I could only use my card for about a month before Corona time begun but I don't regret buying it at all. I will even go as far as saying this might have been the best choice I've made. I used to be deep in the student committee squad. So much, that when I moved to Hungary and didn't find that kind of student social life I was used to, I annoyed basically everyone who made the poor decision of talking to me with complaining about how much I miss what I've had in high school. When I found out that Lisbon has this pretty great deal that comes with being an ESN-er, I didn't hesitate and went to the ESN office the next day (to be totally honest, the walk there was painful because of the high location of the office, I didn't have my transport card yet, but yeah, it was worth it). First comes first, the main reason I am praising it so much is obviously the events. I can be quite extrovert but I do know for a fact, that if I didn't participate on the Porto trip, I would have like half as many friends from the mobility as I have now. Of course, this semester couldn't compare to the norm, since it was a very special and unique one, spending most of it at home, out of our free will. I did notice that the group who was on the trip and either didn't go home or decided to come back as me and my roommate, we were in this together. After the rules got partially lifted up we started to go out and meet up at least once every week. So the conclusion is clear: there's no easier way to meet new people than to be present on an ESN event.
The other part is that we had mentors, or buddies if you will. Something happened in the system and I didn't get anybody but after the life changing trip I started to go out with someone who happened to become my buddy. Having someone local is so key when it comes to moving to a totally different country. Honestly, I don't even know what I would have done without the help of my buddy, without him I wouldn't have known where to move when the original place turned out to be a nightmare and he even assisted me when I had to go to the hospital.
Other than these very important aspects, you still got reasons. You get a discount on many things, from ryanair flights to flixbus trips. There are hostels that are available for a cheaper price and cheaper surf lessons, which can become an enjoyable part of your weeks spent in Lisbon, and many other stuff. Check out this post by @esnlisboa to get to know more info: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFARvdcnwS3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link