In the Guide:

Are you new in town? Need a recommendation for a place to grab a bite, wash your clothes, or just hang out? The GEO’s Guide to Chambana is here! The Guide includes information on community happenings, housing, and graduate life here at the University of Illinois and Champaign-Urbana. 

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) is the democratically-run union for graduate employees at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. For nearly 20 years the GEO has worked to improve the lives of graduate employees and their families. 

In 2009, we struck for two days before signing our third labor agreement with UIUC. This agreement includes secured tuition waivers for graduate employees with 25-67% assistantships, an increase in the minimum graduate employee wages, fee waivers, a health insurance subsidy increasing to 75% by the third year, and many workplace protections for teaching and graduate assistants. 

In 2018, we struck again, this time for 2 weeks, to secure our fifth collective bargaining agreement with UIUC. Our current contract includes tuition waiver and fee waiver protection for graduate employees with 25-67% assistantships, guaranteed raises to the minimum wages for the first 3 years with the opportunity to bargain higher wages for years 4 and 5, a health insurance subsidy of 87%, protection for employees requiring leave for immigration proceedings, sick leave, parental leave, and work accommodations for nursing/pumping employees. 

In order to maintain these benefits in the future, your union needs your support. Drop by the GEO office (first floor of the McKinley Foundation at 809 S. 5th Street, Champaign) to find out how YOU can get involved in your union. 

Additionally, check the calendar for updates on GEO events. You can also follow us on Facebook (@uigeo and @geosolcomm), Instagram (@geo_uiuc), and Twitter (@geo_uiuc), or contact us via email (geo@uigeo.org).

A complete list of registered student organizations (RSOs) is available online.

Specific organizations that may be of interest to union members include: 

• Graduate Employees’ Organization: In addition to being a union, we are an RSO!

• Black Graduate Student Association 

• Indian Graduate Student Association 

• There are also many graduate student organizations specific to departments and colleges, generally listed on your program’s website. 

• Even if an RSO does not include “Graduate” in the name, that does not mean it is limited to undergrads! Be sure to check the constitution and bylaws to see who is eligible to be a member.

Champaign-Urbana is a labor town, and the GEO is proud to stand in solidarity with a number of other campus labor unions and organizations that together make up the Campus Labor Coalition. We’re at our strongest when we stand together to demand better conditions for ALL workers on campus. You can easily show your support by following the other members of the CLC on social media! “United we bargain, divided we beg!”

AFSCME Local 698: The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 698 represents a wide range of campus employees, including instrument makers, laboratory mechanics, farmers, herders, animal caretakers, library specialists, theatrical stitchers, garage attendants and mechanics, aircraft mechanics, crash rescue specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners, medical technicians, histologists and radiographers.

AFSCME Local 3700: The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 3700 represents campus clerical workers.

Association of Academic Professionals: The AAP represents visiting academic professionals at UIUC.

Campus Faculty Association: While not unionized, the campus faculty association are an organization of tenure-track faculty on campus. Facebook: @CampusFacultyAssociationm, Twitter: @campusfac

NTFC Local 6546: The Non-Tenured Faculty Coalition represents non-tenured and adjunct faculty, and successfully went on strike in the spring of 2016 to secure their first contract. Facebook: @ntfclocal6546, Twitter: @ntfclocal6546

SEIU Local 73: The Service Employees’ International Union represents dining and building service workers. In 2017, their extensive organizing efforts won them a three-year contract with guaranteed raises each year. Facebook: @SEIUChapter119, Twitter: @SEIU73

• UIUC resources for undocumented students, DACA and students 

  • La Casa Cultural Latina 

• CU Immigration Forum

  • A local community organization focusing on immigrant rights 

  • also lists resources available such as legal services. 

• The University YMCA’s New American Welcome Center 

  • a great place to reach out for help on where to find community resources and legal assistance. 

• The Immigration Project 

  • for affordable quality legal assistance

The Illini Union Bookstore [IUB] (809 S. Wright in Champaign) is the official campus bookstore. Another option, if you plan ahead, is requesting textbooks from the library or buying used textbooks online--this can save a ton of money. You may be able to get a tax deduction for money spent on books through the American Opportunity Tax Credit. For more information, see the IRS website.

In addition to the academic bookstore, there are other, independent booksellers in town: 

• Jane Addams (208 N. Neil St. in Champaign) is a used bookstore in downtown Champaign with three floors of books across genres, including local books. Jane Addams specializes in women’s studies and is also particularly good at locating out-of-print materials. You can also place orders for new books through their Bookshop, and a portion of the order will support Jane Addams.

• Priceless Books (112 W. Main St. in Urbana) is another used bookstore in downtown Urbana with books stacked everywhere!  

• The Literary (122 N Neil St. in Champaign) is a new bookstore that hosts events and is also a café and bar. They are partnered with libro.fm, so you can buy audiobooks online and the proceeds go to support The Literary.

If you’re into browsing, collecting, or just accumulating used books, both the Urbana Free Library and the Champaign Public Library (see Libraries and Study Carrels) hold relatively frequent library book sales.

Your student ID is called an i-card, and it is your passport to everything the university offers. It is a combination library card, campus ID, gym membership card, bus pass, and more. If you were an undergraduate student at Illinois, you'll want to get a new i-card showing your graduate student status. You may get your i‑card whenever you need it but there's no requirement to have or carry one.

There are several ways to get your i-card. You can go to the Urbana ID Center in the Illini Union Bookstore (IUB) (First floor, 809 S. Wright St., Champaign). At this location they can take your picture and print the i-card. Alternatively, you can upload your own photo, and then pick up the card at the Urbana ID Center in the IUB. Students who are 100% off-campus and online-only are eligible to register for a photoless i-card. 

Your i-card can also be loaded with IlliniCash and/or used as a debit card when connected to a PNC Bank account. 

If you lose your card at any time, go to the permanent ID center in the Illini Union Bookstore office for a replacement. Replacements are $20, unless the card has expired or you are getting a replacement due to a name change, in which case the replacement is free.

Discounts are a great benefit to signing your GEO membership. Every GEO member is also a member of our larger unions—the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—and are eligible for many discounts. When you register online, you can get discounts on hotels, rental cars, etc. Visit the AFT website for a list of benefits. To request your IFT membership card, email adminasst@uigeo.org. 

IFT members now save 15 percent (previously 10 percent) off the regular monthly rate for individual and family wireless cell phone plans with AT&T, the nation’s only unionized wireless company. Members receive additional savings on cell phones and accessories, as well. For more information call 800-897-7046 and reference FAN number 3508840 or visit Union Privilege online. 

As a student, you also get iPerks, which are discounts offered to people who present a valid unexpired University of Illinois ID (i-card) at participating businesses.

Taxes are confusing, so here are a few resources to help out with them! The Graduate College website provides some initial information and resources for navigating taxes as a grad student:.  Furthermore, international students are also advised to use a program provided by International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) called GLACIER Tax Prep. Here are some resources provided by ISSS. 

TACS Illinois (one of the UIUC RSOs) provides free tax filing consulting. To contact them email them at illinoistacs@gmail.com. 

To file an Illinois tax return electronically, you must have a valid Illinois drivers license/Illinois identification card, or an Illinois Personal Identification Number (IL-PIN). Therefore, if you have recently moved to Illinois from another state, and do not have an Illinois Driver's License, please keep in mind that you may have to mail in your taxes the first time you file in Illinois. After filing via mail the first year, you should be assigned an IL-PIN, which you can then use to e-file in the future. To avoid any unnecessary time crunches, please keep this information in mind. 

We also provide a free Tax Workshop in the Spring so keep an eye out for that in the Spring semester. Feel free to email us at geo@uigeo.org for questions and the date and location of the workshop.

Getting Started: 

When you first join UIUC, there are a number of things you will have to do online. Some of these include: claiming your netID, setting up two factor authentication, accessing your office 365 email account, and verifying your personal information on the self service website. Two guides that may be useful in this process. You can refer to the “Quick Guide” created by the graduate college , and the student technology resource guide provided by the UIUC technology services. There are also a number of apps and software available to us that are free (or discounted). To browse and access them, please visit the U of I webstore. Should you need assistance, there is a UIUC tech help center, and they have a number of help desks on campus. 

Needing Equipment: 

• Illini Union Tech Zone offers computers and peripherals at an educational discount.

• UIUC Campus Surplus is an equipment redistribution system operated by the university that has various office furnishings such as desks and chairs, as well as basic desktop and laptop computers and peripherals like additional monitors.. However, the machines they stock tend to be older and less powerful, so aren’t suited for computational-heavy work. You don’t buy items through the surplus, instead you borrow equipment from the pool in your department’s name for free and strictly for working purposes. We recommend contacting someone in your department such as a graduate program assistant to touch base about retrieving equipment in your department’s name as there are forms you will need to fill out upon retrieving equipment. Be aware that for a shopping session, an appointment is required and can be made over the phone or by email. For larger items, Facilities and Services movers are available to move equipment to your place of work. While there is not a catalog of available equipment, the staff are very friendly and can do brief checks for equipment over the phone.

Location: 1801 South Orchard Street, Urbana 61801
Contact: 217-333-6011 | uiucsurplus@uillinois.edu

Computation Research: If you do research via computing, there are a number of research computing resources available at UIUC.

UIUC currently holds the title of having the second-largest research library in America, with over 13 million books, manuscripts and papers. Graduate students have access to all of the libraries and stacks at the university, with borrowing privileges of approximately three months for most books. Overdue fees for most books are usually waived when you return the materials, but check with a librarian for borrowing policies for music, videos, and special items.

• The Main Library is located at 1408 W Gregory Dr, Urbana. It is home to the Main Stacks, the Literatures and Languages Library, many reading areas, and numerous special collections.

• Specialized libraries are scattered across campus. Here is a directory of all our libraries.  For a  comprehensive guide to the many libraries on campus, including location, hours, and amenities for each, visit this page.

• Study carrels can also be reserved by grad students. The carrels are located in the Stacks of the Main Library. Register for a carrel in the circulation office, on the 2nd floor of the main library. More information on the pros and cons of a carrel can be found on this page.

• Additional research and study spaces are spread across campus. Find them here.

For times when you want to get off campus, the public libraries, Urbana Free Library and Champaign Public Library are also excellent. There is no fee to get a Champaign or Urbana library card and you can use your card at either location. 

If you are a graduate student worker in need of accommodations for disability/ies, there are two offices on campus you may need to be in contact with.

• DRES (Disability Resources and Educational Services) is the campus office that specifically serves the needs of students with physical or learning disabilities (e.g., moving a class to an accessible classroom or getting additional time for exams). For more information on the services available visit the website or call 217-333-1970. 

• OAE (Office of Access and Equity) is the campus office that specifically serves the needs of employees with physical or learning disabilities (e.g, getting a stand up desk for your office or an online teaching accommodation). For more information on their services, visit the website or call  (217) 333-0885

Having trouble getting accommodations? Interested in meeting and organizing with fellow Disabled grad workers? Come to a GEO Disability Caucus meeting! Contact GEOdisabilityUIUC@gmail.com for more information.

If you want to exercise your body instead of your brain, UIUC has multiple options, both indoor and outdoor. A complete list of facilities can be found on the Campus Recreation website. You can also find and sign up for group fitness classes or intramurals through the Active Illini Portal. 

• Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) is the university’s recreation complex, housing several gyms, racquetball/ handball/volleyball courts, an indoor and outdoor pool, an indoor track, weight rooms, stair-masters, a climbing wall, and more! 

• Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE) has state-of-the-art equipment, weights, a pool, a hot tub, and a water slide! In general, CRCE tends to be less crowded than ARC.

• The Ice Arena is open for ice skating and broomball through the academic year, as well as hockey (for an additional fee). 

• The Illini Union has bowling, billiards, and video games available, for a fee, in the basement.

Graduate students at UIUC pay for two types of healthcare. 

• The Health Service Fee covers the primary medical services at the McKinley Health Center on campus (1109 S. Lincoln Ave, Urbana) and supplies funding for the University’s Counseling Center. DRES is the campus unit charged with serving students with disabilities. 

• The Health Insurance fee covers many healthcare needs not available at the McKinley center, and pays for the health insurance coverage available to graduate employees as a benefit of employment. The GEO has secured a waiver of the Health Service fee for graduate employees, as well as an increase in the subsidy (87%), through contract negotiations and a strike, towards the cost of the Health Insurance fee. In 2002, the GEO also secured Dental and Eye Insurance at no extra cost for graduate employees. 

You may need to opt in to United Healthcare in order to access your health insurance. If you have not done so already, you can do this by visiting the Student Insurance website, clicking on the “Forms” tab, selecting “Enrollment,” selecting the “Opt In” option, and then verifying your information.

If you currently have insurance or want to purchase other insurance, you can select a plan from the insurance marketplace. However, you should waive your student health insurance by filling out an exemption form available on the forms page.

• Address: 1109 S. Lincoln Ave, U. 

• Website: www.mckinley.illinois.edu

• This is the campus health center. Services they provide include: 

  • 24 hour Dial-A-Nurse service

  • Visits with a Primary Care Provider (they have 13 full-time physicians)

  • Pharmacy service

  • Mental health counseling and treatment

  • Travel exams and inoculations

  • Women's Health Clinic

  • Health Resource Centers provide over-the-counter self-care supplies at no additional charge

  • Health Information from our Health Education Unit

• Quality of services may vary. But hey, it’s cheap!

• You ALSO are provided with subsidized health insurance through your employment contract - this is just like any other employer subsidized health insurance and is an ENTIRELY SEPARATE entity from McKinley. 

There are some serious shortcomings to our current healthcare. Join us as we work together to get all graduate employees more affordable, accessible, and complete healthcare!

If you have a question about insurance, contact the UIUC Student Health Insurance Office (1109 S. Lincoln Ave, Urbana, Phone: (217) 333-0165, Email: insure@illinois.edu).

You can also contact UnitedHealthcare Customer Service atl 1-888-224-4883 between the hours of 7am-7pm CST. Unfortunately there is no emergency phone number to confirm insurance policy information. 

If you are out of the US, you can call 1-877-461-2273 toll-free, or email assistance@uhcglobal.com (listed on back of insurance ID card). For coverage information, call UHCSR Customer Service at 1-888-224-4883. Most situations require that you pay first and then submit a request to student resources for reimbursement. 

More information for international students can be found here.

• Dependent coverage: The cost of insuring partners and dependents is excessive, but we won a 40% subsidy for one dependent in our new contract. You can purchase dependent insurance by doing the following:

  • Opt-in for your own insurance first, using the enrollment portal the Student Insurance Office provides.

  • Upload your dependent eligibility documents to the portal on the Student Insurance Office website. (The easiest way to find/access these pages is through the FAQ, under the “Adding Dependents” tab)

  • In about four business days, you will receive an email with a link to pay the balance for your dependents' insurance. This has to be paid for with a credit or debit card, or direct bank withdrawal; it cannot be charged to your student account.

• Summer healthcare: Effective Summer 2023 and on, TAs and GAs without a summer appointment who had one in the spring will receive a summer automatic waiver if they register in the summer, which includes an 87% healthcare subsidy and a 40% dependent healthcare subsidy for one dependent. If you do have a TA or GA position over the summer then you will received the 87% healthcare subsidy like during the semeseter.

  • If you cannot afford the summer healthcare, you may qualify for Medicaid. You can apply online at the Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) page or on paper forms at The DHS Family Resource Center for Champaign County (705 N County Fair Dr, Champaign).

  • Not sure what you’re eligible for or need help applying? Contact Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) at 217-352-6533 or cchcc@cchcc-il.org 

Our provider has been changed from Delta Dental to UHCSR (UnitedHealthcare StudentResources). This has been a very recent change (beginning fall 2022 semester). We are currently looking into the details of the new plan and will update this section soon. If you wish to look into this more, please refer to the UIUC office of student health insurance.

Aside from setting up the coverage, the best way to find a good provider is to ask other graduate students for a recommendation! In a 2022 survey, GEO members vouched for the following dental care providers: 

• West Main Dental (125 W Main St, Urbana)

• Illini Smiles (303 W Springfield Ave, Champaign)

• CU Dentist, Dr. Scott & Schorsch (805 W Springfield Ave., Champaign)

• Hessel Park Family Dentistry (314 W Kirby Ave, Champaign) has a referral program that can assist with covering medical bills

Our vision care provider is Eyemed. It is free and automatically enrolled for graduate assistants and fellows. To see if your appointment qualifies, check the Graduate College Handbook. For all other graduate students, EyeMed Vision Care is available with an annual premium. Plan information for teaching assistants and fellows can be found in this plan brochure while plan information for graduate students who are not assistants or fellows can be found in this plan brochure. If you have an assistantship in the Spring or Fall, you have vision insurance through summer even if you don’t have a summer assistantship or qualify for the summer automatic waiver. 

Dependents can be added during the Enrollment/Change Period(s) for $23.52 each. Graduate students without an assistantship or fellowship can also purchase vision insurance for $23.52 for the year. 

To find a provider, visit the EyeMed website, click on “Members & Consumers,” then click “Find an Eye Doctor.”

GEO members vouched for the following vision care providers: 

• Champaign Eye Professionals (2030 S Neil St, Champaign)

• LensCrafters (2000 N Neil St. Spc 10B, Champaign)

• Kessler Optical (44 East Main Street, Suite 100, Champaign)

Prescription Medications

The formulary at McKinley is reasonably good and provides some discounted products, though they don’t carry everything (like prescription stimulants)

In regards to finding the best price for your more expensive prescriptions, there are several resources available we recommend: 

• OptumRx has a prescription look-up and price compare function and delivers certain medications.

  • Available through our student insurance, United Healthcare (requires insurance information) 

• GoodRx provides a prescription look-up function along with coupons for various prescriptions

• Champaign County Health Care Consumers has a great Prescription Assistance Guide

  • Check out all of their resource guides!

• Sadly, many of the independently owned pharmacies in the area have gone out of business, but many chain grocery stores have pharmacies.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Did you know you have access to free over-the-counter medications through the health resource centers? 

• Locations

  • McKinley Health Center (Information/HRC counter in the Main Lobby)

  • Illini Union (Room 40, lower level)

  • Vending machine (Ikenberry Commons, Inside the Package Center)

  • Bruce Nesbitt African American Cultural Center

  • Asian American Cultural Center

  • La Casa Cultural Latina

  • Native American House

• All over-the-counter self-care items are free for all students, but there are some limits on how frequently you can pick items up. Here’s a list of what they have:

  • Available twice a semester:

    • Cold care products

    • Home pregnancy test kits

    • Wound care products

    • Allergy medications

    • Yeast infection medication

  • Available every two weeks:

    • Condoms

    • Lubricant and spermicidal gel

    • Latex barriers

  • Available once a year:

    • Sleep pack: includes an eye mask, earplugs, lavender wipes & tea

• Champaign County Health Care Consumers has a great Affordable Mental and Behavioral Health Services Guide

  • Check out all of their resource guides!

Counseling and Therapy

• Mental Health and Counseling resources compiled by the University

• Counseling Center

• McKinley

• DRES

• Psychological Services Center 

• Women’s Resource Center

• Find a therapist through Psychology Today

Psychiatry and Medication

• McKinley

• Find a psychiatrist through Psychology Today

• Carle Champaign on Mattis

• Two Roads Wellness Clinic

Neuropsychological Testing

• DRES has testing services but has a long waitlist

• Outside of the University, neuropsychological testing is generally not covered by insurance and can be expensive. Members have reported good experiences with Evergreen Coaching & Counseling

McKinley Health Center has a variety of sexual health services.

• Sexual Health Education 

  • LGBTQ+ Health 

  • 217-333-2700

• STI and HIV screening

  • Testing needed to receive a prescription for PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, to reduce the chance of contracting HIV from sex is available at McKinley Health Center. However, the medication is not available through the McKinley pharmacy and will need to be obtained at a retail pharmacy in town. See the LGBTQ+ health webpage on the McKinley website for more information. 

• Sexual Health Supplies

  • Access condoms, latex barriers, lubricants, pregnancy tests, yeast infection medication and other over-the-counter self-care supplies at no cost at the Health Resource Centers

• Contraception at the Women’s Health Clinic

  • McKinley has Plan B Emergency Contraception

  • Want to learn more about different methods of birth control? Information is available through McKinley’s online Birth Control Education Class (~30 min to complete) 

  • To have an IUD placed, check the information on the McKinley website and call 217-333-2700 to schedule a consultation visit

• Access to birth control and emergency contraception, as well as reproductive health services including sonograms, is an ongoing issue in C-U. The status of women’s health services and affordable birth control on campus continues to be tenuous. IUDs are provided through McKinley, and while the cost for some IUDs is fully reimbursable, they have to be paid for up-front prior to the procedure.

Off Campus

• Champaign County Health Care Consumers has a great Reproductive Health Care Guide

  • Check out all of their resource guides!

• Champaign County Planned Parenthood of Illinois (302 E Stoughton, Champaign)

  • Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy

  • Well person screenings and exams

  • STI testing and treatment 

  • Contraception and menstruation management

  • Abortion services

  • Licensed clinical social work services

  • Community referrals

  • Screening for reproductive cancers 

  • PrEP for HIV prevention

• Greater Community AIDS Project (GCAP) of East Central Illinois

There are two major hospitals in C-U that are in-network: Carle Hospital and OSF Heart of Mary. 

If you are on the graduate employee healthcare plan, make sure to bring your  insurance ID card, along with a photo ID (preferably the UIUC student ID card) with you to the hospital. International students should bring a passport or immigration documentation. Tell them you are covered under United Healthcare and present to them your ID card.

Both hospitals have financial assistance programs that can give you a significant discount on costs that insurance doesn’t cover. Eligibility is based on income and the size of your household.

• Carle Hospital financial assistance program

• OSF Heart of Mary Financial Assistance Program

  • Note: they do not provide contraception of any kind to patients except in very limited cases. 

• Quick guide to Hospital Financial Assistance Programs from Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC)

Need help applying? Contact CCHCC at 217-352-6533 or cchcc@cchcc-il.org

• Avicenna Community Health Center: provides blood pressure and glucose screenings, one-on-one consultations with a physician, direct referrals to local facilities, and diet and nutrition information 

• Frances Nelson Health Center: A family medicine health center providing primary medical services, prenatal care, counseling, immunizations, and other services. Accepts Medicare and Medicaid, and uninsured patients.

• Champaign County Christian Health Center 

• The Love Clinic: Provides physicals, emergency prescription refills (bring your old bottle), cholesterol screenings, and other services. They also provide emergency prescription assistance up to an amount of $25. Organized by the Church of the Living God.

  • On the last Saturday of every month, 9 am - 11:30 pm

If you are outside of the C-U area and require healthcare, there are functions available to find in-network providers: 
Go to the United Healthcare Student Resources website, log in to your account, select “find a provider” and type in the zipcode you’re traveling in. Follow the select by options from there. The United Healthcare app has a “Find Providers” function. Any facility or provider listed is considered “in-network”, but call and confirm they take your “UHC Options PPO” insurance plan. 

If you have a question about your insurance plan, you can directly contact United Healthcare by calling: 1-888-224-4883 between the hours of 7am-7pm CST.

If you are outside of the US and require medical assistance, you can call a 24 hour number to find insurance-recommended healthcare providers in your specific country.

Call 1-800-527-0218 at any time (listed on the back of the insurance ID card). For coverage information, call UHCSR Customer Service at 1-888-224-4883. Most situations require that you pay first and then submit a request to student resources for reimbursement.

The flat terrain and relatively compact size of Chambana make biking an option most of the year. Combined with the award-winning bus system, doing without a car is a real possibility. 

Public Transportation

• As a U of I student, flash your i-card to ride on any bus in town—a student fee that you pay by default covers your fare, so you might as well take advantage of it. For non-students most rides will be $1 one way and you can buy monthly passes for $20 and yearly for $60 at the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign (45 E University Ave.). 

• Information about the bus service can be found at the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (CUMTD) website. You can use the MTD Trip Planner to plan your route, and there are also numbers you can text on the signs at bus stops for up-to-date arrival times.

• CUMTD doesn’t have its own app, but there are a few user-created options:

  • Apple: My Bus Helper: MTD, Illini Bus for CUMTD and Transit for CUMTD.

  • Android: CUTransit, a lightweight app showing bus arrival times by stop and live bus locations on individual routes. Great for users that are familiar with their routes and need bus times. Transit, an app with a great trip planner that compares bus, walking, bike, and Uber options.

• Keep in mind that some buses run more frequently than others and some close down early in the evening, though a night-time Safe Rides service is available. Something to keep in mind is that the Safe Rides service region is limited. 

Bike Shops

• The Bike Project (608 E. Pennsylvania Ave. in Champaign, and 202 S. Broadway in Urbana). Check out their website for more information . 

• BR Bikes and Repairs (call to make an appointment (414) 374-3261 (English) or (414)-573-4237 (Spanish) ) Latinx-owned bike shop in Urbana. Learn more about their mission on the website linked here. . 

• Itty Bitty Bike Shop (303 W Griggs Street in Urbana) Full-service bike shop with friendly, knowledgeable staff. 

• Bikelab (624 S 5th St in Champaign) A store with affordable, good quality bikes, friendly staff and reliable service. For more information, see 

• Champaign Cycle (506 S Country Fair Dr. in Champaign) A bit off campus, but great selection on new bikes and cycling accessories, and the staff knows their stuff!

Parking

The inconvenience and scarcity of campus parking is another reason to bike or take the bus. Both campus and local authorities heavily police meters. 

• Shuttle lot permit: For an annual fee of $143 you purchase a pass to park on a large lot at the edge of campus and ride a shuttle bus to central campus. You can choose from two options: lot B22 (University & Goodwin) on the north side of campus or E14 (near State Farm Center) on the south side. Information about the shuttle pass and other options is available from the Parking Division. 

• Metered parking: If you don’t have a permit, you will likely need to park at a meter. You can pay using coins or via app. There are three parking apps that are used around town

  • Mobile Meter

  • ParkMobile

  • Pay by Phone 

• After hours parking: Many lots on campus are free after 5pm or on weekends, like the lots in the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and the Main Library lot, but others are 24-hrs so carefully read signs posted at the entrance to the lot before you park.

Traveling to/from CU

• By car, C-U is about two hours from Indianapolis, two and a half hours from Chicago, three hours from St. Louis, and 6 1/2 hours from Memphis. 

  • Car Rentals

    • Enterprise Rent-a-Car (1212 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign)

    • Zip Car 

    • Willard Airport (11 Airport Rd., Savoy) also has a number of car rental options 

• By train, you can take Amtrak. The route that connects to C-U ends at Carbondale in the south, and Chicago in the north. Reserve early to take advantage of the cheap rates. 

• By bus, options include Greyhound and Peoria Charter, which includes service to O’Hare, Midway, and Chicago Union Station. The Go Express bus is an inexpensive way to get between the Indy airport and downtown Indy and pickup at the Omni Severin is a block from the downtown Indy bus terminal. Burlington Trailways is another way to get to Indianapolis. They drop off downtown.

• By plane, commuter airline service is located at Willard Airport though it is often cheaper to fly from Bloomington, IL, Chicago, Indianapolis or St. Louis. To get to Willard, you can call a cab or find a GEO friend who can give you a ride! 

Auto Repair 

We all know that needing to get something repaired on your car sucks, especially if you don’t know any reliable mechanics. Fortunately, we can provide a few contacts, which have been passed down by GEO members themselves. For general auto repairs, we recommend: 

• Joe’s Automotive Repair (24 E Marshall St., Champaign)

• Peter B’s Automotive (509 N Lierman Ave., Urbana)

• Long’s Garage (503 E Main St., Urbana)

• Beaumont’s Tire and Auto Service/Beaumont’s Alignment Plus (1202 W. Bloomington Rd. & 812 Dennison Dr., Champaign)

• Myler Automotive (1212 Parkland Ct., Champaign)

There are two main local papers:

• The News-Gazette offers versions of local and world events. You be the judge of the quality. 

• The Daily Illini is the student newspaper, covering both campus and local news. They also host a database of rental listings.

• WCIA is another source for Champaign-Urbana and central Illinois news as well as weather.

Champaign-Urbana has a surprisingly thriving local alternative media scene.

• The Public I is a free news and analysis monthly, and distributes a number of zines and newsletters for free or a small donation. It’s published by the Independent Media Center (202 S. Broadway Ave., U.), a mainstay in the community.

• Smile Politely is a local online magazine that covers some local news and events, music, and food.

• For international newspapers and magazines, try the Communications Library. 

Radio in Champaign-Urbana is not quite as consolidated as in other parts of the country, and it’s still possible to hear locally produced content and real live DJs. 

• WILL, the University’s public broadcasting empire, offers an NPR affiliate with good local programming on AM580; a classical station at 90.9 FM; and a PBS television station. 

• WHHP 98.3 FM, based in a house in Farmer City, IL, plays bluegrass, old timey music, and alt country, but the real radio gems are WEFT 90.1 FM and WRFU 104.5 FM. 

• WEFT is a 20+ year old community radio station, meaning that everyone you hear on air is a volunteer. Schedules can be found at on the website. On Saturdays from 11am-1pm, Gus Wood (a former GEO co-president!)  and Bob Paleczny, host Radio Free Labor, a show focused on current events and historical topics impacting working people across the world.

• WRFU is a newer low-power community station broadcasting out of the Independent Media Center in Urbana. We are big fans of WRFU’s “The World Labor Hour,” which was discontinued in 2020, but covered GEO and labor issues. Archived episodes are available here. The “People’s History Hour with Grant Neal and Nick Goodell” also covered labor history before ending in 2018, and their archives are available here.

• WBCP 1580 AM plays R&B and Gospel

• 107.1 FM is the student-oriented “modern rock” station

• 1460 AM is a Spanish language radio station 

With the exception of WILL-TV, which produces and broadcasts interesting documentaries as well as the usual PBS fare, broadcast TV is a wasteland.

• Chambana Moms: Online resource geared towards family but with helpful area info for all! 

• r/UIUC:  A subreddit is for anyone/anything related to UIUC and things in the Champaign-Urbana area. Students, Alumni, Faculty, and Townies are all welcome.

• Spotted in Chambana (Facebook group): Funny and informative posts about the Chambana area.

While it may feel like you’re only briefly passing through Champaign-Urbana as a graduate student, it’s likely that you’ll live here for several years. Getting involved with the community is a grounding and rewarding experience. The GEO Solidarity Committee collaborates with community activists in the Campus Labor Coalition and other community activist groups. Here are some of the local community organizations:

• Black Students for Revolution

• CCBC Champaign County Bail Fund

• Chambana DSA Champaign-Urbana Democratic Socialists of America

• Channing-Murray Foundation Unitarian Universalist event space + vegan restaurant and food pantry

• Defund UIPD

• EJP Education Justice Project

• First Followers

• IMC - Independent Media Center: WRFU radio station, Public I, Makerspace, B2P, Zine Library, and fiscally-sponsored programs

• PSL Party for Socialism and Liberation

• SECS Students for Environmental Concerns

• SJP  Students for Justice in Palestine

• Uniting Pride of Champaign County - The only LGBTQ+ resource center in the greater east central Illinois region, physical center at 1001 S Wright St, Champaign.

Here are some Disability Advocacy organizations off campus and in the CU community, as well as groups that provide support to people with disabilities:

• Disability Resource Expo. The Disability Resource Expo’s mission is “to provide full access to information and resources from a wide variety of agencies and organizations, [and] to promote a better quality of life for people with disabilities in Champaign County and East Central Illinois.” At the top of the webpage there is a Resource Guide and Directory. They also hold a community resource fair each fall.

• CU Able. A great group of people with disabilities or loved ones/caretakers who have a wellspring of knowledge, experiences, etc., and can give advice on navigating resources.

• Pace, Inc. Center for Independent Living. A Consumer-Controlled and Cross-Disability organization led by people with disabilities.

• Champaign County Developmental Disabilities Board provides, coordinates, and monitors services and supports for eligible individuals and their families that promote a pathway to individual success. Our mission is to promote independence and a pathway to success for those we serve.

• Community Choices. An organization that partners with people with developmental disabilities to pursue independence, opportunity, and choice through quality, self-directed supports. 

• Developmental Services Center. An organization that supports people with disabilities to live a rich and meaningful life

• LEAP. A free disability awareness program that offers free trainings on how to better support coworkers with disabilities, equipment, and other supports. They also have an equipment warehouse. 

• For information on applying for disability benefits, see the Financial Services section.

For more information about how to get involved with the GEO’s Solidarity Committee, please contact solcomm@uigeo.org.

Payday is but once per month on the 16th. Your first paycheck won’t arrive until September 16th, so plan accordingly, and your last check will come on May 16th if you work both semesters. Thanks to the hard work of the GEO, university fees are now due after your first payday in September and January. Questions about paychecks can be answered in your main department office. Occasionally, graduate employees have problems with their paychecks. The GEO has effectively dealt with these problems in the past. We’re here to help you resolve any wage-related issues, so email GEO at geo@uigeo.org or grievance@uigeo.org or stop by the GEO office on the first floor of the McKinley Foundation (809 S 5th Street, Champaign, in the Geneva Room), with questions. 

There are numerous banks on and off campus. Here are two of our recommendations:

• U of I Employees Credit Union offers free checking and savings with no minimum balance. A great way to access convenient fee-free ATM withdrawals in town and around campus if your bank doesn’t have any ATMs in town.

• Busey Bank can open bank accounts for international students that do not have a social security number.

If you have a financial emergency or if your income is below a certain threshold (e.g., 200% of the poverty line), there are public and private financial service providers that can help. Some providers also provide assistance to international students as well. 

Public Financial Assistance 

Eligibility Misconceptions 

Two common misconceptions regarding eligibility for public assistance are 

1) That it is based on one’s annual household income.

a) Instead, eligibility for public assistance is based on one’s monthly household income. That is, if your pay in the last 30 days is below a certain amount, then you may qualify. 

2) That all of the public assistance requires you to be a citizen. 

a) While some programs do require citizenship or residency, not all of them do. We have found one or two public assistance programs which accept applications from non-citizens. 

Also, public assistance stimulates the economy from the bottom up. It allows households with seasonally lost or diminished income to remain a liquid and constructive part of the economy. Additionally, emergency public assistance allows households on the verge of homelessness to remain stably housed. Not sure what you’re eligible for or need help applying? Contact Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) at 217-352-6533 or cchcc@cchcc-il.org

Public Non-Emergency Financial Assistance 

The below programs are for households with below a certain level of monthly income, and do not have hard eligibility limits on a household’s existing assets. Those who do not have Summer appointments are eligible for at least one of these programs. 

• ABE Eligibility Screening and Application Portal for SNAP and ACA Adult Group

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

    • Recipients must be a citizen or legal resident

  • Affordable Care Act Adult Group (ACA Adult Group)

    • Non-citizens may qualify for emergency medical ACA Adult support

• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program: This program is currently not accepting new applicants. The next enrollment period will start September 1st, 2022. However, if you have a disconnection notice, you may be eligible for one-time assistance made available through Champaign County ARPA funds. Call 217-384-1226, select LIHEAP (option 1), and then option 9 to talk to LIHEAP staff.

  • Seems to apply only to citizens

• Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

  • Eligibility calculator

  • May be usable year round by some families

  • No mention of immigrant status

• Illinois Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Eligibility Screening

  • Immigrant status not mentioned in eligibility criteria

Emergency Financial Assistance 

In the event of a financial emergency, public assistance can be provided to ensure that emergencies don’t have compounding consequences. Below is an explanation of the jurisdiction of the available emergency public assistance programs and a list of programs.

With the exception of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), emergency assistance is administered by the Townships in Illinois. So if you live in Champaign or Urbana, your access to emergency support depends on what is offered at the Champaign or Cunningham Township, respectively. If you don’t live in Champaign or Urbana, you will need to locate your local Township. Not sure what you’re eligible for or need help applying? Contact Champaign County Health Care Consumers (CCHCC) at 217-352-6533 or cchcc@cchcc-il.org 

• For TANF, use the ABE Eligibility Screening and Application Portal   

  • Recipients must be a citizen or legal resident, or meet certain immigration requirements as determined by a case worker 

• Champaign Township 

  • Emergency Assistance

  • Transitional Assistance 

• Cunningham Township

  • Rent Assistance 

  • General Assistance 

  • Move In Assistance

  • Utility Assistance

Private Financial Assistance 

If you find yourself in a financial bind, emergency temporary loans are available from the University. These funds are intended for living expenses, medical costs, and other unexpected emergencies. Visit the financial aid website for more information.

For grads who are also parents, here are some resources that you may find useful. You can purchase dependent healthcare through the UIUC student insurance office. Graduate employees covered by the contract will have 25% of the premium waived for one dependent. First, complete a form with United Healthcare and pay the enrollment fee by the specific deadline, which you can find on the Student Insurance website. 

Given the great cost and limited benefits, the child and partner dependent plans need vast improvements. The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (IDHFS) offers health insurance to all children and their parents if they live in Illinois, including non-residents. The local activist group Champaign County Health Care Consumers can answer many of your questions. 

Some additional resources: 

• UIUC Child Care Resource Services

• UIUC Student-Parents Website

• Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

• CU Childcare Connection is a local Facebook group that helps connect caregivers and caretakers. This is a private group, so you will need to submit a request to join.

• CU Able is another great local organization that offers support and resources for families who have members with physical, intellectual, or developmental disabilities. They also have a private Facebook group.

Champaign and Urbana Park Districts offer a wide variety of recreational and extracurricular opportunities for families, including opportunities for low-income families, and accommodations and adaptive equipment for people with disabilities.

Chambana, like most cities, has the normal crowded suburban stripmalls, stores and restaurants on N. Prospect and a usually crowded and teenager-oriented mall on N. Neil St. However, one need not travel to these busy, often-crowded areas to find affordable household supplies and amenities. 

• The Champaign-Urbana Craigslist page is a fairly well-used page, so you can find used items for sale there.

• Facebook Marketplace also has great deals on items in the area, If you’re patient. Here are some other local Facebook free & for sale pages: 

  • For Sale in CU

  • Garage Sale Site in Champaign Co.

  • CU UIUC Area Buy Sell Free

  • Buy Nothing Champaign County, IL & Surrounding Areas is a branch of the Buy Nothing Project, where people give away & pick up items for free

  • r/UIUC on Reddit is another place where you may have some luck finding things for sale from other UIUC students. You can filter using the sales flair to see the items for sale 

• Salvation Army (2212 N. Market, Champaign) is one option for used furniture, dishes, and decorating stuff. You can also donate materials, like clothes, furniture, and electronics to the Salvation Army. There are also other used furniture and clothing stores on the same block. 

• Goodwill (902 W Anthony, Champaign) has housewares and furniture in addition to clothing and shoes

• ReStore by Habitat for Humanity (119 E. University, Champaign) also stocks furniture and supplies.

• Salt and Light (1819 Philo Rd., Urbana) has grocery and household items

• The “Dump and Run” is hosted by the University YMCA (1001 S. Wright, Champaign) at the beginning of the semester, reselling mountains of everything from furniture to exercise equipment that people donated rather than dumping the previous spring. Prices are rock-bottom and proceeds go to a good cause.

• For a more hit or miss approach, yard sale and dumpster diving season is April to September—bike or drive around off-campus neighborhoods on Saturday mornings starting around 7:30 or 8 am for the best deals, and be prepared for company.

Home Goods 

• Furniture Lounge (11 E University Ave, Champaign): If you have a little more money and a taste for mid-century modern & kitsch

• Ten Thousand Villages (105 N. Walnut, Champaign): Chain store with housewares & gifts 

• Art Mart (1705 S Prospect Ave., Champaign): In addition to cheese and wine, Art Mart carries art supplies, decorations, kitchen items and some housewares

• International Galleries (in Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) for posters, framing, and knickknacks 

• I.D.E.A. Store (in Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) for recycled & donated art supplies and an assortment of paper, yarn, and other materials, all at very affordable costs

• The Art Coop (in Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) for art, architectural, photographic and craft supplies, as well as items from local artists, queer goodies & gifts

Plants

• Plantify (16 E Washington St., Champaign) has a wide range of plants, planters, stands & growing kits

• Plant Mode (113 North Walnut Street, Champaign) also has a range of plants, including pet-safe plants, and planters

Repair and Cleaning

• Do It Best Hardware (107 W. Springfield, Champaign) (ask for the student discount!) try this locally-owned shop if your home is in need of some basic repair and cleaning

• Common Ground Food Co Op (Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) stocks less toxic cleaning chemicals, although they don’t stock mops, sponges, buckets, etc.

• ReStore (119 E. University Ave, Champaign). sells recycled home improvement products (paint, brushes, moldings, and lots more)

• PACA warehouse (44 E. Washington, Champaign) is a good resource for more intensive renovations. The warehouse is run by volunteers and resells antique doors, sinks, toilets, furniture, and other parts scavenged from houses before they are demolished, for very good prices

Laundry

When you’ve started wearing your interview clothes to the gym because everything else is dirty, it’s time to make the pilgrimage to the Laundromat, in case you don’t have on-site facilities.

• Courtesy Cleaning (402 N. Broadway, Urbana), which has good people watching on Sunday afternoons.

• StarCrest Cleaners (611 S Neil St., Champaign, 202 S Country Fair Dr., Champaign, and 1125 W Windsor Road, Champaign) has coin laundry, coin exchange machines, dry cleaning services, and more.

• Denny's Professional Cleaners & Coin Laundromat (1205 S Mattis Ave, Champaign) Coin laundry and dry cleaning services.

• Champaign, Neil St. Maytag Coin Laundry (519 N Neil St, Champaign) Coin laundry just outside downtown Champaign.

• T J's Laundry & Dry Cleaning (1502 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana)

Moving Tips 

Moving sucks, but here are a few tips to make it suck less! For truck rentals here are the available options in town:

• U-Haul (The local U-Hauls do have a past of not setting aside enough rentals for their customers, including those who booked months in advance. Please be cautious if you plan to rent with this company during peak move out times. )

• Penske

• Budget Truck Rental

• Menards

For local movers, here are two options, but there are other movers, so feel free to research them:

• All Things Moving

• Two Men and a Truck

A lot of the leases here start in the second week of August and end the last day of July, so be sure to note when your lease ends and plan ahead if you need storage space at any time. Space runs out quickly over the summer so try to plan ahead of time. Here are some of the storage space options: 

• U-Haul

• Extra Space Storage

• Storquest

Boxes can also be expensive! You can buy some from U-Haul or Home Depot, or get them for free! A lot of the liquor stores around here will gladly give away empty cardboard boxes as well as the co-op. 

Renting in C-U 

There are many options for renting apartments and houses in C-U, both with small, family run operations and with larger rental companies. The quality and service of the larger rental companies varies significantly, so make sure to try to talk to some current residents first to find out the current scoop on landlady/lords and companies. To find listings, you can check Craigslist, Zillow, and Apartments.com in addition to the Daily Illini housing finder.   

If you don’t want to live in a larger apartment building, or want to rent from a smaller company, there are a lot of quirky and well-located apartments in both Champaign and Urbana, many in funky old houses. 

For more information on renting and housing in C-U, you can check out the University Tenant Union (now called Off-Campus Community Living, 217-333-0112).

If you need additional info, you can also refer to the CU Tenant’s Union’s Tenant Handbook. 

No matter where you rent, we HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you purchase renter’s insurance and discuss with your landlady/lord their various liability and recovery policies in the event of a fire or other disaster. If you do not have renter’s insurance, and are depending on the specific wording of your lease, it is likely that your landlady/lord/rental company will attempt to divest themselves of all liability for your losses. 

If you have a maintenance issue and your rental management is refusing to fix it, or dragging their heels, you can request a city inspection. 

If you live in Champaign:

• You can file an online complaint via the Tenant Inspection Form with the City of Champaign Neighborhood Services office

• You can also email them a summary and photos at  neighborhoodservices@champaignil.gov, or call them at 217-403-7070

If you live in Urbana:

• You can file an online complaint with the City of Urbana Community Development office by following these steps:

  • Click on “SUBMIT A COMPLAINT” in the lower left-hand portion of the screen on the City of Urbana website

  • Create a username and password by clicking “REGISTER NOW”

  • Add in the details of your maintenance issue 

• If this process doesn’t work, you can check out these instructions

• If you want to send photos and a summary in addition to your complaint form, you can also send them an email at  buildingsafety@urbanaillinois.us

• You can also go to the Community Development office in the City of Urbana Building at 400 Vine St. in person to fill out a hard copy complaint form, or call them at 217-384-2372 and ask them to send you a hard copy complaint form

The complaint process still moves slowly, and there’s a 30-day period after the initial inspection for management to address the issue before the reinspection. But it helps in putting pressure on rental management since they could face fines for not being up to building codes.

Co-op Living 

If you want to live frugally, sustainably, and in a friendly and collaborative environment, look no further! 

Members of each of Urbana’s co-op houses agree to take part in the upkeep and well-being of their respective houses through cooking, cleaning, and regular in-house communication. All particulars are decided on a house-by-house basis. 

The six cooperative houses of West Urbana are all administered by the same landlord. More information can be found on the Urbana Co-Op website. This network is affiliated with but separate from the Community of Urbana Cooperative Housing (COUCH) network (Harvest and Brooks Houses). If you are vegan or vegetarian: nightly dinners at Harvest House are 100 % vegan and all shared food in the house is vegetarian or vegan. Email harvestmembership@gmail.com with any questions!

Hair Care 

While we could never provide a comprehensive list of places to get your hair done, here are a few suggestions. 

For African-American styles, try: 

• Locks of Glory (124 N 1st St., Champaign)

• The Whip Hair Designs (904 N 4th St., Champaign)

• Beard Culture Barbershop (Winner of the 2021 Buy Black Chambana Black Business of the Year Award) (300 S. Broadway, Urbana)

• GAS Barbershop & Hair Salon (121 W Church St., Champaign)

For curly hair, try:

• Ippatsu salon (Deva Curl certified), (73 E. Chester St., Champaign)

• Eden’s Rain Salon (501 N Neil St., Champaign)

For vivid colors:

• Modpod at The Salon House (2918 Crossing Ct., Champaign) 

• Ritual Salon (804 E Main St., Urbana)

For inexpensive barber services, try:

• Glen’s (602 S. 1st St., Champaign)

For LGBTQ-affirming salon and barber services, try:

• Little Shop of Haircuts (05 N Mattis Studio 19, Champaign)

• Ritual Salon (804 E Main St, Urbana)

• H2O (109 N Broadway Ave, Urbana)

• Modpod at The Salon House (2918 Crossing Ct, Champaign) 

For stylists who support autistic clients and those with sensory-processing disorders (including children), try:

• Laurie Callaway at Split Ends (205 S. David St., Sidney, IL)

• Lisa Lahners/Serenity Salon at The Salon House (Unit D, 2918 Crossing Ct., Champaign)

Find specific services via Booksy

•  e.g., https://booksy.com/en-us/s/box-braids/18145_champaign 

Massage and Acupuncture 

Let’s face it, as students, we spend much of our time hunched over our books, work, and/or computers. Well, our poor backs can only take so much, and every now and then, it’s nice to get a therapeutic massage! 

• Body Therapy Center (206 N Randolph St, Champaign) offers student discounts and package deals. Check out their website for more information. 

• Green Yoga Spa (302 W Elm St., Urbana)

• Bodyworks (407 Windsor Rd., Champaign; Inside Living Legacy Pilates, 44 East Main Suite 102, Champaign & 1900 South First Ave, Champaign) massage place with three locations across Champaign

• Health & Harmony (300 S Broadway Ave #155, Urbana)

• Urbana Acupuncture (Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) offers a sliding fee scale and package deals 

Looking to Adopt/Buy a Pet:

There are a few places you can go in the area to adopt pets:

• The Champaign County Humane Society (1911 East Main Street, Urbana) has a wide variety of animals up for adoption, including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, and reptiles. Their cats and dogs are all spayed/neutered and microchipped, and you get food and a free first vet visit from participating locations when you adopt

• Champaign Area Trap Spay/Neuter and Adoption Program (CATSNAP) is a foster-based program that holds adoption events in PetSmart (2017 N Prospect Ave., Champaign) If you’re specifically looking for a cat 

• PetSmart (2017 N Prospect Ave, Champaign) sometimes has cats, birds, fish, reptiles, or smaller animals such as hamsters for sale
  

Pet Supplies:

• Prairieland Feeds (303 S. Dunlap St, Savoy) carries general pet supplies, wild bird feeders/seed, and large animal supplies. They are a locally-owned store whose prices typically beat the big box stores
  

PetCare:

All cats and dogs are required to receive regular rabies vaccines and be registered with the county. Registration is for one or three years, depending on the type of vaccine given. The fee is lower for pets who have been spayed/neutered. You should receive the registration materials from the vet when your pet receives the vaccine. 

• The University of Illinois’ Veterinary Teaching Hospital (1008 W Hazelwood Dr, Urbana) provides 24/7 emergency services. They are also a good source for certain kinds of specialized veterinary care. However, they are expensive for basic care and general checkups

 There are several vet offices in town, and most of them attended U of I for their degree:

• Good Friends Animal Hospital (908 East Main St., Urbana) is a certified Cat Friendly Practice. 

• Loving Paws Pet Clinic (507 S Dunlap Ave, Savoy) is also a local veterinary clinic that has received good reviews, and they also offer pet boarding.

• Country View Veterinary Clinic (2619 W Springfield Ave, Champaign) and their other location, Beaumont Animal Clinic (1304 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana) are good local vets, and if you adopt from the Humane Society, you can get your first visit for free

• VCA Heritage (2101 N. Dunlap Ave., Savoy) is another recommended option close by in Savoy

There are two fenced, members-only dog parks in town. Urbana’s 10-acre dog park  is located at 1508 E. Perkins Rd, Urbana. Champaign’s 6-acre dog park is called Bark District, and it is located at 5001 Windsor Rd, Champaign. Visit the Parks District website for pricing and registration details.

Champaign-Urbana gets cold in the winter! While winter is not as cold here as it is farther north in Chicago or in other Midwestern states like Minnesota or Wisconsin, it’s cold enough that it will affect your daily routines. If you’re unfamiliar with winter weather, make sure you acquire cold-weather outerwear and know what to do to winterize your house and commute!

Weather info

If you’re used to serious winters, winter in Chambana (and the municipalities’ response to it) may be disappointing. It is very rarely cold enough here to freeze over a pond for skating or ice fishing, and snow usually melts within days of falling without much time for snowshoeing or other winter sports. However, it’s still cold enough for roads to be icy and snow to fall!

According to the Illinois State Climatologist, the average high temperatures from 1981-2010 for December, January, and February in Champaign-Urbana are 37 °F, 33 °F, and 38 °F (2.8 °C, 0.5 °C, and 3.3 °C). The average low temperatures are 21 °F, 17 °F, and 20 °F (-6.1 °C, -8.3 °C, and -6.7 °C). Expect semi-regular freeze-thaw cycles throughout the winter season.

Outerwear

Remember: there’s no such thing as weather that’s too cold, only clothes that aren’t warm enough! As a general rule, you want winter outwear that will help trap warm air close to your body.

Items to look for:

• Coat: The most important part of your winter outerwear! You’ll want a coat with a water-resistant or -proof outer layer and a down filling. Your coat should, at minimum, go down past your hips and over your butt and zip all the way up to your chin. A placket covering the zipper is useful in the snow, as are cuffs that cinch closed. If Chambana is a much colder climate than you’re used to, prioritize quality and warmth over fashion; puff = warmth, so avoid coats that cinch in fashionably at the waist or hug your figure tightly. When sizing, remember that you may want to wear a bulky sweater under your coat and err on the side of too large. This is the most important piece of your winter gear!

• Boots: The second most important piece of winter gear. You’ll want a pair of water-resistant or -proof boots with a good (high) tread. If you want to wear your boots in the snow, choose taller boots so that the snow doesn’t fall in the top. If you walk through the snow in sneakers, your feet will get wet and cold, and stay that way the whole day.

• Hat: A hat will help you keep from losing warmth through your head. As always, puff = warmth and a thicker hat will generally be warmer than a thinner one!

• Gloves or Mittens: Gloves provide more mobility than mittens, but mittens are warmer. If your hands are very cold, consider layering mittens over gloves! If you expect to wear your gloves or mittens in the snow, such as to shovel off your sidewalk or clean up after your pets, try to find waterproof or water-resistant gloves. The warmest possible option is mittens lined with something thick like fleece.

• Scarf: Supplement your hat and coat by adding a scarf to keep your neck warm.

• Supplemental layers: If you’re still cold, wear more layers! Get some thick, warm sweaters. You can also buy long underwear designed to keep you warm, or you can approximate some by layering a tighter-fitting long layer under your clothes, like leggings under jeans. Thick wool socks are also a popular winter item. Wool will continue to keep you warm even if it gets wet (such as from melted snow), whereas cotton will not.

Where to find winter outerwear

If there is no winter outerwear commonly available in stores near you and you’re worried about the expense of ordering online, consider waiting to buy winter clothes until you arrive in Chambana (unless you’re arriving in the middle of January). Area thrift stores, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Plato's Closet, Karen's Kloset, or Salt and Light often have winter items available at a cheaper price than you can get ordering online. Also consider secondhand shopping online, such as on EBay or Poshmark. Military surplus stores often offer discounted winter gear as well, as does the local store RuggedOutdoors.

When searching, keep in mind that brands known for their outdoor gear, such as L.L. Bean, REI, Patagonia, Eddie Bauer, North Face, Columbia, or Lands End will generally have warmer items than “fashion” brands.

Health

Physical Health

Don’t get frostbite. Plan ahead to make sure you have the outerwear you might need later–check the forecast since the temperature can drop suddenly! Keep gloves and a hat in your car and/or in your office in case of unexpected cold.

Keep an eye out for Vitamin D deficiency, which often presents in adults as fatigue, muscle cramps/aches, or weakness. Vitamin D is partially produced through exposure to sunlight, and with less sunlight in winter, the body produces less vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is seen particularly in older people and/or people with more melanated skin (darker skin) living at higher latitudes.

Use lotion and lip balm and consider a humidifier! Winter is drying. 

Mental Health

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a seasonal mood disorder. If you feel tired and listless, have much lower energy, and find yourself sleeping a lot during the winter, you may be experiencing SAD. Consider a SAD lamp (at least 10,000 lux, used close to your face, for at least 20-30 minutes after waking up) or talk to a doctor.

Winter for Pets

Don’t keep your pets outside too long in the cold. If you have a pet with an outdoor enclosure, make sure they have a warm shelter and remember that drinking water can quickly freeze over. Check with your vet for an appropriate winter diet for your outdoor pet.

If you have a dog with a short coat, get a doggy jacket or sweater that covers their back (you can purchase these or modify a sweater intended for a human). If your pet is shivering or lifting its paws off the cold ground more than normal, they’re cold! Clean their feet off with warm water when they come inside to remove snow and salt, or get dog booties for them to wear.

Winterizing your home

The “standard” temperature to set your thermostat to in winter is 68 degrees F, or 20 degrees C. Experiment a little to see what’s most comfortable for you. If your home is heated by radiator, know you may have to “bleed” them if they’re not working properly.

There are some common items that will help you keep your home warm through the winter months.

• Blankets: Why do all your friends have piles of blankets in their family rooms? Because once winter hits it’s nice to be cozy on the couch. Pick up some big fuzzy blankets for your couch and your bed, and layer as many as you need to keep warm. Consider a comforter or duvet for your bed in the winter.

• Hot water bottles: Hot water bottles are excellent for keeping you warm whenever you’re stationary, and are particularly nice for getting into bed at night. (A trick for getting out of bed in the morning: set your clothes nearby, and bring them under the covers with you to warm them up before you put them on so that you don’t have to shiver your way into cold clothes.)

• Space heaters: Space heaters are a good option to heat a small area of your house, but they are also a leading cause of home fires. Make sure to purchase a space heater from a reputable brand and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Never leave a space heater unattended and NEVER sleep with a space heater turned on.

• If your house is too cold, try to reduce heat escaping through windows and doors! There are a number of ways to winterize your windows, but all of them fundamentally focus on reducing drafts. You can put plastic over your windows by taping a plastic sheet over your window or by buying a heat-shrinking kit. You can also get silicone tape to tape the edges of your window. Draft snakes, long cylindrical items that sit in windows or along the bottom of doors, can be bought or constructed (for a window or door of width n, cut a piece of fabric 8” wide by (n + 2)” long. Fold in half longways, then sew one short side and the long side. Fill this cylinder with rice, beans, or beads etc and sew closed). On a cold day, feel around your windows and doors and determine where the biggest leaks are; if you have limited resources, focus your efforts there.

Are you responsible for clearing snow? If you live in a single-family home, know if you need to clear snow off of the sidewalk outside your residence. This information will likely be in your lease. Get a snow shovel before it snows. Consider also purchasing rock salt (sold in large bags at groceries, gas stations, and big box stores) to scatter on your sidewalk or front walk to melt ice.

Winterizing your commute

Be careful walking, biking, or driving on ice. Remember to “shuffle like a penguin” if you must walk on ice. If you’ll need to walk around outside regardless of the weather conditions, such as to walk a dog longer distances, consider yak trax or a similar product to keep you mobile in icy conditions. Be aware of “black ice,” a thin layer of almost-invisible ice on a road or sidewalk. Don’t drive on ice. Black ice can be difficult or impossible to see on roads, so exercise caution when driving in icy conditions, particularly on overpasses or bridges. Avoid driving in hazardous conditions if at all possible, and learn what to do if you lose control of your car on ice or snow.

You may not be able to bike year-round. During winter months, ice, snow, and low temperatures can make biking very difficult or impossible. Consider using public transit during the winter months instead. If you do bike, make sure you have lights on your bike and/or reflective clothing to be seen after it gets dark. Wear extra warm clothing to combat the wind. Clean your bike after riding through snow or salt to prevent rust, and try to store it indoors. Be aware that the brakes on your bike can freeze!

Before it snows, put your car’s windshield wipers up so that they don’t freeze to your windshield under the snow. If you forget, make sure they’re not iced onto the windshield before attempting to use them.

Again, get a snow shovel before it snows so that you’re able to dig your car out of your parking space or garage.

Your tire pressure will drop when it gets cold. Put more air in your tires to avoid problems.

Consider a winter kit for your car. Especially if you plan to drive long distances in the winter, keep in your trunk:

• An ice scraper. This is a necessary item. Get one with a long reach and a brush for snow. If you park in a space without cover, expect to participate in the time-honored Midwestern ritual of scraping a layer of ice off of your entire car at least a couple times a year. It is imperative that you scrape off the whole windshield as well as the side and rear windows before driving; budget the time for this into your schedule. Absolutely do not pour hot water on your windshield or windows.

• Cat litter, sand, or gravel to use to increase your tires’ traction in case you get stuck in snow. (You can also take out your floor mats to help with traction.)

• Jumper cables (car batteries are more likely to die in the cold).

• Extra outerwear items including waterproof gloves.

• A flashlight and extra batteries.

• A collapsible shovel, if possible.

Be aware of the thaw-freeze cycle. Don’t park your car or your bike in slush that will trap you when it freezes overnight.

Be aware that salt will affect your car. Municipalities salt the roads to reduce ice, and driving will kick salt up onto the bottom of your vehicle. This corrodes the undercarriage of the vehicle. Wash your car regularly and touch up damaged paint to reduce the damage.

Plan ahead if there’s going to be a storm.

Know that you may not be able to leave your house easily or at all for a day or even a couple days, and make sure you have enough food for the duration of the storm.

Champaign-Urbana winters don’t often dump large amounts of snow. The municipality is therefore not as prepared as other, more wintry municipalities to deal with winter storms! If you live on a less-trafficked street it may take a long time to get plowed. Plowing the streets is prioritized over plowing the sidewalks, and sometimes there is a large amount of snow on the sidewalks for many days after a storm. Know that you may have to either shovel out a path or walk through snow to leave your home.

What happens when there is…

• A dusting of snow: life continues as normal.

• A couple inches: it’s unlikely the university will shut down, although if there is particularly low visibility or lots of ice, people may leave early for the day.

• A foot or more of snow: if the town is not able to get the roads plowed in time for classes the next day, classes may be moved online or canceled. If possible, avoid travel until the roads have been cleared.

Champaign and Urbana both have fantastic park systems, with parks and “parklets” scattered all over the two cities. They also offer fitness and general interest classes; check out the web sites of the Champaign Park District and the Urbana Park District for more information. There is reciprocity between both park districts, which means if you are a resident of Champaign, you can get resident prices at the Urbana Park District and vice versa.

Both park districts and cities co-sponsor major yearly festivals. In the spring, local visual and performing artists strut their stuff during the Boneyard Arts Festival in April. Roger Ebert’s internationally recognized Ebertfest draws thousands of film buffs to downtown Champaign’s historic Virginia Theater every spring.

If you want to get outdoors, here are some local parks and preserves to check out:

• The U of I Arboretum & Japan Garden (1800 South Lincoln Ave., Urbana) for walking trails with cool plants on campus

• Busey Woods (1505 N. Broadway, Urbana) for a more forested walk. Part of Crystal Lake Park, and has a raised boardwalk on a section of trail

• Meadowbrook Park (2808 S Race St., Urbana) has restored prairie, cool sculptures and a large playground. Also, if you want to exercise your green thumb but don’t have a yard, Meadowbrook Park features organic garden plots for rent for the growing season for very reasonable prices

• Lake of the Woods (16 miles west of Champaign in Mahomet) has a prairie museum, and several hiking and biking trails. It’s also close to Breaking Taco, a Breaking Bad themed taco restaurant, if you want to make a day out of it

For those with a car and interest in places to get outside and hike further afield:

• Allerton Park (515 Old Timber Rd, Monticello, located 30 miles SW of Champaign) offers gardens, sculptures, and wooded walking and biking trails, and concerts during the summer months 

• Kickapoo State Park (10906 Kickapoo Park Rd., Oakwood, 30 minutes east by car)

• Homer Lake (2573 S Homer Lake Rd., Homer, 20 minutes southeast by car)

For longer hiking and camping trips:

• Turkey Run State Park (8121 Park Rd, Marshall, Indiana, 1.5 hours east by car) offers more recreation opportunities

• Shades State Park (7751 S. 890 W., Waveland, Indiana, 1.5 hours east by car) has a nice trail system and camping options, including a 2.5 mile trail that ends in a backpacking campground with potable water & firewood deliveries

• Starved Rock State Park (2678 E 875th Rd., Oglesby, 2 hours north by car) has cool canyons and rock formations as well as nearby camping

• Shawnee National Forest (Herod, Illinois, 3.5 hours south by car) has excellent trails with interesting rock formations, as well as cabins you can rent, a campground, and a loop with walk-in sites in the Garden of the Gods area

There are more hiking and camping options if you head up to Wisconsin or Michigan.

Dog owners can take their pet to Urbana’s Dog Park (1508 E. Perkins Rd., Urbana). There is also Champaign’s Dog Park called Bark District (5001 Windsor Rd, Champaign).

The University’s Krannert Center for the Performing Arts presents drama, dance, symphonies, and operas in several theaters. Grads can see internationally renowned performances ranging from the Moscow Ballet to the avant-garde Kronos Quartet. Often the performances happen during mid-week and cost far less for students with IDs. As might be expected, tickets for these performances sell out quickly, so plan ahead. 

Local troupes play at the Station Theater (223 N. Broadway, Urbana) and the productions can be quite remarkable. Larger local productions, such as musicals, and regional touring companies come to the Virginia Theater (203 W. Park, Champaign). 

For the traditional movie theater experience, go to the Savoy 16 IMAX or AMC Champaign 13. The Savoy 16 now serves alcoholic drinks and has reserved seating!

The Virginia Theater also shows some films, usually for only $5. There is also the Harvest Moon Drive-in Theater in Gibson City. 

The best place to rent movies in town are from the libraries now that the local movie rental store closed. The Urbana Free Library (201 S. Race, U) specializes in foreign and art films, plus it’s free, free, free, with a one week rental! The Champaign Library 505 S. Randolph St, C) also has a decent selection. In addition to physical items, you have free access to Kanopy, a streaming service through the University library.

Chambana also has a few interesting and fun museums to visit on the University of Illinois campus. 

• Spurlock Museum has an impressive and diverse cultural and historical collection that is fun to visit. 

• Krannert Art Museum has a wide variety of European and American paintings, Incan/Egyptian/Roman/Chinese/African artifacts, and an interesting glassware collection. This is the go-to spot for modern and contemporary art as well, keep an eye out for their rotating exhibitions. 

• Parkland Community College has the Giertz Gallery and is open to the public. See faculty and student work as well as visiting artists in their rotating exhibitions. 

• The Cinema Gallery showcases local artists across many disciplines and rotates its shows every 6-8 weeks 

• The Wandell Sculpture Garden is free and open daily from sunrise to sunset.  

• The Idea Garden is next to the Arboretum and it is a perfect place to relax and take in some natural beauty. 

• Boneyard Arts Festival is a three day arts festival that occurs every spring, and takes place in over 90 different venues across Champaign Urbana! 

If you like live music, Chambana has a fairly active scene. 

• U of I’s Assembly Hall and Foellinger Auditorium book bigger acts (John Mayer, Ben Folds, The Decemberists, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lil’ Wayne, T.I., Garth Brooks, the Kiss revival tour, Father John Misty, Eminem, etc.). Tickets are sold to students on a lottery system

• Krannert Center for the Performing Arts also features symphonies and other musical and theatrical events, including world class performances by such groups and musicians as the English Concert and Buddy Guy

There are also plenty of smaller venues for punk, folk, jazz, etc. 

• Canopy Club (708 S. Goodwin, U.) hosts smaller and not-so-small acts (Sleater-Kinney, The Mountain Goats, Asobi Seksu, Reverend Horton Heat, Los Straightjackets). The Canopy Club in particular is a great place to see big names in a more intimate space (Nas, Neutral Milk Hotel, George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars, Atmosphere, etc.) 

• Rose Bowl Tavern (106 N. Race St., Urbana) offers an eclectic mix of live music performances (indoor and outdoor) almost every night of the week. 

• There is a good mix of local and touring bands, many of which stop in Champaign-Urbana between gigs in Chicago and St. Louis. Options for jazz include NOLA’s Rock Bar (119 W Main St, Urbana), and Neil St. Blues 

• Krannert Uncorked hosts live, free musical acts every Thursday from 5:30 - 7 pm inside the Krannert Center for Performing Arts courtyard.  

• Friday Night Live (downtown Champaign) is a free street-side performance series open to the general public; held from 6-8pm every Friday from June through August. Performances are held at the intersections of Neil & Church, Neil & Park, and Market & Taylor in Downtown Champaign. 

• Independent Media Center (202 S. Broadway Ave., Urbana) The IMC’s mission is to “foster the creation and distribution of media and art that emphasizes underrepresented voices and perspectives, and to promote empowerment and expression through media and arts education.” The IMC hosts a wide variety of events, such as music, dance, film, theater, art exhibition, meetings, workshops, and more. Connected to the IMC are many local organizations, which hold regular meetings and events as well. These are also great groups through which to engage with the wider CU community (see Community Involvement)

CU is also host to some major music festivals, including the Pygmalion Festival in September and the Ellnora Guitar Festival

Chambana has several options for tabletop and vintage games.

• Titan Games (723 S Neil St #104, Champaign) Central Illinois games store (there is also a Springfield location) stocking miniatures, Dungeons and Dragons and other rulebooks, and various board and card games. They also host regular and semi-regular events.

• Gopher Mafia Games (110 E University Ave Suite I, Urbana) Local game store with miniatures, card and board games, and rulebooks. Hosts various events.

• Dr G’s Brainworks (2000 N Neil St, Champaign) Family owned game and puzzle store that caters towards family friendly STEAM games, puzzles, and science kits. They also stock party games.

• Live Action Games (111 N Market St, Champaign) Vintage and collectible game store that also stocks modern collectible and special edition products. Check their twitter to know what just came in.

For places to go or learn dancing around Champaign-Urbana, try out these groups & locations:

• The Regent Ballroom (1406 Regency Dr., Savoy) hosts dance nights on Fridays and Saturdays for swing, salsa, and other ballroom dancing styles

• Urbana Dance Company (122 W. Main St., 2nd floor, Urbana) hosts events and classes on salsa, exploratory martial arts, hip hop, yoga, tango and more. They also have a pay-what-you-can model

• Capoeira Angola Center of Mestre João Grande (202 S Broadway Ave., Urbana) holds beginner to advanced classes at the Independent Media Center in Urbana in capoeira, a Brazilian martial art combining elements of dance, acrobatics and music. They collaborate with the Capoeira Club at UIUC.

Here are some options for practicing yoga, pole dancing & aerial arts  in the local community:

• Iyengar Yoga (407 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana) draws teachers from around the world

• Living Yoga Center (S. 1st St. in Champaign) holds a range of types of classes, including chair yoga, meditation, hatha yoga, and beginner yoga

• Amara Yoga (156B Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) 

• Defy Gravity (158 Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) offers classes in pole dancing, burlesque, and aerial arts, including silks, hammock, lyra & trapeze. They require proof of vaccination and work to be inclusive of people at all sizes, offering classes specifically for plus-sized folx. If you’re just getting started you can sign up for a conditioning or fundamentals class to learn about the different styles

For climbing in the community, check out:

• Urbana Boulders (1502 N. Cunningham Ave., Urbana, ) is an indoor bouldering gym. They have day passes as well as monthly and annual passes, and you can rent shoes and chalk there

• The Climbing Wall in the ARC on campus

Whether you’re looking for the scoop on Pride Month or how to get keyed into the local drag scene, Chambana has a number of queer events thoughout the year. Chambana used to have a dedicated bar serving the LGBTQ+ community, the Chester Street Bar in downtown Champaign, which closed in 2017. Nowadays, events serving the LGBTQ+ community are more spread out and intermittent, and are a mixture of events put on by the campus community, local venues, independent organizers, and Uniting Pride of Champaign County, the county’s LGBTQ+ advocacy and support organization.

Pride

Champaign-Urbana has its share of pride events during national pride season in June, but officially celebrates local Pride in late September with CU Pride Fest and is organized by Uniting Pride of Champaign County. This week typically includes educational events, parties, social activities, and performances. The week culminates in a headlining drag show plus party, and a street festival plus parade in Downtown Urbana. Check the Uniting Pride website for details in September. CU Pride also tends to coincide with Pygmalion, a local music and arts festival which has featured queer performers to boost Pride Fest such as Bob the Drag Queen.

During national Pride season in June, local performers and Uniting Pride have organized a variety of events, including drag brunch, an outdoor drag show and party at Rose Bowl in Urbana, and other drag shows at Nola’s Rock Bar in Urbana. Be sure to check Uniting Pride’s website and socials in May to see what is planned. Additionally for those with children, the Literary in Champaign hosts a Drag Queen Story Time during Pride Month.

‘Off-Season’ Events

Outside of June and CU Pride Fest, Chambana is an important town for central Illinois Drag and LGBTQ+ events, but requires attentiveness to social media and local organizers to stay informed of what’s happening in town. MyPride365 organizes such events year-round in central Illinois, and often in Chambana, so check their website and join their email list to stay in the loop.  Some examples of past events include drag shows, game nights, cookouts, and LGBTQ+ halloween parties. Nola’s Rock Bar has hosted monthly drag shows throughout the summer months (May-August).

Regular Events

It is possible that shows listed here won’t happen every year, but have been recurring within the past few years at the time of publication (August, 2022)

• Cocktails and Queens - Annual drag show hosted in mid September, in years past at City Center, an event space in Champaign.

• Drink n’ Drag - bi-annual (January and October) show hosted at City Center. Due to the time of the January show before dorms reopen and classes start, there’s likely to be more year-round graduate students and locals there.

• Purim Drag Show - Annual drag show hosted in mid March in years past at Canopy Club in Urbana by the RSO LGBTJew and Illini Hillel for the LGBTQ Jewish community to celebrate the holiday of Purim.

• Illini Union Annual Drag Show - Annual show hosted in mid April by the Illini Union Board.

Other

• Champaign-Area Queer Exchange - A private buy & sell group.

• Aldi (701 N Mattis, Champaign and 3102 E University, Urbana) is a cheap grocery option.

• Common Ground Food Co-op (300 S Broadway Ave, Urbana) is  a member-run natural food store featuring superb produce, and is located in the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana.

• Costco (2002 N. Neil St., Champaign) is another option if you like to buy in bulk. 

• County Market (331 E. Stoughton, Champaign and  2901 W. Kirby, Champaign).  

  • The grocery store on campus is the County Market (331 E. Stoughton, Champaign), which has cheap dining options as well - you can purchase food in the store or the deli and eat it in their coffee shop. 

• Meijer (2401 N. Prospect Ave, Champaign and 2500 S. Philo, Urbana) another supermarket chain, has two locations in Chambana  

• Schnucks (200 N. Vine, U and Urbana. and 109 N. Mattis, Champaign) has two locations in Chambana . It is a supermarket chain that has a rewards system in place to redeem points for money off on an order. 

• Target (603 E. Green St., Champaign and (2102 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign)has two locations and both sell groceries. The one on Green St. is a city Target on campus.

• WIC food assistance program is available as an option for those with families to get food coupons.

Specialty Markets

• Art Mart (1705 S. Prospect Ave, Champaign) for European gourmet specialties.

• Cheese and Crackers (1715 W Kirby Ave, Champaign) has meats, cheeses, chocolates and a fresh fish list you can sign up for.

• Common Ground Co-Op (300 S Broadway Ave #166, Urbana) for organic and vegetarian foods.

• Natural Gourmet (1739 W Kirby Ave, Champaign) is a health food store option.

• World Harvest & Strawberry Fields (306 W. Springfield, Urbana) is a combination international food store and café. 

International Groceries

• AmKo (101 E. Springfield, Champaign) carries East and South Asian foods.

• Annapoorna (505 S. Neil St #11, Champaign) is an Indian grocery store. 

• Ashar African Market (510 N Cunningham Ave., Urbana) and the Best of Africa Food Store (208 W Griggs St., U) are both stores that specialize in African products.

• El Progreso (1001 W Bloomington Rd, C and 1302 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana) is a Latin American Grocery Store. 

• Far East Market (105 S 5th Street, Champaign) is another East Asian store. 

• Fresh International Market (505 S Neil St, Champaign) is the largest East and South Asian grocery store in Chambana. 

• Green Onion Grocery (2020 S Neil St., Champaign) is also a great option for East Asian food if you live near Savoy. 

• Pekara (811 W Springfield Ave., Champaign) is a grocery store specializing in European pastries. 

• Tienda Guatemala (408 N. Race St., Urbana) is a store that carries  Guatemalan products). 

Farmers’ Markets

Quite a few farms near Champaign-Urbana sell produce, meat, eggs, and cheese directly to consumers. These foods tend to taste better than anything you could buy in a store. From May to November, the city of Urbana hosts an outstanding Market at the Square in the parking lot of Lincoln Square Mall (300 S. Vine, Urbana) every Saturday from 7:00 am to noon (rain or shine)—go to buy, go to browse, go to soak up the atmosphere. Once winter is upon us, the Urbana Farmers Market generally moves inside the Lincoln Square mall, and the products move more in the direction of art and crafted goods. We also recommend that you check out the Champaign Farmers’ Market in downtown Champaign, every Tuesday from 3:30 to 6:30 pm (). There are also local farms that offer seasonal Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), where you sign up and pay in advance for weekly or biweekly pickups of fresh produce. One example is Sola Gratia Farm. 

Lastly, while not formally a farmer’s market, the U of I’s Animal Sciences’ Meat Sciences Lab has a Meat and Eggs sale, where meat and eggs from the South Farms are sold at reasonable prices. You can visit the physical location (1503 S. Maryland, Urbana), which is open three days a week, or you can order online. 

Food Pantries

Champaign County also has several food banks. Visit the Eastern Illinois Foodbank’s website for a list of locations. Additionally, Urbana is home to several “little free pantries,” which are stocked by members of the community. For a detailed listing of social service programs in the area, we recommend that you have a look in the PATH 2-1-1 Database of Human Services.

On campus
Cafes are, of course, everywhere. Here are some on-campus options:

• Caffe Paradiso (corner of Lincoln and Nevada; 801 S. Lincoln, Urbana) this coffee shop is funky, locally-owned, and has great tiramisu!

• Espresso Royale is the most commonly found cafe with locations on and off campus.

  • Urbana Location (corner of Oregon & Goodwin; 1117 W. Oregon, Urbana)

  • Grainger Engineering Library (1301 W Springfield, Urbana)

• Cafe Kopi has a location on the southwest side of campus, in the Gies (pronounced “geese”) College of Business

• Jitters Cafe serves Starbucks coffee and their own food options in the Law Building 

• Caffé Bene has two locations, one on Green Street and another on Gregory Street near the School of Social Work 

• BrewLab (630 S 5th St, Champaign) is a small coffee shop in the middle of campustown

Off campus

• Cafe Kopi (109 N. Walnut, Champaign) has another location in downtown Champaign that serves sandwiches, salads and baked goods in addition to coffee options

• Aroma Café (6 Taylor St, Champaign) shares a space with the restaurant Cowboy Monkey

• Pekara (116 N. Neil., Champaign) a bakery and bistro with breakfast & lunch options

• Cafeteria and Company (208 W. Main, Urbana) a coffee shop in downtown Urbana that’s usually bustling. They also have board games & do board game nights

• Flying Machine Avionics (202 S 1st St, Champaign) serves Page Roasting coffee, a small local coffee roasting business

• Espresso Royale  (1141 S Neil, Champaign) this location has a drive-through!

• Bakelab (410 N Lincoln Ave, Urbana) another bakery not far from campus, with great sweet & savory danishes

• Beans are available at a number of locations in the two cities, including a fair selection of organic and fair trade coffees. Urbana residents generally hold Strawberry Fields’ beans as the best (and the most expensive); organic and fairtrade coffee is available at Common Ground Food Co-op as well. You can also check out the Columbia Roasting Company and Page Roasting in Downtown Champaign. Mad Goat is a roaster out of Danville that sells freshly roasted beans in a few CU locations.

• Walnut Street Tea Company (115 S. Walnut Street, Champaign) for the tea aficionados! They have a selection of fine loose teas & coffee beans

• The Champaign and Urbana public libraries both host coffee shops and work areas on the first floor. Check the Urbana library website and the Champaign library website for hours

There are several establishments that stock a wide variety of alcoholic beverages. Chambana has a number of Piccadilly liquor stores. However, each store has a different inventory of wines, including smaller vinters, so it is possible to find hidden gems. For example, the Piccadilly on 1st and Healy has a fantastic selection of wine and craft beer, including a 50% off wine rack that has some wonderful wines for affordable prices. Piccadillys are also reliable places to purchase kegs, and some stores offer tastings of some of their products. But in terms of price, the beer and liquor sections of Schnucks and Meijer are more reasonable. 

• Friar Tuck (1333 Savoy Plaza. Savoy) is a supermarket of wines, beer, and liquors in Savoy. They also sell home-brewing equipment, and offer tastings every Saturday

• Binny’s (802 W Town Center Blvd, Champaign) also offers a wide selection of wine, beer and liquors at all prices

• Art Mart (1705 S Prospect Ave, Champaign) and Sun Singer Wines and Spirits (1115 W. Windsor Rd., C) carry higher-end wines; however, their staff is extremely knowledgeable and both host affordable, weekly wine and food tastings

• Ladro Enoteca (1 E Main St suite 108, Champaign) is a new bottle shop with a wine bar, cheeses, and cured meats. All glasses of wine are $8 

Looking for a place to eat in Chambana? Check out our list of recommendations! 

Guide to dollar signs: 
$ = Inexpensive, usually $10 and under
$$ = Moderately expensive, usually between $10-$25
$$$ = Expensive, usually between $25-$45
$$$$ = Very Expensive, usually $50 and up

Breakfast 

• Big Grove (1 E. Main St, Champaign) $$$ You can get bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch as well as other delicious food! 

• Courier Cafe (111. N. Race, Urbana) $ Amazing pancakes and omelets at great prices with a great atmosphere. Go later in the day for great burgers, fries, and shakes. 

• Cracked (619 E. Green St, Champaign) $ They have great breakfast sandwiches and look out for the food truck. 

• Everyday Kitchen (1807 S Neil St, Champaign) $$ Farm-to-table breakfast and brunch (Saturday-Sunday, 10am-2pm). They have a cafe and restaurant.

• Le Peep (2209 S. Neil, Champaign) $-$$ Breakfast, brunch and lunch place with pancakes, french toast, skillets and all the classics.

• Original House of Pancakes (1909 W. Springfield, Champaign) $ Enormous portions with loads of cholesterol in tacky decor=great breakfast. 

• Sammy’s Pancake House (1206 N. Mattis Ave, Champaign) $ Pancakes, diner food, and everything else you need. A grad favorite. 

• Sam’s Cafe (115 N Walnut St., Champaign) $ A beloved, hidden gem for breakfast food in downtown Champaign. 

American

• Aspen Tap House (2001 S Neil St, Champaign) $$ Sports bar vibes, sports bar menu. 

• Bevier Cafe (Inside Bevier Hall, 905 S Goodwin Ave #298, Urbana) $ A student-operated cafe through the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.

• Big Grove (1 E. Main St, C) $$$ You can get bottomless mimosas for Sunday brunch as well as other delicious food! 

• Courier Cafe (111. N. Race, U) $ Amazing pancakes and omelets at great prices with a great atmosphere. Go later in the day for tasty burgers, fries, and shakes. 

• Everyday Kitchen (1807 S Neil St, Champaign) $$ Farm-to-table breakfast and brunch (Saturday-Sunday, 10am-2pm). They have a cafe and restaurant.

• I Heart Mac and Cheese (202 E University Ave, Urbana) $ Vegan cheese and proteins available!

• Seven Saints (32 E Chester St, Champaign) $$ Has sliders and great apps, plus half off on whiskeys for Whiskey Wednesday!

• Silvercreek  (402 N Race St, Urbana) $$$ Spendier American dining place that does steak, pasta, and seafood.

• Urbana Garden Family Restaurant (810 W Killarney St, Urbana) $ Classic fare: steak and eggs, sandwiches, and meat loaf.

Chinese 

• Golden Harbor (505 S. Neil St, Champaign) $-$$ Great food and large portions. It’s quite expensive if you go on your own, but affordable if you plan to share. 

• Peking Garden (206 N. Randolph, Champaign) $-$$ Large portions and wide selection. 

• Tang Dynasty (300 S. Broadway, Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) $-$$ Great atmosphere and good food. 

• Mandarin Wok (403 E. Green, Champaign) $ Best Chinese food in town if you order from the Chinese language menu. 

• Lai Lai Wok (402 E. Green St., Champaign) $-$$ The best Chinese food on Green St. 

• Shiquan Hot Pot (505 S Neil St., Champaign) $$$-$$$$ A hot pot place right next to the Fresh International Market.

Indian 

• Himalayan Chimney (134 W. Church St, Champaign) $$ Best Indian restaurant in town! 

• Koh-i-noor (6 E. Columbia Ave, Champaign) $$ Focuses on North Indian food, has great aloo paratha!

• Ambar India (605 S. Wright St, Champaign) $$ Delicious Indian food on campus and close to the engineering quad. 

Italian 

• Biaggi’s (2235 S. Neil St, Champaign) $$

• Timpone’s (710 S. Goodwin, Urbana) $$$ A good choice for a special occasion. Lunches are more affordable. 

• Nando Milano Trattoria (204 N Neil St, Champaign) $$$$ Expensive Italian food with outdoor seating options in downtown Champaign. Loved by some, disliked by others.

• Baldarotta’s Porketta & Sicilian Sausage (300 S Broadway Ave., Urbana) $-$$ Inside Lincoln Square Mall.

Pizza

• Manolo’s (1115 W. Oregon St, Urbana) $-$$ Their claim to fame is their New York style pizza and their empanadas. Their pizza is quite popular, but their empanadas get mixed reviews. 

• Papa Del’s Pizza (1201 S Neil St., Champaign) $$ A Champaign icon and THE place for Chicago-style deep dish pizza. 

• Pizzeria Antica (10 E Chester St, Champaign) $$ Authentic Neapolitan Pizza in downtown Champaign. A little spendier, but great for a date night or night out. Check out their gelato selection too!

• For more contentious pizza opinions, check out the 2022 Smile Politely Pizza Tournament!

Korean 

• Cafe Bene (700 S Gregory St, Urbana) and (524 E Green Street #102, Champaign) $ French/Korean-style cafes

• Jipbap Taste of Korea (601 S 6th St Suite 101, Champaign) $

• K-Bowl (39 E Green St, Champaign) $

• Masijta Grill (202 N Race St, Urbana) $$$ Great Korean BBQ. Try the soups, too.

• San Maru (2504 Village Green Pl, Champaign) $$

• Spoon House Korean Kitchen (616 E Green St, Champaign) $$ 

• Star BBQ (1209 Savoy Plaza Ln, Savoy) $$$ Open until midnight, Tues-Sun

• Yogi Korean Restaurant (608 E Green St, Champaign) $

Japanese

• Sushi Kame (39 E Green St. Champaign) $$ One of the more authentic Japanese restaurants in the area, with katsu, bento boxes, udon, and soba. 

• Suzu’s Bakery (114 N Walnut St, Champaign) $-$$ A delicious Japanese bakery co-owned by the director of the Japan House on campus!

• Sakura Japanese Restaurant (136 W Main St, Urbana) $$ Fairly new place in downtown Urbana.

• Oozu Ramen Bar (601 S 6th St, Champaign) $$ Ramen on campus with vegan options.

• Sakanaya (403 S. Green St, Champaign) $$-$$$ Decent food, but on the expensive side. 

• Kofusion $$$ It’s Americanized expensive sushi. Some love it, some hate it.

  • Downtown Champaign location (30 E Main St., Champaign)

  • Campus location near the Krannert Center (701 S. Gregory St., Urbana)

Vietnamese

• Xinh Xinh Cafe (114 N Vine St, Urbana) $ A great affordable restaurant serving pho, banh mi sandwiches, and vermicelli bowls.

• 83 Vietnamese Cuisine (2502 Village Green Pl, Ste 2, Champaign) Small menu and far from campus, but worth the drive!

Middle Eastern

• Shawarma Joint (627 E Green St., Champaign) $ Wraps, gyros, and shawarma in pita and bowl options on campus.

• Naf Naf (2502 N Prospect Ave, Champaign) $ Chain with customizable shawarma or falafel pitas, bowls and salads.

• Dubai Grill (701 S Gregory St, Urbana) $ Kababs, shawarma, gyro and falafel!

Thai 

• Basil Thai (701 S. Gregory, U. and 412 E. Green, Champaign) $-$$ Locations on each end of campus.! 

• Bangkok Thai (410 E Green St, Champaign) $ Generous servings and a GEO favorite! 

• Siam Terrace (212 W. Main, Urbana) $-$$ A hike from campus, but worth the walk. The seasonal mango dessert is highly recommended. 

• Thara Thai (912 1/2 Bloomington Rd., Champaign) $$-$$$ A little further afield but worth the drive. 

• Sticky Rice (415 N Neil St, Champaign) $$ Try the mango sticky rice for dessert! 

• Golden Wok (405 E University Ave, Champaign) $ Serves Thai and Chinese dishes

• Y Eatery (1001 S. Wright St., Champaign) $ Serving Thai and Chinese food in the University YMCA on campus. You can get a meal and drink for under $7!

Mexican 

• Maize (60 E Green St, Champaign) $-$$ A little off campus but worth the trip for authentic Mexican food made from scratch. There is also a sit down location in downtown Champaign. 

• Huaraches de Moroleon (805 Philo Rd, Urbana) $-$$ Off campus but so worth the drive for good Mexican food. Offers a variety of authentic dishes and has a large selection of margaritas and other Mexican cocktails and beers. 

• El Oasis (510 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana) $-$$ Excellent place for Mexican ice cream and snacks. 

• Dos Reales (1407 N Prospect Ave, Champaign) $-$$ A sit -down Mexican restaurant off campus. 

• Fiesta Cafe (216 S. 1st St, Champaign) $$ Decent food and even better margaritas. 

• La Mixteca (510 N Cunningham Ave #4, Urbana) $ A new Mexican restaurant in Urbana by El Oasis and El Progreso. 

• El Toro $$ A small chain of Mexican restaurants with big portions and big margaritas. Several locations around town.

  • El Toro Mexican Restaurant (1005 S Neil St, Champaign)

  • El Toro Bravo (2561 W Springfield Ave, Champaign)

  • Toro Loco (1601 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana) 

  • El Toro at the Fields (3401 Fields South Dr, Champaign)

• Rick’s Bakery (124 W Main St, Urbana) $ Downtown bakery with a selection of Mexican and non-Mexican baked goods. Their $2 tamales and tres leches cake are highly recommended.

• La Bahía (132 W Church St, Champaign) $$-$$$ A new Mexican restaurant serving Nayarit seafood. The seafood options are expensive, but the other entrees are more reasonable.

Vegetarian & Vegan

• D.P. Dough (33B E Green St, Champaign) $ Pre-made or BYO calzones in vegan, vegetarian, and carnivorous varieties. Open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

• I Heart Mac and Cheese (202 E University Ave, Urbana) $ Vegan meat and cheese options!

• Neil St. Blues (301 N Neil St #106, Champaign) $$ Southern-American comfort food. Their vegan menu does not disappoint.

• Red Herring Restaurant (1209 W. Oregon, Urbana) $ Located right across the street from the Foreign Language Building. Temporarily closed, but aiming to reopen for lunch service in August 2022. Incredible vegan lunches M-F, as well as evening pop-up events

• Siam Terrace (212 W. Main, Urbana) $-$$ Solid Thai food. Try the Mock Duck Curry

• Stango Cuisine (500 N Walnut, Champaign) $$ Zambian comfort food. Nshima, stewed sweet potato, sauteed greens, plantain, beans… don’t miss it!

• Watson’s Shack & Rail (211 N. Neil St, Champaign) $$ Hanging out with carnivores? Get the vegan Tofu Po’ Boy, plus extra vegan remoulade for your fries

• Xinh Xinh Cafe (114 N Vine St, Urbana) $ Easy-to-miss Vietnamese spot in a strip mall. Fantastic vegetarian Pho

Bakeries and Dessert

• Hopscotch (802 W. John St, Champaign) $-$$ Cute local bakery. They can even make a few things custom with enough notice! 

• Pandamonium Donuts (1105 Windsor Rd, Champaign) $ A popular food truck item, but now they’ve gotten their own store!!! Get there soon after they open, because the donuts sell out fast!

• Jarling’s (309 W Kirby Ave, Champaign) $ A Chambana institution, people drive in from the surrounding area for this decades-old local frozen custard treat. A MUST visit for new residents of Chambana.

• Industrial Donut (501 Commerce Dr, Savoy) $-$$ Local family owned donut shop just south of town in Savoy.

• Rick’s Bakery (124 W Main St, Urbana) $ Downtown bakery with a selection of Mexican and non-Mexican baked goods. Their $2 tamales and tres leches cake are highly recommended.

• Suzu’s Bakery (114 N Walnut St, Champaign) $-$$ A delicious Japanese bakery co-owned by the director of the Japan House on campus!

• Pekara Bakery & Bistro  (811 W Springfield Ave, Champaign) $$ Bakery and sandwich shop in Champaign serving sandwiches, bagels, and desserts. Loafed bread and bagels available for ‘bulk’ purchase. (Note that the campustown location is permanently closed).

• Art Mart (1705 S Prospect Ave, Champaign) $$ Women-owned local mart stocking art supplies, fabrics, home goods, and local groceries such as cheese, spreads, jams, and more. Baked goods as well.

• Caffe Paradiso (801 S Lincoln Ave, Urbana) $$ Sandwich and coffee shop.

• Caffe Bene (524 E Green St, Champaign, 700 S Gregory St, Urbana) $ Sandwich and coffee shop with smoothies.

• Hunny Bunny Bakes (2006 S Neil St, Champaign) $$-$$$ Cake shop that offers baking classes as well.

• Tasty Tart (405 S Neil St Suite C, Champaign) $$ Local bakery specializing in tarts.

Other Local Gems 

• Black Dog Smoke & Ale House (320 N Chestnut St, Champaign) $$ Delicious BBQ and tasty ales! 

• Caribbean Grill (2135 S. Neil St, Champaign) $-$$ Great jerk chicken. Keep an eye out for their food truck! 

• Watson’s Chicken Shack (211 N. Neil St, C) $$ A great place to get Chicken and Waffles. Overall decent menu, a little on the pricey side for fried chicken. 

• Broadway Food Hall (2732, 401 N Broadway Ave, U) $-$$ Trendy upbeat wide open space with a variety of cuisine; rice bowls, bagels, sandwiches, and drinks. Check out A Taste of Both Worlds, a Filipino and Cambodian fusion restaurant!

• Stango Cuisine (500 N Walnut, Champaign) $$ Zambian comfort food, and purportedly “the first and only Zambian restaurant in North America.” Not a bad item on the menu.

Late Night 

The late night food scene was fairly robust pre-pandemic, but has slowed down recently. Still, CU has plenty to offer night owls and anyone stumbling into the street at closing time. 

• Chopstix (202 E. Green St. Suite 1 Champaign) $ Open until 3am daily. Classic Chinese-American takeout.

• D.P. Dough (33B E Green St, Champaign) $ Open until midnight daily, and until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. Pre-conceived or BYO calzones in vegan, vegetarian, and carnivorous varieties. Delivery is available, but it can be slow.

• Merry-Ann’s Diner (1510 S. Neil, Champaign) $ Open 24 hours. Standard diner fare. A reliable and inexpensive choice. 

• Taco Bell (512 E Green St Champaign or1003 University, Urbana ) $ You’re already up this late. 

Special Occasions and Hot Dates 

• The Bread Company (706. S Goodwin, Urbana) $$-$$$ Good cheeses, pizzas and pastas in a relaxed environment. Good for a romantic date when they get the fireplace roaring. They also carry a great beer selection! 

• Milo’s (2870 S. Philo, Urbana) $$ Great seafood, very friendly owners and staff. Budget conscious gourmands should look for the “early bird” specials. 

• Ko-Fusion (1 E. Main Champaign) $$$-$$$$ Pricey but the sushi is good, and the place provides a unique atmosphere for this area. 

• Big Grove Tavern (1 E. Main, Champaign) $$$-$$$$ Upscale tavern sourcing from local farms and artisans. 

• Seven Saints (32 E Chester St, Champaign) $$ Bar and Grill known for their sliders and good beer selection.

• Pizzeria Antica (10 E Chester St, Champaign) $$ Wood-fired pizzeria with various specialty pizzas. Surprisingly fast when there are few patrons.

• Analog Wine Library (129 N Race St, Urbana) A wine bar and shop  in downtown Urbana that does wine and food tastings.

• Blind Pig Brewery (120 N. Neil, Champaign) Great beer selection. 19 taps and 2 hand pulls. Cozy, bustling atmosphere, and a nice patio.

• Blind Pig Co., “The Piglet” (120 N. Walnut, Champaign) The Blind Pig opened a separate location, also in downtown Champaign. This location doesn’t boast quite as extensive a beer selection, but it offers beer brewed on-site, an excellent beer garden, and Sunday night specials and trivia. 

• Barrel House (34 E Main St., Champaign) Beautiful bar furnished and built with wood scavenged from old barns in Central IL. Indoor and outdoor seating. 

• Bunny’s Tavern (199 W Water St., Urbana) Primarily catering to bikers, specializes in beer buckets and has a great outdoor patio. 

• Collective Pour (340 N Neil St., Champaign) A taphouse in downtown Champaign with giant pretzels. Serves Weird Meat Boyz tacos and sandwiches.

• Cowboy Monkey (6 Taylor, Champaign) Snazzy bar with a pricey drink menu. Comfortable outdoor seating. 

• Esquire Lounge (106 N. Walnut, Champaign) Try the deep-fried broccoli, $6.00 pitchers of PBR beer or the “house special,” pineapple margaritas. 

• Jupiter’s (39 E. Main St, Champaign) Very spacious, nice pool tables, great pizza. Has karaoke on Wednesdays at 8pm.

• Murphy’s Pub (604 E. Green St, Champaign) Best campus bar, decent food, relaxed setting.

• NOLA’s Rock Bar (119 W Main St, Urbana) Hosts drag shows and DJs. Check out their schedule for live music!

• Pour Bros. Taproom (40 E University Ave, Champaign) Has a large draft list, one of those places where you pour your own beers and get charged by the ounce. Also has cocktails and welcomes outside food.

• Punch! Bar and Lounge (217 N. Neil St., Champaign) A spendier craft cocktail bar in downtown Champaign, but has some of the best cocktails in town.

• Riggs Beer Company (1901 S High Cross Rd, Urbana) A little bit of a drive out, but serves great German beers and has lots of outdoor seating (with cornhole and fires in cooler weather). Frequently has a food truck and hosts a holiday market around the end of November/early December.

• Rose Bowl (106 N. Race S., Urbana) Live country, rock & folk music in downtown Urbana.

• Seven Saints (32 E. Chester St., Champaign) Good atmosphere. Serving sliders and excellent cheese curds. 

• Sipyard (204  W. Main St., Urbana) A beer garden in downtown Urbana operating out of a shipping container. Also has an outdoor graffiti gallery. 

• Quality (110 N. Neil, Champaign) will always have a good few beers on tap and good mixed drinks. They have darts, board games, and pinball. Indoor and outdoor seating, no food.

1. Take the motorcycle-riding course offered by Illinois Central College. This course is a 20 hour road and classroom course that gives you the “Class M” on your license. They provide the bikes and the helmet. Register early because classes fill up quick. There’s a $20 fee to participate.
   
   

2. Buy fresh produce, flowers, meet politicians, and buy local crafts at the farmers market in Urbana. The market is outdoors May-November in the parking lot of Lincoln Square Mall. It moves inside Lincoln Square Mall from December-April.
   
   

3. Buy farm fresh eggs and meat from University Farms and the Meat Science Lab. The sales room is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-5:30 and Fridays from 8-1 and is located at 1503 S. Maryland Ave., Urbana. You can subscribe to “meat mail” to receive information on specials and promotions here.
   
   

4. Join the Common Ground Co-Op ($60 a year) located at the Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana. They offer scholarships for those who cannot afford the equity payment (n.b., you do not need to be a member to shop at the co-op). They have fresh vegetables year round, bulk tofu, grains and other health food. See the Groceries section of the Guide for more info.
   
   

5. Meander through the sunflower maze at Clearview Farm. The maze is a different shape each year—in 2022 it was the state of Illinois, with interstates as the paths through the maze. Admission is free and dogs are welcome. The flowers bloom from about mid-July through mid-August, but you’ll want to check the farm’s Facebook page as conditions vary year to year.
   
   

6. Participate in the annual Christie Clinic Marathon. The race happens every April and includes a kids fun run, 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and full marathon. It ends at the 50 yard line of Memorial Stadium. The course is described as “fast and flat.” If you aren’t a runner you can be involved as one of the hundreds of volunteers required to operate the race.
   
   

7. Check out the Cheese Festival in Arthur, IL over Labor Day weekend. The 3-day festival in Amish Country (about 30 minutes from Chambana) features a parade, tractor pull, bands, kids’ activities, and of course lots of cheese!
   
   

8. Pick apples starting around August or pumpkins in October at Curtis Orchard! They also have activities for kids, wagon rides, a corn maze, goat petting zoo, and delicious apple donuts & cider.
   
   

9. See the cherry blossoms bloom at the Japan House in the spring, attend a tea ceremony or attend Matsuri, a festival held at the end of August with food vendors, music & dance performances, and martial arts demonstrations.
   
   

10. Enjoy the Champaign County Fair’s monster truck show, demolition derby, and fried foods. The fair takes place in May in Urbana (1302 N. Coler Ave).
    
    

11. Go to Aickman’s Wildlife Adventures in Arcola, IL, which is just under an hour south of Champaign. This park has a petting zoo, museum, and rides where you can get up close with zebras, camels, alpaca, aoudads and other animals.
    
    

12. Shop for antiques along antiques row in St. Joseph, IL, just 20 minutes away from Champaign.
    
    

13. Take a moonlit bike ride to Sidney Dairy Barn for some ice cream!
    
    

14. Attend the Homer Soda Festival, where you can taste fizzy drinks from local soda makers. The festival is held in June on Main Street in Homer, a half-hour drive from Champaign.
    
    

15. Watch the hot air balloons or ride one yourself at the Balloons Over Vermillion event in July at the airport in Danville, IL, just under an hour away from Champaign.
    
    

16. Take in a show at the second-largest planetarium in Illinois - Staerkel Planetarium at Parkland College. Most weekend nights they show full-dome shows and look at that night’s sky. Many shows are child-friendly. Once a month there is a science lecture at the Planetarium, and several times a year they show laser shows set to Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and other classics.
    
    

17. Join a picket line! Chances are one of the unions on campus and off campus will be on strike at some point during your stay. Show solidarity by walking the picket line.
    
    

18. Join YOUR union (GEO) and help protect the rights and improve the working conditions for all graduate employees (not to mention, meet grads from departments all over campus and have a good time doing it)!