Now that it’s Spring Quarter of my fourth year, and I’ve finished all my major requirements, I have more time to take classes I’m interested in, explore even more of Chicago, and binge watch another series on Netflix. I’ll be moving out of Chicago for my first full-time job this summer, but there are a couple of things that I want to make sure I do before I graduate:
-
Go to Devon Avenue to get some great South Asian food. The street is on the City’s North Side, so while it’s a bit farther from campus, the food and stores showcase the neighborhood’s melting-pot of cultures—like Indian and Pakistani—making it worth the trek. The school provides buses to the neighborhood during Orientation Week every year.
-
Birthing comedic greats like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert, Second City puts on amazing comedy shows. And since it was founded by a group of about 50 UChicago alums, I might as well see a show while I’m here.
-
Chicago has so many famous sports teams, and since the Cubs have broken the curse, I thinks it’s time for me to break my streak of never having seen a professional sports game. Now I just have to choose between the Blackhawks, the White Sox, or the Bulls!
-
The CTA consists of elevated trains (also known as the ‘L’) that can get you all around Chicago. I’ve regularly frequented the Green, Red, and Blue lines during my time in Chicago, but I want to be able to say I’ve ridden all the colors of the ‘L’ before I leave the City.
While I was able to participate in many different activities at UChicago, I just missed the mark on some; here’s a list of things I should have done during my time here:
-
Kuvia, UChicago’s annual winter festival where students participate in sun salutations and early morning trips to Promontory Point, is something I managed to sleep through every year I’ve been at UChicago.
-
One way to enjoy the Chicago winters is to go ice skating with friends. With a rink located on the Midway (just two blocks away from the main quad) and a rink located in Millennium Park, there were numerous opportunities for me to get a picturesque winter snapshot.
-
Christkindlmarket, based off of German traditions, is set up around Christmas time for people to enjoy food, buy holiday decorations, and take home a souvenir mug.
-
Also around the holiday time, the Lincoln Park Zoo puts on Zoo Lights, an attraction consisting of musical light shows, ice sculpture carving, and holiday snacks. I think I was busy re-watching Home Alone when this was happening.
-
Every year, the Chicago River is dyed green in honor of Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Unfortunately, I’ve missed it every year since it usually falls during finals week, but you should definitely take a study break and head downtown for this tradition!