My Commons Life

News & features about the Vanderbilt Commons from the students who live here

MCL Top Five

MCL Top 5: Things To Do While the Weather is Nice

by

Nashville’s weather is out of wack– tell us something we don’t know. However, we’ve had an abnormally warm winter this year, so here are some things you can do to further enjoy it.

1. Work Outside

Hey it’s technically still Winter and it’s not snowing and the sun’s been making frequent appearances, so be sure to take advantage of this perfect opportunity to get some fresh air.

2. Walk around Hillsboro Village

With Hillsboro Village not being a far walk from Commons, it makes a nice day trip with friends or on your own. Maybe do a little shopping, get some food or see a movie at the Belcourt– whatever fits your mood.

3. Take a Trip to Broadway

If you have yet to see Broadway at night, now’s your chance to right that wrong! While some of the places are 21+, there are plenty of options for you and your friends to enjoy such as the Legendary Milkshake Bar or the Wildhorse Saloon (just make sure they’re open first).

4. Stargaze

This one is for the night owls. On a clear night, you’re actually able to see the stars because there isn’t much ambient light. This would be the perfect setting for a soothing playlist, late-night convo, or maybe just thinking.

5. Visit Centennial Park

While parts of it are under construction, Centennial Park is still a beautiful place to visit. You’ll be able to get some exercise in, too.

MCL Top 5: Items at the Munchie Mart (an Updated List)

by

Waaaay back in September, I wrote a Top 5 about the best Commons Munchie Mart items. But, I was just a naïve little first-semester freshman and hadn’t ventured out into the other Munchie Marts. Now, I have a completely new list of personal Munchie Mart favs! Hope you enjoy!

  1. Highland Boba

Whenever I want a sweet drink to accompany my meal, I get on the VandyVan and go to Highland for some boba (the brown sugar milk tea is my personal favorite)! I especially love how the boba pairs with the next item on the list…

2. Sushi

I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to try Munchie Mart sushi at first but once I gave it a try I was anything but disappointed! It’s a pretty filling and convenient meal to get whenever I’m not in the mood for dining hall food.

3. Frozen Mango Chunks

I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that I didn’t know the Market Basket items were on the meal plan until this semester🤧 Once I finally realized I could get a bag of the frozen fruit/vegetables plus a side for one meal swipe, I was super excited because I looooove frozen mango. It’s the perfect refreshing snack to eat after coming back from the gym. If I had a blender, I would be making smoothies 24/7!

4. Branscomb Cereal

Much to my surprise, I found out that so many of my friends didn’t know there’s a cereal bar in the Branscomb Munchie. They have Lucky Charms, Froot Loops, and so much more! I love to snack on dry cereal even though it makes me feel like a toddler lol

5. Nature Valley Sweet and Salty Almond Granola Bars

Last but not least, is the one item that was also included in my original Top 5– the almond granola bars! I always make sure to have 2 of these granola bars in my book bag just in case I need a quick study snack. They are sooo good for no reason.

MCL Top 5: Reasons the Commons Ball is More Than Your High School Prom

by

To compare the Commons Ball to prom would just be a gross understatement.

#5: The Food

The food alone is a reason to attend the Commons Ball. I can’t think of anyone’s prom that had tables full of charcuterie items, shrimp cocktail tables with literal ice sculptures, steak, tiramisu, and towers of desserts, to name a few. Anyone that was hungry and wanted a great dinner for no meal swipes was welcome to come in.

#4: The “bar”

In one room of the ball, there was a “bar” serving mocktails all evening! This wasn’t just typical Shirley Temples either, there was sparkling cider served in Champagne flutes and several different mixed (mock) drinks we could try. After all, it was all in the name of good fun.

#3: The Activities

There were so many things for us to do! The theme of the ball was Masquerade, and there were so many ways this was carried throughout the night. There was a mask decorating station, stations caricatures, a mechanical bull, two photo booths (one with a camera that gave a 360° view), a silent disco, and of course a DJ and dance floor! Personally, I loved taking pictures with my friends with my mocktail in one hand, and my mask in the other.

#2: The Choreography

Do you remember the Yule Ball from the Harry Potter movies? The Hogwarts school was transformed and a choreographed dance was performed by the most important characters, where all the other students watched. That was basically the vibe I caught when I saw all of our house Presidents performing their choreographed dance. Watching the performance is especially fun when your friends are house officers!

#1: Your College Friends

This is the main thing that your high school prom didn’t have! The Commons Ball was a great way to get dressed up with your college friends and have an amazing night. Instead of looking back at just high school dances, we can now look back at the Commons Ball with our new friends.

MCL Top 5: Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Them (or Yourself)

by

Still don’t know what to get that special someone for Valentine’s Day? Well, don’t worry because I’ve compiled a list of Daniela-approved gift ideas! That’s not to say that ~I~ have a special someone to spend the day with, BUT I’m actually considering getting these items for myself because #selflove!!

  1. A Cute Lego Set

I know you’ve probably seen these all over Tik Tok, but it’s because they’re the perfect gift! I can’t name a single person who doesn’t like Legos–maybe they don’t like building the Legos, but you could always go the extra step and build the set for them! Otherwise, building it together could be a great way to spend some quality time with one another<3

2. A Custom “I ❤️ ___ ” Shirt

I ordered an “I ❤️ Daniela” shirt from Etsy for myself and I love it soooo much. Even though I bought it as a joke, I find myself wearing it pretty often because I mean, hey, it’s true. Another plus is that it’s a great conversation-starter. Every time I wear it, someone either asks me who Daniela is or compliments it😋

3. A Personalized Necklace

My cousin got me this necklace for my birthday and it’s now part of my daily look. You can get your SO/friend/yourself a necklace with their name, your name, an initial, etc. I’m sure they’ll love it just as much as I love mine🙏🏼

4. A Bouquet of Plushies

Don’t want to just get them a plain teddy bear or flowers? How about combine the two ideas and get them a bouquet of plushies! That way you don’t have to worry about the flowers drying up and they get a super unique gift.

5. Stickers!

What college student doesn’t love personalizing their laptop or water bottle with stickers?!? Getting them stickers of things they like will show that you put thought into their gift. Some ideas include stickers of their favorite album or favorite characters.

Well, that’s all the ideas I have for today! I hope you have a great Valentine’s Day–whether you spend it with a significant other, friends, family, or treating yourself💌

MCL Top 5: Student Perks I Take Advantage Of

by

Being a student can be expensive! I’d certainly know. (This is a cry for help. I need to get a job.) As a result, any discount I can get is always very appreciated, and I do my best to abuse the ones I’m able to. But you can’t do that if you’re unaware they exist! Therefore, I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 student perks that I find very useful so that you may also share in the joy of discounted services. Happy penny pinching everybody!

5. New York Times + Wall Street Journal

Don’t you just hate it when you’re trying to read an interesting article, but then the website says, “Actually, we need to feed our families and keep this website going, so you can’t read more than two sentences of this article unless you pay a whole dollar“? I’m exaggerating here, obviously, but the point is that I consider the whole process a larger hassle than it’s worth, and end up giving up on reading. Thanks to Vanderbilt’s gracious generosity, we no longer have to go through that ordeal! For the low, low price of zero dollars and zero cents, you can get access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal with just your student email. How amazing!

(Small note about this one: both of these services ask you for your graduation date. I was unfortunately too honest, and only realized later that I probably could’ve gotten a few more years of the free subscription had I said I was graduating a few years later than I’m planning on. Not that I’m encouraging any sort of dishonesty, nope! Not at all! Of course not! But it’s certainly worth mentioning.)

4. Microsoft 365

Now, as great as the Google suite is, I’m really happy we have access to Microsoft Office for free. There’s a lot of features that you just can’t get from Google’s version of things, and well. As much as I hate to be that person, lots of jobs ask for proficiency in Excel and not Google Sheets. So… yeah.

3. Discounted streaming services

Specifically, the YouTube Premium + YouTube Music bundle. I’m sure some of you Spotify loyalists are clutching your pearls right now, and sure, I get it! But they don’t have any of my favorite covers, nor do they have lots of other international (cough anime cough) tracks that I really enjoy. Not to mention, I like to do stuff while listening to random YouTube videos, so having premium is quite the nice quality-of-life upgrade.

Aside from discounted music streaming, you can also get (100%) discounted show streaming. Vanderbilt actually gives us HBO Max—and Peacock apparently—for free! Simply navigate to the sign in page, click “sign in with a provider”, select XFINITY, then find XFINITY On Campus. From there, it should be pretty straightforward. Enjoy! (Or perhaps don’t if you have no self control like myself.)

2. Nashville Symphony SOUNDCHECK student tickets

The classical music enjoyer in me is showing. With code “soundcheck”, you too can get concert tickets for just $10 from the Nashville Symphony website! They have lots of different offerings, from classical masterpieces, to live movie score concerts, to family events and more. There’s something for everybody, so check it out and support the arts!

1. Nashville bus system

This is literally the only reason I was able to write my Top 5 restaurants in Nashville article (which you should totally check out if you haven’t already) and most definitely my favorite student perk. Sure, they’re often late and don’t run come by all that often at night and may be a bit scary if you’re waiting at a stop alone. Haha! But it certainly beats having to pay outrageous prices for an Uber!

Honorable mentions go to the 60% discount on Adobe Creative Cloud (still too expensive for my taste) and the 25% discount on car insurance from State Farm and Allstate (I don’t own a car). And in case you’re wondering if there’s any more perks you can use—of course! Here‘s a slightly more comprehensive list of the benefits you can get to make up all your tuition money as a Vanderbilt student. Enjoy~

MCL Top 5: Hidden Study Spots

by

Studying with friends can be fun…but during times where all you need is to isolate and cram your 8 chapters of material the day before the exam, I have the perfect spot for you! We have all experienced the full Stevenson and Central libraries during midterm and final exam season. Through this guide, you’ll be able to find a place with at most 2-5 people accompanied by silence.

5. Hank Library

Now, the ability to take advantage of this study spot is narrow as it is only available for freshman. Hurry while you can still scan into the freshmen dorms! Among all dorms on Commons, Hank has the largest library collection consisting of more than a measly 15 books (sorry North). In addition to the adorable mini-library collection, there are a few sofas, tables, and chairs that you can pick or move around in while you’re desperately cramming for tomorrow’s exam!

4. Peabody Library Bottom Floor

Another great option for freshmen to take advantage of during their first year on Commons! Although Central and Stevenson Library are famous study study, the most underrated library to study is definitely Peabody Library. While I may not be a huge fun of the upstairs study rooms either, I have to ask you all try to the very last floor of this library. Here, you are not only offered round table desks, but also conference rooms with white boards! What a steal.

3. Digital Center for Humanities

The perfect combination of new, old, and technology! This is the building for digital center for humanities where they explore the intersection of technology and humanities research. Alongside from admiring the beautiful architecture, you will find a small, humble library with a few study chairs here and there. Right next to the University School of Nashville, you will find small children running around the playground and reminisce about your childhood, too!

2. Wyatt Library

Through these doors, you will find the modern section of the Wyatt Center where there is a small library with colorful, comfortable bean bags and a few round tables. The highlight of this place is that because the Wyatt Center is almost impossible to navigate, this hasn’t become a popular spot for most students. While I may be biased as a double major in Peabody, I have to say this study spot makes me feel most at home.

1. HOD Building Top Floor

If you’re looking for a really discrete location where you get through a few sketchy-seeming places to find this study spot, then this one’s for you. All you have to do is to walk over to 6 Magnolia Circle, take the elevator to the highest level, and get a right turn after you get off! When I tell you barely any people study here except like 1-2 people, I genuinely mean it. It can almost get a little scary. However, if you need no distractions and time away from people, then make sure to give this study spot a try!

MCL Top 5: Restaurants I’ve Been to in Nashville

by

What joy is a college student to (legally) find in life except eating good food? Kidding. But in all seriousness, I quite enjoy going out to find yummy things to eat, and I’m sure you do too! (At least, I’d assume so since you’re reading this feature.) To celebrate this commonality, I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 favorite restaurants in town so that you can also enjoy some great meals!

Note: I did my best to make sure that all of these restaurants would be accessible to most people. Some of the places are a bit far, but they’re all either bus-able or walkable locations. Additionally, in case you’re concerned that you might’ve searched the wrong place, I’ve linked the Google Maps URLs to the headings. No need to worry about any transportation expenses or location mix-ups!

Now without further ado, here are the top five restaurants I’ve been to around Nashville!

5. Black Dynasty Secret Ramen House

They were not lying about it being a secret ramen house. I actually ran into another group of people who were looking for the place in the middle of my search. Turns out the big secret is that it’s located inside the Bearded Iris brewery—now that you know, you hopefully won’t suffer in the cold as I did! Once I finally got inside, though, I had a pretty good experience. I got the miso tonkatsu ramen, which you can see pictured above. The broth was flavorful, albeit a bit salty for my taste (nothing a cup of hot water can’t fix), and the noodles had a pleasantly chewy texture to them. As for the miso caramel banana pudding, it reminded me a bit of crème brûlée! No funky miso flavor. On top of all that, the interior is really interesting, and has a nice ambience. My only gripe with the restaurant is that everything is definitely on the pricier side, but it’s a great place to visit occasionally when you’re craving a good bowl of ramen. (Advice for easing the burden on your wallet: 20% gratuity is automatically included when you order, so don’t feel pressured to tip again!)

4. Meet Noodles

Can you tell I really like noodles? Well, I do. I promise the rest of this list won’t just be noodle restaurants, though. Meet Noodles was my go-to comfort restaurant last semester, meaning I probably spent half of my meal money there. The combination of a sub-10 minute walking distance + warm Asian food is dangerous(ly enticing). They offer a great selection of Chinese noodle dishes, and I’ve never once been disappointed by anything I’ve ordered. For the indecisive folks out there, my usual order is the Shanxi sliced noodles (pictured above). I won’t go into detail about the dishes since I’ve realized that food descriptions are not my strong suit, but I’ll say this much: it’s good stuff!

3. Sitar Indian Cuisine

Something tells me that a lot of people already know about this restaurant (and the previous one for that matter), but here it is anyways! Due to my overwhelming love for rice and shrimp, I’ll admit that I haven’t tried as many things from Sitar as I have at some other places on this list. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve eaten, though! I unfortunately can’t comment on the dine-in experience, as I’ve always gotten my food to-go (sat down at a table just to get the photo lol); however, I can at least attest to the fact that they have some pretty speedy service. Overall, I’ve had a great experience, and I’ll definitely be back once I start craving shrimp biryani again.

2. OSH Restaurant & Grill

No, the duplicate photos are not a glitch. It was just the best way I could think to make sure that the image wouldn’t show up huge on everybody’s screens (so please bear with me).

I don’t think I’d ever been to an Uzbek restaurant before OSH, but boy did it set the bar high. To start off, the dinnerware is so pretty. Perhaps I’m just used to food being served on plain plates, but the matching plates, cups, and teapots felt fun and fancy to me. As for the food, all the dishes I tried over the course of my two visits were so good that writing about it is making my mouth water. I particularly enjoyed the lagman (oops that’s another noodle dish) and lamb kebab. The latter especially surprised me with how tender it was. But seriously, wow. I’m going to stop typing now so that I can think of other things that won’t make me unbearably hungry.

1. The Boba Bar

Last but not least is The Boba Bar! For everybody thinking, Wait, but that’s not a restaurant!, I’d have to agree. That being said, I really love the place (the I’ve-been-three-times-in-this-past-week-and-the-staff-remember-my-face-and-I-dream-of-their-boba-when-I-go-back-home-for-break kind of love), so I don’t care! The decor, the music, the drinks—it’s all just *chef’s kiss*. I’ve made it about a quarter of the way through the menu so far, and my favorite definitely has to be the brown sugar boba. Honorable mentions go to the peach yakult and the korean strawberry milk. Everything I’ve had has been really good, so I’m very excited to try more of their drinks.

That’s all I’ve got for now, but if you’ve got any suggestions for more restaurants I can visit, email them to mycommonslife@gmail.com! I’d love to explore some new places (provided they aren’t too expensive). Happy eating everybody!

My Top 5: Events to Look Forward to this Semester

by

Welcome back! New year, new you, AND new events to look forward to (tehehe see what I did there). If you’re anything like me and want to set events in your calendar months in advance, this article is for you. I’m sure a lot of you were sad that you missed out on some amazing performances and events, so here are my top 5 spring semester events that I am looking forward to! 

  1. Harambee

ASU hosts the famous event known as Harambee! This even includes cultural dances, traditional fashion shows, and plays. With a wide variety of performances, best be sure that I am already thinking about where I am going to sit!

  1. Lunar New Year Festival (LNYF)

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, the Asian American Student Association presents our annual Lunar New Year Festival! This year’s LNYF will feature over 350 student performers and 20 different acts. I remember watching Tinkling at Spotlight and was mesmerized. Be there or be squared.

  1. Vivid Dance Battle

If you enjoyed the VIVID showcase last semester, just WAIT until this semester. This time around, there will be more groups and more songs. If you enjoy K-pop and even if you don’t it will be a fun night! (also I may or may not be involved in this one hehe) 

  1. Commons Ball 

Ah yes, a night to dress fancy. You know I’ve had a dress in my closet that has been collecting dust and now I have the perfect opportunity to use it. Also, don’t forget your masks and keep the night mysterious! It will be like our own Another Cinderella Story!

  1. BSA: The Black Affair

Another opportunity to dress to impress. All who like dressing up say, “I.”

If you would like to know about these events, stay tuned on MCL for more information, or head to anchor link for more details!

Top 5 Best Christmas Activities in Nashville

by

Hey y’all! Are we southern enough to say that yet? Well it’s Abbey, and this Christmas season, I’m going to show everyone how to get into the Christmas spirit– Nashville style, of course.

#5: Music City Christmas

This is a music city tradition! For all you performance lovers, the Nashville Symphony puts on a one-of-a-kind experience at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, only ten minutes from the commons! So if you’re still in town on December 18th, you can come to see dancing, Broadway singers, and special guests — including Santa Claus himself! Tickets are a bit pricey, so if you’re unable to attend, I still have four more events for you!

#4: Visit Savannah’s Candy Kitchen

Now what would this list be if I didn’t tell you where you could live out your Candy Cane Lane dreams. Savannah’s Candy Kitchen is only ten minutes away from the Commons, so if you’re looking for the perfect way to reward yourself after finals… this is the place.

#3: Holiday Lights at Cheekwood

The Holiday Lights at Cheekwood features gorgeous light displays along a one-mile walking path that sets the gardens aglow. With sparkling interactive features, s’mores and bar stations, and a 20-foot-tall poinsettia tree in the bedecked historic mansion Holiday Lights is a stop you’ll want to see. Though this place is about a 20 minute drive away from the Commons, there are also discounted admission just for college students! Just pitch in for the Uber fare with your friends and make some awesome memories.

#2: Try a New Flavor from Jeni’s

By now, you’ve probably heard of the famous Jeni’s ice cream shop. To get you into the Christmas spirit, Jeni’s is offering limited time flavors such as white chocolate peppermint, Mexican hot chocolate, pistachio macaron, and cranberry crumble; perfect for the holidays! Jeni’s is only a ten minute walk from the Commons, and you can use your Commodore Cash there! If you’re having trouble finding me after my economics final, just go to the Jeni’s and you’ll catch me with a pint of that white chocolate peppermint.

#1: Go Ice Skating at Enchant

Enchant is truly the place to be if you want to live out all of your Hallmark Christmas movie dreams. This place is literally presented by Hallmark, and if that doesn’t scream Christmas magic, I don’t know what does. There’s something for everyone here. If you’re not into ice skating, you can walk through the world’s largest Christmas maze, see live entertainment, do some cute shopping, and meet Santa in all his glory.

Final Thoughts:

I know finals are stressful, so remember to practice self-care. Hey, maybe by giving yourself a break and visiting one of these places. Whether you’re going home for winter break or staying on campus, I hope you have a very, merry Christmas and a happy holiday.

MCL Top 5 – Top 5 Ways to Cope with the Cold Weather

by

One day it was a beautiful 75 degrees here at Vanderbilt and the next it was bitterly cold with a high of 40 degrees. Although I’m from California, which might make me one of the least qualified people on campus to present ways to deal with the cold, here is a list of my top 5 ways I’ve attempted to cope with the sudden drop in temperature.

  1. Planning fun activities for Thanksgiving and Winter Break

As the weather gets colder we are also getting closer to Thanksgiving and Winter Break. I’m excited to go home for the first time since arriving in Nashville in August and planning fun activities with friends and family has helped me to see the upside in the arrival of winter!

  1. Taking advantage of the Vandy Vans 

Living on Commons means getting used to long walks from main campus during the day, but at night, remember to take advantage of the Vandy Vans! The Vandy Ride service runs from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m daily, with pick-up spots all over campus, including one by Hank with easy access to most of the freshman dorms. If you download the DoubleMap app you can track the location of the Vandy Vans to minimize time spent waiting outside in the cold for the bus to come by.  

  1. Trying the seasonal Starbucks drinks

On November 2nd, right about when the warm weather left Nashville, Starbucks announced the return of their seasonal drinks and food. With options including the Peppermint Mocha, the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, or the Iced Sugar Cookie almond milk Latte, there is no shortage of choices for festive drinks to help warm up.

  1. Appreciating the brighter mornings

Saying goodbye to the sun at around 4:30 p.m. every day since daylight savings last week has been a difficult adjustment, especially as the weather suddenly got much colder. However, there is an upside to daylight savings time, which is that it is brighter in the morning again. On days when I have to wake up early, I’m grateful that it’s not dark outside. 

  1. Listening to festive music 

Looking ahead to the holiday season is a great way to appreciate the cold! Spotify and Apple music both have great holiday playlists to listen to on the walk to classes that can help to distract from the morning chill in the air.