The University offers its students many different avenues to succeed academically, but with all the stress of projects and essays, Illini need a way to unwind.

From swimming in the outdoor pool to enjoying a fun skate at the Illinois Ice Arena, the University’s campus recreation offers numerous ways to have fun on campus.

The first and most popular place where students learn about campus rec is at the Activities and Recreation Center, or ARC. The four-level building offers numerous basketball and racquetball courts, an indoor and outdoor pool, an indoor track, weights and even a rock-climbing wall.

For students looking to relax and not do too much physical activity, the ARC also has a sauna, numerous multipurpose rooms, a kitchen where students can learn to cook and even a place to get a massage. These fun things happen through different events and can easily be accessed through the ARC’s calendar.

The ARC can be too far for some students, especially those who live in Urbana, which is why Campus Recreation Center East, CRCE, is a good alternative. There, students have three basketball courts, three racquetball courts, an indoor pool with a slide, an indoor track and a MAC gym.

Both facilities offer numerous intramural opportunities for different sports throughout the school year. Many of these leagues play at the facilities or at one of the numerous outdoor playing fields Campus Rec has around campus. These fields offer different outdoor fields and courts to play tennis, football, soccer, basketball, rugby, lacrosse and beach volleyball.

Looking for something fun to do with a group on a warm day? The Illini Grove in Urbana offers a great chance to do some outdoor grilling while enjoying a game of basketball or sand volleyball. It can be reserved for a group through campus recreation.

The Illinois Ice Arena offers fun activities to do when the months turn cold. The arena’s Olympic-sized is a great place to go on a date or just hang out with some friends and show off your skating moves, or lack thereof. Admission and skate rentals are rather cheap when you present your iCard. There are also ice-skating lesson classes that the University offers, which can be a fun way to get rid of a few credit hours.

The arena is also home to the Illinois club hockey team, the University’s highest-ranking team since there is no varsity team on campus. Playing on Friday and Saturday nights, hockey games are a fun environment that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.

From the vulgar chants to the high-speed hits and goals, going to a hockey game is definitely something a University student should do at least once during their time in Champaign-Urbana.

So when there doesn’t seem like there’s anything to do on campus or you just need a break from looking at textbooks and PowerPoints, go check out one of the many fun things that campus recreation offers through the year, no matter where you are.

Michal is a Senior in Media.

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@mdwojak94