University

University of Windsor: student life on campus

An insider’s guide to the best place to study, campus event and more

The 411

If I wrote the school motto:
“Come for the pizza, leave because of the air quality”
Best place for a nap:
The basement of the CAW Student Centre has some couches and lounge furniture that are great for napping
Best cheap lunch:
The Bru in Alumni Hall is a quick little stop for students. Grab a ready-to-go sandwich, an ice cream or have them make a personal pizza.
Best hangover breakfast:
The Crocodile Grill’s ultimate breakfast
Best place to live:
Windsor is one of those rare schools where houses in town actually cost less than residence fees. The student housing and apartment buildings that surround campus are testament to that fact.
Best campus event:
Welcome Week in the fall and Frost Week in the winter both offer a week’s worth of events, from dirty bingo to concerts to artificial ice rinks
Best bar for hanging out:
There’s a few to choose from in Windsor, but the closest to campus are Buddies, the Liquid Library and Jimmy G’s
Best pizza:
Pizza is the municipal food of Windsor, and any local joint probably has the best pizza you’ve ever tasted
Best place to study:
The Leddy Library offers designated quiet floors for people studying alone, and talking floors for when you’re studying with a group. With a café on the first floor, it’s got everything you need.
Best giveaway:
All the free T-shirts this school hands out during events will ensure you never need to pay for clothes again

PROFILE: University of Windsor | Windsor, Ont. | Founded 1857

The University of Windsor is Canada’s southernmost university campus. It’s so far south, the U.S.-Canada border is actually north of campus. Located in a mid-sized city also known as the “automotive capital of Canada,” the main campus fills a few city blocks. It’s quick and easy to get around. The campus itself is a Frankenstein’s monster of architectural styles, mixing buildings like Dillon Hall (built in 1928) with those like the Essex Centre of Research (built last year).

With roughly 16,000 students, the University of Windsor also boasts a low student-to-faculty ratio of 28 to 1. I’ve managed to develop a rapport with most of my professors.

The University of Windsor is home to a few standout programs. The best example is probably the sports management major in our master’s of human kinetics program, which was ranked among the top 25 for the whole world by SportBusiness International. Additionally, our school offers programs that you aren’t likely to find at most schools, including international relations, disability studies, visual art and the built environment, and my home program of interdisciplinary arts and science. While the school certainly has room for improvement, it still offers unique programs and experiences you won’t find anywhere else.

After Class
Windsor offers nearly 200 clubs and societies for any student to join. Many are what you’d expect, but there’s also an Avian Taxidermy Club for all those students who really want to . . . stuff and decorate dead birds, I guess? The clubs take centre stage at the beginning of each semester at Clubs Fest, where you’re likely find a few to pique your interest.

Local Vibe
The university is right next to the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest land-based border crossing between the United States and Canada. If you like the sight, sound and smell of countless transport trucks ceaselessly idling between countries, this is the locale for you. Beyond that, Windsor is also a diverse and multicultural town with plenty of restaurants. If you want to taste food from all over the world that was actually made by people from other places, Windsor’s got you covered.

More Info
Check out UWindsorLance.com for the student news and entertainment, or uwsa.ca to see what services the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance offers its members.

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