Discover These Hidden Gems On Campus

Discover These Hidden Gems On Campus

While you’ll become familiar with Wake Forest staples such as the library and the Pit in no time, you won’t be a true expert until you experience some of the hidden gems our campus has to offer. To speed up the process, here are a few things to look for.

Campus Garden

Whether you’ve got a green thumb, are working on upping your Vitamin D intake or simply want to try and cop some fresh veggies, the Campus Garden is a great place to volunteer once or twice a week. Located across Polo Road, next to the sophomore parking lot, the luscious garden of veggies and leafy greens is maintained by dedicated students, who donate a portion of their produce to the local community through Campus Kitchen.

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Outdoor sports courts

Don’t let the ball you packed collect dust under your twin extra long all semester. Bring it to any of the outdoor courts around campus and hold tryouts for your inevitable freshman hall intramural team. There’s a basketball court behind Collins, complete with a gate just in case your best isn’t good enough to keep the ball on the court. There are sand volleyball courts in front of South and behind Palmer/Piccolo. The Frisbee golf course loops behind Martin and continues through Davis Field. Make sure to take advantage of the courts before your Floridian friends start complaining about the “cold” weather in October.

Shuttle System/Ride the Wake

If you and your three closest friends want to make a Target run but the closest thing you have to a ride is the skateboard you stole from your brother, look up the shuttle system schedule. It has loops that go to the mall, Target, Wake Downtown, the freshman parking lot and more, even running on the weekends from Benson circle.

Reynolda Village and Trails

If running circles around your dorm doesn’t quite hit the mileage you’re going for, jog on over to Reynolda Village. There are wooded running trails which loop around Lake Katherine and fields which are absolutely beautiful in the fall when the leaves change. Reynolda Village itself has a few restaurants and boutiques which are fun to visit, as well as a museum and some beautiful gardens to walk through. Reynolda Village is a great way to escape campus while not needing to travel too far!

Tutoring Centers

Both the Writing Center and Math Center are valuable, under-utilized resources for students. The Writing Center is on the fourth floor of ZSR Library, and offers students help with everything from editing papers to putting together an outline. The Math Center is on the top floor of Manchester/Kirby, and students can sign up to meet with peer tutors for a one-time visit or weekly appointments. To boot, both have bowls of small candies right inside the door.

Game carts outside Subway and Zick’s

Go ahead and challenge your friends to a friendly, or not-so-friendly, game of Jenga or Uno at the tables outside on Upper Quad. There are game carts at both Subway and Zick’s for students to enjoy while admiring the fantastic view of Wait Chapel. Some of the best friendships are formed while debating the fine print on a rules page or insisting games of skill are, in fact, games of chance. Also, Zick’s has pool tables, an air hockey table and a game console in the basement for rainier days.

Magnolia Room

One of the well-kept secrets on campus, the Magnolia Room offers students a buffet-style, all-you-can-eat lunch on weekdays for the cost of a single Pit swipe. Students enjoy salad and sandwich options, with an ice cream bar on Fridays, set to the soothing background of throwback songs playing on the speaker system. On the fourth floor of Reynolda, above the normal Pit, the black tablecloths, stemmed glasses and incredibly friendly people will make you feel like you’re at a five-star restaurant.

Tree Swings

The tree swings on Davis Field  and behind Bostwick are a great place to study, relax, listen to the marching band practicing and contemplate whether the Pit’s sunflower butter is more salty or sweet. Each swing has a word inscribed on it like “hope,” “will” and “mood,” so hopefully, they will help to swing your mood towards stress-free and sunny.

24-hour room and ZieSta Room

The ZSR Library is open all hours on weeknights, but if you’re hoping to study on a Friday or Saturday night and are having trouble finding a quiet place, use the 24-hour room to the right of the main entrance. Right above it is the ZieSta Room, equipped with those fancy couches that lean back and allow you to take a quick study nap between chapters. Both spaces are useful even on weekdays when the library is too full, or again, when you need a nap.

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