UK's Best Kept Secrets

Samantha Stein, Marketing Intern

No matter how many websites you look at, how many brochures you read, or how many tours you take, the best way to learn about a college is from first-hand experience. I clearly remember being a lost freshman, wishing I had a cheat sheet for all the things on campus that I had yet to figure out. But I slowly learned that my favorite dinner at Commons was on Tuesday nights, Coffea’s bottomless cup is the best all-nighter companion, and to never (never!) drive on Rose Street when classes let out.

Here is the marketing team’s UK cheat sheet, which includes many of the little-known parts of campus you might not know about otherwise.

Food:

• The Subway in the Engineering complex has a much shorter line than the Student Center’s, but they only serve cold sandwiches.
• Fusion, the dining hall in Erikson, serves the best international food, with quesadillas, pasta, curries and more. They’re only open until 2 p.m. but have great options for a wider variety of food.
• Lemon Tree is also in Erikson and open for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12 p.m. They take reservations for $10 per person (drinks excluded) and have a new menu every day. The menu has a more traditional, home-cooked feel with three-course lunches, which include items such as pastas, fish and various salads and vegetables.

Fitness:

•  Alumni Gym Body Shop is open from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. on weeknights.
• Any student can sign up for a free personal trainer for a full semester at The Underground in Donovan Hall. Personal trainers are also available at The Johnson Center, but there is a fee per session.
• The Lancaster Aquatic Center hosts free Discover classes for scuba diving and fly fishing on certain weekends. Use those links for dates and information on signing up!
• You can rent camping gear, tents, and even cooking utensils from the Johnson Center for free. Equipment must be reserved one day in advance by filling out a Reservation form, found on their website.

Parking:

• Nearly every E-Lot and parking garage is open after 3:30 p.m., if you have a valid UK permit. Most of these lots are also available to visitors after 7:30 p.m., as well. Just be sure to double-check the posted signs at the entrance to the lot!

Libraries:

• At Willy T, any student can rent a laptop to use for free anywhere in the library. They are available on a first come, first serve basis with no reservation needed. Go to the main desk with a valid student ID to check one out for up to four hours.
• At the Hub, in the basement of Willy T, students have access to free IT services and answers to computer-related questions.
• In the computer lab on the bottom floor of the Lucille C. Little Fine Arts Library, the DART machine lets you deposit money into your PLUS account without a processing charge.
• There is a lot of software available for students to download onto their personal computers, free of charge!

Whitehall Classroom Building:

• The building is always open if you want to practice a presentation or study for an exam in your actual classroom to feel more comfortable.
• On the third floor, there are computer labs that students can use for last-minute printing and completing homework between classes.
• There is a post office in the basement where you can send letters and packages and buy stamps.
• When the weather is bad, there is an underground tunnel that connects the basement of Whitehall to Patterson Office Tower.
• Other tip: Be sure to always have a sturdy umbrella in your backpack for any surprise rainstorm while you’re other places on campus!

The Student Center:

• The most comfortable chairs on campus are located outside the Grand Ballroom in the Student Center.
• If you purchase Ticketmaster tickets at the Student Center window, the attendant can help you find the best seats for the best price.
• The Cats Den has free popcorn, just ask the attendants for some. They usually have both normal, buttered popcorn and another flavored variety.
• The Cats Den also rents out laptops and netbooks if you are in need of one; they just hold your student ID while you have it.
• If you stop by any help desk, you can print up to 5 pages for free. Just bring your flash drive or you can connect to your email.

These tips are only some of the best-kept secrets at UK. Others are sure to surface as you find your own favorite perks about campus. Ask around when searching for new places or just tough it out on your own. UK is a large school, with many different buildings and structures, each one waiting to be discovered. The more you explore, the more you’ll find!