10 Places to Visit on Campus

This article was originally going to be a countdown for the 10 (count em ten) places that you should visit on campus. However, as time went on, I realized that all of these places are pretty cool, and that putting a number on any of them would be unfair. So, without further adieu, here are the 10 Places on Campus You Should Visit Before You Die (or Graduate, whichever comes first).

1) Tunnels connecting South Campus Hall and Arts Lecture, going through the Tatham Centre. The orange and yellow colours will always put you in a good mood. The only warning this writer will give is when you go there for the first time, be sure to be in a somewhat soberish state, because otherwise the walls WILL trip you out.

2) All the CnDs run by the faculties. While the Engineering one is pretty awesome, you need to experience all of them before you can get a good feel of what is available. Engineering has 50 cent refills on coffee. Science has their 50 cent pop, and Math has a ton of variety in their CnD.

3) Speaking of the Math CnD, right next to it is the Math Comfy Lounge. Sit back with your computer or read on their comfy chairs. Best part is: no one there will check whether or not you are in Math. It is also a great place to sleep, especially when you are on campus late at night and aren’t able to make it all the way home.

4) The physics observatory, located in the physics building (surprise, surprise), is a great place to go if you want to enjoy a night of looking up at the sky and experiencing the feeling of being one with the universe. They do public tours at the beginning of each month. At these tours, they show you around the observatory, have staff available to answer questions, and you get to gaze out into the night sky.

5) The next suggested place is the BMH green. Although its size has been dwindling over the past couple of years, it is still a great place to play some soccer (or cricket) with some of your classmates, or eat lunch with a few friends. You might be thinking to yourself that the geese try to take over during that time, however, if you go with a big enough group of people, the  geese won’t bother you.

6) Next up on the list, and conveniently as number 6, is the newest of the buildings on campus, Engineering 6. Why? Solely because it is the newest building on campus. If the Quantum Nano Centre had opened already, I would be saying that you have to visit there instead. One thing to check out is how all the labs are setup. While you can’t legally go into the labs (I personally don’t endorse risking your life) you can look through the windows. They also have a setup outside the elevators where the wall is made of different materials on each floor.

7) Heading up north we get to the Columbia Ice Fields, and more specifically, where the fire pits are overlooking the lake. This is a great place to hang out with a bunch of friends, catch up on what is happening in your lives, and not think about school. You can even book a fire pit alone and watch the magical fire do its dance.

8) One of the highest points on campus is Dana Porter, DP (get your head out of the gutter). Go to the 10th floor of DP and look out the windows on all four sides. It is the perfect view to just sit and stair out at the scenic view that is the University of Waterloo and the surrounding area. Look out at the sun set in the west over the beautiful buildings we call home.

9) Do you like Art? Neither do I. But that didn’t stop me from making point number 9 the East Campus Hall Art Gallery. “East Campus Hall?” you may ask! Well yes, East Campus Hall. The building next to the new Engineering 6 on Phillip Street is a great place to see art for free. Yes! Free! It is also a way to relax after finishing your calculus and thermo assignments by letting you see the beauty in the world.

10) If you are not dead yet, there is one last place you should visit before you die. I myself have never been here, however, legends have it that back in the day, there was a tunnel connecting the Village 1 residences with the Student Life Centre. The Legends also say that this tunnel still exists, and has been locked up from student use. Now as I mentioned before, I don’t encourage that illegal behaviour some kids like to try, but if you get the opportunity to explore those tunnels, I think it would be worth your while.

And that concludes the 10 places you should visit before you die (or graduate, whichever comes first). What you should all do now is put down this paper that you are reading, find a pair of scissors, cut out this article, and post it on your wall. Check them off one by one until you accomplish all 10! Once you achieve this accomplishment, you are truly ready to die (or graduate).