Published February 18, 2010

With midterms seemingly coming out of nowhere like a hangover, what better time than now to figure out a way to avoid studying? The city is full of things to take your mind off of school. Here is a sampling of some of these events.

“Like Jeff Dunham, except witty and funny”

On Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m., comedian Ralphie May will be playing the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on West 47th Street. Known for his ethnic and topical humor, May is not for those who easily get offended by jokes. For everyone else, he is an absolute monster on the stage with the ability to not only get laughs with his jokes, but also by contorting his face in reaction to what he just said. Tickets are still on sale for $29.50 and can be bought via a link on May’s Web site.

“Because killing virtual people is fun”

If any one of these activities doesn’t appeal to you because they involve leaving your dorm, then you should consider picking up Bioshock 2 for PC/Xbox 360/PS3. The game is a first person shooter that takes place in an underwater city that once flourished as a cultural utopia, filled with the brightest scientific and artistic minds in the world. That is, until a civil war broke out and turned the utopia into a dystopia. If you like your video games to have a story that involves more than “Kill the guy over here, then kill the guy over here,” the Bioshock series is the best in the business. It also has a little bit of philosophy for those into that, though I doubt it will be any help for those taking a midterm. At least you can be in denial and say you are sort of studying.

“If you own any Depeche Mode or The Cure CDs, this exhibit is for you”

It isn’t too late to still catch the  Tim Burton exhibit at MoMA that has been rallying up some buzz among Fordham students. Alongside with a couple of films looking at his life, there are over 700 examples of his artistic work, spanning from his childhood to his professional career. The exhibit is open until April 26 and is included with musuem admission ($12.00 with a student ID). A warning: access to the exhibit is very tight. It is suggested that you reserve a “timed ticket” due to the overwhelming demand. This weekend for example only had a 10:30 a.m. ticket available on Saturday, and as any college student knows, Saturday mornings are best for sleeping off Friday night’s fun.

“Meet the people who destroyed Saturday Night Live’s political segments”

For those who are frequent watchers of “The Daily Show,” Comix is hosting a program called “Friends, Acquaintances, and Colleagues of The Daily Show” on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. Led by producer Rory Albanese, the show will feature show regulars John Oliver, Kristen Schaal, Wyatt Cenac and others as they perform material. Those who watch the show know it is one of the funniest and best written on TV, so a chance to see the people who make the show work should be a treat for fans. Comix is located on West 14th Street and tickets are $15 if bought in advance or $20 the day of the show along with a two item minimum.

“A sports podcast for people who don’t like sports”

For those looking for something a little more along the lines of free, try the “B.S. Report with Bill Simmons.” Considered the most popular and relevant sportswriter at ESPN, his Podcasts range from solely sports talk to hour-long discussions about the “Jersey Shore” and the “Real World.” As a former writer for “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Simmons is a funny guy in his own right but also is able to pull other funny guests like Saturday Night Live’s Seth Myers and Adam Carolla. You can download his Podcasts for free by going to iTunes, typing in “Bill Simmons” and subscribing to the Podcast.

Midterms suck, I know it and you know it. You can stare at that same page in your book about Aristotle and convince yourself that if you stare at it long enough, it will finally sink in. Or you can let your mind take a break and enjoy one of these much less-demanding activities.