Study Spots

With college, especially engineering, comes quite a bit of studying. Sometimes studying in your room/dorm can be difficult for instance if your roommate is playing loud music or there’s just too many distractions going on around you. A great way to counteract this is to go somewhere quiet on campus to do your studying. Unfortunately, you are not the only person with this idea and many places on campus are crowded for this reason. However, there are also some lesser known areas across campus that make great study places. Here are some areas across campus with a relative busy score, 1 being the least busy with 5 being rarely an open seat available.


Wilmeth Active Learning Center: AKA, Walc. This place is one of the most recent buildings added to Purdue which means it will be crowded. There is a computer lab in the basement as well as on the second floor and a multitude of chairs scattered about. Many people don’t know this but after class hours, around 5:30, you are allowed to enter the empty rooms to study. Just be careful about clubs and organizations that schedule rooms and respectfully leave when one shows up. The building is big but the open tables and chairs are limited.

Busy Score: 5



Hicks Underground Library: The classic study spot. This place is spacious, has a computer lab, and stays open late. For being a stereotypical place to study, finding a spot isn’t that hard. There will always be people there, but there are so many tables and chairs that you will almost always find one if you look hard enough. Hicks is the perfect place to go if you don’t mind being near other people studying or need to meet with a small group of people.

Busy Score: 4



Math Building Basement: For those who just want to get away from people and work on something or study in silence, this is the place for you. The math building has not one, but two floors underground. On the second underground floor, you will find a computer lab which not a lot of people know about. There may be a few people in there who actually know about it, but there will always be an open spot.

Busy Score: 2



Potter Lobby: I personally used this spot when working on a massive group project in a team of 6 people. Potter is the building between Walc and the Nuclear Engineering Building and the main entrance has a few big tables with many chairs to use. The only other people my team and I saw in there during our week of using the building was people eating the chinese food they bought from the vans in the alleyway behind the building. You’ll know what I’m talking about if you go there.

Busy Score: 1



Krach Leadership Center: Another classic spot. The reason is that it is the closest spot to residential campus and is fairly new. There are four floors with desks and chairs littered about and even a few computers. With its convenient location however, finding an empty table can be difficult, especially during exam season.

Busy Score: 4



HSSE Library: The Humanities, Social Sciences and Education Library, aka HSSE, is the library attached to Stewart and right next to Hick’s underground library. It offers many computers and large desks, however it is a library so talking out loud is frowned upon. During exam season or finals this place can be packed, but typically you can find a spot to study.

Busy Score: 3

ENGR 131 & 132

ENGR 131 and 132 are two courses that every engineering student will take at Purdue University, with the exception of honors college students who can take the advanced version of it; which is highly inadvisable as you gain no extra benefit and the class is much more difficult. Aside from this, these classes can seem very intimidating to new students, as they have the word “engineering” in them. When in reality the classes are more like information literacy and teamwork 101. Let’s start with ENGR 131.





ENGR 131


To begin your engineering adventure at Purdue, you are put into ENGR 131 with a large class of all different engineering discipline majors. You will be put into a team of four people and given a variety of tasks, mostly designing something hypothetical. You will also have to learn the basics of Microsoft Excel and the decision matrix. Ultimately, this class is designed to teach you basic skills like teamwork and get you familiar with common programs like Excel. This class should be a piece of cake, but don’t let it fool you, there are much more difficult classes to come!



ENGR 132


After passing ENGR 131 and thinking engineering won't be so bad, ENGR 132 gives you a wakeup call. Commonly referred to as “ENGR 131 but failable”, ENGR 132 introduces you to the world of MATLAB. MATLAB is similar to Excel in features, but utilizes a command window where you type in code to perform tasks. For many students this can be their first coding experience, and Purdue knows this so you shouldn’t be too worried if this is the case. The first month of the class is a learning process where they teach you the basics and slowly branch off to more complicated things. You will also be put into teams of four for this class and will be given projects related to MATLAB. The projects can be tricky as most of the time they are open ended and require your group to come up with an original solution. The pace of the class and difficulty of the subject matter is much more than ENGR 131, but it is completely manageable. There is the possibility of getting put in a bad group, so if this happens talk to your instructor as soon as possible. Good Luck!

Things to do in West Lafayette / Lafayette

If you take the time to wander off campus, the city of Lafayette offers a few things that might be of interest. If you are lucky enough to have a car (or a friend who has a car), here are some things you can do to get away from campus.


Riverside Skating Center – In the winter months, this ice rink is a popular spot for college students. Grab a friend or a date and $3 for skate rentals and brave the ice. Although small, this ice rink is very well maintained and will gives off Sweden vibes. Afterwards, grab some hot chocolate from the nearby Starbucks.


Trampoline Park – If you are feeling sporty, you can go to one of Lafayette’s indoor trampoline parks and bounce for 1- or 2-hour sessions. Jumping is great exercise and in turn can be a great way to relieve ENGR team member frustrations or exam stress. You get to keep the snazzy socks too.


Tippecanoe Mall – This shopping mall is the best (and only) place to get your name brand fashions in Lafayette. While this mall is rather lackluster compared to most, it does have many stores and all the brands you are familiar with. Also, they have a Cinnabon.


Columbian Park – This park has it all! If you want a day at the park, this is your spot. It has multi level playgrounds, picnic tables, a nice pond, and a train that goes around the park. There is free parking all the way around the park.


Columbian Park Zoo – Columbian Park also has a small Zoo. And better yet, it’s free! You can enter into the Wallaby enclosure, pet goats, and see the mini butterfly garden. They also have a Zoo gift shop so you can buy something to remember your trip.


Tropicanoe Cove – This waterpark is located in Columbian Park and has three waterslides and a lazy river. Bring sunscreen and some quarters for the lockers and cool off at the pool. This waterpark has two brand new water slides so go check it out between Memorial Day and Labor Day.


Happy Hallow – This Park is located just off of Purdue and River Road and has a few paved trails you can enjoy. People often walk their dogs or go for their morning runs here. They also have a playground if you are feeling young again.


Hike the Wabash Heritage Trail – If you enjoy walking or biking, you can follow this paved trail around West Lafayette and Lafayette. The trail starts, or ends, at Happy Hallow Park and goes all the way along the Wabash River.


Merlin’s Beard – Calling all board game players. At this spot in Downtown Lafayette, you can pay $5 and have access to 100+ popular board games! And if you don’t know how to play, the staff loves to give demonstrations to get you going. They also serve snacks and sandwiches.


Exploration Acres – If you are willing to drive 25 mins, this large farm will give the perfect Indiana autumn experience. They typically have a themed corn maze, pumpkin patch, hot apple cider, pumpkin related games, hay rides, and a farm gift shop where you can buy pumpkin rolls, maple candy, homemade candles, and more. Check out their website in the fall to learn more about their hours and annual events.

Freshman Guide to Parties

Welcome to college. Whether you like to party or not, you may still end up at one and some point throughout your Purdue experience. Parties are a great way to make new friends and take a deserved break from school work (although make sure you earn the break first). Going to that first college party can be really fun so here are a few things to know to maximize that experience:

The best party nights are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - Make sure that you get your Friday homework done early in the week if you want to partake. A lot of engineering courses have labs and reports on Fridays, so plan ahead.

If you want to go to a frat party, make sure you get on the list - This "list" exists so everyone is accounted for in case of an emergency and is very enforced. Ask a friend directly from the house to get you down so you can join in. Don’t be that person that just shows up and expects to get in.

Always go out with a friend or a group of friends - This way you can all watch out for each other in case of an emergency. Also, who wants to party without friends?

There is no rush to go to a party - It takes time to form groups of friends and find people to go out with so don’t be upset if you are not going out the first few months of the semester. It’s more rewarding to wait.

All parties are different and not many are exactly like the typical college party you see in movies - People have movie parties, dance parties, board game parties, food parties, costume parties, and holiday parties. Go with friends who have similar interests and you can meet more people with that same interest! There is a get-together for anyone!


Avoid peer pressure from others - If someone is twisting your arm to get you to go to a party that you don’t want to, do something you are uncomfortable with, stay up later than you’d like, or anything else that you’ve already made clear you don’t want to do, then firmly say no and leave. Good friends will never make you do something you don’t want to do.

The legal drinking age in the United States is 21 years - If you are not of age, consuming alcohol is illegal and can get you in trouble. You are not required to drink at any type of party and many people don’t for a variety of reasons. If you are not 21 or don’t want to drink, you can always have something else and no one will question what is in your cup. Everyone is there to have fun and no one really cares if you are drinking alcohol or not.

Stress Relief

Engineering is stressful, growing up is stressful, maintaining friendships is stressful, being a millennial is stressful. Just about everyone will experience some sort of stress during their time here at Purdue. Here are some things you can do if stress is affecting your academic performance or mental health.


Talk to a friend or professor - Sometimes talking through how you feel or learning that someone else feels the same way can be very therapeutic. Holding in what is causing you distress is usually not helpful and can make you feel alone.


Plan time in your schedule to do things you enjoy - If you are constantly working and studying, you will get burnt out rather quickly. Make sure to leave some free time for friends, hobbies, or naps so you don’t feel like you are not living your life.


Get things done ahead of time - This might be the most important one. Nothing will stress you out like trying to do everything at the last minute. Have a game plan for every assignment and spend a little bit of time working on it every day. That way you will have time to ask for help if you need it and avoid staying up late trying to complete it before the deadline.


Exercise! - Taking some time to be physically active is a great way to relieve stress…and your body will thank you for it. Engineering requires a lot of time sitting in front of a computer so it’s good to get up and stretch every once in a while if you are feeling stressed. You also don’t have to run marathons or spend 4 hours at the Corec to do this. You can get exercise by walking around the mall, playing ping pong, or even walking to class.

Utilize the Corec’s mindfulness room - Meditation is not everyone’s thing, but if you are feeling stressed, it can be fun and worth a try. It’s free for all students and can be a great way to relax and practice some deep breathing.


Get plenty of sleep and rest when you need it - Sleep is important, especially for young adults. Having a demanding schedule and social life can leave you feeling drained and stressed. Catch up on some sleep on the weekends and don’t be afraid to take a short rest if you feel you need it.


Be yourself - Trying to fit in to a group of people you don’t feel comfortable with can really stress anyone out. College is usually a turning point where people feel they can finally be themselves and enjoy life. Students at Purdue are very accepting and friendly to anyone no matter their background, gender, major, sexual orientation, race, or SAT score.

Conclusion

That is all we have for you so far. We hope this guide was helpful in making you feel more comfortable and relaxed during your freshman year. If you have any questions about the topics we posted or other topics entirely, leave a comment and we’ll try to answer as best we can! Remember that everyone was a freshman at some point and you were admitted for a reason. You will do fine. The next four years will fly bye, so don’t forget to have some fun every once in a while. The age old proverb still holds true, “sleep more than you study, study more than you party, and party as much as you can”. Good luck and have fun, Boilermaker.


(Source: https://www.amazon.com/NCAA-Purdue-Boilermakers-Logo-Pin/dp/B005Y0MW48)