With 11 million square feet of campus to choose from, there’s always something going on at RPI. Granted, most of that 11 million is not used for group activities, but there is still a very sizable area in which to find an interesting way to pass the time. Clubs and organizations, performances and movies, and places to hang out comprise only some of the wide range of things to do on campus.
Many RPI students feel that there is little to do aside from study, sleep, and play on one’s laptop. Sometimes finding the right fit amongst a group of people in a club is difficult, but in many cases the problem is a lack of information about what is available.
An excellent way to get involved and stay healthy at the same time is a fitness class at the Mueller center. This fall, the Mueller center is offering classes ranging from Beginning Afro Cuban Folkloric Dance to the more traditional Pilates and Yoga. The classes cost from $32.50 to $75, but for one or two classes it is more than worth the price. More information on fitness classes can be found online at http://www.muellercenter.rpi.edu/ .
A more common, and less expensive, way to get involved is by joining one of the 130 clubs at RPI. Head to the Activities Fair this Thursday in the Houston Field House to see what is available, or check out the club directory at http://www.union.rpi.edu/.
What can you do when your club isn’t meeting? Catch a show, of course. There are quite a few performing organizations on campus, including the RPI Players, the three a cappella groups, and improv troupe Sheer Idiocy. Also, UPAC Cinema screens movies in DCC 308 every Friday and Saturday evening for the modest price of $2.50 per ticket, and there are weekly performances in UPAC Mother’s and the Chapel and Cultural Center.
New on the scene this semester is RPI TV, channel 55 on the cable hookups in the dorm rooms, featuring all student-run shows. Since it is so new, don’t expect much from the quality of the shows at first, but that can be entertaining in and of itself. If you’re feeling really brave—or perhaps really bored—you might apply for your own show on the new network.
Greek organizations are a major part of the social scene at RPI. During rush month, fraternities and sororities will hold all manner of events to entice students to pledge, but many students attend rush events simply for the fun of it as well as the free food. In fact, so the legend goes, it is possible to eat for the whole first month of the semester without once walking into the Commons.
There is also entertainment of a more laid-back variety available. The basement of the Rensselaer Union houses the Games Room, the perfect place to play some arcade games, ping pong, bowling, or a round of nine ball. The Rathskellar provides good food, if a little expensive, and a place to sit and hang out with some friends; Mother’s Wine Emporium provides that all important staple of life—dessert—and weekly entertainment, usually in the form of a folk singer.
So despite claims to the contrary, there is much to do at RPI. Choosing a good extracurricular activity can complement a full workload of classes, offering a refreshing break from equations and principles.
