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Geeking Out: Seven Days to a Nerdier You
04/03/2008 We all know that Athens is a great place to be for anyone interested in beer, music, or shopping. Opportunities abound for someone who enjoys the nighttime party life and music scene that has made Athens famous. But what about us geeks? What possibilities are there for those of us who would rather read up on the latest issues in the world of grammar or learn about cultures in the Caucasus Mountains than pound Jager bombs? Or for those trapped between the two worlds - the ones who geek out by day and party by night - what does Athens have to offer them? To answer these questions, I set out to explore Athens from a new, geekier perspective, and I have come up with a list of the seven best ways to indulge your inner geek in Athens. You can begin your adventures in geekdom outdoors at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, located off South Milledge Avenue. Flowers might not seem geeky at first, but what I strongly encourage you to do, little nerd, is stop and actually read the signs posted by each flower bed and plant. There is so much to learn from these placards, and the garden is open year-round with different plants to see at every time of the year. The gardens are sure to provide fun nerdy entertainment, complete with sunshine and flowers! To take a break from the sun, head indoors to a poetry reading or lecture sponsored by UGA’s English Department. The department brings in new readers and begins new series frequently. These events are free and generally open to anyone who cares to attend. For more information about possible geeky opportunities with the English Department, check out their website. To brush up on your local history and Athens trivia, take a self-guided tour of the city. The Athens Music History Tour is free, available online, and explores past and present sites of great musical significance. Developed by the Athens Welcome Center and Flagpole Magazine, the tour is informative and will certainly open your eyes. Visit this website to download and print the tour guide manual, which you can carry with you as you explore the city. For a bit of fun, geeky, nighttime entertainment, attend a meeting of the Athens Beard and Moustache Club, which meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at 9 PM at 283 W Broad St. The club is for anyone interested in beer, moustaches, and inside jokes, and it is open to everybody who wants to attend. Don’t have a beard or moustache? They’ll provide you with suitable facial hair for the evening. The group gets together to have fun and to discuss their involvement with local philanthropic efforts. For more information, check their website. If you’d like to indulge your inner art critic, venture over to the Georgia Museum of Art. The museum is open to anyone, but asks for a $2 voluntary donation from their guests. The museum regularly gets new exhibitions, so frequent visitors will never be bored. For any geeks out there who obsess over Harry Potter the way the rest of the world does, the UGA Quidditch League has frequent matches on campus at Myers Quad. The teams are divided into Houses, in keeping with the books, but they use Frisbees and balls instead of “snitches” and “quaffles." UGA will be having their first intercollegiate match on April 13 against the team from SCAD. For more information on the Quidditch League, look them up on Wikipedia or check out their Facebook Group. To conclude your week of geeking out in Athens, head to the Boyd Science Library, a Mecca for Athens geeks. The library boasts a plethora of opportunities for enhancing your geekdom, including books of all varieties, computer labs, and the skeleton of a giant sloth. Set up a scavenger hunt with friends to locate the many geeky treasures buried here or have a competition to see who can geek out the hardest. The possibilities are endless within the walls of Boyd. If some of these activities simply won’t work for you, you can always visit the Sandy Creek Nature Center for a hike in the nature preserve or to see the interactive exhibits in the ENSAT building. Other options include studying on North Campus, perusing the used books at the Jittery Joe’s at Five Points, playing Scrabble at Hot Corner, or being a juror for a mock trial. As it turns out, the geeky possibilities in Athens are limitless! So go forth, fellow nerds, and do not be afraid to geek out in Athens. Comments [post a comment]
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