Touring our UNH campus is a great way to learn more about life as a UNH student and picture yourself here. Though our tours give an overview of the most important parts of campus, they don’t have time to cover everything. Welcome to our Off the Beaten Path: My Favorite Places on Campus blog series, where UNH students walk you through some of the coolest and most unexpected locations they spend time on campus!
Today, Paige, a civil engineering major from Littleton, MA, talks about the best places to spend time on campus, including cozy cafés for studying and where to enjoy the outdoors at UNH.
Paige Hornbeck
1. Breaking New Grounds
I knew I wanted a campus that had relaxing places to study that weren’t necessarily academic halls or libraries. Breaking New Grounds is a peaceful café to get your caffeine fix and relax in the natural light of downtown while studying. There are many other cafés downtown to see friends or get on a work grind, like Freedom Café – a non-profit specialty café that also hosts events like open mic night. And all of these are just a five-minute walk from the Memorial Union Building!
Hanging out at Albert’s Café
2. Albert's Café
Albert’s Café, named after Albert Kingsbury, is a cozy café located directly through the front doors of Kingsbury Hall – home to the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. It is a perfect spot to grab some snacks and caffeine before a long day. It’s nice to see friends walking by and to work at the nearby tables and couches. Local companies also come to table and network with students. When the weather is nice, the courtyard right outside the café has tables and even hosts the annual CEPS Day event!
3. The Fishbowl
When I first toured UNH, one of the main things that intrigued me was how much green space there was. Picnic tables, trees for hammocks, courtyards and outdoor classrooms were scattered across campus and around every residence hall. The Fishbowl is located in the “Area 1” district of residential halls, and you can find hundreds of students studying or relaxing there throughout the day. I enjoy studying in these outdoor spaces until they’re covered in beautiful snow!
Studying in the Kingsbury Collaboration Stations
4. Kingsbury Collaboration Stations
The collaboration stations in the campus’s libraries are great spaces for group projects and long study sessions. There are large whiteboards located on both walls of the individual clusters, a large monitor to connect to and screen share with, as well as plenty of outlets and table space for group collaboration. There are collaboration spaces both within the Engineering, Math and Computer Science Library, located in Kingsbury Hall, as well as the main library, Dimond Library. These rooms can even be reserved, which I often do to encourage myself to use the time and space!
5. College Woods
College Woods is 250 acres of land, with walking paths and plenty of lovely trees to hammock on! I go on runs there to ease my mind, study in the outdoors and go on relaxing nature walks with friends. Some professors even have long classes out there! It’s a great place to reconnect with nature, in whatever way you may need to.
6. The Works Café
The Works Café is a great place for any and all needs of a college student, including study sessions, breakfast or lunch with friends, dinner with parents on family weekend, or just a chill place to relax. They have yummy snacks, delicious meals, fruit smoothies and energizing coffees. There are also plenty of nice tables and booths to get work done!
Visiting the Math Help Center
7. Mathematics Help Center
The Mathematics Help Center is a wonderful space located in Kingsbury that all students from any major can come to for help. They tutor a variety of different math classes, and it's a great place to collaborate with classmates and get lots of beneficial help from teaching assistants and knowledgeable students. They also always have a yummy candy bowl and stress-relieving arts and crafts!
8. Residence Hall Lounges
Although it may seem obvious, the lounge spaces located within residence halls are prime spots for lots of happenings! While they’re often used for Resident Assistant (RA) socials, friends, roommates or suitemates can all use the lounge to hang out, watch a movie, study and more. It is a great place to escape your room, without even stepping outside! I currently live in Mills Hall, and there are two lounges on every floor, in addition to a main lounge in the lobby. I recently got some friends together to paint in the lounge.
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