Whether you want a spot to cram for an exam or socialize with friends, here are the hang-out spots freshmen should know about and utilize on campus.
The Quad. In warmer weather, this is a common place to throw around a football or frisbee, or sit on a bench and do some studying in the sun’s warmth. People even hang out in their hammocks or challenge each other with slacklining, a tricky balancing game you will soon learn about if you don’t already know it. The gazebo is always a nice place to sit in between class with friends or enjoy lunch, too.
The University Union. When the library was under construction last year, the Union became much more popular. The Tutoring Center re-located there for the semester, and the café was open. The area was usually pretty busy during the day. Now that the library is no longer under construction, the Union it is back to being a more quiet and lowkey spot on campus, still home to the mail center and parking office as well. If you like silent study spots with high chair or cozy couch options, this is the spot.
The Student Center. The Student Center is home from everything from Starbucks to the theater, and ranges from almost silent to insanely crowded and loud. During common hours, organizations are almost always crowding the student center with fundraisers and informational tables. If you are one for a quiet scene, go to the fireside lounge on the second floor early in the day or on weekends. If you like the crowd, go to Starbucks in-between classes. During the week, the thrid floor is a popular meeting spot for clubs or study groups.
Weisenfluh. Weisenfluh is arguably the best place to get lunch on campus, and you can get anything from Chinese food at Umami to a pastry or fresh-fruit smoothie at Elia. Elia is open almost all day, and is a great place to grab coffee before class and finish up homework. If you are sick of Boozel, Umami is open for dinner and a great place to enjoy dinner with friends.
Residence Hall Rec Rooms. If you will live on campus next year, you will find the recreation room. While each hall’s is different, it usually has a ping pong table, and maybe a pool and air hockey table, too. Some also have TVs and video game consoles. This is the perfect place to watch sports games or weekly television programs with a big group, especially if you don’t have a TV.
SSC theater. Every weekend, Student Government Association (SGA) plays a movie in the Smith Student Center Theater for students to enjoy for free. When you feel there’s nothing to do on the weekends, check out what movie the theater is playing that weekend. SGA tries to pick newer movies that have just left theaters.
Don’t get stuck in your room all semester as a freshman. Slippery Rock has a small enough campus where you are always within walking distance of some great places to meet up with friends to hang out or study. Utilizing our campus will come with many benefits, such as meeting more people, studying more, and having more social opportunities.
