University

MacEwan University 411: Where to find the best cheap lunch and more

An insider’s perspective on life at MacEwan

MacEwan University Profile Campus

Unofficial school motto:

‘The construction is only temporary, we promise!’

Best place for a nap:

By the window of the clocktower, with the sun acting as a makeshift blanket

MacEwan University student Kyle Muzyka.

Best cheap lunch:

The special fried rice at Oodle Noodle

Best hangover breakfast:

The Breakfast Bowl, available all day in the cafeteria at our arts campus

Favourite watering hole:

If you don’t like the campus bar, Beer Revolution has a rotating selection of craft beer.

Perks of living in this town:

Great restaurants, bars, festivals and arts events

Best place to study:

In the summer, the patios off the pedway between Buildings 8 and 9; in the winter, the balcony overlooking the pool.

Weirdest tradition:

Our school year always starts later and ends earlier than the University of Alberta’s, despite the schools being only four kilometres from each other

Best campus event:

Whiteout, a regular-season game between one of our athletic teams (usually basketball) and another school, for which they hand out white shirts, and where the students and faculty drink a few beers together

Best giveaway:

New Student Orientation hosts various draws for $1,000 or more off your tuition. There are also tons of giveaways at Fall Fest and at Winterfest, a two-day concert for MacEwan students.

Best live music venue:

The Starlite Room; perhaps the Needle Vinyl Tavern, whose opening has been delayed
because of construction issues

University Insider: Kyle Muzyka, 21, Journalism

It feels as though the entire city of Edmonton is built around MacEwan University, with the main campus situated in the heart of downtown. But for now, close to 13,000 full-time students are more than enough for the small school. MacEwan has always been known for its student-first attitude, and, even as enrolment continues to rise, classes remain small enough that your professors all know your first name. At MacEwan you’re sure to get the kind of teacher-student rapport few other institutions can offer.

PROFILE: MacEwan University | Edmonton, Alta. | Founded 1971

MacEwan is definitely among the toughest universities in Canada when it comes to finding free or cheap parking, and though it will be worth it in the end, the construction of the new arena and arts building definitely isn’t helping. Parking fees (and rents in the area, for that matter) are mostly outrageous and probably won’t go down anytime soon. However, multiple transit lines run to the university. In my experience, buses are at least seven minutes late but it’s still much cheaper than selling limbs to pay for monthly parking.

Extras

MacEwan’s ever-expanding list of student clubs will ensure you fit in, no matter what you’re into. The MacEwan Ski and Social Club sent 100 students to Golden, B.C. (a five-hour drive), on a liquor-licensed bus to celebrate New Year’s. Each student paid just $440 for travel, three nights in a hotel and two days on the ski hill. But don’t fret if you don’t ski, as there are plenty of on-campus events and festivities that you can take part in (and even some, like the UN Club, that can take you as far away as the Galapagos Islands). MacEwan has over 90 clubs, with more being added all the time, for all types of interests.

Local Vibe

The new arena being built for the Edmonton Oilers is just a block from the school and will completely transform the area. It’s great timing, too, as the team is finally not totally terrible. As a bonus, the Oilers’ practice rink will be the MacEwan Griffins home rink—so, if you have an appetite for hockey but lack deep pockets, there’s an alternative. The new, $5-billion district will electrify an already-popular nightlife scene downtown, which already has its fair share of unique hotspots frequented by students and professionals.

The Skinny

The campus paper, www.TheGriff.ca, just rebranded itself as a downtown hyperlocal; www.VueWeekly.com is an arts and culture magazine centred in one of the most diverse arts communities in the country.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.