Life as an International Student: UAF campus life

When you move to Alaska for the first time, no matter if you are an exchange student or a degree seeking international student, move into the dorms -at least for one semester.
Yes, the downside of living in an american dorm is that you most likely have to share your bedroom. And that's scary and completely unusual for students from countries other than North America. But you should try it because living on campus is the only way to understand what campus life really means.

By far the coolest thing about UAF it the abundance of outdoors and recreation opportunities located on campus. And all those activities are free for full time students! The outdoor and recreation opportunities include:

Trails on Campus

• 41km (25miles) of trails: this includes 25km of cross country ski trails and 16km of walking trails. So no matter if you are a passionate skier (or in case you never skied and you want try something new: Outdoor Adventure rents out skis and they are also located right on campus) or you love to go for a run after a day of studying: you can do all that without leaving campus. 

Skiing on Campus

• the Hulbert Nanook Terrain Park: The snow terrain park is great to practice your ski or snowboard jumping skills! The terrain park usually opens around November and remains open until March (depending on the snow conditions). Thursday-Sunday all students can make use of one of the few terrain parks on a college campus among all campuses in the United States

Snowboarding at the Terrain Park

• Indoor Rock Climbing Wall and Outdoor Ice Climbing Tower: you love to climb during your lunch break? You always wanted to try ice climbing but never lived anywhere cold? Never tried either of it! You should ! :)

Climbing Wall on Campus

Ice Climbing

• Ice Skating Rink, indoors and outdoors: The Ice arena, located in the Patty center, is not only the training location for the Nanook hockey team, but open for students to ice skate. Skates can be used for free as long as you bring your student ID. In Winter, there will be a little ice rink just in front of the SRC. Nothing better than use the couple hours of daylights but spending your lunch break skating outside :)

Ice skating at -20C

• The Museum of the North:It's too cold to play around outside? Go and visit the Museum  of the North located on West Ridge on campus. Besides cool exhibitions about Native Alaskan art work, you will also learn how Northern Lights occur or see how big a grizzly bear is. 

Sun set over the Museum of the North