Costco bonding helps UCLA students feel at home and save money

Quirky Costco Clubs have sprung up on several university campuses, and while it may have started to help budget-conscious students stretch their dollars or have $1.50 hot dog dates, UCLA students have discovered its bonding effects.

Serenity Shadowens and Kathryn Chong are UCLA roomies with a lot in common. Both are tenacious undergrads, pursuing advanced biomedical degrees, and both love Costco.

"I have very vivid memories of my childhood going with my dad and my siblings to Costco," Shadowens said.

"We thought we could bring that to UCLA, where we could, like, kind of band together as a family, and we could have trips to Costco," Chong said.

Doing the math, they realized that bulk buying could save students money on items like frozen food and toilet paper.  

"We buy in bulk and split between us roommates sometimes. It's easier that way, and with her car we're able to just buy as many items as we need for the quarter," Chong said.

They told classmates about their warehouse runs. Some without cars asked about hitching rides.

The two then decided to make it official, becoming one of the more than 1,000 clubs at UCLA.

Costco does not officially endorse or sponsor UCLA'S club. A similar club at the University of California, San Diego said the company offered them some support after they reached out.

Jacob Hoang, former UCSD Costco Club president, ate an entire rotisserie chicken on campus to celebrate his big box loyalty.

"A bunch of these registered clubs on campus were kind of about like tech, or business or healthcare or dental, like clubs that make you do these interviews to get into their club … our mission was literally to provide a community and make it social," Hoang said.

 Shadowens said the original UCLA interest form had over 100 signups.

"We expected to have like a small group … but we have a lot, and we have to organize rides and carpools and spreadsheets -- it's been an experience," Hoang said.

There are monthly meetings with Costco trivia and merch, and while many students originally signed up just for supplies, they ended up making new friends.

"We get to interact with people from all years, all backgrounds; it's been really fulfilling for us," Shadowens said.