Being a college student these days is not cheap, but students can get a great return from being on-campus – if they make the most of their student fees.

Liz Madani, a junior from Woodstock, said she decided to live off-campus her sophomore year.

Nevertheless, she said she used her two favorite buildings – the Ramsey Student Center and the Miller Learning Center – just as much this year as when she was a freshman, mostly thanks to her student transportation fee.

“It is really easy to get on campus with the Athens Transit, so I don’t find it difficult at all to access any of the facilities on campus,” she said.

Madani also chose to be on the University’s meal plan.

“I try my best to eat healthy and I know that if I had to cook my own food every day, then I would end up eating junk for the most part,” she said.

J. Michael Floyd, executive director for Food Services, said the cost of the meal plan pays for everything from the food itself all the way to cleaning products.

He said every few weeks Food Services puts on events to “change the pace [and] break the monotony” of the school schedule. He said his favorite of these events is “Taste of Home,” a 22-year-old Food Services tradition.

“Taste of Home” solicits recipes from students’ parents. The winning recipes are served to students before December finals, Floyd said, and some get incorporated into the standard menu.

Students can now try some of these recipes at the “Taste of Home” café in Tate II – without being on the meal plan.

Floyd said the dining halls are good for things besides a quick bite, including sleeping in the lower lobby of Snelling and having a place to study.

“Dining on this campus is a full social experience,” he said, adding he has heard stories of people who met their spouses at one of the University’s four dining halls.

Another social experience at the University can be found right inside students’ dorm rooms.

Lizzie May, a junior from The Woodlands, Texas, lived on campus for the past two years.

“As an out-of-state student, I arrived on UGA’s campus knowing absolutely no one,” she said. “If it’s your first year, don’t hesitate to sit next to someone new in the dining hall or attend random dorm programs because that’s how I met a lot of my buddies.”

Shay Little, administrative director for the University Housing Administration, said dorm programs are covered by a $20 house fee to the Residence Hall Association. She said students can make the most out of the fee – and their rent – by using the services provided in the dorms.

Little said a student’s resident assistant “is a fundamental person to take advantage of and get to know.”

She said the dorms provide academic resources such as tutoring and advising, as well as social resources for students.

Outside of the dorms lie other opportunities for social enhancement. Many of the events put on by the six divisions of University Union draw large crowds.

Jessica May, a senior from Watkinsville and University Union president, said the most popular events are concerts, comedians and Dawgs After Dark.

She said the Cinematic Arts division of the Union hosts two movies per week, so all in all the Union puts on about 10 events per month, all of which are free.

All but one of the divisions are registered as student organizations, which means they are funded by the student activity fee.

In addition to fees paid to go toward transportation, food, housing and activities, students pay a fee to make sure there is medical help whenever needed.

Liz Rachun, public relations coordinator for the University Health Center, said the center has provided many services over the years including specialty clinics for women, sports medicine and massage therapy.

She said the Health Center expansion, completed earlier this year, features a larger counseling and psychiatric clinic, a nutrition kitchen with cooking classes and an eye clinic, complete with display cases of glasses. The eye clinic opens Aug. 10.

Rachun said students should call their insurance agent to make sure the Health Center takes their insurance, but the pharmacy in the center will take all policies.

The fee students pay to use the center means they can get a same-day appointment with their assigned doctor – free of charge. Students might be charged for lab services and x-rays, however.

The bottom line of freshman year, fees or no fees, is to get acclimated and find a niche in the University community, Madani said. “Do not be shy. Do not be afraid to try new things,” she said. “Remember this may be your only year living on campus so take advantage of what is in front of you.”