It’s the end of 5th week here at LU, and midterms are at our heels. After a weekend of warm sunshine, the Sunday night study rush is all too real. Luckily, the approach of midterms also means that Reading Period is on its way–a long weekend for Lawrentians to visit home, relax, or catch up on Netflix (you know you were thinking it).
The lovely warm weather has Lawrence students out and about: on the Quad, the cafe patio, and on College Ave. If you know Lawrence, you’ve probably heard about the Lawrence Bubble. The residential college atmosphere provides almost everything we could need–which can sometimes make it easy to forget about the exciting possibilities waiting off campus.
College Avenue is definitely the hub of downtown, with shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Some of my favorite places to explore are the small boutiques on “the Ave”, as we fondly call it here at Lawrence. There are a few great places to grab a bite to eat, too. The Queen Bee offers a delicious breakfast that won’t break a college student’s budget–and they have great service, too. Sangria’s is a Mexican restaurant just off College with a cute, house-like exterior and the largest guacamole appetizer I’ve ever seen. Topper’s and Erbs and Gerbs are also on College Avenue, both staples for college students–and they deliver! One restaurant that I’ve heard a lot about but haven’t been to is Cena–a bistro just down the street from Colman Hall. A little more expensive, but has great food and live music–definitely a place to make your parents take you!
College Avenue is also home to a few other attractions, including the Trout Museum of Art, Houdini Plaza, and the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, to name a few. Not only does the Trout Museum offer volunteer opportunities to Lawrence students, it also houses collections from regional artists and a jazz series. Houdini Plaza is the center of the downtown and the outdoor Farmer’s Market from June to October. The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center brings shows such as Mama Mia, Wicked, and Dirty Dancing to Appleton, often with a discount for Lawrence students!
photo credit: Appleton Parks & Recreation
These are just a few of the attractions located right outside the Lawrence Bubble–greater Appleton has even more to offer, like Tom’s soft serve and cool thrift shops, which are within biking distance of Lawrence. With so much to do on and off campus, Appleton hardly feels like a smaller city. Rest assured, Lawrentians are never bored!