Why living on the Cook/Douglass campus is actually pretty great

Most people who live on Cook/Douglass can identify with this scenario: Whenever you tell people where you live, they give you that sad face and tell you everything will be OK, as if you’d just told them you live in a cardboard box or something.

Many students at Rutgers have a laundry list of negative things to say about living here: There’s traffic and a lack of bus stops, it’s harder to make friends, there’s nothing fun to do on weekends, the dorms/libraries/dining halls are just so damn far — why in the world would someone want to live in this sort of community? While at first I had the same thoughts most of you do about the Cook/Douglass campus, I’ve learned to appreciate and even love the place I live. It’s a relaxing, de-stressing, nature-friendly community. Here are some of the things I love most about Cook/Douglass — I’m confident that if you spent time here, you’d learn to love it, too.

It’s beautiful

I have a newfound passion and respect for nature thanks to living here. I remember during my first days as a Rutgers student, I was talking to one of my housemates about how dry Douglass was, so she took me out on a “nature tour” and showed me so many beautiful places on this campus. From the Rutgers Gardens to the beautiful greenhouses, you really get to enjoy an organic and healthy environment. So, uh, thank you, housemate!

Cook/Douglass does Rutgers Day best

Do you know about Rutgers day? You better! The memory of my first Rutgers Day was unlike any other. That day, I was supposed to go to College Ave, but because there were so many people, I decided to stay on Cook/Douglass instead. It was the best decision ever — I ate corn on the cob, jumped around with my friend’s dog, and listened to some live country tunes. It made me love being part of Rutgers.

It’s home to great arts events

I’m no Picasso, but art has always inspired me. One time, my friend basically begged me to go to a play on Douglass because she thought it would be boring and needed company. I was aggravated because it was on a Saturday night and I wanted to do… well, a certain other activity typical of a college student’s weekend. But since I am such an awesome friend (and she offered to buy me food), I accompanied her. We saw a romantic comedy at the Victoria J. Mastrobuono theater, and we ended up laughing until we cried and generally having a blast.

It’s the perfect place to de-stress

My personal strategy for releasing my frustrations? Yoga. I’m not a pro at it, but I’ve found that doing it outdoors is even more relaxing. Why? Besides not being stared at by other gym-goers, you actually get the whole “unifying-with-nature” vibe. Deciding to bring my mat to any of the open spaces on Cook/Douglass (Passion Puddle is my personal fave) gave me an idea of how beneficial it is to get out of your dorm room and de-stress. Even if yoga’s not your thing, it’s still worth your while to wander around these green spaces on sunny, warm days in order to find your zen mode.