Two weekends ago, 400 students traveled to Fort Wayne, Ind. to watch the men’s and women’s basketball teams win against rivals IPFW.

Though the game was considered an away game for Oakland University, there were more Grizzlies in attendance than Mastodons.

The group met early at OU Saturday morning, had breakfast, then rode charter busses out to the arena, enjoying snacks and winning prizes along the way. They were fed lunch upon arrival and even had Jimmy Johns on the bus ride home.

How much did students pay for the trip?

Nothing.

Yes, technically speaking, students paid for it when they paid $25 into the Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee fund, but that’s a negligible amount for what it gets you.

We aren’t advocating for the university to keep raising our tuition so they can provide us with these benefits, but if we have them with the current rate, we might as well take advantage of them.

Many students fail to realize everything the school does for us, things other students at other universities have to pay for in addition to tuition.

Parking is a perennial problem — as are people complaining about parking — but, aside from a few superior spots that are metered, it’s free.

At Wayne State University, students have to pay a minimum of $260 a semester for parking. At Michigan State University, it’s $462.

Yeah, sometimes it may be hard to find a parking spot close the building we need to be in, but we have the Bear Bus and Bike Share bikes to help alleviate the pain.

Another freebie that’s often taken for granted is admission to sports games.

Last year’s men’s basketball team made it to March Madness, but there were a few home games where the student section was not at capacity. That is inexcusable.

Almost every Thursday and Saturday, the OU basketball teams play in the O’rena.

For students, those games are free and sometimes come with free shirts and OU paraphernalia.

The OU Art Gallery located in Wilson Hall? Free.

The Recreation Center? MSU students have to pay $225 for the year. We get it free of charge.

OU students and alumni can also get help with finding a job through career services — all for free. University of Michigan and MSU students start paying for that service about a year after graduation.

Going to go see one of the many speakers OU hosts, play frisbee golf on the outskirts of campus AND tour through Meadow Brook Hall to learn all about OU history? Free. Free. Free.

While we know that all of these free amenities are offered, we don’t know why students take them for granted, especially when they’re paid for as part of tuition.

Yeah, OU doesn’t have everything, but most of what it does have comes free of charge. Take advantage of it.

It’s not you can go to many events outside of campus and park, attend and eat all for free, but it does happen at OU. All the time.

The staff editorial is written weekly by members of The Oakland Post’s editorial board.