Bored? Penniless? Need a break from studying? Welcome to NIU. About 25,000 other people here feel the same way. But wait! NIU has several remedies for boredom that cost nothing or close to nothing.

NIU provides numerous recreational services funded by your student fees. What? Student fees cover something else besides Health Service and The Northern Star? They sure do! So take advantage of as many of these services as possible. You’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth and then some.

The Huskies Den, with its pool tables, bowling alley, and video arcade, is an inexpensive way for students to take a study break. For a small fee, students can play pool on one of the Den’s many pool tables or bowl a few frames on one of their 16 lanes.

The video arcade has been outfitted with all new games to challenge students’ skills. The Huskies Den is located in the northwest corner of the Holmes Student Center (HSC). Enter at that corner of the building and follow the signs downstairs. For information call 3-1419.

The Campus Activities Board sponsors free coffeehouses in the Diversions Lounge. The coffeehouses have free concerts, movies, and speakers throughout the school year. The lounge is on the ground floor of the student center across from the NIU bookstore.

For a mere $1.50, students can view CAB sponsored movies in the Carl Sandberg Auditorium. The theater is located at the northwest corner of the student center, one flight up from the entrance. For information on upcoming CAB events phone 3-1580.

Astronomy buffs can call the NIU observatory at 3-1216 and reserve a time to tour the observatory and star gaze. Student volunteers will take groups of four at a time on a tour of the facility Monday through Friday. The tours are by appointment only except on Fridays when the observatory is open to the public from 8 to 10 p.m. The observatory is located atop Davis Hall on Normal Road.

For the fitness-minded student, the Office of Campus Recreation runs the NIU Student Recreation Center on the corner of Annie Glidden and Lucinda roads across from Lincoln Hall.

The center offers a wide range of activities for interested students. The center’s weight room comes complete with free weights and machines for toning muscles. The rec center also has various fitness machines as well as aerobics classes during the school year.

Students who would rather get their exercise from sports can take advantage of the different courts the rec center provides. Depending on the time and availability, students can reserve courts for volleyball, tennis, raquetball and wolleyball. Basketball courts are available on a first come-first served basis.

The OCR also provides a wide variety of intramural sports during the school year. For information or to reserve a court phone 3-0231.

The OCR also rents recreational equipment through the Outing Centre located at the west end of the rec center. The Outing Centre rents everything from camping gear to golf clubs. Dave Curran of the Outing Centre said they even have two new sailboards for rent. To reach the Outing Centre, phone 3-9423.

Intercollegiate sports at NIU are not only exciting to watch but are covered by student fees as well. All students need in order to attend a sporting event is a valid NIU student identification.

There are many more activities on-campus as well as off that students can take advantage of but space just won’t permit listing them all. There is always something to do at NIU, students just have to be willing to look around.