
101 Fun Things to Do as a Knox Student
As compiled by Knox Students
- Soak up the atmosphere of Thursday Night Jazz at McGillicuddy's as the members of the Knox Jazz Combo entertain you with live music.
- Run, jump and catch your way to victory during a satisfying match of Ultimate Frisbee with the "Xonk," Knox's Ultimate team.
- Jam to old favorites and share your opinions with the world by DJ-ing your own radio show on WVKC, the Knox radio station.
- Test your coordination with a game of Hackysack on the Gizmo patio.
- Laugh out loud watching "Spontaneous Intrigue," Knox's own Improv Troupe.
Play Campus Golf. (Think it's too hard to hit a traditional golf ball? Try using a tennis ball instead!)
- Attend the weekly Cinema Club-sponsored movies on Friday nights.
- Appreciate original student artwork during the weekly Senior Art Shows during Spring Term.
- Sponsor a spontaneous collective shopping spree at Target.
- Devour free gourmet muffins at Perkins on Wednesday, weekly free muffin day.
- Hone your skills or just have a few laughs shooting pool in the gameroom in Seymour Union or at Billiards on Main, within walking distance from the campus.
- Enjoy the outdoors with a picnic, walk, or bike ride at Galesburg's largest park, Lake Storey Recreational Area.
- Spend the night in nature, camping out at the College's 700-acre biological field station, Green Oaks or spend the day hiking or canoeing.
- Find inspiration from the world's great writers and read poetry in Carl Sandburg's backyard.
- Stargaze in the countryside and find your favorite constellation.
- Enjoy time with some of the friendliest college squirrels around.
- Spend an evening at the Knox-Galesburg Symphony performing in the historic Orpheum Theatre.
- Borrow a KARES bike and take a trip around Galesburg on a Sunday morning.
- Lend a helping paw by walking dogs and petting cats at the Humane Society.
- Challenge your suite-mates to a highly intense video or board game.
- Show your purple-and-gold spirit by cheering for the Knox Prairie Fire athletic teams during home games.
- Play pick-up soccer in the rain for the sole purpose of getting really dirty.
- Explore Galesburg alleyways, historic sites, and parks to take pictures for your own exhibit.
Get into philosophical debates with your suite-mates about the state of the world.
- Host homemade cooking parties with friends in the residence halls.
- Meet interesting people as you explore locally-owned Galesburg businesses and organizations.
- Take advantage of the Midwestern prairie winds—fly a kite in the Quad on a spring afternoon.
- Soak up some vitamin D while laying on any of the many campus lawns.
- Indulge in free Circle-K sponsored root beer floats.
- Have a late-night meal at the 24-hour Broadview Restaurant or Steak & Shake.
- Reflect amongst the trees of Standish Park Arboretum, adjacent to campus.
- Explore the original graveyard of Galesburg, Hope Cemetery, and try to find the oldest headstone.
- Have dessert and gourmet coffee or the world-famous spinach bisque at the Landmark Café and Creperie.
- Roll or "tray" down the hills of the Knosher Bowl.
- Enjoy a delicious freshly-ground cup of joe (or a chai latte) at Innkeepers Coffee or Kaldi's (two coffee shops within walking distance of campus).
- Act out a real-life version of Lord of the Rings at 1 a.m. around campus buildings.
- Strut your old school roller-skating skills at Skate Palace.
- Join an international service group such as Circle K and Alpha Phi Omega.
- Supplement "caf food" with oodles of pizza from one of the nine pizza joints in town.
- Spend the evening in, with rented movies from Family Video.
- Enjoy delicious ice cream at Kastle Kreme, a locally-owned ice cream & frozen yogurt shop.
- Get inspired by Knox's scholar-teachers—have lunch with your professor.
- Splurge on cheap and generous Chinese take-out from Joy Garden.
- Express yourself—read original work at "Off-Knox," an open mic held at Kaldi's Coffeehouse & Tearoom and coordinated by the creative writing department.
- Watch a movie on your laptop on the Knosher Bowl fifty-yard line with friends.
- Jam to a fabulous jazz combo at the 24-hour jazzathon in the Gizmo.
Try your Steven Spielberg skills at movie-moving with the Film Production Club.
- Have a discussion with a culture club.
- Dress up or host a theme party (such as Luau, Anything but Clothes, 80s, Rockstar, Halloween, Pick Your Stereotype, etc.).
- Make a difference in someone else's life. Find a volunteer opportunity from Knox's Center for Community Service.
- Take a "gourmet food break"—eat out with friends at one of Galesburg's top restaurants (Chez Willy's, Packinghouse, Landmark Café and Creperie).
- Take a bike ride to Lake Bracken in the fall or spring.
- Put your world knowledge to use through Model UN and Model Arab League meetings.
- Go to kickboxing classes in Knox's Fitness Center.
- Immerse yourself in jazz during the annual winter Rootabaga Jazz Festival.
- Build your own lunch-time vegetarian sandwich at Cornucopia Natural Foods & Cheeses.
- Try out chocolate-covered potato chips at the all-you-can-eat chocolate buffet for the Annual Chocolate Festival at the Antique Mall, followed by bargain hunt on every floor.
- Burn the prairie in the annual Prairie Burn at Knox's Green Oaks Biological Field station.
- Dance to South Asian beats at an AAINA or International Club party in Post Lobby.
- Get dirty in the Flunk Day mud wrestling pit.
- Play a rousing game of phonebook tennis (played with phonebooks as rackets, no nets and no rules).
- Play an intramural sport.
- Engage in the world of competitive cardboard boat racing at the annual Great Cardboard Boat Regatta.
- Catch a flick on the big screen at the Orpheum Theatre—Rocky Horror Picture Show one day, The Creature from the Black Lagoon another!
- Stuff yourself with pancakes at the Lions Club all-you-can eat pancake breakfast.
- Pick up fresh tomatoes and strawberries at the Galesburg Farmer's Market.
Be a thrift-shop junkie—explore the Salvation Army and other thrift stores with friends and a small budget for something incredible, or some outrageous outfit.
- Throw a strike at the Northgate Lanes bowling alley.
- Listen to nationally acclaimed authors read their work at Caxton Club.
- Take advantage of the many free and reduced-rate events at Knox and in Galesburg like half price pizza at Sully's on Mondays!
- Read in the Seymour Library or explore the many nooks and crannies.
- Experience the famous college "all-nighter"—bond with fellow students in the Founders Computer Lab.
- Indulge your sweet tooth—visit the Calico Cat to buy truffles and cross the street to Uncle Billy's Bakery for oatmeal fudgies.
- Try not to get BBQ sauce on your shirt as you eat ribs at the picnic table inside the Rib Shack.
- Organize spontaneous dance parties in your suite.
- Pump iron or workout at the new Fitness Center.
- Get served by your professors at Midnight Breakfast during finals week.
- Work your vocal cords by singing karaoke at Cherry Street or the Broadview Diner.
- Get involved with your dramatic side—try your hand at the theatre with one of the many Studio Theatre productions.
- Catch a movie at the new Kerasotes 8-screen theater in town—pour your own butter on the popcorn, and enjoy free refills on drinks and popcorn!
- Attend any (or all) of the dozen of theater productions on campus throughout the year, and at least one of the productions by Prairie Players, the community theatre group.
- Trick-or-treat for canned food for the FISH food pantry.
- Build your muscles (and a house) with the Knox Habitat for Humanity chapter.
- Who ever said there's no skiing in Western Illinois? Cross-country ski at the Green Oaks Biological Field station.
Participate in an Informal Dance Concert or any of the Dance workshops.
- Expand your mind with a lecture by a faculty member or visiting professor.
- Attend the twice-yearly Catch release party and pick up your copy of the award-winning student publication.
- Play bingo with the residents of the Kensington assisted living facility.
- Commune and socialize with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship for social activities on Friday evenings.
- Get involved with the planning of International Fair—perform, cook, eat, learn!
- Show your Knox spirit at Homecoming Weekend.
- Go hit the stores at the Sandburg Mall.
- Drive, run, or walk around historic neighborhoods of Galesburg and check out all the Victorian architecture.
- Play golf at Bunker Links or Oak Run Golf Course.
- Check out the latest art opening at the Galesburg Civic Art Center.
- Rock out at Capital Records.
- Join the Galesburg Community Chorus.
- Play sand volleyball outside the Fiji House.
- Get fit at dance aerobics or yoga in the Fitness Center's Fitness Studio.
- Catch a double-feature on the original "big screen" at Galesburg's Blue Moonlight Drive-In Theater.
- Empower and inspire yourself and others by sharing stories and experiences at Take Back the Night.