Bowling Alley

by Alexander Coll

A somewhat hidden gem of Purdue, something that mostly only students and staff know about is the bowling alley in the basement of the Purdue Memorial Union, formally called the Union Rack and Roll. Not only does it contain multiple, fully-automatic lanes, but it also offers pool and billiards tables. The alley is complete with electro-dance and party music, along with rave-style lighting. Food can be bought with dining dollars at any of the numerous restaurants in the Union. For students who participated in Boiler Gold Rush, chances are you spent some of the “Union Night” down in the bowling center. If not, well then you missed out on a great time. For prospective students, the bowling alley is a place you must go to with your friends at least once during your freshman year. During Boiler Gold Rush, new students can play one free game with their friends. Normal hours are 10:00am to 1:00 am, allowing you to go bowling between classes if you really have nothing else to do. The price of one game is usually $10, but there are always specials and deals going on. Every Thursday there is “Thrifty Thursdays”, lasting 9:00 pm to midnight, where prices are all one dollar (bowling, shoe rental, and per hour billiards). Every Wednesday is Unlimited Billiards day, where for just two dollars per person, you and your friends can play billiards for as long as you want (or at least until the Bowling Center closes for the night). The Bowling Center also offers charity events, where a certain amount of the sales go towards a selected charity or cause. One of these charity events was the Bowling For Boobs tournament, priced at just $15 per team of five players, with the proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. The bowling alley is one of the best hidden gems of Purdue, and everybody should try it out at least once.