Trent University: student life on campus

The 411

Best place for a nap:
Junior Common Room at Catharine Parr Traill College
Best cheap lunch:
La Mesita Mexican Restaurant does authentic Mexican food at a reasonable rate
Best hangover breakfast:
The Whistle Stop
Favourite campus food:
The Seasoned Spoon Café, a vegetarian food co-op that grows all its veggies on campus
Best bar for hanging out:
The Ceilie. Located right on campus, it’s only a few steps away from the bus back downtown.
Best place to live:
Peterborough has a small downtown, so always make sure your new place is close to the Trent bus to avoid transit delays
Best place to study:
Bata Library is newly renovated and has the best views of the Otonabee River
Best pizza:
The Night Kitchen
Best campus event:
OPIRG’s annual free vegan BBQ at Sadleir House. It’s a great way to meet new students and get to know some of the clubs and groups at Trent.
Best live music venue:
The Garnet
Best giveaway:
The Free Market. Located in Sadleir House, it’s open year-round with used and donated items for free.
Weirdest tradition:
Every year, for the Head of the Trent rowing regatta, everyone paints their faces green, wears all their Trent gear and people even hang banners outside their houses
If I wrote the school motto:
“Progress. Community. Creativity.”

PROFILE: Trent University | Peterborough, Ont. | Founded 1964

Trent University is a tightly knit community surrounded by beautiful green space. Founded in 1964, Trent’s original campus was designed by architect Ron Thom to eliminate the gap between students living on campus and those commuting from home. This was accomplished through our unique collegiate system. Trent has five colleges, each offering something unique to prospective students: Lady Eaton, Otonabee, Champlain, Gzowski and Catharine Parr Traill. To make the transition to university life easier, each college has academic departments and advisers, counselling services and food services in addition to their dorms. The collegiate system allows new students to find new friends with similar interests, with all the support systems they need under one roof.

When it comes to academics, Trent is as diverse as they come. Whether you’re an artist, historian, environmentalist, criminologist, scientist or future politician, Trent will give you all the tools needed to change the world. Founded on the idea of small class sizes and departmental mentorship, Trent is ideal for students who don’t want to be just another face in the crowd. If you want your prof to know you by name and make real, lasting connections within your department, Trent is the place to be. We may lack the prestige of larger universities, but we make up for it through support and passion.

After Class
It’s not all about academics—Trent students love to have fun, too. With hundreds of groups and clubs, finding new friends or a cool event is never difficult. Free weekly movie screenings by the Trent Film Society, student-run radio programming at Trent Radio, evening pub nights at Sadleir House and planting veggies in the community garden are just some of the activities you can look forward to. Trent has deep roots in activism and social justice and those values translate into a campus full of motivated future leaders who aren’t afraid of doing things a little differently than their peers.

Local Vibe
Peterborough is a friendly community that will have you feeling like a local in no time. Afraid to leave your big city for a small town? Don’t worry, Peterborough has great restaurants with cuisines from around the world, a thriving arts community and plenty of pubs to keep you entertained. Afraid to leave your small community for a city? Peterborough has the perfect blend of small-town charm and big-city opportunities. In the summer, those who remain in town get to experience the beauty of our hiking trails, swimming in the river and the weekly outdoor farmers’ market.

More Info
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