Are you an incoming student interested in learning more about the University of Rochester? Do you want to make a list of places to explore around campus before coming here? Then look no further– I interviewed a few students and asked them about their favorite part of campus and why! 🙂
Name: Leka Rob (Computer Science ‘25)
Favorite place: Arts & Music Library
Why: “Arts & Music Library is a space where you can easily switch between independent work and collaborative work. It’s also a very cozy & warm place. I personally like taking naps on the comfy couches hidden behind the bookshelf.”
Name: Adel Fadhul (Chemical Engineering ‘25)
Favorite place: Arts & Music Library (for studying), iZone (for studying + hanging out), Rettner (for hanging out)
Why: “It depends on what I wanna do. If I wanted to study in a quiet atmosphere, I would definitely go to the Arts & Music Library because it’s a quiet zone and it has computers that I can multitask with. It’s also very pretty. If I wanted to hang out, I would go to Rettner because that’s where the gaming PCs are– I love to go there and play video games with my friends on the weekends. If I wanted to do a little bit of both, I would get some friends and head to iZone– there we can all work on our individual tasks in a creative environment.”
Name: Hesham El Shafey (Electronics and Communications Engineering ‘25)
Favorite place: Rettner
Why: “Rettner is a space for student organizations and innovations. You can gain practical skills by working outside of class inside the Rettner fabrication room on the first floor. It’s also a student-led learning space, which is why I like working there most of the time.”
Name: Yousra Awad (Computer Science ‘25)
Favorite place: Carlson Library
Why: “Honestly, my favorite place on campus keeps changing. As of today, my favorite place is Carlson Library. It’s in the engineering quad, which is where most of my classes are located. I really like the first floor– the noise level there is just perfect: not too loud that I get distracted nor too quiet so I fall asleep (the third floor is my go-to for power naps though).”
Name: Joseph Malik (Molecular Genetics ‘25)
Favorite place: iZone
Why: “It’s a great place to get work done while integrating myself more with student life and sometimes just to procrastinate. iZone is just a vibe with the right group of people and even on your own, you can meet new friends. The most important thing to know is that it was the best place to watch the 2022 World Cup.”
Name: Besmelh Alshalaan (Computer Science ‘23)
Favorite place: Rettner Tree House (3rd floor)
Why: “I like the quiet ambiance there, and the large windows. It’s also a central place on campus, somewhat close to everywhere. The only annoying things is that there aren’t enough charging plugs, so I rarely find a good spot to sit in there.”
Name: Germania Balbuena Marte (Biomedical Engineering ’25)
Favorite place: Morey
Why: “My favorite place is Morey, because it is a building with multiple purposes. It can serve as a library space and also as a building to attend classes.”
I loved interviewing each and every one of these students, it’s always nice to hear about their different perspectives! It’s heartwarming to know that there’s a place here that everyone holds dear to their heart. I hope you can find a place like that too once you arrive on campus, can’t wait to see some new faces this fall!
Meliora! 🙂