As a first-year, I was kind of clueless–– I didn’t have “my” study spot yet, hadn’t been to any restaurants in Greencastle and really hadn’t explored the area at all. Over the last 3 years, I’ve luckily been able to change that. There are so many places at DePauw and in Greencastle that I love for many different reasons, but here’s some of my favorites.
- Second Floor of Julian
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My friends have gotten tired of me raving about this absolutely perfect place to study. During class times, the second floor is pretty quiet (while the first floor tends to have more people walking around), so it’s harder to get distracted. I love the tables in the middle because they’re close to outlets, the farthest from both sides of stairs, and you get to sit next to those gorgeous string lights! It’s not necessarily a place I go to have fun, but it’s definitely my favorite place on campus.
- Nature Park
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Other than the Prindle Center, I don’t think I visited the Nature Park at all as a first-year. Big mistake. Since then, I’ve tried to make up for missed time by going whenever the weather is nice. I ended up on campus over a summer for a research project, and I walked there almost every day! It’s a nice place to decompress and get some alone time (especially if you’ve been cooped up with roommates), but it’s also super fun with friends. I recommend picnics and homework in the amphitheater, but anything with the sun and fresh air is good in my book!
- Basements of Roy and Julian
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I genuinely did not know these existed until second semester my sophomore year. I was way too scared to go explore by myself (whoops) and I only discovered these spaces when I had a friend drag me to a study room. The Julian basement is very nice and it’s completely silent, so it’s perfect for studying. The Roy basement is a little less intense, and it has a few empty classrooms and study rooms that work very well for group work, while still being separated from other people.
- WGRE Booth
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While I’ve never been a radio show host, a couple of my friends have, so I’ve been a guest in the booth a few times. It’s super fun watching other people in their element, and while I couldn’t commit to having my own show for an entire semester, being a guest gave me a taste of that aspect of the ~liberal arts experience~ that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. If I’m not physically there, listening to friends’ radio shows is also great because I get to support them and listen to their music selections or talk shows (however wacky they may be).
- Stewart Plaza
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I have great memories from my first year of sitting at tables, studying for finals in the afternoon. There’s a great view of East College, Bowman Park, and it’s a pretty good place to see some gorgeous sunsets. The fountains (when they’re on) are so peaceful; whenever I pass, I feel less anxious about all the impending deadlines and classes that I have to get to. It’s also fun to eat lunch with friends outside once the weather is nice, whether it’s from Hoover or someplace like Myers Market. Really, the only downside is that there aren’t any outlets, but just make sure everything is charged beforehand and you’re good to go!
- Myers Market
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On my first visit to DePauw, my mom and I stopped here to get lunch. I got a fried chicken salad sandwich, and after one bite I decided that this was the college for me. (That’s not actually true. I also had other reasons.) Since then, I’ve been back a lot! I always order the same sandwich because I love it so much, but there are other things that taste great. The apple cider slushies in the fall are unique, and there’s a great selection of candy. I also recently bought some strawberry rhubarb jam that I’m stoked about! Myers is absolutely my favorite place to eat in Greencastle.
It’ll be a bittersweet good bye to these places after graduation. Of course, I can always come back to visit, but it won’t be the same as having unlimited access for months at a time. If you’ve got a few years left, have fun, make some memories, and enjoy being here for a little while longer. The classes may be hard, but the campus is amazing.