We all frequent Cox for lunch, the brand new Dunkin Donuts for our morning coffee and the good old Woodruff Library when it’s time to hit the books (if not just to socialize). But if you ever tire of these scene-y Emory sites, it helps to have some alternatives in mind – and not ones that require a trek to Emory Village. Believe it or not, there are on-campus sites that remain unseen by all too many Emory students’ eyes. And we’re not exactly sure why, because these alternative spots satisfy cravings, offer festive social opportunities and provide perfect studying settings. If you’re in need of a change of scenery (or just a few more food options), here are a bunch of hidden gems that happen to be right at your fingertips, and will provide a pleasant diversion from the seen-and-be-seen-y Cox Bridge.
Caffe Antico, Carlos Michael C. Carlos Museum
Head over to Caffe Antico if you’re just in need of something other than your usual Cox turkey sandwich. The museum’s quaint eatery offers an array of salads, sandwiches and entrees – healthy options included! Get to the Carlos Museum if you have some time off and want to explore the gems that it houses, and top it off with a meal at the third-floor café. This is a perfect place for a lunch date or meeting, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the middle-of-campus lunchtime rush.
Downstairs WoodPEC
Usually when Collegiettes enter the WoodPEC, it’s to go up the stairs to the gym (or right through it to get to the parking garage…), and we rarely pay attention to the fact that there exists an entire floor below the entry level. Venture down the spiral staircase and you’ll find loads of free space with a wall of mirrors if you want to work out with a bunch of friends, and you’ll find plenty of student dancers using that space to create work. There are a bunch of lounge chairs downstairs, too, if you need to take a load off for a little while or just need a quick place to sit down while you scribble down the last few answers to your homework problems after staying on the elliptical for a little too long.
Law School Territory
We hear that law school can be kind of rough, but that doesn’t mean that these students don’t know how to socialize. Just like in our own social scene, there are mixers and date events that might not exactly be off-limits to us undergraduates. Situate yourself at the Law School hot spots – we mean, hot spot, that being the Law Library on Clifton Road – to try to catch the eye of some hard working lawyers-to-be.
Sports Team Parties
Frat Row isn’t the only place where Emory students throw down on the weekends. Emory’s own athletes might have games, meets, etc. to rest up for, but they also know how to party. Whether off campus in houses or at bar venues, find out where your favorite athletic guys and girls go to celebrate their Eagle victories.
Rollins School of Public Health Organic To Go Café
If the lines at Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts really tend to cramp your morning style, forego your iced Venti for a day or two in exchange for a hearty breakfast and cappuccino from the Rollins School of Public Health café. Those of us who are always looking for more ways to be health conscious at Emory can rest assured that the options at this tucked-away café are healthy – not to mention equipped with vegan and vegetarian options. The breakfast menu offers everything from omelets to oatmeal and the weekly soup specials will keep you warm into the winter months. Oh, and there’s stir-fry, salads and pastas galore.
Woodruff Health Sciences Center Library
It may, in fact, be quieter than the Reading Room – but the real draw here is that it’s certainly not as social. Get your stressed-out-self over to the Health Sciences library if you have serious studying cramming to do. No one will be able to find you – we’re not sure there’s even decent cell service in there – so rest assured that you’ll be able to complete all of your homework and studying in completely undisrupted silence.
Whether you really need 5 straight hours of uninterrupted studying, a decent omelet that’ll cure a hangover on Friday morning when you don’t have time to engage in a 3-hour-long brunch (gossip) session with your girls, or you shamelessly want to find an older guy who seems to have his future a bit more meticulously planned out than some of your peers, head for the respective Emory site that’ll satisfy your need to do something just a little bit different from your day-to-day.