Great Places To Grizz: Dodge Hall Courtyard

As this blog progresses, we’ll occasionally try out various “theme posts” in hopes of establishing some that can appear regularly. The first attempt at this will be called “Great Places To Grizz.”

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One of the downers of going to college in a northern state is winter. Every fall, thousands of students come back to Oakland University’s beautiful campus. They are given approximately two months to  enjoy the fading beauties of summer, and then winter happens, leaving the campus covered in that familiar white stuff for much of the remainder of the natural semesters (fall and winter, from here on out).

While OU certainly has scenic stability during its wintery months, the ultimate bummer comes from the fact that students can not easily enjoy the views when they want to get their grizz on. Instead, they are forced to set up shop in familiar locales such as Kresge Library, the OC, or any of the various study lounges in order to prepare for The Next Big Exam. An unfortunate result of this occurrence is the development of the mindset that these are the only paces for intense study sessions, even when the campus is blooming.

Although the days of blossoming tulips and Frisbee on the fringe of Beer Lake are hardly near, there is a spot which one should remember for the future to help in the fight against the fluorescents. Nestled in between the unassuming bricks of Dodge Hall is a courtyard. On first glance, a student might notice the few tables and chairs that sit atop the cracked cement. Or one might glance over the few floral fixtures that help bring some color to the otherwise bland area. Upon entering, you’d find that the chairs are far from comfortable and that the leftover cigarette butts damper its appeal a bit, but it is clear that this courtyard is brimming with untapped potential.

Far from the best kept area on campus, the DHC is worth noting because it has the bare essentials down. It is quiet because of its location in the center of Dodge Hall. It is void of common study distractions such as computers, electronic outlets, or very many people. And, most importantly, it has the ability to keep its visitors awake because it is in the open air with the natural breeze (just remember to bring some paperweights).

Despite its strongpoints, this naturally-lit courtyard is considerably ignored from most of the student population, even during the warmer months. While it may take some getting used to, perhaps a sudden surge in attendance (and an acknowledging of said surge) would inspire campus leaders to call for its rejuvenation. A single afternoon of volunteer work could get the basics back in order, and from there an updating of the furniture would be ideal but perhaps not entirely necessary.

Small steps like these would be beneficial in the constant push at beautifying OU’s campus. And an important result of this beautification process would be more vibrant activity outside of the buildings which contain students for much of their time spent on campus.

All too frequently students complain about the lack of life, happenings, or a “Quad-like” area here at OU, but visiting places like the Dodge Hall Courtyard could help to combat grievances such as these. While the advice offered today is hardly applicable now at the onset of January, it will hopefully spark a bit of interest in one of the more promising places to grizz at Oakland University.  

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