After a day of saying how much stuff she had to be thankful for, Freshman Ashley Fitzpatrick was prepared to take out anybody that came between her and her new, discounted stuff. No matter how many people she trampled, however, one thing on her wish list was nowhere to be found.
“I was really hoping for a deal on tuition,”
Fitzpatrick said.
Maybe like a BOGO semester or just a waived fee.”
Fitzpatrick started her day fist-fighting 40-year-old women at the Oaks Mall, but realized she should be able to find more bang for her buck in places other than retail stores. She drove to Criser Hall, the main office for Student Financial Aid, in hopes of finding her biggest bargain yet.
“Since it was still technically Thursday, they hadn’t opened yet,”
said Fitzpatrick, one of the many who have determined that the dinner table was no place to be at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving.
“So I set up my tent and secured my place in line.”
Hours passed when Fitzpatrick began to realize that Criser Hall would not be opening its doors for Black Friday shoppers and she would continue to pay her full tuition. She began to cry, naturally, and a passerby noticed the upset girl.
“I asked her what was wrong and she told me she had to pay for her own tuition,”
said the kind stranger.
“Then I told her all about the joys of state universities. I didn’t even get to the part about where her money actually goes!”
Soon, Fitzpatrick began to feel better and remembered that some items on her wishlist were worth the full price.
If I really wanted a cheap diploma I would’ve gone shopping in Tallahassee.”