The University of Chicago is one of the most fun places that I have ever been. Over the past year, I have had more fun here than probably anywhere else, and most of the time I haven’t even had to leave campus! So, here’s a list of some of the things I’ve found the most fun on campus:
Hanging Out on the Quad
The Main Quadrangle is one of the most beautiful places on campus. There’s lots of trees and plenty of green space, so there’s always a space to hang up a hammock or lay out a blanket. It’s a great spot to relax and read a book or chill out with your friends. I remember one of the funniest conversations I had was sitting on the quad one night while my friend tried to make a diss track on Garageband for one of our friends. Towards the end of the school year, the Major Activities Board puts on a carnival on the quad with inflatable obstacle courses and free food.
Hanging Out in the House Lounge
Each house in the residence halls has their own house lounge where everyone in your house can hang out. There’s a TV, tons of comfortable couches and seats, bean bag chairs, a big table with chairs around it where you can play board games, and a kitchen. I probably spend most of my free time hanging out in the house lounge because there’s always something fun going on there. Whether that be a bake off, a 2k or Smash Bros. competition, or an outrageously funny conversation about how “based” Nietzsche is. I’ve probably clocked more hours in the house lounge just talking to my friends than I did reading for my humanities class. It’s definitely one of the most fun places on campus because there’s never a dull moment.
Having Snowball Fights
One of my favorite parts about living in Chicago is that it snows. Campus is always so beautiful when it’s covered in snow and everything is so serene. But, it’s also very fun to break up that serenity a little and have a snowball fight! There are tons of great locations to have them across campus and there are occasionally some organized on Facebook, so be on the lookout for those if you are interested!
Getting Coffee
There are tons of great spots on campus to get coffee and all of them have really great coffee or tea, as well as snacks, so you really can’t go wrong. It’s always fun to grab coffee with a friend between classes or take a study break and hang out at one of the cafés in the libraries. Plus, each café usually has a weekly rotation of new creations, so you can try something new each week!
Getting Involved with RSOs
With over 450 Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs), there’s always something to get involved with that matches the interests of each student. This past year, I was involved with Midwave, an online radio station where I had my own show. I had a lot of fun doing this and was able to share a lot of music that I love. RSOs are a great way to try out new things that interest you. I had no prior experience with radio, but I love music, so I wanted to give it a try and I really enjoyed it.
Going to the Gym
Every UChicago student has free membership to the school’s athletic facilities. A lot of IM sports games are held here which are always fun. There’s also a number of other fitness based events that are held at Crown and Ratner like cricket, badminton, aikido, and boxing, just to name a few. There’s also tons of exercise equipment, so there’s always space to work out in. My favorite part of the athletic facilities is the basketball courts. There are typically a bunch of courts available on any given day, so my friends and I like to go and play pick-up games whenever we can.
Going to an On-Campus Show
There are tons of shows put on by different RSOs on campus with most of them being put on at Logan Theater. There are tons of amazing shows throughout the year, from Life of the Mic’s stand up performances to University Theater’s “Theater 24,” which is where members of UT create and perform their shows in just 24 hours. There are also a number of culture shows put on by cultural student groups that showcase their culture and customs which are all really amazing.