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Are you looking to get a break from the semester-end studying? Looking to escape the constant rush of people around campus? Well you’re in luck! We’ve assembled a list of the four best, easily accessible hiking trails and land preserves within walking distance of Storrs, CT.

1. UConn Forest is the closest hiking area to the Storrs Campus. It has several trailheads behind Horsebarn Hill, leading to a network of trails interwoven with the Fenton River. Connecticut’s 34 mile Nipmuck Trail runs through the UConn forest, blazed in blue, but UConn’s own Forestry Club maintains other, smaller trails linking it to Horsebarn Hill. This trail system is definitely the longest near UConn, offers fishing and hiking and a number of old structures slowly being reclaimed by nature. Of particular interest are the ruins of the “Husky Hill” ski area, opened in 1967. The lift towers for the two rope-tows and a hand-warming hut still persevere.
2. Eagleville Preserve is a small park adjacent to the Eagleville Pond and Willimantic River. The pond has a large dam which can be particularly impressive after a strong rainfall. The trails themselves are pretty short, but there are areas for picnics north of the bridge, and secret wrought-iron benches hidden along the bends of the river, south of the bridge.
3. The River Park is located at the northern end of Eagleville Pond, and offers fishing and canoeing spots in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter. There is also a picnic area and free parking. The park is ideal for water-related activities as the hiking trails only stretch about half a mile.
4. Shelter Falls Park is a small park located between Depot Campus and the main campus. It features 1.7 miles of hiking trails through wetlands along the Nelson Brook and culminates at an abandoned mill on Bonemill Road. It can be accessed through trailheads off of Hunting Lodge Road, at Mansfield’s Four Corners or from Bone Mill Road. It features some good picnic spots, fishing, and it is one of the few trails around UConn where biking—motor or mountain—is permitted.

UConn’s Depot Campus is a gem in the rough. Most students only hear rumors of its existence, but it’s got a lot to offer.

1. The Depot Campus boasts a large lacrosse field which is often unused, but always well maintained. The Depot Field is used for practice by the lacrosse teams, rugby teams, as well as for a variety of intramural and club sports. More often than not, though, it sits manicured and unused. It’s the perfect place for pick-up games of Frisbee or soccer. There is free parking, sets of bleachers, and a bus line that stops on the half hour.
2. The UConn Surplus Public Store opens once per month to resell old university equipment to the public. Their stock is eclectic, boasting anything from computers and cell phones, to sports equipment and clothing. You might find office supplies and dorm furniture one month, only to have it replaced by auditorium speakers and lab equipment the next month. The prices are reasonable, but beware the stampede of local deal seekers when the doors open in the morning.
3. The Depot Campus is home to the Ballard Puppet Workshop where all the creations dreamed up by the students in UConn’s Puppetry major are formed, painted, and stored. While the Ballard Museum has officially moved to Storrs Center, the workshop remains an interesting site to visit, and retains the bulk of the Museum’s off-display collection. There is no shortage of marionettes, hand puppets, and shadow fingers if you’re inclined to make the short journey.
4. As the cold grip of another Storrs winter is finally being pried from the campus the desire to enjoy the warmth is reaching fever pitch. Whether sunbathing, throwing down a blanket and picnicking, or simply stretching out with a good book, Depot Campus has all the open space you could ask for. Further, given its secluded nature and distance from the traffic of main campus, you could go hours without seeing another human.
5. The Depot Campus was operated as an asylum under the name The Mansfield Training School from 1860 until 1993, when lawsuits concerning the treatment of patients and the condition of the facilities became too much to handle. As you can imagine, the rumors of hauntings and paranormal activity are prominent. Though UConn has recently fenced off direct access to most of the buildings, the air of creepiness still pervades, and it is certainly worth a visit. Just make sure not to stay past sundown…

Parking at the Storrs campus can be a nightmare without a commuter permit—hell it’s a nightmare even with one. But fear not! We have assembled a list of the best options for permit-less parking in a pinch.

1. North or South Parking Garages: For those of you on the up-and-up, you can pay to park at one of UConn’s parking garages and leave your moral integrity intact. It will only run you $12.00 a day, and is very safe. North Garage is pretty close to Northwest and North Campus housing areas while South is more centrally located on campus, providing easy access to the Co-Op, Gampel, and the library.
2. Local business parking lots often have a time limit of 2 hour parking, which is just long enough to find a spot, walk to class, and return before anyone is the wiser. Smaller businesses’ parking lots such as those serving Subway or Dunkin Donuts on the North side of campus are more likely to be checked regularly due to their rapid customer turn around so it’s probably safer to stick to the Price Chopper parking lot or the visitor lot behind Buckley and Shipee housing areas.
3. Depot Campus is ideal for your long-term free parking needs. The whole area sits about a mile from the main campus, but is serviced by UConn’s purple line bus. There are no signs restricting parking on Depot Campus, and nary a parking enforcer to be seen. This is certainly a loophole which will soon be closed, but until then park away!
4. All of UConn’s Area 1 designated parking becomes free on weekends, and on weekdays between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. making for ample parking opportunities for weekend visits or evening study sessions.
5. Finally, if you don’t mind a bit of walking to your destination, you can park at one of the trail heads near Bone Mill Road or on the outskirts on Horsebarn Hill. The Bone Mill spot is about a five minute walk to the Northwood Apartments bus stop, serviced by the purple line, and the Horsebarn Hill is similarly close to several orange line stops.

McMahon Dining Hall

What McMahon Dining Hall’s ladies room really has going for it is its aesthetics. If you ignore all that water on the counters and the excessively creaky stall doors, the place has a certain ambiance. And when hit at the right hour – in between meals or early morning – it’s pretty well kept and clean! On a campus where many dining halls don’t even have bathrooms within them, forcing you to swipe in and out madly as you gorge yourself on cardboard pizza, McMahon exceeds expectations. 6/10

The Bathroom in Rome under South Dining Hall

Speaking of dining halls that don’t have bathrooms, South does pretty well despite its self-imposed setback by providing a pass to allow for easy back-and-forth between the dining hall and the bathroom. Besides that, it usually pretty clean and surprisingly empty. One stall in particular boosts this bathroom’s score as it is a non-handicap stall where the door swings outward – great for easy access when you’re in a hurry to class. 7/10

1^st Floor Wilbur Cross

Good old Wilbur earns its spot on this list for its tasteful touches: the wide full-length mirror and endtable with flowers. A great place to stop and pull your skirt out of your stockings between classes! Bonus: the doors on every stall swing outward. 7/10 for traffic.

Handicap Bathrooms in Gentry

No traffic here! Provided you can get into one, there is no more peaceful stop for switching out a tampon than one of the handicap bathrooms on every floor of Gentry. Well-lit, peaceful, and technically gender-free, their only downfall is their frustrating occupancy. 8/10

 Engineering Building

Those female engineers must be as smart as they say because they’ve engineered the perfect bathroom situation! Not to mention that despite UConn’s efforts to get more ladies involved in engineering they are still outnumbered by the boys, leaving their bathroom mostly untrodden. If you’re looking for privacy, cleanliness, and availability, this is it. 9/10

The Antagonist

Drunk and cunning, the Antagonist is the most insidious of this list. She has to pee and nothing and nobody is going to stop her, especially not you. This devious diva will pretend to be drunker than she is, parading as an ally to convince you to let her go “just real quick please I’m begging you” before you. Do not be fooled. Send her to the back of the line as she deserves.

The Ally

The antithesis to the Antagonist, the Ally is your long lost soul sister brought to you by the cosmic forces of alcohol. You guys are just, like, sooooo alike! The Ally will join forces with you to defend and protect yourselves from potential Antagonists. Plus you get a free invite into the bathroom with her and her friends if she’s ahead of you! Win-win.

 

The Needs-to-go-Home

She seems to be barely alive, breathing heavily and slowly, clearly trying to act natural and failing. As soon as the line starts to move, her incapability of standing on two legs becomes alarmingly obvious. The Needs-to-go-Home will lean into your back to steady herself, mumbling “sorry” into your hair. You may have to cut your losses and let her go in first to avoid getting vomit on your new heels.

 

The Zookeeper

At first, the Zookeeper seems a lone wolf. She commands respect standing solitarily and patiently in line, unfazed by the chaos around her. But soft! What light through yonder barroom breaks? It is the east, and suddenly every one of her friends has to go to the bathroom too. With her gracious sweeping arm, the Zookeeper breaks your heart and crushes your bladder.

 

The Boy

The boy? Oh yes, the boy. While all the ladies are blinded by their full bladders, the Boy’s eyes are wide open and what he sees is opportunity. This no-swag lowlife has been trying to talk to ladies all night, but they just seem to keep flitting away. Luckily for him there is a place where he can be sure the girls won’t leave him: the line for the bathroom. This guy lurks around the bathroom door, trying to make a meaningful connection that will withstand the test of recognition after she has come and gone from the bathroom. Best to give this one the cold shoulder… or point him in the direction of the Zookeeper.

1. McMahon pasta bar for lunch on Wednesday is always followed by pasta bar for dinner on Friday (optimal waiting time can be achieved by arriving at 1:20 for lunch, 4:40 for dinner)
2. You can get a soup menu flyer from the co-op that covers all of their soup rotations
3. Whitney, Northwest, and McMahon are open Sun-Thurs until 10pm
4. Bring Ziploc bags and/or Tupperware to squirrel away study snacks for later
5. If you’re a friendly customer at the union, the employees often won’t charge you for extra meat or a drink
6. If you pay attention to the meal rotations, you can predict and plan for when your favorites will cycle back around
7. You can access all the dining hall menus with the MyUconn app
8. Keep an eye out for theme nights. Their menus aren’t listed on the app.
9. A flex pass for a friend in need rarely goes unreciprocated.

1. Lululemon leggings; Wunder Unders!

2. L.L. Bean boots

3. Longchamp purses

4. Northface backpacks; the one thing from high school that is reusable

5. Hering bone vests; from J. Crew no doubt

6. Sorel boots

7. Tom’s

8. Long Parka coats: Northface, Canada Goose, Patagoinia

9. UConn apparel

10. Sorority apparel

1. Timberland boots

2. L.L. Bean boots

3. Oversized snap-back hats

4. Pom beanie hats

5. Polo shorts

6. Sperry’s

7. Nike Free Run Sneakers

8. Jordan Sneakers

9. UConn apparel

10. Fraternity apparel

1. House of Cards

2. Orange is the New Black

3. Game of Thrones

4. Scandal

5. Sons of Anarchy

1. Library-obviously

2. In class (head down, arms crossed on desk)

3. Couches in the Champion center

3. In a corner

4. Gentry-chairs by windows, third floor

5. Austin-grad student lounge

6. In a car (yours preferably)

7. In a dorm (yours preferably)

8. Picnic bench on a sunny day

9.  The bleachers in Gampel