As the year winds down, the temperature is slowly climbing up. The long-awaited end to the endless Chicago winter is accompanied by many things – shorts get shorter, sleeves vanish in exchange for tanks and fleece headbands are replaced by sunglasses. However, a larger number on the thermometer often means a larger number of tests, papers and exams. Don’t let this get you down, Wildcats! Campus is full of good spots to take a minute and relax. Put off studying for that Econ final and get some fresh air to clear your head.
The Grassy Knoll
Just outside 1835 Hinman and Jones Residential College
Despite its alleged relevance to the Kennedy assassination, the grassy knoll is the perfect place to sit and do homework on a sunny day. It amounts to several dune-shaped mounds topped with a spattering of shade trees. Occasionally there are cookouts or events here, but most of the time it serves as a haven for five or six individuals catching up on reading or enjoying the music of any of the several musicians that practice there.
Erickson-Koch Memorial Garden
Between Deering Library and Main Library
Most people have walked past this hideaway dozens of times without even realizing it exists. At the south end of Deering, next to the entrance to Main Library, there’s a gate and some steps leading down to one of Northwestern’s best-kept secrets. This serene little clearing is little more than a nook with several benches, but the almost complete enclosure by trees makes it a surreal manifestation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Secret Garden. It’s big enough for several people to find solace, but don’t even think about taking a phone call down there.
Fairchildren Garden
North of East and West Fairchild
There isn’t much to this small oasis on South Campus, but it’s worth the stop. The tulips are in full bloom, so the view is certainly nice. This spot is in a prime location for those who live in the southwestern corner of campus. It’s barely a detour from the routes to any other campus building, but it isn’t close enough to the paths that it has heavy traffic. Highly recommended for switching your mind back to English after a rather weighty Spanish final.
Weeping Willow
The open space between Main Library, Kresge, and Norris
There’s no need to cry if the tree is doing the weeping for you! There’s just something undeniably soothing about sitting in the shade of a weeping willow. The long branches hang lazily to the ground, forming an enclosed bubble of peace and quiet. The best way to take advantage of the willow is with a picnic. Pick up some cheese and salami from Whole Foods and make an afternoon of it.
Marjorie Weinberg Garden
South end of Deering Meadow
To be frank, Marjorie’s children had a rather loose definition of the word “garden” when they dedicated the area less than a decade ago. There’s nothing more than a few flowerbeds under some dark shade trees, but the circle of benches is a good spot to congregate away from the rest of the student body. Two large, semicircular benches made of concrete sit on the outskirts of Deering Meadow. If you’re lucky and come at the right time, these benches are the best spot to secretly listen to NU Mariachi practicing across the street on the porch of the Department of Multicultural Student Affairs.
Shakespeare Garden
Behind Ford Design Center
Be warned – there’s always a looming danger of coming across an eager couple engaged in an intense scenic makeout session, but provided you avoid any PG-13 encounters, the Shakespeare garden is perfect for a nice stroll. This area gives off the air of a pseudo-Victorian courtyard, complete with a sundial in the center and a fountain with a bust of The Immortal Bard. Forgetting whatever trauma was just inflicted in Organic Chemistry is much easier in the setting of a lush oasis outside the walls of Tech.