One of the best parts about being a student at KU Law means you have access to the same facilities as KU undergraduate students – and given that Green Hall is within KU campus, you have all the more reason to explore these areas! Below, I discuss three of my favorite places on KU’s Campus (that aren’t Green Hall):
Ambler Recreation Center
First is the Ambler Recreation Center, which many students call “The Rec.” Like all other KU students, students at KU Law can access Ambler Recreation. For full-time enrolled students (12 or more credits for law students), KU charges a “Wellness Fee” which is included in tuition, meaning you can go to The Rec without having to pay an additional fee!
However, if you wish to participate in classes, such as yoga or Pilates, you can buy a Fit pass for access to classes at The Rec. It is $50 for unlimited access to all fitness classes at The Rec for the full semester, although there are options to buy a pass valid for half the semester or even access to one class.
For those who are apprehensive about large gym crowds, going to The Rec between 6 and 9 a.m. or 8 and 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday tends to be pretty relaxed. As for a gym playlist, I can’t work out without having Chief Keef, Kanye West or Playboi Carti on.
KU Natural History Museum
As a KU Biology undergraduate, the Natural History Museum holds a near and dear place to me. The Natural History Museum spans four floors – and on the fourth floor, you can view the largest Mosasaur found, a Tylosaurus fossil specimen! In fact, in 2014, the The Kansas State legislature declared the Tylosaurus the official state marine fossil.
KU has an impressive Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) program and the KU Biodiversity Institute hosts a massive research collection. In particular, KU has one of the largest herpetological collections in the world. (Note: Herpetology is a discipline that spans reptiles and amphibians). A little known fact is that you can schedule a public tour of KU’s research collection, although you must do so at LEAST two weeks in advance.
While I’m not a fan of amphibians, I would say that Cerastes cerastes (the Saharan horned viper) and Laticauda laticaudata (the blue-lipped sea krait) are two of my favorite reptiles.
Spencer Museum of Art
The Spencer Museum of Art, also called the Spencer, is a free art museum on campus that is directly associated with KU. The collection hosts tens of thousands of pieces of art, including some pieces from renowned artists such as Édouard Manet and Pablo Picasso. While none of Manet’s pieces are on display, two of
Picasso’s works (in the earthenware and clay mediums) are currently on display.
The Spencer also has exhibitions on display; one of their current exhibitions is of the red-crowned crane as observed in East Asian art. This exhibition runs through the end of this year. As a KU Law student, you can do more than just view the exhibits. There are several ways to get involved with the Spencer, such becoming a volunteer or joining the museum’s Student Advisory Board.
– Tanya Singh is a 2L KU Law Student Ambassador from Manhattan, Kansas