Navigating Campus 101

By AFURE ADAH, CSU Public Relations Student Assistant

Being able to navigate campus efficiently is a huge part of college life and is especially important for new students. I have found that I have some issues managing my time so I am always rushing, and if you are like me, work smarter, not harder is your go-to phrase!

Also, if you are like me, walking through the Minnesota weather elements is not your favorite thing to do. That being said, I am going to give you some insight on how I navigate campus when I’m behind schedule, rushing around and how I navigate through campus completely indoors.

When I lived in the dorms on campus I felt that I had all the time in the world to get ready for class because everything was so close by. Of course, I found that I was wrong. But still I insisted on waiting those couple extra minutes before getting out of bed to go get ready. I can honestly say though, that I was never late for a class! Keep on reading to see how I achieved this.

MAKING CUTS!

If your time management skills are like mine, making cuts is the way to go. As we’ve all learned in math, the FASTEST route from point A to point B is DIAGONAL! Do it! Cut through the grass, no one is going to judge you. If you can lounge on the grass to study, you sure can walk on it too! Cut through buildings. If you are trying to get from the Library to Trafton, don’t walk around Armstrong or Nelson, walk through them. Work smarter, not harder people! This really works, trust me.

Now, in all seriousness, Minnesota weather can be a horrible, confusing mess and sometimes you just don’t want to deal with it. As a freshman in the winter months I remember being outside looking at the buildings and I noticed that many connect. I made it a mission to find these connection points to avoid the cold. I’m going to give you the main highlights of our tunnel system but if you want a full tour you can watch the Serendipitous Moments video linked to this post and be taken on a little tour!

AVOID THE WEATHER WITH INDOOR WALKWAYS!

  • There is a lower level “pedestrian walkway” or tunnel that leads from the Maverick Bullpen, to the Library. This is a great tunnel to use if you are trying to get from the CSU to the res halls – or the other way around – with minimal outdoor contact. Once you get out of the tunnel into the library basement, however, you will have a short trip outside to get to the res halls, but it’s better than nothing, trust me.
  • Morris Hall is the center point for the tunnel system. On its second floor its “crossroads” connect to the CSU, Armstrong Hall, and Highland North through hallways/skyways. These connected buildings then branch off to connect to the other buildings on campus.
  • The main level of Highland North connects to Trafton South, while the hallway on its second floor connects to Highland Center and then to the sports complexes.

These are just some quick highlighted points on the campus walkways, tunnels and skyways but definitely check out the linked video for a full tour! I hope my experiences and these tips will help you navigate campus more efficiently no matter what kind of person you are!

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