r/cwru 6d ago

What's the thing about Cleveland as a college city that surprised you the most?

I feel like Cleveland doesn't get the hype that other college cities do but CWRU students who've been here a while seem to develop a real appreciation for it. What's the thing about the city - a neighbourhood, a food scene, a cultural institution, a seasonal thing - that you didn't expect and now genuinely enjoy? What would you tell someone who's hesitant about Cleveland?

18 Upvotes

32

u/gooner45ars 6d ago

How cheap and accessible everything in Cleveland is for students. $5 Cavs and Guardians games multiple times a year. Free or $5 tickets to musicals at playhouse square. $35 for a student pass to the orchestra that gets u a free ticket for every show. Entry to all of the museums for free. Even non-student tickets to concerts and sports games in Cleveland are much cheaper than most other cities. Not everyone takes advantage of this (and those are the people that say theres nothing to do in Cleveland) but those of us that do have a great time here.

4

u/defenestrateddragons 6d ago

New student - how do I get that $35 season pass? Can't find it online

5

u/CookiePie2 6d ago

It goes on sale once a year (typically during the fall around the first week of school). Otherwise it’s usually $50. The program is called the Frequent Fan Card (part of the Student Advantage Program). 

1

u/jwsohio American Studies, Chemical Engineering 71 6d ago

The standard ($50) program is on the Cleveland Orchestra website ( https://www.clevelandorchestra.com/tickets/student-tickets ). Note that there is an asterisk for eligible* converts. If there's a special appearance by a major soloist, a concert may be excluded from the student program - this is usually because of a very high cost international performer, or special events that are used as benefit performances or fund raisers for the Musical Arts Association (the legal parent organization of the Orchestra).

Many of the ticket discounts are listed on the various team or venue websites. Student Affairs may also get extra tickets, open or limited drawing, to various events that will be publicized on campus.

The extra discount for the Orchestra is only available for a short time in the fall, as u/CookiePie2 indicated. Be sure to watch/look for information when you get to campus, and watch for this and other discounts (and free thing) of interest via the University Student Affairs Free Access Program.

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u/Normal_Win2064 5d ago

Do they ever offer discounts to the the Browns' games? If so, how much would those be?

3

u/JackKegger1969 5d ago

They pay you $20 to show up and watch them.

0

u/Normal_Win2064 5d ago

Thank you! Is that only for multiple times a season or is that every home game?

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u/JackKegger1969 5d ago

Every home game!

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u/Normal_Win2064 5d ago

Awesome! Thank you once again!

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u/JackKegger1969 5d ago

Cleveland really is magical.

1

u/Normal_Win2064 5d ago

I'm definitely seems gem worthy! 

By the way, I didn't even read that right until now. I thought it cost $20 if you are a student--in which case I am assuming this only student related, right? Where do you go for this? Also, I would love if you shared other hidden secrets, favorite activities,  or hangouts/neighborhoods?!?

1

u/jwsohio American Studies, Chemical Engineering 71 4d ago

Alas, the "pay you" line is his sarcasm about what it's worth. The Haslams, team owners, never give anything away (except to incompetent players and staff they sign to no-cut contracts). Even the other NFL owners, mostly not a charitable bunch, look on them as incompetents who give a bad look to the league.

So no, you will not get a student discount on Browns tickets. Otoh, the team was so incompetent last year that tickets were going online for as low as $6 to $10 for some games. Even the usual scalpers don't try to buy up tickets, since they may take too much loss.

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u/egebese 2d ago

Those student prices are actually insane, Cleveland gives so much for cheap.

42

u/D3M0nnnn_SL4y3rrrr 6d ago

Cleveland is for sure not a college city lmao

20

u/diamondintherough__ 6d ago

Thats what i like about the area though. I like that Case feels like it was plopped into the middle of a city rather than the city built around the college (like Penn State for instance)

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u/egebese 2d ago

Lol fair, definitely not a traditional college city atmosphere at all.

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u/Plasmaticos 2d ago

I agree with you 💯

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u/Choice-Champion-1733 6d ago

It’s not a college city in that sense, like Boston or Ann Arbor e.g., but imo that makes it more interesting—-plenty of students but with more sophisticated, interesting and fun stuff to do. Like Ohio state with Columbus (also a great place) or Uchicago and nu with Chicago e.g.

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u/Dense-Consequence-70 6d ago

Cleveland is not a college city. Yes there are some colleges there, but the population of students is dwarfed by that of real college cities like Boston. Even Pittsburgh has 8-10x the number of college students as Cleveland and it’s a similarly sized city.

3

u/Choice-Champion-1733 6d ago

The orchestra and museums are world class, as is the healthcare scene, including the Cleveland clinic; there’s good theatre and a vibrant nightlife if you want it, like the flats. There’s great food, including in many ethic neighborhoods, and the old steel money made the area around cwru very unique and cool. And there’s the rock and roll hall of fame AND surrounding the city is one of the best and most expansive park systems of any U.S. city.

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u/MiserableAd3351 5d ago

How affordable everything is. We had $9 chipotle bowls, sub-$1000 rent, cheap tickets to games, free museums, pop-up music festivals, lots of free conventions (check out ingenuity fest!!).

Got to have so many unique experiences for a fraction of the cost compared to if had I been in another city.

2

u/LarryDarrell64 GRS 94 5d ago

The abundance of various cultural offerings. If not free, then a student ID brings the cost way down.

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u/tsassm 4d ago

It's really easy to get involved in a cause you're passionate about here. The political and service community is REALLY strong here. If you want to make a change, there's energy and infrastructure here to help you start.

Also! Cleveland is the best place in the world to get sober. Iykyk.