Welcome to Bucknell, dear reader, where 15 steps will get you anywhere and yet the five-minute walk up the hill for classes each morning feels like an endeavor of Homeric proportions. Yet even in this little cave next to the river (it’s certainly felt like that with how little sun there’s been for the past few weeks), there are little spots that I find most don’t know of, let alone spend time in. So, my friends, I present to y’all my list of places that are undoubtedly underrated on campus.

(Disclaimer: this list is written by a first-year student who hates going over the hill.)

First off, let’s talk about Hildreth Mirza. One of my favorite places on campus and certainly the most cozy building, it’s a little nook away from the hustle and bustle of big Bucknell. Dedicated to the humanities and designed to be eco-friendly with the homely planter walls, its smallness makes it a stark contrast to the sheer scale of places such as the KLARC or the Academic buildings. It also possesses a printer to use, a study space to relax and a lounge for all to use. If you have card access, you can even make your way in at night and enjoy study time in the peace and quiet of a lesser-known building.

Secondly, Bucknell Hall. Perhaps not underrated, so much as those outside of the literary spheres have little knowledge of its existence. Quite often there are poetry reading events there, even available for those who seek to read their own works and food to boot. And, if the building evokes the sense of an old chapel? That’s because it was! For the uninformed, Bucknell Hall was previously the campus chapel before the construction of Rooke Chapel. It was then given to the Creative Writing department, which is hosted in the Stadler Poetry Center underneath the main building. If you’ve never been there, go over and check it out! It’s a lovely place and I love going in there sometimes late at night and just enjoying the ambiance.

Thirdly, and perhaps my favorite on the whole campus, is the Willard Smith Library located in Vaughan Lit. It contains many old books and the dark wood gives the whole room a texture of ancient wisdom and knowledge. There are also quite often events held there for a wide range of departments, so you may have been there before for things entirely unrelated to literature. Also, unlike either of the other libraries, it’s only a single room and is usually quite quiet, so you can get work done with no concern for the daily dalliances between other students and their work.

I hope that you can find the time to check out some of these places if you have not previously. I think they’re all bloody lovely and you may even find me in one of them sometime!