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My last class of the year is over! I’m relieved. I breathe in the fresh air as I walk out of the Business school, and a sense of apathy begins to wash over, despite the fact that I’ve already been zoning out in the last few weeks of school.
Now, I should be locking myself in my room and studying for the three exams I have next week. But tonight, Boulder calls out to me.
After a delectable home-cooked (read: microwaved, poor-college-kid style) meal with the roomies, I proceed to fabu-lize myself. I throw on a sparkling dress and my favorite boots, then pucker up to apply my “ten-top-red” lipstick and grab a necklace that suits my mood on the way out.
The girls and I stroll up to the Hill with a thirst for Long Island iced teas at Half Fast Subs. There are dozens of fellow students already here, bustling around. The night comes to life and everyone looks fantastic.
We pass by people with suitcases waiting at the bus stop at the UMC. People are already making headway at the hookah bar. There are the freshmen, who are easy to pick out, since they seem to have a habit of clustering into obnoxious swarms of at least 30 on their way to the Hill. I catch glimpses at some people’s outfits and deduce that there is a 1980s theme party somewhere nearby.
There are around 30,000 of us here in Boulder, and at this moment, we’re all free to do as we please. On a night like this, I wonder where everyone is going.
Students here at CU are known across the nation to have quite a bit of fun. The nightlife is an undeniable part of that aspect of our culture, but people forget that Boulder is a place where people from all backgrounds come together and find a variety of things to do once class is out.
Ellie Bean, a fellow staff writer, is a self-proclaimed “typical college student,” who, like many of us, enjoys the occasional night of “drunken debauchery and a lot of lecherous behavior.” However, the kind of Friday nights that she enjoys the most involves something she feels is much more meaningful.
A few weeks ago, she and some other CU students gathered to support cancer research and awareness.
For me, going out for drinks and looking for cute boys is all good and fun, but there are evenings where I’d rather stay in with my friends and neighbors and nerd out on the Nintendo, Xbox or Playstation. My friend Adam Tabeling and I particularly enjoy our “Silent Hill” nights together.
For those of us who are more PC oriented, rejoice that many still enjoy LAN parties à la classics such as the almighty soul-consuming Star Craft. (And WHO’S excited for Star Craft II?! C’est moi!)
When Adam and I aren’t kicking it with Pyramid Head or zombie nurses, we’re normally doing something more low-key. For example, Adam might take advantage of what free time life can spare him and do homework, write papers and catch up on his reading.
Fellow staff member Cameron Naish would typically join us, but would rather spend his free time with a long-lost friend… read more on his article titled “Spending time together.”
In researching the various activities that CU students participate in, I found that there are lots of things to do around here that I haven’t gotten a chance to experience yet.
For example, there are several exotic restaurants in the area I want to try, like the Dushanbe Teahouse, the Royal Peacock or Casa Alvarez.
Mike Jensen, 23, a senior accounting and finance major, swears by food at Sushi Zanmai near the Pearl Street Mall. I hear sushi is an aphrodisiac, so I might have to snag a date and check that one out first.
While I share a love for food with many people in Boulder, I share a love for music as well. The Fox Theatre on the Hill is a place I’ve always meant to explore, but I’ve only gotten to pass by the crowds beneath the lights of the marquee, and I’m dying to see what goes on inside.
Briana Kasozi, a 19-year-old sociology major, loves going live shows on the weekends, especially for reggae music. She’s attended a party at the Fox once and told me all about it. With awesome local, national and regional bands of all genres coming in every week, I’m bound to hit the place up with her sometime soon.
Students in Boulder are also known for being very active in sports and recreation. Peter Janssen, 21, a junior finance major, sometimes goes with friends to play basketball at the Rec Center before heading out.
“Surprisingly,” Kasozi said, “there are a lot of people playing there between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Fridays.”
And of course, like many in this town, Janssen is a snowboarding and skiing enthusiast. With the mountains so close by, it’s hard to resist the call of the fresh snow on the slopes. Apparently, skiing and snowboarding is an option even on Friday nights.
“I went snowboarding once at Keystone under the lights. It’s called ‘night skiing.’ It’s quite an experience,” said Janssen.
Night skiing starts at the Keystone resort at 4 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. The bright lights shine against the snow on 15 slopes across the terrain of the park.
It sounds beautiful. Unfortunately, night skiing has already closed as of the end of March. I might have to save up and gather some friends to go when the snow comes back next year.
With all the possibilities for fun and excitement out there, it kills me that I have to sit here in my apartment and study my face off for finals.
But when summer comes, I fully intend on hitting the town to explore the above and see everything else Friday nights in Boulder have to offer. And, of course, I plan divulging all the dirty little details when I return next semester.
Boulderites! Keep doing all the awesome things we do. Study hard, have fun and see you next year.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Natalie Bui at Natalie.bui@colorado.edu.
