ways that you can make it cheaper. Buying a costume second hand will save you lots of money, venture into Headingley where you can find numerous charity shops, or if you have more time then you could use second-hand clothing apps such as Depop and Vinted to find more specific things that you are looking for.

Go bowling/play darts

Roxy Ballroom is a great venue where you can play a game of ten pin bowling for as little as £8 per person. If bowling isn’t your thing then you can also do a range of other activities here such as basketball, ping-pong, pool or beer-pong. If you enjoy playing darts then be sure to check out Flight Club on Park Row in Leeds.

Organise a games evening

This can be a really easy thing to do with your housemates, you can buy a range of board games such as chess, Scrabble, Monopoly etc. You can often buy these second hand in charity shops or online and you can easily turn them into drinking games. Like with anything at home, remember your neighbours might have assignments, or have a family etc. Keep the noise to sensible levels, of course. Nobody wants to hear your chess game when they’re trying to sleep.

Kitty Café Leeds

If you love cats, or if any of your friends are cat-lovers, then visiting the Kitty Café in Leeds is something that you must do. It is located in the city centre and very easy to get to (a 15–20 minutes’ walk from campus). It is only £7 per adult or £5 per child to enter which goes towards the welfare for the cats.

House golf

House golf is like pub golf but can be done in the comfort of your own home! Contrary to the name, this contains no physical golf but the golfing element is the number of “holes” you will cover which can be the number of different drinks you will decide to drink, and the par for each drink will be the number of sips which will be needed to finish the drink you are drinking. People often dress up in fancy dress and it’s even better if you have a group of friends who are in a different house as it adds to the fun as you can move between houses and therefore each house has its own theme. However, this is definitely achievable with your housemates as each bedroom could have its own theme. Even though the basic rules are outlined above, the rules are completely up to you!

Obviously, you’re going to need to be fully aware of your neighbours, and be considerate, respectful and keep the noise down, of course!

Go out for dinner

Going out for dinner does not have to be expensive, especially as a student. Download the ‘Unidays’ app and browse the exclusive offers they have on for students. Throughout January Zizzi’s and Pizza Express are offering 30% off food (Sunday-Thursday) for students. Franco Manca have an offer on for students for the whole of January where you can get a pizza and a soft drink for £8.95 or £10.95 for a pizza and an alcoholic drink.

Enjoy an evening of live music

On Tuesday evenings from 8pm the East Village cocktail bar in Hyde Park host live music every week, which is free to attend. It is an open Mic too so if you’re a talented singer looking to make your debut then this could be a great place to start! The East Village also have a 2-for-1 offer on their cocktails too!

Written by Phoebe Green