One of the things Emporia State students are most proud of is the amount of beauty on our campus. Whether it's the nature or the architecture, everywhere you look is lovely, no matter the season. Whenever a friend visits me, I make a point of giving them a tour of the entire campus to show them all the most beautiful spots -- and with input from my floor mates, I have ranked them and compiled a list to show off how wonderful our campus truly is.
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1. Wooster Lake
When it was warm, I spent many nights sitting by Wooster because of how peaceful it was. Containing two fountains, a bridge, and even a tiny rocky waterfall, this lake is a beautiful area that we can see from almost anywhere on campus. In summer months, it is surrounded by green trees and the fountains are on, and you can watch the radiant colors of the sun setting. When it's cold, the beauty of the lake being frozen over is sure to warm the hearts of even the biggest winter haters. Right outside of Memorial Union, there is a patio area where students can sit and look over Wooster while they eat and study. All that beauty, not even to mention the bridge...
2. The bridge over Wooster
This bridge is in itself an area of striking beauty. It gives students a way to walk over the lake, but it is so much more than that. The bridge adds yet another aesthetically pleasing element to the lake, made from light gray stone, it is crafted very well. In the winter, it is decorated with lights and wreaths for the holidays. It is also a Pokemon Go gym, and there was even a marriage proposal on the bridge this fall!
3. William Allen White Library
One of the most amazing elements of the Emporia State campus is the William Allen White Library. This library has 4 floors of study rooms, library shelves, computers, and even more, as well as housing the ACES office which serves to help students with their studies. Along with the main floors, the stacks area is quite large, containing 6 levels. There is never a shortage of peaceful areas to go in the library when you need to work alone, and it also has wonderfully helpful rooms that groups can use for study sessions.
4. The little pockets of nature
This comprises Wilson Park, the lawn in front of Plumb, and campus woods. The nature at ESU is astonishing, and the wildlife are friendly and abundant -- we even have in our brochure that we have the friendliest campus squirrels! And from what I've been told, those of us who have never seen Emporia in the Spring are in for a huge treat in a few months. Wilson Park is a lovely little area consisting of stone picnic tables, fire pits, and a pavilion. It's conveniently located right outside Towers Complex and when it's warm students tend to sit at these tables while they study. The Plumb lawn is a sweet, little wooded area that has just the slightest forest feel when you walk through the trees. Campus woods is an area I haven't gotten to personally explore myself, but I have heard how beautiful it is more than any other area of the campus. I greatly look forward to seeing it when it's warm enough to go outdoors.
5. Commercial Street
While not technically a part of the campus, no one can deny that Commercial Street is an important part of our university, especially for the students that reside on campus. Referred to as "main street" by many, it is seen as the primary road in our area. Some of the businesses on Commercial include OrangeLeaf, Little Caesars, Casa Ramos, Graves Drugstore, Plum Bazaar, several little clothing boutiques, antique shops, thrift stores, and several others. When the school year starts, they hold a block party where the businesses, as well as others from the town, have booths and Emporia residents are encouraged to come get coupons, play games, and explore the many things this town has to offer. In the winter, Commercial is decorated for the holidays and truly gives off a small town holiday vibe that is wonderful for getting into the spirit.
6. The fountain in front of Plumb
Though it was under construction for most of the warm days of this semester, students still had a few weeks to see how pretty this fountain is when it's on. Though not much purpose is served by it other than to be visually pleasing, this fountain is beautiful and adds to the campus life vibe. I always go out of my way to walk by it when it's warm enough for it to be on, and I can't wait to see the fountain and it's surrounding flowering bushes in the springtime!
7. Welch Stadium
Welch Stadium is 80 years old, home of Emporia State's beautiful football field, and the pride and joy of most who attend our university. In the fall, nothing is better than getting together with friends and cheering on our football team. It was renovated over the summer of 2016 and the progress pictures posted on ESU social media pages played a big part in getting students excited for school to start. Stingers up!
8. Memorial Union
Memorial Union satisfies both the purposes of being remarkably beautiful and incredibly useful. With it's high ceilings and artful interior decorating, this building is a pleasure to look at from any side. Inside, it contains the Hornet's Nest, Buzzcotti, and the Hornet Express-- all places where food can be found. There are several cozy study areas, offices, and upstairs are conference rooms and ballrooms. It is a very wonderful building that most students spend a lot of time in.
9. Plumb Hall
Inside lies beautiful Albert Taylor Hall, high ceilings, and-- boring offices. As students we may sometimes focus too much on the Student Advising Center and forget how much this building as a whole means to us, but every time I look at the facade of Plumb Hall, I recall what it was like pulling up to the university on my very first visit, and the excitement I felt, and the excitement I still feel. Plumb Hall is the face of our school.
10. Art Annex
The Art Annex is my personal favorite. It houses Sculpture and Glass-Blowing classes, and not much else. However, this area is so strange and out of the way, that when a freshman stumbles upon it at orientation, it holds a certain charm. A handful of life-size figurines made from metal scraps reside in the yard, giving it an artsy feel from the moment you see it. It's beautiful, mysterious, and very underrated.
