List of Lists - Top Weekend Activities On (and Off) Campus

As the school year kicks off, we asked Tommie students some of their favorite things to do on the weekends, both on campus and off. There's no lack of options in either category, and you can let classmates know what you're up to in both by using #TommieWeekends in your social media posts. 

Katie Foy, sophomore psychology major

One of my absolute favorite things to do on the weekends (and my Instagram will prove it to be true), is going to the downtown farmers market in either St. Paul or Minneapolis. It’s nice for me to get off of campus and have some space from the busyness of school and work. It’s also a major plus to support local farmers, business owners and musicians (there’s usually live music at both locations on the weekends)!

On the weekends at St. Thomas it’s super nice to just relax and hang out with friends on the quad. When it’s nice out there are usually lots of Tommies on both the upper and lower quads reading, playing catch, doing homework or just listening to music and talking. I love being outside.

John Lucke, junior studying Catholic studies, exercise science and psychology

On the weekends I love to be social and engage with others to take the stress away from school. One of the best communities to do this in is called Saint Paul's Outreach. SPO encourages and strengthens friendships by calling people to a life closer to Christ. Growing in virtue and chasing after the Lord with SPO has changed my life.

On campus, Saint John Vianney chapel has Last Chance Mass at 9 p.m. on Sundays. It's one of the best places at St. Thomas to encounter friends, take your mind off of homework and receive peace. Everyone around is joyful and welcoming; it is well worth a visit.

Rio Hindami, junior psychology major

One of my favorite campus events is Bingo Night at Scooter’s on the weekends. Free prizes and free food – what more do you want? It's always a fun time to get a group of friends to hang out on a Friday night and try to win some Tommie apparel. You can't forget about Nacho Bingo too. (It’s literally just nachos and bingo, but more lit!)

I love going to off-campus events hosted by St. Thomas Activities and Recreation (STAR). Last year I went to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre to see Beauty and the Beast for only $5! I even got a steak dinner with the show, which was amazing. It was a cool experience for me since I am not from the Cities and it was my first dinner show. I have also gone to other STAR events such as the Mystery Bus and a Timberwolves game, which were also $5.

Kenzie Fannin, sophomore neuroscience major

After my busy weeks at St. Thomas, a little retail therapy is so necessary on the weekends. Walking down Grand Avenue or Nicollet Avenue with a few friends is one of the best ways to relax and have fun – there are so many shops and restaurants to explore. My goal is to visit every restaurant on both of these streets by the end of my four years at St. Thomas. Wish me luck!

STAR puts on tons of other fun events, too, like Thursday Night Live, and they give out free stuff all the time. One of the best things to do on campus is go to Grocery Bingo in Scooter's! I mean, who doesn't love bingo and free food? Thanks to STAR, St. Thomas is never a boring place to be.

Sunita Dharod, junior justice and peace studies major; minors in American culture and differences, and communication and journalism

One of my favorite things to do on campus is get a group of friends and hang out on the quad. We love laying out a blanket and reading, doing homework, or painting. I also love bringing lunch or a Frisbee, too.

My favorite thing to do off campus is check out all the restaurants around St. Thomas. My favorites are Shish, which is right on Grand, and Selby's has some great vegan food.

Chelsea Akin, senior psychology major, exercise science and business administration minors

On the weekends I love to get outdoors to ride my bike, a bike from Tommie Central or the Nice Ride bikes on the Greenway Path that runs parallel to Lake Street. This pathway is sidewalk connected to St. Thomas and is perfect for rollerblading, walking, running and bicycling all the way to Lake Calhoun. The path runs right into Uptown as well, which is full of restaurants and activities.

I take the St. Thomas shuttle on Saturday morning to walk to the downtown Minneapolis Farmers Market. The market is located off Lyndale Avenue and has plenty of fruits, vegetables, delicious baked goods, clothing items, fresh flowers, food vendors and gift ideas.

Chase Lau, senior computer and information sciences major

As a freshman, I enjoyed going to the various STAR events they had every week. They do a lot of cool things, like Headphone Disco (ask pretty much any student at St. Thomas and they'll be able to tell you about it!) or TommieFest, a day of games, activities and music that usually happens in the spring. Even if you don't want to do cool things and meet new people there's usually free food, so it's worth it to at least stop by.

Tommie Central has a lot of discounted tickets for sale to a number of places around the Twin Cities. Get familiar with the public transit system (it's super inexpensive and easy) and you'll have a huge list of things available for you to do on the weekends, all without a car. I enjoy using the discounted movie tickets and science museum passes.

Mark Shipman, senior operations and supply chain management major

My favorite thing to do off campus is to explore the numerous coffee shops and restaurants Minneapolis and St. Paul boast. (Downtown St. Paul is only a short bus ride away, and it seemingly has a million restaurants for me to try.) You can always find something new on every street, and it's nice to get off campus sometimes to study or relax with friends.

One of my favorite activities to do on campus is take advantage of our intramural and club sports, and our amazing workout facilities. It was a great way to meet some of my best friends playing soccer and volleyball, or meet someone in between our busy schedules to catch up at the gym.

Jake Hartmann, senior legal studies in business major

One of my favorite things to do on the weekends is to go to STAR events. No matter if it is Laser tag, Bingo (where I win most of my Tommie gear), a musician, Relaxation Night or the Mystery Bus, I know I will have the opportunity to meet up with my friends and get some free food. I also always look forward to the larger concerts that STAR puts on at least once a semester. All of the on-campus events are free so it is an inexpensive way to have fun and take a break from studying.

I love exploring the Twin Cities! It is so easy to take the St. Thomas shuttle to the Minneapolis campus downtown. I've used the shuttle to go to Twins games, Timberwolves games and concerts. If I feel like staying closer to campus, I'll rent a bike and go to different shops and restaurants on Grand Avenue and Selby Avenue.

Abby Heller, junior neuroscience major

One of my favorite off-campus activities is renting a bike for free from Tommie Central and riding to Minnehaha Falls. There are walking trails, bike paths, and tons of space to picnic and play Frisbee at the park.

Diversity Activities Board events are my favorite things to go to on campus. DAB is a student-led event planning committee. DAB events are anything from T-shirt making to a famous guest speaker to cool ethnic food and dance to try out and have fun with. DAB events always have cool new things for me to try with my friends.

Amanda Post, senior COJO major and business administration minor

Campus is so fun on football game days because the plaza is packed with people, booths and food before the game. During the game, I love cheering on the team with my friends. Caruso's Crew (SJV seminarians dressed in construction gear – yep, it's as funny as it sounds), the pep band, cheerleaders and dance team all do a great job of making the game enjoyable in the stands. This is the first year that we will play our rival, Saint John’s University, at Target Field! Check out the full schedule. #RollToms

My Christian faith is very important to me, so I make a point to get to church on Sundays. It’s amazing how many different time options there are for services in the Twin Cities. Many churches offer services in the morning, afternoon and evening. Bethel University hosts an hour of student-led worship called Vespers on Sunday night at 8 and 10. A lot of college students from all over attend (there are St. Thomas carpools), and it’s a great way to refocus and refresh before the week begins.

Duncan Anderson, junior psychology major

The Metro Green Line rail is an easily accessible, money-friendly way to explore all of the exciting opportunities the Twin Cities have to offer. With stations located just a few blocks north of campus, the rail travels both east and west to downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. It's always fun to grab a couple friends and explore locations such as the Stone Arch Bridge, West Seventh Street in St. Paul, U.S. Bank Stadium and the Walker Art Center. You can plan your next trip using the Green Line website.

Participating in intramurals has always been my favorite weekend activity on campus. I play on a soccer team during the fall season. It's a great experience because of its inclusivity; no tryouts are required, and everyone is welcome. In fact, you don't even have to have played the sport before in order to join a team. It's a wonderful way to meet new people on campus and participate in a friendly, energetic environment.

Abby Gieseke, junior COJO major, contributed a top 10 list of her own

• Hike the shoreline of the Mississippi River
  • St. Thomas may be in the middle of the city, but the Mississippi River is right next door. River Road is always very active with people hiking, running, or just soaking in the sun.
• Take the metro to explore Grand Avenue
  • Grand Avenue is full of popular shops and restaurants. It also hosts the annual outdoor festival Grand Old Days. If you hop on the 63S bus starting from Cretin and Summit Avenues, the fun atmosphere of Grand Avenue is only about a five-minute bus ride away.
• Take the St. Thomas bus to Nicollet Mall for dinner
  • St. Thomas offers a free shuttle service exclusively for St. Thomas students from the St. Paul campus to the Minneapolis campus. It runs every 20 minutes, picking you up right outside the student center on Summit Avenue, and dropping you off on Nicollet Mall, where there are many fun places to eat and explore.
• Rent rollerblades from Tommie Central and roll River Road
  • Tommie Central is not only a wonderful resource to gain knowledge about St. Thomas, but it also offers rentals, many of which are free with your student ID. Equipment ranges from rollerblades to tennis racquets, snowboards to camping gear, and much more.
• Bike to Minnehaha Falls
  • Nice Ride MN offers bike rentals costing $3 for every half-hour. You can pick up the bike on River Parkway and ride it 3 miles to Minnehaha Falls, where there are many beautiful areas to hike, as well as amazing photo opportunities.
• Take the lightrail to Mall of America
  • Mall of America attracts tourists from all over the world, but at St. Thomas you are just one easy light rail ride away. You can hop on the blue line at Marshall Avenue and Finn Street and be at MOA within the hour.
• Twins Games
  • Twins games are a great way to spend a beautiful night, but they are even better when you have a discounted ticket for student night. The Minnesota Twins offer $1 hotdogs, $5 tickets, and free metro transit rides for college students on Wednesday nights; all you have to do is show your student ID.
• Call Tommie Central for discount tickets to shows and concerts
  • Going to fun events on the weekends can be expensive, and it’s no secret that college students are looking for discounts everywhere they go. Tommie Central offers discounted tickets to all St. Thomas students for movies, local attractions, seasonal attractions and professional sports.
• Get into a bouncy house at events on the quad
  • You’re never too old for a bouncy house, especially when it’s in the middle of the quad. St. Thomas hosts many pep rallies before football games, or during parent’s weekend, and they are always equipped with many fun activities such as free food, music and games.
• Saint Paul Saints
  • Attending a Saints game is a great way to explore downtown St. Paul and support our very own home team. You can even watch a spectacular fireworks show at the end of the game for only $3 extra.