Collin McGraw English 106 Emre Koyuncu 3-18-12

Life At Purdue University

Student life here at Purdue University is different than any other campus life I

have ever seen. Each university has its own traditions and ways of doing things. From the

way the campus is set up to the location of the athletic venues, Purdue has an excellent

atmosphere. Everyday I walk around this campus and think about how lucky I am to be

able to attend such a prestigious University. I wanted to document the buildings and

places that I pass on a daily basis so that I can show others what its like to go to Purdue

University. I will be taking you on a tour of campus via the pictures that I have taken and

will be telling you a little information about each spot.

When I was walking around deciding what my first photo was going to be of, and

I decided that it had to be of the Purdue University sign at the edge of academic campus.

I decided to use this picture because its important to know the background of the school

you attend and what is more important then the year it was founded. I remember walking

around campus the first week during Boiler Gold Rush and my leader telling me that

John Purdue founded the university in 1869, and I thought how cool it was that the school

has risen to one of the most respected universities in the country.

The second picture I took was of the outside of the Purdue Memorial Union. I

chose this building because not only is it a very important building to the university, but

it also has a very cool landscape with the bushes being cut into a cursive “Purdue”. I tend

to go to the Union quite often because not only does it have different places to eat at, but

it also has a bowling alley to go to so it’s a great place to hang out with friends.

Next I walked across the street to the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas, where the

Catholic students go to celebrate mass. There are multiple religious sanctuaries here in

West Lafayette to accommodate the many religious backgrounds of the 35,000+ students

that attend Purdue University. St. Thomas Aquinas also offers many retreats for the

students to go to strengthen their faith.

Coming back from the church towards campus you will walk by the “Hello

Walk”, which is a tradition here at Purdue University. Walking down this pathway in the

center of campus is always a friendly experience. This is a great place to meet new

people and if you’re having a bad day then you can smile and say hi to a new person.

The fourth picture is of the one of a kind Lion Fountain. This special fountain not

only quenches passerby’s thirst but also is a unique take on design and engineering, two

important things valued here at Purdue University. It doesn’t run with water all the time

but when it does you can be sure that students are stopping for a taste.

Next is The Bell Tower, when people think of Purdue the image of an iconic

clock tower is ingrained into your mind. Here at Purdue University it is a landmark for

students trying to get to class everyday. The tower stands high over all other buildings so

that it is easily spotted and helps students find their way. The underpass that is on the

tower has a superstition attached to it also. It is rumored that if you walk underneath the

bell tower, you will not graduate in four years. So most students avoid that by walking

around the tower.

Last on the tour of Purdue University is Ross-Ade Stadium; it is the home to the

Boilermaker football team. I really like this part of campus because on the Saturdays that

we have home games the students make such an exciting atmosphere on campus. They

play in the Big Ten conference and each year compete for the classic Oaken Bucket,

against in state rival Indiana University. This exquisite stadium has a capacity of about

63,000, and the student section is very intense every home game.

That concludes my personalized tour of Purdue University. I hope the pictures I

took; along with the background information I gave was enough to showcase the

uniqueness of this campus. I am very proud to call myself a Boilermaker and can not wait

until next August comes and I get to start my sophomore year here!