10 places you need to see and take selfies in at UD

Around this time my freshman year, my friend and I decided to explore the parts of UD’s campus we’d yet to fully see. From South Campus to North Campus, from Redding to the fallen Rodney-Dickinson Complexes on West Campus, we found, not only new places for perfect photo-ops, but also a new admiration for the vastness of our home away from home.

Along the way, we also decided to do some stupid and mildly childish things because “stupid and mildly childish” defines my entire freshman year of college.

For those of you stuck in the routine dorm-class-dage-POD-dorm route, who have not gotten a chance to see all that this awesome campus (and the places around it) has to offer, here are 10 places to explore and find your new profile pictures at.

Old College

While this is the site for several classes and events, many students have not gotten the chance to see what I think is the most gorgeous building on campus (sorry, Memorial Hall). In fact, I’ve talked to a couple people who don’t know what it is. I certainly didn’t until I decided to gloriously run down the building’s finely embellished steps two years ago.

It’s also the home of the Old College Gallery, which houses a wide range of art and historical artifacts for viewing, making it a great way to get in some culture on a budget (hint: it’s free). Once you are done visiting the Gallery, feel free to marvel at Old College itself, explore its interior, look up at the gorgeous chandelier that hangs over its atrium, and pull out that Pokémon GO app you haven’t touched in months– because, yes, Old College is also a Pokéstop.

Club Morris

Sure, you may have gone there to study a few times or hid in a corner crying after getting your exam back (anyone?), but have you really seen the Morris Library? The three-floor building is not only home to multitudes of desks, oddly shaped chairs, and flustered college students, but also cool lecture series and special collections. In fact, there’s a whole department called “special collections” where you can read, look through, or simply touch diaries, cookbooks, and travel blogs from decades, even centuries ago. Also, remember to rub Hugh Morris’ nose to prepare for that upcoming exam. What else should you remember to do? Take a picture in front of that weird statue in front of the building for no particular reason, like we did.

Wright House

The Wright House used to be the location for International Coffee Hour, and it used to be one of my favorite places to sip coffee and socialize, along with plot all the many ways I can get into the speakeasy in the basement (note: there’s a speakeasy in the basement of the Wright House). However, word around the block is that Joe Biden will be moving into a office here in the future when he comes to work for UD. It’s situated in a beautiful street near two of the other locations on this list, and although you might not be able to enter it as easily anymore, you can always hang around and stalk look out for a former VP when you’re free.

President’s House

When you’re done visiting Wright, come across the street to the President’s House, temporary home to UD’s President Dennis Assanis and a sprawling backyard I have never seen used. Although it may be pretty hard to get beyond the door and into the raging parties that must be going on inside (I hear the cover charge is over $5), it’s always nice to stroll by and fawn at the beautiful, brick structure on Kent Way with its overarching trees and bushes lining the path way. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a dollar bill on the way there and instead of keeping it, like any normal person, decide to leave it on the President’s door with a note (after, of course, trying several times to knock and get an answer).

“Dear President Harker,

We found this dollar bill by your gate. Our assumption was that it belonged to you, so we are returning it. Have a lovely day and spend it wisely.

Sincerely,

Lisa Pham

Elizabeth Van Winkle”

Whatever you do, remember to selfie the entire process so that, two years later, you can chronicle it all in an article.

White Clay Creek

A lot of people talk about exploring White Clay Creek, taking in the beauty of nature that surrounds campus, but the attraction of just staying in and watching Netflix can be so much stronger. I’m going to make the case for White Clay, not in terms of escaping the frenzy of everyday life or reaching some Buddha/Thoreau-esque levels of contemplation, but in terms of perfect lighting, like for Instagram photos:

#artsy #trynottolookbasic

Random, empty classrooms

If you’re looking for a place to study, or just a place to walk around in and talk like we were, consider going into empty classrooms/buildings on days and times when they’re typically not in use. There’s something sobering about seeing a quiet room full of empty desks and a clean chalkboard. Remember to leave your mark!

Nearby Parks and Neighborhoods

Okay, so this doesn’t really count as being “on campus” but these parks and neighborhoods can be just as enjoyable to take in as The Green or those glaring spotlights from Perkins and Trabant that guide you back to campus after one too many drinks. Take the Pomeroy trail that will lead you all around campus and through all the baseball fields, parks, and small hubs of suburban life you may have missed from being away from home. Take a moment to embrace your inner child and go on a swing, hang from the jungle gym, dangle from a tree…

…or just chill.

Roselle Center for the Arts

Home to countless musical performances, lectures, and Resident Ensemble Players (REP) performances, Roselle is not one to miss, even though it is a little out of the way. It’s located in a gorgeous part of town (yes, the same part of town that the Wright House and the President’s House is located in) and the interior is jaw-dropping. There’s art on the walls, chandeliers on the ceilings, and the sounds of music practices vibrating through the air. Just strolling through leaves one in awe. And slight confusion. We got slightly lost in here and got a behind-the-scenes look of the REP stage.

Then we took some badly-lit photographs to solidify our presence there, as one should always do when encountering large windows.

South Campus

Your parents took you here and bought you ice cream on one of the first days or so, and you may remember taking the bus down for a few football games, but have you gotten the chance to see the botanic garden? Or the farm? Or watch the sun set beyond the field? South Campus can be easily disregarded since it’s so far away from Main Campus, houses no dormitories, and a small percentage of students actually have their classes here. But if you have the time, take a stroll down and see a part of UD where things are a little bit quieter (except on game days) and there’s adorable farm animals to say “Hi” to.

(Random banquets in) Trabant

Getting tired after all of this exploring? We were too, which is why we decided to go to Trabant, with the intention of getting food from the food court as any common person would do. Instead, on our way in, we encountered an elaborate banquet with a variety of generous catering and not enough people (as we saw it) to consume all this said food. So we just decided to go for it.

It was a perfect ending to a perfectly enlightening day, filled with too much walking, too much wind, and too much brow liner (what was I thinking?), and it made me appreciate being here all the more. So to all the freshmen out there who are thinking they may not be getting the full picture of this university, take a day to explore, snap pictures, and crash all the banquets you can find.