As a student navigating the increasingly expensive cost of living crisis, it has been hard not to get down about the expense that enjoyment often creates. However, there are still lots of ways to make the most of the weekend without breaking the bank.

Check out the QFT

This weekend began with a trip to the Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT)with my housemates. After hearing so much about the new Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson movie, The Banshees of Inisherin, we decided to check it out for ourselves.

Nestled between university buildings on University Avenue, Queen’s Film Theatre can be hard to find if you don’t know where to look. It is well worth a trip though, with lots of fantastic films playing at the moment.

Student tickets cost £4.50 and require a valid student ID.

The Ulster Museum is right on your doorstep

Still a newbie to the city of Belfast, I decided to take a trip to Ulster Museum to bring myself up to speed on the history of Northern Ireland. Entry to the museum is free to all and is a great way to spend a drizzly Saturday morning.

The museum has many displays exhibiting at the moment including A Unique Silence, an exhibition that includes six of Rembrandt's etchings and a showing of Inclusive Global Histories, highlighting the global journey towards decolonisation, diversity and inclusion.

Take a stroll in Botanic Gardens

After my visit to the museum, I took a stroll around Botanic Gardens. There is a coffee truck situated inside the park's gates that offers a 20% student discount. As the weather is becoming increasingly chilly, I decided to indulge in a hot chocolate.

I sipped on my drink as I walked around the park, taking in the sights and sounds of people enjoying their weekend out in the Autumn air. I stopped at the greenhouses in the park and spent some time inside enjoying the vast array of plants. The heat inside was also welcomed after spending much time out in the cold.

Make time for yourself

As a student, my weekend wouldn’t be complete without studying in some shape or form. I spent most of my day Sunday preparing for the academic week ahead. However, I made sure that I made time to fit in a trip to Aleksandar’s, an inexpensive coffee shop located a few minutes from the Queen’s University campus. Here I enjoyed a coffee and a slice of cake with a friend which made marking the end of the weekend that little bit easier.

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Beth Molloy Geopolitics| Postgraduate Student | Dublin, Ireland Hello! My name is Beth, and I am a master's student at Queen's studying Geopolitics. I moved to Belfast from Dublin and am enjoying uncovering the amazing experiences and opportunities both Queen’s and the city of Belfast have to offer. I hope to be able to share some useful tips and tricks to navigating Belfast life as a student with you!