Higher education is a luxury we can all be thankful for as Kenyon students. Kenyon College is an amazing place. The admissions page eagerly asks, “Why Kenyon? Besides the obvious reasons—top-notch faculty, talented students, stunning campus—the greatest advantage of choosing Kenyon is the promise that here, you’ll become the person you imagine yourself to be.” I firmly believe that this is accurate.
However, the person you’ve always wanted to be might live a more glamorous life than you do at this very moment. Being a college student is not always the most luxurious lifestyle, even at the best, most beautiful of schools. Luckily, Gambier is filled with tiny luxuries that will allow you to continue with the ritual of #treat[ing]yoself. Below are five luxuries to indulge in when you’re sick of Peirce and shower shoes. Embrace the bougie-ness!
1. Go hot-tubbing at the pool.
We all know that the Kenyon Athletic Center (better known as the KAC) is beautiful, but do you know what’s even more beautiful? A glowing, happy, face post jacuzzi-soak. Just beyond the massive pool lies the hot tub—also known as the college student’s version of a relaxing bath (but please, don’t use it as your bathtub). If you’re so inclined, you can also take advantage of the steam rooms and saunas in the locker rooms—embrace your resources. They don’t come cheap.
2. Buy an avocado at the market.
If you’re from California and you’re used to out-of-this-world avocados, this one will likely only disappoint you. However, for all you northerners (including me!) a market avocado can make you feel like a million bucks. I can’t say I know anyone who doesn’t like avocado at least a little bit (even if for just a face or hair mask!). I like adding it to my toast at breakfast and eating it with a spoon for a midnight snack. If your avocado is a little overripe, or you don’t have enough to eat and want the rest to go to good use, look up some DIY beauty product recipes on Pinterest. Lots of hair and skin treatments use avocado, and what better way is there to indulge than treating yourself to some avo and a beauty treatment?
3. Treat yourself to KAC sushi.
On my diet, sushi is its own food group, and I was seriously daikon-deficient when I first came to college. However, I soon discovered (much to the chagrin of my wallet) that the KAC has it’s own mini sushi bar nestled at the bottom of the stairs. The sushi may not be the same as the kind you get living near the ocean, but it’s a great way to satisfy your sushi craving in between your off-campus excursions and visits home. Bonus: having a KAC snack forces you to go to the KAC, which I know for me is always a struggle.
4. Eat brunch at the Kenyon Inn.
Fact: brunch is bougie. Another fact: the best place to get an honest-to-goodness brunch in good ol’ Gambier is the Kenyon Inn. It’s expensive, but it’s worth every penny. Peirce simply cannot compare. My personal favorites are the red velvet pancakes, which were a special on Valentine’s Day. What better way is there to celebrate holidays, birthdays, milestones, and life in general than fancy brunch? There isn’t one!
5. Get dressed up and go to Gund Gallery.
Who doesn’t love an afternoon looking at art? Answer: NO ONE. The Gund Gallery is a state-of-the-art on-campus gallery filled with beautiful art. There’s nothing like indulging in some eye candy. Also, if you haven’t seen Ragnar Kjartansson’s The Visitors, you must. It’s life changing.
Image Credits: Lexi Bollis, Tumbr, The Kenyon Collegian