Saint Mary’s University: student life on campus

The 411

If I wrote the school motto:
“No parking”
Best place for a nap:
The library’s quiet floor
Best cheap lunch:
The Gorsebrook Lounge
Best hangover breakfast:
The Pint rooftop patio
Best campus food:
Husky Crunch burger and spicy fries from Gorsebrook Lounge
Best bar for hanging out:
The Halifax Alehouse, which offers both live music and quieter, more secluded areas for conversation
Best giveaways:
There are loads of cool prizes to be won at events hosted at the campus pub, such as tickets to local music festivals, movie passes, cash prizes and much more
Best pizza:
A unique feature of downtown Halifax is “Pizza Corner,” named for three of the city’s best pizza places being conveniently located at one intersection: Pizza Girls, Sicilian’s and Johnny K’s
Best place to live:
The South End
Best place to study:
The campus library. The bottom floor is great for group discussion, while the upper floors are strictly kept silent for independent study.
Weirdest tradition:
After the final men’s hockey game of the season against Dalhousie, the university president of the losing team will wear the jersey of the winning team for a whole day
Best campus events:
SMU football home-opener during homecoming
If I could change one thing about the school:
More comfortable study spaces available, especially during exam time

PROFILE: Saint Mary’s University | Halifax, N.S. | Founded 1802

Occupying one city block, with approximately 7,000 full- and part-time students, Saint Mary’s is relatively small compared to other universities. The size is truly a blessing in disguise. The smaller classes promote one-on-one communication with professors, resulting in valuable discussion. They also offer more opportunities for academic employment for students, such as teaching and research assistantships across all faculties. The small school also seems to foster a sense of community, as you are always sure to see a familiar face on campus.

The school combines a rich, two-century legacy with modern and well-maintained facilities. Saint Mary’s is home to a globally recognized business school, state-of-the-art science facilities, supportive student services, and its faculty is exceptionally prolific in its research. Saint Mary’s also offers around $7.7 million in scholarships, fellowships and bursaries each year.

The university is also known for its culturally diverse student body, with about 30 per cent of students coming from other countries. Further, with our wide range of sports teams and campus societies, Saint Mary’s allows students to find a niche and really immerse themselves in it.

After Class
If you do not have access to a car, don’t fret. Most places of interest in Halifax are walking distance from campus. As for those harder-to-reach destinations, the whole city is accessible by bus, thanks to your student metro pass conveniently included in your school fees.

While the city is a cinch to navigate, so too is Saint Mary’s compact campus. The proximity of the school’s buildings makes it easy to schedule your classes back-to-back without worrying about trudging across the city to make it to class on time.

Local Vibe
Halifax is brimming with students, thanks to the multiple schools located here (Dalhousie University, University of King’s College, Mount Saint Vincent and NSCAD). The city is a great place to be a student, between our architecturally award-winning new central library, the loads of exciting artistic and cultural events throughout the year, and all of the pubs and clubs. The city has something for everyone. During the summer months, the beautiful harbour boardwalk is always bustling with fun events and attractions, including the renowned Halifax Busker Festival every year in early August. During the winter, the city is just as buzzing when the Emera Skating Oval is open for public use, free of charge.

More Info
Follow Halifax Noise on Instagram for updates on a wide range of local interests.