Here’s a little PSA for the students of the University of Minnesota: I have one seriously under tapped resource for you. That’s right. It’s the second floor of Coffman Memorial Union. Are you looking to join a new club? Need a study space? Maybe you just want to meet some new people? Looking to engage in some intellectual conversation? Printing? Need school supplies? Storage? Need pretty much anything for your student group? The second floor is your place. You can take the elevator or the stairs (we wouldn’t recommend scaling the building), just make sure you get there. Here are some great ways you can utilize the second floor:
Printing
The second floor has Wi-Fi printing for students and it only costs 10 cents per page (five cents if you print double-sided) and you can pay using your U Card with GopherGold. Especially for those of us who have left the dorms, this is a fantastic piece of knowledge. We’ve all been in the situation where other printers have run out of ink or you left your paper at home. It’s all good. The second floor has your back.
Supplies
If you’re a registered member of a student union on the second floor, you can borrow or check out erasers, scissors, paper clips, staplers, rubber bands, Post-Its, pens, Scotch tape, three-hole punch, first aid kit, paper cutter, carts, cash bags (a literal bag to keep track of cash for fundraisers), washable markers and sidewalk chalk. It’s a pretty sweet deal. It’s like having a Staples or Office Max within walking distance at all times… Except this one is free!
Lockers
On the second floor, you can reserve lockers for your student group to keep supplies in. These lockers come in three sizes (perfect for all your storage locker needs!). They can be reserved through VEMS software. No longer do you have to worry about keeping the weird poster shaped like Goldy in the back of your bedroom closet. You’re welcome.
Student Unions
The student unions and organizations are arguably the best feature of the second floor. Some pretty amazing student unions have offices located here and are always welcoming of students seeking knowledge about their group! Al Madinah, American Indian Student Cultural Center, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Asian-American Student Union, Minnesota Student Association, Women’s Student Activist Collective, Queer Student Cultural Center, Disabled Student Cultural Center, La Raza, the Middle Eastern Student Association, and Black Student Union are all located on this floor. Check them out — they’re all incredible and welcoming groups of people!
Folks, this is just the beginning of the second floor experience. I encourage everyone to go out and take a look at what this floor has to offer. Even if you just stroll down the hall to poke your head into the student unions, you’ll leave knowing more about your campus and the people who work to make your campus lively, diverse, educated and fun. If you’re lucky, you may even find some members of Her Campus hanging out there!