Flyby's Guide to Finding Free Food

The time is 2:16pm. Yelling “NOOoOOOOoooO” in slow motion you, the forlorn overworked student, find the dining hall doors locked. What to do now? Pay $8 for an unsatisfying rice bowl from Bon Me? Go eat the sad granola bars your mom sent back to college with you (even she doesn’t want them)? No. You, the cheap and hungry young adult that you are, must rage, rage against the dying of the light. Never go without a Felipe’s freebie or complimentary cookies again. Heed Flyby’s guide to finding yourself free food on and around campus.

Facebook Events

Keep your eyes peeled for buzzwords like “open house,” “giveaway,” “celebration,” “food fest” “fair,” and “samples.” Remember: take enough samples and you have yourself a meal. Also, with Valentine’s Day fast approaching (sorry for reminding you, the average lonely student that you are) local restaurants are bound to be promoting deals and reduced-price meals.

Club Lists

Forget resumes and social fulfillment. The purpose of extracurricular activities is to provide pure, organic sustenance in the form of CVS-bought snacks. Sign yourself up for every possible club mailing list to rest assured you never miss out on a free food opportunity.

Stalk Ticknor Lounge

On any given night, peer through the tall glass windows into Ticknor lounge where a variety of club events are often held. You see freshmen awkwardly mingling and shaking hands, and investigate further. The scene screams comp interest meeting which means… FREE FOOD! Your eyes drift toward the big table in the corner and you are comforted by the sight of Domino’s boxes and J.P. Licks cartons. You have reached your Mecca. Now pretend you know what “HCCG” stands for, claim your prize, and sneak out before you get sucked into the actual event programming.

Flyby Free Food Watch

If you’ve learned nothing from this post or are just super lazy, you can always subscribe to Flyby’s Harvard Today newsletter, which includes a daily free food watch. But, like the age-old proverb says "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." So, follow our advice.