Quarantine Diary 9: The Small Joys

Hear ye, hear ye, to all the inhabitants of the world, especially the readers of the UGL ‘Quarantine Diaries’. It’s me, Tath, another Graduate Assistant at the UGL. I’m writing from my apartment in Urbana with my windows open, even though it’s cold. Someone told me “being present with the temperature is being present with yourself” and I have developed a small crush on that thought. I do not know how many weeks shelter-in-place has been in effect.

I wanted to be finished with my large assignments several weeks ago, but have instead been spending time biking around Urbana. Although living in Chicago for five years before moving here, I am just now beginning to understand what flatland means as a kind of psychological condition. It’s not actually flat, you can see some rolling hills on the country roads just northeast of Urbana but they’re always a little out of reach, or actually in the middle of an early-season cornfield. 

My eyes are in legitimate pain from Zoom meetings but I like FaceTiming with my sister’s cat, Dusty Butt.

The cat, Dusty Butt, climbing on top of hanging clothes.

Other small joys?

Peppermint Tea:
It just rules. There is no tea I like better. Even Vanilla Rooibos doesn’t compare.

Rewatching the Sopranos:
Anthony Jr. is sick and there’s nothing I want more than to see him wearing the same Marilyn Manson shirt I wore all through middle school through college – the album cover to Family Portrait. Also high-key love Carmella and really really wish she and my mom were friends. In the mid-2000’s at the height of the Martha Stewart, Barefoot Contessa cultural phase, themed homemaking books and cookbooks were published kind of often (as opposed to today’s regional/cultural fusion trend). The Sopranos has not one, but two, whereas something as epistemically massive as Napoleon Dynamite only has a scattering of recipes across the internet. I’m vegan but I’d probably step to Carmella’s ziti.

A tweet that reads: "season 01, episode 4: AJ wears his first band shirt and it's a Marilyn Manson one. Plus, he rocks his room with several posters of Ulver, Moonspell, Nevermore and Stuck Mojo. What a start. #numetal #thesopranos" and has photos of the shirt and room

Reconnecting with an ex who is an actual rockstar.
I won’t tell you who they are but when I saw their picture in December’s Art Forum Top Ten my heart skipped a beat. They are also a rockstar at phone calls, and have good critiques of seltzer. Of seltzer, I highly recommend the Instagram page @seltzerflex.

Geoguessr
This is a Google Maps oriented game where you guess where you are based on your street view. I have guessed within 30 meters of where I have been dropped. You always know when you are in Australia, but inland regions of Mediterranean countries look eerily like Mongolia.

Skyrim
I’ve been homesick for my native Western Massachusetts since like 2013. Skyrim helps fill the void a little bit because culturally it’s the same place (for better or worse, although without the paranoia), and geographically even closer to a replica of home. My hometown looks like the outskirts of Whiterun.

A water-wheel turning in Skyrim

Falcon Cam
Sometimes I wake up and check on these falcons on top of UMass Amherst’s W.E.B. Dubois Library.

 

Written by: Tath

Edited by: Nicole

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Destress Fest Fall 2019

Fall break is arguably one of the best weeks of the year: you get absolutely stuffed with a delicious Thanksgiving meal, you finally get some sleep, and when you’re not eating or sleeping, there’s usually a chance to see hometown friends!

However, fall break is but a cruel tease. Just when you’ve gotten comfortable with waking up at noon, your dreams are shattered by the impending return to campus after a far too brief hiatus.

Screenshot of tweet that reads, "going to school in between thanksgiving and christmas break feels like the last lap in mario kart where the music is all fast and gets really stressfull"

Returning from fall break is worse than all other breaks because the end of the semester is so close. And we all know what that means… finals.

gif of Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, looking up from the ground somberly as she is chosen as tribute

Finals week comes with stress, long nights, gallons of coffee, and inevitable tears.screenshot of tweet that reads, "I've already cried 5 times in the past 14 hours and I haven't even had to say goodbye to anyone yet #FinalsWeek"

But never fear, the UGL is here to help relieve finals anxiety with Destress Fest! Our amazing reading day event!

Come to the UGL to study any time between 12:00 pm and 10:00 pm on Reading Day, Thursday, December 12th, and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in lots of fun and relaxing activities during your study breaks!gif of a scene from A Night at the Roxbury, where Doug (played Chris Kattan) comforts Steve (played by Will Farrell), and says,

Here’s the full schedule:

Schedule of Destress Fest 2019 hosted by the UGL

Looking forward to seeing you during Destress Fest 2019!!

Written by Annabel

Edited by Lauren

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The UGL’s Guide to Fall Break

Who’s ready for fall break?

Image of Uggles laying on top of a fruit and vegetable basket

Uggles is allowed on the dining table

Whether you’re staying in the Champaign-Urbana area or traveling away, here are some UGL-approved ideas of how to spend your week of freedom before the final exam crunch begins!

Reading for FUN

A gif image of a cat reading

Plenty to read is available for you and your cat

Missing the good old days of summer when you could read what you wanted, not what your professor assigned? Before you head out of town, stop by the UGL to check out popular novels, graphic novels, and more.

  • Find out more about our Fiction collection, or browse our genre binders on the lower level.
  • If you have a specific book in mind, try searching the Library Catalog to see where to find it.
  • If you’re more of an e-book kind of person, check out our Finding Ebooks guide and find the book for you.

eAudio Books

Screenshot of the rb Digital library for Ebooks

The rb Digital ebook library

The library has an eAudio collection with thousands of audiobooks you can access to make tedious chores or long car rides less boring. Head to the link above for a guide to using this collection, or go straight to the library catalog listing. Once you click “Online Access,” you’ll be brought to a site called rb digital where you can browse or search for books.

Explore C-U

The Explore C-U homepage

Explore C-U

Whether you’re stuck on campus over break or just happen to have family in the area, check out Explore C-U, a University Library developed project that has stories and self-guided tour routes to learn more about the arts, culture, and history of Champaign-Urbana. Examples of tour include:

School Stuff

Maybe you’ve been putting off that research paper, or maybe you just really love your classes. Whatever the reason, know that you still have access to the library’s databases and resources when you’re out of town and off-campus!

Gif of a cat using a laptop and a mouse

Digital access to all of the library’s resources

Start from the library’s home page and find whatever database or journal you need. You’ll be prompted to log in with your NetID and password, then you are good to go. If this doesn’t work, pop in the Ask A Librarian chat on the library’s website for help or check out our guide on accessing databases off campus for other ways you can connect.

Take a little cat nap!

Gif of two very cuddly and very sleep cats yawning

A few extra cat naps over break will be welcome

Whatever you choose, we hope you enjoy the time off and come back refreshed and ready to tackle all of your end-of-semester projects and final exams.

~authored by Amy

~Edited by Zander

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De-Stress Fest Spring 2018!

Feeling the pressure of finals? We sure are! Come spend Reading Day on May 3rd at the UGL and blow off some steam. Check out our schedule of the day’s events!

All Day

An orange UGL lanyard with homemade buttons of an avocado, tatiana maslany, a dog in a field, Uggles, BB-8, and tina fey

Make buttons of the things you love like avocados and Tatiana Maslany!

What: Crafts, origami, and button-making
Where: Upper level, front of the library
Spend your day making crafts with paper, pipecleaners, and pet rocks! Make a button for your backpack, lanyard, or jean jacket with the UGL’s button-maker!

What: Long Night Against Procrastination
Where: Writers Workshop
Join the Writers Workshop in the Long Night Against Procrastination. Get help from writing tutors all day long until midnight!

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

A photo of Altgeld hall with the text "Illinois - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign counseling center" overlaid in white text

The Counseling Center is here to help!

What: Counseling Center
Where: Upper Level, front of the library
Feeling the stress of finals season? The counseling center is there for you! Get help and resources from the Counseling Center all afternoon!

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

What: Research and Writing Consultations
Where: Outside patio tables
If you’re still powering through those final research papers, the UGL is here to help! Bask in the sun and spend some time with a one-on-one research consultation at one of our outdoor research consultations.

What: Bubbles, games, and sidewalk chalk
Where: Outside the UGL
If you just need a break from the library, come outside and play games! Sidewalk chalk, board games, and bubbles will be outside the UGL on the patio all afternoon!

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

What: Word Games with the Writers Workshop
Where: Writers Workshop
Exercise your brain and have fun with Bananagrams and other word games at the Writers Workshop!

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Roll for Initiative!

What: Pathfinder Character Creation
Where: Undergrad Library, Group Room 11
Take your RPG playing to the next level and create your own custom character with the help of the UGL’s Game Masters in Residence!

6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

What: Research and Writing Consultations
Where: Consultation Corner

Cram in some last minute research and writing help at the Consultation Corner!

8:00 pm

SURPRISE! Show up at the UGL at 8 pm for a sweet surprise!

8:00 pm – Midnight

Yes, you can still play Street Fighter 2

What: Vintage Video Games
Where: UGL Gaming Center
Missing your old school video games? Come play with the UGL’s RetroN, a 10-system console capable of running SEGA, Game Boy, NES, Genesis, SNES and more!

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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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If You Like Netflix, You’ll Like These Board Games

We love Netflix as much as the next person, but there are only so many hours you can binge before even TV gets boring. Don’t be afraid to mix it up this week! We’ve got a list of favorite TV shows—and board games to match.

Join us on Wednesday, October 12th for the UGL’S Board Game Night from 7-9pm! We’ll have our games out for you to play, along with staff to teach anyone who wants to try something they’ve never played before.

If you like The Walking Dead, try Pandemic.

Pandemic, from Z-Man games

Pandemic by Z-Man Games

It’s the game that’s trying to kill you. After selecting a card assigning you a job, it’s up to your team of players to use those skills to defeat four infectious diseases. While you fly from city to city to create cures, the cards you draw bring the world closer to destruction. You’ll have to work together if you want to survive.

If you like The Americans, try Codenames.

Codenames, from Czech Games

Codenames by Czech Games

You can’t trust anyone at your table. Codenames is a game of spies—teams compete to see who can locate all their agents first. The players chosen as spymasters can only use one-word clues to try and get their teams on their side—but if the spies guess wrong they could end up in enemy hands, or killed by the assassin.

If you like House of Cards, try Diplomacy.

Diplomacy by Avalon Hill

Diplomacy by Avalon Hill

This strategy board game is fraught with tension–in order to win, you have to betray the other players before they can betray you. Taking place during World War I, you’ll have to create alliances if you want to win, but with none of the players able to trust each other, you’ll need to break out your inner Frank Underwood to succeed in negotiations.

If you like Firefly, try Race for the Galaxy.

Race for the Galaxy by Rio Grande Games

Race for the Galaxy by Rio Grande Games

Would you be a browncoat, or join the Alliance? Players draw cards to determine the fate of their worlds. What planets will your people settle on? Will you have technology? Resources? This fast-paced card game is a race to find who can build the strongest galactic empire before you run out of cards. Will you have a few, strong planets or a large empire to colonize?

Try out these games or some of the other games in the UGL’s board game collection at the UGL Game Night on October 12, or check them out any time! Got a favorite board game you’d like to play? Let us know on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages.

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