Brock University: Student life on campus

Unofficial school motto: ‘#WeAreReady’
Best place for a nap: Cairns Complex
Best cheap lunch: Union Station: Subway, Harvey’s, Burrito Boyz and more
Best hangover breakfast: A burrito from Guernsey Market
Favourite watering hole: Red Hot Chili Pepper Bar and Grille: dance floor upstairs, live bands downstairs and an outdoor patio
Perks of living in this town: Discovering all the unknowns, including trails and some unique places downtown
Best place to study: Floor six of the library: group-study areas and a quiet zone
Weirdest tradition: Grape stomp
Best campus event: Tower Party during Frosh Week
Best giveaway: Vendor Fair, where you can get all the free swag
Best live music venue: Detour Music Hall

PROFILE: Brock University | St. Catharines, Ont. | Founded 1964

University Insider: Satbir Singh, 20, Labour Studies

Just 19 km from Niagara Falls, Brock University is a small campus that allows students to explore their strengths and overcome their weaknesses. From the Goodman School of Business (which will soon boast a $22-million expansion), to the new Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts off-campus in downtown St. Catharines, to its highly regarded sport management program, Brock offers a lot of diversity for a mid-sized university.
More importantly, Brock is a school that cares about its students. Through on-campus jobs in almost every department, we are given the chance to work with faculty and administration. Its small size—you can cross from one end to the other in less than 10 minutes—makes it easier to build relationships with peers, professors and staff. Brock really does “bleed red” with school spirit, reflected in the fact that the Badgers are drawing record-breaking crowds for home varsity games.

In 2015, a new, million-dollar bronze statue of Sir Isaac Brock was installed in the middle of the campus, in front of the iconic Schmon Tower, which houses the library. The statue, depicting the British military commander known as “the hero of Upper Canada” for his leadership before and during the War of 1812, symbolizes the university’s spirit of determination. Whether they are tackling an assignment or exam, playing sports, performing on stage or preparing a business project, Brock students stand together to attain success. And, of course, with the statue comes another item on the Brock student’s bucket list: taking a selfie with “the General.”

Extras
Three years ago, Brock added a $1.5-million turf field that has intensified the excitement of homecoming and other sporting events. The field is also available for students to use for games of pickup football, soccer or Frisbee.
Clubs are growing at a rapid pace. There are organizations such as PlayMakers, which raises money to buy sporting equipment for the less fortunate. There are groups for activities such as longboarding or video games, or for people who share cultural or religious interests, plus international clubs, creative writing get-togethers, debating and dance clubs.

Local Vibe
If you are concerned about being stuck on a small campus, don’t be. Almost everything in the St. Catharines area is one bus ride away, including downtown, the Pen Centre mall and Niagara Falls. There are also several hiking trails, including the Bruce and one to DeCew Falls, near campus.
If you’re looking to party, weekly events allow students to enjoy a night or two out, whatever works for their schedule. On Wednesday evenings, the Moose & Goose hosts $1-beer “power hour”; Thursdays, head to Isaac’s Bar and Grill, one of the largest student pubs in Canada; Red Hot Chili Pepper is the place to go on Fridays and Saturdays; and there’s the L3 Nightclub at the end of the week. So you’re bound to have a good time around the city.

The Skinny
To keep tabs on upcoming events, check out Brocku.ca/brock-news, BrockBusu.ca and BrockPress.com.