Trapped on campus and dreading a night of boredom? Need an inexpensive date night? Trying to get the most out of your tuition? Here are some great ways to be entertained on campus.
Sports games are always a great way to spend the night. Even if you do not like sports, going to the games with friends just to hang out is better than playing your favorite video game, you know, the one you already completed ten times. However, the sports section of the paper can tell you about these sports events. This will be devoted to other entertainment on campus.
There are three theaters on campus and there is almost always a show happening between them. The Pioneer Memorial Theater is ran by the Pioneer Theatre Company, a professional company that produces wonderful performances with the talent of professional actors. My first experience there was watching a musical version of the Rocky Horror Picture Show near Halloween, where I got free student rush tickets to see the performance. These tickets are left over tickets that did not sell for the night, and are available with a Ucard one hour before the performance begins, while supplies last. The limit on the tickets is two per Ucard, perfect for bringing along someone who does not come to the U. Other free tickets are available for student preview nights, the Thursday before opening night. These tickets also have a limit of two per Ucard and can be obtained by going down to the Pioneer Memorial Theater on south campus and asking the box office for the tickets. However, these tickets are only available on the Monday after the closing night of the previous show. Students can also purchase half price reserved seats for the Monday-Thursday showings. Right now, the Pioneer is performing The Crucible, and closing night is this Saturday the 28th. On Monday the 2nd, student preview tickets can be obtained for the production I Hate Hamlet starting at 10:00am-6:00pm.
U and the Arts, a program by the College of Fine Arts program at the University allows students to have free access to many of the events on campus. Most Theatre Department productions, Art Department Exhibitions in the Gittins Gallery and Art Guest Lectures, Ballet Department and Modern Dance Department performances in the Marriott Center for Dance, Film Department screenings and events, and School of Music in the David Gardner Hall, are free of charge. The program also allows students to purchase a student ticket for Kingsbury Hall performances for only $5, without paying the usual handling fees. However, unlike the Pioneer tickets, each Ucard can only be used for one ticket.
University of Utah students are also admitted into the Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum for free. Right now, the Natural History Museum has a special exhibit called Extreme Mammals, though if you have not found your way up to the museum yet, it is definitely worth your time. At the beginning of the mammals exhibit, you walk up to a life sized recreation of the largest land mammal that has ever lived, the Indricotherium. The smallest mammal, located on the opposite wall of the largest, is easy to miss, so make sure you find him. The exhibit goes over the evolution of mammals, horns and various other animal head gear, whales, reproduction, brains, motion, and many other interesting things, all accompanied by skulls, bones, and taxidermies. The Museum of Fine Arts’s highlighted exhibit is [Con]text, though the other paintings and artwork there are work looking at.
Not really a sports, museum, or theater person? I present you the miscellaneous list of other things on campus! ASUU, RHA, and UPC usually have something going on to help make your lives better. The best part is that these events are covered by your tuition.
One of the events ASUU hosts are free Friday night films. You may have seen the large poster for the films on your way up to the HC for dinner, the one with the Guardian’s of the Galaxy poster for the background. This has all of the future film dates and locations for the rest of the semester. The next upcoming film is Maze Runner. It will start at 7:00pm this Friday, February 27th at the Post Theater near the HC. They also host lecture series. The next lecture is today, February 25th, from 12-1pm at the Union. The lecture is called “The Behavior Gap” and the lector is Carl Richards, who will be talking about financial savviness. Don’t worry, food is provided.
The RHA hosts free films, craft nights, free food opportunities, and many other events displayed on the large whiteboard calendar inside the HC. UPC operates out of the Union, and sets up events like Crimson Knights, sells pre-screening tickets, and other similar events. Bowling, billiards, and a gaming room are also available to students, and these are all located at the Union.
There are so many more events that I didn’t get to. I didn’t’ even mention Red Butte Gardens, and I hardly gave enough notice to the RHA, UPC, the Museum of Fine Arts, and other fine arts outside of theatre. All I hope is that I have provided you with some alternative ideas instead of spending all of your time locked in your dorm away from other life forms. Make the most of college, and explore what the campus has to offer.