Tucked away in the western end of Alabama is a little college town named Auburn. This Summer I had the pleasure of performing research at Auburn University. I had a fantastic time, had many wonderful experiences and I met a large assortment of wonderful people. I love large cities and plan on moving to one when I graduate and move on with my life. The only exception to this rule is college towns like Auburn. I like the mixture of small town atmosphere with a diverse selection of people. This list can be considered the greatest hits of sorts featuring the places I will miss the most and look forward to seeing again.

1. Momma Mocha's Coffee Emporium

I’m a little bit embarrassed by how often I frequented all the different coffee shops in Auburn. I was absolutely floored when someone served me coffee in a mason jar for the first time and now it seems absolutely normal. Momma Mocha’s is my favorite coffee place in Auburn. Stepping into the shop was like temporarily stepping out of the south. The atmosphere was more akin to a place I’d find in Denver or D.C. I’ll miss the comics they left out for people to read and the fluffy corner coaches. My favorite memory aside from studying was meeting the Auburn Robotics Team in which I suffered an internal minor nerdy freakout.

2. Auburn MMA & Auburn BJJ

This summer I started learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In essence, I paid for the wonderful opportunity to let a group of people chokes me, throw me, and overall hurt me. It was a nice experience and in general, I recommend that everyone should take up a martial art. Getting beat up builds character or something. My favorite memory has to be taking a seminar with World Champion, Rachel Casias.

3. Skybar

Skybar gets it’s name from its open air ceiling. It had a nice backroom with a fairly large dance floor and lots of open space. It was a nice place to wind down and I really liked a lot of bands that came through. My favorite memory has to be karaoke because I like embarrassing myself in front of people with Britney Spears covers.

4. Momma Goldberg's Deli

Momma Goldberg's Deli is an Auburn Institution and game day tradition. There are two things at Momma Goldberg’s Deli that both fascinated and frightened me. First, they served nachos with Doritos chips. Tasted alright but I just wanted to know how and why this came about. Second, they had brownies with a layer of brown sugar on the bottom. At first, I thought it was some sort of crust but nope it was a brown cake of crumbly guilt. After the initial shock of eating that for the first time, every subsequent purchase was predicated by the need to share the thing. Go there and take advantage of the outdoor seating. Don’t forget to bring a friend.

5. Donald E. Davis Arboretum

An Arboretum is basically a botanical garden that specializes in trees. I love both Arboretums and botanical gardens. The Donald E. Davis Arboretum was a fantastic place to take a walk or read. It featured shaded winding walkways around the tall trees. My favorite memory of this place was actually my last visit. There is a small pond in the center of the arboretum and at 4:00am it was a delightful place to admire the night sky.

6. Julie Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art

I love museums. The Julie Collins is a great museum it’s one of the best in the state and only university art museum in the state of Alabama. I recommend taking the sculpture walk around the museum on a nice sunny day.

7. The Shelby Center

The Shelby Center was home to the lab in which I worked. I spent a majority of time here. The building is fairly large and modern with a variety of classrooms and labs. It has a beautiful terrace and lots of conveniently placed study rooms. I’m not jealous or anything but I do hold a certain amount of envy for everyone who get’s to be there in the Fall.

8. Aubie Hall

This is where slept, kept my food, and about 90% of my friends in Auburn. I could write a book.

You never know what to expect when you visit a new place. The best advice I can give is to just keep an open mind. While Auburn, Alabama isn't the most exotic and mysterious place for someone from Oklahoma, over time I saw many of the little differences that made me appreciate and miss my home. I've left a part of my heart in Auburn and I fully intend to come back for it someday.