There are so many beautiful things to love about ETSU, from the rock face in The Cave, to the slides in University Commons and the mysteries and haunts that each building holds, but I love the little things so much more.
I have wanted to write this article since I first became a writer for the East Tennessean in the spring of 2022. When I saw that this edition would be included in incoming freshmen’s information packets, I knew I had to share my favorite things about ETSU.
If you’re ever bored or lonely, you can go to Treehouse Takeout in the Quad (one of the best places to eat on campus, and they take meal swipes), and watch people playing what I call mystery chess. You can even join in if you want!
People will move the chess pieces as they’re passing by. The next person moves as well. This last semester, someone left sticky notes to let people know whose turn it was, and this continued for a while. I never saw a game finished, but there was something so unifying knowing there were others like me invested in a game of chess.
On a rainy day, the indoor spaces of ETSU hide great seats: window ledges. If you live in Lucille Clement, visit the third floor of the library, find the circle window of Warf-Pickel Hall or explore other similar areas, you’ll find big windows with ledges. Admittedly, some are a little hard to sit in, but they’re the perfect place to relax. My favorite ledges are the ones at Starbucks, particularly the one shaped like an upside-down trapezoid. It could use some cushions though. For those with insomnia, the window ledges found in some residence halls make a perfect spot to spend time.
The Digital Media Center is another fantastic late night spot. If you’re lucky enough to know a Digital Media student, they may bring you to their late night sessions here. You’ll get to experience the unhinged and unabashed humor of the people who make the coolest art I’ve ever seen.
I feel that the Digital Media Center isn’t talked about enough. It’s across the land bridge, but it is worth the trip, even if you aren’t interested in the major. They have phenomenal art with character concepts, backgrounds, short animations and very large and quirky whiteboard doodles showcasing the beauty of impermanent art.
If you go into the back of The Cave, by the staircase that goes to the second floor, usually after about six or seven, you’re likely to run into the group I refer to as the Smash Bros. As the name implies, they’re a group that get together regularly to duke it out in “Smash Bros.” I don’t sit with them often, but they’re so friendly and funny, even if their humor is a little weird. As someone who also has a weird sense of humor, I think that’s part of the group’s charm.
College is stressful. We all know that before we even begin our freshman year. Anyone who has been on the internet knows the weirdly specific chaos-academia aesthetic most college students have. Perhaps because of this, many students enjoy visiting the roof of the parking garage on campus to take pictures, enjoy the view or relax. It’s my favorite place to go. The top of the parking garage was my safe haven, where I could relax, scream and cry.
A classic spot to visit is the library after midnight. This spot comes with specific recommendations. Don’t go alone. It’s lonely and can be frightening, considering the lights go off if you don’t move about too much. There are cycling bikes to use if you need to keep your blood flow going and a vending room on the first floor (by the tutoring center).
It’s cheesy, but it’s the last one on my list so it’s okay: just being here. I know when you started the process to go here, from touring to applying, everyone recommended you live on campus. It has its downsides. But there is so much stuff I would have missed out on if I hadn’t decided to live on campus, even though my family home is only fifteen minutes away. I wouldn’t have stuck around for the fun things, wouldn’t have had the all-nighters, wouldn’t have found the freedom. I wouldn’t have ended up with my fiancée. I never thought this is where I would be in my sophomore year.
There have been some really low points. Not all of it has been easy. A lot of places on campus have seen me cry or scream, but I wouldn’t be the person I am today without being on campus. I was (un)lucky enough not to be paired with a roommate. Although, with number of students on campus or coming on campus, I doubt that will happen to you. But for me it was my first time living completely alone, with no one to answer to. Those late nights wandering campus were the moments I found myself, and for the first time in my life, didn’t hate the person I found there.
Have fun in college, but don’t get hurt, and don’t get in trouble you can’t get out of. Take a friend. Keep your cell phone charged, and stay aware of your surroundings. But most of all, stay aware of yourself and your classes. You’ll have newfound freedom, and you’ll want to blow them off. Be careful, make good choices and good luck.
