Dating : Ranking 5 spots on UChicago’s campus where I’ve gone a date

As we turn into the fourth month of quarantine, I’ve found myself reminiscing about-and perhaps romanticizing- the University of Chicago’s renowned architecture, the open air on the grassy quad, and familiar campus cafés.

In anticipation for the fall and my final two years on campus, I’ve narrowed down various date spots on UChicago’s campus to five particularly memorable locations:

5. Pret a Manger

As someone who was the one who suggested going here, please do not go on a date here. You might be tempted because it’s not a dining hall and is conveniently located, but Pret is reserved for 18-year-olds wearing suits for Blue Chips interviews, those days when you have three classes and a lab in a row, and free oat milk.

4. Bartlett Dining Commons

You’ll definitely have your fair share of dining hall dates during your first year, and it might seem like you could not do worse, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Bartlett. Sit at a booth at the back of Bartlett, and it will almost feel like you’re in a diner.

3. Plein Air Café

Plein Air would be the ideal first date location if it weren’t so popular. The coffee is good, atmosphere is quaint, and the Seminary Co-op serves as the perfect spot to continue your date if things go well.

Additional tip: this place gets SUPER crowded around lunchtime so you may have to relocate, but this is just a good opportunity to see how your date reacts when things don’t go according to plan.

2. Study date in Reg Stacks

Studying in the stacks gets a bad rep, but I find it criminally underrated.

It might be cold in there, but snag a spot midday and you’ll get a 3 person desk just for the two of you, sunshine streaming in through the floor to ceiling window panels, and a quiet spot where you can definitely speak at normal volumes as long as it’s not midterms or finals season-all while convincing yourself that you’re being productive.

1. Botany Pond/ the quad

This is the romantic version of UChicago that you see in When Harry Met Sally. Unfortunately, opportunities for this only come up during fall and spring quarter, but please sit out here when you get a chance. You can get some food from the food trucks, enjoy the beautiful quad architecture, and even the most incompatible person will seem like your soulmate for that hour.

Bonus points if you sit on the bridge at Botany Pond and admire the ducks.

Honorable mention: The Point

Although not exactly on campus, it is fairly accessible through a 30-minute walk. I’ll be the first to admit that the Point may be a tad overrated, but Lake Michigan is stunning if you catch it on a good day. Bring a blanket and a few snacks, and you’ll find yourself in an oasis away from classes.

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