Being in one of the top party schools in the country, it is sometimes easy to forget that there are tons of fun things to do on campus that have nothing to do with going to the bar. Here are 10 fun and inexpensive things to do on campus that don't involve drinking.
1. Grab a froyo and people watch on the quad. There's nothing quite like a satisfying froyo on the quad. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a cold treat and people watch! Check out Cocomero, Coldstone, Insomnia, Jamba Juice and Quad Cones for different dessert variety.
2. Ice skating. After many repairs, the ice arena is now open and
open skate will resume, as usual, with free skate Mon. to Fri. 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Fridays 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free for students, but skate rental is
$2.
3. The Spurlock Museum. Are you a history or anthropology person?
Spurlock Museum has approximately 45,000 artifacts, and is conveniently located on the east part of the quad near the Kranert Center of Performing Arts.
Spurlock Is free and open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on most days
4. The Krannert Art Museum. The Krannert Art Museum is attached to the Art
and Design Building and can be accessed any day from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The KAM has over
10,000 works of art in over 8 galleries and is free for all to visit. There are
also film screenings, performances and creative experiences at the KAM, check
their website for specific times and additional details.
5. The Observatory. Just north of the Morrow Plots, is the University
of Illinois Observatory. It has been standing since 1896, and contains a 12” Brashear
Refractor. Check online for specific dates and times that it is open.
6. Curtis Apple Orchard. Curtis Apple Orchard is open Monday to Saturday
from 9 a.m. to 6 p. m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The orchard is great for a
weekend trip, with $2 wagon rides and corn maze entry for $5. If you’re just an
apple picking person they have for different varieties of apples and even sell
pumpkins!
7. Rock climbing. Visit the ARC and pay just $2 for shoe and helmet
rental and get unlimited climbs. Student ID is required. Climbing wall is open Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.
8. Bowling at the Union. Get your friends or family together for hours of
bonding while laughing about how much you suck at bowling. If you are bored of
bowling there’s also billiards and arcade games. Billiards is $5/hour; bowling is $5.30
per person for game and shoe rental.
9. The Pool. It’s free. It’s hot out and you still have you
bikini body from summer. Stop by the outdoor pool at the ARC to touch up your
tan while it’s still warm out.
10. The KAPC. The Krannert Center For Performing Arts is a great way to stay entertained while allowing you to feel cultured, or
go on a cool date. The KAPC offers daily free tours, and has fo theaters and
many events going on this semester. Student tickets to plays and concerts are
usually $10 or under.