The University’s 295-acre campus and surrounding storefronts along 13th Avenue can seem overwhelming to those not familiar with their layout. In fact, the most exceptional places to eat, study and relax often go overlooked until sophomore or junior year.
New students should find the campus nooks that suit their fancies. That way, when midterms and papers threaten their sanity, they can swiftly navigate to their “happy places.”
Whether a wayward scholar is looking for a couch to rest on or a finely-trimmed field to throw a frisbee across, here are some of the best places on campus.
Eat
• Caspian Mediterranean Grill – This gem of a restaurant is located just paces away from the Duck Store along 13th Avenue between Kincaid and Alder streets. Caspian serves tasty, reasonably priced dishes such as lamb kabobs and meat-heavy gyros well into the night.
Caspian also serves American foods like cheeseburgers and fries to those less-adventurous eaters. Plus, the outdoor seating under its veranda is a great place to people-watch.
• Espresso Roma Café – Also nestled in between 13th Avenue storefronts, this decorative and multilingual coffeehouse is a caffeine junkie’s mecca.
If the questionable sludge passed off as coffee in other establishments does not give the same fix, take a short walk west to Roma. Browse its impressive selection of beans while taking advantage of its free Wi-Fi.
• Qdoba Mexican Grill – Across the street from Roma, a burrito bar runs the length of an entire wall in this mainstream Mexican restaurant. An army of chefs wait behind the counter to serve customers frugal Mexican gumbo, veggie burritos, quesadillas and much more. Plus, they are more than happy to customize orders with guacamole or tofu.
Study
• Knight Library, Fourth Floor – Frantically punching out assignments in the library’s first-floor computer lab can get nerve-wracking. Instead, ascend the spiral staircase to the quiet, roomy fourth floor and pull up an easy chair. This floor is often the least populated because it takes the most effort to get to, but it has a breadth of desk space that is almost always vacant.
• EMU Amphitheater – On that rare sunny fall day, spreading books out on the concrete steps in front of the student union can be a great transition from studying in cramped confines indoors. As a campus landmark, the amphitheater makes it a perfect place to meet up for group projects. Just be sure to choose a study date that coincides with free speech activists’ days off.
Relax
• Memorial Quad – At times in early fall and late spring, this grassy rectangle in front of Knight Library can closely resemble Woodstock. Frisbees, hookahs and leashed dogs are in no short supply, and the knoll’s strategic location in the middle of campus ensures that you will never be late to class for chilling too hard.
• Humpy Lumpy Lawn – Living in a sardine can of a dorm room is made much more bearable with Humpy Lumpy close by in front of Bean Hall. Lined with trees and punctuated with gentle rolling hills, this student landscape favorite is perfect for pick-up football and ultimate frisbee games. Unlike the quad, this lawn is not crisscrossed with asphalt walkways, making for fewer distractions to aggressive recreational activities.