MCL Top Five

Whether you are running late for class or Google Maps have left you astray, shortcuts can come in handy as a quick and reliable route to campus hotspots. As a bonus, these routes utilize Vanderbilt’s main campus, so no need to fear waiting on traffic lights or crossing the street alone, for the most part.

1) Staircase to Stevenson

Perhaps one of the most significant shortcuts is hidden in plain sight. First, you need to cross the bridge to Stevenson. If you have not been this way before or it has been a hot minute, all you have to do is go to Peabody Esplanade and then walk beside Magnolia Lawn. Whenever you see a children’s playground to your left, take a left at the corner and viola. After you cross the bridge, follow the path until you see a twisted marble sculpture to your right. Walk around that and immediately take a left to Stevenson library (before your eyes should be a spiraling staircase). Take the stairs and in front of you will be the Chemistry building. To your right is math, and if you take a right and then a left, you are at the center of the Stevenson complex!

2) Greek Row is the Way to Go

If you need to go to the bookstore or try Zeppos dining, this path will be helpful. As mentioned previously, you will need to take the bridge to Stevenson. This time, however, you do not need to take the stairs. Continue the path until you come across many intersections in front of Central Library. Take one left and follow straight until you see a statue of Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (he should be to your left). 

Walk past him and immediately take a right, then left to reach Rand/Sarratt Student Center. Take another right and keep straight until you arrive at Alumni Lawn (it should be close to where Sarratt ends). From there, you take a left and follow the trail until you come across the new pavement. Now, take a right and keep walking until you see a descending path with a railway to your left. This new path should be close to where the first row of Greek life ends. Take a left and follow along. You will see a beautiful skyscraper of a building to your right. That will be where Zeppos is located. If you keep straight until you reach a road, the bookstore should be before you. 

3) A Straight Shot to the Stadium

Football season is among us, and baseball is just around the corner. To show your Commodore spirit in time, you will need an easy way to get from Commons to where all the action is happening. Again, you will need to take the bridge and even the staircase to Stevenson. Make a right and then left until you face a round building. Take two lefts as you walk in front of Lecture Hall and then alongside the Center for Science and Engineering. Take yet another left to face Eskind Biomedical Library. 

You will know you are at the right place if to your left is a circular path. Take a right and keep straight to reach Hawkins Field (for baseball). Take a left then a right around Hawkins to reach Vanderbilt Stadium. Also, close by are the tennis courts, soccer/lacrosse complex, and track & field complex.

4) The Rec Route

For all your sports practice and gym equipment needs, the Vanderbilt Student Recreational Center is the spot for you. For a simple, two-direction path, you need to cross Peabody Esplanade to reach 21st Avenue St. Take a left to follow along the street until you align with Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital (the big building with two red children holding hands).

Take a right to bypass Mapco and then keep going straight. Eventually, the Rec Center will be to your right. You will know you are there if you see what looks like a gigantic warehouse. 

5) A Trip to See Cornelius

You may be wondering where exactly Cornelius Vanderbilt is. If you want to visit our founder, there is a short route to see his monument. First, you need to head to Harold Stirling Vanderbilt (refer to 2 for thorough instructions). If you stand in front of Harold to face Central Library, your absolute left (straight and not diagonal) is the path you need to follow. Stay along the track until you reach a road that loops around. Follow the road until you reach the other side that loops. To your left is Cornelius standing with his left hand over his abdomen. 

It’s fall break (finally)! Congrats on being halfway done with your first semester here! Here are a few reminders for things you should probably do over fall break.

Alternatively, if you are making a to-do list for fall break (include both fun and work-related), use this to make sure you get write down some of the things you might have forgotten.

Also make sure to plan accordingly to the adjusted dining hall hours, which you can find here.

1. Clean your room

Is your room a mess? This is a great time to do a thorough cleaning of your room, and maybe wash some of the things you don’t wash as frequently (aka your sheets). Your roommate will appreciate it, and who knows, you might find some lost treasure.

2. Hang out

This is the mental health break we all needed. Don’t spend it all holed up in the Stevenson library. There are plenty of places to eat (go use that meal money!) and parties to be at. Or do some face masks and watch Netflix with your besties, whichever is your vibe.

3. Get groceries

Tired of Commons dining? Go somewhere further with a few friends to stock up some Shin ramen and snacks. Build your food stash now, for the tiresome reality of classes again.

4. Check out classes for next semester

The courses available for next semester were released this Monday. Start looking for classes you want to take next semester and make note of any questions you have for your advisors. Depending on your advisor, you probably have an email with further instructions to touch base on your classes for next semester.

5. Study (think about the week after!)

Even if we have a few days off, your responsibilities as a student will unfortunately come back. One of my professors told me that fall break isn’t really a break, and judging by the three midterms I have the week after, I might have to agree.

Enjoy your fall break y’all!

You’ve probably heard of a few of these already, but do you know about all of these? Here, we’ve compiled reasons for you to spend money right now, but you can do so without the unnecessary guilt because you are a student SAVING money. 

The Obvious: Amazon Prime Student

The list of benefits along with Amazon Prime seem endless. First, you have 6 free months for a trial, and then Amazon Prime for half price. Most notably you have Prime delivery, or free one-day delivery. I’m sure we’ve all been heavily relying on Amazon for any forgotten essentials, books, or room decor to live your lavish life. 

Specifically with Amazon Prime Student, you also have a free membership with Grubhub Plus Student, a free month of Course Hero, and three free months of usage for the Calm app. 

Otherwise, you also have access to all the regular benefits as an Amazon Prime member. To learn more, you can read everything here. Do make note of any listed terms and conditions. 

The Helpful: Office 365 Education

All students are able to sign up for Office 365 Education. This includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more. This can be helpful with organization, whether it is making it easy to share information/documents with others or syncing information across devices. To sign up, you can start here. 

The Necessity: Spotify + Hulu + SHOWTIME

This is obviously the superior choice for only $4.99/month. There do exist alternatives such as Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Prime Music—the list goes on forever. I guess you can check these out but just know Spotify is superior *rolling eyes emoji*. Not to mention you also get access to Hulu and SHOWTIME.

Personally, having music readily available to stream has been super useful to me, whether it is helping me get into the studying mindset or making the walk to main campus a little less boring and tiring. 

The Expensive: Technology Discounts

We live in an age of technology, but unfortunately technology can be pretty expensive. However, as these are essentially necessities at this point, plenty of companies have discounts to make your bank account a little less depressing. 

Apple currently has free AirPods along with discounted AppleCare when you buy a Mac or iPad. Best Buy has a student discount program that can help lead you to discounted products. Samsung also has their Education Discount Program that can help you save up to 30%.

Literally… just show your student ID…

Or use the power of that .edu email. Whenever you make a purchase, just ask to see if they have a student discount. Plenty of clothing brands such as Aeropostale, Banana Republic, H&M etc. offer up to 15% off any purchase. Certain places such as Chipotle or Chik-Fil-A  also offer a free drink with your purchase.

Worst case, there’s no discount, but if successful, you will be rewarded with some savings and a feeling of victory that triumphs the guilt of buying something you might’ve not needed anyways. 

And those are all your reasons to spend money this week. 

1. Sleep is important

Like most high school students who piled up on APs and extracurricular activities, I found myself altering my circadian rhythm to make three-to-four hours of sleep enough for my seven-hour school days. I had predicted that college would be no different, in that my body would continue to thrive past 2 A.M. on weekdays.

I was wrong.

The amount of walking and socializing, combined with doing day-to-day chores, studying, finishing homework, and–oftentimes–reteaching yourself, takes a lot out of you. Getting those full eight hours of sleep allows you to be proactive during the day, so you’re able to stay focused!

2. Saying no is okay

You’re going to want to do everything–have dinner with friends, go to a football game, have a movie night, attend a club meeting, or even take a walk around campus. FOMO is very real, especially in the beginning, when it feels as though you’re going to miss something that may be fundamental to your college experience. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be a side character in some stories–to study for a chem exam instead of going out to Broadway on a Saturday night. It’s okay to miss hanging out if you need a moment to chill. 

I think–for me–it feels as though we’ve overly-romanticized the idea that we should live every day like our last. Perhaps every person is different, but I think that staying in bed all day is okay sometimes. As long as you’re taking care of yourself.

3. Homesickness is real

For the past five years, I lived in the middle of nowhere in southern Georgia. Our city’s main attraction was the big Walmart down the street from my house and the always-full Chick-fil-A. We only had one high school, and here, the minority population could be counted with my fingers. The community is kind, but I always looked forward to finally moving away for college. 

I don’t miss living there, but I do miss the people. I miss my family and the friends I’ve known for years. I miss the familiarity and my parents’ cooking. I miss having a rice cooker that made perfectly-cooked rice. The rice at the dining halls only reminds me more. 

4. Every day is a workout 

Living in the middle of nowhere meant that having a car is not optional. This is to say that I was not prepared for the eighteen-thousand steps a day. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to take a tour of Vandy; I chose to attend because of the academics, community, and opportunities. Little did I know that I would also be given the “opportunity” to exercise every day. Vandy is filled with slight hills and steep stairs, but honestly, I’m not one to complain. I always told myself I would be more active in college, and walking to class gives me a good start to my day. Again, every person is different, but the sudden growth of steps on my health app has really given me the determination to beat my previous week’s step count. 

A downside: I probably need to buy more comfortable sneakers. 

5. Rain gear is necessary

The weather in Nashville is so bipolar. One day it rains, the next day, the sun is beating down your body until you feel heavy with sweat. If this past month (and honestly, week) has taught me anything, it is that it is so important to invest in good rain gear, particularly a rain jacket, rain boots, and a good-quality umbrella. This is particularly crucial because of the distance between Commons and Main Campus. It really is brutal out here. 

hold on tightly

Because this is a new start. 

Because these next four years are going to be different. Life-changing. 

Yet, we can’t forget about everything else that has led up to this point. Of course we won’t. Inevitably, we’ll all eventually feel just an eensy-teensy bit homesick. But you need not fear, for there are ways to combat your homesickness. 

5. Go for a run

You don’t have to know where you’re going, but sometimes a run is all you’ll need. As you tire yourself a bit, your mind will drift away. The most important thing is to do something to take your mind off of home.

4. Relax!

Homesickness for some people may stem from stress, whether it’s from expectations you feel like you have to meet, or adjusting to college life. Taking a power nap, or readjusting your schedule for a little extra sleep can definitely help. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge that college is a new and different experience, because, well, it is. Even when classes have started, remember that it is important to take care of yourself. Take a hot shower, drink some hot water, make yourself a cup of tea, slow down, and recognize that you are doing great. 

3. Explore Nashville and take photos

There’s so much to explore in Nashville, ranging from vibey music or delicious food (check out our feature on the newest additions to Taste of Nashville). It might be hard to call this place home right now, but remember that this place is where you’ll be for the next 4 years. And for those next 4 years, you’ll be filling yourself with memories of Nashville. As you’re on your way, remember to take photos and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to call this place home one day with confidence. 

2. Have your parents send you a care package

Sometimes, things don’t just feel like home without certain things. Ask your parents to send you a care package of snacks, self-care products and maybe topped off with a hand-written letter. And yes, it is okay to occasionally indulge in a love for materialistic things. For an extra fun time, have them send it at a random time without letting you know. Then, the package will be a nice surprise and it might come just when you need it most. 

1. Call home

There really isn’t much that can top talking to your parents again. With all the technology we have these days, calling your parents is only a few taps away. It’s nice to know that someone is always behind you ready to support you if needed. Be proud that you are here at Vanderbilt, because your parents are. 

Matthew’s Honorable Mention

When everything seems to not be going right, it might sometimes be hard to believe that things will get better. To remind myself that everything will be fine, I tell myself “Matthew Lu is fine!” If I yell to myself “Matthew Lu is fine!” enough, I believe that everything might turn out to be okay. Maybe this is just me, but getting that extra energy and worry out reminds me that things will be fine, and if they aren’t, I can make things better. 

We’re moving on to craft our own futures, but for our pasts we can

let go lightly