Five free things to do on a rainy day

The weeks are getting wetter and your loan is vanishing quicker, but don’t let this dampen your mood. We are here to tell you that there are things to do for free on a rainy day that aren’t sleeping or studying. In fact, they are, totally, rain friendly ideas that you needn’t be in credit to enjoy. So, here they are:

1. Visit an art gallery

Manchester’s art galleries never fail to give penniless students a cure for rainy day blues. Although it is true that independent exhibitions often charge a small fee, many of these galleries are completely free; including the gallery right here on campus! Indeed, The Whitworth Gallery is not only multi-award winning but it is also exceptionally close by. This means the distance from your bed to the paint splashed canvas is but a bus or speedy walk away. So, if you fancy escaping the Fallowfield squalor but avoiding the rain, the warmth of The Whitworth Gallery is beckoning. It’s telling you it’s ok to leave the house, because Andy Warhol is exhibiting and it doesn’t cost a thing.

2. Decorate your room

This one may seem menial, but for those yet to settle in, a rainy day could be just the time out needed to make any accommodation feel more homely. It can also be a pleasant way to get your creativity flowing and help you tackle that essay later on. Nowadays, there is an abundance of apps to help you get creative but the one suggested here is FreePrints. FreePrints is an app that prints out your pictures for you and delivers them to your door. The first 45 prints are free and, every so often, you get another set of photos on the house. These photos can be used to collage your wall or to put in that photo frame you got last Christmas. The choice is yours.

3. Watch live music

Manchester may be titled Britain’s eighth rainiest city but, certainly, it doesn’t rain on anyone’s parade in terms of music venues. Having had bands such as Oasis, The Stone Roses and Take That surface from its streets, Manchester is not in short supply of emerging or showcasing talent. Dotted around Manchester there are a number of edgy and popular music bars to escape to when the rain comes a’pouring. Bars such as Albert Schloss, Night and Day and Matt and Phreds are just to name a few bars that have live performances from local bands. More often than not, entry is free and who is to say that the water isn’t out of this world.

4. Read a book

As already mentioned, the dawn of apps has meant quick access to a whole range of content, including the likes of books. Kindle, for example, is an app that allows you to download books straight from Amazon. Although many of the books are acquired at a price, there is an extensive range of books that cost not a penny. If you don’t mind spending a little money, however, when the skies are grey you can take cover in the incredibly cute cafe Chapter One Books in the Northern Quarter, and grab a bite to eat with your eBook in hand.

5. Watch a film/TV

Rainy days are the prime time to snuggle in and watch that programme you missed or that film just released. Agreeably, there are a number of ways to do this but the recommended method is to either sign up for a free trial on Netflix or Amazon Student Prime or use a family member’s account to log in. An Amazon Student Prime trial currently lasts for six months which is the perfect amount of time to race through your favourite TV shows. These methods are not only legal but safe ways to get your binge on.