From the TV to the Table: Table Top Games to Check Out Based on Your Favorite TV shows

Is your school work starting to weigh you down? Do you need something to do besides binge watch your favorite TV shows? Good News! The UGL has a collection of table top games that you can check out to help you destress. If you need help picking one, here are some recommendations based on some of your favorite TV shows!

Do you love Game of Thrones? Try playing Risk!

Risk board game

Risk

Are you missing Jon Snow, Daenerys, and all your favorite conquers from Westeros? While you wait for the final season, you can come check out Risk at the UGL Circulation Desk. The objective of this game is to conquer all the territory on the board’s map with your political savvy, attacking strategies, and defensive techniques. You can form alliances with your friends and come up with schemes to sabotage your enemies. In the Game of Thrones, you either win or you die. In the game of Risk, you either win, or you lose and don’t get stabbed in the stomach. Leave the swordplay to Arya—check out this game and enjoy all the power with none of the northern frostbite. Also, If you want to watch Game of Thrones, you can check seasons 1-6 out here at the UGL when you come pick up the game!

Jon Snow gif I'm Ready

If you liked The Handmaid’s Tale, give Scrabble a try.

The Handmaid's Tale A Hulu Original Cover

The Handmaid’s Tale

Looking for a way to relieve your stress and show off your wit? Do what Offred does, and play a game of Scrabble. This game is made up of 225 squares, and the objective is to accumulate the most points with your vocabulary (you can also reach for goals like longest word or most triple letter words). If you find yourself in need of some intellectually stimulating entertainment, come check this game out. You can also do one better than Offred, and play the game with someone who isn’t keeping you prisoner. Praise be! You can find Scrabble at the UGL Circulation Desk, and you can stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu. In the mean time, read up and build that vocabulary!

Offred reading gif

Are you a Parks and Recreation fan? Honor Ben Wyatt and play Settlers of Catan.

The Settlers of Catan game board

Settlers of Catan

Have you ever wanted to play Ben Wyatt’s original table top game, The Cones of Dunshire? Well, it isn’t actually a real game yet (still hoping for the Kickstarter). Instead, you can play one of Ben’s personal favorites: Setters of Catan. The goal of this game is to create a civilization that surpasses all the other players’ settlements on the fictional island, Catan. If you do check this out, be sure to find a good group of friends (like Ben’s) to play with you. Also, if you want to enjoy some Parks and Recreation while you play, you can pick up seasons 1-7 in the UGL’s media collections here.

Ben Wyatt celebrating

If you’re missing Stranger Things, you might find solace in a Pathfinder session.

Stranger Things Season 1 cover image

Stranger Things

Do you find yourself in need of some adventuring? Do what Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Will do: play a fantasy role-playing game. At the UGL, we have Pathfinder. You can check out the Core Rulebook or a Beginner’s Box to help you start designing an adventure for you and your friends. You can even stream Stranger Things on Netflix to help you get prepared. In addition to that, you can come to the UGL for short sessions run by our Graduate Assistants! Stay tuned and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to find out when these sessions will take place. Either way, come ready to fight dragons, goblins, and trolls—and if the lights start to flicker, you might want to grab a baseball bat and run.

The boys from stranger things slay the demogorgon

One last piece of good news: these games are just the beginning! Check out our full list of table top games at the UGL! Have an idea of something we should add?  Reach out to us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages, and give us your suggestions!

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September Events

September is in full swing, and with the beginning of the school year also comes the beginning of fall events! Check out our roundup of events happening on campus and around Champaign-Urbana this month.

Greatest Midwest Food Town Celebration

MidwestLiving Greatest Midwest Food Town Celebration Logo

Greatest Midwest Food Town Celebration

Where: Urbana’s Market at the Square, The Blind Pig Brewery, and Grange Grove

When: September 9th, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Celebrate Champaign-Urbana being named the best Midwest Food Town by MidwestLiving Magazine with food samples, games, giveaways and music. The day begins at Urbana’s Market at the Square, moving to Blind Pig at 12:45 pm and ending the day at Grange Grove at 4:00 pm. Free admission.

Krannert Center Opening Night Party

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

Krannert Center Opening Night Party

Where: Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

When: September 14th, 6:00 pm

The Krannert Center’s Opening Night Party this year is also celebrating ELLNORA Guitar Festival and the University of Illinois Sesquicentennial with blues and folk music, food, crafts, and a showcase of mini-performances. Try your hand at screen-printing and guitar pick jewelry-making, and marvel at the community guitar gallery hung throughout the Lobby along with food and music. Admission is $5.

CU Pride Fest 2017

CU Pride Rainbow Logo

CU Pridefest 2017

Where: Downtown Champaign

When: Events September 15-17

Sponsored by Uniting Pride, celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride with events September 15-17 in Downtown Champaign! Pride Fest kicks off at 6:00 pm on Friday, September 15th with live music, drag shows, and comedy at 51 Main. Pride Fest continues on Saturday with the CU Pride Parade at 4 pm, and an afterparty at 51 Main. The weekend wraps up on Sunday at 11:00 am with a Drag Brunch at City View. Admission prices vary.

The Pygmalion Festival

Pygmalion Festival Logo

Pygmalion Festival Logo

Where: Downtown Champaign

When: September 20-24

The 13th year of the Pygmalion Festival brings food, drink, music, technology, and literature to an intimate event. Pygmalion highlights local bands, authors, restaurants and innovators, and focuses on creating a festival experience that is meaningful, impactful, and sustainable. Tickets are available as single day passes or full weekend passes.

Stargazing at Meadowbrook Park

MeadowBrook Park at Night

Stargazing at Meadowbrook Park

Where: Meadowbrook Park, 2808 S. Race Street

When: Thursday, September 21, 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Celebrate the last days of summer with outdoor stargazing at Meadowbrook Park in Urbana. Join expert astronomers from the Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society and William M. Staerkel Planetarium to learn about stargazing and observe through high powered professional telescopes. Bring a blanket and a telescope of your own if you have one! Free admission.

Urbana Food Truck Rally

Urbana Food Truck Rally Logo

Urbana Food Truck Rally

Where: Urbana Civic Center, 108 E. Walter Street

When: Tuesday, September 26th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Come one, come all to the lunchtime food truck rally series in Downtown Urbana! The last Tuesday of every month features a convergence of local food trucks in Downtown Urbana for a lunch time break. Food trucks for September include Dragon Fire Pizza, Chester’s BBQ, The Empanadas House, and more. Indulge your tastebuds for a lunch time treat. Free admission, cost for food.

Hopefully we’ve covered most of the major events happening around Champaign-Urbana for the month of September, but if we missed anything, reach out to us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages, and stay tuned for an events post every month!

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