Graduate Student Life
The city of Madison offers all of the conveniences, culture, and diversity that one would desire from a big city while still maintaining the personality and inclusive feel of a small town. Madison has been named the #1 green city in America, # 1 city for young adults, #2 city for recreational activities, a best place to live and work, a best city for college graduates, and one of the five happiest cities in America.
As the state’s capital, with a population of over 200,000 people, Madison is the second largest city in Wisconsin. But if you’re in need of a larger metropolitan area, you can easily travel the roughly 80 miles east to Milwaukee or 150 miles south-east to Chicago. However, as most of us agree, there is plenty to do in and around Madison to fill our free days with entertainment and recreation.
Graduate Community
A great aspect of our department is the community that has developed amongst the grad students. One of our favorite spots for music, film, food, beer, and just basically hanging out is the Union Terrace. During the summer, you can sit in one of the many multicolored chairs on the Terrace and look out over the beautiful Lake Mendota while eating a fresh cooked brat and enjoying one of the many locally brewed beers they have on tap.
After work on Friday, we usually head to the Terrace for a beer and then out to dinner afterwards. There is often someone who wants to go see a concert or a show (or is even performing in one) and generally others that want to come with. We are a close-knit group, and that makes living in a city like Madison all the more enjoyable.
Citywide Events
Book lovers will enjoy the annual Book Fest featuring readings, lectures, book discussions, writing workshops, live interviews, children’s events, and more. There are frequent art, music, and food festivals throughout the warmer months, and Winterfest and Children’s Museaum “Adult Swim” nights in the winter. And of course, it wouldn’t be Wisconsin without the annual Brat Fest in which you can enjoy delicious brats while listening to the best local and regional bands.
Sports & Recreation
Of course, you can’t have a city without sports. The University of Wisconsin has consistently top ranking football, basketball, and hockey teams. In fact in 2006 both the men’s and women’s hockey teams won the national championship! Although tickets may be somewhat hard to come by for certain games, you are sure to enjoy any of the University sporting events. The Madison Mallards, an independent semi-pro Northwoods League team, is also a great bet for a summer afternoon. For just $24 you can get a ticket to the Duck Blind for unlimited food and drink during the game. Or if you’d like to drive a bit, you can also catch a Brewers game in Milwaukee, or a Cubs, White Sox, or Bears game in Chicago. The Forward FC soccer team (Div. 3 USL) and the Madison Radicals Ultimate Frisbee Team at Breese Stevens are also popular.
Graduate Students also enjoy competing in the Madison Ultimate Frisbee Association Summer League and the Winter Indoor Soccer League. Madison is well known as a bike-firendly town, with many grad students biking for transporation, sport, or just recreation! Additionaly, Madison has a strong fitness culture with plenty of running and biking routes, and even hosts an annual Ironman Triathalon and the annual Crossfit Games.
Music, Theater & Arts
Madison has many great music and film venues along with every type of restaurant and bar that one could want. The Orpheum and the Barrymore Theaters are the best places to catch the big national bands coming through Madison, while smaller venues like the High Noon Saloon offer a more intimate concert environment. You can also find classical music, plays, dance, and opera at the Overture Center and the Union Theater.
And if the band or show that you’re looking for is not coming through Madison, chances are you can find them in Milwaukee or Chicago. If you like to dance, there are groups within our department that enjoy contra, ballroom, and swing dancing. There are also many clubs downtown where you can find your favorite type of dance music.
For those interested in film, the city holds an annual Film Festival showcasing a week of the best new independent films, world cinema, and new media. Also, the University Cinematheque offers foreign and independent films year-round.
Eating
Madison offers a very wide variety of restaurants and bars. Whether you want Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, Gambian/Senegalese, Italian, Russian, Mexican, or American food you can find it, and you’ll surely have someone who wants to come with you. As can be expected from a city and college campus, the bar scene is very vibrant. You can find anything from crowded rowdy undergraduate filled bars to wine bars mainly attended by grad students and the business men and women of the city. Our grad students tend to go for somewhere in the middle; our favorites being Paul’s Club, The City Bar, Genna’s, the Weary Traveler, and The Great Dane.
