Are you tired of being stuck on campus? Can’t find anything to do in Mount Vernon, Iowa? Don’t have the money to do something in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City? I know I don’t. That’s why I sign up for Student Senate’s “Get Out of Town” each year!
What is Get Out of Town?
Get Out of Town is an event sponsored and paid for by Student Senate; meaning, you don’t have to worry about how to get there or pay for the event. There are four classes in Student Senate (first-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors) so there are four Get Out of Town’s each year. Each of the four classes of Senators is responsible for coming up with an idea and working with the Chairperson of Student Life to plan the Get Out of Town. One common misconception is that only first-years can attend the first-year Get Out of Town, only sophomores can attend the sophomore Get Out of Town, and so on. That’s not true! ANY student can attend ANY Get Out of Town. So, let’s talk about where students went this year for Get Out of Town!
First-Year Get Out of Town
The first-year Get Out of Town took students to Snowstar Ski Resort in Rock Island County, Illinois. Snowstar has three different types of activities: skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing. Students who went on the Get Out of Town this year spent two hours snow tubing on Snowstar’s hills! Student Senate handled transportation and paid for every student’s ticket and Snowstar provided equipment. People didn’t need to do anything other than show up at the meet up location for the van!
Sophomore Get Out of Town
The sophomores headed to Waterloo to check out Palmer’s Family Fun. Palmer’s Family Fun has go-karts, miniature golf, a driving range, a jumping pillow, laser tag, archery tag, and a batting cage. Students got three hours of unlimited use of all their attractions! Sunny Howard, class of 2027, went on this trip and had this to say about the experience.
Going to the sophomore Get Out of Town gave me the opportunity to hang out with my friends while also getting to know other students who attended. It was super fun to spend time with other people and it definitely was a bonding moment for a lot of us!
Senior Get Out of Town
The senior class planned a trip to Galena, a small town in Illinois with a rich history and a variety of experiences! Students were able to walk around checking out art museums and stores and learning about Galena’s history. They ended the trip by eating at a local restaurant before heading back to campus. The Chairperson of Student Life at the time, Laura Sander, said it was a great experience and she had a great time getting off campus to travel to Galena.
Junior Get Out of Town
You might be wondering why I put the junior Get Out of Town out of order… That’s because the junior Get Out of Town hasn’t happened yet and there’s still time to sign up! The junior class is taking students into Cedar Rapids to go play laser tag or participate in an escape room. This Get Out of Town will take place on Saturday, April 19th. To sign up, fill out this form.
How do I find out about future Get Out of Towns?
There are three main ways to find out about Get Out of Towns. First, look for posters hung up in Thomas Commons. The Student Life Chair will hang up posters with information about the Get Out of Town and how to sign up around TC. Second, follow @cornellstudentsenate on Instagram and make sure to check out the page’s story. Third, come to Student Senate’s General Assembly the first three Tuesdays of the block, starting at 6:30 PM on the Orange Carpet. General Assemblies are open for all students to attend. If you cannot make it to the General Assembly, you can read the minutes (notes) which can be found on Cornell’s website.
What do I do if I have an idea for a Get Out of Town?
If you have an idea for a Get Out of Town, reach out to one of two people: the Chairperson of Student Life or one of your representatives. Levi Thompson is the current Chairperson and can be reached at senate_studentlife@cornellcollege.edu. You can also reach out to one of your class representatives (check the list below).
Staying on campus every day, all day, for the whole school year isn’t good for anyone. Take advantage of opportunities to get off-campus when you don’t have to plan or pay for anything. Take the next chance you can to Get Out of Town!