Do you know where your old student ID card is? Mine’s in my wallet, and that’s where it’s gonna stay for awhile. I can’t use it to check out books at the library anymore, and I can’t put money on it for the laundry room either. So why bother carrying it around?
1. Nostalgia
No matter how macho you are or pretend to be, we’re all a little sentimental deep down inside. One day, when you’re running late for work, you’ll drop your wallet. Your old student ID will fall out, and all of these memories will come rushing back. You’ll feel something strange coming out of your eyes and realize that you’re crying…tears of laughter because you look completely ridiculous in your ID photo.
2. Student discounts
If you’re lucky enough to have gone to a college that doesn’t print a year or expiration date on their student IDs, then you can still use it to get student discounts after you graduate. While I don’t want to condone lying, it really does save you money to keep living like a college student.
3. Bets
Have your appearances changed a lot since college? Maybe your new friends don’t believe that you used to be big boned or that you sported a blue mohawk freshman year. Just whip out your old college ID, and your friends will be paying for your drinks the rest of the night.
4. For the records
A few years down the line, you decide that you want to apply for even more school, so you need a transcript from your old college. Now if only you could remember your student ID number…
5. Hand-me-down
Do you have a brother or sister that looks like you or may look like you in a few years? Hang on to your student ID, so you can pass it on to them. Then your legacy will live on even longer.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Very true, it’s a great idea to keep your ID.
I still use mine everyday for a free pass on the city bus. It’s saving me a lot of money
I kept using mine after college at the grocery store and movie theatre ($2 off) until my mom guilt tripped me into giving it up.
But I still keep it in my wallet and needed that student ID the other day to get a copy of my transcripts.
On point with this one b/c college students will, and always will, get some of the best discounts you can possibly earn. I still can get into my school’s library with my old college id and even get in the gym sometimes too, I just put a new sticker on each new year!
I still carry mine, for whatever reason. I don’t think you should use it to get discounts, though. That’s just my opinion (no judgment was passed in the writing of this post).
I get about 5-10% discount in a couple of restaurants around NYU and a 10% discount at Pinkberry near NYU and in midtown Manhattan. They stopped with the discounts at the movie theaters, but I use the Entertainment book coupons for that.
This is exactly why I want to get an ID for school before graduation in May. Everyone makes fun of me, but those things are a gold mine!
I totally agree – and was really mad when I lost my wallet and ID.
I still have a work ID from the university, but it’s not the same….
To go along with #5, passing it down not really to keep your legacy going on, but to help a younger sibling with a fake id. Some places require back up identification when they think it’s a fake. Having the ID and school ID will help a young sibling big time.
Where can you get a discount? I have tried at the Apple store and they wouldn’t let me cause it expired.
Craig: Movie theaters, restaurants, concerts, shows, and public transportation are a few places that I’ve been to that offer student discounts. Also, from my personal experiences, the closer you live to a college campus, the more opportunities there will be.
@Broke Grad Student That’s amazing you have been able to utilize it there. I wish I have found restaurants, concerts, movies where I could use the discount for.
haha..omg that is too funny. i must say this is now my favorite post of yours
and in fact i still have a good 2-3 of mine! (i used to “lose” them and then get replacements so i can have a few…in case i lost them. haha….)
I have my student ID 4 years later and I still get discounts at the theatre and local college stores, haha.
i still have 2 old id’s… i may try and see if they work… i know EMS gives students 15% off around here not sure of too many other places but im going to keep my eye out now… thanks
I’m definitely guilty of using my college ID for discounts, specifically for movie tickets. I went to undergrad out of state but luckily went to grad school not too far from where I currently live so I don’t feel weird at all when I use it.