Check Out Your Local University Campus

This is the third post in the 10 Cheap Adventures That Anyone Can Have series.

I’ve been attending the University of Kentucky for 3 years now, and I am still finding places and things that I didn’t know existed!

Take some time and head to your local campus. You’ll have to park your car and get out on foot (the best stuff is generally found on foot). Take a stroll around the grounds. When you see something interesting, or just new, go and check it out. Is there a building that you’ve never been in? Go inside, explore, see what it has to offer.

We have 13 libraries on campus, each different from the others. One of them has a stairway that ends in a wall. Another has a display case of mandolins made by a famous artist. A third has creaky wooden floors, wooden tables and chairs that have been there for nearly 100 years! Without taking a few minutes to explore, I would have never found any of these interesting places or things.

Don’t Forget to Look Out the Windows

Exploring parts of buildings that I never go to otherwise (like the upper 3 floors that are just used for storage) provided me with a unique view of the campus. I had a nice view down into the garden that I like to stroll through. I could see past the nursing building, where my walks normally end. The empty stairwell and dusty rooms of boxes were quite boring, but those views keep drawing me back.

Talk to the People

The mandolins in one of the libraries? I walked past them on a daily basis until I took a guided tour of that library. Now I know who made them and why they are so carefully displayed. Without talking to someone knowledgeable, I would have never learned. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, or for directions. You’ll never know what you might be missing out on if you don’t.

Read the Plaques

Why is there a roped-off tree stump in the middle of campus? What is the point of the 20′ section of rail-road? Is there something interesting about the collection of rusted quills in that case? I’ve learned the answers to these questions about places on UK’s campus, through reading the plaques and informational cards provided. Without them, I would have overlooked these interesting items, never knowing what I was walking past on a daily basis.

Go Exploring!

For the cost of parking, who knows what you might find. A cool little coffee shop, an interesting garden, a piece of history, a unique view, or a fabulous photo opportunity. Maybe you won’t find anything more than a quiet place to sit and enjoy a break. No matter what it is, I’m sure that you will find something to make your trip worth-while.

So go, explore your local campus!

3 thoughts on “Check Out Your Local University Campus

  1. Terral says:

    I recently discovered the special collections section of our local campus library. I spent hours going through old 19th Century photographs they have there. I also found that they have quite a collection of Native American art which I have always been fascinated with.

    • Matthew says:

      It’s amazing what you can discover. One of the special collections I’ve discovered is the Kentucky collection (which would be the state it is located in). It’s really interesting to peruse some of the history, and areas, that are in Kentucky. I’ve lived here all of my life and still am discovering new things about the area.

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