St. Thomas University 411: Where to find the best cheap lunch and more

Unofficial school motto:
‘I didn’t come here to learn math!’

Best place for a nap:
The reading room above the Dr. Daniel O’Brien Study Hall

Best cheap lunch:
King Street Ale House has some amazing burgers

Best hangover breakfast:
The cafeteria in George Martin Hall—$7.10 for all you can eat!

Favourite watering hole:
Boom! Nightclub has the best drink prices and their karaoke nights are a real bonding experience

Perks of living in this town:
If you wanted to, you could pretty much walk everywhere

Best place to study:
The Great Hall on the second floor of George Martin Hall

Weirdest tradition:
Showing up to classes in pyjama pants during finals

Best campus event:
Welcome week, sticker tag, winter formal, spring formal

Best giveaway:
The Welcome Week starter pack

Best live music venue:
The Capital Complex

University Insider: Stephanie Sirois, 26, Journalism

One of the most amazing things about St. Thomas University is how much of a home it becomes. Sure, you hear the crazy stories, like how, a few years ago, a student organization made headlines by stapling condoms to flyers encouraging safe sex. But if you concentrate on that, you’re missing out on the morning conversations in the Tim Hortons line with your professor about last week’s lecture, or the shouts from classmates who see you walking by. In the fall, students lay out in the quad and talk about their hopes and dreams and, the amazing thing is, every professor I’ve gotten to know wants to help us achieve those dreams.

PROFILE: St. Thomas University | Fredericton, N.B. | Founded 1910

Pursuing a degree is hard—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise—but coming to STU will be the best decision you’ve ever made. It has specialized programs to help students out every step of the way. If you need help with essays, you can take advantage of the Writing Centre. You can take advantage of peer tutoring if you’re concerned you’re not doing well in a certain class. Every week, there are lunch-and-learn workshops on different life skills like resumé planning, stress management and note taking. If you have any type of health concerns, mental or physical, the accessibility centre will make sure someone takes notes in classes that you have to miss and the registrar’s office will make sure your professors are informed.

Every student is entitled to 10 free counselling sessions, our health and dental coverage is pretty awesome, and there’s a campus gym that has a ton of fitness classes, many which are free for students. We get a bunch of extra perks because we share some services with the University of New Brunswick down the hill, and our tuition fees are pretty reasonable. Our view of the city isn’t too shabby either!

Extras
The student engagement and retention officer has added a new program called peer mentoring. The way it works is a first- or second-year student applies to the program for extra help during the school year, and an upper-year student helps them integrate into daily university life. Do you have questions about classes or professors? Are you not sure what services are available to you? The mentors are there. I’ve signed up as a mentor and was paired with someone who is interested in journalism, so I’m teaching her the tricks and tips of the trade. The new students are guaranteed one hour per week to talk and get advice on how to meet their goals and make their university transition as seamless as possible.

Local Vibe
There are few better places to live than a university city. Everything in Fredericton is within walking distance and there are some great cafés for studying or hanging out with friends. The cost of living is inexpensive, the nightlife is varied, and there’s always something to do. There is a veritable maze of trail systems for walking and biking along the Saint John River.

The Skinny
stu.ca/currentstudents

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