What's It Like in Minnesota?
Comments from current students on life in Minnesota.
Katy Heath - fifth year student (2006)
The Twin Cities are a very cosmopolitan urban area, yet with close access
to state parks and natural areas - plus only an evening's drive from Superior
and Chippewa National Forests as well as Voyagers National Park.
Music, theater, art, and dance in the Twin Cities are great - the Minnesota
Opera, Walker Art Museum, Guthrie Theater are important and well-known. But
of particular importance to graduate students is the abundance of smaller (and
often more affordable) local companies like the James Sewall Ballet and Theatre
de la Jeune Lune that routinely garner national attention. Not to mention the
music scene at venues like First Avenue, the Turf Club, and Triple Rock - bands
typically stop in Minneapolis on their midwest tour.
Adam Huang - fifth year student (2006)
School and life in Minnesota
As an international student, I enjoy the quality
of both the plant sciences research in PBS program and the life in Minnesota.
The faculties in the program have a broad spectrum of research interests for
me to choose from when I first came into the program. Now I am working on sugar
signaling pathways in Arabidopsis .
Of course, doing research is not the whole life of a graduate student. The
distinct seasons and numerous lakes in Minnesota provide me great opportunities
for outdoors activities, like hiking, canoeing, swimming and many more. The
twin cities area boasts lots of entertainment too. I can go to the college
and professional sports events, visit museums and enjoy dining at a variety
of restaurants.
Lastly, I like the student housing in St. Paul campus for graduate students
which claims peaceful neighborhoods.
Rachel Mills - second year student (2006)
I know what you might be thinking right now; what the heck is there to
do in Minnesota besides ice fishing?? In a state known for snow and tropical-sized
summer mosquitoes there are actually a lot of great activities to fill
those rare spare moments you find yourself away from the lab. Believe me,
it can happen! Coming from Seattle, I have a strong foundation in my appreciation
for the liberal arts and I quickly sought out theatres and museums in the
twin cities. Here's a quick fact, Minneapolis has more theatre seats than
any other city, besides New York City! Who knew?! I bought season tickets
to the MN Opera at a reasonable price and, unfortunately, later discovered
that you can get student rush tickets for as little as $15 on the night
of the performance. The upcoming season is going to be incredible with
some great operas by Mozart and Offenbach.
Musicals aren't your thing? Try the Tony Award winning theatre
called June Leune. I have seen every show there this season and was impressed
every time. They offer student priced tickets and also an option to volunteer
in exchange for free tickets. Maybe you want something more interactive and
off the cuff. Try the Brave New Workshop in Uptown. They are a sketch comedy/improv
group that has full shows as well as Two hours of improv on Sunday nights
for $1!!! The Sunday shows can vary in levels of hilarity, but I have never
felt it was a waste of a buck. Besides the above-mentioned places there is
the entire Theatre District along Hennepin Ave. in downtown Minneapolis that
has over 4 major theatres (Orpheum, Pantages, The State, etc.) waiting to
tempt you with big named shows and celebrities.
Perhaps you want something a bit different, like dance. There are myriad
dance companies in the area from ballet to flamenco. I have seen the James
Sewell Company, which combines classical and modern schools of ballet. I
recently saw Zenon Dance Company's Spring Show, which was a blending of ballet
and modern dance movements and was quite incredible. Maybe you want to shake
your groove thing. Zenon Dance is also a school where you take classes in
ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop, breakin', african movement, pilates,
and yoga. Classes range from $10-$12 depending on the length of the class.
Let's head on down to the Warehouse district in Minneapolis and you can get
into the groove. Most of the clubs have a cover, but it rarely exceeds $5.
To be honest, most of the clubs are the same, perhaps with a different color
scheme.
Maybe you
want to enjoy a quieter Saturday night? How about a movie. Block E is the
major movie theatre, located on 7th and Hennepin. Make sure you flash your
student ID to get the discount ticket price of $5. If you are looking for
the independent and unconventional films, head over to Uptown to the Lagoon
Theatre and the Uptown Theatre. The Uptown also shows great campy films
like The Goonies and The Princess Bride at midnight on Saturdays, everyone
should go this at least once, if nothing else but to see Sloth yell, "Hey you guuuuys," on
the big screen! Well, I hope that gives you some ideas for things to do
in your new city. Just don't forget to invite me when you go out on the
town!
Rachel Morphew - third year student (2006)
Minnesota is a great place to live, especially if you like sports. With professional
baseball, football, basketball, and hockey, no matter the season, there is
always an event to attend. Gopher sports are also fun to go to. With new stadiums
being planned for the Gopher football team and the Minnesota Twins (baseball),
the future or Minnesota sports is looking very bright. There are a lot out outdoor recreation opportunities in Minnesota in any season.
Camping and hiking are fun in the summer, along with swimming and fishing in
one of the many great lakes. In the winter, you can cross-country or downhill
ski as well as go ice fishing and ice skating. One thing that is really great
about the University is that you can rent any of the outdoor gear that you
might need at a very reasonable price.
There are a range of housing options around the metro area for students. You
can live in Uptown, a hip urban neighborhood in Minneapolis that is accessible
to the University by bus. If you prefer a quieter neighborhood, there are plenty
of boarding houses and apartments adjacent to the Saint Paul campus.
Sumitha Nallu - first year student (2006)
Hello, this is Sumitha, a first year graduate student in plant biological
sciences graduate program at University of Minnesota. When asked to share
my experience at the U of M, I wasn't sure where to start from. I still
remember the day when I started off from India to Minneapolis; everyone
was so worried and concerned about the cold weather. But now when I have
experienced all weather changes, I feel it was really exciting. It is really
not as cold as people project it to be. In contrast its lot of fun to play
with the snow and its exhilarating especially for people like me (coming
from subtropical climates). The standard of education is very good with
a very accommodating staff. The people here are warm and welcoming. In
short, this one year has been an endearing experience.
Kelly Zinn - fifth year student (2006)
I really enjoy living in the Twin Cities. During the warmer months,
I love to bike to the St. Paul Farmers Market to buy locally grown produce. The
winter is my favorite time of the year. Many of the local parks
groom trail and rent equipment for cross country skiing. Minnesota is
a phenomenal place for outdoor adventures. Some highlights include the
Superior Hiking trail, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and Voyageurs
National Park!
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