10 things Toronto students miss after they graduate

As another school year passes, another graduating class says an easy goodbye to essays, projects and exams. While these things won't be missed, there are numerous perks of the student life that are more difficult to bid farewell to.

Here are 10 things that Toronto students miss after they graduate.

Discounts on the TTC
Dishing out $112 a month for a student Metropass pass is already hard enough. The realization that an adult metro pass is $141, meaning an extra $29 a month ($348 a year), is one I have yet to come to terms with.

Working out in elite gyms without a monthly bill
Although a gym membership is definitely included in tuition and not free, sometimes it can feel that way without the monthly bill on your VISA. Going from working out in fully stacked (and historic) gyms like U of T's Hart House or Ryerson's Mattamy Athletic Centre to a commercial gym with monthly fees just stings.

Discounted groceries and meals
Every Toronto student knows that Tuesday (a.k.a. student discount day at Metro) is the day to stock up on groceries. Might as well save your dollars while you still can by checking out student deals at Bulk Barn and restaurants like Fresh and Salad King.

Cheap(er) clothes
Retail therapy is all that more effective for students, because post-graduation you'll no longer get a discount at clothing stores like Topshop/Topman and Club Monaco. It's also sucks to lose it at places like Henry's and Curry's.

Extracurricular activities without the extra coin
Checking out popular Toronto cultural spots like the ROM, the AGO, or even going to see a movie are made a little easier when you're a student given the discounted rates. Before you toss out your student card, hit up a few of these spots while you can still do so on the cheap.

Getting into bars for free
No one likes to fork over $20 cover for the opportunity to dance and drink watered down vodka soda. For this reason, one must take full advantage of bars like The Dance Cave or Gracie's, which wave cover on certain nights with the flash of a student card.

Free WiFi at hotspots throughout the city
If you're a Ryerson student, the free WiFi that stretches out through Yonge and Dundas Square is probably something you've grown accustomed to. Ditto for U of T students around downtown campus. Wherever you're a student in Toronto, you know where to use your credentials for a free internet connection.

Campus food prices vs. Toronto restaurant prices
While the food in your school's food court might not be anything special, campus prices ($5-10) are a whole lot easier to swallow compared to a standard off-campus meal, which you can count on being over $10.

A valid excuse to wear sweatpants through city streets
Living on campus was my main validation for wearing sweat pants in Dundas Square, and this will surely be missed. You can always tell who lives by campus (hints: pajamas, last night's hair, and maybe even Uggs) versus those who commuted two hours to get to school.

Drinking on the cheap at Toronto dive bars because you're a (poor) student
There's no better excuse to get drunk every weekday than cheap drink deals at student dive bars. Sneaky Dee's, Einstein's, The Lab, Imperial Pub and the Maddy come to mind quickly, after having a few (hundred) of these nights myself over the past four years.

What did I miss? Add in what you miss about being a Toronto student in the comments.

Photo by Derek Flack.

by Samantha Tapp via blogTO