There are plenty of things to do at MSU; this campus is huge - 5,192 acres to be exact. Of course you are here to get your learn on, but there also is a whole lot to explore on campus - sites that must be seen and free entertainment that must be taken advantage of. So, when you feel a twinge of boredom, and you're just itching to get out of the dorm room, take this little list with you, hit all of the hot spots, and leave no surface of MSU uncovered.

The following are the spots you should make time to visit at least once during your precious time spent at MSU.

Campus landmarks

· Beaumont Tower, located in the northern part of campus, is an obvious first destination. An old MSU tradition is that one does not become a true Spartan until he or she has been kissed in the tower's shadow. Whether or not this is true depends completely on personal experience.

· Swing by "The Spartan" statue, better known as Sparty. The statue's athletic physique, chiseled features and stoic pose should be enough to impress any college student. Having the title of the "world's largest free-standing ceramic statue" attached to Sparty is an added bonus. But be sure to visit Sparty soon because in an effort to preserve the statue, the university has established a donation campaign to pay for the recasting of the statue into bronze and for the statue to be relocated about 80 feet away from Kalamazoo Street and Red Cedar Road. The project is expected to be completed by 2005.

· Pause to stare at the rock on Farm Lane. No, not the wrestler/actor, but rather a nice centralized place on campus. The rock has tradition: Anybody may paint it after sundown as long as he or she "controls" it. As soon as you leave the rock, you lose "control" of it. After sunrise, you are not allowed to paint it until the next sundown. Many student organizations, fraternities, sororities and clubs set up tag teams to watch over the rock on the nights they paint it.

A bite to eat and a bit of bowling

· If your stomach is rumbling and you're hungry for a little competition, you can have a meal at the International Center and play a round of billiards or a game of bowling at the Union.

Spend a little one-on-one time with Mother Nature

· Quacking up or going nuts from staying in the dorm room for too long? Feeding the fat ducks on the Red Cedar River and chasing the squirrels around campus always are amusing activities. These nearly domesticated critters are everywhere, and always willing to put on a cute face for a few morsels of food.

· The MSU Dairy Store is the supplier of both handmade ice cream and a tasty concoction called chocolate cheese. Mmm, I bet your mouth is watering now just thinking about it, isn't it?

Literature in locomotion

· Head over to the Main Library to study the moving bookshelves at the library. Yes that's right - even the library has entertainment value. Look in the basement for the largest comic book collection in North America.

The great outdoors

· Stop to smell the roses at the Horticulture Demonstration Garden and the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden. More than 12.5 acres of gardens on campus provide students and the community with a place to learn and enjoy plants.

· The Michigan 4-H Children's Garden feels a world away from student stress. The gardens feature various plant species and a serene atmosphere to escape the hustle and bustle of campus life.

· The campus is full of narrow bike trails that are perfect for taking in the scenic sights of campus on a shiny set of wheels.

· The two main water fountains - one in front of the Main Library and another behind Student Services - are the perfect places to claim a park bench, sit, relax and read a book while enjoying the gentle rippling sounds of the cascading water.

· Walk a few dogs. Students who miss their beloved pets can turn to the MSU Small Animal Clinic within the Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The hospital has a program that lets people check out a dog to walk for a half-hour during the hospital's normal business hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m Monday through Friday.

The simulated great outdoors

· Abrams Planetarium provides an on-campus outlet for stargazers to get lost in space. So soak up the space hype, grab a telescope, and unravel the mysteries of space. Stargazing is not only cheap and exciting, but it's just around the corner and above your head.

The arts and a little culture

· The Fairchild Theatre is a venue that presents plays, concerts, lecture series and music recitals.

· Wharton Center features some of the biggest Broadway productions, three world-premiere commissions and programs from the MSU School of Music.

· In the MSU Museum, a giant elephant skeleton, a towering stuffed bear and dinosaur fossils are just a few exhibits that will keep you entertained while you learn a bit of history.

· One of MSU's best-kept secrets is the stockpile of crazy and unique artifacts housed in special collections in the MSU Museum's archives in the Central Services building. From time capsules to old ceramic Sparty mascot costumes to the world's second-biggest bovine hairball (yes, you read that correctly, as in a basketball-sized orb of calcium and cow hair), the museum has it all. It's worth at least one glance into the university's past.

· The Kresge Art Museum showcases both traveling painting exhibits and hundreds of student art creations.

Beyond campus borders

Broaden your horizons and step outside campus to see what the walkable East Lansing has to offer.

· Window shopping on Grand River always manages to kill a few hours. Though you might be a poor college student, it doesn't hurt to look around a bit at the new fashions to hit the streets.

· Frozen-drink runs at local convenience stores and cafes are always great ways to beat the heat of the dwindling summer months, and get your exercise, as well.